A Pirate's Life 4: The Sparrow's Nest
Prologue
It was a cool, quiet night on the Caribbean sea; the gleaming stars shone above the masts, there was not a cloud in the sky and the sea was as calm as ever it could be. With the moon illuminating the way it was a beautiful night as a large but elegant galleon ship flew across the waves, it's keel slicing through the sea with ease and grace. It's sails were dirty black and the ship itself was made of wood to match.
The ship had legends and myths aplenty, some spoke of curses, devils and shadows, others told of warm winds that favoured the ship and her captain so much that even the King's navy would have a hard time taming her.
The 'Black Pearl', known for her legendary speed that only Captain Sparrow could coax from her sails, was described as 'nigh uncatchable'.
During the day ships - navy and pirate alike, feared the catch the eye of her fortunate captain even when she could be seen. But at night the 'Pearl' appeared from the dark mist often sea like a phantom and devoured her prey whole.
Captain Jack Sparrow himself was stood at the helm of his beloved vessel, his pride and joy, his dark lady and second love only to the sea itself, with a contented smile.
His dark hair braided with beads, trinkets and dreadlocks was weakly tossed to and fro by the breeze, with the ends of his red bandana fluttering behind him. The long, ragged tails of his grey justacorps coat fluttered round his trouser clad legs and tatty boots. Jack's much loved hat was perched crookedly on his head above his deep black eyes.
Few men in this life could lay claim to true happiness, or even contentment, but the captain believed that he was one of them. He had his ship, he had the open sea, a decent - if slightly crazy crew, a supply of rum and plenty of ships to plunder. What else could a man want for? Well...nothing that a night or two in Tortuga couldn't provide that was for sure.
Jack looked out as he watched his crew sing drunken chanties, drink rum and gamble on the deck. He revelled in hearing them sing his favourite song, 'A pirate's life' he was honestly grateful to Elizabeth for teaching it to him even if she had sung it reluctantly...and then drunkenly. (*1)
They had a fair wind behind them but Jack had no real destination in mind, they were merely sailing with the wind and looting whatever came their way. He suddenly heard uneven footstep and a quiet 'sloshing' accompanying it, then a deep voice spoke.
"...fer the rest, yo ho ho, and a bottle 'er rum..." he heard Gibbs drunkenly mutter from behind him. Jack turned to see his first mate drink from a bottle and walk to stand beside him.
But within two seconds Gibbs was frowning and holding the rum bottle upside down, having difficulty in his drunken state to comprehend that it was in fact, now devoid of rum. "Rum's gone, cap'n," he muttered and tossed the bottle aside. Gibbs then proceeded to search his pockets for his small flask but soon found that it was also empty. "Why's 't always rum's gone?" the man muttered and Jack gave him an understanding smile.
"That's why, mate," Jack replied as he watched his first mate and friend grab onto the railings for support.
"Aye...I reckon so..." the man nodded.
From the deck they could hear Marty the midget play a flute he had recently finished carving along to another recherché sea chantey, as the rest of the crew sang or clapped along to the beat. Many of them were waving mugs or bottles of rum as well, and Anamaria, clearly three sheets to the wind was dancing round and round with the mute Cotton. The man was smiling as his parrot continued to repeat; 'Pass the rum! *squawk* Pass the rum!'
Pintel and Ragetti were, at present fighting over a small violin that they had found on board a ship they had raided recently. For some reason it had stayed aboard and many of the crew had tried, and failed to play it correctly. But it provided entertainment on drunken nights such as this, so Jack had let the men keep it.
"Yers doin' 't wrong!" the scrawny Ragetti yelled as Pintel made loud, searching sounds with the bow.
"Like yer know any better!" his uncle, Pintel shouted back and the crew began to laugh.
"I do, I sees 'em rich people plays one a' a party once, and they weren't holdin' it like tha'. Didn't make them noises neither!"
"When've you ever been a rich people party?" Anamaria demanded with a drunken slur, as she and Cotton sat down on the deck. They we joined by Mullroy and Murtogg who were laughing at the men trying to play the instrument.
"Raided one," the man replied and the crew burst into loud laughter again while Anamaria tossed her mug at Ragetti with a grin.
"'S bad luck...sailin' wi' women, cap'n," Gibbs repeated to Jack for the hundredth time, but Jack had stopped counting. Ever since had known the sailor he had been a superstitious man, and the captain found it amusing rather than annoying.
Jack said nothing though as e turned back to the open ocean, it has his first and only love; the sea. Of course he couldn't remember it, but his father had always claimed that Jack had been born at sea during a typhoon on the Indian ocean. His old man had said that it was that fact that had made a young Jack fall in love with the sea even before he understood why he loved it so.
Captain Teague used to tell him; 'Yer were born at sea, yer'll live at sea, and yer'll die at sea.' The last part was obviously not a comforting thought, but dying in general was not something Jack wanted to dwell on. And the man had been right so far it seemed. Jack couldn't seem to stay on land for long, he constantly craved the open ocean, he had done for as long he could remember.
And now that he had his precious 'Pearl' back he could go where he pleased, he was free again. It was far more than the East India Trading Company or even the crown could offer him. True freedom, to be free from the invisible constraints of society and of the painful shackles of its prisons was all he wanted.
...Well that and rum...and his ship...and salty wenches...but mainly freedom...mostly freedom, anyway.
...And speaking of rum their supplies were extremely decimated, used up in the build up to the New Year celebrations. He'd mutiny on himself the day his ship ran dry...so it seemed that a they had a need to make port.
"Mr Gibbs," Jack said with a grin.
"A...aye, cap'n," the first mate muttered as he stood and swayed on his feet.
"I notice tha' we are in dire need of rum, therefore, being, as I am, a good pirate captain no' in need of a mutiny, I have decided to listen to reason an' make port ter that' bounteous and beneficent bouquet of all black hearts," Jack said and Gibbs squinted at his captain. The man tried in vain to see through the haze created by an excess of rum, to decipher Jack's meaning. "Set course for Tortuga, Gibbs," Jack added and the man nodded.
"Aye," Gibbs nodded with enthusiasm and walked off to the crew, shouting orders as he went.
Jack grinned as he watched the drunken crew cheer and toss their hats and mugs in enthusiasm. Those that were least drunk climbed the rigging while others merely collapsed on the deck in drunken stupors as the ever moving stars above continued to smile serenely down on the 'Pearl'.
(*1) Here, my good scallywags, I refer to one of many insightful scenes which were, unfortunately, not included in the movie. If you haven't seen the deleted scenes I advise you go to YouTube now and do so! Go now! What are you waiting for?
A.N. Don't forget to review and let me know your thoughts!