Disclaimer: None of the characters is mine, I'm just playing with them.
AU: Edward Teague wants an explanation. He knew his son, Jack Sparrow, was dead. He was killed by Davy Jone's kraken, so how did he come to be at the meeting of the brethren court?
Explanations at the Brethren Court.
Captain Edward Teague stopped playing his guitar with a sigh of annoyance. He looked around the dim room, as a new fight broke out between the crew members of two of the pirate lords. It was already the third fight that evening and there were still four lords missing. If they didn't get there soon, he feared the meeting would have to be cancelled altogether due to the death of one of the lords. Not for the first time he wished he could retire to his chambers for a bit of silence and solitude, but as keeper of the code he needed to be present and try to ensure that things didn't get out of hand. When he had heard that the song had been sung in Port Royal, he knew that his home was going to be invaded by other pirates. He knew the brethren court would assemble to discuss a course of action. But he didn't know what good it would do. As far as he was aware of, two lords had died without giving their pieces of eight to anyone else. Barbossa, killed by Jack, may have passed on his piece of eight, but Jack… Teague shook his head and sighed. He knew his son quite well, and he doubted he would relinquish his positions as lord of the Caribbean sea unless his demise was utterly certain and considering his son's confidence in his abilities, that would mean never. So, now two positions would remain empty, two pieces of eight lost and the broken court would have to find a solution to a problem that seemed too complicated to overcome.
Captain Teague's musings were once again interrupted by a shot, and he looked in annoyance as one of Captain Villanueva's men fell at the hands of a rival pirate. He was considering interfering in the fight, less it get out of hand, when the doors to the court room opened with a bang and a new contingent of pirates entered the room freezing everyone in their spots. Teague felt his eyes widening slightly in shock when they fell on the very distinctive form of his only son. Jack, with his dark hair and shinny beads, his hat and flashy clothes, was very easy to recognize. He looked tired, dark shadows were present under his kohl lined eyes, and yet, for a man supposed to be dead, he looked surprisingly alive. All the pirates in the room looked as Jack and Barbossa drew their swords and inserted them in the world map, claiming their positions as lords of the Caspian and Caribbean seas. Barbossa then turned around and quickly swept his gaze over the room, quickly taking notice of the seated lords and frozen pirates. Grunting he moved over to the end of the table, opposite to where Teague was sitting.
"I see we're still missing Mistress Ching and Sao-Feng."
His voice was gruff and it had a displeased tone in it, but it was enough to unfreeze the other pirates, who at once started to talk among themselves again. The newcomers joined Barbossa at his end of the table, talking quietly between them. Teague from his place at the throne like chair didn't remove his gaze from his son. The boy hadn't once looked in his direction, seemingly content to avoid him for the moment. But the older captain was not about to humour him on this matter. He had spent many sleepless nights mourning the boy, and while he was quite happy to see him alive, he wanted an explanation. Abruptly he stood up, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Even his son finally looked in his direction as he walked over to a closed door.
"Jonathan, a word."
Out of the corner of his eye he saw the other pirates looking at each other confused and his son raise a finger, no doubt ready to say some nonsense. Not giving him a chance, the older captain shot him a direct, fierce glare. "Now."
Everyone turned to Jack, as the man slowly lowered his hand and sighed. "Right."
Jack sighed as he watched the keeper of the code disappear through the door. He would have preferred to avoid a talk with his father, at least before the meeting of the Brethren
Court, but it seems he didn't have a choice, his father was not a man to cross, especially not when he used that tone of voice.
"Cap'tain?"
Jack sighed again and looked to his right, where Mr Gibbs, Elizabeth and Will were watching him with confused faces. He shrugged. "No worries, Mates, I'll be back in a minute."
Elizabeth's frown increased at his nonchalant voice. "Who is he Jack? And what do you know him from. And why did he call you Jonathan?"
The pirate captain rolled his eyes, not quite willing to divulge the complete truth. "His name is Captain Edward Teague and he's the Keeper of the Pirates code. And …"
"Jonathan!"
Everyone winced at the loud shout and Jack quickly moved to the door. "And I should go quickly before he completely looses his temper."
Barbossa snorted as Jack passed him. "Don't get killed, we need you, or rather, we need your piece of eight."
Jack rolled his eyes, but kept moving though the other pirates, not willing to make his father wait any longer due to a useless fight.
When he entered the room hi saw his father pouring two glasses of rum.
"You do realize that all those out there are going to start asking a lot of questions concerning the two of us, right?" Teague watched from the corner of his eye as the younger pirate threw his hat on the table and let himself fall in one of the chairs. "I thought your number one rule was that no one discovers our relationship."
Teague snorted and handed his son his rum. "You're not longer an 18 year old lad that can be used against me, Jackie. It doesn't matter anymore if they know you're my son."
Jack snorted and brought the mug to his lips. "Aye, that's true."
After a few minutes of silence in which the two pirates sipped their rum, Teague finally started the conversation. "So, I would like an explanation."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "What about?"
The older man glared at his son. "Don't play with me. You look very good for being dead, and I want to know how that came to be considering I received a message of Master Gibbs telling me you had been devoured by the kraken."
Jack grimaced. "I should lock him up in the brig for that."
Teague snorted. "Joshamee Gibbs knows that I would kill him myself if I found out that you had died and he had not informed me. Stop beating around the bush, boy, and start talking. I would prefer to not keep us from the court room too long."
Not seeing a way out of it, Jack explained what had been happening during the last year. Quickly skipping the event of his death and focussing mostly on his rescue and subsequent travel to Shipwreck cove. He was not very fond of Elisabeth at the moment, yet he knew that if his father got wind of what the woman had done she would be dead in a matter of hours.
Teague shook his head when the boy finally felt silent. "You're a lucky bastard, boy."
Jack smirked. "Nah, I'm just Captain Jack Sparrow."
The older man snorted, half amused and half annoyed at the ridiculous answer. Before he could give an appropriate answer, there was a knock on the door and a pirate opened the door.
"Cap'tains, Mistress Ching and Sao Feng have arrived. Captain Barbossa requests your presence at the hall."
Teague and Jack both sighed and stood up at the same time. It seems it was time for the fourth meeting of the Brethren Court to begin.
As they rejoined the other pirates, Teague retook his seat at one side of the room while Jack walked over to his crew and went to stand between Elisabeth and Mister Gibbs. Turning to the older man he gave him a mild glare.
"You could have warned me that you had informed my father of my recent demise."
Josh returned the glare with a look of exasperation as they heard the shocked gasps around them.
"You don't really believe I would keep such information from Captain Teague, do you? Goddess knows what he would do to me."
Before the Pirate lord could answer Elisabeth interrupted. "That man is your father?"
Jack turned around with a mischievous grin on his face. He bowed slightly, conscious of the many ears listening into their conversation. "My apologies, love, I don't believe I ever introduced myself properly. I'm Captain Jonathan Edward Teague, only known son of Captain Eaward Teague, keeper of the Pirate code." As people began to mutter around them the man straightened and grinned. "Though it's also true that I don't answer to that name."
"Jonathan!"
Everyone jumped around to see Captain Teague glaring down at them. Jack gulped a bit. "Except when my father uses it of course, it's not good for anyone's health to piss him off."
"Jackie, shut up already and lets get this underway."
Barbossa nodded eagerly and started the meeting while Jack took Elisabeth and Will by their elbows and moved a bit out of the way.
"Jack?"
The Pirate Lord looked towards the younger man. "Hush, do all of us a favour and do not mention at any point what happened with the Pearl and the kraken, no matter who asks and what they ask. Just answer that you were not there and have no idea what happened, savvy? The rest of the crew will keep their mouths shut also."
The couple nodded with frowns in their faces. "But why would anyone ask?"
Jack rolled his eyes. "Lizzie, we're in the midst of a meeting of pirate lords, every pirate lord takes it upon himself to know what his fellow lords are up to. Even I do that and I usually prefer to mind my own business. Believe me, they are all aware that I was dead and that I am now back, therefore they will be asking questions."
Will nodded but then asked another question. "Even if this is true, what does it matter if they know the truth?"
Jack smirked. "William, you seem to forget that your distressing lady had a hand, or two, in my death. And while most people would not give a damn, there is this old Pirate there that happens to be my father." He waved towards Teague, who was ignoring the meeting in favour of observing his son. "My rather over-protective father." Jack turned to Will and his fiancé. "Believe me, Captain Teague has killed people for far less reasons than getting his only son killed. Barbossa already has little chance of surviving this meeting as it is, for the trick he pulled on me several years ago. If it wasn't because of the Aztec curse, my father would have tracked him down and killed him long before this. I suggest that if you don't want the same to happen to Elizabeth, you keep your mouths shut."
The two younger pirates looked at Jack, and seeing no trace of amusement in his eyes, nodded. Before they could say anything else a fight broke out and they had to dodge a flying body. Sighing, Jack turned to Barbossa's side. This was going to be a long meeting.
