Eleven-year-old Anna Sparrow stood on the deck of her uncle's ship, the
Black Pearl. Her shirt and breeches rippled softly in the breeze and her
long, dark red hair was tied back. A worn scarlet bandana kept stray
strands from blowing into her face. The long sword that hung from her belt
looked almost too large for her to handle. Almost. Her sun-tanned skin
glowed softly in the sunset and her sharp green eyes twinkled. She would
have been stunning if not for the boyish clothes she wore all of the time.
She was still very pretty, though, despite her tom-boyishness.
"Anna?"
Anna turned to see her uncle, Captain Jack Sparrow, stagger over with a rum bottle in his hand. "Yes, Uncle Jack?"
"Anna I need to talk to yeh."
"Yes?"
"I think. yes. I think it is high time you become a proper young lady, Anna."
"Uncle, you have been drinking again, haven't you."
"What? No!"
"Then what are you doing with a half empty bottle of rum in your hand?"
"Nothing."
"Right. Now give me the bottle." Anna reached up and snatched the bottle from her uncle's hand. "To bed with you now, Jack."
Jack's sword was suddenly against her throat. Anna sighed and drew her own sword. It was nothing new to be at her uncle's sword point. She brought hers to up to sweep Jack's away, but his would not budge.
"Uncle Jack. what is wrong with you?"
"Give me the rum, love."
Sighing, Anna gave her uncle back the rum and returned her sword to its scabbard.
Jack put his away, also.
Grabbing a rope, the eleven-year-old pirate swung down onto the main deck and disappeared into the cabin as she always did when she and Jack had fights.
Jack, on the other hand, gulped down the rest of the rum and grabbed the wheel of the Pearl. Most of the crew avoided him after the fights he and Anna often had. Anna was Jack's niece and only surviving relative. She was the daughter of his only sister and sibling, Sarah Sparrow, who was unmarried and had an illegitimate child with James Davin, the captain of the Navigator. Sarah had died some years ago and Anna took the name Sparrow instead of Davin.
Jack sighed. I should really go and talk to her. After all, her father appointed me her guardian. Jack had been there the day James Davin was killed in a duel with Commodore Norrington of the British Navy. All that James had told Jack before the duel was: 'Take care on Anna for me. When she comes of age, take her to my ship. It is hers now.' He witnessed the duel as well as Anna, though she did not understand at the time. She did not know her father well or like him much for that matter, so it was really nothing to her. She had seen death before. She was with Jack at her mother's deathbed.
"You there!" he called suddenly to one of the crew. "Take the wheel."
"Aye, Cap'n." The sailor came and took the wheel from Jack. Jack then turned and slid down the stairs. He knocked on Anna's door. No answer.
"Anna."
"Go away."
"Anna."
"I said go away!"
Sighing, Jack pushed open the door and entered. Anna was lying face down on her bed sobbing into her pillow.
"Anna, we have to talk."
"I don't want to!"
"Anna, please."
"Don't 'Anna, please' me! You have pulled your sword on me six times this week!"
Jack sighed. "Anna."
"I don't want to hear anymore of it!"
"ANNA!" Jack yelled suddenly, causing the girl to jump. "Listen to me! I am sorry for what I have done in the past, but it's the past now. I am not the greatest foster father, and I am sorry for that, but I gave ya all I have."
"I know you have, Uncle, and I wouldn't ask for any more." She took her uncle's hand.
Jack smiled. "Oh and by the way, what I said was true, yer mother wanted ya to become a young lady. but you don't have to if yeh do not want it. But a few courses in manners would be good."
Anna rolled her eyes. "I have more manners than you, Jack. And I have been raised on a pirate ship. Just to let you know, I have read every book I can possibly get my hands on about manners and customs and the British Navy. Relax. I could pass by unnoticed through the middle of the British Navy." She smiled.
"Yer right."
"When am I wrong?"
Jack wiped Anna's tears away and wrapped his arms around her. "Good question. I don't know."
"That's because you are drunk most of the time."
"That's not true!"
"It is!"
"Ok. it is."
"I told you I am always right."
"Yes, yes, I know. No need to rub it in."
Anna smiled. "There is always a need."
"No, there isn't."
"Yes, there is."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Hey, Jack."
"What."
"Do you have any rum left?"
"And what makes yeh think I am going to give yeh any?"
"Well. I am your favorite niece."
"Yer my only niece, Anna."
"So?"
"Not until yer thirteen."
"Fine. Be that way."
"Good. I will."
The door burst open suddenly and Anamaria stepped in.
"Captain! There's a storm coming! You are needed on deck."
Jack and Anna jumped up at the same time. "No, Anna. Stay here."
"No force is going to keep me in this room, Jack."
"Fine. Let's go." The three rushed out onto the deck.
"It's going to be a nasty one and we're heading straight into it!" Anna exclaimed.
"Turn this ship around now!" Jack yelled to the crew.
"We can't, Captain!" someone shouted. "Look."
Jack wheeled around and cursed. Behind them and closing in fast was a ship. The Devastator, it was called and was captained by Benjamin Dova, the cousin of Jack's deceased archenemy, Captain Barbossa.
"Dova."
Jack jumped. He had not heard Anna come up next to him. He nodded and yelled to the crew. "Get the sails down now and anchor the ship! We won't run from this fight!"
The crew obeyed instantly. Anna joined the men who were taking down the sails. Because she was smaller and more nimble than the rest of the crew, she was usually up near the highest sails. It was one of the most dangerous jobs on the ship, especially during storms, but Anna had done it so many times she was comfortable with it. Too comfortable.
Just as she grabbed one of the ropes, a strong wind came. It snapped the rope, which had been weak anyway and Anna lost her balance. She barely had time to let out a scream before she smacked into one of the masts. The force of the blow knocked her unconscious. Her grip loosened on the rope and she fell to the deck.
Jack looked up just in time to see her smack into the mast. "ANNA!" he yelled. Jumping over anything in his path, he ran to her. He reached her just after she hit the deck. He was at her side so quickly that it hardly seemed he had been so far away at the first. Scooping her up, Jack carried her to her cabin. He kicked the door open and went inside. Laying her on the bed, he checked for any wounds or broken bones. There was a gash on the side of her head, but noting was broken. Closing his eyes, Jack wondered, Why her?
"Captain?" Jack turned around to see Anamaria in the doorway. "Will she be okay, Captain?"
"I hope so."
"Captain, you are needed on deck."
"I will be there in a moment."
"Captain! They're here!" came a shout from the deck. Jack rushed out. Dova's ship was parallel to the Pearl now and his men were swinging over. Drawing his sword, Jack closed Anna's door and raced to join the fight.
"Cap'n!" called one of the crew. "They're loadin' the cannons!"
"Load ours, then!" Jack yelled.
"Aye Cap'n. Load the cannons!"
"Jack Sparrow," came a sinister voice from behind him. "We finally meet."
"Benjamin Dova." Jack raised his sword and turned around.
"You will pay for what you did to my cousin."
"I will pay, will I? Yeh forgot one thing, mate. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."
"Well in that case." Dova turned to leave, but a split second later, he whipped around and attacked Jack. Jack barely raised his sword in time to counter, and the fight began.
~*~
Anna came to consciousness rather quickly. The side of her head felt very wet. She reached up and touched it. When her hand came away, it was covered in her crimson blood. She took a deep breath and pushed herself into a sitting position. That's when she heard the shouts and cannon blasts. The ship rocked suddenly and she nearly fell of the bed. But she still couldn't understand. "Who is attacking us?" she asked herself aloud. The memories flooded back. Without another word, she grabbed her sword and rushed out onto deck.
What she saw was utter chaos. Cannon fire rocked the ship and there was blood everywhere. She barely had time to register it all before a man attacked her. In a fury of moves, she finally slit his throat with a lucky sweep. Wiping sweat away, she searched for Jack.
She found him, on the upper deck fighting a man she guessed was Dova. She watched the battle, not caring what was happening around her. Dova seemed to be a better swordsman, but Jack was more agile. Suddenly, Dova's leg lashed out and he kicked Jack's sword out of his hand. Jack stepped back away from him. Dova closed in on Jack, an evil grin spreading across his face.
"I want this to be nice and slow and painful," he said and he raised his sword.
"JACK! NO!" Anna screamed. She rushed towards Dova. Dova cackled.
"What's this? You have a young girl fighting for you Jack? I am ashamed. I thought you could do better."
Anna stopped a few feet away from Dova. "I am no little girl, Dova. I am Anna Sparrow. Remember it." She attacked Dova so suddenly and so fiercely that he was taken by complete surprise. He sprang back and raised his sword just in time to counter her attack.
The fight continued on so intensely, that it felt like hours before either of them actually gained anything on the other. But it was really only a matter of minutes before Anna was able to knock Dova's sword from his hand. He hesitated for only a second before drawing a dagger from a hidden pocket and slicing. Anna fell back with a cry of pain and dropped her sword.
"What better way to get revenge on Captain Jack Sparrow than killing his daughter."
"I am not his daughter."
"What are you then."
"His niece."
"It does not matter. It works either way." He raised the dagger to strike. Anna readied herself for the final blow, but it never came. She began to dizzy and the last thing she heard was Dova's cry of rage as he fell into the water.
~*~
Jack watched with delight as Dova swam back to his ship and ordered his men to fall back. Cheers of victory came from the crew. Jack turned to Anna, expecting to see her there, smiling at him, but instead found her sprawled unconscious on the deck.
"Anna!" He rushed to her and lifted her into his arms. "No." Slowly, he made his way down to her cabin. The crew stopped cheering when the saw him and fell completely silent. No one dared to move. Jack went into the cabin and closed the door behind him. He laid Anna on the bed and looked her over. No significant wounds other than the deep gash that ran from her right shoulder to the top of her left breast and the gash on her temple from earlier. He knew he would have to let the wounds heal on their own. The gash on her temple might not leave a scar if she was lucky, but the one across her chest would. Jack brushed some hair from her face and sighed. He knew what he had to do now. Dova would be searching for her as well as him. Softly, to himself, he whispered: "It is time yeh go back to yer ship, my niece. It will be the safest place for you." Leaning over, he kissed her lightly on the forehead before turning and going to her desk to work out what needed to be done before Anna returned to her father's ship, the Navigator.
"Anna?"
Anna turned to see her uncle, Captain Jack Sparrow, stagger over with a rum bottle in his hand. "Yes, Uncle Jack?"
"Anna I need to talk to yeh."
"Yes?"
"I think. yes. I think it is high time you become a proper young lady, Anna."
"Uncle, you have been drinking again, haven't you."
"What? No!"
"Then what are you doing with a half empty bottle of rum in your hand?"
"Nothing."
"Right. Now give me the bottle." Anna reached up and snatched the bottle from her uncle's hand. "To bed with you now, Jack."
Jack's sword was suddenly against her throat. Anna sighed and drew her own sword. It was nothing new to be at her uncle's sword point. She brought hers to up to sweep Jack's away, but his would not budge.
"Uncle Jack. what is wrong with you?"
"Give me the rum, love."
Sighing, Anna gave her uncle back the rum and returned her sword to its scabbard.
Jack put his away, also.
Grabbing a rope, the eleven-year-old pirate swung down onto the main deck and disappeared into the cabin as she always did when she and Jack had fights.
Jack, on the other hand, gulped down the rest of the rum and grabbed the wheel of the Pearl. Most of the crew avoided him after the fights he and Anna often had. Anna was Jack's niece and only surviving relative. She was the daughter of his only sister and sibling, Sarah Sparrow, who was unmarried and had an illegitimate child with James Davin, the captain of the Navigator. Sarah had died some years ago and Anna took the name Sparrow instead of Davin.
Jack sighed. I should really go and talk to her. After all, her father appointed me her guardian. Jack had been there the day James Davin was killed in a duel with Commodore Norrington of the British Navy. All that James had told Jack before the duel was: 'Take care on Anna for me. When she comes of age, take her to my ship. It is hers now.' He witnessed the duel as well as Anna, though she did not understand at the time. She did not know her father well or like him much for that matter, so it was really nothing to her. She had seen death before. She was with Jack at her mother's deathbed.
"You there!" he called suddenly to one of the crew. "Take the wheel."
"Aye, Cap'n." The sailor came and took the wheel from Jack. Jack then turned and slid down the stairs. He knocked on Anna's door. No answer.
"Anna."
"Go away."
"Anna."
"I said go away!"
Sighing, Jack pushed open the door and entered. Anna was lying face down on her bed sobbing into her pillow.
"Anna, we have to talk."
"I don't want to!"
"Anna, please."
"Don't 'Anna, please' me! You have pulled your sword on me six times this week!"
Jack sighed. "Anna."
"I don't want to hear anymore of it!"
"ANNA!" Jack yelled suddenly, causing the girl to jump. "Listen to me! I am sorry for what I have done in the past, but it's the past now. I am not the greatest foster father, and I am sorry for that, but I gave ya all I have."
"I know you have, Uncle, and I wouldn't ask for any more." She took her uncle's hand.
Jack smiled. "Oh and by the way, what I said was true, yer mother wanted ya to become a young lady. but you don't have to if yeh do not want it. But a few courses in manners would be good."
Anna rolled her eyes. "I have more manners than you, Jack. And I have been raised on a pirate ship. Just to let you know, I have read every book I can possibly get my hands on about manners and customs and the British Navy. Relax. I could pass by unnoticed through the middle of the British Navy." She smiled.
"Yer right."
"When am I wrong?"
Jack wiped Anna's tears away and wrapped his arms around her. "Good question. I don't know."
"That's because you are drunk most of the time."
"That's not true!"
"It is!"
"Ok. it is."
"I told you I am always right."
"Yes, yes, I know. No need to rub it in."
Anna smiled. "There is always a need."
"No, there isn't."
"Yes, there is."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Hey, Jack."
"What."
"Do you have any rum left?"
"And what makes yeh think I am going to give yeh any?"
"Well. I am your favorite niece."
"Yer my only niece, Anna."
"So?"
"Not until yer thirteen."
"Fine. Be that way."
"Good. I will."
The door burst open suddenly and Anamaria stepped in.
"Captain! There's a storm coming! You are needed on deck."
Jack and Anna jumped up at the same time. "No, Anna. Stay here."
"No force is going to keep me in this room, Jack."
"Fine. Let's go." The three rushed out onto the deck.
"It's going to be a nasty one and we're heading straight into it!" Anna exclaimed.
"Turn this ship around now!" Jack yelled to the crew.
"We can't, Captain!" someone shouted. "Look."
Jack wheeled around and cursed. Behind them and closing in fast was a ship. The Devastator, it was called and was captained by Benjamin Dova, the cousin of Jack's deceased archenemy, Captain Barbossa.
"Dova."
Jack jumped. He had not heard Anna come up next to him. He nodded and yelled to the crew. "Get the sails down now and anchor the ship! We won't run from this fight!"
The crew obeyed instantly. Anna joined the men who were taking down the sails. Because she was smaller and more nimble than the rest of the crew, she was usually up near the highest sails. It was one of the most dangerous jobs on the ship, especially during storms, but Anna had done it so many times she was comfortable with it. Too comfortable.
Just as she grabbed one of the ropes, a strong wind came. It snapped the rope, which had been weak anyway and Anna lost her balance. She barely had time to let out a scream before she smacked into one of the masts. The force of the blow knocked her unconscious. Her grip loosened on the rope and she fell to the deck.
Jack looked up just in time to see her smack into the mast. "ANNA!" he yelled. Jumping over anything in his path, he ran to her. He reached her just after she hit the deck. He was at her side so quickly that it hardly seemed he had been so far away at the first. Scooping her up, Jack carried her to her cabin. He kicked the door open and went inside. Laying her on the bed, he checked for any wounds or broken bones. There was a gash on the side of her head, but noting was broken. Closing his eyes, Jack wondered, Why her?
"Captain?" Jack turned around to see Anamaria in the doorway. "Will she be okay, Captain?"
"I hope so."
"Captain, you are needed on deck."
"I will be there in a moment."
"Captain! They're here!" came a shout from the deck. Jack rushed out. Dova's ship was parallel to the Pearl now and his men were swinging over. Drawing his sword, Jack closed Anna's door and raced to join the fight.
"Cap'n!" called one of the crew. "They're loadin' the cannons!"
"Load ours, then!" Jack yelled.
"Aye Cap'n. Load the cannons!"
"Jack Sparrow," came a sinister voice from behind him. "We finally meet."
"Benjamin Dova." Jack raised his sword and turned around.
"You will pay for what you did to my cousin."
"I will pay, will I? Yeh forgot one thing, mate. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."
"Well in that case." Dova turned to leave, but a split second later, he whipped around and attacked Jack. Jack barely raised his sword in time to counter, and the fight began.
~*~
Anna came to consciousness rather quickly. The side of her head felt very wet. She reached up and touched it. When her hand came away, it was covered in her crimson blood. She took a deep breath and pushed herself into a sitting position. That's when she heard the shouts and cannon blasts. The ship rocked suddenly and she nearly fell of the bed. But she still couldn't understand. "Who is attacking us?" she asked herself aloud. The memories flooded back. Without another word, she grabbed her sword and rushed out onto deck.
What she saw was utter chaos. Cannon fire rocked the ship and there was blood everywhere. She barely had time to register it all before a man attacked her. In a fury of moves, she finally slit his throat with a lucky sweep. Wiping sweat away, she searched for Jack.
She found him, on the upper deck fighting a man she guessed was Dova. She watched the battle, not caring what was happening around her. Dova seemed to be a better swordsman, but Jack was more agile. Suddenly, Dova's leg lashed out and he kicked Jack's sword out of his hand. Jack stepped back away from him. Dova closed in on Jack, an evil grin spreading across his face.
"I want this to be nice and slow and painful," he said and he raised his sword.
"JACK! NO!" Anna screamed. She rushed towards Dova. Dova cackled.
"What's this? You have a young girl fighting for you Jack? I am ashamed. I thought you could do better."
Anna stopped a few feet away from Dova. "I am no little girl, Dova. I am Anna Sparrow. Remember it." She attacked Dova so suddenly and so fiercely that he was taken by complete surprise. He sprang back and raised his sword just in time to counter her attack.
The fight continued on so intensely, that it felt like hours before either of them actually gained anything on the other. But it was really only a matter of minutes before Anna was able to knock Dova's sword from his hand. He hesitated for only a second before drawing a dagger from a hidden pocket and slicing. Anna fell back with a cry of pain and dropped her sword.
"What better way to get revenge on Captain Jack Sparrow than killing his daughter."
"I am not his daughter."
"What are you then."
"His niece."
"It does not matter. It works either way." He raised the dagger to strike. Anna readied herself for the final blow, but it never came. She began to dizzy and the last thing she heard was Dova's cry of rage as he fell into the water.
~*~
Jack watched with delight as Dova swam back to his ship and ordered his men to fall back. Cheers of victory came from the crew. Jack turned to Anna, expecting to see her there, smiling at him, but instead found her sprawled unconscious on the deck.
"Anna!" He rushed to her and lifted her into his arms. "No." Slowly, he made his way down to her cabin. The crew stopped cheering when the saw him and fell completely silent. No one dared to move. Jack went into the cabin and closed the door behind him. He laid Anna on the bed and looked her over. No significant wounds other than the deep gash that ran from her right shoulder to the top of her left breast and the gash on her temple from earlier. He knew he would have to let the wounds heal on their own. The gash on her temple might not leave a scar if she was lucky, but the one across her chest would. Jack brushed some hair from her face and sighed. He knew what he had to do now. Dova would be searching for her as well as him. Softly, to himself, he whispered: "It is time yeh go back to yer ship, my niece. It will be the safest place for you." Leaning over, he kissed her lightly on the forehead before turning and going to her desk to work out what needed to be done before Anna returned to her father's ship, the Navigator.