In Need of Help
Tortuga
A Captain sat with his crew in the murky little tavern whilst they drank away their newly found riches, which they had gained by honourable pillage. The space of where they were enjoying themselves was as jolly as ever when the sun had gone down and night had infused an intoxicating impact on people of all sorts; the rum might also be to blame.
The night was still new and unsullied at that when a young man decided to approach the table where the Captain and his accompanied crew sat whilst in merry mood. The young man was dressed in simple clothes, the clothes of a farmer or fisherman one could guess, yet he was far cleaner than most men in there. His young face came across as fresh to the eye, and also none would expect him of any mischievousness due the looks he possessed at his young age.
"The ship with black sails – does it belong to you?" the young man asked with his eyes resting on the Captain.
"Run along lad. I have no use for another sailor." Jack said after barely giving him a mere glance, he was at the moment fully occupied with the rosy wench clinging onto his shoulder.
William ignored the rejection and didn't move his feet one inch. "Are you Jack Sparrow?"
"It is Captain Jack Sparrow!" This had brought attention to the young lad and now he had to see whom might be careless enough to forget necessary formalities. As he set eyes on the boy he decided not to leave his new item of focus; Something had very suddenly come to his notice.
"Well Captain Jack Sparrow." William said. "I need your help."
Jack squinted his eyes for a moment. "and why is it you come to me?"
"Because you're a pirate."
The others at the table who had been hearing the conversation fleered at the boy. Jack simply looked away for a slight second to mumble something to himself.
"We're all pirates 'ere boy." One scoffed.
"The whelp might want te become a pirate himself!" and then they all burst out laughing while one of them almost choked on his ale; It dripped down his mousy beard. William looked away while feeling his embarrassment turning into anger. One who was not laughing was Jack.
"The welp..." Jack mumbled to himself while in deep thought. "This is oddly familiar". Then he looked as if he at once fended off the though and set his eyes on the boy with an uninterested gaze.
"As I said: I'm in no need for another sailor, an' less someone who is not yet known to the fine art of piracy."
William noticed one or two weapons laying on the table, close by for some of the men to use if they should feel desired to. Many seemed to have become bored and somewhat annoyed by his presence he felt, and so thought it wise to leave.
Two hornpipes were playing their melody in the background as laughs intertwined with the noise. William sat down in a corner where he thought he ought to be left alone. He kept an eye on where Jack Sparrow was sitting and would be sitting the remaining time of what was left of the night, waiting for the opportune moment. Frankly, he did not exactly know how to do this, neither what the right way to approach this would be.
He got himself a drink and watched his glass become less full as time elapsed. The cheerful voices kept on conversing, laughing and singing while there were rum and whilst the darkness kept a veil over Tortuga. William felt this would be a long night. Now and then he could hear glass breaking, people of all sorts throwing themselves into a fight, yelling, swords clashing against each other, and all suchlike. This actually could be considered amusing to the eyes and for the ears for a short while, then after not too long it got tedious to endure. In the middle of it all he caught the eye of a woman, rather young, holding four or five dirty mugs in her little hands as she strolled through the room. To young William she came across as the only one in this room who was not showing a trace of enjoyment. He did not gain much time to analyze the look in her eyes before she let her eyes wander away from him; he remained focused on her until she went out of sight as she left through a little door with the empty glasses. Then, he let his eyes once again inspect the Captain. It did take long before anything interesting happened after that. He rested his elbow upon the wiggling table and his chin rested upon his hand, he hoped not to fall asleep as his eyes threatened to close for a longer time than intended as he blinked.
Finally, his eyes, which had determinedly been keeping an eye on the captain saw him now move from the chair he had been sitting on for the last couple of hours. He replaced his hat with three edges on his head with care to angle it into place, and would soon be out the door. William rose from his own chair in his corner and followed Jack who was leaving his crew behind to let them maintain whatever pleasures they were intrigued in at the moment.
As they stepped out on the dock William realised that Jack Sparrow was slowing his steps until finally stopping, only to turn around. As he spotted the young lad not far behind of him his eyes reflected some shock, yet more confusion.
"Why are you following me?"
"As I said: I need your help, and you never let me explain what this even concerns"
"You're not the only whelp who've asked dear ol' Captain Jack for help... and it's not always ended too well." He glanced in another direction and appeared to be slightly puzzled for a moment.
"I know."
"Great!" he exclaimed. "So let's not stand here and waste time then – you go..." Jack gestured with his hands at William as if to figure it out, but then gave up. "wherever you came from... and I" he pointed at himself. "go aboard me ship and spend my next valuable hours at attending more important matters –
that is to say me very own rum." He backed away a few steps and then turned his back swiftly to young William."
"My name's William Turner."
Jack did not turn around, nor stopped walking, although he did slow his steps a tad. "I've already helped a lad named William Turner, why should I bother with another?"
"Because I'm his son."
Now Jack stopped dead in his tracks.
"Elizabeth Turner is my mother."
Jack turned around with a mystified expression on his sun tainted face. "Elizabeth has a child?"
"You're lookin' at him."
Jack soon found himself. "So that's why ye're so eager to find me and gain me help - You Turners have a way of approaching me in that manner."
"I truly do need your help."
"Apologies, William." Jack continued in his planned steps to embark his beloved pearl, and William dared to follow. "You'll have to find some other to help you with your quest."
William's need turned into desperate anger. "My mother's been taken and is prosecuted for association with pirates, she even faces the gallows!"
"Well... she was – or is – or was due to retirement - a pirate king." Jack informed. He continued his walk over the deck and headed for his cabin but could not reach it before William had grabbed a sword and pushed him against the wall, pointing his sword at his neck.
"She's going to die if we don't rescue her!" he shouted while his blood boiled. His eyes desperate for a sign of surrender in Jack's dark eyes.
Jack merely seemed bored by his attempt to threaten, and gave him a severe look which showed just about how bored he was.
Then in the split of a second William all of a sudden felt a ruthless pain in his stomach, making him lose the air in his lungs, and he was pushed onto the wooden deck of the ship and laid there with the point of his own sword to his neck; Jack was holding the other end of the sword.
William tried to breathe, he laid there panting as a fish on dry land as he regained air to his stunned lungs.
"You really are alike ye father." Jack said while looking at him.
William just glanced at him and swallowed hard.
"Let say this: I help you with setting ye mother free, and you owe me some little favour in the future, aye?" he removed the sword point from his neck and reached out his hand to him.
William nodded but then Jack squinted his eyes. "I" William said, and took Jack's hand.
He was then pulled up on his feet and saw Jack giving him a satisfied smile, exposing some of his golden teeth in the process.
"I am actually rather helpful." Jack admitted, as he now boasted with it. "I'm sure your mother had some extravagant tales of me saving her life once or twice."
"Actually she told me mostly of my father's dangerous ventures when he –"
"I'm in no doubt she's mentioned me?"
"Yes, she has." William said and saw Jack's face enlighten proudly.
"I'm sure all were extraordinary flattering remarks" Jack said with a smirk on his face while gazing out on the horizon where the sun was making its grand entrance.
"Actually she told me to stay away from you."
The conceited smirk vanished from his face as if the tide had washed it away from there in an instant. "She said what?" he raised his dark brows and his scarring followed in a questioning manner.
"As you said: your encountering with the Turners has not always ended well."
"I did not exactly say it like that." Jack remarked. William moved his shoulders as he shrugged. They could now hear people embarking the ship, it was the crew coming back. They we're laughing as Mr Gibbs told of some comic tale.
"If your mother told you to stay away from me, then why're ye here lad?"
"Because I need to free her."
"Goin' against ye mother's wishes, aye?" He sneered.
"It's not like that."
"Not like what?"
"Whe- n- not how you say it." William seemed frustrated. "She's imprisoned, I'm doing this for her - who else can I come to if I need to set her free? You've helped before, have you not? You said you had."
"I did." Jack said. "How do ye plan we free your mother then?"
"I don't know." He said sheepishly. "The plan was to find you and perhaps... then come in contact with my father."
"Aha..." Jack thought to himself aloud and turned his gaze away from William to rest his eyes upon the crew. They were stumbling aboard the ship and soon headed below deck to go into deep slumber, drunk from top to bottom.
"You'd know a way of doing so, right?"
"I might." Jack said and wandered away, naturally William followed his path.
"How soon can we sail?" William asked eagerly.
"As soon as I have a functioning crew."
In a cell beneath ground was where the mother sat on a damp, cold, rock hard floor. It was a dismal atmosphere with limited space, she was also at the moment the only prisoner down there which could make it very lonesome; however, elizabeth preferred to be alone if she could not be out of this cell and instead at home, in the company of her son.
Her dress had become filthy already in the place she had been put in, her nails had dirt under them from the grime of the bars she had touched on a few occasions. The ash blonde hair lacked the smoothness and volume of a healthy hair as this living in such a dark, filthy place had made its impact on her.
Elizabeth heard steps down the spiral stairs which led to the room of the cells. She thought it to be the guard who left her daily meal, but as she gazed up at the character she did not recognize him as her gain keeper.
"Lieutenant Groves?" Elizabeth asked as she squinted her eyes uncertainly in the darkness. A torch was lit on the wall, yet its light did not fully suffice.
"It's actually Commodore Groves" he said while looking at her through the grimy bars. He saw her beginning to lean forward. "Some time after the war I was promoted to Lieutenant Commander as I served the King of England, George the second – May he rest in peace – and I was almost killed in the mission he had commanded me, actually. To my well appreciated luck the bullet's power had diminished as it had hit against one of the buttons on my vest. I bled, though survived now serve the former King's brother, as Commodore."
"You survived the war." Elizabeth stated as she eyed the face of a man she had not seen in years. Then she let her eyes wander over his uniform, which reminded her of James Norrington. The man before her looked clean and freshly shaven, his boots recently polished.
"Yes... scarcely." He said. "We were certain the victory would be ours, and then the Flying Dutchman turned on us, with Turner as its new captain. We were fusilladed on both sides - as you saw with your own eyes. Lord Beckett was incapable to give orders due to shock of us being defeated, so I ordered to abandon ship and so we did... I watched her blow up and Lord Beckett with it."
"It served him right" She mumbled.
There was a silence as Elizabeth gave thought to old memories, people which now belonged to her past made entrance into her mind once more. After a while she realised that the new Commodore had his eyes on her form where she sat, it made her very aware of his presence and where she was.
"Why am I here?
"Because you've been affiliated with pirates, and I would even dare to say you are a pirate yourself. Also, as I learned your new name you've even engaged in marriage with one: Elizabeth Turner."
Elizabeth raised her chin a little bit higher in a proud manner at the mentioning of her last name. "How did you find me?"
Commodore Groves smiled. "Well I was not actually searching for you, I came in contact with you by a mere coincidence. We were passing through a small little village. One of your neighbours, Mr Jones, was providing us with supplies for our continued journey and then I saw you, hanging out laundry for it to dry outside in the wind."
Elizabeth thought back on that moment, it had seemed as any other day. Who knew those mere seconds of her showing herself outside would result in being thrown into this cold dark cell beneath ground.
"Some days you are more fortunate than others." He seemed to think it curious and also amusing for he was still smiling.
"Why did you wait this long to show yourself." It had been more than a week since she had been imprisoned, however it felt much longer than that to Elizabeth due to the brutal way in which she had been treated. Not able to clean herself, barely enough food or water for one day; this had made her feel in short of strenght and lightheaded.
"There were other matters I had to attend to - For one, our ship needed to be restored."
"I see" Elizabeth mumbled and looked away while looking despondent. Those other matters were in other words: waiting for her to become accustomed to the cell to the point where she could smell her own madness beginning to form in her mind. There was no glimpse of the sun where she stayed, no window, only darkness except for the torch on the wall. One could not even count the days. "When is the trial?" she asked.
"There doesn't have to be a trial." He then said to Elizabeth's surprise. She looked up in confusion at where he was standing.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm meaning that I can grant you a few more years if you'd be willing to help me..."
"A few more years in this cell you mean." She spoke with bitterness.
"Or none at all. You'll hang if I give one little order."
"What would me helping you involve?"
Theodore Groves seemed pleased when hearing her words. "I want Jack Sparrow, dead." He said cheerfully whereas utmost casually.
She bridled at his wish, it was not the first time she heard of that precise aspiration.
"He's a notorious pirate, who has interfered and wrecked the royal navy's chances of doing its duties more than once. He's even offended the former King himself, eye to eye, while in London."
This did not surprise Elizabeth, it on the other hand annoyed her.
"So now, once and for all, I want him dead... and you are going to help me"
"You seem very certain."
"I am." he said. "For this time the Royal Navy will see to it that Jack Sparrow hangs for his acts of piracy against the crown of England."
"I won't do it." She said, thinking of what Jack had done for her in the past and the Royal Navy had not, they were the ones who were imprisoning her now.
"You seem very certain."
"I am." she replied steadily. "I've already chosen a side, a long time ago."
"I might have a way to make you come over to the other side."
"I rather doubt it."
"You should not haste to be so certain Elizabeth."
"It's Mrs Turner." She spat.
"Mrs Turner if you oppose me, you oppose the crown, in which I have responsibilities to make you choose otherwise. Let me make myself clear: If you oppose, your own son will pay for your reluctance."
"William." She almost whispered, her voice weak from sudden fright.
"Yes, your house is under occupation, and we're keeping an close eye on your son. I could easily send out an order for him to be taken in and prosecuted for association with pirates as well."
"He's only sixteen!" she now rose up to stand on her feet.
"And his father's a pirate, the blood of pirates run through his veins which is reason enough if I say it is."
"He has not done anything, he's innocent!"
"Not if I say he's not."
"He's only a boy."
"Are you on our side or not?"
"I've known a lot more pirates who are less cruel than you." She said and refused to meet his gaze for any longer. Fiddling with the bars she looked upon her lean fingers as she battled with her pained thoughts.
Commodore Groves was still waiting for an answer.
"If you maintain to withhold valuable information in the search of Jack Sparrow I suppose I'll simply walk out of these dungeons and command by uttering a few words, and then he will hang at dawn." His voice severe.
He awaited her reaction and subsequently saw tears beginning to glaze her eyes, fulfilling his expectations.
"Mrs Turner..." his voice now gentle. "Why spare the life of a pirate? Why spare Jack Sparrow's life and let your own son hang- ?"
"I will not let him hang!" she said through her teeth as an enraged lioness as she stared at him with eyes mad.
"Good." He said firmly when content as he had regained his desired answer.
She looked away and swallowed an angry lump in her throat, created due to the tears. If she had been to glance at the man outside of the bars in that moment, she would have acknowledged a glimpse of compassion in his brown eyes and in the lines of his sun kissed features.
"A wise choice, Elizabeth Turner."
Author's note: The first chapter is up finally and I can't wait to write the rest of this story! It's only just begun but feel free to tell me what you think so far.
-Fondofreading
