Alright... my first attempt. They don't give a lot of room in the summary there do they? This takes place right after At World's End. This is my version of the fourth movie. I do have a few chapters done already, but I'm waiting on reviews to see how this thing goes. Small disclaimer - Disney owns the characters for Pirates of the Caribbean and such. The only thing they don't own is any characters I create out of my own imagination. Here's to the start of what I hope to be a beautiful piece of work. I just hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. Drink up me hearties...
The Caribbean Sea was calm. Just off the coast of Haiti, a small merchant vessel bobbed against the slow rolling waves. Its sails billowed with the slight breeze brought on by the passing storm. The majority of its crew lay asleep below deck, save for three bodies. The captain stood wide awake at the helm, with his young lookout high above in the crow's nest. Only one other person lay awake, but unbeknownst to the crew - a young stowaway named Arabella Turner. Arabella was so tired. She'd been out at sea for more than a week on this small ship with barely any food. Then again it wasn't an easy task to stow away on a vessel and take food or drink without being noticed. Her father had left home shortly after her birth and her mother had just recently passed on. William was the only family she had left, so she had set out to find him. For six months she traveled from ship to ship, port to port, hoping to come across something that would lead her way. The ship she was on finally docked at the island of Tortuga shortly after dusk. After waiting for the ship's crew to leave, Arabella carefully snuck onto the dock and into the shadows. She had heard rumors of William becoming a pirate, so Tortuga seemed like a good place to find answers.
Tortuga was a much livelier place than Arabella had imagined. She had known it to be a sort of safe haven for pirates, and the scenery confirmed it. The area reeked of rum, gun powder, and the salty sea air, among other less pleasant odors. A cacophony of sounds filled the air. Laughter, screams, gunfire, music, it all made her feel alive again. She was so entranced by everything until the rumbling of her stomach interrupted her exploration. Yes, there were more important matters at hand now. Arabella was weak from the lack of sustenance. Peering into her satchel, she took notice of the small bag of coins she had left. She headed into a nearby tavern for some food and drink.
The tavern was small and shoddy. It had taken its fair share of brawls, raids, and nasty weather based on the state of it. The place was swarming with what Arabella assumed to be mostly pirates and drunken sailors, with a few wenches scattered about. The amount of patrons was extremely disproportionate to the size of the tavern in her opinion and made her uncomfortable. Arabella tapped one of the barmaids on the shoulder and asked for anything that would fill her stomach. She settled herself into the only quiet corner she could find on the second floor and graciously accepted the plate of food and drink the maid had returned with. Her ears perked up at an interesting conversation nearby. She grasped her bag and slid quietly halfway down the stairs to eavesdrop.
"Aye, Jack Sparrow cheated death itself. Seen it with me own eyes, I have. That Turner though, sure as I sit here before ye, he be captaining the Dutchman now..."
A crowd of men were laughing heartily, as if the speaker had told a joke. "Ahh Gibbs, you're always good for a tall tale, mate," one of them said.
"Aye, them stories you spin about Sparrow never get old," another added, slapping Gibbs on the back.
Finally, Arabella's hope was revived. Turner? That name was not common. It could be Will. It had to be. Someone knew him. This could be the break she had been waiting for. And this Sparrow character, just the man she needed to meet. She pulled her bag closer to her. The older man's story indeed sounded of nothing more than fabrication, but it was the only lead she had. He had definitely said 'Turner'. She quickly finished her small portion of food and made her way downstairs and across the tavern. The group was already out the door. Arabella turned the corner and saw the storyteller alone. This was the moment to act. "Oy, sailor, this Turner you spoke of, what's his name? And where is Jack Sparrow?" she said quietly. Gibbs slowly turned to her and stared up.
"Who be askin'? I... er... tis just a tale is all. I know nothin' more than..." Gibbs eyed Arabella up and down. If not for her bright blue eyes, she bore a striking resemblance to Will. She was tall and slender. Her boots were wearing thin, and her clothing was slightly tattered and stained. Her dark long hair clung around her face and lay limply across her shoulders, stray ends escaping from under her headscarf. Her pale skin only enhanced the brightness of her eyes, which made Gibbs feel slightly uncomfortable and caused him to tightly grip his leather flask that hung around his neck. The girl looked as though she'd been lost at sea for some time. Gibbs' curiosity overcame his desire to let the situation be. "What be your name, lass?"
"My name is Arabella Turner. I'm looking for my cousin. William. And I need Jack Sparrow's help. Pardon my overhearing, but you spoke of a Turner. Were you speaking of William Turner? Please, tell me you know where to find him." Her eyes pleaded with Gibbs.
Arabella soon wished that she hadn't asked for such heavy knowledge. Gibbs began to recount Will's adventures from the moment he was found out at sea as a young boy by James Norrington and his crew. Arabella couldn't help but want to know more. Noticing Gibbs' weariness to divulge such information, she kept buying rounds of drinks for him back at the tavern with what money she had. Gibbs then explained his meeting the pirate captain, Jack Sparrow, and of their adventure to the Isla de Muerta, the Black Pearl, the Dead Man's Chest, and everything up to the worst news she could have gotten - what she had overheard about the Flying Dutchman and Will's new position as its captain.
"Aye, lass, and he now captain's that ship. His wife, Elizabeth, is governess up in Port Royal. No one knows where Jack's gone off to. He was last seen leaving here in search of the Fountain of Youth of all things," he added.
"The Flying Dutchman? It's real? You can't be serious. And the Fountain of Youth...Then she's the only one who can help me since this Sparrow is nowhere to be found." Arabella turned from him and took off. "Thank you for your help," she cried out over her shoulder.
Before Gibbs could say anything further, all he saw was Arabella's figure race out of the tavern and into the night. He knew something most definitely not good was about to take place and he wished he had kept his knowledge to himself.