This is based on the one-shot in Avearia's 'April Showers - ROTG 5 Sentence Fics' called 'Avast'. Thanks very much for letting me do this!:)
I enjoyed looking for pirate terms way too much.
Let me know what you think in a review!
Key for this chapter:
Bold - From Avearia's one-shot
Underline - Pirate terms/slang which are described in the glossary at the end of the chapter.
Italics are used just for effect
Jack had heard of the legendary Pirate King Pitch, but he never dreamed he'd ever cross paths with the man, nor did he want to.
Fate, however, plays its cards regardless.
"What do we have here?" an oil-voice slides over Jack's ears, and the feather-light touch of the Pirate King's cutlass slides under his neck, drawing a fine line of blood and forcing his chin upwards until their eyes meet. Something dark glitters in Pitch's amused eyes, and the man gives a crooked grin and orders the brute holding him; "…take him to my quarters."
Damn, did Jack choose the wrong ship to stow away on, or what.
He desperately pulls his arm, hoping the oaf would accidentally let him go, allowing him to escape.
"Sorry. But on this ship, the Captain's orders are law."
"Fan-fricken-tastic." Jack mutters, letting the man drag him through the ship. He took the time to look around. After all, not many people could say they got a chance to look at the Nightmare's amazing craftsmanship. But even as he looks around in awe, he feels worry bubble inside of him.
How long did he have left to live?
Why Pirate King Pitch was so feared was known by few, and fewer wanted to know. However, everyone knew that this man was not a man of mercy. Tales of his speedy and ferocious swordsmanship were practically legend. Some said he killed a whole ship's worth of pirates with a single dagger. Others told tales of his cunning mind, how he always - always - got what he wanted.
The man opened the door and swung him in. Jack stumbled, catching his balance just before he hit the floor. The man who had bought him looked quickly at his neck, silently throwing a handkerchief in before locking the door.
Jack didn't think twice about snatching up the cloth and pressing it against the blood dripping from his neck. He couldn't help the shiver that travelled down his spine as he remembered the look of amusement in the feared pirate's eyes. As if the fact Jack's life would depend on his decision was nothing more than a game.
"My life is not going to be dependant on his choices." Jack swore.
His icy blue eyes scan the room for a way to escape. His gaze falls on a chest which sat in the corner in the room. In it was a large pile of coins. Bronzes, silvers (*) doubloons and even a hefty amount of jewels glittered in the streams of light coming from the round window.
He reaches out, ready to take just one coin. 'He has so many, he wouldn't notice.'
Suddenly, he withdrew. This was Pirate King Pitch he was thinking about. He would most definitely notice. And it would most definitely seal Jack's fate.
He resumes looking around. He groans when he noticed the window was far too small for him to wriggle through. Besides, it didn't look like it would open so that put a huge damper in his plans.
He notices a large mirror next to the window and slowly approaches it, his eyes roaming down the crack in it. His reflection almost startles him. With a lightness, unlike Pitch's, he traces over the bags under his cold blue eyes. He then runs a hand through his pure white hair, huffing when he realised the state of his clothing. His tight brown trousers were fraying from the bottom, however, they were fairing better than his shirt; it was covered in rips, the ends were fraying and he had lost half of the sleeve on the right side, meaning that his alabaster skin on his right arm had turned slightly red in the sun.
Jack picks up the sound of clicking. He spun around as the Captain himself waltzed into the room. Jack notices the pirate was careful to lock the door behind him.
The pirate ignores Jack as he walks to the window. The white-haired boy took the opportunity to take in Pirate King Pitch's appearance. After all, previously he had been distracted by the fact he had a cutlass to the neck.
He wore a black doublet, decorated in ornate gold designs. His cocked hat was of a similar design. There was a white scarf tucked into the doublet. His black boots made a clunking noise as he walked. Jack gulped at the sight of his cutlass, currently sheathed away. But the boy knew that it could return to his neck within mere moments.
His focus turns to Pitch's physical appearance. Hair as dark as shadows, eyes which glittered gold like the sun. He had highly defined cheekbones, matching his lithe figure.
He stops, looking out the tiny window.
Then, he was in front of Jack, a terrifying grin on his face. Jack takes a tentative step back so he wasn't staring at Pitch's chest. That action only served to make the Pirate King's grin grow wider.
"So this is my little stowaway." He said, attempting to look Jack up and down. A difficult feat as Jack was 5"10, at best, whilst Pitch was easily 6"5, maybe even taller.
Jack feels himself get uncomfortably warm when the pirate says 'my'.
Pitch turns away, walking to the chest and kicking it close. Jack bites his lip when he sees a handful of coins fall to the side. Enough to last him several months. "So, it's obvious that my reputation precedes me, if your facial expressions are anything to go by. But what my current reputation is, is beyond me." He turns sharply, so he was once again facing Jack. "Tell me, boy, what do they call me these days?"
'He's stalling.'
"You're...they...they call you Pirate King Pitch."
Said pirate closes his eyes momentarily, humming in approval. "I quite like that." He states, opening his eyes once more. "Maybe I should get the crew to call me that."
Jack is getting more jumpy. He places a hand on his own cutlass, though he doubts he could properly use it to defend himself. Pitch notices the movement, immediately.
"You have a cutlass." He observes.
"Yeah..." 'Where is he going with this?'
He had no chance.
Pitch swoops over and unsheathes Jack's cutlass, ignoring the shocked cry of surprise. However, a curious surprise adorns the Captain's face as he gave Jack's cutlass a test swing.
"Sink me! I've never known a sword as light as yours!"
Jack can't the proud grin. "Of course not. I forged it myself."
Pitch is visibly taken aback. "You're a weapons-smith?" He shakes his head. "Impossible. You look no older than 14."
Jack huffs. "I'm 17."
"Not even out of boyhood."
"I'm not a weapon-smith." Jack admitted.
Still inspecting Jack's cutlass, the captain said, "Shame. You would make a fine weapon-smith. You must have won many a battle with a cutlass as fine as this."
"Heh." Jack laughs nervously. "I've never actually used it." Pitch looks at him in disbelief. "I'm not lying!"
Pitch now ignores him, a look of contemplation in his eyes.
"I should kill you." He looks at Jack, a wicked look on his face. "After all," he purrs, "Dead men tell no tales."
Jack gulps and back into the wall.
"However, to not use a blade as fine as this would be...criminal."
"W...what are you saying?" Jack feels wary. There was no way that the Pirate King Pitch was letting him live? Right?
Pitch chuckles. "What say you to a little wager?"
"And what would on the line?"
He felt the blood drain from his face when he received the answer.
"Your life."
Pirate Glossary
Cutlass - a short curved sword used by sailors and pirates.
Doubloons - Spanish coins often discovered by pirates.
Doublet - An outer jacket-like piece of clothing, typically worn by the authority on the ship.
Cocked hat - The three cornered hat.
Sink me! - An expression which voices surprise.
Weapon-smith - Not a pirating term but it is a job that entails (I think you can guess) creating weaponry like daggers and swords.
Dead men tell no tales - Classic pirate excuse for killing someone. Basically means that if they are dead, they can't tell anyone else anything.
(* Bronzes and silvers aren't real coins (as far as I know) but I wanted to give them more than one kind of coin. There are others but I prefer this^)