Title: Cruel Brother Jack
Author: Rosie Rosen
Rating: PG for death and slash
Disclaimer: I don't own Jack, Elizabeth, nor Will. I don't own "Cruel Sister" [the song]. There. Happy?
Background: This is my first song-fic… I started it a long time ago, and just now found it again. I'm not so sure I like it, yet, but the song is gorgeous, so if you get a chance to listen to it… it's done by Pentangle, and a couple other folk-kind of bands. Yes, I know Jack isn't a girl, so in the song where it says two sisters, I took liberties in the story. I didn't want to change the song to fit my needs. Hasn't been beta-ed. Why Jack and Elizabeth? Well, I think it becomes clear throughout the story.
Part One:
** * **
There lived a lady by the North Sea shore
(Lay the bent to the bonnie broom)
Two daughters were the babes she bore
(Fa la la la la la la la la la)
** * **
Elizabeth Swann was brought into the world without a fuss. She was a beautiful baby, an easy birth. As a baby, her only fault was her constant howling. Elizabeth was nothing like her mother's first child, an illegitimate boy that refused to be born for hours, but was silent as the night.
The boy was a memory Elizabeth's mother tried to forget. She left him on the doorstep of his father, a handsome, young sailor, and bought passage on a ship to England leaving early that morning. The unspoken words "harlot" and "bastard child" rang in her ears, words she was sure to have heard had she kept the boy. It was a burden on her soul, a chapter of her life she wished to rewrite. But who could have guessed that ten years later she would marry a rich governor and give birth to such a beautiful girl? The boy, named "Jack" after his father, was forgotten… almost.
** * **
As one grew bright as in the sun
(Lay the bent to the bonnie broom)
So coal black grew the elder one
(Fa la la la la la la la la la)
** * **
Young Jack ran, barefoot, across the deck of his father's ship. His feet pattered against the wood, a sound he liked. His skin was dark, tanned by the sun that shone harshly, but kept him warm. Jack's hair was dark, nearly black as coal, and tangled, cut just below his ears. He'd tried combing it, but it seemed to twist itself into worse knots at the very sight of a brush.
Elizabeth, ten years younger than the half-brother she'd never known, clung to her mother's skirts, sucking her thumb. She was angelic, with dark gold-colored hair and pale skin. Her mother lamented the day Elizabeth's hair would darken to brown with age, but she bragged often to her lady friends that her daughter was "as bright as the sun." It was true; Elizabeth was a striking little girl. Elizabeth's father, while taking great pride in his daughter, rarely saw her. She hardly knew him, but that would change as her mother grew sick.
By the time Elizabeth and Jack's mother died, both had become obsessed with the sea. One with sailing upon it, and the other with what, or who, was doing the sailing.
** * **
A knight came riding to the lady's door
(Lay the bent to the bonnie broom)
He'd travelled far to be her wooer
(Fa la la la la la la la la la)
** * **
William Turner loved Elizabeth Swann with all his heart. She had, in fact, saved his life eight years before. For years he was her pet, she mothered him, smothered him. But he liked it. She never asked about his past, or about his parents. Those topics were painful and Elizabeth spared him the hurt of talking about it. Elizabeth loved him, too, as far as he knew. Still, neither had told the other of their love. Not until Jack Sparrow came into their lives.
Jack Sparrow met Elizabeth Swann the morning she realized she was, in fact, in love with Will Turner. An unexpected proposal by a man many years her senior, combined with a too-tight corset and a dangerous cliff, caused her to plunge, by accident, into the sea. Jack dived in to save her. He didn't know why, it just seemed like the right thing to do. He had turned pirate years before, with a reputation of being "no-good." Still, without reason, he knew he had to get this woman out of the water.
Jack was Elizabeth's key to adventure. Elizabeth was Jack's key to Will. Will was Jack's key to freedom. They were all linked. Will only found the courage to confess his love to Elizabeth when he realized he loved another… Jack.
** * **
He courted one with gloves and rings
(Lay the bent to the bonnie broom)
But loved the other above all things
(Fa la la la la la la la la la)
** * **
Elizabeth Swann became Elizabeth Turner with white pearls in her hair, around her neck, and adorning her perfect, white gown. William Turner was calm, on the outside. His heart was torn in two. He had a pretty woman, one who loved him, and he loved her. But a tiny whisper told him it wasn't just Elizabeth he wanted.
Jack Sparrow had been at the wedding, hiding in the back, partially from the soldiers who wanted him dead, and partially from the bride and groom. It felt wrong for Will to be with Elizabeth. Will was supposed to be with him. Jack had never experienced hatred the way he hated Elizabeth. He wanted her to suffer.
** * **
Oh sister, will you go with me,
(Lay the bent to the bonnie broom)
To watch the ships sail on the sea?
(Fa la la la la la la la la la)
** * **
A familiar ship moved with the motion of the waves, visible only from Elizabeth's window. She gasped happily. Jack was here to visit! A friend from the past, one she shared a connection with that she couldn't explain. She moved to wake Will, but he was gone, on a journey with her father. Elizabeth felt a pang of sorrow; Will would have liked to see Jack again, but she dressed anyway and started for the shore.
Jack waited until he saw Elizabeth emerge from her pretty house. He strode up to her calmly, innocently, startling her. She smiled at his presence, and he swallowed his jealousy, inviting her to sail with him on his ship for a day. He promised to bring her back after a few swallows of rum, but before Will arrived home. Elizabeth agreed, overjoyed at seeing an old companion.
** * **
She took her sister by the hand
(Lay the bent to the bonnie broom)
And led her down to the North Sea strand
(Fa la la la la la la la la la)
** * **
Jack offered a hand to Elizabeth to help her onto his ship, The Black Pearl. She stroked the wood of the vessel lovingly, sharing with this ship almost what Jack did. Jack Sparrow hid a smirk as Elizabeth embraced crew members, reminiscing of old times and catching up on new ones. Those that knew of his plan told him he was mad, insane. He hushed them, threatening each who said it with his knife. He would have William Turner for his own. They knew this wasn't Jack. He would never have behaved like this. The Black Pearl was his love, not a scrawny blacksmith. They warned him the Pearl would get jealous. The sea would hate him. The sea would hate Will. They would be doomed.
** * **
And as they stood on the windy shore
(Lay the bent to the bonnie broom)
The dark girl threw her sister o'er
(Fa la la la la la la la la la)
** * **
Night settled over the ship and sea. The crew slept in their bunks and Elizabeth wandered to the deck, watching the waves, missing her husband. Jack appeared over her shoulder silently and touched Elizabeth. She spun around quickly, then breathed a sigh of relief of seeing just Jack. He murmured a brief "Sorry, love," and pushed her off the side. She screamed, and no one but her killer could hear.
** * **
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam
(Lay the bent to the bonnie broom)
Crying sister reach to me your hand
(Fa la la la la la la la la la)
** * **
Elizabeth went down into the icy deep, salt water filling her nostrils and mouth. She choked, but did her best to swim to the top, yelling at Jack, calling for him to help her, for anyone on the ship to help her. Jack smirked over the edge. The moon lit his dark face, and Elizabeth, struggling to stay above the waves, caught a glimpse of it. It was consumed with a hate that came from unnatural love. It scared her.
** * **
Oh sister, sister let me live
(Lay the bent to the bonnie broom)
And all that's mine I'll surely give
(Fa la la la la la la la la la)
** * **
As a last hope, she offered him pardons for him and his crew, jewels, a place in her father's navy as a commodore, even! He refused it all, and it seemed, the heavier her heart became, the more difficult it was to stay up. Jack turned to go. Elizabeth began screaming again. Anamaria, Cotton, anyone, she screamed until she was hoarse. No one heard.
** * **
It's your own true-love that I'll have and more
(Lay the bent to the bonnie broom)
But thou shalt never come ashore
(Fa la la la la la la la la la)
** * **
Jack turned back. Elizabeth, sinking from the weight of her clothes and spirits, didn't hear him as he declared Will his own. He told the sea never to bring her to shore as long as Will lived. But the sea was jealous. The Pearl was jealous.
** * **
And there she floated like a swan
(Lay the bent to the bonnie broom)
The salt sea bore her body on
(Fa la la la la la la la la la)
** * **
Elizabeth's corpse, still perfect and beautiful, drifted on the sea for years. It never perished, but stayed that same woman who was as bright as the sun. Sailors mourned for it, and others worshiped it. If one saw the "floating maiden," he would be surely lucky on that voyage. She became legend.
Jack went to Will, professing his love, demanding love in return. It wasn't difficult for Will, the love was already there. He asked about Elizabeth. Jack cried crocodile tears. He told Will how she'd gone onto deck alone and taken her own life, unhappy with her dear William. Elizabeth was dead of her own doing. Will and Jack had to move on, with each other. And they did.
** * **
Author's Note: No, not the end. End of Part One. Don't worry. Jack gets his reward. =) For those of you who follow Rags and Riches, ALMOST DONE WITH CHAPTER TWO. Lying. I'm half done with it… well, whatever, you're getting this instead. -Rosie