The Little Sparrow's Tale
Summary: How far will Jack and Lizzie go to save their kids after breaking apart many years ago? That's the question the kids have alway wondred, now with them being shanhied by barbossa all family matters need to be put aside in order to survie.
Disclaimer: Neither one of us own Pirates of the Caribbean
Authors Note: This is a joint story between Too Lazy and DataKenobi05. We're really excited about doing this story and it's been in the works for a while now. Hope you enjoy it!
Chapter One- The Decision
"So what now Jack Sparrow are we to be two immortals locked together in an epic battle until judgment day and trumpets sound humph?" The little girl of twelve years asked from the ground as she held her cutlass by her side and shifted comfortably in the four times too large coat she was wearing.
"Or you could surrender." The boy of thirteen offered up with a slight bow.
The girl sprung up from the grassy ground and launched an assault on the boy with great skill and precision, but the boy was better. He knocked the sword from his sister's hand.
She pouted.
"No fair that's not how the story goes!" She put her hands on her hips imitating what her mother does when she is peeved.
"Pirate." The boy said, matter of fact and then wrestles his little sister who despite being young and smaller is very quick just like their father and gets away easily.
"My goodness Ace and Amberly, it's getting cold and dinner is ready." Governor Swann called from the back porch. He loved his grandchildren, but if only they wouldn't play with real cutlasses he could rest easier.
"But, grandfather we were getting to the best part." Amberly whined half-heartedly taking off the large black coat that her grandfather was now going to have to have washed.
"Where I shoot you?" Ace interjects taking the cutlass from his sister and placing in its scabbard.
"No silly where we fight again and then you shoot me to save mum." Amberly explains as they enter the kitchen. Ace shakes his head, his sister is such an odd romantic.
The cook affectionately known to the children as Aunt Lou was already setting down the roasted pork, mash potatoes, and biscuits.
"You younguns' ain't getting nothin' till ya's wash." Aunt Lou said without looking at the children who were attempting to sit down and serve themselves.
"Aunt Lou darlin' how about we skip the wash and..." Aunt Lou turned to Amberly with a look of a tyrant about to go on a rampage and Amberly promptly became quite.
"None of that now young Missy Sparrow, you and yar brother go get washed up or no supper." Aunt Lou dictated and Ace being older, wiser and more like his mother who picked her battles carefully, put a placating hand on his sister's shoulder, Amberly pouted.
"Okay Aunt Lou, but all you're doing is getting us ready to get dirty again." Amberly said before they head upstairs to wash up.
When they return their plates are fixed and Governor Swann is waiting for them.
"One thing I do love about visiting grandfather, besides visiting grandfather, is the yummy food." Amberly said her mouth full of potatoes.
"Amberly dear, no talking while food is still in the process of being eaten." Governor Swann instructs. Even though his granddaughter is the daughter of pirates she is still a lady or is going to be if he has any say in the matter.
"Sorry grandfather." Amberly bashfully answered after swallowing her food.
Ace sits oddly still and quiet only his fork is kicking at the potatoes with little enthusiasm, his sister picks up on his mood immediately.
"What's wrong Ace?" She asked and reached over the table for a bread roll but with the look her grandfather is giving her thinks better of it.
A pounding of the front door destroys the peace of the dinging room and Ace jumps up having a feeling this event is what has been brothering him and runs to the front door. Amberly jumped up forgetting again to excuse herself from the table and their grandfather follows too.
The servant has just shut the front door and is standing with letter on a golden tray when he notices the children.
"A message for you two." The servant pulls two envelopes of aged parchment from the tray and hands them to Ace and walks off to meet Governor Swann where he receives the third letter.
"One is from mum the other is from dad." Ace informs his little sister who is standing next to him, he shows her the letters.
Both letters are addressed to Ace Lucas Sparrow and Amberly Elita Sparrow. But each was in a different handwriting.
Ace handed the one from their father to Amberly to hold on to as he opened the one from their mother.
"They've only been gone a fortnight, they usually send us letters a few months after reaching a new port, the closest port at this rate would be Tortuga." Amberly concluded thoughtfully hold the letter to her chest as she tries to scan the letter Ace is holding.
"I know that's what concerns me." Ace said before the contents of his mother letter hit him full force but he makes himself read them to his sister anyway.
Darlings,
I hope you are well and not driving your grandfather mad.
I love you both so much and that is why writing hurts so much but I see no other alternative.
Your father and I have decided to part ways.
Ace notices two droplets and has a foreboding feeling in his stomach as he reads on.
Our parting has nothing to do with you and know that we both love you.
Your father and I thought it best to let you decide who you would stay with as your happiness should not be altered. Know that we will not be hurt by your choice as visits to your grandfather will reunite us periodically.
We both love you and I wish when you are older you will understand why we had you two choose.
I am sorry darlings,
Love Mum
Ace folds the letter up and faces his sister who is no longer at his side but sitting on the steps of the stairs crying. He goes to her and pulls her into a hug.
"Amberly we'll be alright, stop crying...if you cry then you'll smear dad's note then we can't read it." Ace counsels but his sister sobs softly into his chest. He takes the letter from her and she lets him go to read it, Ace sits by her.
My boy and little pirate lass,
I take it you read your mum's note first and now of the split eh? Well no use going over old news.
I just wanted to write to tell ye two that your choice of who and where you stay is fine as there will never be hard feelings. Also you mum and I have no hard feelings between us it's just times grown-ups grow apart.
I'll see you two soon,
My best,
Dad.
Amberly cries harder and Governor Swann has just emerged from the dining room having just read the letter hat was from his daughter and held Amberly as she cried. Ace stood strong and placed a hand on his sister's shoulder.
That night Ace sat in front of the dying ambers of the front fireplace.
He knows nothing he or his sister can do can make their parents stay together, their parents pride would never allow it and making them do anything is impossible, but he will do what he can to make things livable, he just hopes Amberly will understand.
"It's stupid!" Amberly shouted despite the fact Ace and Governor Swann are sitting right in front of her.
"Amberly, language please." Governor Swann reprimands taking a sip of his tea.
Amberly ignored him and continued her rant. "Why should we make things easy for them when they clearly won't make things easy for us?"
"I think Ace's plan is a splendid one it will certainly cut down on the conflict." Governor Swann said tentatively as he does not want to get Amberly more upset then she is.
"Amberly we'll still see each other." Ace offered kindly, Amberly turns on him her dark brown eyes ablaze with fury that can match their mother's.
"When Ace? When mum decided to drop by or when dad fancies a two day break?" She snaps, getting up from her chair she stomps out of the dining room and makes sure to slam each door as she leaves the house.
"She took it well." Governor Swann said reflectively and Ace gets up from his chair in search of his sister.
She was in the back yard lying under a mango tree hands behind her head staring up the braches, it was her favorite place to be. At her bother's approach she turns her head to him but makes no move to get up. "Do you promise that we will still see each other at least once a year?" She asked.
Ace shrugs and takes a seat next to her and starts picking at the grass. "I'll try but I can't promise that, but I can promise this," Amberly sits up and give her full attention to her older brother. "I will write everyday and when I get to a port I will mail all that I wrote to grandfather where if I am not here you can still know how I'm doing. And you can do the same."
Amberly considers his words and strokes her chin, Ace thinks she looks like dad when she does that. "Well then your plan is the best option, but, who do we go with? We both love mum and dad?" she asked leaning her head on his shoulder and he leans his head on hers.
"Well, I figured that you go with dad as you can keep him in line with your whining and pouting."
"I don't whine!"
Ace continued on, "Also your sense of finding treasure should come in handy to keep the crew from killing him. And I'll go with mum to keep her out of trouble." Amberly laughs at the last part.
"I know, a lot of good that will do." Ace laughed to.
When their parents arrive in the middle of the night two days later they go into separate rooms and do not speak or look at each other. The tension in the house was thick and made it hard to breathe.
Amberly goes into her mother's old room to say good bye. It is a tearful farewell with a lot of hugging, but they each promise to see each other again and to write. In the kitchen a similar goodbye is taking place between father and son only no tears are shed and no hugs are given. They do shake hands and Ace requests that his father takes care of Amberly. Jack could only be amazed at how grown up his son seemed.
In the kitchen brother and sister say good-bye to. "I'll miss you big brother." Amberly said softly, giving her brother a tight hug. "Remember our promise." She let her brother go and ran to her father who is waiting by the back door; Jack had just been giving a talking to by the Governor and was more then ready to leave.
Upon seeing his daughter Jack bent down to her height and couldn't help but notice Amberly was her mother reborn, with only his dark brown hair and deep brown eyes.
"Ready to set sail darlin'?" Jack was smiling but his eyes were empty. Amberly threw her arms around Jack which surprised him but he picked her up and with his unsteady grate began the walk to the docks which was a far distance from the St. Paul district of Port Royal.
In the row boat Amberly had gathered her courage to ask her father a single question.
"Daddy do you still love mum?" Jack continued to row and pretended not to hear his daughter. "I still love you daddy." And the rest of the trip was in silence.
That night Ace did not sleep, and when morning came he quickly dressed and ran downstairs thinking to find his mother (in a tailor made dress) and grandfather eating. His mother was not there. He went to her room and knocked on the door.
"Yes." Elizabeth called out and Ace entered and his mother was staring out to sea she looked tired and her eyes were puffy. He shut the door behind him.
"You miss Amberly." Ace stated before taking a seat on the unmade bed he glaced at her pillow; it was stained with tears.
"Very much." Elizabeth answered her gaze turning to her son who had crossed over to his mother.
"Do you miss dad?" He asked and Elizabeth stood silent. In that moment she could not help but marvel on how much her son looked like his father. Elizabeth knew when he came into manhood the only trait that would separate him from his father would be his honey colored hair. He was going to be quite the lady killer.
"Mum?" Ace questioned and Elizabeth shook herself from her musing.
"Ace, sweety how would you like to comadeer a ship?" Elizabeth asked she smiled a small smile and Ace was both sad and happy for his mother. She did not want to talk about his father and that was fine, he could wait just as he could wait to see his little sister again and until then he would help his mother in her grief.
Ace grinned in a way that you could only surmise who his father was, "Aye mum, sounds fun."
TBC