Chapter 1
Nellie pushed her dark brown hair out of her face and searched the think crowd surrounding her, trying to find someone that fit the description her mother had told her of her father's crew, although the details were vague. It's like she was scared that I would try to find one an' run away ta find my father. Her eyes strayed around and she snorted to herself, guess she 'ad a reason fer tha'.
She was a small fifteen year old girl lost in Tortuga, a place full of scallywags and heartless men, trying all by her onsies to find her father. The infamous Jack Sparrow. Didn' really thin' ahead, didn' thin' I'd make it this far.
With a determined glint in her eyes she turned and raced over to a Tavern called the 'Drunken Bride', went straight up to the counter and slammed a fist down to get the man running the Tavern's attention. "May I 'ave a temporary room?"
The big burly man leered at her and crouched to her level, instantly showing the gaps in his teeth. "Aren' ye a bit young ta be 'ere alone?"
She stared indignantly at the man, "I am quite old enough ta 'ave my own room." Then out of the pocket of her breeches she pulled seven shillings and slammed the coins onto the countertop. "Don' ye agree sir?"
"Hope ye 'ave a pleasant stay," the man laughed somewhat tauntingly as he scooped up the coins before turning to another customer.
With a satisfied smirk she turned and climbed the stairs until she came to a hallway then entered the nearest empty room and shut the door tightly behind with a sharp click of the lock. Her eyes scanned the small area before resting on a long mirror propped against a far wall. She curiously peered at her reflection, wondering if what looked back at her was truly her fathers face.
Dozens of times over she had asked that question to her mother and each time with the patience only a true parent could have, Elizabeth would tell her that yes she had the same dark brown unruly hair, yes her eyes were the same black, yes she had a sharp angular face like his, and yes they both had the same tanned skin.
Feeling somewhat anxious she turned and jogged down the stairs to begin her search, but where to begin? There's a million places here that he could be. Her thoughts immediately ended when she crashed into something and ended up knocking her to the ground with a sore bottom.
"Sorry lil missy," A calm voice said and a hand came into her view.
She looked up and saw an older man with gray hair that was white in places pulled into a loose ponytail and bushy sideburns, then somewhat hesitantly placed her hand in his offered one.
In one swift motion she was on her feet again and the man released hers, "Wha's a young 'um like ye doin' 'ere? Yer no' alone ye?"
"Umm, I'm looking fer me father, an' my names Nellie." She replied hesitantly.
"Me name is Joshmee Gibbs," Mister Gibbs replied, his gaze was fixed intently on her. "Ye look familiar, 'have I seen ye around 'ere before?"
She shook her head, he lightly curly hair bounced as she did. "Me first time 'ere."
"Well why do' ye come with me te me captions ship, Tortuga isn't a safe place for a young lass." Mister Gibbs said.
"I do no' mean te soun' unthankful at yer offer but I had best keep lookin'." She glanced around anxiously.
Mister Gibbs tipped his head to her, "Alrigh' lil missy, jus' be careul." Then he turned and hurried out of the Tavern, swaying slightly unbalanced by the amount of rum he'd consumed.
She looked around the Tavern once more before heading out as well, the air hot, making her thick hair cling stickly to her sweaty neck.
All around people were shoving at each other, laughing drunkenly with rum soaked faces and clothing, some played music while others attempted to keep balance while dancing and much to her disgust heavily kissing women up against walls and on the ground. But none of them held the face she was searching for, disappointing her and sending a slight mix or relief as well.
Growling quietly to herself, lip twitching in annoyance she headed in the direction of the docks. If he's here, that is the most likely of places for him to be. Breaking out in a steady jog, anxiety bubbled up inside of her when a huge ship loomed over her, casting shadows a long the dirt walk way.
She glanced to see if anyone was watching then climbed up the board to the deck and stepped, the ship rocked softly beneath her feet. Walking up the stairs to the helm, her fingers trailed along the wood and gripped the spokes tightly. I shoud be behind one of these.
"Oiy! Yer no' ta be on this ship!" A familiar voice called out to her.
Looking down towards the docks, the familiar stout figure of Mister Gibbs was rushing on to the ship. "Miss Nellie!" He sounded surprised to see her again so soon.
"Sorry I did no' mean te trespass." She responded with a half smile.
Mister Gibbs squinted as if trying to figure out something. "Are ye sure I 'aven' seen ye 'fore?"
She nodded, "Do ye know wha' th' name of this ship is?"
"She be called 'The Black Pearl.'" Mister Gibbs replied with a proud glance around. "Th' last true Pirate Ship."
Her eyes widened with shock as she glanced up at the folded sails to see instead of the usual white sails they were black. "This is th' Black Pearl? My moth'r tol' me tha' my father is captain of a ship called th' Black Pearl!"
Mister Gibbs snapped his finers in realization, "That's where I've seen ye! Yer de spittin' image of th' Cap'n, come on." He grabbed her arm and pulled her down the stairs, turned sharply to a set of doors. "Cap'n!"
"Come in Mister Gibbs!" A voice called from within the room.
The First Mate opened the door then motioned for her to follow and closed it behind her.
She looked up at the other male and her breath caught in her throat at how familiar the man looked. "'Ello mister."
"Cap'n Jack this is Elizabeth's daughter, found 'er at the 'Drunken Bride'." Mister Gibbs said.
Jack looked up from the map he had been examining and his eyes widened slightly, "'Ello luv, wuts a little missy like ye doin' in a place like Tortuga?"
"I'm lookin' fer my father and according to me mother that would be you." She said confidently.
"Mister Gibbs leave." Jack snapped.
Mister Gibbs hurried out of the room and closed the door quickly behind him.
Jack got up and paced around the room for a couple minutes before quickly walking over to stand right in front of her, "Is she certain that I am yer…"
She smiled when she remembered that night when she was eight and her mother had told her about the night when the infamous Jack Sparrow had told her that he loved her, and they had spent the evening together. "Yes, my mother told me all about that night 14 years ago, leaving out a few details of course, but at my age I can figure it out."
Jack stared at her carefully as if inspecting her and she held herself up confidently, "Well I s'pose I can't look at you and still deny it, yer me spittin' image."
She smiled broadly, "My mother told me all about her adventures with you. I was mildly disappointed when she told me that she killed you once." She stated not bothering to attempt pirate talk anymore. "So cold-hearted, deceiving and so… Pirate."
"Well luv that's the blood ye come from," Jack chuckled a bit.
She smirked cockily at Jack, "I want to be a pirate."
Jack grinned noticing that her smirk was exactly like his, "Well luv ye could be, but does yer mother know ye left?"
"I left a note climbed down my bedroom balcony ran as fast as I bloody could and here I am." She shrugged her shoulders in a nonchalant way.
"Well are ye sure she'll be alright?" Jack questioned warily, "I don't want th' wrath of yer mother on me."
She snorted in a rather unlady-like manner, "You the great Jack Sparrow-"
"Captain," Jack interrupted.
She rolled her eyes, "Captain Jack Sparrow is afraid of making a woman mad?"
"Well I've had me fair amount of angry women slapping me, but lizzie… I don't liker 'er bein' mad at me," Jack said.
"Please Jack! I don't want to go back there! Life is so dull and I can't stand the way my mother pines after that whelp because she feels like she owes him after him trying so hard to save her and then she falls in love with you."
"Well at least we agree on sumthin'" Jack sighed and sat down. "Are ye sure this is wha' ye want?"
She nodded eagerly, then yawned and looked down at her hands somewhat embarrassed, slumping over slightly just realizing how tired she was.
"Ye can sleep on my bed," Jack said gesturing towards the bunk at the far end of the cabin.
"That's alright," she replied. "I can sleep in a hammock below."
Jack glared ever so slightly at her, "No ye are me…" he paused for a moment, his lip twitched. "Bonny..lass and I will be allowin' ye te sleep with a bunch of scallywags. If ye are to be stayin' ye have to do wha' I say as yer .." his lip gave another twitch from discomfort. "Captain so do as I say an' use me bunk."
She smirked again and raised an eyebrow. "Aye aye Captain," then she skipped over to the bed, kicked her shoes off and albeit jumped onto the bed, laid down and slowly slipped into unconsciousness, being lulled to sleep by the rock of the ship.
Jack's mind buzzed with questions as he stared at Nellie fast asleep on his bed.
He quickly turned and raced out of the room, heading straight up to the helm where his first mate was.
"Do we 'ave a headin' Cap'n?" Mister Gibbs asked.
"Jus' go where the wind takes us fer now," Jack replied as he looked out at the open sea.
Mister Gibbs turned to watch Jack, "Wha' 'bout th' lass?" He asked quietly.
"Th' lass will stay fer now but don' mention me…ties to 'er," Jack replied. "I'll man th' helm."
Then he turned and walked over to the wheel and took hold of it in his right hand while staring out at the horizon, the setting sun shining brightly at them, turning the sky a beautiful shade of purple and tinting the sea the same color.