Chapter 2-
15 YEARS EARLIER…
The ship sailed proudly under a sunrise of golden fire, its sails of ripped black canvas fluttering like ghosts in the pre-morning mist. It radiated power despite its many leaks and cracked wooden underbelly. This was a ship that had seen many battles-and lost none. This was the Black Pearl- captained by none other than Jack Sparrow. Many had heard his name, but few knew that there was another Sparrow- Pippa.
She had
been shunned from birth by her father Teague- she was not the brother
to Jack that he had wanted, and therefore not worthy of his
attentions. After the death of her mother, she had had nowhere to go-
except to Jack and the Pearl.
And so her life as a ship's rat had begun- skulking daily in
the brig, forbidden from straying above deck lest she be discovered
and ruin her brother's reputation. Pippa, determined from the start
to prove herself to everyone on board (especially Jack), had
proceeded to best her brother at swordfighting, sailing, and general
piracy- and yet she had still remained unnoticed by all except the
son of her brother's first mate- the young boy and girl had soon
become the best of friends. And then came Esmarelda..
Pippa would have been happy if Esmarelda had remained on the crew forever. While she was on board, Pippa had been allowed freedom- Jack, who had fell head over heels in lust, was willing to do anything to satisfy her, and she had immediately been intrigued by his younger, forgotten sister. This interest had grown into a strong friendship- Esmarelda was the sister Pippa never had. When she left, it was as if Pippa had lost a part of herself. She had never forgiven Jack for pushing Esmarelda leave- it wasn't as if she had been friends with her brother in the first place.
This morning, a small silhouette was framed against the blazing horizon- a girl, Pippa, sitting alone in the crow's nest, her long hair flying around her. She faced the sun as it rose in a glorious mass of flames, seemingly transfixed by the sun, until a voice broke her trance.
"There you are- I've been looking for you. Listen, the crew's been calling for a mutiny against Jack. Maybe this is your chance!"
Pippa started as the boy's head popped into view above the crow's nest.
"Will! Wait- what do you mean, a mutiny?"
Before he could reply, a massive explosion rocked the ship. Shouts erupted from below as the crew surged out of the hold- a ship flying the colours of the East India Company was approaching, cannons blazing.
"Will!" Pippa cried out as he slipped from the rigging and fell out of her line of vision. She scrambled out of the nest and fell into a sail as another explosion cracked the mast. Everything blurred into a mass of colour- crew, sails, wood- as she fumbled for a hold on the wet canvas. The ship was flaming in a dozen places.
Suddenly, with a massive crack, the mast containing Pippa's sail was blown in half. She was thrown into the foaming sea. Water closed over her head, and she fought panic as she desperately tried to kick upward. Her hand brushed against a piece of driftwood- debris from the falling ship? She pulled herself upward-and, miraculously, found herself in one of the main vessel's longboats, complete with oars. Will was nowhere in sight. Pippa mustered the last of her strength, making no attempt to stem her tears for her only friend. Bruised and bleeding, she slowly paddled away from the life she had always resented.
(After the last Battle in Pirates 3)
The man pulled himself onto the deck of the Flying Dutchman and thudded to the ground. His gasps were the only sound in the black night. Slowly he began to come to himself.
The thump was just loud enough to wake the captain. He hurried along the corridor until he arrived at the main deck and froze in disbelief.
"Impossible…"he whispered as he gazed into the man face.
Somehow, Captain Will Turner had found himself staring into the face of James Norrington.