Lost at Sea II

Chapter 9

As the years progressed and piracy came to its general end, James growing from the small boy to a handsome, daring man, he had to decide to choose his path in the world, leaving Keira and Jack living on Tortuga. He broke away from his family, joining the Royal Navy to try his luck in the military.

"Sparrow, step to or it'll be mess duty again!" his captain ordered from the helm.

James looked up from his work, he had been sharpening his sword, his green eyes the only feature distinguishing him from his father. He nodded and sheathed his sword, jumping to assist his friend, a man named Charles, brace the foreyard with a few other men.

"How long do you think we'll be gone before we return to Port Royal?" Charles asked quietly, grunting as he pulled the rope to hoist a sail.

James shrugged, feeling the rope burn his hands as it fought against their pulling, "I couldn't tell you, last time it was near two months."

"I just don't want to leave Annie waiting to long this time," Charles sighed, his blue eyes dark at the thought.

James chuckled, "You and your woman, why don't you just marry her?"

"Her father won't let me. He thinks I'm not wealthy enough to care for her, and I'm always on the sea. He thinks I'm a pirate," Charles explained.

"Pirates are rare in these waters, Charles, you can easily prove him wrong. You don't have a brand do you?" James asked with a grin.

"No! Of course not!"

"Then you should be fine, save what you make from our little missions and buy her a decent ring, prove her father wrong," James advised.

Charles looked stunned at his knowledge and shook his head, "This coming from the man who attracts every woman he sees and then casts her away like trash. You're lucky Arabella kept you so long."

"Arabella is unique," James winked. "She's the only woman I would ever trust with a sword, first off. I taught her well."

"Or is it that she's good in another field?" Charles grinned.

James let out a laugh and shook his head, "I wouldn't tell you even she wasn't. She's like a sister to me, Charles; I would never have her like that."

"Contrary to your father."

James smiled at the thought of his father, "I may look like him, but I have the honesty and morals like my mother. I won't take a woman unless she wants me to. In most cases, they always want me to."

The two laughed only to be interrupted by their commander, a tall, frumpy man by the name of Nigel. He grabbed James roughly by the back of the neck, making him yell out in surprise.

"To the galley with you, Sparrow, I won't tell you again. Edwards, back to work!" he barked, throwing James toward the stairs below deck while Charles hurried off to busy himself with polishing.

James smirked and slid down the rail below deck. He grabbed one of the dirty aprons as he burst into the kitchen, grinning broadly at his crewmate, Billy. James grabbed his usual spatula and smacked Billy's cheek playfully, readying himself for the next meal.

"Get on the Lieutenant's nerves again, Sparrow?" Billy asked with a grin.

"Aye, I can't seem to get off the Lieutenant's nerves," James nodded, pocketing the spatula and grabbing a knife to skin potatoes.

"How's Arabella doing?" Billy asked mockingly. "I don't know why you bother yourself with that girl."

James smirked, "She's fine, last I checked. I bother with her because she's like a little sister to me. She needs family and I am there for her. If I wasn't she'd be lost."

"Have you bedded her yet?" Billy asked with raised eyebrows, a twinkle in his eye.

"No, and I don't care to either. I told you she's like a sister," James persisted, rolling his eyes. "You need to find yourself a girl, mate. You've got the looks, you just need the charm."

Billy shook his head, "Nah, I'm better on my own, James. Sort of like your father before he met your mother."

"Why does everyone relate themselves to my parents?"

"Because Jack Sparrow is the best pirate there ever was, James. You're father is a legend. There are books written about him and his adventures. You can't beat Jack."

James rolled his eyes, "Half of his tales are false, he's only a human, not all of those things are possible. Although my favorite is Pelegostos Island, my mother was there too. She was trapped in the cage and all."

Billy chuckled, enviously, "Your mother sounds like a beautiful woman. Too bad I didn't know her when she was young. I would've shown her a thing or two."

"I'm going to stop listening now," James turned away, his cheeks a slight red.

Billy let out a booming laugh and the two commenced with peeling potatoes for the crew's next meal, both chattering about what they wanted to do when they returned home after their voyage.

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"On deck all hands! Make fast the bunt gasket! Scurry! I want movement!" Nigel's voice broke through the still night air a few hours later.

The crew groaned as one and climbed tiredly from their bunks, James, Charles and Billy all thumping on the floor and grabbing their boots. The crew around them scurried around, gathering tossed clothes and discarded boots. James rubbed his eyes and began to try and pull his shirt up his leg. Billy yawned beside him and threw James' breeches at him, telling him he was putting the wrong item of clothing on the wrong part.

When the three were finally dressed and ready they ran onto the deck to be greeted with loud booms and flashes of bright light, water splashing all over the deck. James fixed his hat on his head and rushed to his assigned cannon to start loading, returning the fire. Nigel pounded over to him furiously pointing in the darkness at the firing ships.

"You see them! They're Spaniards, that's who we've been waiting for. Finally, some action!"

James shook his head, waiting for Charles to finish loading the gun. He pointed the cannon in the right direction and lit the fuse, jumping away as it fired and jumped back form the force.

"I don't think we'll be making port on time," Billy grumbled as the firing continued well into the early hours of the morning.

"With attacks like this we'll be lucky to make it within three weeks. Annie's going to be waiting far longer than I wanted," Charles groaned.

James smirked and rested his head on the warm barrel of the cannon, the firing finally dying down after a good three hours. "Then marry her, Charles. When she's bound to one man she won't linger with others."

Charles nodded and James felt his eyes get droopy from exhaustion. He let his thoughts drift as the sleep came over him, the shouts and happy chatter from the crew fading into the distance.

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Okay, there's a little change in scenery for you. Lots of time passing and all that good stuff. Hope you liked it! I think I know where I'm going with this now, I bet you all didn't think Jack Sparrow's own son would be in the Royal Navy! Well, his is…for now. More adventures for James to come!

Sadie