Author's Note: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean or any of the characters. I only own the plot to the story and a few characters of my own
Summary: Western Au. Wild Spirited Elizabeth Swann leaves behind her family in Philadelphia heading to the small Texas border town of Sliverston for a teaching job.
Will Turner was a man not looking for trouble but trouble had always found him. He had a reputation as a gunhand who was rumoured to have killed thirty men. A nonsense Bounty Hunter who rode with questionable characters. Dark Will.
Chapter 2
Sliverston, Texas
1890
Rattlesnake Salon was one of two Salons in town. The other was run by Sae Fang and Mistress Chang. There was a man you wouldn't dare cross. He was a good man to have your back in a tight spot if you where on his good side that was.
Everybody knew not mess with their girls. The last fella who dared hurt one of their girls. There wasn't much left him for the Coyotes and Vultures to feast on. We dismounted at the front of Rattlesnake Salon.
We tied our horses to the hitching rail. I loosed the girth on my saddle. Lord only knew how long we'd be here. Especially if there was a poker game going on upstairs.
Gibbs was behind the bar when we walked in. A game of Five Finger Fillet was going on in the corner.
"Well, Well looks who back in town" Gibbs came over to us as we lent against bar.
"Gibbs" I nodded.
"Word is you got them Breckenridge boys over near Serpent Pass. There be many a folk happy to see them boys swing" Gibbs remarked as he poured four glasses of Whiskey for us.
"Only three of them left to hang. The others are heading to Boot Hill" I took a long sip of my glass of Whiskey.
"Any chance of a meal around here without getting food poisoning" Jack joked.
"If you care to read Sparrow. You would have seen what we're serving today."Gibbs stared him down.
"Four plates of Lamb's Fry."I ordered downing the last of my glass of Whiskey. I placed two dollars on the bar to pay for the four drinks.
"Four plates. That will be eight dollars" Gibbs took the money off the bar. I placed my two dollars on the bar, Pintel, Ragetti and Jack placed their own money on the bar.
"There a game of poker or blackjack going on upstairs" Jack asked as Scarlett and Giselle came over to us.
"Jack Sparrow where the hell have you been" Scarlett demanded before Jack could even speak. Scarlett slapped him. Giselle said nothing before slapping him as well.
"You didn't deserve those slaps Jack" I asked amused.
"Most likely. What are you laughing about Whelp"
"How many years we know each other and rode together Sparrow. Still you call me whelp" I leaned against the bar. As a few nameless drifters came into the Rattlesnake
"Since what we where six so it's been twenty four years."Jack laughed slapping me on the back.
We bought a bottle of Whiskey to share among the four of us. Quinn brought out our four meals. We polished off both the meals and bottle of Whiskey.
Jack headed up stairs to play a few hands of Poker. Pintel and Ragetti where having a game of Five Finger with a few locals.
I stood at the bar talking and drinking with a few locals as well." You Will Turner" A voice spoke from behind me.
"I am what's it to you boy" I turned to see a boy no older then seventeen. A shiny new six gun on his hip.
"I'm calling you out"
I just laughed."Go home to your mama boy. You got no business here" I turned away. I had killed plenty of men. He was just a kid.
"I'm not your boy. I'm a man. You telling me the great gunslinger. Will Turner's a coward. A no good yella coward" His face was red with anger at me turning him down on his challenge of a duel.
"Get out of here. You got no business here." I dismissed him once again.
"I got plenty of business to be here Mister. You going to be a man and face me out in the street. Or be a no good yella son of a bitch" This boy was getting on the last of my nerves.
"If God damn well killing you is the only way I can drink in peace" I drawled.
Elizabeth, Syrena and Phillip had been at the general store next door. Elizabeth recognised Will Turner as he walked down the steps of Saloon, A young man followed. He looked no older then seventeen.
They both moved to opposite ends of the street. Elizabeth had a fair idea what was about to happen. Most of the towns people of Sliverston stopped watching on baited breath.
"Stop this at once" Phillip cried as he stepped into the street.
"Little late for that Reverend" I drawled.
"He's a boy Will. What's killing him going to prove"
"He was one that wouldn't take no for answer. Preacher. Who said I was going to kill him. Now unless you want to get shot. I suggest you go back to your wife" I suggested.
Phillip was going to continue to argue with me."I'd do what Will asked" Sheriff Barbossa appeared from the bank across the street from the Rattlesnake.
A crowd had gathered on the boardwalk on either end of the street. The boy whom had challenged me his hand nervously twitched over his holster.
Before he could even clear leather. I had already drawn and fired. He cried out in pain clutching his arm where I had shot him. He angrily went for his Colt. I fired off another shot. The bullet threw the Colt from his hand.
"I won't miss next time. You lost. I'm going to let you live. Your only a boy. You've got a whole life a head of you. Heed my advice and you might live to see eighteen. Hang up you gun son" I placed my Schofield back in the holster.
I turned headed back to the Saloon. Two of the boys friends helped him to Doc Walkers to be patched up. If the boy had a lick of sense he heed my advice and hang up his guns before he got himself killed. The next man he challenge may not be so merciful as I had been today.
The crowd dispersed. Jack came down the stairs to the main floor of the Rattlesnake. He was counting a stack of money. He had cleaned up at the poker table. Pintel and Ragetti had finished their games of Five Finger.
"We'd best getting back to the Ranch" I commented as I rolled a smoke. Lighting the match on my boot.
"A nice warm bed and a roof over our heads would be a nice change" Jack drawled as we walked down the steps to our horses.
I re tightened the girth on my saddle" One more stop before we go. I've got to get see Davy about some ammo and gun oil" I mounted Dutchmen. Jack mounted his own mare he dubbed Black Pearl. Ragetti and Pintel mounted their respective horses.
"Miss Swann nice to see you again" I tipped my hat before we rode off to Gun Smith. Phillip glared in my direction as we rode off.
After stopping at Davy's to buy ammo and gun oil. We turned west to leave town heading for the ranch.
We followed an all to familiar track from Sliverston to the Turner Family Ranch Broken Arrow. We crossed the Little Howl River which our land bordered.
Broken Arrow was situated half way between Sliverston and the bigger cattle town of Drysgate. The big BA brand and Turner Name hung on the main gate on the way into the ranch.
Our ranch was by no means the biggest in the state nor the county. But it was bigger then some. We had just over 5,000 acres in total. The Beckett Spread East India. Was the biggest in the County.
They had close to thirty three thousand acres.
Pa had brought Henry and I out to America when I was six and Henry was year old. Mama had died birthing Henry back in Glasgow. Nan and Alex had come out with us. It had taken years of blood sweat and tears. To build the Ranch up to what it was today.
Pa married Stephanie when I was ten and Henry was five. Matthew came first, then Dalton a few years after. Morgan was born when I was fifteen, Henry was Ten, Matthew was four and Dalton was two.
We slowed near the ranch house. Old Jed was standing on the porch talking with Pa. Jed had worked here since Pa had bought the land twenty four years ago. After the war ended in April 65.
Jed left Louisiana. As a former slave. Jed drifted around Texas for a time. Till he met Pa and us as we where coming out here. He been here ever since. He'd settled and married Esmeralda and had two daughters. Tia and Ana Maria.
Davy the town gunsmith had caused quite a stir when he married Tia. It seemed to rub a lot of ignorant folks the wrong way.
The ranch hands at Broken Arrow. Where a mixed bunch. Javier, Adam, Hans and Lloyd came to take our horses to main barn.
We took our rifles, saddle bags and such off before the horses where lead away."Will your home" Morgan came running through the front door out on to the porch. She launched herself into my arms.
"Morgan let your brother breath for a second" Pa advised.
"Sorry Pa."
"You boys change and wash up for lunch" Nan appeared in the doorway.
The washing room was normal cramped at the best of times. Having four fully grown men in there at the same time was a lot worse.
We all gathered around the table. Pa sat at the head of the table. Stephanie sat beside him. I sat on the other.
"Jackson. We don't eat till we say grace" Nan chastised Jack, hitting him on the hand when he reached to take a biscuit.
"Alright. Dear heavenly father bless us for these gift we are about receive from thy bounty may the lord make us truly thankful Amen." Jack said grace.
"Amen" We all started to dig into the food Stephanie and Nan had cooked.
Conversation where flying back and forth around the table.
"Pa. We have any horses to sell" Matthew asked.
"Not at moment son. Why's that" Pa questioned as he smoked on his pipe.
"Army Horse Buyer's in Blackford. Talk is he's paying ten dollars a horse."Matthew explained.
"Sorry Matthew. We don't have any horses to sell. Not the sort of numbers he'll be after for the Army"
"What about that Mustang Herd. Up in Gun Canyon. There be at least forty or fifty horses in that herd. That's four hundred if not five hundred dollars Pa" Dalton argued.
"I'm sorry Dalton. The money is good. I can't spare the time nor the men. To go up there and bring them back here to break them in."
"Jack, Pintel, Ragetti and I can give you two a hand. What do you say Henry" I glanced at Henry.
"Better go and have a word with this man first. See if he needs that amount of horses" Henry nodded in agreement.
"Alright. We'll go to Blackford tomorrow"
Sliverston, Texas
1890
Elizabeth was settling into her room at Phillip and Syrena's house. On the outskirts of Sliverston. She had unpacked her bags and two trunks.
Syrena was in the kitchen preparing dinner. Phillip was no where to be found. He had left for some reason or other.
"Syrena. Did you need a hand" Elizabeth asked from the doorway to the kitchen.
"Oh I'm fine."Elizabeth shot her a look" On second though you could peel and cut the potatoes for me."
"Where's Phillip" Elizabeth broke the ice that fallen between them as they worked in the kitchen.
"He's out doing his afternoon parishioner rounds."Syrena answered as she scrapped the cut up vegetables into the pot.
"It seems like there is bad blood between Will Turner and Phillip. What happened between them if your don't me asking"
"Will, Phillip and a man called Brandon Matthews where childhood friends. Both Will and Brandon fell in love with a woman called Victoria Hamilton. Victoria chose and married Will.
Brandon became bitter and jealous that Victoria had picked Will to marry instead of him. He became obsessed with her. Brandon worked at Will's ranch Broken Arrow for a time. Brandon was fired after he tried to force himself on Victoria.
Will heard Victoria scream. Will beat Brandon within an inch of his life. He would have killed him. Victoria pleaded for his life to be spared. Will spared his life on promise that he left the state and never came back.
A few years later. Will, his father, brothers and a number of hands where driving cattle over to Drysgate one day. Will's grandmother was looking over a sick friend. Victoria was at the ranch by herself along a handful of wranglers.
Brandon had joined up with this gang. They raided the ranch. The wranglers who where still at the ranch. They where shot like dogs. Victoria was raped by those eight animals. Repeatedly.
Brandon he in polite terms he killed her and left a message."Syrena stopped to compose herself
"There had been two people who had gotten away. One of the ranch hand's wife and youngest daughter had escaped. They came and got Sheriff Barbossa. By the time he and a posse got there.
It was too late. Will and the other had returned before them. Will had cut Victoria down from the tree they had strung her dead body up on.
The goodness and love went out of Will that day. He's wife and unborn child where taken form him. In such a brutal and violent way. He swore revenge.
The posse tried and failed to find them. Will, Henry, Jack, Pintel and Ragetti. They tracked down everyone of those animals and killed them. But Brandon. Will was going to be the one to kill him.
He tracked him for a good year. Brandon had changed his name and appearance. Got a job working for the Beckett family. Will came back to town. He found Brandon drinking in the Rattlesnake Salon.
He called Brandon out. I've never seen Will so anger. He hit him over and over again. Before throwing him out the doors of the Saloon. Brandon drew his gun. Will shot him first. He put all six shot into him.
Phillip called it murder. But to me it was justified for what he had done to poor Victoria. They buried Brandon in an unmarked grave at the back of the cemetery."Elizabeth didn't know what to say to what Syrena had just told her.
No man could ever be the same after losing someone like that. In such a brutal and barbaric fashion as Will Turner had lost his wife and unborn child.