Freedom Is In the Eye of the Beholder
Disclaimer: I still don't own any part of Pirates of the Caribbean. Promise.
Author's Notes: For the sake of getting to the story, I am going to skip the Tortuga bit. We all know what happened, so let's just say they've got their crew and leave it at that. Quotes will be WILDLY inaccurate, but I don't happen to have a copy of the movie for notes so poo to anyone who wants to complain. :)
Chapter Two - Desires and Bargains
"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me..."
Will sighed. Jack had insisted on singing that loathsome song for going on four hours now, and the crew was beginning to grumble. Will sent an apologetic glance in their direction from where he stood on the bow of the ship.
He attempted to get the pirate's attention, shouting to be heard over the raucous din.
"Jack!"
The bead-bedecked captain swung his head around towards Will, hair flying out in an arc. His inquisitive gaze fell on the boy, studying him for a moment. Will knew he was seeing his father Bootstrap Bill when he looked at him; the sadness in his eyes gave that away.
"Jack," he repeated. "Where are we?"
The pirate had been consulting his compass since they'd left Tortuga, yet from what Will could discern the thing didn't point north. Jack gave him a demeaning look.
"We're near there, young Mister Turner. If ye don't mind me askin', what, pray tell, do you plan on doin' once we arrive?"
Will stared at him.
"Well... I will rescue Miss Swann, of course."
Even Will didn't look too convinced by this. They had both seen the destructive capabilities of the Pearl's crew, and neither man fancied a go at them. Jack leaned against the giant wheel of the ship, a thoughtful look crossing his face.
"Mayhap we'd be best off with a plan," he affirmed. Will nodded in agreement.
******
They reached the cave at nightfall, the moon rising over a pale horizon. All was silent save for the quiet lapping of waves against the rocks.
"Let's go, then."
Lowering the longboat into the water took little difficulty, but once the two of them were on their way they had to take great care to not make a sound. They rowed without speaking, yet both of them were thinking furiously.
Reaching shore, Jack jumped out and tethered the boat to a rock nearby. Together they made their way towards the cave's entrance and the illuminating glow that emanated from inside.
Elizabeth was there, all right. She looked more annoyed than distressed, yet Jack's heart went out to her.
'Poor lass,' he thought. 'Must be horrible bein' mixed up in this. Those blighters are too stupid to realize that they've got the wrong blood on their hands.'
Jack reached out an arm without taking his eyes from the girl, stopping Will from rushing out into the middle of things.
"Will, do me a favor," he said, choosing his words carefully. "Stay here, and please *try* not to do anything stupid."
Will shrugged his arm off but nodded, walking over to stand behind the wildly gesturing pirate.
"Remember the plan. You sneak up near the lass and sit tight while I cause a distraction, and together we-"
A crack resounded through the air, and Jack dropped like a rag doll to the stone floor.
"Sorry Jack, but I can't stand around and wait for Elizabeth to be killed."
Will set the oar down beside the fallen pirate and snuck off into the darkness.
Moments later Jack sat up slowly, a loud groan escaping him.
'Bloody idiot,' he thought angrily to himself. 'He's going to get himself killed. Not that I'd object, really.'
Rubbing the already rising bump on the back of his head, Jack stood shakily and made his way over to where the Pearl's crew was gathered.
"S'cuse me... pardon me, that's it. Coming through."
Jack made his way to the front of the room quickly before the Pearl's crew recognized their old captain and decided to finish what they'd started. Barbossa was in the middle of a rousing speech, his voice bouncing off the cave walls eerily. Jack looked up at him, a desire for revenge making its way to the surface.
'Not now, Jack. He'll get what's comin' to him soon enough.'
Barbossa had as of yet failed to notice the figure standing at the head of the crew, his eyes roaming upwards as he imagined a life without curses, a life where things would be infinitely better. Finishing up, he reached over to Elizabeth, grabbing her by the scruff of the neck and shoving her downwards towards the gold. It reflected back on her face, the fear imminent in those brown eyes.
Jack knew she was in no real danger; Barbossa wouldn't take the girl's life unless he had to. The dirty mutineer probably had better plans for her after the curse was lifted, plans that would test out his newly awakened senses. Jack shuddered.
'Not while I'm around, he won't.'
Barbossa grabbed the terrified girl's hand, forcing her hand upwards. She didn't even try to resist, knowing it was futile to try and escape. The knife came out of nowhere, slashing across her upturned palm violently. The blood flowed with abandon, coating the gold pressed into her hand. Grabbing her hand once again, Barbossa shook the coins free from her grip. They landed on the pile with a metallic 'clink,' the room having gone silent.
Elizabeth looked up at the solemn pirate.
"...That's it?"
Jack stood unnoticed, the crew in anticipation of their freedom from the curse. After a few moments one spoke up.
"...Is we free of it?"
They all looked down at themselves, inspecting the torn clothes and grime- encrusted skin.
"I don't feel any different..."
Barbossa heaved a long-suffering sigh, pulling out his pistol and aiming it at the nearest pirate. A shot rang out, silencing the crew. The unfortunate freebooter stood in the same place, wearing an expression of surprise.
"He's still alive!"
The pirate looked to Barbossa in anger.
"You shot me!"
Barbossa glared at Elizabeth.
"Are you the son of Bootstrap Bill Turner?"
She glared back at him defiantly.
In a rage, Barbossa flung her down towards the water, throwing the coin after her. By now the crew had begun arguing amongst themselves, the finger of blame being pointed in all directions.
"You brought us the wrong person!"
Jack rolled his eyes. At this rate, they'd be here all day. Walking over to Barbossa, Jack put on his most convincing grin. Barbossa finally noticed him as he approached, a look of surprise crossing his face.
"Jack Sparrow! What in the blazes are ye doin' here? I thought we'd left ye for dead, governor of your own island. Didn't suit ye?"
Jack smirked back at him good-naturedly.
"Well, mate, you forgot one thing when you left this pirate behind."
"And what's that?"
He grinned, showing off his various gold teeth.
"I'm captain Jack Sparrow."
Barbossa frowned at him.
"I'll have to remember that the next time I try and finish ye off," he replied, pointing his pistol at the still-smiling pirate. The rest of the crew crowded in closer, cutlasses drawn. Jack thought fast.
"The lass's blood didn't work, did it?"
Barbossa scowled at him, lowering his pistol.
"No. And I take it ye be knowin' just who we need, eh?"
A smile played about Jack Sparrow's lips.
"I just might."
***
R&R, please!
Disclaimer: I still don't own any part of Pirates of the Caribbean. Promise.
Author's Notes: For the sake of getting to the story, I am going to skip the Tortuga bit. We all know what happened, so let's just say they've got their crew and leave it at that. Quotes will be WILDLY inaccurate, but I don't happen to have a copy of the movie for notes so poo to anyone who wants to complain. :)
Chapter Two - Desires and Bargains
"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me..."
Will sighed. Jack had insisted on singing that loathsome song for going on four hours now, and the crew was beginning to grumble. Will sent an apologetic glance in their direction from where he stood on the bow of the ship.
He attempted to get the pirate's attention, shouting to be heard over the raucous din.
"Jack!"
The bead-bedecked captain swung his head around towards Will, hair flying out in an arc. His inquisitive gaze fell on the boy, studying him for a moment. Will knew he was seeing his father Bootstrap Bill when he looked at him; the sadness in his eyes gave that away.
"Jack," he repeated. "Where are we?"
The pirate had been consulting his compass since they'd left Tortuga, yet from what Will could discern the thing didn't point north. Jack gave him a demeaning look.
"We're near there, young Mister Turner. If ye don't mind me askin', what, pray tell, do you plan on doin' once we arrive?"
Will stared at him.
"Well... I will rescue Miss Swann, of course."
Even Will didn't look too convinced by this. They had both seen the destructive capabilities of the Pearl's crew, and neither man fancied a go at them. Jack leaned against the giant wheel of the ship, a thoughtful look crossing his face.
"Mayhap we'd be best off with a plan," he affirmed. Will nodded in agreement.
******
They reached the cave at nightfall, the moon rising over a pale horizon. All was silent save for the quiet lapping of waves against the rocks.
"Let's go, then."
Lowering the longboat into the water took little difficulty, but once the two of them were on their way they had to take great care to not make a sound. They rowed without speaking, yet both of them were thinking furiously.
Reaching shore, Jack jumped out and tethered the boat to a rock nearby. Together they made their way towards the cave's entrance and the illuminating glow that emanated from inside.
Elizabeth was there, all right. She looked more annoyed than distressed, yet Jack's heart went out to her.
'Poor lass,' he thought. 'Must be horrible bein' mixed up in this. Those blighters are too stupid to realize that they've got the wrong blood on their hands.'
Jack reached out an arm without taking his eyes from the girl, stopping Will from rushing out into the middle of things.
"Will, do me a favor," he said, choosing his words carefully. "Stay here, and please *try* not to do anything stupid."
Will shrugged his arm off but nodded, walking over to stand behind the wildly gesturing pirate.
"Remember the plan. You sneak up near the lass and sit tight while I cause a distraction, and together we-"
A crack resounded through the air, and Jack dropped like a rag doll to the stone floor.
"Sorry Jack, but I can't stand around and wait for Elizabeth to be killed."
Will set the oar down beside the fallen pirate and snuck off into the darkness.
Moments later Jack sat up slowly, a loud groan escaping him.
'Bloody idiot,' he thought angrily to himself. 'He's going to get himself killed. Not that I'd object, really.'
Rubbing the already rising bump on the back of his head, Jack stood shakily and made his way over to where the Pearl's crew was gathered.
"S'cuse me... pardon me, that's it. Coming through."
Jack made his way to the front of the room quickly before the Pearl's crew recognized their old captain and decided to finish what they'd started. Barbossa was in the middle of a rousing speech, his voice bouncing off the cave walls eerily. Jack looked up at him, a desire for revenge making its way to the surface.
'Not now, Jack. He'll get what's comin' to him soon enough.'
Barbossa had as of yet failed to notice the figure standing at the head of the crew, his eyes roaming upwards as he imagined a life without curses, a life where things would be infinitely better. Finishing up, he reached over to Elizabeth, grabbing her by the scruff of the neck and shoving her downwards towards the gold. It reflected back on her face, the fear imminent in those brown eyes.
Jack knew she was in no real danger; Barbossa wouldn't take the girl's life unless he had to. The dirty mutineer probably had better plans for her after the curse was lifted, plans that would test out his newly awakened senses. Jack shuddered.
'Not while I'm around, he won't.'
Barbossa grabbed the terrified girl's hand, forcing her hand upwards. She didn't even try to resist, knowing it was futile to try and escape. The knife came out of nowhere, slashing across her upturned palm violently. The blood flowed with abandon, coating the gold pressed into her hand. Grabbing her hand once again, Barbossa shook the coins free from her grip. They landed on the pile with a metallic 'clink,' the room having gone silent.
Elizabeth looked up at the solemn pirate.
"...That's it?"
Jack stood unnoticed, the crew in anticipation of their freedom from the curse. After a few moments one spoke up.
"...Is we free of it?"
They all looked down at themselves, inspecting the torn clothes and grime- encrusted skin.
"I don't feel any different..."
Barbossa heaved a long-suffering sigh, pulling out his pistol and aiming it at the nearest pirate. A shot rang out, silencing the crew. The unfortunate freebooter stood in the same place, wearing an expression of surprise.
"He's still alive!"
The pirate looked to Barbossa in anger.
"You shot me!"
Barbossa glared at Elizabeth.
"Are you the son of Bootstrap Bill Turner?"
She glared back at him defiantly.
In a rage, Barbossa flung her down towards the water, throwing the coin after her. By now the crew had begun arguing amongst themselves, the finger of blame being pointed in all directions.
"You brought us the wrong person!"
Jack rolled his eyes. At this rate, they'd be here all day. Walking over to Barbossa, Jack put on his most convincing grin. Barbossa finally noticed him as he approached, a look of surprise crossing his face.
"Jack Sparrow! What in the blazes are ye doin' here? I thought we'd left ye for dead, governor of your own island. Didn't suit ye?"
Jack smirked back at him good-naturedly.
"Well, mate, you forgot one thing when you left this pirate behind."
"And what's that?"
He grinned, showing off his various gold teeth.
"I'm captain Jack Sparrow."
Barbossa frowned at him.
"I'll have to remember that the next time I try and finish ye off," he replied, pointing his pistol at the still-smiling pirate. The rest of the crew crowded in closer, cutlasses drawn. Jack thought fast.
"The lass's blood didn't work, did it?"
Barbossa scowled at him, lowering his pistol.
"No. And I take it ye be knowin' just who we need, eh?"
A smile played about Jack Sparrow's lips.
"I just might."
***
R&R, please!
