For those of you who have read 'Take What You Can', you can skip this
chapter if you want. It's the same thing that's in there. Sorry about
that, but it really did have to be included. Another update soon to make
up for it, I promise.
**************************************************************************** *******
"So there you have it Ms. Turner", Julianne said after a minute of quiet. "Now you know how it all began."
"Well, I wouldn't go that far", Elizabeth answered with a strange grin. Will and Julianne shot her curious look, but it was Jack who inquired at her allusiveness.
"What are ye gettin luv?" he asked with furrowed brows.
"Sure that's how you became pirates, but how did you become.", she trailed off.
"Become what?"
"In other words, how did the two of you meet?"
Jack and Julianne both gave her a stern look, but small smiles played upon their lips, deceiving their irritated façade.
"This'll be twice I've 'eard this story since we started this trip", Julianne remarked to Jack, who shrugged. The Turners exchanged a curious glance at this.
"Well let's see then", Julianne turned back to them. "It was 15 years ago, I was 17, Jack was 19."
"You're 32!" Elizabeth exclaimed surprised.
"What", Julianne was caught off guard.
"Sorry, it's just that it never occurred to me how old you were. Go on."
"Did you just call me old Ms. Turner", Julianne now asked pretending to be angry.
"No, no that's not how I meant it", Elizabeth stammered in response.
"Right then, so anyway", Julianne smiled. "The Pearl was docked at Tortuga for a few days, and the Renegade had just sailed in. Cap'n Mendoza was feelin particularly generous that afternoon and let all the men go ashore as soon as we got there. Left me to take care o' paying the harbor master to dock ship on me way in."
~~~
Julianne walked off of the Renegade and onto the dock. Her blonde hair whipping behind her from the wind, she reached into her pants pockets and pulled out a small cloth bag.
"Right here", she said with annoyance, speaking to the toll man who was making his way passed her and towards the ship.
"Oh, right", the man stuttered, looking a bit embarrassed. "That'll be a shilling a day."
"We'll be stayin two weeks, that should take care of it", she replied dropping the bag into his hand.
"Welcome to Tortuga miss", the said with a little bow before turning and heading back down the dock.
Scowling a bit to herself over being addressed as miss, Julianne continued her walk from the ship. About halfway down the dock, she noticed a young man standing on the plank of another ship staring down at her with a look of pure confusion.
"What are you lookin at?" she spat viciously.
"Whoa, sorry luv, no need to get vicious", Jack cooed in his ever present manner and apologized quickly. "Are you a pirate", he then asked, the faintest hint of amazement in his voice.
"Of course I'm a pirate", she answered with detest, turning her right arm over and pulling up her sleeve to reveal her pirate brand. "Why the hell else would I be getting off a pirate ship if I wasn't a pirate?"
"Right. So, you sail with the Renegade?"
"Oh bugger off", she replied rolling her eyes, and walked away leaving him standing there alone again.
Jack stood where he was watching her as she left, and long after she was gone. It wasn't until the person whose shift was ending came and barked at him that he finally moved from his spot.
Jack stood on the main deck of the Pearl cursing his guard duty assignment bitterly in his head. What was worse, was that he had chosen a long 5 hour shift so that he could get it all done at once and get it out of the way. When 7:00 o'clock finally rolled around after what seemed like days, he was relieved that the person taking over for him had been a little more considerate than he and had showed up on time.
"Off ye go Jackie", Bill Turner said clapping him over the back. "Try not to get yerself in too much trouble tonight", he laughed as the younger man scurried off the ship as fast as his legs could carry him. Guessing that the tavern was the likeliest of all places to find someone around dinner time, that's where Jack headed. Stepping inside the crowded place, he surveyed the room looking for a golden head sticking out in, but to his disappointment came up empty handed. Walking over to the bar to at least make his trip worthwhile, he took a seat in an empty stool and sipped from the mug that was placed in front of him. Putting his cup back on the table, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve then turned to his left to see if anyone he knew was sitting at the bar also. To his surprise, he was delighted to see that the person sitting next to him just happened to be who he was looking for all along.
"Hello luv", he said in a surprised voice when Julianne looked over at him. She was now wearing a blue bandana over her hair, which explained why he had not been able to pick her out earlier.
"You again?"
"Look, before you go and get all mad again, I'm sorry for being such a shmuck earlier when I saw you." When the woman made no response he continued. "Names Jack, Jack Sparrow", he said holding out his hand.
"Julianne", she replied after a minute, shaking his hand firmly.
"Lovely to make your acquaintance", he added dramatically, receiving raised eyebrows from Julianne.
After the initial awkwardness of meeting someone new, the two young pirates soon hit it off and were still sitting in the same seats talking to one another a good 3 hours later.
"Wow, we've been 'ere for awhile", Jack observed, looking at the clock and the vast collection of empty mugs that now sat in front of them. "It's already ten o'clock."
"You wanna go somewhere?" Julianne inquired, seemingly innocent.
"Where would we go?"
"My house."
"Your house? You 'ave a house?"
"Well, me dad does. It's up on the hill."
"Alright", Jack agreed getting up from his chair. "Yer house it is then."
"So, how'd you end up in this whole pirating business anyway? Seems awful strange for.", Jack asked as they walked up the town's dark streets.
"For what? A girl? Is that what you were gonna say?"
"For someone as good looking as yerself", he saved himself, receiving a skeptical look.
"Me dad was a pirate. Sailed on the Renegade his whole career. Me mum lived 'ere on Tortuga, lady of the trade you could call her. Anyway, right after I was born she was killed in a big bar brawl between two fucks fighting over her. Dad had always kept up with me you know, stopped in whenever he was 'ere. When he found out about me mum he just decided I was his responsibility and he came back and raised me. We went out though with the ship a lot, and I kinda always felt that's where I belonged. Out at sea. Anyway, when I was old enough I just decided that's what I wanted to do, and so I did."
"You just walked right out and joined the crew of the Renegade."
"Course I did, I grew up there so wasn't anything out o the ordinary really. What about you?"
"Well that, is a very interesting story."
"Go on."
"Alright well, I was born and grew up on the mainland. Me dad was the governor of a little town called Port Arbor. Despicable scum he was. Had beautiful wife, two lovely daughters, and a son, but still maintained his favorite past time of fuckin around with the servants of his household, including me mum. She was a maid, beautiful Spanish woman, took care o the missus' children mostly. Anyway, there were quite a few of us half- governors runnin around the place, stuck together the lot of us. There was no denyin who our father was, but o course it wasn't ever mentioned. Mostly, the men who worked for him stood up and fathered us as best they could, many of em even married to some of our mothers. Not mine though. Anyway, guess the worthless scum musta felt a little guilty over the position he left all his bastards in and he made somewhat of an effort to compensate, at least for the boys. The girls he usually just shipped off to his other wealthy friends as maids. But for us boys, he made sure we were well trained in sword fightin' and when we were old enough, got us all involved in some trade or another.
Some of us were luckier than others, I had one brother who went off to become a blacksmith's apprentice, while another got stuck as a stable boy. Lucky for me I was a favorite of the old man and since he knew how I always liked spending time down by the waterfront, he set me up working down with the shipping boys in the harbor. Now, me pop wasn't just a scoundrel when it came to fidelity, he was pretty rotten in just about every other way too. Always wanting to make the most profit he could, Port Arbor wasn't just a stop for merchant ships and other respectable vessels, it was also a pretty frequented stop for pirates as well. He would let em dock and use the town and harbor, as long as he was given a fair amount of payment for it."
"Yeah, I know about that. The Renegade stops up there every few months or so. Hmm, what a coincidence", Julianne added thoughtfully.
"I guess. So anyway, since I was workin down there an all, I got to know some o these pirates pretty well. I was fascinated by it and would spend my time daydreaming about runnin off and becoming one myself. It was me mum who put the idea in me head in the first place. 'Someday Jackie, yer gonna get out o this place and make your mark in the world', she used to say to me. 'Someday my little Sparrow, you will spread your wings and fly away from here forever.'
Back in those days, the Black Pearl used to stop in our little harbor quite frequently. Apparently old Cap'n Kanter 'ad a woman he was particularly fond of in the vice district whom he liked to keep up with. After several visits I'ad seen him around quite a bit and I finally worked up the nerve to ask if I could see his ship up close. He was a good man, Old Kanter, and he gave me the grand tour of the whole thing. Well after that I was sold. I made up my mind right then and there that before the year was out I would be on a pirate ship and out of Port Arbor. I didn't ask him that day, to join his crew, I waited a few more visits, but I always knew that the Pearl was the ship for me. On its last visit before the year was out, I overheard that one o the crewmen had taken ill and died. Hoping they'd want to fill his spot, I asked the Cap'n if he'd take me on and he agreed.
I'll admit, it wasn't all as spectacular as I had imagined it. Those first few weeks were hell, being the new guy an all. The veterans were all really 'ard on breakin me in. Made me do all the worst jobs and gave me pirate brand and name mark all on the same day. Hurt like hell it did and didn't even let me get drunk for em.
"Name mark?"
"Yeah, you know, like everyone on the ship has one. Want to see?"
Julianne did not answer right away, unsure of exactly what she'd be shown. Jack decided to take that as a yes and pulled up the sleeve of his right arm to reveal a tattoo of a bird flying over the waters and the name Jack right above his brand.
"Jack Sparrow. Very clever. Though on the Renegade we all just have our ships mark to match", she commented.
"You included?"
"Aye."
"Can I see it?"
"No!" she snapped. "Sorry, it's just that it's on me back, kinda 'ard to show you at the moment."
"Oh."
"Well this is it", Julianne announced proudly and coming to a stop. Looking up, Jack was amazed to find himself in front of a beautiful stone house.
"Ye sure yer dad's a pirate", he asked.
Julianne just shot him a look, then pulled a blackened skeleton key out of her pocket and unlocked the door.
"DAD?" she called out, but received no answer. "Prolly down at the ship", she said aloud, more to herself than Jack. "Well, ere we are. You want a drink?"
"Love one", Jack answered sitting down on the living room couch.
Pulling two bottles out of the cabinet, Julianne held one out to him. "Personally, I'm a bit tired of ale", she said uncorking her own, letting the smell of the rum fill the air.
"No complaints 'ere."
The two young pirates sat and drank together until they were both fairly inebriated.
"You could possibly be the most beautiful pirate I've ever seen", Jack said turning to Julianne and drunkenly touching her face.
"I'd hope so, or else I'd 'ave to wonder about your preference", she laughed in response. Jack smiled crookedly to this, showing off his set of perfectly straight white teeth. Setting his almost empty bottle down on the coffee table, he leaned across the couch and kissed Julianne as passionately as one who was particularly intoxicated could. The affection was returned, and before too long, the pair was making their way from the living to Julianne's bedroom.
~~~
"Boy, you two sure do get down to it", Will said humorously.
"Will", Elizabeth said slapping his arm in shock. "I can't believe you just said that", she added looking at Jack and Julianne expecting them to be angry. To her surprised, both were wearing particularly proud looking smiles.
"It's a talent, to be sure", Jack said, his hand on Julianne's leg.
Aware the railing of the deck was beginning to dig into her leg, Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably where she sat, and Julianne noticed.
**************************************************************************** *******
"So there you have it Ms. Turner", Julianne said after a minute of quiet. "Now you know how it all began."
"Well, I wouldn't go that far", Elizabeth answered with a strange grin. Will and Julianne shot her curious look, but it was Jack who inquired at her allusiveness.
"What are ye gettin luv?" he asked with furrowed brows.
"Sure that's how you became pirates, but how did you become.", she trailed off.
"Become what?"
"In other words, how did the two of you meet?"
Jack and Julianne both gave her a stern look, but small smiles played upon their lips, deceiving their irritated façade.
"This'll be twice I've 'eard this story since we started this trip", Julianne remarked to Jack, who shrugged. The Turners exchanged a curious glance at this.
"Well let's see then", Julianne turned back to them. "It was 15 years ago, I was 17, Jack was 19."
"You're 32!" Elizabeth exclaimed surprised.
"What", Julianne was caught off guard.
"Sorry, it's just that it never occurred to me how old you were. Go on."
"Did you just call me old Ms. Turner", Julianne now asked pretending to be angry.
"No, no that's not how I meant it", Elizabeth stammered in response.
"Right then, so anyway", Julianne smiled. "The Pearl was docked at Tortuga for a few days, and the Renegade had just sailed in. Cap'n Mendoza was feelin particularly generous that afternoon and let all the men go ashore as soon as we got there. Left me to take care o' paying the harbor master to dock ship on me way in."
~~~
Julianne walked off of the Renegade and onto the dock. Her blonde hair whipping behind her from the wind, she reached into her pants pockets and pulled out a small cloth bag.
"Right here", she said with annoyance, speaking to the toll man who was making his way passed her and towards the ship.
"Oh, right", the man stuttered, looking a bit embarrassed. "That'll be a shilling a day."
"We'll be stayin two weeks, that should take care of it", she replied dropping the bag into his hand.
"Welcome to Tortuga miss", the said with a little bow before turning and heading back down the dock.
Scowling a bit to herself over being addressed as miss, Julianne continued her walk from the ship. About halfway down the dock, she noticed a young man standing on the plank of another ship staring down at her with a look of pure confusion.
"What are you lookin at?" she spat viciously.
"Whoa, sorry luv, no need to get vicious", Jack cooed in his ever present manner and apologized quickly. "Are you a pirate", he then asked, the faintest hint of amazement in his voice.
"Of course I'm a pirate", she answered with detest, turning her right arm over and pulling up her sleeve to reveal her pirate brand. "Why the hell else would I be getting off a pirate ship if I wasn't a pirate?"
"Right. So, you sail with the Renegade?"
"Oh bugger off", she replied rolling her eyes, and walked away leaving him standing there alone again.
Jack stood where he was watching her as she left, and long after she was gone. It wasn't until the person whose shift was ending came and barked at him that he finally moved from his spot.
Jack stood on the main deck of the Pearl cursing his guard duty assignment bitterly in his head. What was worse, was that he had chosen a long 5 hour shift so that he could get it all done at once and get it out of the way. When 7:00 o'clock finally rolled around after what seemed like days, he was relieved that the person taking over for him had been a little more considerate than he and had showed up on time.
"Off ye go Jackie", Bill Turner said clapping him over the back. "Try not to get yerself in too much trouble tonight", he laughed as the younger man scurried off the ship as fast as his legs could carry him. Guessing that the tavern was the likeliest of all places to find someone around dinner time, that's where Jack headed. Stepping inside the crowded place, he surveyed the room looking for a golden head sticking out in, but to his disappointment came up empty handed. Walking over to the bar to at least make his trip worthwhile, he took a seat in an empty stool and sipped from the mug that was placed in front of him. Putting his cup back on the table, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve then turned to his left to see if anyone he knew was sitting at the bar also. To his surprise, he was delighted to see that the person sitting next to him just happened to be who he was looking for all along.
"Hello luv", he said in a surprised voice when Julianne looked over at him. She was now wearing a blue bandana over her hair, which explained why he had not been able to pick her out earlier.
"You again?"
"Look, before you go and get all mad again, I'm sorry for being such a shmuck earlier when I saw you." When the woman made no response he continued. "Names Jack, Jack Sparrow", he said holding out his hand.
"Julianne", she replied after a minute, shaking his hand firmly.
"Lovely to make your acquaintance", he added dramatically, receiving raised eyebrows from Julianne.
After the initial awkwardness of meeting someone new, the two young pirates soon hit it off and were still sitting in the same seats talking to one another a good 3 hours later.
"Wow, we've been 'ere for awhile", Jack observed, looking at the clock and the vast collection of empty mugs that now sat in front of them. "It's already ten o'clock."
"You wanna go somewhere?" Julianne inquired, seemingly innocent.
"Where would we go?"
"My house."
"Your house? You 'ave a house?"
"Well, me dad does. It's up on the hill."
"Alright", Jack agreed getting up from his chair. "Yer house it is then."
"So, how'd you end up in this whole pirating business anyway? Seems awful strange for.", Jack asked as they walked up the town's dark streets.
"For what? A girl? Is that what you were gonna say?"
"For someone as good looking as yerself", he saved himself, receiving a skeptical look.
"Me dad was a pirate. Sailed on the Renegade his whole career. Me mum lived 'ere on Tortuga, lady of the trade you could call her. Anyway, right after I was born she was killed in a big bar brawl between two fucks fighting over her. Dad had always kept up with me you know, stopped in whenever he was 'ere. When he found out about me mum he just decided I was his responsibility and he came back and raised me. We went out though with the ship a lot, and I kinda always felt that's where I belonged. Out at sea. Anyway, when I was old enough I just decided that's what I wanted to do, and so I did."
"You just walked right out and joined the crew of the Renegade."
"Course I did, I grew up there so wasn't anything out o the ordinary really. What about you?"
"Well that, is a very interesting story."
"Go on."
"Alright well, I was born and grew up on the mainland. Me dad was the governor of a little town called Port Arbor. Despicable scum he was. Had beautiful wife, two lovely daughters, and a son, but still maintained his favorite past time of fuckin around with the servants of his household, including me mum. She was a maid, beautiful Spanish woman, took care o the missus' children mostly. Anyway, there were quite a few of us half- governors runnin around the place, stuck together the lot of us. There was no denyin who our father was, but o course it wasn't ever mentioned. Mostly, the men who worked for him stood up and fathered us as best they could, many of em even married to some of our mothers. Not mine though. Anyway, guess the worthless scum musta felt a little guilty over the position he left all his bastards in and he made somewhat of an effort to compensate, at least for the boys. The girls he usually just shipped off to his other wealthy friends as maids. But for us boys, he made sure we were well trained in sword fightin' and when we were old enough, got us all involved in some trade or another.
Some of us were luckier than others, I had one brother who went off to become a blacksmith's apprentice, while another got stuck as a stable boy. Lucky for me I was a favorite of the old man and since he knew how I always liked spending time down by the waterfront, he set me up working down with the shipping boys in the harbor. Now, me pop wasn't just a scoundrel when it came to fidelity, he was pretty rotten in just about every other way too. Always wanting to make the most profit he could, Port Arbor wasn't just a stop for merchant ships and other respectable vessels, it was also a pretty frequented stop for pirates as well. He would let em dock and use the town and harbor, as long as he was given a fair amount of payment for it."
"Yeah, I know about that. The Renegade stops up there every few months or so. Hmm, what a coincidence", Julianne added thoughtfully.
"I guess. So anyway, since I was workin down there an all, I got to know some o these pirates pretty well. I was fascinated by it and would spend my time daydreaming about runnin off and becoming one myself. It was me mum who put the idea in me head in the first place. 'Someday Jackie, yer gonna get out o this place and make your mark in the world', she used to say to me. 'Someday my little Sparrow, you will spread your wings and fly away from here forever.'
Back in those days, the Black Pearl used to stop in our little harbor quite frequently. Apparently old Cap'n Kanter 'ad a woman he was particularly fond of in the vice district whom he liked to keep up with. After several visits I'ad seen him around quite a bit and I finally worked up the nerve to ask if I could see his ship up close. He was a good man, Old Kanter, and he gave me the grand tour of the whole thing. Well after that I was sold. I made up my mind right then and there that before the year was out I would be on a pirate ship and out of Port Arbor. I didn't ask him that day, to join his crew, I waited a few more visits, but I always knew that the Pearl was the ship for me. On its last visit before the year was out, I overheard that one o the crewmen had taken ill and died. Hoping they'd want to fill his spot, I asked the Cap'n if he'd take me on and he agreed.
I'll admit, it wasn't all as spectacular as I had imagined it. Those first few weeks were hell, being the new guy an all. The veterans were all really 'ard on breakin me in. Made me do all the worst jobs and gave me pirate brand and name mark all on the same day. Hurt like hell it did and didn't even let me get drunk for em.
"Name mark?"
"Yeah, you know, like everyone on the ship has one. Want to see?"
Julianne did not answer right away, unsure of exactly what she'd be shown. Jack decided to take that as a yes and pulled up the sleeve of his right arm to reveal a tattoo of a bird flying over the waters and the name Jack right above his brand.
"Jack Sparrow. Very clever. Though on the Renegade we all just have our ships mark to match", she commented.
"You included?"
"Aye."
"Can I see it?"
"No!" she snapped. "Sorry, it's just that it's on me back, kinda 'ard to show you at the moment."
"Oh."
"Well this is it", Julianne announced proudly and coming to a stop. Looking up, Jack was amazed to find himself in front of a beautiful stone house.
"Ye sure yer dad's a pirate", he asked.
Julianne just shot him a look, then pulled a blackened skeleton key out of her pocket and unlocked the door.
"DAD?" she called out, but received no answer. "Prolly down at the ship", she said aloud, more to herself than Jack. "Well, ere we are. You want a drink?"
"Love one", Jack answered sitting down on the living room couch.
Pulling two bottles out of the cabinet, Julianne held one out to him. "Personally, I'm a bit tired of ale", she said uncorking her own, letting the smell of the rum fill the air.
"No complaints 'ere."
The two young pirates sat and drank together until they were both fairly inebriated.
"You could possibly be the most beautiful pirate I've ever seen", Jack said turning to Julianne and drunkenly touching her face.
"I'd hope so, or else I'd 'ave to wonder about your preference", she laughed in response. Jack smiled crookedly to this, showing off his set of perfectly straight white teeth. Setting his almost empty bottle down on the coffee table, he leaned across the couch and kissed Julianne as passionately as one who was particularly intoxicated could. The affection was returned, and before too long, the pair was making their way from the living to Julianne's bedroom.
~~~
"Boy, you two sure do get down to it", Will said humorously.
"Will", Elizabeth said slapping his arm in shock. "I can't believe you just said that", she added looking at Jack and Julianne expecting them to be angry. To her surprised, both were wearing particularly proud looking smiles.
"It's a talent, to be sure", Jack said, his hand on Julianne's leg.
Aware the railing of the deck was beginning to dig into her leg, Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably where she sat, and Julianne noticed.