"We had our first run in with him not long after Jack lost the Pearl",
Julianne began and Jack grimaced at the thought. "So naturally, the
Renegade had an extra passenger at the time. But as they say, two 'eads
are betta than one, and so it was with us. We were cookin up this great
scheme to nail a new ship sailin over from Asia. Asian loot was always me
favorite. Anyway, we're sittin in the Bride, where all good plans are
formulated and."
~~~
"How'd ye 'ear about this anyway Jack", Julianne asked him skeptically.
"Jules, 'ave I ever given ye any reason not to trust me?"
Julianne raised her eyebrows in doubt.
"Maybe ye shouldn't answer that", Jack answered his own question. "But seriously, it's big news this ship. Maiden voyage all the way from China."
"If its such big news, whose to say everyone else won't be goin after it?"
"I'm sure they will, but what does it matta if we get to it first? Just hear me out."
"Fine."
"Alright, you and I both know everyone else in this bloody business is about as lazy as they come. If we set sail long before she's expected, so's nobody thinks that's what we're goin for, then we can hit her up far out before she gets close enough for anyone else."
Julianne opened her mouth to agree but was cut off by a new voice, "sounds good to me."
Seeing Jack's eyes widen Julianne turned around to find a man standing behind her.
"Captain Amaris I presume?" She continued to look at him, unsure of what to say in reply.
"Who wants to know?"
The man extended his hand toward her. "Captain Eric Redford", he answered.
Julianne did not take his hand.
"Redford", Jack spoke up. "That yer fancy way of saying Bloodshed Red?"
"And you must be Jack Sparrow", Redford responded with distaste, turning his gaze to Jack.
"That's CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow."
"Funny, I didn't think I saw the Black Pearl when I pulled in."
"What exactly can we do for you Captain", Julianne cut it before Jack lost his temper.
Bloodshed pulled up a chair from a nearby table and sat himself down in between the other two. "I've a business proposition for you."
Jack snorted. "And what's that?"
"On second thought, its more a business proposition for you Julianne, seeing as how yer the one with the ship."
"It's Captain Amaris. And Captain Sparrow is my partner, I won't be doin business without him."
"Very well", Bloodshed assented with a sneer. "As I was sayin, I 'ear the two o' you are goin after the Jewel of the Orient."
"Don't know where ye woulda 'eard that", Jack answered matter-of-factly.
"I OVER-heard the two of you talkin about it is more like it."
"Us and just about every other self-respecting pirate captain I'm sure. What's it to ye", Julianne asked growing annoyed.
"I want in", Bloodshed demanded smartly.
"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, but we don't work with anyone else", she answered just as arrogantly.
"Just like you didn't work with anyone else when you hit up San Domingo? Because if I recall correctly that little task involved three other captains and their ships."
"Fine, let's put it this way. We don't want to work with you", Jack clarified.
"Besides, I don't see how's theres any profit in it for us", Julianne added. "S'fars I can see, we can pull it off without you, and with you that's just one more way to divvy up the loot."
"Is that so? Well unfortunately for you, ye don't 'ave much of a choice."
"How's that?"
"I've 'eard yer entire plan. Ye don't let me in, I'll tell every pirate from 'ere to England, and beat ye to it meself."
"Then why not just go after it without us", Jack asked.
"Because then I run the risk of runnin into you two on the way. And I don't want that."
Julianne and Jack exchanged a look over this. As far as they both were concerned, there was no way out of the situation. They were going to have to do business with Bloodshed Red.
Jack nodded and Julianne answered at last. "Fine!"
"I thought you'd agree", Bloodshed said satisfied. "Now what's the plan?"
***
Against her better judgment, Julianne laid out the general plan for Bloodshed that night, leaving out a few minor but important details. Later in the evening, when her and Jack had retired to her house, they were both at odds with the set up.
"I don't like this", Juli commented.
"I don't either."
"We've got to get out of this. But how", she asked both him and herself.
They sat there in silence contemplating the problem for a few minutes.
"Alright, I've got an idea", Jack finally broke the silence. "How bout this? We know Norrington hates his bloody guts right. So why not tip the good lieutenant off as to where he can find him when we go through with it. Meanwhile, since we planned to approach from opposing ends, we give him the wrong coordinates and when the navy nabs him we're off hitting up the ship at its right location."
"That's not a bad idea."
"And for once it wasn't you who came up with it. Only problem is tellin Norrington."
"That part I can come up with. You just leave him to me and you take care of sending Bloodshed off in the wrong direction. Agreed?"
"Agreed!"
~~~
"And when the Massacre sailed out to attack the Pearl of the Orient, old Bloodshed was greeted by the whole of the Royal navy just waitin to receive him", Julianne finished her story.
Elizabeth and Will looked at her with an expression of disbelief and confusion. "Why wasn't he hanged", Elizabeth questioned.
Jack took the liberty of answering this one. "At the time, Norrington was only a lieutenant. So even though he wanted nothing more than to see the bastard swinging by his neck, the Admiral was quite a bit more lenient with his punishments and Bloodshed was only roughed up a bit and thrown in jail for a time."
Again quietness, until Will asked something.
"That's all well and good. But it still doesn't explain why Bloodshed came here planning to destroy the place and kill the Commodore. Why do they hate each other in the first place?"
"I was wondering the very same thing meself", Jackk added. Will and Elizabeth looked at him like he was crazy. "Enlighten us Jules."
"Bloodshed and Norrington go way back. Back long before John was even among the lowest ranking soldiers, back when he was only a little boy. At the time, his father Edward Norrington was the Admiral in these parts.
Admiral Norrington was hard on piracy. He had grown up in England during the time when privateers abandoned the crown's authority and turned their efforts toward advancin their own gain. In just a few short years the ocean had become a dangerous frontier because of em. On his own crossing as a young officer, Edward found his own ship threatened. As he moved through the ranks, and piracy began runnin rampant, Norrington made it his own personal goal to wipe em all out o' the Caribbean. When he finally made admiral, he really went at it. Patrols became more frequent, arrests were made purely on suspicion, and punishments become more severe. There was hardly a pirate caught who didn't meet his death at the gallows.
Now on one of these patrols, led by the admiral himself, they encountered a ship called the Red Death. The captain of this ship had just taken command only a few months before, a young man named Eric Redford."
"Bloodshed", Will uttered in realization.
"Aye, exactly", Julianne confirmed. "Only he wasn't called that at the time. Anyway, the navy sails out, meets the Red Death head on, and blows her to bits without warning. The few pirates left alive were arrested and lata hung, but Redford was not among them. No one knew what happened to him until he showed up in Tortuga a year later with a new ship, a new crew, and a personal vendetta against Norrington. Unsure of what he was up to, no one really tried to stop him and he sailed straight for Port Royale."
"He attacked the town", Elizabeth asked in disbelief.
"No, he was only after the admiral at this point. He docked round by the east harbor. Ye know, the little one no one eva uses. Then he sent a few o' his men into town in disguise. They stormed Edward's house while he wasn't home and kidnapped my aunt Abigail, Commodore Norrington's mother. It was only by some saving grace that John had fallen asleep while hiding from his nanny that he wasn't taken as well.
So anyway, once Redford had the admiral's wife, he killed her himself and had her body delivered to the fort all wrapped up for her husband to open. After that Edward was never the same. He had always been a man of great character, with a charmin personality and very outgoing. That all changed with Abigail's death.
You eva wonder why John is to stoic all the time? It's because he grew up in a house with no mother, and a father who no longer had any will to live. All because of a bloody pirate. When he got old enough to understand all this he made a vow to himself that he would avenge his mother's death. Bloodshed would pay, and so would any other pirate who crossed his path. He had spent his whole life tryin to live up to that promise since.
And that, my dears, is why the Commodore and Bloodshed hate each other so much", Julianne finished off.
Will and Elizabeth sat speechless, unable to fully process all that they had just heard. Even Jack looked as though he had just gained a new respect for Norrington.
"How come ye never told me any of this before", he asked Julianne.
"How could I have? You only found out John was my cousin when we came here to pick them up last time."
"Fine, then how come ye never told me that before then?"
"You wouldn't have taken it very well, so I just decided to tell you on a need to know basis. And until then, you never needed to know. Besides, not exactly something I wanted going around."
At this, Jack huffed to himself, only to be imitated by Gabrielle, who was beginning to look quite sleepy. Noticing this, Elizabeth rose from her seat and took the child from the captain.
"It's time for bed for you little one", she cooed holding her daughter close. "Will you be staying with us tonight", she asked now turning back to the two pirates
"If it's alright with you", Julianne answered.
"Of course it is. You know you're always welcome here", Will assured.
"Excellent", Jack exclaimed getting up. "Cause I think I'm about due for a bath."
"Oh no you don't", Julianne jumped up blocking his path. "You get in first and you'll be in there all night. I'm going first." Turning to Elizabeth, "I can take her up Lizzie, sit down and relax."
Handing Gabrielle over, Elizabeth conceded gratefully. "Thanks Juli. Just make sure she has her bunny or she'll be up all night whining for it."
"Bunny?"
"You know the one, that stuffed rabbit you and Jack brought her when she was born. She's grown quite attached to it."
"Oh right. Alright then. Night all."
They all watched as Julianne ascended the stairs, baby resting gently in her arms. When Jack looked back at the Turners, he found Elizabeth looking at him with cocked eyebrows.
"Who would have thought two pirates would take so well to children. Maybe yours won't fare so bad after all."
"Luv, I think yer a bit confused to the fact that there never will be any to be farin", he retorted.
Elizabeth just smiled then turned her attention to Will. "What's wrong dear?"
"There's some things I just can't figure is all", he answered her.
"Like what", Jack piped up.
"Well for one. How does a pirate end up cousins with a Commodore? And for two, why isn't Bloodshed after you and Juli as well for what you did to him? I can't imagine he doesn't want revenge."
Jack looked thoughtful for a moment, as though he was remembering something from long ago. "He got his revenge alright", he said solemnly, standing up. Without another word, he too headed upstairs. "You'll have to ask Jules about the other part", he called back down when he had reached the second floor.
***
True to her implications, Julianne was not in the bathroom long. After she had scrubbed herself clean and washed her long hair, she wrapped a towel around herself and opened the door just a crack. Seeing that the coast was clear, she quickly crossed the hall and stepped inside the guest room she and Jack would be staying in. Inside, she found Jack lying on the bed staring up at the ceiling. He sat up when she walked in and she shot him a smile.
Getting up from the bed, Jack moved to where Julianne now stood by the dresser. Laying her clothes down on it, she smiled again to herself when she felt him behind her.
"Ah, ah, ah. Bath time for you", she said as he placed his hands on her bare shoulders.
Jack did not answer, and Julianne stood still waiting to see what he would do next. Obey, or try his luck. She guessed the latter. But behind her, Jack made no move to twirl her around and convince her that his bath could wait. Instead, she felt his hands travel down her exposed back, his fingers tracing the familiar pattern of scars that lined it.
"Don't!" she demanded closing her eyes at the memory of them, and slapping a hand over his to stop him.
"We could go after him, ye know."
"No. We did what we set out to do. Let's just leave it", she answered, still facing front, her hand having not moved from his.
"Just leave it? Jules, it'll never end that way. We should put a stop to it while we can. How can you let him go after what he did to you?"
She now turned around to face him. "He deserved his revenge."
"You think being thrown in jail for a month or two was worth what you went through?"
"We put him in jail hopin he'd be killed."
"And if he had been, none of this would'ave eva happened. He's not going to stop and you know. And if you think he won't want revenge this time."
"I DON'T THINK THAT", she now raised her voice and walked away from him. "I know he'll want revenge, but I am not prepared to just sail right out and give it to him."
"Jules."
"No. I don't want to talk about it anymore. Just go get your bath."
"Jules, just hear me out."
"No. I'll think about it alright. Now get goin."
And get going he did. When Jack came back an hour or so later, he was clean and dirt free. Closing the door to the bedroom behind him, he found Julianne in bed and already asleep. Climbing in beside her, she wore only her undergarments, leaving most of her body uncovered. Laying on her side, with her back toward him, Jack again focused his attention on the marks that he had once seen when they were freshly torn open. Lightly, so as not to wake her, he raised his hand and gently ran his fingertips over the scars. He stayed there like that for a moment, then leaned over, kissed her shoulder, and laid down and fell asleep.
That night, all five inhabitants in the Turner household slept soundly. So soundly that not a one woke when and unknown figured entered quietly through a back window, snuck up the stairs, and stole the happily slumbering baby away into the darkness.
~~~
"How'd ye 'ear about this anyway Jack", Julianne asked him skeptically.
"Jules, 'ave I ever given ye any reason not to trust me?"
Julianne raised her eyebrows in doubt.
"Maybe ye shouldn't answer that", Jack answered his own question. "But seriously, it's big news this ship. Maiden voyage all the way from China."
"If its such big news, whose to say everyone else won't be goin after it?"
"I'm sure they will, but what does it matta if we get to it first? Just hear me out."
"Fine."
"Alright, you and I both know everyone else in this bloody business is about as lazy as they come. If we set sail long before she's expected, so's nobody thinks that's what we're goin for, then we can hit her up far out before she gets close enough for anyone else."
Julianne opened her mouth to agree but was cut off by a new voice, "sounds good to me."
Seeing Jack's eyes widen Julianne turned around to find a man standing behind her.
"Captain Amaris I presume?" She continued to look at him, unsure of what to say in reply.
"Who wants to know?"
The man extended his hand toward her. "Captain Eric Redford", he answered.
Julianne did not take his hand.
"Redford", Jack spoke up. "That yer fancy way of saying Bloodshed Red?"
"And you must be Jack Sparrow", Redford responded with distaste, turning his gaze to Jack.
"That's CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow."
"Funny, I didn't think I saw the Black Pearl when I pulled in."
"What exactly can we do for you Captain", Julianne cut it before Jack lost his temper.
Bloodshed pulled up a chair from a nearby table and sat himself down in between the other two. "I've a business proposition for you."
Jack snorted. "And what's that?"
"On second thought, its more a business proposition for you Julianne, seeing as how yer the one with the ship."
"It's Captain Amaris. And Captain Sparrow is my partner, I won't be doin business without him."
"Very well", Bloodshed assented with a sneer. "As I was sayin, I 'ear the two o' you are goin after the Jewel of the Orient."
"Don't know where ye woulda 'eard that", Jack answered matter-of-factly.
"I OVER-heard the two of you talkin about it is more like it."
"Us and just about every other self-respecting pirate captain I'm sure. What's it to ye", Julianne asked growing annoyed.
"I want in", Bloodshed demanded smartly.
"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, but we don't work with anyone else", she answered just as arrogantly.
"Just like you didn't work with anyone else when you hit up San Domingo? Because if I recall correctly that little task involved three other captains and their ships."
"Fine, let's put it this way. We don't want to work with you", Jack clarified.
"Besides, I don't see how's theres any profit in it for us", Julianne added. "S'fars I can see, we can pull it off without you, and with you that's just one more way to divvy up the loot."
"Is that so? Well unfortunately for you, ye don't 'ave much of a choice."
"How's that?"
"I've 'eard yer entire plan. Ye don't let me in, I'll tell every pirate from 'ere to England, and beat ye to it meself."
"Then why not just go after it without us", Jack asked.
"Because then I run the risk of runnin into you two on the way. And I don't want that."
Julianne and Jack exchanged a look over this. As far as they both were concerned, there was no way out of the situation. They were going to have to do business with Bloodshed Red.
Jack nodded and Julianne answered at last. "Fine!"
"I thought you'd agree", Bloodshed said satisfied. "Now what's the plan?"
***
Against her better judgment, Julianne laid out the general plan for Bloodshed that night, leaving out a few minor but important details. Later in the evening, when her and Jack had retired to her house, they were both at odds with the set up.
"I don't like this", Juli commented.
"I don't either."
"We've got to get out of this. But how", she asked both him and herself.
They sat there in silence contemplating the problem for a few minutes.
"Alright, I've got an idea", Jack finally broke the silence. "How bout this? We know Norrington hates his bloody guts right. So why not tip the good lieutenant off as to where he can find him when we go through with it. Meanwhile, since we planned to approach from opposing ends, we give him the wrong coordinates and when the navy nabs him we're off hitting up the ship at its right location."
"That's not a bad idea."
"And for once it wasn't you who came up with it. Only problem is tellin Norrington."
"That part I can come up with. You just leave him to me and you take care of sending Bloodshed off in the wrong direction. Agreed?"
"Agreed!"
~~~
"And when the Massacre sailed out to attack the Pearl of the Orient, old Bloodshed was greeted by the whole of the Royal navy just waitin to receive him", Julianne finished her story.
Elizabeth and Will looked at her with an expression of disbelief and confusion. "Why wasn't he hanged", Elizabeth questioned.
Jack took the liberty of answering this one. "At the time, Norrington was only a lieutenant. So even though he wanted nothing more than to see the bastard swinging by his neck, the Admiral was quite a bit more lenient with his punishments and Bloodshed was only roughed up a bit and thrown in jail for a time."
Again quietness, until Will asked something.
"That's all well and good. But it still doesn't explain why Bloodshed came here planning to destroy the place and kill the Commodore. Why do they hate each other in the first place?"
"I was wondering the very same thing meself", Jackk added. Will and Elizabeth looked at him like he was crazy. "Enlighten us Jules."
"Bloodshed and Norrington go way back. Back long before John was even among the lowest ranking soldiers, back when he was only a little boy. At the time, his father Edward Norrington was the Admiral in these parts.
Admiral Norrington was hard on piracy. He had grown up in England during the time when privateers abandoned the crown's authority and turned their efforts toward advancin their own gain. In just a few short years the ocean had become a dangerous frontier because of em. On his own crossing as a young officer, Edward found his own ship threatened. As he moved through the ranks, and piracy began runnin rampant, Norrington made it his own personal goal to wipe em all out o' the Caribbean. When he finally made admiral, he really went at it. Patrols became more frequent, arrests were made purely on suspicion, and punishments become more severe. There was hardly a pirate caught who didn't meet his death at the gallows.
Now on one of these patrols, led by the admiral himself, they encountered a ship called the Red Death. The captain of this ship had just taken command only a few months before, a young man named Eric Redford."
"Bloodshed", Will uttered in realization.
"Aye, exactly", Julianne confirmed. "Only he wasn't called that at the time. Anyway, the navy sails out, meets the Red Death head on, and blows her to bits without warning. The few pirates left alive were arrested and lata hung, but Redford was not among them. No one knew what happened to him until he showed up in Tortuga a year later with a new ship, a new crew, and a personal vendetta against Norrington. Unsure of what he was up to, no one really tried to stop him and he sailed straight for Port Royale."
"He attacked the town", Elizabeth asked in disbelief.
"No, he was only after the admiral at this point. He docked round by the east harbor. Ye know, the little one no one eva uses. Then he sent a few o' his men into town in disguise. They stormed Edward's house while he wasn't home and kidnapped my aunt Abigail, Commodore Norrington's mother. It was only by some saving grace that John had fallen asleep while hiding from his nanny that he wasn't taken as well.
So anyway, once Redford had the admiral's wife, he killed her himself and had her body delivered to the fort all wrapped up for her husband to open. After that Edward was never the same. He had always been a man of great character, with a charmin personality and very outgoing. That all changed with Abigail's death.
You eva wonder why John is to stoic all the time? It's because he grew up in a house with no mother, and a father who no longer had any will to live. All because of a bloody pirate. When he got old enough to understand all this he made a vow to himself that he would avenge his mother's death. Bloodshed would pay, and so would any other pirate who crossed his path. He had spent his whole life tryin to live up to that promise since.
And that, my dears, is why the Commodore and Bloodshed hate each other so much", Julianne finished off.
Will and Elizabeth sat speechless, unable to fully process all that they had just heard. Even Jack looked as though he had just gained a new respect for Norrington.
"How come ye never told me any of this before", he asked Julianne.
"How could I have? You only found out John was my cousin when we came here to pick them up last time."
"Fine, then how come ye never told me that before then?"
"You wouldn't have taken it very well, so I just decided to tell you on a need to know basis. And until then, you never needed to know. Besides, not exactly something I wanted going around."
At this, Jack huffed to himself, only to be imitated by Gabrielle, who was beginning to look quite sleepy. Noticing this, Elizabeth rose from her seat and took the child from the captain.
"It's time for bed for you little one", she cooed holding her daughter close. "Will you be staying with us tonight", she asked now turning back to the two pirates
"If it's alright with you", Julianne answered.
"Of course it is. You know you're always welcome here", Will assured.
"Excellent", Jack exclaimed getting up. "Cause I think I'm about due for a bath."
"Oh no you don't", Julianne jumped up blocking his path. "You get in first and you'll be in there all night. I'm going first." Turning to Elizabeth, "I can take her up Lizzie, sit down and relax."
Handing Gabrielle over, Elizabeth conceded gratefully. "Thanks Juli. Just make sure she has her bunny or she'll be up all night whining for it."
"Bunny?"
"You know the one, that stuffed rabbit you and Jack brought her when she was born. She's grown quite attached to it."
"Oh right. Alright then. Night all."
They all watched as Julianne ascended the stairs, baby resting gently in her arms. When Jack looked back at the Turners, he found Elizabeth looking at him with cocked eyebrows.
"Who would have thought two pirates would take so well to children. Maybe yours won't fare so bad after all."
"Luv, I think yer a bit confused to the fact that there never will be any to be farin", he retorted.
Elizabeth just smiled then turned her attention to Will. "What's wrong dear?"
"There's some things I just can't figure is all", he answered her.
"Like what", Jack piped up.
"Well for one. How does a pirate end up cousins with a Commodore? And for two, why isn't Bloodshed after you and Juli as well for what you did to him? I can't imagine he doesn't want revenge."
Jack looked thoughtful for a moment, as though he was remembering something from long ago. "He got his revenge alright", he said solemnly, standing up. Without another word, he too headed upstairs. "You'll have to ask Jules about the other part", he called back down when he had reached the second floor.
***
True to her implications, Julianne was not in the bathroom long. After she had scrubbed herself clean and washed her long hair, she wrapped a towel around herself and opened the door just a crack. Seeing that the coast was clear, she quickly crossed the hall and stepped inside the guest room she and Jack would be staying in. Inside, she found Jack lying on the bed staring up at the ceiling. He sat up when she walked in and she shot him a smile.
Getting up from the bed, Jack moved to where Julianne now stood by the dresser. Laying her clothes down on it, she smiled again to herself when she felt him behind her.
"Ah, ah, ah. Bath time for you", she said as he placed his hands on her bare shoulders.
Jack did not answer, and Julianne stood still waiting to see what he would do next. Obey, or try his luck. She guessed the latter. But behind her, Jack made no move to twirl her around and convince her that his bath could wait. Instead, she felt his hands travel down her exposed back, his fingers tracing the familiar pattern of scars that lined it.
"Don't!" she demanded closing her eyes at the memory of them, and slapping a hand over his to stop him.
"We could go after him, ye know."
"No. We did what we set out to do. Let's just leave it", she answered, still facing front, her hand having not moved from his.
"Just leave it? Jules, it'll never end that way. We should put a stop to it while we can. How can you let him go after what he did to you?"
She now turned around to face him. "He deserved his revenge."
"You think being thrown in jail for a month or two was worth what you went through?"
"We put him in jail hopin he'd be killed."
"And if he had been, none of this would'ave eva happened. He's not going to stop and you know. And if you think he won't want revenge this time."
"I DON'T THINK THAT", she now raised her voice and walked away from him. "I know he'll want revenge, but I am not prepared to just sail right out and give it to him."
"Jules."
"No. I don't want to talk about it anymore. Just go get your bath."
"Jules, just hear me out."
"No. I'll think about it alright. Now get goin."
And get going he did. When Jack came back an hour or so later, he was clean and dirt free. Closing the door to the bedroom behind him, he found Julianne in bed and already asleep. Climbing in beside her, she wore only her undergarments, leaving most of her body uncovered. Laying on her side, with her back toward him, Jack again focused his attention on the marks that he had once seen when they were freshly torn open. Lightly, so as not to wake her, he raised his hand and gently ran his fingertips over the scars. He stayed there like that for a moment, then leaned over, kissed her shoulder, and laid down and fell asleep.
That night, all five inhabitants in the Turner household slept soundly. So soundly that not a one woke when and unknown figured entered quietly through a back window, snuck up the stairs, and stole the happily slumbering baby away into the darkness.