Author: newzealandwanderer
Disclaimer: I don't own PotC, it's just my entertainment. Added in characters are mine though.
Rating: PG-13, will change maybe... probably
Ranting and raving: *falls over in shock* I have never gotten so many reviews in my life! Glad it's an entertaining story so far. I'll try to keep up with your expectations. Please remain seated and enjoy the show. Sorry this chapter is short once again, but the next will be longer due to numerous requests for longer chapters. I apologize for the long wait for this chapter.
Warnings: Violence, language, spoilers, probably a little romance... maybe a lot, etc. This is probably going to be a long fic, so all this stuff might not show up right away, but it'll be there, trust me.
Turning Away: A Pirate's Return
The dock noises clamored in the air as Will Turner made his way through the chaos of any normal sea port. With a canvas bag slung over his back and a sword at his hip, Turner wove a path among the sailors: all of them shouting, cursing, fighting, and some staggering after a rough night in the tavern. Walking down one of the long docks, he approached a topsail schooner that had put in for supplies.
Vaulting over the railing, Will landed unsteadily on the ship's sturdy, wooden planks. Nodding to one of the sailors loading on a cart of vegetables, he made for the Captain's cabin. Glancing around, Turner noted with satisfaction that the ship was well maintained. Even with his limited knowledge of ships, Will could tell that the Captain of this boat ran a tight crew. Approaching the cabin door, Will knocked solidly with his blacksmith fist on the beautiful oak timber that made up the entrance. He heard a mumble from inside the room. Taking it to be his permission to enter, he turned the brass handle and stepped inside.
"Come in, come in, we might as well take on any more problems we can possibly come across on this god-forsaken little island." Will found himself looking at the broad back of figure bent over some charts in the back corner of the room. (A/N: The captain is not a woman. For now I am resisting the urge to mary-sue this fic to death. I have self-control! Someone give me strength!)
Closing the door behind him, Will cleared his throat and addressed the burly captain. "My name is William Turner. I'm looking into hiring myself out on a ship." An abstract wave of a hand was the only acknowledgment he received. The captain was entirely absorbed in his maps.
Walking up alongside the individual, Will chanced a look at the charts on the desk. As he came closer, his sword hilt clinked against the table--a metal shaft ran down the legs which ended at a bolt, anchoring the table to the ship. The sound seemed to snap the captain back from... wherever he had been, and he finally straightened up, extending his hand in an informal greeting.
"My name's Varrus. Welcome aboard the Thames. We've got nothing to do with the Imperial Government *. You say you're looking to jump on a ship?" His booming voice filled the small cabin like the crash of a wave.
Will found himself looking at a surly, dark-haired Italian. More than a few inches shorter than Turner, Varrus made up for his lack in height by his broad stature. With shoulders almost twice as wide as Will's, he gave the impression of being a wrestler, one that could pin you to the ground with one hand and rip your leg off with the other. Will had to clear his throat again.
"Yes. I'm looking to get away from the land for awhile." A sad look crossed his eyes, but it was gone in an instant. Not so fast, however, that it went unnoticed by the sharp-eyed captain.
"Ah, I see." He didn't ask questions. "Well sir, I've got a full crew already, but I'm sure another A.B.** like yourself could be put to some good use. What's your trade?"
"Blacksmith." Will pulled his sword from his belt, presenting it hilt first to the man. "Swords are my specialty."
Varrus took the weapon, squinting down its length and tossing it to feel its weight. "I've never seen one made better." He whipped the point around so it was inches from Will's face. "But, the question is, can you use it?" He flipped it around and presented it back, hilt first. "Taking on open sea isn't for a man who can't defend himself. There's pirates to deal with you know."
At the mention of pirates Turner's face broke into a half smile. Memories flooded his mind, and he wondered if he would meet Jack on the open water. But, along with Jack's image, came the skeleton faces of Barbossa's crew into his mind's eye. Shaking his head, Will erased the thoughts from his head, and absent-mindedly fingered a scar that ran along the palm of his left hand. "I am well aware of the risks, and completely willing to take them." He faced Varrus and straightened up his posture. "If you will have me aboard, Captain, I don't think you will regret it."
Varrus' teeth showed themselves in a friendly smile. He slapped Will on the back, nearly knocking him to his knees. "All right then, mate. At this rate the old schooner should be leaving port in about six hours. I'll expect you back by then, eh?" His eyes grew a little softer. "If you've got some good-byes to say, lad, I suggest you get them over with." Turning back to his maps, the captain was again beyond reach, lost in a world of water and land.
Will left the cabin without a word. There could be no good-byes, no matter how much he wanted them. Stashing his bag below deck in the crew's quarters, he headed back on land, but not towards his wife, or his daughter. Instead, he turned his feet towards the tavern, and readied himself to drown his last good-bye in a bottle.
R&R? Definitely, there is going to be some interesting things going on at the tavern. Stay tuned, and please tell me what you think. Don't worry, Jack isn't abandoned. Chapter motivation comes from many reviews and suggestions for the story!! (
* "Thames Conservancy" - a body of modern creation, representing the Imperial Government, the city of London and the commercial interest of the river, and exercising the general powers of harbor and conservancy board over the lower river... (from A Dictionary of Sea Terms --Yes, I'm actually trying to be accurate about some of this writing, which involves some research...joy)
** A term for able-bodied men
Disclaimer: I don't own PotC, it's just my entertainment. Added in characters are mine though.
Rating: PG-13, will change maybe... probably
Ranting and raving: *falls over in shock* I have never gotten so many reviews in my life! Glad it's an entertaining story so far. I'll try to keep up with your expectations. Please remain seated and enjoy the show. Sorry this chapter is short once again, but the next will be longer due to numerous requests for longer chapters. I apologize for the long wait for this chapter.
Warnings: Violence, language, spoilers, probably a little romance... maybe a lot, etc. This is probably going to be a long fic, so all this stuff might not show up right away, but it'll be there, trust me.
Turning Away: A Pirate's Return
The dock noises clamored in the air as Will Turner made his way through the chaos of any normal sea port. With a canvas bag slung over his back and a sword at his hip, Turner wove a path among the sailors: all of them shouting, cursing, fighting, and some staggering after a rough night in the tavern. Walking down one of the long docks, he approached a topsail schooner that had put in for supplies.
Vaulting over the railing, Will landed unsteadily on the ship's sturdy, wooden planks. Nodding to one of the sailors loading on a cart of vegetables, he made for the Captain's cabin. Glancing around, Turner noted with satisfaction that the ship was well maintained. Even with his limited knowledge of ships, Will could tell that the Captain of this boat ran a tight crew. Approaching the cabin door, Will knocked solidly with his blacksmith fist on the beautiful oak timber that made up the entrance. He heard a mumble from inside the room. Taking it to be his permission to enter, he turned the brass handle and stepped inside.
"Come in, come in, we might as well take on any more problems we can possibly come across on this god-forsaken little island." Will found himself looking at the broad back of figure bent over some charts in the back corner of the room. (A/N: The captain is not a woman. For now I am resisting the urge to mary-sue this fic to death. I have self-control! Someone give me strength!)
Closing the door behind him, Will cleared his throat and addressed the burly captain. "My name is William Turner. I'm looking into hiring myself out on a ship." An abstract wave of a hand was the only acknowledgment he received. The captain was entirely absorbed in his maps.
Walking up alongside the individual, Will chanced a look at the charts on the desk. As he came closer, his sword hilt clinked against the table--a metal shaft ran down the legs which ended at a bolt, anchoring the table to the ship. The sound seemed to snap the captain back from... wherever he had been, and he finally straightened up, extending his hand in an informal greeting.
"My name's Varrus. Welcome aboard the Thames. We've got nothing to do with the Imperial Government *. You say you're looking to jump on a ship?" His booming voice filled the small cabin like the crash of a wave.
Will found himself looking at a surly, dark-haired Italian. More than a few inches shorter than Turner, Varrus made up for his lack in height by his broad stature. With shoulders almost twice as wide as Will's, he gave the impression of being a wrestler, one that could pin you to the ground with one hand and rip your leg off with the other. Will had to clear his throat again.
"Yes. I'm looking to get away from the land for awhile." A sad look crossed his eyes, but it was gone in an instant. Not so fast, however, that it went unnoticed by the sharp-eyed captain.
"Ah, I see." He didn't ask questions. "Well sir, I've got a full crew already, but I'm sure another A.B.** like yourself could be put to some good use. What's your trade?"
"Blacksmith." Will pulled his sword from his belt, presenting it hilt first to the man. "Swords are my specialty."
Varrus took the weapon, squinting down its length and tossing it to feel its weight. "I've never seen one made better." He whipped the point around so it was inches from Will's face. "But, the question is, can you use it?" He flipped it around and presented it back, hilt first. "Taking on open sea isn't for a man who can't defend himself. There's pirates to deal with you know."
At the mention of pirates Turner's face broke into a half smile. Memories flooded his mind, and he wondered if he would meet Jack on the open water. But, along with Jack's image, came the skeleton faces of Barbossa's crew into his mind's eye. Shaking his head, Will erased the thoughts from his head, and absent-mindedly fingered a scar that ran along the palm of his left hand. "I am well aware of the risks, and completely willing to take them." He faced Varrus and straightened up his posture. "If you will have me aboard, Captain, I don't think you will regret it."
Varrus' teeth showed themselves in a friendly smile. He slapped Will on the back, nearly knocking him to his knees. "All right then, mate. At this rate the old schooner should be leaving port in about six hours. I'll expect you back by then, eh?" His eyes grew a little softer. "If you've got some good-byes to say, lad, I suggest you get them over with." Turning back to his maps, the captain was again beyond reach, lost in a world of water and land.
Will left the cabin without a word. There could be no good-byes, no matter how much he wanted them. Stashing his bag below deck in the crew's quarters, he headed back on land, but not towards his wife, or his daughter. Instead, he turned his feet towards the tavern, and readied himself to drown his last good-bye in a bottle.
R&R? Definitely, there is going to be some interesting things going on at the tavern. Stay tuned, and please tell me what you think. Don't worry, Jack isn't abandoned. Chapter motivation comes from many reviews and suggestions for the story!! (
* "Thames Conservancy" - a body of modern creation, representing the Imperial Government, the city of London and the commercial interest of the river, and exercising the general powers of harbor and conservancy board over the lower river... (from A Dictionary of Sea Terms --Yes, I'm actually trying to be accurate about some of this writing, which involves some research...joy)
** A term for able-bodied men