Chapter 2: Stranger on the Shore
The Ship set sail at nightfall, as promised, and quite a few members of the crew were missing. It really shed light on the matter of who were branded as pirates and who weren't. Wearing nothing but her shift, Louisa was glad they lived in the Caribbean - anywhere else, and she would have frozen to death.
The ship, which was creaking in ways a ship shouldn't have, managed to get out of the river channel safely, and to find a fairly high wind. Who would've guessed that luck was with them?
Standing at the helm, Will watched his daughter laughing with the crew, joking with her brother, and pretty much being as much of a pirate as them. Even wearing just the shift, which was still covering more than what she usually wore around, she looked different onboard a ship. As though she wasn't related to him.
"Cap'n, we searched below the deck, in the brig, an' found somethin' we overlooked afore. Mail - an' it's all addressed t' Port Royal. They's expectin' a ship, sir, do we be rid ourselves of it?" Barraway asked, coming up behind his captain. Will turned, and glanced at the mail sack. "Keep it - we can say that we found the other ship, and the pirates that attacked us attacked them as well, though they dinnae come off as well as us. If there's anything addressed to Norrington, slip it under my cabin door. Same as for Governor Swann - savvy?"
Barraway nodded, and trundled off with the bag. Louisa came up behind her father. "Can I steer?" she asked, and Will shook his head. "Not today, lassie. We got time t' catch up on, an' wi' ye steering, we ain't goin' anywhere."
Louisa nodded, and went below deck. The rest of the crew followed soon after, and finally Will and McKenzie were left on deck. McKenzie took the helm for the first shift, and Will went below.
As the Captain's daughter, Louisa warranted a cabin to herself, but she declined, saying that an English ship wouldn't keep a cabin spare in case they rescued a girl from out at sea in a pirate ship. Instead, she rigged up her own sleeping area in with the crew, where a rescued woman would usually sleep, and proceeded to make herself at home. The crew was rather alarmed at having to share their amenities with a woman, but they kept it to themselves. None of them would have dared to even look at her, knowing how protective her father was.
**Two Weeks Later**
"Land ho!" came the call from the crow's nest, and everyone swiveled round in the direction the man was pointing. Sure enough, Port Royal was coming into view, and Will hastily sent men to raise the white flag.
Within moments, a navy vessel was heading towards them, and within the hour, both ships were level. "You there, what ails you? Why do you come to Port Royal?" called the military man from his position on the deck of the ship. Will called out, "We're the Endurance, set out from Ireland two months after the last fleet ship. We found the ruins of another ship, the Mainstream, still burnin', and rowed over. All we could salvage was a part-spilled bag o' mail, headed for here. Nigh on a week later, a ship overtook us - the Dauntless - and raised the pirate flag. We fought, and managed to sink her, though we lost a few men, supplies, and parts o' the ship. Afore we sunk her, though, we boarded, and found three hostages - a young lady, cannae be more than seventeen by look o' her, and two Englishmen, Michael Barraway, and Dougal Lonigan. They're on board, but the two men say that the lass wasnae onboard their ship, and had already been onboard when they was taken.
'She couldnae tell us anything, 'cept three words - parley, and Port Royal. We figured she was either from, or headed to, here, been caught by the pirates, and called parley, so we brought her along wi' us wi' the hope that someone here will know her. We've only t' stay 'til the ship is repaired, and we regather supplies, afore we head along, past Bermuda."
The officer looked a little suspicious, but the sight of Louisa curled up at the front of the ship changed his mind. "Ok, take her in, and you're granted docking until the ship is right to leave."
The ship pulled away from the Endurance, and Will grinned to himself. This was going to be fun!
*****
The soldiers took Louisa away from the Endurance as soon as the ship landed. She struggled, calling parley as she went, and causing quite a ruckus. Finally, she was deposited at the hospital, where she was looked over, and pronounced in good health, except for her memory.
A house was found for her to stay in, where it was hoped (by the hospital workers) that she would regain her memory, and find her family. A week past this, Louisa was walking along the beachfront, carrying bags from the market, when a young man washed up onto the shore. Still in character, she hesitated, before putting down her bags and running over.
He was alive, barely, and looked as though he'd swum a long way. "Are ye all right?" she asked him when he looked up at her. He started to nod, but a cough changed his mind, and he shook his head. "I'm guessin' that would be a 'no'," she said, and he nodded. "Aye, ye're right wi' that one," he managed to say, and tried to stand up.
It took several tries, but finally he managed to stagger to his feet and stay upright. "What's ye name?" he asked her, and Louisa looked at her feet.
"I... I'm... I don't actually know," she finished. The wash-up laughed, almost overbalancing. "How can ye not know? A name is somethin' that's bred intae ye," he said finally. Louisa shook her head. "I don't know. All I remember is cannons firing, and a man holding a sword over me, an' me yellin' parley, like someone once told me t' do, and then blackin' out. After that, it was mainly dark, until the cap'n of the Endurance found me."
Wash-up nodded. "Aye, that'd be the pirates o' the Caribbean, which attacked ye ship, then. I've heard abou' them - but those stories don' compare with the stories abou' Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl."
Louisa looked up, "Jack Sparrow... that... the name... I've heard it somewhere..." Wash-up cut in, "Aye, o' course ye have. There's not a soul alive that ain't heard o' Jack Sparrow, and the Pearl. 'Sa pity they both vanished, a few years back, but I don' think they be gone fo' good. The Pearl will be back, ye can mark my words."
Louisa nodded, and picked up her bags again. "Well, sir, I'm afraid I have to leave you. Will you be all right, do you think? I don't want to leave you out here if there's a chance that you're not all right, and likely to collapse as soon as I leave."
Wash-up laughed. "There ain't no chance that'll happen, lassie. I kin take more 'en most people, pirate or no, an' a little swim ain't killed me yet."
Louisa blushed, and looked down again. "Can I ask for your name, sir?" she asked, hesitantly. He nodded, "Aye, ye kin ask all ye want. But I'll tell ye, seein' as ye are the nicest lassie I've yet come across. My name is James, James Sparrow, also called Jamie Boy on occasion - it's usual t' hear me ol' man call me that - but mostly I'm called Jamie. Ma gave me that name when I was nigh on two days old, so she says."
Louisa looked up sharply. He was clean-shaven, and looked nothing like the pictures of Jack Sparrow her mother had on the fireplace, but there was something about him that made her know he wasn't lying about his identity. "S...Sparrow? You're... you're Jack Sparrow's son?" the tremor in her voice was real. If Jack's son was in Port Royal, then Jack had to be back on the sea!
He nodded, "Aye, that I am, an' if ye'd be so kind as not t' tell any... important... people who I am, I'd be much obliged t' ye. An if ye so happen t' see m' father, would ye kindly tell him I'd like me hat back?"
Louisa nodded, and Jamie bowed low, "Thank ye ver' muchly, Lassie. Now, if ye don' mind, I've some things t' do," and with that, he walked away, looking very much as though he was drunk, though Louisa put that down to the exhaustion from his swim.
The Ship set sail at nightfall, as promised, and quite a few members of the crew were missing. It really shed light on the matter of who were branded as pirates and who weren't. Wearing nothing but her shift, Louisa was glad they lived in the Caribbean - anywhere else, and she would have frozen to death.
The ship, which was creaking in ways a ship shouldn't have, managed to get out of the river channel safely, and to find a fairly high wind. Who would've guessed that luck was with them?
Standing at the helm, Will watched his daughter laughing with the crew, joking with her brother, and pretty much being as much of a pirate as them. Even wearing just the shift, which was still covering more than what she usually wore around, she looked different onboard a ship. As though she wasn't related to him.
"Cap'n, we searched below the deck, in the brig, an' found somethin' we overlooked afore. Mail - an' it's all addressed t' Port Royal. They's expectin' a ship, sir, do we be rid ourselves of it?" Barraway asked, coming up behind his captain. Will turned, and glanced at the mail sack. "Keep it - we can say that we found the other ship, and the pirates that attacked us attacked them as well, though they dinnae come off as well as us. If there's anything addressed to Norrington, slip it under my cabin door. Same as for Governor Swann - savvy?"
Barraway nodded, and trundled off with the bag. Louisa came up behind her father. "Can I steer?" she asked, and Will shook his head. "Not today, lassie. We got time t' catch up on, an' wi' ye steering, we ain't goin' anywhere."
Louisa nodded, and went below deck. The rest of the crew followed soon after, and finally Will and McKenzie were left on deck. McKenzie took the helm for the first shift, and Will went below.
As the Captain's daughter, Louisa warranted a cabin to herself, but she declined, saying that an English ship wouldn't keep a cabin spare in case they rescued a girl from out at sea in a pirate ship. Instead, she rigged up her own sleeping area in with the crew, where a rescued woman would usually sleep, and proceeded to make herself at home. The crew was rather alarmed at having to share their amenities with a woman, but they kept it to themselves. None of them would have dared to even look at her, knowing how protective her father was.
**Two Weeks Later**
"Land ho!" came the call from the crow's nest, and everyone swiveled round in the direction the man was pointing. Sure enough, Port Royal was coming into view, and Will hastily sent men to raise the white flag.
Within moments, a navy vessel was heading towards them, and within the hour, both ships were level. "You there, what ails you? Why do you come to Port Royal?" called the military man from his position on the deck of the ship. Will called out, "We're the Endurance, set out from Ireland two months after the last fleet ship. We found the ruins of another ship, the Mainstream, still burnin', and rowed over. All we could salvage was a part-spilled bag o' mail, headed for here. Nigh on a week later, a ship overtook us - the Dauntless - and raised the pirate flag. We fought, and managed to sink her, though we lost a few men, supplies, and parts o' the ship. Afore we sunk her, though, we boarded, and found three hostages - a young lady, cannae be more than seventeen by look o' her, and two Englishmen, Michael Barraway, and Dougal Lonigan. They're on board, but the two men say that the lass wasnae onboard their ship, and had already been onboard when they was taken.
'She couldnae tell us anything, 'cept three words - parley, and Port Royal. We figured she was either from, or headed to, here, been caught by the pirates, and called parley, so we brought her along wi' us wi' the hope that someone here will know her. We've only t' stay 'til the ship is repaired, and we regather supplies, afore we head along, past Bermuda."
The officer looked a little suspicious, but the sight of Louisa curled up at the front of the ship changed his mind. "Ok, take her in, and you're granted docking until the ship is right to leave."
The ship pulled away from the Endurance, and Will grinned to himself. This was going to be fun!
*****
The soldiers took Louisa away from the Endurance as soon as the ship landed. She struggled, calling parley as she went, and causing quite a ruckus. Finally, she was deposited at the hospital, where she was looked over, and pronounced in good health, except for her memory.
A house was found for her to stay in, where it was hoped (by the hospital workers) that she would regain her memory, and find her family. A week past this, Louisa was walking along the beachfront, carrying bags from the market, when a young man washed up onto the shore. Still in character, she hesitated, before putting down her bags and running over.
He was alive, barely, and looked as though he'd swum a long way. "Are ye all right?" she asked him when he looked up at her. He started to nod, but a cough changed his mind, and he shook his head. "I'm guessin' that would be a 'no'," she said, and he nodded. "Aye, ye're right wi' that one," he managed to say, and tried to stand up.
It took several tries, but finally he managed to stagger to his feet and stay upright. "What's ye name?" he asked her, and Louisa looked at her feet.
"I... I'm... I don't actually know," she finished. The wash-up laughed, almost overbalancing. "How can ye not know? A name is somethin' that's bred intae ye," he said finally. Louisa shook her head. "I don't know. All I remember is cannons firing, and a man holding a sword over me, an' me yellin' parley, like someone once told me t' do, and then blackin' out. After that, it was mainly dark, until the cap'n of the Endurance found me."
Wash-up nodded. "Aye, that'd be the pirates o' the Caribbean, which attacked ye ship, then. I've heard abou' them - but those stories don' compare with the stories abou' Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl."
Louisa looked up, "Jack Sparrow... that... the name... I've heard it somewhere..." Wash-up cut in, "Aye, o' course ye have. There's not a soul alive that ain't heard o' Jack Sparrow, and the Pearl. 'Sa pity they both vanished, a few years back, but I don' think they be gone fo' good. The Pearl will be back, ye can mark my words."
Louisa nodded, and picked up her bags again. "Well, sir, I'm afraid I have to leave you. Will you be all right, do you think? I don't want to leave you out here if there's a chance that you're not all right, and likely to collapse as soon as I leave."
Wash-up laughed. "There ain't no chance that'll happen, lassie. I kin take more 'en most people, pirate or no, an' a little swim ain't killed me yet."
Louisa blushed, and looked down again. "Can I ask for your name, sir?" she asked, hesitantly. He nodded, "Aye, ye kin ask all ye want. But I'll tell ye, seein' as ye are the nicest lassie I've yet come across. My name is James, James Sparrow, also called Jamie Boy on occasion - it's usual t' hear me ol' man call me that - but mostly I'm called Jamie. Ma gave me that name when I was nigh on two days old, so she says."
Louisa looked up sharply. He was clean-shaven, and looked nothing like the pictures of Jack Sparrow her mother had on the fireplace, but there was something about him that made her know he wasn't lying about his identity. "S...Sparrow? You're... you're Jack Sparrow's son?" the tremor in her voice was real. If Jack's son was in Port Royal, then Jack had to be back on the sea!
He nodded, "Aye, that I am, an' if ye'd be so kind as not t' tell any... important... people who I am, I'd be much obliged t' ye. An if ye so happen t' see m' father, would ye kindly tell him I'd like me hat back?"
Louisa nodded, and Jamie bowed low, "Thank ye ver' muchly, Lassie. Now, if ye don' mind, I've some things t' do," and with that, he walked away, looking very much as though he was drunk, though Louisa put that down to the exhaustion from his swim.
