Pirates of the Caribbean: Extinction of A Legacy
Author's Note: You will not believe how fast I'm getting ideas for these next chapters… I think the total chapters for this story is about 20 to 30… that's all I figure… So, hopefully, three months tops on this story…then its back to X-Men and Anime for me… and juggling in the other POTC story…
Hope you enjoyed the rum I sent from the last chapter! I don't have anymore alcohol save for Grog… its actually quite tasty… It's like a margarita, only it's not Tequila. ^^ THAT rhymed!
Oh, I bet you're wondering why the chapter titles on the drop-down menu doesn't coincide with the ones on the actual story, eh? Well, the reasoning for that is because I'm strange, and I just wanted to see if it mattered…and it doesn't! lol.
This chapter be longer than the rest. Ye have been warned.
=================================================
Chapter IX: Returning to Isla Del Amor
[Circa three (2) years before Jack meets Will]
It was a lovely morning and Elizabeth was frustrated that she was not allowed outside. Her studies were going well, and she found that Marion was more fun than her previous Governess back in England. Will's presence almost always lightened her mood, but since he became of age, he did not attend as frequently as he used to. Marion had informed her that although Will was still relatively young, he now had duties to do. Most men began work when they saw fit, such became the case of young William.
For a moment, Elizabeth wondered how it would feel to be married to Will, but she knew it was just a fantasy. No matter how much she cared for the blacksmith's apprentice, it was not a good match- at least in the eyes of her father. Her father was already making plans for her to wed Captain Norrington, even though she loved his sister, she did not share the same feeling for the uptight man. He had no sense of humor, and he rarely smiled.
'Perhaps…no,' Elizabeth thought, ' It's wishful thinking… and father would never agree for me to marry Will now…'
There was a tap on her balcony, as if someone was throwing pebbles at it, which was then followed by another. Elizabeth couldn't help but open her doors, curious as to who was rapping at her door. Looking down, she found a handsome man with his brown hair tied in a queue. He wore a plain white shirt underneath a light green vest, and she couldn't help but think of how nicely it accented his chest. She grinned at the small stubble on his chin, thinking of how much it changed his look.
Will had grown up, he no longer had the need for a guardian, but Marion had insisted that he stayed in the Norrington estate. Elizabeth knew how much their relationship had grown stronger. Will would always love his mother, but there was also a part of him that loved Marion just as much. Elizabeth could only hope that Will had a part of his heart that belonged to her…
'There I go again… setting myself for a heartache…' Elizabeth thought sadly. Shaking her head, she went back to the task at hand.
" Will? What the devil are you doing?" she asked, leaning on her balcony rail.
Will smiled brightly and gave her a roguish grin. " Come down here and I'll tell you!"
Elizabeth nodded with excitement. She knew she wasn't supposed to leave the house, but she didn't really care. It was too dull, and Will seemed to have something to break the dullness. She didn't want to let the opportunity pass through her fingers. She saw a house cleaner coming out of the kitchen, but she hoped that the woman wouldn't see her. Unfortunately, she did.
"Miss-"
Elizabeth didn't apologize after clumsily bumping into her, nor did she want to. Getting a lecture from her father would be better than spending another minute in her room. Will smiled as he saw her emerge from the front door. As she walked up towards him, he noticed how breathless she was.
" You ran?" Will teased, knowing how Elizabeth detested running in heels.
"Be quiet," Elizabeth said, playfully slapping his arm, " I'm here now, what is it?"
Will shook his head, " Nope, we've got to walk to the docks, then I'll tell you."
Elizabeth groaned as he pulled her alongside him. They walked together towards the port and Elizabeth gasped at what she saw. There was a beautiful ship docked, waiting for supplies before they set sail again. Will grinned as he watched Elizabeth memorize the ship. He had long ago found out about Elizabeth's love for the sea, as well as a good ship. He had to admit, he too, had a yearning for the freedom of the sea.
The ship had customary white sails, a polished deck and had a few cannons placed by on both starboard and port sides. It was a merchant ship, but a fully armed ship, in case of pirate attacks. It was small enough to gain speed, but large enough to house a good amount of cargo.
He held his gaze on her for far longer than he needed, making Elizabeth blush as she caught his eyes. Will cursed mentally for being so forward. He hoped he hadn't scared her, or else all his hard work would be for naught.
Suddenly, two people came from inside the captain's cabin, arguing loudly. Will recognized the feminine voice as Marion's and the other, he assumed to be Captain Norrington.
The Captain wasn't home often. He was always working, and never had time for either his sister or his sister's ward. When he did come home, he had a casual dinner, asking how things were faring and set off to work again. It was not a surprise to hear Marion and Joseph arguing, in fact… it was what usually happened when Captain Norrington did not go to work.
Elizabeth and Will sneaked on board and watched from behind a large barrel. Marion was not dressed up as she usually was. She had her long wavy black hair down, and she wore a simple dress. She had a light blue petticoat over a beige linen bodice and a white shirt. Elizabeth could barely recognize her governess, but Will was used to Marion's attire. He remembered her reasoning for it too.
"Dressing up to impress people may be acceptable in high society, but it does not sit well with me. It makes others feel small compared to the rich. Money should not be flaunted… that's the reason why there are so many pirates out there…"
" Joseph! You don't know how much I need this!" Marion pleaded, ignoring the looks that the crew was giving her.
" No! I am not about to let you sail off with a merchant ship! What if it gets attacked by pirates?" Joseph replied, his brow wrinkling in concern.
No matter how hard he tried to hate the woman, he had to admit that he was more concerned about her welfare than anything. He would die for his sister, and he made sure that Port Royal was safe for her.
"This ship? The pride and joy of the Spanish Main?" Marion retorted placing her hands on her hips. She glared at her brother, and watched as he tried to come up with another reason to keep her from visiting her origins.
" It is still a possibility"
Marion threw her hands up in exasperation.
"Joseph, this is one of the fastest merchant ships in the Caribbean, it would take three days, four at most to reach Isla Del Amor!" She yelled, desperately hanging onto a thread. She knew she was fighting a losing battle, but she just had to get back to Isla Del Amor.
" Marion, we have argued about this subject far more than I wish to discuss, and I still stand by my decision."
Silence fell on the deck as Marion began to tremble. Her face was downcast, causing her hair to hide her tears. Joseph tried not to let her tears intimidate him. Finally, she looked straight into his eyes, ignoring the stinging in her eyes.
" Mr. Briggs is a man whom I have come to think of as a second father, I refuse to stay here and let him slip away like I did for mother!"
Again, silence fell on the deck. The crewmembers had stopped all their work to watch the scene. They had never encountered a woman of noble status to act and dress like she did.
Joseph wanted to decline, but guilt began to eat away at him. Sighing, he waved his hand slightly, giving her permission to load her belongings. Marion laughed and gave him a hug.
"Thank you, Joseph."
Will and Elizabeth decided to come out of hiding, surprising both Joseph and Marion. " You're leaving? Today?" Will asked. "Why didn't you tell us?"
Marion looked at them, for once not having something to say. Joseph saw her pleading look and nodded. "Marion is merely going to visit for a couple of weeks, she'll be back."
Will saw a small boy walk up to Joseph and tug on his blue coat. " We're ready to leave, sir."
"Very well," Joseph replied. He took a good look at his sister and gave her a kiss on her forehead. " You be careful, I promised father I would take care of you…"
Marion smiled brightly, " Of course! Its not like I'm going to throw myself overboard!"
Will, Elizabeth and Joseph had to leave the ship as the crew began to set sail. The white sails were hoisted, and the anchors were pulled up. The ship began to move, and Marion waved goodbye. Will smiled as she waved them a kiss and Elizabeth felt a sudden pain in her stomach. Something wasn't right.
Over the years, Elizabeth had been getting advice from Marion about her strange senses, fearing for the worst. Marion merely laughed at her assumptions and told her that her instincts and her woman's intuition triggered the strange feeling she was having.
'Well…my intuition tells me this voyage may not be a pleasant one'
~*~*~
Will escorted Elizabeth back home, where Governor Swann was frantically searching for her. He looked relieved as he saw his daughter return.
"Well, goodbye Will," Elizabeth said awkwardly. Will fiddled with his hands and nodded.
" Goodbye, Miss Swann," he replied, and resumed his walk home. Elizabeth wondered why he never called her by her first name. It had always either been Miss Swann, or he avoided calling her a name at all. She shook off her thoughts and headed inside the house, unable to shake off the pain in her stomach. 'Maybe I'm hungry…' she thought, and headed towards the kitchen.
Will, however, felt strange returning to the Norrington estate without his guardian. seven years he lived with the woman, and he felt at home… he hoped that nothing had changed. He prayed that Marion would have an easy sail.
" Come on lad, its high time we went home."
Joseph went inside, feeling empty. The house seemed dull and vacant. Marion's perfume still lingered in the air, but there was a slight chill in the house, unlike the warmth that seemed to surround the hallways when she was there. Joseph only felt this sensation once before in his life, when his mother had passed away. Joseph seriously hoped that nothing would go wrong with the voyage. Marion was the only relative he lad left in Port Royal.
Will felt quite the same, only he could still feel the warmth in the house. It was as if her essence was within the curtains that she sewed herself. Joseph didn't know it, but every time he complimented on a new décor, Marion blushed in appreciation. Everything in the house was either fashioned by her, or redone.
He sat stiffly in the waiting room until Captain Norrington peeked in. Will always wondered why men of high society wore wigs. It made them look utterly ridiculous. Joseph was now wearing a gray wig, signifying both age and rank. Pretty soon, Will thought, he's going to wear a white wig, not even the Governor wore a completely white wig, and everyone knew the Governor was not as young as he claimed he was.
" Well, shall we have dinner then?"
~*~*~
[five (5) months before Jack meets Will]
Jack found himself, once again, in the Faithful Bride. Years of planning, and being away from his ship had finally taken its toll on the man. His brown eyes were dull, yet it was expertly hidden beneath the kohl and his mirthful façade. For years, he searched for his ship, with his pistol in hand- still containing one shot- saving it for the man who had been the cause of his torment.
For years, his inner demons haunted him by night, forcing him to drown their cries with women and rum. Time had finally caught up with Jack, and he couldn't face it. Without his ship, Jack was nothing… another simpleton without a cause in life. He was another commoner who woke up, did his duties, and returned home to… Jack stopped his thoughts. What was he going to return to?
That was the topic that his father almost always argued with him. That was the reason why his father wanted to marry his mother. It was also the same reason why he took Jack onto the Pearl instead of leaving him on Tortuga to become, yet another mindless drunken bastard child.
He no longer remembered the face of his father, nor his own voice. All he could think of was revenge, and the Pearl. Something had to be done… and soon, lest his own conscience consume him.
A rather plump woman walked up towards him, with her face dolled up with layers of paint and rouge. Her eyes were a scary thing to look into- for within the blue depths, there lied only lust and a dullness which Jack knew well. The dullness was the loss of hope, the only thing that living on Tortuga would give.
" Is there somethin' I can get ye?" she said
Jack grinned seductively at the barmaid. It was hard to break habits, especially ones that one did not want to break. He didn't really fancy the woman, but for now, it would silence his reflections.
Soon, Jack thought. I'll get the Pearl, and I'll be myself again… Jack followed the pretentious woman, but stopped dead in his tracks as he saw a dark skinned woman loading up a small boat. It wasn't the woman he was attracted to, but the small boat in which she was getting ready to sail.
Ignoring the indignant cries of the barmaid, Jack sauntered towards the harbor and grinned. Over the past few years, Jack had begun to collect more silver and gold to cap his teeth. And instead of the lone silver capped incisor in his mouth, he now had four or five teeth replaced with gold or silver.
The woman looked up at him and raised her eyebrow in disbelief. " Well, well… if it isn't Captain Jack Sparrow," she said sarcastically, " Last time I saw ye, ye were half-drunk and half-naked."
Jack laughed and placed his arm over the woman, " Aye, Ana-Maria… you know, love," Jack started as he looked at her boat, " That's a sturdy boat ye got there."
The dark skinned woman pushed herself out of Jack's arms and crossed her own. Her emerald eyes shone with anger, as she frowned in disapproval. " Oh, no! Ye won't be doin' this no more!" she yelled, " I be needin' to get back to Isla Del Amor!"
Jack grinned mischievously.
"Are ye now?" he asked. Ana-Maria groaned, knowing she made another mistake. Revealing any sort of information to Captain Sparrow was signing your own death wish. Jack crossed over to her and looked at the boat. There wasn't much loaded, and form the looks of it, there was enough space for two people. " How about this, love…"
Ana-Maria prepared herself for anything and everything. Her hand was on her cutlass, in case Jack decided to drop his kind façade.
"You let me come with ye to Isla de…whatever, and I'll be out of your hair," Jack said.
Ana-Maria scrutinized him and took a deep breath. " What's in it for me?"
Jack smirked, " enough shillings to get you whatever you need for your…bonny ship." Jack knew he had the upper hand. Ana-Maria was known for her love for her boat. Although, not many knew why, but she did. "Do we have an accord?"
Ana-Maria thought for a bit, then spit on her hand and held it out. " Aye."
Jack hesitantly took her hand, and grimaced. Ana-Maria smirked at the man. He was the only pirate she knew who hated to bathe, but refused to touch anyone else who was dirty. Jack smiled after wiping his hand on his trousers.
"Onto…" he stopped and looked back at Ana-Maria. " Where are we going?"
==================================================================
Author's Note: You know, every time Norrington is in the dialogue, it seems so boring! I know that in the movie Will and Joseph weren't as cheeky, and you'll know why in the next chapter. Sorry about the previous tragedies… the deaths… just so you know, one of the two that died… is not really dead. You'll just have to guess which one.
The next chapter also explains how Jack gets his little boat. See you next time, me hearties!
