***Disclaimer: I don't own PotC. I only own the plot of this fic (in other words, you had better not plagiarize... how sad do you have to *be* to plagiarize fanfiction?? But, it is happening...) Let's see... I own The Golden Bough (the ship... not the book ;-) , Mr. McCory, Mr. Powell, Mr. Corcoran, and Captain Hawthorne. This weekend, or at least sometime in the near future I shall be revising all chapters before I move on since these first ones have been drafts and I'm not entirely pleased with them. I can't say how much will be altered until I get a good look at it all, as it were. Probably, Jack's brother will be renamed since it does bother me that it might be another name for 'Jack' back then... and the ship will be renamed as well. That's for sure, but plot wise I only know that some things will change. I'll let you know when I have done this, in case you would like to read the 'alternate' version. Hopefully this second attempt will be closer to what I had intended.
-Sophie
Jack Sparrow's Black Pearl: Thank you for the hearty praise! Here, promptly, is another chapter. Hope you like!
Endril McMerlin: This Jack Sparrow is pretty slippery ain't he? Hmm... I'm letting my muse tell me what to do with him at this point ;-) What was Jack like before he became distrustful? I just love writing for him since there are so many facets to play with! Eeeee!
ps. Viva la NDL! Viva! ;-)
"Well, Jackie there she is." Mr. McCory and Jack were striding alongside a sleek ship resting calmly in the water. Her hull was painted a shiny blue-black and the words 'The Golden Bough' were placed along the prow in carved wood painted white. Jack took one look at the ship and walked past the prow after Mr. McCory. The pair had already drawn the attention of a grey haired man onboard, with squinty eyes and a wry grin.
"Ol' Tom, what's that you've got there?" he said as he leaned back, hand on the rail and a hand on his pipe. "Shall I be gettin' the captain?"
"You'll be gettin' the captain," nodded Mr. McCory. "He'll be wantin' to see young Master Sparrow." Jack followed Mr. McCory up the gangplank as the other man flicked his eyebrow and said something to another man nearby who took an instant to look at the newcomer before striding below deck. The two men walked onto the deck and the other man stood before them and tapped his hat.
"Welcome back Tom," he said.
"This is our Jack Sparrow," said Mr. Mc Cory. "Now, he's not here to stay. That'll be up to him."
"Bloody well won't!" scoffed the older man. Jack frowned and stared at him. "That'll be up to the captain!" Mr. Mc Cory laughed softly.
"No, Mr. Powell, he's not sure 'bout join' the crew," Mr. Powell glared at Jack as he puffed on his pipe.
"What the hell is he here for, then? A pleasure cruise?" the older man tried to walk over to Jack, to press against him but Mr. Mc Cory slipped his hand between them and calmly drew him aside. Mr. Powell huffed and blew his smoke in the air. Jack raised his hand for a moment to wave it away. Mr. Mc Cory shot him a warning glance but it was too late. Mr. Powell took several short, elegant puffs on his pipe and blew the smoke in Jack's face. This time Jack merely closed his eyes and held his breath.
"Aye," said Mr. Powell. "If ye don't like it ye can clear off!" he waved his arm and began to walk away.
"He's a castaway," said Mr. Mc Cory to Mr. Powell's back. "He thought I was with the navy." He shook his head as he watched him walk away. "Oh never mind." Jack waved the rest of the smoke away, and looked rather amused. "Sorry about that, Jack," said Mr. Mc Cory. "That's our Mr. Powell. His name's Dylan Powell but most of the crew call him Leatherback." Jack grimaced. "What?" Jack shrugged. Just then a stocky blond man emerged from below deck and took a look at Jack and Mr. Mc Cory.
"Ah, Tom so you've found us a hand at last?" he let his arms hang at ease around his sides. He eagerly looked at Jack.
"This is Mr. Sparrow," said Mr. Mc Cory. "Jack Sparrow."
"Just washed up on the beach today," said Jack with a grin.
"That's hard luck, Jackie," he said earnestly. "Name's Corcoran, Alex Corcoran." The young man shook Jack's hand once very strongly. Jack waited for what he knew was next. "Mostly folk around here call me 'Gordy Cord." Jack stifled a laugh. "What?" Jack shrugged.
"What's this?" came a deep, sonorous voice from behind Jack. Both he and Alex jumped, and Jack slowly turned around to see a tall man standing behind him. His eyes were the most rivetting Jack had known. They were a grey that reminded him of the dreariest fog he had ever seen at sea. He had never seen eyes like that before. The face around them was well-formed and brown from the sun. His hair was dark where it showed from under his old leather hat. The man stared at him over his nose. Jack nearly stumbled as the other man took a step towards him.
"Captain Hawthorne," whispered Jack, tugging his forelock since he had no hat. The man smiled broadly and shifted to stand with a hand on his hip. He somehow grew even taller by relaxing, or maybe it was Jack who was shrinking. The captain pointed a finger at Alex and looked at Jack from under his bark brows.
"Do you not like Mr. Corcoran's name, lad?" Jack didn't seem to notice that Alex was smiling. He looked up at the captain and tried to find the right words to say.
"Well, sir," he said at last. "It just seemed a bit... silly." He felt sure that the captain was going to throw him overboard, or have him stuck by lightning for questioning him on his own ship but the man only calmly stood back and appeared to re-examine the situation.
"You think that 'Gordy Cord' is a silly name?" Jack muttered a brief 'aye, sir.' The captain placed his hand on Jack's shoulder and made him look at Alex. "Here you have our Mr. Corcoran," he said. "His Christian name is Alexander," he stretched the name out and seemed to taste each vowel of it before he'd let it out of his breath. "Alexander was a great king, a commander of men," he continued. Jack looked up into the grey eyes again. The captain stood aside for a moment. "On one of Alexander's campaigns he went to Gordium where the people had a chariot tied by a great knot which their legends foretold could not be undone except by one who was most blessed and destined to do so."
"And Alexander untied this knot?" said Jack spellbound by the captain's tale.
"Not exactly," said the captain eyeing Jack more keenly than before. "Young Alexander took his sword, and he did cut the knot in twain and that is how he fulfilled the prophecy and gained his own destiny by his cunning." Jack frowned.
"But wasn't that cheating?" he said.
"No, lad," said the captain. "See, the prophecy said nothing about untying the knot; known mostly as the 'Gordian knot' but which I prefer to call a cord. They expected the promised hero would do so, and all failed in trying to untie it. When Alexander came along it was his superiority of mind, not strength, which secured for him the honours that came with performing this task." Jack's eyes cleared and he nodded slowly.
"And that's why I named young Mr. Corcoran 'Gordy Cord.' The captain looked over at Mr. Mc Cory, as Alex moved to stand next to Jack.
"Mr. Mc Cory," he said. Mr. Mc Cory took off his hat. "I see you've brought us a lad."
"Begging your pardon, sir," said Mr. Mc Cory. "There is a problem." The captain frowned deeply at this. "The lad there, he just washed ashore this mornin' and he don't know privateer from pirate." The captain breathed deeply and scratched the dark goatee straddling his chin. He looked over at Jack out of the corner of his eye. "What is your name, lad?" he demanded.
"My name is Jack Sparrow, sir," The captain didn't look at him, but out at the sea.
"You may have lodgings onboard as long as you like, Mr. Sparrow," said the captain. He turned to look at him. "We need a good hand, and you'd be welcome to join us but remember this, my boy," he said. "This is not a grand adventure, it is not a romance of the sea. We risk our lives, and get little to show for it but our own knowledge that we serve our country."
"And some booty," said Mr. Powell, who had drifted over from the other side of the ship. "Aye, don't forget our loot, ay?" He puffed on his pipe just behind Jack's ear. The captain noticed the twitch in Jack's nose.
"Mr. Powell, you will put that out," he said plainly and was obeyed. "Welcome to The Golden Bough, Mr. Sparrow." The captain turned to leave, but before he did he motioned to Mr. Mc Cory. "Get Mr. Sparrow some clean clothes and get some food in him. He can share Mr. Corcoran's cabin for now." He nodded as he left, and everyone bowed their head as well.
-Sophie
Jack Sparrow's Black Pearl: Thank you for the hearty praise! Here, promptly, is another chapter. Hope you like!
Endril McMerlin: This Jack Sparrow is pretty slippery ain't he? Hmm... I'm letting my muse tell me what to do with him at this point ;-) What was Jack like before he became distrustful? I just love writing for him since there are so many facets to play with! Eeeee!
ps. Viva la NDL! Viva! ;-)
"Well, Jackie there she is." Mr. McCory and Jack were striding alongside a sleek ship resting calmly in the water. Her hull was painted a shiny blue-black and the words 'The Golden Bough' were placed along the prow in carved wood painted white. Jack took one look at the ship and walked past the prow after Mr. McCory. The pair had already drawn the attention of a grey haired man onboard, with squinty eyes and a wry grin.
"Ol' Tom, what's that you've got there?" he said as he leaned back, hand on the rail and a hand on his pipe. "Shall I be gettin' the captain?"
"You'll be gettin' the captain," nodded Mr. McCory. "He'll be wantin' to see young Master Sparrow." Jack followed Mr. McCory up the gangplank as the other man flicked his eyebrow and said something to another man nearby who took an instant to look at the newcomer before striding below deck. The two men walked onto the deck and the other man stood before them and tapped his hat.
"Welcome back Tom," he said.
"This is our Jack Sparrow," said Mr. Mc Cory. "Now, he's not here to stay. That'll be up to him."
"Bloody well won't!" scoffed the older man. Jack frowned and stared at him. "That'll be up to the captain!" Mr. Mc Cory laughed softly.
"No, Mr. Powell, he's not sure 'bout join' the crew," Mr. Powell glared at Jack as he puffed on his pipe.
"What the hell is he here for, then? A pleasure cruise?" the older man tried to walk over to Jack, to press against him but Mr. Mc Cory slipped his hand between them and calmly drew him aside. Mr. Powell huffed and blew his smoke in the air. Jack raised his hand for a moment to wave it away. Mr. Mc Cory shot him a warning glance but it was too late. Mr. Powell took several short, elegant puffs on his pipe and blew the smoke in Jack's face. This time Jack merely closed his eyes and held his breath.
"Aye," said Mr. Powell. "If ye don't like it ye can clear off!" he waved his arm and began to walk away.
"He's a castaway," said Mr. Mc Cory to Mr. Powell's back. "He thought I was with the navy." He shook his head as he watched him walk away. "Oh never mind." Jack waved the rest of the smoke away, and looked rather amused. "Sorry about that, Jack," said Mr. Mc Cory. "That's our Mr. Powell. His name's Dylan Powell but most of the crew call him Leatherback." Jack grimaced. "What?" Jack shrugged. Just then a stocky blond man emerged from below deck and took a look at Jack and Mr. Mc Cory.
"Ah, Tom so you've found us a hand at last?" he let his arms hang at ease around his sides. He eagerly looked at Jack.
"This is Mr. Sparrow," said Mr. Mc Cory. "Jack Sparrow."
"Just washed up on the beach today," said Jack with a grin.
"That's hard luck, Jackie," he said earnestly. "Name's Corcoran, Alex Corcoran." The young man shook Jack's hand once very strongly. Jack waited for what he knew was next. "Mostly folk around here call me 'Gordy Cord." Jack stifled a laugh. "What?" Jack shrugged.
"What's this?" came a deep, sonorous voice from behind Jack. Both he and Alex jumped, and Jack slowly turned around to see a tall man standing behind him. His eyes were the most rivetting Jack had known. They were a grey that reminded him of the dreariest fog he had ever seen at sea. He had never seen eyes like that before. The face around them was well-formed and brown from the sun. His hair was dark where it showed from under his old leather hat. The man stared at him over his nose. Jack nearly stumbled as the other man took a step towards him.
"Captain Hawthorne," whispered Jack, tugging his forelock since he had no hat. The man smiled broadly and shifted to stand with a hand on his hip. He somehow grew even taller by relaxing, or maybe it was Jack who was shrinking. The captain pointed a finger at Alex and looked at Jack from under his bark brows.
"Do you not like Mr. Corcoran's name, lad?" Jack didn't seem to notice that Alex was smiling. He looked up at the captain and tried to find the right words to say.
"Well, sir," he said at last. "It just seemed a bit... silly." He felt sure that the captain was going to throw him overboard, or have him stuck by lightning for questioning him on his own ship but the man only calmly stood back and appeared to re-examine the situation.
"You think that 'Gordy Cord' is a silly name?" Jack muttered a brief 'aye, sir.' The captain placed his hand on Jack's shoulder and made him look at Alex. "Here you have our Mr. Corcoran," he said. "His Christian name is Alexander," he stretched the name out and seemed to taste each vowel of it before he'd let it out of his breath. "Alexander was a great king, a commander of men," he continued. Jack looked up into the grey eyes again. The captain stood aside for a moment. "On one of Alexander's campaigns he went to Gordium where the people had a chariot tied by a great knot which their legends foretold could not be undone except by one who was most blessed and destined to do so."
"And Alexander untied this knot?" said Jack spellbound by the captain's tale.
"Not exactly," said the captain eyeing Jack more keenly than before. "Young Alexander took his sword, and he did cut the knot in twain and that is how he fulfilled the prophecy and gained his own destiny by his cunning." Jack frowned.
"But wasn't that cheating?" he said.
"No, lad," said the captain. "See, the prophecy said nothing about untying the knot; known mostly as the 'Gordian knot' but which I prefer to call a cord. They expected the promised hero would do so, and all failed in trying to untie it. When Alexander came along it was his superiority of mind, not strength, which secured for him the honours that came with performing this task." Jack's eyes cleared and he nodded slowly.
"And that's why I named young Mr. Corcoran 'Gordy Cord.' The captain looked over at Mr. Mc Cory, as Alex moved to stand next to Jack.
"Mr. Mc Cory," he said. Mr. Mc Cory took off his hat. "I see you've brought us a lad."
"Begging your pardon, sir," said Mr. Mc Cory. "There is a problem." The captain frowned deeply at this. "The lad there, he just washed ashore this mornin' and he don't know privateer from pirate." The captain breathed deeply and scratched the dark goatee straddling his chin. He looked over at Jack out of the corner of his eye. "What is your name, lad?" he demanded.
"My name is Jack Sparrow, sir," The captain didn't look at him, but out at the sea.
"You may have lodgings onboard as long as you like, Mr. Sparrow," said the captain. He turned to look at him. "We need a good hand, and you'd be welcome to join us but remember this, my boy," he said. "This is not a grand adventure, it is not a romance of the sea. We risk our lives, and get little to show for it but our own knowledge that we serve our country."
"And some booty," said Mr. Powell, who had drifted over from the other side of the ship. "Aye, don't forget our loot, ay?" He puffed on his pipe just behind Jack's ear. The captain noticed the twitch in Jack's nose.
"Mr. Powell, you will put that out," he said plainly and was obeyed. "Welcome to The Golden Bough, Mr. Sparrow." The captain turned to leave, but before he did he motioned to Mr. Mc Cory. "Get Mr. Sparrow some clean clothes and get some food in him. He can share Mr. Corcoran's cabin for now." He nodded as he left, and everyone bowed their head as well.