Will Turner stormed down the streets of Port Royal. He thought he may have heard a few people calling to him, here and there, but it didn't matter. He was in no mood to pretend to be pleasant today to people who almost uniformly looked down their noses at him.
It's as if they think I should be grateful that they lower themselves to speaking to me, he thought, with heavy irritation. Not that he ever acted as though he didn't know his place. How could he forget? It seemed that every time he saw somebody, they were quick to remind him. But he had learned not long after entering Port Royal that it was much better for him to be polite, behave, and keep his mouth shut. That was partly why he did not try to be friendly with anyone as he stalked grumpily back to his "home". He knew that if he spoke to someone, he was likely to lose his temper and get in trouble.
He didn't know why Governor Swan's words had gotten him so upset today.
Will had presented him with a decorative hanging for above the Governor's fireplace, made of two swords crossing each other over the Swan family crest. Will had worked very hard at it-after all, Miss Elizabeth would be seeing it and he wanted to impress her-and he was very proud of his work. The Governor had been polite and kind, as he always had been to Will from the day they pulled him from the sea. He had been pleased with Will's work, and the boy had felt himself flushing with pride at the Governor's praise. And then, the Governor had said it, like he said it every time.
"Please pass my compliments on to your Master."
Master, Will though disdainfully. The only thing he has mastered is how to stay continuously drunk for days at a time.
As far as Will was concerned, his so-called Master Brown was a worthless and disgusting waste. The older man had never really taught Will much of anything beyond the rudimentary basics, leaving Will to figure out the rest on his own. When Will had first arrived at Master Brown's hovel of a home, he had been terrified. Will had been only a child with no friends or family in Port Royal to speak of. He still hadn't found his father, and really hadn't planned on staying in Port Royal for longer than it took to recover from the shipwreck. But as soon as Governor Swan had found out that his young charge was essentially an orphan, alone in the world and so young, he had taken it upon himself to find a place for the boy to live and a trade he could learn that would secure his future. The only craftsman in town who needed an apprentice was the blacksmith-who had scared away his last three with his love of drink and his horrible temper. Will knew that Governor Swan had meant well, and that not being the brightest man in the Caribbean, probably had no idea that he was leaving the boy in the hands of a man who should never have been allowed around children to begin with. But, Will had felt duty-bound to stay. After all, the Governor had saved his life and nursed him back to health. The least Will could do was repay him for his kindness by following the Governor's wishes. Besides, the only clue he had to lead him to his father-the medallion the elder William Turner had sent him-was missing, lost in the shipwreck.
So Will allowed Governor Swan to think he had helped the boy. Will stayed with "Master" Brown, never giving in to the temptation to run away. He learned what he could from Brown on the rare days that the man was not drunk, and figured out the rest for himself. In the beginning, the younger Will had found it almost unbearable. Brown was an exceptionally violent drunk, and had no qualms about taking his temper out on his apprentice. In time, it got a little easier. Brown was not nearly as violent as he used to be-now he normally just sat around in a stupor and frequently just drank himself unconscious. Still, that didn't mean Will didn't hate the man with a vengeance and having to constantly hear his Master getting the praise for Will's hard work was really getting to be too much.
It was no surprise when Will opened the door to find Master Brown passed out on the floor of the workshop, covered in soot and stinking to high heaven, several empty bottles lying by his outstretched hand. Will glared at the man for long moments, before sighing and getting back to work. The Governor had placed another order. He wanted a sword for the soon-to-be-Commodore Norrington-another man who was apparently better than Will was. There was no doubt in his mind that Master Brown would receive the credit for the Commodore's sword too.
It's as if they think I should be grateful that they lower themselves to speaking to me, he thought, with heavy irritation. Not that he ever acted as though he didn't know his place. How could he forget? It seemed that every time he saw somebody, they were quick to remind him. But he had learned not long after entering Port Royal that it was much better for him to be polite, behave, and keep his mouth shut. That was partly why he did not try to be friendly with anyone as he stalked grumpily back to his "home". He knew that if he spoke to someone, he was likely to lose his temper and get in trouble.
He didn't know why Governor Swan's words had gotten him so upset today.
Will had presented him with a decorative hanging for above the Governor's fireplace, made of two swords crossing each other over the Swan family crest. Will had worked very hard at it-after all, Miss Elizabeth would be seeing it and he wanted to impress her-and he was very proud of his work. The Governor had been polite and kind, as he always had been to Will from the day they pulled him from the sea. He had been pleased with Will's work, and the boy had felt himself flushing with pride at the Governor's praise. And then, the Governor had said it, like he said it every time.
"Please pass my compliments on to your Master."
Master, Will though disdainfully. The only thing he has mastered is how to stay continuously drunk for days at a time.
As far as Will was concerned, his so-called Master Brown was a worthless and disgusting waste. The older man had never really taught Will much of anything beyond the rudimentary basics, leaving Will to figure out the rest on his own. When Will had first arrived at Master Brown's hovel of a home, he had been terrified. Will had been only a child with no friends or family in Port Royal to speak of. He still hadn't found his father, and really hadn't planned on staying in Port Royal for longer than it took to recover from the shipwreck. But as soon as Governor Swan had found out that his young charge was essentially an orphan, alone in the world and so young, he had taken it upon himself to find a place for the boy to live and a trade he could learn that would secure his future. The only craftsman in town who needed an apprentice was the blacksmith-who had scared away his last three with his love of drink and his horrible temper. Will knew that Governor Swan had meant well, and that not being the brightest man in the Caribbean, probably had no idea that he was leaving the boy in the hands of a man who should never have been allowed around children to begin with. But, Will had felt duty-bound to stay. After all, the Governor had saved his life and nursed him back to health. The least Will could do was repay him for his kindness by following the Governor's wishes. Besides, the only clue he had to lead him to his father-the medallion the elder William Turner had sent him-was missing, lost in the shipwreck.
So Will allowed Governor Swan to think he had helped the boy. Will stayed with "Master" Brown, never giving in to the temptation to run away. He learned what he could from Brown on the rare days that the man was not drunk, and figured out the rest for himself. In the beginning, the younger Will had found it almost unbearable. Brown was an exceptionally violent drunk, and had no qualms about taking his temper out on his apprentice. In time, it got a little easier. Brown was not nearly as violent as he used to be-now he normally just sat around in a stupor and frequently just drank himself unconscious. Still, that didn't mean Will didn't hate the man with a vengeance and having to constantly hear his Master getting the praise for Will's hard work was really getting to be too much.
It was no surprise when Will opened the door to find Master Brown passed out on the floor of the workshop, covered in soot and stinking to high heaven, several empty bottles lying by his outstretched hand. Will glared at the man for long moments, before sighing and getting back to work. The Governor had placed another order. He wanted a sword for the soon-to-be-Commodore Norrington-another man who was apparently better than Will was. There was no doubt in his mind that Master Brown would receive the credit for the Commodore's sword too.