Chapter 14
Where the truth lies in vain
PG-13 for pirate violence
A/N I'm Back! But instead of a lengthy explanation of my absence which few would read, here's the story.
Jack Sparrow was conflicted. One part of him was blissfully happy, the other riddled with torment. The joyous side was in cause of Ana Maria accepting his proposal, the dark side was Will and Elizabeth were in the throws of a psychotic madman. This is what he knew of Mark Acrez. Sighing he popped a bottle of rum and glanced around the large dining table in the Captains Deck of the Black Pearl. His crew looked at him suspicious, hell they always looked suspicious the mangy lot, Jack thought to himself. Cotton's Parrot squawked lazily from aboard the perch where Barbossa's monkey had once sat a year ago. Ana Maria was digging into the table with a knife. Jack squinted to see what she carving. She was drawling their initials together connect by skull and crossbones made out of hearts. Jack quirked an eyebrow proving that he was still his insane self. She was so perfect for him it was unfathomable.
"Crew," he finally spoke. "We are about to embark on a rescue mission, something we so rarely accomplish. But we are going to get Captain Will and Miss Elizabeth back on this ship in one piece." He noticed everyone was listening, a very good sign.
Ana Maria piped up. "You can not kill Mark Acrez, unless he is endangering Will and Elizabeth." She looked to Bootstrap Bill. "Killing Mr. Acrez is Bootstrap's job, he has the longer grudge. Deal?" No one made a sound. "Good, their all yours Jack."
"Right, well then heave to and get us to Serquento as fast as the wind flies. Aye?"
"Aye!" they chimed in unison. Cotton's Parrot simply replied "Dead Fish Float" Which mostly everyone figures meant, Aye or something similar. Everyone left except Bill, Ana Maria, Marella and Jack. They sat as Marella continued telling them more details about her past dealings with Mark Acrez. She sat hands folded, looking grim as she relayed her knowledge. "He's an odd sort, he is. Very quick to anger. Slow to trust. I already know he hates me, but we never met face to face. He just knows my name and how I stole the gold. He wants to use me to get more treasures. But I've never dreamt of a hidden treasure since then. He wants Sam Bellany's gold which I have some of the rest is safely hidden away on an island off the coast of Mexico. We can give him what I have on this ship to satiate him."
Bill sat close to Marella gazing deeply at her. "Sweet Marella, we aren't going to suffer Mr. Acrez a fool. We're going to kill him. He's no good. Your money is staying aboard this ship, and Will and Elizabeth are coming back aboard it with us."
Marella shifted uncomfortably. "Don't kill anyone, isn't there another way?"
Ana Maria piped up "Marella," she started in a softer tone then usual, one she'd use with a child. "He'll come after you if we let him live, it's the only way."
"Au contraire Mon Amis." Jack began. "I say we make Mark Acrez a governor"
Marella looked completely confused. "A what? You're talking crazy again Mr. Sparrow."
Jack looked at Bill and Ana who understood perfectly. "In the pirating world governor means to take someone prisoner and release them, or maroon them for a better term onto a deserted isle in the middle of the ocean. Giving them a one-shot pistol for solace."
"Ah," she said realizing what that meant. "I get it now."
"See I've been declared Governor twice so I know the protocol and the perfect spot to inflict the most torture." Smiling gleefully he pulled Ana Maria by a hand and left the room.
"He is the most, interesting man I've ever met." She decided, turning to Bill.
"Aye he's a rare one Jack Sparrow is. But never a wittier or honorable man you'll find.
But you my dear are a very interesting woman." He grasped her hands tightly stroking them with his thumbs.
"Why Mr. Turner, do you have a fancy for me?" She blushed and smiled.
"Aye, I believe I do." He leaned closer. "How do you feel about me?"
"I feel quite happy around you." She brushed his stubbly cheeks with her hands. "Happier then I've felt in years. I like you Bill Turner."
"Good then we feel the same." He brought her face closer in a nice pleasant kiss. Which warmed both of them both heart and soul.
Elizabeth and Will sat in a prison cell. Mark Acrez accused them of a conspiracy to outwit him. This was a crazy accusation because neither knew anything about what was going one.
Crying Elizabeth slid don to the floor. "It's my fault" she sobbed.
Will, perplexed kneeled at her side. "Whatever do you mean? You did nothing to deserve this"
"No, I made us head towards Port Royal, if we would have went somewhere else he wouldn't have found us." She buried her head in Will's chest, drying her tears on his cotton shirt.
"My dear sweet Elizabeth, you wanted to go home and tell your father the news of our engagement, he is your only family. That is not the cause for this; most likely Acrez would have found us anyway."
"You're wrong." Elizabeth whispered.
"I am, and how is that?" Will felt a little defensive.
"Father is not my only family, I consider you my family too." She wrapped her arms around his head.
"Oh, well I'm not family yet, but I already consider you my family as well." He kissed her softly on the mouth.
Just then the door to the room they were locked in swung open, a large burly man grunted for them to get up. They followed him to the captain's quarters. An eerie glow hung in the air, as a single lantern swung in the middle of the room. Will blocked Elizabeth with his body protecting her as if it were second nature for him. She craned her head to see what was happening within.
Acrez sat at the head of the table twiddling a knife with his fingers. "I consider myself a reasonable man."
Will laughed, stepping forward he spoke. "A man, you could never be called such a prestigious term, you are nothing but a maggot."
His hand was squeezing Elizabeth's behind him. She knew that standing up to a childhood enemy required a lot of strength from her William.
"You think you can speak to me like an equal Turner? Why even your father knew his place around superiors." He stepped forward knife in hand, raised above his head and lunged at Will. Elizabeth screamed. Will covered her with himself, the knife grazing his ear. "You son of a-"Will shouted. Acrez started to lower his hand, just as Will pushed him back in to the table, Acrez's head connecting with the lantern, knocking it over and setting his hat ablaze. Will took the knife from his hand and raised it in the air. "You will never come near Elizabeth with a knife again, do you hear me?" Will said through clenched teeth as he pressed his arm into Acrez's neck cutting off his air flow.
Sputtering, Mark raised himself of the table glaring at Will. "How-"he coughed "dare you" Turning Will threw the knife into the wall, pinpointed its blade exactly in Acrez's self-portrait's eye. "Try to harm Elizabeth again and you will suffer the same fate."
"Not if I kill you insolent child." Acrez yelled for his large burly henchman. "Hurley, take them to the brig. Bring me Turner at dawn; we're going to have a nice morning for plank-walking."
Can Jack and his crew make it in time to save Will from an unfair punishment? Is bootstrap going to get his revenge once and for all against Mark Acrez? Check back for Chapter 15 of Truth of a Pirate's Past! (It feels good to be back)
