Pirates of the Caribbean: The Cursed Rings
Chapter 2: The Legend of the Bloody Star
Chapter Quote:
He was a good man and a good pirate. He's very famous and every pirate has heard of him. I just wish I could remember his name… - Jack Sparrow
Jack led the way to a private spot at Port Royal with the Black Pearl in sight. The ceremony kept going and Elizabeth and Will could still hear the music and laughter.
"What is this all about?" Will demanded.
"There they are!" a voice shouted interrupting Jack.
Governor Swann and Commodore Norrington walked up to the trio with a displeased look on their face.
Norrington glared at Jack and grabbed his pistol. "I should have shot you when I had the chance."
"They why didn't you?" Jack said grinning.
Governor Swann grabbed Norrington by the shoulder and eased the pistol away from Jack. "Calm down Commodore."
Governor Swann then turned to his daughter and her accompanies. "Can I have a moment alone with my daughter? Please?"
Will and Jack nodded and walked a few feet away out of hearing distance. James Norrington stumped off in the distance.
"Father, please! Must you create a scene like that on my wedding day?" Elizabeth asked.
"Now Elizabeth please understand. This is your wedding day. It should not be interrupted by…that pirate!"
Elizabeth frowned. "He's a good man."
"But he's a pirate." Weatherby paused. "I know you think highly of him. I respect that, really I do. But, it's just not appropriate for him to barge in like that. And it puts the Commodore in an awkward position."
"Commodore Norrington hates pirates with a passion," Elizabeth said. "If Jack was an average man in Port Royal then he would like him."
"That's not for you to say. I would just like a warning next time your…friend decides to show up."
"I didn't know he was coming!" Elizabeth declared. "But he came to see me on my wedding day. He is our guest and we should treat him with respect and not like some criminal!"
"He is a criminal." Governor Swann sighed. "Don't worry Elizabeth, I won't let Commodore Norrington arrest him or do anything to upset your happy day. Just please, refrain him from making a fool out of our city."
"Thank you father!" Elizabeth kissed her father on the cheek.
The Governor grabbed the hands of his daughter and looked at the giant diamond on her left hand.
"That's a large rock for a blacksmith don't you think?"
Elizabeth eyed her father wearily. "What are you saying?"
"I mean, how could someone like him afford that?"
"Love and money have nothing to do with each other. I think it's a beautiful ring."
"Oh it's beautiful," Governor Swann agreed. "Are you sure it isn't…stolen? I mean he is a pirate too…"
"Father! How could you say something like that about Will? Will loves me and that's all that matters! He's a good man and someone you admired until you found out he was the son of Bootstrap Bill. He does everything possible to make me happy and no I don't believe this ring is stolen."
"Elizabeth I wasn't accusing, I was just saying…"
"I know what you were saying!" Elizabeth softened her tone a little and sighed. "I know you wanted me to be with someone like James Norrington. You think I'm safer with him than Will. But, I feel safe with Will and he makes me happy. Please understand that."
Governor Swann smiled warmly at his daughter. "You look like your mother right now. Seeing you happy brings joy in my life like you can't imagine."
Elizabeth smiled and hugged her father. "Thanks!"
"Oh, and I have asked the boy to fix the hinges on my door now for quite some time. Do you think you could urge him to get on it? I know nobody can do the job better than him."
Elizabeth giggled. "Of course!"
Will leaned against a stone wall watching Elizabeth talk to her father.
"What do you suppose she's saying?"
"Hmm?" Jack hummed looking up. "Sorry mate I'd almost falling asleep. Too much rum, eh?"
"Anyways," Will said turning his attention to Jack. "What about the ring?"
"Aye, the ring! Ok son get comfortable this might take away. Ok, you see a long, long, time ago there was this man…oh what was his name?"
Jack scratched his black scruffy goatee thinking hard.
"Oh well the name isn't important. Anyways, this man created two gems. They looked just like diamonds. You see that ring you gave Elizabeth isn't a diamond. It's man made from a secret substance. This man that I can't remember his name found a notorious treasure searched for decades by pirates from all around. He found it in Egypt. It contained this substance he used to create the two rings. Do ye follow so far?"
"I think so," Will said. "Some pirate a long time ago created two rings."
"Yea, anyways, he put one ring on each finger. These rings contained unimaginable powers. His ship, The Bloody Star, was known as the most powerful ship in it's time mostly because of those rings. But, the catch was, he could only use the powers in the moonlight."
"What's up with pirates, curses, and moonlight?" Will asked.
Jack shrugged. "They don't call 'em curses for nothing. Now anyways, soon all the surrounding pirates learned of the rings and went after them. But, he fought them off easily and became known as one of the most powerful pirates ever. I really wish I could remember the man's name…"
"Well?" Will said loudly. "Get to the part where this effects Elizabeth and myself!"
"Ok hold on, I'm getting there mate. So anyways, one night a band of pirates raided his ship. He was fighting them off but there was a lunar eclipse that night. So, the rings didn't work and his family was killed along with this crew. But, somehow he escaped along with the Bloody Star. He put a curse on the rings and tossed them in the ocean."
"What's the curse?" Will asked.
"That anyone who wears the rings shall loose who they hold most dearly to them during the next lunar eclipse."
Will eye's widened. "You mean I'm going to die at the next lunar eclipse?"
"Yea," Jack said flatly.
"Well, how do you reverse the curse?"
"Umm…" Jack's voice trailed off. "I'm not sure about that one…"
"Jack!" Will said. "You have to know!"
Jack sighed. "I don't know…but I might know someone who does, savvy?"
Will winced. "Tortuga?"
Jack grinned. "Tortuga."
Elizabeth left her father and ran over to Will and Jack. "So what's all this talk about a curse?"
Jack quickly explained everything to Elizabeth as he had to Will a few minutes ago.
"That's crazy Jack!" Elizabeth said.
Jack shrugged. "Maybe, but you're the one wearing the ring that whats-his-name made."
Jack looked up at the beautiful sky pondering the ring.
"He was a good man and a good pirate. He's very famous and every pirate has heard of him. I just wish I could remember his name…"
"So how do we get rid of his curse?" Elizabeth asked. She frantically walked in front of Jack and tugged on his vest. "What do we do?"
"Don't panic love," Jack said. "Will and I will sail to Tortuga and find out how to get that little diamond of your little hand."
"Tortuga? I want to go," Elizabeth declared.
"Elizabeth no," Will protested. "This isn't your kind of place."
"Not my kind of place? What's that suppose to mean?"
"Uh…well…umm…" Will turned to Jack.
"What your little google bear is trying to say is that Tortuga isn't the best place for a lady to be," Jack said grinning.
"I don't care. I'm going."
Jack raised his eye brows at Will. "You're wife lad."
Will sighed. "Ok…but stay close to me."
"I survived being kidnapped and cut by Barbossa, I think I can survive a little madness in a strange town."
"Aye, to the Pearl!" Jack said.