Beauty and the Pirate
Disclaimer:I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story from the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl". Nor do I own any dialogue that matches up to the dialogue from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" nor any storyline plots from said movie. I solely own the characters of Isabelle and Marcel Cheney and Gaspard and all additional creative story lines. Hope you enjoy the story and feel free to send a review!
Chapter 21
Different Side of Jack
"…and thus some merchant sailors have turned from the crown in exchange for what they consider freedom on the high seas," Isabelle finished reading out loud, placing her marker between the pages and closing the book.
The maiden then turned to the pirate sitting next to her on the beach, their faces glowing from the nearby fire, "How did you become a pirate?"
Sparrow shifted uncomfortably, "Well, much the same way as what ye just read."
"You were once a merchant sailor?" Isabelle asked with great interest.
"Aye."
"So what made you want to change from being a merchant sailor to a pirate?"
Jack took a deep breath, "Well, me father mostly. Ye see, I grew up with the knowledge that me father was a respected merchant sailor. While he was away I had me mother to look out for me. Oh how me father spoiled us with gifts from the places he visited. I admired me father so much! Knew from when I was just a lad that I wanted a respectable job like his. Always wantin' to be like him, I tried convincin' him to let me join his tradin' business, but he wouldn't. And so, I went out on me own joinin' whatever local merchants that would allow me. And let me tell ye, I did really well on me own. Especially this one time when me father was gone for a long while. I had just turned sixteen, paid off me own boat, and was starting me own little business. Howe'er, on the day of me eighteenth birthday, me father brought 'bout a surprise for me. He took me to a secret cove where I beheld the Black Pearl for the first time. It was there that he explained that he wasn't a merchant sailor but a pirate captain. He said that he had been waitin' so long for that day," Jack paused, his gaze towards the sea, "Anyway, he asked me to join his crew. In the end, I sold off me li'l business and became a pirate."
After a long moment of silence Isabelle turned to Jack, "Just couldn't resist in following your father's footsteps?"
Jack didn't look away from the sea, "No, I admired him too much at the time."
Isabelle nodded, "I know exactly what you mean."
"Yes, but I yet been able to stop meself in wonderin'…"
"What?" Isabelle pushed.
"What if I had kept me small business and it grew? I mean I was doin' so well for a young lad me age," Jack said in a trans, still looking out at the dark sea, "What would it be like now if I were a common respectable merchant sailor? Obeyin' the laws of the sea? I didn't have to be a pirate… me father was kind enough to give me a choice in how I wanted to live me own life. I mean, would me life really be all that bad as a merchant sailor?"
"But is that who you really are?"
"I don't think I'm sure of who or what I am anymore," Jack said as he slowly turned toward Isabelle, "Not since I've met you anyway."
"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Isabelle asked through gritted teeth.
"It's nothin' bad, Isabelle," Jack tried to reassure, "It's just that since I've met ye somethin' of the past, inside me, keeps tryin' resurface and I don't know what to do."
"Well, as you always correct me… you're a pirate."
"But I'm much more than that," Jack said dramatically, extending his arms out.
"I know there is much more to you," Isabelle reminded him with a soft smile.
"But that's it… you are one of the very, very few that actually know me… and are the only one that sees me as what I've always wanted to be," Jack concluded quietly, lowering his arms and dropping his head.
Isabelle gently put her right hand to the side of Sparrow's face and lifted it up, "A gentleman?"
"Aye."