The Lost Ingots of Tagus
by Aldesina
Chapter 3: Revelations and Shared Pasts
Disclaimer...As you are probably all very well aware, I do not own anything, if I did I would be rolling in it, since I am not, and I do NOT own the story I am poor, and can only write fanfiction about it. Ah sigh, oh well, on with the story
"Untie them" Bootstrap Bill's voice ran out. "Untie them!" The two men that unmasked Will and Elizabeth pulled out blades and cut the ropes from the two youth's hands.
The second Will's hands were untied he turned around and grabbed the nearest pirate's sword in one hand and shoved Elizabeth behind him with the other.
"Get Back!" He shouted pointing the sword at Bootstrap.
"Now, now, easy there boy, easy!" Bootstrap removed a handkerchief from the inside of his jacket and wiped his forehead with it. He raised an arm toward Will.
"Now don't be hasty with that thing, I know you're quite skilled at it though God knows I abhorred the very idea of you learning weaponry…."
"Shut up." Will was shaking as he slowly back away from Bootstrap Bill with Elizabeth behind him. The crew parted for the two youths looking from them to their captain, confusion written plainly on their faces. They were getting away yes, but then again if the young man really was the captain's son no one wanted to deal the with the consequences that would come with killing him. Only Diablo stood to the side with a calm expression on her face. Only she had been with Bootstrap Bill since the beginning. She knew what was going on, and could plainly understand the crew's bewilderment, but it wasn't her place to explain. All she could do now was make sure the two backing slowly away from her Captain weren't harmed in the instance of chaos. God I hope he doesn't do anything stupid.
"Elizabeth, get into the lifeboat, lower it and get rowing"
Too late.
"Now hold on son, there's no need for that…"Bootstrap started to walk over to Will, the hand holding the handkerchief extended.
"Shut up!" Will said, his sword still pointed at Bootstrap Bill "You are not my father, my father died at sea, Barbossa tied his feet to a cannon ball and shot him into the ocean. Barbossa killed him."
Elizabeth started to make her way toward the lifeboat but Diablo made it there first and laid a hand on the boat's rim stopping her.
"Hear the Captain out" She said to Elizabeth.
"And why should I listen to a pirate whore like you?" Elizabeth spat.
"Because if this pirate's whore hadn't recognized your fiancée, you would have been raped, your beloved tortured, and then both of you would have been promptly killed."
"You couldn't have done that; the pirate's code says that you can't harm the prisoners."
"Correction, Miss Swann, the pirate's code says you can't harm wares and we weren't going to take you on as a ware." Diablo looked at the young girl, she is probably only few years younger then me Diablo thought, she sighed. I might as well make peace with the girl since her husband to be is the captain's son.
"Don't look so horrified, nothing is going to happen to you or Will, just stay on this ship"
"How could you let them do that? How could you let these men take, and kidnap helpless women?" Elizabeth sneered at her. "You're a woman, don't you have any compassion?"
"It's called self preservation, Miss Swann, because contrary to popular belief, I am nobody's whore." Elizabeth seemed slightly shocked at Diablo's statement. She couldn't have been more then two years older then her. What was a girl her age doing on a pirate's ship if she wasn't a whore? She was a good fighter, but all the men aboard this ship were as well. They didn't need to take on a woman aboard. And she didn't exactly have the air of a pirate about her either. She was odd, and Elizabeth couldn't exactly place it, whatever it was. Her features vaguely resembled the men and women from the far east that were sometimes captured by pirates and sold at the stalls. Or sometimes they came out of their own free will to sell spices and fragrances. Elizabeth turned as she saw Will backing toward her.
Diablo looked up as Will reached the boat where she was trying to prevent Elizabeth from climbing into. Her captain was right in front of him, waving a white handkerchief and holding both hands out in a sign of surrender, it would do him no good to lose his son again.
"Ahh well you know about Barbossa, then you should know about the curse, you know the one were I can't die"
"But if you couldn't die why'd they go after me, why'd they go after Elizabeth?"
"Err……" Bootstrap scratched his head in confusion, "To tell you the truth son I don't know why they would go after that pretty lass although it's kinda…."
"Shut up, don't call me son, I'm not your son."
"Yes you are!" Bootstrap shook his head in desperation, "Damn it William, when I heard the ship you sailed on was destroyed by pirates I though I'd never see you again." Bootstrap Bill waved the hand with the handkerchief in it to and fro in front of Will's face. Will just about had enough of that when he noticed something odd about that scrap of cloth.
"Jesus, what the hell will it…."
"Where did you get your handkerchief?"
"Wha?" Bootstrap stopped mid tirade.
"Where did you get it?" Bootstrap's eyes softened,
"The same place I get all my handkerchiefs son, your mother makes them for me."
"How am I so sure you didn't just steal it from my dead father's corpse."
"By the Gods he really is dense, Capt he's got your good looks and most unfortunately he's also got the brains of a plank of wood."
Everyone turned to look at Diablo who was now leaning against the railing with a bored look on her face.
"William Einan Turner Jr and William Einan Bootstrap fucking Bill Turner" Both Turner men cringed at the usage of their full names, "You will both cease this stupidity and promptly report the Captain's cabin to sit and talk this out." She then turned her attention on the younger Turner man.
"Will you obviously don't think our Captain is going to kill you because you've lowered your sword, and Captain," Diablo said turning once more to face her captain "You most definitely have some explaining to do since you've left your family for a good fifteen years." Bootstrap's face was turning red with anger.
"WOMAN you will learn to…"
"INSIDE NOW!" Diablo shouted, and Bootstrap jumped.
"Bloody wretched woman…"
"Is she your consort?" Will said quietly, "Did you cheat on mother while you were away?" Diablo had to stop her jaw from dropping, she opted instead to stare coldly at Will without saying anything. Had she opened her mouth she might put either the young Turner man over the edge, or the elder Turner man over the edge. She did not want to deal with that right now.
"What?" Bootstrap looked confused, then sort of relieved that his son was finally acknowledging him "No son, she's not a consort, she's more of a daughter…"
"You had another child?"
"Oh for God's sake," Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "You're the Captain of this ship, do you really want all of your personal business all over the place?" She pointed her finger at them standing with her arms akimbo "You should both be ashamed of yourselves, the resemblance between you two is uncanny."
"As well as the shared IQ of a wooden plank." Diablo rolled her eyes as she walked over past the captain. She was pleased that this Elizabeth girl showed some common sense. "Well then, shall we proceed gentlemen?"
"Aye, come on son, there's actually quite a bit I need to tell you." Will nodded stiffly and reached a hand to Elizabeth who took it. Together they followed Bootstrap Bill into his wardroom. Diablo lingered behind, running her eyes over the still stunned expressions of the crew.
"What're you blasted monkeys still looking at?" They jumped at the young girl's waspish voice.
"Get the fuck moving or they'll be cuts in the slops tonight and every night till we find what we're looking for." The crew still blinked at her
"Get the Fuck Back to WORK!" Diablo hollered. The men all looked from one to another before shuffling off to their posts fast. Their captain looking frustrated was odd, finding a son was odder, but Diablo screaming more then once a day was downright scary. The only other time she screamed was when Tippen accidentally opened her cabin door without knocking. Tippen now had a crooked nose and was missing several mismatching toes and figures. Tippen was also dead at the bottom of the ocean. But the one thing they all seemed to remember was the crooked bleeding nose and the fingers and toes that went flying in all directions, as well as the screams.
"Diablo?" Marlow asked.
"What?" Diablo's voice had lowered back to normal.
"The crew will not like not knowing what's going on."
"I'm well aware of that, and the Captain will inform the crew of what's going on when he deems it appropriate."
"Don't you usually handle the info?" Marlow prodded, he smirked and humorously poked Diablo on the arm. Diablo shook her head, it was true, she was usually the person who informed everyone of everything.
"I think these matters were best settled by the Captain." Diablo peered at Marlow.
"Besides, don't you have a sword to clean or two?" Marlow laughed.
"Ok, ok, point taken." He left Diablo there next to the railing.
Diablo looked over the railing back to where they had just set off from. Port Royal was now a half a day's sail away. Well it was half a day's sail away on any other ship. The Dragoness was the fasted ship on water. A combination of Norse and British technology gave the boat it's sleek design and long body. The ship also had two more large wind sails then the British ships did, giving it more wind power, thus more speed. Right now all three main sails were up and running, going across the water at top speed. No military ship, no Black Pearl could outmatch it's speed. The Dragoness was also heavily armed, in addition to ten cannons lining each side of the lower deck, there were also two cannons at the bow, and three cannons at the stern. Topside had five cannons on each side that were removable and could be easily be swerved around to point in any direction. Diablo sighed again as she looked back to where Port Royal would have been, it had faded from sight hours ago. She took one last look, and went to gather food and refreshments. The Captain would probably not want his son to starve, and if he was going to welcome a daughter in law into the family he might as well start shaping up a bit on his hospitality.
Bootstrap Bill closed the door to his room as he heard Diablo's voice bellow out
"Get the Fuck Back to WORK!" He shook his head at the sound. The girl could peel sheets of solid wood off his ship with her voice if she had a mind to. He turned over to look at the young couple before him. They did not look pleased. Bootstrap steeled himself. He was a pirate captain for God's sake. But the sight of his son standing there defensively, looking so betrayed, Bootstrap sighed. It was going to be a long trip.
"Now will you please put down that sword?" Bootstrap looked at his son
"Not until you tell me what's going on." Will said
"Besides how are we so sure you're who you say you are?" Elizabeth added.
"You mean besides the looks, the handkerchiefs and the fact that I can remember exactly how hard it was to potty train your soon to be husband." Will turned scarlet. And Bootstrap shook his head again. William always blushed mighty easily, just like Milady. He clutched the handkerchief in his hands closer to him, "I thought I would at least get to see you both at least once more." He held out the handkerchief to Will becoming more and more antsy.
"Come on son, stop this foolishness and at least sit down so we can have something to eat and a drink." Will looked at him sideways,
"All right, but there will be no harm done to Elizabeth"
"There will be no harm done to either of you now please sit." Bootstrap motioned his hand over to a table in his cabin. Will nodded and then took Elizabeth's hand and led her over to one of the seats that was surrounding the large wooden table. He pulled a chair out for her and then sat down in the chair next to her. Bootstrap who was watching all this seemed rather pleased that his only son turned out to be quite the gentleman.
A knock came at the door, and it opened to reveal Diablo carrying a tray of food and drinks.
"I wasn't quite sure what their tastes ran to, so I got them wine and brought some of that orange juice that we had left over from the tropics."
"Orange juice?" Will looked over at Diablo "Do you think this is a party or something?"
"We're trying to make you comfortable Will" Bootstrap cut in "There's no need to be hostile, besides, she's technically your sister."
"So you did cheat on mom!" Will sat up quickly, knocking over his chair. "Why, why did you do that?"
"Sit down boy" Bootstrap Bill sat down heavily, massaging his temples. "Why are you so stubborn. Just sit down and let me explain."
Will looked between his father and the girl that was standing at the table laying out cups and plates of food for them, he sat back down.
"Good." Bootstrap took a drink of wine from his goblet.
"Now…. Where shall I begin?" Bootstrap asked while popping a grape into his mouth. Diablo sat down next to them and started slicing the cheese with one of her daggers.
"How about explaining to me how you survived being shot out of a cannon?"
"Well that's quite easy. As you know, since you've been acquainted with my charming former Captain; Barbossa, that there was a curse placed upon the Aztec gold that we took from the chest."
"Yes, we know about that, but that doesn't explain anything about why he would shot you out of the cannon." Elizabeth said.
"Oh he didn't tell you that now did he?" Bill wrung the handkerchief in his hand like it was somebody's neck. "I guess the bloody bastard wouldn't do that now would he.
"Well the thing is, the curse came with a warning. I don't mean like the way curses usually come with warnings which come in the form of a verbal threat or some kind of rumor. I mean an actual warning. I was the first one to reach that chest, and I was the first one to break the seal and pry it open. Thus I was the one that received the physical warning." Bootstrap Bill shuddered, and poured himself some more wine.
"It was horrible, the second I opened the chest and touched that gold it flew at me."
"What flew at you?" Will asked as Diablo handed him a glass of juice.
"Um, thank you." Will said with a sheepish kind of look on his face. Diablo just smirked at him.
"Think nothing of it."
"What flew at me?" Bootstrap Bill shuddered. "It really can't be described. When I first saw it I thought that it was the curse that the Aztec Gods had put on the gold. I thought they had somehow managed to capture the hand of death itself to do their bidding. But it was not. It surrounded me on all sides enveloping me in this cold, cold embrace. I thought I was going to die. Instead all I could hear around me were voices. They whispered to me like sirens of the old Grecian days. Whispered that since I opened the chest, I and anyone else that took the gold would be cursed. The only way that I could redeem myself was to seal the gold back in the chest once again with blood, my blood to be precise. For a second there I scoffed, not believing the voices around me, thinking that I was dreaming and hit my head. So the voices decided to give themselves a face." Bootstrap stopped again, and poured himself another glass of wine. His hand slightly shook as he reached for the bottle.
"For as long as I live I shall never forget that face, though if you ask me to describe it, I will never be able to and if you ask me to draw it, it could never be done." Bootstrap Bill looked hard at his son. "I hope that you never have to look upon a face such as that, a face such as that, changes people." Will looked at his father.
"Is that why you have that haunted look in your eyes, is that why Jack has it?"
"Jack?" Bootstrap harrumphed, "No, Jack did not see those things, he was left high and dry long before we got to the island"
"But you said…"
"I know what I said, it was actually me that did nothing to stop them, me,
that did not help him, me that Jack should want to kill. Yet for some reason a man cannot help feeling jealous when he sees that the person he got shot for is alive and well, and…. Ahh, it's just nothing but pride and foolishness boy."
"Can you continue with your story, what happened?"
"The face, it did not make it's appearance just to scare me, it showed me a vision as well. It essentially showed me our future, at first it looked great. We were shot, and we didn't die, we were hung, and yet remained alive, we could breathe underwater, walk upon the ocean's floors, we were immortal! But then the moonlight shown down upon us, and we were monsters. We couldn't eat; the food turned to ashes in our mouths, we couldn't sleep; for no rest could have come to us, we couldn't touch; for we would feel nothing, no pain, no warmth, no cold, no sense of smell, no sense of life. It was as if we could interact with the world of the living, but it refused to interact with us." Bootstrap looked at his son.
"I remembered Jack at that moment, I remember thinking that he was one lucky bastard, he could feel, he could touch, he could…… he could die. The second that thought reached my head I found myself on the floor of the treasure room, my compatriots, looking down at me, they asked me if I was ok. I told them not to touch the gold, I told them the consequences of the curse, and I told them to just leave. But they did not believe me. Then I mentioned Jack, it was a stupid move, but I told them Jack would have believed me. They turned on me then, saying that I was a mutineer, that I was on the wrong side, and that I was stupid." Bootstrap shook his head again as if he was clearing out his thoughts, reorganizing the facts.
"I had the last laugh though, when they tied me up and shot me out of that cannon I managed to snatch one piece of the Aztec gold, snatch one piece and held on to it so they would be cursed for eternity, cursed for killing Jack, cursed for their foolishness, and cursed, for turning on their friends whenever it was convenient. I was bitter and angry and I wanted them to suffer. The only advantage I had was the fact that I knew what our curse was. When they shot me out of that cannon I, well, I was forced to test the non breathing issue out first hand. It worked like a charm. Luckily for me they did not shoot me off into a particularly deep part of the ocean. Ha, according to Barbossa, as long as the water was a league or so above my head I would be as good as dead. The sea was 250 leagues above me, and no son, that's not deep at all, not when you are able to walk along the bottom, not when you don't have to eat, not when you can't feel the water sucking at your skin and bones. I spent months down there, and the things I saw…. I don't think another human being will ever see again. When I finally came to shore I found myself on the continent of South America, it was full of Spaniards, this quaint little place and to my utter and pleasant surprise I had not changed at all in appearance. I immediately went to the nearest post office, I sent the medallion to you, thinking that it would clue you and your mother in on the fact that I was alive and well, but not anyone else. I also went to the bank and attempted to gather some of my assets together to buy myself a trip home to England."
"If you where trying to do that, then why didn't you come home earlier? Mum cried every night you didn't come home thinking that your ship must have crashed somewhere or something." Will said
"I couldn't come home" Said Bootstrap, "Barbossa was becoming too much of a threat. You see during the time I was away Barbossa and his men had been making quite a name for themselves. I realized then that they knew full and well about the curse, and knew that they couldn't be killed. If they knew that, they also must have figured out that what I told them about lifting the curse would have been true, and they would have to get my blood to release them from it. There was no bloody chance in hell that I would have helped them, no chance. So instead I stayed in that quaint little city, making a name for myself as a shell and jewelry salesman. I learned the language and stayed out of sight. Through the market places I would hear rumors about the Black Pearl and it's doomed crew of pirates so evil that hell spat them out." Bootstrap Bill laughed, "Oh hell didn't spit them back out, they just couldn't lay their hands on them that's all. Not yet anyway." He sighed, took a breath and continued with his story
" I could always gather whatever materials I needed at the bottom of the ocean, eventually I began to make money and decided that it was time to find my sea legs again. On my way home one day I passed by the slave market. Now I usually don't pay attention to it much, I'm not a big supporter of the flesh industry but something caught my eye. I saw a little girl, around the age of twelve. She was sneaking her way out of the back tent, she was small, lanky, Asian, plain looking in my opinion, but she had that spark that's hard to find in people. I felt bad for her, the second she was caught they would probably beat her and then sell her to the highest bidder. Virgins always sold quick. As I predicted one of the flesh traders soon realized what her intentions were and immediately tried to stop her. She killed him, she didn't' blink, she didn't' scream, she simply took out these two long daggers, long even for an adult, and gutted him, he didn't' have a chance. When she finished she looked up at me with these ice cold eyes, daring me to tell anyone of what she had done. I tipped my hat at her, and was soon on my way."
"The girl you met was Diablo wasn't it?" Will asked looking at the Asian girl that sat across from him "It must have been terrible for you." Diablo raised an eyebrow
"I certainly made my outlook on life more diverse then most twelve year olds." Elizabeth blinked at that comment
"Diverse?" Elizabeth looked again at Diablo, she was actually quite pretty Elizabeth thought, for a girl who probably never touched cosmetics she had rather good skin. And for some reason even though everyone else on this boat was tanned and browned her skin remained fair and only slightly bronzed, like someone had sprinkled a fine gold dust upon her. She could probably clean up nicely. Elizabeth blinked again, I guess I should be friends with her, she just might be my sister in law after all.
"Did you go with Bootstrap Bill then? Is that when you escaped the slave traders?"
"No, the Captain left and two men jumped me, they tried to take away my daggers but luckily for me they were also partially drunk and thought that I was a young street whore instead of one of their wares" Diablo chuckled lightly.
"I was tall for my age, and filling out a bit earlier then I was suppose to. I think it's what saved me that night, that and they had just picked me up a week ago. I was still pretty unrecognizable, had they known what I really was they would have either killed me, or beaten me to death, I was lucky that they were drunk and stupid. I killed them and then left to find a ship."
"Just like that?" Elizabeth looked skeptical
"That's all you're going to hear" Diablo said "So yes, just like that"
"That still doesn't explain how you ended up with my father."
"Ahh so you're calling me father now?" Bootstrap seemed very pleased with himself. Although whether it was because of the wine or not, nobody knows.
"Good, good, glad to know we're making progress."
Author's note;
He, he, kinda evil to end it here isn't it? No worries though, there will be explanations soon. Thank you so much for all who have reviewed, and as usual please read and review
Until next time!