The Oldest Story in the Book

Chapter

Disclaimer: Not mine

Author's Note: Sorry, sorry. This has taken so long, and I know it. But I was supposed to be typing a paper while doing it, so try to be thankful for my sake.

Pearl went to the rail to look at Marden's approaching ship. With a grin she ducked down beneath the rail.

"Are you still doing this?" Will asked.

Pearl grinned and nodded, drawing her sword and putting a finger over her smirking lips.

"Doing what?" Norrington asked.

"You'll see," Elizabeth said.

Marden's ship quickly drew up beside the Black Pearl. "Ho, Captain Sparrow," Marden called from the rail. He looked older than his years. While the sea seemed to have the magical effect of keeping the Sparrows young and vibrant it seemed to be wearing on the man. He looked much more Jack's age than Jack did, grey creeping into his hair and sun-deepened wrinkles decorating his face.

"Ho Marden," Jack called.

"Permission to board?"

"Granted."

Marden grabbed a rope and swung over to land on deck just in front of Pearl's hiding place. Without turning he stepped forward to greet Jack. As he shook the pirate's hand Pearl snuck from her hiding place to raise her sword.

At the last moment he spun away from Jack, drawing his sword to intercept hers.

"Becoming a little predictable, aren't we Pearl?" he asked with a grin.

"Or maybe I just want you to think that so I can do something completely unexpected next time."

"I always expect the unexpected from you, Pearl," he said, drawing back to circle. "That's why it isn't unexpected."

They traded blows. "Well, if you expect it why aren't you winning?" Pearl asked.

"Makes life more interesting if I toy with you before slaughtering you."

"Oh, slaughter is it?" Pearl asked.

"Don't worry. I'll throw your battered carcass down to Davy Jones."

"And I'll toss your bloody corpse back to your crew."

They circled, trading blows. Norrington stood, arms crossed and mouth compressed into a hard line as he watched the two trade blows. After a moment he realized Emmie had appeared next to him, holding exactly the same position. He stared at her, for the first time in years incredibly aware that this was indeed his daughter next to him. His bastard daughter, whose life he was risking to retrieve his proper son. Guilt stabbed at him for a moment, but he pushed it way. If Emmie had been kidnaped and Ethan were older he'd allow his son along.

"Do they always do this?" Norrington asked his daughter.

"Every time," she answered with a sigh.

Meanwhile a large number of Jack's crew had gathered behind them, now cheering for Pearl. From the rail of Marden's ship his crew added their own cheers and jeers.

The two traded blows, ranging across the deck. "They're still pretty evenly matched," Will remarked. "She hasn't been training?"

"Nah. Says she's too old to learn new tricks, and her old tricks haven't failed her yet," Emmie said.

"Pearl, you're slow on your right," Will called to them.

"Stuff it, Turner," Pearl answered.

"Well, you are. You're giving him an opening."

As he spoke Pearl let out a cry. "See," Will said.

Pearl turned to examine her shoulder. "You got me." She fingered the cut in her shirt. "I'm bleeding."

"Then I win by right of first blood," Marden announced.

"Keep dreaming," Pearl said, turning away from her shoulder to raise her sword again.

"You didn't call right of first blood at the outset of battle. We play pirate rules. Death or surrender is the only thing that's going to settle this well and good."

"So I'll have to wait a few more minutes to claim victory," he said indifferently.

"Eternity wouldn't be long enough," Pearl shot back. "Victory shall be mine."

Pearl attacked with a sudden flurry of blows, giving Marden no opening to reciprocate and forcing him back toward the rail. Once there he knocked her sword back with an especially powerful blow, taking advantage of the opening to step up onto the rail.

Pearl followed, grinning at they both took a moment to find their balance on the ship rocked by waves. Then Marden swiped at her, and the battle was back on.

They moved back and forth along the rail, shifting with the ship.

The crews followed as they moved, calling encouragement and hissing at every opening.

The end came suddenly as an especially large wave overcame them. Out of pure luck on his part Marden was in a better position when it hit, and managed to send a blow toward Pearl before she had completely recovered her balance. Her choices were to release her sword or fall into the seething water between the ships.

The crew of the Black Pearl moaned as her sword skittered across the deck, coming to rest beneath Emmie's booted heal.

Marden lifted his sword to fit it immediately beneath Pearl's chin. "Do you surrender?"

Pearl sighed and crossed her arms although her head and neck remained perfectly still. The look on her face was more that of a housewife resigning herself to overpaying on flour than a pirate in a life-threatening situation. "I suppose," she sighed out.

Marden grinned as he withdrew his sword and sheathed it as he hopped off the rail. Taking the two steps that separated them he reached up to offer Pearl his hand with an inclination of his head. Pearl gave him a perfect curtsy, took his hand, and stepped onto the deck as gracefully as any Lady of breeding ever had.

Marden immediately wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. "So does that make it me ahead by ten or twenty?"

Pearl shook her head and rolled her eyes. "It makes us dead even, and you know it."

"Ah yes. But that doesn't change the fact that I believe I should receive a prize of some sort." Pearl snorted. "Or you could just owe me your life."

"I owe you nothing, Marden," she informed him.

"Oh, so I shall have to take my prize now?" Pearl smiled, giving a good impression of an indifferent shrug as she gave him a rather flirtatious look out of the corner of her eye. "Very well then."

With that he bent her over backward, capturing her in a deep kiss that Pearl did very little to escape. Norrington found himself growling deep in his throat as he crossed his arms to glare at the spectacle. He paused in surprise when he heard a similar growl beside him, looking down to find his daughter in the same position, glaring just as strongly.

After a few moments of this Emmie cleared her throat. When that failed to separate them Norrington did much the same, rather more loudly.

Marden straightened, steadying Pearl on her feet and keeping his hands firmly around her hips to keep her close. "Is there something I may do for you, Commodore?" There was a definite bite to the words.

"I had hoped to rescue my son some day soon," he informed the pirate.

"You know, it occurs to me that perhaps if you had spent more time watching your son and less gallivanting after honest men-"

"Honest men operate within the bounds of the law," Norrington interrupted. "And I assure you, I do not go gallivanting after them. And for your information, I was gallivanting after no one when my son was stolen. I was visiting my wife's grave."

He knew it was a mistake as soon as it left his mouth. Emmie gave a quiet gasp. The closest thing to a pained look he had ever seen crossed Pearl's face before she looked away.

Marden smirked. "Lovely. At least we know where your heart lies. Isn't that lucky for us, Pearl?" he asked.

"Marden, leave off," Pearl ordered, although her voice was thick with exhaustion rather than anger. "I would ask you to remember that it was because of me Ethan was taken. You are doing me a favor, not him. Now, go speak with Jack. Edward's right. We should be on the move."

Marden's hands moved up to caress her back. "Darling?"

Pearl reached back to remove his hands. "Just go." The ghost of a smile crossed her face as he grudgingly moved to obey.

Pearl turned out to look at the sea. Norrington glanced down at his daughter, who was intently studying her mother's back. After a moment she met his eyes and shrugged, then motioned toward Pearl before she turned to go help with the ship.

"Pearl?" he asked gently as he approached her.

"I'm sorry Edward. I'm just tired. I'll be glad when this is over."

"You could go lay down," he suggested. "It'll take us a few hours to get there." He raised his arms to touch her back, but thought better of it and moved to stand next to her.

"I wouldn't be able to sleep," she answered.

He nodded understanding. "You know, Pearl, what I was talking to Maggie about, at her grave-"

"That's between you and her, Edward," Pearl said. "It's none of my business."

"It is, though." He reached up to brush her shoulder, felt her tense beneath the caress, and dropped his hand. "I was talking about you, Pearl. I was saying, after Maggie made me promise to think toward you if she died, whether she would really want me to."

"If she said she did it seems she would. The woman was fairly obvious when she wanted to be, which I always like about her."

"You said you wanted me to marry her, Pearl."

"Indeed I did, and was rather glad you did."

He shook his head. "You say that, Pearl, but I don't believe it for a moment. You would have been content to have me pinning after you."

She looked up at him, mouth hanging open in shock. "How dare you? Of course I wanted you to marry her. I told you I did. I wanted you to be happy."

"You say that, Pearl," he broke in. "But I think the selfish part of you wanted me all for yourself, and that part's never forgiven me for getting married."

"You're being utterly ridiculous," Pearl announced. "I would never be angry with you for doing what I told you, particularly when it made you so happy."

"But you were, Pearl," he sighed out. "And I'd hate for Maggie to feel that way. And I don't think she would. I truly think she would be genuinely happy for us."

Pearl sighed and turned toward him. "Edward, you loved her. Deeply and fully."

"Of course I did. She was my wife."

"That sort of love doesn't die."

Edward smiled and took her hands, moving close. "Neither does love for a woman who refuses you and orders you to marry another." Pearl looked away, and he brushed his lips over her hands. "A part of my heart will always belong to Maggie. There's no help for that. But part of my heart always belonged to you, and Maggie learned to live with that. While you were alive and liable to come back into our lives at any moment. I believe you can learn to live with my love for Maggie as well. Just know that you come first in my heart now."

She shook her head. "You are hopeless, aren't you?"

"Completely. Does that mean you believe me?"

Pearl sighed, pulling a hand through her hair. "Edward, now is not the time. I'm about to go face a man I've wanted to kill for years more than I care to count. Who tried to rape and very nearly killed me. I need to worry about ending this, about getting your son out alive, and keeping our daughter safe. That question deserves far more than I can give it right now. If I live, ask me later."

He opened his mouth to respond, still unsure how to answer, but was interrupted by a call of, "Pearl!" They both looked up at Rose, who was wrestling a piece of the rigging into place. "This isn't working. Could you come help?"

"Aye," Pearl answered, going over to her. "Pull to the right."

Wandering over Jack grinned at the man. "You got it bad, don't ya? Still, even, after all this time."

He gave Jack a half-hearted smile. Glancing around he found Marden speaking to Gibbs. Good, he was safe, for the time being at least. "I think it would be considerably easier if I weren't."

"Aye, no doubt there." Jack sat on the rail, drawing a leg up to perch there. "So I hear you have designs on taking my daughter from me."

Norrington sent him and inquiring look. "How did you hear?"

A smile flittered over the man's lips. "I have good ears, even in my sleep."

Norrington turned a bit red. "You heard all of that?"

"Every word. No worries, lad, I'm no gossip." He began examining the sleeve of his coat. "In fact, it's a mighty fine idea."

Norrington stared at the pirate. "Jack, are you suggesting that you WANT me to take Pearl off of this ship?"

Jack considered him for several minutes. "'Want' might be a bit strong. I love the lass, really I do. But she's gettin' on in years, and she has a good head on her shoulders. She'd make a fine captain on her own ship, rather than bumping heads with me on mine."

"So I'd be helping you out."

"Aye, but you'd be helping her more. Look, Eddie," Norrington sighed but didn't interrupt, "she spent her whole life trying to get out of my shadow. And it's a mighty big shadow. And thirty years is a long time to spend being just outrageous enough to get noticed."

"So you want me to take her out of your shadow to allow her to struggle in mine?"

"No, lad. I want you to take her out of my shadow so YOU may attempt to struggle out of HERS. While she continues to push you back into it, no doubt, and enjoy the sun for herself." He cleared his throat. "The fact is, Emmie misses her brother and the Turners, and I can't get them back to visit often as I should. And I know you'd care for them. There aren't many people I'd trust with that responsibility."

"Pearl isn't the sort to be cared for," Norrington pointed out.

"Aye, and that makes it all the harder to do it. But it needs to be done all and the same."

Norrington nodded. "You're exactly right, of course." His gaze settled on Pearl. Marden had come to help with the rigging, although his hands were on Pearl a good deal more than the rope.

"That's why he's never been any good for her," Jack said, nodding in their direction. "He assumes she knows what's best for herself and does just as he's told."

"She doesn't take ordering around very well," Norrington pointed out.

"You'll get good at giving her orders without giving orders, if you know what I mean. Just make sure that she stands as Captain on equal footing with you. I don't want to see her resigned to first mate again."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Norrington said. Jack stood and moved back toward the helm. "Jack," Norrington called out. The pirate turned with a curious look for the Commodore. "Thank you." Jack smiled, inclined his head, and continued his trek toward the wheel.

On the way the raven came swooping down out of nowhere to land on Jack's shoulder. Norrington watched as Jack paused (as much as the constantly-swaying captain ever paused) to study the bird. "Hello mate. Come to work out a peace accord, have you?"

The bird cocked his head and studied Jack with one beady eye. "Nevermore," it croaked and then leaned over to take one of Jack's silver bangles in his beak.

Jack squawked, suddenly attempting to catch the large black bird in his fluttering hands.

The bird responded by taking flight, trinket still firmly clutched in its beak. The result was a hilarious display as Jack ran after the bird, who was flying furiously with Jack's still-attached hair tugging at his head. A laughing Pearl watched the display for several minutes before producing a knife from thin air and throwing it at the bird.

The bird released the trinket and rolled to the deck. After a moment it stood, fluffed its feathers, and began preening its left wing. "What did you do?" Jack asked Pearl, examining his displaced lock and straightening his bandana.

"She hit it with the handle of the blade," Emmie answered for her grinning mother.

Jack shook his head as he glared at the bird. "That's it. When next we visit the gypsies I'm getting a parrot. You'll be left behind, lad." The raven paused to glance at him, then winged its way up to the mast.

Marden was laughing hardily as he returned Pearl's dagger to her. "I forgot how much fun I miss out on, not being on this ship."

Pearl took her dagger as he sidled closer, glancing at her glaring father. "Marden, why don't you go back to your own ship?" she suggested, pushing his questing hands away.

"That anxious to get rid of me, are you?" he asked.

"Aye. The temptation may prove too great," she said with a grin that was horribly forced.

"I don't mind," he assured her.

"Back, Marden. Tell the rest of your crew the plan. Prepare yourself. It will be a tight battle, even if we do have him outnumbered. And take care of yourself."

"That goes double for you," Marden said. "Maybe you could shelve the self-sacrificing matron act long enough to live through this."

"It isn't an act," Pearl put in. "Edward, you need to go tell Gillette to follow Marden. They will go battle the ships while the Black Pearl swings around the opposite side of the island."

Norrington eyed Marden, who was grinning at him. "He won't like it."

"No, he won't," Pearl agreed. "But you outrank him so he'll do as he's told. Marden will keep them safe."

Marden nodded. "No use sinking perfectly good ships, even if they are British Navy. As long as they're following Pearl's orders I don't see any reason they shouldn't stay above water." Pecking her on the cheek Marden said, "You be careful, and I'll see you later."

"You too," Pearl called as he ran over to the rail, caught his rope without pausing, and swung smoothly onto his own ship.
She shook her head, turned smartly on her heal, and scaled the rigging. "She sits up there when she doesn't want anyone to bother her," Emmie said with a sigh. "She doesn't let on, but this hard for her."

"She's strong. She can handle it," Jack said. "Come, Lass, there's work to do."

Author's Note: Whew. The stupid computer fought me on this one. As always, I'm very sorry it took so long. I hope to have the next chapter up sooner than later. And they will get to the island and see Bootleg, I promise, in the next chapter. When all is said and done only one of them (Bootleg or Pearl, that is) will be alive. You have my word, if you care for the word of a pirate like myself. Arrr.

Also, I must add, I want to encourage everyone to take advantage of a unique opportunity. I've been talking to a fellow fanfiction author whose character has positively captured my, and more importantly Pearl's attention. Spotted.paw, by name, along with Pendragginink, have tempted me into a parallel universe, where Pearl is playing joyfully with her newfound Uncle. I would encourage you all to read not only her "A Little Sparrow" (it's a little graphic but I sort of scanned some parts and especially sensitive me managed it, so you would live) but also "Honor Bright," to which I've become a contributor. Ms. Paw has done the service of shortening her story and giving synopses, so I'm sure you can navigate. And if you go there now, and read it all the way through, you will find not only a chapter of my own writing, but a rather shocking surprise about Pearl. I hope none of you hate me too much for this, but rest assured that this was done with my full approval. So go check it out, review the story (and this one if you would be so kind) and let me know what you think.