The Oldest Story in the Book
Chapter 25
Disclaimer: Not mine
Author's Note: Still incredibly sorry this took so long. I hope to shift things in high gear soon. Thanksgiving Break is coming up, and with all the paper I have to type I may be resorting to Pearl in an attempt to stay sane.
It took another two hours to get them within sight of the island. Marden pealed off toward the opposite side of the island, the two navy ships behind. Norrington could have sworn he felt Gillette glaring at him.
He sat on the rail behind the helm with Pearl, Emmie, Will, and Elizabeth. They had all settled into a tense silence of a sort when the island came into view. Jack stood at the wheel. Apparently there were reefs all around the island, reefs Jack seemed convinced only he could steer them through. Anamaria had taken the insinuation that she was insufficient with surprisingly good humor, settling for a glare at her captain as she stomped away.
Now she returned with Gibbs behind her. Jack ignored her as she climbed up to stand by the wheel. "Jack."
"Captain, luv, it's Captain Jack."
Anamaria sighed heavily, rolling her eyes. "And I'm not luv, Captain."
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "What may I do for you, Anamaria?"
"I've been talkin' to the crew. We think we should go join Marden handling the ships while you sail off."
"No," Jack said. "You'll drop anchor and you'll wait for us."
"But Jack!" Anamaria cried.
"It ain't in our nature, Captain," Gibbs put in. "Sitting back while there's a fight to be fought. We belong in the middle of it."
Jack shook his head. "Look, we're off to scoop up some soft little noble's son. One as will probably be in shock after all that's happened. And there's no telling how many pieces we'll be in when we get out. We may need the Black Pearl quickly as possible, and rowing through a firefight may not be the best way to get to her. I know it's against your natures, and I appreciate it, but we need you right here. Am I clear?"
Anamaria and Gibbs exchanged looks and nodded. "Aye, Captain."
Norrington met Pearl's eyes. "Respect, is that it?"
"That's the idea," Pearl answered. "Which is hard for him, especially considering that the last crew mutinied on him. But it's the best way to run his ship, so he makes it work. Yes, Rose?"
The girl, along with her brother, had been sidling slowly closer. Now she stepped up in front of Pearl, eyes down as she shifted her feet, hands clutched behind her back. David was a bit more straightforward, looking them in the eyes, although he hung back behind his sister. "I wanted to ask a favor of you, Miss Pearl."
Pearl sighed heavily. "You can't come along."
Rose looked up, her eyes pleading, hands outstretched. "But you're letting Emmie go."
"We're going to get Emmie's brother. Thank the gods that yours is safe and sound, as you will be on this ship."
"But Pearl," Rose moaned.
"None of that! I won't tolerate whining, Rose. You know that."
"How can you ask me to stay on this ship while my friends risk their lives? You wouldn't tolerate that either," she pointed out.
"This is true," Pearl answered. "But I'm First Mate, and I'm giving you an order. The both of you. To remain on this ship and wait for us. I have a choice, you don't."
"It's not fair!" Rose moaned.
"I know it isn't. If it makes you feel better I'd leave Emmie behind if I could."
"It doesn't," Rose answered.
"And that's a pity. Back to work, the both of you."
They both shuffled poutingly off.
The entire crew spent the rest of the voyage in silence, watching the island grow on the horizon. Jack stood tall and imposing at the wheel, dutifully steering his ship ever closer. Will and Elizabeth sat dangerously close, hands entwined. Emmie toyed with the pommel of her new sword. Pearl sat stock still, her eyes becoming more distant by the moment. Norrington did just the opposite, his eyes jumping to every flutter of sail and shifting of rope, as if his son might appear at any moment.
The crew readied their boat as they approached the cove. Finally Jack gave the call to drop anchor.
The crew stood silent as they went to the boat. "Hey, enough of this. I feel like I'm on a death march," Jack ordered.
"Aye. We'll return with a soft little noble boy you can toy with. You should be celebrating," Pearl told them. This brought a smattering of laughter.
"You know, that is my son you're talking about," Norrington said as he gave Emmie a hand over the rail and into the boat. She helped Elizabeth over and steadied Will. The two of them settled quietly in the back of the boat, speaking in whispered tones to one another.
"That's why I said it," Pearl said.
"You know I'm not some soft noble. Why do you think my son would be?"
He offered her a hand she completely ignored, climbing easily in herself and earning a grin from her daughter. "I hate to break it to you, but you're much more the soft noble than you see. On the other hand, he is Maggie's darling son. I'd wager she trained some of the softness out of him, assuming you haven't spoiled that attempt in the last year."
"Your confidence in me is overwhelming," Norrington said as he leveled himself into the boat.
"We'll have to toughen him up," Emmie said.
"Ah, a lovely idea," Pearl said, eyes shining with mirth as they regarded Norrington. He gave her a suspicions look but let it drop.
"Jack, let's GO!" Pearl called. The captain, the only one left to board the ship, was involved in a long-winded discussion of the rigging with Anamaria and Gibbs, both of whom wore completely glazed eyes.
Jack waved a hand at his daughter before continuing the discussion. Anamaria dropped her head to rub at the bridge of her nose as Gibbs rubbed the back of his neck and gazed vaguely up at the rigging.
With a sigh Pearl stood and hopped out of the boat to grab the captain by the collar of his coat and drag him to the rail. "Bloody harlot, release me!" Jack cried as he tried in vain to turn his arms backward to catch the woman.
Releasing him Pearl hopped back into the boat and stood with her arms crossed glaring at him as he carefully smoothed the collar. "All right, point taken," he sighed as he stepped into the boat. "If you would, boyos." The indicated boys began lowering them to the sea.
"Guard her well," Pearl called.
"Once again Captain Jack Sparrow strides into the mouth of death," Jack sighed.
Pearl rolled her eyes and dropped her head into her hands. "Just once. Could we leave just once without some overblown, melodramatic speech?"
"Nah. That wouldn't be Jack," Emmie said. "I'd be worried that we'd really die if he didn't. It's like a final prayer to the Gods."
"God," Norrington corrected, suddenly realizing he had no idea what religion, if any, his daughter followed. "You mean God."
Emmie shrugged. "Whatever."
Norrington was going to answer but was drowned out by Jack's calling up to the ship, "Should we chance to return, we will celebrate tonight!" The men on the ship cheered.
"Oh, that will be lovely," Pearl said with a roll of her eyes. "Let's welcome the poor lad to the world of piracy with a drunken party."
"Exactly," Jack answered. "He'll sign up to join the crew before the sun rises when he sees all the fun we have."
Pearl rolled her eyes again and picked up an oar as her father did the same.
"You going to be all right?" Jack asked as a vacant look came over Pearl's eyes.
"I'm about to kill the man I've been fantasizing about killing for more years than I care to count. I'm about to end a vendetta twenty years in the making. I'm more than all right. I'm ecstatic." Her flat voice seemed to suggest she was anything but.
Jack and Emmie shared a look.
They rowed easily toward the cove. Just outside the rocky outcropping that marked the opening of the cove they paused. "You'll need to get yourselves into the water now," Pearl said, motioning toward a length of very thick rope tied to the end of the boat.
Emmie splashed immediately into the water, swimming with strong, sure strokes over to the rope. "I'll take the end," she said.
"I'm next to you," Norrington ordered. Turning to the Turners he asked, "Can you swim?"
"A little," they answered at the same time.
Norrington nodded. "You can be closest to the boat then." Shrugging out of his coat he gripped the side of the boat and, with Pearl counterbalancing for him, lowered himself into the water next to the rope.
He took Elizabeth's hand, doing much the same with her, guiding her over to the rope. Will accepted his help as well, and Norrington swam to his place between the blacksmith and his daughter. "How low do you need us to stay?" Elizabeth asked.
"Stay high as you like," Pearl answered. "We'll keep you behind the boat. No worries until we come up on the shore. We'll tie it up a ways out but it may get a bit shallow."
"Won't Bootleg's men think that's a bit odd?" Norrington asked.
"If they want to live they had best be focused on my sword and nothing else," Pearl answered. "Quiet now."
They rowed easily into the cove. "Two of them," Jack remarked over his shoulder.
"It's a good sign," Pearl said. "If he had brought three ships Bootleg would have felt comfortable filling this entire beach with men. He wants as many on the ships as possible."
"How many do you suppose are on the island?" Norrington whispered.
"Two on the beach, two on the top with Bootleg I'd imagine, maybe two holding Ethan," Pearl said.
"I like the odds," Jack commented.
"Me too," Pearl said. "But he'll have brought the best of his crew. Don't get too cocky."
As they rowed closer the men stood, guns in their right hands and swords in their lefts. Jack and Pearl stopped rowing some five feet from shore. Their passengers were all standing on the bottom of the beach, hunched behind the boat.
"I'm going to drag my feet on the way up there," Pearl said as Jack secured a rope to the front of the boat. "Don't go get Ethan until I've arranged to see him. They'll draw him back in the forest and you can get him then."
"Understood," Norrington said. "Be careful."
"Never."
With that Pearl and Jack were splashing their way up the beach.
"You were to come alone," Bootleg's men, two particularly ugly pirates, said as they came up onto the beach. Jack planted the rope beneath a large stone and their guns followed him.
"Bootleg isn't stupid. He knew Jack wouldn't let me come alone. Besides, I need an escort for the prisoner."
"Suppose we just shoot him now?" one of them sneered.
Pearl drew her sword. Their guns wavered on her, but the aim was less sure. "Do it and you die. Bootleg has ordered you not to kill me, and I don't doubt his punishment would be far worse than mine. It'll take more than a wounding shot to stop me if you shoot Jack. Now, you can take us up there or I can kill you now and go on up myself. Your call."
The men exchanged glances.
Just at that moment a boom rattled around them. "Ah, looks like my namesake's found your friends," Pearl remarked. "You'd best take us to Bootleg. He isn't very patient, as I recall. Especially now that he knows we've arrived."
"Put it away," one of them ordered with a nod toward her sword. She obeyed, moving toward them. "Slowly," he ordered. "No sudden movements."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Jack said as the men led them into the wood.
Norrington waited a few minutes before drawing his sword and leading the group up the beach. As they climbed from the water Emmie gave a disgusted snort and pulled off her split skirts, leaving her in only her breeches. Her father gave her an odd look but she shrugged. "They're too heavy. Bootleg will hear me coming ten miles away."
"Well said," Elizabeth said, removing her own skirt, although she shifted a bit under the men's scrutiny. Emmie chuckled and Will shrugged.
"This way," Emmie announced.
They found the back way easily. It was a bit rocky but overall a very easy and fast climb. Emmie motioned for silence and led them to the edge of the forest.
A clearing spread before them. Bootleg sat on a large rock in the middle of the open space, two men standing beside him, eyes trained on a trail leading out of the forest. The two pirates from the beach stood there with Pearl and Jack, who appeared to be just arriving.
"Bloody bush," Pearl was saying, pulling leaves from her coat. "I know you did that on purpose."
"I did no such thing," Jack answered innocently. "The bush was set on attaching you. I just helped it along a bit."
"Aye. I think I saw a patch of poison ivy set on attacking you. Mayhaps I'll acquaint you with it on the way down," Pearl answered.
"Silence!" Bootleg called, stepping forward.
"What is it about you pirate captains and being the center of attention?" Pearl asked.
"In the blood, I think," Jack answered.
"I said silence," Bootleg said, drawing closer. "Ah, Miss Pearl. You've gotten lovelier than the last time, I think."
"Really? You think?" Pearl tilted her head, a very charming smile on her face as she grinned up at him. "Well, washing off the blood does that. At any rate, I was just thinking that you've gotten a good deal uglier."
"Ah, I see the tongue is still sharp. Mind that or I'll have it removed," he informed her.
The smile remained firmly in place. "Speaking of removed, how's the eye? And the leg? Still holding onto that?" She sent a glance toward his long pant leg which she knew covered a wooden leg, both her handiwork.
Bootleg surged forward suddenly, a dagger in his hand flying to her throat. "If you knew, girl, how I've longed for this moment, to have you at my mercy, what anger is in me, you wouldn't have come, lad's life or no."
"Actually, I probably would have," she answered. "I don't care overly much about the lad. He's an old flame's son. I'll get him out if I can but his loss is no great fear to me. As for your anger, I've born your scars for twenty years, and I'll bear any new ones just as well. I came today to end this. Perhaps you should consider that."
"Ah, lovely. It's so nice when people get together for a common purpose." Bootleg pulled back, the dagger disappearing. "Especially a cause noble as revenge. But I could have sworn I told you to come alone." The man strode toward Jack. "Looking to your father to fight your battles for you?"
"He's taking the lad back to the Pearl. I don't know he could do it on his own. I said I was getting the boy out if I could, and so I will. I'd like to see him."
"The lad you care nothing for?" Bootleg asked.
"There's a battle to be fought on the ship," Pearl said, nodding toward the sound of booming cannons echoing around them. "If you've killed the boy I'd as soon put you to your grave and get back to it."
"Right." Bootleg turned to one of his crew, motioning toward the wood. The man disappeared and returned with two men dragging a still kicking Ethan between them.
"Been causing you trouble, has he?" Pearl asked, stepping forward.
Bootleg moved with her over to the boy. "I'd expect no less, knowing who his father is."
A smirk caught the corner of Pearl's mouth. "You'd expect considerably more trouble if you knew who his mother was." She removed the gag from Ethan's mouth. "You all right, lad? Anyone hurt you?"
"No," he answered, rubbing his jaw on his shoulder as his still-bound hands left him only that option. "Is it true?"
Pearl drew back a bit at the odd question. "Is what true?"
"You and my father," he answered, defiance burning in eyes.
Pearl turned to Bootleg. "You told him about that?"
"Just a bit of dinner conversation."
"I suppose you told him about Emmie as well," Pearl sighed.
"It's true?!" Ethan squeaked out.
Both pirates ignored him and Bootleg shrugged. "Of course I mentioned it. Family tree that twisted is far too fun to leave alone. I should tell you, I have the men on the boats keeping a special eye out for your daughter. Might be fun, having the both of you in my posession."
Norrington's eyes cut to his daughter. She shrugged. "We figured he'd do something like that," she whispered.
"Too bad for you I left her in Tortuga. That's what took me so long to get here," Pearl said.
"Pity," Bootleg said. "No matter. Are you satisfied?"
"Indeed. Release him and Jack will take him back to the ship."
Bootleg laughed, making a movement of his hand that left the men dragging the protesting boy back into the woods. "We haven't even discussed terms yet."
Pearl sighed, marching back to her glaring father's side. The Emmie comment apparently still galled.
Norrington was drawn back to himself by his daughter's hand suddenly on his arm. "Let's go," she whispered.
Author's Note: Once again, incredibly sorry this took so long. The fighting scene up next is going to give me fits (I'm not very good with the battles) but I'll get it out to you soon as I'm able.
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 it. 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 (honestly, I've even surprised myself in that respect). 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.
The link, if you feel so inclined,