The Oldest Story in the Book

Chapter 32

Disclaimer: Not mine

Author's Note: Sorry this took so long again. Just a quick note: I'm going to Europe for a month in about two weeks. I plan to do another quick update before then, so stay tuned. If I don't I apologize profusely. For that month, however, I wouldn't count on an update. After that I move and look feverishly for a job (never graduate college is you can help it and for the record an English Literature degree is worth nothing). After I move, however, internet access and free time should be more plentiful. I wanted this wrapped up before I graduated, but since that didn't happen I'll try to make it close. There are several other stories floating around in my head, so never worry. As I said, stay tuned

"Where did I put my bloody hat?" Jack demanded.

"You probably put it in one of the cabinets on the wall," Emmie said. "Try the open one."

"I distinctly remember closing the door," Jack said, casting them all a suspicions look.

"That's an improvement. A minute ago you didn't even remember where it was," Pearl said as she moved to pull on her boots. "You probably slammed it so hard it re-opened."

Jack muttered something as he knelt down before the half-open door. He gave a cry when he pulled it open, rocking back so quickly he ended up on his bum, hand over his nose.

"What is it now, Jack?" Pearl asked.

"Kittens."

"Beg pardon?"

"Kittens. The bloody cat had kittens in my hat!" he cried. "And it smells awful."

"Dessi had kittens?" Emmie asked, carefully approaching the cabinet.

"You seem to have missed the 'in my hat' part," Jack said.

"I thought she was just getting fat," Emmie said.

"When would she have time to get pregnant?" Jack demanded. "We don't have any other cats on this ship."

"She spends time on the docks when we're in port," Pearl answered, also sneaking in for a look.

While the cat tolerated Emmie's petting she eyed Pearl wearily. "Oh, they're so cute," Emmie cooed.

"Cute?" Jack repeated. "They're hairless blind rats. Honestly, women. They're in my hat!"

"We'll buy you a new hat," Pearl promised.

"I don't want a new hat. I want my old hat."

Pearl shrugged. "Well you're welcome to it, but you're going to pay for it in scratches, and it'll never smell right again."

Jack groaned. "Bloody women. Can we please just go?"

Pearl looked at Emmie, who shrugged. "Dessi seems to have it under control."

"Aye. She's a fine mother. All right. Let's go. I have a wedding to plan."

"One other thing," Jack said as they moved toward the door. "I want to marry you first, on this ship. I don't care what gypsy traditions you do first, but I want you on my ship, letting me perform the ceremony first."

Pearl smiled. "Oh, Jack, that's so sweet."

"Well, you are my daughter. Should be my right. You remember this as well, Emmie. I expect the same from you." She nodded.

Pearl turned toward Norrington. "It's not just me doing this, though. Edward, is that all right with you?"

He smiled and nodded. "Of course. You're exactly right, Captain Sparrow, it is your right. But I would remind you that, as for Emmie, that is mine."

Jack's eyes narrowed. "I've had her under my Captainship considerably longer, mate."

"But she'll be under mine most recently," Norrington pointed out.

"Joint ceremony?" Jack suggested.

"Notice how neither has asked what YOU want," Pearl remarked to her daughter.

Emmie shrugged. "Just as well. I couldn't choose. And I've no intention of marrying anyway."

Pearl laughed. "Oh, my dear, you're the very picture of me at your age. The very picture."
Looping her arm around her daughter she led her up onto the deck, letting the men trail behind them.

The Turners were waiting for them, staring at the nearby island with just a touch of trepidation. When they approached Elizabeth turned toward them. "Feel better, Pearl?"

"Considerably," she answered. "Something wrong, Lizzie?"

"They only readied one boat," she said. "How are they all getting onto the island?"

Pearl laughed. "Oh, they aren't. Superstitious bastards won't go ashore, unless it's to do business with them."

"I've had enough trouble with gypsies to know better than to invite more," Gibbs grumbled as he went to double check the ropes on the boat. "Asides, we have drink enough on the ship."

"Well, it's a pity to be sure," Pearl called. "You'll miss all the festivities. I'll just have to leave you here to prepare the ship for my wedding."

Elizabeth turned sharply to look at her with wide eyes. "Pearl? Really?"

"Who are you marrying?" Will asked.

"William!" Elizabeth cried, elbowing him sharply as Pearl laughed. Turning back to the woman she said, "It is Edward, isn't it?"

"It had better be," Norrington put in, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Well, that's the way I'm leaning. You know, I've just decided I need to marry someone, and he's convenient at the moment."

Meanwhile a group of pirates had gathered around, nearly twittering as they demanded to know where she was going, what she was doing, and generally begging her to take it back. She laughed as she answered as many of their questions as she could. In that moment she looked much more like a mother hen explaining to her gaggle of children than the dangerous pirate she had been only hours ago.

"Can we just bloody go?" Jack finally screamed, breaking away from the group to land himself in the boat.

Pearl laughed. "We'll be back tomorrow. Jack's insisting on marrying me here. I'm thinking sunset."

"Oh, how romantic!" Elizabeth sighed.

"Okay, you're not allowed to do that any more," Pearl said firmly. "You get one little cooey thing, that's it."

"How many do I get?" Emmie asked.

"None. You know better," she said.

"Can we just bloody go?" Jack cried.

"Yes, Jack, we can bloody go," Pearl cried, climbing into the boat. "All aboard."

She helped her daughter in, and the Turners. Finally Ethan and Norrington climbed aboard and they could be lowered into the water.

Jack glared silently at the girls as Elizabeth began prodding her. Emmie sat nearby putting in what she could, nearly vibrating off the bench in her excitement as Ethan sat next to his father, pointedly ignoring the conversation as every proper lad should while obviously listening intently to each word.

As they rowed an odd splashing appeared in the water. Still rather far from the shore, Elizabeth gasped in surprise when she realized it was a person.

Pearl turned at the gasp, following her line of sight and laughing as the person swam closer. "Hello Marina!" she called. "Jack, stop rowing for a minute."

With a deep-heaved sigh he complied. The person swam swiftly up to them, gripping the side of the boat to smile up at them. Elizabeth had to swallow another gasp. She had caramel skin and long black hair that floated around her. Elizabeth could see no cloths on the woman, just a long slim neck and expanse of bust that disappeared into the murky water. Most startling of all were the scale-like, slightly blue-tinged tattoos covering her bust and up onto her neck.

"Greetings Pearl. Have the Gods blessed you?"

"More than you know. The Gods pile their graces upon me." She leaned over the side of the boat to kiss the girl's cheek. "And you, Marina?"

"The sea is calm. It embraces me as a mother's arms. Truly, this must be grace."

"Indeed," Pearl agreed. "We're headed to the island. Will you join us soon?"

The woman, cast her eyes to the sea around her. "I shall endeavor to, although I cannot leave until my mother releases me from her embrace."

"I understand," Pearl said. "Is all well on the island?"

"Well as should be," she answered. "Your mother has missed your presence. You should make haste to be by her side."

"I will. Thank you, Marina," Pearl said.

With a final kiss on the cheek the girl turned and dove into the water. Jack commenced his rowing, and they drew nearer the island.

"Who was that?" Elizabeth asked in a whisper.

"Marina," Pearl answered with a smile. "A child of sea. Rumor has it she's part mermaid." Pearl laughed at the startled look on Elizabeth's face. "She's a bit odd, but rather friendly overall."

"So Diamond's here?" Norrington asked.

"Yes. She has been for nearly a year," Pearl sighed. "I should warn you, she isn't well. She's lost a lot of weight. She can barely walk." Jack shared a sad smile with her.

"What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked.

Pearl chuckled. "She's been a prostitute the whole of her life. It's any number of things. Few enough live to be this old. She's fortunate the gypsies took her in. I haven't thanked you enough for that, Jack," Pearl added.

Jack shrugged. "I did some growing up here. Far as they're concerned I'm family. There's nothing they won't do for family. And you, Pearl. They all love you at least as well."

"I thought you grew up in Tortuga," Elizabeth said.

"I did. Jack would stash me here when he was afraid Diamond might try to keep me longer than he wanted her to, and the mission they were on was too dangerous." She shot a look at Jack. "You can guess how well I liked being left behind."

"What do they do?" Elizabeth asked. "For a living, I mean. For money. You said they were gypsies. Do they travel?"

"No," Pearl laughed. "They'd as soon shoot themselves. Most of them anyway. I call them gypsies for lack of a better term. They're a very mixed group. A ragtag bunch at best. The original group were Aztecs, escaping the Spanish. They settled here. Most of the men became sailors. Started inter-marrying, bringing wives here. Somewhere along the line a slave ship bound for the Americas wrecked off the coast, and they've settled here. A group of emissaries from India did the same. The areas remain somewhat separated by point of origin, but it's an island and options are limited so they really have mixed wonderfully. I doubt you could find a better sampling of people from around the world if you looked.

"At any rate, it's the pirates as keep them in food. When someone gets a payload they can't sell straight away--too recognizable, as with some royal jewels they ended up with at one point, or the navy is on their tail--they drop anchor here and sell it off quick to the gypsies. If caught the pirates can plead innocent as they don't have the booty. Gypsies hold to it until things cool down then sell it, to other pirates or make a trip onto land. Sometimes they keep it for generations. But it's all the same to them. They're close-knit. Everyone shares. None go hungry. Pirates are always welcomed."

"Am I likely to get much animosity from them, being navy?" Norrington asked, shifting a bit. While the coat and wig were gone his neat and tidy outfit, only slightly mussed from the scuffle, was recognizably British upperclass, as was Ethan's.

"I wouldn't throw it about if I were you," Jack remarked.

"Nor would I," Peal put in. "But they shouldn't hold it against you, overall. And you, Commodore, are not under any circumstances to reveal that information to the British navy."

Norrington smiled. "I won't be navy much longer. And anyone you count as family I couldn't ever see fit to do harm to."

Pearl grinned, Jack gave him an odd look, and the island drew close.

Emmie shifted as they approached the shore. "Where are the sentries?"

"They have sentries?" Norrington asked.

"They work with pirates who know they have gold. Of course they have sentries," Pearl said. "They're off to the right, dearie. Ho, boys!" she called.

"Who comes?" two figures asked, separating themselves from the rocky outcropping.

"The Sparrows," she answered. "With some company."

"Pearl?" one of them asked as they approached.

"That was my name when last I checked," Pearl said. "Emerald, darling, that is still my name, isn't it?"

"No. It's Ruby now," Emmie answered.

"Lil' scamp," Pearl said, pretending to swat at her. Emmie easily dodged, jumping out of the boat with a line along with her mother.

They trudged onto the beach, securing the ropes as the men came over. One hurried up to Pearl, catching her up in an embrace as she laughed ans kissed his cheeks.

"Another one?" Norrington sighed out at he found his way onto shore. The man was handsome, there was no denying that, and considerably younger than he.

"Mama has beaus the world over. You'd best get used to it," Emmie informed him. "Although this one's never managed much more than friendship.

"It's been far too long since you visited us," he told Pearl as they approached.

"Nonsense. It's been exactly the right amount of time, as always," Pearl corrected.

"So you say. Now, who is this you've brought us?" he asked, turning his attention to those gathered around.

"Well, my darling father you know, and Emmie. This is Will and Elizabeth Turner. They're the couple as raised Emmie on my behalf."

"Ah, a pleasure to meet you at last. I can't help thinking highly of you, seeing the job you did on our dear Emmie."

"Stop buttering them up," Pearl said, elbowing him as he bowed. Chuckling to himself he nodded and straightened. "As you say, Miss Pearl. And the other two?"

"Ah, this is Commodore Edward Norrington and his son, Ethan. Before the sun sets tomorrow I intend to capture him for good by marrying him."

Norrington couldn't help but smile on that, bowing to the man as Ethan did the same.

"You're marrying which one now?"

"Marcus!" She reached out to smack his arm. Ethan turned beet red. "Honestly, the lad is three years younger than my daughter!"

"Your beauty could manage it," he assured her. "Asides, you'd run even him into the ground. I know that for fact. You're like to break the hearts of every man and boy on this island when that gets around, you know."

Pearl laughed. "Well, I couldn't wait forever for you to ask for my hand, could I then? How is Mama?"

At that the man sighed. "Not well. I dare say she isn't long for this world. She'll be happy to see you, though. And hearing you're marrying a Commodore, she'll be ecstatic."

"That she will," Pearl said with a hollow chuckle.

"Come, Pigeon, we'd best find her quickly. She'll never forgive us dawdling, not with news like this," Jack said, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and leading her up the beach.

"Thank you Marcus," she called behind her.

"Any time, Madam Commodore," he called back with a deep bow.

Pearl moaned. "I'm doomed."

"Aye, that you are. At least it be your own doing," Jack said.

"Thanks. That makes me feel so much better," Pearl said sarcastically.

The followed a winding path between some trees. They could hear the faint strains of music through the wall of trees. "Sounds like someone else is getting married," Pearl commented.

"It's always much more fun when you get the opportunity to crash a party," Jack said with a grin.

"No, Jack. No crashing. They're return the favor and I could do without my own being crashed."

Then suddenly the path opened into a clearing full of light, color, and dancing people. Men and women of every color spun through the clearing, some wearing next to nothing and others covered with colorful ribbon, much the same as the trees around them. Torches and lamps hung from every branch, leaving the clearing bright as day.

"What do you think?" Emmie asked with a grin.

"I think all those times my father threatened to sell me to the gypsies I should have taken him up on it," Elizabeth said with a laugh.

"You would have had a lot more fun, that's for certain," Pearl said. "Ah, there's Mama."
With that she took off across the space like a shot, leaving the rest to follow.

Pearl was on the ground, clasping the knees of a woman sitting on a log close to the fire. She had a blanket wrapped around her legs and another around her shoulders, one emancipated hand brushing over Pearl's hair as she laughed up at her. Elizabeth shook her head, grasping Jack's arm. "That can't be Diamond."

Jack patted her hand, smiling. "Be glad for your high birth, Mrs. Turner. This is what a lifetime of prostitution will do to you, assuming you live to be old as this poor dear."

Elizabeth shook her head again, fighting back tears as Will tucked his arm around her.

Nothing remained of the boisterous, slightly chubby woman they had met in Tortuga fifteen years before. Her hair had lost its luster and thinned considerably, falling without enthusiasm around the boney shoulders even the thick blanket couldn't hide. All of the roundness was gone from her face, leaving protruding cheekbones and hollowed cheeks. Her eyes seemed to protrude from the sunken sockets, although they still sparkled with laughter. Even her hand had lost all of its plumpness and her fingers seemed to be attempting to curl on their own. Her skin had a waxy, pale look to it.

Still, Pearl sat at her feet laughing as if they were in Tortuga joking over their latest conquests.

"Come, luv," Jack said. "She may not be much to look at anymore, but she's still sharp as that bloody raven's beak. Her mind's worth admiring."

"Ah, the whole crew has come," Diamond greeted as they approached. The voice, at least, remained. It was warm and inviting as ever. "Jack, darling, how have you been?"

"Considerably better than you, obviously," he said, coming forward to kiss her on either cheek. "You really should have given this up long ago. Any self-respecting harlot would have died long before now."

Elizabeth's eyes widened but Diamond only laughed. "I'm getting there, my dear. I see no reason to rush when I've such good keepers and a daughter as visits so seldom." Her eyes moved to the rest of the group. "Emmie, darling, you look beautiful as ever."

Emmie stepped forward to give her a kiss. "Naturally. Look how lovely my grandmama is."

"Stop teasing," Diamond ordered. "And then here I have the rest of the lovely group. Mr. and Mrs Turner, you both look stunning as ever. Makes my heart ache, seeing such a strapping young man and knowing I can't do a thing with him. But then, with a wife that pretty I don't suppose it matters so much." She laughed as they both blushed. "Good, I haven't lost my touch. And then there's Mr. Norrington. Now, I've not held it against you that you've not made an honest woman of my daughter because you've made such a beautiful child together, but my patients is wearing thin. I'm not much longer for this world and even Emmie's beautiful face is going to fail to placate me some day."

"I would like to point out, Diamond, that I did ask Pearl to marry me several times before I met my wife," Norrington informed her.

"Doesn't count for much if she doesn't agree to it," Diamond replied.

Pearl laughed, patting her mother's knee. "Well, Mama, you may rest peacefully. He's asked me yet again, and I've accepted."

"You have? You'd not tease me, would you love?"

"Not in this, Mama. You shall have a Commodore for a son."

"Oh, my darling!" Diamond cried, opening her arms. Pearl stood to give her mother a hug. "It's not that he's a Commodore, you understand, but I do so want you to be happy."

"I am, Mama," she said, kissing her cheek.

"Although it certainly doesn't hurt, his being a Navy man. Come over here, my boy. Let me hug my son," Diamond ordered.

Laughing and blushing, Norrington moved to give the prostitute a hug.

"Saints preserve me, now I can die in peace, knowing my daughter will be properly cared for," Diamond sighed.

"Ey!" Jack cried. "What've I been doing all these years?"

"Getting her into trouble," Diamond answered.

"But she's been having fun at it," Jack said.

"Grandmama," Emmie interrupted quickly. "Mayhaps you should give your new grandson a hug as well." She tugged at Ethan's arm, pulling him out of hiding behind the Turners.

"They aren't married yet," Ethan said as he stepped into view, fidgeting a bit under Diamond's scrutinizing stair.

"Ah, this is the harlot's son."

"Mother!" Pearl cried. "Maggie was anything but a harlot. If she were here she and Elizabeth would be the only two who could rightly avoid the title."

"What would you call a woman as steals another's husband?"

Pearl sighed heavily. "I never married him, Mother."

"Ah, but you wanted to."

"What I wanted to do, Mama, was sail. I made my choice, and I didn't expect him to spend his life lonely for my choices."

"You keep saying that, dearie, someone may believe it. I think all present company happen to know that it wouldn't have troubled you a bit had he remained loyal to you."

"You can't remain loyal to someone who isn't...and what would a prostitute know about..." Pearl trailed off, throwing her hands in the air and crying out in frustration.

"I'm not saying he couldn't dawdle his maid, darling," Diamond put in.

Pearl rolled her eyes. "Mama, Maggie was a fine woman. No one here has anything but the utmost respect for her. She was a fine woman, one I admire a great deal. Edward is here now, and I'm going to marry him, and that's the last I want to hear of it."

"Very well. Just as you say, darling," Diamond answered. "You are a very handsome young man, my dear boy. The very picture of your father."

"Thank you," he said with a bow.

"So, my dear," Diamond said, turning back to her daughter, "is this the end of sailing for you?"

"Never," Pearl laughed, sitting next to her mother. "Edward has a ship. We're going to turn honest, sail the seas."

Diamond sighed heavily. "I suppose, if that's the best I can hope for-"

"Who got married?" Pearl interrupted, waving to the gathered crowd.

"A sailor and an Afric dropped here last year. Lovely couple, really." Pearl nodded, eyes drawn to the colorful crowd dancing together. "Why don't you go get changed, darling? You can join in."

"Aye," Jack quickly jumped. "You get the gels changed, and I'll take the men."

"Wait a minute," Will called.

"Indeed. What is wrong with what we are wearing?" Norrington asked, pure Commodore backbone in his voice.

"You in particular or in general?" Jack asked.

"The gypsies are generous," Pearl put in quickly. "They'll share their dress with you. If you refuse, it's an insult to them."

"Well, we can't insult them, can we?" Elizabeth said quickly, excitement sparkling in her eyes.

Will gave her a surprised look, at which she shrugged.

"No, indeed we can't. This way," Emmie chirped. "I saw Nikko over here. She'll help us. Jack, will you need any-"

"Course not, luv," Jack said, waving her off. "Di, you up to coming along or are you staying put?"

"Oh, this log is fine. I'll wait for you to come to me."

"Fine. Just promise not to go anywhere," Jack ordered, dropping a kiss on her cheek.

"My word, Captain Sparrow."