Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or any of the characters.
Origins of a Pirate
Chapter 5
The gruff man studied the child in front of him over the rim of his monocle.
"You are a new recruit I take it."
The boy nodded solemnly
"What is your name and age?"
"Cutler… Beckett." The child whispered. "I'm 7."
The man looked at the child strangely. "That's a bit young, lad. Perhaps in a few years you can come back."
"But sir, I need somewhere to go."
"We don't allow toddlers in the King's Navy, son."
Cutler sighed, defeated. Where was he to go now?
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Jack paced back and forth anxiously. How was he going to tell his father the truth? Jack knew that Teague, already insane with grief, would never be able to handle the news. Teague would consider himself a failure at being a parent and a failure at raising the children as Delanie would have done. Perhaps Edward wouldn't be as harsh on himself if Jack told him there had been an accident and Cutler was dead. Jack smiled sadly. It would work, but was it worth it?
He slowly walked towards his father's study and knocked on the door.
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The Edward Teague that answered the door was not the same man that Delanie had known. He had grown weary, premature wrinkles finding their place on his forehead and cheeks. His hair had grown out considerably and there was now a small unkempt beard in the place of a once cleanly shaven face. Edward's clothing was rumpled and frayed, as if he had not changed it for days. There was something new to his eyes as well- sadness and wisdom that one does not possess without great sorrow and loss in one's life.
Teague studied the boy in front of him, sensing something wrong.
"What is it Jackie?"
"Dad…" Jack mustered up all of his courage and forced himself to look directly at his father, "Cut… Cut fell off the dock. One of his friends just came by to tell me the news. They tried to save him but he was gone by the time they jumped in. They haven't found… the body."
"Oh… Jackie." Teague fell into a worn chair, his hands covering his face. "Why must these terrible plagues fall upon our household? We have the luck of a sparrow."
"A sparrow?" The boy tried to hide his confusion as he looked down at his shoes once again; unable to bear the guilt of lying to the man he loved yet feared the most.
"A sparrow… is a beautiful bird, with a beautiful song. But he is often driven out by the larger falcons and hawks, which destroy his eggs and steal his nest. The sparrow finds himself without a home, without a family… without a sense of pride and well being. "
"But we still have a home."
"A house and a home are two different things, Jackie. Now please go and play with Ginny. I need… I need to be by myself."
Jack shuffled out silently, knowing all too well that the grief was consuming his father. Driving him over the edge. It was only a matter of time until Edward Teague would completely lose himself to grief… or go completely mad.
Another chapter! Yay! I want to give a shoutout to everyone who has reviewed my story so far. I love reviews... especially constructive critisism. If you have any, please tell me what I can do to make this story better. Enjoy!