Chapter six

Nine months had passed since the horrible shipwreck, unfortunately there were only four survivors from the wreck. The Captain, young Jack, the first mate Robbie and good ole Dunbar, everyone else either lost their life at sea, or not long after from injuries suffered during the wreck.

Captain Teague had his ship almost rebuilt and ready for the sea. He had sent Robbie and Dunbar to Tortuga in hopes of finding a new crew, on a smaller vassal that he had stored away in Shipwreck Cove. Jack had became fed up with how hectic his life had become since the shipwreck, between rebuilding the ship and traveling to get supplies for the ship, Jack was beginning to feel more like a slave the a pirate-to-be, and to top that off, every time he would try to rest or do something else, his Grandmamma would come after him, yelling for him to get his lazy scallywag behind back to work before she got the whip.

The only good part was, he was getting trained on how to properly use his sword by one of the best sword handlers in the world, a young man from Italy, who showed up one day on Shipwreck Cove.

He began to think it was time to go out on his own, he was tried of taking orders from others, he thought he knew enough about sailing, that as long as he found a ship he'd be fine. One night, he snuck by candlelight into the study to consult the Pirate Codex, and came upon a section on freedom, and the need for pirates to make their own decisions. He had learned to read and write early in life, he was tought by some of the educted crew men on the Misty Lady & by his grandmamma. He decided he was completely justified in running away.

Two nights later, Jack grabbed what ever he could fit in his pockets, his knife his father give him, and a pistol he had looted from his grand mamma's collection, yes even young Jack stole from his own grandma. Then he climb out his window, well more like fell out of the window, and ran down to the harbour, he noticed men loading a ship headed for Tortuga. He had heard many story's of the Pirate Island but had never been there himself. Teague had always said it was not place for young ones, but he thought to himself "I ain't young no more I'm twelve." So Jack snuck up behind a crate being loaded and slowly walked beside it right into the storage area aboard the merchant ship. He got comfortable leaning up against a crate and pulled out some of the bread he took from home, and within the hour the ship had set sail for Tortuga.

Jack had fallen asleep, and when he awoke he noticed it was day light and that he could here the crew above working, he looked out a porthole and still spotted only open sea "Bloody hell, this is taking forever." He sat down and thought about how it would be to have his own ship and crew. He decided to have a look around in the strage area he was in, "Huh I wonder what's in these." He took out his knife and pried a open one of the crates, "Cloth well no interest to me." He then looked closer, there where Chinese designs on the cloth, "Hmm maybe it is worth something!" He then stuffed a few in his pocket. He felt the ship slowing down and he looked out the porthole and saw what looked like total chaos. "Tortuga" whispered Jack. The ship had arrived.

Jack waited, and as the crew started to unload the cargo, he snuck past the crew and ran down the ramp and landed on the island of Tortuga . He looked back at the ship that had provided the passage to the island "Thanks for the ride mate!" He yelled at the crew,

one of crew members waved at young Jack clearly not knowing what Jack was talking about.

Jack looked around, even at midday, Tortuga was full of drunken sailors, fighting, shooting guns into the air, smashing bottles on each other heads, many women running from drunken old men, it was everything Jack had heard it was and more. "This is madness." Said young Jack he almost stepped on a sword dropped by a pirate. " Hmm' always wanted one of these, thanks mate." He said to the pirate.

He wondered around the island, taking in all the chaos Tortuga had to offer, when he spotted a local Tavern named The Faithful Bride "Sees like a good place." He murmured. It appeared to be full of pirates. He entered the watering hole, the smell of Rum in the air, a pirate was swinging from a chandelier, and a group was singing songs of the sea. Jack was in awe of his surroundings. He knew if he would become a known and feared pirate, he needed to make an impact straight away. Young Jack thought maybe he could start a fight, although, Jack always preferred running from a fight, then getting hit himself.

He then thought "Maybe I could plunder something from these drunken blokes." He looked around and spotted a unguarded sack, he was always told by his father, "Take what you can, leave nothing behind." So with that thought he went over to the sack, grabbed it and headed for the door.

Suddenly he was stopped when a large hand tightly gripped his shoulder, "Where you be going with my affects boy?" Jack tried to think quickly, he pulled out the pistol he had brought with him, and turned around, pointing the pistol right in the ole pirate's face. He knew this man he was Captain Torrents, a former member of The Brethren Court, he had seen drawing's of him back on Shipwreck Cove, he was part of the third count. That was of course until he tried to kill three other Pirate Lords, and legend has it he was sent to Davvy Jones locker.

"And what would you be gonna do with that boy." He asked Jack. "Well maybe I'll send you back to The Locker Capt'n Torrents." Jack replied. Torrents looked at Jack, "Do I know you boy?" "Aye, you know my family." Replied Jack. Torrents was fed up, he knocked the pistol out of Jack's hand and grabbed him. Jack quickly grabbed a rum bottle, and smashed Torrents over the head with it, only angering Torrents. Jack grabbed the sack and ran, he was jumping from table to table, Torrents following behind welding a sword at young Jack, suddenly a large paddle smacked Torrents right square in the face, and he collapsed to the floor.

Jack looked and it was the young barmaid, "Quick, come with me. " Said the young lady, Jack grabbed the sack and they rushed out the back door of the tavern. She led Jack down to the harbour, far away from the Faithful Bridge.

"Your crazy he could've killed you." She said. "Not if I killed him first." Said Jack. "If it wasn't for me, that man would have cut your head off." Jack looked down at the sack, "At least your got your belongings." Said the barmaid. "My name is Arabella Smith." She said, smiling at Jack. "You can call me Bell." "The names Jack love."Jack then looked inside the sack and pulled out the contains, it shined from the light of the sun, as he studied it Bell's mouth dropped, "Do ye know what this is?" Asked Bell. "Worth lots of gold? Replied Jack. "This says BELONGING TO HERNAN. It's the scabbard of the Sword of Cortes." Replied Bell.

Jack had heard a lot of story's about the Sword of Cortes. It belonged to Hernan Cortes, a man who's magical sword give him the power to control the Aztecs empire, they believe Cortes was a God, however the sword's power would not work with the scabbard and the scabbard acted as a compass and pointed right to the whereabouts of the sword.

Jack quickly realized that if he had this sword, he would have the power to rule the sea as a great Captain. He looked at Bell. "Gotta go love, thanks for the help." "Wait your going for the sword aren't you? Asked Bell. "Take me with you, please?" She asked. "My dear, the sea is no place for a young lady. " Said Jack. "Now to find a ship." Bell looked at Jack and had a thought, "I know where there's a ship, but you have to take me with you." Jack paused. "Alright, so long as I'm the Captain. Savvy?" Bell quickly agreed. "Then take me to my new vassal."

Bell led them to a ship, abandoned on Salty Cove, the name on the ship was The Barnacle, it was an old fishing boat that looked like it was barely sea worthy. "This is the ship?" Asked Jack. Bell said "Aye, you know of a better one." Jack looked on, "I guess it'll have to do then." They headed toward the ship.

Suddenly a young lad appeared, drawing his sword, "Halt who goes there." Jack rolled his eyes, "Really, something else now?" " I'm Fitzwilliam P. Dalton the third." replyed the lad "I don't care if your Pope Fitzdalton P William the seventh, we are about to set out on a mission to find something very powerful, and unless you want this powerful thing to strike you down I suggest you be moving out of me way, Savvy? Said Jack "Take me with you." Said Fitz. "Oh bugger. Whats with you people on this island, everyone wants to leave." Said Jack. "My family has a arranged marriage set for me, and I don't want it so I came here to Tortuga, hoping they wouldn't find me here but I know its only a matter of time before they find me." "I don't care, now move." Said Jack. Fitz looked at Jack, and noticed his sword on his belt."I challenge you to a duel sir, and when I beat you, you will see my worth, and allow me to go with you on your mission." Jack thought about it, "Alright, then if you can beat me I'll allow you to join, but if I beat you, you get out of me path and forget you ever saw us, Savvy?" And with that the duel began. Young Jack was still very new to using a sword, and Fitz was clearly very well trained with his.

Fitz pined Jack to the ground with his sword pointed at him. Jack then said "Welcome aboard." Fitz smiled and helped Jack up. "Thank you Captain…?" " His name is Jack, and I'm Bell." Jack grinned and they boarded the ship, Jack took to the helm and realize even though it wasn't a great vassal, it was a vassal none the less, and young Jack had finally become a Captain.

Just as they where about to set sail Captain Torrents had appeared, "HEY GET BACK HERE!" He yelled to Jack. Jack looked at Torrents and said "Alas dear Captain you will always remember this as the day Captain Jack set sail for this dear sword." And with that, The Barnacle left salty cove leaving Tortuga behind.

Jack looked down at the scabbard and it begun pointing north. "We have our heading."

(a/n Again Thanks for reviewing let me know what you think , again thanks to my wife for proofing reading the story )