I'm sorry for the long wait, I hope there is at least still some interest in this story. Please let me know what you think of this chapter! I left a nice surprise for you :)
Catherine turned slowly...the sun reflecting lighting her hair as it gently blew in the breeze...a slow smile crept onto her face as her eyes lifted...
"Tonight!" a sailor whispered to Jack as Jack stared at him with a blank look.
Jack shook his head, clearing away the distracting thoughts of his wife as he finished tying the sails. His wife. He would never get tired of saying that-thinking that. He climbed down the mast and sneaked past the zombified henchmen that prowled the deck at night.
He crept below deck, careful not to awaken any unwanted sailors. Their time would come, but for now his only business was in convincing the few he had shared his idea with.
Jack at with a sense of finality on a barrel as he struck a match.
"The topic gentlemen..." he said with as much dramatic flair as he could, "is mutiny," he blew out the match and set it down, "Mutiny most fowl.
"Aye" nodded Salaman, to this moment, the most loyal to Jack and his cause, "I signed up to sail under JcAk Sparrow, not some pretender."
"And a lady at that!" another sailor interjected.
Jack caught himself from saying that a lady was not the worst person to work under.
"And mention was failed to made of this uncanny crew," the Cook continued.
"Make my toes curl, they do," complained an older sailor.
There was a sudden clanging as the cabin boy entered the hold carrying a large armful of swords.
"I got 'em!" he cried dropping them all to the table, "All of 'em"
"Aye! Good lad!" the crew congratulated the young boy.
Jack couldn't help a small smile as the boy glowed with pride.
"On to it then," he said sobering immediately, "Blackbeard. What are his habits?"
Scrum shrugged, "Stays mostly to his cabin," he looked around at the rest of the crew as they all nodded in agreement, "Stays to his cabin."
Jack rolled his eyes, "Yes but when he comes out..."
"He don't really come out," the cabin boy said after a time.
Jack sighed, "...He must come out some time," the crew murmured as they all shook their heads, "Any of you sailed with him before?" The crew muttered the negative once more, "Any of you SEEN him before?" once more the crew shook their heads no.
Jack took a deep breath as he straightened up and looked all the crew in the eye.
"Stays to his cabin. No one's sailed with him, seen him...good news gentlemen. This is NOT the Queen Anne's Revenge-"
"Oh no now," Scrum interrupted, "this be the Queen Anne's Revenge, right enough."
Jack looked at him in disbelief, "How do you know?"
Scrum smiled proud that he knew something the rest of them did not know, "I've seen the name. On the back of the ship!"
Jack could do nothing but stare at the simplicity of the man before him.
"Gentlemen," he continued, "sirs...fellow conscripts, you have been monstrously deceived."
"We are decepted then?" Salaman asked more confirming that which he already knew.
"Yes. You've nay been informed of the destination. Death lies before us, as we sail... For the FOuntain of Youth. It be a sorry plight, mate."
"Death for certain," murmured one of the crew.
"The garden of darkened souls."
"Untimely our ends will be"
"Unless-" cut in Jack, "we take the ship.
Scrum stood up immediately causing Jack to stand up as well though Jack looked at the former as if he were crazy.
"We take the ship!" Scrum yelled jamming a sword into the table, "NOW!"
He ran from the hold ready to take on the entire ship alone. Jack looked at the rest of the crew. Before he waved his hands and shooed the remaining crew members forward.
"...Go on then."
The crew leapt from their seats grabbing at the swords that were in front of them on the table and with yells loud enough to wake the dead, they tore through the ship waking up every other sailor that slept and urging them to fight. The sailors that had not been to the small gathering of Jack Sparrow, became too caught up in the excitement of the rest of the sailors to question why they were declaring mutiny.
Jack calmly picked up his own sword from the table and made his way towards the top deck. He had given everyone else enough time that by now a substantial amount of fighting should already be complete.
Jack grimaces as the dismal look of the fighting. The zombified crew had no weaknesses, anything they did to kill one of them, did nothing. He walked along the edge of the deck before his presence was noticed by the zombified gunner.
"Bugger," Jack said.
The gunner slashed towards Jack who ducked in just the right amount of time. He desperately reached around for anything he could use as a weapon, at the moment forgetting about his sword. He found an axe lying on the deck. No doubt left from some poor sailor who thought it would save his life.
Gunner swung his axe towards Jack again who blocked the blow with the ace and punched the gunner square in the jaw. The zombie stumbled for a moment before a truly eerie grin spread over his face and he knocks Jack against the mast.
"Oy!" a shout came from above Jack, as Salaman dropped a net over the gunners head allowing some of the crew to come running and tie the zombie down. Jack looked up to see the priest struggling against his bonds. Salaman caught Jacks eye and nodded.
Jack pulled himself up the mast just now catching sight of Angelica fighting her way across the deck. He pulled himself up onto the boards holding the priest prisoner.
"You are either with us or against us!" Salaman growled holding a knife against the priest's throat.
The priest swallowed thickly, "I am neither with you nor against you."
Salaman looked towards Jack in confusion, "Can he do that?"
Jack just started untying his bonds, "He's religious, I think he has to."
With a final slash from Jack's sword, the ties keeping the priest on the mast fell causing the young priest to sag forward. Jack nodded at him before shimmying down the mast once more to involve himself in the fight.
"FIGHT TO THE BITTER END YOU CACK HANDED DECK APES!" he cried.
Jack raced towards the higher deck he smiled as he looked over the deck and noticed all of the zombified crew was tied down.
"THE SHIP IS OURS!" he yelled thrusting his sword in the air.
The crew shouted in triumph when suddenly the doors behind Jack sprang open. The crew immediately fell silent as heavy steps emerged from the darkness of the cabin. Jack nervously bit his nail and slinked away from the opening as Blackbeard emerged.
The sea breeze ruffled Blackbeard's smoking beard as he took a large drink from the bottle of whisky in his hand. He stared with a disinterested glare at the state of his ship. The gunner was throwing off the last remains of the net that had been holding him prisoner, Angelica, slightly disheveled came to stand at the foot of the stairs looking towards Blackbeard in a sort of reverence.
"Gentlemen," Blackbeard grumbled, shaking his head as he took another swig of whisky before throwing the bottle to the ground causing Jack to jump slightly, "I be placed in a bewilderment. There I were, resting, and upon a sudden, I hear an ungodly row on deck."
As he spoke, he reached down to grasped the bejeweled handle of his sword. Jack looked around the ship in wonder as the rigging began to creak and move, as if it were alive.
"Sailors abandoned their post," Blackbeard continued, "without orders, without leave, Men, before the mast..taking the ship for themselves. What be that, First Mate?"
Angelica gleamed in the sudden attention Blackbeard had placed on her, "Mutiny Captain," she called.
Blackbeard dramatically placed a hand to his ear, "Again?"
"Mutiny!"
"Aye...mutiny. And what fate befalls mutineers, now we know the answer to that...do we not? Mutineers...HAAAANG!"
With a sudden thrust of his sword the rigging came to life springing towards the feet of the sailors. Jack dodged the ropes as the grabbed his feet and yet the ship gave a sudden lurch causing him to fall to the deck. The rigging quickly snatched him up lifting him high above the deck. Jack felt his stomach drop to his feet as the ropes dropped him back down towards the deck holding him only by his foot. With a heart stopping jerk, he fell directly in front of Blackbeard. He opened his eyes, and was taken aback by what he saw. It was the first time, he had actually seen Blackbeard.
He shook his head, returning to his usual manner and looked Blackbeard in the eye.
"Captain," Jack started, "I wish to report a mutiny, I can name fingers and point names."
Blackbeard merely rolled his eyes, "No need, Mr. Sparrow, they are sheep," he pointed his sword at Jack's throat, "You are their shepherd."
He sheathed his sword and Jack fell to the deck with a loud thumb.
Jack slowly stood up, a sly smile starting to grow as Blackbeard and Angelica made their way over to him.
"Have I mentioned, sir, what a lovely daughter you have?"
Blackbeard almost in boredom, pulled his pistol out and pointed it towards Jack, "A fitting last sight for a doomed soul."
Angelica slinked herself near Blackbeard's ear, "Remember father," she whispered, "we need him."
Blackbeard dropped his shoulders in dismay, "If I don't kill a man every now and then they forget who I am!"
"Coward!" came a loud cry from the other side of the ship.
Jack and Blackbeard both looked towards the source, as the young priest rushed towards the two.
"They do not forget," he cried, "Your crew sees you for the miscreant you truly are! A COWARD! No matter how many you slay!"
The zombified Quartermaster pulled his sword against the young priest, forcing him to stay back.
Blackbeard scoffed, "Twice in one day, I find myself in a bewilderment."
"You are not bewildered," the priest said, "you are afraid. You dare not walk the path of righteousness, the way of the light."
Blackbeard smiled as he shook his head, "No, sire, the truth of it be much simpler than all that. Im a bad man."
The young priest nodded, "That too."
"I might have to kill you too, catechist," he said pointing his pistol now towards the priest.
"NO!" Shouted Angelica pushing her father's hand down.
For a moment Blackbeard looked towards his daughter with a soft expression, "Oh, Latin blood, liker her mother!"
"Father I beg you!"
"Ah there I be again, forgetting why the missionary was here. My daughter fears for my soul, what's left of it," Blackbeard said as he gently stroked his daughter's cheek.
"Every soul can be saved," Angelica said gently.
"Be that true young cleric?" Blackbeard asked looking towards the perplexed priest.
"Yes," he said breathlessly, "Though you I see as a bit of a long shot. Still, I pray for every unfortunate soul on this hellbound vessel."
Blackbeard shook his head as he lowered his pistol, "You disarm me with your faith."
He turned towards the rest of the crew, "Alright! Which one of you unfortunate souls stood watch?" he bellowed.
"I did," Jack said waving his hand in front of Blackbeard's face, "I stood watch."
Blackbeard chuckled and shook his head, "Gunner?" the gunner smiled wickedly and looked towards the cook entangled in the ropes high above the deck, "...You?"
"Aye," the cook said nervously, shaking.
Jack looked towards the shaking man, this was not quite how he had envisioned this mutiny ending.
"Aye, the cook. Perfect," muttered, "Lower the longboat!"
The cook was roughly shoved into the boat as it was lowered into the sea. He frantically began pulling on the oars trying desperately to distance himself from the terrifying ship.
"Bring her about!"
"Why do you do this?!" Angelica pleaded with her father as they strained over the railing to see the cook rowing away.
"Mutiny," Blackbeard said plainly, without any emotion, "Our laws be clear."
Angelica grew impatient, "Our laws allow the captain to show leniency."
Blackbeard shrugged, "I have given this man a chance to determine his fate. A gift not afforded to all."
He turned to the young priest, "So, you now...A chance to show the worth of your prayers. Pray he be delivered from...evil? COURSE MADE!"
"STOP!" begged Phillip, "GIVE THAT MAN A CHANCE! GIVE YOURSELF-"
A sudden burst of orange flame erupted from the base of the ship stopping any conversation. Jack felt himself grow sick at the pure evil he was witnessing. Barbossa was bad at times, but never this bad.
Blackbeard of course remained entirely unfazed, "You know when I feel closest to our Maker?" he said calmly drawing the crews attention to him and away from the fire, "When I see suffering, pain, and anguish. Thats when the true design of this world is revealed."
The young priest looked towards Blackbeard with hatred in his eyes, "And I see it revealed when in times of hardship and tragedy, kindness and compassion are shown to those in need."
Blackbeard turned directly towards the priest, "Perhaps you should pray for him to be unharmed, yes?"
The priest slammed his bible down on the railing pleading with the Captain, "Please there's still hope-"
"AGAIN!" shouted Blackbeard as another burst of flame leapt forth from the ship.
Jack and the remainder of the crew looked on helpless as the longboat was engulfed in flame.
The Quartermaster roughly shoved Jack against a post in Blackbeard's cabin jamming a knife into Jack's shirt pinning him to the wood.
"I actually have no interest in the Fountain whatsoever so if your heart is set, you may drop me off anywhere you like," Jack said examining the knife.
"That will be all, Quartermaster," Blackbeard said with his back towards Jack.
The Quartermaster let out a zombified groan as he left the cabin. Blackbeard sat at his desk, sitting parallel to Jack.
"Your words surround you like a fog, make you hard to see," Blackbeard said picking up a small object from his desk.
"And what of you?" Jack said with a grunt as he ripped the knife from the wall, and began a slow walk around the cabin, Blackbeard's eyes followed him closely, "I may have been a young boy of five at the time, but I do remember you by a different name - Thomas Porter."
Please let me know what you thought of this chapter, especially the last part! The more you review, the faster I upload!