Chapter 20

She couldn't look away. It was like looking exactly as how she pictured her father when he was old. Right down to the beads and braids in his hair.

"Don't look at him." Jack said

"You told me he was dead!" Jewel whispered

"I know, but don't bloody look back at him!" Jack whispered harshly. Jewel begrudgingly obeyed. Teague stopped, standing behind the two.

"You're in my way boy." he said. Jack grabbed Jewel and walked sideways with her to be out of his way. Teague waved a hand behind him. Two old men carried an incredibly large book and put it on the table. Emblazoned on the cover in gold ink were the words "Pirata Codex", a large lock binding it close.

"The code." Jewel whispered. Teague whistled. A very familiar dog hurried up to him and climbed up to a chair, keys in his mouth.

"Isn't he the dog from Port Royal?" Jewel asked, recognizing the canine.

"How did...?" Ragetti asked

"Sea turtles, mate." Teague said with a shrug, taking the keys. The dog barked, as if in agreement.

"Sea turtles!" Pintel said. The code was unlocked and opened, a large thud echoing through the room. Teague ran his finger across the lines written on one page. He stopped and looked up.

"Barbossa is right." he said. Barbossa nodded a 'thank you' to the elder pirate.

"Hang on a minute." Jack said, stepping back in front of Teague to look at the code. "It shall be the duty of the king to declare war, or parlay, with said adversaries. Fancy that." He looked up at the end, having been proven wrong.

"There's not been a king since the first court, and that's not likely to change." Chevalle said

"Not likely." Teague agreed, walking back to a seat surrounded by various instruments and candles.

"Why not?" Elizabeth asked

"Because the king is elected by popular vote." Gibbs explained

"And each pirate only ever votes for hisself." Barbossa added

"Selfish lot." Jewel muttered

"I call for a vote." Jack called out. The pirates all rolled their eyes and groaned at the statement. Teague picked up a lute-like guitar thing and began playing a tune on it.

"Dad, I promised Jocard you'd vote for him." Jewel said. Jack paid no attention to his daughter.

"I vote for Armand, the corsair." Armand said, standing up.

"Capitan Chevalle, the penniless French man." Chevalle said, standing.

"Sri Sumbhajee votes for Sri Sumbhajee." Said one of Sri Sumbhajee's men.

"Mistress Ching!" Mistress Ching said, standing.

"Gentleman Jocard." Jocard said, standing.

"Elizabeth Swann." Elizabeth shrugged

"Barbossa." said Barbossa

"Villanueva!" Said that eighth pirate lord. Teague stopped playing letting a high note ring in the air before Jack cast his vote.

"Ge-" Jewel started before Jack quickly covered her mouth and pulled her close.

"Elizabeth Swann." he said

"What?" Elizabeth asked, stunned.

"Dad!" Jewel said. Teague continued playing.

"I know, curious isn't it?" Jack asked. There was a great uproar amongst the pirate lords. Every lord complaining of Jack's choice, going against what is usually done.

"Am I to understand that you lot will not be keeping to the code, then?" Jack asked loudly. A sour chord from Teague's instrument was played as a string broke, hushing all of the pirates in an instant. He glared at all the lords from his position, daring anybody to break the code.

"Very well," Mistress Ching said, turning to Elizabeth, "what say you Captain Swann, king of the Brethren Court?" The lords waited with baited breath to hear what she had to say.

"Prepare every vessel that floats." she ordered, "At dawn, we're at war." Sri Sumbhajee stood up in his seat.

"And so, we shall go to war." he said in the highest pitched voice ever. Jack cocked his head to the side. Jewel snickered at the sound. The lords cheered and all made way to leave the court. Barbossa had Ragetti and Pintel hide the bowl of the pieces of eight just to smuggle it out. Jack turned around and smiled at Teague, who only stared back.

"What?" He asked, walking toward him, "You've seen it all, done it all, you survived. That's the trick, isn't it? To survive?" Teague put his lute down and stood up.

"It's not just about living forever, Jackie. The trick is, living with yourself, forever." he said

"How's mum?" Jack asked. Teague raised up a shrunken head.

"... She looks great." Jack managed to say.

"Take her. She wanted you to keep her close." Teague said. Jack gently took the head from his father stepping to the side. Jewel looked up at the man that was her grandfather. He smiled at her.

"You must be the girl I've heard tales of. Jewel Sparrow." he said

"Aye. That's me." Jewel said. Teague put a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, your shorter than I expected." he said

"I'll grow, I'm only sixteen." Jewel said

"No you're not, your fifteen." Jack said, walking up to them. Jewel groaned.

"No dad, I had my birthday while you were in the locker." she said, looking ready to punch her father.

"Oh... Which was... How long ago?" Jack asked

"Jackie," Teague said, shaking his head.

"Did you actually forget your own daughter's birthday?" Jewel yelled

"No. I just... Can't recall it exactly. At the moment." Jack replied, "You should have reminded me."

"Why must it be my job to remind you of these things? Why am I always the one to pay for what you've done? Why do I have to suffer for your mistakes!I have to be the responsible one on board, and I'm tired of it!" Jewel yelled, "I hate your mistakes! I hate what you've done! And I HATE YOU!" Jack and Teague couldn't think of anything to say. The look of fury on Jewel's face showed that she meant what she said, and there was no way she would ever take it back. Jack swallowed some air and exhaled shakily.

"Lets go back to the Pearl, lu-... Jewel." he said. Jewel sighed.

"Fine." she said, walking away.

"She reminds me of you, when I was raising you Jackie." Teague said, "You've been holding her back too much, now she's pushing back." He put a hand on his sons shoulder. "Give her space. She'll be fine." Jack took in a breath and went to follow his daughter. He did not walk next to her, but behind her a safe distance away. Even so, she knew he was with her.

"And you never said you were proud of me." Jewel said

"What?" Jack said, not really paying attention.

"It was always 'Mom would be proud', 'Rose would have done that', but you..." Jewel stopped and looked back at him, "You never said that you were proud of me. Of anything I did." Jack thought she was wrong. He tried to remember the things the two had done. He would congratulate her and pat her on the back with a "good job", but Jewel was right. He never did say those words.

"Jewel, I'm-" He started. She turned away from him.

"I don't want to hear it." she said lowly, walking to the Pearl.