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Betwixt Hammer & Frizzen	By : GeorgieFain Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (All) > General Views: 2032 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Hoist the Colors

Day One.

After he had seen Gibbs off with the ladies, Jack rubbed his smarting cheeks and began to work, occasionally glancing up at the horizon, where his ship was slowly disappearing. Somehow, he'd known Hector would leave a day earlier than planned. It was just what he might do and it were his chance. The sun was hot and bright and his head hurt, but it was endurable. He knew where he had to head for and how long it would take to reach it, weather holding up. His ship would wait, held by either his matelot or the lass. Settling his hat more firmly on his head, Jack fingered the key about his neck in consideration, and then slid a hand into his coat to make sure he was still in possession of the charts he needed before checking his baldric for the compass. After, he examined the contents of the boat.

Oh, Hector had set him up just fine. Sail-cloth and plenty of rope, two oars and a spare for the mast. Fishing gear, rations, fresh water in a small cask. Rum, three bottles of it. Blankets. Oh, aye, he'd manage this just fine. The last time he had set out in a boat this size, he hadn't had nearly the same accoutrements. And there, at the bottom, bundled in the blankets, he found a peculiar thing.

Henriette's velvety red pillow.

Grinning at her brass, Jack set the sail and rowed out into the bay to reach the winds.

The compass pointed behind him. Toward Tortuga. Or at the bottle behind his hip. With a sigh, he reached for the rum, uncorked it, and took a swallow. Immediately, the needle shifted and gave the reading he expected. With his immediate wants taken care of, the mystical nature of the thing addressed itself to more important things. Like sailing along behind the Pearl until he reached open waters...where he would turn toward Cuba and the meeting place.

The winds picked up and thrust him forward along before the waves.

Ruddering with an oar, Captain Jack Sparrow settled in for a long day.

After a while, he began to wonder how Hen and Hector were faring.

He turned his thoughts to wondering on the lass and whether she meant to do what they'd agreed to. She was a wily one, his own protégé. But, he remembered only too well how easily she'd taken to killing, when only a cabin boy. Out of necessity, aye, but with a skill reserved for only the evilest of pirates.

Under the hot sun, he let the wind drive him forward and he remembered it. That had been his twenty-third year at sea and five years after the mutiny aboard the Black Pearl.

The lass was naught but nine, then, and he had come back aboard the Cathay Rose after being gone a month on an island of pygmy cannibals as what had made him their chief and then taken for food the men he'd brought ashore with him to search for Alexander the Great's lost treasure. Treasure found, but no immortality. And then, when he'd managed to escape, he'd climbed aboard his ship to find that not only was his remaining crew waiting for him but that they were very lethargic, unable to do anything more than wave weakly at him from where they lay against barrels and crates and coils of rope. Concerned for the mystery of it, he had sought out the only three decently sober souls on his ship: Doctor Meyrick, Joshamee Gibbs---not very sober at all!---and �Henry� De la Hoya, the cabin boy.

The majority of the crew had wanted to leave him and the other men ashore after they hadn't returned from their treasure hunting in fortnight�s time. To keep the pirates from committing a quiet and un-contested mutiny, taking the ship and heading back for more inhabited waters, Doctor Meyrick had put a quantity of light brown opium powder in the rum and in the water; this had effectively given the men enough of a stupor to prevent them from doing as they wished, leaving the captain onshore. This stupor, being a continual thing, had lasted for just at fifteen days, by the time he came back to the ship alone.

The only problems had come at the start, before the men started drinking the dosed spirits. At the thirteenth day, the men had started plotting and declared themselves. Unsure of what to do, Doctor Meyrick and Gibbs had initially tried to talk the crew into waiting, but guns were produced and the good physiker had taken a bullet to the leg. Henry, the cabin boy, had lost her wee head and shot the responsible crewman dead, holding the quarterdeck alone against the angry, mutinying crew. At nine years old, the lass---posing as a lad---had killed a man.

He had not heard that part of the story, upon first coming back to the Cathay Rose. It was not until he had put the ship to sail and retired to his cabin that he discovered the extent of what had occurred. Then, and only then, had Hen come to him, after Doctor Meyrick and Gibbs had filled in the largest and most important parts of the tale. She had crawled up in his bed, where she was accustomed to sleeping when the sea roiled hard and the storms raged. There, curled up in a wee ball, the cabin boy had sobbed out the complete story, explaining her part in the matter of the dead crewman. She had, by then, already witnessed men dying---some at his command, aye---but none by her own hand.

Taking a soft tack, he had made his cabin boy sit up and take rum, to calm her. Hen had cried it out on him, drinking too much, and then, at last, while still sniveling, began to puke in his bed. It had been a long, terrible night. But, in the morning, the 'lad' had been right as rain and ready for duty once more. The loss of Hen�s innocence had come while he was missing from the ship and she had come to him, begging some understanding, having held herself so strong in his absence.

He had, he now remembered, told her that 'a pirate is as a pirate does'.

She had adjusted quickly enough. But, only after two very telling events. One being the occasion upon which the lass had demanded that he not have a man beaten for theft---ending with the thief dead and Henry quite shaken to the core at the idea of what he might do, as a pirate captain and pirate lord. The second event being a strange visit to his father's stronghold on Madagascar, where he had introduced the lass as Henry, and in the interest of making sure the 'lad' was safe from depraved hands among Captain Teague's crew, had claimed the cabin boy was his own get and thus subject to his paternal pride and ire. Anyone caught laying a hand to Henry would be summarily shot dead. He had found it necessary to visit his father, the Pirate Lord of Madagascar and Keeper of the Code, on a matter of pirate law concerning the matter of how he cheated Sao Feng and, in preparing to disembark, he had decided to take only his cabin boy and Doctor Meyrick---leaving Gibbs in charge of the ship.

After talking in a long, private meeting with Captain Teague---a meeting which he had not been privy to---his pale-eyed cabin boy had started walking with a particular swagger and that deadly smile. To say that she had impressed Teague was a question for which he had never found an answer. He could no more guess his pirate father's mind than he might outwit the old rogue. But, Captain Teague Sparrow had told him that he was raising a rare pirate, in that 'lad', and that he might want to be careful of telling a falsehood on Henry's parentage, for the 'lad's' real father might take amiss at the lie. Captain Teague had not bought the deception, having known both him and Hector as lads---Hector better than him, in fact.

But, the meeting had produced a new attitude in Hen. One that endured, even now. An attitude that had only gotten much, much worse in the last three years, while she was not sailing under his command.

Now, as the sun beat down hot on him and he adjusted his hat for shade, Jack thought on the matter of Shipwreck Cove. Seeing his father again had only reminded him of his inadequate status as a pirate lord and captain. In a wee moment of quiet, after the Council of the Brethren, he had found himself in Captain Teague's corner once more, quite unexpectedly---only to have his father address him as 'boy' and ask him if he did intend to keep the accord with Barbossa. He had said no, rather brusquely, but now he wondered at why his father would ask. If Hector was right, Captain Teague hisself was responsible for the blood sacrifice that had brought his matelot back to the land of the living. For a redemption and the release of a heathen goddess.

Had his father been trying to do right by him, through bringing Hector Barbossa back?

Not very likely.

But, still. T'was worth giving serious consideration to, that.

***

Elizabeth's Journal

It has now been four days since I left the Black Pearl. I have had my day with Will and I am determined to not think overmuch on it, for how my heart breaks as I brave on. Now, with our marriage consummated, I find myself in awe of Will Turner and yet so very solitary even as I do carry the chest with his heart along in my wake. I treasure its gifting and find myself unwilling to stop thinking on the faint thump I do hear whenever I grow quiet, in any moments where I am alone. It will be ten years before I am again to be in his arms, my head pillowed on his chest. In this hour, as I sit in my father's house and write, finishing the matter of my inheritance and what I should have done with the small bits of property that is without dispute my father's and not the Crown's, I find myself weeping again at the thought of how very alone I am.

Will has said that it might be best for me sail with the Black Pearl, as I am not a woman for staying ashore in corsets and polite society. He does not want my wings to be clipped, as he says this wildness of mine is a large part of what he has long loved in my nature. Even as I shall remain faithful to my husband, I will go to sea and remain there as long as I may, for the sheer work of being a sailor does offer a respite from my grief.

I did tell him of the situation aboard the Black Pearl and how I am at perpetual odds with our physician, Henriette De la Hoya. He found it quite amusing to discover that Captain Barbossa has a child of his own and one that was gotten from Anamaria, whom we both have sailed with. He found it laughable, also, the mention of how we now have a cat aboard. The Black Pearl shall, Will expressed, become a floating ark with the unsinkable Captain Sparrow at the helm. He did not find it quite so silly, the knowledge which I did impart of the history which we were not made privy to, before, that knowledge of the Captains' previous relationship. I could only express my suspicions as to how complete that relationship as matelots is, but Will agreed that he had wondered something similar, when sailing with Jack in pursuit of the Black Pearl and its cursed crew.

Jack did, as Will does say, comment many things which led Will to think that there was something more than hate at work. He did tell me of something he saw in the cavern at Isla de Muerta, when we were talking of what would happen when we reached the ship, my father, and James. Will says that Jack made a byre for Captain Barbossa and laid a kiss upon that man's brow before we did leave. He had chosen to say nothing of it, for the very private nature of such a farewell. How very odd that my husband, a man I have known since we were but children, could know something so very amazing about our friend, Captain Jack Sparrow, and never breathe a word of it to me. I do admit to holding my own secrets, however, so I cannot fault him terribly.

As we did find some minutes to talk of the two captains, I expressed a secret of my own in that I am to be the new quartermaster's mate and that it would put me to working very closely with Hector Barbossa, a man who possesses more depths than any other I have yet to meet. I did say as how I found the man quite fascinating, for the sheer intelligence of wit and education I have enjoyed in our many dinner conversations. I admire that Will laughed at me for it and, accepting my interest as the platonic intrigue which it represents, said as how I should be careful to not make Jack jealous. How ridiculous, but now I find myself wondering if such a thing is possible. Does Jack Sparrow ever get jealous of his matelot, beyond the ship they have both laid claim to?

Now, I face the finishing my father's business here in Port Royal and doing the terrible work of writing a letter which I have long dreaded, since setting out with the Black Pearl from the battle at Shipwreck Island. I must write to both James' brother and mother and let them know that he has died in the line of duty. I do not think the Royal Navy will have the knowledge of it as yet and, even if they do, are loathe to send letters to any members of the aristocracy who might demand an inquiry into what can only be called a questionable death. As James did represent the highest Naval authority in the Caribbean and died aboard a ship which is said to be only a legend, the duty is twice as difficult. I must go to the garrison and, in his office, find a certain item which he once told me, in a moment of rare candor, should be returned to his brother in England.

Once I am finished in Port Royal, I will set out for Kingston Bay and find the man, Captain Mick Downey, and his ship, Jacob's Ladder. Already, after only a day onshore, I find myself uneasy. I understand this for what it seems to be. I sway when I walk and can only regain my composure after several long draughts of rum. I do believe my father would be horrified whereas Jack Sparrow would be delighted. Will did warn me of this strange wobble. Now, I see what he means. I must hurry and find my way back to the sea before very many of my previous associations do see me staggering on the floor in the manner of any old salt too long a-ship.

Jack did give me a letter to take to Captain Downey and, in fear that I might be stranded through some odd turn of phrase---one never knows with a pirate---I opened the missive, only to find that the first pages were addressed to me. My captain did figure that I would be curious and made allowances for that curiosity.

***

Dearest Elizabeth, Her Royal Majesty & Pirate Lord of Singapore.

I do hope, love, that you are enjoying a respite from our Company of rough men, but I find it necessary to write this letter in the hopes that you will answer the call to your own Curious, female nature & remember that we are all Pirates & Wanted Men. Never leave well enough alone, when an unwary Well Enough might be your undoing. I do write this & put it into your pretty little hands with the thought that you will give Captain Downey my best wishes with his portion of the Letter.

I write with the thought that you must know something more of what is happening on my Ship. You are aware, of course, that we, meaning Hector & Myself, have an Accord & a plan. The plan that you are aware of, having been brought into it with Master Joshamee Gibbs, is not entirely what shall happen, love. I have made a second Accord with our good Physiker, Henriette De la Hoya, which must come to fruition before we lay eyes to you again. In all good faith, I do think you should be told of what I have done, as it will have Great Bearing on my return for you, at Tortuga.

Upon setting my plan with Hector for a push to mutiny against me, with the knowledge that he would swing about to retrieve me from Hispaniola, I did go to meet with the brave Physiker. She revealed to me that she was talking mutiny with the men, but that the mutiny was against my own fellow Captain, Hector Barbossa. This mutiny would not be harmful to me by any measure. This was not as Hector did say to my ears. I set another plan with our Physiker, one that shall quickly take place upon my Ship once I am no longer on Her. Our Physiker will take command of the Black Pearl & have Hector placed in the Brig for the span of a fortnight. In that fortnight, our Physiker will rule as Captain & come to retrieve my person from the tip of Cuba, where I will be awaiting her arrival. One fortnight after, we will return to Tortuga for you & for Master Gibbs.

I am doing this, love, for the sake of setting a matter of rulership to rest. I will have no other Captain aboard my Ship, once I return to her. I do admire Hector's abilities as such and can say that there is, in a storm, no better man to the wheel, but I shall not have him taking my Ship from me ever again. For the last two months, we have sailed with four Captains aboard and I found it quite untenable. Of those carrying the title of Captain, only you did not give me any sense of concern for Betrayal, & that does make me quite uneasy. It is those who are least likely to commit such devious acts who will be the quickest to do just such an act in the moment of desperation. I do commend you to stay your hand, Madame, in the face of what I am revealing to you in this missive. I have forgiven what was done to me by you in the spirit of what was at stake, when Your Majesty felt it necessary to condemn me to the Kraken, but I shall not forgive a second time & you can do what you like with this polite warning.

So, here I do give you the Situation as it shall unfold, in the event that our Physiker does not betray me. Once we are all back aboard the Black Pearl, I shall be Captain & there will be no dispute. I do believe that time spent in the Brig, at our Physiker's mercy must do wonders for explaining such to Hector. I do not believe you shall need any explanations, for you are only newly a Captain & Pirate Lord, the Queen Herself, & you are quite aware of what can be done to put down such a revolt. We shall all have our titles, such as they are, but only one can be Captain & I will not forgive any who attempt to cuckold my Rule on the Black Pearl.

With that Understanding between us, I do ask something of Grave Import from you. If you find, in this thirty-day's passing, that the Black Pearl does not make berth at Tortuga, you are to find Master Gibbs & wait for a seven-day more. If I have not come to you, at that time, you must set out by any means you might find, & go seeking my Ship. If Henriette, the Physiker, is in command, I do give you my permission to take the Black Pearl from her hands with the knowledge that you must come seeking me directly the after. However, if you find the Black Pearl under the command of Hector, use your talents as you see fit to convince him of a necessity to seek me out. If you do fail in that, feel quite free to imprison him by whatever means you find Necessary. Upon doing so, follow the command to find me. If I am not waiting at the tip of Cuba, I will be on Nassau, seeking the Prize which we have set out to take.

I cannot recall if, in our time of sailing together these last months, I have ever expressed my deep regrets for what did happen to your good man, William Turner. I was quite earnest in my desires when I did offer you a chance at Immortality & for several reasons, all of which hold fast in my mind. Firstly &, perhaps most important of all, is the reason by that the world needs souls as what are fierce & True. I find you to be chief among the Female of our world, for your sense of Fair play & Decency. In another woman, I might find these selfsame behaviors troublesome, but if you were any other than what you have proven yourself to Be, I would surely find myself very disappointed & disheartened. I did know, upon making your acquaintance in Port Royal, that you were a Lady to be both admired & feared.

I look forward to the day when we are reunited aboard my Ship in Tortuga.

Your Sincerest Friend,

Captain Jack Sparrow
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Betwixt Hammer & Frizzen