PotC: The Legend of Bootstrap Bill Turner

Two
by: Rayvin and Renee


Jack and Raven made their way through the streets of Port Royale with Raven walking like a graceful maiden, and Jack Sparrow walking like a stumbling drunkard. Raven poked him in the ribs.

"Ow, mate! That 'urts!" he moaned, rubbing his side.

"Walk like a gentleman, Mr...." An old man in charge of the shipyard walked past, eyeing the duo warily. "...Smith." Raven nodded to the elderly man, and he returned the nod. Raven then glared at Jack. "You're attracting attention!" she hissed.

Jack looked around, his eyes scanning the crowd. "I see no...\..."

"Do you want that noose back 'round your neck or not, Jack Sparrow?" Raven inquired quietly. Jack quieted down and, for once in his life, began to walk normally. Gone was the mischievous spring in his step, and the twinkle in his darkly lined eyes. If it weren't for the hair, the clothes, and the makeup, Raven wouldn't have guessed that he was a pirate. She chuckled. "You really should have brought other attire, Jack."

Jack Sparrow raised an eyebrow. "Why should I have, luv? I think I look fine," he replied, patting the left hip pocket of his jacket. Raven watched as the dust went flying from it, and mock-coughed.

"That, Captain Sparrow, is why," Raven mused. She looked around for a tailor?s shop, and to her right she located one. "Come with me, Captain. It's time for you to acquire a new coat."

"Wait! Raven!" Jack tried to protest, but each outburst from his mouth was ignored, as she drug him into the tailor.

"Sir. My companion needs a new coat. I will pay you two shillings if you drop all of your other chores, and fix him up nicely right now. We are in quite a hurry," Raven inquired of the blue-eyed elderly man behind the counter. The man looked up, wide-eyed, and looked over the two pirates. He shuffled himself out from behind the counter.

"Two shillings" My Lady, I am three shillings in debt to the Gov'nor. If you pay me three, I shall be at your disposal."

Raven raised an eyebrow, and looked from the old man to Jack, and then back to the old man. "Very well. We shall pay you three shillings."

"Have you a black coat, mate?" Jack inquired. Raven?s eyes flared with anger, and Jack simply shrugged. "If we be payin' three shillings for a peasant coat, Lady, I'll be havin' the one I want."

Raven tried her hardest to give Jack a sharp look, but the smile he held on his face caused her resolve to crumble. Raven returned his smile, and absently took his rough one in hers. Raven ran her fingers over every callous on his hand. His eyes flew up to hers, and she gave him a small smile. He returned it nervously.

"All right Mr...Mr...?" Jack looked away from Raven for a moment.

"Smith," Raven replied for him, never taking her eyes from Jack.

The old man nodded and motioned to Jack. "Mr. Smith, if you will come with me, I'll get you started."

Jack's mouth opened and closed, but not a sound came out. His eyes flew to Raven from the old man, pleading for her help. He hadn't seen a tailor for his last coat, he'd stolen it when he had been Captain of the Pearl before Barbosa had pulled the mutiny. Jack had no clue what to do.

"Just go with him. He'll do all the work, Jack. I'll be here when you're done," Raven suppressed a laugh at the pleading look Jack gave her. "I promise."

"Just don't....run off, Raven....I...."

"Jack, you'll be fine, love. Go," Raven was amazed at her choice of words, but didn't let it show on her face. She shooed Jack away and as soon as he was safely tucked away in the back of the tailor's shop, she slid out the front door. She had some "shopping" of her own to do.


...


Raven made it back within the hour. All she'd needed was a pendant, and she knew where to go to locate the one she?d needed. She pulled the medallion from her pocket, and shined it on her dress. This pendant was the reason she had chosen to become a pirate in the first place. It was made up of a beautiful circular amber stone about the size of a shilling. Inlaid inside the stone was a silver jolly roger that one could only see if they were truly looking for it. The amber stone was secured on a plate of gold, which fit snugly around the jewel. The gold, despite the amulet's age, was untarnished. Raven tilted the jewel slightly, and smiled as the jolly roger grinned at her.

Her father had given her the necklace when she was a child, right before he had left port on a pirate ship. The stone was hung on a strip of black velvet, and Raven ran her fingers along the velvet strip, marveling at the feel of the soft material under her fingertips.

"Ahem," someone cleared their throat before Raven, and she looked up. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw Jack's new visage. The coat looked exactly like his old one: knee length, gold bns, ns, the whole caboodle. "What d'you think, Raven?"

Raven's jaw worked up and down without emitting a sound.

"I'll take that as, "You look dashing, Jack,?" he smirked, and Raven's mouth curved in a giant smile.

"Bloody well right you will," Raven turned her eyes to the tailor. "Sir, I don't believe I got your name."

The elderly man grinned. "The name is Baker, love."

"Thank you, Mr. Baker. You have been a huge help to us both."

"Mr. Baker," Jack spoke in his drunken slur. "Might it be possible to keep the old coat as well?"

The old man laughed. "Of course, my good sir. I will box it up for ye."

Jack smiled and nodded his thanks before turning to Raven. "Now, love, got anything else planned before we set out to find young Turner?"

"Indeed," Raven replied as she held up her trinket. "Would you do me the honors, Captain?"

Jack's eyes widened as he took the necklace in his hands twi twisted it to see the jolly roger smiling at him. "The Jewel of Jim Black. Where did you get this?"

"Jim Black was my father, Jack. He gave this to me when I was a child living here in Port Royale, before I became...what I am."

"Here you go, you two lovebirds," the old man Baker smiled. "You take care of this one now, man. She's a beauty."

"She is, isn't she mate?" he replied without thinking, and he caught a slight blush on Raven's cheeks. Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny bag of coins. He pulled out four of them and placed them in the palm of the man's hand. "Here, mate. Four shillings, for doing such a brilliant job. Many thanks from the both of us."

The old man smiled and nodded as the pair of pirates left his shop. "Poor bugger. Didn't even know he was aiding a couple of pirates," Jack half-laughed after they were out in the bustling streets of Port Royale.

"Bite your tongue, Jack!" Raven snapped as a pair of royal guards walked by. "One never knows who might be listening!" Raven cast her eyes about the street, taking in every shop as they walked toward the governor's mansion. Raven came to a dead stop and pointed to a blacksmith?s shop. "Could that be it, Jack?"

Hanging from the side of a building was a wooden sign declaring that the establishment was indeed a blacksmith's shop. The tiny piece of wood that hung under it said nothing but "Turner" and Raven was hopeful.

"It looks as if you're right, pet," Jack's witty step returned to him, and he skipped sideways toward the door. Raven picked up her pace, and caught up to Jack just as he lifted his hand to knock on the door. Jack smirked as he brought his fist to the door and rapped five times in a melodious manner. A "knock-knock-knockknockknock" resounded in Raven's ears, and she let out a smile. A faint voice could be heard in the background, and then someone setting down tools. The latch on the door was raised, and the door was pulled open. Jack beamed. "Will! Mate! How are you?"

Will sputtered for a moment before looking either way down the road and then backing up to allow the two pirates entry. Once the two had gained entry to the shop, Will closed and locked the door. His brown eyes fluttered back and forth for a moment, before they landed on Raven. "Who is this?"

"This, mate, is one of the new members of my crew, and the daughter of another of the crewman from the Pearl. This is Raven Black, the daughter of Jim Black," Jack smiled proudly. "What do you think o' her, mate?"

"She's lovely." Will answered, lifting Raven's hand and placing a small kiss on it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Raven."

"The pleasure is all mine. I assume that you are the wonderful Will Turner?" Raven's eyes' sparkled with intrigue as she studied the young man with a burning gaze. Once she was done inspecting the young blacksmith, she lifted her gaze to his deep brown eyes. His eyes were nearly the same shade as Jack's, and she tugged at the skirt of her dress in an annoyed manner. "Bloody thing," she muttered to herself, and bowed her head as Jack and Will let out a short laugh.

"I apologize," she spoke quietly, lifting her eyes to meet Jack's. He gave her a wink, and she smiled.

"Quite all right, Miss Black." Will bowed his head slightly, then turned to Jack, a scowl on his face. "Jack, what brings you here? Need help commandeering another ship?" Will paused for a moment. "If that's the case, you'll end up with another trip to the noose, and I don't know if I could save you again."

"Will! William! When have I ever given you reason not to trust me? Hmm?" Jack's eyebrow shot up to the roof of the establishment, awe written on his face.

"That question is oddly familiar, Jack," Will warned.

Jack raised both hands in a gesture of prayer, and hesed sed his eyes. "Apologies, mate, but just hear me - us - out, all right?"

Will nodded, and looked at Raven. "Your part in this is what, Raven?"

She nodded at Jack. "I am just his companion in this venture to the mainland. And beside, I found the piece of information Jack has come to consult you about."

"And what, Raven, would this piece of information be?" William asked, a small glare evident in his eyes. "What could you pirates know that would interest me?"

From his pocket, Jack produced a piece of folded parchment: yellowed and on the edges, either torn or dog-eared. He handed the paper over to Will, and the blacksmith cast the two pirates an odd look.
"What is this?"

"Open it, Mr. Turner," Raven urged. "You need to know about this. It has to do with you."

Will opened up the piece of paper. "A map?" He asked, casting a glance at Raven and Jack. "What's so great about a map?"

"Will, mate. This "map" is important to you. Look a bit closer,"
Jack leaned up against the stone wall, and Clyde let out a neigh of fright
before running from the sun-kissed pirate. "What?!" he spoke to the donkey, and to a glaring Will.

"Will, I found it on the Isla de Muerta. We went there to hoard some treasures, and when I opened it, I thought it was a treasure map so I kept it to myself. What I didn?t realize was what kind of treasure map it was. It's your treasure, Will. Your father's treasure. Maybe even your father."

"My father was killed by Barbosa, Raven. He wouldn't be there," Will\ace ace was drawn, and showed a complete blank.

"Will, this is your inheritance we're talking about here!" Raven
protested.

"And let's think about this, mate," Jack added. "Your father was sent to the depths after sending a piece of Cortes" treasure off to you. He might still be alive, Will. D'you get it, mate? This map will lead us to his treasure, to your inheritance, savvy?"

Raven flicked her eyes back and forth between the two men. Will's face never wavered, but Jack's face ran the gauntlet of emotions as he strained to figure out what Will was thinking. Will lifted his eyes to Jack's and cocked his head.

Will looked at the map again, then at the two pirates. "It's worth a shot," He sighed, casting a glance at Jack. "When do we set sail?"