Lost City of Atlantis (POTC 6) + Shorts

Meeting Jack Before the Interceptor

1727
Narrator's POV

It was one year before the events of Curse of the Black Pearl when Annette and the crew of Le Victorieux were at port in Liverpool, England. Captain Levasseur was meeting with John Norcross, an English pirate who has been serving for Sweden. He wanted to meet with Levasseur to discuss attempting to establish a trading post in Madagascar by pardoning pirates at one of the ports, and he wanted Levasseur to assist. They decided to meet in Liverpool, because that is where Norcross is from.

The meeting went well, with Annette being the main source of translation, even though Norcross had some experience with French. Levasseur ultimately decided that the proposition was too risky, and he denied Norcross. Which was to his favor, because Norcross was ultimately captured later in 1727 by Danish authorities and sentenced to life in prison where he died in 1758.

Annette was desperate to practice her English, so for their last night in Liverpool, she found herself wondering the town. One of her favorite ways to emerge herself in the languages and cultures throughout the continent was to explore the port and talk to the locals. She also adored the attention her French accent was given.

The rest of the crew decided to stay on the ship, even though Levasseur wanted someone to accompany his daughter through the grounds of a town she was not familiar with. Annette slipped out before anyone could offer to stay by her side, but promised to be back before midnight. Midnight was when they were to set sail.

The sky was dark, and the town was coming to life. It was not nearly as dirty and rowdy as Tortuga, but it had a similar ambience. She walked along the cobblestones, as many pirates did, until she heard music coming from a nearby tavern. She glanced up at the sign, and saw it was called Ye Hole In Ye Wall.

Entranced by the lively music, she walked in. The inside was quite busy, but she managed to find an empty table. Pirates were laughing around her, clanking their tankards and causing harmless mischief. The massive room was brightened by candles. Annette was just at the age of seventeen, but she enjoyed being in the company of others.

The patrons of the tavern settled down all at once, just as one person sat on top of his table. Annette did not recognize him, but she heard murmurs around her say that he was a regular at Ye Hole In Ye Wall.

He managed to get everyone silent as he began singing a sea-shanty, "there once was a ship that put to sea,
And the name of that ship was the Billy o' Tea,
The winds blew hard, her bow dipped down,
Blow, me bully boys, blow."

As if it was everyone's favorite song, the entire tavern of drunk pirates joined in.

"Huh! Soon may the Wellerman come,
To bring us sugar and tea and rum,
One day, when the tonguing' is done,
We'll take our leave and go."

Annette was peering around, and noticed a pirate gazing at her from across the tavern. His dark tricorne hat was tilted down over his forehead, but his eyes were staring daggers at her. He had long dreadlocks that covered his shoulders, and a sword at his hip. She noticed him singing along to the song, but never stopped looking at her. In an attempt to get him off her mind, she picked up the song and sang along. What she didn't know, was that he was the pirate she would soon meet again, fall in love with, and sail to the end of the world to save: Captain Jack Sparrow.

She let out a soft groan when the song was over and the pirate swaggered over to her with tankards in his hands. He gave her one as a peace offering, and took the empty chair beside her.

"Hello, love," he greeted, "little drink?"

"Hello," she said. She eyed the tankard and asked, "what is this?"