To Join The Dying Breed

Chapter 4: Back Stories.

Chapter 4 - Back Stories

*Juliet's POV*
Many hours had past since we had left Port Royal and I have been sat up in the crows nest for about 2 hours. Below on the helm Jack and Will were talking while Will was sharpening his blade, I only got parts of their conversation as I wasn't properly paying attention to them. "When I was a lad living in England , my mother raised me by herself. After she died, I came out here, looking for my father." Will explain to Jack, "is that so?" I already knew Will's back story so I didn't listen in instead I watched out at the open ocean.

Never in my life would I believe that I would be sailing out in the sea let alone with a pirate. I had always been more comfortable in my home reading about pirates and the seven seas and what lie in it. If someone were to tell me I would be here right now I would laugh because I would have thought that they were joking. However now out here I'm glad I chose to go, its a change and as much as I hate change I'm glad it has happened. I've seen oceans and beautiful blue skies I would not normally see if I were to be home.

What brought me back to reality was to hear the yard collide into Will as he was dangling over the ship as Jack was talking to him. "Now, as long as you're just hanging there, pay attention. The only rules that really matter are these - what a man can do and what a man can't do. For instance, you can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man or you can't. But pirate is in your blood, boy, so you'll have to square with that someday." I strained my hearing to listen in on their conversation. "Now, me, for example, I can let you drown but I can't bring this ship into Tortuga all by me own along with the lass, savvy? So," Jack then moved the sail back in dropping Will on the helm and pointing his sword at him, "can you sail under the command of a pirate?" Flipping the sword around for Will to grab the handle Jack finished, "or can you not?" Grabbing the sword Will looked at Jack with confusion, "Tortuga?" "Tortuga." Jack grinned ending their conversation.

***

Night had fallen and I was tightening the sails when my ears perked up and heard Jack and Will talk about me. "Will, what's Juliet's backstory?" I heard Jack ask Will. "I don't know much about her story up until we were 11. That's when I met her when I was taken in by Mr Brown as an appreciate after the pirate attack when I was coming from England. Mr Brown and her father used to work for the same workplace until her father changed roles and started working for the government and that is how I met her, since then we became good friends. When her father changed jobs she became close friends with Elizabeth thus we all became closer. When Jay-" "Jay?" "Its a nickname for her - was born she lost her mother through childbirth, birthing her and she had blamed herself when she found out what had happened; her mother expected her to wear dresses and be formal and lady like before she died." Will explained, "ever since 14 she had started to wear men clothes which only got her picked on by kids in the town, her father insisted she would be trained to defend herself in case she happened to get into a dangerous situation-" "ah so that's how she is skilled with a sword." Jack cut in. "I trained her but when we first started out it seemed as if she had already had some training done, that or she had a talent. And ever since that fight she had gotten into with a boy who laughed at her clothes she just seemed snap and nearly break his neck. Jay then had been thrown in prison before being taken to the governor's building to explain what had happened. Seeing as she had a supposed mood swing she was given a pardon but was threatened that if she did not clean up her act she would be thrown back into the cells by James Norrington-" "Commodore." Jack said making sure he knew who Will was talking about, "yes, Commodore. That's why there's tension and hatred between her and him. Ever since then she had been more seen at home reading, filling her head with stories about pirates, such as yourself, mermaids, monsters and treasure. That's why she knows so much about you than anyone else in this town, Jack. She would hardly come out in fear that she would snap again and actually kill someone."

"What about her scars, on her lip and shoulder?" Jack asked after a moment of silence, "Oh those? Me and Elizabeth have never gotten to know why she has them. She said to me ever since she was 7 they had always been there. She said she can't remember anything before the age of 7. Why do you ask?" Becoming curious I stopping what I was doing, out of the corner of my eye I saw them steal a quick glance at me, "no reason. What about her middle name? Does she have one, aye?" "She has 2," Will said, "Victoria and Mary." "Juliet Victoria Mary Nickel?" Jack asked as I noticed him looking at me, "yes, but why does that mean anything to you?" "No worries, boy. That is all I wanted to know." Jack said before walking back to the helm again.

Forgetting that Jack had been asking about me I walking down under the deck, jumped into a hammock far away from the steps and started quietly singing an old song I remember hearing when I was younger, it was the only memory I had of being younger than 7.

"Upon one summer's morning
I carefully did stray
Down by the walls of wopping
where I met a sailor gay.

Conversing with a young lass
who seem'd to be in pain
Saying, William when you go
I fear you'll ne'er return again.

Her hair it hangs in ringlets
her eyes as black coal
My happiness attend her
wherever she may go."

Too tired to continue singing I yawned closing my eyes and started humming it instead. This song always made me think of a memory which was foggy, all I can make out of it is a blurry face of a man which I remember was a pirate singing it to me as we were sailing around the seas. Before I fell asleep I heard someone finish the song but I couldn't place their voice.

"My heart is pierced by Cupid
I disdain on glittering gold
There is nothing that can console me
but my jolly sailor bold."