Captain Hook Untold (English Version)

5. The birth of a new captain

A few years passed. Blackbeard often left the Neverland to plunder all the ships and the villages he encountered, and in the meantime James had grown up. He was now twenty years old. In all this time he had become accustomed to killing and seeing people die during the various boardings and he had also begun to enjoy it. He no longer no longer cared about anyone, so it was easier for him to take human lives without going crazy or feeling remorse. It had become normal for him to kill people. He had also begun to drink rum in order to suffer less emotionally and soon it became a real addiction to that drink. Every evening he played the harpsichord under the orders for his captain, receiving a warm hug from the latter. His father had never hugged him, so he allowed Blackbeard to make this gesture towards him, whether it was true or false his feeling on his part.

One day, while James was again cleaning the deck of the ship, he was delighted to watch the sunset. The sight reminded him of Elizabeth and he wondered if she remembered him. Sooner or later he would come back to save her, even though he was now an adult and she remained a teenager, never growing up. Who knows what would happen next? Once she was taken away from there, how would she go with their relationship? While daydreaming, he took the bucket with his foot and spilled the water on the deck. At that moment, Drake passed by and slipped, falling backwards. He got up in a rage, cursing James. He tried to escape, but the boatswain was faster. He grabbed him by his jacket and slammed him to the ground. Then he got on top of him and started punching him. Drake was much stronger and was getting the better of him, then James took the mop he was cleaning the deck with and hit him on the head, making him scream in pain. James quickly got up and fled again, with Drake at his heels. He managed to grab the sword and point it at him, threatening to kill him if he tried to get close. "Sure, right!", laughed the boatswain, "I have much more experience than you, what do you think you're doing? But I'll settle you immediately!". Drake also took his sword and they began to duel all over the ship. He was very strong, but James was more agile. Between the fencing lessons and the encounters with Peter Pan as a boy, he was able to stand up to him and parry the blows well. "You're pretty good, boy!", Drake said after a few hits, "But now let's get it over with!". He pushed James against a barrel, knocking him to the ground. Freshly caught fish came out of it. Drake was about to hit him when James threw some of the fish ended up on the ground fish in his face. While Drake cleaned his good eye, James disarmed him and stabbed him in the belly. The boatswain fell to his knees with a strangled cry and the wide eye. Spitting blood, he said: "I have fought against much stronger opponents, I will never accept to die at the hands of a brat!". James, to silence him, slit his throat, and Drake slumped to the ground lifeless. At that moment, the whole crew went into turmoil. James had killed the boatswain, how would Blackbeard react? He didn't have time to think that the captain immediately appeared behind him, telling him to follow him into his cabin. Once there, he closed the door, made him sit down and said: "You're a constant surprise, my dear boy. You killed one of my best men. Motivations are not needed, what interests me is your great ability. You can play music and you can fight perfectly. You just needed a little push to show your skills. I congratulate you, really". James was confused. Wasn't he mad at him for killing his boatswain? He tried to ask him, "I killed Drake, your most trusted man. Aren't you angry with me for this?". Blackbeard laughed, then replied: "He was just a man like any other. Sooner or later he would have happened anyway. In any case, once a boatswain is dead, another is made". He walked over to him, put his hands on his shoulders and said: "You've been promoted, boy". After these words, James almost gasped. Now he had become the boatswain of his captain of him! Blackbeard smiled at him and led him out, breaking the news to the rest of the crew. Everyone cheered, from then on they would treat James with more respect. That evening, Blackbeard prepared a place for him to sleep in his cabin. Now that he had become the new boatswain, he had the right to go in and out of there as many times as he wanted. He sat him down, then pulled a bottle of rum out of a trunk. He took two mugs from a shelf, handed one to James and, as he filled his glass, said: "Let's have a toast to your great career, lad". They drank a couple of mugs each, then James's head began to spin. He was still not used to alcohol and held it up poorly compared to the others. Then the captain handed him a cigar and lit it for him. "Come on, try it", he said, winking at him, "It's fabulous, especially after the rum". James accepted. After the first puff, however, he began to cough without stopping. Blackbeard laughed: "Don't worry, you still have to get used to it". James recovered and continued to smoke. He did not even reach the middle of the cigar as his head was spinning more and more. He closed his eyes and fell asleep. The captain picked him up before he fell to the ground and put him to bed, wishing him goodnight.