A TOUCH OF DESTINY | Henry Turner

09. The Pirate King Returns

WHEN THE REST OF THE CREW joined them, Henry and Carina were the first aboard the ship. Henry instantly looked around for Lyla, spotting her with her father and two others. The first he recognised with ease, as he would never forget the face of his Aunt Amara, but the second, the boy, was unfamiliar.

"Lyla?" he asked cautiously.

"Henry!" she gasped, reaching for his hand. "There's somebody I want you to meet. This is JJ."

"JJ?" Henry asked.

"My brother," Lyla replied, catching Henry's eye. "I know, it's a long story."

"Henry?" Amara repeated. "Henry Turner?"

"Uh, yes, Aunt Amara," Henry replied. "It's lovely to see you again."

"My, you've grown as well," Amara said. "Grown into a fine young man, it seems."

Barbossa boarded the Pearl and saw the Sparrow family, spotting JJ in Jack's arms, a position from which the boy did not seem inclined to move. When the dots connected and Barbossa realised that the boy was roughly five years old, taking them back to right about the time the Pearl was taken, he cringed.

"Christ, there's two of them now," he said in disgust.

"Who that, mumma?" asked JJ.

"That's your Uncle Barbossa," Amara replied. "Remember him from the stories?"

"He the bad man," JJ said. "The one that take the ship."

"Yes, but he's a good man, really," Amara said. "He's your uncle, JJ."

Barbossa turned to look at Amara, finally seeing her. "Mrs Sparrow, it's wonderful to see you again."

"And you, Hector," she replied curtly. "Although I ask you to address me by my rightful title, or have these last five years caused it to slip your mind?"

Barbossa scowled. "Of course not, Your Majesty."

Amara Sparrow's name was legend, as she had become the first pirate king in decades after Jack Sparrow decided against voting for himself and decided that his wife deserved a chance to rule. She was also made captain of Sao Feng's fleet, a mantle which she had passed down to her first mate Tai Huang so that she could raise her daughter.

Amara smiled smugly. "I still haven't forgiven you for what you did, and you can forget about being the captain, because this is my ship now."

"Actually, it's—" Jack started.

"No, I'm sick of the two of you arguing all the time," Amara said. "I'm the captain, and I won't hear anything to the contrary."

"But this is my ship," Jack complained.

Amara glared at him. "And it's my ship now, understand?"

Jack nodded. "It's your ship now."

Amara turned to the crew. "Right, there wouldn't be this many of you if we didn't have somewhere to be or someone to kill. So, who's going to fill me in on what I've missed?"

—

It took them a while, but with the combined retelling of events from the last five years, Jack, Lyla, Barbossa and Henry were able to fill in all of the blanks for Amara. JJ listened in as well, still clinging to Jack like he never wanted to let go as they sat around explaining what had happened. When they got to the present, and their search for the trident and the undead crew that were hunting them down, Amara sighed.

"Look what happens," she said. "I leave for five years and look what happens. Everything's gone to pot."

Jack nodded. "Yes, which is why it's a good thing you're back."

"Yes, clearly it is," Amara replied. "So, is that everything? Or do I have to worry about monstrous sea turtles coming to eat my ship?"

"That shouldn't be a problem," Henry replied.

"We hope," Jack muttered.

Lyla elbowed him. "Not helping."

"We also missed out on one other important detail," Barbossa said.

"Which is?" Amara asked.

"Your dear Jack almost got married."

Amara burst out laughing. "He what?"

"It was horrible, love," Jack said. "Absolutely repulsive, she was. If Hector hadn't shown up when he did, I'd be honeymooning in a barn with two little rodents for step-children."

Amara rolled her eyes. "Only you would get yourself into a mess like that, Jack."

"Mum, it's so good to have you back," Lyla said. "I've really missed you."

"I've missed you too," Amara replied. "Now that I'm all filled in, I'd like a moment alone with my daughter if that's alright?"

"Yes, Captain Sparrow," Barbossa replied, getting to his feet.

Amara hummed. "I didn't think he'd back down so easily."

"Neither did I," Jack replied. "Am I allowed to stay, or..."

"No," Amara replied. "Why don't you take JJ and show him how to steer a ship?"

"Does that sound like a good idea?" Jack asked JJ, who nodded. "Right then, young Sparrow. Let's teach you everything I know."

As they walked away, Amara's expression fell and she called after Jack, "Not everything, thank you very much! There's certain things he needn't learn."

"I hear you, love!" Jack shouted back.

Henry got to his feet, looking down at Lyla. "I'll find you later."

"Won't be hard," she said. "We are on a ship."

Henry smiled. "See you soon."

When he was gone, Amara turned to Lyla. "So, tell me everything."

"I thought we just did?" she replied.

"No, no, not about that," Amara said. "Tell me about everything else. Did your father do alright with looking after you? Did he let you do anything irresponsible? And most of all, what's going on between you and young Henry?"

"Okay, first: dad did a good job," Lyla said. "Second: of course he did, he's Jack Sparrow. And finally: there's nothing going on."

"Oh, don't be like that," Amara said. "I saw the way he looked for you when he got on the ship and I watched him keep his eye on you until you made it to the Pearl after you decided to swim for it. There's something going on there. I can feel it."

"You're imagining things," Lyla said, but she faltered under her mother's stare. "Alright, no, maybe there is. I don't know. I only met him... three days ago."

"You know, when I met your father, I'd only known him for three days before deciding to remain on the Pearl with him," Amara said. "Sometimes life works in mysterious ways, and let's face it, you've known Henry Turner a lot longer than just three days."

"What are you trying to achieve here?" Lyla asked. "Seriously, what?"

"I'm trying to make sure you're happy," Amara replied.

"I am happy," Lyla said. "But enough about me. I want to hear about you."

"What about me?" Amara asked.

"You gave birth," Lyla reminded her. "I have a brother I've never met and we're currently sailing to a place no man has ever found before, being chased by the army of the dead. I think I deserve to hear stories that are a little less life-threatening."

"What do you want to know?" Amara asked.

"Everything," Lyla replied.

"Well, there's not much to be said as someone who spent the last five years trapped in a bottle," Amara said.

Lyla smiled. "I know. I want to hear about your old adventures."

"Aren't you a little old for those stories?" Amara asked.

Lyla shook her head. "I'm never too old to hear those stories, mum. I'm just glad I have you back to tell them."

Amara chuckled and pulled her daughter into her arms. "Alright, let me tell you a story..."