In the Hands of Fate I: Curse of the Black Pearl

Chapter three

Chapter three

The three of us snuck out to the docks. Peeking out from under the main dock, our line of vision is drawn to the Dauntless.

“We’re going to steal a ship? That ship?” Will asked.

“Commandeer,” I corrected. I had dropped my accent a little bit ago and I’m fairly sure Jack recognized me.

“We’re gonna commandeer that ship,” Jack continued as if I hadn’t spoken. “Nautical term.” He was quiet for a second before he turned back to Will. “One question about your business, boy, or there’s no use going; how far are you willing to go to save her?”

“I’d die for her.”

His tone shocked me. Wow. He really wanted her safe.

“No worries then.”

The three of us ended up in an upturned canoe, walking across the bottom of the water.

“This is either crazy or brilliant,” Will said, breaking our rather ungainly silence.

“Remember how often those two traits coincide, pereche,” I told him.

...

Sneaking onto the Dauntless was actually quite easy. Getting Will to keep quite… well, let’s just say, he’s obviously not a pirate. Nor a ninja.

“Everybody stay calm. We are taking over the ship!” Jack said calmly, pistol in one hand.

“AYE! AVAST!” Will called.

Jack and I shot him a look. The entire crew of sailors burst out laughing, the one that’s obviously in charge stepping forward.

“This ship cannot be crewed by two men.”

I coughed loudly. “Am I a ghost or something? Can you not see me?”

“As I said; this ship cannot be crewed by two men. You’ll never make it out of the bay.”

“Son.” Jack stepped forward. “I’m Captain Jack Sparrow.” He pulled the hammer back on his pistol. “Savvy?”

We made quick work of getting the sailors on a longboat. Jack tried getting Will to untangle a couple of the lines, which wasn’t working out too well for him. I simply wandered around mindlessly, making it look as if I were doing something of importance. I managed to make my way up to the helm with Jack.

He still didn’t notice me. I wasn’t sure if he was ignoring me on purpose or if he really didn’t see me. Either way it was getting on my nerves.

“Here they come,” Will stated as he joined us as well.

Jack turned his head to see the Interceptor prepare to set sail. He grinned devilishly.

Commandeering the Interceptor was easier done than said. After Norrington and his men all settled on the Dauntless, Jack, Will, and I all swung over. Will cut the ties and off we were.

I watched as a sailor tried to join us but instead fell in the water. Jack yelled his thanks to the Commodore who in turn ordered his men to open fire on us.

...

“When I was a lad living in England,” Will stated as he sharpened his sword, “my mother raised me by herself. After she died, I came out here looking for my father.”

“Is that so?” Jack said without interest as he checked the tautness of the lines.

At the moment I sat on a barrel, cleaning my cutlass. I was only half paying attention to the lads story.

“My father; Bill Turner.” He stood to follow Jack up to the helm. “At the jail, it was only after I told you my name that you agreed to help. Since that’s what I wanted, I didn’t press the matter. I’m not a simpleton, Jack. You knew my father.”

A moment passed before Jack stood from tying off a rope and turned toward Will and spoke. “I knew ‘im. Probably one of the few that knew him as William turner. Everyone else just called him Bootstrap, or Bootstrap Bill.”

“Bootstrap?” Will asked.

Jack moved to the wheel. “Good man. Good pirate. I swear you look just like him.”

“It’s not true,” Will argued, “He was a merchant sailor, a good respectable man who obeyed the law.”

I rolled my eyes. “He was a bloody pirat; a pirate,” I yelled as I joined them.

Will drew his sword. “My father was not a pirate.”

Jack sighed. “Put it away son. It’s not worth you getting beat again.”

“Again?” I wondered.

“You didn’t beat me. You ignored the rules of engagement. In a fair fight, I’d kill you.”

“Then there’s not much incentive for me to fight fair then, is it?” Jack spoke.

He had a point. Unfortunately, at that moment Jack turned the ship sharply causing me to stumble. I get up only to see Will dangling over the ocean, holding on a sail for dear life.

Jack picked up Will’s blade that he dropped, and walked 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 some day. Now me for example; I can let you drown, but I can’t bring this ship into Tortuga all by me onsies, savvy? So,” Jack turned the wheel again and the sail twisted so Will tumbled on to the deck, “can you sail under the command of a pirate or can you not?” He flipped the sword in his hand and held the hilt out to Will who took it hesitantly.

“Tortuga?” Will asked.

“Tortuga.”

...

Romanian translations

pereche - mate