A Pirate and His Wolf (Pirates of the Caribbean)

Chapter 8

Will began telling his story as he sharpened his sword. Jack tuned out for the beginning, but returned his attention to Will as the sun began to set, "... 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."

Jack looked at him, "Is that so?"

Will paused before beginning, "My father, Will Turner." He turned to face Jack, who had his eyes closed. "At the jail, it was only after you learned my name that you agreed to help. Since that's what I wanted, I didn't press the matter." He stood up and walked over to Jack, "I'm not a simpleton, Jack. You knew my father."

Jack remained quiet for a moment before replying, "I knew 'im. Probably one of the few who knew him as William Turner. Everyone else just called him Bootstrap or Bootstrap Bill."

"Bootstrap," Will repeated, looking confused. That didn't sound like a sailor's nickname at all.

"Goodman. Good pirate. I swear you look just like him." Jack said quickly, giving Will a smirk.

Will's temper flared, "It's not true. He was a merchant sailor. A good, respectable man who obeyed the law."

Jack raised an eyebrow, "He was a bloody pirate, a scallywag."

"My father was not a pirate," Will insisted, pulling out his sword and pointing it at Jack.

Jack looked at the sword, then at Will, and back out to the sea, "Put it away, son. It's not worth you getting beat again."

"You didn't beat me. You ignored the rules of engagement. In a fair fight, I'd killed you."

Jack laughed, "Then that's not much incentive for me to fight fair, then, is it?" He paused before turning the wheel sharply to the left, causing one of the yards to catch Will, and swing him out over the sea. "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. Now, for example, I can let you drown but I can't bring this ship into Tortuga all by me onesy, savvy?"

"Tell me another one! Please, Uncle Noah, just one more story!" Lucas whined, sitting up straight in the bed, he was sharing with his older and younger siblings and uncle. All of the children were giving their Uncle a pleading look. "Yeah! Another one about pirates and sailing the seven seas looking for lost treasure! We love those!" Zachary said to their uncle that all his siblings agreed with.

Their Uncle Noah grinned, trying his best to tease his nephews and nieces, "I don't know...."

"Oh, please! Just one more." The twins, Lumi and Jake said to their uncle pleading as their baby sister Adelaide try to copy their pledging  as she sat in her older sister lap, Chantal. 

"Oh, alright, only one. Then you all have to promise to go to bed, you know your mother and father will be annoyed if they find out we've been up all night telling pirate stories again." Noah sat up straighter, he gripped the sheets covers and pulled it over his head and his nephews and nieces' head. He faced the kids with a grin on his face, "Once upon a time, there was a man called Blackbeard." The kids all gasped in excitement. "He was one of the most feared pirates of the Seven Seas. He was captain of the grand and terrifying ship, Queen Anne's Revenge. It was said that any man who saw the ship was doomed to a terrible fate. No manner of pirate code could ever contain Blackbeard as he plundered and pillaged and looted whenever he sailed." All of the children's eyes were getting tired but they continued to listen to the story with rapt attention. "No pirate stood a chance against Blackbeard and his men, no matter their numbers. One day some greedy and incredibly silly young pirates thought they could steal all of Blackbeard's treasure, so they snuck onto his ship and piled everything their hands could touch into sacks. Just as they were about to escape, Blackbeard came up behind them and-BAM!" Lumi gasped in surprise as she hide her face against her older sister side while the boys jumped in excitement. "They were never heard from again." Noah finished.