Freedom's Slave

T_Renee_Johnson@Yahoo.com

My daughter is very sick but she wrote this quite some time ago it is an unfinished story but she wanted to share it here and see what everyone thought about it. Her email address is above and I will respond for her to them all. Thank You.


Prologue

Commodore Norrington pulled young Ms. Swann aside just as the citadel of the fort in Port Royal was spotted by the lookout. He looked down at the already beautiful child and knew she was lying, the question was, why? What was she hiding about the boy? He knew it had to be about the orphan boy they had found on the crossing from England because ever since he had come aboard she had been quiet. Spending any amount of time with the girl could drive a man daft, she had almost driven him mad with her questions. Pirates were her favorite topic. Until they had rescued the boy that is.

“Ms. Swann, tell me. Has the boy said anything to you about what happened to him. Anything at all?”

“No Sir. He said that he does not remember.”

“I see. And did he have anything on him that might identify him or his family?” He could have sworn when he had first seen young Turner he had been wearing some sort of chain around his neck.

Elizabeth turned away and clenched her fist around the gold medallion in her pocket. She never could lie to an adult convincingly.

“No Sir. Nothing like that.”

“Are you sure Elizabeth.” he knelt down in front of her, forcing her to meet his eyes. “He didn’t have anything? Mayhap a chain or a necklace?” He could see it in her eyes, he was right. He just need to give her a reason to tell him the truth. “Elizabeth, if he had something, you need to let us know what it is. It might help us find his family once we reach port. You do want him to find his family don’t you. If he has no family he might be forced to live in the orphanage. You wouldn’t want that would you Elizabeth.” he knew he was treading on ground that could get him decommissioned but for some reason he had this need to know. Something about the whole thing stank and he aimed to find out what it was.

Tears where streaming down her face as she turned away from the commodore.
“No, I don’t want him to go to an orphanage. I just took it because I didn’t want you to hang him.”

“Ms. Swann what type of man do you think I am? I would never hang a child. What is it Elizabeth? What did he have?”

“It’s a pirates medallion.” She said as she pulled the large golden coin from her pocket and handed it over too him. “It means he is a pirate doesn’t it?” she asked fearfully.

“My God,” he held his breath as he took in the worth of such a coin, more than he would make in a year’s time in Her Majesty’s navy. “The boy is a pirate.” Norringtons mind was in a whirl, on one hand Will Turner was still just a child and he meant what he said he did not hang children, but on the other hand, once a pirate always a pirate. Well then he would just have to make sure piracy was the last thing the boy ever wanted to turn to. All right then, he nodded to himself, he had a plan of action. Find the boy an apprenticeship, something hard and demanding, with a master who knew how to discipline a child.

He gave the coin back to the girl and curled her small fingers around it once more. “Elizabeth, you were right. You keep this, keep it safe. We might need it later. Tell no one, we will find another way to find his family.”

“You’ll make sure? He won’t be put in an orphanage. Father put him in my care you know.” She sounded so very serious for an eight year old, Norrington thought. She would make a fine woman one day.

“Yes, I will. No orphanage for William Turner.” He stood and turned away, watching the rapidly approaching land. His mind already dismissing the young girl but not the coin she carried.

***


Chapter One


Ten Years and One Zombie Pirate Adventure Later


“I’m sorry Jack.” Elizabeth’s whisper carried over the water.

“They did what was right by them.”

Elizabeth and Will rowed the small boat back to the HMS Dauntless. A quiet overly subdued Captain Jack Sparrow sat very still in front of them. They couldn’t see his face but they could tell by the way he was holding himself that the loss of his ship the Black Pearl once again had effected him deeply.

They were all lost in their thoughts, none of them actually wanting to return to the Navy vessel, but had little choice in the matter. If they ever wanted to leave the cursed isle they would have to take the only ship available to them.

Captain Sparrow was returning to almost certain death and Will thought that he had more than earned a place next to the infamous pirate. So it was the gallows for them each feeling that their crimes were worth the price. If living free meant dieing at the end of a rope then so be it, Jack had had a good life and few regrets. Not very many people, pirate or not could claim the same. Hiss one regret was the loss of the Black Pearl. He had always thought he would go down with her, letting the inky depths of the Caribbean keep them together always. Ah well he had been in worse situations before and lived to tell about them.

Will regretted not speaking up more. His chance in the cave with Elizabeth was only one of a million times his self doubt had bested him. What he truly wanted and what was expected of him always conflicted. But after the taste of the freedom of a pirate he found that he no longer wanted to be who he was. The orphan that had no parents to teach him so everyone else thought they needed to give advice on who he was or who he should be. The governor wanted to teach him to be a gentleman, the baker wanted him to be a business man, and Mr. Brown the Master Blacksmith he was apprenticed to ..he shuttered at the thought. Who knew what that man wanted from him, Will was glad the man had turned to drink in the last few years. If not Will would surly have faced the gallows years ago for murder.

Now here he was facing the gallows for his one impulsive action. Rescuing Ms. Swann from pirates. It didn’t really seem like it should be a hanging offense but he knew how the commodore felt about him. He has always known the man harbored an intense hatred for him. The man would often visit the smithy to ’insure his proper upbringing’. Will snorted to himself the sound carried over the water and bounced off the high cliffs but Will was to distracted with his thoughts of again being at the mercy of the Naval Officer. Did the man really think he didn’t understand the connection between his visits and the beatings Will would receive for the smallest infractions. He sighed deeply, no he was not looking forward to the coming meeting.

“Stop thinkin whelp. And please for the love of God, this time don’t do anythin stupid. We’ll be fine, mark me word. Them lobsters don’t scare me.” Jack’s voice called back to him quietly.

“You’re forgetting something Jack.” Will couldn’t help himself really, he smirked, though Neither Jack nor Elizabeth was looking at him to see.

“Wos tha Whelp?”

“Your Captain Jack Sparrow!” Will chuckled and Elizabeth gave an unlady like snort of laughter before Will finished softly, “But I am not.”

It was strange to hear Jack sigh so deeply. This subdued Jack did not set well in Will’s mind.

“Mayhap yer not, but ya are the son of a fine pirate in ‘is own right. Bootstrap was a fine man and a fine pirate. It’s his blood runs through those veins. No man I would rather have at me back, Old Bootstrap.” Jack turned in the small boat to look at the young man.

“Yes Will, you make a fine pirate too. You are well on your way to following in your fathers footsteps.” Elizabeth said turning sideways to look at both the man in front of her and the one behind.

Only Jack noticed the involuntary stiffening of Will’s shoulders at the off handed comment. He had always taken young Williams aversion to the idea of his father being a pirate as a boy not wanting to face the idea that his father was not perfect, but this was something more. Well it was something to think about at a later time, for now they had to make it through the next week getting back to Port Royal in one piece.

“Aye Will, yer a good man, jus like yer father. The governor knows that, he knows you only did what you had to do to save his daughter.” Jack removed the scarf from around his head and started piling the gold and jewels he had taken from the cave in the center, then tied the ends together. He pushed the bundle into Elizabeth’s lap.

“’old on ter this for me, luv. Commodore might not take it from ya, but he surly would na let me keeps it.”

“Oh Jack. I’ll speak with my father. Surly he will be able to do something. You saved my life. Several times in fact. The first time we met you were saving me, he’ll have to consider that!”

Jack met Will’s eyes and saw the truth there. It wouldn’t matter what Elizabeth said to her father, he was a pirate and it would be a pirates end for him. He nodded once to Will then turned back to the front to watch his fate come to him and hummed softly under his breath. ‘Da dun dun dun dun ,, and really bad eggs.’

**

All too soon they were helped aboard the massive ship. They were all separated quickly. Jack was shown to bri brig and thrown in a cell. Before they hauled him down he saw the commodore drag Will off to the stern of the ship, while Elizabeth and her father embraced near the bow.

Interesting arrangement of players, Jack thought before his head hit the bars of his cell. The stupid marine had to fumble a bit before unlocking the door then manhandling Jack in to the cell. Not that Jack made it easy for him, he stumbled around like a drunk muttering to himself the whole time. He had always found it useful to let the enemy think he was off his rocker, they underestimated him every time. As tactics go it might not have been the best but as a tried and true method it was perfect. He sat back against the dingy wall to wait.

*

“Father, they saved my life. You saw those pirates. They weren’t human. If not for Captain Sparrow and Will I would be dead now. Or worse.”

“My dearest, don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to young William. You know I care for that boy, haven’t I always made sure he had what he needed. Why he might as well be a member of the household.”

“And Jack? What of him?”

“Lizzie, the man is a pirate. Escaped from justice. The law is the law, we can ask no less from the Commodore than for him to uphold the law.”

“But he is a good man father.”

“Maybe so Elizabeth, but how good could he be? Pirates rape, pillage and plunder. They commit murder without a thought. The day of the pirate is over dear. Now lets talk of more pleasant things. Like your upcoming nuptials. I tell you that was a surprise.”

Elizabeth tuned him out. How could he? Her own father condemning her rescuer to death. And where was Will. Will should be here. Was he still mad at her for keeping the gold? For not telling him about it until it had almost killed them all. The Commodore would know, or Gillette she could usually fluster him enough to get some kind of information out of him.

*

Elizabeth flew through the dark passageways in the bowels of the ship screaming the entire way. “What were you thinking putting him in the brig. He is no villain to be treated so!” She ripped open the door to the hold and instantly lowered her voice.

“Will, I’ll have you out of here in no time. Don’t worry about a thing. Father said he would pardon you for all crimes.” She approached the cell slowly, wary now, in the dank musty smelling tank of a room.

“Will?” she said again when she got no response. Elizabeth glanced around the dark room, her gaze falling on Jack. Her eyes asking him silently what had happened to Will. She glanced back at the pale young man, her heart burst with an unknown fear. What could be wrong? She hadn’t seen him like this in years. Yes, he was in the brig but they had come through much worse and she was going to get him out of here.

She approached the cell reaching her hand out for him. “William?” she asked softly. Using the soft tone the had used when sneaking around together as children. Whispered secrets were told in that soft trusting voice. “Boy, tell me your troubles.” An often repeated phrase from childhood. She went to her knees and put her face to the bars. “I’m scared Will. What’s happened here?” In fact she was terrified. It was a feeling she was growing rather tired of.

Jack was just as concerned for the whelp, but he couldn’t let it show. When the Commodore had brought Will in the boy had been fighting mad. Yelling all sorts of obscenities that Jack could have sworn the lad had not known prior to their stay in Tortuga. It did a sailor right proud it did. To know that his teachings were being put to good use.

What concerned him the most was the wild look in the boy’s eyes. Not even in Barbossa’s vile hands did those eyes hold such panic. He knew the signs, had put one and two together and guessed at the rest to come up with four. Someone had broken this boy. Skillfully too. It didn’t show often, he might not have even noticed if not for his own experience. Oh yes, everyone had a breaking point, even he Captain Jack Sparrow had faced his own breaking. Will’s was an old wound. Almost healed, but it seemed the Commodore knew how to pick at the scab, though Jack didn’t think the man had done the breaking. Ordered it, Aye. Watched even, maybe. But seemed like the type who would not dirty their hands to do it themselves.

He watched as Ms. Swann attempted to reach the boy. Seemed she might have some skill in this, probably not the first time she had seen Will in such a state. He kept quiet, knowing that any new voices might drive the boy further into himself. Just when it seemed the boy might respond the door crashed open again. Will didn’t even flinch.

“Ms. Swann, I really must insist that you leave. This is no place for a lady.” The Commodore stalked into the room. He was dressed in casual dark breeches, white shirt and dark leather over vest.

Jack was instantly on guard. His heart sped up and his stomach clenched, he knew what that leather vest meant and he was not liking it one bit. He knew Elizabeth would protest leaving Will in such a state but now that he had seen the Commodore he thought Will was probably in a better place just where he was.

“Just go luv,” he spoke to Elizabeth, though his eyes never left the sneering naval officer.

“But,” She didn’t understand what was going on, but she didn’t like it one bit. The grave look on Jack’s face was one she hoped to never see again, it was just wrong on the typically jovial man.

“Go. We’ll be fine.” his eyes flickered over to her for a moment before settling back on Norrington and that thrice damned leather vest.

“Fine, we’ll just see what my father say’s about this.” She ground out through clenched teeth.

When he could no longer hear her heals echoing down the hall the Norrington turned back to Jack.

“That was stupid, Pirate. Now we are alone and I can assure you not everyone here,” his eyes flickered to Will, “will be fine after this night.”

“Ah, but that is where yer wrong Commodore, ya see the way I got it figured is thus. No matter what ya do to the boy tonight, ya won’t break ’im. Ya can’t break ’im. Ya haven’t got it in ya!”

Norrington’s eyes narrowed at the change in Jack’s demeanor. He didn’t sound much like the drunken pirate now. In fact other than his atrocious accent he almost sounded sane. This was in fact the most lucid that he had ever seen the infamous man. No matter, the pirate would be dead in a week. And this nights bit of work would hang with him.

“Haven’t got it in me? Pirate, you have no idea what I am capable of .” His voice lowered dangerously.

“And what of the lass’s father? He’ll be here any moment,” Jack stood and walked to the bars. Wishing with everything in him that they would just fade away and give him one chance at the black hearted bastard taunting him from oth other side. “And I don’t imagine he will be non too pleased with having to roust at this hour.”

“Old Weatherby knows his place, unlike some. He is governor of Port Royal, and this,” he motioned with his hand, “is not Port Royal. You should know when onboard a Captains word is law.” Norrington stepped to the side as the door swung open one more time. An old seaman walked in carrying a bag and a bucket of water.

“Ah yes, thank you seaman Covenant. Finally. Let’s get this done.”

Jack noticed a dark gleam in the Commodore’s eyes. The man was sick, no wonder he hunted pirates. Dead men tell no tales. And this was bound to be one tale that Norrington wanted no one to hear.

The old man, Covenant, moved to the rear of the room and opened the bag. Jack stiffened at the sight of the cat o’ nine tails, the ends where a bit frayed from heavy use and the bits of bone braided into it shown in the lamplight. He would not show fear in front of the other men, knowing they would just derive a sick sort of pleasure from it. He knew he was not to be the one flogged this night but still, his heart skipped a beat when Covenant sent it screaming through the air. Jack glanced down at the cowering boy who had not moved since sinking down and lowering his head to his raised knees after his tirade to the Commodore when he was first thrown into the cell. The boy still didn’t move as the whip cracked a few more times.

When Norrington moved to unlock Will’s cell door, Jack couldn’t just let this happen. Will might have left him knocked unconscious with Barbossa but that was the extent of his crimes. He did not deserve to be flogged for rescuing his lady love.

“You are going to flog a boy for rescuing your fiancé? What kind of reward is that? She would be dead now if it weren’t for him.”

“He is to be whipped for piracy, a crime against the Crown.” Norrington stated plainly, like it should be obvious to everyone that William Turner was a Pirate. “That he rescued Ms. Swann is a fortunate side effect, but that does not negate the fact that he broke the law, and his own oath to never turn pirate.”

“His oath? What say you? What oath is this?” Jack was almost frantic now, which for Jack looked pretty much the same as a drunk Jack, or an angry Jack, or for that matter a sleepy Jack.

“That is none of your concern pirate. Now shut up or you will be next.” Norrington had simply grabbed Will’s arm just above the elbow and the boy had stood and followed where the hand led.

Covenant now had the cat o’ nine resting in the bucket of brackish water, waiting for Norrington to strip the boys shirt. He left the once white shirt tucked into the boys breeches and simply pulled it off his shoulders and back, leaving Jack almost sick. Will’s back was a pitiful sight of criss-crossed scars, he had obviously been treated to this scene before. Jack shook his head in sympathy, he had thought Will refused to remove his shirt on the trip to rescue Elizabeth out of some misguided need for propriety. This had never crossed his mind.

Scars over scars, crossing each other in a sordid knot. Some longer and deeper than others, some wrapping around his sides, like he had been strung up and twisted with each blow. Jack couldn’t say why the sight affected him so, it wasn’t like he had not seen much worse. When a man was keel-hauled he came back much worse that this. It might have been that this treatment seemed disproportionate to any crime young Turner could possibly have committed, or it might have been that some of the scars where obviously very old. The boy, no man, could have been no older than ten when the beatings had started in earnest.

And yes he must start thinking of him as a man now. William Turner might have been a child at some point but it was clear that he had had no childhood. How he had turned out to be such a fine man, an innocent man in so many ways was just one of those mysteries in life. Jack only hoped he would be around to question Will about it later. The crack of the whip snapped him out of his morose thoughts.

“You’re not tying hiCoveCovenant asked as he readied himself behind his victim.

Norrington had placed Will’s hand high above his head touching the wall. It stretched Will’s body taunt, he was almost on the tip of his toes.

“He’ll stay,” Norrington replied smugly.

Just standing there, eerily unmoving. Jack swallowed a groan, inside he was almost whimpering. The sight of this broken man just standing there, unmoving, about to be flogged in the worst sort of way. Jack found that he might not have ever been broke after all. Because the sight before him now pained him in a way that nothing else ever had. He was almost ready to beg, to take Will’s place. His breath was coming in painful jags. He didn’t deserve this. No. Stop this insanity. His mind was screaming and just as Captain Jack Sparrow was about to break, the door crashed open once again.

***