Pirates of the Carribbean 4-Ever

Jack's Prodigy

The tale continues as Jack takes Jill to meet an old friend..up river.


Jack took the girl, Jill, back to the other ship. She hit him hard in the ribs once they were out of sight of the others.


"Trust you? You've got me trapped on a Pirate ship for 6 months now!" she fumed.

"And protected by myself, and free to leave at any port you choose at the end of that time..count yourself lucky. Now tell me what happened." Jack said as he guided her to a small cabin below deck.

Angelina told him everything. Including how the identity of her Father had died with her mother and that she'd never find him now. Jack listened and a murderous frown grew on his face. She looked at him and tilted her head.

"What is it Mister Sparrow?"

"Captain..Captain Jack Sparrow..and that was my ship. The Pirate you heard..was Hector Barbossa, he was my first mate. They mutined on me, left me for dead on a barren island. Now it seems we both want revenge on the same man." he said.

Angelina held her hand out to him again, working her palm to open the wound fresh.

"You swore to protect me, now swear again. Swear to kill him if you find him first, or I will." she said.

Jack looked at her bloody palm and then at his own, "We have an accord Young Missy." he shook her hand again and then smiled as he held it. "but..you are not a pirate. If you want to seek revenge on Barbossa, you'll need to know how. Are you sure you don't want to go back to land.."

She didn't let him finish, shaking her head hard and fast, "NO, My mother used to say you have to fight fire with fire sometimes..so if I want to beat a pirate, I need to be one. Teach me Captain Sparrow,..please?"


Jack brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles, "Aye Lass, I will. Now what is your name really?" Jack couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. But this fiesty little lass was all alone in the world, all because he couldn't control his crew. All because he'd lost his ship, now she'd lost her mother and had no one else in the world. Jack knew deep down he'd always be an honorable man, in some way at least, and this he knew was one promise he would keep.

"Angelina, but my Mum always called me Jilly. My last name doesn't matter,..I don't want to use it anyway." she said sadly.

"I understand completely. My last name used to be Teague,..but don't tell anyone I told you that. hmm..You need a new one,.." Jack mused and looked at her hand, her RIGHT hand. The palm red with blood, he wrapped it back up with his quick fingers, "Right,..we'll call you Jill Wright. How's that?"

She looked at him with a little smile and nodded, "Sounds good, Jack."


Days and weeks began to pass, Jill worked hard on the ship, with Jack along side her. She swabbed the deck and helped the cook. She made the Captain's bed everyday and set his table at night. She helped to light the lamps at sunset and every evening when her duties were done, Jack taught her the Code, and began teaching her how to fight. In 3 months time, she had her sea legs good and proper. And she was learning very fast, smaller and more slender than Jack, she could sometimes even dodge his parries and strike him in the back with the flat of her blade. Jack felt a sense of pride in this prodigy he'd discovered, and something told him she was very special...


The ship drew close to the coast of New Orleans and Jack urged Jill to the deck one afternoon.

"We'll make port in New Orleans this evening. Once we're there, I'm going to take you to meet someone. She's very...special." Jack said with a forced smile, his hand resting on Jill's shoulder.

She looked up at Jack and arched a brow, "Why? and will the Captain let us?"


Jack nodded, "'course he will. I've told him long ago that I fully meant to meet with her before this little voyage is done and that I will do. All that changes is that You, my dear, are coming along for the ride." Jack patted her shoulder and slipped away to go below decks to dig around for something the soothsayer would want as payment. Jill followed after him slowly. Lingering at a doorway, she watched him, her hands playing on the worn wooden doorframe.


"Jack..what are you doing? They'll need you on deck soon." Jill said softly.

"Just a moment, I'm looking..ah! This will do." Jack smiled holding up a pendant with odd markings, then he looked over his shoulder at Jill and almost lost his smile. "as for you,..well..we'll think of something."


Jill and Jack hurried for the decks when the Captain called and along with the rest of the crew, they brought the Runner into port. Jill noticed the ship was flying a merchant flag and frowned a little.

Jack noticed her frown and shook his head, "Pirates luv, pay it no mind."


Once the ship was docked, Jack took Jill by the hand and they walked into the city, and out of the city..to the Pantano river, where they were met by people with dark faces in a rowboat. Jack said nothing to them, Jill was vaguely frightened and stayed very close to Jack in the boat.


"Where are we going again, Jack?" she asked.

"To see an old friend..don't fret." he replied, putting his arm around her shoulders again.


Jill didn't understand why she felt so safe under his arm, nor why his smile made her feel warm all over, but Jill knew she liked Jack very much and she trusted him. He was a good man and surely he'd never let anyone or anything hurt her.


The rowboat neared a strange shack, set up high on stilts in the swamp. Jack helped Jill up from the boat and they climbed a set of rickety stairs into the shack. A Woman sat at the head of a table, she looked up at them and smiled with strange teeth. Markings surrounded her beautiful dark eyes and her hair fell in dreadlocks all around her head and shoulders.

"Jaaaack,..how lovely to see you again." She said as she rose from her seat. Her dress was in tatters but she managed to look alluring in the rags.

"Tia Dalma, always a pleasure, you look as beautiful as ever." Jack said with a grin and took her hand and kissed it.


Tia Dalma pushed him aside and looked at Jill, pointing a dark thin finger at her, "You,..girl..who are you?" she narrowed her eyes at Jill.

Jill shrank back a little, not thinking, but reaching for Jack's coat. "J-Jill Wright..Ma'am."


Tia Dalma looked at her and at Jack and back again, then she smiled and laughed, "Jack's little Miss Wright..ha ha..no..dat is not your name, but dat is who you are. come and sit wit' me. Jack, speak your business and let's have done wit' it. I wan' to know more 'bout dis chile b'fore you go..." Tia Dalma took a seat again and patted a chair near her for Jill to sit. Jill looked to Jack again and he nodded for her to do as Tia Dalma said.

Jill sat beside the soothsayer and Jack took a seat opposite. Jack smoothed his coat and looked at Tia Dalma, taking a breath before speaking.

"I am without my ship." Jack said simply.


"Dis is not good Jack." she replied arching her brows. Jill watched them, much was not being said aloud, but she gathered this was very important nonetheless.

"Yes, I know. I want it back." Jack said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Tia Dalma nodded and fondled a locket around her neck, "It will not be an easy quest Jack. It will take time and they will not be easy to find,..especially not aboard de Pearl."


"Tell me something I don't know, love. Such as, how do I go about getting back my Pearl." Jack frowned a little.


"You'll be needin' sometin' dat will lead you there and I have such a ting in my possession, but I be needin' payment." Tia Dalma said holding out her hand.

Jack pulled the pendant from his coat and held it out to her. She took it and looked at it, then back at him, considering.

"The ring Jack. I'll take it too, dis thing I be givin' you is wort' more than a simple necklace." she said, holding her hand out again.

Jack fidgeted and reluctantly removed a ring from his hand and gave it to her. She smiled and put it in her pocket, rising from her chair she left the room and came back with a compass. A black wooden case with a dome made of onyx. She walked to Jack and placed it in his hands, folding his fingers over it with her own.


"Dis compass does not point north, it points to what you want most. Use it wisely, as long as you know what you want, it will lead you dere. If ever it does not work, you come back to me." She said and stepped back from him. She then turned her eyes to Jill.


Jack quickly tucked the compass in his coat with a nod, "Many thanks Tia Dalma, you have ever my devotion."

Tia Dalma waved a dismissive hand at him, "Of course I do, like you and your father before..now to dis girl.." Tia Dalma moved behind Jill, taking a bag down from a hook in the ceiling, her skirts slithered and shifted as she moved and took a seat at the table again. She smiled a strange smile at Jill and held the bag in her hands.

"Now chile, tell me how you came to meet Jack..an' I will tell you what your future holds.." Tia Dalma said.


Jill folded her hands in her lap and told Tia Dalma what had happened to her. Tia Dalma listened closely and looked at Jack several times. He said not a word. Once the tale was done, Tia Dalma looked at Jack sharply and motioned for him to leave.

"Go out dere,..dis is just between the girl and I." Tia Dalma said sternly.

Jack rose with a nod and went out to the porch, standing with his back to the door, trying not to appear as tho he were listening in.


"Jill,..or should I say, Angelina? First ting,..you are not an orphan. Your father lives.." Tia Dalma said and shook the bag, emptying the contents on the table, a spill of crab claws. She studied them as she spoke, "You are closer to findin' him than you think, but now is not the time. He is not ready for you, and you are not ready for him. The Pearl is tangled wit' your destiny, as is the Man who killed your mother."


"Barbossa,..Jack told me his name is Barbossa." Jill said quietly.


"Aye, dat it is. Jack been teachin' you the ways of Pirates yes?"

"Yes, he has. He said the only way I can get revenge on a Pirate is to understand Pirates." Jill said, leaning closer to look at the claws on the table.

Tia Dalma nodded and smiled, "An' so you shall. You have what I call a touch of destiny girl." she leaned closer and whispered in Jill's ear so Jack could not hear. "Jack Sparrow has only ever loved de sea, but you gonna change dat. but now you too young, you gotta grow, an' learn. When you are Captain of your own ship, den will be de time, for you, for your father, an' for Jack Sparrow to learn dat dere is more to be treasured than his precious Pearl an' his freedom."


Jill's eyes went wide and she looked out the door at Jack and back at Tia Dalma, she whispered back softly, "He's going to love me?"


Tia Dalma nodded and sat up straight again, "Aye, but you must embrace your destiny. When your time of service is up, you go to Shipwreck Cove. There you look for the Keeper of de Code. He will teach you all he knows. Now de mattah of my payment." Tia Dalma held out her hand and Jill's eyes went wide.


"I don't have anythin' to give you. I'm..I'm sorry." Jill shook her head and looked down, ashamed.


"Yes, you do. You can pay me with your vow of service." Tia Dalma touched Jill's sleeve and pulled it up, up..to bare her upper left arm. Tia Dalma touched the smooth freckled skin of Jill's shoulder and Jill felt it burn. She hissed and when Tia Dalma took her finger away, a mark, like a tattoo was there. A Crab with it's claws folded, it looked almost like a heart shape.


"Dis mark will remind you dat you owe me a service. When de time comes, you will know what to do. Good luck, Jill, my little chile of de seas." Tia Dalma smiled and kissed Jill's forehead.


Jill's head swam and she felt dizzy, a flash of something, a storm at sea and she was Captain of a ship, older and beautiful and Tia Dalma was there at her side. She blinked and looked at the soothsayer, her jaw slack.

"Thank you,..you are more than you seem aren't you?" Jill said softly.

Tia Dalma's eyes widened this time and she smiled softly and nodded. "Dat I am. Now go, your future awaits you." She motioned toward the door, and Jill saw Jack waiting, sitting on the steps now, his chin in his hand as he stared out at the swamp. He was annoyed that they'd whispered so much, the only things he'd heard were Tia Dalma telling Jill to seek out..he groaned. His father..Tia Dalma was sending the girl to his Father. Wonderful.


Jill stepped out on the porch, pulling her sleeve down. She held out her hand to Jack. He took it and stood up.


"Well?" he said.


"That's a deep subject Jack Sparrow." Jill chuckled.


"What did she say?" Jack asked.


"As if ye weren't listenin...She said I should find the Keeper of the Code, in Shipwreck Cove and embrace my destiny as a Pirate." Jill said with a nod as they got back in the rowboat.


"So, you're going to follow my advice then? Be a Pirate?" Jack smiled.


"Absolutely,..it's the only way I'll ever be able to find my real Dad,..and the best treasures on earth." Jill smiled an odd little smile, glancing sideways at Jack. He was going to love her one of these days. Tia Dalma said so and for no reason at all, Jill believed her.


"Best treasures on earth are not silver an' gold,..there's only one. Freedom, trust me, I've learned from experience." Jack said.


"mmm..oh I trust you Jack." Jill smirked. "an' thanks to that, I have my first tattoo.."


Jack blinked and cleared his throat, he'd seen Tia Dalma do it before years ago, "Oh? yes,..her mark. That will go away once you've done what it is she wants you to do. I've seen her do it before. that's why I wasn't worried about taking something for you to pay her with." he explained with a shrug.


Jill shook her head, "You're awfully quick to barter with someone else's life, Jack."


Jack looked at her and arched a brow, "I didn't barter your life, Jill. I'd never do that, a favor for Tia Dalma will not cost your life."


"Can you really be sure of that?" Jill asked calmly and grew silent. Jack did not answer, suddenly worried about the fate of the girl. He looked behind them and saw Tia Dalma's silhouette on the porch of her shack as they floated away. He looked at his hands and murmured, "She works in mysterious ways, luv..."


Jill glanced at him and held her hand out, he took it and they rode in silence. Jill pondering his reaction, did he care already? She was barely 15 and he near 30..or more. She didn't know for certain, but Jill knew she cared about him. They'd sworn an oath to each other, and Jill knew when the time came that she'd find a way to make Jack Sparrow love something other than the sea.


((work in progress, comments welcomed and much appreciated))