Legends of the Treasure Child

By the time he was two months old, he was dragging himself across the floorboards of the Dutchman. Little John was growing fast, and Jack had made him some make-shift diapers and sown together a dress for the boy to wear. John was clearly very fond of his pirate father, wailing and complaining if Jack made as if to leave the cabin without him. John was curious, and would check out everything he could get his hands on, and he would spend hours just rummaging around on the deck near Jack, playing with ropes and examining tools that lay around him. Jack felt a lot better, and felt compelled to help out Will and Bootstrap to the best of his ability. Never once did he even pretend to be captain of any sorts, never questioning Will’s decisions. Never quarreling with him, never getting himself into discussion. The thirst for commanding a ship was gone, obliterated along with all his needs for questing. Jack felt like he’d been murdered inside, for there was nothing that could stir his emotions, only John.

The deck of the Dutchman would be swarming with people from time to time. It was those who’d died at sea, who was waiting for the ship to bring them to their final destination. The men would claim to make up for their sins by serving as crew members, and all though Will was glad for the help, he’d point out to them that they’d face their final judgment before God, not Captain William Turner.
The women and the children would turn their attention towards little John, praising him for being such a sweet child, despite the color of his eyes. The matrons would lecture Jack about proper childcare, frequently asking him about the mother and what had happened to her. It often left Jack speechless, and he would take John on to his arm and flee inside the captain, where no one else but him, Bootstrap and the captain was allowed. How was he possibly to tell them about the demon?
A while later the Flying Dutchman came upon another shipwreck. Will and Bootstrap had their hands full getting the dead on board, and while watching the commotion, Jack spotted children’s clothes which were scattered about, floating on the surface. On impulse, he spun around and grabbed a staff with a hook attached to one end of it, using it to collect the clothes. It made quite a pile and he then spent time drying them as best he could. Some fit John perfectly, some could be worn later, and Jack was quite pleased with the result. Seeing that he’d accomplished something that was important for John made him feel extremely good, better than he’d felt for months and the feeling was so intense Jack’s eyes flowed over with tears. Something fell apart inside him, and when Will came by to check up on him, he spun around and gave Will a long, heartfelt hug. Will, despite his surprise, put his arms around Jack, holding him close, patting his back, sensing that Jack was going through something. The hugging took a while. A long while, and in the end Will had to free himself from Jack.

“Could you…, could we, I mean, do you think—“ Jack tried, but he couldn’t find the words.

“I have to go, Jack. We need to set sail.”

“Right. Of course. Ye’re the captain.”

“You’re the captain too, Jack. Just not on this ship.”

“I think me captaining days might be over.”

“Nonsense, you’ll get your Pearl back, just wait and see”, Will smiled at him, patting his shoulder.

“It’s because I’m dead inside, and I’d like to lay with ye, oh bugger did I just say that? Aye, I meant it.” Jack looked surprised at Will, who stood dumbfounded as well. Not wanting to hear the answer, Jack spun around, collected John and fled inside the cabin before Will could utter another syllable. Will returned to the wheel, turning the ship away from the shipwreck, leaving behind the survivors who clung to wreck parts in the water. Some of them saw him, and would be among the select few to tell their tale once they were rescued; others were unconscious or oblivious to the ghost ship, calling out for help or for their loved ones. The mysterious fog which followed the Dutchman lifted, leaving the miserable scene as the ghost ship disappeared into the spirit world.

Bootstrap would often ‘borrow’ John and bring him along while he checked the ropes and secured fastenings and boxes. And John seemed very content to be carried around on his arm like that, watching while Bootstrap went on about his chores. Will often stopped to look at the two, shaking his head in silent wonder when he thought Bootstrap didn’t see him. John had obviously charmed his way into Bootstrap’s heart with his ‘da-da’-sounds, his now not-so-toothless smile and silky soft round cheeks. It tore Will in two to watch them together, for he saw the grandfather Bootstrap would have become for Will’s and Elisabeth’s children, had only the circumstances been different. He saw a future lost to him, a future Will wanted more than anything. If only she was safe. Elisabeth had to be safe. He closed his eyes, and saw her perfectly shaped brown eyes before him, felt the tanned soft flesh beneath his fingertips. Three more years.

“But I just gave you milk, son. I don’t have any more now”, Jack muttered to John who wailed and complained when he was put down, obviously not having any of that. Jack picked him up again, and John curled up in his typical ‘looking-for your-milk, daddy’-manner. Jack gave in and opened his shirt again, letting John attach himself to his nipple, biting down harder than he’d intended. Jack cried in pain and pulled John off, earning himself an unhappy cry from the youngster. He put him back in place ever so carefully, half expecting to be bitten again, and strode off to find Will. But as he reached for the doorknob to the cabin’s door, Bootstrap opened up and came inside, clearly upset.

“There ye are, Jack. Would ye care to explain why it is so that the ‘Captain’ of the Dutchman has ordered me to keep yer bed warm tonight? Now, I’d do anything for me son, but this—“

“—err, well there’s obviously been a misunderstanding. I’ll talk to him, I was goin’ to see him anyway” Jack laughed, clearly embarrassed. He made his way to Will who was standing at the helm, gazing at the horizon.

“Will, two things—“

“We’re coming up on another wreck. I see people in the water. Tell Bootstrap to get ready.”

“Aye, but about the, uhm, arrangement with Bootstrap—“

“Take it or leave it, Jack.”

“ And could we find someplace where I or, ye know, maybe Bootstrap could go ashore and buy some food for John?”

“Perhaps it’s time you found yourself someplace to stay. On land.”

“I’d rather not, if ye don’t mind.”

“Get my father, tell him to get ready.”

“But about the arr—“

"Jack.”

“Aye. Captain. As it were.” Jack turned on his heel, on his way to find Bootstrap, telling him the arrangement was off. Or was it? Maybe it wouldn’t be—

“Pirates! It’s a pirate ship!” Will said, shock and disbelief in his voice, his thoughts immediately going to Elisabeth. Was she there, perhaps? She’d been king of pirates when he’d been forced to leave her last time. Jack returned to Will, gazed out at the horizon with him.

“It’s a schooner” Jack said. They approached just in time to see the rear of an all too familiar galleon disappear on the horizon. A galleon with black sails, moving swiftly away from them.

“Ghosts from the past” Jack whispered. He closed his eyes, and the image of the demon Thyrion flashed up into his mind, reminding him of his fatal hunt for the Fountain of Youth. Bootstrap came running up the stairs from the bowels of the Dutchman, joining them at the helm.

“I know those pirates”, he began.

“Aye. Good riddance”, Jack replied, “not a single honorable soul among them crewmembers of the Red Dagger.”

“I’d keep in the background if I were ye, Jack” Bootstrap added.

“Rapists and murderers, the lot of them”, Jack muttered. John had finished and struggled to get upright, to see what was happening. When he saw the shipwreck, he began to laugh, obviously wanting to get to the wreck.

“The child’s gone mad!” Bootstrap exclaimed. The dead started coming on board, and jack tightened his grip on John. The dead were soaked and bruised, still carrying the blades they’d been stabbed with. Others had large chunks missing, some with their throats slit from ear to ear.

“They’re me father’s men…!” Jack whispered to Will, “why on earth would—“

“Treasure child!” they whispered upon seeing Jack with the infant, instantly recognizing the demon in the child.

“Jack!” Jack heard a deep voice roar, “Jackie!” It couldn’t be, it wasn’t possible, yet there he was, clinging to the railing of the burning wreck. It was captain Teague, Jack’s dad.

“Dad?! Wha’ happened here?!”

“Ye traitorous son of a whore! Ye should have told me ye were goin’ fer the Fountain of Youth, boy! Did ye find it?!” Captain Teague shouted.

“Not exactly, as it were…!” Jack shouted back, struggling to keep the wriggling infant in his arms. The dead gathered around them, and John did clearly not like them. But he was eager to get over the railing, stretching out his small arms towards the Red Dagger which had been crushed in the middle. Jack guessed that the Black Pearl had rammed her straight on. Then Jack saw it. It was a half empty chest with gold and jewels and it slid alongside one side of the deck and into the water, disappearing as it went down to the bottom of the ocean. John stopped squirming and fell silent for a moment, folding his little hands together before he turned his attention towards the bystanders. They were still chanting. Will elbowed his way through the crowd of the dead people, grabbing Jack by the arm.

“I think it’s time you withdrew to the cabin, Jack, before we lose control of the situation. It’s not wise—“ to take any chances, Will would say, but he was cut off by the shouts from Jack’s drenched father. Both Jack and Will leaned over the railing to see what he was on about.

“A Treasure Child? A bloody Treasure Child?! Ye ARE in deed the son of a whore, Jackie boy, but it’s definitely not yer mother, may her soul burn for all eternity! What in the name of everything unholy on this earth made ye give away yerself to that bloody demon-wretch, ey? Was it worth it, ye whore?! And now ye’re dead!! Well he’s not gettin’ ye any gold now that ye’re dead, ye know!”

“I’m not dead. He came out the, uhm, usual way, savvy?!”

“The usual way? There’s no such thing as the usual way, ye’re a man for bleedin’ sakes! Tell ye what, son, since ye’re dead and I’m not, I think the only proper thing to do were to be that ye handed ‘im over for me tha’ raise ‘im. And when he sniffs up a coffin worth of gold fer me, I’ll think of ye. I promise. How ‘bout tha’? What say ye? Help out yer poor father, I just lost two ships ad a helluva bunch of pirates!”

“No thanks. Now get lost.”

“I’m bleedin’ here!”

“Too bad. And since ye’re not dead, you can’t come on board, so good bye.”

“I’ll make sure then to tell to the world what a useless hound ye are, then son. I knew ye was greedy, but to sink tha’ low, Jack…? I wouldn’t have wished such a fate upon me most hated enemy.”

“Yes ye would. And I didn’t give meself away”, Jack muttered, letting Will drag him away to the captain’s cabin.

Will slammed the door shut and walked back to the crowd, just as Bootstrap came crawling over the railing, hauling a crate of food on board. It was stuffed with dried pork, bread, apples and four bottles of rum. He carried it off to the cabin.
Jack was sitting on the floor with John, watching him as he wailed for more food again. Bootstrap closed the door behind him and came over to them with the box, which John immediately set course for, dragging himself away at top speed.

“Hey there, John”, Bootstrap greeted him, “I thought I might get ye to come over rather quickly. I bet ye’re looking fer this, right?” Bootstrap said, picking up a gold bracelet which lay hidden inside the box of food. John grabbed it immediately and began to examine it, tasting it and banging it to the floor. He then took it with him as he spun around and set course for his father, attempting to crawl up on his lap. Jack opened his palm to find that John indeed had plans to give it to him.

“Thank ye, John”, Jack said with a smile, his heart beating hard in his chest. Bootstrap emptied the box of its content, knowing that there lay more golden objects inside, and just as he expected, John sought out the gold and brought it to Jack.

“I guess captain Teague—“ Bootstrap began.

“—spotted his worth right away.”

“Not good to be so young and to already have so many enemies” Bootstrap said, watching Jack peel an apple and mash the fruit. He put John on his lap and then fed him the fruit with a make-shift spoon he’d made out of a piece of wood. John fancied it right away and opened his mouth for more, having completely forgotten about the gold.

Will came to see Jack when John had fallen asleep. Jack had fallen asleep as well, and was breathing steadily. Will laid down beside him, rousing him gently, whispering his name as if not to wake John.

“Hey there. I put Bootstrap at the wheel. He was complaining so badly about my decision concerning you and him sleeping together that I had to do something to prevent my ears from falling off. I was wondering, Jack. What is it that you want from me?”
Jack had turned and was resting on his elbows. He sighed, hoping he’d find the proper words.

“I—“, he began, but his voice faltered, “oh bugger it, can’t ye just lay down and find out? Do I have to feed everything to ye with a teaspoon?”
Will shushed him, reminding him of John sleeping soundly on the other side of Jack.

“No indecencies” Will whispered, and laid down.

“Take of yer shirt? Please?”
Will didn’t reply but sat up again and removed his shirt in a demonstrative manner.

“Happy?”

“Quite.”