The Battle of the Brethren

Chapter 1 - The Northern Star

William Turner III pulled at the tight collar around his neck and grimaced at the sweat on his forehead and the damp feeling in the small of his back. The stuffy ballroom was made worse by the humid night and the Caribbean heat. The lace cuffs of his suit jacket scratched his wrists and he longed to be in looser clothes which didn’t constrict his movement. What was the point of going to a ball when it was impossible to actually dance? Tugging at his jacket once more he moved further away from the dancers and tried to find a window that might provide some air.

Despite his mother’s past she was still a daughter of nobility and as such was required to attend balls and other fancy parties, even if her company was not desirable. Money was money, and Elizabeth Turner had inherited a lot when her father died, including the house. Unfortunately the position of governor of the island had been passed onto someone more ‘suitable’ in her absence. Either way, her presence at such events was expected if she wished to maintain her perilous reputation, a pointless venture in Will’s eyes, and he was always dragged along, despite the fact that there were much better ways for an 18 year old boy to spend his evenings.

It wasn’t even as if he was able to enjoy the ball by dancing because no-one wanted to be seen dancing with the son of pirate. The word was whispered behind hands and never uttered in polite conversation but gossip was gossip and everyone who was anyone knew about Elizabeth’s adventures on the high seas. While she may be rich and a good guest to spark intrigue that was not the kind of family one should be looking to marry into. Will had had his fill of rejection; even dancing lost its joy when not a single person was willing to be your partner.

He shuffled closer to the refreshment table aiming to find something to make the night pass quicker. A few glasses of good wine should at least serve to alleviate his misery. As he neared the alcoholic salvation he overheard a few snippets of conversation which stopped him in his tracks when his name was mentioned.

“I don’t know what those Turners think they’re doing, coming to events like this,” an old woman muttered to a small group of people. “I heard the boy’s parents weren’t married and that his father ran off before he was born. Hardly the type of people I want my daughter’s children to be associating with.”

The young woman standing next to her blushed and held tightly to the hands of a small girl and boy who were fidgeting at her feet. “It’s not poor Elizabeth’s fault,” she said sympathetically. “That dastardly blacksmith ran off and left her after promising that he would support her. It’s his honour that should be questioned, I’m sure she’s trying her hardest to repent for her previous actions.”

“Not the way I heard it,” interrupted a young man who had joined the group. His short beard practically bristled with importance as he gained the group’s attention. “Seems to me that she was as much as a pirate as old Will Turner himself.”

Their interest having been peaked by the mention of pirates the two children eagerly joined the conversation. “I thought they got married on a pirate ship by a real pirate captain!” the girl cooed. “I bet he was really handsome.”

“Yeah by Captain Jack Sparrow on his black ship, in the middle of a battle,” the boy squeaked, lunging at his sister with an imaginary sword. She laughed and easily dodged his wobbly lunge as they ran around their mother’s legs. “There were sea monsters and everything!” He wiggled his fingers under his chin and growled, “I’m Davy Jones and I’ll be killin’ ya all!”

The old woman fumed and scowled at the children. “Have you been listening to that foul lady’s stories again? Not only is she a disreputable liar, it seems she is a madwoman as well. Sea monsters indeed!”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” their mother hissed, pulling them back to her side. “That doesn’t count as a wedding and sea monsters are not real. Whatever they think they did it wasn’t marriage and that poor boy is a bastard.”