Justice Drabbles
Reposting the first one of these, as I changed it somewhat, and the second one too: there are five, and are meant to be read sequentially.
Justice
~ A Fine Balance ~
He had rather hoped some of the good things he’d done would even the score. Apparently not, however.
He listened to the list being read, the crimes attributed to “Jack Sparrow”. To anyone listening, it sounded more than enough to justify this. Only he knew the whole truth of what they were hearing.
And then there was Elizabeth. He could see her, standing by her father and the Commodore. Where she would not have been, save for that same Jack Sparrow.
Justice was a complicated thing. He’d been reminded of that the last time he’d looked Barbossa in the eye.
§
~ Truth ~
He hadn’t been at all what she’d expected. Not as she’d imagined from her reading. He was barely taller than herself, if considerably stronger, and too thin. And dirty. And the odd assortment of clothing, and the hair. Well, really!
It had made her a little angry, actually. That, and the belief that he’d trade Will’s life for a ship! Wretch! And, Is there any truth to the stories?
No truth at all.
Well, she knew what he was now. She knew that the slight, resigned figure standing up there shouldn’t be.
She had to say it. Again.
“This is wrong!”
§
~ Blindness ~
He very much wished she had not come. But she had insisted.
So like her mother, God rest her soul. (God was certainly welcome to try, at any rate.)
After all, the man was just a pirate.
Of course, that was the problem. She saw them as other than what they were. Had done from a girl. No doubt he’d been too indulgent, allowing her to ruin her eyes reading that stuff ‘til all hours.
“Adventure” and “freedom” indeed!
They were criminals, brigands all.
Even this rather unusual one.
Most unfortunate. But the law was quite clear on such matters.
§
~ Bound ~
Bound by the law.
He had risen fast, for a younger son, due to his devotion to this precept. The elimination of the parasites that fed on decent, industrious citizens was more than his work, it was a vocation. It was his way of giving service to others, doing his part to ensure the continuity of that which his people called civilization. He had never regretted it. He had never questioned the rightness of those words.
And yet, on this day, in this hour, they meant something different. Something quite disturbing. Something more akin to the ropes ‘round Sparrow’s wrists.
§
~ What’s Right ~
They done what’s right by them. Can’t expect more than that.
The words had shocked, then haunted Will. It was not what he’d been taught about the world. But it was what Jack had been taught, through long and bitter experience.
Norrington. Swann. His crews. Barbossa.
Will’s father.
But today he’d prove Jack wrong, by doing what was right by Jack.
He’d used his savings to buy the hat and cloak. A bold statement. He wouldn’t need savings after this morning, in any case.
And one should be properly attired when proclaiming one’s love, by word or by the sword.
~ § ~
Justice
~ A Fine Balance ~
He had rather hoped some of the good things he’d done would even the score. Apparently not, however.
He listened to the list being read, the crimes attributed to “Jack Sparrow”. To anyone listening, it sounded more than enough to justify this. Only he knew the whole truth of what they were hearing.
And then there was Elizabeth. He could see her, standing by her father and the Commodore. Where she would not have been, save for that same Jack Sparrow.
Justice was a complicated thing. He’d been reminded of that the last time he’d looked Barbossa in the eye.
§
~ Truth ~
He hadn’t been at all what she’d expected. Not as she’d imagined from her reading. He was barely taller than herself, if considerably stronger, and too thin. And dirty. And the odd assortment of clothing, and the hair. Well, really!
It had made her a little angry, actually. That, and the belief that he’d trade Will’s life for a ship! Wretch! And, Is there any truth to the stories?
No truth at all.
Well, she knew what he was now. She knew that the slight, resigned figure standing up there shouldn’t be.
She had to say it. Again.
“This is wrong!”
§
~ Blindness ~
He very much wished she had not come. But she had insisted.
So like her mother, God rest her soul. (God was certainly welcome to try, at any rate.)
After all, the man was just a pirate.
Of course, that was the problem. She saw them as other than what they were. Had done from a girl. No doubt he’d been too indulgent, allowing her to ruin her eyes reading that stuff ‘til all hours.
“Adventure” and “freedom” indeed!
They were criminals, brigands all.
Even this rather unusual one.
Most unfortunate. But the law was quite clear on such matters.
§
~ Bound ~
Bound by the law.
He had risen fast, for a younger son, due to his devotion to this precept. The elimination of the parasites that fed on decent, industrious citizens was more than his work, it was a vocation. It was his way of giving service to others, doing his part to ensure the continuity of that which his people called civilization. He had never regretted it. He had never questioned the rightness of those words.
And yet, on this day, in this hour, they meant something different. Something quite disturbing. Something more akin to the ropes ‘round Sparrow’s wrists.
§
~ What’s Right ~
They done what’s right by them. Can’t expect more than that.
The words had shocked, then haunted Will. It was not what he’d been taught about the world. But it was what Jack had been taught, through long and bitter experience.
Norrington. Swann. His crews. Barbossa.
Will’s father.
But today he’d prove Jack wrong, by doing what was right by Jack.
He’d used his savings to buy the hat and cloak. A bold statement. He wouldn’t need savings after this morning, in any case.
And one should be properly attired when proclaiming one’s love, by word or by the sword.
~ § ~