Okay, I know I'm writing another POTC story right now but I don't particularly like it, so I'm going to write this one.
Summary: AU. Set after CoTBP. It's three weeks until Elizabeth and Wills wedding when Elizabeth realises that she doesn't love him as much as she first thought. Will a certain pirate come to save her from her fate? I suck at summaries I know.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, just the idea. All characters belong to Disney, except Anne Bonny, who was a real life pirate during the time POTC is set (around 1718) and Izabelle Guerrero who is a figment of my imagination.
This story is, of course, Sparrabeth. C'mon, it's the only right way to do things.
Please pretty please review. It only takes a few words to make me happy xD.
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"Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth Swann jerked awake at the sharp rapping on the door. The heavy drapes at the window were closed, allowing no sunlight into the room. The only source of light came from a small candle on her bedside table, meaning Elizabeth had no idea of the time.
"Elizabeth, are you awake?" Weatherby Swann, Elizabeth's father knocked again. "Young William Turner is waiting for you downstairs."
"Yes. Yes, I'm awake." Elizabeth rolled off the bed and pulled on her robe before making her way over to the window and throwing back the curtains. The sky was a perfect cloudless blue and the sun was already high in the sky.
"Miss Swann?" Another knock on the door. "Will you be needing any assistance?"
"Yes please Izabelle. Please, come in," The door opened and Elizabeth's favourite maid entered. "Oh Izabelle, please call me Elizabeth," She smiled warmly at the girl. Despite their difference in class, she counted Izabelle as one of her dearest friends. The girls were only a few years apart in age, although the younger maid was of a smaller, curvier build.
"Will Turner is handsome isn't he?" Izabelle blushed, leading Elizabeth behind the dressing screen.
"Yes. I suppose he is," Elizabeth raised her arms above her head and Izabelle swiftly removed her nightgown and robe, lacing her tightly into a corset.
"What's wrong Miss- Elizabeth? You seem troubled." Izabelle yanked harder on the corset strings.
"Can you loosen it please?" Elizabeth gasped. She could barely breathe. "I don't know Izabelle. It's probably just pre-wedding jitters, but I somehow feel I have made the wrong choice…" She stared at the floor, sighing in relief as her maid slackened the corset slightly.
"You think you should have chosen Commodore Norrington?" Izabelle tied the corset and slipped a simple blue and white gown over Elizabeth's head. "It's not my place to say, but I don't feel he was at all right for you,"
"No, not the Commodore," She sighed and fiddled with her skirts. "Maybe I shouldn't have returned to Port Royale at all," She added under her breath.
"What was that?" Izabelle asked sharply.
"What? Oh Nothing, let's go and see Will shall we?" Slipping her feet into her shoes, Elizabeth swept out the room without a backward glance.
Despite being only 16 and never setting foot outside of Port Royale since she was born, Izabelle knew something was wrong with Elizabeth. She could see it in her eyes, and she was determined to find out what was ailing her mistress.
***
"Elizabeth!" Will bowed slightly and kissed her hand.
"Will," She smiled. "It's wonderful to see you," Elizabeth returned a slight curtsey as her father entered the room.
"Ah, Elizabeth, I see you finally managed to rouse yourself." Weatherby smiled fondly at his daughter. "William, please, won't you join us in the drawing room? Izabelle will bring a pot of tea." And with those words, he left, Will following behind.
"Like a dog following its master," Elizabeth sighed under her breath. She immediately felt awful. Will was doing his best to appease her father. Why couldn't she be grateful? After all, he was a fine man. But perhaps, Elizabeth's darker side whispered, you don't want a fine man who will do anything your father wants at the click of his fingers. Banishing the little voice from her mind, she shook her head and went to join the men in the drawing room.
***
"Yes, I think having the ceremony outdoors would be quite sufficient," Weatherby prattled on, Will listening intently. Elizabeth simply wished she was far away, maybe on a distant island somewhere.
She smiled as she recalled that night a barely a month ago when she had been trapped on a godforsaken spit of land, with no other company apart from the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.
Ah yes, Jack Sparrow. Elizabeth's heart beat faster as she thought of the cheeky, charming Captain of the Black Pearl. She missed the adventure, the freedom she had tasted in those few days she had spent in his company. But more than that, she missed him.
"What to you think Elizabeth?" Will smiled at her gently. "So different to Jack's roguish grin." She thought.
"Oh. I- I'm sure that will be fine," She bit her lip. "But please, may I be excused? I feel rather lightheaded all of a sudden.
Weatherby Swann's face clouded with concern. "Yes of course darling," He frowned, "You look a little pale. Izabelle, please escort my daughter to her room. William, I believe Elizabeth is dress shopping tomorrow until late afternoon. Would you care to join me for a morning hunt?"
"Yes, of course Governor Swann," He bowed. "But I must return to work now. Goodbye Elizabeth,"
Elizabeth only nodded weakly before turning and stumbling up to her room.
"Do you need me to help you undress Miss? You look rather ill all of a sudden" Izabelle said worriedly
"No thank you Izabelle. I'll be fine. Thank you for your concern, but I wish to be left alone for the minute."
As soon as Izabelle left the room, drawing the drapes first, Elizabeth pulled off her dress and corset, tumbling into bed in just her shift. She felt exhausted all of a sudden. There was now less than three weeks until her wedding. She felt overwhelmed.
Drawing the covers up to her chin, she shut her eyes and fell into a coma-like sleep.
***
When Elizabeth awoke the next morning, she threw her legs out of bed and pulled her robe tight around her. She walked out onto the balcony and let the early morning breeze ruffle her already scruffy hair.
It was still way before 7 o clock. There was little movement in the harbour below, save for the sleepy deckhands emerging from their cabins. Sighing, she leaned her elbows on the balcony rail and closed her eyes tight. If she imagined hard enough, she could almost feel the rocking motion of the sea and hear the waves slapping the sides of the boat.
Although she hadn't been on the Pearl long during her last encounter with pirates, she had fallen under the spell of the ship, just like Jack. Freedom. That's what the Pearl was, Jack had once told her. She longed for that freedom now.
Miserably, she returned to her room and dressed quickly in a plain cream gown with lace edging, leaving out the corset. She hated the thing, and besides, she wouldn't be able to lace it on her own.
Once downstairs, she grabbed a slice of bread from the pantry and ate it on the go, pulling her cape around her shoulders as she ventured outside.
The weather was already hot and sticky. She regretted the cape almost instantly as the sweat trickled down her back. By the time she reached the harbour, she was drenched in perspiration. Elizabeth folded her cape over one arm and let the sea breeze caress her face.
In spite of the hot weather, thunder boomed, low and rumbling across the island, and dark rain clouds gathered. Anxiously, Elizabeth turned and headed back to the mansion, but before she had taken 2 steps, the heavens burst, showering her with rainwater.
Dress sticking to her skin, Elizabeth ran for home, her hair clinging to her face in rats tails. Water dripped down the collar of her dress, soaking her underclothes. As quietly as she could, she bolted through the gates, up the back stairs and into her bedroom, barely pausing for breath. Closing her bedroom door behind her, she stripped out of her clothes shivering.
Grabbing a towel from her bathroom, Elizabeth viciously dried her hair and body before slipping into a new shift. She pondered for a moment over what to wear. All her other gowns were too fancy for a day of dress shopping.
Wedding dress shopping to be more exact. There was a knot in Elizabeth's stomach that seemed to swell whenever she thought of her impending… fate? Was marrying Will really that bad? After all, she reasoned, he was a good man who would take care of her.
But she didn't want to be taken care of or looked after. She wanted excitement and danger. She wanted…
"Jack?" She whispered, catching sight of a ship with black sails down in the harbour. Running out onto the balcony in just her underwear, she glanced furtively at the ocean, but all she saw were navy vessels and small sailing boats bobbing gently at the dock.
"I must be imagining things," she muttered, then rung the bell to call Izabelle.
"Yes Miss Swann?" Izabelle asked, appearing at the doorway a few minutes later.
"Elizabeth," Elizabeth corrected automatically. "Izabelle, I was wondering, could you please go and fetch me a dress from the laundry room? I seem to have only ball gowns left in my wardrobe," She smiled gently at her maid, who nodded her head, and disappeared with a shy, "Yes Elizabeth,"
***
"Oh Miss, this ones lovely!" the saleslady smiled, gesturing to a waterfall of ivory silk. "Would you like to try it on?"
Elizabeth could barely remember agreeing, but she found herself being laced tightly into a snow white corset and bridal underwear, along with the dress. It was beautiful, a low scoop neckline detailed with the most intricate lace, but Elizabeth felt hollow inside. She wanted to run screaming from the wedding preparations and hide away until the whole affair was over with.
"Oh! You look lovely Miss! But you need shoes. Hold on," The saleswoman disappeared before bobbing back almost immediately with a pair of soft white flat shoes, a little like slippers, but still lovely.
Elizabeth exited the changing rooms to show her father the finished ensemble.
"Elizabeth you look beautiful," he smiled softly, tears in his eyes. "If only your mother could see you now. She would be so proud," Governor Swann dabbed at his eyes with his handkerchief. Elizabeth only smiled sadly at him.
There was an ear-splitting crash as the window to Elizabeth's left shattered into a thousand pieces. Fragments of glass flew everywhere, and she felt herself being pulled to the ground by her father.
Time stopped for a few silent seconds as the glass shards settled on the floor before someone burst into the shop, slamming the door behind him.
A very familiar someone.
"Jack!" Elizabeth gasped.
"Miss Swann, Governor," Jack bowed mockingly at her father, who seemed dumbstruck. "So sorry to burst in like this, I'll be on my way out the back. Little mishap with the guards if you know what I mean.
Winking at Elizabeth, Jack made to saunter past, but at that moment, guards rushed in, pointing their weapons directly at Jack. "Mr Sparrow, you're under arrest for-"
Jack grabbed Elizabeth and pulled out his gun. Holding it against her head, he whispered, "So sorry to have to do this again Lizzie," Then he spoke louder. "Lower your weapons!"
So, what do you think? Good, bad whatever, just review okay? It only takes a second.
By the way, I'm not updating until I get at least 2 reviews, savvy?
~Gee