The Decoy
Disclaimer: Disney owns the characters in this story.
It was a hot sunny morning. Elizabeth and Jack had been on the island for over ten hours now. Jack was still asleep when Elizabeth woke up; she instantly stood up and dragged the remains of the rum onto the beach. When she had gathered all the rum and a few logs of wood Jack had cut with his sword the previous night. She started to make the fire; most of the wood was burnt, so she had to discard that. Twenty minutes later the fire was roaring and most of the rum had been thrown onto the fire. Elizabeth knew that she had to get some help – to get off the island and to save Will. Every time she thought of Will she instantly thought of her father. What would he say about her feelings for Will, and the feelings she had for the Commodore. She knew she loved one. But which one.
Elizabeth was not stupid nor was she weak. She knew that if she built the fire near the trees they would also catch fire, making the signal bigger. She worked up a sweat carrying the large barrels of rum. By the time the fire had evolved into a blaze Jack woke up. First Jack smelt the smoke and wondered what it was, then he saw the fire and Elizabeth and then her saw her throwing a small barrel. That's when he had to do something. He ran towards her with panic and anger.
"No, not good. Stop. Not good, what are you doing you've burnt all the food, the shade, the rum!" "Yes the rum is gone!" Elizabeth looked out towards the sea.
"Why is the rum gone?" Jack asked full of anger and confusion, Elizabeth turned around.
"One it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two that signal is over a thousand feet high, the entire royal navy is out looking for me, do you really think there is even a slightest chance they won't see it?" Jack still didn't understand that she needed to burn everything. "But why is the rum gone!" Elizabeth seemed calm she knew it wouldn't take long. She sat down on the golden sand and continued looking out to the sea. "Just wait Captain Sparrow, you'll give it one hour – maybe two keep a weather eye open and you will she white sails on that horizon" Jack stood behind her drew his pistol and aimed it at the annoying Governor's daughter. But thought better of it and ran away to the far end of the small island mimicking Elizabeth's comment. Until he saw the Dauntless that is, not too far away and a small rowboat moving towards the island. Jack turned around facing the distant Elizabeth and tried to get her attention he whistled and shouted. Eventually she looked and he pointed towards the rowboat that was coming closer. She moved rather quickly nearly falling over her pace a few times. When she got there the men from the boat where getting off and making their way up the small hump of sand, two guards instantly took Jack by the arms and dragged him towards the boat. Lieutenant Gillette made sure that Elizabeth was alright, then guided her towards the boat. "Commodore Norrington and your Father are terribly worried about your safety Miss Swann" Jack looked at her.
"Orr that isn't that sweet!" "Shut it Sparrow!" Gillette snapped at the pirate. "Commodore Norrington was not worried for you safety, and I don't think he'll mind if you took a closer look at my sword" "Ohh is it now!" Jack playfully stared down the Lieutenant "Sorry Lieutenant I don't sail that way" Elizabeth turned away from Gillette and smiled.
When they got nearer the Dauntless Elizabeth caught a glimpse of the Commodore looking towards them, though his telescope. "This is it!" She thought.
When they arrived at the large and powerful navel weapon known as the Dauntless. The guards helped Elizabeth on first then more guards seized Sparrow and guided him out of the way. The first thing Miss Swann did was telling her father to go back and get ready to save Will.
"NO. You're safe now. We will return to Port Royal immediately not go gallivanting after pirates!" Elizabeth trusted her father and trusted the way he worked. But not this time. Not when someone she cared deeply about was going to be killed by un-dead pirates. She glanced at her father and the Commodore, then back to her father. "So we condemn him to death?" Commodore Norrington sighed. He wanted Elizabeth to be happy, he knew she had been though a lot lately and wanted her back at Port Royal where she was safe. He was about to speak but her father spoke instead. "The boy's fate is regrettable, but then so is his decision to engage in piracy" Norrington lowered his head, he hated pirates and Mr Turner at that, but he would never wish upon any living soul that obeyed the law to become a pirate.
"To rescue me! To prevent anything happening to me!" Elizabeth was getting angry and stressed. The two men, her father and the Commodore looked at her in pain. They both hated to see her unhappy, but that's the way.
"If I may be so bold as to interject my professional opinion." Jack stepped forward and stood inches from the Commodore. "The Pearl was listing near the scuppers after the battle. It's very unlikely she'll be able to make good time." Jack moved closer towards Norrington. "Think about it, the Black Pearl, the last real threat in the Caribbean, mate. How can you pass that up?" Jack looked at the Commodore in belief.
"By remembering I serve others Mr. Sparrow, not only myself." And on those words he walked up to the higher deck.
Elizabeth looked at her feet in disbelief of what had happened in less than a week. Will was as good as dead, the Commodore proposed to her, and the one pirate she had read about the most was standing right next to her. " Father please tell the commodore to change his mind, please" Begged Elizabeth.
"I'm sorry darling. I can't. We will be back at Port Royal before you know it, and soon enough you would have forgotten about Mr. Turner too!"
Time passed on the Dauntless. Commodore Norrington sat down with Governor Swann on either side of a middle length dining table, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Lieutenants sat on the sides, two one end and of course Elizabeth Swann on the other end with Gillette and her father next to her. " This is pleasant, the chicken is fantastic. Remember me to take your cook Commodore" Governor Swann looked down at his meal, then up to the Commodore who was smiling down at his meal. Norrington glanced at Elizabeth, who was playing with her food. Staring into it. Governor Swann followed his gaze. " Elizabeth darling are you going to eat that? Or are you going to continue to play with it!" Elizabeth looked up at her father. Tears held onto her eyes, and her father knew why. "I'm not hungry father, may I be excused from the table?" " Yes I gather so, but stay away from that Mr. Sparrow." "B…But I thought I could take him some of my food, I have not touched it. It'll be a shame to waste such a handsome meal." "Elizabeth!" everyone around the table stared at the Governor and he quickly regained his composure. "Do not make me ask you again" He said in a soft but cold tone.
Hours passed. Elizabeth sat on the stairs leading to the upper deck. Her father was talking to Commodore Norrington. Walking along the poop deck. "I know this… problem with Mr. Turner has had it's toll with my daughter, but she refuses to listen to me… I wonder if she'll listen to you. Do you think that you could had a word with her?" James looked at Governor Swann and nodded lightly. "Yes I'll try Governor Swann" And on those words walked slowly over to Elizabeth.
She sat there looking at her feet, until she saw another pair. But these had polished leather shoes on, and they where right opposite her. She thought that it was someone who needed to walk passed her, so she shuffled to the right. But they still remained there, as still as stone.
"Would you care to take a small walk with me, Elizabeth?" She looked up, only to see Commodore Norrington gazing downwards saddened by her composure. He held out his hand to help her up. She took it, for a brief moment they stood opposite each other, inches away, staring into each others eyes. Drifting out into the never – ending – sea - of - tranquillity. Elizabeth broke the gaze by staring down at her feet. The Commodore followed, he held his arm out for her to take. She did. Still with her head down she walked with the Commodore towards the front of the ship. They passed her father and he gave James a brief smile, then made his way towards the upper deck. The nervous couple continued to stroll, "I'm aware you are… upset over Mr. Turner, Elizabeth. But I must say that there was nothing me or your father could… or can do." Elizabeth looked up at him, then looked over his shoulder towards the sea. "W...what's that!" James looked at her in utter confusion, then turned around himself.
"It's… it's Will!"