A Different view
The smallest choice makes the largest difference in the end. Each decision creates a new parallel world. In some, the differences are small. Others go wildly off. What would have happened if one small thing changed for Elizabeth after her failed wedding?
Chapter One
It was her wedding day. The day every little girl dreamed about and planned for her whole life. Elizabeth was no different in that sense. It was supposed to be perfect, and as the governor's daughter she had the resources and influence to make it perfect. The flowers were all freshly picked and placed with precision. The music was composed just for her special celebration. Her dress was made of the finest materials sent from England. The fort looked like a fairy tale castle, just like in her dreams. Or it would have, had the rain not dowsed everything in a cruel downpour. Everything was ruined and Elizabeth felt broken. Will had not even come.
Twenty minutes ago when the flowers were not drooping, the drapes not sagging, and the cake not melted into oblivion; Elizabeth was pacing frantically in front of the alter to the noise of guests mingling to pass the time. Estrella sat to the side wringing her hands having given up trying to calm the angry bride down. Governor Swann wiped his brow, looking worriedly at his pocket watch and the looming rain clouds.
"Where is he?" Elizabeth hissed, turning again with a violent swoosh of her volumous gown. "How can he not be here? How can he be late to his own wedding?" She cried angrily.
"I'm sorry my dear. I'm sure Will is simply delayed and will arrive any moment. Anything could have happened." Governor Swann said soothingly. "Darling, at least come inside to wait where the guests won't see your agitation." Elizabeth faced him with glowering eyes.
"No. I don't care about my appearance, and I've spent far too long indoors already waiting for my fiancé to arrive. No, I will stay out here." She faced the alter and gazed beyond to the sea. The furrows in her brow slowly melted away and an almost wistful expression replaced the tension. She had such an adventure a year ago. She had fought with pirates, been kidnapped and pranced around in men's clothes. It was more than she'd ever dreamed of, and now, it would never happen again. She wouldn't be able to go to the sea, to consort with pirates, to show who she truly was inside. A married woman did not do such things. She was twenty one and expected to settle down as a quiet lady and wife. Her father, noticing her distant look nodded to Estrella who got up quietly and left the two alone.
"Perhaps we will leave you a moment, for reflection?" He questioned her looking at his daughter with concern. "It never hurts to think things through another time." Elizabeth turned angrily.
"Father!"
"I'm sorry. I just…" He sighed. "I want you to be happy. And I want the best for you. You cannot guilt a Father for that." Elizabeth's expression softened.
"I know. I …"she bit back was going to say and then smiled. "Thank you for your concern." A crack of thunder sounded over head causing the murmur from the guests to stop for a moment then start with more fervor.
"Perhaps we should adjourn to the fort, just in case the weather does not hold." He said looking with concern at the sky.
"No, thank you. I'll wait here. It is where I'm supposed to be right now." Her father opened his mouth to speak, then closed it and shook his head. He knew she was too stubborn to be moved. He turned with his hands clasped behind his back and walked away.
Elizabeth returned her gaze to the sea. It was beginning to toss and roll as the wind picked up. The waves had turned a beautiful shade of green. Elizabeth closed her eyes and tightened her grip on her bouquet. They were the color of James's eyes. As she slowly lowered herself to her knees she felt the first drops hit her head and shoulders. He was her oldest and best friend. Her closest companion since she was twelve and he nineteen, but he was not there. She didn't know where on earth he might be, but she knew his departure from Port Royal was because of her. She had used poor James in order to save Will by manipulating his feelings by agreeing to marry him so they would sail to the Isle de Muerta instead of home. She'd had no choice. Leaving her love to certain death was not an option. Elizabeth bowed her head. The way James had looked when she last saw him months ago! He clearly was not himself, mumbling and saying things without thought. If Elizabeth didn't know James better she'd have said he was suffering a hangover. Her poor James. Perhaps in another world where things were different they would have had the happy ending he desired.
The rain was pouring down steadily and the wind blew strings of her hair, plastering them to her face. Elizabeth shivered from the cold but didn't move. She had not felt this dejected since her mother's death when she was six. Faintly she wondered if she was being punished for what she'd done to her best friend. And where was Will? Had he changed his mind? Elizabeth couldn't imagine a future without him. Gradually she grew numb, physically and emotionally.
Vaguely through the fog in her head she heard footsteps behind her and a voice was drowned out by the rain. She turned around and saw Lieutenant Groves wincing and looking ashamed under the cover of the portico. He cupped his hands around his mouth to repeat his message.
"Miss Elizabeth! Mr. Turner has been arrested. They are on their way here now!" Almost immediately soldiers began swarming out of the Forts chapel entrance to the garden. Elizabeth jumped to her feet and dropped her bouquet in horror. The tears she had been fighting won the battle and joined the rain falling down her face. She ran down the aisle to where her fiancé stood in chains with soldier all around.
"Will." She said clutching at his sodden wedding coat. "Why is this happening?"
"I don't know." He replied, then gave a gentle smile and continued, "You look beautiful." She gave a small smile at that and continued fidgeting with his collar, flustered and upset.
"I think its bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding." She answered. A sudden uproar came from her left.
"Make way! Let me through!" Governor Swann yelled pushing through the crowd towards his daughter, nearly flinging a woman into the wall in his haste. The guards at the front barred his passage with their spears and he bristled with all the righteous anger of a father and political figure. "How dare you!" He shouted. "Stand your men down at once! Do you hear me?" A voice replied from behind Elizabeth and she turned around to see a short man with an air of self importance.
"Governor Weatherby Swann. It's been too long." He drawled as a soldier helped him remove his cloak. Governor Swann's face twisted in disbelief, clearly taken back by the sight of the man.
"Cuttler Beckett?"
"It's Lord now, actually." Beckett sounded slightly put out. The soldiers uncrossed their spears and Elizabeth's father regained some of his rage. He stepped forward, between the couple and Lord Beckett.
"Lord or not, you have no reason and no authority to arrest this man!" Elizabeth felt a stirring of pride for her father. While he might not approve of her marriage, he respected Will as her choice and treated him as his son-in-law. Clearly he was showing his authority as Governor and his care for the people under his jurisdiction, but also his care for his family.
"In fact I do." The man simpered. "Mr. Mercer?" A slimy looking man approached Lord Beckett and produced a box from which he removed a paper.
"The warrant for the arrest of one William Turner." Elizabeth clung to William in disbelief, feeling her face match the look of shock that crossed his. Beckett handed the paper to a dumbfounded Governor who looked at it, then to the couple and back again.
"This warrant is for Elizabeth Swann!" Elizabeth's head jerked around to stare at her father. What he said was impossible!
"Oh, is it?" Beckett took the paper and glanced over it in apathy. "That's annoying. My Mistake. Arrest her." Elizabeth felt herself grabbed away from Will and restrained. Will moved to stop them but was held back by his chains.
"No!" He shouted.
"On what charges?" Elizabeth exclaimed, pulling against her new captors.
"Ah, here's the one for Mr. Turner." Beckett continued, ignoring her completely. He casually handed the second paper to Governor Swann to examine, then pulled out a third and strutted forward and raised his voice a little. "And I have another one for Mr. James Norrington. Is he present?" He looked around as if expecting the party to step forward. Elizabeth glared at the man putting her in shackles then turned on Beckett in rage.
"What are the charges?" she demanded fiercely, enraged by the pompous little man who was attempting to hold back a smirk.
"Commodore Norrington resigned his commission some months ago." Governor Swann replied still looking over the warrants. Beckett turned and raised his eyebrow.
"I don't believe that was the answer to the question I asked."
"Lord Beckett," Will spoke with a rough voice barely containing his fury. "In the category of questions not answered…" Elizabeth could no longer contain herself and spoke out sharply, enunciating every word.
"We are under the jurisdiction of the King's governor of Port Royal, and you will tell us what we are charged with."
"The charge," read her Father with a lump in his throat, "is conspiring to set free a man convicted of crimes against the Crown and Empire and condemned to death for which the p…" He broke off in shock. Beckett finished the sentence for him.
"For which the punishment, regrettably, is also death." Beckett stepped closer and Elizabeth had the urge to lunge forward and strangle him with her chains. "Perhaps you remember a certain pirate named Jack Sparrow."
"Captain!" Will and Elizabeth snapped at the same time. "Captain Jack Sparrow." Elizabeth repeated, glaring as furiously as she could. Beckett no longer contained his smirk.
"Captain Jack sparrow. Yes, I thought you might." He turned away and spoke louder. "Put them behind bars."
A jail cell is hardly the place anyone would want to be spending their wedding night. But Elizabeth and Will were doing just that. In separate cells. And technically it wasn't their wedding night as there had been no wedding. Elizabeth sighed and rolled over, trying to find some comfortable position so she could fall asleep. It was true; she hadn't wanted to give up adventure. But she would have for Will. And furthermore, a trip to the hangman's noose was hardly the adventure Elizabeth wanted. She suddenly found herself longing for the comfort of her home and life before the pirates came, with its safety and familiarity. This wasn't supposed to happen. She was supposed to be a married woman now, held in her husband's loving embrace! Grumbling and feeling bruised all over, Elizabeth sat up and looked over to Will's cell. Miraculously he was asleep leaning up against the wall. She gazed at him with love and sadness in her eyes. He didn't deserve this. His whole life had been filled with difficulty and sorrow. Now, just when he was about to have some happiness come into his life, it was stripped away. He had been so excited, so happy to be allowed to marry the woman he had loved for so long. Will gave a sigh in his sleep and shifted slightly against the cold stone. Elizabeth gave a small, wistful smile. What would become of them now?
The next morning Elizabeth sat in the cold, filthy, and mildly damp cell feeling very much alone. Her only comfort was the small window letting light stream in to warm her face. They had taken Will somewhere else. Perhaps Beckett wanted to talk, or perhaps his mood leaned to torture. She shivered at the thought. She glanced over at the soldier standing guard that morning. He was new, having come with Beckett, and therefore a cold stranger to Elizabeth. There might have been no one else in the room for all the attention he gave her.
Suddenly the soldier sprang into action as there was a commotion on the stairs. Will turned the corner ignoring the soldier's remarks that he couldn't be there. Her father, following, quickly reprimanded the young lieutenant. Will rushed over to Elizabeth's cell and crouched down, pressing his hands through the bars to hold hers. Immediately Elizabeth felt better, knowing Will was safe and well.
"Lord Beckett is sending me away to bring back Jack's compass." He said hurriedly. Elizabeth frowned in confusion.
"Jack's compass? What does Beckett want with that?" She stroked his hand gently through the bars. Will shook his head.
"It doesn't matter. I'm to find Jack and convince him to return to Port Royal and in exchange the charges against us will be dropped."
"No, we must find our own avenue to secure your freedom." Governor Swann spoke up. He looked distressed beyond measure. Will turned halfway and gave him a cold look.
"Is that a lack of faith in Jack... or in me?" Elizabeth felt shocked Will would be so rude to her father. However, the governor ignored the offense and continued with authority.
"You would risk your life to save Sparrow's does not mean that he would do the same for anyone else. Now, where's that dog with the keys?" He looked around for the dog that guarded the keys to the prison and whistled. Unsurprisingly it did not come. The dog was very good at ignoring the pleadings and bribery offered it every day. Elizabeth drew closer to Will, as much as she could with the bars separating them.
"I have faith in you. Both of you." She stated with conviction, then paused, considering the situation and lowered her head a bit. She had grown slightly more logical in her adventures and could see her predicament with a less rosy shade than she would have previously. She knew Will wanted her undivided faith and hope in his mission, but logically there were problems with it. It was no small matter to search the Caribbean for one person. The chances of finding Jack quickly were very small. Beckett could easily lose patience. "But father is right to worry." She carefully stated slowly. Will drew back looking affronted. Elizabeth continued quickly begging him to understand. "You have no idea how long it will take to find Jack! What happens to me during that time? And what if you never find him? You would be unable to come back to Port Royal! I don't like the idea of being separated." Will shook his head.
"I will find him. I promise you that. You must have faith." They were both silent for a moment, uncomfortable with the difference of opinion between them. It was their first disagreement. Elizabeth gave a smile and tried to break the moment to have Will know she believed in him again.
"Where will you find him?"
"Tortuga." Will responded with confidence. "I'll start there and I won't stop searching 'till I find him. Then I intend to return here and marry you." He gazed deeply into her eyes.
"Properly?"
"With your leave. If you'll still have me." Will blushed slightly. Elizabeth smiled.
"If it weren't for these bars I'd have you already." She murmured leaned closer, hoping Will would kiss her. A loud snapping noise broke the moment and Elizabeth looked up to see her father holding a bit of the wall sconce he'd broken off the wall, embarrassment written all over his face. She grinned and shook her head. Will returned the grin, looking happy she was smiling again.
"Keep a weather eye on the horizon." He whispered then stood up and rushed off. Elizabeth stared after him with longing. Governor Swann dropped the sconce in the corner and cleared his throat.
"Keep your chin up Elizabeth. We'll find a way to get you out of there as soon as possible." He walked over and patted her hand still clutching the bars. "I have to go attend to matters concerning Will's departure, but I will try to return shortly." He gave his daughter a reassuring smile and trailed Will back up the stairs.
Elizabeth sighed and let go of the bars, then scooted herself back against the wall. Once again she was alone, save the inattentive guard. She wished Beckett had sent her with Will, but knew she was collateral so that Will would actually come back. Still, she despised having to sit like a helpless maiden waiting for a prince to come save her. She'd rather be out there, in the heat of the battle. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back to rest on the wall. It was going to be a long day.