Hello all! Some of you might recognize this story from when I posted it on my other account. I had to delete it for personal reasons, but have decided to re-post it! This story is told in Elizabeth's POV and takes place just before the events of the Curse of the Black Pearl movie. I ship Barbossabeth (BarbossaxElizabeth), so you will see that as an eventual pairing in this story. If you don't like the pairing, I wouldn't suggest reading this. Otherwise, please read and review! I love comments!
Chapter I
Adventure. All my life, I have longed to go on a daring enterprise, set sail on a perilous journey, or venture out of the small, quaint town that is Port Royal. I have lived here with my father for eight trying years. Although father dotes upon me and treats me like his greatest treasure, I long for something more. All my life, I have played the role of the perfect daughter. I go to whatever ceremonies father wishes me to go to, I work on my stitchery and needlework when it is required of me, and I will marry a man of my father's choice when the proper time comes.
Sighing heavily, I glance up from the heavy novel in my lap and glance across the room. Too distracted to read another sentence, I find myself thinking more about the topic of marriage. It seems to float in the air lately. The distasteful word always seems to be on the tip of father's tongue. I know that he expects me to marry soon, but I would be lying if I say that I'm looking forward to becoming a wealthy man's trophy wife.
Here in Port Royal, the role of women is quite simple. We are to do whatever our husbands require of us, never speak out of terms, and promote the family name. I don't feel ready to cut my last, final strings of freedom. As the Governor's daughter, I've never had much freedom, but I have more independence now than I will have when I am a married woman. When the ring of impending doom slips onto my finger, I will be forced to give up the little bit of leeway in my life that I cling so desperately to. I will be expected to play the role of a married woman in every way, shape, and form. My chance for adventure will be dashed for forever. Never will I leave Port Royal and never will I turn my dreams into a reality.
My dreams are bright, vivid fantasies in which I leave the simple town of my childhood and go on a grand adventure, perhaps meeting a pirate or two in the process. Yes, I know what they say. Pirates are cruel, heartless men who only wish to pillage, plunder, rifle, and loot. Despite this, the songs of pirates have been forever burned into the back of my mind. When father's back is turned, I read pirate lore. Father finds my interest in these things disturbing, so I do my best to keep my reading a secret from him. The maids never give the dusty, black bound books on my nightstand a second glance. As of late, I've spent even more time than usual in my bedroom reading until my heart is content.
I hoped to slay my desire for something more in life by satisfying my curiosity with books about pirates and otherworldly adventures, but reading has done the direct opposite of that. The damage has been done and I long more than ever to meet a pirate face-to-face and see what what one is really like. Are they as tough and steely-eyed as the rumors that spread through town say or, like most gossip, is this fact a mere exaggeration of the truth?
I hesitate, glancing back down at the tome of pirate lore on my lap. Father most likely wonders why I am suddenly spending all of my spare time in my room, but in truth, it is because I want to take advantage of my last few days of freedom and embrace my love of reading. Are women supposed to read? Not exactly. It is only a pleasure educated women engage in and even then there are times when educated women are looked down upon for reading. I ought to feel grateful that father has allowed me to learn to read. If I did not know how to read, how would I ever let my dreams take flight?
A sudden thought occurs to me. Perhaps there is a reason behind why women are not meant to read. After all, reading has made my life miserable. I'm aware of so much more than I was ever aware of before I picked up my first novel. Reading has encouraged my thirst for adventure, feeding it and egging it on to a point that has made me dissatisfied with my current life.
Guilt pools up within me as I realize how wrong it is for me to feel discontent with my life. I have everything that most women dream of obtaining. My father is the wealthiest, kindest man in all of Port Royal. I live in a beautiful home with servants at my beck and call. Life is simple for me. There are no tasks required of me other than that of bringing honor to the family name. Perhaps life has become too simple for me. Is this why I itch to flee the place of my childhood and explore the Caribbean?
I suppose that there are a few things keeping me here in Port Royal. William Turner, a young man that I've known since my childhood, is the only bright point in the monotony that I live in. It's been years since I first met Will. When crossing from England to Port Royal, I spotted a board afloat in the water with a half-drowned boy lying on it. Will was saved, but a ship nameless to me was not so lucky. It was been burned to ashes. However, I noticed something that day that I don't believe that the rest of the crew I was sailing with noticed.
Before turning away from the wreckage, I spotted a massive ship with tattered sails, warped wooden sides, and a coal black pirate flag slinking quietly off into the distance. Ever since that day, my twisted fascination with pirates has grown immensely. Why do they feel the impulse to burn down every ship that they come into contact with? Is this something simply in a pirate's nature or is there more to it?
When I saw Will for the very first time, there was a mysterious air about him. I suppose that this may have had something to do with the circumstance under which he was found, but I believe that there was something more to it that fateful day. A shimmering golden pirate medallion hanging around Will's neck immediately caught my eye when I knelt over him, waiting for the young boy to regain consciousness. While the rest of the crew scurried about the deck and ventured out into the rowboats to see if there were any survivors left from the destruction of the ship aflame in the distance, I slipped the pirate medallion off of William's neck and hid it behind my back for the rest of the journey to Port Royal.
Pirates are treated mercilessly. If anyone knew that Will was a pirate, awful, unthinkable things would have happened to him. A shudder runs down my spine as I imagine the tragic events that might have taken place if I had not been the one to find the telltale trinket around Will's neck. To this very day, I still own the item. I keep it hidden in the darkest corner of one of my dresser drawers where it remains my gravest secret.
Despite the fact that Will is nothing more than a blacksmith's apprentice, he is still my closest friend and I will do anything to keep him safe. Father disapproves of our friendship, saying that it is improper that I spend time with someone beneath me. However, if there is one thing that I will not allow my father to destroy, it is my bond with Will. We may not know one another as well as I would like, but I feel a special connection with him that I feel with no one else. When I'm around Will, I can be myself. For once, I'm not required to wear the mask that this society demands me to put on whenever I am talking to my father or some other high-ranked official.
It's been a while since I've last seen Will. I suppose that unlike me, he is kept busy with his apprenticeship. How nice it would be to see him a few more times before I become a slave to marriage. I ought to ask father if I might take a walk. If he says yes, I can inconspicuously walk by the blacksmith's shop and catch a glimpse of Will if I am lucky.
No, no, you must stop this foolishness, a little voice in the back of my head chides me. What good will seeing Will do you? You will be married soon.
I purse my lips together as I realize that the unwanted voice in the back of my mind is quite right. Although nothing has been said yet, I believe that I am expected to marry Captain Norrington. I've known him for even longer than I've known Will. Even though he is a kind, gentle man, I don't agree with all of his strong opinions For instance, he believes that all pirates should be put to death instantaneously. I, on the other hand, think that we could learn from pirates. As much as the people living in Port Royal deny it, pirates are intelligent in their own way. Several times a year, I hear of pirates invading towns and making off with riches and captives. They have a few tricks up their sleeve. You must give them that.
A marriage to Captain Norrington wouldn't be the end of me, but it would make my life just that much more difficult. At least my father tries to understand me. He fails at it most of the time, but it is nice to know that he makes an attempt to see things through my mind. Captain Norrington is stubborn and set in his ways. He seems to like me, but what he really likes is the mask that I'm forced to wear whenever I come into contact with him. The real me is hidden somewhere beneath my fake smiles and the polite comments that leave my lips.
Knock, knock, knock! A light tap comes from my bedroom door. I assume that it is either Estrella or my father. Glad that I wasn't in the middle of a captivating section of my tome, I set the book onto my nightstand and get to my feet, calling, "Come in!"
I brush off my dress and tilt my chin upward as I prepare myself for whoever it is about to enter the room. The door clicks and Estrella steps inside. Estrella is the maid that father appointed to tend to me. She is kind enough, but her dreams are nothing at all like mine. The maids are satisfied to gossip amongst themselves and hope to catch a wealthy young man's eye. I've seen sparks of jealousy from Estrella before. She keeps it to herself, but I know that she longs for a life like mine. Perhaps it is selfish of me to want so much more than what I've been given. I ought to be grateful for what I have, not wish for unseemly, ridiculous adventures.
"Good evening, Miss Elizabeth," Estrella greets me in her usual cheerful voice as she steps inside my bedroom and curtsies politely. "Your father was wondering if you will attend dinner with him."
"Oh my!" I exclaim as I glance over at the clock on my nightstand. It reads fifteen minutes past six pm. Wondering how the time has managed to slip away from me, I nod and immediately start after Estrella, replying, "Yes, I will certainly attend dinner with my father."
"He will be relieved to hear that," Estrella comments as she steps back toward the door to my bedroom and holds it open courteously for me. I follow her to the door and step into the hallway as Estrella continues on, "I know that your father worries about you."
This is news to me. Although I know that father spoils me, I didn't realize that he worries about me. Then again, as the Governor's daughter, I'm not typically privy to the gossip shared amongst the maids. Curious to hear more about the matter at hand, I raise an eyebrow and question, "Why does father worry about me?"
Estrella's footsteps falter and she sends a wary glance to her left and to her right before her cautious brown eyes flick up to my face and she asks, "Can you keep a secret, Miss?"
"Of course," I say, more curious than ever to hear the gossip being spread about me throughout my very own home. Besides for Estrella, the maids and servants tend to stay very distant with me as father says that they should.
Tucking a strand of loose brown hair behind one ear, Estrella lowers her tone of voice to just above a whisper, murmuring, "Well, if you would really like to know, your father thinks that you're spending too much time on your own. He says that it isn't good for a young girl of your age to spend so many hours alone in her bedroom. Although he hasn't said this aloud, I assume that he wonders what you occupy yourself with for hours on end. Pardon me for asking, but just what is it that you do in your spare time?"
I hesitate before stating shortly, "I read."
"I see. I suppose that reading must be quite interesting," Estrella comments as the two of us step down the stairs, cross the intricately designed rug on the parlor floor, and walk toward the dining room.
I nod and say nothing more. Father always frowns when he catches me talking with the maids. I wish that I could tell him about my love for reading, but if he knew just what I read about - pirates, compelling adventures, and long lost treasure - I highly doubt that he would approve. Unfortunately, Estrella cannot read nor can any of the maids or servants for that matter. If Estrella and I were closer or if I was a better teacher, I might think of teaching her to read so I might have someone to share my dreams with. Unfortunately, even if I did teach Estrella to read, I doubt that she would partake in my fascination with pirates and peril.
Estrella and I come to a halt just outside of the dining room. Taking a deep breath, I square my shoulders and place a polite smile on my face before reaching forward and opening the heavy wooden doors in front of me. Dinners with father used to be enjoyable, but now all I can do is worry that he will push the matter of marriage onto my shoulders one of these fateful nights.
As I take a step forward, little do I know that my hopes for a grand adventure have not been erased from my future quite yet. Fate has a surprise in store for me, but it is not the surprise that I have always dreamed of. On the contrary, it will open my eyes to a whole new world of torment, turmoil, and twisted love.
Review please? :)