AN/ I do not own pirates of the caribbean! enjoy, vote (if you liked the chapter.) and comment!
"Dianna! Pamela!" Elizabeth called to the Archer sisters, the young women in question turned with a small smile in return. She continued to fan herself, furiously with a matching ornate fan. Dianna Archer grinned, an impish grin of hers to Elizabeth Swann while Pamela Archer gave a more regal expression of greeting.
"Is that a new dress, Eliza?" Dianna eyed the dress with a mixed of look of distain and uncertainty, the lighter gold dress didn't sit well with her tastes. Elizabeth wore her hair in ringlets and a lace hat sat upon her dark blonde head. Dianna wore a darker sea blue that mimicked the color of the ocean far off the shore of Port Royal laced with shiny silver lining that suited the white and blue well. Pamela hummed in thought beside her sister, Pamela chose a deep rich scarlet with accents of gold. They stood beside a towering stone wall of the Fort, patiently awaiting the promotion ceremony of commodore Norrington.
"Indeed, apparently the taste of London as of now. I'm not sure how London women breathe in this contraption." Elizabeth replied, a brief faint look crossed the blonde's face.
"Perhaps, they design these death device to make the ladies of England slower and more... well, you understand the lot of it." Pamela suggested, both women shot Pamela an odd look. She asked with a sharp look, "What? Simply because I do not make a habit of utilizing sarcasm as tool often, does not I mean I cannot use it. I happen to believe that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit."
"Do you not know me, your own sister?" Dianna Archer laughed with a twinkle of mirth in her seafoam gaze. Elizabeth laughed at the energetic woman, she was a horse of a different breed that was for certain. Elizabeth Swann also knew that it would take a distinct man to claim her heart and calm her chaos. She continued with a scoff, "Those few who believe that clearly never met me."
"Indeed," Elizabeth said to one of her oldest friends, the two of the three stood in her very presence. Other Port Royal socialites were too self-centered and drama-feeding leaches for Elizabeth Swann. They also shared a fascination with pirates.
"Well, now we know of your little wit." Pamela muttered under her breath.
"What was that, sister of mine?"
"It's but a tickle." Pamela spoke, feigning innocence. Her soft, pink lips twitched upward into a ghost of a smirk.
Elizabeth laughed at their sisterly banter and sobered, she glanced around them and she saw that no guards would over hear them. " I had the strangest of dreams last night, do you remember when we met Will?" She asked.
"Of course, I do at least. Can't say about Pam, she is the oldest of us." Dianna replied with her usual carefree air.
Pamela shot Dianna a sour look," Never could forget that smell or the sight." Dianna looked away, solemn as of now. "Why is that strange?"
"I don't know, a feeling I suppose." Elizabeth answered.
"Perhaps, a warning?" Dianna suggested, scanning the crowds.
"Why a warning, Anna?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't know, I feeling I suppose." Dianna replied, her brow furrowed in puzzlement and shrugged her azure blue-clad shoulders. She opened her mouth to say something else but the approaching steps of Elizabeth's father warned her, otherwise and wisely closed her pink lips. "Hello, Governor." Pamela politely, inclined her head to the older man. Elizabeth straightened not wanting her father to scold her on the prickly topic of pirates. All traces and remnants of their conversation about the memory was swept under a theoretical rug, postponed for another time.
"Elizabeth? It's time." Governor Weatherby Swann spoke from the arch, dressed in his grey wig and tailored suit. The Archers thought very highly of Governor Swann but Dianna disagreed with his view of pirates. "Good day, Miss Dianna and Miss Pamela."
"Good day." Pamela graced him with warm words but her gaze was on her sister, who had a mischievous look in her eyes but still nodded her greeting.
"Yes, father." She answered and turned to her friends," Shall we go?"
"We'll join you in a moment." Pamela spoke up and gave Elizabeth another attentive, reassuring smile.
"Commodore Norrington will not wait." The Governor replied with a faint smirk.
"Only but a moment, I assure you." Pamela Archer responded and watched as the family left until they were alone, overlooking the sea. Dianna cast her gaze out to the seemingly endless sea in wonder and fascination. She soon fixed her dark haired sister with cold glare. Dianna snapped her head up to Pamela's face at her sister's harsh tone. "I know what you're up to and no."
"Oh, come on. Sister mine, you know I don't do formalities of any sorts. I made a show of face, you should be glad I have done that much." Dianna spoke with an air of knowing and the hint of her beloved sarcasm. "I'll met up with you and Eliza later, after the needless drama."
Pamela was next to scoff," Needless drama, sister of mine?" She questioned with a slight sneer at her younger sister. "I was wrong when I said that the dramatics didn't suit you, they fit you very well."
"Do they not? In case you have notice which is surprising considering that's it you, I'm talking about. James Norrington is planning on asking for our dear, Eliza's hand in holy matrimony. I, of which will be down at the docks and will be surprisingly surprised to see a pretty diamond ring on her finger tonight." Dianna purred in a sticky sweet voice because she knew something Pamela didn't and that was rare thing.
"So, you want me to cover for you? Once again" Pamela continued with a growl and a cool, calculating expression. "Suppose you'll meet us this evening for dinner? You owe me."
"Of course, my dearest sister. You know I always keep my promises." Dianna turned and walked to one of the entrances and the exits of the fort. The one that would lead Dianna to the docks.
"Please be careful." Pamela called after her retreating form, "Of course, I should have expecting that. Why do I always fall for her deceptions? Maybe because I want to believe them, why can't Anna just behave? I do not know, maybe it's her nature." Pamela muttered, sneering to no one in particular. She rolled her eyes and made way to where the ceremony would be taking place. Annoyance flared in her heart, why couldn't Dianna be normal? Pamela trained her face into a calm mask of neutrality and she walked out to join Elizabeth Swann in the courtyard.
Dianna
Dianna Archer strolled down the docks, her gaze scanning to spot a familiar figure, familiar figures. She loved being at the docks, the squawk and cry of the seagulls and the salty smell of the warm sea breeze. The bustle of the crowd and the ceaseless chatter of the townsfolks. It refreshed her heart and soul. "Oh, Johnny!" She sang. The wind snag her dark strands in flirtatious gusts and whispered teasing words to the young woman. She shivered, happily.
A groan met her ears and she giggled, "Archer..."
"Cook." She cooed at her longtime friend as she approached. "How are you on this fine day? How goes your trade?"
"Fine until ye showed yer face on me docks."
"Your docks? I hope for the better, Johnny-boy." Dianna threatened, teasingly with a playful glimmer in her eyes as she leaned on a wooden cargo box as she watched him haul goods around, loading his father's merchant ship. "Where's your sister?" She questioned, looking around the docks.
"Always, she is in town. Shopping, I believe. Ye could join her-?" He dropped the question off with a suggestive tone. The sandy blonde looked down upon his friend and saw the hopeful gaze she shined up at him. Pamela was going to have his head but he couldn't bring himself to send her away. He let an exasperated sigh," Yer goin to be the end of me."
Dianna opened her mouth to answer her friend when she notice the faithful patrons of the Port Royal Harbor staring, not at her but to the rolling sea. She frowned and looked out, Johnny followed her widened gaze. Dianna watched a small sinking boat sail over to the dock, still in fact sinking. She furrowed her brow in wonder and confusion, the most βor even more particular- was the strange man on top of the tiny boat's mast. The boat looked to be a dinghy from what she could tell. He had a confident stance and air about him, the man long black hair that held various trinkets. He wore a red bandana and a worn black leather tricorne on top of his billowing locks. Small beard with two braids and a wispy mustache framed his tanned face. Dianna squinted to get a better look at the unusual man, he had two dark eyes lined in what looked like khol. He looked dangerous and intoxicating. "Who is that?" She asked her friend, intrigued. Her eyes sparked with innocent curiosity.
"Trouble, lass." John grunted but he still was staring.
"C'mon," She pouted at him, a faint accent seeping into her voice.
"Yer sister will already have my head for letting ye stay, Dia."
"She already knows that I'm here, so relax. I told her that I owed her for not attending Commodore Norrington's promotion ceremony at Fort Charles." Dianna soothed the tense man, John only relaxed slightly.
"Ye can't blame a man for wonderin', ye know yer sister."
Dianna hummed, watching the man step off the dinghy and on to the docks. He started to strut off when the Harbormaster glanced at the pitiful, sunken boat and to the retreating male figure. "What- Hey! Hold up, there, you! It's a shilling to tie up your boat at the dock!" he called to the man, the man turned and approached the Harbormaster. The two glanced at the boat. "And I shall need to know your name." The boy assisting the Harbormaster watched the exchange with raised eyebrows.
"What d'ye say to three shillings... And we'd forget the name?" The man's voice slurred as he slid three small, silver coins across the Harbormaster's ledger with a contagious golden grin. Dianna smirked, she liked that man's attitude. She watched the boy's eyes widened at the man's brazen nature. The creeping feeling of suspicion rose as she watched the man's interactions.
"Welcome to Port Royal, Mr. Smith." He greeted, issuing the man a name and turned to continue his duties, the boy trailed after the older man. The man now dubbed as Mr. Smith swaggered away, pausing at the tiny desk. He picked up the small money pouch that belonged to the Harbormaster and shook it. The coins clattered and chimed to him, the man tucked the pouch away in his belt.
"Clever." She hummed at him, he turned to her and tipped his hat to Dianna. He flashed her a wooing smirk and a sly wink. John glared at the brassy woman and then to the leaving man. Mr. Smith continued along his merry way. "I'll leave you to your work, dear Johnny." She bid John farewell and wandered in the general direction of the mysterious Mr. Smith, one she wanted and would solve before the day was out.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do, Dia!" John called after her.
"That certainly narrows my options, Johnny!" Dianna scoffed with a waving hand.
Pamela
Pamela Archer didn't pay much attention to the fancy ceremony of Commodore James Norrington or the soldiers preforming their duty, her mind kept being drawn to the calming sea that Fort Charles overlooked. She frowned, mentally scolding herself for not behaving and made a point not to think about the sea. Her mind's eye drifted to her sister, Dianna who was currently at the docks and that brought her back to day dreaming about the ocean. The freedom it offered her. Her wandering attention soon honed in on Elizabeth, the woman was not so subtlety adjusting her corset and was turning quite pale. Pamela worried for her friend, "Are you alright, Lizzie?" She whispered, softly. Elizabeth nodded, slowly. Pamela didn't quite believe the younger woman but didn't press.
Dianna
Dianna approached the two guards on sensory duty for the Dauntless with a wave. The men, knew her and for the most part didn't see her as a threat to the naval ship. Both, men were dressed in their usual red uniforms. After a little bit of deductive reasoning and trailing after the unknown man, she came to the conclusion that he would come here. That was only if her suspicion were proven correct. "Hello! Mullroy, Murtogg!"
"Good day, Miss Archer." They both chimed to her, she smiled.
"How goes the Dauntless? And the Interceptor?" She inquired.
"She goes well, miss." Mullroy answered. "They both do."
"Shouldn't you be up at the Fort, today? For Commodore Norrington's promotion ceremony." Murtogg asked.
"Indeed but that would be awfully boring thing to do, wouldn't it?" Dianna spoke with a laugh, out of the corner of her eye she spotted Mr. Smith trying sneak past the two navy men. She was right about her deductions. There was a dangerous air about the man, one that drew her in like a moth with a flame.
Murtogg stiffened to attention, hurrying with Mullroy to stand in front of Mr. Smith. Preventing the man to continue his journey. "This dock is off-limits to civilians." He stated.
"I'm terribly sorry, I didn't know. If I see one, I shall inform you immediately. In fact, may I point you to this lovely lass here?" Mr. Smith spoke and gestured to Dianna with a flourish. His dark gaze traveling across her fit figure.
Dianna glared at his wandering gaze and Mr. Smith smiled, naively. Mullroy spoke up in her defense which she shot him a semi hostile look for trying to defend her. "Miss Archer isn't a civilian, she was just giving us company." Her eyes widened at his seemingly innocent wording, he too realized his mistake and blushed. "Pardon me, miss." Murtogg shot him a dark look.
As the men were distracted with each other, Mr. Smith once more tried to maneuver around the stationed sentries. "Apparently there's some sort of high-toned and fancy to do up at the fort, eh? How could it be that two upstanding gentlemen such as yourselves did not merit an invitation? And a lovely lady not attend." He changed the topic, another ploy to distract the men. His slurring words pointed towards liquor.
"Easy, the social gatherings always makes me want to take a swan dive off of the battlements." Dianna answered with a small smile, playing along in his act. Being oblivious like a good girl but her seafoam gaze told the man she knew what he was up too.
"Someone has to make sure this dock stays off limits to civilians." Murtogg said, proudly. Puffing his chest with pride, being almost as oblivious as Dianna Archer was acting. Men, she thought with habitual eye roll, stroke their ego and their putty in your hands to mold them to your likings. Being a socialite meant being able to skillfully use your wits to get information as well as being capable to twist the situation to your preference was a necessity if you were to survive in Port Royal.
"It's a fine goal to be sure... But it seems to me that a ship like that β" Mr. Smith continued, dramatically with clever words, casting a sideways glance at the larger Dauntless further away from the naval docks away from the Interceptor. "- makes this one here a bit superfluous, really."
"Oh, the Dauntless is the power in these waters, true enough β but there's no ship that can match the Interceptor for speed." Murtogg continued with a touch of pride for Port Royal Navy ship.
"I've heard of one, supposed to be very fast, nigh uncatchable ... the Black Pearl." Mr. Smith boasted, his lips twitched up into a smirk. Dianna heard stories of the Black Pearl and of her haunting Captain Hector Barbossa. She narrowed her eyes at Mr. Smith, she was a myth. Or was she? She looked to the thought to be pirate with more intrigue than before.
Mullroy scoffed at Mr. Smith, both of the other men turned towards him. "Well ... there's no real ship as can match the Interceptor." He said with a disbelieving sneer. Dianna walked up to the side of Mr. Smith with an amused smile on her face as he rolled his dark eyes.
Murtogg corrected his fellow navy man," The Black Pearl is a real ship."
"No, no it's not."
"Yes it is. I've seen it."
"You've seen it?"
"Yes."
"You haven't seen it."
"Yes, I have." Murtogg insisted.
Dianna leaned forward and whispered," Clever." Mr. Smith smirked at her.
"You've seen a ship with black sails, that's crewed by the damned and captained by a man so evil that hell itself spat him back out?" Mullroy asked, sarcastically.
"... No." Murtogg admitted.
"No."
"But I've have seen a ship with black sails."
"Oh, and no ship that's not crewed by the damned and captained by a man so evil that hell itself spat him back out could possibly have black sails, therefore couldn't possibly be any other ship than the Black Pearl. Is that what you're saying?" Mullroy spoke, the two too absorbed in their own argument. Smith casually moved towards the Interceptor while the two bickered with each other, his boots clunking against the worn wood of the docks. Dianna followed him on to the military's ship. He shot her an odd look, she shrugged, both still staying quiet. He wandered about the ship, running his hand along the painted wooded rails. Familiarizing himself with the ship, walking toward the wheel. Gently caressing the knobs, Dianna looked at the man in amazement.
"I don't believe ye told me yer name, love."
"Neither have you." Dianna retorted, softly" Your real name, not the one the Harbormaster assigned you."
"No?"
"No." Dianna confirmed," It's Dianna Archer."
"Dianna? Anna. Annie?..." Smith tried multiple versions of her name on his tongue with a golden grin and Dianna scowled at him.
"Dianna will be fine."
"... no." Murtogg relented.
Mullroy said with victory as he turned, "Like I said... there's no real ship as can match the Intercept- Hey!" He cried out, spotting Smith and Dianna on the Interceptor. Both men raced to the two. "You!"
Smith looks over to the men with an innocent expression on his sun kissed face. "Get away from there! You don't have permission to be aboard there, mate! Neither you, miss." The naval men raised their muskets, training them on Mr. Smith.
"I was just keeping an eye on the man for you, boys." Mr. Smith shot Dianna Archer a dirty look.
"I'm sorry, it's just, it's such a pretty boat." He cooed, then corrected himself," Ship."
"What's your name?" Murtogg asked, Dianna inched away from the range of the muskets. She didn't fancy getting shot today. He lowered the weapon to speak his inquiry.
"Smith. Or Smithy, if you like." He introduce himself, not taking his hands away from the ship. Dianna knew that was a blunt lie.
"What's your business in Port Royal, 'Mr. Smith'?" One asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, And no lies!"
Well, then... I confess It is my intention to commandeer one of these ships, pick up a crew in Tortuga, raid, pillage, plunder and otherwise pilfer my weasely black guts out!" He admitted with over execration. Dianna's jaw dropped in shock and excitement, she was right! He was a pirate! She couldn't wait to tell Elizabeth and Pamela.
"I said, no lies." Murtogg grumbled.
"I think he's telling the truth." Mullroy muttered to him with the faintest trace of disbelief.
"If he were telling the truth he wouldn't have told us." Murtogg pointed out.
"Unless, of course, he knew you wouldn't believe the truth even if he told it to you." Smithy interjected to the men. Murtogg and Mullroy paused and took a moment to consider, validating his point. They spent the next twenty minutes listening to Smith's tall tale. Dianna lost herself in his story as well, there was something about the man that drew attention. Then, from somewhere behind Smith, Dianna saw a flash of gold streak down the sheer cliff. She recognized that color from somewhere... Then a splash, startled her.
"Elizabeth!" Dianna cried out, rushing to the side of the ship.
End of chapter one
word count 3481
