Dead Man's Chest with Marana Lark

Lord Cutler Beckett

Gale-force rain soaked the little town of Port Royal.

At the small chapel, Elizabeth Swann slumped on the sodden grass, clutching her bouquet of white flowers and trying to hold back the tears that spilled from her blue eyes. Elizabeth wore the most beautiful golden gown.

The girl just sat in the grass, until she heard heavy footsteps. She looked back to see a group of soldiers, with Will Turner and Marana Lark walking among them. The one thing wrong with the picture was that Will and Marana were in handcuffs. Will wore very fancy breeches and a navy blue coat; Marana wore a sea-foam green dress, for she was Elizabeth's maid of honor. Elizabeth ran up to her fiancé. "Will, why is this happening?"

He replied sadly, "I don't know…you look beautiful."

"I think it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding."

Someone was pushing through the crowd of guests. "Make way! Let me through!" It was Governor Swann. He was stopped by the axes of two soldiers crossing in front of his path. "How dare you!" He shouted at the man who was standing with his back to the crowd, "Stand your men down at once! Do you hear me?"

The man turned around. Marana stared at him. He had a white wig, he wore fancy clothes, and he was exactly her height. And he looked extremely mean.

"Governor Wetherby Swann, it's been too long." He said, sounding bored.

"Cutler Beckett?" asked Swann in confusion.

"It's Lord now, actually." he replied.

The axes separated and Swann stepped forward. "Lord or not, you have no reason and no authority to arrest this man and woman."

"In fact I do." he pointed out. "Mr. Mercer?" The man at his side handed him a stack of documents. He held up two of them. "…the warrants for the arrests of one William Turner and one Marana Lark."

Swann took both of them. He held up the one that was supposedly for Will and said, "This warrant is for Elizabeth Swann."

"Oh, is it? That's annoying…my mistake. Arrest her."

"On what charges?" cried Elizabeth as a pair of shackles was slapped around her wrists. Will tried to protect her, but had no luck in doing so.

Beckett forked over another document to Swann. "A-ha! Here's the one for William Turner. And I have another one for a Mr. James Norrington. Is he present?"

"What are the charges?" demanded Elizabeth.

"Commodore Norrington resigned his commission some months ago." informed Swann.

Beckett turned to face him. "I don't believe that was the answer to the question I asked."

"Lord Beckett!" Will spat. "In the category of questions not answered…"

Marana joined in, "We are under the jurisdiction of the king's governor of Port Royal."

"And you will tell us what we are charged with." Elizabeth finished.

Swann read the warrant aloud, "The charge…is conspiring to set free a man convicted of crimes against the crown and empire…and condemned to death...for which…"

Beckett finished the statement for him, "…For which the punishment, regrettably, is also death."

He stepped forward, his cruel face somewhat closer to Marana's. "Perhaps you remember a certain pirate named Jack Sparrow."

"Captain!" spat the three prisoners.

"Captain Jack Sparrow." Marana repeated.

"Captain Jack Sparrow…yes, I thought you might." Beckett smirked wickedly.