Pirates of the Caribbean: Unfolding Secrets

Chapter Two

"Elizabeth Swann!" Weatherby Swann was standing in the doorway to the parlor. He looked shocked at her state of clothing. "What in the Caribbean are you doing? I thought you were in bed."

He fumed, watching Elizabeth fail to come up with an excuse. He motioned to her to go to bed when he realized that she wasn't going to say anything. As Elizabeth headed up the stairs, her trusted maid, Lyssie, came out of nowhere, making Elizabeth jump.

"Miss Swann, why in the world are you dressed so..."She trailed off, a raised eyebrow at Elizabeth's outfit.

"Piratey?" Elizabeth offered. Lyssie nodded. She wrinkled her nose at it. "Lyssie, you do not have to help me get undressed. You can just go back to bed." Elizabeth ordered.

"Yes, ma'am." Lyssie scurried off, while Elizabeth went into her room. She laid down and watched the moon through her window, pondering about Jack's fate and Norrington's stupid remarks.

"Elizabeth!" Weatherby knocked on the door the next morning. "Elizabeth, you need to get up. We need to go." Elizabeth groaned as she got up, not wanting to go anywhere. Then she realized where they needed to go. Jack's hanging. It hit Elizabeth that she needed to try to rescue him again. She yelled for Lyssie to help her get dressed. Lyssie came in, carrying Elizabeth's white dress. She didn't look at Elizabeth in the eye but wrapped Elizabeth's corset around Elizabeth and tightened it.

"Ma'am, realize your father is taking you to Jack Sparrow's hanging." Lyssie said quietly.

"Captain Jack Sparrow." Elizabeth corrected peevishly. Lyssie just raised an eyebrow as she tied the lacings.

"What were you even doing down there at the docks with pirates when Mister James caught you."

"Lyssie, do not ask me stupid questions." Elizabeth snapped. She was tired and irritated, She let Lyssie put her dress on her and lace it up. Lyssie kept her mouth shut as Elizabeth finished dressing herself and doing her hair and followed her out of her room to the downstairs hallway.

"There you are." Weatherby said, dismissing Lyssie with a wave. He motioned to Elizabeth and they left.

Later, down at the docks, Elizabeth stood with her father as the guards of Port Royal brought Jack out and to the hanging platform. Elizabeth looked at her father.

"Father, will you please let Jack go? He did no harm to Port Royal or me. I willingly went with him." Elizabeth told him, letting some of the truth slide out. Governor Swann looked shocked.

"No, Elizabeth. He's a pirate and he will be hung." He replied, looking back at the platform.

"A pirate he is but he is no different than us. He shouldn't be alienated from us just because of what he chose to be." Elizabeth replied quietly.

"Elizabeth, I am finished with this conversation."

"Fine!" Elizabeth scowled. She took off her hat and rushed off, leaving Governor Swann shocked. She went over to Norrington, who was about to read off Jack's charges. She put her back to Jack, though he was trying to mouth to her for help. Elizabeth looked Norrington in the eyes.

"James, why are you doing this? He may of chosen to be a pirate but he is still a human. Imagine if you were in his place and someone was trying to murder you by hanging you. How would you feel?" Elizabeth asked, distracting Norrington from the charges. Behind her, she slipped a knife into Jack's hand that she had hidden in her sleeve. She quietly heard the ropes being cut from his wrists.

"Miss Swann, do not try to tell me what to do." James snapped, looking down at the charges. Elizabeth snatched them out of his hands.

"Let's see.." She glanced down at the charges. "What if you were wrongfully charged with theft?" Elizabeth reasoned.

Behind her, Jack had completely got himself untied and looked at the rope that was in his hands. Suddenly Elizabeth found the rope around her neck, pulling her back against Jack. She gasped and Norrington unsheathed his sword.

"Put your sword away and I will go, leaving her." Jack said, watching Norrington but pulling Elizabeth slowly with him toward the end of the dock that they were now standing on. Norrington slowly put it away and motioned to the others to lower their guns.

"You will all remember this day to be the day you ALMOST caught Captain Jack-" Jack was cut off as he and Elizabeth fell off the dock, only to be brought back up onto the Black Pearl quickly. Jack smiled triumphantly at the crowd gathered at the docks.

"You liar! Give us back Elizabeth!" Norrington roared from the dock.

"Lad, you forgot I'm a pirate. Never trust a pirate!" Jack laughed and pulled Elizabeth away from the railing and took his hands off her. "Well love, here we are. You fulfilled your part of your deal with Ana and she fulfilled part of hers." Elizabeth looked around her to see the whole crew smiling at her; Gibbs swept his hat off to her.

"Jack...you don't happen to have something better for me to change into, do you?" Elizabeth asked, turning red slightly. Jack looked at Ana and she took Elizabeth down below to change.

"Cap'n, you look like you've just gotten hit by love." Gibbs remarked.

"Maybe I 'ave. Damn is she a pretty girl!" Jack smiled, spacing off. He came back to reality a few minutes later when Elizabeth came back up in some of Ana's pirate clothing. When Jack and Elizabeth weren't looking, Ana motioned to the rest to not pay attention to the two. Some of the crew followed Ana below to work, leaving Jack and Elizabeth rather alone...for the most part.

"Jack..." Elizabeth said, coming close to him.

"Yes, love?" He looked at her.

"I believe I forgot to tell you something..."

"What did ya forget to tell me...?"

"That I-" Elizabeth was cut off by a sudden arrival of a certain blacksmith's apprentice.

"Elizabeth, what are you doing?!" Will exclaimed angrily. He narrowed his eyes at how close Elizabeth and Jack were. He pulled her close.

"Will, leave me alone. I was simply talking with Jack." Elizabeth snapped, taking Will's hands off her waist.

"Probably just going to sleep with him." Will muttered furiously.

"Shut up, Mister Turner." Elizabeth retorted and turned her back to him. She waited until she heard Will's footsteps receded and then kissed Jack lightly on the lips before going over to the other side of the ship. She sat down and stared at the water, trying to sort everything out.

To be continued in Chapter Three of Pirates of the Caribbean: Unfolding Secrets