A Caged Swann

Chapter 2

"Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirates life for me! I love this song!"

Jack's crew rolled their eyes as their swaggering leader disappeared into the interior of the ship intent on searching the Captain's quarters for rum. The Black Pearl had come across a nice Merchant vessel apparently en route to London. Anamaria was silently cursing Elizabeth Swann for ever teaching Jack that ridiculous song. He had made them learn and sing it for the first few months of his return to the Pearl.

"We're devils, we're black sheep, we're really bad eggs..." Jack's voice trailed off as he got further into the ship and the crew sighed happily going back to their plunder in peace. The merchants were all huddled at one end of the ship so the raid was going quite swimmingly.

Having finally found the Captain's quarters on the ship, Jack hummed to himself and started rifling through cabinets and drawers. Tossing useless trinkets all about the room, Jack finally came to the desk. Upon opening the last drawer he found what he was looking for. Smiling happily he picked up the rum bottle and sat down in the chair propping his feel up on the desk. He had opened the rum and was about to take a drink when something in the drawer caught his eye. There was a letter in the bottom of the drawer, he reached in and picked it up after having read who it was addressed to.

"James Commodore Norrington, so we meet again," said Jack toasting the letter and taking a swig of rum. To open it or not open it. That was the question. Turning the letter over Jack stopped when he found the seal. He shouldn't have surprised to see the Swann Family Crest but...shouldn't it have been the Governor's state seal? Unless it was a personal matter...Shrugging Jack placed his rum on the table and opened the letter. He was a pirate after all. And maybe when he was done reading the letter he would add his own little 'hello' to the Commodore. Jack grinned and started to read, but the more he read the more his smile faded and brow creased. By the time Jack was done reading the letter his feet were planted firmly on the ground and he was bet over the table re-reading the letter.

James,

I am writing this letter to inform that Elizabeth and Mr. Turner's have called off their engagement. It seems that he has returned to sea to seek out any news of his father, I knew the boy was no good for Elizabeth. Imagine a blacksmith?

I have also decided that after six months of not hearing from him that Elizabeth should be married as soon as possible, she is old enough and should be ready to be a wife and mother within the next year. She has stalled this as long as possible so I am sending word out for any available men that wish to pursue her. Her only choices will be the suitors that arrive. I hold you in high regard, as always, and need to know if you still hold any interest in my daughter. If so let me know at once, if not I shall put out word for suitors within the next few months.

Sincerely,

Governor Weatherby Swann

Jack sighed and shook his head. So the whelp left Lizzie behind in pursuit of his own. He should have seen it coming. Will might have seemed to love her but it wasn't that deep. Sure he'd die for her but what man wouldn't have?

'Her future suitors...' thought Jack. He knew the types that came to call on offered women and for the while he was with her, Jack knew Elizabeth. She wasn't one to settle down nicely and be dainty and obedient. She had a spirit so much like his own, the passion that burns and longs to be free...she wasn't like most noblewomen. Almost quite the opposite. But no matter how much fire was in Elizabeth, the flame would die; whoever won her would beat her in line. It had happened to so many. More than a few of the prostitutes in Tortuga had fled from arranged marriages and found better lifestyles as barmaids and wenches than with their own husbands. It sickened Jack to no end that most of the 'high class' of society thought women were no more than objects to be shown off, used, or broken. And now Elizabeth...

Bloody women, he was a pirate he, shouldn't care, but ever since the island Jack knew that she had unknowingly taken a part of him with her.

"Ah there you be Cap'n, we've got our stock an've bin searchin' 'round for ya."

Jack jumped slightly as Gibbs appeared in the doorway, he had been too preoccupied with the letter.

^^^

Jack stood alternating between standing still and pacing in his cabin. To go back to Port Royal and do something or to pretend he had come across no letter at all? He stopped, sighed, and was about to pace again when a ruckus outside his room made him turn. Muffled words and a brief scuffle was all the warning he had before Anamaria barged into his room with Gibbs trying to restrain her.

"I tried to stop her to calm down Jack but the lass has a mind of her own."

"And always has! Something's bothering you Jack. You haven't bothered to corrected anybody about calling you 'Captain''specially us two, you haven't checked out our bounty, just set an order and skulked around all bloody afternoon."

"I am not skulking!"

"Then what's be going on in your head Cap'n?"

"Thinking."

"About what?"

Jack looked at them both and the realization of what he had to do hit home, if Will didn't want Elizabeth, and she had a choice of suitors...how could a man refuse an opportunity like this. A slow half-smile appeared on Jack's lips as he thought ahead.

"Why's he grinnin' like that?" Gibbs whispered to Anamaria.

"This can't be good..." she said shaking her head.

"Set a course to Port Royal! I have something t'take care of. It'll involve some...self-sacrifice on me part...it'll grow back...yes, Port Royal! And stop looking at me like that!"

^^^

After showing Gibbs and Anamaria the letter, Jack explained what he was going to do to prove to them that he hadn't gone mad. He then shooed them both out the door while he got ready for his most convincing performance yet.

"Poor Miss Elizabeth..."muttered Gibbs.

"Is he really going through with this?"

"I think we'll see in a bit."

After sending them both out of the cabin Jack got to work. He'd miss his crew and the Pearl but the last thing a Swann needed was a cage.

Striding into the bathroom and looking in the mirror, Jack ran a hand over his beard and braids lovingly. He smiled wistfully and went about looking for a razor, having not needed a full shave for over ten years none was to be found. His knife would have to do. Playing with the beads in his beard, Jack instead decided to do his hair first. He reached up and undid his faithful weather worn red bandana. Placing it on the counter, Jack watched as his dread locks fell around his face as nothing now held them back. After taking out all the gold trinkets and running a hand through his locks one last time, Jack picked up his knife and started to cut them away at his shoulders. They were going to be hell to comb out...

^^^

By the time Jack was done the sun was on its way to setting. The rest of the crew hovered over to Gibbs and Anamaria standing right by the stairs on the deck trying to coax Jack out of the shadows.

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"Jack." his name came out sounding like a warning.

"You'll still respect me as your Captain? Follow me orders? Just remember I haven't see this face in quite some time meself."

"JACK!"

Steeling himself to face his crew with his new look, Jack stepped out of the shadows to be met with his crews eyes widening and jaws dropping. Instead of the bearded, dread locked, bandana wearing, kohl lined pirate captain they all knew, in his place stood a completely different looking man. It was no wonder that Jack had adopted the scruffy pirate look. It would be quite hard to garner the respect of a buccaneer crew as a pirate captain with the face of a choir boy. The crew continued to stare in shock at Jack's tangle free shoulder length hair and clean shaven face.

"Starting to think I'd prefer that laugh..."

Hearing him seemed to startle everyone as the voice of their captain came out of the man in front of them. Jack ran a hand through his newly cut hair. If his own crew could hardly believe it then he should have no problem fooling the governor and associated parties.

~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Well here we go, Chapter 2!

Big Thanks to Missy Mouse, Shadow Phenix, JackSparrowsBooty, Parody-of-an-Angel, and GreenDayJunkie for being my first reviewers. Thanks so much for the encouragement!