Hey guys! I'm not sure if any of you are familiar with the other works I've posted on here but, on my one Harry Potter story (Laughing Words) I made an authors note stating that every time I try to post the texts in Doc Manager, a strange code appears in the document. This is happening for every one of my stories. Because of this, progress of posting them is taking a lot longer than I had hoped, because editing out the code takes forever. If anyone knows the cure for this (the code looks like: p style="text-align: left;" /p [it goes before and after each sentence]) then please let me know because the editing is really annoying and takes a long time.
Thank you for your patience!
- Jane xoxox
P.S. Thanks to all who helped me in deciding which direction my story should take place! I appreciated it so much, and it was truly helpful! The final pick will be made clear in the next chapter! Love you all!
-Two-
Pirates
"ELIZABETH!" James ripped off his official jacket, ready to go after her.
"NO!" Alice ran forward. "Someone stop him!"
"The rocks!" Gillette, an officer, ran forward and grabbed Norrington by the arm. "The rocks! Sir, it's a miracle she missed them."
Without a second glance James rounded up some of his men and took off down for the docks. Alice was stunned at the unfolding events. She watched the retreating men and turned to stare at the surrounding people at the party; whispering and staring in disbelief. She knew what she was supposed to do - but she never did what she was supposed to do. Without a second glance to her family - who called after her in indignation - she ripped off her shoes and ran after the men. On her way down, momentarily, the ground shook hard. Alice cried out in shock, almost loosing her balance. What the... Once it stopped, she quickly forgot it, and continued on her way down.
Her outfit was not meant for running. The bustle bounced against her legs, and the hem kept catching on the uneven ground. She felt her curls falling around her shoulder, and felt damp sweat on her skin from the exertion in the heat. By the time she made it down to the dock all the soldiers had convened in a small surrounding. Elizabeth, soaking and covered in a large coat, was being shrouded by her father. James was holding up his sword, pointing it at a man who looked quite bored.
"Had a brush with the East India Trading company, did we? Pirate?"
There was a tussle of voices. Elizabeth spoke forward in defence of the man who had saved her. Alice stared at the pirate in shock. She had never seen one herself, but from all the tales she had heard - he fit the description perfectly. Skin, darkened from years spent on the open waters. Long dark dreadlocks. Loose clothing with many weapons on his belt. And a innumerous amount of jewels.
Norrington ordered Gillette to fetch him a pair of cuffs, before grabbing the pirates arm and stared at it in amusement. "Well, well. Jack Sparrow, isn't it?"
The pirate smirked. "Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please sir."
Norrington smirked cruelly. "Well, I don't see your ship, Captain."
Jack smirked twice as wide. A game of faces. "I'm in the market, as it were."
One of the guards stepped forward timidly. "He said he'd come to commandeer one."
"Told ya he was telling the truth," snapped the other guard beside him. Alice noted that they were both juniors in their ranks, and they looked more than intimidated by the situation. "These are his sir," the second soldier said, handing Norrington a pile of weapons.
James' smirk grew as he eyed up Jack Sparrow's weapons. "No additional shots nor powder... a compass that doesn't point north..." He unsheathed the pirates sword and eyed him/. "I half expected it to be made of wood... you are, without doubt, the worst pirate I've ver heard of."
Jack grinned. "But you have heard of me!" The guards began to drag him away at the nod of Norrington.
Elizabeth jumped forth at once. "Commodore, I really must protest. Pirate or not, this man saved my life."
Norrington turned. His eyes caught Alice's and lingered, a sad look creased his face and she so wished that she could take his hand in support. He dropped his gaze with a deep breath and looked at Elizabeth. "One good dead is not enough to redeem a man of a lifetime of wickedness."
"Though it seems enough to condemn him," Jack threw back. Gillette gave him a dirty look and side-stepped.
"Indeed." Norrington glared at him in annoyance.
"Finally," Jack threw his arms up and around, the shackles catching Elizabeth's neck, yanking her towards him.
"NO! Don't shoot!" Weatherby shouted in horror as the guards all moved forward with their guns.
Alice raced forward with a gasp of horror, but James through his arm out to stop her. Elizabeth looked at her friend with sheer terror in her eyes. They had both always been fascinated by the thought and stories of pirates... but this... this was farther in-depth that they had ever anticipated being thrown into.
Jack grinned at the governor. "I knew you'd warm up to me..." His eyes fell on Alice and his grin grew. "Come gents, theres ladies here. Lets not make a huge scene shall we? Commodore Norrington my effects please... and my hat."
Commodore looked to Alice at his eyes and she gave him a small nod. It felt like any sudden movements would awake the pirates wrath. James ground his lips together and nodded, taking Jack's accessories and handing them to Elizabeth.
"Elizabeth. It's Elizabeth is it?" Jack smiled.
"It's Miss Swann," Elizabeth snapped in hatred.
Jack spun her around to face him. "Miss Swann, if you'd be so kind. Come, come, dear. We don't have all day." Elizabeth's face was one of pure malice as she replaced all of Jack's belongings, putting his hat on, and then forcing his gun into it's holster. All the while, the pirate grinned provocatively to the disgust of the on-lookers. "Erug.. Easy on the goods, darling."
"You're despicable."
Jack's never-ending smirk grew even more malicious. "Sticks and stones, love. I save your life, you save mine. We're square." He swung her back to face the others. "Gentlemen, my ladies. You will always remember this as the day that you almost caught... Captain Jack Sparrow!" He threw Elizabeth forward and she collided with Alice, both huffing in winded-distress.
The pirate swung from a rope, up onto a beam way above their heads.
"Now will you shoot him?!" Weatherby snapped.
Norrington nodded. "Open fire!"
The sounds of the guns going off, right beside their ears, caused the two ladies to cringe from the noise. Jack was almost on the other side of the beach. The soldiers went after him, Norrington turned to his few lingering men and frowned. "Gillette, Mr. Sparrow has a dawn appointment with the gallows. I would hate for him to miss it."
Norrington turned to Weatherby and the two girls. "Governor, I would strongly advise you to take your daughter and Miss Grey back up to your manors and to stay safe. Have your guards posted and ready. I will update you later."
Weatherby nodded, taking the hand of his soaking-wet daughter. "Come Elizabeth, Alice."
"Alice," She turned to look at James, who had grabbed her hand as she had turned to go.
The governor and Elizabeth stopped at the top of the dock, looking down at the two.
"Commodore..." She looked up at him, his warm hand holding her wrist.
"I'd ask that you make sure that all entrances to your home are barred. Make sure your father posts his guards. Who knows what the pirate wants... the last thing I want to hear is that you've been hurt."
She felt her breath catch. "James, come with me."
If he had even heard her forgetting his title, he pretended not to notice. "I cannot. I must capture Sparrow before he wrecks havoc on our town... I should be going. But I want to tell you that I-"
"Alice!" They turned to see Weatherby's impatient face. "Come dear. I'm sure your parents have gotten a right fright from your disappearance."
She turned back to James who loosened his grip on her wrist, dropping it all-together. He shook his head. "Go. It's better that you get to safety first. We can talk later, once the pirate is caught."
She nodded slowly, moving back up the dock. She ignored the look that the governor threw at Norrington. Elizabeth took her hand assuringly and they began to head back to the Fort. Alice glanced quickly over her shoulder, but James and Gillette were already gone.
The news of the pirates' plight, and capture spread quickly through Port Royal. He was being held in prison at the moment.
~0~
Alice lay in bed, with her foot warmer pressed against her feet, and her blankets drawn up tightly. She was un-pinning her hair and thinking back to the events of the afternoon. Her parents had been furious - but it had been out of worry for her wellbeing. Her mother had sobbed and squeezed her until she thought she was about to pass out like Elizabeth had earlier. She told her parents Norrington's advice, and her father acted upon it instantly. Guards were posted at every entrance to the manor. And all doors and windows were locked.
"You're lucky you didn't get hurt, miss." Amala said sadly as she stoked the fire near Alice's bed.
Erica was busy pulling her curtains closed and hanging up her gown from earlier, nodding in agreement. "Pirates are very dangerous beings. You're lucky that that Jack Sparrow seems at least a little decent."
Alice stared at her, baffled. "Decent? That bloody menace almost killed Elizabeth. He's lucky he's getting the gallows tomorrow. His punishment could have been a lot worse."
Amala threw a shady look at her fellow servant and the two curtsied. "Excuse us miss, I hope you are well rested in the morning."
Once the girls were gone, Alice lay back in bed and closed her eyes. She had an odd feeling about the events of the day... like they were tied to something bigger... something that could doom them all.
~0~
The explosions were deafening. Alice shot up from bed and ran to her window, ripping back the curtains and flinging open the shudders, and grabbed onto the railing on her balcony. She could see a ship in the port, canons exploding from its side. She could hear horrendous screams and could see flames leaping up wherever the canons touched.
"Alice!"
She turned as her mother, fully clothed in her night-dress and cap, raced into her room, a look of horror on her face. "Come, we're going to safety! Your father has demanded it!"
"Where?! Where is he?!"
He mother grabbed her hand and yanked her back inside, running towards the stairs. "He, Daniel, and Roseanne, already went up the fort..." she gasped between breaths. "We'll meet them up there!"
Alice had no time to protest as she was pulled down the hall and down their grand-staircase. There was a loud bang and a serving-man ran past them with a gutteral moan. "They've broken through the gate!"
Her mothers grip was tightening, Alice's small wrist felt like it was being torn from its place. Tears stung her eyes, both in fear and pain. They passed by their sergeants who were running around trying to hide or get out. The two women bolted out of the manors back door, their bare feet hitting the grass at a dead run. They could see the Fort, a few leagues away, lit up by incoming and outgoing canon fire. Margaret Grey was aging gracefully. Running was something she saw as un-womanly, and juvenile... but she wasn't thinking that way now. Alice wasn't sure she had ever seen her mother put so much into trying to get somewhere before. She knew that it was because their very lives were on the line... but still.
"Hello pretty."
Alice barely had time to register who had spoken, when her other arm was yanked - in the opposite direction. She lost her grip on her mothers hand and fell to the ground in a painful heap. The pirate was on top of her the second she was laying perfectly flat. She screamed and flailed against him. The pirate cackled and grinned, tearing at her dress. She felt it loosen, could hear the material ripping, and began to feel violently sick. She knew what this pirate was going for, and she was too small... too powerless to stop him. He was much bigger, stronger, and way heavier, than her slim frame would allow. Her body was getting tired, her muscles ached as she attempted to fight him off.
"Get off of my daughter, you sick sea-bastard!"
Crack.
The sound of the long, thick tree branch; cracking against the pirates head was a surprising sound. The man cried out in pain, flopping over onto the grass beside Alice. Her mother stood before her, a long branch in her arm, the wood broken in the middle from impact. She tossed it away and helped her daughter up. The two women didn't give the pirate a second glance as they took off running once more.
The walls of the fort loomed before them, the two soldiers stationed outside looked severely agitated and scared. They barred their bayonets menacingly, but both were shaking like leaves.
"Madame and Miss Grey... I'm sorry, but we cannot permit you to enter. You should go back to your house and stay safe." The one guard was trying to sound affirmative, but his voice wavered in his apparent fear.
Margaret pressed forward impatiently. "We have no time for this! Our home has been attacked and raided. It is no longer safe. The fort is the safest place for us. My husband and son are here."
"Madame Grey, please do not make this -"
"- Oh shove off," Alice had heard enough, she shoved the two men aside, grabbed her mums hand, and pulled her through the entrance. She ignored the two mens' protests and pressed on. Lamps and torches lit their way through the stone edifice. The mother and daughter duo passed by doors and halls, taking the main stairs up... regretting it when they came back out into the moonlight... the main deck of the fort a warzone. The soldiers were everywhere, counter firing their large canons, back at the attackers in the harbour. James was moving back and forth, barking orders in a loud and angry tone. He turned when he spotted the two women and practically stomped up to them, grabbing Alice roughly by the arm. She could practically smell the frantic alarm in his demeanour.
"Alice... what the bloody hell are you doing up here?"
"We..." she could feel each of his fingers digging into her skin, and snapped. "We thought we might possibly be safe here. The pirates stormed our house, and my mother said that my father and brother were here."
James loosened his grip, the corners of his mouth dropping dramatically. He looked at her mother. "Lady Margaret, your husband and Governor Swann are barricaded in my office, go there at once and join them. Do not open the door until you are sure the canon fire has ceased and you hear three knocks on the door."
Her mother nodded, taking her hand gently and leading her back towards the stairs. "Come sweetling."
"Wait," her mother was unrelenting, pulling her on. Alice looked over her shoulder. "James! What about my brother? Roseanne? Elizabeth?"
James didn't say anything, his expression dead. He began to turn away.
"James!"
"I'm so sorry, Alice."
She could barely hear him over the canon blasts - that, and he was already turning away when he said it. "What?" But her mother was already leading her back down into the darkness of the fort.
P.S. Thanks to all who helped me in deciding which direction my story should take place! I appreciated it so much, and it was truly helpful! The final pick will be made clear in the next chapter! Love you all! :D
