AN: So I know that I am a lousy updater, that is not necessarily new news', but since I am flooded in and the entire city is practically underwater, it has given me some time to sit down, draft/write/type and finally post which is a good thing so I hope you enjoy this action-packed chapter as it is not often that I can get a moment to write now-a-days as I work 3 jobs, 7 days a week and attend University full-time, 5 days a week. I am struggling to find some sort of medium balance but this has definitely been a welcomed surprise and what I think is a somewhat much deserved break.
Regardless, I sincerely hope that you do enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you thought in a review or you can always send me a personal message also. Reviews can be sent anonymously if you are not a frequent fanfiction user or member. Any feedback is appreciated and if you have any questions at all, I will be more than happy to answer them.
Without further ado, read on...
Elizabeth woke up with a yawn, she remembered last night vaguely. She had been exhausted which made her memories a little fuzzy but they were slowly coming back to her. The sun filtered through the silk curtains of her new room, awakening the rest of her body.
She sighed as she got out of bed, her night clothes clung to her thin frame.
The summer air hit her at once, the heat was dry today instead of the humid weather as per what was normal for Port Royal, she was thankful in a way, after all, it truly was not appealing to sweat in long thick layers in any way, shape or form.
Not to mention the foul odour that endured afterwards.
It felt like a lifetime since the night of the raid but in actual fact, it had been two days, the thought of this alone made her think back to that night.
Elizabeth could feel the terror all over again and to be honest, she felt like a coward.
A selfish one at that.
She had made her best friend sacrifice himself for her and the other citizens of Port Royal.
A selfless act on his part for actually complying with the request itself but for Elizabeth Norah Swann, it was an incredibly selfish act as what she had asked of him was a lot more than a simple request and it was making her feel immensely guilty.
He would have never of asked her to do such a thing if their roles had been reversed.
It was in that exact moment that she made a decision that sealed her fate.
There would be no turning back from this point and she didn't particularly care anymore, she had to do something instead of sitting around at being a lady.
Elizabeth rummaged through her closet to find something appropriate to wear for the day a.k.a. something publicly acceptable of her status, which always ended up in a ball gown of sorts.
She rolled her eyes at this.
Grabbing a simple gown, she called for her own maid Estrella, to lace up the back of the dress.
"If it's not to bold to say." Estrella said
Elizabeth nodded for her to continue.
"You look stunning as always, Miss." Estrella commented before leaving the room.
It was in the shade of a light baby blue and it seemed to cover every inch of her body, right down to her palms, with a high neckline, the bodice made her look tiny and there were very few layers which gave the dress a thin look.
It made her look incredibly dainty and frail.
This was something that she could use to her advantage.
She smiled at her reflection through the mirror, leaving her hair half up and half down, all in curls, she put on some shoes before getting ready to head out the door and into the town's marketplace and to the fort to visit her father and also her betrothed.
After all, she needed a plan to devise.
Despite the many protests of Estrella and Meredith all something to do with propriety of taking a carriage instead of walking or something or rather. She had ignored them all and had walked out the door swiftly as she took a lovely stroll into town taking roughly half an hour and during that time she had heard the busy chatter of many that circled around the town about the pirates and the raid.
There were some conversations in passing that she had tuned herself into and others she had ignored, the topics were beginning to vary now that she was in the marketplace.
There was still quite extensive damage to their city and the townspeople were doing the best they could as were the marines in aiding to restore Port Royal to its former glory.
Then there was the occasional conversation that she would hear about her and the Commodore, marriage rumours were circulating already.
She'd only accepted a day or two ago and nothing formal had been announced, as of yet.
At least nothing that she knew of.
She would go to the fort first, a plan forming in her head already.
She would make things right.
Or so she thought.
James had taken off his hat for what he needed was a cooler breeze; he was staring at the map and various scrolls that lay out upon the table.
He was planning the best counter-attack system for the Port, a more sophisticated system or sorts to prevent the amount of extensive damage to the town, an upgrade if you will to the defensive side of things.
The Governor stood close by; ready to approve anything that James wanted as he was now putty in the Commodore's hands for being able to claim his daughter's approval.
Something that was not easy to come by.
He could hear the footsteps coming in front of him but he dared not to lift his head, he kept his trained eyes low as he was deep in thought.
"Gilette, remove this man." Said James, thinking it was a marine that he could easily dismiss
"I shall leave on my own accord, thank-you, Gilette." Said Elizabeth, it was worth the try anyway but clearly he was busy which only meant that she would have to take matters in to her own hands.
Instantly as he heard his fiancé's voice, he dropped the mapping instruments in his hand and lifted his head.
"Elizabeth."
"May I have a moment?" she offered, she was after more privacy rather than being in a room filled with marines and her father.
"Of course." He accepted as he offered his arm out to her, which she gracefully accepted.
They walked along the fort and once out of direct ear-shot, Elizabeth turned to him.
After all, it was now or never.
"What are your plans in pursuing the Black Pearl?" she asked him
"Elizabeth, you needn't worry about matters such as these." He cut her off gently
That was not the answer she wanted.
"That shipped destroyed half of the town and took one of my dear friends hostage, forgive me for speaking out of order but I cannot comprehend if we are just going to stay here and not do anything about it." She ranted, her emotional turmoil taking over for a moment, this was Will after all, he had been with her almost every step of the way aside from James and her father but it was like he was the mediator, she loved James dearly but Will was the reason that they were all standing around alive today, it was wrong to leave him in the hands of pirates and she would not allow it for him to be killed.
"We will not go gallivanting after pirates, Elizabeth." He said clear and concise
"Then we condemn him to death?" she thundered, her voice rose louder, causing a few marines to look on to the situation, all of them turned away after seeing the murder glare of the Commodore.
"The boy's fate is regrettable but so was his decision to engage with pirates." He said finally
"He rescued Port Royal to prevent innocent lives from being taken, he is a hero." She argued
"I am sorry, Elizabeth, but remembering that I serve other's, not only myself." He said, effectively ending the conversation topic, "I will see you tonight for supper." He finished as he walked away, leaving a furious and livid Elizabeth.
Fine, she huffed mentally.
If you won't help me, I'll simply move along to plan B, she thought to herself.
"Good day Mr. Sparrow." Said Elizabeth as she made his way to his cell
"Captain Jack Sparrow." He corrected
Ignoring him, Elizabeth continued, "Are you familiar with the ship, The Black Pearl?"
"I've heard of it."
"Where does it make berth?" she asked, a small ounce of confidence surged through her
"Where does it make berth?" he repeated, "Have you not heard the stories?"
Elizabeth shook her head.
"Captain Barbosa and his crew of miscreants, sail from the dreaded Isla De Muerta, it's an island that cannot be found. Except, by those who already know where it is."
"The ship is real enough, therefore its anchorage must be a real place. Where is it?"
"Why ask me?"
"Because you're a pirate."
"Explain something to me lass," Jack said,"Why would I help you? We've squared our debt, I saved your life and you saved mine. I see no profit in it for me."
"That is where you're wrong, Mr. Sparrow."
He raised an eyebrow.
"You help me and I'll get you out of here." She promised
"And how do you suppose you're gonna do that? The keys run off." He cut her short; after all, she was a woman not to mention she was of high class.
"I have one word for you, Mr. Sparrow."
He raised an eyebrow questioning her further without the use of words.
"Leverage."
Will Turner sat aboard the Black Pearl, he was sitting in the brig, it stunk like mould and metal, and it was quite putrid to say the least.
But alas, there was nothing that he could do, he knew deep down that he had done this for the right reasons.
He would not question that.
If anything, he knew that he would have made his own father proud.
A good, respectable man.
Will had saved Port Royal, not to mention the one lady that in the beginning had saved him, Elizabeth Swann.
This was more than worth it, he concluded.
The Pirates were easily enough to barter with, save for Captain Barbossa's lack of morals and rules, and of course Will's own knowledge of the code was a little sketchy but in the end they had come to a solid accord, an agreement.
They would leave and never return to Port Royal, in exchange, Will handed over the medallion, this ensured Elizabeth's safety at her own request, he would jump in front of a cannon for her.
The thing that he didn't consider was his own safety and now he was locked up here, stuck listening to these blasted pirates whistle the same tune, over and over again.
It could have just been to annoy Will, this was his guess.
There was water covering the flooring of wooden planks, swishing from one end to the other and Will Turner could not help but think...
What have I gotten myself into?
AN: Hope you liked it; please let me know what you thought! Thank-you amazing people :-) x