Chapter Eight: A Dinner

A/N Kim's writing again…we live on reviews…*hint hint* xxx

Disclaimer: See chapters one to six

Victoria smiled at her reflection, combing her hair slowly. Elizabeth walked in, wearing a rather extravagant gown. "Why, look at your dress!" Victoria laughed, discarding the hairbrush and walking over to her cousin.

"You're sure it's not too much?" Elizabeth asked frowning worriedly at her own reflection.

"It think it's just the right amount" Victoria smiled. She looked away from the reflections in the mirror disgustedly. Why was Elizabeth so beautiful? In their entire family, Victoria had always been the plain one; even her younger sister Nancy was more beautiful.

"Victoria, are you alright?"

"Yes, of course" as Elizabeth left, Victoria began to weep.

Commodore James Norrington was also preparing for the formal dinner that was about to take place. His Commodore attire was heavy pressing down on his already heavy shoulders. Despite his love for Elizabeth he could not shake off a feeling, an ominous feeling, like a premonition of ill events to come. "Sir, the Governor is awaiting your presence at dinner" Gillette's voice drifted through the door distracting James from his worries for now…

The entire hall hushed as Elizabeth entered the room with her cousin, try as she might not to smile; Elizabeth knew the smiles were for her. "Ladies Elizabeth and Victoria Swann"

"She's beautiful"

"Just like her mother"

"Look at her dress!"

"Poor Victoria looks so plain!"

Elizabeth smiled apologetically at her cousin and sat down next to James. "You look beautiful" he whispered, half dumb-struck. The majority of the dinner went without any event worth mentioning, though the governor had had a little too much to drink and very red faced had to be rushed out of the hall. James smiled at his sweetheart and stood raising his glass.

But his speech was interrupted by the roar of cannon fire.

"Elizabeth, take Victoria and find safety"

"I won't leave without you James" Elizabeth sobbed, ignoring the screams of her terrified cousin.

"Please, I will follow" The Commodore pleaded not quite meeting her eyes.

"You're lying" James smiled sadly, she had always been able to see through him "You're lying" she screamed again as Victoria tugged her away.

"Elizabeth what's happening!" Victoria yelped as they raced through the governor's household.

"Pirates, Victoria" Elizabeth stopped and turned to her "You have to listen to me, no matter what happens you have to listen to me and trust me, okay?"

Victoria nodded and clung to the older girl's dress as two men burst into the room.

"Parley!" Elizabeth spoke with calm authority as the men advanced on them. "I invoke the right of Parley" Elizabeth heard a gasp and turned to see Victoria swoon.

Elizabeth stroked her cousin's hair as they sat in the brig. "Elizabeth?" a familiar voice drifted towards her from the opposite cell. But it couldn't be.

"Jack, what are you doing here?" she whispered as Victoria began to stir.

"Mutiny, is a vicious thing, especially with the deficit of rum" Jack growled.

"Jack you have to help me, I think something's happened to James"

"Commodore? Last I saw he was leaving my vessel" A passing crew member bowed his head in shame at the former captain's words "Who's the girl?"

"Victoria, she's my cousin, I never meant for her to get caught up in this" Elizabeth sighed "Who started this mutiny?"

Jack groaned miserably shifting closer to the bars "A disgruntled former crew member, believes the Pearl is his, Hector Barbosa"

"Why has he come to Port Royal, Jack" Elizabeth pressed impatiently.

"Elizabeth, I did not take you for a fool, I as you can see am also currently sat in the brig, I have as much knowledge of what is going on as you do"

"There must be something he wants, it's a very strange place for a pirate to journey to without purpose" Victoria squeaked as she sat up. Jack stared at her for a moment; Victoria avoided looking in his direction.

"She's right, have you heard from William recently?" Jack's eyes did not move from Victoria as he spoke.

"He left for London, after I called off the engagement" Elizabeth whispered "Why, what could they possibly want from Will?"

"Have you heard off Bootstrap Bill?"

"Bootstrap- No, Why?"

"He gave his son something, a medallion, a piece of Aztec gold" Jack replied.

"What does Will have to do with that?"

Victoria rolled her eyes at her cousin "Will is his son, he has the Aztec gold, but what do they want that for?" she asked making eye contact with the former captain for the first time.

"Do you believe in Ghost stories" Jack asked a mischievous twinkle suddenly present in his eye.

"It's hardly the time to be telling –'Elizabeth began but was cut off by Victoria's impatiently waving hand.

"What do you mean?" She asked softly.

"You had best believe in ghost stories, Elizabeth Swann, we're in one" the pirate replied ominously.

"A while back, after the first mutiny, Barbosa took me ship and me crew and took them to the Isle De Muerta, where they found the treasure of Aztec himself, they took it all and spent it all, only to find themselves cursed, now they must find every remaining piece, they killed Bootstrap, he believed they deserved to be cursed, but before he died he sent that piece to Will, now they need a Turner's blood to break the curse"

"They're going to kill Will" Victoria gasped.

"But they need a Turner's blood, why not use you Jack?" Elizabeth whispered "You are half-brothers after all"

"Half, darling" Jack replied, rolling his eyes at Victoria, who fought to stifle a giggle "Same mum, different dad's love, if I was a Turner they'd have killed me already, but I appreciate the sentiment, now to get out of here before we rot like him" he muttered pointing to a pile of bones in the corner, before removing his shirt.

"Jack, they're iron bars… you'll never get out" Victoria pointed out, trying not to be distracted by Jack's now bare chest.

"They're should be a Captain in there somewhere" Jack sighed, holding his hand up as if to ask a question.

"Well, Jack, as I see it, you do not have a ship" Victoria smirked, staring at Jack's tanned torso.

"Captain, captain" Jack muttered as he examined the hinges of the cell door.

A/N Tell me what you think…. I actually enjoyed writing this chapter… now there's a first. Emily was imagining being in "poor" Victoria's situation x