Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean.
A/N: Thank you for all the reviews!! I'm really glad you like it!
Chapter 10:
Elizabeth yawned, then slowly sat up and wearily rubbed her eyes with her fists. Massaging her temples with her first and middle fingers, she realized that she must have fallen asleep. In fact, she was lucky that it hadn't rained when she had, or she'd be drenched. Muttering a couple choice words under her breath at her throbbing headache, she got to her feet, staggered forward, then moaned softly.
Her tired gaze wandered around, then landed on her almost burnt out fire. She groaned, then walked to it and fell to her knees. Taking up more twigs and branches in her arms, she threw them into the pile, watching it suddenly flame up in a burst of orange and yellow. It crackled and hissed, embers floating high up in the air, and she dusted off her hands and shuffled away on her knees before twisting around and falling onto her back again, shutting her eyes. She felt the the warmth of the fire against her face and sighed. Her head felt as if it was pounding, and she was so mentally exhausted that she almost cried in frustration.
She needed water, and she knew it. She hadn't had a drop of the precious substance since five days ago, and the bananas did nothing to help. Though...she had found a couple of coconuts, so those helped, but she longed for water more than the milky sweet substance. The sea water wasn't drinkable, quite the opposite, actually. Elizabeth knew that if she wasn't saved soon, she'd get sick. Maybe even dehydrated.
Her headaches did nothing to help her, but only made her thirst worse.
It was still too dark to see if there were any ships on the horizon, and so she kindled her hope, nursing and feeding it, hoping that when the sun rose with the first rays of light she would be greeted by the sight of white sails in the distance. Actually, any colored sails would do right now. She didn't care, as long as she could get off this God forsaken island. She'd give anything...it felt like she was slowly going insane.
Just be thankful you didn't agree to stay here for ten years and wait for Will, she thought, grimacing. If five days seemed like hell to her, how in the world did anyone expect her to last ten years?! That was impossible! She'd die long before then, she was sure of it. Maybe not of hunger or thirst (if, by luck, she happened to find a fresh water spring on the island), but of boredom and loneliness. There was nothing to keep her busy here, no one to talk to. She missed human companionship. No, she craved it. It was a hunger, a dull ache, growing bigger and sharper by the minute. Which brought her to the relentless question churning in her mind. Why had Jack left her there?
Sure, he had warned her of an hour. It was pretty fair of him to do so, but she had been saying goodbye to Will. Will! Her childhood sweetheart, her first love and her brother. How could Jack be so strict with that? He knew it would be hard on her, he knew it an hour was probably a little too short for her...so why hadn't he waited? Even if she had chosen William, couldn't he have been selfless enough to drop her off in Shipwreck Cove? Elizabeth wasn't one to be tied down or trapped, Jack knew that best of anyone else she had ever met. So...why did he leave her there?
She rubbed at her face with her sleeve, sighing. She didn't want to go there, didn't want to think about it too much. Her mind might conjure up ideas and theories that she didn't want to have to put into reality at the moment. For once she thought about them and put them into words, there was a possibility that she was right, and he had left her for that reason. No, Elizabeth was sick and tired of wondering about him. He had left her, it was that simple. She'd probably never see him again, and even though the thought of never laying eyes on him again hurt her to the point where she felt numb, there was nothing she could do about it. Life would go on, she'd get over it someday.
Elizabeth sighed and rolled over onto her stomach, hiding her face against her arms which she folded in front of her, then slowly drifted off into a state of semi-consciousness. She didn't dream, but a darkness crept over her senses, pulling her further and further away from her body, until she was wrapped up in a desolate and powerfully heavy sleep.
She was vaguely aware of someone calling to her. Staying very still, she listened, then heard it again in the distance. Her brain fought through layers of sleep, and finally she groaned and was able to roll over, her eyelids cracking open. She peered up at the sky, seeing that it was light out. The night had past, it was now early morning, or so she guessed. Yawning, she lifted herself onto her elbows, letting the world slowly come into view, the blurriness of sleep which had clouded her vision finally clearing.
To her, the sea was much more beautiful in the morning. Birds chirped, the waves lapped up against the sand, and a warm breeze gently nipped at her hair, blowing some loose strands around her face. She smiled lazily, her eyes scanning the horizon. A voice called again, and suddenly she sat up straight, her gaze focused on one thing, and one thing alone. A ship.
"Ahoy! Anyone out there?" Elizabeth jumped to her feet, then waved to the vessel which had anchored about a half mile from shore. She looked around, then seeing nothing of value to her raced down to the shoreline, wading into the water until it came up to her knees.
"Yes, yes!", she gasped breathlessly, in the loudest voice that she could muster. "I'm over here!" She lifted her hand up to her brow against the glare of sunlight streaming directly into her eyes, then focused her eyes on the ship. Her heart sunk at the sight of white sails, then it rose again. She was past caring, and besides, they probably didn't know who she was. If they asked for her name, she'd give them a fake one, just to throw off suspicion. Thank the heavens she hadn't been branded a pirate yet, or she'd be headed straight to the gallows.
She watched, the waves soaking her breeches and filling her boots, as a long boat was lowered, having apparently heard her call. The closer they got, the better she could see them. There was two men in the boat with blue coats, the oars sifting through the water in unison. Black naval hats sat atop their heads, shielding them from the merciless blazing heat of the sun. She suddenly wished that she had her hat, but it was back of the Black Pearl with Jack, probably sitting in their-his! cabin. Grinding her teeth together, she pushed away the painful thoughts about him. The ache in her heart grew ever more present when she thought about him, to the point where she wanted to carve it out in order to rid of the pain.
Wading out a little more, she stopped, the long boat pulling up next to her. They grabbed her upper arms and pulled her into the boat, and she fell against the bottom, gasping as the air had been knocked out of her at their suddenness. She pushed herself to her knees, then a pistol was suddenly pressed to her temple, making her freeze. Her hair fell into her eyes, and she waited, not even daring to breathe.
"If you want to live, you'll sit quietly, and only talked when questioned.", a voice said calmly, and she nodded. Letting her sit up, her hands were suddenly grabbed and quickly tied together. Elizabeth looked up, confused, and met the eyes of a young man...probably around her age.It's a pity, she thought. It's better to be a pirate than to be trapped in the Navy with a bunch of stuck up, egoistic, men in white powdered wigs. She snorted, then the other, who was older, prodded her with the barrel of his gun. She stiffened, then fell silent one more. "Any others with you?", the younger one asked. Elizabeth lifted her head to look at him, then blinked.
"No.", she murmured very quietly. "It's just me." He nodded, his eyes soft with compassion, and then placing down his pistol took up the oars and started to row back towards the ship.
Elizabeth sighed softly, sitting up indignantly, her eyes fixed on the horizon. She felt like a prisoner, but knew that this was their job. After all, they didn't know her, or anything about her. For all they knew, she could be a ruthless pirate. She hung her head and shut her eyes, a flicker of desperate fury rushing through her. If Jack hadn't left her on the island, she wouldn't be in this mess! She wouldn't be treated like this, but respected because of her title.
Yet, through all that, she found she couldn't stay mad at Jack. He was, after all, a pirate. He had the right to leave her if he wanted, and even then he had to abide by the Pirate Codex. 'Those who fall behind, are left behind.' Even if he never really gave a feather or a fig about the rules, that was the one that he stuck to most often then not.
After about five minutes of silent rowing, they pulled up along side the ship. She was forced to her feet, and then was suddenly swept up over the younger man's shoulder. She yelped, but at the sound of a pistol being cocked very close to her ear grit her teeth and rested her forehead against the man's back, tears burning at the back of her eyelids. He climbed up the side of the ship, one hand secure around her waist so that she wouldn't fall, then reached the top and set her down, straightening out the hem of her shirt and smiling apologetically. She looked away from him coldly, now annoyed and embarrassed.
The sound of boots against the deck were heard, and Elizabeth looked up to see what seemed to be the ship's captain stop right in front of her, looking her up and down for a moment before narrowing his eyes. She stared back at him, her expression blank, and he sighed.
"Welcome to the Beautiful Storm, miss. My name is Captain Gilheart Lang." He glanced down at her wrists, which were stilled tied together, then taking a knife out of his pocket took her hands in his and quickly slit the cords so that they fell to the deck. He smiled, then held out his left hand.
"Isabelle Triheart, sir.", she replied, reaching out to shake his hand. He grabbed it, then using his other tugged up her sleeve. He studied the skin for a moment, then nodded and dropped her hand.
"Not a pirate, then.", he said, and she shook her head.
"No sir. Disgusting lot they are.", she murmured, her mouth twitching. She brushed the hair from her eyes, then lifted her chin to look at him. Time to lie, then, she thought eagerly, wondering how good her pirate skills really were. "A shipwreck.", she said in reply to his unanswered question. "I don't remember much, honestly. It was stormy and dark, and the rain were coming down in torrents. I had gone out to assist my father, a respectable merchant sailor, when a large wave swept over the railing and knocked me to the deck. That is all I remember, other than waking up on that island."
Gilheart studied her, scrutinizing her expression, then took off his cap and ran his fingers through his dark brown hair, sighing. Her story seemed plausible enough to him. It was stormy season, after all. Yet, he had never seen that island before. She was lucky not to have drown, if what she had said was true. He didn't see why it wasn't. It was also a relief to him, her not being a pirate. Gilheart knew the laws he had to abide by, but he'd hate to have to rid the world of such a pretty face. From what he could tell, first impressions and all that, she was a spirited young woman who knew what she wanted. She wasn't weak, like most girls he knew, but strong of mind and wise of heart.
"Alright.", he said, inclining his head in a nod, then putting his hat back on. "Lieutenant Justin will show you to your room and get you some clean clothes and something to eat. We're headed towards Port Nassau at the moment, to see how the rebuilding is coming along." He smiled. "We shall drop you off there, if that is alright."
"Perfectly fine!", she replied, smiling. "My home in nigh but two day's sailing from there. I thank you, Captain, for your assistance and kindness." She curtsied, and he smiled before taking her hand.
"It is no problem, Miss Triheart.", he replied, then kissed her knuckles before turning and walking up towards the helm. Elizabeth grimaced once he had his back turned to her, then wiped her hand on her breeches before hearing someone clear their throat. She turned her head and saw the young man from earlier, waiting beside her.
"Come, miss.", he said softly, before nodding his head in the direction of the stairs. She twirled a lock of hair around her finger for a moment, then sighed and followed him, being careful not to slip on the damp stairs. Her boots squished uncomfortably, and she suppressed a shudder at the feeling of sea water soaking between her toes. Letting out a sigh of relief when they reached the bottom, she tagged after him until he stopped next to a door. "Here is your room.", he said, looking her up and down, something of a frown crossing over his features. "You look like you need a bath.", he informed her, and she couldn't help but let a dreamy sigh pass her lips. "I'll fetch the tub and boil some water...be back in a while."
Elizabeth thanked him, then watched as he passed her and went back up on deck. She turned to the door, then pushed it open, walking in. Perching on the edge of the bed, she looked around. It was a small room, but a nice clean one. A desk sat in the corner, a small stack of books sitting on top of it. There was only one bed, and it was pretty small, but she couldn't complain. After sleeping on the hard sand, it would be a nice change, and she would welcome it.
Toeing off her boots, she turned her head to the right, and saw a small dresser with a mirror and wash bin sitting on top of it. Going over to it, she opened the top drawer, seeing it was full of towels and cloths. With a small smile she picked up a white cloth and leaned against the drawer to shut it, then dipped the material into the bin, which was, fortunately, full of water. She shivered, then pulled her hands back and wrung it out before wiping it all over her face, moaning softly at the wonderful coolness against her hot skin. If she had thought that it had been hot on that island, in the sun, it was worse down here...though the air was clear instead of stuffy.
She pulled the cloth back and looked at it, her upper lip lifting in disgust. She draped it over the rim of the large bowl, then turned around and quietly padded over to the window and opened it. A cool breeze rushed at her, causing her lips to part in a gasp, and then not able to help herself stuck her head out and looked towards the horizon. After a long moment she ducked her head and stepped back into the room, then fell onto the soft bed with a sigh, the feeling of fresh, crisp sheets under her making her tingle with pleasure.
A knock on the door startled her, and she opened her eyes. She figured she must have dozed off, and wondered how long it had been. Getting to her feet, she walked over and opened the door, Justin's face meeting her vision. Elizabeth smiled, then looked down at the tub next to his feet, steam rising from the water. It was a small bath, but she'd be able to sit in it and enjoy herself...there was enough room for that.
Wordlessly she helped him drag it in, then moved over to the dresser and retrieved a towel, the young Lieutenant watching her every movement. Finally, he decided to speak. "We spotted your fire last night, and so prepared some rooms just in case you weren't a pirate." He smiled. "There is fresh clothes in the dresser, as well as fresh sheets if you wish to change them any time soon." Elizabeth nodded her thanks, then looked down at his hands as he held out a bucket to her. "Salts and soap for you bath.", he said kindly, and her face lit up. She grabbed the bucket, then set it down on the small desk before looking back at him, knowing that there was more to say.
"How long until we reach Port Nassau?", she asked softly. He frowned, then shrugged.
"Five days, if the weather is good. A week at most." She nodded, and then he turned and shut the door, latching it. Her eyes widened, and she was about to ask him what the hell he was doing, when he turned round and crossed the room, taking her hands in his. "It's been a long time, Elizabeth Swann.", he said quietly. Elizabeth blinked, then wrenched her hands away from him, taking a step back, eying him warily.
"How did you know my name?", she asked, her tone wavering slightly. Justin smiled and took a step forward, taking her hands again. She didn't pull away this time, but stared into his eyes, shocked.
"We grew up together, remember?" She frowned, then suddenly remembrance flickered to life in her eyes.
"Justin?", she questioned in disbelief, raising her hand to touch his cheek with three fingers. "Justin Marshall?" He chuckled and nodded. "I've not seen you in years!" Her voice was soft, in a whisper.
"No. Not since you moved to Port Royal.", he affirmed, and she bit her lower lip.
"It's good to see you.", she said, brushing her thumb across his cheek before pulling back. A grin spread across his lips, and he rolled his eyes.
"Good to see you too." Then his grin turned playful. "However, just because I've not seen you doesn't mean I've not heard of you." She blinked in confusion. "Pirate.", he whispered, and she finally found the courage to pull away from him again, her eyes narrowed. At the look on her face he burst out laughing, shaking his head and passing a hand over his face. "So it's true!"
Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest and blew some hair from her face. "Yes, it is. And I'll tell you something, Justina." Justin blinked at her and his face quickly sobered. "It's much better than being some prissy, pompous, egoistic Commodore." At the look of hurt that crossed over his expression, she smiled. "I didn't mean you, but all your other friends. I'll tell you, I have a couple friends myself who used to be in the East India Trading Company. One died, and the other regrets it so much. Became a pirate because of it, actually." Her heart twisted painfully at the thought of him.
"I didn't want to actually join the service.", he said in a quieter voice. "My father was one before me, and I followed. It was his only request of me while he was on his death bed." He sighed, shaking his head. "What I wouldn't give to leave, to get out of this...cage." She smiled slightly.
"You sound much like I did, back before I was kidnapped and became a pirate myself. I felt trapped by society, never able to voice what I wanted, never able to do what others did. It was awful. I found myself longing for freedom, and...my chance came. I snatched it, and now look where I am." Her amber eyes grew warm and soft. "I live by no rules, listen to no one. I get to sail the seas all my life, wield a sword, drink as much rum as I please!" She chuckled. "I have freedom. You'd not understand what I mean until you actually experience it yourself. And, I must warn you, once you do there is no going back."
Justin drank in her every word, and Elizabeth could tell he did. Her gaze dropped to the bath, which was quickly cooling off, only a wisp of steam able to be seen. He blinked, then followed her gaze before cringing.
"I'm sorry.", he apologized. "I was so excited to see you, I've taken up your bathing time." He turned and walked around it to the door, stopping to look back over his shoulder again. "I'll talk to you later, then?"
She nodded, walking forward, away from the window. "Yes." He touched the brim of his hat, then turned to leave her in peace. "Justin!", she said softly, and he stopped, hand on the door knob, ready to turn it. "Please, I'm begging you, don't tell anyone who I am." His blue eyes met hers, and soon enough he blinked in acceptance. "Thank you.", she whispered, meaning both his agreement to be silent, and the bath he had brought to her.
Then, he was gone.
Elizabeth sighed and turned around, reaching up to fiddle with the buttons of her vest. She undid them and slipped out of it, draping it on a chair to the side, then tugged her shirt over her head as well before undoing the bindings of her breasts. Slipping out of her breeches, she grabbed the bucket and placed it down on the floor, then gingerly stepped into the tub.
She sank down into the water, watching as it engulfed her, sucking her in further and further. She sighed, then moaned and brought her knees up, her toes pressed against the end of the tub, and her head resting against the rim. She stretched her arms out in front of her, enjoying immensely the feeling of warmth that seemed to soak into her bones and relax her, washing away the dirt, ache, and weariness.
Reaching over, Elizabeth blindly grabbed the first thing in the bucket of things and pulled it up, wondering what she had discovered. It was fun, not knowing what was going to come up next. She was determined to use all of them, just for fun. After all, she'd not had a bath is so long...she had almost forgotten what it was like to take one. It was divine. She peered at the bottle in her hand, and smiled before unscrewing the cap and pouring some of the contents into one cupped hand.
Bringing it up to her nose, she inhaled deeply, then let out a shuddering breath. Lavender, her favorite. She scooted forward, dipped her head into the water for a moment, then rubbed her hands together before scrubbing at her grimy locks, working the pads of her fingers against her scalp to get the tiny grains of sand from her hair line. After a long, leisurous moment, Elizabeth lowered her hands into the water and let the soap wash off them, then allowing the shampoo to sit in her hair for a while reached over again and plucked up another item, the first having been dropped onto the ground.
It was a bar of soap, she saw, that smelled a lot like roses after a fresh fall of rain. She wet her hands and the bar, then turned it over and over until they were sudsy. Dropping it, she lifted one leg and lathered it, then switched to her other leg and repeated the process. Then, reaching down near the end of the tub for the soap again, she moved it over both arms, then washed her stomach and thighs too before dropping it back into the small bucket that Justin had given her. She rinsed her body, then her hair as well, before pulling up from under the water with a gasp.
Done with washing herself, Elizabeth relaxed, her eyes drifting shut. It was a while later when she finally ventured out, her hands and feet wrinkled, looking very much like over-dried prunes. She made a face of disgust, then reached for her towel and wrapped it around her, drying herself off before securing it so that it wouldn't fall off. Making her way over to the dresser, she knelt down, then opened the second drawer. Her eyes widened, and she groaned. Obviously they had prepared this room for a woman, and another for a man.
Grabbing an item of clothing between her thumb and forefinger, she lifted up a pair of black stockings, then sighed. Dropping them into her lap, she pulled out a corset as well, then finally a pretty sapphire dress with frilly lace at the neck line and hem.
Discouraged, and not particularly wanting to wear such clothing, she searched through the third and last drawer, but only found the sheets Justin had mentioned, a night gown for sleeping in, and a robe for extra warmth on colder nights.
"Bloody Navy.", she muttered, pushing both drawers shut with her bare foot. Then, gathering the articles into her arms, she walked over and placed it on the bed, looking down at the corset in despair. Reluctantly, but knowing it was expected of her, she pulled off her towel and flung it over her old, wet clothing, then took the murderous piece of clothing in hand, glaring at it. Finally she gave it and slipped it on, lacing it up in the back as best she could, careful not to make it too tight. Then, once done, she pulled on the stockings, noting how they came up to her lower thighs and stopped. She sighed, then reached for the dress, carefully slipping it on over her head, feeling the crisp, cool fabric glide over her skin and come to rest just below her knees.
She smoothed out the fabric with her palms, then tied the ribbon up in the back before reaching over and grabbing a brush off the bedside table. She ran it quickly through her still-drying golden-brown hair, then pinned it up. It wasn't anything fancy, but it would keep the strands of loose hair from clinging to her cheeks.
After that, Elizabeth moved around the room and tidied up, placing the bottles and such back into the basket, then lifting it up placed it on the floor next to the dresser. She then opened the door and dragged the heavy tub out into the hallway, signaling that she was done with it; needed it no longer. She took one last disgusted look at the slightly brown water, then walked up the stairs and out on deck, not wanting to be below any longer, wishing for the feeling of the the wind on her face.
Two days passed, and Elizabeth found it easier to be around the crew and captain of the Beautiful Storm. They weren't the same as the crew of the Black Pearl, and Captain Lang was nothing like Jack, but she realized that she could tolerate them all. Most of them never paid attention to her anyways, other than Gilheart and Justin. Having stayed true to his word, he did not tell anyone that he knew her real identity, but stayed quiet.
She spent most of her time leaning against the railing, staring out to sea as the wind whipped at strands of her hair. Her heart twisted up more, however, and she found she had to block all memory of Jack in order to protect herself. Just the thought of him sailing away, that image still fresh in her mind, made her want to cry. She swallowed, then rubbed at her eyes before sighing.
"How are you fairing?" Elizabeth turned her head and smiled at Justin before shrugging.
"I'm fine.", she said, absent-mindedly brushing off the front of the pink dress that Captain Lang had provided her with. He searched her face, then nodded.
"The weather's been good, we'll reach our destination in another two days or so.", he told her, chewing on his cheek. "What are you going to do after we leave you there?" She blinked, then looked around before frowning, deep in thought.
"I'll probably get a ship and sail for Tortuga.", she replied, shaking her head. He could see the sadness in her eyes, and turned to her, cupping her face in his hands.
"You miss your friends." It wasn't a question, but a statement. She sighed, then her eyelids fell shut, and she sub-consciously leaned into his touch, missing human connection with others.
"It's in the past. I'll probably not see any of them again.", she whispered, opening her eyes to look up at him, stepping closer so that she wasn't leaning forward. "Don't worry, I'm fine. Trust me." He pursed his lips together, then shook his head.
"Your lying.", he said, and she blinked at him, stunned. "I've seen the look in your eyes, Elizabeth. An emptiness, longing, despair." He smiled grimly at her. "Do you want to talk about it?" Elizabeth drew in a deep breath, hesitated, then turned away from him, looking back out to the horizon.
"Yes, I miss them.", she said softly. "It's been a long road, Justin. I've seen my father die, and two of my closest friend's die...right before my eyes. The other left me on that island. He didn't even bother to wait for me." She trailed off, choking on a sob. He winced, realizing that it had been worse than he thought. She turned away, covering her face with her hands. "I don't want to talk about this anymore.", she whispered finally, lifting her head, eyes glossy with unshed tears. "I'll see you later." Then, before he could stop her, she rushed off towards the stairs, almost falling down them in her haste.
Getting to her room, she crossed the space to her bed in less then three steps, then flung herself upon it. Not even bothering to change, she buried her face into the pillow, quickly falling asleep despite the tears streaming down her face.
Captain Gilheart Lang stood at the helm, looking out to sea as he usually did. It was late, the sun slowly sinking below the horizon. He searched the sky, and not finding any signs of a storm, handed over the wheel to his first mate. Walking down on deck, he moved over to the railing and looked out, narrowing his eyes. Slipping his hand into his pocket, he pulled out his spy glass, then snapped it out and put it to his eyes. His mouth twitched, and then he lowered his hand, blinking.
"Long boat off the port bow!", he yelled, then dropped the item back in his coat pocket. A few men rushed over to the side of the ship, then watched as the small boat drifted closer and closer.
"There are two people laying at the bottom!", a voice called, and Lang nodded.
"Lower the ropes, hoist them up on deck! Make haste, snap to!"
They threw the lines down, then clambered down the sides and lifted up the figures, the ropes tied around their shoulders and waists. Once both men were on deck, Gilheart dismissed his men, then looked down at the motionless bodies. He clamped his lips together in a thin line, then checked both of their pulses.
They were still alive.