Elizabeth
Elizabeth walked around the deck of the Empress looking at the completed repairs. She had just begun to show and was unable to wear some of her clothes. The crew was now begging to suspect her pregnancy and finally Elizabeth gave Tai Huang permission to tell them about the baby. She just hoped that it wouldn't make her look weak in their eyes.
After her inspections of the ship, she went back to the meeting room for the brethren court. She paced around the room remembering the reaction when she was elected King. She smiled to herself over the thought.
"Good thoughts I see."
"Yes Teague. Just remembering how I became the pirate King."
"Well you did take them all by surprise – me included."
"Yes, I suppose." Elizabeth smiled but then the smile went away and she seemed lost in thought.
"What's wrong Elizabeth? You seem to be in a little preoccupied."
"I'm just tired of being here. Not that I don't enjoy our talks and your stories of Jack when he was young but I long to be out on the sea. Somehow I think it makes me feel closer to Will."
"But Elizabeth, you should stay here. You must think about your safety after that last run in and what about the safety of the child you carry?"
"I know you are right but it's not just me. My crew has been cooped up here for so long making repairs that they need a trip. They are pirates after all and they long for the open sea. I am going to take them on at least a small trip. That should help all of us and then we'll come back to the safety of shipwreck cove."
Teague wanted to argue but he saw how determined she was and after all she was the pirate king. Who could tell her what to do?
It was only two days out of shipwreck cove that Elizabeth's crew spotted them. They flew the colors of the East India Trading Company. Elizabeth's heart sank – she knew that they were still a force to be reckoned with in Singapore but she thought for sure after Beckett's demise that they were done in these waters. She gave the orders to prepare for battle. She knew that they too were probably after the dead man's chest and she would die before she let them get their hands on her husband's heart.
"Well boys let's see how well those repairs truly are," Elizabeth said smiling to the crew giving her bravest face. Her crew yelled in support and readied themselves.
The new commander of the EITC ship who was still new to these waters looked through his spyglass. "There's a woman commanding that ship!"
"Yes sir," his second in command and a survivor from Beckett's ship replied, "she's rumored to the pirate king. Her husband supposedly is the new captain of the Flying Dutchman, if you believe the stories."
"Then she probably has what we seek or knows where it is then. This shouldn't take long at all."
"Yes, sir but don't underestimate her. She's very dangerous."
"Wait a minute," the commander said taking a second look at Elizabeth through his glass, "she looks - she's with child! Ready the cannons – but give the orders – I want her alive and unharmed!"
The Empress and the EITC ship fired their cannons at one another. The Empress took the first hit but it seemed only a lucky hit on the part of the EITC because the next rounds fired at the EITC ship found their mark but no others hit the Empress. Several men were killed on the EITC's ship and the commander seeing his ship was in dire need of help, ordered the ship to retreat.
The Empress' crew cheered as they saw the EITC's ship turn tail and run. Elizabeth went down below to her cabin when Li Mei was waiting. Tai Huang followed her.
"Orders captain," Tai asked.
"I'm afraid this will be a shorter trip than I anticipated Tai. It would seem most of the ships around here are after us – or me I probably should say. It's only a matter of time before our luck runs out."
"But captain – Elizabeth, we will protect you with our dying breath."
Elizabeth went over and put her hand on his shoulder, "I know that and thank you but I wouldn't want to do it needlessly. We will complete this short journey then as much as I hate to say it - back to shipwreck cove."