Chapter Eleven ~*~
~o~o~
The rest of Barbossa's small crew waited below, biding their time as best they could in the brig while they awaited their captain's return.
It was Gibbs who spoke first, when they felt the ship heel back to starboard a bit.
"We've changed course again," he said, getting to his feet.
"I wonder what that means?" Will asked from the second cell.
"I dunno, lad," Gibbs replied, looking concerned.
"Do you think they'll really turn us all in?" Will asked.
"Aye, the foul Dutch dogs," Gibbs snarled quietly. "They'll turn us in to the Company as quick as yeh please, but it'll jus' be icin' on the cake of the bounty they'll get fer Barbossa."
"Think the cap'n'll figure a way out?" Pintel asked from across the way.
"Can't rightly say," Gibbs said dejectedly. "We've naught to bargain with, far as I can see."
"Well then, let's just hope Barbossa does see something to bargain with," Will said, trying to appear hopeful.
"He'll do it," Elizabeth said quietly, causing the others to turn and look at her where she was sitting, her arms wrapped around her knees. "I have faith in him."
Will turned away, stung by her words. Not so long ago it was him she'd said that to, and he wondered if she still had the same confidence in him anymore.
Footsteps on the stairs caught everyone's attention, and there was Barbossa, accompanied by Roemer and two more of the Dutch crew. Quickly the doors to the cells were unlocked and the seven pirates freed, all of them filing past their captain with looks of relief except Will.
"So, you managed to convince Florisz to let us out?" he sneered quietly. "No doubt you've deceived him and made him believe that he'll benefit from whatever bargain you've reached."
"Master Turner, yer becomin' quite the cynic fer yer years," Barbossa replied. "Did ye not get precisely and to the letter what it was ye bargained fer with me?" He continued on before Will could retort. "And I'd think bein' less ungrateful about bein' released from that cell would suit ye better at the moment."
"Oh, I'm grateful alright," Will said back, meeting the older pirate's stare, "but don't think for a moment that it means I trust you. Some of us haven't forgotten what is was you did to my father."
"I'll keep that in mind," Barbossa sneered back quietly, staring the young blacksmith down for a moment before the boy walked away.
"You did it!" Elizabeth said from nearby, causing Barbossa to glance at where she was smiling broadly, clearly delighted. "That is amazing!" She fell in beside him as they climbed the stairs together.
"'Twas a simple negotiation, really, and I think ye'll find it less than amazin' once the details become clear," Barbossa replied.
"How on earth did you manage to talk them out of turning us in? What did you bargain with?" Elizabeth asked, clearly curious yet obviously impressed with what the cunning old rogue had accomplished.
"I'd rather not say just at the moment, Miss Swann, but trust me, ye'll likely be the first to find out," he said dryly.
"Either way," she said, oblivious to what he was implying as she placed her hand on his. "Thank you." Her eyes met his, and she gave him another appreciative smile and a look that said she was clearly impressed before she went to celebrate their small victory quietly with the crew.
~o~o~
What Elizabeth was having difficulty figuring out, was why Captain Florisz had spent most of the day flashing her smiles so broad that they were becoming a bit comical. If those hadn't been puzzling enough, the fact that he'd shot her several furtive winks across the deck was beginning to concern her, as was the fact that twice when he'd walked by he'd let his hand brush against her - her back once and lower the second time. Apparently he felt no qualms about furthering his pursuit of her from trying to feel up her thigh under the table to openly groping her derriere, and she was beginning to get irritated.
When she caught a glimpse of him approaching her again later that afternoon, she spun around to face him in order to keep her backside out of reach, and then quickly folded her arms across her chest, not taking any chances that he might feel inclined to take liberties with her front. He merely grinned at her as she frowned disconcertedly, and spoke two words in thickly accented English that made her stomach clench.
"Until tonight."
She hadn't heard that they'd been invited to dinner again, and she quickly started trying to think of a way that she could ensure that she'd manage to sit next to Barbossa and stay our of Florisz's reach.
By the time evening arrived and it was close to the time she knew she'd be expected, she finally found Barbossa, who'd made himself scarce for most of the day, standing near the rail, looking out over the water and likely pining for the Black Pearl once more.
"Oh, there you are," she said, coming closer. "Captain Florisz is expecting us."
"No," he said quietly without looking at her, "he's expectin' you."
"Me?" she asked with a light little laugh. "Oh, clearly, with the way he's been breathing down my neck all day. I figured that if I go and sit first, you might manage to take the chair next to me and head Florisz off, if that's not too much to ask, Captain Barbossa."
Perceiving that the young woman was being a bit playful with him, Barbossa turned to face her. "It wouldn't be, Miss Swann, if I were accompanying you to dinner this time."
Elizabeth's smile faltered a little. "What do you mean?"
"I mean ye'll be dinin' alone with the cap'n," Barbossa replied evenly.
Her smile faded completely, slowly being replaced by a look of dread. "You can't do that to me!" she said. "I...I don't want to be left alone with him! Surely you don't mean to..."
"'Tis out of me hands, Miss Swann," he replied.
"What do you mean, 'out of my hands'? What is? What are you talking about?" she demanded with anger starting to color her voice.
"You havin' dinner alone with Florisz was part of the bargain we negotiated," Barbossa explained.
"What?"
"I was speakin' the King's English, Miss Swann, not Dutch. Did I not make meself clear?" he replied.
"I can't believe you!" she snarled, beginning to pace a little with agitation.
"I told yeh that ye'd find the agreement less than amazin' once the details became clear," he said wryly.
"Oh!" she exclaimed in exasperation. "Now I'm probably going to have to fend him off with a belaying pin."
"I think that'd not be consistent with the response he's expectin' from yeh," Barbossa said.
"What do you mean?" she asked again, an alarmed expression starting to creep into place.
"Miss Swann, what do ye know about the Pirate Code?" he asked, seemingly changing the subject.
"What's that got to do with anything?" she demanded, clearly agitated.
"More'n ye'd think," Barbossa replied, and then when he saw the measure of puzzlement creep into her irritated demeanor, he continued. "In the matters of solemn accords and payments, Miss Swann, should one pirate be indebted to second, the payment agreed upon may be transferred by the first to a third, should the second find hisself beholden as such."
"What?" she asked, trying to follow his explanation.
"Yer payment's transferable," he said, clarifying matters, just as Roemer arrived to escort her to Florisz's cabin.
"What?" she demanded incredulously. "What?"
"So, yeh see, you won't be needin' that belayin' pin," he said.
"You despicable bastard!" she snarled.
"Miss Swann, ye wound me," he said, feigning offense. "And after the sacrifice I made, too."
"Sacrifice?" she all but screeched.
"Aye, puttin' the safety and freedom of me crew ahead of me own selfish desires," he said, looking her over.
Elizabeth couldn't keep her jaw from dropping open.
"'Twas the only thing Florisz valued, lass," he said, more gently as he saw how upset she was becoming. "I had no choice."
"Apparently you left me none either," she spat.
"That be true," he said, glancing at Roemer, who was waiting for Elizabeth, and took her by the arm gently to lead her to the cabin.
"But at least there be a bright spot in all this, Miss Swann," Barbossa added.
"And what would that be?" she asked, her look and her words dripping with resentful venom.
"Apparently yer virtue's worth at least ten thousand guineas," he said dryly.
Roemer had to tighten his grip on the woman's arm when she tried to lunge at the Pirate Lord.