Wow, has it really been that long since I last posted? Writer's block stinks! I want to thank you guys for your patience, or tolerance in some cases. ;) I appreciate your feedback and the encouragement I've been given on this story. Enjoy!
Lord Elbridge's office was dark, the only light source being the bright red sun nearly set behind the horizon. The scuffing of boot heels and raspy breathing were cutting through the silence like sharp knives. Lord Elbridge was once again pacing about his office. He had finally received word from Arabella and was most unhappy at the moment. For the past few moments he had been wringing a small piece of parchment in his hand, a piece of parchment that was now beginning to resemble confetti. He did not allow anyone to go against his wishes, much less a little girl. He crumpled what was left of the parchment into his hands.
"I know who you are and that you cannot be trusted, yet you still disappoint me, my dear," he grumbled to himself as he now began to grind the parchment into his rough palm. "Debts need to be settled and I will not..."
A strong knock on the Lord's door broke through his thoughts. With gritted teeth he harshly bent his head sideways to crack his neck before turning towards the door and stretching his stiffened jaw. Behind it stood a worried-looking Lieutenant Groves.
"I've received confirmation, sir. She's been seen with Sparrow and is still headed to Port Maria. She should reach there by sunset tomorrow."
"And have you dispatched your men to that location?" Elbridge asked with an unnerving sense of calmness in his voice..
"Yes, sir," Groves nodded, swallowing. "They should be there by morning."
"Good, very good." Elbridge crossed his office and stood by the fireplace, tracing his index finger across the blade of one of many swords he had mounted to the wall. "When they arrive there, they are not to interfere. I want them to follow Miss Turner. They are to take action only if things do not go according to plan. Is that clear?"
Lieutenant Groves nodded curtly once more and stared at the floor. He wasn't sure if the shiver he just felt was do to the fact that the fireplace hadn't been lit at all that day or if it was due to the cold radiating from Elbridge's demeanor. Elbridge turned his attentions from the sword's edge out through the nearby window to the water.
"We all make choices that have certain consequences. Fortunately, I've learned how to deal the hand in my favor. She'll never see it coming," he whispered.
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Arabella stared out at the waves trailing behind her. So many thoughts were racing through her mind since she left Tortuga. She had been fortunate enough to run into an old friend who was now working aboard one of the many merchant ships in the area and he offered to take her to Port Maria on his way to another port. Arabella hugged her arms and leaned out over the stern side rail, continuing to focus on the trailing waves.
Jack was planning on leaving her to set off for the Black Pearl and the Fountain of Youth on his own, with no intentions of helping her to save Will. Even though Arabella had anticipated Jack's plan of action, the situation still struck a sour chord within her. Jack was as selfish, cunning, and dangerous as any other pirate to sail the seas, but Arabella saw something more. She saw that deep down there was a good man hiding himself from the world. She couldn't blame him, seeing as how every good deed Jack had done had such massive repercussions. Whatever Jack's reasoning, Arabella knew that she could not let him sail off without her. It would cause her to lose the one chance to free Will from his duty to the Dutchman and save his life. It would also cause her deal with Elbridge to fall through. Of all of the people Arabella had come to bad terms with, Lord Elbridge was the very last person she wanted to add to the list.
"Oi! Lean any further and I'll have to be untangling ye from me nets once ye go overboard."
Arabella blinked and looked over her shoulder. Being so lost in thought, she had indeed been slouching further over the rail than need be. She smiled weakly and pushed herself into a standing position as she stepped back towards the man beside her.
"Ye know, lass, ye still haven't told me what's been goin' on with me favorite cabin girl since last I saw ye," he said. The man's eyes were beaming with concern for Arabella. He cupped a bony hand onto one of her shoulders and squeezed it lightly. "I've never seen ye so worn since I pulled ye from that wreckage years ago. I worry about ye."
"Aye, Jacob, it's been a while since our paths have crossed. I'm not the same girl I was back on the... well, I'm not the same." Arabella shuddered and sank back against a nearby barrel. This was a bad idea. It was bringing up painful memories which Arabella wished to remain hidden. She glanced up to the dirty white sails as they swelled with the coming winds. "We'll make good time then, I see," she said quietly, attempting to change the subject of their conversation.
"The winds are definitely with us. Now tell me, what's so important that ye be needin' to get to Port Maria with such haste."
"Don't you worry about me. I've been taking care of myself just fine," she replied quickly. "I may need your help though."
"How can I help you if you wont... Oi! Tighten that canvass before the whole ship topples over!"
Arabella watched him jump up and run towards the main mast of the small ship. The winds were picking up again and causing the sails to swell. Watching his retreating form, she took notice of how slim he was. If possible, she thought him to be more slender than she remembered him. So many years had passed since Jacob had found her floating in that wreckage. The attack. Arabella had no idea that he would find her. She also had no idea that things would turn from bad to worse the night he found her. Arabella couldn't focus on past mistakes right now. Those were demons she would have to face soon enough, but more important matters were lying ahead of her. All she could do now was wait to arrive at Port Maria and hope that she would not be needing Jacob's help. Too many people had been pulled into the situation as it was and Arabella was beginning to regret mentioning anything to him.
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Calypso gripped the portside railing tightly and held her head high, even though her eyes were cast downward to look into the eyes of the many souls bobbing gently in their boats among the rippling waves. She sensed Will's presence beside her, but remained focused on the waters.
"You must use caution, William Turner. I fear that if Davy Jones is not stopped, the seas shall never again be safe. Jones will unleash him vengeance upon the seas and upon them who stand in the way. The only way him be stopped is to be brought to the next world. You must bring him here and send him on before it is too late." With that last sentence, her long fingers tightened around the rail.
"Then there is no choice but to bring him back. I will not abandon my duty to you. Jones will be brought here and he will be taken to the next world. You have my word on that. And then I will return here. How to find him though... I imagine he'll first seek out the Pirate Lords..." Will's thoughts once again fell to Elizabeth. She would be in twice as much danger for being both a Pirate Lord and for being the one to guard the Dead Man's Chest. His eyes widened and he took a few steps back as Calypso spun around to face him.
"The Pirate Lords? The Brethren Court?! They too have blood on their hands which cannot be washed away by the tides." Calypso's features morphed from those of sadness to those of anger and hatred. She closed the gap between Will and herself and pressed a cold palm to the scar upon his chest, slightly digging her nails into his skin. "Even though you no longer have a heart beating inside, it does not mean that it cannot still blind your judgement. Do not let it turn you away from what you must do. Take your men and go."
Calypso stood limp, glancing sideways towards Will and then scanning her eyes across the Flying Dutchman's deck at the still-petrified faces of his crew members. The men anxiously awaited orders from their captain. Will knelt down before the goddess and cleared his throat nervously as he waited for her departure. He stared at the floorboards and listened to Calypso's many trinkets jingle as she sauntered towards him. She extended an arm and cupped Will's chin within her hand.
"A touch of destiny," she cooed with a soft smile. She stared into Will's eyes, remembering the love she had once shared with Davy Jones. The pain that now replaced that love she did not want to wish upon anyone. A similar pain reflected back to her from Will's eyes. "Your heart is not the only one that is unsafe. Blood is thicker than water. You must go now."
Calypso gathered her battered shawl tightly around her shoulders and stepped backwards towards the main mast. With a long exhale, she closed her eyes and raised her head towards the sky. The strong wind now blowing began to whip her dreadlocked hair around her face. The crew members once again scrambled across the deck to shelter themselves from whatever may happen next. Bootstrap instinctively raced over to his son, who was still down on one knee, and wrapped his arms around him to shield him as he buried his face into his back. Not only did Calypso's hair whip about in the wind, but her many layers of fabric and skirts began to twist around her body, giving her a mummified look. This look intensified as he features too did morph. As the winds grew stronger, the sea goddess bent and twisted her disfiguring form, becoming one with the wind. The men cowered back and took hold of whatever they could to anchor themselves aboard the Dutchman. Calypso's form stretched tall and darkened into a black funnel, a miniature tornado right there on the deck. The men watched wide-eyed as the mighty ship rocked in response to the sudden winds. The black form stretched high into the clouds and disappeared among them. In its place, small white crabs began to fall all around the ship and float in the waters.
"It's alright now, men. Steady," Will said. Rising slowly into a standing position, he grabbed his father's shoulder in reassurance.
"Orders, Captain Turner?" one of the men asked. He stood shaking and still tightly gripping onto one of the ratlines.
"We go back," Will responded simply.
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Arabella followed the shoreline of Port Maria and tracked through a small wooded area over towards a small stretch of docks where she and Jack were to meet come morning. Arabella waited nervously under the furthest dock. She had the worst feeling that she had been being followed.
"Easy now. You'd best make off with yourself before you get dragged into this mess any further. Thank you," she said weakly to Jacob.
Without a word, Arabella's young friend scampered off into the darkness. She was beginning to run out of favors to call upon. She was also beginning to see traits in herself that made her physically ill. The lies, the bargaining, working amongst pirates to accomplish her own ends, placing others in harm's way. This wasn't good.
If Arabella's assumptions were correct, Jack would already have been waiting for her with a plan to leave her in Port Maria one way or another. She whispered his name and searched for him with no results. Arabella took the time to familiarize herself with her surroundings, only to escape from thinking of anything else. The scattered twigs and rocks crunched loudly beneath her boots. There was nothing to do but wait. She went over her plans again and again in her head to reassure herself that everything was taken care of, whatever obstacles should arise.
Footsteps.
Arabella hid herself away in the shadows and waited. Sure enough, she could make out Jack's shadow in the moonlight. Arabella pushed herself further under the dock until she was wedged into a tight spot just against the rocky wall that met with it. She watched the shadow slowly swagger about to the end of the dock and pace at its edge. She jumped when the tall shadow disappeared and its owner took its place in the sand. Jack stood still with his fists resting on his hips. His head was twitching and pivoting. Not being able to see his eyes, Arabella assumed he was looking around. Without thinking, her hand groped across her waist for her pistol and her fingers coiled around its grip.
"Did you really think I'd leave it here for you to take, Jack?" she asked. As Jack jumped and spun around, she pointed her pistol at him and stepped to where he could see her. Jack then glanced up at the night sky.
"Hmm... I don't see a rising sun. You're a bit early, lass," he said barely hiding a smirk. As the moonlight reflected from the barrel of Arabella's pistol, Jack's eyes caught a glimpse of the weapon and narrowed. Instinctively, his hand reached for his own weapon.
"As are you," she said in annoyance. "I thought you might try to get here before me so as to have the upper hand. You pirates are so predictable. I told you that you will not be setting out without me. The sooner you accept that, the sooner we..."
"I ain't acceptin' anything, love. Nothin' to accept for me," he interjected. Even though Arabella's pistol was still firmly aimed at his chest, Jack stepped towards her. His dark eyes focused on the barrel as he spoke. "You, on the other hand, have a lot of acceptin' to do. For starters, you have to accept that I'll be taking that chart by whatever means need be. You also have to accept that you will not be heading out with me and my crew." His eyes moved up to meet hers and paused for a moment as Arabella's stare changed to a piercing glare. Jack continued more sternly. "Lastly, you must accept that there is no saving dear William. The only way to relieve him of his most unpleasant duties would be to go to the next world, have him hand you the key, find and open the chest, and stab his heart, not to mention put your own ticker in its place. So, not only would it be near impossible to go through all of that, but you would have to kill him." Jack stepped towards her again until the end of her pistol was merely inches from his chest. "Correct me if I'm wrong, which I rather doubt, but killing the boy seems a bit contradictory to saving him, does it not?"
"Stop it," Arabella said with a slight quiver in her voice. She had an urge to knock the smug look from his face with a heavy blunt object. She could feel her hand become unsteady as she continued to aim her weapon at him. She would have to kill Will in order to free him. That was the only choice, at least that's what Jack believed. Arabella became aware of the charts rolled up inside her coat. "If he was able to find you with the charts, then it cannot be that difficult for me to find him."
"Oh really? And you think he'll just drop the key into your little hand and send you on your merry way to kill him, do you?" Jack asked, cocking his head to the side and standing so that the barrel of Arabella's pistol was now touching his coat.
"I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to," she said as she placed her thumb over the pistol's hammer.
Arabella made the mistake of looking into Jack's eyes. His intense stare was making her nervous. She swallowed the lump in her throat and pulled her free arm tightly across her waist to close over her coat. Jack grasped the barrel of her pistol lightly with his thumb and index finger, altering the course of its aim away from his chest.
"I truly am sorry, Miss Turner."
"For what?" she asked Jack.
There were footsteps echoing above them, they were no longer alone. The sudden noise caused Arabella to break eye contact and look upward. She looked back to Jack just in time to see the butt of his pistol before it connected with her temple and everything faded to black.
"For that," he replied quietly as he caught her unconscious form in his arms. He turned towards the sound of the pattering footsteps behind him to see Gibbs running for him.
"I came as soon as I could, Cap'n. I think we were being... Virgin mother on high, Jack, what happened?!" Gibbs whispered loudly in shock.
"Slight complications, mate," he replied, delicately pulling the charts from inside Arabella's coat and tucking them away inside his own. "A little help here, if you please. Take her somewhere where she'll be taken care of, and preoccupied. We've little time and none to waste."
Jack cradled Arabella against himself and tried to regain what balance he had. Gibbs rushed to his side and took the girl into his arms. He glanced up at Jack with a look of disapproval, but carried out his orders despite his feelings. Jack lingered under the dock for one more moment, and then scampered into the shadows towards the ship that was waiting for him.
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The sun would rise in less than an hour's time. Luckily, both the weather and the setting were in Jack's favor. The waters were calm, the dock seemed deserted, and there was a steady wind blowing. Gibbs crossed the deck towards Sparrow, still rubbing at his eyes and failing to stifle a yawn.
"Crew's present and accounted for, ready to set sail, Cap'n. Everything has been loaded aboard and we should make good time with this wind." Jack made no response or even a gesture to suggest that he had heard anything Gibbs had said. Gibbs cleared his throat.
"Hmm?" Jack looked up, his brows retreating under his bandana. "Oh, yes. Off we go then. Raise anchor, cast off, tighten the rigging and so on and so forth." He turned and set one hand to the wheel, and pulled the small compass from inside his coat.
"Er... If you don't mind me being bold, Cap'n, you seem to have your mind on other matters. Does this have anything to do with the girl?" He shifted uneasily when Jack's jaw clenched in response.
"Let us get one thing proper here, Mister Gibbs. We are out to find my bloody ship and this," Jack said, holding the chart in his hand, and adding, "before it falls into the wrong hands, again. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't like this any more than you do. Are you having doubts as to my being fit to be captain?"
"No, sir. I was just reassuring meself that yer interests were clear." Gibbs clutched his rum bottle more tightly. Jack seemed on the verge of anger and Gibbs did not care to be on its receiving end.
"I'd worry about your own interests, Mister Gibbs. You are free to leave this ship at any time if you feel me to be unfit. Until then I ask you to remember that I am the captain, savvy?"
"Aye, sir. Understood in full." Gibbs left the conversation and headed below deck to gather the rest of the crew.
Jack inhaled the sea air and felt a slight calm as the ship rocked softly beneath him, pulling out into the water. Closing his eyes, he took in everything with his other senses. The sea-dampened air brushing his face, the sound of the ship's creaking boards, the feel of standing at the helm, and the taste of freedom once more within his reach. With every turn his life took he never felt that it may be his last journey. For some reason unbeknownst to him, something was different. Jack did not know what lie ahead for himself. He wouldn't admit this to anyone, but he was afraid. He glanced behind him at the shore and saw a figure rushing down the sandy hill towards the ship. With the sun barely rising, he couldn't make out a face. Then he saw it, her tiny figure bundled in her dark grey coat. He knew she would attempt to get to him, and thankfully she was too late. "So sorry, love. This is the way it should be. Bill would sooner turn me inside out if I brought another of his into this mess." His eyes lingered on her figure for a moment more. Jack watched her come to a halt at the edge of the water and wave her arms frantically. He turned his attentions forward, back to the task at hand, away from her.
Lieutenant Groves watched her slim figure practically fly across the shore. Her long legs made huge strides as she ran into a small patch of trees. As Lord Elbridge had instructed, he and his men followed her. As the sun began to rise, its brilliant glow shone through the trees and cast scattered shadows, creating much difficulty in keeping his eyes on his target. Groves's men were now panting heavily and beginning to trail farther behind him. The consequences of losing Arabella would be dire, so he continued without them. After feeling as though he had just trotted a mile across the shore, another ship came into view. This vessel was much smaller and well-hidden among the trees and small village at the port's edge. Groves could make out shadows of figures moving about the ship and watched on as Arabella crossed the gangplank and pulled it on deck. Within minutes, Groves's men joined him and awaited word as they caught their breaths.
"We must alert Lord Elbridge. His suspicions were correct and we must make our move or it's the gallows for us all."
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