A/N: Ahh, I'm sorry it took so long for me to update! I promise I'll be better! Thank you so much for reviewing, TavyBeckettFan, Drusilla Braun, Panzergal, and Lady Elizabeth Beckett!
Well, I hope everyone likes this next update!
Chapter 14: Intrepid
"I need to see a doctor!" Elizabeth wailed, as the Black Pearl drifted into the main port of Constantinople.
"Soon, luv. Ye can't very well get off th' ship before she's moored properly," Jack replied, feeling huffy immediately. Of course ye can; ye did jus' that wiv Beckett in th' Azores…
Upon the Black Pearl reaching Constantinople, Jack carried Elizabeth's exhausted body off of the ship into the main square of town, where he soon found a doctor's home, only noticeable because there were two people leaving the building with casts on their arms. Of course, it was also soon realized that no one in Constantinople spoke English.
Once in front of the doctor in his home/office, Elizabeth continually pointed at her stomach as she spoke to the doctor.
"I'm pregnant, Sir, and I accidentally ate Spanish fly!"
"More like drunk it, actually," Jack cut in.
"You aren't helping," she shot back at the dreadlocked pirate. "Sir," she said, looking back at the clueless Turkish doctor. "Doctor. I'm with child." Elizabeth pointed at her stomach, eventually losing patience and screaming at him with choice words thrown in. "Baby here!" she cried. "I may lose baby! Do you bloody understand; I could lose the bloody baby!"
The doctor returned her rants with a shrug and a blank stare. He pointed at her stomach, using an unrecognizable word phrased like he was uncertain. This place was useless.
Elizabeth was inconsolable, as Jack helped steady her on their way out of the doctor's home.
"What am I going to do now?" she said. "The baby, Jack, what's going to happen—"
"Ye ne'er can tell about those sorts o' things, luv. Shall we look for another doctor? Constantinople is certainly a large city—surely there have to be other doctors."
The pair searched high and low, and eventually stumbled upon a doctor in the outskirts of town, one who realized at least that Elizabeth was pregnant.
"I'm coming to you because I am in pain!" Elizabeth said to the seemingly more English-knowledgeable physician. "Pain!"
"Stay," the doctor finally replied. "I can try help you and gebe. But must stay. Evet?"
Elizabeth glanced back at Jack, who nodded solemnly.
"I assume evet to mean yes," she whispered to Jack. He nodded again, though with not as much certainty.
"Alright," Elizabeth said to the doctor. "I'll stay."
The Beckett siblings traveled to Admiral Thomas Morgan's new temporary domicile, the home where the former admiral had lived.
Upon Cutler bowing before Morgan, the tall admiral scowled disapprovingly. This was not lost on his wife, who was standing beside Cutler.
"You remember my brother Cutler," Julia said to her husband. "Cutler, this is Thomas, my husband."
"That would be Admiral Morgan to him," he shot back disdainfully, glaring coldly at Cutler. He glanced back at Julia, looking quite irritated. "And what is he doing here? Brother or no, Julia; he's a bloody pirate sympathizer. He was to be executed months ago in Port Royal—"
"I beg your pardon," Beckett said quietly, "but I am not a pirate sympathizer. In fact, these past several months of my absence from society have been spent in their custody, being imprisoned and tortured all the while."
Morgan couldn't help but let out a little scoff.
"Is there some way you can prove this? Otherwise, your word is no better than that of your pirate brethren."
Morgan had always been quite arrogant, but he had always had to bow to Cutler Beckett, who ranked far above him. Now that he was above Cutler in rank, it was almost unbearable for Beckett to have to try to deal with his snobbish ways and to have to show respect to him. Who am I kidding, Beckett mused. If I were in his position right now, I wouldn't even grant myself the chance to speak. I'd be hanged outright.
Julia began rapidly nodding her head.
"What is it, Mrs. Morgan," the admiral asked his wife, irritation in his tone.
"I saw them. The scars. Looks like he has been to hell and back."
"And could he not have administered them by himself?"
"No. The wounds are all over his back… there's a gunshot wound in his shoulder, and a stab wound atop that. It's really rather disgusting—turned my stomach, it did."
Cutler looked over at his sister with relief, hoping that he wouldn't have to disrobe for the admiral to prove his point. He held his breath expectantly, looking down at the ground to retain some sort of demure stance. It was rather annoying how Morgan talked about him as if he wasn't even in the room.
"Your brother never was one to allow himself to undergo any negative consequences he could avoid… which does make it probable that the pirates inflicted these wounds upon him."
Beckett rolled his eyes, head remaining aimed toward the ground.
Finally the admiral glanced over at Beckett. If Julia were closer to her brother, I would be averse to trusting her word, but frankly, she's loathed him for years. There's no reason I can see why she'd make this up. On the contrary, I would think… even though he is not set to inherit the estate…
Morgan looked down haughtily at Beckett, who stood expectantly in his reacquired fine clothing.
"I'm not certain as to whether I should force you to disrobe to show me these wounds, or—"
"Admiral," Beckett suddenly said, interrupting him mid-sentence. "I am not allied with the pirates. As well as my wounds being proof of the torture I endured with them… I can prove my loyalty to the Crown in another way as well."
"And what would that be?"
Beckett took in a deep breath. This is it. My chance for redemption.
"I know where the now defenseless Black Pearl is making berth next."
Immediately Morgan was intrigued. This was the very ship he was interested in. The only real lead to finding the key for the Dead Man's Chest.
"The Black Pearl, you say?" he muttered, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. And in revealing the Pearl's whereabouts, I would request that I be pardoned from all the false charges against me, and be instated into the Royal Navy as an officer—perhaps the rank of Lieutenant."
Admiral Morgan let out a little laugh.
"Quite the steep bargain you drive, for a man of such currently low status. I'd hope that there'd be some advantage for me into entering this agreement. Why do you think the pirates can be defeated this time, being as they defeated your ship as well as your entire fleet several months ago?"
"They are hurting… Sir." It pained Beckett to say the word, but the smile he received from Morgan made it all worthwhile. "The battle with the Dutchman and the depletion of their supplies on sinking the Endeavour has cost them the entirety of their gunpowder and cannonballs. When I escaped the ship, they had run out of food as well."
"You escaped the Black Pearl." It was a question, but came out as more of a statement of disbelief.
"Yes," Beckett replied, feeling Morgan's gaze penetrating into his forehead. It was rather unnerving. There was a rather long pause.
"Go on," Morgan finally said, his eyes sparkling with interest.
"The Black Pearl is in a direly weakened state and would be easy to overcome. However, if we are to catch the pirates, we must leave at once, for I do not know where they will make berth next."
"And where are they making berth?" Morgan ventured to say.
"If you would instate me into the Royal Navy, I would lead your men to the Black Pearl." Morgan's eyebrow rose at this comment from Beckett, his mouth becoming stern.
"Not lead your men of course," Beckett corrected, with a subtle eye-roll, "but simply give them a heading for the destination. Once there, it should be relatively simple to capture the pirates—"
"Capture? If I find them, they'd be lucky to live long enough to know who attacked them!"
But wait—Morgan mused, I cannot let anyone know of the key possibly being on the ship. If all the pirates aboard are captured and brought back to me, I can search and question them individually, without needing to inform my crew of the importance of this mission. Yes, that would be best. However, that also means I can't go, because if the captain of the Dutchman somehow informed the keeper of the key of my earlier actions, those bloody pirates will find some way to keep the key from me. Sending a random crew should not cause any undue suspicion from the pirates if indeed they have been informed of my actions upon their allied captain.
"Yes, I suppose capturing them would be quite suitable," Morgan suddenly replied.
"What?" Julia gaped. "But you just said—"
"Mrs. Morgan, a man can change his mind, can't he?" He gave her a little wink, and she fell silent.
"If I find you to be lying about this, Mr. Beckett, you will be dealt with in the harshest manner that not even an escapee of the Pearl can avoid. You will never be amongst friends again; all will be out for your blood. Do you understand?"
Beckett swallowed, realizing that they had to make haste, or else his explanation of the Pearl's destination would be no longer accurate—and would thus be rendered a lie.
"I understand," Beckett replied, speaking slowly and carefully. "I would only hope that until the point at which we have captured the pirates, that you will give me the benefit of the doubt. I offer this information to you in exchange for a pardon in all the false allegations brought against me."
"Mr. Beckett," Morgan suddenly stated cordially, extending a hand to the shorter man. "I believe that you have been instantaneously absolved of all charges. I will, of course, present this to the High Court so that you are not arrested elsewhere under the same charges. You will be drawn up a Full Pardon there, being as I have not yet acquired the sort of paperwork to write up such a document."
"And what of my instatement—"
"Ah, that. Yes… well, I think it suitable that you should remain a crewmember aboard the ship until you return to Southampton with the pirate prisoners in tow. It is then that I will award you the ranking of midshipman. Does that sound fair to you?"
Beckett considered for a moment. I could have very well been executed today, and instead I'm being offered a Full Pardon and a position as an officer—though not as high as I would have liked, it is the best I can do for the moment.
"Yes… Sir," Beckett muttered, bowing to the taller man. The pair shook hands and sealed their agreement.
After requesting the disrobement of Beckett to reveal the wounds, and after hearing of Beckett's knowledge of the Black Pearl's next destination and the implications that capturing the infamous pirates aboard would have on the psyche of all pirate-kind, the High Court granted Cutler Beckett the full pardon.
A large ship of the Royal Navy was stocked with ample supply within the day, Beckett overjoyed that he could again possess influence and power. During Beckett's preparation back at the Hampton House, the admiral met secretly with the crewmen of the Royal Navy ship that would be intercepting the Pearl at her next destination.
"Do not reveal to this man the discovery of the Dead Man's Chest," he told the men. "Rumours of treachery run rampant in his past, and if he were to gain control of the Chest, there's no telling what would happen. Already you are aware that he abused his power when in possession of the Chest, leading to the deaths of hundreds of honest men. You must stay silent on this issue. Also, do not fire upon the pirates to kill them, if you can help it. They need to remain alive to be captured and brought back here. The pirates will be questioned as to the hideouts of their pirate brethren, so that we may finally end their reign of terror on the seas. Ah, and one more thing: it is imperative that the Black Pearl be commandeered back to Southampton, where it can then be used against the other pirates. It is, after all, one of the fastest ships ever made."
"No good," the Turkish doctor said over and over again as he examined Elizabeth. "Oh.. no good."
"What's no good?" she cried, after hearing the alarming phrase one too many times.
"Gebe… trouble."
There's that strange word again. Could he be meaning the baby?
"Are you referring to my being with child?"
He poked her stomach with his finger. "Gebe," he said. "In. No good. Trouble."
"Oh, Jack… my baby!" she cried, looking at the captain, who was noisily chugging down rum next to her, somehow having snatched a bottle of rum along the way. He removed the bottle from his mouth, looking at her with concern.
"I don't know wot to say, luv. But if ye'd like another to take its place, I am up for th' challenge of helpin' create one."
She frowned at him irritably.
"Now is certainly not the time to joke."
"Sorry, Lizzie," he mumbled, flashing her a sheepish grin.
Cutler Beckett stood on the main deck of the Intrepid, a large ship with two gun decks and long nines extending from its bow, though it was not quite as large as the Endeavour. The ship had been painted a merry shade of peach, with green paint encircling the numerous gun ports. The captain's cabin was massive, with stained glass windows extending up several stories at the stern of the ship. Beckett couldn't help but long for what once was. Well, at least I now have a chance to regain the power I once had.
"Beckett, get to work," one of the crewmen commanded in passing.
This is just splendid, he mused sarcastically, moving towards the mainsail that was being untied by several other non-officers. Am I really that much better off now than I was before?
If this ship would happen to fire upon the currently defenseless Black Pearl, certainly it would sink her in no time, he considered, realizing how high this massive ship sat above the water. Much higher than the Pearl did, that was for certain. Everyone on the Pearl would probably be killed within an instant if we ambush them. However, he remembered that Admiral Morgan wanted the pirates captured and so, they would be allowed to live—at least until they reached England.
Beckett stood on deck in the fine clothing he had sorely missed, holding the rigging with the still unblemished hands of a man who had never truly worked, a wig atop his neatly trimmed hair. After the sail had been untied successfully, he patted his breast pocket, where the Full Pardon was stored safely. Finally he was able to feel proper again, a member of high society. Though he wasn't treated as such.
During their travels to Constantinople, though they were obligated to follow the headings he provided, the crew of the Intrepid treated Beckett with an extraordinary amount of disrespect, being as his name had been sullied in the most horrific ways previously. He had been responsible for the deaths of one-hundred-and-twenty-six EITC employees on the Endeavour. The Royal Navy crewmen murmured amongst themselves about stories of his treachery, falling silent whenever he'd approach. In addition, Beckett was not supplied a hammock and so had to lie upon the floor, a constant reminder of his time with the pirates.
It was then that he met Peter Longfellow, a cabin boy aboard the ship. Longfellow hadn't wanted to return to his family just yet, and had stowed away in the final moments before the ship had disembarked from Southampton. Being as neither Beckett nor Longfellow was supplied a hammock; they were the only two aboard the Intrepid that had to sleep on the floor. Though he would have never been inclined to speak with this boy in his former reign as the Lord of the East India Trading Company, Beckett had been significantly humbled in his experience with the pirates for so many months.
Longfellow was the only person on the ship who treated Beckett with any kindness. They became fast friends, being as Longfellow himself was ordered around like some sort of slave by everyone aboard— that is, except by Beckett. It had been realized by the former lord that making any kind of positive connection was important—for, upon giving respect to the young Irishman on the Nessie's Rock, he had been liberated from his uncomfortable bonds.
One evening several days into their journey to Constantinople, having both been sent to the hold to fetch some supplies, Beckett and the boy struck up a conversation.
"I was supposed to be training to be an officer cadet right now," Peter said ironically, slinging a sack of grain over his back. "Rather than fetchin' everything for everyone like some sort of lapdog."
Cutler cracked a disbelieving smile.
"But you don't look old enough to—"
"I know I'm not old enough, but Lieutenant Mor—I mean, Admiral Morgan promised me that if I convinced the captain of the Flying Dutchman to meet with him, he'd put me into training early as an officer cadet."
Beckett's eyes widened. The Dutchman's returned to the world of the living? But Turner was supposed to stay between worlds. It's not like him to rebel… Certainly he wouldn't already be shirking his duties as captain—after all, he will get to see Elizabeth in less than a decade…
Longfellow had not been amongst the crew that had been informed by Morgan to keep mum on the status of the Dead Man's Chest. Even if he had been present at the time, however, the boy probably felt enough distaste towards the man to disobey his commands anyway.
"And did you do this for him?" Beckett asked, highly intrigued.
"Yes. I didn't like what he tried to do though. If I had known he was going to try to get the key off of the captain, I would have never gotten involved. As far away as I was at the time, I heard him threatening the captain. I hate myself for the role I played in that. The captain seemed rather nice. He probably wants to kill me now, though."
"The captain of the Dutchman, is it Will Turner?" Maybe someone had already replaced Turner as the captain. That would, of course, leave Will officially dead, and Elizabeth available for the taking….
"Yes, Will Turner. But Lieu—I'm sorry—Admiral Morgan wasn't able to get the key from the captain."
"You seem to have problems calling him Admiral. Is there a specific reason for that?"
"I'm sorry. Only a couple of weeks ago he was still Lieutenant Morgan. The morning he showed the chest to Admiral Kensington, the Admiral promoted him for his findings—well, my findings, actually— and dropped dead on the spot. He was old—it was a heart attack. Many people are still in shock that Lieutenant Morgan became admiral in such a way… but I shouldn't talk about that anymore lest someone's listenin' in."
Very interesting, Beckett mused. How convenient for Morgan to gain control of the chest and the Royal Navy in such a close span of time. Too convenient….
"Getting the key from the captain, you say. What key?" Beckett asked, attempting to steer the subject away from on a subject with which he would be doing ample deep thinking. Of course he knew to what the boy was referring by "key", but had to be absolutely certain, anyway.
"The key to the Dead Man's Chest. I found the chest… it's been nearly two months since I found it. On an island in the Caribbean. The 'Dead Man's Endeavour', we called the island. There was lots of wreckage from the Endeavour on it."
"Oh," was all that Beckett could say. Does this boy not know my past? Perhaps that's the only reason he's talking to me.
"You were on the Endeavour, weren't you?" Longfellow blurted. Bollocks. Of course he knows, Beckett mused.
He nodded at the boy, slinging a sack over his back. He had hoped that he'd never have to recall that point in his life again. It was embarrassing, to say the least.
"I thought it was you," Longfellow did. "You don't have to tell me what happened; I already know. But I get angry with people who blame you for everything. How do they know how they'd act if they had been in your position that day?"
Beckett was pleasantly surprised by the reasoning of this boy. This Longfellow kid really was impressing him. If I ever acquire the rank of Lieutenant, this boy is going straight into officer training. Mayhap he could be my clerk, just as Mercer had been…
"Thank you," Beckett muttered, his entire face in a rare smile.
"For what?"
"For what you just said."
"Well, that's what I believe. Even Admiral Morgan, he was always talking badly about you, blaming you for everything. He's not a very honest person. He should have honoured his promise to me, because I could have told him some important information."
"And what would that have been."
Longfellow laughed. Beckett became immediately crestfallen. The freckly, gangly kid was smarter than he looked.
"I know who has the key," Longfellow said, with a mischievous smirk. "And he doesn't. I think that he believes he's gonna find this key on the Black Pearl, but I know that it's a girl who has it, an' girls ain't supposed to be on ships. It's bad luck. I know her name, too." He shut his mouth, realizing he had already said too much to the stranger beside him.
So that's why he was so enthusiastic in giving in to my demands in exchange for this information, Beckett mused. Oh, I pray they are still in Constantinople….
"I'm not telling you who has the key, 'cause I may use the information later to get what I want. Ah, now I see….so that's why he forgave you, bein' as you know where the Black Pearl is."
"Obviously," Beckett replied stonily, face twisted into a grimace. He was already beginning to become annoyed with this boy, who seemed so naïve but was actually quite astute in his observations. Too knowledgeable for comfort, now….
Beckett and Lizzie reunite in the next chapter! Stay tuned….
And review, if you please!
Preview: "You are officially under arrest by the British Royal Navy," one of the capturers said.
"An' are ye an officer? Puny little thing, ye are. Sure ye not be Cutler Beckett in disguise?"
"No, but you have him to thank for leading us to you."