Pirate Princess

Days later I found myself lying in my hammock, as it swayed gently back and forth. I rubbed my hands together as my breath came out as mist from my mouth. We were somewhere on the Caspian Sea or at least I think that's where Barbossa claimed we were. I don't trust him enough to take him for his word.

I looked down at my engagement ring and sighed thinking of my fiancée, Viktor Kosir. What had he been doing in Singapore? He's admiral of the Slovenian Navy so why isn't he with them? Unless Beckett has press-ganged Slovenia into his war against pirates.

Yes it makes sense now, why he came to Slovenia months ago; he wanted an allegiance with us so he could call upon us when necessary. And my father had fallen for the trap and was now fighting against pirates.

I am fighting for the pirates; this puts us on opposite sides. It makes us enemies. But I am family and princess of Slovenia. But what is stronger? Blood or allegiances?

I shook my head, letting the troubling thoughts creep away for now. I slowly made my way off the hammock and grabbed a fur cloak and wrapped it around myself as I made my way onto the deck. I shivered as I stared up at towering glaciers as we slowly sailed past them. I walked past Pintel and Ragetti who were arguing over our suffering, I walked passed Elizabeth as well who was buddle up staring blankly out to sea, thinking of Jack maybe?

I walked over to Will who was with Tai Huang looking over the charts. I stood closely next to him as he briefly looked up at me and then to Tai Huang.

"Nothing here is set. These can't be accurate as modern charts." Tai Huang nodded looking down at the unique charts.

"No, but it leads to more places." Will started moving the charts as words took shape. We both leaned down as I read the one at the top.

"Over the edge. Over again." I said looking at Will as he read the next line.

"Sunrise sets. Flash of green." We shared a look as I looked up at Barbossa who was at the helm, not far from us.

"Barbossa!" He looked and walked over as Will handed him the charts. He briefly looked it over as Will asked.

"Care to interpret, Captain Barbossa?" Barbossa looked at us and turned to Gibbs who was standing at the railing.

"Ever gazed upon the green flash Master Gibbs?" Gibbs turned to us answering.

"I reckon I've seen my fair share. Happens on rare occasion, at the last glimpse of sunset a green flash shoots up into the sky. Some go their whole lives without ever seeing it, some claim to have seen it who ain't and some…" He was cut of by Pintel.

"It signals when a soul comes back to this world, from the dead!" He looked at Gibbs who was glaring at him annoyed for being interrupted.

"Sorry." He feebly apologized as Barbossa remarked handing the charts back.

"Trust me young Master Turner, it's not getting to the land of the dead that's the problem…it's getting back." I looked ahead as we sailed into a crevice of ice, as the weak sunlight we had vanished.

I trembled watching how close the ship was to the walls of ice elevated above us. They could come tumbling down at any moment and we'd all be dead in an instant. It seems an awful way to die, being pummeled to death by ice. I moved and sat down next to Elizabeth as the ship continued on.

"I hate the cold." I bitterly complained as she nodded, still staring ahead. I sighed and looked at her.

"Elizabeth what's wrong?" She turned looking at me surprised.

"Nothing's wrong…I'm fine." I narrowed my eyes at her, not believing her for a second.

"No it's not. What's really bothering you?" She breathed in deeply and looked down at her feet.

"It's just…I'm scared about facing…Jack."

"Why…oh." I said as she nodded. She didn't want to see Jack because she was afraid to face him after all she had done to him.

"Do you think he'll talk or even look at me?" She whispered as I looked sympathetically at her.

"Of course he will. He'll never hold a grudge against you, you're his Lizzie." I said remembering the nickname he had called her once or twice on the Black Pearl when we had been searching for the heart mere weeks ago. Elizabeth giggled smiling. I was glad to see my best friend back to normal, how long it would last though depended on Jack when we would find him.

Sunlight started shinning back down on us as we emerged from the ice crevice. All of a sudden I felt hot in my woolen cloak as I quickly shed it and was surprised to find myself back to being warm.

Everyone else lost their warm clothing as the ice started melting off the ship. I looked ahead to see only open sea. All the ice caps were gone. I turned around to find even the ice crevice gone, invisible in the fog that surrounded us.

"Barbossa what does this mean?" Elizabeth demanded standing up acting like the Elizabeth Swann who was my best friend and not the Elizabeth Swann who was moping over a not entirely dead pirate.

"It means we're getting closer." Was all he said as he moved the large wooden lever which acted as the wheel of the ship. I smiled to Elizabeth who smiled nervously in return. I looked over to Will who was watching the two of us interact carefully. He half smiled at me before turning down to continue looking at the charts.

Suddenly tired I walked back down to the room Elizabeth and I were sharing as I laid back down on my hammock. The door opened a moment later as Elizabeth walked in; she sat on her hammock and looked at me.

"You know," She began looking at the wall thoughtfully, "I should have guessed you loved Will by the way you've always acted towards him." I sighed tiredly, I really don't want to talk of my love for Will with his fiancée, best friend or not.

"Well you didn't, so can we let it go?" She glared down at me shaking her head.

"We can't let it go. This problem needs to be fixed."

"It doesn't need to be fixed because there's no problem to fix in this first place. I don't know if I even love Will, it could very well be infatuation." I said ignorantly crossing my arms over my chest as she sent me an incredulous look.

"If it was infatuation you would have gotten over it when you were back in Slovenia. No, I see it in your eyes when you gaze at him, you love him. It's really a surprise that he doesn't notice." I smiled faintly.

"Well Will has proven time after time that he has a pretty thick head." Elizabeth laughed nodding.

"Yes I should know I am engaged to him." A silence descended over us as I sighed looking down at my ring.

"Yes, as I am engaged to Viktor." I was ending the conversation and Elizabeth knew that. She only nodded and stood and walked out the room. I closed my eyes and fell into an uneasy sleep.

--

I breathed in the cool night air as I stood at the railing hours later. I looked at the sea and sky in interest. The sky was loitered with stars and so was the sea. It was a dizzying effect; it seemed as if the sky and sea were one.

"Hello Irena." I turned and faintly smiled at Will as he came to stand beside me.

"Hello Will, get any farther with the charts?" he shook his head and looked out to sea.

"Beautiful isn't it?" He asked as I nodded.

"I've never seen anything like it." We stood in silence for awhile before Will asked.

"Irena who was that man you were looking at? In Singapore." I looked down blushing slightly as I placed a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Oh. Him. That was Viktor Kosir, he is…my fiancée." Will nodded.

"He's in the navy?"

"Admiral."

"Oh." I nodded.

"Why didn't you leave with him?" I looked up at Will surprised.

"And what let you have all the fun, I don't think so." Will chuckled but stopped and looked at me.

"I'm serious Irena. You could have left right there and return to Slovenia."

"Why would I do that?" I asked watching him closely; did he not want me around?

"Because it would be better. If you didn't get caught up in piracy. You are after all a princess."

"And you're a blacksmith yet I see you here, leading us. And Elizabeth is a governor's daughter yet she is here as well. What does it matter if I am a princess? It matters nothing. Because I am as strong, brave and as hardcore as anyone on this vessel. You do not tell me what I can and cannot do Will Turner. If anything it seems you do not want me around." I moved to leave but he grabbed my arm spinning me back around.

His dark brown eyes bore into mine.

"I do want you around. I'm just concerned for you. Society will not take kindly to a princess actively engaged in piracy."

"Hang society and hang the rules that state that I have to behave like a princess."

"You are a princess." I jerked out of his grasp and responded.

"You're right I am a princess. The pirate princess. Pirate comes first."

"You are not a pirate!"

"I'm as much as a pirate as you are!"

"I'm not a pirate!" I only rolled my eyes and looked out at sea. After all of this he still didn't know he was a pirate? He still thought his place in life was slaving away on land when he could be free on the sea. Piracy flows in his blood and it's who he is. Why can't he see that? I see it perfectly.

He looked down running a hand through his hair.

"I just don't want you to get into trouble when all of this is over and when you return home." He murmured softly as my resolve instantly softened. I placed a hand on his shoulder as he looked at me.

"I know you want to help Will, and I appreciate it, more then you know. But I can handle this. Let me make my own decisions and don't dwell on them. I can handle the consequences I face when all of this is over. But this is my last adventure before I am sucked away into a lifestyle that I don't want. Let me enjoy it, please?" He nodded as I smiled at him.

We stood in silence as I watched his eyes go from me to the front of the ship. I followed his gaze and it landed at Elizabeth who was staring out at the sea. I subtly sighed and turned towards him.

"Have you talked to her?" I asked my facade as the supporting best friend in place. He shook his head.

"What's there to say?"

"There's always something to say." I nodded to Elizabeth.

"Go on. Go and talk to her." He flashed me a smile as he nodded and walked towards her. I watched him with my eyes and turned coming face to face with Tia. I jumped back placing a hand on my heart.

"You scared me." I said breathing as she only stared at me. Her eyes dark.

"You spoke of being a pirate princess but ye can't 'ave both, Irena Toman. You must make a c'oice." I looked at her as a memory from a dream came back to me.

You must make a choice Irena Toman. Between who you are and who you're meant to be.

I only shook my head stumbling away from the woman as I made my way to the back where the crew was eating. I slumped down next to Marty as he handed me a plate with meat on it. I accepted it without a word as Barbossa stood at the helm.

"You alright lass?" Gibbs asked concerned as I nodded slowly not saying anything. A moment later Elizabeth plopped down next to me and I knew she was troubled. I handed my plate to her as she took it with a grateful smile. Just as she took a bite we heard the sounds of running footsteps as Will raced passed us. We stood and followed him to the helm as he yelled to Barbossa.

"Barbossa, ahead!" He yelled as I raised an eyebrow, what could be happening?

"Aye, we're good and lost now."

"Lost?" I cried out as Barbossa nodded smirking.

"For certain you have to be lost to find a place that can't be found, elseways everyone would know where t'was." Gibbs looked over the railing before announcing.

"We're gaining speed!"

"Aye." Was all Barbossa said as I looked at Will. There was a pause and then he yelled.

"To stations!" Everyone moved as we raced across the ship, Will bellowing out. I grabbed onto a robe as Will yelled.

"Run a full, hard to port, gather way." Barbossa yelled over him.

"Nay, belay, belay that! Let her run straight and true!" I let go of my rope and hurried to the front with everyone else as we looked ahead to the dark sea. My eyes nearly bulged out of my head as I saw what awaited us. Even from here you could hear the water spilling over the edge of the earth just as we would.

"Blimey." Ragetti murmured softly as the ship went faster. Elizabeth turned on Barbossa.

"You've doomed us all." He only placed a hand on her chin holding it steadily as he responded.

"Don't be so unkind, you may not survive to pass this way again and these be the last friendly words you'll hear." She only glared at him jerking out of his grasp as Will yelled.

"Tie her off!"

"Hard to port!" I yelled as Will grabbed the wooden lever to move the ship.

"Hold on!" He yelled as the ship turned onto its side. I went to the railing and grabbed a piece of secured robe and held on tightly, my knuckles appearing white as the ship went closer and closer to the edge.

Mist spayed us as we started going over. Barbossa chuckled hysterically as my feet left the ground. I screamed as I saw poor men rolling around the deck as the ship finally went over.

A moment of weightlessness before everything went black.

(Please R and R! I do not own Pirates!)