Chapter 25 – Puzzle Pieces

When Will awoke the next morning, he found what appeared to be a letter lying on the nightstand. Eyeing it curiously, he removed the red ribbon holding the parchment together and carefully unfurled the page.

Pirate William Turner,

As I have little faith left that I will ever see you again, it is the opportune moment to set the story straight. Perhaps in time, you will pass this information on to Cole as an explanation of my actions.

Princess Autumn is not King Benjamin's kin as everyone has been deceived into believing. She is in fact the result of a brief affair between her mother and Hector Barbosa, my former mutinous first mate. In order to avenge her father's death, she has sent word to King Jonathan that it is I who has kidnapped her. I am to be killed at first sight once we reach Britain.

You may wonder why it is that I am returning to Britain with the knowledge that there is nothing for me there besides death. The reason is simple. I gave my word to the prince that I would return Autumn to her home. I may be a pirate, but I am a pirate of my word.

I want you to take Cole and Elizabeth back to Port Royal or perhaps back to Cole's home. When Elizabeth has the child (and he looks just like me) make sure he knows pirate blood runs through his veins and Will, be sure to raise him right. Watch over Cole for me. I should have told her every day since the day we met that… well, you know the rest.

You've turned into a very fine man and pirate Will Turner. Your father would be proud.

Give Elizabeth and Cole my love.

Captain Jack Sparrow

PS: I will be long dead before you could possibly reach Britain so go on and live your happy life. And please, don't do anything… stupid.

Will stared at the words until they swarmed in front of his eyes. "Will? What is it?" Elizabeth asked sleepily as she awoke to find her husband still and unblinking.

"We have to go," he insisted, snapping out of his trance. "We have to find Norrington and make sail for Britain immediately." Will handed the note to Elizabeth then began to get dressed.

"Barbosa is Autumn's father!" Elizabeth exclaimed. She threw herself out of bed and began to dress as well. "Will, we have to save Jack."

"I know darling. We must hurry," Will agreed, his voice laced with urgency. "Let me just get Cole," he told her as he finished packing their things. Elizabeth was still dressing so she nodded and Will left the room.

Several minutes passed as Elizabeth struggled to lace up her dress and still Will had not returned. Once Elizabeth was decent, she went next door to see what was keeping him.

"Will, what on earth-oh!" Elizabeth cried slapping her hands to her face in an attempt to block out what she'd seen. Will was kneeling on the floor with Cole's sword in his hand. He was surrounded by blood.

"It's alright Elizabeth," Will comforted, racing to his distraught wife's side. He gently led her out of the room and shut the door.

"She's dead isn't she?" Elizabeth moaned, trembling as they left the inn.

"I don't know. Come on sweetie, let's go find the commodore," Will suggested. He shifted Cole's sack and sword to the same hand that held his own belongings so he could wrap his arm around his wife. His heart was heavy with dread.

"You there! Mullroy. Where is the commodore?" Will demanded to know upon reaching The Interceptor.

"He's gone off looking for the lass, Mr. Turner," Mullroy answered.

"When will he be back?"

"Oh, in a quarter of an hour or so. Then we'll send out the next group of officers to look for her," Mullroy explained.

"Then we will wait," Will insisted.

"We will be leaving for Britain tomorrow Princess," a rough voice promised, jerking Cole awake.

She hadn't meant to fall asleep, but here she was waking up in a gigantic bed with heaps of bedclothes that she was presently buried under. What sort of dungeon was decorated so extravagantly? "What?" she asked, her eyes focusing on Harold the guard.

"The king must be returned to his home. If you bleed, you will be killed before we reach Britain. If you don't, we can only assume that a child grows in your womb and you will live until the babe is born," Harold explained. With that, he turned smartly on his heel and slammed the doors shut. There was an audible click as a key turned in the lock.

Cole wondered if there was still a chance to save Jack. If only she could will her monthly cycle to stay away for a good 40 days or so. That was almost as likely as King Daniel's ship surpassing The Black Pearl before it reached Britain. Still, hope shimmered inside her.

"The Turners are here to see you sir," Mullroy alerted the commodore as he returned to his ship.

"Are they? Well, perhaps they have some news," Norrington thought aloud then made his way to the dining room where the couple awaited his arrival.

"Commodore! Thank god you're here!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Cole has disappeared. There's blood all over her room. Autumn is Barbosa's daughter. She's planning to kill Jack!"

"It's true Commodore. You need to leave some men here to scour the island for Cole and we need to go help Jack," Will urged.

"Help the pirate? He's probably the one who has taken Cole. We set sail immediately!" Commodore decided.

While this wasn't exactly the angle Elizabeth and Will had been going for, they were relieved at how easily Norrington agreed to head towards Britain.

"Will you leave some men here just in case Cole is still in San Juan?" Will requested.

"I highly doubt that she remains on this island, but I will have a few men stay behind," Norrington decided. "You will stay out of my way Turner."

Will resisted the urge to mention Norrington's attempt at kidnapping Cole and Elizabeth fairly sure that it would do nothing to help the situation. He nodded instead and Norrington retreated from the room.

"Well, that was a bit too easy," Elizabeth said with a sigh.

"There will be nothing easy about sharing a ship with Norrington for over a month," Will commented with a grim expression. Elizabeth could not argue with that.