Chapter 26 – The Pirate Way
Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean nor do I own Harry Potter. I only own the plot of this story.
oOoOo
Hermione awoke to the feeling of feather-light touches tracing her skin. Fingers moved across her arm and her stomach gently, and for a moment she thought she might still be dreaming. She opened her eyes and found dark, brooding ones staring back. Hermione blinked and then her memory of the previous night rushed back to her, bringing a blush with it.
She looked down, noticing now that Jack was tracing the scars she received from the war. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard at the memory of how she got them. The words "Mudblood" forever carved into her arm was one night she wanted to forget out of all the others.
Hermione felt tears at the corner of her eyes, and Jack reached up to wipe them away when they fell. 'Hermione,' he whispered, pulling her closer to him. He rested his head on hers and ran his fingers comfortingly up and down her arm. Hermione cuddled into his chest, listening to his heartbeat. 'Where…?' he trailed off in his question and shook his head.
Hermione sighed. 'There was a war,' she told him, reaching up to rub her eyes. 'My friends and I were captured and tortured for information. "Mudblood",' she paused and lifted her arm, so the scar showed more plainly. 'is a derogative term for witches and wizards like myself who were born with non-magical parents,' she explained, and he nodded.
'It's sick,' Jack seethed, entwining his hand with hers instead of tracing the scar. He could tell she was uncomfortable with it.
'No point getting angry about it,' Hermione said, turning and looking at him. 'There's nothing either of us can do now. I'm just grateful to be alive,' she told him, rubbing her face against his bearded chin.
Jack nodded, but he still couldn't shake the rage he felt at someone torturing her, but he decided against arguing with her about it. Instead, he pushed her onto her back and hovered over her. Hermione raised her eyebrow at him. 'Shouldn't the Captain be getting up?' she asked, grinning up at him.
'Oh, I'm getting up alright,' he countered, waggling his eyebrows at her which made her giggle. Jack's expression turned serious as he gazed down at her. 'I won't ever hurt you,' he whispered, kissing the corner of her mouth. 'You know that, right?' he asked her, and she nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
A knock on the door interrupted them. 'Sorry, Captain, but we're just makin' way to join Miss Elizabeth. It's almost time,' Gibbs said through the door.
Jack sighed and looked down at her. 'Come on, love,' he uttered, kissing her before getting out of the bed.
Hermione watched him for a moment before getting up as well. They pulled on their clothes in silence, but when Jack moved over to the door, she grabbed his hand. Jack looked at her and tilted his head. 'No matter what happens today, I meant what I said last night,' she told him, searching his face which softened at her words. 'I do love you, Jack,' she whispered, leaning up and kissing him.
Jack smiled, his eyes shining. 'I love you too, Hermione,' he said, kissing her again. He took her hand and led her out onto the deck.
Shipwreck Island lay in the background, and the Black Pearl was joining the Rambler, and the collected pirate ships, ready for battle. The pirates were sharpening their swords, and clambering about the ship, making ready for the sea.
Marty peered ahead into the fog-shrouded waters, and out of it, a single ship appeared. It was the Endeavour. Marty raised the alarm. 'The enemy is here! Let's take 'em!' he bellowed, and blood-curdling yells reverberated around them as the pirates roared their approval.
Hermione grimaced as more ships appeared until they were outnumbered, and the yells of the pirates grew less confident. When the fog cleared, Hermione's eyes widened as she took in the armada of the East India Trading Company. Every manner of ship, hundreds of them, were poised and ready for battle. 'Jack?' She whispered, her hand tightening in his. When she looked up at him, she could see he was also staring at the armada in dread.
'Whatever happens,' he breathed, looking at her and she nodded. They both looked back out as the Flying Dutchman rose up from the water, leading the East India Trading Company fleet.
There was silence, except for the flapping wings of Cotton's Parrot who was heading back towards the island to get the hell out of there. All eyes were on Jack, belonging to fuming pirates. 'So, what the hell do we do now, Sparrow?' Marty asked him, crossing his arms.
'This is not his fault. He may have got everyone to go to war, but he couldn't have known the entire East Company would come,' Hermione reasoned, defending him.
'Shut it, witch!' came another voice.
Jack scowled at the pirate, hissing expletives under his breath. Hermione squeezed his hand, and he looked at her. 'Ignore it, Jack. I've had worse,' she murmured, and he nodded, remembering their conversation that morning.
'So? Your plan?' Marty repeated, looking at Jack and Hermione.
Jack sighed. 'Parlay?' He proposed, his shoulders sagging. Hermione frowned up at him, before looking back out at the armada in concern. Jack turned to her then. 'Do you trust me?' he questioned, and she looked taken aback by this.
'Yes, of course,' Hermione replied, frowning up at him. 'What's going on, Jack?' She asked, tilting her head at him inquisitively. Jack looked at the crew then, noticing they were watching and listening to every word. Jack glared at them and pulled Hermione away from them. Hermione rolled her eyes and took out her wand, placing a silencing charm around them. 'Right, they can't hear us, Jack. Tell me what you're scheming,' she said, placing her hands on her hips.
'I have put some plans in motion which will get me aboard the Flying Dutchman,' he told her, and she looked at him as if he'd gone nuts. 'I know it sounds crazy, but you have to trust me,' he pleaded with her, and she swallowed.
'You're going to stab the heart,' she whispered, tears coming to her eyes as the gravity of what he was planning washed over her.
'It's the only way to end this,' Jack sighed, grasping her chin so she would look at him. 'And I'm the only one foolish enough to do it,' he said with a snicker, but it didn't reach his eyes.
Hermione closed her eyes, letting more tears fall as Jack wiped them away. She finally looked back up at him. 'It doesn't have to be this way, Jack,' she cried, banging her hand on his chest. 'There has to be another way! We will find it. I can't let you do this!' she yelled, gripping the collar of his shirt.
'Whatever happens…' he trailed off, and the meaning of those words hung heavily between them.
Hermione looked up at him and realised it didn't matter what she said to him; he was not going to back down. He would do it anyway, regardless. He was a tenacious idiot. Hermione released her grip on his collar but kept her hands on his chest where his heart was beating. 'Whatever happens…' She trailed off, and he leaned down and kissed her. Jack walked back to his crew then, but Hermione called to him, 'Jack!' and he turned back to her. 'It will always belong to you,' she said, holding her hand to her chest.
Jack nodded, smiling at her. 'As will mine,' he said, and swiftly spoke to his crew while Hermione slumped against the stairs, already feeling like he was lost to her.
oOoOo
Hermione watched as Barbossa, Elizabeth, and Jack made their way to a sparkling white strip of sand to meet with Beckett. Jack turned to look at her, and gave her a two-fingered salute which she returned, but half-heartedly.
Hermione couldn't deny she was infuriated at Jack for thinking this was the only way. She pondered if he was purely just being selfish again. Maybe this was his plan all along. Hermione shook her head; perhaps he had thought about this before she even came into the scene.
Hermione looked back at them to see they had arrived at the sand strip and were making their way towards Beckett, Will, and Jones. So, Will deceived them. Her thoughts drifted to their conversation the previous night, and her brow furrowed. Jack had told her it was him...
oOoOo
Barbossa, Jack, and Elizabeth reached the other three, and for a moment they regarded each other in silence. Barbossa was the one to break it. 'You be the cur that led these wolves to our door,' he spat, looking at Will in irritation.
Beckett observed them. 'Don't blame Turner. He was but the tool of your betrayal,' he said and looked at Jack. 'If you wish to see its grand architect, look to your left,' he told them in delight.
Elizabeth, Barbossa, and Jack the Monkey looked to their left where Jack was standing. Jack also looked to his left. 'Me?' he asked, looking at him in faux shock. 'My hands are clean in this,' he said, shaking his head before looking pensive. 'Figuratively,' he added with a shrug.
Will turned to Beckett then. 'My actions were for my purpose. Jack had nothing to do with it,' he said, defending Jack.
Jack smirked. 'There! Listen to the tool,' he said, his grin broadening as Beckett raised an eyebrow at him.
Elizabeth took a step forward. 'Will, I've been aboard the Dutchman. I understand the burden you bear, but I fear that cause is lost,' she told him regrettably, her eyes beseeching with him to give up.
'No cause is lost if there is but one fool left to fight for it,' Will argued, shaking his head and Elizabeth's shoulders slouched. Will's eyes shifted to Jack deliberately, and Elizabeth clocked it, looking over at the pirate, her eyes calculating.
Beckett, who missed this exchange, clicked his tongue. 'If Turner was not acting on your behalf, then how did he come to give me this?' He asked, holding up Jack's Compass. This also convinced Barbossa that Jack was the turncoat and the Captain looked daggers at him. 'You made a deal with me, Jack, to deliver the pirates—and here they are. Don't be bashful; step up and claim your reward,' he said, throwing the Compass to Jack who caught it effortlessly.
'And what reward does such chicanery fetch these days,' Barbossa asked, looking at Jack and Beckett.
'Her,' Beckett countered, pointing to Elizabeth. She looked at Jack in bewilderment while Will looked at him in astonishment.
They all stared at Jack as he burst out laughing. 'Her?' Jack asked through his mirth. 'You got the wrong end of this deal,' he said to Beckett, calming down. 'I do not want her,' he said, looking at Will and Elizabeth. 'I don't,' Jack added to Elizabeth who nodded.
'Yes, I was a bit confused at that sentiment,' she countered with a chuckle.
Beckett's face fell as he comprehended he had been duped. 'Then what did you want, exactly, Sparrow?' he inquired, tilting his head at him. Jack didn't say anything, and then something clicked in his mind. 'Ah, you mean the other,' he said, his gleeful smile returning.
Jack looked at his nails neutrally. 'Hmm? Dunno what you're on about, Beckett,' he muttered, but he knew Beckett had figured it out. 'Even if that was my plan—and I'm not admitting to anything—there's not a tinker's chance of it coming off anymore,' he said, and crossed his arms. His thoughts turned to Hermione, knowing if he pulled his plan off, he would only see her every ten years. This knowledge made a lump rise in his throat, but he carefully hid how he was feeling from his face.
'There never was,' Beckett responded with a pleased tone. Jack let out a bitter laugh and shook his head.
Jones stepped towards him. 'Your debt to me must still be satisfied. One hundred years in servitude aboard the Dutchman,' he growled, staring at Jack. 'As a start,' he added with a smirk. Elizabeth observed Jack's eyes light up, and it suddenly clicked with her what Jack was after. Elizabeth glanced at Will who gave her a slight tilt of his head, telling her that her assumption was correct.
'That debt was paid,' Jack said, crossing his arms and glaring at Jones.
'You escaped,' Jones barked, scowling at Jack.
'A technicality,' Jack chuckled, shaking his head.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. 'There's no better end for Jack Sparrow than a bilge rat aboard the Flying Dutchman. I propose an exchange. Will leaves with us… and you can have Jack,' she proposed, smiling at them.
'Done,' Will said immediately.
'Not done,' Jack contended.
'Done,' Beckett settled.
'You're condemning me again?' Jack inquired Elizabeth who winked at him, and she didn't miss the amusement in his eyes at this.
Barbossa, who had missed the entire understanding between the three, turned to Elizabeth crossly. 'Jack is one of the Nine Pirate Lords. You have no right!' he shouted.
Elizabeth looked up at him. 'King,' she countered, but gave him a piercing look before looking sideways at Jack. Barbossa's took a step back, grasping Jack was up to something.
Jack tipped his hat. 'As you command, your nibs,' he said, moving across to Beckett.
Barbossa grabbed him back, whirling Jack around while he drew his sword. 'Blaggar!' he snarled, slashing his sword at him, but Jack dodged what would have been a fatal blow. However, the sword connected with the circlet coin attached to his bandana, and it dropped into the sand. Jack the Monkey scurried to pick it up. Jack raised his eyebrows at Barbossa, and they regarded each other. 'If you have something to say, I might be saying something as well,' he said, smirking at Jack.
Jack nodded. 'First to the finish, then,' he said, his eyes glinting and Barbossa's grin widened, and he nodded back.
Will and Jack completed the cross, and Jones shoved Jack down to the ground. 'Do you fear death?' Jones asked him.
'You have no idea,' Jack murmured, his eyes widening a little in dread.
Beckett rolled his eyes and addressed Elizabeth, 'Advise your "Brethren": you can fight, and all of you will die. Or you will not fight, in which case only most of you will die,' he told her with a shrug.
Elizabeth glared at him. 'You murdered my Father,' she growled.
Beckett shrugged again. 'He chose his fate,' he responded frankly.
'And you have chosen yours. We will fight… and surely you will die,' she said confidently, narrowing her eyes at him.
Beckett raised his eyebrows. 'So be it,' he said with a smile.
Elizabeth and Will turned away, walking back towards the longboat as Jack the Monkey dropped the circlet coin into Barbossa's hand. Barbossa spun it between his fingers, contemplating it, before closing it in his fist.
'"King"?' Will questioned when they were out of earshot.
'Of the Brethren Court. Courtesy of Jack,' Elizabeth replied, looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was sneaking up on them.
Will grinned. 'Maybe he does know what he's doing,' he said, glancing back at Jack. Will couldn't deny he was impressed.
'Yes, but how will Hermione take it?' Elizabeth said, leaving the question hanging as Will and Barbossa looked at each other with a frown.
oOoOo
On the Flying Dutchman, Jack was thrown into a cell, and the door was slammed shut. Jack looked through the bars as Maccus moved past. Jack leaned against the bars heavily and started to evaluate his decisions now. He tried to keep Hermione from the forefront of his mind, but her devastated expression was all he could see.
When Jack started to think his plan might be fruitless, his conscience decided to make an appearance. 'Bravo!' Right Jack said, and Jack looked at him to see him leaning against the bars. 'You have arrived aboard the Flying Dutchman as per the overall scheme,' he elucidated, gesturing around them.
'Oh, yes, bravo,' came Left Jack who was standing to his left. 'Except for this little sojourn in the brig, it's utter clockwork,' he said with a shrug.
'But we've got momentum on our side!' Right Jack said, and Left Jack nodded in agreement.
Just then, a fourth Jack opened his eyes. This one was well on the way to becoming part of the Dutchman, like Wyvern. He pulled away from the wall, exposing his brain. 'Stab the heart!' he screeched out as the other three looked at him. 'Step foot ashore but once every ten years. But if you're in the brig, then who's to stab the heart?' he inquired, looking at them in confusion.
'It does seem to put immortality a bit out of reach,' Left Jack stated, crossing his arms.
'I don't mind. Let someone else do it. Not seeing Hermione for ten years is enough to put any man off the thought of immortality,' Jack said with a shrug. 'Even better if someone else will do it,' he added.
'Poppycock,' Right Jack said.
'"Poppycock"?' Jack asked in puzzlement.
'He's never said "Poppycock",' Left Jack said thoughtfully.
'I've never even thought "Poppycock",' Jack said incredulously.
'Just then you did,' Right Jack claimed, shrugging.
'I did not—' Jack was cut off as a searing pain shot through his head.
The three clutched their heads, shouting in agony, and they looked over to see Wyvern Jack had taken his brain in his hand. Wyvern Jack was squeezing it, and every time he did, the three screamed out and grabbed their heads in discomfort.
'Should he be doing that?' Left Jack said through the pain.
'That can't be good for us!' Right Jack cried.
Wyvern Jack squeezed again, and Jack fell to his knees. 'Stop it! Stop! You're giving me a terrible headache—' he cut himself off as he suddenly recalled something. 'The whelp,' he whispered, and Wyvern Jack nodded, and the squeezing stopped.
oOoOo
Meanwhile, Barbossa, Elizabeth, and Will made their way onto the Black Pearl. They were joined by Hermione who scowled at Will, and he sighed. Will still needed to apologise again for betraying them, but they had more imperative things to do.
Elizabeth moved over to Hermione and placed a hand on her shoulder. 'Jack is safe, he chose to go,' she reassured the girl, and Hermione nodded.
'I know, he told me his ludicrous plan,' Hermione answered, crossing her arms. She was still pissed at him.
Elizabeth, Barbossa, and Will looked taken aback by this. 'Jack told you?' Barbossa asked her, and she nodded.
'Why wouldn't he?' Hermione shot back and glanced over at the Flying Dutchman. Well done, Jack. Your scheme is in motion, she thought miserably and swallowed the lump in her throat.
Elizabeth nodded. 'Of course, you are a member of his crew,' she replied, and Hermione didn't reason that there was more to it than her being a crewmember. Elizabeth turned to Barbossa. 'We'll need the Black Pearl to serve as our flagship, and lead the attack,' she told him, and he smirked.
'Will we, now?' Barbossa responded with amusement.
Will and Hermione turned upon seeing Tia Dalma being led onto the deck by Pintel and several of the Chinese pirates. She was manacled and bound with heavy ropes. Will's eyes widened when he realised what it meant. 'Barbossa, you can't release her,' he said forebodingly, looking back at Tia who was glaring daggers at them.
Barbossa raised his eyebrows. 'Can't I, now?' he asked him and gave an imperceptible nod to someone behind them. Suddenly, the Chinese pirates encircled Will and Elizabeth, restraining them. They moved to detain Hermione as well, but Barbossa shook his head, and they left her be. Hermione looked at him in misunderstanding. 'I might need you,' he told her, and Hermione nodded. She moved over to stand next to him, fingering her wand.
Elizabeth looked at them in shock. 'We've got to give Jack a chance!' she said, struggling against her captors. 'Hermione?' She called, and Hermione looked at her. Elizabeth slumped, she could see how much Jack's actions had wounded her, and she suddenly felt sorrow for the witch.
'Jack will have his chance,' Hermione said, shaking her head. 'I believe in him,' she hissed and turned away from them to face Tia Dalma.
Barbossa shrugged and moved over to Elizabeth. 'Apologies, your highness. But 'tis certain the world we know ends today, and I won't be letting the likes of Cutler Beckett say what comes next,' he enlightened, shaking his head. Barbossa glanced over towards Hermione who was using magic to tauten the bonds on Tia Dalma. Barbossa lowered his voice so she wouldn't hear his next words, 'I won't be pinning my hopes on Jack Sparrow, either. Too long has my fate not been in my own hands. No longer!' he yelled the last part, and wrapped his hand around the Captain's Knot around Elizabeth's neck and tore it free.
Barbossa nodded to the crew. 'Make ready,' he ordered, and the crew scrambled to get ready to sail. The sails rose up, and the Black Pearl leapt forward.
Ragetti moved over to Barbossa, presenting the bowl used for the pieces of eight, and the Captain added the Captain's Knot. Suddenly, the wind died, and they looked up at the flat sails as all the ships stopped moving.
Hermione frowned. 'Is there a spell? An incantation?' she asked, suddenly feeling anxious about this whole idea.
Barbossa nodded. 'Aye, the items brought together, done. Has to be performed over water, we lucked out there. Items burned. And some person must speak the words, "Calypso, I release you from your human bonds",' he clarified, looking at the bowl in uncertainty.
'Is that it?' Pintel questioned, crossing his arms.
'T'was said it must be spoken softly, as if to a lover,' Barbossa explained, and Hermione couldn't help chuckling at the thought of any of these pirates speaking adoringly to anyone. Barbossa raised his eyebrow at her, but he didn't comment. Instead, he grabbed Gibbs' rum bottle and shattered it over the pile. He shoved the punk into the pile. 'Calypso, I release you from your human bonds!' he said softly, but there was no emotion behind it.
Everyone looked at Tia as the items smouldered, but nothing happened. 'Is that it?' Pintel asked in confusion.
'You didn't say it right!' Everyone turned to gape a Ragetti whose face turned bright red. Even Ragetti would have gawked at Ragetti if he could as he flabbergasted himself by speaking up. He crossed his arms defensively. 'You have to say it right,' he said and stepped up to Tia Dalma. He gazed into her eyes. 'Calypso, I release you from your human bonds,' he said tenderly, channelling the love he felt for the sea into his words.
The punk in the bowl burst into flames and licked upward in a twisting column. Then it was gone as rapidly as it came. The pieces of eight decayed, their age overtaking them. Everyone looked at Tia Dalma who let out a gasp and sagged. The manacles on her hands became eroded with corrosion, and fragile with rust. Tia trembled, and they broke, falling to the deck.
Will struggled away from the Chinese pirates. 'Tia Dalma! Calypso!' he called to her, and she raised her eyes to him. 'When the Brethren Court first imprisoned you, who was it that told them how? Who was it that betrayed you?' he inquired of her, and her eyes flashed.
'Name him,' she growled the order, her fists clenching.
'Davy Jones,' Will revealed and Tia's eyes shot towards the Flying Dutchman, the wrath building behind them.
'No,' Hermione whispered and raised her wand at Tia as she started to transform. Her eyes changed colour, and her hair rippled with no wind. She rose up as the crew members continued trying to detain her, but the ropes pulled through their hands. The ropes snapped, and the deck buckled under her weight as she grew tenfold in size, a vision amid the sails. 'No!' Hermione screamed, firing a spell and chains wrapped themselves around Calypso, but the Goddess didn't seem to notice.
Barbossa knelt, and everyone else followed suit except Hermione who was frantically thinking of a way of keeping Calypso from getting to the Flying Dutchman. Barbossa looked up at the Goddess adoringly. 'Calypso. I come before you as but a servant, humble and contrite. I have fulfilled my vow and now ask your favour. Spare myself, my crew—but unleash your fury upon those who dare pretend themselves your masters, or mine!' he entreated, bowing his head to her. Calypso scarcely paid him any mind though.
Hermione struggled with her chains and shot another spell which heated the chains up. This time, Calypso gasped at the pain and stumbled. The ship shook precariously, but Hermione didn't let up. Calypso's eyes found the Flying Dutchman again. 'FOOL!' she shrieked, and Barbossa's eyes went wide. His long-odds gamble did not pay off.
Suddenly, Calypso collapsed, causing the chains to vanish, and crashed down to the deck in the form of thousands of crabs. They ran in a torrent across the bridge, tossing pirates aside, until they flowed over the side of the ship into the sea and everything went silent.
'No,' Hermione whispered, falling to her knees as she stared at the Flying Dutchman in horror.
'I had to,' Will said to Hermione, and she looked up at him, tears falling from her eyes. 'Calypso would have killed us all, first,' he enlightened.
Hermione looked away from him; her eyes fixed on the Flying Dutchman. 'Jack,' she whispered, tightening her grip on her wand.
Will moved over to Barbossa. 'Is that it?' he requested, looking at the mass of ropes on the deck.
'Why she's no help at all!' Pintel complained and then turned to Barbossa. 'What now?' he asked as the wind suddenly picked up again, causing the sails to shudder.
'Nothing. Our final hope has failed us,' Barbossa explicated, shaking his head.
The wind took one of the pirate's hats, and it spiralled up and around the mast. Elizabeth watched it with a frown. 'It's not over,' she whispered, closing her eyes.
Will moved forward, having overheard her. 'Hope is not lost. There's still a fight to be had,' he told them, but they stared back in scepticism.
'There's an armada arrayed against us. We've got no chance of winnin',' he pointed out, gesturing to the ships in the distance.
Elizabeth opened her eyes again, watching the wind. 'Only a fool's chance,' she whispered.
'Revenge won't bring your Father back, Miss Swann—' Barbossa said to her, and Elizabeth looked at him as if he'd just slapped her, '—and it's not something I'm intending to die for,' he told her, shaking his head and crossing his arms.
Elizabeth's face softened as she apprehended he was right; nothing would bring her Father back. Elizabeth looked back at him and nodded. 'You're right,' she said, and after a beat, she added, 'Then what shall we all die for?' At these words, she stepped up onto the rail of the ship and addressed the crew, 'Listen to me! The Brethren will still be looking here, to us, to the Black Pearl, to lead. What will they see? Frightened bilge rats aboard a derelict ship?' she asked as they all looked at each other. 'No. They will see free men. And freedom! And what the enemy will see is the flash of our cannons. They will know what we can do—' she paused and looked at Barbossa before continuing, '—by the sweat of our brows and the strength of our backs—' Barbossa smiled at her words, as she continued to the crew as a whole, '—and the courage of our hearts,' she finished, casting her gaze around the deck, meeting the eyes of several who were grinning at her, and her gaze ended on Will. 'Hoist the colours!' she ordered.
Will nodded. 'Hoist the colours,' he reiterated in a low, resolute tone.
This was picked up by the rest of the crew, and became a murmur as they moved with purpose to their stations, past and around Barbossa. Barbossa looked down at the deck and smirked. He looked back at Elizabeth and began to sing softly, 'Yo ho, all hands, hoist the colours high…' he trailed off.
Gibbs walked over to Hermione who was still kneeling on the deck and helped her to her feet. 'Jack will come through,' he said, and she looked at him. 'He's laughed death in the face countless times,' he reassured her and Hermione nodded. Gibbs looked up at the sails. 'We've got the wind on our side, boys, and that's all we need!' he called to the crew.
Elizabeth smiled at Hermione before turning to the Rambler who was lying next to the Black Pearl awaiting command. 'Hoist the colours!' She yelled across to Tai Huang who nodded and bellowed it across to the other waiting ships.
Hermione came to stand next to Elizabeth, and they both watched as the flags were raised on all the pirate ships. The flags were all different styles, black on white, red on black. Most had skull and crossbones or crossed swords. The Black Pearl eased forward, followed by the others.
Hermione looked around as the pirates started to sing as one, their voices rising together in triumph. 'Yo, ho, haul together, hoist the colours high! Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never say we die!' and Hermione grasped it was the song she and Elizabeth sang when they were in Singapore. Elizabeth smiled down at her, and the two girls joined their voices to the song.
Will turned to Barbossa. 'Target the Flying Dutchman. We're the only ship that can catch her,' he said, and Barbossa nodded in agreement.
oOoOo
On the Endeavor, Beckett was in his cabin sipping tea. Officer Groves approached him. 'We have a favourable wind, sir,' he said, looking out the window.
Beckett looked out the window, noticing this as well but remained utterly casual as he took another sip of his tea. 'So, we do,' he answered and looked at Groves. 'Signal Jones. "No quarter". That should brighten his day,' he ordered, and Groves nodded and left.
On the deck, a signalman waved a flag as seen on the Dutchman. On the upper deck, Mercer turned to the crew. 'To arms! We will give no quarter!' he ordered, and the crew shouted back their approval.
Davy Jones turned away as the wind rose around them, and he looked up into the sky. 'Calypso,' he whispered as his hand moved towards his chest.