Summary: "The man's eyes gleamed with interest. 'You would give up the fastest ship to sail the seas for his life?'" Elizabeth makes a bargain to save Jack from their captor. One-shot. Sparrabeth. Post AWE.
Prompt 1: Lopsided, delirious, torture
Prompt 2: "Stop, stop, you're killing him!" "My dear, sweet girl...That's the whole point."
A/N: While working on the title, I learned that it's "parley" with an "e", not an "a". That bothers me. The "a" looks so much better, but unfortunately it means something different.
- Parlay: turn an initial stake or winnings from a previous bet into (a greater amount) by gambling.
- Parley: a conference between opposing sides in a dispute, especially a discussion of terms for an armistice.
The Prisoner's Parley
Elizabeth watched from where she was chained to a stony cave wall, helpless, as the large man once again kicked the ribs of the fallen pirate captain. The victim hissed through gritted teeth, clumsily swinging an arm back at the offending foot. He slipped from his lopsided position on his hands and knees, landing in the pooling blood on the stone floor beneath him with a grunt.
"Get on up, Sparrow." The attacker demanded coolly. "Come on now."
The victim, one Captain Jack Sparrow, moaned in painful protest as he pushed himself back up to his hands and knees. He staggered to his feet, his balance clearly off. In his growing delirium, he grasped onto the other man's shoulder to steady himself. Elizabeth glimpsed the bluish-black bruises on his bare torso and the stab wound in his shoulder before the man clocked him, knocking him back down to the hard, cold ground. When he lifted his head, he spat blood.
"That the best ye got, mate?" He slurred.
Elizabeth gaped at him, wondering why in the seven seas he'd taunt the man when he was at risk of probable death. Don't you know that I don't want to watch you die, Jack?
She gasped in horror as their captor's hands latched onto the pirate's throat, pressing down to block off his airway. Jack's eyes widened in sudden panic, his own hands rising to fight against the ones strangling him. He clawed at his attacker's arms, drawing blood. His breath came in pants of effort, his chest visibly heaving as he struggled to breathe. His face began to discolor; purple really didn't suit him.
"Stop!" She cried, begging the perpetrator to release his victim. "Stop, you're killing him!"
"My dear, sweet girl." He shook his head in amusement, his lips cruelly curving up. "That's the whole point."
"Please release him, even if for only a moment." She wasn't just going to give up and let Jack be killed. "How about an accord, something that you want in exchange for his life?"
After a brief moment's consideration, the man released his hold on the pirate's neck and turned toward her. As Jack gasped in air, weakly clutching at his bruising throat, their captor flexed fingers. "I'm listening. Make it good, lass."
"The Black Pearl." Elizabeth blurted, knowing she had to say something. "You can have the Black Pearl."
The man's eyes gleamed with interest. "You would give up the fastest ship to sail the seas for his life?"
She nodded, allowing herself to feel a little hopeful.
He didn't hesitate in his decision. "Agreed."
She sank back against the wall in relief.
Their captor made past her on his way to head out of the cave.
"Wait!" She called suddenly. "Aren't you going to release me?"
"Wasn't part of our agreement." He gave her that same cruel smirk he had just a minute ago, when he'd told her his intentions of killing Jack. "Farewell, lass."
The man vanished up the tunnel of the cave, towards the outside world. She stared after him, wondering how she could have possibly forgotten the detail about him taking the manacles from her wrists. There's always something I forget...
A moan from across the cave grabbed her attention. She turned to look at Jack's beaten, unmoving form in the dim candlelight. It took her a few moments to realize that the moan was an attempt to speak to her, probably to chastise her for giving up his ship like that, especially when he was unable to tell her otherwise.
"Sorry, Jack." She murmured half-heartedly. "Are you alright?"
"Mhm." He hummed quietly, groaning a moment later as he rolled onto his side to face her.
"Could you try to get me out of these chains?" Elizabeth asked, guiltily noting that the last thing he should be doing was physical work.
His eyes flickered with uncertainty, but he sighed and began dragging himself up onto his feet. It was obvious to her that he was in a lot of pain, as he moved slowly; usually he was difficult to keep up with. He made it to his feet and crossed the cave, crouching down at her side. She noted that his chest was still heaving slightly more than normal. He took hold of one of her arms, frowning doubtfully at the iron cuff and the raw skin beneath it.
"Do you think you can get it off?"
Jack shrugged, lightly pulling the cuff against the base of her hand to inspect the size difference.
She felt a sudden urge to reach out and touch his tender, swollen throat, as if it would wish the pain away or reduce the swelling enough to allow him to speak; she missed his voice. But one arm was well out of range of him and the other was within his grasp. There was a comfort in being close to him, especially considering the last time had been when she had condemned him to die at the tentacles of the Kraken. It was good to know that he trusted her enough to be in such close quarters with her.
Elizabeth jumped slightly when she felt his hand run over hers, coating it in a warm liquid. She glanced down at it to see what he was doing, freezing as she caught a glimpse of crimson shining at her in the candlelight; it was his own blood. He slipped the cuff almost easily from her wrist after that, the blood helping it to slide free. She glanced up at him in concern, but he flashed her a small, reassuring smile.
"Smarter, not harder." He croaked in explanation, his voice just above a whisper.
"I never would've thought of that." She admitted as her other hand slipped free.
He glanced at her ankles to ensure that they weren't also chained, then rose up into a standing position, offering her a hand. She accepted it, letting him pull her to her feet. The motion knocked him off balance, and he instinctively reached out to grab her shoulder to regain his footing. She could feel the warmth of the blood on his hand seep into the fabric of her shirt.
In the dim light, their eyes locked. Elizabeth thought she saw him swallow slowly, a brief flicker of pain crossing his face at the motion. She wondered what was going through his head, cautiously reaching up to rest her hand on the arm that was between them. He winced slightly, blinking to compose himself. She noticed that the arm she rested her hand on was the one on which the shoulder had been stabbed.
"Sorry." She murmured.
Suddenly and without warning, Jack pressed up against her, his lips capturing hers as he pushed her body up against the cave wall. She couldn't help but to melt into the gesture, returning it with equal passion. She felt him smile against her and her heart soared for the first time since she had married Will aboard the Dutchman so many months ago. Oh, Jack. Why do you do this to me?
It was he who broke the kiss, for his breath had not fully returned to him following the attack on his life but a few minutes ago. He remained close, however, holding her in his embrace. She felt hot air blow onto her ear.
"Thank ye, love." He practically breathed the words out.
"For saving you?" She smiled. "Always."
His brow furrowed in confusion when she slipped free from his grasp.
"We have to go save your ship, remember? I don't really want him to sail off with it."
His eyes widened as he remembered the bargain she had made and he snapped into action, hurrying up the tunnel that would lead them to the surface.
She raced after him, not intending to be left behind. Typical Jack.