A/N Hi everyone - this is a re-upload, I'm so sorry about the previous upload of this chapter - I have no idea what went wrong with the formatting there, it's never happened before!
Chapter 9
"Carina!" Will called, racing to the helm.
"Already seen it!" She called back, veering the ship starboard side. The ship lurched and began to turn away from the impending vessel.
Will looked on in horror as the shadowy vessel became more defined through the mist. It was faster than them, rapidly closing the gap between.
"George - go and grab the weapons from below, and bring my father back with you." George nodded and sped down the stairs.
Will's feet moved uncertainly beneath him as the ship teetered and bowed under Carina's command. He made his way up to the helm and placed a steadying hand on the wheel. Will was surprised by the grateful look Carina shot him.
George and Bootstrap emerged from below deck, muskets and swords bundled in their arms. They climbed to Will and Carina and passed them their weapons.
The ship was now sailing parallel to them, inching closer second by second.
"Alright." Will said, Prepare to be boarded."
Carina's face drained of colour, and Bootstrap's already thin lips set in a grimace. George let out a groan of frustration.
"Hold tight!" Will called just in time for the small crew to grab on to the damp wood of the ship, as a loud crash sounded port-side.
In moments the ship was overcome by bodies from above, ropes swinging their adversaries onto the deck.
Will planted Carina's hands firmly on the wheel.
"There's not enough time for us to drop the anchor. Whatever you do, keep us moving - watch out for shoals." He said before he charged forward. Carina gulped.
"We'll keep you safe, don't worry." George said. He stationed himself at the foot of the stairs leading to the helm to defend her. Bootstrap followed his son, swinging his sword wildly.
Will went to strike a stout man, when he stopped mid-air. The pirate went to strike, but Will blocked it.
"Wait." He said, looking around at the men who'd boarded them. Realisation and relief washed over him.
"Parlay!" He cried, and the men surprisingly fell silent. "I request an audience with your Captain."
The pirates let out disgruntled sighs and lowered their weapons. The crowd parted in the middle to allow a foreboding figure to emerge.
"As you wish… William" the figure said.
From where Carina stood she spied the man, a large feathered hat atop his straggly hair. The man's sunken eyes seemed to peer out from beneath the cap, and rotten teeth flashed as he grimaced at Will. A small monkey emerged on the pirate's shoulder.
"Barbossa." Will greeted back. They knew each other? Carina thought.
"I thought I'd seen the last er you fer a while, William Turner." Barbossa sounded annoyed.
"Likewise." Will said, nonplussed. "Listen, there is nothing on this ship valuable for you to loot."
Barbossa laughed, and his crew parroted him cruelly.
"I wouldn't be so sure, dear William. We're not after jewels or coins. I am looking for this." Barbossa produced a piece of worn parchment. When Will looked closer, he could see clear etchings on it. He drew a sharp breath.
"Ah, so you know what I'm looking for." Barbossa's beady eyes narrowed.
"No - not at all." Will bluffed. "What is it?"
Barbossa rolled his eyes and stepped dangerously close to Will.
"You've always been a terrible liar, William." He said, quietly, before turning to the rest of the ship.
"Where's the notebook?" The imposing captain yelled. From the wheel, Carina gasped, so hard she could feel the spine of the notebook nestled in her bodice press against her ribs.
Barbossa's beady eyes caught her in his gaze. Despite Will's protests, Barbossa climbed the stairs, an unreadable look on his face. Carina tried to keep her eyes on Barbossa and the expanse of water ahead. Once he reached her, he put a firm grip on the wheel. It was futile to try and push against him.
"Where is it?" The Captain's voice dropped dangerously low. Carina trembled under his unforgiving stare.
"Where is what?" She stuttered. George flanked behind her, sword in hand.
"You can't fool me, girl." He spat.
"Step back!" George shouted and stepped closer to Carina. Barbossa laughed again.
"Make me." He seethed.
"Wait." Carina said, stretching her arms out between the two men.
"If you know about this notebook… do you know my father?" She asked. Barbossa took a few moments.
"… Yes, I suppose I did." He muttered. After a long pause, he said, lowly, "Now where is the notebook."
"I can't let you have it." She said, holding her head high despite the shaking of her voice.
"Don't make me do this, girl." Barbossa raised his sword.
"Carina!" George urged, "Just tell him where it is."
"I've come too far to give it up to the likes of you." She cried,
"Is that so?" Barbossa's gravelly voice churned through gritted teeth.
"Barbossa. Let's see if we can come to some sort of agreement here." Said Will, who was now at the top of the stairs.
"Agreement, you say?" Barbossa's eye's didn't leave Carina's.
"Yes. What do you need the notebook for, precisely?" Will pushed.
"What good would come from me telling you that, William?" Barbossa rolled his eyes.
"We may be seeking the same thing." Will said, crossing his arms.
"Funny - not five minutes ago you were denying you had ever seen the notebook, now you're telling me you're using it to find something."
Will's mouth opened and closed a few times before he decided it was best to keep his mouth shut. Barbossa's eyes narrowed.
He swivelled towards Bootstrap.
"Man of principles your son has turned out to be, Bootstrap." Bill glowered and grunted towards the Captain.
"Better man than you." Bootstrap spat.
"Aye. However, I do that if we continue to state the obvious we'll never get to where we're looking to go."
"And where exactly might that be?" George piped up, an almost-neutral look on his face.
Barbossa didn't even grace him with a look, but let out a heavy sigh. Turning to Carina, he intoned quietly.
"I'm seeking the location of the trident."
"I see." Carina was trying to sound aloof.
"Please tell me you at least figured that's what the map is pointing to?" Barbossa's eyebrows disappeared under his hat.
Abashed, Carina scoffed "Of course I did. We're just still figuring out the bearings. I've never seen a map like it before."
Barbossa started laughing, taking over the helm, "Well, my dear, I think I may be able to help yer there."
Elizabeth hadn't had this much fun in ages. She ignored the glances and mutters from the townsfolk behind her. She conceded she must've looked mad, but she couldn't find it in her to care.
After unbuttoning and removing her shoes, she'd bustled her skirts up and waded until her toes were submerged in the foamy sea water. It had been colder than she'd been expecting and she had let out a large gasp at the shock.
Gaining confidence, she ventured further out, fraction by fraction, until the water lapped and caressed her shins.
God, she's missed the ocean, she thought, wiggling her toes deeper in to the shifting sands.
It took her a few moments to hear her name being carried across the breeze from behind her.
She turned towards the voice to find Estrella standing on the wooden planks of the port. Her mouth was set in a firm line across her face and her hands were planted squarely on her hips.
"What on earth are you doing?" She demanded, an edge of concern in her tone. Elizabeth shrugged off the bristle of indignation that shuffled up her spine.
"The water's rather chilly today, gives the mind a clarity difficult to achieve when the air is so stuffy. You should come and give it a try." Elizabeth grinned.
"I don't think that's appropriate, Elizabeth." Estrella looked around at the bystanders, "Don't you have things to be getting on with? Go on - shoo!"
Estrella waved off the crowd, which begrudgingly dissipated.
"I'll see you back at the house." She said sternly to Elizabeth. Elizabeth heard her small heeled shoes clacking on the wooden slats as she retreated.
Turning back to the water, Elizabeth watched the sun start falling over the rocks. She sighed, waited a couple of minutes so she wouldn't catch up with Estrella and then turned on her heel.
The rest of the day trudged by and Elizabeth new something had to be done. Her patience was wearing incredibly thin.
Over dinner, she listened half-heartedly to the conversations being thrown across the large table. Debates she had no interest in were slung either side of her, interspersed with laughter. Not a moment later than was necessary, Elizabeth excused herself and retired to her room.
She methodically undressed and redressed into her robe, lit a couple of candles, drew her curtains and settled in her too-large bed.
Elizabeth hoped she would dream of her husband. Behind her closed lids she tried to conjure his smile, his deep eyes that always brought a flush to her cheeks. She tried to hear the soft timbre of his voice in the pitch silence of her room.
Sleep took a while to come, but once it did, not much could've disturbed her.
The next morning, Elizabeth stretched her arms above her head, knuckles brushing the headboard behind her.
Tiny rivulets of light spilled into the room from the cracks in between the curtains. Elizabeth wondered what time it was. Leisurely, she moved from her bed over to the windows, drawing the drapes back to let the glorious morning light flood her bedroom.
She smiled, it truly was a beautiful day, one she was eager to make the most of. She should probably bathe first, she thought. She had foregone her bath last night and probably smelled somewhat unsavoury.
Tying her robe securely around her, she walked to her door to call for a tub. She turned the handle, and… nothing. Her door didn't budge.
Had the wood expanded in the heat again? Elizabeth is reminded of an unbearably hot summer a few years ago where the doors had to be wedged open for fear of them getting stuck in the door frame.
It was hot, but not that hot. Panic bloomed in Elizabeth chest.
"Help!" She called, banging her flat hand against the wood. She wasn't sure how long she tried calling out, until she heard the creak of the stairs.
"Hey!" She cried, "In here - I'm stuck!" Her voice was getting hoarse now.
The footsteps stopped at her door.
"Good morning, Miss Elizabeth." The muffled voice carried through the wood.
"Jonathon!" She breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm stuck in here, I think the handle's broken. Can you help me?"
She heard Jonathon take in a small breath.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Miss." His voice was so quiet that Elizabeth thought she had misheard him at first.
"Jonat— what? What do you mean?"
"I can't let you out, I promised."
"Promised who?" Elizabeth cringed at how shrill her voice sounded.
"I shouldn't say." He sounded strained.
"But you will." Elizabeth demanded, slamming her hand on the door once again. She tried to ignore the numb buzz she felt in her palm. She could practically hear Jonathon weighing up his options.
"It's Estrella, miss. She's worried about you. Peculiar behaviour, she said. Wants to keep you here for your own good." He sounded earnest.
Before Elizabeth could speak Jonathon continued.
"Says something's not right - hasn't been since you brought the witch into our home." He muttered.
Elizabeth's blood ran cold.
"But - Carina's not a witch, you know that. You're very fond of her, Jonathon."
"I was." He spat. "Or at least I thought I was. Bewitched me, didn't she?" He sniffed.
"Of course not." Elizabeth sighed.
"It's true. Carina saw it. The same was she sees it in you." The venom in his voice was scaring her. How long had this plot been unfurling behind her back?
"Jonathon, listen - Estrella hasn't liked me since I returned, she feels threatened by my position."
"NO!" Elizabeth heard Jonathon recoil from the door. "This is what she said you'd do - you'd twist things."
Elizabeth put her eye to the keyhole and saw Jonathon slap his hands over his ears. Elizabeth was aghast.
Before she could try and convince him, he turned, shoulders hunched towards his ears. Through the keyhole he quickly moved out of her line of sight.
Not one for sitting idly by, Elizabeth started to pace. It was a sick irony that this development was the universe's answer to curing her boredom.
She needed a plan. Now.