Part 6
Both Jack and Will halted abruptly, Jack hardly daring to breath in case he got the end of his nose swiped off. The blade bobbed in the candlelight as it indicated for them to move backwards so as to allow the person holding it to walk into the entrance hall.
As they did so, Will's eyes followed the sword back to its fine, gilded hilt which the blacksmith in him immediately appreciated for the ornate and difficult carvings. It was held with ease by a relatively small yet assured hand, which belonged to a shapely, slightly tanned arm which in turn was the property of a gracefully poised woman. By quick assessment he considered her to be around thirty years of age, for she no longer held the soft, sweet beauty of youth but was erring towards a grace and elegance which could only come with time. The effect was heightened by the white nightgown and robe she wore which were both intricately embroidered and trimmed with lace. Both were tight and revealing enough to show an athletic figure that suggested she was not a lady of leisure.
The look on her face was not that of a young girl either, for a hatred so deep and burning would surely take many years to form. Her dark eyes raged with it and her straight chestnut hair flicked angrily over her shoulders as she looked from one of them to the other.
After giving Will a quick perusal her gaze locked on Jack and there was such malice in her eyes that Will was instantly convinced that she knew more of the captain of the Black Pearl than as a simple intruder.
"Ah, Isabelle," Jack said with a smile inappropriate for the tenseness of the situation and a flamboyant bow, "It's been too long. A pleasure to see ye again, Milady."
"It's Governor Marley to you, Sparrow," she spat with more venom than a hundred vipers.
Will's eyes widened in surprise. This was the Governor of Tortuga? A woman? Jack hadn't said anything. But, there again, Will hadn't thought to ask either.
Governor Marley walked took a few balanced steps towards Jack, her sword still held out firmly as she eyed at him with a mixture of anger and distain.
"I thought I sentenced you to rot to hell, covered in your own filth, in our foulest jail cell," she pointed out with no little anger.
Jack shrugged easily, "I didn't like the verdict much. Thought the prosecutor might've been a bit biased if ye know what I mean."
She bristled angrily but he continued on none the less, smiling that familiar cocky half smile.
"And ye forget. There's never been a prison built that can hold Captain Jack Sparrow."
His attitude only served to incense her further - something Will considered very unwise. He was proved right when she suddenly thrust her sword forward at his throat, the blade pressing just hard enough to pierce the skin.
"An escaped convict breaking into the Governor's Mansion?" she said dangerously, "I'd be quite within my right to run you through."
Will understood that, which made him wonder what had prevented her from having done so already.
Jack seemed to have confidence in the reason, whatever it was, because he stepped sideways from the blade without further comment, blood trickling slightly from the small nick on his neck. He closed the gap between himself and the angry woman and she slowly lowered her sword in a manner that suggested she was quite ready to lift it up again and lop his head off if he gave her reason.
Stopping just short of bodily contact, Jack reached out and carefully tugged at a piece of worn red silk that was partially hidden inside her robe. It slipped easily into his hands and he held it up so it broke the eye line between them.
"Ye still 'ave this I see," he commented with no small amount of smugness.
"Yes," she scowled, "So I can train my dogs to your repulsive stench. When it's not obscured by rum, of course."
Jack's smile didn't waiver, "Ah, but you didn't always find me quite so unappealing though, did ye luv? If I was a betting man - which I ain't of course - I'd wager you found me very alluring at one time."
"Something I'd sooner forget," she said, her voice tightening.
"We don't 'ave to be enemies, ye know, Isabelle," Jack coaxed.
"You made your bed, Sparrow," she spat, "Now, you lie in it".
"What?" he asked innocently, "While you lie in someone else's?"
Will knew what was coming even before she moved. He'd seen that look on a number of women who had been faced with Jack Sparrow.
The sound of the slap reverberated around the expansive hall, and Jack's head snapped back so hard Will thought she might've knocked it off his shoulders altogether.
At this moment Will felt a sharp point dig into his back and he froze, knowing what it was.
"It's about time you got here," Governor Marley snapped, her chest heaving in fury.
Her men winced slightly at the tone.
A vicious smile played across her face as she locked gaze with Jack, "Escort Captain Sparrow and his friend here down to the cells. I want them in chains until I decide I'd like to see him hang."
She took a moment to take in Jack's reaction to this news. While it was unreadable to Will, she turned away looking entirely satisfied with herself.
"And if he should escape again," she said in warning to the men that were now taking charge of the two struggling pirates, "I'll have all your heads."
They clearly took this threat seriously because their grips suddenly tightened and Will's resistance became even more futile.
As they were being forcibly but slowly dragged away, Jack called out to the retreating form of the Governor.
"The boy 'ere," he said, in between trying to push away the arms clawing at him, "'E's Will Turner. Son of old Bootstrap Bill!"
Governor Marley paused a moment, seemingly deciding if this news was worth anything to her. Will sincerely hoped it was because whatever plan Jack had had in mind it didn't seem to be working.
She looked over her shoulder briefly.
"That's nice for him," she said with soft disinterest before continuing on her way.
The Governor's men had finally got a good grip on them both and were making good progress in dragging them along, while the Governor herself was just short of disappearing at the top of the stairs. Jack hollered out one last attempt.
"'E received a letter from Bill!" he explained, "Telling 'im where 'e is!"
'Was that it?' Will wondered, "Was that what Jack had the Governor wanted? Information about the whereabouts of my father? What could she possibly want with him?'
It looked like he would have to wait for his answers however as this time, the Governor didn't stop.
