THANKYOU TO ALL MY LOFFLY REVIEWERS, ESPECIALLY the brilliant DEADSPIDERS WHO THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO. YOU KNOW WHY MISSY :P
Chapter Two - "It's Miss Swann"
It was not Elizabeth's young maid Abigail who would find her missing when from her bed when she went to rouse her the next morning, nor was it the soldiers on the dock to find one of their smallest vessels "The Indomitable" absent from its usual docking place. It was Will Turner that would raise the alarm, who, after having slept terribly all night found a small note addressed to him slipped under the door to his chambers.
'Dearest Will,' it read;
'I trust by now you know I have gone and where. Please do not be angry with me, I am only doing that which I knew you wished to do yourself. You love for me does not go unnoticed, and your willingness to do anything to protect me is honourable but how could we marry today with such unhappiness hanging over our heads? We cannot run and hide our whole lives, waiting until Barbossa ransoms another. What of our children?
Perhaps most of all, I simply cannot abide anyone dying for my sake, even if in this particular case it is an unwashed perverse alcoholic pirate named Jack Sparrow. Your friend. It is not a well-timed event that's sure, but consider it my first gift to you in what will be a long and happy life together for us.
All my love, Elizabeth'
Elizabeth replayed the words over and over in her head as they sailed. She hoped Will would understand. He had to. It was daylight and she was sitting toward the back of the sloop they had stolen, The Indomitable, consumed with thoughts of those she'd left behind at Port Royale. They had to know she was gone by now. Would they come after her? She looked out at the expanse of ocean behind them, pulling unconsciously at a strand of her long hair, a nervous trait which had become more evident lately. What if Will did not understand? She thought, What if he found another he loved before she could return?
What if she did not return at all?
It was possible. She knew that. She had known that when they'd set out from Port Royale in the darkest hours of the night. It just seemed the further she got out to sea, the clearer that point became.
What did these masked men want from her? From what she knew of Barbossa it was unlikely he wanted her purely for the sake of revenge. He had the man responsible for his death already beaten and in his custody, and she knew he had never been coy about attacking Port Royale and taking her before. She bit her lip uneasily. Yet, knowing as much of him as she did, she thought it was unlikely to be flowers and wedding congratulations.
Elizabeth sighed and pulled herself up from the deck. Thinking about it was not going to help anyone in the slightest.
"Mr Gibbs" she said, as she made her way up towards him at the sloops helm, "Are we near it at all?"
Joshamee Gibbs looked thoughtfully over the ocean's surface and out at the horizon in front of them. Elizabeth could hardly believe that only months ago she had considered him nothing more than a old drunk with too many superstitions, as it had become increasingly obvious there was much more to him than that. He would never have made a spectacle of it, but he was quite determined to help his friend, and she had found herself admiring his courage greatly.
"I think so Miss Swann" he said finally, moving the ship's wheel slightly to the left. His voice sounded coarse and tired, and considering they had been traveling for many hours that day, it was little wonder.
"You think?" Elizabeth enquired, trying to keep her voice light "You don't know?"
"I told you milady, I've only ever heard of the cursed place. All pirates and sailors have heard the stories, but none in their right minds are daft enough to go looking for it..."
"...What stories would those be?"
Mr Gibbs looked at her uneasily "If you don't mind miss, I don't rightly think those stories are suitable for a lady such as yourself to hear"
Elizabeth felt a flash of annoyance, but tried to ignore it. "So, for all we know we could be going in the wrong direction entirely?!"
"Not entirely miss. As tales tell it, it's far south of this place. Some say it resides on the edge of the earth because hell isn't evil enough for it. No man gone looking for the cursed place has ever returned...that's what they says anyway"
"So we've good odds then" Elizabeth remarked.
Gibbs didn't reply, keeping his eyes on the horizon.
"I didn't mean to be rude" Elizabeth muttered, almost as much to herself as Gibbs "It's just that I'm afraid, and hungry, and tired, and I've stolen a ship, and become a criminal, and I was supposed to be married today and now I'm heading off to this cursed island. It's rather a sharp turn of events".
Gibbs turned to her and gave her a half smile "Not to worry Miss Swann, I understand you must be feelin' a little out of sorts. He paused, as if mulling over his words. "I have to say there's not many who'd risk their life for a pirate and outlaw, you're a good woman, if you don't mind me saying. And that's good luck if I ever saw it".
Elizabeth smiled this time, and it was genuine "Thank you Mr Gibbs, but I am doing it to save myself and my family as much as Captain Jack Sparrow, so it's hardly what one would consider a highly noble deed..."
"Just the same"
"Here...let me" Elizabeth said after a small pause. She moved to take the wheel from the older man's grasp "Your arm must be horribly sore. There's some food and gin below deck, take your rest for awhile wont you?".
***
It was more three days of solid sailing before they made any progress. On the morning of the fourth day Elizabeth Swann woke to find Mr Gibbs' grave face peering down at her.
"We've found it Miss Swann" he said breathlessly "We've found the Isle of the Skull"
Elizabeth threw back the eiderdown and followed Joshamee to the deck of ship. She had no need to get dressed as she had been wearing the same clothes for three days.
Sure enough, as Mr Gibb's had said the Isle of the Skull was finally in view. Upon seeing it Elizabeth had no more doubts as to how it had received its name. Even with the early morning sunrise illuminating the dark cloud hanging around it like a shroud, the islands dark jutting rocks made an unhappy shape on the horizon. Odd light protruded from the eyes and mouth of the broken skull, as if screaming a warning.
Elizabeth shuddered and abruptly ran back downstairs, slamming the bathroom door behind her.
*
As there was so little in her stomach in the first place it was not long until Elizabeth had composed herself and rejoined Mr Gibbs on deck again. She was brushing her hair with a comb she'd managed to acquire but her hands were shaking so badly she was proving more detrimental to her brown locks than if she had let it alone completely.
Already it seemed as though they were much closer to the island than before. It would be no more than an hour before they reached their destination. Their destination. As though she was destined to be there. Elizabeth thought suddenly that 'destination' was an incredibly stupid word and made a mental note to write a letter to the Queen when she returned to Port Royale to have it taken out of the English language completely.
"Have you any idea of what we're going to do when we get to this island Miss?" Gibb's said suddenly, shaking her from her thoughts.
"It's quite early" Elizabeth replied hopefully "Perhaps we can sneak in without anyone noticing...?"
"Too late for that Miss Swann" Gibbs said, taking a swig of gin straight from the bottle and pointing out ahead of them with a look of disgust "See those lights? Looks like we're in for quite a welcome"
Elizabeth squinted in the direction he was pointing, and sure enough in the half light of morning she could see tiny orbs of flame moving along the shore. It seemed they were growing in number even as she was looking. She estimated there were at least twenty already. Clutching her comb between her fingers she swallowed nervously. Why would they need so many people? What were they planning for her?
"As I live ma'am I won't let them hurt you".
Gibbs voice made Elizabeth start slightly and she turned to face him as he continued;
"...I'd wager as soon as Jack hears what you're doing he'll feel the same way. I ain't about to see what happened to Annamaria happen again... "
Elizabeth knew he was saying it to make her feel better, and oddly, it did. "You and Annamaria were good friends?" she asked quietly
"Aye"
There was a tense pause, and Elizabeth turned her gaze out to the sea so that Gibbs couldn't see the tears beginning to well up in her eyes. She wanted to offer some comfort as he had done for her, but there was nothing she could say that could possibly undo the pain of the carnage on the Black Pearl that night. She closed her eyes so the tears wouldn't spill, cursing her sentimentality, scolding her fear. She could feel the suns warmth and the sea spray on her face, but it didn't give her a feeling of exultation as it once had.
Jack had once called it freedom, but it seemed the Black Pearl had become a cage the night Gibbs had spoken of. Now Elizabeth felt as though she was walking into one of her own, and she was afraid. In a sudden flash of realization, she knew what she had to do.
"Drop the anchor!" she said abruptly, before she could change her mind.
Gibbs looked up, startled. "Ay?"
"Drop the Anchor please Mr Gibbs!"
"But-"
"DROP IT!"
Mr Gibbs looked slightly scandalized by her tone, but went to the capstan and did as Elizabeth asked anyway. When the anchor had been released and the Indomitable had eventually slowed to a stop, he joined her at the front of the boat.
"I don't know what crazy idea you've got this time, but I doubt it's wise we let them come to us"
Elizabeth nodded and moved to the side of the boat, peering over the side "I don't intend on letting them come to us Mr Gibbs"
"Then would you mind filling me in on what you are intending on doing Miss?"
"I'm going to row in on -oh could you help me push this?- I'm going to row in on this boat" With Gibb's help she managed to push one of the small life boats over the side of the ship. Elizabeth then reached forward and released the rope pulley, the boat hitting the water with a loud whoosh.
"...And you" she continued "are staying here and waiting for me".
Joshamee's jaw dropped. "You're having me on surely, there aren't no way I'm letting you face that bunch of murderers on your own. You haven't seen what they're like..."
"But I have met Barbossa" Elizabeth replied "I know a little about how to reason with him. There is no use arguing, if I have to tie you to the boat using only seaweed I will. I am going alone."
"Miss Swann, you cannot-"
"Mr Gibbs. You said yourself that the only reason they let you go last time was because they needed you to deliver a message. They need me, so they won't hurt me. They no longer need you, you are expendable and therefore I won't take you with me, no matter how much more secure it would make me feel. I fear we already may be too late for Jack, I will not risk your life too."
"I risked my own life when I made the decision to come on this dammed expedition with you!'
"And you have taken me this far and I am grateful" Elizabeth said, lowering herself into the boat "You can wait here for me and Jack until tomorrow eve. If we have not returned you will take The Indomitable back to Port Royale and give them the bad news yourself."
Gibbs looked down at her for a long time. Elizabeth set her jaw, her determined exterior hiding the fear pumping through her veins. She hoped he would not protest too much longer as she knew she would crumble if pushed.
Finally, running a nervous hand through his grey hair, he spoke;
"If you're certain Miss Swann, then I can't see how-"
"I am" Elizabeth said firmly, interrupting him "I am certain. Now if you'd please pass me those oars..."
She hesitated and then continued; "If I do not return tomorrow eve please tell Will I love him. And my father, tell him I-" She took the oars from his grasp and shook her head "Never mind, I shall tell them myself when I return".
Mr Gibbs looked pensive. Reaching quickly into his pocket he pulled out a small dagger and leant over and passed it to Elizabeth also. She nodded in thanks and tucked it quickly into her dress at the waist.
"If they try and hurt you...." he said awkwardly "..then at least you will have something to protect yourself with. Not that it will do much good against twenty odd men. I still rightly think it'd be better for everyone if you'd allow me to escort you-"
Elizabeth shook her head again quickly, and sat in the boat, gripping the oars "By tomorrow eve Mr Gibbs" she said, unable to look him in the eyes as she began to row away from the boat and any vestige of security she had left.
**
When she reached the shore and stepped out into the foamy water, the masked men made no move to attack her. They did not move at all and Elizabeth found it extremely unsettling. She considered what they would would do if she jumped back into the boat and rowed away like every instinct in her body was telling her to, but decided against it.
More unsettling than their apparent eerie stillness, was the masks they wore. As Mr Gibbs had said it was a black piece of material with a white skull painted on, what he had neglected to tell Elizabeth however, was that these were not ordinary masks. The material enclosed their entire heads like a death shroud. There were no holes for their eyes or noses, nor any mouth holes to breathe through. They were nameless, faceless... like walking dead, and it chilled Elizabeth to the bone.
Putting a hand to the hidden dagger at her waist she took a small step forward into the light of their torches and cleared her throat.
"I am here to see Captain Barbossa about negotiating the release of Jack Sparrow" she said, her voice firm as she could manage.
At first there was no response, which led Elizabeth to wonder if they even had ears under their masks, but this theory was soon put to rest when a low hiccoughy choked noise that could only be a laugh started from the masked man closest to her. Soon enough the whole crowd of them were cackling mercilessly, their emotionless faces bobbing about in a sick kind of dance as they laughed.
Elizabeth felt oddly indignant and, forgetting herself, marched toward the first masked man to laugh.
"What's so funny?" she demanded, forgetting herself.
The man grabbed her then, by the arm and pulled Elizabeth so close she could smell the sweat on him.
"Captain Barbossa is dead" he said, no longer laughing.
Elizabeth shook her head in confussion "…But we were told! You told Joshamee Gi-" Before she was able to say anything more, or make sense of the thoughts in her head however, she felt a heavy blow to the back of her head. The masked men blurred in front of her eyes and she had the odd sensation of being carried, before the world around her faded to black.
***
When Elizabeth awoke it was dark, though she couldn't tell if it was due to it being night or just the ill light of her surroundings. Slightly disoriented she reached out and grabbed at some straw littering the floor where she was lying, and that when it came back to her. The Isle of the Skull. The masked men. She sat bolt upright in fright before the rushing pain in her head forced her back into a crouched position. She touched the back of her head tentatively, but apart from a little dried blood there seemed to be no permanent damage.
Moving again, slowly this time she pulled her head up and began to take in her surroundings. She was in a jail cell, the little light that there was came from a small candle out side of the iron bars holding her captive. There was no window, only straw lined the concrete floor. She turned and looked helplessly at the piles of straw behind her before noticing something the made her holler in fright. Elizabeth, forgetting about the throbbing pain in her head for a moment shuffled backwards until her back was pressed against the iron bars.
A hand. There was human hand protruding from under the straw at the back of the cell. And it wasn't moving. Elizabeth had a strong feeling that whoever was attached to that hand was no longer living and she covered her mouth in an effort to stop the bile rising in her throat.
She had been too rash. She knew that now. Thinking she would be able to take these people on alone, bargain with them was ridiculous. Will had been right. Commodore Norrington had been right. Even Mr Gibbs had been right. And now she was stuck in a cell, most likely about to be killed herself, with a bloody hand.
Elizabeth sat there for a few minutes before moving again. If the hand belonged to Jack Sparrow…if he was dead… she should know, and she should make an escape plan and her way back to the Indomitable before tomorrow eve.
She crept forward on her hands and knees, and taking a deep breath, pulled back bunches of straw in a couple of fluid movements. Elizabeth yelped again in shock.
Sure enough, Captain Jack Sparrow was the one who belonged to the hand. But he was breathing, she could see that. It hadn't been the reason why Elizabeth had yelled out. Despite all that Gibb's had told her she had not been ready for the sight that confronted her. Jack's normally dark face and chest was covered in black purpling bruises. There was much she couldn't see, but needed little imagination to realize what they had done to him, the blood had seeped through his clothing, and even ripped in some cases. Blood caked in his hair and most prominent of all, a large cut ran slightly diagonal from the right side of his forehead to the back of the right side his jaw. Violating his face. They had mutilated him.
"Oh god…"
Gibb's had been right, Elizabeth thought angrily forgetting her own fear, these masked men were animals. Death would have been merciful than this. She put her hand on his but it felt so cold she recoiled. Captain Jack Sparrow was alive, but she wondered for how long. And for that matter, how she would ever get him out of this place if he did not wake?
"Jack" Elizabeth said softly, knowing it was in vain "Jack… Can you hear me?"
He didn't stir, and it was getting colder. Elizabeth set her jaw and pulled the straw back over him, leaving his face open. She then, pushing away thoughts of impropriety, took his hand in hers and lay down beside him, hoping that somehow the human warmth would bring his unconscious body some respite. Her other hand moved to her waist and she was pleasantly surprised to find the dagger Mr Gibbs had entrusted to her still in the folds of her ruined dress. She felt oddly stronger for it, though she knew what little protection it would bring her and the comatose Jack. If they were going to find a way out of this place they had to do it soon. Before Mr Gibbs sailed away, and before Barbossa, or the masked men, or whoever it was that had wanted them both here came back to claim their bounty.
Chapter Two - "It's Miss Swann"
It was not Elizabeth's young maid Abigail who would find her missing when from her bed when she went to rouse her the next morning, nor was it the soldiers on the dock to find one of their smallest vessels "The Indomitable" absent from its usual docking place. It was Will Turner that would raise the alarm, who, after having slept terribly all night found a small note addressed to him slipped under the door to his chambers.
'Dearest Will,' it read;
'I trust by now you know I have gone and where. Please do not be angry with me, I am only doing that which I knew you wished to do yourself. You love for me does not go unnoticed, and your willingness to do anything to protect me is honourable but how could we marry today with such unhappiness hanging over our heads? We cannot run and hide our whole lives, waiting until Barbossa ransoms another. What of our children?
Perhaps most of all, I simply cannot abide anyone dying for my sake, even if in this particular case it is an unwashed perverse alcoholic pirate named Jack Sparrow. Your friend. It is not a well-timed event that's sure, but consider it my first gift to you in what will be a long and happy life together for us.
All my love, Elizabeth'
Elizabeth replayed the words over and over in her head as they sailed. She hoped Will would understand. He had to. It was daylight and she was sitting toward the back of the sloop they had stolen, The Indomitable, consumed with thoughts of those she'd left behind at Port Royale. They had to know she was gone by now. Would they come after her? She looked out at the expanse of ocean behind them, pulling unconsciously at a strand of her long hair, a nervous trait which had become more evident lately. What if Will did not understand? She thought, What if he found another he loved before she could return?
What if she did not return at all?
It was possible. She knew that. She had known that when they'd set out from Port Royale in the darkest hours of the night. It just seemed the further she got out to sea, the clearer that point became.
What did these masked men want from her? From what she knew of Barbossa it was unlikely he wanted her purely for the sake of revenge. He had the man responsible for his death already beaten and in his custody, and she knew he had never been coy about attacking Port Royale and taking her before. She bit her lip uneasily. Yet, knowing as much of him as she did, she thought it was unlikely to be flowers and wedding congratulations.
Elizabeth sighed and pulled herself up from the deck. Thinking about it was not going to help anyone in the slightest.
"Mr Gibbs" she said, as she made her way up towards him at the sloops helm, "Are we near it at all?"
Joshamee Gibbs looked thoughtfully over the ocean's surface and out at the horizon in front of them. Elizabeth could hardly believe that only months ago she had considered him nothing more than a old drunk with too many superstitions, as it had become increasingly obvious there was much more to him than that. He would never have made a spectacle of it, but he was quite determined to help his friend, and she had found herself admiring his courage greatly.
"I think so Miss Swann" he said finally, moving the ship's wheel slightly to the left. His voice sounded coarse and tired, and considering they had been traveling for many hours that day, it was little wonder.
"You think?" Elizabeth enquired, trying to keep her voice light "You don't know?"
"I told you milady, I've only ever heard of the cursed place. All pirates and sailors have heard the stories, but none in their right minds are daft enough to go looking for it..."
"...What stories would those be?"
Mr Gibbs looked at her uneasily "If you don't mind miss, I don't rightly think those stories are suitable for a lady such as yourself to hear"
Elizabeth felt a flash of annoyance, but tried to ignore it. "So, for all we know we could be going in the wrong direction entirely?!"
"Not entirely miss. As tales tell it, it's far south of this place. Some say it resides on the edge of the earth because hell isn't evil enough for it. No man gone looking for the cursed place has ever returned...that's what they says anyway"
"So we've good odds then" Elizabeth remarked.
Gibbs didn't reply, keeping his eyes on the horizon.
"I didn't mean to be rude" Elizabeth muttered, almost as much to herself as Gibbs "It's just that I'm afraid, and hungry, and tired, and I've stolen a ship, and become a criminal, and I was supposed to be married today and now I'm heading off to this cursed island. It's rather a sharp turn of events".
Gibbs turned to her and gave her a half smile "Not to worry Miss Swann, I understand you must be feelin' a little out of sorts. He paused, as if mulling over his words. "I have to say there's not many who'd risk their life for a pirate and outlaw, you're a good woman, if you don't mind me saying. And that's good luck if I ever saw it".
Elizabeth smiled this time, and it was genuine "Thank you Mr Gibbs, but I am doing it to save myself and my family as much as Captain Jack Sparrow, so it's hardly what one would consider a highly noble deed..."
"Just the same"
"Here...let me" Elizabeth said after a small pause. She moved to take the wheel from the older man's grasp "Your arm must be horribly sore. There's some food and gin below deck, take your rest for awhile wont you?".
***
It was more three days of solid sailing before they made any progress. On the morning of the fourth day Elizabeth Swann woke to find Mr Gibbs' grave face peering down at her.
"We've found it Miss Swann" he said breathlessly "We've found the Isle of the Skull"
Elizabeth threw back the eiderdown and followed Joshamee to the deck of ship. She had no need to get dressed as she had been wearing the same clothes for three days.
Sure enough, as Mr Gibb's had said the Isle of the Skull was finally in view. Upon seeing it Elizabeth had no more doubts as to how it had received its name. Even with the early morning sunrise illuminating the dark cloud hanging around it like a shroud, the islands dark jutting rocks made an unhappy shape on the horizon. Odd light protruded from the eyes and mouth of the broken skull, as if screaming a warning.
Elizabeth shuddered and abruptly ran back downstairs, slamming the bathroom door behind her.
*
As there was so little in her stomach in the first place it was not long until Elizabeth had composed herself and rejoined Mr Gibbs on deck again. She was brushing her hair with a comb she'd managed to acquire but her hands were shaking so badly she was proving more detrimental to her brown locks than if she had let it alone completely.
Already it seemed as though they were much closer to the island than before. It would be no more than an hour before they reached their destination. Their destination. As though she was destined to be there. Elizabeth thought suddenly that 'destination' was an incredibly stupid word and made a mental note to write a letter to the Queen when she returned to Port Royale to have it taken out of the English language completely.
"Have you any idea of what we're going to do when we get to this island Miss?" Gibb's said suddenly, shaking her from her thoughts.
"It's quite early" Elizabeth replied hopefully "Perhaps we can sneak in without anyone noticing...?"
"Too late for that Miss Swann" Gibbs said, taking a swig of gin straight from the bottle and pointing out ahead of them with a look of disgust "See those lights? Looks like we're in for quite a welcome"
Elizabeth squinted in the direction he was pointing, and sure enough in the half light of morning she could see tiny orbs of flame moving along the shore. It seemed they were growing in number even as she was looking. She estimated there were at least twenty already. Clutching her comb between her fingers she swallowed nervously. Why would they need so many people? What were they planning for her?
"As I live ma'am I won't let them hurt you".
Gibbs voice made Elizabeth start slightly and she turned to face him as he continued;
"...I'd wager as soon as Jack hears what you're doing he'll feel the same way. I ain't about to see what happened to Annamaria happen again... "
Elizabeth knew he was saying it to make her feel better, and oddly, it did. "You and Annamaria were good friends?" she asked quietly
"Aye"
There was a tense pause, and Elizabeth turned her gaze out to the sea so that Gibbs couldn't see the tears beginning to well up in her eyes. She wanted to offer some comfort as he had done for her, but there was nothing she could say that could possibly undo the pain of the carnage on the Black Pearl that night. She closed her eyes so the tears wouldn't spill, cursing her sentimentality, scolding her fear. She could feel the suns warmth and the sea spray on her face, but it didn't give her a feeling of exultation as it once had.
Jack had once called it freedom, but it seemed the Black Pearl had become a cage the night Gibbs had spoken of. Now Elizabeth felt as though she was walking into one of her own, and she was afraid. In a sudden flash of realization, she knew what she had to do.
"Drop the anchor!" she said abruptly, before she could change her mind.
Gibbs looked up, startled. "Ay?"
"Drop the Anchor please Mr Gibbs!"
"But-"
"DROP IT!"
Mr Gibbs looked slightly scandalized by her tone, but went to the capstan and did as Elizabeth asked anyway. When the anchor had been released and the Indomitable had eventually slowed to a stop, he joined her at the front of the boat.
"I don't know what crazy idea you've got this time, but I doubt it's wise we let them come to us"
Elizabeth nodded and moved to the side of the boat, peering over the side "I don't intend on letting them come to us Mr Gibbs"
"Then would you mind filling me in on what you are intending on doing Miss?"
"I'm going to row in on -oh could you help me push this?- I'm going to row in on this boat" With Gibb's help she managed to push one of the small life boats over the side of the ship. Elizabeth then reached forward and released the rope pulley, the boat hitting the water with a loud whoosh.
"...And you" she continued "are staying here and waiting for me".
Joshamee's jaw dropped. "You're having me on surely, there aren't no way I'm letting you face that bunch of murderers on your own. You haven't seen what they're like..."
"But I have met Barbossa" Elizabeth replied "I know a little about how to reason with him. There is no use arguing, if I have to tie you to the boat using only seaweed I will. I am going alone."
"Miss Swann, you cannot-"
"Mr Gibbs. You said yourself that the only reason they let you go last time was because they needed you to deliver a message. They need me, so they won't hurt me. They no longer need you, you are expendable and therefore I won't take you with me, no matter how much more secure it would make me feel. I fear we already may be too late for Jack, I will not risk your life too."
"I risked my own life when I made the decision to come on this dammed expedition with you!'
"And you have taken me this far and I am grateful" Elizabeth said, lowering herself into the boat "You can wait here for me and Jack until tomorrow eve. If we have not returned you will take The Indomitable back to Port Royale and give them the bad news yourself."
Gibbs looked down at her for a long time. Elizabeth set her jaw, her determined exterior hiding the fear pumping through her veins. She hoped he would not protest too much longer as she knew she would crumble if pushed.
Finally, running a nervous hand through his grey hair, he spoke;
"If you're certain Miss Swann, then I can't see how-"
"I am" Elizabeth said firmly, interrupting him "I am certain. Now if you'd please pass me those oars..."
She hesitated and then continued; "If I do not return tomorrow eve please tell Will I love him. And my father, tell him I-" She took the oars from his grasp and shook her head "Never mind, I shall tell them myself when I return".
Mr Gibbs looked pensive. Reaching quickly into his pocket he pulled out a small dagger and leant over and passed it to Elizabeth also. She nodded in thanks and tucked it quickly into her dress at the waist.
"If they try and hurt you...." he said awkwardly "..then at least you will have something to protect yourself with. Not that it will do much good against twenty odd men. I still rightly think it'd be better for everyone if you'd allow me to escort you-"
Elizabeth shook her head again quickly, and sat in the boat, gripping the oars "By tomorrow eve Mr Gibbs" she said, unable to look him in the eyes as she began to row away from the boat and any vestige of security she had left.
**
When she reached the shore and stepped out into the foamy water, the masked men made no move to attack her. They did not move at all and Elizabeth found it extremely unsettling. She considered what they would would do if she jumped back into the boat and rowed away like every instinct in her body was telling her to, but decided against it.
More unsettling than their apparent eerie stillness, was the masks they wore. As Mr Gibbs had said it was a black piece of material with a white skull painted on, what he had neglected to tell Elizabeth however, was that these were not ordinary masks. The material enclosed their entire heads like a death shroud. There were no holes for their eyes or noses, nor any mouth holes to breathe through. They were nameless, faceless... like walking dead, and it chilled Elizabeth to the bone.
Putting a hand to the hidden dagger at her waist she took a small step forward into the light of their torches and cleared her throat.
"I am here to see Captain Barbossa about negotiating the release of Jack Sparrow" she said, her voice firm as she could manage.
At first there was no response, which led Elizabeth to wonder if they even had ears under their masks, but this theory was soon put to rest when a low hiccoughy choked noise that could only be a laugh started from the masked man closest to her. Soon enough the whole crowd of them were cackling mercilessly, their emotionless faces bobbing about in a sick kind of dance as they laughed.
Elizabeth felt oddly indignant and, forgetting herself, marched toward the first masked man to laugh.
"What's so funny?" she demanded, forgetting herself.
The man grabbed her then, by the arm and pulled Elizabeth so close she could smell the sweat on him.
"Captain Barbossa is dead" he said, no longer laughing.
Elizabeth shook her head in confussion "…But we were told! You told Joshamee Gi-" Before she was able to say anything more, or make sense of the thoughts in her head however, she felt a heavy blow to the back of her head. The masked men blurred in front of her eyes and she had the odd sensation of being carried, before the world around her faded to black.
***
When Elizabeth awoke it was dark, though she couldn't tell if it was due to it being night or just the ill light of her surroundings. Slightly disoriented she reached out and grabbed at some straw littering the floor where she was lying, and that when it came back to her. The Isle of the Skull. The masked men. She sat bolt upright in fright before the rushing pain in her head forced her back into a crouched position. She touched the back of her head tentatively, but apart from a little dried blood there seemed to be no permanent damage.
Moving again, slowly this time she pulled her head up and began to take in her surroundings. She was in a jail cell, the little light that there was came from a small candle out side of the iron bars holding her captive. There was no window, only straw lined the concrete floor. She turned and looked helplessly at the piles of straw behind her before noticing something the made her holler in fright. Elizabeth, forgetting about the throbbing pain in her head for a moment shuffled backwards until her back was pressed against the iron bars.
A hand. There was human hand protruding from under the straw at the back of the cell. And it wasn't moving. Elizabeth had a strong feeling that whoever was attached to that hand was no longer living and she covered her mouth in an effort to stop the bile rising in her throat.
She had been too rash. She knew that now. Thinking she would be able to take these people on alone, bargain with them was ridiculous. Will had been right. Commodore Norrington had been right. Even Mr Gibbs had been right. And now she was stuck in a cell, most likely about to be killed herself, with a bloody hand.
Elizabeth sat there for a few minutes before moving again. If the hand belonged to Jack Sparrow…if he was dead… she should know, and she should make an escape plan and her way back to the Indomitable before tomorrow eve.
She crept forward on her hands and knees, and taking a deep breath, pulled back bunches of straw in a couple of fluid movements. Elizabeth yelped again in shock.
Sure enough, Captain Jack Sparrow was the one who belonged to the hand. But he was breathing, she could see that. It hadn't been the reason why Elizabeth had yelled out. Despite all that Gibb's had told her she had not been ready for the sight that confronted her. Jack's normally dark face and chest was covered in black purpling bruises. There was much she couldn't see, but needed little imagination to realize what they had done to him, the blood had seeped through his clothing, and even ripped in some cases. Blood caked in his hair and most prominent of all, a large cut ran slightly diagonal from the right side of his forehead to the back of the right side his jaw. Violating his face. They had mutilated him.
"Oh god…"
Gibb's had been right, Elizabeth thought angrily forgetting her own fear, these masked men were animals. Death would have been merciful than this. She put her hand on his but it felt so cold she recoiled. Captain Jack Sparrow was alive, but she wondered for how long. And for that matter, how she would ever get him out of this place if he did not wake?
"Jack" Elizabeth said softly, knowing it was in vain "Jack… Can you hear me?"
He didn't stir, and it was getting colder. Elizabeth set her jaw and pulled the straw back over him, leaving his face open. She then, pushing away thoughts of impropriety, took his hand in hers and lay down beside him, hoping that somehow the human warmth would bring his unconscious body some respite. Her other hand moved to her waist and she was pleasantly surprised to find the dagger Mr Gibbs had entrusted to her still in the folds of her ruined dress. She felt oddly stronger for it, though she knew what little protection it would bring her and the comatose Jack. If they were going to find a way out of this place they had to do it soon. Before Mr Gibbs sailed away, and before Barbossa, or the masked men, or whoever it was that had wanted them both here came back to claim their bounty.