Chapter 3
The ceremony was long and boring. Extremely long and boring. And very HOT. All the ladies were twittering their fans, but Elizabeth was a machine. Her face was pink and she breathed in short, quick breaths. I had no fan and proceeded to boil like an egg in a pot in the blinding sun.
Finally, the ceremony was done. Elizabeth and I stood in the shade, not very willing to venture near the edge of the wall and into the sun. But then Captain - sorry, Commodore - Norrington wanted to talk with Elizabeth, and dragged her to the edge of the wall. Bored and boiling, I walked over to the left side of the wall and stared dreamily at the Interceptor, the fastest ship in the Caribbean. Two British soldiers were near the wheel -my God, they must be cooked - and a dirty, strangely dressed man in a weird hat. I leaned over more to look closer.
SPLASH!
What the-? I wavered at the edge, my arms waving. I fell back on my butt, breathing hard. The Commodore looked around. I realized Elizabeth wasn't there. "Elizabeth?" he called, looking side-to-side. "Elizabeth?" He looked into the water and froze. "ELIZABETH!"
I ran over to his side. White water still disturbed the water, and I saw a patch of silk sinking to the bottom. I screamed. "ELIZABETH! ELIZABETH!" A soldier grabbed me around the waist and pulled me away before I could jump in. I fought tooth and nail, shrieking.
"It would've been a miracle is she missed the rocks!" another soldier cried. Then I realized I was weeping. I slumped in the soldier's arms and put my hands to my face, my sobs shaking my body.
"Commodore, to the docks!" someone yelled, and with that, the soldier released me and they all ran to the docks. I followed after them, skirting behind trees to stay out of the sun and their range of sight. The two soldiers beside the Interceptor stared at the water, and I realized that the other man was missing.
The water rippled, and I thought I heard a faint boom. The ground shook slightly and it suddenly gray clouds began to whip across the sky. I shivered and ran across the sand to the docks, hiding behind one of the pilings, close enough to hear but not to be seen.
The dirty man's head popped up from the water from where Elizabeth fell, gasping and choking. A dark head was with him. I held my breath as he went under again, all but eclipsed by the weight of her wet dress. I breathed again when he rose up again, this time without her dress. The two soldiers grabbed her arms and hoisted her on the docks. She didn't move, and I choked back a sob. The man snatched a knife from the inside of his boot, then reconsidered and simply ripped off a tight vest thing around her chest and waist. She immediately came back to life, choking and coughing up water. I whispered a prayer of thanks.
"Never would've thought of that," the fat soldier said.
"Obviously you've never been to Singapore," the man replied. Almost immediately, the Commodore and his men were beside her, and her father gathered her in his arms protectively, shielding her from him.
"Rise slowly," Norrington said quietly, his sword beneath the man's chin, and he obliged, his eyes staying on him.
"Commodore," Elizabeth gasped. "Are you going to imprison the man who saved my life?"
Norrington paused, staring at the man, then put his sword back in his sheath. He straightened up again and held out a hand. "Good job, then," he said. The other man looked at him strangely, then also held out his hand. The Commodore gripped his wrist and ripped open his sleeve. He smiled grimly at what he saw. "Associating with the Barbary pirates, aren't we?" he smirked, then shoved it up farther. "Well well well. If it isn't the infamous Jack Sparrow?"
"Captain.Jack Sparrow," he corrected, talking with his hands in such a fruity way that it made me smile. The Commodore was not, however, the least bit amused.
"And where are your loyal pirates?" he asked coldly. "I didn't notice your ship, either."
"I'm in the market," Captain Sparrow said sheepishly. I noticed that he had painted black ochre around his eyes, making them look even more dark and intense. I found myself staring at his face. It was tanned and leathery, but very smooth. His black-brown hair had beads and glass bits and a stick of ivory on the left side, along with other doodads. He seemed very cultured, very professional. I nearly slapped myself. He's a pirate! But he saved Elizabeth, and that's not very pirate-like. I continued watching the scene.
"Where are your accessories?" Norrington asked sharply.
"Oh, right here, sir," the fat soldier said, handing him a bundle of stuff. The other soldier, who was still holding the ripped corset, quickly hid it from view behind his back.
Norrington studied Sparrow's possessions. "A pistol with one bullet," he mused. "A compass that doesn't point north." He pulled the top of his sword from its sheath, and smiled grimly. "I'm surprised it isn't made of wood. You are, without a doubt, the worst pirate I've ever seen."
Jack seemed to take this lightly, but somehow I didn't really think so. Norrington had his hands clapped into chains. Elizabeth whirled in fury.
"This man saved my life," she spat.
"One good deed isn't enough to save a man with lifetime of piracy," Norrington said sternly.
"But apparently it's enough to condemn him," Sparrow piped up, and I smiled. Norrington nodded toward the soldier behind Sparrow, but before either could act, Sparrow raised the chains and brought them above Elizabeth's head and against her neck. She gasped and gripped them, fighting to be let go, and the soldiers aimed their rifles.
"Hold your fire!" Governor cried. "For God's sake, hold your fire!"
"Commodore," Sparrow said loudly. "My possessions?"
Wordlessly, he handed them to Elizabeth, who glared at him with fire in her eyes. If she could've, I think she would've slapped him across the face.
"Elizabeth, if you please?" he said smoothly.
"My name is Miss Turner," she said coldly, but shoved the hat over his bandana on his head anyway. Then she strapped his pouch around his waist and his sword around his trousers.
"Easy on the goods, love," he purred mockingly. She shoved his pistol near his legs and gave him the ultimate death glare. He pulled out his pistol and rested it at her temple. Then I realized I was standing up, in full view, and I ducked back down, my fingers itching to strangle him for threatening my friend.
He muttered something in her ear, then turned her around to face everyone else. "Gentlemen, lady," he said richly. "Today will be the day you will remember as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow." And with that, he shoved her into them, and her father held her near him again. Sparrow ran and grabbed a rope, kicking the metal wheel and flying into the air to the beam. He swung around on the rope a few times, hanging on for dear life.
"Will someone please shoot him now?" Governor said, exasperated.
"Fire at will!" Norrington shouted, and millions of pops went off, and powder flew. None of them hit Jack Sparrow. He hooked his chain around the rope, and slid down to the dock, immediately running as soon as his feet hit wood. They still shot at him as he ran across the stone bridge into town, and Norrington shouted, "Catch him! Catch him!" The soldiers ran off, their bayonets glinting in the fierce sun. HHHHHGHhhhe's
The ceremony was long and boring. Extremely long and boring. And very HOT. All the ladies were twittering their fans, but Elizabeth was a machine. Her face was pink and she breathed in short, quick breaths. I had no fan and proceeded to boil like an egg in a pot in the blinding sun.
Finally, the ceremony was done. Elizabeth and I stood in the shade, not very willing to venture near the edge of the wall and into the sun. But then Captain - sorry, Commodore - Norrington wanted to talk with Elizabeth, and dragged her to the edge of the wall. Bored and boiling, I walked over to the left side of the wall and stared dreamily at the Interceptor, the fastest ship in the Caribbean. Two British soldiers were near the wheel -my God, they must be cooked - and a dirty, strangely dressed man in a weird hat. I leaned over more to look closer.
SPLASH!
What the-? I wavered at the edge, my arms waving. I fell back on my butt, breathing hard. The Commodore looked around. I realized Elizabeth wasn't there. "Elizabeth?" he called, looking side-to-side. "Elizabeth?" He looked into the water and froze. "ELIZABETH!"
I ran over to his side. White water still disturbed the water, and I saw a patch of silk sinking to the bottom. I screamed. "ELIZABETH! ELIZABETH!" A soldier grabbed me around the waist and pulled me away before I could jump in. I fought tooth and nail, shrieking.
"It would've been a miracle is she missed the rocks!" another soldier cried. Then I realized I was weeping. I slumped in the soldier's arms and put my hands to my face, my sobs shaking my body.
"Commodore, to the docks!" someone yelled, and with that, the soldier released me and they all ran to the docks. I followed after them, skirting behind trees to stay out of the sun and their range of sight. The two soldiers beside the Interceptor stared at the water, and I realized that the other man was missing.
The water rippled, and I thought I heard a faint boom. The ground shook slightly and it suddenly gray clouds began to whip across the sky. I shivered and ran across the sand to the docks, hiding behind one of the pilings, close enough to hear but not to be seen.
The dirty man's head popped up from the water from where Elizabeth fell, gasping and choking. A dark head was with him. I held my breath as he went under again, all but eclipsed by the weight of her wet dress. I breathed again when he rose up again, this time without her dress. The two soldiers grabbed her arms and hoisted her on the docks. She didn't move, and I choked back a sob. The man snatched a knife from the inside of his boot, then reconsidered and simply ripped off a tight vest thing around her chest and waist. She immediately came back to life, choking and coughing up water. I whispered a prayer of thanks.
"Never would've thought of that," the fat soldier said.
"Obviously you've never been to Singapore," the man replied. Almost immediately, the Commodore and his men were beside her, and her father gathered her in his arms protectively, shielding her from him.
"Rise slowly," Norrington said quietly, his sword beneath the man's chin, and he obliged, his eyes staying on him.
"Commodore," Elizabeth gasped. "Are you going to imprison the man who saved my life?"
Norrington paused, staring at the man, then put his sword back in his sheath. He straightened up again and held out a hand. "Good job, then," he said. The other man looked at him strangely, then also held out his hand. The Commodore gripped his wrist and ripped open his sleeve. He smiled grimly at what he saw. "Associating with the Barbary pirates, aren't we?" he smirked, then shoved it up farther. "Well well well. If it isn't the infamous Jack Sparrow?"
"Captain.Jack Sparrow," he corrected, talking with his hands in such a fruity way that it made me smile. The Commodore was not, however, the least bit amused.
"And where are your loyal pirates?" he asked coldly. "I didn't notice your ship, either."
"I'm in the market," Captain Sparrow said sheepishly. I noticed that he had painted black ochre around his eyes, making them look even more dark and intense. I found myself staring at his face. It was tanned and leathery, but very smooth. His black-brown hair had beads and glass bits and a stick of ivory on the left side, along with other doodads. He seemed very cultured, very professional. I nearly slapped myself. He's a pirate! But he saved Elizabeth, and that's not very pirate-like. I continued watching the scene.
"Where are your accessories?" Norrington asked sharply.
"Oh, right here, sir," the fat soldier said, handing him a bundle of stuff. The other soldier, who was still holding the ripped corset, quickly hid it from view behind his back.
Norrington studied Sparrow's possessions. "A pistol with one bullet," he mused. "A compass that doesn't point north." He pulled the top of his sword from its sheath, and smiled grimly. "I'm surprised it isn't made of wood. You are, without a doubt, the worst pirate I've ever seen."
Jack seemed to take this lightly, but somehow I didn't really think so. Norrington had his hands clapped into chains. Elizabeth whirled in fury.
"This man saved my life," she spat.
"One good deed isn't enough to save a man with lifetime of piracy," Norrington said sternly.
"But apparently it's enough to condemn him," Sparrow piped up, and I smiled. Norrington nodded toward the soldier behind Sparrow, but before either could act, Sparrow raised the chains and brought them above Elizabeth's head and against her neck. She gasped and gripped them, fighting to be let go, and the soldiers aimed their rifles.
"Hold your fire!" Governor cried. "For God's sake, hold your fire!"
"Commodore," Sparrow said loudly. "My possessions?"
Wordlessly, he handed them to Elizabeth, who glared at him with fire in her eyes. If she could've, I think she would've slapped him across the face.
"Elizabeth, if you please?" he said smoothly.
"My name is Miss Turner," she said coldly, but shoved the hat over his bandana on his head anyway. Then she strapped his pouch around his waist and his sword around his trousers.
"Easy on the goods, love," he purred mockingly. She shoved his pistol near his legs and gave him the ultimate death glare. He pulled out his pistol and rested it at her temple. Then I realized I was standing up, in full view, and I ducked back down, my fingers itching to strangle him for threatening my friend.
He muttered something in her ear, then turned her around to face everyone else. "Gentlemen, lady," he said richly. "Today will be the day you will remember as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow." And with that, he shoved her into them, and her father held her near him again. Sparrow ran and grabbed a rope, kicking the metal wheel and flying into the air to the beam. He swung around on the rope a few times, hanging on for dear life.
"Will someone please shoot him now?" Governor said, exasperated.
"Fire at will!" Norrington shouted, and millions of pops went off, and powder flew. None of them hit Jack Sparrow. He hooked his chain around the rope, and slid down to the dock, immediately running as soon as his feet hit wood. They still shot at him as he ran across the stone bridge into town, and Norrington shouted, "Catch him! Catch him!" The soldiers ran off, their bayonets glinting in the fierce sun. HHHHHGHhhhe's