Chapter 26:
A/N: I just want to say a special thanks to Sarah who happened to catch a really big mistake. So just to let you know, where I had wrote: "He studied her reaction for a moment then rubbed the back of his fingers up and down her cheek. "Here, this is yours." Jack pulled his hand from her cheek and handed her something. "My necklace, thank you. I thought it turned to ash like everything else in the pub." She looked up at Jack her eyes elegant with their soft blue color." I had to change it because Salina already had the necklace; she had taken it back from the witch so. If you want to, and I do highly suggest, reread from that point on in the last chapter because I made one or two other changes that will affect this chapter. Thanks again, and enjoy!
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Earlier than afternoon:
Salina could feel a could damp cloth being pressed to her head and she struggled to open her eyes but they were so tired that they barely lifted. She felt a warm hand placed on hers, this hand was not of a man's; it was smaller and much daintier. Salina forced her eyes open and with great surprise found Cat sitting next to her on a bed.
"Where am I? What happened?" Salina posed in an exhausted voice.
"You fainted just outside of Sparrow's room. They heard the thump ran outside and brought you in here where I have been watching you on and off for two hours now."
"Two hours," Salina fought her way to sit up and leave but was pushed back down by Cat.
"You have to stay here Cap'n you're not well. I can tell by the dark circles under your eyes that you haven't been sleeping lately and you've exhausted yourself with all of this stress and backbreaking work. That's why you fainted and until you get a descent amount of rest you're going to stay in here and relax."
"Well look at you, I see you finally cleaned up and our ready to push your own crew around."
"I learned from the best, now get some rest I can't have a weak Cap'n charging into her death now can I?" Cat leaned down and kissed her forehead before standing to leave.
"Cat?" Cat shifted and looked down at Salina, "tell Jack I'm sorry for being so uptight lately, I'm just-."
"He knows," Cat smiled and opened the door to leave.
"Thank you."
"Was my pleasure," Cat left the room and walked out on to the deck.
It was a bright afternoon with many elegant colors floating in and out of the clouds. Cat walked up to the helm and greeted Jack.
"How is she?" He asked with the utter most concern.
"Salina is gaining her strength back, rather fast at that. But I seriously doubt she'll be able to fight tonight with the state of mind she's in."
"What do you mean? We only have four people aboard this ship and we need all of them to fight. Barbossa's crew is nearly five times bigger than ours; we definitely won't have a chance if Salina is out."
"Well we'll just have to go with surprise and strategy then, aye? You two could be a distraction I run down and unlock the our crew and we strom the ship. See it's not that hard."
"You've never seen Barbossa's crew, and why should me and Will be the distractions?"
"Because I was the distraction when we took this ship. But think it over Sparrow, I know the odds but we have to do something."
"What is it with you women and the 'we's' and 'Have to's'?"
"We except the responsibilities that we are given where as men do not," Cat remarked smartly before walking back onto the main deck and looking for Will.
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Elizabeth stood in the shadows of the hallway examining her thoughts intensely when Barbossa and Henry Shaw, one of the crewmembers, entered the hallway. She pressed herself further against the wall and steadied her breathing so that she was not noticed.
"When we have Salina and Jack in our grasp kill Mrs. Turner and her lovely husband too. I want none of them to survive except Salina and Jack whom I have my own little plan for." Barbossa said eagerly.
"Sir, if ye don't mind me askin', why must we be killing the girl? I know she's trouble but once tamed she'd make a fine slave."
"I want them all dead, because that is what they want of me. They are our enemies and as such they must be destroyed, is that understood Mr. Shaw?"
"Aye sir."
"Good now get back to your duties Mr. Shaw." The man nodded and ran back up the steps onto the deck.
Barbossa started his walk in the opposite direction so Elizabeth quietly opened the door next to her and slid in, making sure to be just as quiet when she shut it. She ducked herself in a small corner beside the door to hide herself in case Barbossa happened to snoop around for her.
It had taken her a moment to realize what room she was in, but when the light passed through the cracks in the wood sides she knew she was in the Brigg.
"Oy! You come in here to harass us again bout' our deaths, ave' you?"
Elizabeth looked into the barred cage and saw Ana-Maria starring up at her, not even with the slightest clue that the person in the corner was Elizabeth. "Ana? Ana-Maria it's me Elizabeth." She took a few steps down and onto the floor in front of Ana.
"Mrs. Turner? Nah! She's a dead one she is!" It was evident that Ana's state of mind was not in good shape so she turned to Gibbs, whom she had to shake fiercely to wake.
"Gibbs? GIBBS? You bloody oaf wake up!" Elizabeth scraped her arm on the bars as she shook him awake.
"Who are you calling a bloody oaf?' He smiled and moved closer to look at her, "bless the stars it really is you. They haven't killed you yet? Why have they spared you? Have they mistreated you?"
"Gibbs, please slow down. No they haven't mistreated me. They need me alive and well to lure Jack and Salina here."
"Well why do they believe that will work? I mean it would work for Will, but no offense Jack hasn't been known to just going around and saving people unless he had been persuaded by the right-."
"Person," Elizabeth spoke solemnly.
"Salina? She knows better than this, she's got to know it's a trap."
"Does she? She left me alone before to save my life, why shouldn't she do it again. Maybe she really believes if she gives herself up that they'll set me free."
Gibbs rubbed his head, "Oh Salina, you were always so naive."
"They will kill me, I heard them talking about it before and she will come, as is her way so I've heard. Perhaps that's what makes her strong, because she believes that she can always come through."
Just then the door burst open, Barbossa and several other men poured into the room. "Well Mrs. Turner, fancy seeing you here."
Elizabeth stood and starred straight at the vile Captain, "I was giving my last goodbyes before I was sent to my death. Don't want to be leaving on a bad note now do I?"
Two of Barbossa's crew grabbed Beth and dragged her out of the room. They had a hold of her hair and arms as she squirmed about trying her best to get free. Babrossa trailed with a wide smile across his face.
"Any of you so much as make a noise and I'll have your guts for garters," yelled Rigetti. He looked around at the crew shackled in the cells and then slammed the door shut as he left, standing guard of the door so that no one else may enter.
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Elizabeth was bound to a chair; she looked around the room spotting two 'guards' with their pistols and cutlasses ready at the first sight of a struggle. Barbossa came towards slapping his hand to her face. Beth's hair flew as her head was forced to the side. Blood dripped from her lip as Barbossa grabbed her jaw and forced him to look at her.
"You are mine until your death, no exceptions. I'm through listening to your hopeless blabber, you will now obey my rule."
Elizabeth pulled her face from his grip and spoke in a boisterous tone, "This is not your ship nor am I your slave therefore you have no right to govern me!" She spit in his face.
He retorted by slapping her more viciously this time sending her and the chair crashing to the floor. The chair broke into several pieces allowing Elizabeth to be free for a moment's time when she picked up a small piece of splintered wood, which she held secretly in her hands.
Barbossa lifted her from the floor by her rope bound hands. She threw her head back as she was lifted, the blood now drying on her chin. "You won't live very long,' she stated in a hesitant voice.
"We shall see." He turned to the other men in the room, "take her back to her room, keep the door locked, one man to guard the inside one to guard the outside."
They nodded simultaneously and watched as the woman was tossed on the floor by their feet. She winced in pain as the gabbed her from the ground and dragged her down the hallway.
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The sun had set and the deck of the Pearl had become deathly silent. Will stood at the helm steering the ship around the miniature island in the middle of the sea.
"We'll get her back," emerged a voice from bellow. Cat leaned on the rail watching William's discontent.
He didn't answer her, just ducked his head to his chest and then raised it once again to look out at the small landmass in front of them.
Cat walked up the steps slowly to the helm watching his worried eyes the whole time, "Will, she'll be fine. From what I know of her she's a very strong lass and can manage herself."
Again no answer came from him, his grave expression concerned Cat. She bit her lip hastily, peeling away the dead and dry skin. "Everything is ready but I suppose I'll check it again, don't want to slip up now do we?" She gave a slight smile before turning to walk away.
"Where's Jack?"
Cat turned around and looked at the sadden man who was not starring at her, awaiting her reply. "He's in his quarters watching over Salina."
"Good, he should be there."
"I agree, I just hope he'll have his mind on the fight when we catch up with Barbossa."
"Don't worry he will."
"I hope so." Cat glanced down at the floor brushing her hair behind her ear as she did so. "I suppose we've all been under a lot of stress, but it seems to show up Salina the most. You know she'll fight right?" Will eyed her for a moment, "But the question is will she come out of it alive? And if she does will Elizabeth be alive?" Cat lowered her eyes and left Will to his thinking, but she was stopped in the middle of her step as a cannon ball flew through the air and hit the side of the ship.
~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~
At the sound of the warning fire Elizabeth launched her plan. "You there! Guard!" She shouted to the man on the opposite side of room, "Want to see a neat trick?"
The pirate walked over to her and when he was close enough her leg flew up knocking him in the groin, he collapsed to the floor in pain. Elizabeth pulled herself from the chair she was placed on and grabbed the dagger from his boot she sliced away at the ropes.
The man hurled himself at her and ended up receiving a blow from the wooden chair. Elizabeth stood a little shaken by her own viciousness and slowly opened the door, "Billy I told you you're supposed-." The other guard turned right into her dagger, which was plunged deep into his stomach.
Elizabeth pulled the blade out and watched the limp corpse fall to the floor. She ran down the hallway only to be stopped by Barbossa yanking her back by her hair, "And where might you be off to young Mrs. Turner? I do believe you still have to fulfill your end of the bargon so why don't you come with me." Barbossa pulled her up the steps and onto the deck.
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Cat stumbled back up to the helm and watched as Jack ran from his quarters and peered over the side to look at the blow the cannon had inflicted upon the ship. There was a huge gash to the side that would need repairing almost instantly.
Jack grabbed out his spyglass and peered through it searching up and down the opposing ship looking for any sign of Elizabeth. What he found shocked him.
"What is it Jack?" Will gripped the wheel as he peered down at his Captain.
Jack pulled the lens from his eye and looked over the ship. He came to the conclusion that there was really only one way to tell Will, "Your wife's not going to make it out of this alive."
Will looked at him questionably, "What did you see Jack?"
"They have her on top the mast, a noose around her neck. Here see for yourself," Jack tossed the spyglass to Will who hesitated to look through it.
Salina sat leaning up against the door listening in to the commotion out on the deck ever since the cannon ball hit. Her heart pound with fear and angst, for the first time in her life she was terrified, she did not conceive a way of retrieving Beth from that ship but knew she had to find one for Will's sake.
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A/N: Next chapter to be up tomorrow! It will be the battle; yes I know that's what you were waiting for! Well I hope you can hold out one more day! Until tomorrow, TA! And thank you for all the reviews, keep em' up! Thanks!
A/N: I just want to say a special thanks to Sarah who happened to catch a really big mistake. So just to let you know, where I had wrote: "He studied her reaction for a moment then rubbed the back of his fingers up and down her cheek. "Here, this is yours." Jack pulled his hand from her cheek and handed her something. "My necklace, thank you. I thought it turned to ash like everything else in the pub." She looked up at Jack her eyes elegant with their soft blue color." I had to change it because Salina already had the necklace; she had taken it back from the witch so. If you want to, and I do highly suggest, reread from that point on in the last chapter because I made one or two other changes that will affect this chapter. Thanks again, and enjoy!
~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~
Earlier than afternoon:
Salina could feel a could damp cloth being pressed to her head and she struggled to open her eyes but they were so tired that they barely lifted. She felt a warm hand placed on hers, this hand was not of a man's; it was smaller and much daintier. Salina forced her eyes open and with great surprise found Cat sitting next to her on a bed.
"Where am I? What happened?" Salina posed in an exhausted voice.
"You fainted just outside of Sparrow's room. They heard the thump ran outside and brought you in here where I have been watching you on and off for two hours now."
"Two hours," Salina fought her way to sit up and leave but was pushed back down by Cat.
"You have to stay here Cap'n you're not well. I can tell by the dark circles under your eyes that you haven't been sleeping lately and you've exhausted yourself with all of this stress and backbreaking work. That's why you fainted and until you get a descent amount of rest you're going to stay in here and relax."
"Well look at you, I see you finally cleaned up and our ready to push your own crew around."
"I learned from the best, now get some rest I can't have a weak Cap'n charging into her death now can I?" Cat leaned down and kissed her forehead before standing to leave.
"Cat?" Cat shifted and looked down at Salina, "tell Jack I'm sorry for being so uptight lately, I'm just-."
"He knows," Cat smiled and opened the door to leave.
"Thank you."
"Was my pleasure," Cat left the room and walked out on to the deck.
It was a bright afternoon with many elegant colors floating in and out of the clouds. Cat walked up to the helm and greeted Jack.
"How is she?" He asked with the utter most concern.
"Salina is gaining her strength back, rather fast at that. But I seriously doubt she'll be able to fight tonight with the state of mind she's in."
"What do you mean? We only have four people aboard this ship and we need all of them to fight. Barbossa's crew is nearly five times bigger than ours; we definitely won't have a chance if Salina is out."
"Well we'll just have to go with surprise and strategy then, aye? You two could be a distraction I run down and unlock the our crew and we strom the ship. See it's not that hard."
"You've never seen Barbossa's crew, and why should me and Will be the distractions?"
"Because I was the distraction when we took this ship. But think it over Sparrow, I know the odds but we have to do something."
"What is it with you women and the 'we's' and 'Have to's'?"
"We except the responsibilities that we are given where as men do not," Cat remarked smartly before walking back onto the main deck and looking for Will.
~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~
Elizabeth stood in the shadows of the hallway examining her thoughts intensely when Barbossa and Henry Shaw, one of the crewmembers, entered the hallway. She pressed herself further against the wall and steadied her breathing so that she was not noticed.
"When we have Salina and Jack in our grasp kill Mrs. Turner and her lovely husband too. I want none of them to survive except Salina and Jack whom I have my own little plan for." Barbossa said eagerly.
"Sir, if ye don't mind me askin', why must we be killing the girl? I know she's trouble but once tamed she'd make a fine slave."
"I want them all dead, because that is what they want of me. They are our enemies and as such they must be destroyed, is that understood Mr. Shaw?"
"Aye sir."
"Good now get back to your duties Mr. Shaw." The man nodded and ran back up the steps onto the deck.
Barbossa started his walk in the opposite direction so Elizabeth quietly opened the door next to her and slid in, making sure to be just as quiet when she shut it. She ducked herself in a small corner beside the door to hide herself in case Barbossa happened to snoop around for her.
It had taken her a moment to realize what room she was in, but when the light passed through the cracks in the wood sides she knew she was in the Brigg.
"Oy! You come in here to harass us again bout' our deaths, ave' you?"
Elizabeth looked into the barred cage and saw Ana-Maria starring up at her, not even with the slightest clue that the person in the corner was Elizabeth. "Ana? Ana-Maria it's me Elizabeth." She took a few steps down and onto the floor in front of Ana.
"Mrs. Turner? Nah! She's a dead one she is!" It was evident that Ana's state of mind was not in good shape so she turned to Gibbs, whom she had to shake fiercely to wake.
"Gibbs? GIBBS? You bloody oaf wake up!" Elizabeth scraped her arm on the bars as she shook him awake.
"Who are you calling a bloody oaf?' He smiled and moved closer to look at her, "bless the stars it really is you. They haven't killed you yet? Why have they spared you? Have they mistreated you?"
"Gibbs, please slow down. No they haven't mistreated me. They need me alive and well to lure Jack and Salina here."
"Well why do they believe that will work? I mean it would work for Will, but no offense Jack hasn't been known to just going around and saving people unless he had been persuaded by the right-."
"Person," Elizabeth spoke solemnly.
"Salina? She knows better than this, she's got to know it's a trap."
"Does she? She left me alone before to save my life, why shouldn't she do it again. Maybe she really believes if she gives herself up that they'll set me free."
Gibbs rubbed his head, "Oh Salina, you were always so naive."
"They will kill me, I heard them talking about it before and she will come, as is her way so I've heard. Perhaps that's what makes her strong, because she believes that she can always come through."
Just then the door burst open, Barbossa and several other men poured into the room. "Well Mrs. Turner, fancy seeing you here."
Elizabeth stood and starred straight at the vile Captain, "I was giving my last goodbyes before I was sent to my death. Don't want to be leaving on a bad note now do I?"
Two of Barbossa's crew grabbed Beth and dragged her out of the room. They had a hold of her hair and arms as she squirmed about trying her best to get free. Babrossa trailed with a wide smile across his face.
"Any of you so much as make a noise and I'll have your guts for garters," yelled Rigetti. He looked around at the crew shackled in the cells and then slammed the door shut as he left, standing guard of the door so that no one else may enter.
~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~
Elizabeth was bound to a chair; she looked around the room spotting two 'guards' with their pistols and cutlasses ready at the first sight of a struggle. Barbossa came towards slapping his hand to her face. Beth's hair flew as her head was forced to the side. Blood dripped from her lip as Barbossa grabbed her jaw and forced him to look at her.
"You are mine until your death, no exceptions. I'm through listening to your hopeless blabber, you will now obey my rule."
Elizabeth pulled her face from his grip and spoke in a boisterous tone, "This is not your ship nor am I your slave therefore you have no right to govern me!" She spit in his face.
He retorted by slapping her more viciously this time sending her and the chair crashing to the floor. The chair broke into several pieces allowing Elizabeth to be free for a moment's time when she picked up a small piece of splintered wood, which she held secretly in her hands.
Barbossa lifted her from the floor by her rope bound hands. She threw her head back as she was lifted, the blood now drying on her chin. "You won't live very long,' she stated in a hesitant voice.
"We shall see." He turned to the other men in the room, "take her back to her room, keep the door locked, one man to guard the inside one to guard the outside."
They nodded simultaneously and watched as the woman was tossed on the floor by their feet. She winced in pain as the gabbed her from the ground and dragged her down the hallway.
~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~
The sun had set and the deck of the Pearl had become deathly silent. Will stood at the helm steering the ship around the miniature island in the middle of the sea.
"We'll get her back," emerged a voice from bellow. Cat leaned on the rail watching William's discontent.
He didn't answer her, just ducked his head to his chest and then raised it once again to look out at the small landmass in front of them.
Cat walked up the steps slowly to the helm watching his worried eyes the whole time, "Will, she'll be fine. From what I know of her she's a very strong lass and can manage herself."
Again no answer came from him, his grave expression concerned Cat. She bit her lip hastily, peeling away the dead and dry skin. "Everything is ready but I suppose I'll check it again, don't want to slip up now do we?" She gave a slight smile before turning to walk away.
"Where's Jack?"
Cat turned around and looked at the sadden man who was not starring at her, awaiting her reply. "He's in his quarters watching over Salina."
"Good, he should be there."
"I agree, I just hope he'll have his mind on the fight when we catch up with Barbossa."
"Don't worry he will."
"I hope so." Cat glanced down at the floor brushing her hair behind her ear as she did so. "I suppose we've all been under a lot of stress, but it seems to show up Salina the most. You know she'll fight right?" Will eyed her for a moment, "But the question is will she come out of it alive? And if she does will Elizabeth be alive?" Cat lowered her eyes and left Will to his thinking, but she was stopped in the middle of her step as a cannon ball flew through the air and hit the side of the ship.
~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~
At the sound of the warning fire Elizabeth launched her plan. "You there! Guard!" She shouted to the man on the opposite side of room, "Want to see a neat trick?"
The pirate walked over to her and when he was close enough her leg flew up knocking him in the groin, he collapsed to the floor in pain. Elizabeth pulled herself from the chair she was placed on and grabbed the dagger from his boot she sliced away at the ropes.
The man hurled himself at her and ended up receiving a blow from the wooden chair. Elizabeth stood a little shaken by her own viciousness and slowly opened the door, "Billy I told you you're supposed-." The other guard turned right into her dagger, which was plunged deep into his stomach.
Elizabeth pulled the blade out and watched the limp corpse fall to the floor. She ran down the hallway only to be stopped by Barbossa yanking her back by her hair, "And where might you be off to young Mrs. Turner? I do believe you still have to fulfill your end of the bargon so why don't you come with me." Barbossa pulled her up the steps and onto the deck.
~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~
Cat stumbled back up to the helm and watched as Jack ran from his quarters and peered over the side to look at the blow the cannon had inflicted upon the ship. There was a huge gash to the side that would need repairing almost instantly.
Jack grabbed out his spyglass and peered through it searching up and down the opposing ship looking for any sign of Elizabeth. What he found shocked him.
"What is it Jack?" Will gripped the wheel as he peered down at his Captain.
Jack pulled the lens from his eye and looked over the ship. He came to the conclusion that there was really only one way to tell Will, "Your wife's not going to make it out of this alive."
Will looked at him questionably, "What did you see Jack?"
"They have her on top the mast, a noose around her neck. Here see for yourself," Jack tossed the spyglass to Will who hesitated to look through it.
Salina sat leaning up against the door listening in to the commotion out on the deck ever since the cannon ball hit. Her heart pound with fear and angst, for the first time in her life she was terrified, she did not conceive a way of retrieving Beth from that ship but knew she had to find one for Will's sake.
~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~
A/N: Next chapter to be up tomorrow! It will be the battle; yes I know that's what you were waiting for! Well I hope you can hold out one more day! Until tomorrow, TA! And thank you for all the reviews, keep em' up! Thanks!