This is a relatively long chapter. Nothing much to say. The purpose of this was simply to add characters. I switch POV's a lot so bear with me. Thanks.
Review replies are at the end of the chapter, on with the show!
-SQ
***
Anamaria eyed the ship that pursued them with a weary gaze. In all her life at sea she had never known a ship to chase with such fervour. They had been going full-tilt since midnight. Now, as dawn broke, she could make out the Union Jack where it flew valiantly, high upon the mast. Not that it really mattered. Any ship at all, whether pirate or otherwise, would not be likely as allies.
She cursed under her breath. Damn Sparrow, if only the eajet could keep his mind on commanding the ship, they might've had a chance to outrun them at first. Now it was too late.
Now it was a waiting game.
A slow, tedious, painful waiting game.
***
"Please, Liam, I'm begging you!" Emmaleanna pleaded. "Don't bother the Imprintor. Leave them to their own devices!"
He looked at her longingly, the same way he had for every day the past week that she'd been aboard. "I wish it were that simple, Emm. I would, you know I would! But it was my men who spotted the ship. If even one of them reports that I failed to pursue her, I could be hanged- and you could be…" He shuddered at the thought of anyone harming her. "You could be hurt."
She wrung her hands desperately. "There has to be another way!"
He pulled her over to sit next to him. She buried her face in his coarse brown hair, remembering how much she had missed this. It had been so long, she had thought he was dead. She had hated the sea for taking him from her, and now the sea had reunited them. He hadn't died. Shipwreck hadn't killed him. He was back with her. If only he wasn't a naval captain. "Liam," She said quietly. "I know how you get around my brother." She closed her eyes as memories flooded back. Memories of Jack and Liam, and their perpetual arguments. Jack was overprotective, and Liam was a hopeless romantic. "I know he was trying to tear us apart, but can you please look past it for once? Please just promise me you wont hurt him- or sentence him to any sort of hurt. Please?"
Liam struggled inwardly with this newfound anger that the lifting of his amnesia had brought. He wondered how he'd ever forgotten Emmaleanna. She was so beautiful, so kind-hearted. They had been affianced, before his shipwreck. He had been on his way to her. This burning, lethal, murderous anger at Jack for his constantly trying to sabotage their relationship was hard to disguise. He smiled weakly. "I wont. But for your sake- not for his."
"Thank you." She breathed, nuzzling at the crook of his neck.
"Sir!" An officer entered. "We're preparing to alongside Sparrows ship." He paused to stare at Emmaleanna for a moment. "Jack Sparrow, that is."
Liam nodded and waved the boy away. "Will Jack fire on us do you think?"
She paused. "Not id he knows I'm here. We've got to get up on deck."
***
Through his telescope, Jack studied the crew of the opposing ship. Lets see now, he thought, assessing their combat abilities, a few cabin boys, royal navy officers, nothing I cant handle. Ah ha! There's the captain now. He seemed vaguely familiar. Standing beside him was a tall, brown-haired woman in a green dress.
Jack dropped the telescope stupidly, cursing creatively under his breath. What in God's name was she doing there? Hadn't he always told her that the ocean was too dangerous for her? What did she thing she was doing?
"Captain?" Meryl asked from behind him. "Is something wrong?"
He turned to face her. "Tell the crew to load the guns but not fire a shot until I personally give the order."
She frowned, but swallowed her confusion and obediently related the order over to Anamaria, who took it badly, to say the least.
"Are you daft? We're not going to fire on them?"
He turned away from her to face the ship that was now in plain view, lining up port-to-starboard beside them. "We're not going to fire on them. They have Emmaleanna." Everyone but Meryl seemed to understand this as stated. The crew leaned on the port railing, waiting to be boarded, under strict orders to do nothing.
***
A gangplank was drawn up between the two ships. The crew of the Imprintor was herded over to Liam's ship without any trouble, save for a few profane mutterings from Meryl. Jack quieted her, glared at Liam, then turned his attentions to his sister.
"What in bloody hell are you doing out here on the ocean with the likes of him?" He emphasized his last word with a feeling of disgust.
Liam turned to him, scowling. "Shut your bloody twisted mouth."
Jack raised his hands innocently, though anyone could detect the patronizing glimmer in his dark eyes. "My sincerest apologies. In future I promise I will try to be more understanding when you kidnap my sister and use her as a shield that you might exterminate what one man now remains of her family."
Emmaleanna could see Liam clenching his fists, anger causing him to shake. She slid her hands around his neck tenderly, massaging him with her long, slender fingers. "Liam you promised me."
"I promised, I know." She felt his muscles relax at her touch. "I wouldn't break a promised to you." She kissed him softly, ignoring the fact that both ship's crews were watching.
Jack looked daggers at Liam, muttering foul oaths under his breath. The latter glared at him. "Five years and you still know how to make a complete jackass of yourself, Jack." Liam said snidely. "Some things never change."
Jack lashed out at him, and Liam was all to quick to in return let his anger out and his fists fly. Both crews took action, dragging their captains away from each other. Emmaleanna stood between them, facing Jack and yelling at him.
"Its your fault! Bloody hell, Jack, who are you to tell me who I can and cannot marry- I've seen you all of one week in the last five years. This is just like before Liam went MIA on me, except now it shouldn't matter anymore what grudge made you such an ass! Stop trying to come between us- we're in love!" She paused to take a breath. "Do me a favour- never come near me again!"
She took the liberty of punching him in the gut before storming away into Liam's arms. She kissed him passionately, more to spite Jack than anything else. She stroked his face where Jack had punched him, kissing him gently to ease the pain.
Five years ago Liam had asked her to marry him. But for whatever reason, Jack had thought it was a horrible match and had done everything in his power to stop them from loving each other, though in the end it had been a shipwreck, not Jacks treachery, that had torn them apart. It was an act of God that had ended their love.
But not quite.
Liam survived the shipwreck, along with two others. He found a job in the Royal Navy, worked his way up the ranks, and was one day given the order to capture the lady Emmaleanna Sparrow. After his shipwreck, Liam could remember only fragments of his past life. Emmaleanna was not amongst them. But hearing her speak his name brought it all back, and then some.
He remembered his old feud with Jack as if it were yesterday, and his love for Emmaleanna was even stronger than before.
That evening, with the Imprintor's crew locked away in the brig or confined to a room on the Imprintor, guarded, as if in a cell, Emmaleanna sat leaning her head on Liam's shoulder in the captain's quarters.
She sighed. "I remember when Jack told me you were dead- I didn't believe him. I didn't believe anyone until Father Emmett told me." Liam's arms pulled her closer to him. "I cried for you for so long. And now-" She smiled up at him, nuzzling closer to him. "Now we're together again."
"I know I've asked you this before, but I guess this constitutes a start over, so I'll ask again." He paused to push a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Will you marry me, Emm?"
She locked lips with him for a moment. "You don't have to ask, Liam. I love you. I always did." She paused, brow furrowed in thought. "Tell me you're not going to turn my brother in."
"I told you I wouldn't, didn't I?" He bit back the anger that surged through him whenever he thought of Jack. "I'll see to it that they manage some daring escape, inexplicable to me."
She giggled. "Thank you."
"Anything you ask, Emm."
"I really appreciate what you're doing for my brother, Liam" Emmaleanna said, sighing. He really was wonderful.
"I've already told you, Emm," He said, stroking her tanned cheek. "It's not for him, it's for you."
***
Review Replies-
Elentari II-
Well, I hope you have a nice two weeks wherever you're going. Yeah, spelling… *sigh* only the computer. I'm an awful typist, but my spelling is fine on paper. Oh well. Thanks for the review, glad you liked the twist.
Alice-
I know what you're trying to say, but replying is something I do only when I get writers block, so it just helps me focus again. Nothing more. Yeah, this story was based on my first fanfic, so it's a lot like a soap opera. (I usually write plots- I swear!)
I brought Emmaleanna in with the other characters so they're united now. That solves that. Good idea about the 'competition' thing- definitely some of that coming. Thanks for the review!
Erin Richards-
Well now you can know. This chapter is mostly just establishing Liam.
FencingBabe7-
I hate when computers act like that. Poor you. There are another two male characters coming- one historical, one whose name I stole from Mozart, but both are what you're thinking of. Liam was just to balance off, and because I wanted to put a Domi fight in my story. Go Leafs go! *dances with joy* Playoffs! Hooray! Stanley is ours. Back to topic here, I feel honoured that you thought of nothing to criticize. Yay!
JackSparrowluva-
I'm going to write a nice little spin-off story for Aletté- there is hope (more than just hope actually!) for Aletté/Will yet! *whispers* Between you and me, I really don't like Morgan much either, but there is more to consider here than just likes/dislikes. Just hang on there, you'll get to see a very funny twist in which Jack accidentally confuses two pretty black-haired girls whom we all know well. *claps hand over mouth* will say no more.
PLEASE REVIEW! Even one-liners are more than welcome (along with constructive crit- as always!)
-SQ
