Usual disclaimers. humbug!
***
Will had been eating his dinner in the kitchen with Elizabeth and the two older children when both doors burst inwards simultaneously - Eilis through one door screaming about Kitty and soldiers through the back door. He rose to find himself facing a loaded rifle, the bayonet mere inches from his face. "Sit Turner!" the marine ordered. "This does not concern you!" A further six marines ploughed through the kitchen door, two heading towards the front door.
"What is going on?" Will demanded. "How dare you burst in here and scare the children!"
"They're hurting Kitty!" Eilis sobbed, clinging to him as they heard a woman's scream of agony - Kitty's scream.
"What?" Elizabeth gasped, a second aimed rifle swung towards her, ensuring that she remained seated.
"Just arresting a few pirates Mistress Turner," the Sergeant smiled. "Governor's orders - nothing to worry yourself about..." He looked towards the front door one of the two men returned. "Thank you for your co- operation..."
"Get out of my house!" Will threatened, pushing the bayonet blade away. He glared as the man bowed sarcastically and turned to leave, the broken door swinging as they passed.
"Eilis!" Elizabeth crouched down in front of her, speaking urgently. "Eilis love, what happened?"
"The soldiers hurt Kitty..." she sobbed, her voice nearly incoherent as she cried.
"And Jack?" Will asked worriedly.
"Jack wasn't there..." Eilis said, tears streaming down her face.
"Who..." Will pressed, knowing that if Jack had not been taken then there was always hope.
"Gibbs, Mallory, Gibson, Kree and Brown." Eilis loved all the pirates knew all of their names from when she had been onboard. "Why did the soldiers hurt them?" she asked, confused for Will and Elizabeth had always taught her to respect and obey the marines.
Everyone in the house jumped at the sound of cannons firing from the fort. Will listened carefully, relieved to hear the Black Pearl respond. "Go Jack!" he urged, before turning to his wife. "Elizabeth, bar the back door as best you can. I'm going to see what I can discover." He rose, strapping on his sword. "Whatever happens - do not go out!" he warned as he dashed out the front door.
***
Catherine came around slowly, her face against some rough fabric that she eventually focused on as Gibb's leg. She groaned in pain, wondering why she hurt so much.
"Kitty - you're awake!" he gasped. "Don't move! Mallory, Gibson - help me with her." Gently they eased her upright, leaning her against the wall.
Catherine frowned, trying to focus on Joshamee, but the world kept going hazy. She put her hands to her head, shutting her eyes at the pain that seemed to encompass the whole of her body. "I..." she began but stopped, staring in confusion at the blood on her hands.
"Stay still Kitty," Joshamee warned. "The bastards broke your leg as well as nearly splitting your head open... take it easy..." Catherine glanced down at her leg, finally connecting the pain with the sight before her. "At least they gave us some splints... even if no bandages." he apologised gruffly.
Catherine looked again at her leg, realising that several of the crew were shirtless, having torn their shirts into strips in order to try to fix the splint properly. "What happens now?" she asked quietly, wincing at the pain in her head as she spoke.
"They'll probably hang us," Joshamee admitted, sighing heavily. "Although it would be nice to know what for..." He turned, hearing the heavy door at the top of the cells being opened.
"Perhaps we are about to find out..." she suggested, unsurprised to see Governor Spense flanked by a number of marines descend the stairs.
"Spense," she sneered, determined not to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much she hurt. She was surprised to see the shocked face of Murtogg amongst those guarding the Governor.
"That is Governor Spense to pirate scum like you..." Thomas Spense corrected.
"An' that is privateer to double-crossing bastards like you!" she replied, determined to defend the crew even if all she wanted to do was cry. "Why did your men attack us?" she demanded.
"Because you broke your privateer status when you took an English ship." He smiled condescendingly. "Which makes you pirates, which means you will hang." He watched, waiting for some response other than the determined glare that faced him. Eventually, when he realised he was to be disappointed, he continued. "Unfortunately being civilised people, unlike yourselves, we will have to wait to hang you until you leg heals, can't have a cripple going to the gallows after all." He chuckled at his attempt at humour, a few of the guards joining in but not all. "But believe me, you will be well enough to watch your men hang this evening..."
"We've taken no English ship!" she argued, wishing her head did not hurt so much.
"I have a sworn statement that disputes that," he smiled. "And I know which I believe..." His eyes glinted with triumph.
"It is a lie!" she protested. "You know we've been searching for Mary and her lover! But this is what all this is about - isn't it?" She looked at him in disgust as she slowly realised he knew the charges to be false.
"Enjoy your stay pirate." He smiled as he turned to leave, stopping at the bottom step. "In a few months time it will be your turn."
"He'll kill you!" she shouted as he disappeared. "You'll never escape from Jack!" The door shut with a clang, a finality that sounded like a death- knell to her ears. Catherine put her head in her hands and wept. "Oh Jack..." she whispered.
Joshamee Gibbs put his arms around her, hugging her and kissing her gently on the head. "He'll come for you Kitty, never fear... even if he has to level Port Royal to get to you..." he comforted.
"Did Lonan..." Catherine looked up at him in hope.
"I think Kree made it," he answered reassuringly. "I heard the Pearl's guns fire as they were bringing us here. Jack knows, trust me..." he smiled.
"But..." she protested.
"So right now you've got two of the sneakiest pirate Captains and the best crew in the Caribbean figuring out how to get in here... okay?" He looked at her worrying for she was clearly in a great deal of pain from both her head and her broken leg.
"I'm scared Joshamee," she admitted quietly.
"I guess we all are in our own ways," Joshamee confessed. "But if we go to the gallows then we will go with dignity Kitty. Everyone has to die some when, I guess today looks like it is our day..." He squeezed her gently. "Remember you are crew Kitty - don't give him any satisfaction..."
She nodded, sniffing. "I'll try," she promised.
***
Will ran down towards the docks, noting that a small trader had set sail before he spotted the Black Pearl, relieved to see her well out of the range of the cannons at the Fort and heading towards open water. He slowly turned, walking back towards his house but stopped on hearing his name.
"Will! Stop!" the voice called behind him. He turned back towards the docks, surprised to see Nate Burns rushing towards him. "Will! What is going on? Why is the Black Pearl firing on Port Royal?"
Will sighed heavily. "They were firing on the Fort, not the town," he explained. "And it is because Kitty and some of the crew have just been forcefully arrested. Hell, they even burst through my house to get at them!" He went silent as he noticed a marine walking towards them, a bundle of papers and a hammer in his hand. Will's hand went to his sword, but the marine ignored him, walking across to Nate's inn and hammering one of the papers onto the door.
Once he had walked on Will and Nate wandered across to the notice. "Perhaps now we will discover what is behind this?" Will ventured, his eyes widening as he read the notice. "Pirates!" he gasped. "No way!"
"It says they broke their privateer status by taking an English ship," Nate frowned.
"Do you think Jack would have returned here, let alone have sent Kitty to our house if they had done so? Do you honestly think he would have put her in any danger?" Will argued, not caring about the curious stares he received due to his raised voice.
"They are going to hang them!" Nate looked at Will in shock.
Will went white. "Nate, go to my house and tell Elizabeth I will be late..."
"Where are you going?" Nate asked as Will turned and ran in the opposite direction to the fort.
"You don't need to know!" he shouted as he continued running. He knew Jack would not have gone far and knew that if he ran he could reach the hidden cove within just over an hour.
"Will!" He skidded to a halt surprised to see Murtogg running behind him. "Will, I've got to speak with you!" he wheezed trying to catch his breath. "The Governor... he's going to hang them!"
"I know, I have to..." he began.
"Look, I don't need to know where you are going and what you are doing. In fact, it is probably best I don't know." He looked worriedly at Will. "He is going to hang them at dusk!"
"But..." Will cast a panicked eye to the sky, realising it was already early evening. "Kitty?" he asked horrified.
Murtogg shook his head. "She was pretty badly beaten - her face was covered in blood..." he explained. "I was in the party that went down with Spense and he said something about waiting a month or so for her leg to heal." He looked at Will in hope. "Jack will be too late to save the men, but hopefully he can do something for Kitty... too many of the guards are in the Governor's pockets for us to be able to do anything," he apologised. He put a hand on Will's arm, stopping him from dashing away. "Warn him not to scale the cliffs though - they are watching for him there!"
Will nodded in understanding, Murtogg's news making it even more urgent for him to get to Jack. "I'll be back when I can," he said hurriedly. "Keep an eye on Elizabeth and the children when you can..."
Murtogg nodded as Will turned and ran beyond the last house in the town, soon disappearing from view.
***
***
Will had been eating his dinner in the kitchen with Elizabeth and the two older children when both doors burst inwards simultaneously - Eilis through one door screaming about Kitty and soldiers through the back door. He rose to find himself facing a loaded rifle, the bayonet mere inches from his face. "Sit Turner!" the marine ordered. "This does not concern you!" A further six marines ploughed through the kitchen door, two heading towards the front door.
"What is going on?" Will demanded. "How dare you burst in here and scare the children!"
"They're hurting Kitty!" Eilis sobbed, clinging to him as they heard a woman's scream of agony - Kitty's scream.
"What?" Elizabeth gasped, a second aimed rifle swung towards her, ensuring that she remained seated.
"Just arresting a few pirates Mistress Turner," the Sergeant smiled. "Governor's orders - nothing to worry yourself about..." He looked towards the front door one of the two men returned. "Thank you for your co- operation..."
"Get out of my house!" Will threatened, pushing the bayonet blade away. He glared as the man bowed sarcastically and turned to leave, the broken door swinging as they passed.
"Eilis!" Elizabeth crouched down in front of her, speaking urgently. "Eilis love, what happened?"
"The soldiers hurt Kitty..." she sobbed, her voice nearly incoherent as she cried.
"And Jack?" Will asked worriedly.
"Jack wasn't there..." Eilis said, tears streaming down her face.
"Who..." Will pressed, knowing that if Jack had not been taken then there was always hope.
"Gibbs, Mallory, Gibson, Kree and Brown." Eilis loved all the pirates knew all of their names from when she had been onboard. "Why did the soldiers hurt them?" she asked, confused for Will and Elizabeth had always taught her to respect and obey the marines.
Everyone in the house jumped at the sound of cannons firing from the fort. Will listened carefully, relieved to hear the Black Pearl respond. "Go Jack!" he urged, before turning to his wife. "Elizabeth, bar the back door as best you can. I'm going to see what I can discover." He rose, strapping on his sword. "Whatever happens - do not go out!" he warned as he dashed out the front door.
***
Catherine came around slowly, her face against some rough fabric that she eventually focused on as Gibb's leg. She groaned in pain, wondering why she hurt so much.
"Kitty - you're awake!" he gasped. "Don't move! Mallory, Gibson - help me with her." Gently they eased her upright, leaning her against the wall.
Catherine frowned, trying to focus on Joshamee, but the world kept going hazy. She put her hands to her head, shutting her eyes at the pain that seemed to encompass the whole of her body. "I..." she began but stopped, staring in confusion at the blood on her hands.
"Stay still Kitty," Joshamee warned. "The bastards broke your leg as well as nearly splitting your head open... take it easy..." Catherine glanced down at her leg, finally connecting the pain with the sight before her. "At least they gave us some splints... even if no bandages." he apologised gruffly.
Catherine looked again at her leg, realising that several of the crew were shirtless, having torn their shirts into strips in order to try to fix the splint properly. "What happens now?" she asked quietly, wincing at the pain in her head as she spoke.
"They'll probably hang us," Joshamee admitted, sighing heavily. "Although it would be nice to know what for..." He turned, hearing the heavy door at the top of the cells being opened.
"Perhaps we are about to find out..." she suggested, unsurprised to see Governor Spense flanked by a number of marines descend the stairs.
"Spense," she sneered, determined not to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much she hurt. She was surprised to see the shocked face of Murtogg amongst those guarding the Governor.
"That is Governor Spense to pirate scum like you..." Thomas Spense corrected.
"An' that is privateer to double-crossing bastards like you!" she replied, determined to defend the crew even if all she wanted to do was cry. "Why did your men attack us?" she demanded.
"Because you broke your privateer status when you took an English ship." He smiled condescendingly. "Which makes you pirates, which means you will hang." He watched, waiting for some response other than the determined glare that faced him. Eventually, when he realised he was to be disappointed, he continued. "Unfortunately being civilised people, unlike yourselves, we will have to wait to hang you until you leg heals, can't have a cripple going to the gallows after all." He chuckled at his attempt at humour, a few of the guards joining in but not all. "But believe me, you will be well enough to watch your men hang this evening..."
"We've taken no English ship!" she argued, wishing her head did not hurt so much.
"I have a sworn statement that disputes that," he smiled. "And I know which I believe..." His eyes glinted with triumph.
"It is a lie!" she protested. "You know we've been searching for Mary and her lover! But this is what all this is about - isn't it?" She looked at him in disgust as she slowly realised he knew the charges to be false.
"Enjoy your stay pirate." He smiled as he turned to leave, stopping at the bottom step. "In a few months time it will be your turn."
"He'll kill you!" she shouted as he disappeared. "You'll never escape from Jack!" The door shut with a clang, a finality that sounded like a death- knell to her ears. Catherine put her head in her hands and wept. "Oh Jack..." she whispered.
Joshamee Gibbs put his arms around her, hugging her and kissing her gently on the head. "He'll come for you Kitty, never fear... even if he has to level Port Royal to get to you..." he comforted.
"Did Lonan..." Catherine looked up at him in hope.
"I think Kree made it," he answered reassuringly. "I heard the Pearl's guns fire as they were bringing us here. Jack knows, trust me..." he smiled.
"But..." she protested.
"So right now you've got two of the sneakiest pirate Captains and the best crew in the Caribbean figuring out how to get in here... okay?" He looked at her worrying for she was clearly in a great deal of pain from both her head and her broken leg.
"I'm scared Joshamee," she admitted quietly.
"I guess we all are in our own ways," Joshamee confessed. "But if we go to the gallows then we will go with dignity Kitty. Everyone has to die some when, I guess today looks like it is our day..." He squeezed her gently. "Remember you are crew Kitty - don't give him any satisfaction..."
She nodded, sniffing. "I'll try," she promised.
***
Will ran down towards the docks, noting that a small trader had set sail before he spotted the Black Pearl, relieved to see her well out of the range of the cannons at the Fort and heading towards open water. He slowly turned, walking back towards his house but stopped on hearing his name.
"Will! Stop!" the voice called behind him. He turned back towards the docks, surprised to see Nate Burns rushing towards him. "Will! What is going on? Why is the Black Pearl firing on Port Royal?"
Will sighed heavily. "They were firing on the Fort, not the town," he explained. "And it is because Kitty and some of the crew have just been forcefully arrested. Hell, they even burst through my house to get at them!" He went silent as he noticed a marine walking towards them, a bundle of papers and a hammer in his hand. Will's hand went to his sword, but the marine ignored him, walking across to Nate's inn and hammering one of the papers onto the door.
Once he had walked on Will and Nate wandered across to the notice. "Perhaps now we will discover what is behind this?" Will ventured, his eyes widening as he read the notice. "Pirates!" he gasped. "No way!"
"It says they broke their privateer status by taking an English ship," Nate frowned.
"Do you think Jack would have returned here, let alone have sent Kitty to our house if they had done so? Do you honestly think he would have put her in any danger?" Will argued, not caring about the curious stares he received due to his raised voice.
"They are going to hang them!" Nate looked at Will in shock.
Will went white. "Nate, go to my house and tell Elizabeth I will be late..."
"Where are you going?" Nate asked as Will turned and ran in the opposite direction to the fort.
"You don't need to know!" he shouted as he continued running. He knew Jack would not have gone far and knew that if he ran he could reach the hidden cove within just over an hour.
"Will!" He skidded to a halt surprised to see Murtogg running behind him. "Will, I've got to speak with you!" he wheezed trying to catch his breath. "The Governor... he's going to hang them!"
"I know, I have to..." he began.
"Look, I don't need to know where you are going and what you are doing. In fact, it is probably best I don't know." He looked worriedly at Will. "He is going to hang them at dusk!"
"But..." Will cast a panicked eye to the sky, realising it was already early evening. "Kitty?" he asked horrified.
Murtogg shook his head. "She was pretty badly beaten - her face was covered in blood..." he explained. "I was in the party that went down with Spense and he said something about waiting a month or so for her leg to heal." He looked at Will in hope. "Jack will be too late to save the men, but hopefully he can do something for Kitty... too many of the guards are in the Governor's pockets for us to be able to do anything," he apologised. He put a hand on Will's arm, stopping him from dashing away. "Warn him not to scale the cliffs though - they are watching for him there!"
Will nodded in understanding, Murtogg's news making it even more urgent for him to get to Jack. "I'll be back when I can," he said hurriedly. "Keep an eye on Elizabeth and the children when you can..."
Murtogg nodded as Will turned and ran beyond the last house in the town, soon disappearing from view.
***