Elizabeth felt free and happy, fleeing her father, running along to her former favorite place to be. Jack had no idea where he was going but he was happy to be near his almost-wife. Will was just confused, but he did not mind one bit. Elizabeth usually was not spontaneous. This was a welcome change.
Racing past the guards of the fort, Elizabeth dragged Will and Jack to the bell tower. "We can hide here," she said. "I can't deal with my father right now."
"Just because yer mum isn' dead? An' he lied ta ya?" Jack looked down. It seemed reasonable.
"Oh, look at the sea," Elizabeth said, ignoring him. There was nothing spectacularly remarkable about it, but she wanted to steer clear of talking about Victoria Swann, suddenly not dead.
Her male friends didn't get it. "Aw, yer mum is gonna be a fox, Lizzie," Jack said. "If she looks anythin' like ya, that is."
"Imagine, living on an island with a new husband, at just nineteen," Will mused. "Must've been amazing."
Elizabeth wanted to tear her hair out, a feeling she was having often. She tried to smile at their enthusiasm, but it wasn't working. She wanted to scream.
"I just hope that Annamaria gets back soon," Jack said, rubbing his belly. "I could do wiv some catered grub."
"Can you only think about food and women at a time like this?" Will asked him, half-exasperated, half-amused.
"Mate, they're what I was raised on," Jack replied. He smiled knowingly at Elizabeth but she was still looking at the Caribbean Sea. Lost in her own thoughts.
But primarily, she was thinking about how much she just wanted Annamaria to bring back her stupid mother from her Isla Vache paradise and let her get married already. Foolish, righteous Annamaria, she growled in her head. Which was ironic, because she could remember when she freed her and the rest of the (rightful) Pearl's crew from the evil pirates and she wouldn't help Elizabeth rescue Will from the Isla de Muerta caves.
No matter. Elizabeth waved the thought out of her mind and turned to Jack and Will who were bickering good-naturedly. "Dear? Will? I'm ready to go back to my house now," she said. "Daddy will want to know why we disappeared."
She stepped onto the ridge surrounding the tower and took hold of the new railing they installed after she and Jack took their respective spills. The wind picked up and blew her hair back.
Jack and Will looked at her. She was so lovely and easy to fall in love with- why did this pussycat have claws? Jack took hold of Elizabeth's waist and scooped her into his arms. "Let's go get some of that wino," he said.
Elizabeth nuzzled his neck. "All right," she murmured.
Will felt really out of place. He rubbed his ponytail and followed them down the stone stairs. Then he caught up with them. "Will your father let you sail the high seas forevermore?" he asked Elizabeth as they made their way back to her mansion.
Elizabeth (and Jack) stopped to face Will. "Will he?" Elizabeth repeated. "I doubt it." She poked Jack to make him continue walking.
Her cool answer worried Will. He could not imagine life without her. Or Annamaria. He shivered, thinking about his lady love. He hoped she would be fine out there on the seas. He shook his head and continued walking.