Hey again. Usual disclaimer, i.e the one on Chapter One.
Not much J/E yet I know, but there will be.
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Chapter Two - Black Hearts and Ships
The small vessel landed on the beach. Jack leapt off onto the sand, sitting his battered three-cornered hat on his head. He could smell burning wood, and hear the screams of a town getting the pirate treatment.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw three of the scruffy ruffians, apparently carrying something that didn't want to be carried. He heard screams, female screams. He recognised the voice, too.
"Gibbs! Get you mangy behind o'er here!"
Gibbs waltzed across the muddy sand, sniffing the smoky air.
"Yes, Capt'n."
"That little miss yellin' her guts out over there, is Miss Elizabeth. So, I think us liddle lot ought'ta go over there and sort those bloody pirates out!"
"Aye, aye, Capt'n!"
The five-crew members set off across the beach.
Elizabeth fought violently. The pirates were trying to tear her dress. They grabbed at her shoulders, and at the bodice. She tried to fight them off, but they were bigger and stronger then her.
Then she felt a strong, warm hand on her bare shoulder. The other three pirates seemed to quiver before her, before falling on their faces, a dagger in each of their backs. It reminded Elizabeth of her father. Her poor, poor father . . .
Suddenly, she felt sick. Desperately, she tried to wriggle out from under the hand on her shoulder, but the pirate wouldn't let go.
"Get off me, you scum!"
"Oh, so I'm scum now, am I? You know, love, I preferred Jack, even though I'm supposed to be Capt'n."
Elizabeth jumped, spinning round, she saw him. She had never felt so glad to see his Cheshire-cat grin, or the plaits and beads on his long dark hair.
"Jack! Oh Jack, I'm so glad you're here!"
"Well that's good lass, because I'm not going anywheres till I find out why young Mr Turner hasn't been keeping an eye on you."
"Oh, it's not his fault. I saw him as they dragged me down from the manor. The pirates were pulling him away from the Smithy. I've got to go back and help him. He said something about Jack, but I thought he was talking about someone else. He must've seen your ship."
Jack looked at her quizzically.
"What were you doin' up at the manor, when he was in the Smithy?"
"I was asleep, obviously. And he was either asleep or working."
Anamaria was one of the five-crew members to come ashore. She raised her eyebrows at Elizabeth.
"But surely, Miss, it's traditional to sleep in the same house when you're married."
Elizabeth looked startled.
"Well, I suppose it is, but since me and Will aren't married . . ."
There was a shocked silence. The crew looked at her, surprised.
"Everything alright with you and the whelp?"
Elizabeth was nearly wringing her delicate hands now in frustration and worry. Why did they persist with ignoring her about Will?
"Listen, Mr Sparrow. I fully intend to rescue Mr Turner, with or without you and your crews help. Let it be on your conscience what those pirates do to me, or Will!"
Elizabeth hitched up her skirts and began to march off, back toward the town. Jack felt a wrenching in his chest. Why did he worry so much about some prissy governors daughter? He was a ruthless pirate, for God's sake.
With an exasperated sigh, Captain Sparrow ran off after the retreating back of Elizabeth.
"Lizzie! You'll get killed, get yourself back here!"
Elizabeth stopped sharply. Turning toward the crew of the 'Black Pearl'. Her eyes glinted coldly in the moonlight.
"What do you care? You're only a filthy, disgusting, lecherous pirate!"
The insult stung. Jack was speechless for a minute, before chasing after her. Running up behind her, he grabbed her by the waist and threw her rather unceremoniously over his shoulder. Elizabeth screamed and beat her fists on his back in anger.
"Put me down, Jack! Put me down!"
"How about no?"
Jack ran back down as fast as was possible. The rest of the crew caught on and leapt nimbly back into the boat, except Anamaria and Gibbs, who gave the boat a shove into the water before getting in themselves.
Jack was still trying to control the flailing arms of Elizabeth. Eventually, he found some rope in the bottom of the boat, and tied her hands behind her back. Clamping a hand over her mouth, he strived to keep her quiet, so as not to attract attention from the other pirates.
Elizabeth squirmed wildly. This was almost as bad as the other pirates. She tried to kick out at the others, but Anamaria banged her own feet down on Elizabeth's.
Elizabeth uttered a muffled 'oww!', through Jack's hand.
"Sorry, Liz, but ye best keep quiet so we can get back to the 'Pearl'."
Elizabeth stopped trying to bite Jack's fingers off, and slumped back in her seat. She looked reproachfully at him, as though he had betrayed her in some way. Which, come to think of it, he had. He'd dragged her into this boat, and was going to keep her on his beastly ship, she just knew it. He had even betrayed Will, by leaving him to the pirates at Port Royal.
Eventually, the small rowing boat came up alongside the 'Black Pearl'. Elizabeth was lifted up onto the ship, and then steered toward a small cabin, at the back of the ship. Her hands were still tied, but the crewmember made no effort to untie her. Instead, he locked the door as soon as he'd left.
Elizabeth flopped down on the bed, losing her balance. Unable to steady herself, she fell on her side. For several minutes, she struggled to get back up. Then she heard voices on the other side of the door.
"Marcy, where've you stowed Miss Swann?"
"In the spare cabin, Capt'n."
Elizabeth heard the door handle rattle.
"Marcy, ye didn't lock her in?"
"Yes, Capt'n!"
There followed an exasperated sigh, the sound of a hand cuffing someone's head, and a key in the lock.
Jack Sparrow sauntered in. He took one look at Elizabeth, and the rope still on her hands, before turning on his heel, and cuffing the unfortunate Marcy on the head, again.
"Sorry 'bout that Lizzie."
"Your men don't seem to know their basic manners."
Jack shrugged expressively.
"Pirates."
"And don't call me Lizzie. My name, to scoundrels like you is Miss Swann."
"Oh, so 'now' I'm a scoundrel? I have to tell ye Miss, that I never been called so many things in one night in me life. Well, 'cept that one time . ."
"Mr Sparrow, I'm not interested. Just let me go home."
"Oh, so you want to go home now, eh? Well, I can't let that happen, because if ye do go home, it's very likely, that your gonna get savaged by some bloody pirates, savvy?"
"Bloody pirates like you, do you mean, Mr Sparrow?"
"Exactly like me, Lizzie. Now, you wouldn't wanna go home to find several versions of me wandrin' round the house, would ye?"
He had her there. She knew it.
"Well, you could at least untie me."
Jack nodded agreement, and reached down to her shoulders to sit her upright again. Elizabeth flinched at the feel of his fingers on her skin. She stared straight ahead at the wall as he leaned over her to untie her hands.
"Oww!"
The blood rushed back into her delicate fingers. Elizabeth bit her lip to stop herself from crying out again. She didn't want Jack to think she was some prissy, stuck up English girl. She didn't want 'anyone' to think she was some prissy, stuck up English girl.
Jack, however, far from laughing at her, sat down on the bed beside her, and began to massage her hands gently. The throbbing pain eased. Elizabeth knew she ought to have pulled her hands away, in disgust. Technically, he was a pirate. But, even though his hands were rough, it still felt . . . nice.
Not much J/E yet I know, but there will be.
***********************************************************
Chapter Two - Black Hearts and Ships
The small vessel landed on the beach. Jack leapt off onto the sand, sitting his battered three-cornered hat on his head. He could smell burning wood, and hear the screams of a town getting the pirate treatment.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw three of the scruffy ruffians, apparently carrying something that didn't want to be carried. He heard screams, female screams. He recognised the voice, too.
"Gibbs! Get you mangy behind o'er here!"
Gibbs waltzed across the muddy sand, sniffing the smoky air.
"Yes, Capt'n."
"That little miss yellin' her guts out over there, is Miss Elizabeth. So, I think us liddle lot ought'ta go over there and sort those bloody pirates out!"
"Aye, aye, Capt'n!"
The five-crew members set off across the beach.
Elizabeth fought violently. The pirates were trying to tear her dress. They grabbed at her shoulders, and at the bodice. She tried to fight them off, but they were bigger and stronger then her.
Then she felt a strong, warm hand on her bare shoulder. The other three pirates seemed to quiver before her, before falling on their faces, a dagger in each of their backs. It reminded Elizabeth of her father. Her poor, poor father . . .
Suddenly, she felt sick. Desperately, she tried to wriggle out from under the hand on her shoulder, but the pirate wouldn't let go.
"Get off me, you scum!"
"Oh, so I'm scum now, am I? You know, love, I preferred Jack, even though I'm supposed to be Capt'n."
Elizabeth jumped, spinning round, she saw him. She had never felt so glad to see his Cheshire-cat grin, or the plaits and beads on his long dark hair.
"Jack! Oh Jack, I'm so glad you're here!"
"Well that's good lass, because I'm not going anywheres till I find out why young Mr Turner hasn't been keeping an eye on you."
"Oh, it's not his fault. I saw him as they dragged me down from the manor. The pirates were pulling him away from the Smithy. I've got to go back and help him. He said something about Jack, but I thought he was talking about someone else. He must've seen your ship."
Jack looked at her quizzically.
"What were you doin' up at the manor, when he was in the Smithy?"
"I was asleep, obviously. And he was either asleep or working."
Anamaria was one of the five-crew members to come ashore. She raised her eyebrows at Elizabeth.
"But surely, Miss, it's traditional to sleep in the same house when you're married."
Elizabeth looked startled.
"Well, I suppose it is, but since me and Will aren't married . . ."
There was a shocked silence. The crew looked at her, surprised.
"Everything alright with you and the whelp?"
Elizabeth was nearly wringing her delicate hands now in frustration and worry. Why did they persist with ignoring her about Will?
"Listen, Mr Sparrow. I fully intend to rescue Mr Turner, with or without you and your crews help. Let it be on your conscience what those pirates do to me, or Will!"
Elizabeth hitched up her skirts and began to march off, back toward the town. Jack felt a wrenching in his chest. Why did he worry so much about some prissy governors daughter? He was a ruthless pirate, for God's sake.
With an exasperated sigh, Captain Sparrow ran off after the retreating back of Elizabeth.
"Lizzie! You'll get killed, get yourself back here!"
Elizabeth stopped sharply. Turning toward the crew of the 'Black Pearl'. Her eyes glinted coldly in the moonlight.
"What do you care? You're only a filthy, disgusting, lecherous pirate!"
The insult stung. Jack was speechless for a minute, before chasing after her. Running up behind her, he grabbed her by the waist and threw her rather unceremoniously over his shoulder. Elizabeth screamed and beat her fists on his back in anger.
"Put me down, Jack! Put me down!"
"How about no?"
Jack ran back down as fast as was possible. The rest of the crew caught on and leapt nimbly back into the boat, except Anamaria and Gibbs, who gave the boat a shove into the water before getting in themselves.
Jack was still trying to control the flailing arms of Elizabeth. Eventually, he found some rope in the bottom of the boat, and tied her hands behind her back. Clamping a hand over her mouth, he strived to keep her quiet, so as not to attract attention from the other pirates.
Elizabeth squirmed wildly. This was almost as bad as the other pirates. She tried to kick out at the others, but Anamaria banged her own feet down on Elizabeth's.
Elizabeth uttered a muffled 'oww!', through Jack's hand.
"Sorry, Liz, but ye best keep quiet so we can get back to the 'Pearl'."
Elizabeth stopped trying to bite Jack's fingers off, and slumped back in her seat. She looked reproachfully at him, as though he had betrayed her in some way. Which, come to think of it, he had. He'd dragged her into this boat, and was going to keep her on his beastly ship, she just knew it. He had even betrayed Will, by leaving him to the pirates at Port Royal.
Eventually, the small rowing boat came up alongside the 'Black Pearl'. Elizabeth was lifted up onto the ship, and then steered toward a small cabin, at the back of the ship. Her hands were still tied, but the crewmember made no effort to untie her. Instead, he locked the door as soon as he'd left.
Elizabeth flopped down on the bed, losing her balance. Unable to steady herself, she fell on her side. For several minutes, she struggled to get back up. Then she heard voices on the other side of the door.
"Marcy, where've you stowed Miss Swann?"
"In the spare cabin, Capt'n."
Elizabeth heard the door handle rattle.
"Marcy, ye didn't lock her in?"
"Yes, Capt'n!"
There followed an exasperated sigh, the sound of a hand cuffing someone's head, and a key in the lock.
Jack Sparrow sauntered in. He took one look at Elizabeth, and the rope still on her hands, before turning on his heel, and cuffing the unfortunate Marcy on the head, again.
"Sorry 'bout that Lizzie."
"Your men don't seem to know their basic manners."
Jack shrugged expressively.
"Pirates."
"And don't call me Lizzie. My name, to scoundrels like you is Miss Swann."
"Oh, so 'now' I'm a scoundrel? I have to tell ye Miss, that I never been called so many things in one night in me life. Well, 'cept that one time . ."
"Mr Sparrow, I'm not interested. Just let me go home."
"Oh, so you want to go home now, eh? Well, I can't let that happen, because if ye do go home, it's very likely, that your gonna get savaged by some bloody pirates, savvy?"
"Bloody pirates like you, do you mean, Mr Sparrow?"
"Exactly like me, Lizzie. Now, you wouldn't wanna go home to find several versions of me wandrin' round the house, would ye?"
He had her there. She knew it.
"Well, you could at least untie me."
Jack nodded agreement, and reached down to her shoulders to sit her upright again. Elizabeth flinched at the feel of his fingers on her skin. She stared straight ahead at the wall as he leaned over her to untie her hands.
"Oww!"
The blood rushed back into her delicate fingers. Elizabeth bit her lip to stop herself from crying out again. She didn't want Jack to think she was some prissy, stuck up English girl. She didn't want 'anyone' to think she was some prissy, stuck up English girl.
Jack, however, far from laughing at her, sat down on the bed beside her, and began to massage her hands gently. The throbbing pain eased. Elizabeth knew she ought to have pulled her hands away, in disgust. Technically, he was a pirate. But, even though his hands were rough, it still felt . . . nice.