Chapter Four
"Elizabeth, you are getting so upset about nothing!" Governor Swann told her over dinner. The Challenger will return to port in three days, Will will be home safe, and everything will be fine again!"
"I know…" Elizabeth murmured, picking at her food. "But still, I keep having these dreams.
"Elizabeth," the governor sighed, "is there nothing I can say that will make you feel better?"
She thought for a moment. "No." she said. "Nothing short of, 'The Challenger is back, and here comes Will!' could make me feel better."
* * * * *
Will was thrown into the small boat along with several other guards and a few slaves. He watched as all the other boats were loaded and lowered by the pulleys. Once they were lowered into the water they began to make their way towards the tiny island.
It took almost twenty minutes for them to row to shore and assemble everyone on the beach. Norrington ordered the men to stand in a circle around Will, and then he began to speak.
"Gentlemen, the man you look at now," he began, pointing to Will, "is a thief. What kind of respectable man would steal another man's fiancée and marry her, I ask you?"
Will looked up at the commodore. Norrington's face was very red, spit flew from his lips as he spoke, giving him the appearance of a madman. And for the first time since the ordeal had begun, he was truly afraid. Truly afraid of what would happen to him, truly afraid of what the commodore would tell people had really happened, and truly afraid that he would never see Elizabeth again.
"Stealing in Port Royal is punishable by imprisonment. But here we are on the high seas, and we find ourselves in the presence of a thief and without a jail to throw him in!"
"You ended a sentence with a preposition," Will thought sarcastically.
"So we must deal with this the only way we can." His lips pulled back into an evil grin. "Men move back a safe distance. Bring out the dogs."
* * * * *
Elizabeth stood at her bedroom mirror staring at her reflection. Slowly, she crossed her room and looked out the window for a long moment. It was open and a gentle sea breeze wafted in and flowed though her hair. She could smell the salt from the oven and the smell of baking goods from the street below.
"Miss Elizabeth," her maid, Betty, called. "Miss Elizabeth, your dinner is ready, ma'am!"
"Yes, thank you, Betty, I will be down in a moment." She gazed out the window for one more moment. "I'll see you in two days, Will."
* * * * *
The crew had moved back a fair distance to watch the ordeal, and soon, five slaves came forward, struggling to hold onto the ropes holding ten snarling, mangy, huge, black dogs, struggling to get loose. Their ever were read and it was obvious that they had been starved and would eat anything.
"Release them!" the commodore screamed from over a ridge. Will could hear the insane laughter traveling over the wind.
The slaves let go of the ropes and stepped back. The dogs instantly began sprinting towards Will. He stood up quickly. His legs had been untied, but his hands were still tied behind his back. He struggled to free his hands, but was unable to break the thick ropes.
As the first dog reached him and lunged, a sudden thought occurred to Will. He spin around with his back facing the advancing dog. The dog's razor sharp teeth caught on the ropes and cut thought them far enough that Will could pull them apart and free his hands. He spied a stick lying nearby and picked it up. Now at least he had something to defend himself with.
All of the dogs had now reached him and stood in a ring surrounding him. They were all growling and baring their teeth at him. One suddenly lunged at him alone, to hungry and desperate to wait for the others. The stick connected with the dog's head while still in mid-leap. The dog fell down, obviously dazed by the blow. And then, regaining their courage, the nine remaining dogs lunged all at once.
A/N: Evil cackle… Chapter five to come soon…