Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates or anything associated with it (though if whoever does own it--Disney, I guess--wants to get rid of it, I'm very willing to take it off his hands...). I'm not making any money off of this story (because if I were I would be in the Caribbean, not posting a fanfic about it).
Chapter 2, Tortuga docks, midmorning.
Captain's ship, the Second Chance, was fairly large by pirate standards. Elizabeth thought it looked almost as big as Jack Sparrow's Black Pearl, but it was in better shape than she had ever seen the Pearl.
Captain led her past the entire crew to his quarters, where he ushered her in with a flourish and called in to her, "Now, just make yourself comfortable, doll, and we'll be off shortly." Elizabeth grimaced and hoped he was just a really good actor. She was starting to regret her decision.
"Cap'n," she heard one of the crew say nervously, "it's against the Code to bring a wench aboard, sir. The crew's not gonna like it."
But Captain brushed the comment off. "Nonsense, Corky. We're only taking her to Port Royal, anyway. It's not that far."
"Port Royal? Are you mad? Commodore Norrington--"
"--Will not touch us. She knows the commodore personally, and she'll guarantee our safety," Captain cut in. "You don't need to be spreading that around to the crew, now. As first mate, I'm trusting you to keep this information confidential, including our destination. No need to stir up trouble. Now. No more discussion, we need to get going."
Corky didn't sound convinced. "Aye, sir."
They were on their way within an hour, and so far everything was smooth sailing. Captain relinquished the helm to Corky, and he retired to his cabin to talk to Elizabeth. "So, Mrs. Turner. What on earth brings a respectable woman such as yourself to a dirty town like Tortuga?" he queried.
Elizabeth sighed. "It's kind of a long story," she warned.
He gestured wildly in a way that instantly brought Jack Sparrow to mind. "We've got plenty of time, lass. Do you have something better to be doin'?"
"No," Elizabeth answered with a small smile. "All right. About a year ago, as best as I can tell, somebody raided Port Royal. Slavers. And they took me. They couldn't sell me as a slave, not outright, I guess, so they took me. They finally managed to sell me to a Madame in a brothel," she began. At the thought of the disgusting place the Madame had expected her to live, she shuddered and hugged her arms to herself. After a minute of trying to compose herself, she found the strength to continue. "I managed to get away before she was able to force me in to doing something. I had no trouble getting out of the town, and eventually I was able to barter passage away. At the time, getting to Port Royal didn't concern me as much as getting out of wherever I was. I figured I could find somebody else to take me home, as long as I got away from there. But nobody would take me back. Either they were on a tight schedule and didn't have time to stop by Port Royal or they were pirates and wouldn't go anywhere near Commodore Norrington's home town. They'd take me from port to port, and I went, thinking I'd get somebody there to take me home, but nobody would do it."
Captain shook his head. "Why didn't you just give up?"
"I have two kids and a husband, Captain. I need to get home to them. And I promised Jack I'd come back for him," she explained sadly.
"Jack? As in Jack Sparrow?"
She smiled sheepishly. "Sort of. It was Will's idea, naming our son after Jack Sparrow."
"I assume Captain Sparrow doesn't know?"
"No, he doesn't. Why?"
"He'd have bragged about it if he did. Why did you want to name your kid after that old scalawag, anyway?"
Elizabeth shrugged. "Like I said, it was Will's idea. He said something about Jack being the only reason I didn't marry the Commodore."
"You were going to marry Norrington?" Captain asked, eyes wide.
"Yes, well, he proposed, and I had to accept or he wouldn't have gone back to save Will," she explained. "And it was expected that I would marry him--I mean, that was what my father wanted, and there was really nobody else around that was near my station in life. It gave people quite a shock when I turned down the Commodore for a blacksmith."'
Captain sat back in his chair, his eyes wide and his voice tinged with wonder. "I'll bet," he murmured. "Imagine choosing Will over Norrington."
Elizabeth smiled. "Yes, well, what happened was..."
They talked for hours. Mostly, it was about Elizabeth and her family, but she managed to weasel a few vague comments out of him. The only things that pulled him away were his shipboard duties, and half the time Corky had to come pull him away. Elizabeth was beginning to relax, savoring the knowledge that she was safe and she was finally going home. At times, it seemed almost too good to be true.
Three weeks into the voyage, she found out that it was.
Elizabeth had almost completely relaxed her guard and she hardly noticed the comings and goings of the crew anymore. She had taken to standing up by the bow of the ship, looking out over the sea and daydreaming or talking to Captain. So when she heard footsteps approaching her, she turned, thinking it was Captain, and gasped. The entire crew, led by Corky, were threatening her with their cutlasses.
"'Ello, doll," Corky whispered. Elizabeth shuddered at the menacing tone of his voice. "You're mighty good friends wit' the cap'n. We though it would be nice if we give him some friendly company, so we're goin' to take you to him."
"What do you mean?" she demanded, frowning.
"You'll be joining the cap'n in the brig, luv. Since you're so fond of him an' all," Corky informed her as he bound her hands. "Come on, now."
He tried to pull her belowdecks, but she resisted. "You'll burn in hell for this!" she spat angrily.
Corky laughed. "I'm going to hell anyway, Missy. D'ya really think this'll make much of a difference?" He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. "Besides, I'll be wit' all me best mates!"
The crew laughed as they followed Corky to the brig and locked her in. "Have fun wit' your Cap'n, Mrs. Turner. And remember, a woman is not to lie wit' her father!" Amidst peals of laughter, he climbed back up to the deck and called back down, "The ship is ours, mates! On deck, and make for home!"
Cheering, the crew rushed up on deck, leaving Elizabeth and Captain alone in the brig.
Eep! Mutiny is such dirty business. I'm SO sorry about the long wait. Seemed like everything in the world decided to work together to keep me from posting. And, since I'm moving off to college next Thursday, my posts are probably going to get a bit more rare until I get into a routine up there. Just fair warning. Lots of thanks & hugs to everyone who reviewed. It always makes my day to see review alerts filling my mailbox!
--JSK
