Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Pirates of the
Caribbean. But anyone you don't recognize belongs to me! *Evil laughter*
Wow, that was dumb. Anyway, don't sue, you won't get much.
Author's note: Thank you for all of your delightful reviews (and for pointing out that I had the no anonymous review box checked off, I'm technologically retarded, but I fixed it, so thank you much!) and such. I'm really getting into the story so I've been updating it almost every day, but I usually get a bit lazy (which is why my OC fic has been stuck at Chapter 5 for weeks now...I'll get to it during the break...) so keep on my case about it. Happy Holidays and Happy Reading, lol! Thanks again! 3 Mimi
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 4)
In all of the chaos that erupted at the announcement of her betrothal to Clark Eaton, Natalie managed to slip out undetected. Casting one final glance back at her beaming father, who was standing at the center of a huge crowd of well-wishers, she smiled, blinking back tears, before running down the path that would lead her to freedom.
* * * *
"Thar she be, gents!" one man said in a harsh whisper as they crept closer and closer to the well-lit estate that stood nobly on the hill before them. As their boot-clad feet hit the cobble stone path leading up to it, not another word was spoken, with every man focused intently upon the job that lay ahead.
Silently, they made their way to the Eaton family home, pausing just outside the front entrance to rehash the plan one more time. Casey Shaw, the captain's weathered, but sharp, first mate, gathered the men in a huddle, softly saying, "Remember, lads, this is a recovery mission. We threaten everything and do nothing. Unless, of course, you are threatened yourself, in which case you may do everything and refrain from doing nothing. Is that understood?"
The crew simply sat there in utter bewilderment, with the man's rather perplexing instructions echoing in their heads, but not registering. Raising eyebrows and whispering to one another, the men tried to find someone who understood the cryptic command. Finally, one of the sailors asked, "Huh?"
The man of twenty was greeted with fifty fists, belonging to fifty angry men, aimed at his face for breaking their cover of silence. Fed up, Casey growled low and mean, "Get on with ye', you scalawags!"
With a hearty roar, the men all dashed for the foyer, kicking down the doors with swords drawn and pistols aimed. While they weren't expecting a crowd of two hundred to be waiting on the other side, they still delighted in the fearful expressions and piercing screams that burst forth upon their appearance.
"On yer feet, nobody moves!" cried Casey, wildly brandishing his dagger over his head for all to see, "Now, where be Master Geoffrey Eaton? Step forward!"
One by one, the crowd slowly parted, all turning back to look at the man the pirate had called for, searching his expressionless face for a hint as to why this was happening. Slowly, he advanced through the trough of guests until he was toe to toe with the tall lanky buccaneer who had called his name.
In a whisper, Geoffrey replied simply, his voice shaking slightly, "I don't have it now, but I will get it for you. Please, just don't do this."
"I believe it's a little late fer you to be makin' requests, Eaton!" he said. Turning to the rest of the men, Casey cried, "'Sack it, boys!"
Immediately, the screams of petrified guests could be heard while all stood there, completely helpless and without weapons, since most parties didn't involve pirate raids, wondering if this moment would be their last. The surly men kept away from the crowd who were huddled close in the center of the room, running to the walls instead where most of the valuable items were displayed.
Watching as the men snatched up everything that wasn't nailed down, and even some things that were, Will furrowed his brow in confusion. There was the grand gala, the unexpected engagement, and the finale of felons...why it was all too strange for them to not be related. What was this, some sort of novella? Something was amiss, and he knew it. Now all he had to do was deduce what that thing was exactly.
Pushing his way towards the outer ring of party-goers, he called out to one of the rogues. In response, the man turned his person, and his pistol, upon Will with a scowl. "Were you not payin' mind when Mister Shaw, there, told you to keep quiet!?"
"My mistake," he replied. Withdrawing three shillings from his waistcoat pocket, he held them out to the man with a question. "If you would be so kind as to tell me, good sir, who your captain might be, I'll be as silent as a church mouse, henceforth."
Eyeing the coins suspiciously, he quickly snatched them from Will's hand as he shouted, "Me cap'in juss so happens to be the most feared pirate in all the seven seas!" At his words, the men took time from their looting and cheered wildly, "Jack Sparrow!"
* * * *
Natalie looked up from the foyer to the house where she had lived for most of her life, one last time. Gazing intently, she struggled to record every small detail of it; the teake banister with all of its natural perfection, the soft light emanating from the candelabras that lined the walls, the scent of the sweet, tropical foliage that seemed to envelop each room with the most magnificent fragrance.
With a melancholy sigh, she shook her head and withdrew a white envelope, sealed with wax that had her father's name scrawled on the front. Inside, there was a letter, assuring him that she was going to be fine and he should not worry about her, but included no explanation as to where or why she had gone. Propping it up against the side board, where someone would be sure to find it, Natalie quickly turned away and left, unable to look at it any longer.
Cautiously, she slunk about in the shadows, not wanting to call attention to herself or be recognized by anyone, for that would foil her escape in an instant. Her feet glided over the dirt path that led to the wharf, her mind off in a state of heightened sensation as fear and anticipation took hold of her. Natalie hadn't been to this part of the island since her arrival when she was seven, but she had always been fascinated by it. Nothing compared to the autonomy of a life at sea.
Hiding behind a pile of crates, she surveyed the area. Since she couldn't charter a boat without being caught by someone and stopped, Natalie had decided that sneaking aboard a vessel was her only choice and she would simply have to rely on her minimal charms and hope for the best.
Peeking out, she saw two ships making birth at the docks, one was currently being guarded by four burly men, shooting the insects in the dirt to pass the time while the other had an old man, doubled over in a chair, fast asleep with an empty jug in his hand. Using her brilliant intellect, she chose the latter, creeping along the brush that lined the perimeter of the clearing before swiftly moving along and up the gangway.
Holding onto the rope handles with a death-grip, she exercised the utmost caution once she reached the top, careful not to ruin her stowaway attempt now that she was so close to getting away with it. Taking a deep, controlling breath, she swung herself up onto the main deck, expecting to find maybe one or two men, even the whole damn crew, but certainly not what she happened upon.
Natalie looked around the completely deserted ship in disbelief. She had done it! With an uncontrollable grin, she clapped her hands at her success, but was interrupted by a loud roar.
"Yo Ho! Yo Ho! A pirate's life for me!" sang a large group of sailors, cheering and drinking as they made their way to the very vessel she was standing upon! Desperately trying to remain unnoticed, she leapt behind a pile of nets into a coil of rope which, both by height and width, fit her perfectly. Her heart pounding so loud that she swore it would give away her location, Natalie balled herself up in her hiding place to wait.
Author's note: Thank you for all of your delightful reviews (and for pointing out that I had the no anonymous review box checked off, I'm technologically retarded, but I fixed it, so thank you much!) and such. I'm really getting into the story so I've been updating it almost every day, but I usually get a bit lazy (which is why my OC fic has been stuck at Chapter 5 for weeks now...I'll get to it during the break...) so keep on my case about it. Happy Holidays and Happy Reading, lol! Thanks again! 3 Mimi
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 4)
In all of the chaos that erupted at the announcement of her betrothal to Clark Eaton, Natalie managed to slip out undetected. Casting one final glance back at her beaming father, who was standing at the center of a huge crowd of well-wishers, she smiled, blinking back tears, before running down the path that would lead her to freedom.
* * * *
"Thar she be, gents!" one man said in a harsh whisper as they crept closer and closer to the well-lit estate that stood nobly on the hill before them. As their boot-clad feet hit the cobble stone path leading up to it, not another word was spoken, with every man focused intently upon the job that lay ahead.
Silently, they made their way to the Eaton family home, pausing just outside the front entrance to rehash the plan one more time. Casey Shaw, the captain's weathered, but sharp, first mate, gathered the men in a huddle, softly saying, "Remember, lads, this is a recovery mission. We threaten everything and do nothing. Unless, of course, you are threatened yourself, in which case you may do everything and refrain from doing nothing. Is that understood?"
The crew simply sat there in utter bewilderment, with the man's rather perplexing instructions echoing in their heads, but not registering. Raising eyebrows and whispering to one another, the men tried to find someone who understood the cryptic command. Finally, one of the sailors asked, "Huh?"
The man of twenty was greeted with fifty fists, belonging to fifty angry men, aimed at his face for breaking their cover of silence. Fed up, Casey growled low and mean, "Get on with ye', you scalawags!"
With a hearty roar, the men all dashed for the foyer, kicking down the doors with swords drawn and pistols aimed. While they weren't expecting a crowd of two hundred to be waiting on the other side, they still delighted in the fearful expressions and piercing screams that burst forth upon their appearance.
"On yer feet, nobody moves!" cried Casey, wildly brandishing his dagger over his head for all to see, "Now, where be Master Geoffrey Eaton? Step forward!"
One by one, the crowd slowly parted, all turning back to look at the man the pirate had called for, searching his expressionless face for a hint as to why this was happening. Slowly, he advanced through the trough of guests until he was toe to toe with the tall lanky buccaneer who had called his name.
In a whisper, Geoffrey replied simply, his voice shaking slightly, "I don't have it now, but I will get it for you. Please, just don't do this."
"I believe it's a little late fer you to be makin' requests, Eaton!" he said. Turning to the rest of the men, Casey cried, "'Sack it, boys!"
Immediately, the screams of petrified guests could be heard while all stood there, completely helpless and without weapons, since most parties didn't involve pirate raids, wondering if this moment would be their last. The surly men kept away from the crowd who were huddled close in the center of the room, running to the walls instead where most of the valuable items were displayed.
Watching as the men snatched up everything that wasn't nailed down, and even some things that were, Will furrowed his brow in confusion. There was the grand gala, the unexpected engagement, and the finale of felons...why it was all too strange for them to not be related. What was this, some sort of novella? Something was amiss, and he knew it. Now all he had to do was deduce what that thing was exactly.
Pushing his way towards the outer ring of party-goers, he called out to one of the rogues. In response, the man turned his person, and his pistol, upon Will with a scowl. "Were you not payin' mind when Mister Shaw, there, told you to keep quiet!?"
"My mistake," he replied. Withdrawing three shillings from his waistcoat pocket, he held them out to the man with a question. "If you would be so kind as to tell me, good sir, who your captain might be, I'll be as silent as a church mouse, henceforth."
Eyeing the coins suspiciously, he quickly snatched them from Will's hand as he shouted, "Me cap'in juss so happens to be the most feared pirate in all the seven seas!" At his words, the men took time from their looting and cheered wildly, "Jack Sparrow!"
* * * *
Natalie looked up from the foyer to the house where she had lived for most of her life, one last time. Gazing intently, she struggled to record every small detail of it; the teake banister with all of its natural perfection, the soft light emanating from the candelabras that lined the walls, the scent of the sweet, tropical foliage that seemed to envelop each room with the most magnificent fragrance.
With a melancholy sigh, she shook her head and withdrew a white envelope, sealed with wax that had her father's name scrawled on the front. Inside, there was a letter, assuring him that she was going to be fine and he should not worry about her, but included no explanation as to where or why she had gone. Propping it up against the side board, where someone would be sure to find it, Natalie quickly turned away and left, unable to look at it any longer.
Cautiously, she slunk about in the shadows, not wanting to call attention to herself or be recognized by anyone, for that would foil her escape in an instant. Her feet glided over the dirt path that led to the wharf, her mind off in a state of heightened sensation as fear and anticipation took hold of her. Natalie hadn't been to this part of the island since her arrival when she was seven, but she had always been fascinated by it. Nothing compared to the autonomy of a life at sea.
Hiding behind a pile of crates, she surveyed the area. Since she couldn't charter a boat without being caught by someone and stopped, Natalie had decided that sneaking aboard a vessel was her only choice and she would simply have to rely on her minimal charms and hope for the best.
Peeking out, she saw two ships making birth at the docks, one was currently being guarded by four burly men, shooting the insects in the dirt to pass the time while the other had an old man, doubled over in a chair, fast asleep with an empty jug in his hand. Using her brilliant intellect, she chose the latter, creeping along the brush that lined the perimeter of the clearing before swiftly moving along and up the gangway.
Holding onto the rope handles with a death-grip, she exercised the utmost caution once she reached the top, careful not to ruin her stowaway attempt now that she was so close to getting away with it. Taking a deep, controlling breath, she swung herself up onto the main deck, expecting to find maybe one or two men, even the whole damn crew, but certainly not what she happened upon.
Natalie looked around the completely deserted ship in disbelief. She had done it! With an uncontrollable grin, she clapped her hands at her success, but was interrupted by a loud roar.
"Yo Ho! Yo Ho! A pirate's life for me!" sang a large group of sailors, cheering and drinking as they made their way to the very vessel she was standing upon! Desperately trying to remain unnoticed, she leapt behind a pile of nets into a coil of rope which, both by height and width, fit her perfectly. Her heart pounding so loud that she swore it would give away her location, Natalie balled herself up in her hiding place to wait.