Disclaimer: Have you not been paying attention fro the last FOURTEEN
CHAPTERS!?? I don't own anything worth owning . . . stop rubbing it in : (
Note: Thanks for the reviews! Snow days make me smile, so I might get two chapters out today . . . this next part is a bit confusing because, again, it switches back and forth, but the waters will calm in a bit, lol. I hope you enjoy it.
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 15)
. . . A roar which abruptly ended in "Elizabeth?"
Swinging his own body over the side, Will took his place beside the woman he loved under the watchful eyes of Jack Sparrow . . . and his entire crew. "Well, Jack," he said, admiring the finely polished wood, crisp white sails, and brand new rigging of the ship, "You've certainly done well for yourself."
With a grin, the captain swaggered over to the couple. "What can I say? I make the Italians crazy!" he slurred, throwing in a nonchalant shrug for good measure.
Raising an eyebrow, Will offered his hand and a smile. "I don't think your power to vex discriminates between ethnicities, my friend. That said, it's nice seeing you again."
Shaking his hand, he replied, "And you as well, mate." His eyes roving over to Elizabeth, he smiled charmingly and brought her hand to his lips. "And you, luv, you haven't changed a bit."
"From the looks of it, Captain, you haven't changed much either," she said in response, eying him suspiciously. He had a tendency to switch allegiances like most people changed their undergarments. Sniffing delicately, she wrinkled her nose. He OBVIOUSLY wasn't one of those people.
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing, Miss Turner?" he asked straightening up and sending her a sidelong glance.
Elizabeth sighed and conceded with a smile. "Truthfully, I haven't decided yet." She raised her eyes to his and spoke what everyone had been thinking to say, "So, Jack, where's Natalie."
Something in his eyes changed at her words, darkening with a defensive glint and cold ferocity. "Men! As you were!" he shouted, walking away from the couple to the quarter deck.
Immediately, the crew scrambled to life once more, busying themselves around the ship, preparing for battle, while the Turners followed doggedly at the Captain's heels. Jack removed his flask from his vest, and tipped it back against his lips, his gaze never leaving the two lovebirds. Offering it to them, he asked, "Care for a drink, would ya?"
"Jack," Will said, a warning tone echoing in his utterance, "We know you have her. I'm sure she's been giving you a hard time of it, so just give her up and we'll be on our way."
The moment his eyes connected with Jack's, he knew that the situation was somehow more complicated than he had imagined. "Elizabeth, darling, why don't you go and check below for her. I'll be along in a moment."
Her eyes darting back and forth between the two men, she sensed something was amiss, but didn't call any attention to it, nodding slowly before disappearing down the stairs and into the hull.
Once she had left, Will took a few steps closer. "What is it, Jack? What happened?"
"What do you mean 'what happened'? I went ashore to collect on a debt and suddenly I have a stowaway and the damn Navy trailin' me ship!" the man hollered, stomping off to hang his head over the railing. With a sigh, he lowered his voice and muttered, "I never meant for any of this to happen."
Will's eyes widened at the potent combination of his words and his tone. He could recognize sorrow of the heart in a snap, considering he had been so well versed in it himself not too long ago. Moving to his side, he tried to keep the shock out of his voice when he said, "You went ahead and fell in love with her, didn't you?"
Jack's head snapped up and he sent a petrified look in the blacksmith's general direction. "Is it that obvious?"
Shaking his head, Will tried not to smile. "Well, I never thought I'd live to see the day when Jack Spa--"
"CAPTAIN!"
"Right, when CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow would give up a life of philandering cavorting for one woman."
Jack took another swig of rum from the leather pouch and added, "Yeah, well neither did I. She annoys the hell out of me sometimes, but I just can't help it. I have to say, it's one hell of a feeling."
The younger man nodded. He knew precisely what the captain was talking about. "Well, I can't say it's a convenient match, but it's considerably better than what the poor dear has to look forward to if she returns. As it happens, Natalie's betrothed is only marrying her for her father's money and prestige."
Jack nodded and stared out at the Dauntless, which was fast approaching. "I had figured as much. Geoffrey Eaton owes quite a bit, and not just to me, but to other less desirable individuals as well. How in the world did you ever find out?"
"The rat bastard had the nerve to be laughing about it below deck this evening. The manner in which he described Miss Swann was nothing short of sickening," he replied, his fingers digging into the banister with anger. Suddenly, Will glanced over at his friend and asked, "What exactly is Eaton in for?"
Looking at Will with an expression conveying how obvious it all seemed to be, he replied, "Why that man has been backing smuggling rings for some time now, and is contracted to continue to do so for another five years. Unfortunately, he has pissed away his fortune and now he has a sea full of buccaneers after him. I fear I have a tad more patience than the lot of them, for they're looking for blood now."
The blacksmith stood staring at Jack in disbelief of the tale. "Good Lord! No wonder why you . . . and she . . . Natalie must have known something of it to have run away!"
"No," he said shaking his head, "Natalie couldn't tolerate the boy and she found herself engaged to him without being able to protest. She ran away because she didn't want to disappoint her family. Perceptive lass, if ye ask me."
"Indeed," Will said, curtly nodding, "Poor thing. So, does she know that you care for her? Have you told her yet?"
Inwardly wondering if the young man was completely daft, he shot him a look that removed any doubts of the answer to his question. "I should think so."
"Well you HAVE landed yourself in a whole mess of trouble haven't you, Captain?" Will said with a smile, shaking his head at the impossibility of the situation they were in.
"You don't 'ave to tell me that."
* * * *
Natalie moaned in agony. Her eyelids felt as though an anchor was perched atop each one, delighting in her failed attempts to drag them open, and her throat was dry and scratched from the sea salt that she had been swallowing on her quest.
She heard a faraway voice calling her name, over and over again. "Natalie? Natalie, darling, will you please open your eyes? Natalie!"
"F-f-ather?" she choked out past her parched vocal chords, trying her damnedest to pull her eyes open for him. After a few moments, she finally succeeded, and was met with the sight of over a hundred men hovering around her. And the Eatons, of course.
Gingerly pulling her to her feet, Commodore Norrington held her steady, asking softly, "Are you alright, Miss Swann? How do you feel?"
"Slightly dead," she replied with a small smile, "But, other than that, quite alright, thank you. If I may, Commodore, I would be much obliged if you would kindly remove the audience."
James nodded and hollered, "Gentlemen, as you were. This ship does not steer itself, you know!" He heard Natalie murmur a quick thank you and smiled. She really was a delightful child.
"Natalie!" said her father, opening his arms wide and smiling as tears streamed down his face. "Oh, how I've missed you, so!"
Her eyes brimming with unshed tears, she hurried into her father's embrace. "I love you, Father."
Weatherby Swann grasped her tighter to him, and replied, "And I you, my sweet. Never forget that."
"Oh, darling, dearest, sweetheart, my muse, my heart, my soul!" cried Charles, hurrying over to her side to receive a share of her obvious affection. Surprisingly, all he was greeted with when she turned to face him was a sound slap across the face.
"YOU! If you so much as BREATHE on me I will be forced to slap you again," she shouted, emphasizing each of her words with a sharp jab to the chest with her pointer finger.
It took every ounce of her polite upbringing to not laugh as he burst into excessive crying and moaning, complaining about his cheek supposedly starting to bleed and his person suffering from a heart attack thanks to her incessant poking. Her merriment was cut short, though as her father's voice boomed over the chaos, sending everyone into silence.
"Natalie Cecily Swann, what is the meaning of this?!"
Turning back to face him, she threw her hand in the whining heap's general direction before starting. "Father, these," she paused to send each a scathing look before continuing, "Gentlemen, have been plotting against you from the very start. They were planning to have Charles, who thinks of me in the same matter which I think of him, marry me so they would then have access to your fortune."
Geoffrey Eaton swallowed hard, trying to maintain his composure under the now suspicious eyes of the commodore. This couldn't be it! He was going to die . . . on a ship, for Jude's sake!
James eyed the two men carefully, not entirely sure of whom he should believe. The accusation was a rather serious one, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to believe that Natalie could conjure it up either. Before he could interject, the governor spoke.
"Natalie, you will be silent THIS INSTANT! I don't know why you are doing this, but you will apologize to the Masters Eaton immediately!" he shouted, any hit of fatherly love now replaced with bitter disappointment and anger.
She stared at him, unable to believe that this was happening. He was going to believe two incredibly shady strangers, who stood to gain everything, instead of his own daughter. "But--I"
"No! Now I said apologize!" he shouted, causing her to jump with fear.
Natalie straightened and gave a formal, but impersonal, curtsy to her father before facing the Eatons and doing the same. "I'm sorry," she said in a broken whisper. Clearing her throat, she elaborated. "I'm incredibly sorry that I ever left Jack Sparrow's ship, for it seems there was nothing here worth returning to. Good night."
And with that, she walked away, her bare feet making a soft thud with each step she took on the glossy wood slats, disappearing into the hull and leaving a small mass of people completely speechless behind her.
* * * *
Note: Thanks for the reviews! Snow days make me smile, so I might get two chapters out today . . . this next part is a bit confusing because, again, it switches back and forth, but the waters will calm in a bit, lol. I hope you enjoy it.
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 15)
. . . A roar which abruptly ended in "Elizabeth?"
Swinging his own body over the side, Will took his place beside the woman he loved under the watchful eyes of Jack Sparrow . . . and his entire crew. "Well, Jack," he said, admiring the finely polished wood, crisp white sails, and brand new rigging of the ship, "You've certainly done well for yourself."
With a grin, the captain swaggered over to the couple. "What can I say? I make the Italians crazy!" he slurred, throwing in a nonchalant shrug for good measure.
Raising an eyebrow, Will offered his hand and a smile. "I don't think your power to vex discriminates between ethnicities, my friend. That said, it's nice seeing you again."
Shaking his hand, he replied, "And you as well, mate." His eyes roving over to Elizabeth, he smiled charmingly and brought her hand to his lips. "And you, luv, you haven't changed a bit."
"From the looks of it, Captain, you haven't changed much either," she said in response, eying him suspiciously. He had a tendency to switch allegiances like most people changed their undergarments. Sniffing delicately, she wrinkled her nose. He OBVIOUSLY wasn't one of those people.
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing, Miss Turner?" he asked straightening up and sending her a sidelong glance.
Elizabeth sighed and conceded with a smile. "Truthfully, I haven't decided yet." She raised her eyes to his and spoke what everyone had been thinking to say, "So, Jack, where's Natalie."
Something in his eyes changed at her words, darkening with a defensive glint and cold ferocity. "Men! As you were!" he shouted, walking away from the couple to the quarter deck.
Immediately, the crew scrambled to life once more, busying themselves around the ship, preparing for battle, while the Turners followed doggedly at the Captain's heels. Jack removed his flask from his vest, and tipped it back against his lips, his gaze never leaving the two lovebirds. Offering it to them, he asked, "Care for a drink, would ya?"
"Jack," Will said, a warning tone echoing in his utterance, "We know you have her. I'm sure she's been giving you a hard time of it, so just give her up and we'll be on our way."
The moment his eyes connected with Jack's, he knew that the situation was somehow more complicated than he had imagined. "Elizabeth, darling, why don't you go and check below for her. I'll be along in a moment."
Her eyes darting back and forth between the two men, she sensed something was amiss, but didn't call any attention to it, nodding slowly before disappearing down the stairs and into the hull.
Once she had left, Will took a few steps closer. "What is it, Jack? What happened?"
"What do you mean 'what happened'? I went ashore to collect on a debt and suddenly I have a stowaway and the damn Navy trailin' me ship!" the man hollered, stomping off to hang his head over the railing. With a sigh, he lowered his voice and muttered, "I never meant for any of this to happen."
Will's eyes widened at the potent combination of his words and his tone. He could recognize sorrow of the heart in a snap, considering he had been so well versed in it himself not too long ago. Moving to his side, he tried to keep the shock out of his voice when he said, "You went ahead and fell in love with her, didn't you?"
Jack's head snapped up and he sent a petrified look in the blacksmith's general direction. "Is it that obvious?"
Shaking his head, Will tried not to smile. "Well, I never thought I'd live to see the day when Jack Spa--"
"CAPTAIN!"
"Right, when CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow would give up a life of philandering cavorting for one woman."
Jack took another swig of rum from the leather pouch and added, "Yeah, well neither did I. She annoys the hell out of me sometimes, but I just can't help it. I have to say, it's one hell of a feeling."
The younger man nodded. He knew precisely what the captain was talking about. "Well, I can't say it's a convenient match, but it's considerably better than what the poor dear has to look forward to if she returns. As it happens, Natalie's betrothed is only marrying her for her father's money and prestige."
Jack nodded and stared out at the Dauntless, which was fast approaching. "I had figured as much. Geoffrey Eaton owes quite a bit, and not just to me, but to other less desirable individuals as well. How in the world did you ever find out?"
"The rat bastard had the nerve to be laughing about it below deck this evening. The manner in which he described Miss Swann was nothing short of sickening," he replied, his fingers digging into the banister with anger. Suddenly, Will glanced over at his friend and asked, "What exactly is Eaton in for?"
Looking at Will with an expression conveying how obvious it all seemed to be, he replied, "Why that man has been backing smuggling rings for some time now, and is contracted to continue to do so for another five years. Unfortunately, he has pissed away his fortune and now he has a sea full of buccaneers after him. I fear I have a tad more patience than the lot of them, for they're looking for blood now."
The blacksmith stood staring at Jack in disbelief of the tale. "Good Lord! No wonder why you . . . and she . . . Natalie must have known something of it to have run away!"
"No," he said shaking his head, "Natalie couldn't tolerate the boy and she found herself engaged to him without being able to protest. She ran away because she didn't want to disappoint her family. Perceptive lass, if ye ask me."
"Indeed," Will said, curtly nodding, "Poor thing. So, does she know that you care for her? Have you told her yet?"
Inwardly wondering if the young man was completely daft, he shot him a look that removed any doubts of the answer to his question. "I should think so."
"Well you HAVE landed yourself in a whole mess of trouble haven't you, Captain?" Will said with a smile, shaking his head at the impossibility of the situation they were in.
"You don't 'ave to tell me that."
* * * *
Natalie moaned in agony. Her eyelids felt as though an anchor was perched atop each one, delighting in her failed attempts to drag them open, and her throat was dry and scratched from the sea salt that she had been swallowing on her quest.
She heard a faraway voice calling her name, over and over again. "Natalie? Natalie, darling, will you please open your eyes? Natalie!"
"F-f-ather?" she choked out past her parched vocal chords, trying her damnedest to pull her eyes open for him. After a few moments, she finally succeeded, and was met with the sight of over a hundred men hovering around her. And the Eatons, of course.
Gingerly pulling her to her feet, Commodore Norrington held her steady, asking softly, "Are you alright, Miss Swann? How do you feel?"
"Slightly dead," she replied with a small smile, "But, other than that, quite alright, thank you. If I may, Commodore, I would be much obliged if you would kindly remove the audience."
James nodded and hollered, "Gentlemen, as you were. This ship does not steer itself, you know!" He heard Natalie murmur a quick thank you and smiled. She really was a delightful child.
"Natalie!" said her father, opening his arms wide and smiling as tears streamed down his face. "Oh, how I've missed you, so!"
Her eyes brimming with unshed tears, she hurried into her father's embrace. "I love you, Father."
Weatherby Swann grasped her tighter to him, and replied, "And I you, my sweet. Never forget that."
"Oh, darling, dearest, sweetheart, my muse, my heart, my soul!" cried Charles, hurrying over to her side to receive a share of her obvious affection. Surprisingly, all he was greeted with when she turned to face him was a sound slap across the face.
"YOU! If you so much as BREATHE on me I will be forced to slap you again," she shouted, emphasizing each of her words with a sharp jab to the chest with her pointer finger.
It took every ounce of her polite upbringing to not laugh as he burst into excessive crying and moaning, complaining about his cheek supposedly starting to bleed and his person suffering from a heart attack thanks to her incessant poking. Her merriment was cut short, though as her father's voice boomed over the chaos, sending everyone into silence.
"Natalie Cecily Swann, what is the meaning of this?!"
Turning back to face him, she threw her hand in the whining heap's general direction before starting. "Father, these," she paused to send each a scathing look before continuing, "Gentlemen, have been plotting against you from the very start. They were planning to have Charles, who thinks of me in the same matter which I think of him, marry me so they would then have access to your fortune."
Geoffrey Eaton swallowed hard, trying to maintain his composure under the now suspicious eyes of the commodore. This couldn't be it! He was going to die . . . on a ship, for Jude's sake!
James eyed the two men carefully, not entirely sure of whom he should believe. The accusation was a rather serious one, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to believe that Natalie could conjure it up either. Before he could interject, the governor spoke.
"Natalie, you will be silent THIS INSTANT! I don't know why you are doing this, but you will apologize to the Masters Eaton immediately!" he shouted, any hit of fatherly love now replaced with bitter disappointment and anger.
She stared at him, unable to believe that this was happening. He was going to believe two incredibly shady strangers, who stood to gain everything, instead of his own daughter. "But--I"
"No! Now I said apologize!" he shouted, causing her to jump with fear.
Natalie straightened and gave a formal, but impersonal, curtsy to her father before facing the Eatons and doing the same. "I'm sorry," she said in a broken whisper. Clearing her throat, she elaborated. "I'm incredibly sorry that I ever left Jack Sparrow's ship, for it seems there was nothing here worth returning to. Good night."
And with that, she walked away, her bare feet making a soft thud with each step she took on the glossy wood slats, disappearing into the hull and leaving a small mass of people completely speechless behind her.
* * * *