Disclaimer: If I owned this, I'd be in Aruba, not here in below zero-New
York.
Note: Thank you for all of your reviews! Terreis, your rhyming skills are quite dazzling and to the many reviewers who sent their sympathies to Natalie, she says thanks as well (Or at least I think she did . . . It was a bit hard to hear through the sobbing . . .). Hope you enjoy this!
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 16)
"Excuse me," Elizabeth said, rising up on her toes to tap one of the crewmen on the shoulder. When he turned around, her eyes widened and her breath escaped her lungs in an audible gasp. The behemoth snarled down at her from his perch, towering at least three feet above her, his capped teeth glinting in the dim light that emanated from the lanterns below deck and his foul breath threatening to knock her over! "I'm looking for Natalie . . ." she said softly, trying hard not to provoke his wrath.
Immediately, the giant's features softened and a toothy grin crossed his features. "Sure, Miss, righ' this way, if ye would," he replied, offering his arm, which she accepted, shocked, and leading her down the corridor to the last door. "Here i'tis, Miss. Goodday!" Cheerily, he whistled as he walked away, leaving her in stunned silence.
Captain Jack never ceased to amaze her.
Shaking her head, she brought herself back to reality, standing beside the door to call for her sister. "Natalie? Natalie, it's me, Elizabeth. Please open up, dear." After no reply came, she sighed and shook her head. "Nattie, love, I'm sorry for everything. I need to speak with you."
Again, all was still inside.
"Natalie!" she exclaimed, raising a fist and lowering it with a thud. At her gesture, the door swung open and Elizabeth walked cautiously inside. Her eyes scanned the small cabin, which was slowly growing darker as the moonlight started to vanish, giving way to the slowly rising sun, but she didn't see the younger girl there.
Seeing the door to the balcony opened, she hurried over and checked there, but to no avail. Natalie was nowhere to be found. "Oh, dear," Elizabeth said with a sigh, moving through the room and having a seat on the bed. Leaning her hands on either side of her, she felt something beneath her fingertips.
Slowly, she brought the folded piece of paper into the sliver of light coming through the window. As her eyes followed the neatly written words, Elizabeth leapt to her feet in disbelief. "Oh, Jack!"
* * * *
James stood at the stern, looking out at the Dauntless' wake in the muted light and shook his head. Since Natalie Swann had stormed off almost a half hour before, followed by her fatigued father and the Eatons, he had been able to think of little else. Being the supreme law aboard the vessel, it was his duty to resolve the matter, but, at the moment, he would have traded places with any number of people to be rid of the task.
The situation was a sticky one.
First of all, the Eatons' reputation was at stake. Even if the accusations against them proved false, they could still be irrevocably harmed by them.
A consequence that perturbed him far more than this was the disintegration of the relationship between Governor Swann and his daughter. Unless her charges were true, there would always be something amiss there.
The breakdown of a bond between father and child he did not want to be responsible for.
Running his hands over his face in frustration, he mumbled, "Why me."
"I understand the feeling, Commodore."
The softly spoken words stilled him, and he turned around to find Natalie approaching him, a small smile haunting her countenance. "Do you mind if I share the deck with you? I was getting a bit restless just sitting below and I couldn't sleep."
"Please, Miss Swann," he replied with a polite nod and a smile, gesturing towards the vacant spot on the rail beside him.
She moved to his side and stared out at the sea and sky, which seemed to melt together at the horizon in an ebony pool. The world of nature put her at ease. Even though it was ever changing and unpredictable, it was comforting to know that some things happened without man applying reason to it.
Sending him a sidelong glance, she said, "You may call me Natalie, you know. You almost married my sister, so I believe we are past formalities." At his wide-eyed silence, she added, "Isn't that right . . . Commodore?"
"Why . . . yes, of course . . . Natalie. And you may call me James," he replied after finding his tongue. Well this one certainly jumped straight to the point!
Returning her gaze to the night before her, she asked, "Did you love Elizabeth, James?"
This was insanity! She was just delving for the jugular this evening, nearly stunning him into a coma! He felt like calling her on her scandalous behavior, but his heart begged him to confide in someone . . . anyone.
"Um . . . well, I suppose I did. It was all rather sudden, really. She was this very blunt little girl, very much like you, actually, but then she grew up," James mused, a faraway smile playing upon his ordinarily tight, straight lips. "She's stunning; any man would say the same."
Turning around, she leaned her back against the banister and looked up at him curiously. "Ah, but it seems that you and I are speaking of two very different things. You are talking about idol worship. Love is so much more, James."
Her eyes moving past him, to the western horizon where the moon was slowly sinking, she continued with a ghost of a smile. "That feeling of sweet agony whenever so much as a thought of that person springs to mind, that is love. Being able to see all of the wretched things about that person and loving them, not in spite of it all, but because of it, that is love. If you'll pardon the expression, it's one hell of a feeling," she added, grinning up at him.
James smiled and raised an eyebrow. "I suppose it is. How did you become so well versed in the area?" When her eyes dropped to the wood planking beneath her feet, he knew he had his answer. "Oh, I see. How did you come to be on Mister Sparrow's ship, anyway?"
"Do you swear on your soul to listen to this as a regular human being and not as the leader of the British fleet, for if you will not I won't waste my time, or yours," she replied, her eyes filled with the utmost seriousness.
Nodding, he replied, "Agreed, Natalie. So, if you would, I'd be most obliged."
The girl sighed and began her story . . . again.
"I never did care for Charles, in fact I most despised him, and at his party he proposed to me. Before I could refuse, Elizabeth, Will, and my father already knew and were all so excited about it. I couldn't bear to tell them otherwise, so I slipped away from the crowd, picked up some belongings from home, and went to the wharf. If I bought passage, I would have been taken home, for certain, so I stowed away on a ship. The crew found me on board, but we were already in Tortuga by then. So the Captain, Mister Sparrow, promised to keep me on board and unharmed until he could return me to Port Royale."
"But then, where to these accusations against the Eatons fit in?" he asked, interjecting in an attempt to make sense of all the things swimming through his head.
Natalie nodded and continued, "Well, when they took me to Jack for the first time, he told me that he had gone ashore to collect on a debt owed by Geoffrey Eaton. Charles' over amorous tendencies, his father constantly pushing him towards me, my less than perfect social record, and my father's stature: it all makes perfect sense."
Turning to face him, she looked up at him and said, "James, I know that it's impossible for you to believe me right now, but give me some time, and I'll get proof. I can feel it . . . deep down; I know that Geoffrey and Charles Eaton are hiding something."
* * * *
"So, Jack, what exactly do you plan on doing," asked Will. Pointing past the captain to the vessel charging onward in their wake, he added, "The Dauntless can't be more than twenty yards from here, so you had better decide quickly."
"The men are preparing the Cara Mia to make a stand." Jack didn't meet his friend's eyes, knowing that he would be called daft, infirm, crazed, insane . . . and Lord only knew what else. He knew in his head that they wouldn't stand a chance, but his heart refused to let him surrender like that.
Will's mouth dropped open in shock. "Are you mad?!"
"Well, that's a new one . . ." he murmured, taking another swig from his lightening flask. So much for Will being predictable . . .
"You can't do this, Jack!" he shouted, "You'll get the both of you killed! Is that what you want? Hum?"
Frustrated and scared beyond reason, he spun about, grabbed him by the collar, and wagged his pointer finger in his friend's face. "Don't impugn my judgment, boy! And don't think for one . . ."
"Jack!"
Both men were silent immediately, turning their heads to find Elizabeth standing there, looking worried. The captain's eyes roved her form and settled upon the piece of paper she clutched in her left hand.
Dropping hold of Will's shirt, he hurried over to her, looking into her eyes. "What would that be in your hand there, Miss Elizabeth?"
Shaking her head, she turned over the note with a sigh. "Jack, it's Natalie."
Quickly, he snatched it from her grasp and turned his back to her so he could read it. At the mere sight of her sister he had known she was gone, but her perfectly scrawled words only made the news harder to take:
Dearest Jack,
If you are reading this, you have probably figured out that I am
no longer on board the Cara Mia. I couldn't let you do this, darling. I
have come to care for this crew, and its captain, far too much to see you
all killed. Do not worry about me; I have gone back to the Dauntless to
try and avert the Commodore's attack. Remember, I will always love you,
Jack. Don't do anything stupid.
Love always,
Natalie
Jack swallowed his tears, jammed the note in his pocket, and ran to the helm. He shouted from the wheel for all to hear, "Gents, man the guns! We fight!"
* * * *
"So that's the whole story, Commodore," Natalie said with a sigh. "You aren't going to fire on the Cara Mia, are you? Jack did nothing wrong, sir. If anyone is to blame, it's me."
With a half smile, he nodded goodbye and shouted to the crew below. "Come about, men! We sail for Port Royale!"
* * * *
Note: Thank you for all of your reviews! Terreis, your rhyming skills are quite dazzling and to the many reviewers who sent their sympathies to Natalie, she says thanks as well (Or at least I think she did . . . It was a bit hard to hear through the sobbing . . .). Hope you enjoy this!
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 16)
"Excuse me," Elizabeth said, rising up on her toes to tap one of the crewmen on the shoulder. When he turned around, her eyes widened and her breath escaped her lungs in an audible gasp. The behemoth snarled down at her from his perch, towering at least three feet above her, his capped teeth glinting in the dim light that emanated from the lanterns below deck and his foul breath threatening to knock her over! "I'm looking for Natalie . . ." she said softly, trying hard not to provoke his wrath.
Immediately, the giant's features softened and a toothy grin crossed his features. "Sure, Miss, righ' this way, if ye would," he replied, offering his arm, which she accepted, shocked, and leading her down the corridor to the last door. "Here i'tis, Miss. Goodday!" Cheerily, he whistled as he walked away, leaving her in stunned silence.
Captain Jack never ceased to amaze her.
Shaking her head, she brought herself back to reality, standing beside the door to call for her sister. "Natalie? Natalie, it's me, Elizabeth. Please open up, dear." After no reply came, she sighed and shook her head. "Nattie, love, I'm sorry for everything. I need to speak with you."
Again, all was still inside.
"Natalie!" she exclaimed, raising a fist and lowering it with a thud. At her gesture, the door swung open and Elizabeth walked cautiously inside. Her eyes scanned the small cabin, which was slowly growing darker as the moonlight started to vanish, giving way to the slowly rising sun, but she didn't see the younger girl there.
Seeing the door to the balcony opened, she hurried over and checked there, but to no avail. Natalie was nowhere to be found. "Oh, dear," Elizabeth said with a sigh, moving through the room and having a seat on the bed. Leaning her hands on either side of her, she felt something beneath her fingertips.
Slowly, she brought the folded piece of paper into the sliver of light coming through the window. As her eyes followed the neatly written words, Elizabeth leapt to her feet in disbelief. "Oh, Jack!"
* * * *
James stood at the stern, looking out at the Dauntless' wake in the muted light and shook his head. Since Natalie Swann had stormed off almost a half hour before, followed by her fatigued father and the Eatons, he had been able to think of little else. Being the supreme law aboard the vessel, it was his duty to resolve the matter, but, at the moment, he would have traded places with any number of people to be rid of the task.
The situation was a sticky one.
First of all, the Eatons' reputation was at stake. Even if the accusations against them proved false, they could still be irrevocably harmed by them.
A consequence that perturbed him far more than this was the disintegration of the relationship between Governor Swann and his daughter. Unless her charges were true, there would always be something amiss there.
The breakdown of a bond between father and child he did not want to be responsible for.
Running his hands over his face in frustration, he mumbled, "Why me."
"I understand the feeling, Commodore."
The softly spoken words stilled him, and he turned around to find Natalie approaching him, a small smile haunting her countenance. "Do you mind if I share the deck with you? I was getting a bit restless just sitting below and I couldn't sleep."
"Please, Miss Swann," he replied with a polite nod and a smile, gesturing towards the vacant spot on the rail beside him.
She moved to his side and stared out at the sea and sky, which seemed to melt together at the horizon in an ebony pool. The world of nature put her at ease. Even though it was ever changing and unpredictable, it was comforting to know that some things happened without man applying reason to it.
Sending him a sidelong glance, she said, "You may call me Natalie, you know. You almost married my sister, so I believe we are past formalities." At his wide-eyed silence, she added, "Isn't that right . . . Commodore?"
"Why . . . yes, of course . . . Natalie. And you may call me James," he replied after finding his tongue. Well this one certainly jumped straight to the point!
Returning her gaze to the night before her, she asked, "Did you love Elizabeth, James?"
This was insanity! She was just delving for the jugular this evening, nearly stunning him into a coma! He felt like calling her on her scandalous behavior, but his heart begged him to confide in someone . . . anyone.
"Um . . . well, I suppose I did. It was all rather sudden, really. She was this very blunt little girl, very much like you, actually, but then she grew up," James mused, a faraway smile playing upon his ordinarily tight, straight lips. "She's stunning; any man would say the same."
Turning around, she leaned her back against the banister and looked up at him curiously. "Ah, but it seems that you and I are speaking of two very different things. You are talking about idol worship. Love is so much more, James."
Her eyes moving past him, to the western horizon where the moon was slowly sinking, she continued with a ghost of a smile. "That feeling of sweet agony whenever so much as a thought of that person springs to mind, that is love. Being able to see all of the wretched things about that person and loving them, not in spite of it all, but because of it, that is love. If you'll pardon the expression, it's one hell of a feeling," she added, grinning up at him.
James smiled and raised an eyebrow. "I suppose it is. How did you become so well versed in the area?" When her eyes dropped to the wood planking beneath her feet, he knew he had his answer. "Oh, I see. How did you come to be on Mister Sparrow's ship, anyway?"
"Do you swear on your soul to listen to this as a regular human being and not as the leader of the British fleet, for if you will not I won't waste my time, or yours," she replied, her eyes filled with the utmost seriousness.
Nodding, he replied, "Agreed, Natalie. So, if you would, I'd be most obliged."
The girl sighed and began her story . . . again.
"I never did care for Charles, in fact I most despised him, and at his party he proposed to me. Before I could refuse, Elizabeth, Will, and my father already knew and were all so excited about it. I couldn't bear to tell them otherwise, so I slipped away from the crowd, picked up some belongings from home, and went to the wharf. If I bought passage, I would have been taken home, for certain, so I stowed away on a ship. The crew found me on board, but we were already in Tortuga by then. So the Captain, Mister Sparrow, promised to keep me on board and unharmed until he could return me to Port Royale."
"But then, where to these accusations against the Eatons fit in?" he asked, interjecting in an attempt to make sense of all the things swimming through his head.
Natalie nodded and continued, "Well, when they took me to Jack for the first time, he told me that he had gone ashore to collect on a debt owed by Geoffrey Eaton. Charles' over amorous tendencies, his father constantly pushing him towards me, my less than perfect social record, and my father's stature: it all makes perfect sense."
Turning to face him, she looked up at him and said, "James, I know that it's impossible for you to believe me right now, but give me some time, and I'll get proof. I can feel it . . . deep down; I know that Geoffrey and Charles Eaton are hiding something."
* * * *
"So, Jack, what exactly do you plan on doing," asked Will. Pointing past the captain to the vessel charging onward in their wake, he added, "The Dauntless can't be more than twenty yards from here, so you had better decide quickly."
"The men are preparing the Cara Mia to make a stand." Jack didn't meet his friend's eyes, knowing that he would be called daft, infirm, crazed, insane . . . and Lord only knew what else. He knew in his head that they wouldn't stand a chance, but his heart refused to let him surrender like that.
Will's mouth dropped open in shock. "Are you mad?!"
"Well, that's a new one . . ." he murmured, taking another swig from his lightening flask. So much for Will being predictable . . .
"You can't do this, Jack!" he shouted, "You'll get the both of you killed! Is that what you want? Hum?"
Frustrated and scared beyond reason, he spun about, grabbed him by the collar, and wagged his pointer finger in his friend's face. "Don't impugn my judgment, boy! And don't think for one . . ."
"Jack!"
Both men were silent immediately, turning their heads to find Elizabeth standing there, looking worried. The captain's eyes roved her form and settled upon the piece of paper she clutched in her left hand.
Dropping hold of Will's shirt, he hurried over to her, looking into her eyes. "What would that be in your hand there, Miss Elizabeth?"
Shaking her head, she turned over the note with a sigh. "Jack, it's Natalie."
Quickly, he snatched it from her grasp and turned his back to her so he could read it. At the mere sight of her sister he had known she was gone, but her perfectly scrawled words only made the news harder to take:
Dearest Jack,
If you are reading this, you have probably figured out that I am
no longer on board the Cara Mia. I couldn't let you do this, darling. I
have come to care for this crew, and its captain, far too much to see you
all killed. Do not worry about me; I have gone back to the Dauntless to
try and avert the Commodore's attack. Remember, I will always love you,
Jack. Don't do anything stupid.
Love always,
Natalie
Jack swallowed his tears, jammed the note in his pocket, and ran to the helm. He shouted from the wheel for all to hear, "Gents, man the guns! We fight!"
* * * *
"So that's the whole story, Commodore," Natalie said with a sigh. "You aren't going to fire on the Cara Mia, are you? Jack did nothing wrong, sir. If anyone is to blame, it's me."
With a half smile, he nodded goodbye and shouted to the crew below. "Come about, men! We sail for Port Royale!"
* * * *