DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything POTC related except my own characters.

EDITED ONLY

CHAPTER 9

The Attack on Port Royal

Hope and Elizabeth walked back towards the fort where the governor said a carriage would be waiting. Elizabeth was still angry. As they walked, they saw several groups of marines running through alleyways and into the town, searching homes and shops for Jack Sparrow.

"Oh, the nerve of that bloody pirate! Who does he think he is?" Elizabeth screamed.

"A pirate who believes he can never be caught," Hope said.

"I still…" Elizabeth said trying to contain her anger.

"Be still. He may be a pirate, but he has the entire Royal Navy after him. The commodore is completely capable of bringing in a pirate. He has done it before. There are not as many pirate threats out there now since he came to Port Royal."

"That is what my father told me before we left for the ceremony."

"You see. Sparrow will be brought to justice. No worries." As they continued to walk Hope couldn't help but wonder if he was part of the pirate crew that killed her sister. As they approached the fort, they saw the carriage ahead, along with several people from the ceremony that had stayed around. Hope heard yelling from behind her and when she looked behind her, she saw several marines along with Norrington and Gillette carrying an unconscious Jack Sparrow towards the fort. "Elizabeth. Look. I told you they would catch him." Elizabeth turned and saw what Hope was commenting on.

"Good. Now they can hang him." Hope sighed, knowing that Elizabeth was going to be upset for awhile. Elizabeth walked up to the carriage and opened the door. When the group past by Gillette caught sight of the two women and went over to them.

"I'll be back in a moment," Hope said going over to Gillette. Elizabeth watched them converse. She figured they were talking about Sparrow since Gillette kept gesturing towards the fort. They only talked for a moment before Gillette lifted her hands and kissed them before jogging after the marines entering the fort.

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked Hope when she neared the carriage.

"They found him in the blacksmith shop. According to Will Turner, he and Sparrow engaged in a sparring match. Mr. Brown, apparently had the last move by smashing him over the head with an empty bottle. Edward said he will hang at dawn tomorrow."

"No less than what he deserves."

"Maybe." Hope said looking at the fort before climbing in the carriage as it made it's way to the governor's house.

SCENE CHANGE

As night fell over the Caribbean and her father and the servants had gone to bed, Hope snuck out of the house and headed to the blacksmith shop. Her and Will had lessons every other day but the events earlier that day changed that schedule around. Entering town she saw that the streets were empty. It was late but there should have been a few people out.

"Brilliant, Hope. Why couldn't you just wait?" she said quietly. As she rounded a corner, a cat crossed her path. She gasped and backed against a wall holding her chest. "Bloody cat." She quickly made her way to the blacksmith shop and knocked. Will answered seconds later.

"Hope. Come in. What are you doing out so late?"

"Have you forgotten? We had a lesson today, but that was changed quickly when that pirate came into port."

"That's right. I'm sorry I completely forgot."

"Is this a bad time? I know it's late and I heard you had an informal lesson with that pirate."

"Yes. I...I mean no, its not a bad time. I meant yes to that pirate. To be honest I would rather fight with an adversary that wasn't trying to kill me."

"Very well then." Hope said removing her cloak and unsheathing her sword. Will grabbed one as well. "So, what was it like fighting a pirate?"

"Intense. I would have beaten him if he hadn't cheated and sprayed a bag of sand in my face."

"There's no doubting. Pirates don't fight fair."

"Yes. He was very skilled though. He acted as if I was the one with no training whatsoever." They began to move slowly through the steps as a warm up. "Is Miss Swann, okay?" Hope smiled.

"Don't you mean is Elizabeth okay?" Will looked away and blushed. Hope laughed.

"You don't have to be proper around me, William Turner. You can call her Elizabeth. She asks you do so all the time. And yes she's fine. You should have seen how mad she was though. I have never seen her like that before."

"Was she? What about you? I heard he made a move on you as well."

"Unfortunately, yes. Edward wasn't too happy about that. The pirate made a comment while Edward was putting the irons on and he nearly yanked Sparrow's arm out of the joint."

"Sparrow?"

"Yes. The pirate's name was Jack Sparrow, or Captain Jack Sparrow is what he insisted on. Apparently, he was going to commandeer one of the navy's ships. He's a character though, I'll give him that. He possesses many pirate qualities, but I think he may have a more humane side than he let's on about."

"A pirate is a pirate."

"True. They're hanging him at dawn."

"Speaking of Lieutenant Gillette. When are you two finally going to get married? You have been engaged for what? Two years now? You're not having problems are you?"

"No, of course not. Other things have just been taking priority. At least that is what my father thinks. The Royal Navy has been gone more often and for long periods of time. He claims that he can perform the ceremony any time, but, what he doesn't seem to understand is that Edward wants his family to be there. When we do communicate with his family and set a date my father says there is something else planned that day. I don't understand his motives. Maybe Edward and I should just elope to England." Will laughed a little.

"This is not a laughing matter, Will."

"I'm sorry, Hope. It's just, you say things a woman of your status wouldn't do."

"Oh really? What are we doing now?"

"Sparring."

"Exactly. Handling a sword, let alone using it, is not something that is deemed proper for a woman to do. I'm not like other women and I would like to know where I get all this from, certainly not my father. And he has told me what my mother was like, so it can't be from her either."

"Think of it this way. You're unique."

"Right." They continued to spar until cannon fire shook them from the duel. "What was that?" They looked at each other as they ran out the door and into the square just in time to see a cannon ball hit a chimney, knocking pieces of it too the ground. Above them another ball hit a scaffold. Will grabbed Hope and pulled her out of the way as it hit the ground. They then ran back to the shop, each grabbing a weapon. Hope grabbed two swords and Will grabbed one and an axe. As they ran out, they saw a pirate run by chasing after a woman. Will threw his axe and it lodged itself in the man's back. Hope looked too her right and saw dozens of pirates storming into the town.

"Will!" When he saw them himself, he pulled Hope as they ran past the previous man, Will grabbing his axe out of the back. Will fought whatever pirate attacked them. Hope, on the other hand, was too busy helping the people being attacked. Ahead of her, she saw a young woman trip and fall. There was a pirate heading towards her. Taking one of the swords, she threw it at him. It lodged in his back as he fell against the wall.

"Miss Danforth?!" the woman yelled when Hope ran to her. Hope's eyes widened as she recognized Ann, the head maid.

"Ann? What are you doing here?"

"Your father sent everyone out to look for you when he found your room empty when the attack started. Why weren't you in your room?"

"It's a long story that I don't have time to tell," Hope said as she pulled the sword from the pirate. Then to her shock he got up again and smiled with horribly rotting teeth. Ann screamed.

"Hello, poppets!" he said in a gruff voice. Hope glared at him as she kicked his legs out from under him and pulled Ann up.

"Go! Tell my father I'm okay, then all of you head to the fort. You will have better protection there."

"What about you?"

"I can handle myself, now go!" Hope yelled as Ann ran up the street. When Hope turned around she didn't see Will anywhere. Making her way into town she turned and looked up at the fort and saw the cannons firing out to the bay and cannons firing back. "Dear lord, please let them be safe." She continued on. Suddenly she caught sight of Will fighting with a burley man with grappling hooks. "Will!" she yelled out as the man hooked Will's neck. Seconds later a sign broke loose and threw the man through the window behind him. When Will turned he saw Hope, as one of the pirates came from behind and grabbed her. He ran towards her just as she turned the sword in her hand, bent her head to the left and thrust the sword through his forehead.

"Where did that come from?" Will asked reaching her.

"I have no idea."

"It's getting too dangerous, go back to the shop and hide, you'll be safer there."

"I can help you."

"No. I don't want you too get hurt and neither would the lieutenant. Go!" Hope gave in as she ran back towards the shop. When Will turned back around he saw Elizabeth being dragged away by a group of pirates. "Elizabeth." Before he had time to move a pirate came from behind and hit him over the head with the bottom of a candlestick as he fell to the ground unconscious.

SCENE CHANGE

Hope made it back to the shop just as another cannon ball fired through the roof. She tried to back away from the falling debris, but tripped and was hit over the head with the falling pieces of wood. She fell to the ground as blackness enveloped her vision.

NOTE: So? What do you think? This chapter was mainly edited. PLEASE REVIEW

ArianaielNightstar.

Next Chapter: Commandeering a Ship