Disclaimer: Until Disney puts up Pirates of the Caribbean for sale and I buy it, I don't own anything it. Also, any insults against Captain Jack Sparrow written here are entirely untrue (except for maybe the drunken pirate and crazy pirate ones) and only there for the sake of the story. Will Turner insults on the other hand . . .
Summary: Ummm . . . . When Will decides that Jack is a pirate and thus deserves to hang, he doesn't reckon with Elizabeth's opposite view of the situation. Taking action of her own, the ending of POTC is given a twist.
And now, the feature presentation . . . For What It's Worth!!! (Applause all around.)m1 m2
For What It's Worth
Chapter One: Worthy Of
"Well, do you like it, Miss?" The maid asked. She glanced up. Hesitating, she said, "If it's not too bold, I think it's beautiful, absolutely stunning."
Elizabeth sighed, examining herself in the mirror. Despite the pretty—many would say beautiful—reflection she wasn't pleased. The long blonde hair brushed and styled to perfection, the gorgeous and costly dress, the delicate white gloves were all signs of the invisible prison around her. They only reminded her that she wasn't some common lass who could play, dress, even fall in love, by choice. As Governor's daughter, she was forced to stay inside, mouth meaningless pleasantries and be a useless ornament. Marry according to what is proper and raise children to live in the same prison. And they wished to live her life.
That brief flight of freedom during her adventures with Will— No, that was Mr. Turner now—and Jack had awakened the long dormant desire of her childhood, not to be beautiful and respected but free. To ride the ocean, sailing anywhere in the world. No ties, no boundaries, only the distant horizon. That dream had been shattered by the eminent prospect of marriage to the Commodore and Will's betrayal of Jack.
"Sparrow isn't worth you risking your life, let alone your high station."
Elizabeth still felt shock and revulsion remembering Will's words. Jack may not be her favorite person, hell, he wasn't even in the top fifty, but he had risked a lot to save her.
Sticks and stones, love. I saved your life, you save mine, we're square.
Jack stuck to that and in his own way he possessed far more honor than Will or the Commodore.
Jack may be a despicable pirate but he saved our lives. He's worth saving. Why can't Will understand that?
Realizing that the maid had been trying to grab her attention politely more than once, she drew herself back into the present. Smiling falsely, she nodded to the maid, "Thank you. It looks gorgeous. Now if you could go inform my father that I'm ready, I would appreciate that."
"Of course, Miss Swann. Or should it be Mrs. Norrington?"
Elizabeth forced another smile and laughed. "Not yet."
With the maid out of her bedchambers, Elizabeth was free to sit down and bury her face in her hands. Everything since her rescue by Jack and Will— Mr. Turner, it was now—had gone wrong. Or rather, right. Too right.
Barbossa was right. I am in a ghost story. Only it's more like a fairy tale, like Wi—Mr. Turner said. An evil king or pirates kidnap the princess. A prince or even a poor sheepherder—blacksmith-- saves her and is gifted with the princess's hand. Of course, they live happily ever after.
Elizabeth smiled mirthlessly. She had gotten what she had wanted: adventures on the high seas, pirates, rescue by her secret crush and a magical defeat over the evil side. Marriage with Will was out of the question, but it had never been more than a pleasant dream.
However, the fairy tales never mentioned pirate captains that were as honorable as commodores and blacksmiths or princesses bargaining to save their secret love. Nor sarcastic, stubborn female pirates, and daft crews. They don't mention them at all.
Instead, good and evil are clearly separated. There's never any question of freeing the bad guys or cursing the good. They never tell the end of the story, all you know is that the bad guys are dead and the good guys 'live happily ever after'.
But real life isn't like that, as Elizabeth was beginning to find out.
A knock at the door startled Elizabeth out of her reveries.
"Yes?"
A maid opened the door and entered. Curtsying, she told the future Mrs. Norrington, "Miss Swann, Commodore Norrington is here and ready to escort you to the tea."
With shake of her head, Elizabeth dismissed her problems from her mind. She had yet another tea to go to and enduring all the meaningless questions, congratulations and comments would be hard enough without her longing aspirations for freedom clouding up her mind as well as Mr. Turner and Jack. Not to mention her desire, albeit no ideas or actions, to save Jack from a short drop and a sudden stop. No matter what Will thought about Jack's worthiness.
"Miss Swann, I must tell you that I was so delighted to hear that you're back and unharmed. I can't even imagine what horrors you must have faced." The hostess of the tea party cooed, as the other ladies murmured agreement.
"Indeed." Elizabeth replied, bored out of her mind. "The barbarities out of Port Royal are . . . indescribable."
"But coming out of it with the Commodore must make up for much." One lady added.
"It's worthy of a fairy tale." Another joined in. At that description, Elizabeth flinched and barely avoided snapping out that it was nothing like a fairy tale and not imagining the horrors she had went through was quite an understatement.
"Miss Swann's our little princess, all set to marry the prince." All the ladies tittered and began exclaiming over that description.
"How true!"
"And how lucky."
"Just think the Governor's daughter and the Commodore."
"What a perfect match."
As all the ladies sighed over the comments, Elizabeth tried not to burst out with an angry retort or disgusted remark. The ladies of Port Royal, though not quite as stupid as appeared and virtual geniuses compared those ladies in England, were perfect stereotypes of ladies. Quiet among the men, docile, and gossips, they rarely had an individual thought and were delighted with the new topic of Elizabeth and the Commodore.
A click of boots on the wood announced Commodore Norrington, a disruption that saved Elizabeth's mounting fury from erupting.
He bowed and made his apologies for interrupting. "My ladies, I apologize for breaking up this party, but I must get Miss Swann back to the Governor's house. It wouldn't do if we were late."
"Of course." The hostess said. "My apologies. You should have come sooner."
"I didn't want to disrupt you. Miss Swann was so eager to see you and I hate to take away from her happiness." At this, he smiled fondly at her.
The ladies all smiled and began exclaiming at his gallantness. "As noble and brave as a knight you are, commodore."
"We were just speaking of how like a fairy tale your rescue of Miss Swann was."
"I cannot claim much credit for it. We owe it to Mr. Turner that she's safe and sound."
"But it was not for you, it still would have been for naught."
"You're just being modest, commodore."
"But we are holding you up. As you say, it wouldn't do to be late for the Governor."
Politely excusing herself, Elizabeth gladly escaped the confines of the parlor. She allowed Commodore Norrington to kiss her hand and escort her out to the waiting carriage.
In the carriage, while traveling back home, Elizabeth suppressed a yawn. Making courteous conversation in a stifling hot and jolting box was not her idea of a fun ride. However, disliking the inevitability of returning home to boredom less than the ride, she searched for a delaying tactic.
"Commodore, could we ride by the ocean? I find it rather warm in here and the breeze off the sea would be quite welcome.
Looking delighted for the opportunity to leave the stifling heat in the carriage, the Commodore quickly agreed, remarking, "The Caribbean has been remarkably hot recently. Miss Swann, do call me James. Commodore is so formal."
"Of course, Com--James. I did not wish to seem forward." Elizabeth said. "And you must call me Elizabeth."
Elizabeth's attention returned to the window. Gazing out at the sea was only marginally better than Port Royal. It reminded her of the freedom she had had only a score or more days ago. The sails upon the horizon reminded her of another time she had seen the same site. On the island, when she had beat Jack at his own game. She smirked, then quickly quenched it. The Commodore didn't need to know that that day and night on the island had been some of the happier days of her life. Maybe the happiest in years. No rules or propriety to look out for and victory over a most annoying pirate captain.
Abruptly she dropped out of her dream and leaned forward. The sails on the horizon were just a bit darker than she had remembered the Dauntless's being. No, not a little bit, they were a lot darker. Almost black. Could it be? Elizabeth's heart jumped. It has to be. Bloody pirates they are but they came back.
Elizabeth's mind raced. The crewmen would have no chance springing Jack from jail. Port Royal had been on constant alert ever since the Black Pearl's visit and a ship that must need a major refit, with a crew that wasn't all that big, they would have no chance. If she was serious about saving Jack from the noose, she had to do something herself.
Glancing casually over to see if the commodore had seen the sails, Elizabeth cursed in her head. The Commodore was looking out the window. Even if he has seen the sails, he might not notice that they're darker than they should be. Elizabeth stared at the sails again. How obvious is it?
"Elizabeth . . . ."
With a start, Elizabeth turned back to the Commodore. He can't have recognized the ship, he can't have. Trying to calm herself, she replied, "Yes?"
The Commodore hesitated, then falteringly said, "About the . . .the hanging tomorrow. I know you think it's . . . its not . . . right, but I am bound by the law. As is your father and Mr. Turner. I am also bound by my honor."
Elizabeth held back a sigh in relief. Absently, she replied, "I understand. You are an honorable man, James." He hasn't seen the BlackPearl In the relief of realizing that, she almost missed his next words.
"Mr. Sparrow is held in the fort's jail not the city's. He is in the third cell down and out of sight of the guards' posts." Hesitating a moment, he added, "I do believe that many boats have been floating away recently. Most seem to land near this cove."
Elizabeth spun around and gaped. Her mouth opened and closed without any sound coming out. Finally, she regained her composure. Then, with much more sincerity, she told him, "I understand perfectly. You are a good man, James, as well as an honorable man."
"Thank you, Elizabeth. You are too kind."
"Not at all." Elizabeth spoke with meaning and honesty for one of the first times to James. He may be a rather stuffy and pompous man, but he was a good, honorable man as well. More than Wi—Mr. Turner is. She had assumed that Jack would be put in Port Royal's jails as he had last time. She would have spent half the night traipsing all over Port Royal to figure it out. And if she got his meaning, a boat would be waiting here to carry them to the Pearl. Now all she had to do was think up a plan.
And remembering one of Jack's rather blurry but hilarious stories he told while on the island, she had an idea about what to do and how to do it. It was a plan so audacious and insane that most wouldn't even consider it. If she could pull it off, it would put shame upon the British Navy for years. The idea was definitely one worthy of Captain Jack Sparrow.
Her mind preoccupied, she replied to some worry of the Commodore's concerning the hanging tomorrow. Elizabeth wished she could tell him that it wouldn't be a problem because that hanging wasn't going to take place. She shrugged; he'd find out soon enough.
Sorry it took so long for me to post. I meant to have this up last Friday or Saturday but no such luck. Next chapter, if I have time and i get enough reviews, will be up hopefull within a few days, maybe by Monday. It has a bit mroe action.
Thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers and pretty please with a cherry on top review again!
Missy Mouse-I love your story, the Open Sea. I'm soo glad you like mine!
Mp3gurl4life-Iwould be sooo happy if you would betaread for be. I tried to email you but your email address didn't work for me. Just email me at if you're still interested. Thanks.
All the other great reviewers thank you so much.
Until Monday!
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