CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Message in a Bottle.

Elizabeth, although she was awake, kept her eyes closed. She began to wish, wish she were back with Will and the rest of the crew on the Black Pearl. Elizabeth hoped that if she kept her eyes closed long enough the next time she opened them she may be aboard the Pearl once more. But, Elizabeth had had her eyes closed for over an hour and as far as she could tell she was still in the same old nauseating pirate ship.

The hostage reluctantly opened her eyes to a disappointing sight. She was, as she had suspected, still in the same ship stuck with the same pirates. Tears began to spring from the corners of Elizabeth's eyes. Would Will and the crew ever come for her?

Her thoughts were put to a rest as she heard a noise. Elizabeth stood up from her seated pose and walked to the door of the cell. Elizabeth looked through the iron bars to find the source of the sound.

The source was not surprising. Pintel, Ragetti and Jacoby were stumbling down the stairs towards the cells. They were obviously inebriated from a night of partying in the town. The town? The ship must have stopped. Elizabeth looked out of the circular window in her cell and noticed a small city. A flicker of hope ignited in Elizabeth's heart. She didn't know where they were, but it was obviously promising.

Elizabeth had to get out of the cell. But how? She looked on the ground around her, searching for something to pick the lock with. A hairpin. Elizabeths hand immediately shot to her hair. She ruffled her hands through her locks and felt metal. Smiling triumphantly, the governor's daughter took the hairpin carefully from her knotted hair and went to the lock.

She cautiously inserted the pin into the padlock and twisted the hair-accessory. Elizabeth had to use extreme caution trying not to snap the pin whilst inside the lock. She turned the hairpin and pushed it in further. It was a painstaking process. She had picked locks before when she was younger and knew that you had to get the pin in the exact position. And the exact position she got. Elizabeth heard an obliging click! as the pin found its place inside the lock.

Elizabeth laughed in shock that she had actually managed to unlock the device. She placed the hairpin back in her hair and slid open the lock. The door swung open as she warily walked out. The drunken Pirates had since walked back up the stairs, so Elizabeth had the whole lower level to herself. But, she still had to move quickly.

She stepped over an empty rum bottle. As she made her way to the base of the stairs she looked up the stairway. The crew were sitting at the base of the mast swapping alcohol-induced tales. Elizabeth silently walked up the timber stairs and out onto the deck of the ship. Making sure that the crew was occupied; Elizabeth light-footedly crossed the wooden deck.

Suddenly Pintel turned around. Elizabeth had obviously not been as quiet as she had first thought. She hastily hid behind a wooden crate and waited for the pirate to look away. But, he didn't. Instead of turning back to his conversation, he walked closer to her. Closer. Closer. Closer. Until he was right in front of the timber crate she hid behind. Elizabeth shut her eyes, waiting for something to happen, and sure enough it did.

Elizabeth felt a sharp pain on her scalp. She cried out loudly, trying to wretch her self away from the death grip she was held in. Though, it was to no avail. Pintel continued to keep a firm hold on her auburn hair, muttering various curse words to her as she attempted to get free. The more she twisted and turned the more painful the pull on her scalp became.

'What d'ye think you're doin'?' Pintel growled. He roughly hoisted Elizabeth up from her crouching position.

Elizabeth said nothing; she just closed her eyes and wished once more to be back on the Pearl in the warmth and safety of Will's arms.

'Well?' Pintel yanked at her hair once again 'What d'ye think you're doin'?'

'Let-go-of-me!' Elizabeth yelled succinctly, eyes still firmly shut.

'No.' Pintel replied firmly. He twisted Elizabeth's head up so that they faced eye to eye. His cat-like eyes glinted malevolently at Elizabeths brown ones. 'You're not getting away this time.'

Elizabeth resigned to the power of Pintels' grip. She let him drag her back to her cell. There really was no point in her trying to fight the pirate off. 'Where are we?' Elizabeth asked.

Pintel threw Elizabeth back into her cell and locked the unpicked lock. 'The coast of Sri Lanka' the pirate replied in answer to her question. 'I'll deal with you later' he said gruffly and crookedly walked back up the wooden stairs to join his fellow comrades.

Elizabeth swore under her breath and sat back down in her cell. It was useless; she would never be strong enough to fend off the pirates. Her only hope was Will and the crew, then, Elizabeth remembered… the rum bottle. But, she couldn't reach it. Elizabeth looked around her cell and found a substantially long stick. Not bothering to question its origins, she picked it up and poked it through the bars. The bottle and the stick made contact, Elizabeth pushed the bottle slowly over in her direction until it took advantage of the slope of the ship and rolled obligingly over to her outstretched hand.

Elizabeth smiled as the bottle made contact with her grasp. She closed her hand around it and pulled the empty bottle through the bars and smiled.

Now she needed something to write on. Elizabeth looked down at her clothes She pulled the material taught and ripped the fabric into a long strip.

The Governors daughter was now stuck. She had had every intention of sending a message off in a bottle and now she had nothing to write with. She had an idea...but no; that was downright ghastly. Though, then again she had nothing else to write with, and at the moment her life basically depended on her sending this message.

Elizabeth took her earring out of her ear and inspected it. She placed her right index finger in front of her and positioned the earring post onto her finger. Elizabeth raised the jewellery and placed it hard down onto her finger. She lifted it to reveal a small bead of blood. She winced slightly at the tingling sensation it caused; she had pushed the earring in deeper than first thought. Elizabeth positioned the white linen on the ground and drew a small line with her bloody finger. It worked. Elizabeth smiled as the blood made a crimson line along the top of the cloth. She wrote a quick, red message.

To whoever shall read this,

My name is Elizabeth Swann, daughter of Governor Swann of Port Royale. I am being held hostage by a band of about a dozen Pirates just off the coast of Sri Lanka. I am not sure where I am or how I arrived here but if you come into contact with a man by the name of Will Turner please inform him that I am alive.

Yours in hope and despair,

Elizabeth Jane Swann.

Elizabeth popped the cork on the rum bottle and rolled the piece of cloth into a tube-shape and slid the blood-written note down the slender neck of the rum bottle, placing the cork back into the bottleneck. She crossed the cell to her small circular window and looked out, how was she to open it? Doing what her instinct told her, she curled her right hand into a fist and positioned it in the centre of the glass pane. She drew back her hand and in one swift and sharp movement, she punched her fist through the glass. She felt her hand go through the glass and with it take some shards of the windowpane itself.

She inspected her hand and noticed it was bleeding. Elizabeth winced in pain and picked up the rum bottle. She crossed to the newly cracked window and threw the message out into the sea. Luckily it was not rough seas today so the bottle drifted contentedly in the ocean occasionally submerging itself in the blue and resurfacing again after a few seconds.

Elizabeth dragged her gaze from the ocean below to her bleeding hand. She tentatively picked the glass out of it and ripped the hem of her dress further to create a makeshift bandage. Elizabeth wrapped the cloth around her throbbing wound and sighed. She was so thirsty, so hungry. She hadn't eaten in two days and was gradually feeling the consequences. Perhaps the pirates would give her a piece of salted pork or some fruit to slake her hunger; or then again, perhaps not.

As if her prayers had been answered, Ragetti sauntered down the steps carrying an apple and a bottle of rum. It was obviously all they were willing to give her. The apple she would eat, but when it came to the rum she could not bring herself to even let the slightest drop touch her lips.

Ragetti walked over to the bars and looked through them with his one eye at Elizabeth. 'Eat' he said directly and threw the apple and the rum to her.

Elizabeth caught the rum bottle so it didn't smash and let the apple act on its natural inertia and roll along the cell floor. 'Thankyou' Elizabeth replied in a tone off mock gratitude.

The one-eyed pirate sneered at her and abruptly left the cell to join in with the conversation being held above.

Elizabeth looked apprehensively at the rum she held in her hands. Deciding she would rather drink the rum and live than not drink it and dehydrate, she popped the cork and took a short swallow. As the rum ran down her throat she cringed, it was so sickly sweet. Trying to get rid of the horrible taste, she reached for the red apple and bit harshly into it. The fruit met welcomingly with her mouth.

Finally finishing the apple, she threw the core out the cracked window and sat back in her cell thinking of something to do to pass the time.

Elizabeth began to think. Who would find her message? Would it ever be found at all? She shuddered to think what it would be like to spend the rest of her living days stuck with the pirates. Holding onto hope and hope alone, Elizabeth closed her eyes once more wishing herself back to Port Royale or anywhere she would be safe.


Jack and Faye walked through the Singapore marketplace. They were to leave the town once and for all today and Jack had to admit, he was somewhat sorry to leave; he had so many good memories of the city. But he had to depart; he had to find his crew and everybody else.

Today seemed the perfect day to leave. People were obviously beginning to question the murder of Faye's master. There were posters all over the town with Fayes face plastered across them. Seeing this, Jack had ushered Faye back inside and had dressed her in his jacket and hat to hide her most distinguishing features. So far it had worked, no one had given either of them a second look.
'How are we going to get a ship?' Faye asked, adjusting Jacks hat on her head.

'We're gonna commandeer one' Jack replied simply.

Faye raised an inquiring eyebrow at him 'What does that mean?'

'Basically we are going to steal a ship.' Jack continued to walk. He stopped at a stall and inspected some of the goods.

Faye nodded in understanding as she watched Jack pick up a magnificent sword and hand it to the stallholder. 'I'll take this thanks' Jack said as he handed the weapon over to the man. He passed over his money and took the sword from the stallholders grasp.

'Here, take this' Jack handed Faye the sword and smiled at her. 'You'll need it'

Faye took it from the pirate and slid it loosely into her leather belt. She brushed a stray strand of brown hair out of her eyes and looked up at Jack. 'Thankyou' she replied as they continued to walk 'But, I daresay, I have no idea how to use it.'

'I'll teach you when we have our ship' the pirate replied as they walked to the wharf.

When they finally reached the dock Jack looked around for a suitable ship. He spotted one; it was made of a fine red wood, though it seemed far to grand a ship to commandeer. But then again, he and Will did seize the Dauntless.

Jack and Faye stepped onto the wharf. 'See tha' ship?' Jack said, pointing to the redwood clad vessel. ' That's our ship'

Faye raised an eyebrow and smiled in approval. She couldn't believe she was actually doing this. Then again, she was in the company of a pirate after all.

'Follow me' Jack said. He took Faye by the hand and led her along the dock. The pirate looked around cautiously making sure no one was watching them.

He jumped onto the ship as casually as he could (if you could casually commandeer a ship that is). Jack held out his hand for Faye, who kindly took it and used his aid to gain access onto the vessel.

So far no one had noticed them and no one had bothered to even look out for the ships moored at the wharf. As Faye stepped onto the deck Jack let go of her hand and leant over to the thick rope tying the ship to the wharf post. He whipped a dagger from his boot and cut the rope in one swift movement.

'Well, that was easy' Faye said, sitting below the mast.

'Aye,' Jack replied inattentively. 'Too easy'

As the ship broke away from the dock like a bird escaping its cage, Jack walked below deck. He walked down the stairs, sword in hand ready to strike at any sign of danger.

Faye sat below the mast and took off Jacks' hat and jacket, letting her hair flow freely past her shoulders. Finally, after about five minutes, she saw Jack resurface from below.

'Anything there?' she asked, standing up from her sitting position.

'No' Jack replied as he sheathed his sword, slightly put out that he did not have a fight on his hands.

'Well, I suppose the owners didn't really care for their ship' Faye said as she walked closer to Jack 'Their loss is our gain, really' she paused and took her sword out of her belt and held the weapon up to Jacks face 'Are you going to teach me how to use this?'

Jack smiled, a smile that made Faye love him even more. 'Absolutely' the pirate replied. He lowered her sword with the tip of his finger.

For approximately an hour, Jack taught Faye the proper grip on her sword hilt, the basics of footwork and attack and defence techniques. By the end of her brief teachings Faye was exhausted. She sat down and watched Jack steer the ship. He looked so at home in the ocean. The pirate caressed the wheel as if he had been reunited with a long lost best friend. Faye smiled at she watched Jack.

The pirate looked behind him at the woman watching his every move. 'What?' he asked quizzically, flicking a braid from his eyes.

Faye snapped out of her trance and looked back at Jack 'Oh, nothing. Just watching you that's all.'

Jack laughed at her. The seas were not rough today so Jack could afford to not steer the ship; he did not really care where they were going, he just wanted to find his friends and be reunited with them once more. He walked over to Faye and joined her, sitting down cross-legged like a young child on their first day of school.

'So,' Jack began as he sat down next to Faye. 'Where do you want to go?'

She shrugged light-heartedly 'To be honest, I really don't mind,' she stroked one of Jacks braids and smiled as the beads met her hands 'as long as I'm with you.'

The pirate smiled and stood up once more. Where were they supposed to go? They had no starting point; they had no bearings as to where his crew were. Jack figured they would just float around the ocean until they found them by chance. But the ocean was so large they could be anywhere, Jack and Faye could travel until they met their sorry deaths and not even find whom they were searching for.

Jack walked across the deck and found a large chest. He knelt down on his haunches and surveyed the trunk curiously. As he unsheathed his sword, the pirate found the lock and carefully inserted the tip of his sword into the keyhole and twisted it carefully. The keyhole clicked and the padlock popped open cooperatively. Jack opened the wooden chest and smiled at the sight that met his brown eyes. Inside the container sat a myriad of useless objects: goblets, clothes, candelabras and cutlery. Jack dug through the disarray of objects, throwing them higgledy-piggledy all over the deck of the ship. Finally, he came to the bottom of the mess, there sat a yellowing piece of parchment. Immediately he picked it up and inspected the paper. Jack rose from his crouched position and walked over to Faye, stepping over the mess of clothes, cutlery and candelabras. He sat back down next to Faye and unfolded the parchment; to his eyes he revealed a map. It was neatly drawn with emerald green ink; obviously a steady hand had crafted it. Each brushstroke seemed so perfect, as if there were no mistakes at all.

Jack scanned the map to see where it was depicting. The pirate smiled as he noticed, it was a map of the ocean…the whole entire ocean.

Next to him, Faye brushed some hair behind her ear and gazed at the map before her eyes. She looked at Jack and smiled happily, this would help…a lot.

Jack spread the map out of the ground before them and studied it carefully through his kohl-lined eyes. 'We are here' Jack explained, jabbing his dirty finger at the small dot labelled Singapore 'and I'm guessing we need to get to here…' he said, once more prodding his finger at a spot between the Caribbean Sea and Singapore.

'How do you know?' Faye asked, peering over Jacks shoulder to get a view of his directions. 'They could be anywhere'

'Well,' Jack began 'Considering things…they would 'ave left a day or so after the navy took me away, so they wouldn' 'ave travelled too far because o' the weather and lack of wind. So, my estimation is they would be about 'ere' he concluded, poking his right index at the same point.

'Right, well, Mr Sparrow I must say I am surprised by your intelligence' she nodded 'I could never have thought of that.'

'Many years on the open seas can teach yer these things' the pirate replied, rolling up the map and tucking it in his belt. 'Now, let's get yer somethin' ter wear'

Jack led Faye over to the pile of clothes he had strewn across the deck of the ship. 'Pick one' he said, gesturing towards the pile of garments.

Faye knelt down and studied the dresses, they were all so beautiful…so ornate. She picked one up and held it in front of her. 'What do you think?' she asked as she held up the emerald green dress.

Jack smiled 'It's perfect'

With that, Faye left Jack on the deck and went down below to the sleeping quarters. The room consisted of four Hessian hammocks strung up from the roof. Faye took off her previous clothes. She had still been wearing her maid uniform: a white dress. She hated it; it reminded her of Singapore and the tortures that came with it. Faye smiled as the dress parted with her skin; she dropped it on the floor and proceeded to place her new garment on. The dress consisted of a corset, followed by the dress itself, it was gorgeous, shot sleeved and past ankle length. It was not courtly as such, but equally as beautiful, the green was one of the most beautiful colours she had laid her eyes on.

Once dressed, Faye picked up her old uniform and opened the window on the opposite wall. She threw the dress out as if parting with a long known but much hated enemy. The woman smiled as the material met with the water, turning it a darker colour than it originally was. It floated there, just floated there waiting to be swept up by a wave and go on a grand adventure through the wide ocean before it.


'We have to, Gibbs' Will persisted, walking across the deck after the pirate he was so desperately trying the converse with. 'We have to save her'

'I know tha', mate' Joshamee replied as he hoisted the sails to get the maximum use of the wind they needed. 'But we have no idea where she is'

'I don't care' Will said quietly as if not knowing where she was, was only a tiny insignificant detail 'We will find her'

'An' how d'ye s'pose we do that?' Joshamee asked indignantly still repositioning the sails. 'We 'ave no map, no bearings for all we know she could be…dead' Gibbs said the last word with a moments hesitation.

'She-is-not-dead!' Will bellowed to the man 'I will find her with or without your help' with that the blacksmith walked off and down to his sleeping quarters.

It was hopeless really; Will knew they had hardly any hope in finding Elizabeth. But, he would not admit it to himself. Will was not a person to give in too easily, he would fight, fight until his last breath was squeezed from his lungs, just to find the woman he so desperately cared for.

He had to find her; he would find her.

He would.

A/N: Thanks for reading, sorry I have been so slack in my writing. Gah! Oh well, it's up now so please leave me some "Spiffy" reviews. P.S: Sorry if that chapter was kinda boring.