By the time Jack woke up, Elizabeth had well and truly created a noticeable signal. With her aid, the bonfire from the night before had managed to grow and move to the palm trees. The burning foliage created a collum of grey smoke so massive that I suspected it could be scene from at least five kilometres away, if not more. The alcohol she and the pirate had been drinking the night before was proving to be a very nice accelerant and I watched the island burn with quiet fasciation.
My attention turned back to Jack when he sat up, awake, wide eyed, and in a state of alarm. He got to his feet, (only slightly aided by me,) just as Elizabeth threw another barrel of rum into the blaze. She ducked when it exploded, and overall seemed quite pleased with herself.
Jack couldn't take it. "No!" he shouted, waving his arms and running towards the woman. "Not good! Stop! Not Good! What are you doing? You've burned all the food, the shade, the rum!"
Elizabeth didn't even bother to look at him. "Yes, the rum is gone," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Why is the rum gone?" Jack demanded.
Elizabeth turned on him, angry at his attitude to what she had done and just plain fed up with the pirate on the whole. Her ferocity even made me take a step back as I stood bedside Jack. "One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two," she paused to look at her handiwork. "That signal is over a thousand feet high. The entire Royal Navy is out looking for me. Do you even think there is the slightest chance they won't see it?'
I nodded in agreement with Miss Swann. She had two very valid points there. Captain Jack didn't seem to think so though.
"But why is the rum gone?" he asked again.
Elizabeth turned her back on him and sat down in the sand facing the ocean. "Just wait, Captain Sparrow," she told him. "You give it one hour, maybe two, keep a weather eye open and you will see white sails on that horizon."
Jack was livid. The woman even had the nerve to throw some of his own words back at him! The pirate drew his pistol.
"No, Jack," I said, stepping between him and Elizabeth. "Come on. This is not the time, place, nor person you want to use that on. Let's go for a walk. Come on." I grabbed his arm and dragged him down the beach, making sure that the gun was safely returned to his belt.
As we walked along the coast, I couldn't help but think about how much Will and Elizabeth had in common. Neither of them wanted to wait around when it came to important things like rescuing the love of your life or getting help when you're stranded on an island. They both jumped right into action and took matters into their own hands. They were perfect for each other. I took care not to share these observations with Captain Jack though. He wasn't in the mood.
"Must've been terrible for you to have been trapped here, Jack," he mocked, imitating Elizabeth's voice sarcastically. "Must've been terrible…" He whipped around angrily and shouted back in her direction. "Well it bloody is now!"
Meanwhile, I had spotted something out at sea. It was a ship anchored safely out of the way of the reefs and a row boat headed for the island. "Jack," I said, pointing towards the sight. "Three guesses who that is."
Jack frowned at the ship. "There'll be no living with her after this," he commented.
I shook my head. "Nope. But at least we'll be off the island."
"Yeah, and then what?"
I looked at the pirate and gave him a smile. "Then we get back into the game."
---
As soon as Elizabeth got onto the deck of the Dauntless, she made it clear that they had to chase after the Black Pearl ASAP. She had told the men, including her father and our old friend Commodore Norrington, how Will and Jack had saved her from the pirates but now Mr Turner was being held captive and his only hope was if we were to sail to Isla de Muerta immediately. There was one problem however; no one else seemed to be as enthusiastic about rushing to the rescue.
"But we have to save Will!" Elizabeth insisted.
"No!" Governor Swann told his daughter firmly. "You're safe now. We will return to Port Royal immediately, not go gallivanting after pirates." He began to move towards the helm. Elizabeth followed.
"Then we condemn him to death," she said.
Governor Swann stopped and turned. Both he and Norrington could tell that the young lady was extremely upset.
"The boy's fate is regrettable," the Governor said. "But so is his decision to engage in piracy."
"To rescue me," Elizabeth reminded them desperately. "To prevent anything from happening to me."
Jack was being guarded by Murtogg and Mullroy, our friends from the docks back at Port Royal. He and I were listening to the exchange with almost rapt attention. If they didn't decide to go save Will, then Jack wasn't going to get another chance to confront Barbossa. Therefore, it was also in our best interest that we head for the dreaded island.
"If I may be so bold as to interject my personal opinion," Jack said, butting into the debate and stepping up beside Elizabeth. "The Pearl was listing near to scuppers after the battle," he told Norrington. "It's very unlikely she'll be able to make good time." Jack edged closer to the Commodore. "Think about it. The Black Pearl. The last real pirate threat in the Caribbean, mate. How can you pass that up?"
Jack's eyes darted back and fourth from Norrington to Governor Swann and he put on a friendly, almost pleading smile. I bit my lower lip. The Commodore still didn't seem convinced.
"By remembering that I serve others, Mr Sparrow, not only myself," he replied. He turned and strided away. Elizabeth sprang after him and the rest of us followed.
"Commodore, I beg you," Elizabeth pleaded. "Please do this for me…as a wedding gift."
This made Norrington stop and turn. He and Elizabeth made eye contact and did not look away.
"Elizabeth?" Governor Swann stepped up to his daughter. "Are you accepting the Commodore's proposal?" he sounded hopeful, yet elated. Norrington looked hopefully down at the woman from the stairs leading up to the helm.
"I am," Elizabeth said.
Jack smiled. Our plan was going to work! "A wedding. I love weddings!" he told the redcoat beside him. "Drinks all around!" Norrington gave him a look and Jack turned submissive. He put his wrists together and held them out. "I know. 'Clap him in irons,' right?"
The Commodore stepped down the stairs, his mind changed. "Mr Sparrow," The pirate lowered his arms and looked at the Navy officer meekly. "You will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with a bearing to Isla de Muerta," Norrington commanded. "You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave.' Do I make myself clear?"
"Inescapably clear," Jack responded.
Murtogg and Mullroy hooked him under each arm and led him up to the helm. There, he tossed his compass to the helmsman. "Here. This points the way to the island," Jack explained. The helmsman didn't look like he really trusted the pirate, but is was the Commodore's orders, so he flipped the compass open and turned the helm to steer the ship towards our destination. I tried to hold in a sigh, but failed. This was going to be a long trip.
I don't remember how long the unpleasant voyage took, but it was a few days at least. When we did finally reach the scull-shaped island, a thick fog had settled in around the ship. I wasn't the least bit surprised. Norrington commanded that a small fleet of boats go down to investigate the mouth of the cave. Jack was made to go with them, and he did so without fuss. At least the Commodore had the courtesy to give the pirate his compass back. All this time, Jack had taken special care not to mention the curse that Barbossa's crew was under. We both noticed that Elizabeth had also failed to mention it.
I was forced to float over the rowboats as they set up position beside the dangerous, rocky coastline. We could see the Black Pearl floating near by. No one seemed to be onboard. That meant that they were already inside the island. Commodore Norrington studied the pirate ship through a spyglass. Jack sat in the boat behind him.
"I don't care for the situation," Norrington announced. I rolled my eyes.
"Well, I'm sorry things can't all go your way," I thought, my words laced with sarcasm. Needless to say, I'm not Norrington's biggest fan.
"Any attempt to storm the caves could turn into an ambush," the Commodore concluded.
Jack moved forward and placed and arm on the officer's shoulder. "Not if you're the one doing the ambushing," he said. "I go in and convince Barbossa to send his men out in their little boats. You and your mates return to the Dauntless and blast the bejesus out of them with your little cannons. What do you have to loose?"
"Nothing I'd lament being rid of," Norrington said calmly, trying to hide his discontent for the pirate. He pushed Jack's arm off his shoulder with the spyglass like it was a filthy thing and he didn't want it ruining his clothes.
"Now, to be quite honest with you," Jack continued. "There's still a slight risk to those aboard the Dauntless, which includes the future Mrs Commodore."
Norrington realised that the pirate was right and sent one of the men off to inform those he left on the ship to lock up Elizabeth. An evil smile appeared on my face. Elizabeth wasn't going to be happy about that!