Not the Usual

Chapter one: A Look into the Past

Twelve year old Elizabeth Swann stood at the bow of the ship taking her from England to Port Royal, Jamaica. At Elizabeth's side was the daughter of the crewman Benjamin O'Conner, a sixteen year old who Elizabeth was friends with, though only slightly. Alexandria was tall, compared to Elizabeth, and slender, with white blonde hair falling to her shoulder blades, but she had a slight look of having grown a bit too much in a short period of time. Her eyes were the color of the Caribbean waters, and her skin kissed lightly with a tan, both of which were strange for a woman of any age. On her right eye and temple, there was a slight discoloration, like an old bruise just disappearing, but no one took heed to it. As some would say, she was a bit reckless.

With a sigh, Elizabeth hummed herself a song. Alexandria rolled her eyes and walked away, her pale pink dress billowing out behind her.

'Father, do you think I could -?'

'Steer the ship?' Benjamin asked, smiling as his daughter nodded. 'Come here, you.' He stepped away and placed his daughter's hands on the spokes of the wheel, telling her which course to hold.

'Any longer, Ben, 'n Alex 'ere will be able t' handle a ship better 'an yeh,' a man named Gibbs stated, wiping what both Ben and Alex knew to be rum from his beard.

'That is what I fear,' Ben smiled, receiving a playful glare from Alex, 'but hopefully she will decide to settle down long before that time comes.'

'I doubt that, father,' Alex warned, smirking. 'I love sailing, and that is something no man looks for in a woman. But it is also something I will not give up for just any man.'

'Don't worry, Ben, she'll find a man,' Gibbs said. 'May take awhile, but she'll find someone that'll keep up with 'er.'

Alex smiled, doubt still in her eyes, but never responded. Her gaze was on the horizon, her smile slowly fading.

'Gibbs, do me a favor,' she muttered.

''N what would that be, m'lady?'

'Inform the captain that there is a merchant ship on fire and in pieces to the starboard side,' Alex said, just as Elizabeth shouted, 'look, look, there's a boy in the water!'

'Man overboard!' Norrington shouted. Ben stepped nearer to Alex, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, but she didn't notice. She was looking around, searching the waters for something no one else dared to look for.

'Most likely it was the powder magazine – merchant ships run heavily armed,' Norrington muttered, half to himself and half to the crew.

'Everyone thinkin' it, I'm jus' sayin' it . . . . . Pirates,' Gibbs said darkly. Alex nudged her father and nodded toward the port side, where, floating over the horizon was the Jolly Roger glaring down at them. Alex heard Elizabeth gasp – she looked toward the bow, where the twelve year old was, and saw the younger girl had seen it too.

Alex furrowed her brows at what Elizabeth was holding – a golden medallion, a pirate's medallion.

Yes, this chapter has been changed. Enough people stopped reading here that I figured I'd change it a bit to get some to hopefully read a little farther. Sorry if I sound grumpy, I'm usually a bit peppier. Please review if you liked it, or if you think it's better . . . You know what to do, I imagine.

LiM