Title: Pearl of the Sea

Author: sheraiah

Rating: R

Warnings: sex and violence

Beta:

Dedication:

The last week before Elizabeth's wedding was a whirl of activity. Peg hardly had time to dwell on her troubles, which she blessed. She frequently caught Elizabeth studying her with a concerned frown and was touched that her friend took the time to note her turmoil. Three days before the wedding Elizabeth, citing the need for specific food items and more fabric to drape along the aisle in the church, dragged Peg out to the market.

It was the first time that Peg had been out since her uncle's arrival and she breathed a sigh of relief as soon as the coach rounded the corner away from the governor's house. Elizabeth saw it and grimaced, squeezing her friend's hand.

"I am so sorry, Peg."

"Perhaps it's for the best," Peg sighed, trying to smile and failing miserably. "Marrying Lieutenant Morrow would have been a mistake, anyway. I see that now." She looked at her friend. "What I really want, if I can't stay at sea, is something like what you have with Will. Since that isn't destined to be, I shall have to make the best of what I have. Uncle says that the baronet has a schooner. Perhaps I won't have to completely give up the sea after all." Elizabeth squeezed her hand and she took a deep breath. "Now, let's talk of other things. I will not be a wet blanket on your joy." She summoned a mischievous grin. "Is Will terribly nervous?"

"Horribly nervous! He tripped over his own feet and broke the vase in the parlor last night. He hasn't done anything that clumsy since we met Jack," Elizabeth giggled. Peg joined her in laughter, feeling the tightness in her chest ease a bit. It was difficult for her to imagine the quiet, confident young man that she was pleased to call one of her dearest friends tripping over his own feet. "He used to do things like that all the time, you know. Sometimes I think that Jack had far more of a positive influence on Will than anyone else. He would never have had the confidence to ask for my hand before the incident with the medallion." She flashed a devilish grin at Peg. "Speaking of Will, I think it would do you good to have a lesson. You've been cooped up in the house far too long, and you might feel better if you could knock Will onto his seat in the dust. I already sent word to Will; he's meeting us in the market."

"Why the market?" Peg asked, puzzled. "We've always gone to his shop before."

"Your uncle wasn't here before. If he has anyone 'guarding' you, it wouldn't do just to go straight to the shop, especially when we said we were going to the market. Besides, I really do need more fabric and I'm hoping that Maria has more of those odd-looking melons. I thought perhaps that cook could make some confection with them for the wedding feast," Elizabeth explained patiently. "Really, Peg, didn't you ever have to get around your father for anything?"

"No," she replied, "I didn't. I never wanted to, especially after Mamma died." She shook her head, smiling ruefully. "It would have been helpful if I had. Once again I must say, I do not know what I would do if it weren't for you, Elizabeth Swann."

"Think nothing of it. I'm more than happy to help and in truth, I wish I could help more."

"None of that. We said we'd talk of other things. What kind of fabric are you looking for?" Peg asked and the conversation turned to wedding talk again.

They had just finished haggling with the fruit seller for a supply of the melons that Elizabeth had been looking for and were making arrangements to have the melons delivered to the governor's house when Will joined them. He and Elizabeth acted as though they hadn't been expecting to run into each other. Will greeted them very formally, which made Peg suspect that her uncle did indeed have one of his men 'guarding' her. She played along, careful not to overdo it.

"Elizabeth, you've saved me a trip today. The carpenter has a new design for a table and chairs that I'd like you to look at. I know that you said that the one I have now is fine, but I'd like you to choose one of your own," Will said, leading them towards the carpenter's shop. Once they had moved past the doorway into the shop, Will nodded to the carpenter, who was busy with another customer and continued to the far side of the shop. "I only saw one man following you," he said in a low voice. "The fellow in the brown, did you see him?"

"Yes," Elizabeth replied. "I saw him when we left the seamstress' shop. The question is, how do we lose him without raising his suspicions enough that he runs to Sir Thomas?"

"I have an idea, but it'll work better if you don't know anything about it," Will replied, his dimple peeping out of his cheek as he grinned. "Besides, you're going to be busy choosing a design for a new table and chairs."

"Will! I like the one you have just fine, you really don't have to do this just to please me," the governor's daughter exclaimed, sotto voice.

"One, I happen to like pleasing you, and two, the one I have belonged to Mr. Brown's mother and I thought that his sister might like to have it. She was gracious enough to tell me to keep whatever I liked after her brother died, seeing that I was as close to a son as he ever had. She could have made a good bit on the sale of the shop, too, if she'd sold it to Mr. Cullen like he wanted instead of signing it over to me for next to nothing. It's only right that she have her mother's table back," he replied, still smiling.

"It's only right that you did get the shop for next to nothing; you ran it and did almost all of the work from the time you were fourteen because her brother couldn't get his head out of his rum bottle," Elizabeth retorted, taking the sting out of her words by squeezing her fiancé's hand.

"He never got over losing his wife," Will said softly, "And I understand that a lot better now than I did then." The look he gave Elizabeth would have melted a heart of ice and she gave in quickly to his wishes. Will ducked out the back door of the carpenter's shop with a nod and a wink for the proprietor, who returned them with a grin.

Minutes later, a loud commotion drew the attention of all in the shop outside. Standing in the middle of the street and drenched in slops and being apologized to profusely by the lady who ran the boarding house across from the shop was Sir Thomas' man. Will was nowhere in sight. He appeared suddenly beside Elizabeth, squeezing her arm lightly.

"Widow Weston never does look before she throws," the young blacksmith commented, fighting to hide a grin. Elizabeth hurriedly cleared her throat, stifling laughter and stepped forward.

"Oh dear, you poor man! You are one of Sir Thomas' men, are you not?" She asked, the epitome of concern. He flushed and nodded. The governor's daughter turned to a young boy in the crowd. "Here," she said, handing the boy a coin, "Go to the governor's house and give this to the footman." She handed the boy a note, hastily scrawled with paper and pen provided by the carpenter. "Complete this task correctly and return promptly and you shall have another coin." The boy scampered off eagerly. Elizabeth turned back to the unfortunate man. "The footman will bring the cart and take you back up to my home where you can get cleaned up."

Once the boy returned and the cart was sighted, Elizabeth excused both herself and Peg and returned to the carpenter's shop. After picking out the table and chairs, the ladies exited the shop accompanied by Will and Elizabeth's maid, who had rejoined them at the carpenter's shop. They walked for awhile, making certain that they were no longer being followed before heading to the blacksmith shop.

They stepped into the shop, and Will bolted the door behind them. He took two steps into the dimly lit room and froze, his hand automatically reaching for one of the swords resting in the holder on the bottom of the wheel that the burro was hitched to. Drawing the sword, he motioned for the three women to step back towards the door. A dry chuckle sounded from the shadows in the far corner of the room.

"Crossing blades with a pirate, whelp? Do you think that's wise?" The speaker stepped into the light, his tri-cornered hat perched atop his dark elf locks and his gold teeth glinting as he grinned at the flabbergasted blacksmith.

"Jack! What are you doing here?" Will quickly moved forward to embrace the pirate. Surprisingly, Jack let him, returning the gesture without hesitation.

"Well, I'm glad to see that honesty hasn't completely ruined you. You know to get a weapon in your hand quick enough," the pirate commented as he moved back. "Still think you'd make a bloody good pirate."

"I'll leave that to you," Will stated with a laugh. "And you haven't answered my question."

"Haven't I?" Jack asked, cocking his head and swaying slightly. "Must have slipped my mind." He shrugged and turned toward the ladies. "Elizabeth, you're looking lovely as always." He lifted her hand to his lips and would have stepped away, but she quickly pulled him close and kissed his cheek, prompting him to grin smugly at Will, who merely rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Now, why are you really here, Jack?" Elizabeth pinioned him with her gaze. The pirate shrugged and gestured airily with his right hand.

"Can't a fellow just drop in for a visit?" the dread locked captain asked, his expression that of wounded innocence.

"Not when he's liable to get himself a short drop and a sudden stop if the Royal Navy catches sight of him," the governor's daughter retorted tartly.

"You know, Will, she's really quite outspoken for a lady. Are you entirely sure you want to go through with the wedding?" Jack's expression was serious, but his eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Quite sure," Will returned with a grin for his wife-to-be. "And don't try to tell me that you're here to save us from ourselves. We know better."

"Now you wound me to the heart, mate! Can't a fellow just pop by without raising suspicions?" The look of affronted innocence he wore made both Will and Elizabeth to roll their eyes.

"Best leave off, Will. That's the closest you'll get to getting him to admit that he came for the wedding," the governor's daughter commented with an amused expression.

"Of course I came for the wedding, luv! Only the best rum at a wedding, you know," he said leaning forward conspiratorially.

"And you dare not show your face or Commodore Norrington will have you on the gallows before you can blink," Elizabeth retorted.

"My dear Elizabeth, Norrington is a worthy opponent, but even he has his standards of propriety. He's hardly going to disrupt your wedding feast to clap me in irons, and by the time he does come after me, I'll be long gone on my Pearl. Besides, I can be inconspicuous when I want to," Jack said, flicking imaginary dust off his tattered coat.

"This I have to see," Will commented dryly.

"Trust me," Jack said with a devilish grin. He caught sight of Peg standing behind Elizabeth's maid then and frowned, studying her closely. Suddenly, he began to grin. "Well, if it isn't the merchant lass who tried to make two of me with a sword she could barely lift. Hello, luv."

"Hello, Captain Sparrow," Peg returned with studied courtesy, inclining her head. Jack's eyebrows shot into his hairline.

"Pirate, luv. Wasn't personal, no hard feelings, hmm?"

"No indeed, Captain. In truth, I believe you did me a good turn when it comes right down to it. If you hadn't attacked us and damaged the ship, I'd never have met Elizabeth and Will." She gave him a half smile and received the full force of his most charming grin in return.

"Well, that's settled, then. Will, I don't suppose you'd have anything civilized to drink around here, would you? I've been waiting in this bloody hot, dusty, shop for hours now."

"Jack, you know Will doesn't drink that vile brew," Elizabeth commented, smoothing her skirts.

"Try the cabinet in the corner, Jack," Will said with a resigned expression. "That's where Mr. Brown always kept his stash."

"Too kind, mate," the pirate said, heading for the cabinet. He quickly found a full bottle and uncorked it, taking an experimental swig. "Good stuff, that. So, Will, d'ye still practice with your sword three hours a day?"

"Lately, I've been teaching more than anything else. Elizabeth can at least hold her own enough to stay alive in a fight and Peg's become a pretty fair hand with a sword as well," Will replied, heading towards the courtyard behind the shop.

"Good." The pirate's face was dead serious for once. "Barbossa wasn't the only bastard around. It's my considered opinion that ladies should know how to take care of themselves. Never did understand why the society folks insist on keeping 'em helpless." His expression hardened even further for a brief moment and then he grinned. "I pity the scalawag that tries to take on Lizzie, here. Goes for the throat, she does." He turned his attention to Elizabeth. "You'd make a better than average pirate, too, truth be told even if you do burn all the rum."

'Why, thank you, Captain Sparrow! I do believe that's the highest compliment you've ever paid me."

"Think nothing of it, luv," he said with cheeky grin. "Now, don't let me keep you from whatever it was that you were up to. I'll just take my bottle and retire to this shady spot over here."

In the end, Jack's stay in his shady corner lasted less than ten minutes. He gamely insisted on teaching both Peg and Elizabeth several nasty little tricks that were certain to take a larger opponent down quickly.

"Will's got the right of it; anyone facing your blade won't be fighting fair to start with, so you don't owe 'em the courtesy of fighting fair yourselves. They'll underestimate you, so use it to your advantage," he said sagely, demonstrating a move that would hamstring an opponent.

Peg studied the pirate as he worked with Elizabeth. Under the dark mop of hair, braided goatee, and kohl his face was every bit as beautifully sculpted as Will's. He was lean, but strong and graceful, wielding his sword as if it was an extension of his body. He must dance well, Peg thought idly. Suddenly, he met her eyes and grinned roguishly. Peg grinned back before she could stop herself and raised her sword in a salute. His grin widened momentarily before he turned his attention back to Elizabeth.

In the end, there were no repercussions from Will and Elizabeth's scheming and the days passed in a blur until the wedding. She saw no more of Jack Sparrow or of Will until the ceremony; the blacksmith and the governor's daughter both evidently had chosen to be a good bit more proper than they usually were and had conformed to society's dictates on the proper behavior of betrothed couples.

The day of the wedding dawned bright and clear, and the entire household bustled with last minute preparations. Peg chose to assist Elizabeth, wishing to spend as much time as possible with her friend due to the fact that she and her uncle would be leaving two days after the ceremony. She resolutely banished all thoughts of anything but the wedding from her mind, determined not to put a damper on Elizabeth's day.

Her uncle had not been pleased to discover that Elizabeth was marrying a lowly blacksmith, but he had politely refrained from voicing his opinion in either her, or her father's, presence. He had not rescinded his offer to invite Will and Elizabeth to Peg's wedding, however, for which Peg was grateful. It was yet another reason that she avoided provoking him in any way.

By the time that Elizabeth was ready to travel to Port Royal's church, Peg had almost managed to banish her depression. Elizabeth was on pins and needles, constantly fidgeting and being admonished by her harried maids not to wrinkle her dress. Peg observed in quiet amusement, hoping that her day would be half as enjoyable as her friend's was turning out to be.

The ceremony was simple, yet beautiful, and Peg found that her eyes were wet by the end of it. Her friends made the loveliest couple she had ever seen, and even her uncle unbent enough to speak to Will and wish him joy. Will returned the courtesy gravely, showing far better manners than the average blacksmith and visibly raising Sir Thomas' opinion of him. To her surprise, Peg saw no sign of Jack Sparrow, even though she had surreptitiously searched for him.

The feast took place in a large hall in the center of the town, the only place in Port Royal large enough to accommodate the wedding guests. There was food and drink in abundance, and the celebration went on until the stars began to appear in the sky. Just as the newlyweds prepared to depart, a terrific 'BOOM' shook the very walls of the hall, and part of the roof exploded in a shower of splintered wood.

"Cannon fire," Commodore Norrington shouted, "To arms!" Men scrambled to obey, too late, as rag-tag men began to pour in to the hall, swinging swords and knives at everyone in their path. Sir Thomas pushed Peg behind him and appeared to be looking for a weapon.

"Bloody Hell," a familiar voice came from behind Peg, "Black Nick and his group of cutthroat scum. Here, luv, you'll need this." Peg met the, for once, unlined eyes of Jack Sparrow. He had donned a powdered wig and shaved to mingle with the other guests. With his face bare, he looked far younger than Peg suspected he was. She took the sword he offered her without a word. He handed another to her uncle. "You'll want this, I expect," the pirate in disguise told Sir Thomas. Peg decided in an oddly detached manner that she really did not want to know how or where he had managed to secure two extra swords so quickly. Sparrow drew his own blade then and met the first of the attacking pirates, dispatching him quickly.

Across the room, she could see Will and Norrington defending the governor. Elizabeth had also managed to get a hold of a sword and was just behind and to the right of Will, doing as much damage as she could to the invaders. A small ring of Norrington's men joined them, and they began to fend off the pirates, forcing them back steadily.

Peg's attention returned to the men in front of her. Sparrow was holding his own against three pirates, none of whom seemed to recognize him. Sir Thomas faced only one opponent, and was doing fairly well for a man of his age. As Peg watched, the pirate facing her uncle feinted left, drawing her uncle out. Sir Thomas stiffened as the pirate's blade entered his torso. He swayed a moment, and then fell to the floor. The pirate grinned evilly at Peg, and made to finish off her uncle. His grin faded to a look of shock as Peg ran him through.

She stepped over her uncle's prone form, unable to spare the time to see if he still lived, and moved to help Jack Sparrow fend off more attackers. A few of the more sober wedding guests joined them then, two ladies kneeling next to Sir Thomas, and three gentlemen joining the fight. Time seemed to stand still then, and her whole world was slashing and jabbing with the weapon she held. She had no notion then, or after, of how many of the pirates she wounded or killed. As she fought, she could sense Jack Sparrow's eyes on her frequently, but she paid no notice to him at all.

Suddenly, it was over. The pirates turned and fled into the night and back to their ships, and then the wailing began.

TBC

Yes, I know that I'm an evil woman for leaving you on a cliffie.