Chapter 3~ Away to Tortuga
"We must do something," Elizabeth said, pleading with the Commodore.
"Saving him once got many of my men killed Miss Swann." He said then added, "We don't even know if he is in any danger."
"He must be, he missed our wedding." She said quietly and looked at the ground.
"I'm sorry Elizabeth, but I must look after the welfare of everyone under me. Not just Mr. Turner."
Elizabeth didn't respond or even react to Norrington's words. Looking out at the sea she longed for the sails of Will's ship. The waters were calm and blue, the sun was bright and warm, and the wind was steady. It was a perfect day to set sail, and many were. Eventually the Commodore left her on the dock and she walked around to look at the other ships. Perhaps she would hear something of Will and The Belleza, or perhaps Jack. And that was her answer, Jack. She knew he would help her find Will. He just had too. It wasn't long until she heard the name 'Tortuga', turning around Elizabeth looked over at the captain of the Dimino talking with his first mate.
"We will stop over at Tortuga tonight and restock our rum."
"Aye captain." The first mate said and looked sideways at his captain. "Is there any chance that we might be staying in the city for a night?"
Captain Dimino smiled and nodded, which brought a smile to his right hand man, and hope to Elizabeth. Taking a deep breath she walked over to the captain.
"Excuse me Captain Dimino, but I couldn't help but overhear that you and your crew will be stopping in Tortuga this night."
The Captain looked shocked and a little embarrassed.
"I'm sorry for disturbing you like that Miss Swann, please forgive my bluntness."
"No. No, you don't understand. I want to barter a passage to Tortuga."
Dimino's eyes widened and Elizabeth realized he must have the wrong impression.
"It is mot proper for a lady such as yourself to go to such a place."
"My reasons for going there is to look for a friend of mine." She said honestly, holding her ground.
"Wondering around in Tortuga will get you in a lot of trouble. And I don't think your father would."
"I don't care what my father thinks, he won't help me and neither will the Commodore. So I must do this myself." She said sharply, cutting him off.
He still looked skeptic so she held out ten pieces of gold.
"Will this do?"
Looking at her again he nodded.
"Welcome to the Dimino Miss Swann."
She smiled and walked aboard. The crew looked at her for a moment then to their captain who waved them off. The captain was older and one of the more experienced captains she ever met. Ever since she was a little girl, his ships would come into the port and he brought with him trinkets and souvenirs for the young Miss Swann. His stories would astound her, and it awoke her desire to view the sea in all her beauty.
"Miss Swann are you sure you know what you're doing?"
Elizabeth looked at the captain next to her and nodded.
"Yes. And I am sure that if the person I am looking for is anywhere in Tortuga I will find him momentarily.
"Him?"
"Yes." She said and looked away, but Dimino's wisdom would always catch her off guard.
"But not Mr. Turner."
"I need his help to find Will."
Dimino nodded and couldn't help his curiosity towards the stranger in Tortuga.
"What is his name Elizabeth?"
"Promise not to tell?"
"I promise."
Elizabeth thought for a moment and realized there is no reason not to trust him.
"Jack Sparrow." She said and watched Dimino's face turn white then sorrowful.
"Oh Elizabeth, I'm so sorry."
She felt her stomach fall and her heart skip.
"What? What is it?"
"You are talking about the pirate who saved you a while ago right?"
"Yes."
"I heard. . . I heard he was captured. And hung." It took him a while to get the last few words out but when he did he looked at Elizabeth who was crying silent tears. But she soon wiped them away.
"You must have heard wrong. Captain Jack Sparrow could never get caught."
"I hope so Elizabeth, for your sake." He said putting a hand on her shoulder then he turned to his crew.
"Open the sails mates, we want to get to Tortuga by nightfall." His words were answered by clapping and men running around the hull trying to get everything done.
Elizabeth made her way to the cabins and sat in the captain's quarters until she started to cry again. 'What if Dimino is right? What will I do if Jack is gone too?' She couldn't stand the thought of loosing Will then loosing the only person who could help her. To put her mind as ease Elizabeth walked over to the liquor cabinet and started to drink, a lot. There was bourbon, whisky, and rum. She cried even harder when she drank the rum, thinking of Jacks lifeless body hanging from a rope. After a few more drinks Elizabeth passed out only to awake all alone in Tortuga's port.
~TBC~
"We must do something," Elizabeth said, pleading with the Commodore.
"Saving him once got many of my men killed Miss Swann." He said then added, "We don't even know if he is in any danger."
"He must be, he missed our wedding." She said quietly and looked at the ground.
"I'm sorry Elizabeth, but I must look after the welfare of everyone under me. Not just Mr. Turner."
Elizabeth didn't respond or even react to Norrington's words. Looking out at the sea she longed for the sails of Will's ship. The waters were calm and blue, the sun was bright and warm, and the wind was steady. It was a perfect day to set sail, and many were. Eventually the Commodore left her on the dock and she walked around to look at the other ships. Perhaps she would hear something of Will and The Belleza, or perhaps Jack. And that was her answer, Jack. She knew he would help her find Will. He just had too. It wasn't long until she heard the name 'Tortuga', turning around Elizabeth looked over at the captain of the Dimino talking with his first mate.
"We will stop over at Tortuga tonight and restock our rum."
"Aye captain." The first mate said and looked sideways at his captain. "Is there any chance that we might be staying in the city for a night?"
Captain Dimino smiled and nodded, which brought a smile to his right hand man, and hope to Elizabeth. Taking a deep breath she walked over to the captain.
"Excuse me Captain Dimino, but I couldn't help but overhear that you and your crew will be stopping in Tortuga this night."
The Captain looked shocked and a little embarrassed.
"I'm sorry for disturbing you like that Miss Swann, please forgive my bluntness."
"No. No, you don't understand. I want to barter a passage to Tortuga."
Dimino's eyes widened and Elizabeth realized he must have the wrong impression.
"It is mot proper for a lady such as yourself to go to such a place."
"My reasons for going there is to look for a friend of mine." She said honestly, holding her ground.
"Wondering around in Tortuga will get you in a lot of trouble. And I don't think your father would."
"I don't care what my father thinks, he won't help me and neither will the Commodore. So I must do this myself." She said sharply, cutting him off.
He still looked skeptic so she held out ten pieces of gold.
"Will this do?"
Looking at her again he nodded.
"Welcome to the Dimino Miss Swann."
She smiled and walked aboard. The crew looked at her for a moment then to their captain who waved them off. The captain was older and one of the more experienced captains she ever met. Ever since she was a little girl, his ships would come into the port and he brought with him trinkets and souvenirs for the young Miss Swann. His stories would astound her, and it awoke her desire to view the sea in all her beauty.
"Miss Swann are you sure you know what you're doing?"
Elizabeth looked at the captain next to her and nodded.
"Yes. And I am sure that if the person I am looking for is anywhere in Tortuga I will find him momentarily.
"Him?"
"Yes." She said and looked away, but Dimino's wisdom would always catch her off guard.
"But not Mr. Turner."
"I need his help to find Will."
Dimino nodded and couldn't help his curiosity towards the stranger in Tortuga.
"What is his name Elizabeth?"
"Promise not to tell?"
"I promise."
Elizabeth thought for a moment and realized there is no reason not to trust him.
"Jack Sparrow." She said and watched Dimino's face turn white then sorrowful.
"Oh Elizabeth, I'm so sorry."
She felt her stomach fall and her heart skip.
"What? What is it?"
"You are talking about the pirate who saved you a while ago right?"
"Yes."
"I heard. . . I heard he was captured. And hung." It took him a while to get the last few words out but when he did he looked at Elizabeth who was crying silent tears. But she soon wiped them away.
"You must have heard wrong. Captain Jack Sparrow could never get caught."
"I hope so Elizabeth, for your sake." He said putting a hand on her shoulder then he turned to his crew.
"Open the sails mates, we want to get to Tortuga by nightfall." His words were answered by clapping and men running around the hull trying to get everything done.
Elizabeth made her way to the cabins and sat in the captain's quarters until she started to cry again. 'What if Dimino is right? What will I do if Jack is gone too?' She couldn't stand the thought of loosing Will then loosing the only person who could help her. To put her mind as ease Elizabeth walked over to the liquor cabinet and started to drink, a lot. There was bourbon, whisky, and rum. She cried even harder when she drank the rum, thinking of Jacks lifeless body hanging from a rope. After a few more drinks Elizabeth passed out only to awake all alone in Tortuga's port.
~TBC~