Chapter 4:
Jack Sparrow – Stranger in the Shadows
"Elizabeth!" The couple cried.
Their cover had been blown. Will stood and joined Elizabeth.
Commodore Norrington was mortified. "How long have you been standing there?!?!" He inquired. Rose took a step forward, her arms crossed.
Elizabeth smiled. "Long enough to see what you're doing. You were going to-." She stopped when she saw Norrington motioning for her to stop and mouthing the words, "Stop! Don't tell her! It's supposed to be a surprise!"
Jack scaled the fence around the Swann mansion. A local had tipped him off to the reception.
Commodore Norrington eyed Will and Elizabeth angrily. The silence was broken by the sound of a snapping twig. The four turned to their right, the direction the sound had come from. Norrington stalked forwards and looked into the shadows, but saw nothing. He relaxed a bit. Rose tried to step into the shadows to search, but the Commodore grabbed her shoulder and held her back. If there was someone out there, he didn't want Rose to put herself in danger.
Another snap. Will pushed Elizabeth back behind him.
"Who are you?" Rose asked nervously.
"Well, if it isn't Rose!" A voice said from the shadows. "Fancy seein' you here!
Commodore Norrington's Grip on Rose tightened. She winced in pain. "Show yourself!" He commanded. Rose took his hand and moved it from her shoulder.
The speaker remained defiant. "I don't think I will."
"We do!" Rose snapped.
"You've always had a way of ordering people around, Rose. But I was always too much for you!" The voice laughed.
Commodore Norrington was perplexed by the stranger's comments therefore dismissed them as untrue. "Stop playing mind games with her!" he hissed.
Rose was tired of the stranger's taunts. She grabbed the hilt of Norrington's rapier, pulled it free of its scabbard, and leapt forward! She heard the sound of the stranger drawing a sword as well. The moon came out from behind a cloud and revealed the shape of a man, though his face remained hidden.
Rose lunged at him with lightning speed. The man only just managed blocked her onslaught. She spun and struck at him from the opposite side, only to be blocked again.
"Ya've gotten better at this!" The stranger exclaimed, striking at Rose.
Rose easily parried the attack. "That's because I have one of the best opponents to practice against! How would you know anyway?"
The man swung his sword at her. "I've known ya for a lot longer than ya think!"
"That's impossible!" Rose quipped and blocked his attack.
They circled. Rose got a second long glimpse of the man's face, but it wasn't long enough for her to identify him. The man jumped forward. Rose reacted and jumped back.
"How can you keep this up in a corset?" He asked.
The same question was plaguing Elizabeth. "Yes, how?"
Rose had no time to answer. The stranger struck again. Rose swung her rapier as hard as she could.
The man wasn't prepared for the force behind her blow. She knocked his sword from his hands, disarming him. He reached for his cutlass, but Rose held her sword to his throat. "I didn't want to do this," she said. "Now, step into the light!"
The man threw up his hands in exasperation and stepped into the moonlight.
Rose dropped her sword in shock. "Jack?" she asked quietly.
Commodore Norrington used their moment of preoccupation to his advantage. He stepped forward, grabbed Jack's wrist, and picked up his rapier. "What are YOU doing here? And how do you know Rose?"
"James, he is my brother. I tried to tell you, but you were too busy. Please don't hurt him!" Rose cried.
"What business do you have in Port Royal this time, Mr. Sparrow?" The Commodore asked as he let go of Jack.
"I've come to tell ya that the Spanish navy is plotting the capture the port." Jack said, directing his answer more to Will than anyone else. "Now, I you're thinkin' 'what does he want in return?' well, I want nothing in return except you're help in defeating that excuse for a pirate, Josey Zapada!"
"How did you happen to stumble upon this information, Mr. Sparrow?" Norrington asked.
"Josey told me 'erself during a battle earlier today. And unless they've turned 'round and run, which I doubt, they're only twenty-five miles away."
Commodore Norrington didn't want to believe Jack, but he couldn't just ignore this kind of information. "Rose, we must tell the Governor immediately."
Jack turned to leave.
"As for you, Mr. Sparrow, you will accompany us." Commodore Norrington said. He then motioned for Will and Elizabeth to follow as well.
Jack made his way next to Rose, who dropped back so they could talk without being heard by the Commodore.
"What are you doing here?" Jack asked. "Why are you with him?" He gestured toward Norrington.
"I came with James to attend Will and Elizabeth's wedding." She answered simply.
"But why Commodore Norrington?!?!" He asked, half confused, half annoyed.
"Because," She answered, "he's a kind and gentle man who loves me."
"Kind and gentle my ass! You haven't seen him fight! He's ruthless!" Jack exclaimed.
Rose looked away from him. "Look who's talking! Jack, the first time I see you in thirteen years and all you want to do is deride my lover!" She slapped him forcefully, turned, and strode off to catch up with Commodore Norrington, whose brisk pace had put him ahead of him all.
Will approached Jack and quietly asked, "You didn't deserve that one, did you?"
"Actually, I definitely deserved that one." Jack remarked, rubbing his red cheek.
As it turned out, it wasn't the best idea in the world to lead a pirate through a crowd of people trying to enjoy a nice party. But the four who were with Jack didn't care at all. They were dealing with a hostile country that had enough firepower to destroy the port.
People starred as they watched Jack being led through them. Men pulled their wives far away, as they gave him looks of contempt. He even heard someone say. "Looks like Commodore has finally caught Jack Sparrow. He'll deal with that scum himself this time!"
Jack turned his eyes away from theirs.
Governor Swann hastily joined them. "Commodore, what is the meaning of this?!?"
"Not now, Governor. We have just learned of a threat to the port."
Governor Swann was taken aback by the Commodore's seriousness. Knowing that he wasn't kidding, he led the five upstairs to his study.
The worried crowd dispersed from the house, carring the news of the threat.
The slave girl crept out from the cabin where the slaves were kept. Two sentries had been posted on deck. Fortunately for her, they had both fallen asleep, and were easily slain. She then slashed the ropes suspending a rowboat over the side of the Stormeye. The boat fell, splashing into the sea below. "Someone will have heard that!" She thought.
And she was right. No sooner had she thought this than Captain Josey emerged from her cabin. Her rage had kept her from sleeping. Josey rushed the slave with her saber. "No slave escapes me!"
The slave blocked her with her sword, then jumped overboard.
"Escaped slave!" Josey shouted.
Her crew came pouring out from below decks with their weapons. Those with spears were ordered to throw them at her, but they fell short as the ship sailed out of range.
The slave smiled at her easily won freedom. She grabbed the two oars in the boat and began rowing in the direction the Black Pearl had sailed in.
"So, let me get this straight. You fought this 'Captain Josey' and while doing this, she told you of their plans?" Governor Swann said.
Jack nodded.
"What are we going to do?" Elizabeth asked.
There was complete silence. Finally, Rose spoke. "I have an idea."
All eyes trained themselves on Rose.
"We will have some of the soldiers at Fort Charles train the citizens to use arms. Meanwhile, James and I will gather a crew, take the Interceptor II to sea, and scout out the location of the Spanish fleet. Jack will bring the Black Pearl along as well. If we come too close to the Spanish, or if we decide to make a surprise attack, we will stand a better chance with two ships. We may even be able to damage some of their ships!"
"We can't do that!" Governor Swann said.
"Well, what do ya say we do, then?" Jack asked.
The Governor faltered.
"This is the only plan we have. Personally, I couldn't have come up with a better idea." Commodore Norrington said. "We will need fifty sailors to man the Interceptor. That will leave more than enough soldiers to train the locals. I'll send some of them down tonight to restock the ship. We will leave tomorrow."
"We're coming with you!" Will and Elizabeth said together.
Commodore nodded. "Fine. Be ready to leave at noon." He said. Then he and Rose took their leave.
Jack Sparrow – Stranger in the Shadows
"Elizabeth!" The couple cried.
Their cover had been blown. Will stood and joined Elizabeth.
Commodore Norrington was mortified. "How long have you been standing there?!?!" He inquired. Rose took a step forward, her arms crossed.
Elizabeth smiled. "Long enough to see what you're doing. You were going to-." She stopped when she saw Norrington motioning for her to stop and mouthing the words, "Stop! Don't tell her! It's supposed to be a surprise!"
Jack scaled the fence around the Swann mansion. A local had tipped him off to the reception.
Commodore Norrington eyed Will and Elizabeth angrily. The silence was broken by the sound of a snapping twig. The four turned to their right, the direction the sound had come from. Norrington stalked forwards and looked into the shadows, but saw nothing. He relaxed a bit. Rose tried to step into the shadows to search, but the Commodore grabbed her shoulder and held her back. If there was someone out there, he didn't want Rose to put herself in danger.
Another snap. Will pushed Elizabeth back behind him.
"Who are you?" Rose asked nervously.
"Well, if it isn't Rose!" A voice said from the shadows. "Fancy seein' you here!
Commodore Norrington's Grip on Rose tightened. She winced in pain. "Show yourself!" He commanded. Rose took his hand and moved it from her shoulder.
The speaker remained defiant. "I don't think I will."
"We do!" Rose snapped.
"You've always had a way of ordering people around, Rose. But I was always too much for you!" The voice laughed.
Commodore Norrington was perplexed by the stranger's comments therefore dismissed them as untrue. "Stop playing mind games with her!" he hissed.
Rose was tired of the stranger's taunts. She grabbed the hilt of Norrington's rapier, pulled it free of its scabbard, and leapt forward! She heard the sound of the stranger drawing a sword as well. The moon came out from behind a cloud and revealed the shape of a man, though his face remained hidden.
Rose lunged at him with lightning speed. The man only just managed blocked her onslaught. She spun and struck at him from the opposite side, only to be blocked again.
"Ya've gotten better at this!" The stranger exclaimed, striking at Rose.
Rose easily parried the attack. "That's because I have one of the best opponents to practice against! How would you know anyway?"
The man swung his sword at her. "I've known ya for a lot longer than ya think!"
"That's impossible!" Rose quipped and blocked his attack.
They circled. Rose got a second long glimpse of the man's face, but it wasn't long enough for her to identify him. The man jumped forward. Rose reacted and jumped back.
"How can you keep this up in a corset?" He asked.
The same question was plaguing Elizabeth. "Yes, how?"
Rose had no time to answer. The stranger struck again. Rose swung her rapier as hard as she could.
The man wasn't prepared for the force behind her blow. She knocked his sword from his hands, disarming him. He reached for his cutlass, but Rose held her sword to his throat. "I didn't want to do this," she said. "Now, step into the light!"
The man threw up his hands in exasperation and stepped into the moonlight.
Rose dropped her sword in shock. "Jack?" she asked quietly.
Commodore Norrington used their moment of preoccupation to his advantage. He stepped forward, grabbed Jack's wrist, and picked up his rapier. "What are YOU doing here? And how do you know Rose?"
"James, he is my brother. I tried to tell you, but you were too busy. Please don't hurt him!" Rose cried.
"What business do you have in Port Royal this time, Mr. Sparrow?" The Commodore asked as he let go of Jack.
"I've come to tell ya that the Spanish navy is plotting the capture the port." Jack said, directing his answer more to Will than anyone else. "Now, I you're thinkin' 'what does he want in return?' well, I want nothing in return except you're help in defeating that excuse for a pirate, Josey Zapada!"
"How did you happen to stumble upon this information, Mr. Sparrow?" Norrington asked.
"Josey told me 'erself during a battle earlier today. And unless they've turned 'round and run, which I doubt, they're only twenty-five miles away."
Commodore Norrington didn't want to believe Jack, but he couldn't just ignore this kind of information. "Rose, we must tell the Governor immediately."
Jack turned to leave.
"As for you, Mr. Sparrow, you will accompany us." Commodore Norrington said. He then motioned for Will and Elizabeth to follow as well.
Jack made his way next to Rose, who dropped back so they could talk without being heard by the Commodore.
"What are you doing here?" Jack asked. "Why are you with him?" He gestured toward Norrington.
"I came with James to attend Will and Elizabeth's wedding." She answered simply.
"But why Commodore Norrington?!?!" He asked, half confused, half annoyed.
"Because," She answered, "he's a kind and gentle man who loves me."
"Kind and gentle my ass! You haven't seen him fight! He's ruthless!" Jack exclaimed.
Rose looked away from him. "Look who's talking! Jack, the first time I see you in thirteen years and all you want to do is deride my lover!" She slapped him forcefully, turned, and strode off to catch up with Commodore Norrington, whose brisk pace had put him ahead of him all.
Will approached Jack and quietly asked, "You didn't deserve that one, did you?"
"Actually, I definitely deserved that one." Jack remarked, rubbing his red cheek.
As it turned out, it wasn't the best idea in the world to lead a pirate through a crowd of people trying to enjoy a nice party. But the four who were with Jack didn't care at all. They were dealing with a hostile country that had enough firepower to destroy the port.
People starred as they watched Jack being led through them. Men pulled their wives far away, as they gave him looks of contempt. He even heard someone say. "Looks like Commodore has finally caught Jack Sparrow. He'll deal with that scum himself this time!"
Jack turned his eyes away from theirs.
Governor Swann hastily joined them. "Commodore, what is the meaning of this?!?"
"Not now, Governor. We have just learned of a threat to the port."
Governor Swann was taken aback by the Commodore's seriousness. Knowing that he wasn't kidding, he led the five upstairs to his study.
The worried crowd dispersed from the house, carring the news of the threat.
The slave girl crept out from the cabin where the slaves were kept. Two sentries had been posted on deck. Fortunately for her, they had both fallen asleep, and were easily slain. She then slashed the ropes suspending a rowboat over the side of the Stormeye. The boat fell, splashing into the sea below. "Someone will have heard that!" She thought.
And she was right. No sooner had she thought this than Captain Josey emerged from her cabin. Her rage had kept her from sleeping. Josey rushed the slave with her saber. "No slave escapes me!"
The slave blocked her with her sword, then jumped overboard.
"Escaped slave!" Josey shouted.
Her crew came pouring out from below decks with their weapons. Those with spears were ordered to throw them at her, but they fell short as the ship sailed out of range.
The slave smiled at her easily won freedom. She grabbed the two oars in the boat and began rowing in the direction the Black Pearl had sailed in.
"So, let me get this straight. You fought this 'Captain Josey' and while doing this, she told you of their plans?" Governor Swann said.
Jack nodded.
"What are we going to do?" Elizabeth asked.
There was complete silence. Finally, Rose spoke. "I have an idea."
All eyes trained themselves on Rose.
"We will have some of the soldiers at Fort Charles train the citizens to use arms. Meanwhile, James and I will gather a crew, take the Interceptor II to sea, and scout out the location of the Spanish fleet. Jack will bring the Black Pearl along as well. If we come too close to the Spanish, or if we decide to make a surprise attack, we will stand a better chance with two ships. We may even be able to damage some of their ships!"
"We can't do that!" Governor Swann said.
"Well, what do ya say we do, then?" Jack asked.
The Governor faltered.
"This is the only plan we have. Personally, I couldn't have come up with a better idea." Commodore Norrington said. "We will need fifty sailors to man the Interceptor. That will leave more than enough soldiers to train the locals. I'll send some of them down tonight to restock the ship. We will leave tomorrow."
"We're coming with you!" Will and Elizabeth said together.
Commodore nodded. "Fine. Be ready to leave at noon." He said. Then he and Rose took their leave.