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Chapter 1

Elizabeth sits by her window, once again bored with her life, and as she was quickly learning, her new love. Oh sure, she had known him since they were children, but their relationship really hadn't blossomed until their recent adventure on the high seas with one Captain Jack Sparrow. She was certain then that Will was all that she needed or wanted. The excitement she had felt during the journey had more than readied her for a lifetime with him, and she eagerly started planning for their wedding shortly after they arrived safely in Port Royal.

But that was then.

Now, she felt empty, unfulfilled and lacking in any sort of energy whatsoever. She was beginning to second guess her choice in a future husband and wondered if the feelings she had felt onboard the ship with Will and the rest of the pirates ever truly existed at all. Maybe she had to face up to facts and that was, she wasn't cut out to be a wife or a mother...or at the side of a blacksmith. Yes, Will had taken up piracy but it was to rescue her, not to please her. She was disappointed to say the very least, but she had already committed her heart to him and had managed to convince herself that she was only caught up in the moment when she was aboard the Pearl. Sea life wasn't nearly as wonderful as being with Will. No. She was sure of that fact! This little game she played with herself kept her happy for a while, but as time moved on she started gazing out of the window in her chambers more and more often, dreaming of their adventures and searching the horizon for a ship. One very special ship. The Black Pearl. It was getting so bad, that she was becoming reclusive in the evenings, preferring to sit at her window and watch the sunset over the horizon rather then join her friends, family or even Will for an evening of entertainment. She wanted no part of this life anymore nor the people that came with it, and she knew she had to get out of it soon or she'd perish, that's why she found herself scanning the horizon yet again. But as usual, no ship with black sails appeared and no wobbly-legged pirate captain came rowing ashore. She was trapped. Trapped by her family and the position of power that they held. If it weren't for their military ties she'd have a chance of just up and leaving, blending in with the common man and drifting off to her own future, but with an entire royal fleet at his command her father wouldn't be long catching up with her. That was reality and any other dreams than that would be just that...dreams. Her only hope was the Black Pearl. It was the only ship that could take her away from this, but she had passed that up in favour of Will and now here she sat wishing she had really given the matter some thought.

She sighed deeply and realized that rehashing her choices over and over wasn't going to change a thing and her best hope of escape was to continue looking for Jack from afar, next time taking her own opportune moment instead of letting it pass her by.

Satisfied that this was the answer, Elizabeth stood up from her chair and walked over to her bed, she had long since told her father she didn't need a chambermaid anymore so the task of turning down her bedsheets was now up to her. Undressing herself (another task she insisted on doing herself) she fumbled with the laces of her dress, letting it slide off of her body and onto the floor. She no longer wore a corset either, never again would she willingly wear such a restraining device as that and she felt all the better for it. Pulling her nightclothes over her head and pulling her hair free (she always wore it down now) she slowly slipped between the sheets of her elegant bed. She left the windows open most nights, so she could continue her watch while waiting for sleep, but it was here in bed where her thoughts always changed. It was here that Jack Sparrow invaded her dreams and it was here that she always let him do so.