Chapter 8
Alaina stood stiffly on the deck. Her entire body was sore from a day on her feet and her mind was agonized over what was going to happen to her - and to Will. No, to Legolas. Will Turner no longer existed.
The maid could tell that the sun was probably just beginning to set behind her, though she dared not move for fear of the pistol in the hand of the man next to her. It couldn't be all that much longer before that shore party came back.
Suddenly the relative quiet around the ship was broken by a high, feminine "Yoo-hoo!" Both Alaina and James turned to see where it had come from.
Standing on the pier was a tall, skinny woman with tan skin and luxurious, gleaming black hair. She looked a little intoxicated and was waving flirtingly at James. But the strangest thing about her was that she was wearing male clothing.
"What do you want?" James asked uncertainly.
The woman didn't reply at first. Before James knew what was happening, she had scaled the side of the ship and hopped the railing. "The question is, what's a handsome man like you doing all alone up here?" she asked, her voice giving off a slight Hispanic air. She seemed practically unaware of Alaina's presence, and also that of the pistol. She moved in closer to James and placed an elegant hand on his face. For a brief moment he stared into her eyes; then slowly he brought his arms around and drew the woman's head closer. "You're a beau'iful one," he murmured. Just as their lips were about to touch, the woman became suddenly sober. Her knee came up hard, and the next thing Alaina knew, James was writhing in pain on the deck.
The woman picked up the now discarded pistol and stuck it in her belt. "Jack, he's down!" she yelled to an unseen companion. Then she turned to Alaina. "I'm Anamaria. And you're Will's friend. Come on, let's go."
Alaina stood in shock for an instant before she noticed that someone else was also on board, busy tying up a now unconscious James. The fabled Captain Jack Sparrow looked up, nodded at Alaina, and then said to Anamaria, "Nice work, love. Meet you back on the Pearl." Jack went back to his work and Anamaria helped Alaina slip quietly over the side of the ship.
Elizabeth raised a dainty spoonful of soup to her mouth. She was dining alone in an elegantly furnished cabin, and at the moment was dreaming of the now near day when she would tell Commodore James Norrington that she had made a terrible mistake and would now marry him. She had really loved him all along, from the days of her girlhood when she had hopelessly fantasized about becoming Mrs. Norrington until now. But her father's insistences, along with the allure of more wealth to come, of power, of perhaps even more unimaginable things, had led her to keep up the charade of being in love with Will. She now put it to fate alone that Jack Sparrow's first chaotic venture in Port Royal had prevented her from accepting Norrington's proposal right away. If not for that, this current opportunity would not have arisen.
Just then, Elizabeth heard footsteps and voices out on deck. It was around the time that her father and the rest should be coming back, so she stood up and opened the cabin door. The sight that greeted her eyes astonished her. The foolish maid was nowhere to be seen, and the sailor guard was lying unconscious on the ground, being tied up by none other than Captain Jack Sparrow. Before Elizabeth could stop herself, she screamed.
Jack, caught off guard, jumped up and drew out his pistol. Seeing who it was, though, he relaxed and lowered the weapon. "Why hello there, Miss Swann. I'm a bit busy at the moment so if you wouldn't mind keeping your voice down, I'd be much obliged."
Elizabeth's eyes narrowed in disgust. When she spoke, her voice came out high and tense. "You fiend! What do you think you're doing? I'll - I'll call the guards right now unless you release this man and tell me the location of my maid."
Jack shook his head in mimicry of being apologetic. "As I believe I told you once before, it's sticks and stones, love. You hurt my friend, I hurt yours. Savvy? We're square again." Elizabeth looked unconvinced, so the pirate captain continued casually, "I also happen to know that there is only one guard aboard this ship, and he's not up to doing much." He gestured at James. "So call all you want, but I'll be long gone before anyone comes to answer." Jack held up his pistol again and prepared to leave.
Elizabeth realized that her options had just run out. She would have to let the despicable man go or risk her own life. Coursing with anger, she spit out, "Norrington will have you swinging from the gallows within a week when I tell him what you've done."
Jack paused in the middle of swinging over the railing. "Guess I was right in rooting for him then, eh? Enjoy the wedding." And then he was gone, blending swiftly into the night.
Elizabeth gritted her teeth angrily and then hurried to the cabin where the elf had changed his clothes. The discarded blacksmith garments were still there, and she hastily replaced her elegant dress with them. It was time for a visit to the town.