Usual disclaimers
She, James, Will, and Elizabeth talked for the better part of an hour. Isabelle had talked them all into telling her a story of piracy, and they had. A great one. Too bad it wasn't real, she thought ruefully.
"And that's how it happened," Will said wrapping an arm around Elizabeth's shoulders.
"Thank you all, but I must be going. My..." she paused, hesitant to sat her next few words. "I am expected back at the house," she said, rising and stumbling but Will caught her around the waist to steady her. "I'm sorry, Will," she said sadly. Will saw the hurt and desperation in his friend's eyes and wondered if they would ever be the same again. Elizabeth rose and walked the two to the door. James slipped his arm around her waist, knowing that holding her hand wouldn't be enough to keep her upright for the walk home.
"We'll go out tomorrow," Elizabeth said happily to Isabelle. "You'll forget all about everything. It will be fine," she said and patted Isabelle on the shoulder. They each said goodbye and James led her down the familiar street to her beautiful house overlooking the bay. He moved her hand to the crook of his arm and she threw her shoulders back and tried to brighten her eyes. They had walked briskly to make it look like they had been out walking for all this time.
"Are you ready, Elle?" James looked down at her and smiled a little. She nodded and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"You are a wonderful friend, James. I hope to see you and the Turner's again tomorrow," Isabelle said with a glint of hope in her eyes. James smiled and nodded.
"Of course," he said. He knew she needed someone, a familiar face in all those that were cold and hard. She needed compassion, and he and the Turners were the only people that gave it to her. James knocked lightly on the door, announcing their presence. Catherine opened the door and smiled on seeing Isabelle in gentle hands.
"Evenin' Commodore, Norrington," Catherine said softly and curtsied.
"Good evening Miss Catherine. I trust that you will tend to Isabelle tonight," James said but lowered his voice for the last part so only Catherine and Isabelle could hear him.
"Yes sir," Catherine said and gave him a knowing look. James nodded and smiled at her. Richard appeared out of nowhere and walked up to the three. Catherine moved aside and Isabelle and James stepped into the house.
"James! You're back with my daughter," Richard said pulling his daughter to stand next to him and smiled, not letting go of her hand in the crook of his own elbow. He squeezed her hand tighter and tighter as he talked to James, and James' glance kept falling on her, worriedly. She smiled reassuringly, but she didn't know who she was trying to reassure. Him or herself. "Very well my good man! We will see you again tomorrow," Richard said happily and James bowed, giving her one last look before he left. Rickard dropped his daughter's hand and walked from the room, leaving her and Catherine alone in the foyer. Catherine gathered up her skirts and motioned for Isabelle to do the same, and the two women took off running up the stairs and didn't stop until they were behind Isabelle's locked door. Isabelle pressed her back against the cold door, welcoming the chill that ran through her body. She slipped down to sit on the floor as another wave of pain swept over her.
"Oh, Elle, I'm so sorry," Catherine cooed as she got another hot towel ready for her.
"Katie, I wish to go riding early tomorrow morning before the sun." Catherine turned on hearing her say something she rarely ever said anymore. Isabelle looked up at her with pain and hope searing through her eyes. "Please, Katie?" she said like she was a little girl again and all she wanted was one more cookie before dinner. Catherine rung the towel out in the sink and sat down beside her best friend and employer.
"Of course you may, Isabelle. I will get Juniper ready for you before the sun, and you may meet me at the stables in your riding clothes," Catherine said quietly, so her father was sure not to hear.
"Thank you, Katie," Isabelle said resting her head back against the door, clutching her side. Catherine stood her up and helped her out of her elaborate jade colored gown and corset and into her flowing light blue nightgown. Isabelle pulled the pins from her hair and shook her head a couple of times to make sure none of it was still piled on top of her head. Catherine tucked her weak, exhausted body under the covers and sat by her side.
"Are you sure you want to go riding tomorrow? You look so fragile," Catherine said in a motherly tone. Isabelle nodded and smiled a little.
"I miss Juniper," she said simply and drifted off into a painful sleep. Catherine lingered a bit longer to make sure she would be alright and finally got up to go perform the rest of her duties before bed.
Isabelle woke up early the next morning, just when she planned. She rose just before the sun had a chance to light the starry sky. She felt much better today than she did last night. Her side was terribly bruised, but she had received far worse. She dressed in black tight fitting riding pants and a silk white shirt which she left untied at ht front. She climbed down the lattice underneath her window and dropped gracefully and silently to the ground below. Just as quietly, she made her way over to her horse. She ran the rest of the way with a huge smile on her beautiful face.
"Oh, Katie, thank you for this," Isabelle said happily, petting Juniper's nose and neck. "Hi baby, how are you?" Isabelle asked her horse, mounting. "What a beautiful day?" Isabelle exclaimed as she rode Juniper around the grass to warm her up.
"The sun's not up yet, Elle!" Catherine yelled happily, watching her smile grow.
"Ah, but it will be!" Isabelle shouted. "I'll be back in a little over an hour! Bye Katie!" Isabelle said and with that, she pulled back on the reigns and dashed off into the woods. Catherine stood watching for a little while until the back of the horses caramel tail couldn't be seen anymore. This was the Isabelle that she used to know. The Isabelle that she used to be. The Isabelle she was before her father started to hurt her for no reason. Her childhood was savagely taken from her, leaving her broken. Now, she was nothing more than a ghost of her former self. A mere existence. A woman that had lost the best years of her life. She had lost her childhood, and so she was, in Catherine's mind, a broken child.
Isabelle leaned forward on her horse, urging her to go faster and faster still. Her side hurt a little, but soon after she forgot all about it and enjoyed the only time to be free. She so wished she could be free with the sun upon her face, and the wind nipping at the back of her neck all the time. She wished she could be rid of her horrid father for good and for always. Again, those thoughts of a happier life bombarded her head and she smiled sadly, knowing someone out there was living her dream life. Someone on a ship, with the wind in their face and the sea surrounding them. Somewhere out there where they made their own rules and laughed and loved. Something she knew she could never, ever have.
None of the lights in Port Royal were on this early in the morning, not even Will's blacksmith's shop. She could already smell the fresh bread being made in a little corner bakery that she adored. She slowed her horse down to a canter and looked up between the trees at the lightening sky. The stars were slowly fading away and clear day was replacing them. She was right, it was going to be a beautiful day.
She leaped off her horse and took her by the reigns. Isabelle led Juniper around, deciding to take an nice walk through the forest instead, but felt better having this massive creature accompany her. She would talk to her horse and laugh when she knew she was being plain silly. Her boots crunched on twigs and leaves and she enjoyed every noise, every feeling in the forest. She leapt over mud puddles and balanced gracefully and childishly on fallen tree branches and low rising ones. Isabelle would stray from the trail and make her own path, something she wished she could do in her own life.
Isabelle decided to take a ride on the beach for a little while before she went back home for breakfast. She pulled herself back up on the horse, but stopped, pressing her hand to her side when a horrible pain shot through her. "Damn," she cursed, dropping quickly to her knees. Juniper stopped walking and turned around to see what happened to her master. Isabelle tried as hard as she could not to scream, kick, or cry in fury. What her father was doing to her wasn't right, but where could she go? How could she escape his demeaning hand? Her breathing had quickened and she found it hard to breath at all. They were ragged and came only when she thought she was going to pass out from lack of air. "Oh, damn!" she yelled loudly, venting some of her frustration and pain on the still air of the early morning. Juniper leaned her neck down and nudged her, knowing something wasn't right.
Slowly, so she wouldn't hurt herself even more than she already was, she lifted herself off the ground and onto her horse. Which, in turn, proved to be more difficult than she thought at first. Being the stubborn woman she was, she turned her horse toward the white sand beach and galloped toward it, savoring the wind whipping her long black hair around her face.
Isabelle started at one end of the beach and galloped all the way to the docks where she dismounted and led her horse toward the docks. She could see the merchant sailors unloading their goods and the naval ships floating lightly on top of the little caves from all the commotion this early in the morning. She spotted her favorite person to talk to and slowly made her way over. "Quincy!" she shouted and he turned around to see her. He smiled his roguish smile and stopped what he was doing to run toward her.
"I haven't seen you round here in a quite a while, Miss Isabelle!" Quincy said happily as he skidded to a halt and took her in his arms. She winced when he squeezed her too tight and he noticed. "It ain't your papa again, is it?" Quincy asked, looking into her deep brown eyes. She nodded and Quincy sat her down on the sand. "You look more beautiful than ever though, lass," he said and kissed her cheek in a warm welcome.
"Thank you, Quincy, you always know how to cheer a woman up!" she said happily and leaned into the kiss.
"A woman and not a lady?" he asked her, smiling.
"I wouldn't be much of a lady if I sat here with a pirate on a beach, now would I?" Quincy threw his head back and laughed, shaking his head. "You will tell me a story, won't you? One of your adventures?" Isabelle asked Quincy.
"Aye, lass," he said, his green eyes flashing under his long blonde eyelashes. For someone who wanted to become a pirate, he was unusually good looking. Isabelle didn't think of Quincy like that though. He was her good friend, one of the few she had that she had held onto. "There was a man named Captain Jack Sparrow…" Quincy began, smiling when Isabelle giggled a little at how he said the man's name. Quincy told her the tale and she laughed with him until the sun started to come up and he was called back to work by his own captain. "Someday I do wish to be part of his crew though. A fine ship the Pearl is," Quincy said getting up and helping her stand carefully she he didn't hurt her more.
"You will make a fine pirate, Quincy," Isabelle said happily.
"You don't object to bein' a pirate an' all?" he asked her smiling his roguish smile.
"No, I think piracy is a far better life than that of mine." Isabelle gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and he helped her up into the saddle. "at least pirates are free from their bonds," she said quietly to him as she started to ride away.
"Take care of yerself, Isabelle! Come back soon!" he shouted after her and she turned to look at him over her shoulder. She smiled and waved and was soon just a speck of black on the brightening horizon.
