Chapter 11

This is the part she hates the most. The waiting. Being the daughter of the Governor, she can't simply waltz out of these events as soon as they're complete. Oh no, she must stay until her father is ready to leave and right now he was over with Will and James, discussing whatever it is that Navy men discuss. Her thoughts drift to the intruder that appeared early in the day. He was terribly bold, but then again, so was she. The clouds were building even more now and she new that there would be rain by this evening, she could feel it in the wind. She inhaled a deep breath of sea air and it filled her lungs and revived her in a way nothing else could, now, if only she could have some fun. Fun meaning, of course, looting and pillaging and ravaging, just as the song from her childhood says. She smiled at the prospects of this but was immediately broken out of her thoughts by the approach of her father.

"Elizabeth, it's time to leave. Word has it that there's a possible pirate attack tonight and I want you to be ready to leave for the safety of the fort should one occur." Governor Swann stated.

"Oh father, really. Why do you worry so much about me? Surely there's no benefit in kidnapping a Governor's daughter when there's so many lovely, shiny things in our house to divert their attention" she joked.

The Governor, however, did not find her comment in the least bit amusing and chastised her immediately for the outburst.

"I will not have my daughter at risk! I do wish you'd take these matters a little more seriously in light of past events! Now wipe that smirk off your face and come along!"

She begrudgingly followed him to the waiting carriage and climbed in. They sat in silence as the carriage climbed the hill, she was in no mood to talk. Once they arrived back home Elizabeth went straight to her chambers as instructed by her father, to await word of future actions. The sun was beginning to set and the clouds were growing ever the more menacing and again she found herself waiting and with this came boredom, she decided to change into her nightclothes and crawl into bed with a book. A pirate's book to be exact. He had sent it to her, when she was younger and she had memorized every story to heart, but still she loved to glance through the pages and imagine herself in these very adventures. Tales of cursed Aztek gold, the heart of Davy Jones, sea monsters, gods and goddesses, oh how she yearned to be a part of it. She immersed herself so deeply in these stories that she didn't notice it had grown quite dark outside, the storm clouds progressing at quite a speed. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a breeze pick up and blow her curtains open, reaching the candle it too is blown out. She got up out of bed and put on her robe, looking out to sea she saw the first flashes of lightning from the approaching storm, and in one of the flashes she saw it. The Black Pearl. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart was beating so loudly that she thought for sure she could wake the dead. Tonight was the night he had promised to her, oh so long ago. So that's why he was here, he had come back for her afterall, keeping his word that he had given to her.

She knew she would have to be quick if she were to get away. He had already taken the letters from her so that was no longer a concern, but she'd have to be ready to leave once he arrived at the house. She had already decided to leave most of her belongings behind, she'd have no use of them in her new life, but there was one thing she just couldn't abandon...her mother's dress. Changing out of her nightclothes and into the dress, she already begun to feel butterflies gathering in her stomach. When she had seen him this morning she didn't have time to register just why he was here or what he was doing. As a matter of fact, she found it quite astounding she even recognized him after so long, but his voice and shadowed face were unmistakeable.

Running quietly down the stairs in the darkened house, she saw not a soul. Looking at the clock she noticed it was very late, and assumed her father was probably asleep knowing that their safety was in the capable hands of Lieutenant Turner and Admiral Norrington. Opening the mansion's front door, she stepped out and ran straight into a couple of pirates that made her freeze on the spot. She had dreamed of these two! Not last night, but she had dreamed of them enough to recognize them at first sight and the memories she had of them were not good. She had to get away.

"Where do ye think ye be going, poppet?" the shorter of the two questioned as he blocked her path.

"I...I..." then she quickly turned and ran back into the house, the two pirates in pursuit. She managed to get out of their sight long enough to hide away in a closet. She wondered why neither her father or the servants had woke up upon hearing the noise, then presumed her father had allowed them the night off while he kept watch with the Admiral. " A strange thing for him to do" she thought, considering how protective he had been of her earlier.

"We know you're here, poppet. Come out...and we promise we won't hurt you. We will find you, poppet." the shorter pirate said softly, but menacingly.

Elizabeth stands quietly in the dark closet, hearing the voices of the two coming closer and closer to her hiding place. She has to think quick and act fast, for she knows she's about to be discovered.

They open the door.

"'Ello poppet."

"Parlay!" Elizabeth cries.

"What?" the taller of the two asks, puzzled.

"I invoke the right of parlay. According to the Code of the brethren, set down by the pirates Morgan and Bartholomew, you have to take me to your captain."

"To blazes with the code!" cries the taller of the two. The shorter one looks at him like he's daft and interjects angrily.

"She wants to be taken to the captain" he barks, then turns to Elizabeth and softens his tone and expression "And she'll go without a fuss. We must honour the code."

She's lead through the streets of Port Royal and for one fleeting moment she see's her opportunity to escape these pirates that have come to kidnap her. To her left she see's Will Turner running through the streets, heading down towards the docks. She opens her mouth to call out to him, then thinks twice and says nothing, no longer resisting the men who are pulling her towards a waiting longboat although she cannot understand why she chooses to do so. She climbs in and as she approaches the massive black ship she looks up at the maidenhead and realizes that she recognizes that from her dream as well. She looks down and catches her breath, wondering what exactly she has gotten herself into.