Greetings, gentle readers! I am a day late in publishing this chapter, but got tied up with mundane matters. If I did my job right, this chapter will make you laugh and make you cry..it may seem a bit disjointed at times because I am jumping around a bit time wise…you'll see what I mean. Thank you all for your patience, and this is one of the longer chapters I've ever written. I hope you enjoy it.
As always, I don't own POTC or anything belonging to Disney. I make no money from this.
Chapter 21: Trials
Late Sunday evening…….
….Mother was right…..she saidmy hasty tongue would be my downfall…….Gah, what a wretched mess. Not only did I fail abysmally in getting these ridiculous charges against Miranda dropped, but I let my temper get the better of me and wind up facing charges of my own.'Tis doubtful even the mighty Captain Jack Sparrow could manage to worm his way out of this one….
Linnet sighed heavily and leaned her head against the cold iron bars of their cell's single window, lost deep in thought. Her reverie was momentarily interrupted when her cousin coughed and tossed restlessly in her bed. Linnet found herself to keyed up to sleep, knowing full well what tomorrow would bring. In the morning Miranda would face trial for the murder of Linnet's former fiance', and with Bart's witnessed deathbed accusations and no other suspects, thing did not bode well for the 18 year old.
Another deep cough from the sleeping girl brought Linnet away from the window, and she pulled one of the blankets from her own cot to supplement Miranda's existing bedding. They had been incarcerated for 5 days now, and Miranda was not adapting to confinement well; her normal vivacity had been replaced by listlessness and quiet desperation that was only lightened by visits by Will, Lady Margaret, and surprisingly enough, Lieutenant Groves.
Rather than exposing them to the crudeness they'd face being housed in the general prison population, Commodore Norrington had "graciously" incarcerated Linnet and Miranda in the stocade's solitary confinement quarters, usually reserved for high ranking prisoners. The 12 x 18 foot chamber contained two cots, a wooden table, a chest for their belongings, and in deference to the intended occupant's station, a garderobe in one corner with a half wall on one side allowing for semi privacy. A simple basin and pitcher rested on the table beside a small oil lamp, which was lit by the guard who brought their supper each evening as prisoners were not allowed matches. To their dismay and Elizabeth's fury, the commodore refused them additional bedding or other comforts to make their stay more bearable. Their cell was reasonably comfortable during daylight hours, but nighttime in the tropics was often quite cool and damp, especially when you were confined within stone walls. At least they had been allowed to bring a change of clothing apiece and few toiletries, more than most others in their position were granted.
Still, their stay hadn't been without its brighter moments. They looked forward to the daily visits from Will and Lady Margaret, which were full of news of the town and updates on the twins and Elizabeth's condition. Lieutenant Groves stopped by as frequently as his duties allowed to ensure their continued health if not happiness, and had taken it upon himself to provide them with a Bible, a deck of cards, writing materials, and even a periodical, all without his superior officers knowledge. It quickly became apparent that behind the stodgy uniform and powdered wig was a young man blessed with a sharp wit, a keen love of the sea, a surprisingly droll sense of humor capable of biting sarcasm when the situation called for it. During his visits he shared with them many anecdotes of life in His Majesty's Navy, and even Linnet couldn't restrain her giggles when he related to them the stories being told among the men of her confrontation with the Commodore.
Apparently her shouting match in which she had informed the pompous officer that even Will Turner's mule had more common sense than he did, among other things, had been overheard and been shared with all and sundry. Hmmm….I think I may have gone a bit too far when I mentioned that in my experience, beasts that were stubborn and refused to listen to reason as he was were usually gelded to make sure they didn't pass on such useless traits. Telling him to think with his brain rather than his bullocks and offering to perform the surgery myself before his mind shriveled from disuse probably didn't help my cause any either….but when that snobbish blockhead looked down his Roman nose at me I just wanted to cut it off! Grrrrrr! Call me a shrewish Amazon, will he? Well, perhaps he's not far off…I'd be willing to cut off one of my own breasts in a heartbeat if I could remove his miniscule manhood at the same time….
Another cough from Miranda brought her out of her daydreams of chasing a braying donkey wearing the commodore's wig and back into reality. Tucking the thin blankets tighter around her sleeping cousin, she returned to her post at the window. Days of worrying were taking their toll, and it was hard to keep your spirits high when the only view you had outside the cold stone walls of your prison was of the gallows. The only thing that kept her going was the news from Will that Elizabeth's father the Governor was going to provide Miranda with legal counsel during the trial. Strangely enough, they had not had the opportunity to meet the man who would be all that stood between Miranda and the hangman's noose, although Will had spoken quite highly of what he called the man's "offensive and defensive capabilities." Thanks to her lack of restraint, Linnet would not be allowed in the courtroom for the trial, a fact that troubled her to no end. She only hoped that Miranda was strong enough to face her accusers without breaking down into hysterics—thank God she'd have Will and Elizabeth beside her. Linnet's thoughts slipped back to what had occurred earlier in the day, and her eyes grew damp…..
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Earlier that morning….
"Matthew, I'm sorry to interrupt your story, but I….I need to know something. Does it hurt?" Miranda's voice was eerily calm as she stood at the window, the early morning light making her look even more ethereal than usual as she gazed out at the ominous scaffold.
"Does what hurt, Miss Everton?" The young lieutenant looked up at her from where he was sitting on a wooden bench outside the cell. Linnet was seated at the table nearby, penning a note to Elizabeth to bring a fresh gown for Miranda to wear to her trial.
"Hanging." Miranda seemed not to hear the horrified gasp and stifled sob from Linnet as she continued. "I heard a man crying and screaming before they hung him day before yesterday, and I want to know if it hurts or if he was just scared to meet God."
"Miss Everton….Miranda…please, come away from the window." Standing up, he held his hands out to her through the cold iron bars, and Miranda came over and hesitantly took them. "Dear girl, I really don't think you need to worry about that, because no jury in its right mind will convict you. You're a wronged party in all this, and soon this will be nothing more than a bad memory." He had to hold back a gasp of surprise as she stepped closer and leaned her head against his shoulder through the cold iron bars. They stood that way for several long moments as he patted her back absently in an attempt to comfort her, Linnet looking at the two of them with a strange, sad smile. She looks as though she wishes that Miranda and I could be more that prisoner and jailer. If only things were different….Damn me….I swear by all that's holy, if they convict her I'll mutiny, turn pirate, break her out and steal her away before I let them hang her. This girl's an angel…. to let her light be snuffed out by mortal hands would be a crime against humanity..
"That's what everyone tells me….but I wanted to know. I'm not afraid to meet God, as I talk to him all the time, but I don't want it to hurt. I don't think I could be brave if I know it's going to hurt." At this point her composure cracked, and Miranda began to sob, her salty tears making wet spots on Matthews uniform coat. With a broken sob of her own, Linnet flung down her pen and rushed over to her charge, who turned to her just as the door to the corridor opened. Corporal Gilette appeared at the hallway entrance, not bothering to hide a smirk as arrogantly summoned Groves to the Commodore's office. Luckily, Norrington's smug pug-nosed adjutant hadn't witnessed the embrace between the two young people, or there would have been dire consequences for the soft hearted officer, whose eyes were noticeably damp as he reluctantly departed..
Linnet hugged the young woman tightly, guiding her over to Miranda's cot where she pulled the girl down beside her. She made soft calming noises, rubbing her back and rocking her as she cried herself out. She was amazed that Miranda had maintained her stoicism for as long as she had. Finally, her cousin calmed enough to speak, and she turned to her older companion, crystalline tears still etching shining paths down her cheeks.
"Oh Linnie, I hope they don't hang me. I mean, if I die, it won't be all bad because I'll be with my Mama and Papa, but you won't have anyone to care for. And I'd miss getting to play with the babies…weren't they sweet? I only got to hold them the once before we came here….do you think Elizabeth will let them hold them again before I go….if they convict me?" The wistful note in her voice set Linnet to weeping once more, and this time it was the younger girl who comforted her keeper. "I wish Captain Jack were here…"
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Monday Morning……shortly after dawn…"Mr. Gibbs, is everything in readiness?" Jack stepped out of the main cabin and ascending the stairs with dignity, he strolled across the short quarterdeck where his first mate was overseeing the stowing of supplies.
"Aye, Cap'n….the Pearl and her crew be ready for fight, flight or both at your word, though I must say I'm a might uneasy about the idea of having three of' 'em aboard ……you know it's bad..." The older crewman was cut off as Jack interrupted him before he could go into his "bad luck bringing women aboard" speech, rolling his eyes in mock annoyance as he did so.
"Luck…yes, yes, I do believe I recall you informing me of that fact on more than one occasion," Jack slurred sarcastically " and I'll be giving those words the same the same heed, weight and consideration as I did on those other occasions as well, which is to say none 'tall. Now then," his brown eyes sparkled with amusement as he watched the former navy man turned pirate try to determine if he had just been complimented or insulted. "if you'll excuse me, I believe I'll head over to the Commodore's….a little bird told me I'm needed at a certain young woman's trial. Lads" he called out as he swung himself down onto the main deck and made his way to the railing, below which a longboat was waiting. "I've heard of some rather nice pickings round about Port au Prince…after I conclude me business here, I'm thinking we should go see for ourselves…what say you to that, aye?" At the resounding shouts and whoops from his crew, Jack grinned and nodded. "Shouldn't be long….DON'T leave without me, savvy?" he winked at Anamaria, who just glared at him before huffing and turning away. With that, Jack set off on what was sure to be one of his more interesting adventures in Port Royal.
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Monday….11 am…Linnet had long since given up on reading and praying, and was now pacing the 12 steps it took to get from wall to wall inside the cell where she waited alone while Miranda stood trial. She could still see her cousins frightened eyes as she was escorted from their prison, dressed in her favorite pale blue dress and her hair tied back simply with a matching blue ribbon. She had been pale and shaking, and her cheeks were flushed, and she hadn't been able to eat a bite that morning due to nerves. Linnet tried her best to reassure her that all would be well. Will also informed the two women when he delivered the fresh gown that he had spoken with the legal counsel at length and was quite confident of a positive outcome. Linnet only hoped that they weren't deceiving themselves with Miranda's life at stake.
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The courtyard outside was full of milling crowds hoping to attend the trial of the infamous "Angel of Death" as they had taken to calling the petite young woman. Every seat in the courtroom had been taken, and even the gallery was overflowing with people who wished to catch a glimpse of the porcelain skinned girl accused of murdering one of their own. The accused herself had flinched at the taunts, hissing and booing that accompanied her on her short journey to the "arena" where she was to be judged. She was almost in tears by the time she made it to the table where her manacles were removed. Feeling a touch on her arm, she started and jerked away before realizing it was Elizabeth and Will. "Oh Lizzie, it's so awful..….why do they hate me so?" she whispered tearfully as the new mother embraced her.
"They're just fools looking for something to break up the monotony of their lives, sweeting. Just be brave, and this will all be over soon." Elizabeth patted her hand comfortingly. Will edged forward and took Miranda's hand firmly and caught her attention , trying hard to speak low but loud enough to be heard over the rumble of the audience. "Now, we can only stay a moment as they are almost ready to begin, but I need you to listen carefully. Your counsel will be here soon, and whatever you do I need you to stay calm and address him only as Sir, understand? There are more lives at stake than just yours, Merry….answer everyone's questions as simply and honestly as you can, and hopefully we'll all be home in time for tea. Now, let's see some of that famous British stiff upper lip…can't have you going on trial looking like you've been standing under a waterfall." He smiled, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket and handing it to her with a slight bow.
Miranda took a deep breath and grinned, taking the proffered cloth and wiping her eyes with it. "I hope Cook made scones…I haven't had a good tea in ages…" She smiled at them tremulously and then heard the sound of something hitting the table before her. She felt a presence nearby and heard the sound of a male clearing his throat. Gulping, she turned slowly around with her eyes lowered to face the man who would be defending her against the false charges threatening her life. It appeared that true to his word, the Governor had indeed hired the finest attorney available to defend her. She took in the polished silver buckled shoes with almost feminine heels, neat white stocking-encased legs, tan doeskin buttoned knee breeches, a long red waistcoat trimmed with stiff gold lace over a white ruffled shirt, and an knee length collar-less coat with gold buttons. A pristine tri-corner'd hat and powdered wig completed his formal attire, and as she looked into his eyes for the first time, Miranda almost cringed with fright when she saw the stern look on his clean-shaven face. Clearing his throat once more and speaking in a clear, somewhat aloof manner, he addressed his new client.
"It is my understanding that you require someone to represent you in this matter, Miss Everton, and having heard so much about you I find that it is a privilege and an honor to do so. Sir John Smith, at your service." Sweeping his hat off and placing it across his chest while taking her hand and bowing over it with the other, he glanced up at her confused face and winked at her. As she curtseyed in return, he made a quiet birdcall and she blinked in amazement as recognition set in and he whispered. "Not laying it on too thick, am I, Merry?" She would have thrown her arms around him with joy if it hadn't been for the warning she had been given by Will a few moments earlier.
Keeping her composure but unable to keep the light of hope from her eyes, she rose up and spoke clearly, her face flushed. "The honor is mine, sir, that you would come to aid me in my hour of need."
Jack nodded approvingly, watching the three Judges enter the room and take their seats as the audience's excited chatter died down. As the trial began and the prosecutor began to state his case, he placed his hand over Miranda's as it rested on the table and gave it a confident squeeze…noticing its iciness even in the warmth of the packed courtroom. "Let's get this business done with, shall we? Mrs. Turner is in need of a nursery attendant, and I know of just the right young woman for the job."
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The crowd outside in the commons suddenly erupted with shouts and celebrations, and Linnet went into a panic. Were they celebrating because of a conviction or an acquittal. Linnet worried her nails down to the quick as she frantically paced around the cell…waiting for some word, some clear sign of what happened. After an eternity, she finally heard the clank and creak of the door at the far end of the corridor, and rushed to the cell doorway to see who approached.
She held her breath until she saw Lieutenant Groves approach, key rind in hand and a smile on his face. "It's over, and it was unanimous for acquittal." He grinned as he unlocked the cell door, allowing Linnet out, letting out an "oof" as the breath was knocked from him as she hugged him with relief. "It was impossible to convict a sweet girl like Miranda when they learned what a viper they had been nourishing at their bosoms. That and the fact that half the "less desireable" population of Port Royal stood up in the courtroom and confessed to offing the bastard. There were more than a few fights over who did him in, come to think of it…best entertainment this island has seen in years, I'm certain." He chuckled as he extended his arm to her. "Now, I'm sure you'll be wanting to thank that fine gentleman who defended our girl, so come along." Linnet wondered if he realized the peculiarity of him using the word "our", but was too ecstatic to wonder more about it.
Linnet blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the bright light of the open courtyard. "Linnie!" she heard Miranda squeal, and she turned to see her ward rushing up to her, her face flushed and eyes unusually bright. "I'm free Linnie…and I'm happy you're free now too!" Her voice took on a conspirator-like tone as she hugged her cousin and whispered in her ear. "I did like Will said and didn't give him away, and now thanks to Jack we're free!"
Will, Elizabeth, and a gentleman Linnet assumed was the lawyer hired by Elizabeth's father came to join the two young women. Linnet was stunned, and more than a little disturbed by her charge's announcement. "Miranda, what are you talking about? Jack didn't free us. He's probably back in Tortuga with his rum and his….well, never mind that, but he'd be a fool to come anywhere near the fort, especially during a trial."
"Much as I hate to admit it, luv, I have to agree with you on that point." The elegantly dressed gentleman eased his way in between Will and his wife and stepped to stand in front of the gaping Linnet. "Then again, I managed to spend over two hours in the presence of Old Norrie and half the King's Navy in this fine stone fortress with them none the wiser, so I'd say this fool is better likened to a clever fox in the proverbial hen house, as it were. Wouldn't you agree, darling?" He tilted his elegantly wigged head and await her answer, which wasn't long in coming.
!SMACK!
The crack of her open palm against his cheek nearly succeeded in knocking his wig sideways as his face turned with the blow. He turned back to find a spitfire glaring up at him with fury in her eyes as she growled at him.
"Where have you been, and what took you so long?" Jack watched in amazement as the fury in her eyes died and those beautiful pools filled up with tears as she flung herself into his arms, holding on to him like she'd never let him go again.
Catching Will's eyes as he hugged the crying woman back, he raised his eyebrows and smirked meaningfully in an expression that clearly spoke volumes. Will, m'lad….I think this just might mean she's missed me….
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(A/N) I hope you all liked this chapter, and I want to give credit to CHEMQUEEN for that deliciously inspired line that accompanied the slap. Up next is an exciting chapter that Miranda fans are going to love! Happy Reading, and if you feel like it, let me know what you think!
