Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own the characters. It's a shame, if you ask me, but I don't.
A/N: I'm glad this story seems to catch the interest of some people. Although, a bit more reviews would be better...please!
Chapter 4: Of Wedding Plans, Overheard Conversations and Attempted Thievery
Back in Port Royal, things were growing hectic at the Governor's residence. Elizabeth and the Commodore were going to get married in less than two months, and there were lots of things to organize. It was one of those moments Governor Weatherby Swann wished his wife was still alive. Women always knew how to handle the plans for a wedding, so she could have helped Elizabeth.
Instead, he would have to do that, although it was not exactly his favourite hobby. So, he sat there, listening to her telling him how she wanted the church adorned.
"…and I think white roses would be perfect to be put around the altar, while they can be alternated with pink ones along the aisle and in the rest of the church. Then, I think it would be great if a mixture of red, pink and white roses could be put around the front of the church" she said, then turned to look at her father, who had dozed off.
She stomped away angrily, locking herself in her room and writing down her ideas on her own.
"Never trust a man to be able to plan a wedding" she muttered to herself. And the Commodore was not that useful too, as he was always busy and lately he could barely find time for the two of them. It was almost like he took her for granted by now, Elizabeth thought for a fleeting moment. But then, she concentrated on the plans again.
She then proceeded to write down a list of people she wanted to invite to the ceremony, and carefully kept Will's name out of it. "It would be ridiculous for a lady so high in society like me to invite such a low craftsman to my wedding. Plus, it's been some time he's not been seen around here. Maybe he graced us all with his leaving" she thought. It was strange though, she wondered. She'd never hated anyone in her life, so why was she so adamant in treating him like scum?
But she had no time to dwell on it right now. There was a wedding to plan and she had to do that all on her own. She wrote down some distant relatives' names, although she highly doubted they would come from England to see her wedding. Maybe just her aunt that lived in Guadeloupe would come.
"Oh, well, I'll invite them all the same" she convinced herself. Once the list, on her part, was done, she put it aside. The Commodore, "James" she forced herself to think, as she had to get used to calling him with his name now that they were going to be married, would have to add his own guests to that. Leaving it there on her table, she then lay on the bed, a bit tired, but still excited for this huge step in her life.
Slowly, her eyes closed, and she dozed off just like her father had done. But in her subconscious the locket couldn't work, so as soon as sleep took her, she was again a 12 years old, sailing on the Dauntless from London to Port Royal, and singing pirate songs to the fog. She was once again tending the almost dead Will Turner, and taking a pirate medallion, or so she thought at that time, from his neck to protect him from Norrington's inquiry.
She was once again practicing the use of a sword with him, and then merrily passing afternoons in his company while studying. But most of all she was once again on the fort, in his arms, kissing him like there was no tomorrow.
But it would just happen in her dreams now, as the locket ruled her during the waking hours.
While she was resting on her bed, her father had woken up, and not finding her in the room had moved to go and see where she was. He was, however, reassured by one of the servants, who had seen her go upstairs in her room and said that to the Governor.
So, Weatherby Swann went to his private study, glad that for that afternoon his duties as wedding planner were finished. He would do anything for his only daughter's happiness of course, but that was one of the less appealing activities he had ever done in his life.
Later that day, Lord Cutler Beckett and Commodore James Norrington both went to see the Governor.
While they waited to be received, they sat in the living room, chatting.
"So, I must admit your plan was really effective, Lord Beckett. We managed to make Elizabeth fall in love with me, make her forget the pirate stories she loved so much and forget that Will Turner all in once, and also managed to drive him away from Port Royal at the same time" Norrington said, clearly satisfied by how things were going. The little community of Port Royal had at the beginning wondered where their skilled blacksmith had gone, but with time they forgot about it. Someone else took Will's place, and although the Commodore had to admit the young Turner was way better in making swords, it was a price he was ready to pay to have him out of Elizabeth's life. Out of their life.
"I told you it would all go smoothly, Commodore" Lord Beckett sneered. "Calypso's locket cannot fail, and longer she owns it, more its grip on her becomes strong. She will never go back to how she was before. She will be forever yours. And when the time will be right, you'll help me in gaining what was the other part of our deal, right?" he said. Although, he knew there was a chance she would go back to normal, but it would request the young Turner to go through such adventures that he would probably not survive if he attempted to. And however, he had been last seen in Tortuga, constantly drunk, by his spies, so there was no reason to worry.
"Right" the Commodore answered. "You'll be Governor soon, Lord Beckett"
From the near room, Joanna, Elizabeth's more devote servant, had heard everything, and clapped one hand over her mouth.
"Oh my. Calypso's locket! So that is the reason Miss Swann is so smitten with the Commodore now…and the Governor is at risk too, from what I heard! I must do something to right this mess! But what?" she thought. If Will were still in the city, she would go to him and explain everything, but right now what could she do?
"Of course! They said the locket tightens its grip on her the more she owns it, so the best thing I can do is to take it away from her!"
And with that, she snuck upstairs, being as silent as she could.
"Let's thank God Dad was a pirate and wanted me to be one too, so he taught me some tricks about stealing" she mused while silently entering Elizabeth's room.
Then, she looked around, and as usual she spotted the locket on the dresser. "Of course it would be there. She wears it every day! But this is going to stop now" she thought, angrily. Joanna couldn't believe the Commodore would do something like that, and to think she had been suggesting her Miss to marry him back then, the night Port Royal had been attacked by the Black Pearl!
Being careful not to wake up Elizabeth, she managed to take the locket, and then moved to leave the room, just to be blocked by the Commodore himself outside it.
"Miss Thornby, what were you going to do with that locket?" he said, glaring at her. She thought about fleeing, but the Commodore already had his sword at her throat, so she surrendered.
That night, locked in her cell, she cried bitterly, not because of her fate, but because she had failed to keep her Miss safe, and now the Commodore was going to make an almost soul-less being of her with that cursed locket.
