Chapter Seven
It was a rare rainy day in the Caribbean when the ships pulled into port. Immediately the boats were lowered and several platoons of navy men disembarked to the land of Port Royal. Once on land a man riding a light gray horse gave them their orders and the navy men scattered orderly to follow their directions. One contingent headed downtown, towards the merchant district, another left for the governors mansion to inform him of the goings on, and the third accompanied their leader to the fort.
Before long the first platoon returned to the fort, bringing with them the blacksmith – William Turner – in irons. They were followed by his wife Elizabeth, a pretty woman with long dark blonde hair, who was futilely demanding answers. At the fort they were greeted by governor Weatherby Swann, Elizabeth's father, who seemed as confused by the proceedings as the young couple.
"What is the meaning of this?! Stand your men down at once," demanded the governor of the leader, a man of relatively small stature but who carried himself with an air of great importance.
The man turned from where he had been facing away, and the governor recognized him.
"Cutler Beckett?" the elder Swann asked, confused and still upset.
"It's Lord now, actually," the man replied, handing his rain coat off to an aid.
"Lord or not, you have no reason or authority to arrest this man," argued the governor.
"In fact I do," corrected Beckett, as he called his second over, "Mr. Mercer."
A swarthy, dark haired man handed several papers over to Beckett without comment.
"The arrest warrant for one William Turner," Beckett continued, handing one of the sheets over to the governor.
"This warrant is for Elizabeth Swann," the governor stated, perplexed.
"Oh, is it? That's annoying, my mistake. Arrest her," Beckett pulled another paper out of the pile, ignoring the Turner's protests. "Aha, here's the one for William Turner. And I have another one for a Mister James Norrington, is he present?"
"What are the charges?" demanded Elizabeth angrily.
"Commodore Norrington resigned his commission some months ago," Weatherby informed, still reading the warrants.
"I don't believe that was the answer to the question I asked," Beckett commented in his deceptively mild tone.
"Lord Beckett," demanded Will, "in the category of questions not answered…"
Elizabeth continued, "We are under the jurisdiction of the kings governor of Port Royal and you will tell us what we are charged with."
"The charge," began the governor, "is conspiring to set free a man convicted of crimes against the crown and empire, and condemned to death, for which the…"
"For which the punishment, regrettably, is also death," Beckett finished. "Perhaps you remember a certain pirate named Jack Sparrow."
"Captain," said Will and Elizabeth in unison.
"Captain Jack Sparrow," corrected Elizabeth.
"Captain Jack Sparrow," drawled Beckett. "I thought you might."
With little more to be said, William and Elizabeth were led away to the prison, as the governor tried to think of some way out of this predicament. It was a small solace for the couple that they were placed in a cell together, and separate from other prisoners. While in the cell they began discussing the situation in which they had suddenly found themselves and attempted to work out the best course of action to take.
The next morning several guards came and took Will away, despite the protests against separation from the couple. Will was led to a large office in the fort that Lord Beckett had claimed for his own, where the man himself was waiting. Beckett himself was quietly discussing something with his right hand, Mercer.
"Lord Beckett, the prisoner, as ordered sir," commented one of the guards.
"Those won't be necessary," the lord said with a gesture at the irons, as he moved to pour a drink.
The guard got his key out and removed the irons from Will, who was gestured over to the lord.
"The East India Trading Company has need of your services," began Beckett, offering Will the drink.
Will did not accept the proffered drink so Beckett set it down and continued as he walked over to the fire. "We wish for you to act as our agent in a business transaction with our mutual friend Captain Sparrow."
"More acquaintance than friend," clarified Will, "how do you know him?"
"We've had dealing in the past," the lord pulled a P shaped brand out of the fire. "And we've each left our mark on the other."
"What mark did he leave on you?" questioned Will.
Beckett ignored the query and continued as he walked back over and took one of the drinks, "By your efforts Jack Sparrow was set free. I would like you to go to him and recover a certain property in his possession."
"Recover… at the point of a sword?" Will questioned drily.
"Bargain," corrected the lord, moving towards a wooden box and pulling out some bound papers. "Letters of marque. You will offer what amounts to a full pardon. Jack will be free, a privateer in the employ of England."
"Somehow I doubt Jack will consider employment the same as being free," Will commented.
"Freedom," scoffed Beckett, leading Will out on to the balcony, "Jack Sparrow is a dying breed. The world is shrinking, the blank edges of the map filled in. Jack must find his place in the new world, or perish. Not unlike you, Mr. Turner. You and your wife face the hangman's noose."
"So you get both Jack and the Black Pearl" Will stated.
"The Black Pearl?" Beckett half questioned.
"The property you want that he possesses," Will clarified.
"A ship? Hardly. The item in question is considerably smaller and far more valuable. Something Sparrow keeps on his person at all times. A compass," the lord corrected.
Will looked away in thought, recalling the item in question.
"Ah, you know it," Beckett deduced, "Bring back that compass, or there's no deal."
Beckett left, leaving Will to make his decision for himself.
Just a few nights later, Elizabeth, with the help of her father, escaped the prison. She immediately went to Beckett's office to look for the letters of marque and discovered that they were useless without the lords signature, so she choose to wait.
It was not long before Lord Beckett returned to his office, working late. As he set his lantern down on the desk he noticed that the box had been moved and some papers were now sticking out.
"No doubt you've now discovered that loyalty is no longer the currency of the realm, as your father believes," he said without turning from his position.
"Than what is?" questioned Elizabeth, coming out from the dark corner she had been hiding in.
Beckett turned while speaking, "I'm afraid currency is the currency of the realm."
"I expect than that we can come to some sort of understanding," Elizabeth stated, pacing forwards. "I'm here to negotiate."
"I'm listening," Beckett confirmed.
Elizabeth pulled a large pistol on him.
"I'm listening, intently," he said, still calm and collected.
"These letters of marque, they are signed by the king," Elizabeth confirmed.
"Yes. And they aren't valid until they bear my signature and my seal," the lord stated.
"Or else I would not still be here," Elizabeth stated. "You sent Will to get the compass owned by Jack Sparrow. It will do you no good."
"Do explain," Beckett drawled.
"I have been to the Isla de Muerta. I have seen the treasure myself. There is something you need to know," Elizabeth claimed.
"Ah, I see. You think the compass leads only to the Isla de Muerta, and so you hope to save me from an evil fate," Beckett stated his conclusions. "But you mustn't worry. I care not for cursed Aztec gold, my desires are not so provincial. There's more than one chest of value in these waters. So perhaps you may wish to enhance your offer."
"Consider into your calculations that you robbed me of my husband," Elizabeth said, forcing Beckett over to sign the letters of marque.
"So I did," Beckett allowed, as he signed and sealed the letters, "A marriage interrupted. Or fate intervenes. Your making great efforts to ensure Jack Sparrow's freedom."
"These aren't going to Jack," corrected Elizabeth.
"Oh, really. To ensure Mr. Turner's freedom then," Beckett continued mildly. "I'll still want that compass. Consider that in your calculations."
Elizabeth grabbed the letters of marque and hurriedly rushed off.
A week later she arrived in the pirate port of Tortuga, and happily was able to find her husband, Will, who had only arrived a few days earlier was still there. By a happy coincidence, Jack Sparrow's ship the Black Pearl pulled in just two days later, docking next to a vaguely familiar ship called the Rambler.
