Chapter Six Black Sails
Scarlett glided seamlessly across the floor, her light coral coloured dress flowing elegantly around her. She couldn't breathe, her corset held her in far too tightly, her head pained her, for her curls had been viciously tamed into a tight updo that made her face look too small. The music played by the invisible orchestra was light and airy, with the subtle undertones of constriction and conformity. All of her small steps had to be precise. Dancing with her, looking rather dashing, was Commodore Norrington. As the dance demanded, there was a great deal of space between them, only their hands were interlinked, and his felt cold. There was no expression on his face and he moved her around the room. There was nothing for Scarlett to complain, he danced accordingly, gave her no ill treatment, and held her hands gently in his own. But she closed her eyes, and the music's tone changed entirely as she felt Norrington's hands become warm and clench hers more tightly. Her eyes fluttered open, and she saw Norrington vanished, in his place, was Captain Jack Sparrow. He kept her gaze with his intense black eyes, she curtsied, he bowed, and the dance continued. They lost the light, and the candles were dim, but the dance seemed to continue in the same manner, until Jack violently pulled her closer, so that their chests touched. Scarlett didn't protest, and instead simply adjusted to this new position. In the mirrored hall she could see her appearance shift as though by magic. An unseen hand let loose her hair, so that it fell in beautiful deep curls down to the small of her back. The corset's seams undone, and she could breath, and her dress as though being stained, dramatically changed colour to a dark, deep red wine. They were dancing faster and faster, Jack's right hand untangled from hers and clamped down around her waist. The music's pace quickened, and grew darker, sensual, despite her calm demeanour Scarlett's heart was pounding against her chest, and she feared he could hear it. They moved faster and faster, the room was spinning. The only clear thing Scarlett could make out was Jack's face, just inches away from her own, but she felt no repulsion, something bade her lean closer, a strange creature had awakened in her stomach. A creature made of fire, burning fire, that now moved its way in her veins. She did lean closer, and closer and the music became louder and louder.
And Scarlett woke gasping for breath, still hearing the music. She must have fallen into a sleep before turning out her gas lamp, she stared at it, hoping the small flame would bring her back to reality. It is perfectly normal to dream about him, she tried to convince herself, after everything that happened yesterday. She raked a trembling hand through her hair, her body still feeling that hot fire coursing through her veins. It was just a dream. A nightmare. Her mind was soon distracted from her dream, however, as she felt an ill wind invade her bedchamber through her open window. It smelled of seaweed left to dry out in the sun and seemed to move about the room, extinguishing her light. A tinge of fear pressing her to investigate, Scarlett crept from her bed, wrapping herself in her white muslin dressing gown. She peaked outside her door, all the gas lamps along the corridor had been extinguished. Her foul feeling worsened in her stomach, and she lit a candle, resolving to check on Lizzie and her father.
She found Lizzie awake also, standing close to her window, she jumped as she heard her door open, but relaxed upon seeing Scarlett enter with the candle in hand. "Did it wake you too?" she asked, and her sister nodded. Elizabeth once more looked out her window, "What is it?"
"I have no idea", Scarlett murmured, and joined her sister in staring out from the opened window into the night, "It's like something foul pervading the air".
"I can see nothing through the fog", Elizabeth sighed, "and the sun shone so beautifully today".
"A sudden change in weather is a bad omen if I'm not mistaken", Scarlett tried to joke, but Elizabeth did not laugh, she only glared at her, "Don't say such things".
The silence was finally cut by the cacophonous roar of cannon fire, and Scarlett grabbed Elizabeth, pushing her away from a window. "We're under attack!" she hissed.
"From who?" Elizabeth gasped, staring fearfully at her sister. Scarlett could see much more clearly as the sky was lit up with the firing of cannons and rifles. She could see the outline of a large ship in the bay, a ship, with black sails. Her eyes grew wide, "Pirates", she answered.
Scarlett wasted no time in leaping to action, and Elizabeth had to run after her sister as she quickly made her way back to her room. "Scar what on earth are you doing?" she cried. But she did not answer as she delved under her bed, clutching her sword's case in both hands as she laid it out on the floor. "Scar you're mad if you think you will be using that", Elizabeth snapped as Scarlett unsheathed her sword, "Lizzie, this is the Governor's manor, you are truly naïve indeed if you think that for one moment, this will not be one of the targets for the pirates to raid".
Elizabeth's face drained of all colour as she nodded in understanding. They first meant to retreat to Elizabeth's room and barricade themselves in, but as they ran down the corridor, the younger sister halted them, gazing out the window in horror as a hoard of pirates were descending upon the gates. The two sisters shared a look before running breathlessly to the main staircase, hoping to barricade the doors. But there was profuse knocking, and all they could do was watch as their father's footman went to open them. "Don't!" Elizabeth wailed, but they were too late. The servant opened them only to be greeted by a group of six pirates. The one in front smiled, "Hello chum", and then shot him point blank. Elizabeth screamed whilst Scarlett froze silently in fear. The pirates looked up at them, all grinning darkly. "Let's go!", Scarlett hissed, grabbing her sister by the hand and hauling her back up the stairs, panting breathlessly.
Two of the pirates followed in hot pursuit, and Scarlett threw them into their Father's study, locking the door behind them. "We have to get to the fort", she growled, "they've seen us, that is the only place that we shall be safe".
"How are we supposed to get to it?" Elizabeth cried, and almost leapt into the air when the pirates started banging on the door.
Scarlett wavered, petrified, "I have no idea". They ran once more, flying into the next room and heard as the door was quickly broken down. "Wait!" Elizabeth hissed, as she forced them to hide behind the wall. The first pirate walked into view, and Scarlett was utterly shocked as Elizabeth jumped out and struck him directly on the face with a coal holder. Scarlett recovered quickly and leapt into action in attacking the second pirate. She swung her sword fiercely, forcing him to fall back.
They took the opportunity to run past them, their feet barely hitting the ground as they were finally able to dash back to Elizabeth's room, the pirates hot on their heels. However, both sisters soon realised their mistake as they barricaded the door with a candelabra, they had entrapped themselves. Scarlett thought quickly, and opened the main window, tying a sheet to one of the bars and letting it fall on the other side.
"Scar you must be joking, it's too high, we'll fall and break our necks", she protested.
"I know", she agreed, "It only needs to appear as though we have gone out the window, and she grabbed her sister's hand, "Quick, into the cupboard!"
They clang to each other, and both sisters did their best to quieten their breathing. Elizabeth flinched in Scarlett's arms as they heard the doors shatter, and Scarlett instinctively tightened their embrace.
"We know you're here poppets", one of the two pirates sang darkly, "Come out, and we promise we won't hurt you's".
Both Scarlett and Elizabeth could see the two men searching for them through the cracks in the cupboard doors, how long would it be before they discovered them? Scarlett was thinking wildly, trying desperately to come up with some plan to save her sister. "We will find you poppets, one of you has got something of ours … and it calls to us", he continued to speak. Scarlett glanced down at her sister's chest, the medallion. "The gold calls to us".
Elizabeth held the medallion in her hand, realising also what her sister had done seconds before. Scarlett could feel their hot breath, and she knew that they had found them as the light was blocked, and she saw the pirate's face through the crack. "Hello poppets", he grinned. The doors were flung open, and Scarlett pushed Elizabeth behind her, shielding her with her arm. "Parley!" she cried, and both pirates stared at her in confusion.
"What?" the first sneered.
"Parley", she repeated, "I invoke the right of parley, according to the code of the brethren as laid down by pirates Morgan and Bartholomew, you have to take me to your Captain".
"I know the Code", he snapped.
"If an advisory demands parley you can do them no harm until the parley is complete", Elizabeth added.
"They be blazing with the code", the second pirate growled, but his partner barked at him, "They want to be taken to the Captain, and they'll go without a fuss".
"Not both of us", Scarlett objected, "Just me, Elizabeth shall remain her".
"No Scarlett!" Elizabeth snapped, but neither pirate was concerned with their demands. "You'll both go", he snarled, and Scarlett could see from the deadly glare in his eye that there was no hope in persuading him otherwise.
Scarlett clasped her sister's hand as they were marched outside, the pirates laughing and howling gleefully around them. "Are you sure that this is a good idea?" Elizabeth whispered, and Scarlett pulled her tighter to her, "No", she admitted, "but it's the only one I've got".
It appeared as though the end of the world was taking place amongst the streets of Port Royal. Shops were being burnt and looted, innocent people, women and children, murdered on the streets. Fire lit up the night sky, and Scarlett had never felt more terrified in her life. The pirates' urgency seemed to increase as they reached the docks, pushing and shoving them along like herded cattle. Elizabeth's head whipped around, and she gasped as she saw Will, who in turn was shocked to see her and Scarlett being carted away. Elizabeth cried out as she witnessed Will be struck by one of the pirates carrying his plunder in his arms. Scarlett witnessed this too, and her heart ached, please, please God protect him, don't let him die.
They were practically thrown into one of the longboats, and all Scarlet could do was watch helplessly as the settlement burned in the night.
They have hauled on board the ship with tattered black sails, Scarlett first, and Elizabeth swiftly after. The pirates leered at them, all eyes on these two women, and Scarlett could feel the strength of their collective glare.
Scarlett saw who she presumed to be the Captain standing on the main deck, an older man, with a monkey perched on his shoulder. However, her view was suddenly blocked by a tall man, his shirtless chest peppered with sacrificial tattoos. "I didn't know we was taken on captives", he growled lowly, and even the other two pirates appeared to be afraid of him.
"They've both invoked the right of parley with Captain Barbosa", one of the pirates told him, trembling slightly. Scarlett found her courage, however, and walked forward, "We're here to negotiate –
But she was quickly cut short, as the tall man struck her hard across the face as he bellowed, "You will speak when spoken to". The pirates around them laughed, and Elizabeth had to be held back. Scarlett fought hard against the tears that now welled in her eyes as her check began to swell with the pain. The man moved as though to strike her again, but his hand was swayed by another gripping it by the wrist. "And you'll not lay a hand on those under the protection of parley", he spoke smoothly, but there was still an immense amount of authority in his voice, the man from the deck, Captain Barbosa.
"Aye sir", the taller man grumbled, and his arm was released.
"Apologies, Miss", the Captain smiled.
Scarlett wavered, swallowing the lump in her throat, "Captain Barbosa, my friend and I are here to negotiate the cessation of hostilities against Port Royal".
Captain Barbosa wavered, before smiling patronizingly, "There were a lot of long words there, Miss, we be not but humble pirates. What is it that you want?"
"I want you to leave and never come back", Scarlett growled, which resulted only in an eruption of laughter from the crew.
Barbosa smiled once more, "I am disinclined to acquiesce your request", and chuckled, "means no".
"Very well", Scarlett replied, very unsure of what to do next, but there, in turn, was nothing for her to do next, as Elizabeth stepped forward, pulling the medallion from around her neck as she did so, " I'll drop it!" she snapped, holding the medallion over the ship's edge. All focus was moved from Scarlett to Elizabeth, and a hush fell over the pirates as they stared on anxiously.
It was even clear the concern in Barbosa's face, though he tried to mask it. "Me holds are burstin' with swag, that bit of shine matters to us, why?"
"Because it's what you've been searching for", Scarlett chimed in, joining her sister's side, "I recognise this ship, I saw it eight years ago on the crossing from England".
"As did I", Elizabeth added.
"Did ye both now?" Barbosa demanded lowly.
"Fine", Elizabeth told them dryly, "Well I suppose if it is worthless, then there is no point in me keeping it", and she pretended to drop the medallion, lowering it on its chain, and forced the pirates to reveal their hand as they all leapt forward, "No!" they cried.
Elizabeth smirked, and Scarlett could not honestly think of a moment where she had been prouder of her sister as she joined in her wry smile.
Barbosa sauntered forward, knowing well that it was time to bargain. "Ye have names, lasses?" he pointed at Scarlett, who replied quickly, "Scarlett, Finch".
Barbosa sniffed, and turned his attention fully on Elizabeth, "And you, Miss?"
Elizabeth hesitated for but a moment, "Elizabeth, Turner. My associate and I are maids in the Governor's household". Scarlett watched as Barbosa's eyes lit up, and he smiled as he turned to his crew, "Miss Turner".
The crew began muttering amongst themselves, "Turner". "Turner". "Bootstrap".
"And how does a maid come to own a trinket such as that, a family heirloom, perhaps?" Barbosa questioned her.
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes, "I didn't steal it if that's what you mean".
"Very well, hand it over and we'll put your town to our Rutter and never return", Barbosa made his bargain, and Elizabeth nodded, placing the medallion in his open hand, to which Barbosa passed to the monkey that sat on his shoulder. Barbosa nodded, and suddenly the crew came alive, as the taller man began to spout orders that would see the ship sail out from the bay, and Scarlett and Elizabeth shared a look of horror upon realising this.
"Wait, wait!" Scarlett called after him, following Barbosa up the main deck, "You have to take us to shore! According to the code of the order of the brethren –
Once more Scarlett was interrupted as Barbosa spun to meet her, "Firstly", he snapped, "Your return to shore was not part of our negotiations nor our agreement, so I must do nothin'. Secondly, you must be a pirate for the pirate's code to apply, and you're not. And thirdly, the code was more what you would call guidelines, than actual rules", he then smiled, "But since you, Miss Finch, are so eager to return to shore", and then he grabbed her by the hair, trailing her to the side of the ship kicking and screaming, "I do hope that you're a good swimmer!" And in one, swift movement, Barbosa tossed Scarlett overboard.
"Scarlett!" Elizabeth wailed, and ran to the side, but was pulled back by Barbosa, "Welcome to the Black Pearl, Miss Turner", he sneered.
The water was freezing cold, and as Scarlett swam to the surface, she could feel he body going into shock. She watched helplessly as the Black Pearl quickly sailed from the bay of Port Royal, seamlessly slipping into the night. Her sister was aboard that ship, and it was sailing away. Her sister was trapped aboard that ship with bloodthirsty pirates, and there was nothing she could do as her small body bobbed up and down in the water. She had to save her, she had to. And so, her determination to live was amplified as she began to kick her feet and started to swim back towards the docks.
Scarlett was absolutely exhausted by the time she managed to haul herself onto the walkway of the pier. She lay out on the wood, desperate to catch her breath as she stared up by the night sky. The air was pervaded by the smell of burning wood and gunpowder, and she had to fight her eyes to stop them from closing. She stalled another few minutes before pulling herself onto her feet and began to stagger forward. She had to inform Norrington, there was no way that he would not want to retaliate against the pirates who had attacked them, she had to let him know that they had kidnapped her sister, but there was somewhere she had to go first.
The dungeons were unguarded, all fighting men had been called away in the chaos and had yet to return. She clambered down the staircase, and saw one of the cells empty, with a large hole blown it. Oh God, Don't tell me he has escaped. But then she saw him, in just the cell over, sitting up against the bars.
"You knew what that medallion was", she called out, her voice was hoarse from the physical exertion it had taken her to swim back to shore. Jack turned his head, surprised to see Miss Scarlett Swann walking towards his cell.
"Why is it, that every time I see you love, you're sopping weight", he smirked.
Scarlett blatantly ignored his jibe as she knelt down to where he sat so that their eyes could be level. "You held the medallion that hung around my neck, you recognised it, so you must know the pirates that attacked us".
He titled his head slightly, "Aye, I do, what of it?"
Scarlett clutched the bars, "You know them, you know where they'll go, where they hideout", she stated.
"That's a lot of things you're assumin' there, how are you so sure that I know such details?" he pressed her, and Scarlett glared darkly, "Because you are a pirate", she snapped.
"And what?" he laughed at her, "You plannin', a little revenge trip? Thinking of joining up?"
Scarlett stood back to full height, "They have my sister". Her voice was almost pleading, and Jack found himself looking up at her, and something small stirred when he saw the tears in her eyes.
He shook his head, "If they have your sister love, then she's as good as dead". Scarlett would not hear it, she couldn't hear it, and cursed herself for going to him in the first place. She ran from the dungeons feeling utterly defeated.
"Scarlett!" she heard someone call her name and turned to see James Norrington running to her. "Where have you been? I've had half the garrison out searching the streets for you!"
Her lower lip quivered as she let her head fall low, "They took her James", she whispered, and he clasped onto her shoulders, "Who, who did they take?"
"Elizabeth", she wailed and found herself crying feebly into the man. All of her confidence, all of her bravery stripped away, leaving her bare and terrified, and letting the man she was supposed to one-day call husband hold her as she cried.