Pirates of the Caribbean

The Second Daughter of the Governor

The ride to the fort was longer then usual. In reality it was no longer but Annabelle refused to talk and Elizabeth couldn't breath. Governor Swann was deep in his own thoughts. He was a little worried about Elizabeth because she always seemed to have something to say about everything. Annabelle was much quieter and followed all of Societies rules, or so it seemed. Upon arrival at the fort Governor Swann had to go and get ready for the ceremony to begin. Annabelle was expected to sit and wait for everything to start and Elizabeth was expected to make small talk with the ladies and gentlemen. It was the same at every single party or function they attended.

"Good Afternoon, Miss. Swann." A young wealthy sailor came and spoke to Annabelle. They had met at a few similar Navy functions. His name was Alexander Gillette.

"Good Afternoon, sir. It is a pleasant sort of day is it not?" Annabelle spoke softly and made eye contact then turned her eyes back to the silk and lace gloves in her hands. She hated that she was so meek and shy.

"Yes, it is a lovely day, though not nearly as lovely as you, Miss. Swann."

"Why thank you, sir." She was saved from making further conversation by the arrival of her sister. Elizabeth sat down in the chair next to Annabelle and fanned herself. She could barley breath with her corset on; Estrella had done it far too tight.

"I'm afraid I must leave you two now, the ceremony is about to begin. Good day Miss. Swann." He bowed to Annabelle, "And to you too, Miss. Swann." He bowed to Elizabeth then turned and walked towards the other Navy men who waited to take their places.

The ceremony was even duller then either of the Swann girls had thought. It seemed to go on forever. It took all of their self-restraint not to yawn. Elizabeth continued to fan herself in an effort not to faint and Annabelle played with her gloves. Her corset wasn't nearly as tight as Elizabeth's was as Annabelle was quite a bit smaller and thinner. Elizabeth may have been gifted with the pale skin, light hair, and blue eyes but Annabelle was thinner due to a better metabolism.

"Oh here we go, the after party. Please Lizzie just kill me now!" Annabelle complained under her breath. She hated having to act like a well brought up young lady all the time. She would rather read a book or talk to her friends, her real friends who were not tainted by the rules and regulations of society, her friends like William. "Oh no, just when I thought this couldn't get any worse."

"Hello Annabelle, Elizabeth, isn't this party just simply wonderful? I am so glad that father got and invitation! Just think, I could very well find a husband here. Wouldn't it just be perfect to be married to a sailor? I honestly can't imagine anything better!" Marcia McBride was the daughter of a wealthy merchant whose dealings were less then honorable. It wasn't known by many though. She was a tall girl with long straight blonde hair and huge blue eyes that looked like they were going to pop out of her face. She was loud and annoying. Annabelle and Elizabeth hated her.

"Marcia it was lovely to see you again but I'm afraid that I just must speak with the Commodore. It would be impolite not to congratulate him on his wonderful accomplishment!" Elizabeth politely excused herself. Annabelle was left to deal with the blonde nuisance alone. Elizabeth would pay.

After a boring pointless conversation Annabelle hurried away from Marcia. She could not stand another second of such a pointless conversation. She needed to speak with someone of intelligence! Annabelle could practically feel her brain turning to goo with every word that came out of Marcia's mouth. She looked around for her sister and saw her with the Commodore. The poor girl looked like she was about to pass out and he didn't even notice! Sometimes Annabelle questioned the intellect of the men employed by the Royal Navy.

"ELIZABETH!" It happened so fast that Annabelle nearly missed what had happened. One second Elizabeth was standing next to the Commodore looking very ill and the next she was gone. It took Annabelle a second to figure out that Elizabeth had fallen off the wall. She ran after the Navy officers who were on their way to save her. It took her a little longer to reach the bottom of the wall as her dress got in the way. When she got to the water Elizabeth had already been pulled from the water by a strange man Annabelle had never seen before.

"On your feet!" The Commodore held his sword to the man's throat.

"Elizabeth, are you alright?" Governor Swann pulled Elizabeth up off the dock and put his coat over her shoulders. She was shaking from cold despite the fact that they were in the Caribbean. "Shoot Him!" ordered the Governor.

"Father! Commodore, do you really intent to kill my rescuer?" She glared at the Commodore and pulled away from her father. This was not her day, not only had the Commodore proposed but she had fainted and fallen off a wall into the ocean! She wasn't in a very good mood.

"I believe thanks are in order." The Commodore held out his hand to shake the man's hand. The man reluctantly held out his as well. "Had a brush with the East India Trading Company, did we, pirate?" A 'P' was branded into his arm.

"Hang him." Ordered the Governor in a sharp voice.

"Gillette, fetch some irons. Well Jack Sparrow, isn't it?" The Commodore recognized the tattoo of a bird flying over a sun.

"Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please." Said the Pirate quickly.

"I don't see your ship, Captain."

"I'm in the market as it were." The Pirate spoke as if this was the most odious thing in the world.

"He said he had come to commandeer one." Said a sailor who had been speaking with Jack Sparrow earlier.

His companion nodded. "I told you he had been telling the truth!" he handed the Commodore a pile of things belonging to the Pirate. "These are his, sir."

"No additional shots and no powder." The Commodore looked over the items. "A compass that doesn't point north." He pulled out the sword, "And I half expected it to be made of wood! You are by far the worst pirate that I've ever heard of!"

"But you have heard of me!" replied the pirate. He was dragged back so that strong irons could be clasped around his wrists.

"Commodore I really must protest." Elizabeth pushed away from her father and stood in between Jack and the Commodore. "Pirate or not this man saved my life!"

"One good deed is not enough to redeem a man of a lifetime of wickedness." Reasoned the Commodore, Elizabeth didn't buy it at all.

"Though it seems enough to condemn him." It was Jack's turn to be the voice of reason. When the irons were firmly around his wrists he threw them around Elizabeth's neck. "Finally!"

"No don't shoot!" Ordered the Governor. He was worried about his eldest daughter. She kept clam despite the chain around her neck and the pirate at her back. Annabelle moved from the back of the crowd and stood near her father and the Commodore.

Elizabeth was handed the pirates' effects and his hat. She put them on him as par his request. She was angry at being treated like a cheap whore and wasn't easy on him. She wanted to kick him where it would count but was unable to.

"Now Gentlemen, Ladies. Today you will remember as the day that you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow!!" Jack threw Elizabeth into the crowd and grabbed Annabelle around the waist. He grabbed a rope and kicked a clip that released a canon that hung above them and pulled him and Annabelle up to a pole above them.

"Hold fire men, follow them!" The Commodore couldn't risk harming Annabelle. There wasn't much he could do except for follow them and hope there was some way to save the second Miss. Swann.