When I finish my bath and don an evening gown, I head downstairs in the hopes of seeing father. The house is vacant except for a couple of servants who seem to be adjusting a sconce at the foot of the staircase. I pass them and turn to the dining room where the table is set for two. Father is not here. I'm disappointed. Surely Commodore has captured Sparrow by now.

Suddenly I hear the front door open in the entrance hall, followed by a gust of strong, warm wind.

"Elizabeth? Elizabeth are you here?" My father's voice sounds and the door is shut. I rush into the entrance hall.

"Yes I'm here. Is everything alright?"

Father looks flustered but exuberant. He takes off his hat and walks towards me.

"Better than alright, actually," he says, slightly out of breath. "Sparrow's been caught. He's locked away now. You're safe Elizabeth." He looks relieved, but I knew Sparrow would not come after me. I was only his escape. Nothing more.

"And what is to become of him?" I ask hastily.

"He faces the gallows at dawn," Father answers. To my surprise, my initial feelings do not match his.

Father offers me his arm and we walk into the dining room. Just as we're sitting down the servants enter and place meat and salad before us. Coralyn lights the candles at the center of the table. I stare at the candle as it slowly burns its wax. The sky outside turns darker by the minute and the candle's flame glows ever brighter.

What do I care if Sparrow is hung?

"Elizabeth are you quite well?" Father asks with a furrowed brow.

"Yes," I promise, looking down at my untouched food.

"Are you not pleased with this news of Sparrow's capture?"

"How ever did they manage to capture him?" I ask quickly, changing the subject and turning my attention to cutting my meat.

"Ah," Father says jubilantly. "Sparrow was found in Brown's blacksmith shop. It's assumed he was there to obtain more weapons, or a better one, considering the one he has . . ."

"Brown's forge?" I look up. "Was Will there?"

"If Mr. Turner," Father says with emphasis, "was present I was not informed, only that Sparrow was hit over the head with a rum bottle. What a vile, ghastly drink rum is. Turns good men into dirty thieves . . ."

"Father, how is Commodore? Is he alright?" I ask.

"Oh yes. No need to worry about Commodore. You know how determined that man is when a pirate comes around."

"Yes, I know," I say, thinking about the three corpses hanging by the bridge.

"Elizabeth," Father clears his throat and I glance up. "Speaking of the commodore, I do hope you understand what an honor it would be if you became his wife."

Oh no, I groan internally.

"There are some girls your age who are married and have their first child. Please tell me Elizabeth . . . have you at least thought about marriage?" Father asks.

I look down and don't say anything for a moment.

"Yes," I say slowly. "I have. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll be heading to bed now."

Father stands up reluctantly.

"Goodnight Elizabeth. And please," he adds slowly, "think about what I said."

"I will," I promise sincerely. I leave the dining room and climb the staircase, suddenly feeling the weariness of the day. Inside my bedroom, I gladly change into my nightgown and pin my hair out of my face before climbing into bed. A fire glows in the fireplace beside my bed. I take a book from my bedside table and flip it open.

Estrella comes in a few minutes later. I pretend to be reading, but my thoughts are still on the commodore's proposal.

Estrella puts a hot bedpan beneath my blankets and I instantly feel its warmth at my feet.

"There you go, miss. It was a difficult day for you, I'm sure," Estrella says, adjusting my blankets.

I smile lightly.

"I suspected Commodore Norrington would propose but I must admit, I wasn't entirely prepared for it."

"Well, I meant you being threatened by that pirate. It sounds terrifying."

Oh, that.

"Oh. Yes, it was terrifying," I agree indifferently.

"But the commodore proposed! Fancy that. Now that's a smart match, miss. If it's not too bold to say," Estrella says.

I look down.

"It is a smart match. He's a fine man," I sigh and glance sideways. "He's what any woman should dream of marrying."

"Well that Will Turner," Estrella adds. "He's a fine man too."

If Father heard her talking like that.

"That is too bold," I tell her.

"Well, begging your pardon, miss. It was not my place," Estrella apologizes and leaves my bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

Will is a fine man.

I subconsciously take hold of the medallion at my chest.

All of a sudden, the candle beside me flickers and goes out. The room plunges into darkness, except for the fire, which is slowly going out. I look around, acknowledging the strangeness of the weather.

As well as the silence. Very unusual. Port Royal is a city full of traders and merchants. Usually the city is up late into the night, and I go to sleep listening to the sound of laughing or music or—

My bedside table shakes.

What was that sound outside? That can't be . . . cannonfire?

I jump out of bed and put on my slippers and dressing gown, tucking the medallion safely away in my nightdress. I run to the balcony and pull open the doors.

Port Royal is ablaze with fire. Screams and yells echo in the distance. Naval officers at Fort Charles are running like mad trying to form their ranks. Something is shot from down in the bay. A cannonball. It hits a battlement of the fort and explodes, showering stones over the soldiers. I look to the source of the cannonfire and see a death-black ship, floating in the bay. Atop their mainmast flies a flag with a skull and crossbones upon it.

Pirates.

Suddenly I hear the gates below the mansion open and I look to see a pack of pirates barrelling through the gates, carrying torches and swords.

I must warn the servants!

I run out of my bedroom and across the hall, only to see the door being opened by Thomas the butler!

"Don't!" I screech, but he is already opening the door. The pirate standing in front of the group lifts a gun to Thomas's head.

"Hello chum," the pirate grins, and a shot rings out.

I scream and cover my mouth as Thomas hits the floor. The pirates step over him. Two of them notice me. I have to get out of here.

I run back upstairs and lock my bedroom door, only to run into Estrella behind me. We squeal in fright and I pull her behind my dressing screen.

"Miss Swann! They've come to kidnap you!" Estrella whispers.

"What?"

"You're the governor's daughter."

The door beside us rattles. Estrella shrieks quietly.

"They haven't seen you," I tell her. "Hide, and the first chance you get run to the fort." I dart across the door to my bed, take the bedpan out from beneath my blankets and hide beside the door.

If only I had a sword.

Seconds later a pirate comes running through the door. I swing the bedpan and hit him square in the face. He drops to the floor and I see Estrella run out of the bedroom. A second pirate walks through the doorway and I try to hit him but he grabs the handle of the bedpan and stops me. He taunts me as I attempt to wrestle it from his grasp but then I flex my index finger and the bedpan splits open. Red-hot coals fall onto the pirate beneath, sizzling and smoking. He shrieks and releases me. I gasp in fright.

I can't believe I just did that, I think as I run out of my bedroom. If they catch me, which is highly likely seeing as I'm running out of options—

A sword! Of course! Two of them hang in the dining room!

I rush down the staircase towards the dining room. One of the pirates jumps down from the top of the staircase and lands in front of me. The other blocks my escape from behind. I'm trapped! I look back and forth between the two pirates, trying to find a way to escape. Just then, a third pirate comes walking out of my father's study, carrying a large pile of silver in his arms. Suddenly something explodes. It's a cannonball that shoots from one side of the mansion to the other. It hits the silver thief right in the stomach and he goes flying backward. Something creaks above me and I look up. The chandelier in the entrance hall is swinging threateningly. I make a break for the dining room. Just as I pass underneath the chandelier, it drops to the ground and shatters. I race into the dining room, pushing the doors shut behind me and locking them fast with a candlestick.

I run to the wall and step up onto the fireplace. I grab onto a wall ornament and pull it down onto the floor. Inside are two swords but even though I shake and pull they refuse to be released! The dining room doors shudder and I fly into my final hiding place: the closet.

The doors open not a second later and the pirates rush into the room.

I'm cornered and I have no weapon.

Think, Elizabeth, think! There must be something I've read that will save me, if only for a moment. Out of all those books you borrowed from Father's bookshelf and read behind his back, you must remember at least one of them.

"We know you're here Poppet," says one of the pirates. I can hardly control my breathing.

Sailing, fencing, anchors, ensigns, navigation—come on!

"Come out! We promise we won't hurt you," the pirates growl.

Wait! What about the pirate code? Set down by the pirates Morgan and Bartholomew in the year—

"You've got something of ours," a pirate says, "and it calls to us." My blood seems to freeze within my veins. I look down at the chain around my neck.

"The gold calls to us."

I lift the medallion to the sliver of orange light coming from the closet doors. These are no ordinary pirates. I've seen their black sails before. The voyage from England.

Suddenly the orange light disappears. I look up at an eyeball staring back at me.

" 'Ello, Poppet," says the pirate, and the doors are wrenched open.

"Parley," I say, staring at the men and refusing to look at the barrel of the gun pointed at my face.

"What?"

"Parley. I invoke the right of parley. According to the code of the brethren, set down by the pirates Morgan and Bartholomew, you have to take me to your captain."

"I know the code," the pirate with the beard speaks, revealing black and yellow teeth.

"If an adversary demands parley you can do them no harm until the parley is complete," I continue, my eyes shining with terror.

"To blazes with the code," says the pirate with the wooden eye.

"She wants to be taken to the captain!" The bearded pirate growls. He turns back to me. "And she'll go without a fuss. We must honor the Code."

My jaw drops. The pirates grab hold of each of my arms. I must not struggle, that is part of the agreement, but is very difficult.

They pull me out of the dining room and down the staircase. The mansion is filled with pirates. They shoot off guns, smash china, and chase the servants, who scream and run like mad. Then I realize one person is missing. Where is Father?

The pirates push me over Thomas's blood-stained body and out into the night. More pirates gather around me as we descend the hill from the mansion. As we enter the town and people begin to run past us, I search desperately for someone who will recognize me. The officers seem to be preoccupied with the unceasing cannonfire, which is aimed not only at the fort but at the city as well.

Where is Father? Where is Commodore? Why will no one look at me?

As I crane my neck above the crowd, I suddenly spot a face I recognize. He turns in my direction.

"Will," I say. His eyes meet mine for only a second, just before I'm pushed out of sight. The pirates urge me through the chaos of the night. The blood-curdling shrieks of the townspeople never seem to cease. Houses and chimneys explode. The courthouse has been set ablaze with fire. Some pirates come out of buildings holding gold or jewels, while others throws explosives through windows. Buildings crumble. People scream. Little children cry for their mothers.

Port Royal looks ready to collapse.