thank you Libby
so sorry about the long wait
CHAPTER 13 THE HANGING
"Jack Sparrow, Jasmine pearl, be it known that you have…" the official reads.
"Captain! Captain Jack Sparrow," Jack mutters from beside me.
Right, if they can't get our titles right now - especially when we're about to die... We have done so much for those people and this is how they repay us. Death. They kill us.
"Right, we are about to..." I yell out, before a hand covers my mouth, so I simply glare at the Commodore, my eyes shining in hate.
He flinches. Jack's beside me, wondering what this is about.
"Let her speak." He waves his hand and the man holding me lets go.
"Right, we are about to die, so if you really are good people, you will honour a dying person's wish," I say angrily.
"We will," Governor Swann admits.
"Good. Well, we wish for our proper titles to be called out. Captain Jasmine Pearl and Captain Jack Sparrow," I ask him.
He nods his approval and Norrington signals the official.
"Captain Jack Sparrow, Captain Jasmine Pearl, be it known that you have…" I have ignored the man at that point. It's no interest to me.
"For your willful commission of crimes against the crown. Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature, the most egregious of these to be cited herewith – piracy, smuggling," the official continues.
I look over to see the Commodore, Elizabeth, and the governor in a small conversation, which includes me and Jack since she is looking apologetically and guiltily toward us.
"Impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England, impersonating a Singapore counsel leader" he continues and I can't help but smile.
"Ah, yes," Jack whispers, grinning and I can't help but join in. We had so much fun together.
"Sailing under false colours, arson, kidnapping, looting, poaching, brigandage, pilfering, depravity, depredation, and general lawlessness. And for these crimes you have been sentenced to be, on this day, hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul,"he says as I link my hand with Jack's as our last goodbye to each other.
He looks at me, and I look at him, and we smile. He nods to me. I just laugh as the board beneath our feet drops.
"MOVE!" I hear someone yell.
I'm stood on a sword. I look to Jack and see him doing the same, only I have more balance on the shiny surface than him. Looking up, I notice Will and can't help but smile. He's battling the executioner and, with his expertise, has managed to throw two swords and land them right under our feet. I can still feel the rope around my neck, which is holding me to my feet and also stopping me from falling. I feel the force of its strain release and I'm on the floor.
"Ow!" I groan out.
Jack picks me up and helps unbind my hands.
"Together?" he yells. I nod.
Jack throws me an end of the rope and we run down opposite sides of the fort, holding the rope tight and tripping soldiers. Moving quickly, we kill two soldiers right at the wall and quickly roll over the floor. I notice Will is beside me and doing the same, copying us. We get to the end wall and Jack and Will both start punching people when we're surrounded. Will has a sword from the end of a gun, "Can't remember what they're called."
"I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill-conceived escape attempt, but not from you," Norrington says to Will as he stands between us and Norrington, though the navy are all around us, so not much help.
"On our return to Port Royal, I granted you clemency. And this is how you thank me? By throwing in your lot with them? They're pirates!" Governor Swann shouts, betrayed.
"And good people. If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn three pairs of boots instead of two, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear," Will says and I place a hand to his back in thanks before removing it.
He seems to understand and hits Jack around the head as he mouths, that's me, to the crowd.
"You forget your place, Turner," Norrington says, strangely calm.
"It's right here between you and Jack and Jaz," he states proudly.
"As is mine," Elizabeth says, stepping forward to stand beside Will.
"Elizabeth! Lower your weapons. For goodness' sake, put them down!" Governor Swann exclaims.
The weapons are lowered and I get a good look at the navy holding them. I vaguely recognise one but couldn't name him.
"So this is where your heart truly lies," Norrington says in defeat and sadness.
I feel for him. He truly loves her, I know that from my time aboard the Dauntless .
"It is," she replies.
Jack nudges me and I look to where he indicates. Cotton's parrot stands on a sail before quickly flying off. I smirk as Jack begins his speech.
" Well! I'm actually feeling rather good about this. I think we've all arrived at a very special place, eh? Spiritually…Ecumenically…Grammatically?" Jack says to the governor who makes a noise of disgust.
"I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate. Know that." He says to commodore. I make my way over to the man.
"You will get your girl, mate. Just give it time," I mutter into his ear.
Elizabeth …it would never have worked between us, darling. I'm sorry," Jack says to Elizabeth
"Hands off my husband and leave the rum alone," I warn her
" Will …nice hat, " Jack says.
"Whelp." I nod.
"Will!" he replies.
"That's what I said," I call back.
"Friends! This is the day that you will always remember as the day that..." He doesn't finish since he has backed up to the fort wall and stumbled over, taking me with him.
We land in the exact same place Elizabeth did when we rescued her.
"Sail, ho!" I hear a familiar voice shout out.
Looking to the edge of the cove, I watch as the Black Pearl sails around the corner. I look for Jack beside me, only to realise he's three strokes ahead. I follow him and we get pulled up to deck together.
"I thought you were supposed to keep to the code," Jack says to Gibbs who helps him up as Anamaria does the same for me.
"We figured they were more like guidelines," Gibbs admits.
"Thank you," Jack says to Cotton, who hands him his hat.
"Thanks," I say to Marty as he hands me mine.
"Captain Sparrow, the Black Pearl is yours," Anamaria says to Jack, putting his coat around his shoulders.
"Captain Pearl, the Black Pearl is yours," Gibbs says, my coat around my shoulders. I slip my arms into it.
"On deck, you scabrous dogs! Man the braces! Let down and haul to run free!" Jack orders and I stand at the helm. Jack wraps his arms around my waist, placing his head on my shoulder.
"Perfect," I sigh, looking out.
"Now...bring me that horizon," I murmur, looking at the compass in Jack's hand.
Jack begins humming.
"And really bad eggs…" he sings softly.
"drink up, me 'earties, yo ho." We sing together.
"How do you know that song?" Jack asks.
"Mum. She made sure I knew it." I smile.
"Oh," Jack says, before picking me up bridal style and walking from the helm, looking at me with love filled eyes.
"Let's see what else you know that I don't,"he comments,opening our cabin door.
I notice it's been cleaned out and no longer looks like Barbossa was ever in it, before walking in.
