We raced down to the docks, following Jack now as his mind formulated some plan.
"So what's your page?" I asked him as we stopped under a bridge near where the Interceptor was.
"We're going to steal the ship?" Will wondered, answering me. He was looking at the Interceptor, Jack however was looking at the Dauntless docked in the harbour by the cliffs. "That ship?" Will asked confused
"How are we going to get there?" I wondered. We'd be spotted in a boat instantly, especially seeing as Norrington and his mean were all on the Interceptor.
"Commandeer." Jack corrected "We're going to commandeer that ship…" he pointed at the Interceptor "Nautical term." he added. They watched as the sailors loaded up the Interceptor and prepared to sail.
"How are we going to get there?" I repeated close to his ear so I know he heard me. He raised an eyebrow amused and looked at me.
"First." he turned to Will "One question about your business boy, or there's no use going." Will waited "This girl, how far are you willing to go to save her?" Jack wondered
"I'd die for her!" Will said without hesitation
"Oh, good. No worries then." Jack turned back to the ship. I raised an eyebrow and he smiled before telling me to follow. I glanced at Will and he did so also. We made a beeline for the beach not too far and Jack grabbed a long boat. We immediately crouched under it, and after the footsteps around us were nil, we began to walk towards the water, the boat on top of us.
We held the boat down over our heads as the water rose up around us and soon, we had an air pocket, everything but our heads and necks were below water. I had to admit, this was smart. No way anyone would know we were here.
"This is either madness, or brilliant." Will admitted looking around.
"It's remarkable how often those two traits coincide." Jack admitted.
"This is Genius!" I said grinning, Jack turned to glance at me with a smirk as Will, at that moment, stepped into a crab box connected to a boy that floated on top of the surface.
We continued, Will dragging the boy. We soon reached the Dauntless and the Jack used the boy to allow us to climb up the back of the Dauntless. Jack went first followed by me and Will. I followed Jack's lead, ignoring his helping hand as I jumped over the top and walked to the helm of the ship as Will came behind me. Will drew his sword and Jack aimed his gun. The soldiers on board did not notice us until Jack spoke.
"Everyone stay calm!" Jack called "We are taking over the ship!" he informed.
"Aye! Avast!" Will shouted pointing his sword. I placed a hand over my mouth to hide the laughter as Jack's face fell in annoyance. The soldiers all laughed at him. Jack gave him a look and Will rose his eyebrows.
"This ship cannot be crewed by two men." Gillette smirked "You'll never make it out of the bay." he thought
"Son," Jack pointed his pistol right at Gillette's nose "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?"
"Gillette," I called attention to myself as I leaned on the railing in front of the helm. The men looked at me surprised "Get off the boat, or Jack'll blow your brains out." to prove my point, Jack clicked the safety off the gun. Gillette swallowed and I waved at them.
The soldiers were kicked off the boat and into a long boat.
"Now what?" Will wondered
"We make it look like we're stealing this ship." I shrugged and looked at Jack. He nodded "Go do something to prepare and I'll keep an eye on Norrington." I said. Jack looked at me, as if to ask why I was giving orders but I shot him a look and walked to the far end of the ship.
Gillette and his soldiers were half way towards the Interceptor in the long boat and I could see him waving his arms around as he shouted to get someone's attention.
"They're taking the Dauntless!" Gillette shouted "Commodore! They're taking the ship." I looked towards Norrington as he raised his telescope to look towards the Dauntless. I turned to see Jack trying to get Will how to release the mast.
"Sparrow and Turner! They're taking the Dauntless." Gillette continued. I smirked as I looked back towards Norrington. I watched as he got everything ready to sail and quickly came after us.
"Jack!" I called, he turned to me and I indicated for him to come to the helm.
"Yes love?" I raised an eyebrow at him but he didn't seem to understand
"Take the helm, we need to look like we're leaving." I said
"Listen darling, if you're going to sail with me, let's make one thing clear…"
"You're in charge." I said simply cutting him off
"Then stop telling me how to do my job." I took a step closer to him, intimidating slightly
"Then take charge, Captain." I said simply. He smirked at me and leaned slightly closer
"You need to give me the chance."
"I just did." I nodded, he moved to stand by the helm and I stood next to him.
Will finally joined us.
"Here they come." Will noticed, Jack turned to the Interceptor. He smirked.
The Interceptor easier caught up to the Dauntless, Jack grabbed my hand and dragged me down to the bow of the ship, we hid behind the railings as the Interceptor stopped next to the Dauntless. The crew members launched grappling hooks over to the Dauntless, boarding it.
"Search every cabin, every hold, down to the bilges." Norrington ordered. Jack wrapped a hand around my waist and pulled me into him, I looked at him confused before noticing the grappling hook he'd thrown to the Interceptor. We swung to the next deck and Will followed our lead.
I made my way to the sails and did exactly as Jack instructed to allow them to catch the wind instantly. Will cut the ropes connecting to the Dauntless and Jack stood at the helm. I raced to the helm as the Interceptor began to move forwards. The ramps that had been placed between the two ships fell to the water below and alerted Norrington to our escalating escape.
"Sailors back to the Interceptor! Now!" Norrington ordered. One sailor tried to swing over to the ship but missed and ended in the water.
"Thank you Commodore for getting us ready to make way," Jack called as he waved his hat around "We'd have had a hard time of it by ourselves." he admitted. I chuckled as I stood by him.
"Miss Langford!" Norrington shouted and I rolled my eyes.
"I promise to bring Elizabeth back in one piece James." I called. The sailors suddenly began to fire at us. I ducked slightly and looked at Norrington with surprise, as if he'd allow that? Jack held me for protection and soon the Interceptor was way out of line from the gun fire.
"I can't believe he shot at me." I huffed annoyed "And when he wanted to marry my cousin too." I hadn't noticed Jack's arm was still laced around me as he steered the ship.
"My father will will not be impressed by that. Too bad we're not in England or he'd have James' title!" I threatened annoyed.
"Calm down love." Jack tightened his arm and I looked down at it surprised, when did that get there? "It's going to happen a lot more."
"More, I can handle." I admitted "From my father's friend. Not impressed." I said simply. He smirked.
"Right then, let's see what they've given us." I decided and I moved from Jack's grip and walked down the deck to the cargo hold.
I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that a pirate would take the first opportunity to start pressing flesh. The fact that I didn't notice was surprising. Did I feel that comfortable there?
I entered the cargo hold and looked around at all the supplies. The first thing I noticed was all the weapons.
"They spare no expense I see." I muttered. I travelled my fingers over the wood of the guns, after witnessing Jack use his, I guess I needed one.
My eyes landed on a pistol and I pulled it from it's spot. I fiddled with it, un-clicked it, checked the bullets and found spares, hooking them to my belt. I grabbed a holder, attached that to my belt also before slipping the gun to it.
The swords were next, they were rather nice, at least compared to Jack's plain iron one they were. I already had one connected to my belt, the sheath bouncing off my leg every now and then.
A second one couldn't hurt. I was likely to get disarmed at some pointed, I didn't need to be vulnerable. So I took a second sword and strapped it above the first. I grabbed a small dagger also and slipped it into my boot.
I walked around the cargo hold looking at all the other supplies and testing the new weight I carried before making my way back to the main deck. When I reached it, I was shocked to find Will, hanging from a yard sail over the edge of the deck, and Jack standing their with his sword out.
I quickly moved to the helm as Jack spun the wheel and allowed Will on deck, he held the sword to his throat and I pulled the new pistol, placing it against Jack's head.
He paused.
"I leave you two alone for five minutes and already you're trying to kill one another." I sighed shaking my head. "How are you going to be able to sail together if all you're going to do is fight?"
"Easy love," Jack flipped the sword over so that Will had the handle at his end and Jack held the blade. "I was just giving him a lesson."
"That involved drowning him." I sighed "Isn't there a better way to explain?" I wondered curiously. I dropped my pistol and put it back to it's holder.
"Tortuga?" Will said, Jack grinned at him
"Tortuga." he nodded, I raised an eyebrow. We were headed to the pirate town? I'd read about it when I was younger, a few of my father and the Governor's work related to it, though most noble men tried to avoid it.
Jack spun round to look at me and eyed my new weapons.
"Where'd you get those?" he questioned
"Cargo hold." he raised an eyebrow "We're on a navy ship and you didn't expect them to have weapons?" I wondered surprised.
"Course I did." Jack lied. I rolled my eyes.
"So why are we heading to Tortuga?"
"You know it?" Will was one his feet now, and had sheathed his sword.
"I've read about it. Never been there and didn't really like the thought of doing so." I admitted
"Oi." Jack snapped, I raised an eyebrow at his sudden defensiveness.
"What?" I asked
"Happens to be my favourite port."
"Three guesses why." I counted on my fingers "Women. Rum. Lack of rules." I ticked off. Jack smirked at me and I crossed my arms. "Why are we going?" I asked again
"What do ships need?" Jack asked looking between the two of us.
"Sails?" Will asked confused. I looked around Jack to give him a look. We already had those.
I looked over the ship, what didn't we have. It seemed like we had everything, it was peaceful and quiet and running smoothly.
I realised then, it was quiet.
"We're seriously going to grab a heap of miscreants in Tortuga to be your crew?" I asked surprised. Jack looked impressed
"Correct, a crew." Great, drunken pirates everywhere, the best thing to look forward to.
"This is going to be a long trip." I muttered to myself.
"And hopefully a good one." Jack smirked at me. I rolled my eyes and made my way over to the railing. Will disappeared down the steps to find something on the ship to fiddle with while Jack placed his hands back on the wheel.
After a while I could feel his eyes on me as I watched the blue water.
"Something to say Captain?" I wondered
"I've been meaning to ask you something?" he confessed. I heard his footsteps till he was next to me, eying me curiously.
"Hmm?"
"Where'd you learn to handle a sword?" he asked. I smirked.
"I was obsessed with pirates as a child." I admitted and he looked amused at the thought "So I asked my dad to allow me to have sword lessons." I confessed
"They taught you?"
"My father wasn't against me having an imagination. My mother on the other hand, wasn't so keen." I admitted "That changed however."
"Really? How?" Jack wondered. I turned to look at him, leaning my elbow on the railing.
"Easy. She found out the skills saved me against a notoriously, dangerous pirate." I smirked. He grinned as if it was a compliment.
"Like you she probably doesn't think it's right for a lady to handle a sword, but I enjoy it." I shrugged
"I never said I was against it." Jack defended
"Oh yeah, you're all for the idea that a girl got the best of you." I rolled my eyes
"Technically you cheated by jumping in behind me." Jack said
"And you cheated with Will by pulling a gun on him." I nodded. He looked amused at my come back and I smirked at him.
I walked around the pirate and to the helm, placed my hands on the wheel and turning it slightly. Who ever said a person learned by doing obviously never studied the books I was mesmerised by.
"Keep you eyes on the sun Captain, don't want to run off course." I warned, he looked me over and I stepped aside for him to take my place.
"For a rich lass you seem to know quite a bit about sailing," he realised
"A rich lass who has to stay home or go to parties, what do you think we do with all the extra time?" I wondered, his eyes darted around as he thought. "In my case I read." I said simply "And seeing as I had a love for the life you pirates live, that's what I read about."
"And how much help was that?" he wondered
"I can sail thanks to the stars, without a compass." I shrugged "I know all the parts of a ship and what goes where. I also know the majority of geographical locations." I admitted "Everything I'd need if I ever got lost." I smirked.
"What did your father think of this?"
"As long as I was reading or studying not even my mother minded." I smiled. "It was proper for a lady to sit and read for the majority of her time, either that or take a stroll or sit for tea."
"Sounds like the life." Jack mused
"Oh yes." I nodded sarcastically. "Everything was based on appearances." I muttered.
This little voyage to get Elizabeth would do me good hopefully. I can take a break from the primped lifestyle and just be free for a while. I didn't need to worry about others looking down on me or my actions impeding on my father.
I could just be what ever I wanted to be.