Isabelle was hauled over the side of the rail by Mr. Gibbs and assisted to the aft cabin by James Norrington. Elizabeth was hot on their heels and Will entered the cabin not long after with the required tools to spring Isabelle from the heavy manacles.
"What happened?" Elizabeth asked sitting down across from Isabelle as Will sat beside her. He took up the cuff and began prying at it with a pick.
"I saw you escape the Dutchman." Isabelle said casting her eyes towards James Norrington. "Admiral….Mr. Norrington mentioned choosing sides. And we did." She said levelly.
"You didn't raise an alarm?" Will seemed shocked that she would not have spoken up.
"No. I didn't want to help Cutler. When I chose sides, I chose to take a stand against him." She turned to Elizabeth. "I protected you from him once; I just had to stay on that path."
"What happened after?" Elizabeth asked as one of the big cuffs clicked open and Isabelle's left hand was freed.
"They kept me under lock and key on the Dutchman until I could be brought aboard Endeavor. To say that Lord Beckett was displeased would be an understatement. Cutler accused me of many crimes, some real—most imagined—and then he disowned me."
"And what things exactly did he accused you of?" James asked from where he leaned against a table, his arms crossed over his chest.
"He's suspected for years that I helped Jack Sparrow escape from prison in India." No one moved and Isabelle felt the need to explain further. She told them of the plan for the jail break, how Cutler had inadvertently involved her, of Jack taking her prisoner and of their arrival on the docks. "Cutler made to advance on Jack and he defended himself. Cutler was horribly scarred after the incident."
"Is that all?"
"And he's held me responsible for it. He knew, but could never prove that I was directly involved in Jack's escape. He knew, but could never prove that Elizabeth's escape from the coach the night her father sprung her from jail was my doing. He knew, but could never prove, anything I did." She stared pointedly at James Norrington who still leaned casually against the table in the corner. "Until recently; he didn't need much proof after you left."
"So because we broke out…." Elizabeth started.
"This is my fault then." James whispered.
"No." Isabelle said emphatically shaking her head. "I had this coming a long way off. I'm just an adopted daughter. Cutler never wanted me for a sister. He never cared for me." Isabelle looked out the big windows at the back of the cabin. "This might have been the best thing to have happened to me."
"And your leg?" Will Turner asked as the second cuff snapped open and fell to the table top with a loud thud.
"He branded me for aiding and abetting pirates." Isabelle looked down at her torn petticoats and felt everyone's eyes on her. She locked her eyes on Elizabeth before she finished. "It's in my blood…what can I say?" Isabelle rubbed gently at her sore, chaffed wrists and stared at the table in the protracted silence as everyone was absorbed in their own thoughts.
"Are you hungry?" Elizabeth finally asked trying to break the silence. "We can get you food and some clothes. Nothing fancy but…"
"Something simple and serviceable will be fine. And anything edible would be most appreciated."
Elizabeth left and signaled that James and Will should follow. He moved slowly across the cabin and Isabelle was left to wash up as best she could with the small basin of clean water left her. A knock sounded and she went to open the door. James stood on the other side holding a tray that was loaded with food for her. Isabelle stood aside and let him set the tray on the table. He stepped back from the table but did not leave. Isabelle saw flames swirl around James. He was angry, but the flames were directed inwards.
"You should not be angry at yourself." She said taking a bite of fruit.
"How do you know I'm angry at myself?"
"The look on your face says much. You're thinking too hard about what you could have done differently…."
"That's not the only thing, is it?"
"What do you mean?" Isabelle stopped eating and watched as James stepped closer to her, leaning with both hands on the table.
"Elizabeth told me about you." Isabelle was quiet for a moment and leaned back in the chair. "She said you could….sense things."
"Yes." Isabelle whispered as she averted her gaze. Her heart raced feeling as if it were going to burst from her chest.
"Why didn't you tell me?" James was shocked when Isabelle snorted derisively.
"What was I to have said? 'The weather is quite lovely today and oh, by the way, I've been meaning to tell you I can sense a person's thoughts and feelings and that's what's been afflicting me since before I could remember?' You would have thought me insane, as anyone else would have had I ever told them." She took a deep breath and shook her head, adding in a softer tone, "I've never told anyone; not really anyway." She locked her dark eyes on his. "People fear that which they don't understand. I'd have been called a witch…"
"You think I would have been so quick to judge?" Hurt and anger were sharp on the edge of his voice.
"Isn't everyone?" Isabelle shot back. The door opened and Elizabeth entered the tiny cabin.
"Here are some clothes for you…." She looked back and forth between Isabelle and James. "Am I interrupting something?"
"Yes" James answered.
"No." Isabelle was quick to respond. "I should finish eating and change my clothes."
"Yes of course." Elizabeth nodded. "James, you're needed on deck."
James looked at Isabelle intently. "I'd like to speak further on this, Miss Beckett, at your leisure."
"I'm no longer a part of the Beckett household." Isabelle said tilting her chin. James looked like he wanted to say more but Elizabeth came back into the room and reminded him that he was needed immediately elsewhere. He bowed to Isabelle and left her to eat and change and think more about their conversation.
Isabelle finished the food on the tray and went to the stack of clothes left on the table. They consisted of a blouse, pair of loose trousers, and a jacket. The trousers fastened at her waist with a drawstring and went down to the middle of her calves. They were dirty and stained, the plain canvas discolored by dirt, grog, salt, and gun powder. There was a set of striped stockings though they did not match. One was black with what had once been white stripes, the other was maroon with gray stripes. They were made of soft, light weight wool and came to above her knees. She pulled the right one all the way up but folded the left one down so it would not rub against her wound. Though the brand was still covered, it was beginning to itch after her sojourn in the surf and salt. The last thing she needed was to have it further irritated. The shoes were low and made of soft leather that had been repaired repeatedly. They were large on her feet, but she knew they were probably the only shoes close to her size that were aboard. The blouse was made of heavy cotton with vertical stripes. Isabelle guessed that the shirt may once have been red and white, but had been faded and bled to pink and maroon. It was missing several buttons at the throat and the sleeves were threadbare but voluminous, almost impractically so. There was a belt and a wide sash and she used to belt down the oversized shirt. Fortunately, the sash and belt served to add an extra way to keep her pants up as they wanted to slide down to hang low on her hip bones. There was a jacket as well and it was gray and large on her. She pulled the garment on and smiled to herself as the sleeves came down over her hands. I must look quite comical she thought. She rolled the sleeves back and, taking a glance at herself in the small mirror, thought she looked the proper pirate rogue, motley and worn. She had combed her hair with her fingers which had given it a wild look. She put her head down and went outside to where she heard raised voices.
The crew was gathered about the middle of the deck. The dark skinned woman was bound in ropes in the center of the crew. William Turner whispered something to her.
"Name him!" She shouted.
"Davy Jones!" Isabelle shuddered and watched as the dark skinned woman grew in height until she was as tall as the masts that rose from the center of the ship.
"Calypso! I come before you as a servant, humble and contrite." Barbosa intoned as he knelt before the eighty foot tall goddess. "I have fulfilled my vow, and now ask your favor. Spare me self, me ship, me crew…but unleash your fury on those who dare to pretend themselves your masters…or mine."
The air was filled with a deep and terrible voice, the ropes binding the giantess slipped away and all watched, horrified as the Goddess Calypso shed her human form and changed into that of her most beloved creature, the crab.
Thousands of crabs rained down over the decks of the Pearl and the ship rocked violently as the wave of crustaceans spilled over the rails and slipped easily into the sea. Isabelle had felt the anger and hurt in Calypso rain down upon her even as the crabs rained down upon the crew and ship. She ducked her head and was forced back into the cabin by someone and pressed against the interior wall. When she opened her eyes she found James Norrington staring down at her. He pushed one of the wild locks of hair away from her face and sighed.
"That probably wasn't a good idea." He whispered.
"What happened?"
"Barbossa released Calypso….who knows what will happen now." Isabelle pressed her hands against James's chest, forcing him to step back. The ship had stopped rocking and Isabelle moved out into the sunlight. The crew was scattered about pulling crabs from themselves. Some went to the rail to see if anything would happen now that Calypso was released, hoping she would make an appearance in the sea. Isabelle paid little attention to that; she was staring up into the pale blue sky. A dark cloud began to form and soon a slight breeze began to whisper over the decks. Isabelle's eyes turned silver as the wind picked up and began to move about the rigging and sails. The wind moaned, and the sound of creaking tackle added its voice to the symphony singing over the decks.
"My, but she is not happy at all…." Isabelle whispered. James touched her shoulder and Isabelle pulled away from Calypso's anger which was building a storm above them.
"It's not over." She whispered.
"There's still a fight to be had." Isabelle stared to where the voices were raised on the other side of the decks.
"We've an armada against us," Gibbs sighed in defeat. "And with the Dutchman, there's no chance."
"There's only a fool's chance" Elizabeth said emphatically.
"Revenge won't bring your father back, Miss Swann." Barbossa entreated. "And it's not something I'm intending to die for."
"You're right." Elizabeth said walking to the center of the deck. "Then what shall we die for?" Isabelle and James followed with the rest of the crew and began to gather around Elizabeth Swann.
"You will listen to me. Listen! The brethren will still be looking here. To us! To the Black Pearl, to lead. And what will the see? Frightened bilge rats aboard a derelict ship?" Elizabeth had climbed up to the rail and clung to the rat lines. "No." She whispered, casting her passionate gaze to the pirates gathered below her. "No, they will see free men and freedom!" She shouted, her words charging the very air with the passion of what she believed. "And what the enemy will see is the flash of our cannons. They will hear the ring of our swords and they will know what we can do. By the sweat of our brows and the strength of our backs and the courage of our hearts…" Isabelle reached down and grasped the cuff of James' coat in an attempt to steady herself so great was the wave of emotion that surrounded her. Elizabeth's voice began to crack. "Gentlemen! Hoist the colors." She begged.
"Hoist the colors" William whispered. The words began to spread across the deck from man to man.
"Hoist the colors!" One of the men shouted.
"Aye the wind's on our side boys, that's all we need!" Mr. Gibbs shouted as the deck of the Black Pearl erupted in cheers.
"HOIST THE COLORS!!!!" Elizabeth shouted, turning over her shoulder and screaming into the wind to the ships floating beyond them. Other crews, seeing the banner of the Pearl going up began to scramble and hoist their own, cheering in their native tongues. Each standard caught the strengthening wind and fluttered proudly at the top of each mast. Elizabeth leapt from the rail and moved to stand on the quarter deck, looking down on her sailors where they began to prepare for battle. Isabelle, James, and William joined her.
"Isabelle, you'll be sent to one of the vanguard ships. No sense in your being involved in this." Elizabeth started but Isabelle was shaking her head.
"I'll not be sent away." Isabelle had to yell to be heard above the shouts of the energized men. "Not when I can help."
"How can you help?" William asked.
"I'm connected to Cutler…." The corners of Isabelle's mouth turned up in a sad smile. "I know what he's thinking."
"What do you mean?"
"Remember I told you that Cutler blamed me for letting Jack get out of jail?" The others nodded. "And that he was injured that night? Again they nodded. "Well I tried to stem the flow of blood that night. His blood was on my hands and now we're connected…just as Jack and I are connected for the same reasons…." The others looked confused for a moment. "Suffice it to say I know what Cutler is thinking. You need me here to give you insight."
"It's too dangerous." William said shaking his head.
"Why is it too dangerous? Do you think I'll falter in battle?"
"Well, yes." Will answered.
"Is Elizabeth being sent away?" Isabelle glared angrily at the others.
"Well…no. But Elizabeth knows how to fight…"
"So do I." Isabelle said tilting her chin to stare up into the dark eyed pirate. "I have a distinct advantage over you all." She looked around at the people standing before her. "I know what move my foe will make before they do."
"Impossible…."
"Try me." Isabelle growled, her voice dangerously low as she pitched the challenge. Elizabeth looked at James and William and finally drew her sword. James handed Isabelle his and watched as the two women circled one another. Five times Elizabeth attacked and five times Isabelle evaded the attacks easily and had Elizabeth held at sword point.
"Impossible…." William muttered again. He too attacked Isabelle and found each attack thwarted. "That's incredible."
"I want to fight. I have as much right to fight as any of you. More so!" Isabelle said the passion rising in her own voice. "After all the years I was forced to live with him and suffer his tyranny I want to fight back! I'm tired of being trod upon! I want to pay him back for this!" She raised her left pant leg to show the bandage on her leg.
"Then welcome to the Black Pearl." Elizabeth said. "We'll need all the help we can get I think."
"What sort of advantage can you give us now?" William asked suddenly. Isabelle grinned and went to the rail where she could look out over the expanse of ocean and see where the Endeavor bobbed in the surf.
"We have a favorable wind sir."
"ah, so we do. Signal Jones to give no quarter. That should brighten his day."
"They're to give us no quarter." Isabelle said. "Jones will come in first, the rest of the armada will lie in wait for whatever transpires. If Jones falters, they will join the fray. If Jones is victorious they will turn their attentions to the rest of the Brethren."
"No quarter, how reassuring." Barbossa grumbled as he stood beside Mr. Cotton.
"Calypso is angry as well." Isabelle added as she turned her face skyward again. The others looked to where the sky was darkening to a steely gray, flashes of green lightning cracked over their heads. "And she's on our side."
"To stations!" Turner shouted as the Pearl lurched into action.
"Man the capstan! Raise the main topyard!" Mr. Gibbs shouted as he stalked down the deck. "Keep that powder dry!"
Isabelle moved to a spot on the rail where she could watch as the Flying Dutchman advanced into the storm, tacking towards them.
The ocean before them began to swirl, whitecaps illuminated by the ever more frequently flashing lightning. Rain sluiced across the decks and was whipped sideways by the wind, slicing into anyone unfortunate enough to be out in it. Isabelle's hair was slick against her face and hung heavy down her back. Gibbs came up beside her as she continued to stare into the churning ocean between the Pearl and the Dutchman.
"Maelstrom!!!" He shouted, raising the alarm across the decks.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" James had come up behind Isabelle and was looking into the dark and storm with a trace of fear in his eyes. He gazed at her, searching her eyes for something.
"I have to." Isabelle said resolutely. She clasped his forearm and locked her eyes on his. "You have weathered many storms. Their deaths were not your fault." James' face registered shock and then went blank as he stepped away from her. "I know about the Tripoli hurricane, but you must get over it. You have work here to be concentrating on." Barbossa's voice echoed over the decks as the Pearl eased into the Maelstrom.
"Brace up yards, you cack-handed deck apes! Dying is the day worth living for!"
Isabelle moved away from the rail as the Pearl began to ease into the churning waters.
"More speed! Haul your wind and hold your water!"
The stench of fear blended with the smell of wood rot and gunpowder. Isabelle knew the smell well. But the smell of fear, though strong amongst the men had not degraded into that of absolute terror. She grasped the mast as sailors moved quickly around her and stared back to where the Flying Dutchman was coming up fast behind them. She focused on the deck of that ship and sensed absolute terror there. The marines had not been trained for this sort of combat, and Isabelle smiled as Mr. Mercer's terror was evident upon his creased face.
Good now he shall have a taste of his own medicine.
The Dutchman fired on the Pearl and everyone jumped to prepare for a broadside fire as they eased deeper into the swirling waters. Isabelle held hair from her face as the order to fire was given and the deck shuddered beneath her feet. The acrid smoke threatened to choke her and she ducked as the projectiles from the Dutchman blew bits of the rail from Jack's precious Pearl.
"You should go below decks!" James Norrington yelled to be heard over the din of battle and the howl of the wind. He grasped her arm and tried to pull her towards Jack's cabin.
"I'm safer here than there!" Isabelle shouted as one of the cannon balls slammed into the lower decks of the Pearl.
"You shouldn't be here at all!" James shouted back. Isabelle locked her knees and pulled back as the decks bucked, another volley being sent across the gap between the ships. She kept her gaze on the cannonball and let her mind follow it. She saw it strike against the stern of the Dutchman and saw crewmen, marines and Jones take cover from the shower of debris that came down in the ball's destructive wake. Jones had shielded Mercer from it, but grasped him as things began to settle. Jones' eyes turned more malevolent than normal and he snarled down at Mercer.
James watched as Isabelle lost control for a moment and her eyes took on the eerie silver color he'd seen on many previous occasions. Her breaths came faster and she clutched the mast as if it were the only thing holding her fast.
"NO!" She shrieked, her screams drowned out by the cannons. She fell to her knees, James following, cursing himself for not forcing her to leave the Pearl. He pulled her up so he could look again in her eyes and found them to be their normal dark shade.
"What happened!?"
"Jones killed Mercer!" She shouted. James pushed the wet hair from her face as she looked about wildly. "I saw it! He…his tentacles!...and---It was horrible!" She said not wanting to voice it, the image printed indelibly on her brain. "And Jones has the key now!" Isabelle struggled to rise to her feet and move along the decks. "Jack has escaped from the brig. He's got the chest!" James looked away from her for a moment and back at the Dutchman. He was just able to see a small figure hurtling skyward into the rigging of the Dutchman.
Cannons continued to roar beneath their feet and smoke and rain continued to drift across the decks, debris and blood adding to the hazards of walking across the tossing platform. The ships came closer and closer and Isabelle watched as Pirates from both sides began to prepare to board the other ship. Marines and Jones' monstrous crewmen passed by the pirates from the Pearl and landed on the decks prepared to fight. Isabelle stopped, face to face with Adam Monroe.
"Miss Isabelle? What are you doing here?" He shouted, shocked to see a familiar face amongst the pirates.
"I've chosen sides!" She said grasping his arm. She pulled him towards Jack's cabin and shoved him inside. "Stay here and don't come out. Surrender now."
"I can't do that Miss."
"I'm trying to save your life!" She shouted angrily at him. Adam looked down at his musket and then back at Isabelle. Slowly, he handed her his musket. "Good lad." Isabelle slammed the door on the young man and went back to the decks. She saw Turner and Elizabeth each fighting off the enemy and turned to see another of the Pearl crew struggling against another raider. Isabelle leveled the musket and fired into the creature and saw it slump into the defender. The man nodded his head in thanks before turning to fight another.
"Barbossa! Marry us!" Several heads turned at Elizabeth Swann's shouted words.
"I'm a little busy at the moment!" The grizzled captain shouted back.
"Barbossa Now!"
"Fine then! Dearly beloved we be gathered here today to nail your gizzards to the mast, you poxy cur!"
Isabelle found herself fighting against one of Jones' creatures and easily dispatched him with a slash of her blade. She worked her way across the decks to where James was in a back and forth battle of parry's against his attacker. She slashed across the creature's back, dropping it to its knobby knees and then brought her blade across its neck, severing head from body. James Norrington locked eyes on her and stared, awe struck at what had fast become a new Isabelle.
A/N: Thanks for reading. I'm glad so many of you are enjoying this. I won't be updating over the course of the next week, spring break and all, but I hope you enjoy this and have a wonderful week!