Elizabeth stood on the bow of the Pearl, looking out. Behind her lay the pirate fleet and on her left Barbossa, her right James. Jack had hidden himself further back, among the crew, and whatever reason he had for it Elizabeth had allowed it. She had bigger problems to contend with.

As the first ship emerged upon the misty horizon the crew began to yell, waving cutlasses and swords in the air, almost a feral battle cry. She steeled herself as more and more ships appeared…and more, and more until the horizon was black with enemy ships. There was an Armada amassed against them and every pirate ship on the seven seas would not be enough to defend against it. The men quieted. Elizabeth looked to James. His expression showed no fear but his eyes told her something else. He had not expected so many. This, his eyes said, was an un-winnable war.

"Parley?" she heard Jack say from somewhere behind them.

James nodded, adding quietly to her,

"Parley."

She nodded. Turning to the crew of the Pearl she took a deep breath.

"Conviction." he reminded her quietly from her side, the single word giving her courage where before she had faltered.

Conviction bred conviction. Strength bred strength. Isn't that what he'd told her?

"Myself, Captain Barbossa and Captain Sparrow will Parley with the enemy. The ship will be left under the command of my first mate. His word is mine until I return."

She gave Jack a level look which he returned with a nod before looking to Barbossa and seeing a similar reaction. They were on side. That was a good start.

"I should go with you." James said, catching her arm gently.

"No," was her response, though she did not shake him free, "I need you to make sure the men remain strong, remain loyal. The last thing we need is the Pearl turning tail while I Parley. You can lead, James, and I'd trust no one else to do so."

He looked at her for a long moment, his expression set, before raising a hand to touch her cheek gently, almost too intimate and yet at the same time not at all.

"Be careful." he said, the ferocity of his tone reminding her once again that this man before her, despite all that had happened between them, all she had done, would do anything for her.

"You too." she answered, placing her hand over his and then moving, following Jack and Barbossa to the row boat already being lowered over the edge of the ship.

"There's a stretch of land not far off," Barbossa observed, "We should meet there. Send the parrot with a message."

Elizabeth nodded, hearing James begin to call out orders as she stepped into the boat. Looking over she saw him, standing proud, men moving around him as he gave them new tasks to complete. Just before she was lowered down he turned and caught her eye. She didn't smile, didn't offer any assurance or encouragement, simply looked at him.

The shifting in her heart as his eyes met hers gave her unease. It had been too long since she had seen Will. If this parley could get him back, she decided, she would do it. What might happen if she didn't worried her more than twenty East India Trading Company fleets.

Jack and Will had planned something. The way they glanced at one another across the beach told her that and while she understood the need for secrecy a part of her rebelled at the idea that Will was pushing her out; again.

"…your debt to me is still to be payed!" Jones exclaimed, directing his anger at Jack, "One hundred years aboard the Dutchman - as a start!"

Elizabeth gave Jack a sidelong glance, an idea forming in her mind.

"That debt was paid mate," he gestured to Elizabeth, "With some help."

She looked to Will who was smiling ever so slightly, the corner of his mouth upturned. Why was he smiling, not at her, but at Jack?

"You escaped!" Jones retorted.

"Technically," Jack replied.

"I propose an exchange." she said, cutting through the pointless argument. "Will leaves with us…" she looked to Beckett, "And you can take Jack."

Barbossa and Jack looked to her, though surprisingly Barbossa the more incredulous. Jack seemed confused but was there a flair of an act in his expression?

"Done!" Will announced, distracting attention from her to him.

"Undone!" Jack exclaimed.

"Done." Beckett said finally, his self satisfied smirk begging Elizabeth to cut it off.

"Jack's one of the nine Pirate Lords," Barbossa objected, Elizabeth found it strange, that he of all people would object to getting rid of Jack, "You have no right!"

She turned to him slowly, a single brow raised.

"King." she said simply.

She turned to Jack, waiting for him to throw in his own objections.

"As you command," he said instead, taking off his hat and giving a mocking bow, "Your nibs."

"Blackguard!" Barbossa exclaimed, forcing her to take a sharp set back as he unsheathed his sword and swept it towards Jack, narrowly missing him.

Why was Barbossa suddenly defending her honour?

He approached Jack and murmured something which she only just caught,

"If ye have something to say, I might be saying something as well."

Elizabeth's eyes went from Barbossa to Will and then to Jack. She had that overwhelming, frustrating feeling that something was going on which she had been left out of.

"First to the finish then?" Jack answered simply, not apparently expecting an answer to his question, moving to trade places with Will.

As Will came to stand by her Elizabeth looked up, catching his eyes with her own. She was glad he was unharmed and yet she said nothing. She was not Elizabeth Swann in that moment but the Pirate King - and there was business to be done.

"Advise your Brethren," Beckett said to her, stepping forward and smirking, "You can fight and all of you can die or you can not fight, in which case only most of you will die."

She stepped up to meet him, trying to quell the steely hatred in her heart. Strength bred strength she reminded herself. She had to be strong now, in order to win the war and not just gain a single battle.

"You murdered my father." she ground out.

"He chose his own fate." Beckett hissed in response.

Calm, she told herself, thinking of what James would do in such a situation, drawing from the cold stoicism she had often seen him display. She had to be blank now. She had to be impenetrable.

"And you have chosen yours." was her response, cold and steely, "We will fight…and you will die."

With that, not trusting her resolve to last out longer, she turned and marched away, not waiting to see if Barbossa and Will followed. She had to return to the Pearl, had to plan how to make her meager fleet survive against an Armada. James would know what to do.

"King?"

Will had come up beside her and she gave him a customary glance. The worry over his intrigues, past and present, remained but she had no time to question him now.

"Of the Brethren Court, courtesy of Jack." she answered shortly.

"Maybe he really does know what he's doing." Will answered.

She gave a tight smile but in her mind she couldn't help but question, you would know what he's doing better than anyone, with your scheming together.

But instead she said nothing.

"We'll need to use the Black Pearl as a flagship to lead the attack, where's Ja-"

Elizabeth trailed off as she came to a halt behind Barbossa. They had barely been on deck for a moment and yet under some order, whose she knew not, Tia Dalma was being led, heavily bound, from below and onto deck.

"Will we now?" Barbossa asked, a smirk in his voice.

"No!" Will exclaimed.

Elizabeth's eyes scoured the assembled crew, all apparently taking Barbossa as Captain. Which left the question…

"What did you do with James? Where is he?"

Barbossa cackled, gesturing to someone out of sight. A group of pirates parted and through them was pushed a figure, hands bound behind his back, gag in his mouth and a bloody wound at his head. James staggered towards her and Elizabeth dashed forward to meet him, stopping his forward momentum with her body.

"James," she murmured, reaching up and tugging the gag from his mouth, "Are you alright?"

He let out a long breath, seemingly thinking her question not worth answering, his head dropping to be closer hers, eyes closed as though in prayer,

"I thought he'd kill you," he whispered, "Thank God, thank God…"

"If the lovers can abstain for a moment," Barbossa said, his mocking tone causing Elizabeth to turn, back against James' chest, as they both saw Will give them a suspicious look. "There is business to attend to."

"Barbossa you can't release her!" Will exclaimed, attention dragged from her and James to the greater matter at hand.

Instantly pistols and swords were turned on them all and Barbossa approached her, his expression set.

"We need to give Jack a chance." said Elizabeth, hoping that whatever Jack was planning would come into action soon.

"Apologies, your Majesty," Barbossa responded, "Too long has me fate not been in me own hands."

He leaned forward and James made a noise of protest. She reached behind her and laid a hand on his arm, staying him. If he reacted rashly now who knew what the pirates might do to him? She needed him alive, absolutely and completely.

Barbossa reached down and tugged Sao Feng's piece of eight from her neck, breaking the cord almost effortlessly.

"No longer." Barbossa added, turning and taking the piece of eight towards Tia Dalma.

She and James were surrounded, weapons drawn and ready to strike them down at the slightest provocation. Will, a few short feet away, was similarly unable to act. Therefore they had no choice but to watch as Barbossa began his ritual.

"The items collected, then burned," he said, explaining his actions, "And then the words must be said; Calypso, I release ye from your human bonds."

A pause.

"Is that it?" asked Pintel.

"It is said," answered Barbossa, looking up, "That is must be spoken as though to a lover."

Noises of understanding from the crew came and Elizabeth felt James press closer against her back. Her hand was still on his arm, making sure he was near, and from the corner of her eye she saw Will glance at her. Something in her would not let her return his look however, her eyes were focused on Tia Dalma.

Barbossa stood taller, taking a deep breath before he boomed,

"Calypso! I release you from your human bonds!"

He lowered his torch to the light the pieces of eight and…nothing. Elizabeth loosened the grip on James' arm which had become tighter at some point, though she head no idea when, and she felt him release a breath, warmth creeping down her neck and making her shiver.

"Is that it?" asked Pintel.

"No…no, no - he didn't say it right!" exclaimed Ragetti.

All eyes found the young, one eyed pirate and Ragetti, finding that attention was his, stuttered again,

"He didn't….didn't say it right," another pause, "You have to say it right."

Under Barbossa's expectant, if slightly disbelieving, gaze Ragetti turned and slowly approached Tia Dalma. Then, so softly Elizabeth could not hear the words being said, he spoke.

Tia Dalma's head fell back, as though in the throes of ecstasy and instantly the plate containing the pieces of eight burst into flames. The pirates holding her forced Tia Dalma's head forward and she breathed in the acrid smoke coming from the bowl. Elizabeth pressed herself further back to James, the pirates around her were mindless of their actions now, so entranced were they by the events transpiring before them.

"Tia Dalma!"

Will had obviously realized the same thing as he took the opportunity to surge forward, barely being caught by the pirates supposedly minding him. When Tia Dalma did not respond Will tried again, this time with a different name.

"Calypso."

Instantly Calypso's head turned, her gaze fixing on Will so that fear rose in Elizabeth's stomach for him. Her grip on James tightened and she felt him shift, as though trying to protect her from whatever ill was about to occur.

"When the Brethren Court first imprisoned you," Will pressed, his voice low and intent, "Who was it that showed them how? Who was it that betrayed you?"

"Name him." Calypso spat, her voice shaking with rage.

A pause, after which Will said darkly,

"Davy Jones."