Chapter 4

I awoke to the comforting to and fro of a swaying ship, breathing in the salty scent of the sea air. Pain prickled into my awareness as I mentally assessed the damage I sustained during the storm. My face felt thick and swollen, and I felt a bundle of cloth and a splint in place to keep my left arm from moving.

Groggily, I peeled my eyes open; through the blur, I saw a figure rise from the chair at my side and lean in closer. "Careful, now." a woman's voice instructed soothingly. "We found you in a right state and you're still healing."

Reaching up gingerly with my right hand, I wiped the sleep from my eyes and peered up at my caretaker. "Elizabeth?" I murmured weakly, my brain slowly recognizing my sister. "Is that you?"

"Yes, I'm Elizabeth Swann. Who are you?"

I stared at her, momentarily confused. "I—Lizzie, it's me. Rachelle."

It was then that I caught my reflection in the looking glass on the opposite wall. Ugly purple bruises masked half of my face and my hair was a ragged mess. In the time since I had cut it short to blend in on that first merchant ship, my black locks had spiraled wildly together into a knotted mane. My confusion dissipated instantly— I hardly recognized myself, even.

"Rachelle," Elizabeth breathed, as if she could hardly believe it. "My God, what in the world happened to you?"

Slowly, I shook my head to clear the fog. "How long was I asleep?"

"Overall, a few weeks. Three, at least. You woke a few times, hazily, for food and water, but never made it past incoherence. Rachelle, I've been positively distraught without so much as a word from you. What happened?" she pressed again.

"I'm sorry, Lizzie. My head's still a little muddled. I'll explain later."

"Of course," she sighed, pressing her lips to my forehead. "Get some rest. I'll be here if you need anything."

"Elizabeth, I've brought you some lunch." a man said, carrying in a small plate of food; he paused seeing our proximity. "I see your charge is awake and you know her, apparently."

Turning my head, I saw James Norrington, staring incredulously at the two of us. "James…" I breathed. "Thank the heavens you're alright."

My sister stood and took the tray as my suitor stumbled to the chair at my bedside. Reaching over, I clasped his hand, smiling as he lifted my fingers to his lips. "Rachelle… oh, thank God you're alive. I waited for you, in Tortuga, for as long as I could. When Elizabeth found me… I wasn't sure what to do. We joined the crew of this ship, but I felt so guilty at the thought of leaving without you."

"Be at peace, James. I never made it to Tortuga. My ship was attacked and I… I was taken prisoner." I explained, piecing together my memories as the fog cleared.

"And you escaped and found us." he nodded happily. "Let me get you a plate, Rachelle. Lunch was just served in the galley."

James rose and moved to exit the cabin, but another man stepped through the doorway, allowing sunlight to fill the room. "Ah, I see you're awake." the man said, stepping across the threshold.

My suitor froze in his tracks and Elizabeth, staring wide-eyed, looked hesitant at allowing me to speak with him. Taking no heed, he strode in and plopped himself down at the end of my bed. "I am the Captain of this fine vessel and it is I who rescued you during that storm. Welcome to the Black Pearl." he announced proudly.

Astonished, I found myself gaping at the man I'd barely ceased dreaming about for the last year, the man I had never expected to see ever again. "Thank you, sir." I stammered, stifling the emotions roiling within my heart. "How can I ever repay you?"

True to fashion, a sly grin spread across his face, but it quickly vanished. "You just stay here and recover. Then, we can discuss your method of payment." he replied concisely before turning to my suitor. "Mr. Norrington, I suggest you get back to work. I'm not paying you to gander at shipwrecked women."

"You're not paying me at all." the former Commodore remarked snidely, trying to look unaffected as he rushed from the room.

My Captain Jack Sparrow followed him, leaving Elizabeth alone with my disappointment and fury. "Why, Lizzie?" I asked softly, closing my eyes and sinking back onto the pillows. "Why didn't you tell me you saved him? Why did you tell me that he was gone and is never coming back?"

My sister took in a deep breath, answering, "Rachelle, please, you have to understand. I only ever wanted you to be happy."

"So you lied to me?" I shot back.

"Rachelle, I'm sorry. Father said—"

Silently I held up a hand to pause her explanation. "Father?" I murmured. "What did Father care if I knew or not?"

"I… I am not entirely sure. It was James who mentioned you first, actually. He seemed to have an understanding with Father, but I'm afraid I don't know much more than that." I nodded, gesturing for her to continue. "In any case, Father ordered us not to tell you and… well, it was much easier for us all to pretend that he was dead. To let you move on and be happy with James."

"Us?" I questioned again, letting out a frustrated sigh. "So that's the true reason why Beckett wanted you arrested? You, James, and Will? Because you saved him?"

"Yes," she answered quietly.

"How?" I breathed. "I watched until the hangman put his hand on the lever."

Taking a breath, Elizabeth explained how Will had saved him and how she, in turn, had saved Will from the gallows. "I'm so sorry, Rachelle. Hiding it from you was the hardest thing I've ever done." she finished, clutching my hand in hers.

My emotions ran rampant in my heart and in my head, and I was unsure which I felt the most. Disbelief, I decided. Disbelief that Jack Sparrow was alive. Disbelief that the closest thing I had to a family had betrayed me. Elizabeth, Will, James… even Governor Swann, who I had thought would always be on my side. I realized, though, that he was—in his own high-class way.

"I understand." I nodded at last. "I know you were just doing what you thought was best for me." We shared a small smile and I continued, "I just don't know how James could bear to build our courtship on a lie. I'm so conflicted, Lizzie. What do I do?"

My sister let out a puzzled breath. "Please don't let me decide for you, but if the scenario were reversed, and James were courting me after revealing Will had perished, I would be so very angry with him. I… I don't think I could ever bear to carry on with him, even if it were impossible for Will and me to wed."

Nodding, I proposed, "But what if his feelings for me are genuine? What if my feelings are genuine?"

"Are they?"

Silently, I considered her inquiry. "I don't know," I whispered at last. "I… I thought I loved him, but each night as I slept, my dreams, the deepest desires of my heart, offered visions of Jack and me. As far as his feelings… I know not what they evolved to be, but…" I took a steadying breath. "It began as guilt. For torturing me as a child."

A somber chill settled over us. "What?"

I breathed again to prevent the nightmares from settling on my heart. "When I was a child, I sailed with Barbossa, as you know." She nodded, tightening her grip on my hand. "Well, one day, we encountered the Royal Navy. Newly commissioned Captain James Norrington headed the ship and… well, the long and the short of it is that Barbossa and I were spared death, but dealt a fate far less merciful. It was then that we received our brands from the East India Trading Company."

Hands flying to her mouth, Elizabeth let out a horrified gasp. "My God, Rachelle, you never… I'm sorry."

"So you see my dilemma." I stated. "His care for me did not start as love, but repentance of a horrid misdeed."

"Yes, I understand. It does explain how he treats you so fragilely. Though, you say that his feelings have evolved?"

"Lizzie, for the last few months we were in Port Royal, our relationship changed. The… I don't know, the falseness of it evaporated and we… oh, Lizzie, I think we fell in love! But, I loved Jack. I know I did." I paused, unsure. "I thought I did… I think I do… I don't know."

"Good heavens, what have you done with my stalwart sister who never so much as desired love and courtship?" she laughed.

I groaned, leaning back against the pillows. "Oh, curse it all! I've become my love-struck little sister who fawns over the blacksmith's apprentice!"

Snickering, Elizabeth exclaimed, "Now there's the Rachelle I know and love. I've hardly seen this side of you since the last time we were on the Pearl." She rested her hands once more on mine and, as we shared a grin, added, "I know you shall work this all out."