Chapter 21

A low mist hung over the ocean in front of Shipwreck Island. The pirate lords had all gathered their ships to be anchored in a line in front of the island. At the center was the Black Pearl itself. There was a calm in the air. It was the kind of peace that came before the storm though.

Jack glanced at Jewel. She continued to stare forward, not even wanting to see her father. Slowly, a single ship emerged from the mist.

"The enemy's here!" Marty called out, lifting his gun, "Let's take her!" Cheers erupted from the crew, and almost all of the pirate crews. Barbossa walked forward to join Jewel in where she stood.

"This doesn't feel right. Just one ship?" Jewel asked. One by one, more ships began to appear in the fog, varying in size, but all carrying the flag with EITC on it. The crews silenced at the realization they all knew: Beckett had outnumbered them in ships and guns.

"Rawk! Abandon ship! Abandon ship!" Cotton's parrot squawked, flying back to the island.

"This is not good." Jewel said, noticing the Flying Dutchman amongst Beckett's numbers. All eyes turned to Jack for what to do.

"Parlay?" he suggested with an uneasy smile.

Barbossa, Jack, Jewel, and Elizabeth were to meet with Beckett on a small sandbar. All while rowing to the location, a dark cloud hung over everybody's head. None moreso than Jewel and Jack sitting across from eachother in the boat. The young pirate was not letting up on her hatred for her father. She had to suffer because of him. It only be fair to make him suffer because of her.

"I'm sorry." Jack said. Jewel glared at him, then cracked a smirk.

"No you're not." she said shaking her head. Her smirk vanished and she looked away from him. The boat finally reached the sandbar. The four pirates climbed out and dusted themselves off to at least try to look presentable.

"He's not alone." Elizabeth said, noticing three figures at the other end of the sandbar.

"We're not." Barbossa commented. The four pirates walked side by side to where Beckett stood. As they got closer, they were able to see who the three people were.

In the center stood Beckett, wearing a dark peacock green coat. To his left was Davy Jones, standing in a large bucket of sea water. What was most surprising was who stood to Beckett's right. Will Turner looked as serious as the men beside him. He looked like he fit in perfectly.

The pirates stopped before Beckett's men. They sized each other up and stared for a moment. Barbossa was the first to speak.

"You be the cur that led these wolves to our door." he said to Will

"Don't blame Turner, he was merely the tool of your betrayal. If you wish to see its grand architect, look to your left." Beckett said. All heads turned to the left, including Jack, who was at the end of the line to the left. He looked back at the crew and held up his hands.

"My hands are clean in this... Figuratively." he said, looking down at his dirty hands.

"Grand architect? You had this all planned... You were going to betray us like Will..." Jewel said, putting a hand on her cutlass. Barbossa stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder.

"My actions were my own and to my own purpose. Jack had nothing to do with it." Will explained

"Well spoke, listen to the tool." Jack said, pointing to Will.

"I understand Will's betrayal, but you dad?" Jewel asked

"Will, I've been aboard the Dutchman, I understand the burden you bear, but I fear that cause is lost." Elizabeth said to Will.

"No cause is lost if there is but one fool left to fight for it." Will said

"I would not so much as call it betrayal." Jack said

"If Turner was not acting on your behalf, then how did he come to give me this?" Beckett said, holding up Jack's compass, "You made a deal with me, Jack, to deliver the pirates, and here they are. Don't be bashful. Step up, claim your reward." He tossed Jack the compass. Jewel groaned.

"I should not be surprised. And yet I am." she said, "Dad, I think you've reached the epitome of stupidity."

"Your debt to me is still to be satisfied, Sparrow. One hundred years in service aboard the Dutchman. As a start." Jones said

"That debt was paid, mate," Jack said, "with," he motioned to Elizabeth, "help." The Pirate King in question had a certain look on her face. She was planning something.

"You escaped!" Jones said

"Technically-" Jack started

"I propose an exchange." Elizabeth interrupted, "Will leaves with us, and you can take Jack."

"What?" Jack asked. Barbossa and Jewel were also surprised by the deal.

"Done." Will said

"Undone!" Jack said quickly.

"Done." Beckett agreed. Jewel and Barbossa walked to Elizabeth.

"I might not be fond of him at the moment, but we just brought him back from the locker!" she said, "It's a bit counterproductive, saving him only to give him up in the end!"

"Moreso, Jack is one of the nine pirate lords! You have no right." Barbossa said. Elizabeth looked at Barbossa.

"King." She said with a smirk.

"I think I would have preferred Jocard as King." Jewel grumbled.

"As you command." Jack said, taking off his hat to bow, "your nibs."

"Blackguard!" Barbossa yelled, draw his sword. He sliced it at Jack and cut off the small bead braid that hung on Jack's bandana. Jack, the monkey, scurried across the sand to grab it in his mouth. Barbossa walked up to Jack.

"If you be sayin' something, I might be sayin' something as well." he said

"... First to the finish, then?" Jack asked. He turned his back on Barbossa and walked forward to switch sides with Will. He winced when he Beckett. He winced once more when he turned to Davy. Jack put his hat back on.

"Do you fear death?" Davy asked Jack

"You have no idea." Jack replied. Beckett stepped forward.

"Advise your brethren," he said, "you can fight and all of you will die, or you can not fight... In which case only most of you will die." Elizabeth stepped forward.

"You murdered my father." she said.

"He chose his own fate." Beckett replied

"And you have chosen yours." Elizabeth said, "We will fight, and you will die." She walked off, leading the way for the rest of the pirates back to the boat. One pirate stayed. The others stopped to look back at her.

"Ms. Sparrow, I assume." Beckett said looking at Jewel. She glared at him. He was the cause of everything. If it wasn't because of him, Jack wouldn't have made the deal with Jones, the heart would be safe, and all would have been well amongst the pirates.

"Aye." she said

"Is there anything you wish to discuss?" he asked

"The Wicked Wench. You had no remorse burning it? Even though you didn't look inside to see if anybody was still in it?" she asked

"No." Beckett said. Jewel growled and pulled out her cutlass.

"No Jewel!" Barbossa ordered. Jewel glanced back at him.

"Yes Jewel, don't." Beckett said, "I would rather not kill you myself. I'd much prefer Jones to do it." Davy chuckled at hearing that. With a cry, Jewel rushed forward sword swinging. Beckett drew his own and blocked her attacks. It was surprising, his skill with a blade. But had only been on the defense, never making a move to attack, and never moving from where he stood.

"You're quite skilled, Ms. Sparrow. You've a lot of spirit." Beckett said, pushing off against Jewel's clash. "Which makes it hard to do this." Jewel wasn't paying attention to his words. He swung his sword out to her feet, making her look down and jump back. When she looked up, Beckett's sword was swinging right at her face.

She couldn't react in time. She cried out and fell back, clutching the right side of her face. Jack was about to run to her, but Davy grabbed his arm with his crab claw. Barbossa was going to do the same, but Will and Elizabeth both grabbed his arms.

Jewel turned herself over, still holding the right side of her face. She breathed heavily and hissed at the pain. Beckett stood over her, his sword sheathed, his hands held behind his back.

"It is a shame I ruined that face of yours." he said, "But in exchange, I will offer you a deal: You can leave all of this. All of the piracy,all of the looting and pillaging. If you come with me, you will have a new life in England where your past crimes have been forgiven. And you will be safe as my apprentice." A low growl escaped Jewel's throat.

"Not in this life. Or in ANY OTHER!" Jewel shrieked, quickly pulling herself up and reaching out to Beckett's face.

Although her nails weren't long, they were still pretty sharp. Jewel clawed Beckett's face, leaving five bloody scratches on his cheek. Beckett was shocked, but quickly regained his own cool and collected composure. Jewel removed her hand from her face, a large bleeding line showing just under her right eye and ending at her chin.

"As the pirate king said, 'You will die.'" Jewel said lowly. She turned to join her friends. They were surprised at her actions and the result.

"So be it." Beckett said as the four pirates walked away. Jack the monkey climbed onto Jewel's shoulder and gave her the beads that Barbossa cut off from her father's bandana.

"You'll need stitches." Elizabeth said

"No. Let it bleed. I don't bloody care anymore." Jewel said, "I just want that bastard dead for what he's done."