Chapter Nine
Once the Atonement reached Port Royal, the pirates were whisked off to the prison cells of Fort Edward. Jessie only saw the governor and Elizabeth once, but it was no more than a glance as they rode back to their home in a carriage. Will was given a warm welcome and called a hero upon arrival. Jessie heard the cheers through the window in her cell when Governor Swan officially cleared Will's name and made him the blacksmith of Fort Edward. Jack, who had not moved since they had been placed in their cell three days ago, smiled faintly.
"He has yerself to thank for that, Jess," he remarked.
Jessie stepped off the stone she had stood on tiptoe to see out of the tiny window. "I asked that he be granted the same grace Governor Swan would've shown me. I did not ask that he be given an official title."
Jack shrugged and went back to sleep. Jessie folded her hands together and studied her thumbs as the noise from outside died down.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The night before they were to be hung, Jessie couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned on her cot in the corner, got up and paced, lay back down and counted the stones in the wall. She mused a little over how Jack had known she had convinced Governor Swan to overlook Will's treason, then she brushed the thought aside. Jack had a strange intuition when it came to her actions.
The wall lost all its menial interest. Frustrated, Jessie stood and placed her foot on the one brick in the wall that stuck out enough for her to stand on. She pressed her weight on the wall and peered at the gallows the soldiers had spent the last four days building. Two ropes, already knotted, swayed gloomily in the wind. Without meaning to, Jessie put her hand to her neck. She felt for the medallion out of habit and balled her restless fingers into a fist once she remembered it was gone.
"I don't see any way out of this one, Jack," she said quietly. "There's nowhere to run to, and there's no ship to take us anywhere."
Jack snored loudly. Jessie jumped to the floor and folded her arms across her chest, putting her back to the stone wall. The hard rock had failed to soak up any sunlight, and the iciness seeped through Jessie's shirt. She arched her back and tried to entertain herself with figuring how long until the morning showed.
There was a sudden creak of one of the doors to the cells opening. Jessie snapped awake. Light drifted dimly through the window to the floor. Jack had not moved, apparently untroubled by the noise. Jessie unconsciously moved farther into the remaining shadows.
A figure crept to the bars of their cell, its face hooded. Jessie quickly scanned the figure, determining it was a man and he carried no weapons.
As she stepped forward, the man threw back his hood.
"Will!" Jessie exclaimed. Her voice bounced off the walls. She came up to the bars. "Will, what are you doing here?"
Will reached his fingers through the bars and touched Jessie's face. "Norrington told me you convinced Governor Swan to let me go free. Why did you do that?"
"You broke into jail to ask me that?" she queried disbelievingly.
"Just answer my question."
"I did it because I couldn't stand the thought of you dying for something I made you do," she replied softly. She wrapped her fingers around Will's. "You are my best friend, Will, and I don't want anything to happen to you."
"I can't let anything happen to you either," Will said. "I'm going to save you and Jack, I promise."
Jessie squeezed his fingers. "Don't, Will, they'll hang you! Don't do anything stupid."
Will took hold of her chin and brought her close to the bars. Before she could pull away, he kissed her lightly on the lips. A shock ran through Jessie, right down to her toes. Then Will let go and disappeared the way he had come, leaving Jessie standing with one hand still clutching the bars.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The sun beat down on the onlookers who crowded close together in Fort Edward. They waited on the top of the tall tower where, not too long ago, Jessie had fallen over the edge to the shallows below, suffocated by her corset.
Now Jessie stood next to Jack on the gallows, their hands tied, the nooses before them. They had to squint to see the figures of the governor, Elizabeth, and Norrington at the far end of the tower, watching from an elevated structure. Jessie was surprised to see Elizabeth, but she noticed the girl kept her face hidden beneath her large hat and she spent a great deal of time adjusting her gloves and watching the crowd.
A man wearing a dark coat stood up on a block in front of the gallows. He unrolled the scroll he carried and began to speak.
"Jack Sparrow," he called in a high, reedy voice that barely made it out to the crowd. Jessie heard Jack mutter something under his breath.
"You are charged with high treason against the Crown, as well as other crimes which are numerous in number and sinister in action…"
"Jess."
"What, Jack?"
"I don't think we're getting out of this one."
"…impersonating an officer of the Royal Navy; impersonating a clergy of the Church of England..."
Jessie laughed. "No, Jack, I don't think we are. We've never been in a spot this tight."
"…arson; kidnapping; perjury; piracy; pilfering; deprivation of a Federal Loyalist."
"It would be a grand thing if'n we did get out, wouldn't it?"
"Jessie Swiftblade, formerly known as Jessie Swan. You are also charged with high treason against the Crown, as well as committing crimes that are numerous in number and sinister in action…"
"Aye, Jack, it would be a story worth hearing from Gibbs. He always told the best stories."
"… impersonating a member of the royal house; kidnapping a member of the East India Trading Company…"
Jack grinned. "My favorite is the one about how I escaped that island Barbosa left me on."
"I still want to know how you did that."
"… arson; piracy; pilfering; perjury; unlawful acts with members of Parliament. For these crimes, you both are sentenced to hang by the neck until dead." The man rolled up his scroll and looked gravely at the siblings. "May God have mercy on your souls."
"No time, Jess. Maybe later."
The hangman, his head covered with a black cloth, walked up behind Jessie and secured the noose around her neck, then did the same to Jack. The rope was heavy and itchy. Jessie resisted the urge to lift her bound hands and remove the noose.
Something in the crowd caught her attention. It was a hat with a ridiculously large feather stuck in the brim. She couldn't see the wearer's face, but she knew who it was. A thrill ran through her.
The soldiers started a drumroll. The hangman pulled the lever, and the floor beneath Jessie and Jack's feet gave way. Their fall was jerked to a stop, and Jessie gasped as the noose tightened. She shut her eyes and listened to the crowd, who was yelling and screaming. Her mind was clouding. She couldn't figure out why everyone sounded panicked. She blinked. Her vision was growing black. It would all be over very soon.
Jessie dropped to the stones of the fort suddenly. She opened her eyes as the noose was cut off her neck. Gratefully, she sucked in air, coughing and gagging in the process. Jack tore the rope from her wrists and lifted her to her feet, pressing a sword into her hand.
"Move!" he shouted. Jessie found a swarm of redcoats running towards them. Jack and Jessie rolled around the base of the gallows and out to the square, where more soldiers waited with their bayonets ready. Jessie ducked underneath the deadly wall and swiped at the rows of legs. Men collapsed, but more took their place. Jessie was pushed back, hedged in by muskets and bayonets.
A body pressed against her, then another. Jack and Will, both brandishing their blades, came as close to her as they could, lightly touching the bayonets with their swords.
Norrington and the governor walked into the circle, Norrington with his hands behind his back. The governor looked angrier than Jessie had ever seen.
"Well, Mr. Turner," Norrington said evenly. "It would seem that you have decided to disregard our grace."
"You've decided to throw your lot in with them!" the governor exclaimed. "They're pirates!"
"And good people!" Will threw his sword to the ground. "If all I've accomplished by this is that the noose will have three necks instead of two, at least my conscience will be clear."
Norrington drew his sword and placed the tip on Will's jaw. Jack and Jessie stuck their hands in the air, and the soldiers raised their muskets.
"James." Elizabeth's soft voice cut through the tension. She held Norrington's arm and looked beseechingly at her father. "I believe Mr. Turner has acted selflessly and is standing up for what he believes to be wrong."
She leaned closer and whispered into her fiancé's ear. Jack tugged on Jessie's sleeve. He used his head to point out a parrot sitting atop a standard. Jessie narrowed her eyes.
Cotton's parrot…
Norrington and Elizabeth turned away from the group, their discussion becoming more heated. Governor Swan joined them, gesturing back to the trio.
"Jess," Jack said from the side of his mouth, "I believe now is as good a time as any."
Jessie shook her head slightly. "No, Jack, we can't leave Will."
Jack took her hand and ran back towards the end of the fort. He leapt to the edge, Jessie balancing beside him.
"Gentlemen," he called grandly, "I hate to escape and run, but Swiftblade and I must be going."
The soldiers lowered their muskets and rushed at the pirates.
"And you must always remember today as the day when you almost caught—"
Jessie felt herself plummet backwards. Jack released his grip on her fingers, and she straightened herself out into a dive. The cold water swallowed her up, and she opened her eyes. The sea bed was unnervingly close. With several kicks, she swam to the surface, gasping for breath when her head was out of the water.
A shout echoed out from the bay. Jessie and Jack turned to see the Black Pearl sailing towards them. They swam to the side of the ship, where the crew threw two ropes into their waiting hands and heaved them up to the deck. The siblings flew through the air, the crew pulled on the ropes so hard. As she sailed above the water, Jessie tried to catch a glimpse of Will, but the fort rose too high.
Jack and Jessie crashed to the deck. The crew surrounded them and helped them up. Jack eyed Gibbs.
"I thought I told ye to stick to the Code," he stated.
Gibbs smirked. "We figured ye wouldn't be too upset as to 'ave to Pearl to yeself once again."
Jessie scurried up the rigging and into the crow's nest, still wanting to see what became of Will. Below, Jack took the tiller, stroking the wood lovingly until he realized the crew was watching him.
"To yer station's, ye scurvy dogs!" he shouted.
Jessie felt the ship turn towards to open ocean. She kept watching the fort, even after it was nothing more than a spot on the horizon, but she didn't see Will, Norrington, or Governor Swan. Eventually, she climbed down slowly and took her place next to Jack, who was humming a shanty to himself.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Black Pearl docked at Tortuga a day later, where the crew disappeared to celebrate their good fortune. Jessie slipped away as soon as she could and made for her beloved ship, the Sea Serpent. The crew had kept her in top condition, which pleased Jessie a little, and she took her time inspecting the ship. The crew, she imagined, was somewhere on Tortuga, but she would round them up in the morning and set sail before the tide ran out.
Jessie came back to the top deck and stood at the tiller, running her fingers over the familiar wood.
"I knew I'd find you here."
Jack came and stood next to her. "The Serpent appears to be in one piece. Ye sailin' off tomorrow, eh?"
Jessie nodded.
"Well, we can all go together, then. I don't want to waste too much time on this lovely island, so—"
"No, Jack."
He frowned and stared at her. "What's that?"
"I won't be going with you and the Pearl." She read his question in his expression.
"Two reasons. The first is the obvious: no one on the Caribbean knows that we're related, and we need to keep it that way. Your deadline with Jones is fast approaching, and I believe it would be better for you if you had someone who could help you out of his clutches. This way, I can scout out our other enemies as well.
"The second reason…" She paused. "Jack," she smiled at him, "I've grown up. You know we wouldn't be able to sail together for long."
Jack's mouth twitched. "Aye. Ye always were a feisty lass, Jess. But I have a feelin' there's another reason ye want to leave me so quickly." He leaned on the tiller. "Somethin' to do with young William, I imagine?"
Much to her chagrin, Jessie blushed a little. However, she shrugged and didn't answer.
"Ye needn't worry about him, Jess. I think that pretty Miss Swan will make sure he is taken care of. But, it's yer choice, and I can't stop ye. I'll be sailin' for the fountain of youth, so ye won't see me fer a while, most likely."
He pulled out his compass and opened it. Jessie peered over his shoulder to watch the enchanted needle point, she presumed, in the direction of the fountain.
"You can't just go after treasure that's not part of a legend?" she teased.
"Now where's the fun in that, love?"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jessie ran her hand over her hair once more, making sure the ponytail was holding. With the long, confident strides of a man, she made her way through the streets of Port Royal to a pub and sat down at the bar. The bartender slid a tankard across the table. Without looking his direction, Jessie caught it with one hand and took a deep draft. She sighed with pleasure as a tingling sensation ran through her body.
"Ahoy there, sailor!" another man greeted, sitting in the chair next to her. "You look like you've just sailed in from a hard voyage!"
"That I have," she replied, making her voice a bit gravelly. "Just returned from Africa and its never-ending storms." She drank again.
"But aren't ye a bit you to be sailin' so far? Who's ye captain?"
"I'm the captain. My ship ain't much, but we bring back enough to please the governor." She laughed. "Tell me, friend, I've been gone a while and I've heard whispers of excitement happening recently."
"Aye, we've had a great deal of excitement. Pirates attacked us and carried off Miss Elizabeth—you know, the governor's daughter. Nearly destroyed Port Royal, those brutes did. Commodore Norrington sent every ship after her, of course, but that other Swan girl, Jessie, broke Jack Sparrow out of prison and commandeered the Interceptor with Mister Turner joining them."
Jessie shook her head. "They didn't find Miss Elizabeth?"
"They found her well enough. Marooned on some strip of land with Jack Sparrow, she was, and full of the most fantastic stories about pirates who couldn't die and Jessie bein' a pirate."
"A pirate?"
The man nodded. "Aye, a pirate! Seems as the girl was a pirate to begin with, and she continued to raid and steal when she was living on Barbados."
"So everyone is now well and accounted for, eh? Sparrow and Jessie are hung, I'd imagine…"
"Hardly. Sparrow and Swiftblade (that was Jessie's pirate name), they both got away on the very day of their execution. Will Turner hasn't fared too badly, though. He was in danger for a bit, but Elizabeth pleaded his case, and the governor granted him his own smithy. He makes finer craft than Brown ever did, and I wager it was Will who made everything for Brown when he worked for him. Miss Elizabeth and Commodore Norrington are to be married sometime in the very near future, and things around here have returned to normal, so that's about the end of it."
Jessie drained the remainder of her mug. "And a fine tale it made, to be sure." She waved the bartender over. As he refilled her tankard, she stuck her hand out to her companion.
"Captain Edmund Smith, of the Fair Lady," she said, shaking the man's hand warmly.
"Henry Dawes. Good to meet you, Captain."
Jessie gulped the last of the liquor. "You as well. Thanks for the news, I'm off to make sure my good-for-nothing crew hasn't completely bungled their job." She left a few coins on the bar and walked out. As she entered the street, she slowed her steps and listened for the sounds of pursuit she expected to hear.
"Captain!"
Dawes had ran after her into the busy street.
"I was just thinkin'… are ye in need of another crew member?"
Jessie eyed him. "You look strong enough for the job. Have you a family?"
"None who would miss my absence."
"And you have nothing on shore that would prevent you from devoting your full self to my business?"
He shook his head.
"Then pack your bags, Dawes, and be at the docks in precisely ten minutes. My men will pick you up. If you aren't there, I won't wait."
Jessie turned away and continued back to her ship. She heard Dawes scurry off and breathed a small sigh of relief. She had known who Dawes was the moment she saw him, but whether or not he knew her was another question.
"Might as well keep all the dangerous ones under my watch," she thought. "He could be useful, anyway."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Far away, on a remote piece of land one could barely call an island, Tia opened her eyes. She in a small room at a small table, her elbows on its grimy surface and chin resting in her hands. The room was dimly lit with several lamps, and throughout the entire room were strange objects. They were sat, hung, or thrown wherever Tia could find space.
Tia touched the various objects on the table before her with her long fingers. They looked like animal bones, shells, rocks, and other unidentifiable things.
"Ye better watch ye back, Swiftblade," she said to herself. She picked up a little figure carefully carved out of wood and looked fondly at it. "Yer enemies are beginnin' to make deir moves, and ye could be caught in de middle.
"And Jack," she said to another piece, "Ye'll be to my island soon, lookin' fer answers to ye questions. Jones ain't forgot ye yet, and he's hungry fer ye soul."
Tia laughed to herself, a terrible, mirthless laugh.
Outside, dawn began to break.