Birds of a Feather

The Curse of the Black Pearl

Chapter Nineteen

Why's the Rum Gone?

James Norrington found Weatherby Swann doing the exact same thing he had found the Governor doing every morning since they set sail: praying.

"Please, Lord, protect them and guide them and please, I beg you, let me see them one last time," Weatherby was knelt at his bed, trying not to cry. "Please don't take them from me too."

James felt quite awkward to be in the room. Truth be told, it was his cabin, but he had allowed Governor Swann to take it over during their voyage to search for Philip and Elizabeth (as well as Turner and Sparrow he supposed if they came across them, but James wouldn't exactly be upset if they didn't.) Still, it was uncomfortable to walk in on such an intimate scene of sorrow. Even if he had witnessed it many times on the voyage.

Changing his plan, James moved to make a swift and silent exit. Unfortunately, his hands decided not to co-operate, and he yanked on the door before he had fully turned the handle, making a rather loud thud as he did.

Governor Swann's head shot up in an instant. Their eyes met across the room, and they stood frozen in what must have been the longest four seconds of Norrington's life. There was his potential future father-in-law, wet-eyed, red-faced, and wigless.

For a brief second, Norrington seriously considered just making a run for it.

"Governor Swann," James cleared his throat, awkwardly releasing his grip on the doorknob. He gave a slight bow and did his best to fake that this greeting had been his intention all along. "Did you have a comfortable night?"

"Uh, yes," Weatherby kept his eyes lowered as he scrambled to straighten himself out. Where the devil had his wig gone? "Comfortable enough. I must say, the sea has never suited me well. It was Rebecca who had saltwater in her veins."

"Must be where Elizabeth gets it," James said, trying to make polite conversation. What he wouldn't give for one of his men to barge into the room with news right now.

Well, or at least when he wasn't standing directly in front of the door. James made a small step out of the way of the door's path.

"Indeed, it is," Weatherby smiled a little at the thought of his daughter and his sister. How he missed both so dearly. He prayed hourly that the two wouldn't be reunited in heaven any time soon. The only blood relative Rebecca should have to bother with was their mother, Joanna. "Though I do not know where my sister got it from. The Lord knows my father had no love for the sea."

Weatherby did know that his sister wouldn't have to deal with their father in the afterlife. As sinful as the thought was, Weatherby was certain that Bartholomew was roasting down in hell.

James proved to have no reply to Weatherby's words, so a silence fell upon the room. Both men stared at each other, hoping that the other would speak first.

"Well, Commodore," Weatherby finally cut the stillness, "I assume there is a reason for your visit? Perhaps some joyous news about my children?"

"Unfortunately not," James replied. "Not about your children or news at least. I do have a reason for visiting, and that was to inform you that breakfast is ready. Would you like to join myself and the officers, or will you take another meal in my- er, your room?"

He chose not to mention Weatherby hadn't dined outside that cabin in over three weeks.

"My room, of course," the Governor nodded, a slightly guilty look hanging on his face. He wanted to join the others and put on the show society – and his father especially – always expected of him. But he just couldn't find the strength when his children were in such danger.

"Very well." James turned back to the door to exit but stopped himself. "Governor?"

"Yes, Commodore?"

"I want you to know… I believe your children are safe."

Weatherby heaved a sigh. He couldn't play act with James Norrington anymore.

"How can you say that?" Weatherby asked. "Pirates, Commodore. Pirates have my children."

"I know, but I also know your children quite well. William Turner will not allow anyone to put Philip in harms way, and Elizabeth is a bigger handful than the pirates will expect."

"A handful, you say?" Weatherby let himself smile. "Having second thoughts about your proposal, Commodore?"

"Absolutely not, Governor. Elizabeth is a challenge I am eager to take on. I want nothing more than to see her returned to us safely and then for me to take her as my wife before God and the world. Elizabeth Swann is a handful, but she is the perfect match for me exactly the way she is."

Weatherby's face fell a little, "And what if… What if after this unfortunate situation she isn't exactly the same way she was? What if something happened with the pirates and she couldn't… give you everything she originally could offer?"

James understood, "Governor, Elizabeth is a woman of many virtues. My intentions and opinion of her will not change if her physical one has been taken from her."

The Governor looked relieved at the answer and came forward to put a hand on Norrington's shoulder, "You're a good man, James. I am glad my daughter has chosen you."

James had to force the smile on his face. Elizabeth hadn't actually chosen him yet, and there was a small chance she never would. He knew that Elizabeth would never feel for him the way he did her. James would do his best to give her the world, but by no means had he been her choice.

His eyes drifted to a map on the wall and his heart sunk as he thought of a blacksmith throwing an axe through a similar one. James Norrington was not blind to the story of Elizabeth Swann and William Turner. He knew that Elizabeth might ultimately give James her hand… but it was Turner who would forever have her heart.

"Commodore! Governor! Commodore! Governor!" The door suddenly swung open – not hitting James – and Theodore Groves came barreling in. There was a smile on his face and excitement twinkling in his eyes, "Commodore Norrington! Governor Swann! Come quick! We've found something!"

"Look. There. The island with all the smoke," Groves handed Norrington a spyglass as they crowded around the railing of the top deck with Governor Swann and Lieutenant Gillette. "There are two figures on the beach."

Norrington held up the spyglass and focused in on where Groves had indicated. In the magnification of the glass, James could see two tiny figures – a blonde woman and a black-haired man – arguing next to a raging bonfire.

"What is it?" Weatherby asked eagerly. "Is it Elizabeth? Is it Philip?"

James lowered the spyglass and stared at the scene in bemusement, "I can't be sure at this distance, so please do not get your hopes up, Governor, but I do believe that is indeed Elizabeth."

"Oh, thank the Lord!" Weatherby cried, snatching the spyglass when James offered it to him.

"However," Norrington began as Weatherby lifted the instrument to his eye, "I do not believe that is Mr. Swift. Nor Mr. Turner."

"Then who- This that Sparrow?"

"Sparrow?" Gillette exclaimed.

"Indeed, I believe you are correct, Commodore," Groves said. "I was quite confused when I saw the pairing as well."

"Any sign of Turner or Swift?"

"None."

"I… I don't understand," Weatherby stared through the scope at his daughter with the pirate. "What could Elizabeth be doing with that pirate? And without Philip or even Turner?"

"Perhaps Sparrow's stolen her away?" Gillette suggested, procuring a spyglass from another crewmember to examine the scene himself. "Maybe Sparrow used Turner and Swift to get to her, and then took her hostage himself? Perhaps he's secluded Miss Swann in a dangerous game where there's not even a second he's not calling the shots, and she doesn't even so much as sneeze without his permission? What if he's made himself the most dangerous thing in the Caribbean and Miss Swann is now his helpless victim?"

"What are you doing?" Jack cried helplessly. "You burned all the food, the shade! The rum!"

"Yes, the rum is gone," Elizabeth said simply.

"Why is the rum gone?"

She whipped around in an instant, lifting on her toes to tower over him, "One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two, that signal is over a thousand feet high. The entire Royal Navy is out looking for my cousin and I. Do you really think that there is even the slightest chance that they won't see it?"

"But why is the rum gone?"

"Send a longboat immediately," Norrington ordered. "But stay on your guard with Sparrow. We don't know what kind of tricks he has up his sleeves."

"Yes, Sir," Groves bowed his head, and then he and Gillette sprung into action ordering the men around.

"Uh, Commodore?" Weatherby asked gently, looking a little awkward as he tried not to let eagerness overtake propriety. "Might I request that I join the landing party? It has been a trying several weeks for myself, and I wish for nothing more than to hold my daughter safe in my arms as quickly as possible."

"I understand the notion, Governor, however I worry that this could be a potentially dangerous situation. I would rather you stay aboard until we can bring Elizabeth safely to you."

Weatherby spoke no response, but his desperate eyes said everything.

"However," Norrington sighed, "I do also know that members of the Swann family are notorious for – if you'll pardon the pun – flying the coop, and I suspect if I tell you no, you'll find a way to circumvent that order. Therefore, you have my blessing, Governor. Go and be with your daughter."

James let himself smile as Weatherby Swann's face lit up in glee. This was why he had joined the navy in the first place, to help people and bring joy to their lives. Plus, it didn't hurt to win a little good will from his potential future father-in-law.

…Provided William Turner hadn't done anything to ruin his plans.

Elizabeth bounced on her toes as the longboat rowed ever closer to the island.

"Here!" Elizabeth waved her arms as she caught sight of the familiar uniforms of the British Royal Navy. "I'm over here! I'm alright!"

"Miss Swann?" a voice called across the water. She could only barely recognize it as Theodore Groves, the men too small to identify by sight. "Stay right there. We're coming for you!"

Jack, who was pouting next to Elizabeth, scoffed, "Stay right there? Where are you bloody well going to go?"

"Oh hush, you," Elizabeth scolded. "There's no need to sulk."

"On the contrary, there's a great many things to sulk about," Jack countered. "William and Philip are going to be killed. I lost my ship once more. Once I'm in bloody Norrington's grasp, I'm going to be hung for piracy, and worst of all, you burned the rum."

"Have you considered your priorities are askew?"

"Have you considered I don't like you anymore?"

"I can live with that."

"Elizabeth!" a different voice called.

Her eyes snapped back to the longboat, and when she saw who was sitting in the front – not at all helping with the rowing – her jaw dropped.

"Father?" she exclaimed.

"Elizabeth!" Weatherby called back.

"Huh," Jack said, "didn't expect him to come out with the rabble."

"Neither did I," Elizabeth blinked a few times just to make sure she wasn't imagining things.

Then Jack started to laugh, and Elizabeth knew that meant nothing good.

"Oh, this is wonderful," Jack gave her a toothy grin. "I wanted so desperately to see the reaction on your father's face when he learned about the preacher and the mermaid but didn't think I would get to. This is going to be a delight."

Elizabeth went deathly pale, "Philip and the… Jack, you cannot tell him about The Mermaid. Especially not the things that have happened with Philip."

"Can and will."

"Please, Jack, it would kill him. Maybe literally. My grandfather died from a heart attack. My father can never know about this."

"Well, you best start planning the funeral then. I've always thought lilies were a good mourning flower."

"Sparrow, I will do anything," Elizabeth pleaded.

"Consider it revenge for the rum burning."

"Sparrow!"

"Oh, alright," Jack sighed at the desperation in her voice. "But you owe me one. A big one."

"Agreed. What do you want?"

"Oh, I don't know yet. Maybe I'll know in an hour, maybe in a decade. But I will hold this over you until the day I cash in this favor, and whatever the favor is, you cannot say no."

Elizabeth bit her lip hard, but found she really had no choice, "Alright… deal."

She would spend the next two years dreading that payoff. Never in her wildest dreams could she imagine what Jack Sparrow would have in store for that favor.

Elizabeth was in Weatherby's arms in an instant. Their legs were still submerged in the low tide when their arms locked around each other. It was hard to tell whose tears fell first, but in a millisecond, they were clutching each other and sobbing.

"You're safe," Weatherby whispered, his face buried in her hair. "Oh, thank the Lord you are unharmed. I worried so much-"

"I'm alright, Father. I'm so sorry about this." Elizabeth hesitated over her next words, "I thought that I would be in danger if they knew I was your daughter. I never imagined that giving a false name would cause so much trouble."

"A false name?" Weatherby pulled back. "Elizabeth, what are you talking about? They didn't want you because of your station?"

"No, they didn't." She took a deep breath, "It's a long… and rather unbelievable story. Please, can we discuss it later?"

He opened his mouth to object, but second guessed himself when he saw the desperation in his daughter's eyes.

"Alright," he pulled her back into his tight embrace, "but you must tell me everything."

"Of course, Father. I promise."

That was a lie. Elizabeth planned on censoring as much as humanly possible. If she could avoid it, her father would never know about Philip and the mermaid. Or the naked dinner ultimatum. Or the ghost pirates. Or her several attempts at murder. Or the fact that Philip met a prostitute. Or her sort of friends and sort of rivals relationship with The Mermaid. Or that Will was the son of a pirate. Or her kissing session with Will that led to his hand cupping a place that would get his hand cut off if Norrington knew. It was a body part (or rather parts) above the waist, but it was a place Philip Swift would throw a fit if he knew Will had touched her there out of wedlock.

And most of all, she definitely wasn't about to tell anyone about that time she and Will fired cutlery out of canons.

That was just strange.

When Weatherby could manage having Elizabeth out of his arms, he took a step back and examined her form, "Now, are you injured? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," she stopped his hand as he reached for a black spot on her forehead that was either soot or a bruise. "I promise."

"Are you sure? What about…" Weatherby anxiously glanced around the soldiers surrounding them. He asked in a low voice, "Are you… intact?"

Elizabeth's eyes shot wide, "Father!"

"It's a reasonable question considering the… characters you've been around. Your cousin can't always guard you from men with… desire in their hearts."

Her cousin? Why hadn't he mentioned Wi…

Oh.

In that moment, Elizabeth realised her father was a little less oblivious than she thought.

With a red twinge to her face, Elizabeth leaned in and whispered, "Yes, Father. I am still… unknown to man."

Weatherby heaved a sigh of relief, "Thank the Lord."

Elizabeth was originally going to say untouched, but that was not actually true. A certain blacksmith had admittedly put hands on her in a way no other man had dared to do so.

"Now, where on Earth is your cousin?" Weatherby asked looking around as if Philip was hiding behind a palm tree. "And how did you end up on this island with Sparrow?"

She turned to look at Jack, expecting him to intercede. But as per their agreement, Jack just bowed his head, stayed mum, and gestured with his hand for her to take it away.

Oh, she was going to regret this favor so much. She already knew it.

"Well?" Weatherby pressed for an answer.

Elizabeth took a deep breath, and then crafted her story.

"Aunt Rebecca told me too many stories of pirates growing up," she said.

Weatherby blinked.

"… Alright," he said slowly. That wasn't the response he expected. "I'm glad to hear you finally admit it, but I don't see how-"

"When the pirates invaded the manor, my head was just filled with those stories," Elizabeth explained. "I panicked and was overwhelmed, so when a pair of pirates got a hold of me, I… I… I invoked the right of parley."

All the men stared at her.

"Really?" This was the first Jack had heard of Elizabeth's gambit.

"What's… parley?" Weatherby frowned.

"Pirate code of conduct," Groves explained. As a Navy Sailor, he had somewhat a working knowledge of a Pirate's life. "It's a call to confer peacefully and without threat of harm until the discussion is over."

"I thought I might be able to negotiate the pirate leaving Port Royal, which they did," Elizabeth said. "I just… didn't plan on them leaving with me still onboard."

"Did they take you because you were my daughter?" Weatherby asked.

"Not… Exactly."

Weatherby scowled, "Go on."

"My mind was just a jumble, and when they asked me for my name, I was thinking of the pirate song I used to sing-"

"Very catchy, by the way," Jack cut in.

She glared at him, "And I thought of the way Mr. Gibbs used to chastise me for singing it on our crossing… So when they asked my name, I lied, said I was a maid in the Governor's household and that my name was Elizabeth Gibbs, daughter of Joshamee Gibbs."

Weatherby's eyes widen, "I'm sorry. You said you were the daughter of the drunk sailor on our crossing that was superstitious about pirates?"

"Yes," Elizabeth fibbed. "And as it turned out, that was a bad idea because Gibbs has actually turned pirate in recent years and owed the pirate captain money. So they kidnapped me, hoping taking his daughter hostage would get Gibbs to pay up."

"Not that Gibbs has that kind of money," Jack input.

Weatherby looked to him, "And you learned this how?"

"Well, I knew that Gibbs had gotten himself into trouble with the Black Pearl," Jack thankfully played into Elizabeth's lie. "So when Philiam- Er, Philip and William freed me, I told them what was happening and we went to Tortuga to get Gibbs to make the trade. The poor cod didn't have a copper to his name, but he agreed to come along and clear up the matter."

"But things didn't go well when they found me," Elizabeth continued. "The pirates didn't care that I wasn't actually Mr. Gibbs' daughter. They just wanted their gold and we had to fight our way to escape."

"A very good fight," Jack added. "Very glorious. Stuff of legends by myself."

Groves and Weatherby Swann just exchanged a look. Elizabeth's heart thrummed faster in her chest. Did they know she was lying?

"But Will got captured during our escape," Elizabeth said. She knew her father would be more willing to help rescue Will if she switched Philip and Will's actions around. "He- He stayed behind to protect me."

Weatherby had never exactly been the greatest at picking up the subtler emotions of people, but he knew there was something a bit more in Elizabeth's eyes.

"So we escaped the pirates," Jack pushed Elizabeth to continue, "but they gave chase."

"They had learned that Philip and I were relate to a King's Governor, so one way or another they were going to get their gold," Elizabeth said. "We tried to fight them off, but we got captured and our ship was destroyed."

Groves' eyes went wide as saucers, "I'm sorry, are you saying that the Interceptor has been destroyed?"

Elizabeth flashed him a meek smile, "…a little bit."

"How can that be a little bit?" Jack laughed. "Barbossa blew it up."

Elizabeth groaned, dropping her head into her hands.

Groves groaned, "Oh, I am not looking forward to making that report to the Commodore."

"Well, that is a something to be dealt with, but at a later time," Weatherby said. "Elizabeth, where is your cousin?"

Elizabeth sighed, "He's… with the pirates. When we were caught, Philip stepped up and offered to be the ransom if the pirates let me free. They agreed, thinking a male nephew would be worth more than a daughter, and let me go… on a deserted island with Jack Sparrow."

Weatherby scowled, "Did they think Sparrow more capable of getting you home?"

"Nah, Mate, they intended for both of us to die," Jack said. "It's only because of Little Miss Swann here that we're being rescued by the Royal Navy."

"Thank you, Jack."

"That wasn't a compliment, Love."

"As it is," Weatherby wrapped his arm around Elizabeth and pulled her closer to him and away from Sparrow. He did not like the pirate calling Elizabeth Love. "You are safe now."

"And I'm glad of it, Father," Elizabeth struggled to smile. "But Philip and Will-"

"We will make our plans when we have returned to the ship," Weatherby promised. "There's much to discuss."

"Of course." Elizabeth leaned her head against her father's chest and took a deep breath. She was finally safe in her father's arms.

But then her eyes met Jack's as he observed the scene silently. The men around them were speaking of this and that, and plans and procedures. Only she and Jack knew the truth of the matter before them.

Yes, Elizabeth was safe… but she wasn't out of the woods just yet.