"There you go, miss," the maid told Elizabeth as she prepared the girl for bed. "It was a difficult day for you, I'm sure."
Elizabeth nodded for she could not disagree. Wearing a tight dress, which caused her to almost drown, then get held hostage by a pirate. What else could happen worse?
"I suspected Commodore Norrington would propose." The 17-year-old mumbled, wearing only her white nightgown. "Though I must admit, I wasn't prepared for it."
"I meant being threated by that pirate." The maid told her. "Sounds terrifying. But the commodore proposed. Fancy that. Now that's smart match, miss, if it's not too bold to say."
"It is a smart match." Elizabeth agreed, though her mind was set on Will Turner. "He's a fine man. He's what any woman should be dreaming of marrying."
The maid looked at the 17-year-old, immediately deducing of whom the girl was thinking about.
"Well, that Will Turner. He's a fine man too."
"That is too bold." Elizabeth then told her, giving the maid a shocked look. The maid immediately apologized before leaving the room. Left alone, the girl put away the book she was reading, and from her nightgown she pulled out the medallion. Looking at the skull engraved on the gold, Elizabeth wondered what was wrong with this medallion. As long as she carried it, the girl always felt a strange and haunting presence. Suddenly, a cold wind flew in and swiftly diminished the fire on the candle. Elizabeth shivered, not from the cold, but from fright. It was as if that strange presence diminished the fire, warning Elizabeth of their inevitable arrival.
Suddenly, the ground shook as a few explosions were heard nearby. Screaming out of fright, Elizabeth swiftly got off her bed. Not caring to put on her slippers, the girl dashed towards the window with her bare feet and opened it. The Swann Manor was built on top of a hill, with the Port Royal being on sight before her. Looking out, Elizabeth saw a ship with black sails standing in the middle of the bay, shelling both the port and the town with its cannons.
"Pirates," she breathed out. She saw that some parts of Port Royal were already in flames. Including the fort. At the same time, screams and gunshots were heard from the town. Elizabeth immediately deduced that the pirates have already landed on shore and were now raiding Port Royal. She was about to close the door when she heard war cries nearby. Looking out, she gasped in fear. A group of pirates armed with torches were breaking the gates of her mansion, charging towards the building. Barefoot, she dashed towards the main hall when there was a knock on the door. She saw the butler walking towards the door to answer.
"Don't!" the barefoot girl cried, but it was too late. The butler opened the door, meeting several pirates.
"Hello, chum." A short, round pirate with balding grey hair greeted before shooting the butler, straight in the head, killing him instantly. Elizabeth screamed in horror as the poor man fell onto the floor. Her scream immediately attracted the pirates as they looked up, spotting her. The round pirate with balding hair and another one; tall, skinny man with blond hair, were heading up the stairs after her, while the rest began looting the mansion, while assaulting the maids.
Elizabeth raced to one of the rooms, locking the door, only to immediately to scream when the maid accidentally scared her. The woman urged the poor girl to hide and then use the first opportunity to run to the fort when the two pirates were breaking the door. The followed her to one of the next rooms, only for the round one to be immediately knocked out a bedwarmer. The tall, skinny one then attacked Elizabeth, quickly disarming her as he grabbed the bedwarmer from him, only for the coal inside to fall straight onto his head.
As the pirate cowered in fear to avoid the coal, Elizabeth used the opportunity to escape, while also trying to avoid having her bare feet to step on the coal. Returning to the main hall, Elizabeth raced down the stairs and was about to reach the exit when the skinny pirate appeared once again, jumping onto the floor right in front of her. She turned back, only to see that the round one have caught up with her. Elizabeth was breathing rapidly. She was trapped.
Suddenly, a pirate came in, his hands full of loot when a cannon flew into the manor, hitting the pirate and causing him to fly. This scene distracted the two pirates, and so Elizabeth used the opportunity to run into study of her father, locking the doors with one of the candelabras. Desperately looking around the study, Elizabeth saw two swords held at the sigil engraved above the mantel. She managed to pull the sigil down, but failed to pull the sword out. The girl whimpered as she tried to pull the weapon out when she heard knocks behind her back. The pirates were about to break in in any minute. Seeing the closet, Elizabeth opened a window and hid inside it just as the doors broke down.
Holding her breath, and her nightgown already wet from the sweating she earned from running around, Elizabeth peeked through the small gap. She saw the skinny pirate gesturing to the open window. He fell for her trick. However, the round one did not, stopping his companion and looking around the governor's study.
"We know you're here, poppet!" he called out to her, while the skinny one grinned. "Come out, and we promise we won't hurt you."
Elizabeth, however, remained silent.
"We will find you, poppet." The round pirate threatened as he looked around. "You've got something of ours, and it calls to us. The gold calls to us."
Elizabeth's eyes widened as she looked down at the medallion. As she observed it, the girl did not notice the pirate approaching the closet until his body blocked all the light coming into the closet. Looking up, Elizabeth gasped as the pirate addressed her once again.
"Hello, poppet."
Elizabeth gasped once again when the two pirates opened the doors, aiming their pistols at her. She had to think and act quickly.
"Parley!" she shouted. This appeared to work as the two froze. "I invoke the right of parlay! According to the Code of the Brethren set down by the pirates Morgan and Bartholomew, you have to take me to your captain."
"I know the Code," the round pirate said in annoyance.
"If an adversary demands parley, you can do them no harm until the parley is complete." Elizabeth continued.
"To blazes with the Code." The skinny pirate snarled, clocking his pistol, but was immediately reprimanded by his comrade.
"She wants to be taken to the captain!" he spoke with gritted teeth, lowering his pistol. "And she'll go without a fuss. We must honour the code."
Putting their weapons away, the two pirates grabbed the girl and took her with them as they left the mansion. The barefoot Elizabeth watched as the other pirates continued pillaging the streets, while the ship continued firing its cannons. She thought she saw a glimpse of Will Turner. Explosives appeared there and there. It didn't take long for them to reach the boats. Elizabeth looked up and her mouth gaped at the sight of the ship. Once again, that day from the past flooded her mind. The dark wood, the black sails in terrible condition. It was her.
It was the Black Pearl.
Stepping onboard, the 17-year-old shivered from the cold wood on which her bare feet stood and the cold air passing through her nightgown. Elizabeth looked up and saw a silhouette of a tall pirate in dark clothing and a black hat with feathers, standing tall at the upper deck. At that moment, a tall, bare-chested black pirate with bald head and piercings appeared.
"I didn't know we were taking captives," he spoke to the two pirates that brought Elizabeth.
"She's invoked the right of parley with Captain Barbossa!" the round pirate explained, pointing at her. Elizabeth approached the black pirate, addressing him, but the pirate cut her off, slapping her hard in the face.
"You will speak when spoken to." He declared. Just them, the tall man with the black hat approached and grabbed his wrist. Elizabeth saw him having a moustache and small beard, brown, just like his brown hair. A capuchin monkey in a shirt and red vest sat on his left shoulder.
"And ye'll naught lay a hand on those under the protection of parley!" he spoke in an authoritative tone.
"Aye, sir" the black pirate reluctantly answered, allowing the man to release him. Elizabeth looked up at him. So this was apparently Captain Barbossa.
"My apologies, miss." Barbossa then addressed her politely in a mild tone. This gave Elizabeth some confidence to speak to the dreadful captain.
"Captain Barbossa, I am here to negotiate the cessation of hostilities against Port Royal."
She blushed slightly as she heard some of the pirates chuckling, while Barbossa smiled. Elizabeth had to admit, that this pirate looked quite handsome in his own way, despite him being around the same age as her father.
"There were a lot of long words in there, miss, we're naught but humble pirates." Barbossa spoke. "What exactly is it you want?"
"I want you to leave and never come back." Elizabeth declared, looking at the captain straight. Her words were met with laughter from the crew.
"I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request." Barbossa replied before adding. "It means no."
Scowling, the 17-year-old Elizabeth walked towards the edge of the deck, pulling off her medallion and holding it over the sea.
"I'll drop it." She threatened, only for Barbossa to scoff.
"Me holds are bursting with swag. That shine matters to me why?"
"It's what you've been searching for." Elizabeth answered, still holding the medallion above the waters. "I recognise this ship I saw it eight years ago when we made crossing from England."
It was at that moment that the eyes of Barbossa and his crew widened in shock and realisation, staring tensely at the medallion. Even the capuchin on Barbossa's shoulder had the same look.
"Did you now?" the captain asked casually. Elizabeth scoffed in response.
"Fine," she said. "Well I suppose if it is worthless, then there's no reason keeping it."
The barefoot girl then released some portion of the chain, allowing it to slip through her fingers. The pirates immediately moved forward with fear.
"No!" Barbossa cried only for Elizabeth to quickly increase her grip on the medallion. She looked back at the pirates with triumph. Barbossa then slowly approached her.
"Do you have a name, missy?"
"Elizabeth…" she answered before hesitating for a moment. "Turner. I am a mad in the governor's household."
To her confusion and wonder, Elizabeth saw the pirates sharing looks with each other while whispers were heard.
"Bootstrap…" the skinny pirate who found her breathed out. The captain, meanwhile, continued to interrogate her.
"And how does a maid come to own such a trinket as that? Family heirloom perhaps?"
"I didn't steal it if that's what you mean." Elizabeth answered defensively.
"Very well," Barbossa nodded. "you hand it over and we'll put your town to our rudder and never return."
Studying the captain for some time, 17-year-old Elizabeth finally gave in, handing the medallion over to him. Barbossa immediately gave the medallion to his capuchin who scurried away. Turning to his crew, Barbossa began giving orders again.
"Still the guns, and stow them! Signal the men, set the flags, and make good to clear port!" he barked at his men. On her bare feet, Elizabeth caught up with him.
"Wait! You have to take me back to shore! According to the code of the…" she protested, when Barbossa faced her.
"First. Your return to shore was no part of our negotiations nor our agreement, and so P must do nothing." Barbossa argued. "And secondly, you must be a pirate for the pirate's code to apply. And thirdly, the code is more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules."
"Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, Miss Turner." Barbossa declared before leaving her to the two pirates that brought her, take her to the cabin. Once left inside alone, Elizabeth collapsed onto the floor and sobbed holding her bare legs to herself. The cold immediately struck her as Elizabeth was still wearing her nightgown and was barefoot.
Little did she know that this encounter with Captain Hector Barbossa would change her life once and for all.