Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, but I kind of own the plot.
Full Summary: Sometimes, the wind blows north, and sometimes it blows south. I follow wherever the wind blows... A story about two lovers that fate brought together, but social prejudices keep them apart. WillxLiz
Author's Note: MJ is back at the Pirates of the Caribbean part of writing my own spin on The Curse of the Black Pearl. I hope you all enjoy it, and I plan to stick with this one to the end!
The Way the Wind Blows
By: MJ
Chapter One
Hearts of Gold; Full of Love
"'Ey! 'Ey, you! 'Ey—tha' little whore just stole me prized apples!" The fat fruit vendor called into the crowds as a small girl of about nine darted in between the many people the littered the streets of the Port Royal marketplace. Her plain white, cotton shirt was tucked into a thick wool skirt—it looked handmade, as the hemming was slightly different around the bottom (one half was longer than the other). She wore a single chained necklace with a flashing golden medallion, along with a small, bronze bracelet that read her name: Elizabeth Swann.
Her chestnut brown curls bounced off of her back as she ran, her flat shoes pitter-pattering against the cobblestone street, her ears ringing with the thuds the fat man made as he chased after her in the crowd. "All this over three stupid apples?" She thought aloud, the shiny green fruits nestled in her arms as she ran past an old, abandoned shop. She felt someone take a hold of her shoulder and jerk her inside the store. She let out a gasp, but her mouth was quickly covered.
"Quiet, Missy… You don't want the ol' man after ye, do ye?" A voice hissed beside her ear. It reeked of liquor—rum, most likely—and the wispy hairs of his beard tickled her cheek. The one hand that held her mouth was released, and was placed on her shoulder. His fingernails were black, and his hands were tanned and covered in tattoos. From the subtle hints, Elizabeth figured him to be a pirate.
"Let me go, Mister," she whispered, watching the fat man run past. "He's gone."
"Is that any way to thank me? I saved yer life, ye know. In fact, I should be getting paid for this…"
"I don't have any money… Please," she pleaded, closing her eyes briefly, tears threatening to spill; the man had her terrified. "Please, just let me go!" She said a little louder, hoping to grab some attention from the people on the streets. No one noticed her pitiful plea.
"Oh, I don't need money… Why don't I just take this ugly neck—Ouch! Oh, you little--"
She had stomped on his foot, and as soon as his hand left her shoulder she bolted out the door of the shop, and ran out into the crowds again, darting behind the full skirts, and narrowly escaping the tips of the navy men's blades. She was breathing heavily, and when she turned to see if the man was still stalking her she collided with someone else. With a startled gasp, she lost her balance. She fell over, hitting her head on the ground, knocking herself unconscious. The only thing she remembered before losing her grip on consciousness was the most beautiful brown eyes she had ever seen.
"William!" The governess called frantically, causing many people to jerk their heads in her direction. She was hysterically waving a fan in front of her powdered face, a look of pure fear and utter shock plastered to it. She was desperately searching for her nine-year-old son, William Turner. "William?"
Finally, she spotted him—only a few measly yards away. He was standing over some girl, seemingly mesmerized by her. She was lying on the ground still as stone. She was undeniably beautiful. He knelt down beside her and softly caressed her cheek, sweeping a brown curl behind her ear as if it was a test of her reality. His eyes traveled down her body, staring blankly at a blatant necklace that hung around her neck. It was a pirate's medallion! Such a pretty girl, a pirate? Girl or not, she'd hang! He bit his lip at the thought of her small body hanging with the other corpses at the entrance to the port.
He moved quickly, unfastening the medallion from her neck and placing it in his pocket. That's when he noticed her shirt… She was an orphan.
"William! William, you scared me! Don't you ever do anything like that again!" The Governess scolded the young boy, and was surprised to see he had no reaction. She glanced down at the girl and then at him expectantly.
He didn't need to turn to her to know that she was staring at him. His eyes never left the girl as he stated slowly, "She ran into me, and she fell backwards. She hasn't woken up since the fall."
"Well, that is unfortunate. Perhaps we can find her parents—they have to be around here someplace."
"She's an orphan. Her shirt is like the other ones at that place."
"We could take her there, then," the governess said curtly, watching her son carefully.
"That wouldn't be right. It's my fault she's not waking up. She's not… dead… is she?"
"Of course not!" The governess sniffed, chuckling softly at the boy's innocence. "She'll wake up."
"Let's take her to the estate… It's the least we could do."
That boy has a heart of gold… The governess thought, watching as her son finally turned towards her and stared at her hopelessly, his chocolate colored eyes begging her to let the girl come to the estate. "Let me find someone to carry her… Erm… Lieutenant!" The nearest navy-man turned, and she smiled. "Ah, James… Would you do me a favor and carry this young girl up to the estate? William finds it necessary."
William blushed as the Lieutenant turned to him and stared… "She…we… It's my fault she's dead."
"Not dead, unconscious. And while you're up there, call to the doctor… We may as well make sure she's okay," William smiled at the last comment that his mother made. He watched James Norrington pick up the young girl. "William," she called as they watched him walk away, "go with James… I have things to attend to here. Watch over her, hmm? It was, after all, your idea."
"Yes, Mum." William replied, running off after Norrington, who, it seemed, had the mindset to make the journey as quickly as possible, judging by his long strides. The governess turned and made her way back to the Blacksmith's shop, but could have sworn she saw a man in a feathered hat sneak back into the shadows…
After James had placed the young girl on Will's bed, he curtly nodded towards the young boy and left the room. Will rolled his eyes and sat down on the windowsill, staring numbly out the window. After all, the poor girl looked as if she wouldn't be waking in a while. Brown eyes gazed out the window in a slight trance, longing to be outside again. It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining down on the ocean. It's radiant light danced on the deep-blue water, illuminating it like the stars in the inky black night sky. Just as his eyelids started to droop, he heard her stir.
He turned to her, eyes wide. Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at him, scared. "Where…where am I?" She whispered, looking pale. She looked so vulnerable as she sunk into the pillows, afraid.
"The governor's household."
"Who're you?"
"William Turner," he said softly, getting up from the sill and walking towards her. "The governess's son." She relaxed slightly against the pillows, and he smiled. "And you are?"
"'Lizabeth Swann. My head…hurts," she complained, a delicate hand rubbing her head gingerly. Her fingers grazed over a small bump that had formed after her fall.
"You fell," Will said stupidly. Elizabeth smiled as her eyes slowly closed.
"Thank you for saving me."
Before she fell asleep again, she could have sworn he had said, "My pleasure."
Ten Years Later…"William!"
He jerked, sitting up on his bed as his mother screeched his name. He let out a frustrated breath—why was she calling him this early? He watched her open the door to his bedroom with a bang, and he shyly covered up his bare chest. She began to pace his bedroom, and he was suddenly worried. The sun was shining through the thin curtains, he noticed, as he glanced about the room, eyes squinting at the harsh light. He glanced at his mother. She was dressed in an elegant, emerald gown, her white hairs pinned to her head in a tumble of curls. He knew he was forgetting the reason she was so dressed up, as she normally only wears the dress on special occasions. She grinned at him.
"Happy Birthday!"
How could one forget one's own birthday? Grinning, he ran a hand through his hair, the long brown curls bouncing as he did so. She swooped down on him and gave him a large hug. While the two were having a very loving mother-son moment, the door creaked open and another patron walked inside the bedroom. A young, beautiful maid walked in, a large pitcher of steaming, hot water in her hands. She quietly walked into the room towards the bath in the corner, while the mother and son conversed.
"Commodore Norrington and his sister Josefina will be joining us for supper, and I hoped we could take a drive through town," his mother said quickly, standing above him while he sat in bed.
"Sounds wonderful," William smiled.
She sighed, "William… You are nineteen, now." She said it so bluntly, that the happy atmosphere was gone, and was replaced with a business-like mood. "And while you get older, I'm not getting any younger, and well…"
"What's your point, Mother?" He urged her to continue.
"You must start considering possible wives," when he began to shake his head at her in disbelief, she continued in a bossy tone. "I'm not leaving you the burden of governor until you're good and married." This earned her an eyeroll from he, and the maid cleared her throat, breaking the mood.
"You best get in now, sir," she said uneasily, as both parties turned to look at her. "The water is cooling quickly." Will sent her a thankful smile for breaking up the argument, as the governess forgot the predicament. She smiled back shyly, his smile was much bigger than hers.
"Yes, William, hurry up," the governess excused herself out of the room. Will stared at the door a moment before his eyes turned to the maid, as she blushed pink at his shirtless form. She had turned away slightly, embarrassed. He stood up, letting the thick quilt fall to the floor in a heap. She bent down to pick it up, but stopped when a strong hand grabbed her shoulder.
"Leave it. I'll get it later," he whispered, watching her shiver at his words. He quirked a brow, eyes sparkling with concern. "Are you cold?"
"No," she squeaked, slightly, obviously uncomfortable by the situation.
Brows now knitted together in confusion, he asked her sincerely, "What is it, then?"
"I had a twitch. It's nothing, really," she assured him, brushing it off. "Could you let me go? I shall fetch you your breakfast." He released her, and she smiled. "Any requests, Mister Turner?"
"Elizabeth," he said quietly, visibly wincing at the formalities she used when addressing him, "surely after 10 years you could call me William?"
"It's not proper, sir." She couldn't meet his eye.
With a sigh, and a disappointed look that broke her heart, he shoved his hands in the pockets of his trousers. He nodded curtly at her, "Once more, you are correct, Miss Swann." She flinched as he turned from her. "Just some bread and jam. A cup of tea would be nice, too."
He could've sworn he had heard her reply with, "Yes, Will," but she was gone before he could question it further. He undressed completely and slid in the bath.
It was warm and soothing, waking him up completely. He began to soap up his hair, thinking back to when he and Elizabeth were still young.
She remained at the orphanage until she was about thirteen. The orphanage was full, and she appeared at their doorstep, begging for a job. Will and Elizabeth would see each other occasionally on the streets, normally when she was trying to find some food, and he was away on business with his mother. Of course, after Will's constant persistence, the governess allowed Elizabeth to move into the servant's quarters, and she became William's maid. On their free time, they'd play together and become good friends. That was about six years ago, before Josefina Norrington came into the picture. She was a few years younger than Will and Elizabeth, and was also often at the estate, because James was such good friends with the Governess—Will knew that above all else, James wanted to govern Port Royal… His mother just thought of him as an extra hand around the house… Either way, Josefina wanted nothing more to be Will's wife.
Unfortunately, Will had grown to love Elizabeth over the years.
It was fate that brought them together, and social prejudices that kept them apart. He thought of her to be beautiful, smart, and kind. He could only hope that she felt the same. His mother, however, remained oblivious to his feelings, bringing in suitor after suitor. Plantation owner's daughters, near-royalty in England, and the occasional American colonist who had a bright past, present, and future. Suitor after suitor, however, he couldn't help but notice that all of them were nothing like Elizabeth. He could only think about how imperfect they all were compared to her, and it didn't help that Elizabeth and Josefina were complete opposites.
It's funny; falling in love with your best friend. Will mused on this thought for a while, not noticing the time slip by and the water grow colder and colder. A soft, "Oh!" interrupted his thoughts.
Elizabeth set down the tray and turned away. "Sorry," she apologized, her cheeks stained red in embarrassment. "I should have knocked."
Will moved to cover himself, embarrassed. After a moment of awkward silence, he was the first to speak. "It's my fault, really. I'm normally done by now. I apologize." He watched her shift her weight from foot to foot. He got out and dried himself off. He pulled on his dressing robe and walked towards her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she turned. "Are you all right?"
"I didn't see anything, if that's the implication," she said sarcastically, knowing that the "proper" air that surrounded them was shattered by that moment. She could care less, though, the governess wasn't standing right there. She painfully remembered the time when it was told that she could no longer play with Will. 'It's not proper behavior!' The governess had shrieked at Will, while Elizabeth waited outside with afternoon tea. She had almost dropped the plate, as she started to sob. Thank god Jess was there to save the day, she thought, watching him watch her for a moment. "But, yes, I'm quite all right."
"Good… Good, you had me worried."
"Don't fret over me, Will."
He smiled as she used his first name. She returned it, her own smile radiating brilliance. She noticed how curly his hair was when wet, and it made her smile all the larger; she thought it was adorable. A curl had fallen from her own ponytail, and, just like he had ten years ago, he tucked it behind her ear.
It was a moment both had often dreamed about; a tender, loving moment between friends, with the possibility of it being that they both had affections much greater than friends. It was like they held an understanding of each other's feelings, but both of them realized how inappropriate they would be. The moment was sweet, but she was the first to break it.
"Your breakfast is getting cold."
"Not hungry."
"I should go."
"I don't want you to," he said quietly, in a tone of voice that sent shivers down her spine. His hand dropped from her shoulder, and he held on to her arm gently. "Elizabeth, I l--"
"William!"
He sighed and hung his head, his hand dropping from her arm to his side. He ran a hand through his wet hair and looked up. She had the worst timing. She knocked again.
"William! The carriage shall be ready in about a quarter of an hour! Hurry up!"
"Yes, ma'am."
They heard her footsteps disappear.
"She wants you in the brown trousers, white cotton shirt, and the polished black-buckled shoes," Elizabeth directing, diverting her eyes from his. "I'll be back for the tray," she curtsied, before she met his eyes again. "Happy birthday, Will."
"Elizabeth—wait!"
But she was already out the door.
He sighed and turned towards the clothes she had laid out for him, folded neatly on the edge of his bed. He smiled at the thought of her taking so much care for his things… She was the caring type, and it should be a crime to not mention how beautiful she was. "I love her," he said silently, as he finished changing his clothes, buckling his boots. "I…" his thoughts went back to the first time they met. That medallion! It had been a mystery that has haunted him for ten years. Why would she have that medallion?
He walked briskly over to his desk, and pulled open the drawer. He placed the old book on the surface, and lifted the hidden door. The medallion, over time, had lost it's luster. He picked it up and stared at it, flash backs to the first time he saw it crossed his eye sight. At his mother's stiff knocking, he slipped it on. He tucked it inside his shirt and beckoned her inside.
"Oh, William! You look so dapper," she said, crossing to him. She planted a kiss on his cheek and ruffled his hair. "Oh, William. I wish you'd cut your hair! It's so long and unruly."
"I'll put it up if you'd like," he offered, smiling.
"I would appreciate it," she said. Her attention diverted to the tray below her feet. "You haven't touched your breakfast!"
"I wasn't… hungry."
"I insist that you eat. I don't want to have to break early for lunch. I have so much planned for you!"
"Thank you, Mum, but I'll be fine."
"Eat!" She ordered. He bent down and took a bit, the crumbs from the soft bread going everywhere.
"Better? Come on, let's go!" He ushered her out of his room. They were out the door moments later.
The ship was sinking so quickly, that the man on top of the mast could barely control it. It was only a bit more towards the docks… Once he got there, Ana Maria's ship could sink to the bottom of the ocean for all he cared; it wasn't like he was going to see her anytime soon. He grasped the flagpole, and stared at the docks defiantly, although the sloshing of water quickly caught his attention.
Muttering incoherently to himself, he jumped down from his position and began to bale out the ship. A single bucket was used—thank god the ship wasn't humungous. He'd have cried.
The wind blew at his dreadlocks, causing his long mane of brown hair to twist around him He shook his head when something else caught his eye.
Three bodies were tied to a large, opened rock by the docks; one had a sign hanging around its bony neck. "Pirates beware", it read oh-so-clearly. He took off his tri-cornered hat and bowed his head in respect for the lost souls. The nooses around their necks made his stomach curl.
He looked back towards the docks, and then downwards towards his boat; the water was up to his knees. He heaved himself back up to the topmast and waited. The sea eventually took him to the docks, and he was able to step off and walk down them, towards the town. He was about to turn off of them into said town when a voice stopped him.
"Excuse me! Excuse me!"
It was so incredibly screechy, that the man had to stop and turn around. He staggered towards the incredibly pale man, who tapped on a book. "It's a shilling to tie your boat to the docks," the man turned to look at his boat, only the top of the mast visible, now, "and I shall need to know your name…"
He stared at the boat for another moment before looking at the man. With an impatient smile, he dug into his pocket and placed three small shillings on the book. "Wha' d'ya say to three shillings," he paused, watching the man's greedy eyes widen, "an' we forget th' name?"
The man smiled as he snapped his book shut.
"Welcome to Port Royal, Mister Smith." The other man bowed his head in thanks, and as soon as the other man turned around and walked towards his sunken boat, he plucked the change purse off of the desk and walked off.
"Welcomed, indeed."
Elizabeth Swann hummed a silly tune to herself as she swept the crumbs of "Master William's" breakfast off of his floor. It was an easy tune, something the woman at the orphanage had taught all the young girls when she was about five… That orphanage was the only thing she ever knew. The only remembrance of her childhood or whoever her parents were hung around her neck… Or did until she was about nine. Actually, it was when she had first met Will…
"That old man probably stole it when I ran. I didn't notice it while I was escaping," she said quietly, assuring herself one more time that it wasn't her fault it was gone.
She continued to hum and sweep, musing to herself that Will was a messy eater; by the pile of crumbs she had collected. She also noted how often her thoughts had turned to Will. Her friend, her savior! The idea of her falling in love with him was preposterous!
Wasn't it?
Her conscious fired back as she began to sweep the pile of crumbs on a board. How couldn't she fall in love with him?
A sigh escaped her lips, as she watched the pile of crumbs get smaller on the floor and larger on the board. He was just so handsome… He was kind; he had a heart of gold! One had to be insane not to love him!
She walked over to the window, and out onto the balcony. She dropped the crumbs off, and they were carried in the breeze. "Oh, I love him," she whispered to herself, swooning slightly at the thought of it.
"Who? Anyone I know?"
Elizabeth nearly fell off the balcony at the sound of her friend Jess's voice. She smiled and turned towards her friend and fellow maid, "No. No… Just talking about someone I met."
"Where?" The other maid, Jess Smith, asked; taking the broom from Elizabeth's hands and stashing it away in the corner. She came back and looked at Elizabeth curiously.
"Down in the marketplace." It wasn't a complete lie, Elizabeth assured herself. Jess smiled.
"A merchant?"
"Aren't we nosy today!" Elizabeth said exasperated, walking off the balcony. She placed her hands in the pockets of her apron, and turned to stare at Jess. "Don't worry; I'm not getting married any time soon."
"You make it sound like I want you to!" Jess laughed. She took her hair out of the ponytail, the straight, blonde locks falling to her shoulders. She untied her apron, folded it, and set it in the corner with the broom. "If you got married, I'd be all by myself with two times the work!" She laughed again, this time throwing her head backwards and falling into a giggling fit. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but cracked a smile.
"I'm glad to see that I mean so much to you."
After another moment of Jess's incessant giggling, she paused and looked at Elizabeth. "You know, we have the afternoon off as dear William is in town. What should we do?"
"Let's go to the beach."
"We always go to the beach!" Jess whined, watching Elizabeth copy Jess's actions, taking her hair out of the ponytail, and placing her apron in the corner. She figured they'd get them after they came back, when they were required to serve the feast the kitchen staff was preparing. "Let's go into town—better yet, let's go through town and to the fort! You can introduce me to your merchant friend," Jess giggled, hooking her arm in Elizabeth's as the walked out of the room, "and we can stop by the fort where I can look for potential grooms." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as they trudged down the stairs. Elizabeth sighed.
"Fine… Let's go to town."
Captain Jack Sparrow wasn't necessarily a man who was often thought of as 'considerate'. Being a pirate, one might think this would be obvious, but to him… It wasn't so much. He wasn't a fan of stereotypes, nor being stereotyped. Unfortunately, it didn't help when he did stereotypical pirate behavior—such as stealing the dock-man's coin purse. Said coin purse jingled in his pocket, begging him to spend the few coins on a pint of rum. He was then, of course, obliged to fulfill their wishes, when something else caught his eye.
The boat was majestic as it rocked in place on the water's by the private dock. It's build was sleek—it looked brand new. The greed in his body made his chocolate eyes tinge green. He wanted it. He needed it. He had to have it.
He took casual steps towards the dock, the two biggest idiots he probably ever saw were guarding the ship, having a very interesting argument over something about whether or not it was hot enough to fry an egg off of the one's bald head, when Jack walked towards them.
Suddenly, they were alert as he tried to walk past them to get on the boat. "'Ey! 'Ey! You're not supposed to be 'ere, mate." The one said, using his rifle to block the pirate captain's past. His buddy nodded.
"This 'ere is a private dock; no civilians allowed."
Jack grinned, "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. If I see any, I'll let them know." He once again attempted to get on the ship. When the rifle hit him in the chest, he moved backwards and stared at the two.
"That boat, over there," he said, gesturing to the ship only a bit away, drifting around on it's anchor, "makes this one look a bit superfluous, really."
"Well, the Dauntless is a fair battle ship, to be sure… But nothing in the ocean can match the Interceptor's speed," the one guard said proudly, as the other one put his rifle back into it's previous position on his shoulder.
"I've heard of one," Jack said, with a knowing smile. "The Black Pearl."
The guard on the left, "Well, like I said… There's no real ship that can match the Interceptor's speed."
The other guard stared at him. "The Black Pearl is a real ship. I've seen it."
"You've seen a ship with black sails, crewed by the damned, and captained by a man so evil that hell itself spat him back out?"
"Well, no but I've seen a ship with black sails."
"No ship couldn't possibly have black sails unless it was crewed by the damned and captained by a man so evil that hell itself spat him back out, which means you couldn't have possibly seen the Black Pearl, which means there isn't, possibly, one to begin with!"
The other man thought about it for a long moment. "No?"
The other guard rolled his eyes and turned to where Jack was the moment before (who had conveniently made his way onto the ship while the two argued), "Like I said, there's not real ship that can match the Interceptor's speed." When they both realized that the pirate captain was gone (without the known information that he was a pirate captain) they stared at each other, before turning around to see him on the ship.
"'Ey! 'Ey! You're really not supposed to be aboard there, mate…"
"Oh, but it's such a pretty boat," after two icy glares were shot his way, the captain corrected himself, "ship."
"What's your name?" The one asked. Jack grinned.
"Smith. Mr. Smith. Smithy, if you'd like."
"What's your purpose here in Port Royal, Mr. Smith?"
"Yeah, and no lies!" The second one budded in. They had a bit of a moment of nonverbal communication, and it didn't look like a happy conversation either. Jack was able to ignore them.
"Fine then, no lies," he grinned, "I'm here to commandeer myself a boat, rummage a crew in Tortuga, then raid, pillage, and plunder my weaselly black guts out."
They stared at him for a moment, until the less bright one said, "I said no lies!"
The other one stared at Jack for a moment, "I think he's telling the truth."
"If he was telling the truth, he wouldn't have told us!"
"Unless of course," Jack began, walking towards the men, "he knew you wouldn't believe the truth anyway, even if he told it to you."
They just simply stared.
"C'mon, Liz! You're going to miss it!" Jess yelled to Elizabeth, darting through the people as they ran down the cobblestone drive. Elizabeth fondly remembered when she used to do it as a child, and smiled to herself. She hiked up her skirt and ran after Jess, their footsteps echoing off of the stones.
"Miss what?"
"My future husband, c'mon!"
Jess had stopped to let Elizabeth catch up before she grabbed her hand and pulled her, making the young girl run faster. "Jess, let's slow down! It's so hot outside, and these skirts are so thick…"
"No! We have to catch him before he goes out to sea!"
"Where are we going?"
"To the fort!"
"Why not the docks?" Elizabeth wheezed, holding her side as they came to a stop at the entrance to the fort.
"Because… This has a better view."
"Wouldn't you want to say good-bye to your fiancée?" Elizabeth asked. Jess held out a ribbon.
"Put your hair up. We need to look like maids, that way we will be permitted entrance."
"You're not answering me," Elizabeth retorted, hastily throwing her chestnut curls into a haphazard bun. "Wouldn't you want to say good-bye?"
Jess knocked on the door. "He's not my fiancée."
"You said he was your future husband!"
"He doesn't know it yet!" She smiled as a handsome soilder opened the door. "We're here to clean up the offices."
"Oh, yes, we've been expecting you. C'mon in." He said, opening up the door to let them through. "They're right down the hall."
"Thank you," Jess said, grabbing Elizabeth's arm and leading her down the hall. As soon as the soilder was gone, Elizabeth hissed.
"Well… It's good to know that the security in Port Royal is very strict." Jess merely smiled, and Elizabeth's eyes widened. "You've done this before?" When Jess didn't reply, Elizabeth grinned. "Jess! I expected better from you! You know navy-men often marry into rich, established families."
"A girl can dream, now be quiet and COME ON!" She hissed, tugging Elizabeth's arm as she sped up into a sprint. They ran up a flight of stairs until they were on top of the fort. Jess led Elizabeth to the side that faced the docks and squinted. "He must not be here yet."
"It's… so hot outside!"
"Are you all right?" Jess asked, turning to see her friend. Elizabeth was very red in the face, and was gripping onto the wall for support.
"I'll be--" she fainted, falling off the side of the fort. Jess screamed.
"ELIZABETH!"
"Mother, where are we going?" William asked, pulling at his shirt slightly as he sat in the carriage.
"Down to the docks. I have something to show you," the Governess smiled. William sighed.
"All right. How long until we're there?"
"Impatient are we?"
"Well… Yes," Will blushed, turning to look at his mother. He smiled. "What is it?"
"Surprise… Oh, here we are!" The governess clapped. The driver hopped out and opened the door for them.
"Milady," he said, holding out a hand to help her out. He bowed to Will as he exited. Will held out his arm, and his mother held on. They walked like this down to the docks like this, before they heard the conversation going on between the two guards and Jack.
"Murtogg! Mullroy! There isn't supposed to be any civilians on the Interceptor!" The Governess shrieked, dropping her arm from William's and moving quickly towards the ship. She was waving her arms like a mad-woman, stopping Jack in the middle of a story.
William rolled his eyes and quickly followed. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his trousers and stood on the dock as his mother rebuked the two guards. Jack quickly left the ship and stood next to Will on the docks.
"Your… mistress?" He asked, looking from the older woman to the younger man. Will glared.
"My mother." He said, and Jack backed off. The governess finished and took a large breath.
"Just… don't let it happen--"
"ELIZABETH!"
Their heads jerked upwards to the distant shriek in just enough time to see her fall into the water. They looked to the guards.
"We can't swim."
"Pride of the King's navy, I assume," Jack muttered, moving to go rescue the fallen maiden. Will pushed him out of the way.
"I'll do it," he said, praying that it wasn't his Elizabeth who had fallen. He had dove off the docks before his mother could even comprehend the situation. When the medallion had hit the water, a weird wave had taken place, shooting water in a ripple outwards towards the ocean. Even more strange, a large gust of wind blew in the opposite direction from where the wind was previously blowing. Jack sensed it… And watched the water for Will.
He was swimming closer and closer to the cliff, where he had watched Elizabeth fall. Finally, he saw her, floating at the bottom of the ocean. He swam deeper, and his eyes grew in worry as he saw his beloved Elizabeth. He pulled her up to the surface. He placed her gently over his shoulder, and swam towards the docks.
Once he had reached the docks, he began to climb up. Jack assisted him in pulling the girl to safety. Murtogg and Mullroy bent down and checked her pulse. "She's alive… Still breathing…"
"Good," Will breathed, standing up firmly on the docks. He ran a hand through his hair, and pulled at his wet clothes, very uncomfortable. He didn't notice that his medallion was hanging freely out of his shirt, but Jack did. The pirate stumbled over to Will, and grinned.
"Tha's a pretty necklace ye got there," he said lowly, as the others fretted over Elizabeth, who had come-to to only spit up water and cough. "Where'd ye get it?" Will self-consciously tugged at the necklace, putting it back under his shirt. He glowered at Jack.
"None of your damned business--"
"Will! William!" The governess called. "Come here, and carry the poor girl to the carriage. Oh, look at you! You've ruined your good clothes!"
"Mrs. Turner, is everything all right?"
They turned their heads to see Commodore James Norrington, and his troops, with Jess at his side, looking determinedly at her feet.
"Yes, James… Elizabeth is just slightly shaken up."
"Well," he said smugly, coming to a halt. He clasped his hand behind his back, and looked at Jess from the corner of his eye, "from the way this one was screeching, one might have thought that pirates had invaded the fort."
"Impossible, James!" The governess said, smiling at the slight joke. "The security here is very strong!"
"I know…" He said arrogantly. Elizabeth rolled her eyes. James looked to Jack. "Who're you?"
"Mr. Smith," Jack smiled. "I helped save th' lass."
"Well, then a thanks is in order, I presume," Norrington stuck out his hand. Jack stared at it before tentatively grasping it in his own. James pulled at Jack's arm, and pulled up the sleeve of his shirt, revealing a "P" burnt into the skin of his wrist. "Just what I expected. Pirate."
Jack winced as all eyes turned to him. Norrington pulled his sleeve up further.
"Ah. Jack Sparrow," he smiled, throwing his arm down.
"Captain… Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please."
"I don't see your ship, Captain."
"'E said that he's come here to commandeer one!" Murtogg said, grinning. Mullroy rolled his eyes.
"I told you 'e was tellin' the truth!"
"Hand over your weapons, Captain Sparrow."
"Fat chance," Jack spat at the commodore, raising his eyebrows as if daring him to try and apprehend him. James merely nodded, and Jack grinned. "Glad that ye see it my way."
"Or my way," James smirked as Murtogg and Mullroy grabbed Jack from behind. While the one restrained him, the other took his "effects". James took them. "A compass that doesn't point north," James commented, going through the belt Jack had. "A pistol with one shot; no additional shot, nor powder." He unsheathed Jack's sword. "Ah, and I expected it to be made out of wood." He tossed them to the nearest soilder. "You're the worst pirate I've ever heard of."
"Ah!" Jack smiled mischievously, "but you have heard of me."
"Get him out of here. I apologize for the inconvenience, Governess," James nodded.
"No problem, James," the governess smiled. "C'mon, William."
Will bent down and picked Elizabeth up. She wrapped his arms around his neck as he carried her, shivering. "What were you doing?" He whispered, when his mother was a safe distance away.
"Just… just… I was looking around the fort. Jess and I… were running," she said, slightly embarrassed by the situation. "I got overheated… And fainted, I guess."
"You guess?" Will chuckled. "You fell off a cliff!"
"I wasn't conscious," she retorted, smiling. "What about you? Why are you so wet?"
"I rescued you… obviously."
"But didn't that man—Jack--?"
"No… No, I think he just liked the attention," Will smiled, as they reached the carriage.
"Well… Thank you… For, well, saving my life," she smiled as he helped her in. "Again."
Hope that you enjoyed it!