POTC Book 1: A Pirates Love For Me

Chapter 8: Escape

Jack and I were standing on the gallows.

"Jack Sparrow, be it known that you are..." the official began.

"Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack corrected.

The official continued, "... being punished for your commision of crimes against the crown.  Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature, the most egregious of these to be cited here with.  Piracy, smuggling, impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England..."

"Ah yes." Jack smiled and looked at the executioner who glared at him.

"... sailing under false colors, arson, kidnapping, looting, poaching, brigandage,pilfering, depravity, depredation, and general lawlessness. And for these crimes you have been sentenced to be, on this day, hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul." the official finished with Jack's and started to read mine, "Sylvia Emerald..."

"Barbossa." everyone stared at me, but I continued quietly, looking at my ring, "By rights I would have been married by now, so you may as well call me by his name."

The official looked at the Govorner, he nodded and the official started over, "Sylvia Barbossa, be it known that you are being punished for your commision of crimes against the crown.  Said crimes being piracy."

I held my head high.

Yes, and I'm proud of it!

"And for this crime you have been sentenced to be, on this day, hung by the neck until dead.  May God have mercy on your soul." the official nodded to the executioner who placed nooses over my head and Jack's.

The drum roll started, then I saw a disturbance in the crowd and heard someone shout, "Move!"

At that moment the lever was pulled, Jack and I started to fall, I closed my eyes.

Wait for me Barbossa.

I felt a sword underneath my feet, it stopped me from falling, I saw Will run up onto the platform and start fighting the executioner.  I slipped my head out of the rope and hopped off the sword, used it to slice through my bounds, pulled it out of the trap door and helped Will and Jack fight off the marines.  We worked our way up to the battlement and were surrounded, Norrington walked up and sneered at Will, "I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill-conceived escape attempt, but not from you."

"On our return to Port Royal, I granted you clemency.   And this is how you thank me?  By throwing in your lot with them?  They're pirates!" the Govorner sounded shocked.

"And good people." Will insisted.

Jack nodded, looking around at the marines, I rolled my eyes.

"If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn three pairs of boots instead of two, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear." Will finished.

"You forget your place, Turner." Norrington sounded like he was talking to a child.

"It's right here.  Between you and them." Will blinked.

Elizabeth stepped up beside us, "As is mine."

"Elizabeth!  Lower your weapons!" the marines didn't move on the Govorner's order, so he tried again, "For goodness sake put them down!"

Norrington nodded and the marines lowered their guns and he looked at Elizabeth sadly, "So this is where your heart truly lies, then?"

"It is." Elizabeth nodded.

"Well! I'm actually feeling rather good about this." Jack walked over to the govorner, "I think we've all arrived at a very special place, eh?  Spiritually? Ecumenically? Grammatically?" the govorner just leaned away, so he went over to Norrington, "I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate. Know that." Jack then looked at Elizabeth, " Elizabeth, it would never have worked between us darling.  I'm sorry." Elizabeth's expression was that of slight confusion, so he said to Will, "Nice hat." Will smiled and Jack was about to say something to me but I interupted.

"I'm coming too." I said simply.

Jack nodded and we started backing toward the edge, "Friends! This is the day that you will always remember as the day that..." he fell off the ledge.

I rolled my eyes and finished his sentance with a little extra added, "That you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow and Sylvia Barbossa!" with that I dived after Jack.

When I came up I saw the Black Pearl coming around the other cliff and Jack and I swam toward it.  We were swung on board by means of some rope and flung water all over everyone.

"I thought you were supposed to keep to the code?" Jack questioned his first mate Gibbs.

"We figured they were more actual guidelines." Gibbs said smiling.

Someone handed Jack his hat and a female crew member put Jack's coat around his shoulders, "The Black Pearl is yours Jack."

He walked over to the helm and put his hands on the wheel fondly, he suddenly remembered he was being watched and yelled, "On deck you scabours dogs!  Man the braces!  Let down and haul to run free!" as the crew scurried around, he said quietly to himself, "Now... bring me that horizon."