A Pirate's Life for Me

Chapter 25: Land and Sea

There was another metallic screech of a sword escaping its sheath, and Norrington placed his blade in Will's face as he declared, "I can't let you do that, either."

Will, Elizabeth, and Annalise stared at Norrington, aghast, and the ex-Commodore smirked.

"So sorry." He said sarcastically.

"I knew you'd warm up to me eventually." Jack piped up, only for Norrington to swing his sword around to now be pointed right in Jack's face.

Jack stared, cross-eyed, down at the sword in surprise while Will quickly moved his sword to in Norrington's face, and Annalise stared at the ridiculous triangle the three men had made.

"Lord Beckett desires the contents of that chest." Norrington informed Jack, oblivious to Annalise and Elizabeth's increasing disgust at their childishness. "I deliver it, I get my life back."

"Ah." Jack taunted, leering at Norrington around the sword pointed at his neck. "The dark side of ambition."

"Oh," Norrington smiled without humour. "I prefer to see it as the promise of redemption."

With that, he swung suddenly to his left, bringing his sword down at Will. Elizabeth shrieked in alarm before stumbling back as Will dodged the swipe and bumped into her. Annalise went similarly tumbling back when Jack pushed her out of the way too before he swung his own sword at the dueling men.

Will dodged that too, and he quickly ducked down as Norrington took a blind swing at him. The blade ended up meeting Jack's, and Will scampered quickly away under the other two's interlocked blades. Jack and Norrington were quick to leave each other alone as they chased after the key Will held, and Elizabeth and Annalise ran after the men in a mix of incredulity, worry, and anger.

"Stop it!" Elizabeth screamed after the men while Annalise yelled, "This is not going to solve anything!"

Both women were ignored as the men engaged in combat once more, metal clanging and screeching blades locked, skid against one another, and then pushed off in a continuous cycle. Will and Norrington exchanged blows, their blades crossing, and Jack suddenly darted forward. Using the other two mens' brief distraction, he snatched the key to Davy Jones's chest from Will's hand.

"Ha!" Jack laughed gleefully before dashing off toward the forest that made up the centre of the island, ignoring Annalise as she yelled after him in disbelief, "Jack!"

"He's mine!" Norrington roared as he shoved Will back.

The younger brunette went tumbling down into the sand and Elizabeth hurried forward in concern while Norrington chased Jack, catching up to him in between the shore and the forest.

The two men engaged in a duel once more to Annalise's increasing annoyance.

"Grow up!" Annalise yelled after the other two men while Elizabeth knelt beside her fallen fiance.

"Will!" Elizabeth gasped.

But Will barely gave her a glance as he ordered, "Guard the chest." before he pushed himself up and after the fighting men.

Elizabeth gaped before she said indignantly, "No!"

Racing after her fiance with her sister right behind her, Elizabeth screamed, "This is barbaric! This is no way for grown men to settle- Oh, fine!"

Elizabeth paused on the bottom of the sand dune, right at the edge of the dip where the men were fighting. Annalise stopped beside her sister, mostly to stare at Elizabeth in disbelief as the former lady said primly, "Let's just pull out our swords and start banging away at each other, that will solve everything!"