"ELIZABETH!" Thomas shouted as stared down at the water waiting to see her resurface. Both Captains from each ship watched the waves below them, waiting for any sign of the woman or boy that had plunged into the depths. Henry's head came up first as he splashed in a panic, never properly learning how to swim as he struggled to keep his head above water. Liz wasn't too far behind as she flipped her hair out of her eyes. The weight of her clothes and boots trying to drag her down as she looked around for her nephew.
"Henry!" Liz called out as she swam faster towards the young boy as he struggled to not choke on the seawater.
"Aun'ie Li'zie" He kept gasping before the currents dragged him under. Thomas felt his heart stop as he saw Liz didn't hesitate before taking a deep breath and diving under the water after him. Liz didn't care about the fact the water was freezing as she swam deeper into the dark and grabbed hold of Henry and began to push them both back to the surface. Just as she was able to get Henry above water and take a breath of air she was dragged back down by the current and began spinning. The ships were circling each other and curling a whirlpool affect of the water between the two ships.
Breaking back up to the surface she pulled Henry closer to her as he clung onto her tightly. His instinct to survive kicking in as a rope dropped down beside her. Henry's had his arms lock around her neck, his legs around her waist as if for a piggyback ride. She ignored the ache of his heels into her side and the feel of choking.
"Get them out of the water!" someone shouted as a rope was dropped down towards the water. Fighting against the current, which she knew was the worst thing to do in the sea, Liz pushed towards the rope. Grasping it tightly, she peeled Henry's fingers from her neck and placed the rope in his hands. She was quick to let him go as she was sucked into the whirlpool once again. She struggled to remain calm as her body kept spinning; she knew if she panicked she would waste oxygen. She gasped before closing her mouth as her back and head knocked hard against the edge of one of the ships. The sharp barnacles ripped her clothing as she managed to reach to resurface.
Coughing and spluttering Liz tried her hardest to cough out any water on her lungs as the rope was lowered back down again. Liz ignored her bruised body and bleeding head wound as she focused on keeping her eyes open. If she let her body give up now she would vanish below the surface and never see the light of day again. Seeing the rope within distance, Liz snatched it, holding onto her lifeline tightly. She could feel the men pulling her up as she assisted them by climbing up a portion of the way.
Thomas watched as she climbed glad to see them safe only to panic as she was pulled aboard the enemy ship before something hit him hard behind the head knocking him out. As she was assisted roughly over the ships edge she saw that all the men were wearing black masks covering half their faces. They reminded her of Zorro, but a cold sense of dread filled her as she realised she wasn't on her ship. She was on the pirates ship.
"Let go of me!" Liz shouted as two men struggled to keep a hold of her. Another had a firm grip on Henry, he was exhausted and still in shock from his unexpected swim that he didn't bother to squirm unlike Liz. Liz wasn't going to be taken without a fight as she flipped over the two men twisting their arms making them let her go, though it didn't last before they grabbed hold of her again.
"Hey look at this!" The man to her right snickered holding up her hand where her ring glistened in the sun. It was a family heirloom passed down from Duchess to Duchess. It held a 2-carat emerald, princess cut, in the centre with diamonds fused into the yellow gold band. When Liz had inherited the ring, she had to have it resized to fit her right ring finger, as she had long slender fingers. She tried to retch her hand away from him though she wasn't lucky enough he was fascinated with the jewelled prize within his grasp.
"I'm surprised she didn't sink with a jewel like that on her finger. Wonder how much it's worth" One snickered as she squirmed furious. Stepping on both their feet she turned and kicked them swiftly in the groin. It was a go to spot to attack men, as they groaned in agony falling to the ground. Turning around Liz's smile dropped at the sight of a pistol pointed towards her as she growled.
"Cheat" She grumbled as the man before her smirked.
"Pirate" His velvet voice sent a shudder down her spine. He had raven black hair that fell just above his shoulder. He kept himself well groomed from what she could see. His blue eyes stared straight through her as she couldn't help but get lost in them as he was a good six inches taller, tanned, broad shouldered and muscular.
"Now who would you be?" He questioned, a devilish smirk threatening on his lips. It wasn't a flirty smirk that you would see girls swoon over, instead it made her blood chill as she realised that she was in serious trouble.
"The Duchess of Devonshire" She replied sternly straightening her back and raising her chin. She remembered that Charlotte had introduced her to Thomas as her mother's title; she figured that throwing a title around could maybe save her life. Even if it only buys her time to figure out a plan to get away. Her confession made the Captain raise his eyebrow in interest as a few of the men erupted in laughter. She gulped slowly as she looked around to see if she could figure out a way out of this current situation. Even without the gun pointed at her face she knew she couldn't get to Henry with this large brute of a man before her.
"Did you hear that men? We have royalty in our presence" The Captain teased, as the men roared louder making Liz feel incredibly uncomfortable. Glancing over at the Georgiana, Liz was desperate for help but she knew she wouldn't get any help. Majority of the men were either unconscious or dead and those who were alive where kneeled on the main deck with their hands on their heads. She could see a few of the pirates strolling along the deck as others were carrying goods from the Georgiana onto the pirate ship. She didn't see Charlotte on the deck and prayed that her friend had been able to remain hidden from sight.
The Captain forgot about his important guest for a moment as he went over to his first mate who was the last to return to the Golden Empress. The men were quick to set sail and leave any sign of the Georgiana behind them before the Captain smirked and returned his attention to his new guest. Liz was slowly getting woozy as the adrenaline was leaving her body. She could feel her hair slowly growing sticky before the Captain and his first mate stood before Liz and Henry who she now had hiding behind her leg.
"Lizzie?" A voice whispered as Liz's eyes snapped off the Captain to his first mate beside him. She watched the colour drain from his face as her eyes widened. Her body began to shake before she quickly stepped forward and ripped the mask from his face. The crew all went silent as the Captain looked at his friend with interest as neither said a word.
"Edward" She struggled to let his name leave her lips before he smiled at the sight of his sister. She looked at him in horror as she gazed upon the reality that her brother had been alive all this time, just like Charlotte. Charlotte had thought he was dead but instead he was off playing pirate. Edward froze as his eyes trailed down to the boy that clung onto Liz's leg. It was like looking at a replica of him when he was that age. His mouth open and closed like a goldfish as he tried to comprehend who he was. Was he Liz's son? Was he his son? But how would that be possible, he had only loved one woman and she hadn't survive the journey to the past.
Ignoring all the questions that were running through his head a million miles and hour he let out a joyful laugh and smile before pulling her in tightly for a hug. Everyone watched in confusion, before looking between the boy, the woman and their first mate. It didn't take a genius to realise the boy was Edward's son, but what they all thought was that Liz was his mother. Spinning her around Edward held her too tight as she let out a pained cry, desperately ripping herself from her brothers grip.
She staggered and felt one of her legs wobbly as the Captain who was the closest to her managed to catch her before her body gave way under her. His tight grip to catch up pushed against her ribs as she let out another pained groan. She squirmed to push his hand away from her ribs as the Captain realised what she was doing.
"Lizzie!" Edward cried as he knelt beside his sister, realising the Stay was in the way of seeing her ribs the Captain worked quickly to unknot and loosen the string that held it together. Throwing the soaked fabric from her body Edward carefully rolled her shirt up to see the yellow bruises across her ribs. The Captain beside him noticed as he held the fragile girl that she was actually toned and athletic under the baggy shirt she was wearing. His shoulder began to get sticky as he realised that blood was staining his black shirt. Placing a hand to the back of her head he pulled it away to see his bloodied hand before looking back to Edward who had grown paler.
"Get Pablo!"