༺ T H E S I E G E ༻
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After James had walked her inside and kissed her hand goodnight, he went straight to the Governor's office, saying he had to report back to his superior. Clara found it hard to believe such a man as Norrington would take orders from someone else, then yet again, it was how he became a commodore.
Rosie and Estrella had already gotten Elizabeth in bed when she got upstairs. They told her to take the night off after such a fright and to go wash. Without much resistance, she did just that.
Clara was pushing her blankets back, about to get into bed when cannon fire reached her ears. Not hesitating, the blonde rushed to Elizabeth's room, almost knocking the door off its hinges.
Elizabeth was at her terrace, watching the onslaught of violence ensue. The fort was getting hounded by cannonball after cannonball. The ship that was attracting the small city was just a few miles off the coast.
"Father's out there!" yelled Elizabeth as Clara rushed her away from the window.
"He'll be fine, where James is, he will be too. But we've got to get you out of here, Elizabeth."
The Governor's daughter just stood, staring at the chaos below.
"Elizabeth! Now!"
She broke from her trance, her eyes shone with an inward fire. "I can take care of myself. I care more about you than myself, escape through the back servant's door. I'll find you at the fort."
"I won't-"
"You must. That's an order, Clara, go!"
Elizabeth pushed Clara out of the room, the two immediately being separated as they went in opposite directions. Clara passed her room but went back. She was not going out in public in her nightdress. Throwing on a shirt and top haphazardly, she remembered the knife she kept hidden in her nightstand. She ripped the draw open, knocking things over and grabbed it. She shoved it into her pocket as she ran down steep stairs. Through the kitchen was a passage which led to the door. She stumbled into the night, not caring that the door slammed - the attackers couldn't hear it anyways.
She slunk quietly about the bushes that lined the house, careful not to step on any twigs. As she rounded the corner, a scream sounded through the air. Elizabeth. Two ruffians were dragging her through the gravel driveway, kicking and screaming. Evil seeped from them, their smiles anything but kind. Clara shivered. She couldn't fight the two off - not with the smallest dagger ever made. So she watched them leave and when she knew it was clear, she ran down the road and into the city.
It wasn't much better there.
Ruffians - Clara now deemed them to be pirates - littered the streets, pulling people from their homes and slaughtering them like animals. Men, women, children, it was the worst sight Clara had ever seen. She would not forget it anytime soon.
One of the pirates leapt at her and she dodged his blow with sure steps. She pulled her dagger from its sheath, dropping it. The man waded around her, seizing her up and fixing the grip on his cutlass. He wouldn't dare kill her, would he?
He then lunged once more. He would.
Clara sidestepped him, using his surprise as a way to stab his side. Her heart rattled as he looked at her, his movement causing the knife to cut further into him - yet, he seemed unbothered. Clara glanced up at him and smiled, before taking back her weapon and running for the hills. She didn't look back, she knew he was chasing her, his heavy breaths and feet making more sound than the gunfire a few feet away.
Something tugged at her ankle, sending her to the ground. Through her head, shot pain like a lightning bolt as her cheek had taken the brunt of the fall. The man stood above her, raising his sword to strike but she rolled away. Clara jumped on the pirate's back, dropping her knife so she could wrestle the weapon out of his hand. She had figured out a way to move his arm up and she bite him. He dropped the sword with a yelp and swung around, hitting Clara on the side of the head.
Fighting off the feeling to pass out, she pounced on him in return. They grappled with the other, falling to the ground, each trying to get the upper hand. When the pirate's hands found their way to her neck, she knew she was done for. As she was ready to give in, the guy slunk down, pinning her and she could just make out the silhouette of an axe. With a struggle, Clara managed to get the man off herself.
She glanced around for her dagger finally seeing it glimmer in the pale moonlight. She could not find the sheath. She huffed, she'd have to go on without it. Not taking any more chances she wheeled around but someone caught her arm. She screamed and tugged, weaving her dagger around, trying to get a slice at them.
She heard the metallic clang of a weapon having been dropped and the individual grasped her other arm, holding her steady.
"Let me go!"
"Clara, stop! It's me."
Clara followed their order and allowed her eyes to focus, before her, was a dark-haired man with comforting eyes. Will. She collapsed against him, the adrenaline wearing off. "They took her!"
"Who?"
"Elizabeth."
Will's eyes narrowed and a grave expression morphed his face into something dangerous. It was rare to see Will in such a state, Clara hated to say it, but it excited her. "Go to the fort, Norrington will be able to protect you there." He shuffled around her, picked up his sword and ripped his axe from the pirate's back.
"What about you?"
"I'm going after Elizabeth. Stay out of sight." Without looking back, he rushed into the chaos, immediately attracting attention.
Clara took his words to heart. She stayed in the shadows, watching with diligence every nook and corner and only come out from hiding to cross paths. She stayed clear of main roads and loud noises, keeping to back alleys.
It felt like it took the whole night to weave her way to the fort, but she got there without harm which was the best she'd hoped for. The armed naval forces barely registered her presence as she wove her way up to Governor Swann and James. When she saw him, she called out from behind a pillar, using it as protection against the splinters and dust.
James whirled around to find his fiancee trembling. He gave out one last order to Gilette, stating for him to take charge and then rushed to Clara's side, pulling her into him. Her once clean hair was now dirty, grime lined her face and clothes, and a bruise was forming on her cheekbone near her eye. "What are you doing here?!"
"Elizabeth told me to meet her here, but the pirates took her! Mr Turner is out searching for her-"
"Commodore, look!" shouted one of the soldiers.
Dangerously, Clara followed Norrington as he met the man, who handed over a spyglass. "What is it?"
Norrington closed the spyglass and gave it back to the man, telling him to fall back. He then shifted his attention back to Clara. "They have her on their ship."
"Then we have to go get her. Bring that ship down."
James shook his head. "That would just escalate the situation. We must devise a plan of action before anything else. Go to my office, you'll be safe there alongside the Governor. I shall fetch you once the pirates take their leave."
Clara takes his hands in hers and brought them to her chest. "I'm not going anywhere. I want to be with you."
"Believe me, I would much rather have you in my sight." James took back one of his hands so he could cup Clara's face. "But I don't need anything to happen to you."
"Alright, I'll go. You better come back for me."
James rubbed the ring on her finger, his gaze never wavering from Clara's. "I have very intention to." He looked behind his shoulder to a nearby soldier. "Lieutenant Groves!" Being so close to Norrington as he used his commanding voice, made Clara jump. James glanced down at her and whispered his apologies, he let go of her hand, standing next to her as if they were nothing more than acquaintances. "Groves, ensure that Miss Garner arrives at my office safely."
"Yes, sir."
With a nod and gentle smile, Norrington went back to his post, leaving the two strangers.
Groves gave a similar smile as James and include his head in the direction they needed to go. "Shall we, Miss?"
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