I ran down to the harbor after them, picking my dress up and taking another glance at the water every few seconds.
Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath my feet. I stumbled, shook my head, and then continued on. The air turned considerably colder.
The man resurfaced with Elizabeth just as I arrived at the docks. He had her over his shoulder, and was attempting to scale the dock. Two Navy soldiers, Murtogg and Mullroy, I believe, helped him pull the limp woman up and out of the water. He had cut her dress off, I noted. It must've been weighing the two down.
"Not breathing!" Mullroy shouted frantically.
"Move," The man bumped him to the side and knelt over Elizabeth. He took out a pocketknife and promptly sliced the knot at the top off her corset.
Elizabeth coughed and rolled over, wheezing, spitting out saltwater.
Mullroy gazed at Elizabeth's savior admiringly. "Never would've thought of that."
"Clearly," he responded, pushing his dreadlocks out of his face, "You've never been to Singapore." He sat back and I got a good look at him.
He was handsome; his dreads were held back with a crimson bandanna, and his sharp, chocolate colored eyes were outlined in black. Beads were woven into his hair, and his clothes were stained, as if they got too much use.
He looked like a pirate. I pushed the thought aside; I didn't want to get ahead of myself.
"Where did you get that?" He asked her warily, holding up a skull and crossbones medallion that was lying on Elizabeth's chest. I'd never seen her wear it before, but it was golden and sparkled menacingly in the light.
"On your feet." Someone's deep tones commanded, and a shiny blade was pointed at the man's neck. I followed the sword until I reached the Commodore's arm.
Elizabeth's father helped her up and draped a blanket over her shoulders, casting a questioning glance at Murtogg, who was holding the corset. He hurriedly gestured at the stranger, looking innocent.
"Shoot him," Governor Swann said, his face furious at the man taking such liberties with his daughter.
The man stood up slowly, his sharp eyes on the blade, winking at him under the Caribbean sun.
"Father, Commodore," Elizabeth asked with authority, "Do you really intend to kill my rescuer?"
Norrington glared at Elizabeth, but ordered his men to lower their weapons. The man gave her a slight oriental bow. "I believe thanks are in order." Norrington said, and held out his hand to Elizabeth's rescuer.
He considered the hand for a moment, hesitating as if it carried some sort of illness, and then took the Commodore's hand.
Norrington jerked him forward and pushed up his sleeve, looking furious as the large P brand was uncovered. "Pirate?" The newly-revealed pirate winced.
I was silently thrilled. Pirate? Immediately my head was filled with all sorts of questions to ask him, but I was interrupted by the Governor.
"Hang him." He said simply, holding his daughter close.
The pirate turned his gaze on him, looking surprised and offended. Norrington yanked his shirt-sleeve up higher, revealing a tattoo depicting a sparrow, flying into a sunset, and glanced at the pirate. "Well, well," He sneered. "Jack Sparrow."
My eyes widened. Jack Sparrow? He was one of my favorite pirate legends, with all of his grand escapades and adventures. I didn't believe half of them, but the thought was interesting.
Sparrow smiled as Norrington released his arm, revealing the flash of a few gold teeth. "Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please."
I stifled a laugh as Norrington responded. "Well, captain. I don't see your ship?"
Sparrow nodded apologetically, swaying slightly. "I'm in the market, as it were."
Murtogg spoke up. "He said he's come to commandeer one."
"Told you he was telling the truth!" Mullroy told Murtogg with a triumphant grin. "These are his, sir." He sobered and stepped up the the Commodore, handing him what I assumed to be Sparrow's effect.
Sparrow looked unhappy as the weapons were handed to Norrington. I studied him critically as his eyes did a quick sweep of his surroundings, meeting mine for a split second. He winked at me; I was startled but grinned back.
"One pistol, one shot, no additional powder," Norrington began, picking up each item as he spoke. "A compass that doesn't point North," I saw Sparrow give a slight eye-roll at this, as Commodore Norrington unsheathed his cutlass half-way, studying the blade. He sheathed it with a flourish and pushed away the weapons. "And I half expected it to be made of wood."
Sparrow smiled, his eyes narrowing.
"You are without doubt the worst pirate I have her heard of." Norrington continued, staring daggers at Jack.
Jack grinned and bowed once more. "But you have heard of me." He said, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
He was jerked roughly to the side again as two soldiers cuffed his hands.
"Commodore, I really must protest!" Elizabeth shouted angrily. She shrugged off her blanket and grabbed my hand, startling me, and pulling me up front, in front of Sparrow and the officers, who seemed to be having issues with the handcuffs.
"Pirate or not, this man saved my life!" She hissed, her eyes flashing.
I, all at once, realized that I, too, was not altogether happy with the current arrangement.
"Elizabeth could be lying on the ocean floor it wasn't for him!" I stood my ground next to Elizabeth, adopting a protective stance.
Norrington put on his 'I must sugar coat the truth as I am talking to a child' face. "One good deed is not enough to pardon a life of crime, Elizabeth."
"But it seems enough to condemn 'im," Sparrow commented as the officers finished cuffing him.
"Indeed." Norrington glared at Sparrow.
I stepped forward, about to continue my crusade, when Sparrow sighed, "Finally..."
I heard Elizabeth exclaim in anger and surprise. I whirled around to see that the pirate had his cuffs around her neck, and was holding her to him with a cocky smile. My temper flared and I glared at him. His eyes flickered to me, and then back to the gathering of Navy officers and the governor. "Commodore Norrington, my effects, please? And my hat!" He asked.
Elizabeth's face was furious. I glanced at Sparrow and then back at her. He won't hurt you, I mouthed. She gazed at me questioningly.
"Commodore?" Sparrow demanded sharply.
Norrington looked absolutely furious but turned around for his things.
"Elizabeth, it is Elizabeth, isn't it?" Sparrow asked her, holding her tightly as she struggled.
"It's Miss Swann!" She bit back.
"Alright then, Miss Swann, if you'd be so kind," He said as she was handed Sparrow's items. He spun her around so they were face to face, taking his pistol and pointing it at her head. "Come, come, we don't have all day."
I watched as Elizabeth squirmed, pulling his hat down over his head roughly, and then wrapping her arms around him to buckle his baldric.
He smiled, clearly enjoying himself, as Elizabeth fixed him up. I glanced behind me. The Commodore looked impatient, the governor looked alarmed, and the rest of the Navy were watching Sparrow with a mixture of respect, awe, and fury.
Sparrow grunted. "Easy on the goods, darling."
She drew away, looking murderous. "You're despicable." She hissed at him.
Sparrow shrugged dismissively. "You save my life, I save yours, we're square." He spun her around again, so she was facing us again.
"Gentlemen, milady," Sparrow announced proudly, beginning to back up, "This is the day you shall always remember as the day that you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow!"
With that, he pushed Elizabeth away and into me, knocking us both onto the dock. Elizabeth growled as Norrington helped her up and stared wide-eyed above my head. I pushed myself up and stared as Jack Sparrow flew through the air, a cannon falling out of nowhere and breaking a hole in the wood. He spun through the air, yelling, as Norrington opened fire.
Sparrow catapulted through the sky, and landed on a beam, then zip-lined down a cable stretching from his beam to another. Without second thought I sprinted after him, ignoring the calls of the Navy behind me. As if I'd let this opportunity go.
He dropped, landing on a bridge, and yelling as bullets whizzed past him; flailing his cuffed hands in the air. I wasn't sure he had noticed me yet, but when I caught up he certainly would...
He turned a corner and I followed. I stopped. There was no sign of him.
I'd stopped outside the blacksmith's. Sighing angrily, I scanned the streets.
There wasn't any dreadlocked pirate that I could see. Tutting, I opened the door to the forge and let it slam behind me.
"Damn," I sighed and walked into my bedroom, reaching behind my head to pull at the strings keeping my dress together. I was relieved when it fell to the floor, removing the pressure from my chest.
Gleefully I slipped into my usual trousers and yellowing blouse. They were far more comfortable. Why they weren't what everyone wore was beyond me.
I froze as a yell came from the forge. Slowly I stood up, slinging my baldric around my shoulders and prowling out there, eyes narrowed.
I'd expected some sort of thief. I didn't expect Jack Sparrow, standing over Mr. Brown and staring at me, eyes guarded.
"You're the girl from the docks!" He said, gesturing at me; he seemed to wave his arms at everything. Instead of curiosity, his expression morphed into a threatening one. He reached for his sword, eyes narrowing. "Stay back..."
I rolled my eyes. "I live here, I can do what I want." I walked to the cabinet where we kept the paints and opened it, rummaging through it, looking for the teal ink I had purchased earlier in the week to touch up my cutlass.
He followed me, watching intently. "What?" I asked, finally locating it and closing the doors, bottle in hand.
He looked quizzical. "You haven't raised an alarm."
"Why would I?" I shrugged and pushed past him, toward the rack of gleaming cutlasses Will had set out for me to detail. I might as well finish those as well as mine.
He followed. "I'm a pirate, love. A very much wanted pirate."
I gave him another eye roll. "I know; I'm not stupid. Continue with whatever your Captain-ness was doing before I interrupted you."
He smiled proudly at the way I had addressed him. Then he sauntered across the room, toward a rack of hammers, sending a glance at Mr. Brown.
"He won't wake," I commented, not looking away from my work. "He won't be up and running until tonight, and even then he won't be much use." I daintily began to swirl the teal onto the sword hilt.
Jack nodded in acknowledgement, then grabbed a hammer off the wall. He proceeded to try to snap his chains with them, clamoring and clanking everywhere. Finally he stood straight again and shook his cuffs in frustration.
I watched nonchalantly, pretending I wasn't interested, as he turned and studied the room. I wanted to see if he was smart after all.
His eyes found the huge gears that swords, assorted weapons, household metal items, etc, were hung upon. His intelligent gaze swept over all this, landing on the donkey that we used to power the gear mechanism.
I watched in admiration as he used a branding iron, white-hot from the fire, to urge the donkey into moving. As soon as the wheel started to turn, he hopped up and used the huge teeth of the gears to snap the cuffs.
He looked at me, a triumphant grin on his face, but was interrupted.
We both turned toward the door as the handle turned. Jack looked frantic, glancing around for a hiding spot, and he disappeared from my line of vision as I stood, finishing the particular cutlass. Will entered and I walked toward him.
"Adeena!" Will smiled. "I've been looking all over for you! Did you hear? There's a pirate on the loose." He frowned. "Apparently, he escaped capture by holding Miss Swann hostage."
I smiled. "Yes, I was there. She's fine, don't worry." Then, hoping my acting was good enough, I did my best to look frightened. "A pirate on the loose... I better keep my cutlass on me." I patted my belt and hurriedly turned away. That had come out more as sarcastic than scared.
"Yes, well--oh, is he still asleep? Right where we left him..." Will said bitterly. I followed his gaze. He was staring at Mr. Brown. Will, I knew, was fond of Mr. Brown, he had, after all, taught Will everything he needed to know about forgery, but he also took credit for all the fantastic weapons and such that Will crafted. Will was in the process of making a blacksmith out of me, though I was much more talented at the delicate painting that the fancy swords required.
Will started across the room, pausing halfway to calm the donkey that powered the gears, who was still running around like mad after Jack had gotten him moving. I followed him, edging toward where I thought Jack had disappeared. I thought I saw his red bandana, in the shadows.
Will picked up a hammer that Jack had moved and furrowed his brow. "Not where I left you..." He murmured.
My heartbeat sped up, and I walked toward him. I was about to suggest we go down to the docks for a walk, as we did sometimes, but I swallowed the words as his eyes found Jack's hat, which he had carelessly tossed near the fire. Will reached out for it.
I whimpered as Jack's cutlass swung through the air and smacked Will's hand with the flat side of the blade. He emerged from the shadows carefully, keeping his sword on Will and picking up his hat.
Will's eyes widened, then narrowed. "You're the one they're hunting. The pirate." He spat.
Jack pulled his hat on, tilting his head and considering Will. "You look somewhat familiar, have I threatened you before?"
Will stood his ground. "I make a point of avoiding familiarity with pirates."
"Ah. Then it would be a shame to put a black mark on your record, wouldn't it? So if you'll excuse me..." Jack made to turn toward the back exit, which was near my bedroom.
But, of course, Will wouldn't allow that. He darted backwards and pulled a sword off the wheel, then pointed it at Jack.
Jack rolled his eyes but turned around again, facing Will and holding his cutlass steady. "You think this wise, boy? Crossing blades with a pirate?"
Will assumed an en garde stance and hissed, "You threatened Miss Swann."
Jack rubbed his blade along Will's menacingly, and sneered, "Only a little."
I didn't like where this was going. I drew my own cutlass and stalked forward. "You two stop it now, or I'll have to chop your heads off!"
They didn't glance at me as Jack attacked, pushing Will backwards with expert flicks. He paused for a moment, surprised at Will's skill, and then parried hurriedly as Will began to push him back.
Jack pushed away Will's sword and smiled ominously. "You know your stuff, I'll give you that." He narrowed his eyes. "But how's your footwork?"
They circled each other. "If I step here..." Jack began, and the two went at it again, the metal clinking and clanging in between them. Jack nodded approvingly. "And so we circle...like dogs, we circle..." And then, after another engagement, he pushed Will's blade away again and started backwards, toward the front entryway. "Ta!"
I moved to stand by Will. "Will, please, don't--"
He ignored me and, without warning, threw his sword into the door, nearly missing Jack's head.
I squeaked in alarm and spun to face Will. I wasn't sure what I was going to say, but he wouldn't like it no matter what.
I was interrupted as Jack attempted to pull the sword from the door. He yanked on it, the whole door rattling, and then finally gave up. He turned and started down toward us, over a broken cart that was held up only by a sack of grain.
"That," he said, "Is a wonderful trick. But, once again, you are in the way of me and my way out, and now you have no weapon!" He grinned, holding his sword loosely.
Will glanced at me, then jumped backwards and grabbed a sword out of the fire.
He pointed it at Jack, and unless I was mistaken, there was a flicker of unease in his deep brown eyes as he gazed at the orange blade.
The donkey brayed and began moving; he must have been wary of the flames.
I stamped my foot. "Boys are so stupid! Both of you--ya!" I shouted and attacked Jack, adding a flurry of French curses, this time. He laughed and parried me, amusement written all over his face.
"Adeena, stop!" Will shouted, but his words were lost to me as Jack pushed me across the room.
He leapt onto the gears and stared at the assortments of Will's work, absentmindedly blocking my attacks. "Who makes all these?"
Will joined our fray. "I do!" He shouted, as Jack jumped backwards. We hopped onto the gears this time, almost catching Jack's chest. "And we practice with them--" I continued, swinging around as Jack grabbed a frying pan off the spinning wheels, "Three hours a day!" Will finished, coming up behind me and swinging at Jack.
Jack jumped back up, onto the cart, and Will and I followed, me barking curses at the two of them. "You need to find yourself a girl, mate!" He called to Will.
They pushed their swords together, straining against one another, and Jack grinned. "Or, perhaps you've already found one, and are otherwise incapable of wooing said strumpet." Jack's smile fell, and he glanced down, then back up at Will. "You're not a eunuch, are you?"
Will pushed the sword away and yelled angrily, "I practice three hours a day, so when I meet a pirate, I can kill it!"
The sack of grain rolled out from beneath the broken wood and we pitched forward, the ground moving beneath us as we continued to fight. Will had somehow obtained a second sword, and he thrust upward with it, catching Jack's chains and pinning him to the beams above us, also disarming him. Will slid off the pitching cart and watched with amusement as Jack swung at me with the frying pan.
"Oof!" I grunted as he kicked me in the gut, knocking me backwards.
He swung his legs up and jerked at the chains, clinging to the beam like a monkey. Will leaned back and prepared to chuck his sword at Jack, but was halted as the pirate fell from the ceiling and onto his end of the cart.
I shrieked as his weight catapulted me upward. Grabbing a beam, I swung myself up so I was standing. Jack and Will were at it again, Jack balancing precariously on the cart as Will swung at his legs.
I glanced around. There was another sack of grain near me. I pushed it over and it landed on the opposite end of the cart, shooting Jack upwards.
He did the same as me, and stood on the plank parallel. Will was shouting something beneath us, but I didn't hear him.
Jack, grinning, jumped to the right; I jumped to the left. I pretended that I was to jump back, and he leapt to my beam. His smile faded and I disarmed him with a flick of the wrist.
Jack hooked his feet around his plank and flipped backwards, down below. I followed him, jumping downward.
I landed in front of Will and grinned. He smiled back but his grin faded as he stared behind me. "What?" I asked. Then I realized I couldn't see Jack.
Will didn't answer, because at that moment there was a loud poof sound, and a cloud of sand enveloped him and I. Coughing, I felt a burst of anger as my sword was kicked out of my hand.
The dust settled and I spun around, squinting to find Will. He was to my left, staring at a certain pirate's pistol.
Jack glared at Will. Will glared at Jack. "You cheated!" Will exclaimed.
Jack gave an impatient jerk of the head. "Pirate!" He explained.
The door began to rattle again. I could hear the Navy.
Jack could too. He pleaded to Will with his eyes. "Move."
Will shook his head, orange dust tumbling out of his hair. "No, I cannot just stand by and let you escape!"
More shouts came from outside. Jack looked slightly panicked. "Please move?"
Will shook his head. Jack cocked the pistol.
"Don't you dare, Jack," I whispered.
He ignored me. "This shot is not meant for you." He told Will.
Will was just as confused by that line as I was. There was a crash; Jack stood for a moment, his face blank, and then toppled over at our feet.
Will and I looked at Jack, at each other, and then upwards.
Mr. Brown was standing there, holding his broken liquor bottle like a trophy.