The Map

A/N: WOW! Just a quick note to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed and read. I really didn’t think that there was many of you that hadn’t given up on me; so thanks for sticking with it. I hope you enjoy this one.

Usual disclaimer: own nothing to do with POTC or Disney. My overdraft proves this!

Chapter ??? Lost track somewhere!

Sanctuary.

Nell didn’t bother with the ties, or the rows of buttons, she just took the dagger Jack had left her and slit the dress right down the front; leaving it lying in a heap on the muddy ground. She slit the corset the same way and let out a sigh of relief as the constricting item of clothing fell to the ground. She slid into the shirt and britches she had stolen from the washing line of the first house she had found. Running her fingers through her hair to straighten the ringlets; she used one of the corset ties to braid her hair back with. Slipping the dagger into the waist of her britches she sighed again as she felt more comfortable than she had since she had first arrived in Port Royal. She was confidant now that she would blend in at the town and no one would equate the rough, dirty peasant with the young woman who had walked through the town earlier in the week to meet her brother.

Slipping quietly through the rubbish strewn yards of houses, she was glad of the absolute squalor that most of Port Royals citizens lived in. Houses were so tightly packed together that milling through crowds of people was easy for Nell. Children ran the streets bare-footed and unkempt; dogs barked and chased the children in their games; women went about their daily work as men loitered and did whatever men did, which in Nell’s opinion seemed to be as little as possible. And at every corner and at every intersection of road, red coats were present. Nell walked casually up Dove Lane and into the yard that separated it from Love Lane; heading towards the central market place. She was unsure of her plans yet; but she had to keep moving; if she stopped or tried to hide somewhere, she would stand out more. Every house was being systematically searched by red coats, which once again, went in Nell’s favour. There were just so many houses that it was taking time for them to work their way through the town. All Nell had to do was keep out of the way and dodge past the searching red coats and hopefully she would outlast their efforts to find her.

Nell watched as several red coats burst open another door, much to the owners dismay. They disappeared into the house and Nell took the opportunity to cross into a street they had already searched. She moved forwards, when suddenly a hand was pressed against the mouth and she was pulled backwards into the dim alley between two houses. She struggled, trying desperately to free herself.

“Nell, it’s me, Hock.”

Nell went limp in his arms as she recognised the voice of her friend, Hock. He released her mouth and turned her quickly to face him.

“What’s happened?” he asked her as she quickly pressed her forehead to his chest before standing away from him. She saw Jimmy slightly behind him and she smiled in greeting at him.

“Oh, Hock, we’re in big trouble!” she whispered as he tried to mover her backwards. “No, not that way, they’re heading that way next. Quick, we need to move back to Dove Lane; they’ve been there and they won’t come back.” She turned and watching carefully she ambled out of the alley with her hands in her pockets. Keeping her head averted from the house they were currently searching she lead the other two towards Dove Lane. When they were safely out of sight again she turned to them and drew them closer.

“They’ve captured them all! All of them, Will, Elizabeth, the Governor and I’m assuming James and Josh; as I’ve not seen them at all in this search today!”

“Who’s done this?” asked Hock frowning down at her.

“Some new Governor called Spencer; Gillette is also part of it and Davenport. Tilly’s Davenport.”

Hock’s face reddened with anger slightly as he heard Davenport’s name. “Bastard! They must have caused trouble…. Now I know what the gallows are for!”

“Gallows?” asked Nell in horror.

“They’ve a set of gallows in the square. Usually it’d be done in the fort but for some reason this is going to be a public event.”

“They wouldn’t…” Nell’s face blanched when she heard his words. “What are we going to do?”

“We’re taking you back to the Pearl.”

“NO!” Nell backed away from him. “I’m not leaving them to die!”

“I didn’t say that, Nell!” Hock grunted in response as he looked around quickly. “But I can’t let you stay here either! It’s too dangerous, Nell.”

“I will not leave!” Nell shook her head. “It could be too late.”

“There’s nought we can do with just three o’ us!” Jimmy said urgently. “Capt’n’ll know what to do!”

“Then you must go back, Jimmy,” Nell said nodding at him. “Go back and warn Jack.”

“No, Nell!” Hock shook his head. “I refuse to let you do this. Nell… I…. NELL!”

Nell had slipped past both of them and taking to her feet she disappeared down the alley.

“Bloody woman!” Hock swore furiously and kicked at the floor. “I’m going to tan her backside when I catch her! Jimmy, back to the Pearl and tell the Capt’n what’s happened. Don’t be caught!”

Without another word Hock took after Nell cursing her with every breath in him.

<><><><><><><><><><><>

Norrington lifted his head when he heard the commotion on the steps that lead down into the jail. He didn’t move from his position on the stone bench but he did turn to look out of the filthy bars.

“Will?” He was taken aback when he saw Will come stumbling down the stairs followed by the Governor. And then with horror, he saw Elizabeth stumbling after them. He shot to his feet and crossed to the bars, hanging onto them, obliviously of the dirt on them. Bryant had been dozing beside him, but was startled awake when Norrington moved suddenly.

“Elizabeth!” Norrington gripped the bars tightly as Bryant joined him.

“You can’t do this!” Weatherby Swann was insisting angrily as they were thrust roughly into the cell beside Norrington and Bryant.

“We have!” Gillette said nastily and grinned in at where Bryant was glaring at him.

“Gillette! You cannot hold a pregnant woman this way!” Norrington barked.

“She’ll swing as well.” Gillette laughed and came to stand in front of Norrington; the knowledge that there were two armed red coats behind him gave him bravery.

“You cannot hang a pregnant woman! It is unlawful, not to mention immoral!” Norrington raged at the man. “Release her instantly.”

“On whose orders?” Gillette sniped. “Yours? Aren’t you forgetting something? I’m the Commodore now. I give the orders.”

“You’re nothing but a puppet,” Bryant rasped angrily. “Spencer’s little puppet; you can’t even think on your own.”

“On the contrary, Bryant; it’s on my recommendations that the five of you will be hung until dead; and tomorrow morning no less.”

“Like I said - a puppet!” Bryant snorted angrily. “How are you going to live with yourself? How are you going to look in the mirror each day knowing that you murdered an innocent baby?”

“How can it be innocent? Look at its parents. It’ll grow up to be just like them; a threat to the peace of the seas and the public in general. We’re doing the world a favour; by eradicating vermin.” Gillette sneered at them and turned to march back up the stairs, two of the red coats remaining on guard.

“Keep telling yourself that, Gillette!” Bryant shouted after him. “Keep telling yourself that; and pray that you live forever, because I don’t think god is agreeing with you!”

The door shut at the top of the stairs and Bryant let out his pent-up rage in a growl of pure anger.

“Elizabeth? Will?” Norrington moved to the end of the bars. It was impossible to see into the next cell. “Governor Swann? Are you well? Are you hurt in any way?”

“We’re fine,” came Will’s angry voice. “Can they really do this, James? Surely the people won’t allow a pregnant woman to be hung?”

“The people’ll do as their told.” A soft voice made Norrington look around at the two guards. “Spencer ‘as a ‘old over every man in t’place; they all know that if they don’t, they’ll be swingin’ next to yer.” Norrington knew the two guards only by sight. They were fairly new to Port Royal; but he knew they’d been Impressed in England.

“They cannot outright break the law, though. He answers to…”

“Who do ‘e answer to?” the younger one cut him off. “Beggin’ yer pardon, sir, but ’e answers to some king ‘undreds of miles across the sea. One who can’t see a bloody thing, nor do anything about it. ‘e reckons ‘e’s goin’ to bring a new peace to these parts. ‘e’s gonna build a new fleet of ships to catch the pirates; keep the merchant ships safe for travel to Port Royal.”

“How’s he financing that?” Bryant asked in surprise.

The younger man looked at his companion and took a deep breath. “Money from ‘is nibs – Davenport. New taxes on the people and e’ll probably tax the merchant’s too. ‘e won’t need t’pay anyone, cause e’s using slaves for the bulk o’ it.”

“Slavery,” Norrington snorted in disgust.

“Sir,” the other man spoke and then blushed red. “It ain’t right what ‘e’s doin’ to you all. You’ll always be me Commodore and I know I speak for a lot of the men; but see, they be scared of what Spencer can do.”

“And rightly so!” Will spat out from where he was listening next door. “The man’s a monster!”

“What’s your names?” asked Norrington softly.

“Thomas Oxenbury, Sir.”

“Peter Wainright, Sir.”

Norrington nodded slowly and then half smiled at them. “How much do you have to loose?”

Peter and Thomas exchanged sly glances and then replied as one.

“Nothing, sir.”

<><><><><><><><><><><><>


Nell found her way towards the main market square, and with a sickening feeling in her stomach, she saw the gallows which were now almost completed. She turned away and came face to face with an angry Hock.

“Damn you, Nell,” he hissed but he couldn’t touch her. Red coats littered the market square; not actively searching here now, as it had already been done, but on the look out anyway.

“Hock, I will not let them be hung!” She squared up to him glaring at him.

“And what exactly can you do on your own, Nell?” He took her elbow and steered her towards one of the taverns and away from the watchful eyes of the red coats. “Apart from swinging from that rope up there?”

Nell didn’t answer as she knew it would only anger him more.

“Nell?” He steered her to the bar and slapped down enough coins for two tankards. Nell took one and then let him lead her towards the back of the room. They sat in a quite secluded spot that was close to the window.

“What have you planned, Nell?” he sighed as he kept a watchful eye on the few men already drinking in the tavern.

“Spencer has a wife,” she said quietly and avoided his eyes.

“Bloody hell, Nell! You thought you could, what? Kidnap his bloody wife?”

Nell coloured up and then shrugged. “It could be done. There are few round here who know who I am. She’ll be up at the Governor’s House now. All the redcoats are down here….”

“And then what?” he asked hotly. “What did you plan on doing then, single-handedly I might add?”

“An exchange,” she replied smartly.

“All right,” he kept his voice low as they spoke. “So, let’s surmise that you have your exchange, what then? What are you going to do then? How are you going to leave this place alive?”

“Oh, she isn’t exchanged until we’re out to sea. Then we set her free in a long boat.”

“Too many holes, Nell, too many bloody holes.” He swallowed his drink in one long go and then slapped the tankard back on the table.

“If we wait for Jack, it’ll too late.”

“Tomorrow; they’ll be hanged tomorrow probably,” he replied. “Damn thing’s not finished yet.”

A commotion outside brought Hock’s head up sharply. They stood up and followed the rest of the curious customers out of the tavern and into the square outside. Hock caught Nell’s arm and held her back as they saw what was causing the commotion.

Jimmy was firmly in the hands of two red coats and with him was Timms and Gibbs; the two guards that Jack had left at the agreed meeting point. They were thrust into the middle of the square and forced to their knees; the red coats seemed to be waiting for something, but neither Hock nor Nell could see what.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?”

Hock craned his neck slightly to see over the gathering crowd and spotted the new Commodore.

“Caught them on the path out of town, Sir.”

“I recognise you! Pirates!” Gillette stepped forwards and caught Jimmy’s face in his hand. Jimmy wrenched his face away and then brought it back around spitting firmly in Gillette’s face. Gillette reacted instantly and brought his fist crashing into Jimmy’s jaw snapping his head back painfully.

Hock tightened his grip on Nell’s arm when he felt her tense; he kept careful watch, if they were recognised too, then it would mean the end of them. He moved backwards slowly, taking Nell with him, then turned sideways and bent his face close to her ear, his arm slid round her neck and it just looked like he was kissing her. “It’ll all be up if he recognises us as well,” he whispered the words into her ear; his hot breath made her squirm slightly.

“Take them to the Fort!” Gillette’s voice rang out bringing Hock’s head around but he kept his arm around her neck. “Double the guard, search every house again! If Sparrow’s men are here, then he’s here too! I want them found and found quickly! And find that woman; she hasn’t gone far!”

Hock moved backwards quickly and they slipped around the back of the tavern and into the shadows between the buildings.

“They didn’t make it back to the Pearl; Jack has no idea what’s going on.” Nell’s voice conveyed her fear clearly to Hock.

“He’ll not take long to figure it out.” He looked around him. “Nell, we have to hide you…” He looked back at her with a frown on his face. “Or at least how you look.”

“How?”

“I’m sorry, Nell,” he whispered and turned her around quickly. He looked around him and certain that no one was in sight he lifted his dagger and with one quick flick cut her long braid of hair. He heard her gasp and squeezed her shoulder quickly before hacking at the ends until they were short and feathery. He turned her around and nodded, satisfied that she looked more like a teen-age boy than a woman. He flicked his eyes over her clothes, happy to see she was wearing a shirt and britches, but then his eyes fell on her chest and his frown was back.

“Nell, you’re a tad….”

Nell lifted a hand to her head in shock, her eyes on the pile of hair that lay at her feet. “My hair…”

“Will grow again,” he said curtly. “But only if you’re alive still!”

Nell looked up at him and took a deep breath; he was, of course, right. She nodded and then looked down at her self; he was right again, with her chest there was no way she’d pass for a boy.

“We’ll have to bind you,” Hock’s face flushed and he shifted slightly in embarrassment; but he knew it had to be done.

“With what?” asked Nell, as she had no cloth long enough. She watched as Hock drew the long sash from his waist, careful of where his dagger and pistol were kept.

“We need to find somewhere more private,” he muttered and looking around saw some crates at the end of the alley. “Down there.”

Nell bent quickly and scooped up the braid of hair; she kicked her feet scattering the other loose strands away and into the dirt beneath her feet, before following Hock down the alley and behind the grates.

“Turn away from me and take your shirt off,” he instructed and Nell did as she was told. She placed the shirt on the ground at her feet and hid the hair under the grate; her face was burning with embarrassment, even though she knew he could see little with her back to him.

“Hold it over yourself with one hand and lift your other one up in the air,” he murmured. Nell flushed even deeper as his hand reached around her holding the cloth. She placed one end by her ribs and covered her breasts; she lifted her hand in the air and jumped when she felt his hand take the cloth from her fingers. He said nothing as she lifted her other arm up and he wound the cloth around her back; as he wound she turned slowly until she was facing him. She looked at him as he brought the cloth around her and then without warning he pulled it tightly flattening her breasts as much as he could.

“Bloody hell,” Nell sucked in her breath, embarrassment gone at the discomfort.

“Aye, well, Jack’ll have my eyes and hands for doing this to you. But then he’d have me head if you were caught because you looked like a woman. T’s the lesser of two evils.” He held his hand firmly over her ribs holding the cloth in place; spinning her round as he wound her tightly. He tied it off under her arm and then tucked the ends in place.

“Put your shirt back on; we have to move away from here.”

“What are we going to do?” asked Nell as she shrugged back into the off-white shirt.

“Well there’s no way back to the Pearl in the day-light; young Jimmy proves that. I was thinking that maybe your plan might be the way to go; but I’d be more inclined to try and capture the man himself, rather than his wife. If he’s anything like Davenport, he won’t care much what happens to her.”

“He’ll be up at the fort more than likely. How the hell are we going to slip in there without being noticed?”

“We need a couple of red coats…” he mused and looked down at her with a grin on his face. “And we need a hell of a lot of luck. Fancy a quick prayer for us, Nell?”

“It’ll take more than a quick prayer,” Nell mused and followed him out of the alley as inconspicuously as they could. “It’s going to take a miracle; or some Act of God on huge proportions.”

“Well, start praying lass,” he muttered to her as they made their way in the general direction of the fort.

<><><><><><>break<><><><><><>

Dwent and Simons knew something was wrong before they reached the path that lead to Port Royal.

“Somethin’s up,” Dwent growled; his narrowed eyes were sharp as they looked around seeing no sign of the guards that had been posted there.

“They be not ‘ere,” Simons muttered and took a step backwards. “Caught?”

“Aye!” Dwent nodded and without another word both men turned and made their way quickly back to the cay the Pearl was anchored in.

<><<><<><><><><><><>

A surge of relief went through Norrington when Wainright clicked the lock open and removed the keys. He crossed to the other door as Norrington and Bryant swung the door open and let themselves out.

“Good man,” Norrington nodded at Wainright. Oxenbury was stood at the top of the stairs that led to the outside enclosure.

“It looks clear!” he called down. “Most of the men are down in the town, conducting a search for something.”

“Or someone,” muttered Bryant as he thought of Nell. “I suppose the fact that she’s not here is good news. Maybe she made it back to the Pearl.”

“Heads up!” Oxenbury hissed and came charging back down the steps. “Back inside, quickly, back inside.”

Norrington looked up at him and seeing the urgency on his face he turned and pushed Bryant back into the cell. Wainright banged the doors shut and locked them before hurrying back to his position beside Oxenbury. They were just in time, as a group of red coats came down the steps with the three pirates.

“You! Unlock the cell with the Commodore…” the red coat speaking had the grace to look uncomfortable. He avoided Norrington’s eyes and looked at Wainright indicating with his head to unlock the door.

“Mister Gibbs!” Will called out.

“Will?” Gibbs looked up in surprise at the occupants of both cells. “Bloody hell, what they bin doin’ ‘ere, some sort of naval mutiny? Missus Turner!” He suddenly spotted the heavily pregnant woman and was angrily indignant as he struggled against his chains.

“New broom sweeps clean, or so they say,” drawled Norrington as Wainright unlocked the door again. Oxenbury stepped forwards his riffle drawn and pointing at Bryant.

Gibbs, Jimmy and Timms were all shoved into the cell with Bryant and Norrington and the door was locked again.

“Going to have to build a bigger set of gallows now, aren’t they?” Bryant spoke directly to the red coat that was facing him.

The red coat, Paul, looked up at Bryant and shrugged uncomfortably. It hadn’t sat well with a lot of the men when Norrington and Bryant were arrested. Gillette was not well liked; but most men knew it was more than their life’s worth, or their family’s lives, to say or do anything other than obey orders.

Bryant turned away, anger etched onto his face before he suddenly whirled around again. “You!” He pointed at one of the red coats who were already going back up the steps. “Ben Stamps! Have you forgotten so easily? Have you forgotten how your Ma was too poor to pay for the apothecary and the Commodore tripled your pay for that month? The real Commodore that is! And you… Jones,”

Norrington put his hand on Bryant’s arm and pulled him back slightly. “That’s enough, Josh. None of these men have forgotten, and nothing was done with a view of repayment. They have families to think of, wives, and mothers; not just themselves. They have to obey orders. They have too much too lose.”

The red coats continued up the steps silently, still avoiding the eyes of their former Commodore. Bryant looked up at Norrington and shook his head in resignation.

“Well, bugger me for an idiot!” Timms gasped when Wainright stepped forwards and once again un-locked the door when the last of the red coats had gone from sight. “Is ‘e doin’ what I fink ‘e is?”

“Yes, Mister Timms, indeed he is,” Norrington replied and then turned to Gibbs. “What of Miss Nell? Did she make it back to the Pearl?”

Gibbs shook his head as they left the cells. “Jimmy says she’s still in the town somewhere, but so is Mister Hock. He’ll keep her safe or die trying.”

Norrington nodded, watching as Will and the others came out of the other cell.

“We need arms; my office has all we need and is not far from here,” Norrington said quietly. He looked across at the pale but determined face of Elizabeth. “I’m sorry, Elizabeth, but we must stay together.”

“Of course,” she nodded firmly. “I’m pregnant, James, not dying.”

R>E>A>K>

Jack sat with his booted feet on the table, a bottle of rum in one hand and his other hand was drawing lazy circles in the air. She’d be back soon and they could be under way again; being at anchor for so long was giving him itchy feet; even if they had managed to make a lot of repairs on the Pearl. He took a swig of rum and let his head fall back slightly, relishing the feel of the rum slipping down his throat.

“Capt’n!” A hammering on his door almost had him upending backwards, but he caught himself and swung his legs to the floor. The door was flung open and Dwent came in with three other crew members behind him.

“Trouble, Capt’n; Mister Gibbs and Timms weren’t there and there be no sign of ‘em.”

“Make her ready!” Jack ordered and indicated with his hands to hustle them back out of the door. He swiped his hat and coat from the table as he followed them out the door, his face belying nothing of his feelings.

He started shouting orders the moment he cleared the cabin entrance. “All hands on deck; Mister Dwent have the cannons manned and make ready to cast off on my order. I want the sweeps manned just in case.” Jack looked out towards the trees where the path was hidden but there was no sign.

“Bloody hell, what now?” he muttered.

<><><><><>BREAK<><><><><>

Norrington went out first, but the main area was empty; there was no one around. He indicated for the others to follow and he stood to one side, his hands still manacled together in front of him.

“We need to remove these!” Bryant hissed as they made their way quietly and quickly towards Norrington’s old office.

“Are you sure he’s still in the town?” Will questioned Gibbs about Gillette.

“He’s looking for Nell still,” Gibbs replied gravely. “Let’s just hope to hell he doesn’t find her and Hock does.”

Norrington let himself in to the office quietly and when he was sure the coast was clear he ushered everyone in and shut the door. He crossed to the desk and removed the set of keys that he had there; minutes later everyone was free of their chains.

“Where’s Jack anchored?” Norrington asked Gibbs as he crossed to the arms cabinet and unlocked it.

“Off the parish of St. Thomas in the west,” Gibbs replied as he took the pistol offered him by Norrington. “We can’t be going back without Nell, though.”

“Of course not!” Bryant replied sharply. He looked across at where Wainright was staring open mouthed at Norrington casually handing known pirates lethal weapons. “Just accept it, it’s easier than trying to work out why,” he murmured to him.

Wainright blinked as he nodded before gaping once more at the shot now being passed round. Oxenbury seemed more comfortable with it and nudged him sharply.

“But neither can we risk you going back into town, Elizabeth.” Norrington looked up at her with a grim expression on his face,

“Someone needs to warn Jack,” she said firmly. “The only way out of here is towards the Palisadoes Spit. If I can slip through unseen then I can go round to Jack.”

“It’s a hell of a walk, beggin’ yer pardon, miss,” Jimmy pointed out. “Capt’n’ll know by now somefink’s up. Guard’ll ‘ave been changed by now; seeing as there be no guard to change, it’ll tip ‘im off like. ‘e was already finkin’ of trouble, on account of there bein’ so many bloody red coats about on the Slip.”

“He’ll no doubt make his way round the coast.” Gibbs agreed. “He’ll be looking to sneak up on the harbour if I know Jack.”

“Which won’t be till tonight,” Will murmured. “Where can we hide till then?”

“We can’t,” Norrington replied. “They’ll know we’ve gone soon and up the search.”

“Well, we can’t stay here and wait to be caught again!” Elizabeth stated and stood up from where she had been resting beside Will. “And we can’t assume that Jack’ll do anything at all.”

“Of course he will,” Gibbs snorted. “Nell is still here; he’ll not leave her behind and besides, Jack’s not one for the code anyway.”

“I didn’t mean that, Mister Gibbs,” she said curtly. “I meant we can’t assume he’ll wait till tonight; if he thinks we’re in danger he may try something else.”

“If we make it to the Governor’s House; his missus and daughter are there,” Oxenbury pointed out quietly. “Spencer might be more amenable to do as we ask if he’s given the correct incentive.”

“God lord, man, what did you do before the navy?” Bryant asked with amusement.

“Footpad,” Oxenbury smirked. “I was press-ganged one night; drunk too much and woke up a mid-shipman!”

“They really need to stop that impressment,” Governor Swann said absently.

“It’s a plan,” Elizabeth touched her father’s arm in affection. “We won’t hurt them of course, but Spencer won’t know that!”

Norrington sighed, pinching the bridge of this nose. “I really am too old for this!”

<><><><><><><><>

Nell couldn’t believe her eyes; she blinked several times before catching hold of Hock’s arm and shaking it.

“Look!” He turned from where he had been watching the guard in the streets below.

“Your prayers are working girl,” Hock laughed. “Keep ‘em up!”

“There’s two red coats with them!” Nell pointed out.

“Aye, but they must be on our side; there’s no irons on any of them.”

“And if it’s a ruse to catch us?” Nell mused.

“There’s no one in sight,” he replied carefully checking around them. “This’ll tell…” he muttered and then placed his hand around his mouth and made a low pitched noise. At first Nell didn’t think they’d heard; but then all of a sudden Gibbs lifted his head and looked around him. Hock repeated the whistling noise and Gibbs returned the noise.

“It’s safe!” Hock said cheerfully, and crawled forwards through the bushes they were hidden in, with Nell at his heels.

“Hock!” Gibbs saw Hock and what looked like a very dirty, skinny boy behind him crawling from under the bushes. “Good to see ye man! Have ye seen Nell?”

Nell got to her feet beside Hock and grinned at Gibbs. “Hello, Joshamee!”

“Nell!” Gibbs did a double take at her short hair and androgynous state. “Ye look like a lad!”

“That was the whole point,” Hock drawled.

Nell was pleased to see Elizabeth and she went to her straight away; they embraced and then followed the others as they continued to make their way towards the Palisadoes Slip.

“HALT!”

“Bugger!” Gibbs turned and saw a group of red coats turning the corner and heading towards them. “Take cover!”

Before anyone could move, there was sudden crack, and then a loud rumbling noise that seemed to come from the hills ahead of them. The ground beneath their feet shook and seemed to undulate under them; rolling like waves. Unable to keep their feet they were lifted upwards and then thrust back down onto the ground as the tremors ran through the earth beneath them.

“Earthquake!”

Screams and shouts of terror rose through the air as tremor after tremor rippled through the streets of Port Royal.

Nell could feel herself being sucked into the sand underneath her; a scream rent from her as the ground suddenly went still.

“Bloody hell!” Hock scrambled to his knees close to her; his eyes taken by the sight around them. Both Nell and Gibbs was now knee deep in the sandy wet ground. Elizabeth was kneeling with Will holding her; she had one hand clenched to her stomach and it was clear from her face that something was wrong. Bryant crossed to Hock as Norrington went to Elizabeth and Will.

“QUICK!” Gibbs shouted as he scrambled with his hands trying to free the sand around his knees. “Bloody hell! Look!”

Bryant and Hock was clawing at the dirt around Nell’s legs as the sudden noise made them look back up, fearful of what would come next. Nell turned and her eyes went round with fear as she saw the water being sucked out to sea by the enormity of the earthquake. She knew enough about waves to know that it would build into an enormous wave and come crashing back in.

Frantically now, they scrabbled away at the dirt until both she and Gibbs were free. Hock gripped her shirt and tugged her to her feet as Bryant helped Gibbs. Oxenbury and Wainright had gone to the group of red coats who were up to their waists in the sandy ground.

“Leave them!” shouted Norrington at them. “Run! Make for higher ground!” He knew what would happen if they were left, but he also knew that it was useless; there was just not enough time. They would have only a few minutes before the tidal waves struck; there would be no time to get to the hills; he looked around him and yelled at the others. “Make for the church and up to the bell tower! We have to make for the highest point!”

Elizabeth was struggling; it was almost impossible to run in her condition. Will was helping her but she knew she’d not make it in time. “Go! Go one, Will!”

Will faltered and stopped beside her; he could see the walls of water crashing over the harbour walls and he knew it would only be minutes before they were over-taken.

“I will never leave you!” he shouted. He half bent and scooped her up into his arms and began making for the church; every muscle in his abused left arm was screaming at him, but he would rather the sea have them both then put her down now.

Norrington was holding the door open, shouting at him to run quicker; but Will’s strength was not what it used to be and he could feel himself flagging. He could hear the rushing of the tidal wave as it crashed into Port Royal, he could feel the preceding wind blowing his hair. It was going to take them both; he didn’t have the strength he needed to save them; it was all going to end here and now.

“I love you,” the words were screamed in his ear as Elizabeth clung to him. She could see the water and devastation of everything and everyone in its path and she knew that they were not going to make it.

Will felt his heart constrict; he held everything he had ever wanted or needed in his arms. His wife, their child, their future… he wouldn’t give them up now, not without fighting. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to speed up, the effort making his head spin as the blood pounded through his veins. He reached the door and hope lifted his spirits; they had made it. All that remained now would be if the church would give them the sanctuary they prayed for.

Norrington helped drag them into the tower entrance and then he slammed the door behind them. He all but carried them up the steps and out on to the small parapet that surrounded the ancient bell of St Peter’s.

“Here it comes!” Oxenbury cried as he knelt by the wall and gripped the stones tightly. “Here it comes!”

The water broke over the churchyard and slammed into the walls beneath them. Their shouts of fear were drowned by the noise of the water; the whole building shuddered under the impact; water came splashing upwards, up the height of the tower and swept over the walls and onto the platform. Hands lost their grip as they were swept backwards into the stonework of the bell enclosure.

“Mother of God, Save us all!” Nell shrieked before everything blacked out.

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A/N: Just in case you’re wondering this is now the earthquake of June 1692. Thanks for reading and getting this far. The next chapter should be up soon. Have a great day/night.