The Raven

Title: The Raven
Aut Author: Dena

Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean

Pairing: Jack/Will and Norrington/Will

Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters, Disney does but
I’m having some fun with them.

Warning: Some OOC, Bastard Norrington and some Noncon.

Rating: NC-17

Notes: Takes e afe after PotC and becomes an AU. Thanks to Evil Willow and Rose Starin for beta reading this fic and helping me smooth it out some.

Archive: My own at: www.dena1x2.com Any others who want it, please ask me first. The ML’s are welcome to add them to their archives if they want it.


Chapter 2

Captain Jack Sparrow smiled as Port Royal came into view. He was looking forward to seeing Will and Elizabeth again. He had been somewhat surprised to realize that the pair had gotten so deep under his skin. His musings were interrupted by the sarcastic voice of the only female on board the Pearl.

“So Captain, going to moon over the knight in shining armor?”

“Anamarie me luv, it’s not too late to turn around and drop you off at the nearest deserted island.”

A very unladylike snort was heard before the woman replied. “If I had a piece of gold for every time ye’ve threatened me with that, I wouldn’t need to be a pirate! Honestly Jack, why don’t you just grab the lad and take off with him? Pirate, remember? We take what we want!”

Why indeed, mused Jack. He had certainly felt the desire to snatch the lad and drown him in a sea of pleasure. He had been atted ted to the blacksmith almost from the beginning. That was why he hadn’t been able to pull the trigger when he had pointed his gun at Will during their sword fight.

Trouble was, he truly liked the lass as well. Elizabeth was a spirited girl and she had earned his friendship also. It was because he did like her and he owed her for helping to save his life, that he hadn’t just kidnapped young Turner and sailed off to great adventures with him aboard the Pearl.

It was like rubbing salt in the wound to come here and see them but some small part of him hoped William would say it had been a mistake not to sail off with Jack. That he was miserable and wanted to run away with him. Sighing, Jack wondered how long he’d had this masochistic streak. Deciding it did no good to dwell on this new part of his personality, Jack gave crisp orders to anchor the ship on the far side of the port. He was taking no chances with his beloved Pearl. He could easily row a small boat ashore and sneak up to the Governor’s residence to see his favorite pair of adventuring mates.

~~ooO@Ooo~~
izabizabeth paced slowly around room, overcome with feelings of numbness and grief since learning about Will’s death after a pirate attack upon Port Royal. She was beyond tears as she held a melted necklace in her hand. The design of the cursed coin on the pendant could still be seen but it was distorted from the intense heat that had partially melted it. It was all she had left of the brother of her soul.

She was reliving the horror of the past few days when the servants rushnto nto her room. Elizabeth felt dread fill her as panicked servants told her a strange man had been spotted lurking around the house. She ruthlessly crushed down the fear that wanted to flood her soul. Could the pirates be returning? She was determined to defend herself and the few servants left at her house. Most of the guards and employees were in the lower part of the port cleaning up what was left after the devastating attack. Elizabeth quickly drew a sharp dagger out of a desk drawer and prepared to face the intruder.

Elizabeth slowly walked towards her window to try and catch a glimpse of the man her servants had told her about. She was surprised to find that part of her hoped it was one of the pirates returning. Her blood cried out for revenge for the loss of Will. She was no fainting flower. Will had taught her how to use the dagger when he had gifted it to her. She would experience no sorrow if it was bathed in the blood of one of his murderers.

She carefully looked out of each window in the downstairs room and snarled in frustration when no one was sighted. Perhaps the maid had been mistaken, they were all still jumping at shadows since the attack. Deciding that this was a goose chase, Elizabeth turned around and barely stopped a scream as she saw a man standing behind her.

~~ooO@Oo

Jack was surprised to the see the Swann lass lurking about her house with a dagger in her hand. It had been child’s play for him to row ashore at a deserted beach and made his way inland to her house. He had not had any difficulty with sneaking in either; he really would have to speak to the pair about that.

Elizabeth gazed in shock as she recognized that a pirate had indeed returned to the island, but it was one she would never need to fear. “Jack!” It was profound relief that filled her as she stepped forward and hugged the confused man before her.

“Now what’s all this about luv? What are you doing with that fine blade and where is Will? I came to visit and share some rum to celebrate you’re becoming Mrs. Turner.”

Elizabeth drew back and forced herself to regain control of her emotions. “I’m glad you’re here Jack, but I’m not Mrs. Turner. We never married. I’m the wife of Commodore Norrington.”

“Mrs. Norrington is it?” Jack interrupted. “Whatever happened to the lyou you professed for Will?”

Elizabeth nearly stepped back from the thinly veiled menace that was now shining from the Captain of the Pearl. “Jack, I loved Will more than my own life. It just wasn’t a romantic love. We both felt that way. He was happy for me when I married. I would NEVER betray Will!”

Jack considered the distressed woman before him and let some of his anger dissipate. “Where’s the lad then? I would like to see him too.”

Jack felt a coldness in the bottom of his stomach at the look of grief on Elizabeth’s face. Her next words almost sent him to his knees in denial.

“Jack, Will’s dead.”

Elizabeth shuddered at the bleak and anger filled gaze that focused on her from Sparrow.

“I think some explaining is in order. Tell me what happened, Lass and I want the whole truth.”

It was some time later, after the whole sorted story had been told, that Jack had a moment to truly ponder everything. Something about this was bothering him. He thought back to the words Elizabeth had spoken. She was angered at the unprovoked pirate attack that had resulted in the entire lower town’s population being slaughtered. She wasn’t sure why the upper portion of the city had been spared, after all the richest lived above the less fortunate.

Norrington had been away on assignment and it had been Elizabeth who had discovered the burned ruins of the smithy. She had enter what was left and found a pile of ashes that had a few scraps of the shirt Will had worn earlier that day and his half-melted medallion.

They had held a funeral for Young Turner a few days ago, and then Norrington, who had returned briefly, had put out to sea to try and find the culprits. all all had a fishy ring to it and Jack was determined to get to the bottom of it. His heart refused to believe the fair lad was dead. He needed to ask Lizzie a few more questions.

The woman in question wasn’t far away. She was waiting for her chance to demand revenge for the murders of the people of her town.

“Elizabeth, I need to know, did you find any bones in the smithy?”

“No Jack. I did ask Norry about it when he came back for the funeral. I was crying because there was so little of Will left to put to rest. He said that when the flames are that hot they can burn bone as well. All I have left of William is this medallion.”

Jack gently took the melted medal from the distraught girl’s hand. He studied it intently before a wicked smile spread over his face.

“Lizzie, me luv, did you show this medallion to your husband and are you sure about what he told you?” Jack’s forebodings grew as she nodded her head yes. “Tell me then, Lass, how could tha metal survive with only a little melting if the fire was hot enough to incinerate bone? Gold is softer than bone and a fire hot enough to destroy a skeleton would certainly have melted this here bit o’ fluff into a puddle.”

“Oh God Jack, do you think he’s still alive?”

“I’m not saying that exactly lass, but we don’t know the whole truth about what happened. Did anyone see the ship? Can they identify it?”

Elizabeth thought for a minute, then, she remembered the beggar boy who had fled to the upper portion of the port as soon as the attacks occurred. Her maid had taken the boy in and would know where he was. She motioned for the Pirate to follow her when a thought shoved its way to the front of her brain. She suddenly halted and spun around to confront Jack.

“Why were you asking me about what my husband said, Jack? Surely you don’t think he had anything to do with this?”

Staring into the flashing eyes, the Captain of the Pearl decided to be honest with the girl.

“I’m saying it’s too soon to know or decide anything, lass. I curicurious as to how a military man who should be very familiar with the effects of battle would tell you a fire was hot enough to burn bone but not liquefy the softer metal. He should have known better and been suspicious about that. We need more information before doing anything else. Let’s get onto talking to the boy.”

Elizabeth wasn’t fully satisfied but since Sparrow had not made a direct accusation, she couldn’t take him to task for it. It didn’t take long for them to locate the traumatized child. He was still having nightmares but had managed to escape the slaughter before being spotted.

It was clear that the boy was terrified of the pirate that accompanied her, so Elizabeth took the youngling aside and questioned him as gently as possible. She motioned for Jack to follow her into another part of the house before telling him what the child said. The boy needed to have the Pirate Captain out of sight before he would stop trembling.

“He said he didn’t see much. Just men with guns and swords attacking the people and killing them. “El “Elizabeth, did he see the ship or the flag on it?”

Elizabeth turned to Jack, and answered his question. “He said he didn’t get a good look at the ship but he did see the flag. It was the skull and crossbones, black on red. He told me he remembered that because he had always been told it was white on black.”

Lizzie’s voice trailed off as she noticed the shocked looks on the face before her. “What?”

Jack sighed softly before looking at the confused lady before him. “Well lass, it’s been a long time since anyone has heard from her but only one ship carries the blood red flag with a black skull and crossbones, and that would be the Raven, luv.”

Elizabeth blanched. Even she had heard tales about the Raven. Her father had been talking about it with Norrington when she was a little girl. She doubted either one would have been as graphic if they had known she was listening. “Why didn’t they destroy the whole town?”

“I don’t know Lizzie but there is a chance Will is alive. There were always stories about how the Captain of the Raven liked a pretty lad.”

“No! God, please don’t let that have happened to Will!”

“Calm down Elizabeth. We don’t know all the facts yet, and even if the worst has happened, William’s a strong lad. He has pirate blood in him and that makes him a survivor.”

Elizabeth swallowed hard and refused to cry over her fears for Will. “So what are we going to do? I want revenge on the ones who did this!”

Jack smiled a grim smile that had nothing to do with happiness. “Well now, me lass, I heard rumors of a deserted island that the Raven supposedly used after a raid. It was said they would anchor there a while and then restock their supplies. Most don’t know where it is but ole Jack does. I’ve used it a time or two myself, and I can bet that the Demon doesn’t know about the hidden caves on the far side of the island. They’re big enough to hide a ship. I think it’s time to do a little skulking, me darlin.”

“I’m going with you Jack!”

Gazing into the determined eyes, Jack was tempted to give in, but knew she was needed at Port Royal. Someone in the town had betrayed them to the pirates. It had the smell of an inside job. In his heart, Sparrow was certain Will was alive and in desperate need of his help. He would find his friend and lord help any man who had harmed him. Captain Jack Sparrow was known for his mercy with the ships he raided but there was a much darker side to his nature as well. He was ruthless with those that harmed what he loved and he loved William Turner. Heaven help the Raven when he caught up with them because whether his love was alive or dead, they would pay for touching his Will.

TBC