Consolation Prize

In the jail at class=GramE>Port Royal.

Elizabeth stood
up a little straighter. "Captain Barbossa."

Chains rattled as he rose and turned to greet her, his speed
betraying his surprise just a little. "Miss Turner," he said evenly.

The guards at her sides flashed her puzzled expressions.
"That's not, um, actually my name, Captain."

"So I figured, when the boy's blood worked and yours
did not." He took a slow step towards her and in the dim light she had to
imagine his expression as he asked with mocking politeness, "And what is
it I can do for ye this fine evenin?"

"I just..." It was impossible to talk to him with
soldiers on either side of her, so she turned to the more senior officer and
ordered, "Let me in the cell and leave us alone; I need to speak to the
prisoner in private. Oh, and also - remove those shackles."

"But-"

"The last time we put handcuffs on a pirate," she
explained over him, "He proceeded to try and strangle me with them.
Please, I would feel much safer if the chains came off." She faced class=SpellE>Barbossa through the bars and said coolly, "Your word,
sir, that I won't be harmed."

"Harm such a pretty lady? Course not." class=SpellE>Barbossa's eyes flashed to the guard who was toying
nervously with his keys. "Sworn."

Of course the soldiers had plenty more to say, but after a
few more minutes of mingled orders and persuasion, Elizabeth
got her way.

As soon as they were locked in together, Barbossa
gestured for her to take the room’s single stool, and leaned against the wall
opposite her. "People obey you pretty fast for a chambermaid," he
observed.

She stared down at her folded hands, feeling like she were
the prisoner under interrogation, and finally admitted quietly: "In fact
I'm not a maid at all."

"Also figured."

"I- My name is Elizabeth Swann. I am the daughter of
the Governor. The reason I'm here is... I came to... thank you." She stole
a glance up at him but he hadn't moved, and she couldn't see much of him in the
shadows. "For the way you treated me aboard your ship. For this,"
she spread the fingers of her cut hand and watched the bandage shift. "You
know... for everything. I wanted to save your life as you saved mine, but I've
tried all ways of intervening and nothing has worked." She shook her head.
"You and Jack are scheduled to hang tomorrow. I'm so sorry. I thought
perhaps I might at least bring you a small, I don't know, consolation prize in
the meantime."

"Consolation prize?" All
he had done was repeat her own words back to her, but the tone of them had her
leaping to her feet and scrambling to the opposite side of the cage.

"No - that's not what I-"

"Miss Swann." He glided over to her abandoned
stool and put his foot up on it. "I do recall givin
me word of honour."

She took a breath and forced herself to calm down.
"Yes, of course, I'm sorry. You... scared me, that's- oh!" He was
standing in the light now, and she could see the swollen cheek and bloodied
lip. "They beat you."

"Aye," he answered, with a wide smile.
"Didn't mind much at first - I'd forgotten what it feels like class=SpellE>t'be punched in the face. Although I must say, class=SpellE>rememberin now, that I don’t much recommend it.”

She elected not to remind him that she knew perfectly well
what it felt like, considering he had recently hit her in the face
himself. Her soft spot ached so badly for him that instead she just nodded
towards the stool and said, "Sit down."

He did. After taking one deep breath to compose herself, she
came to kneel by him and dab at his mouth with her handkerchief. His eyes
drifted closed and his lips parted, and her cheeks grew hot with the
realization of just how much her touch affected him.

After somewhat longer than was necessary to clean the blood
off, Elizabeth put her handkerchief
away. "I did bring a present for you," she whispered.

He opened his eyes lazily and she was holding an apple out
to him, a nice green shiny one just the way he liked it.

***********************************

TBC.

Ok, so they behaved themselves this chapter...

I warn about the rating, though. It's going up next chapter
for sure.