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*~ Disclaimer ~* I do not own any of the characters, language, plots, or locations from Pirates of the Caribbean. Disney holds all rights to Pirates of the Caribbean and this story is only created for pleasure, not profit.

Author’s Note: One last revenge against Elizabeth. Then onward to what fate has meant for Jack Sparrow and William Turner to be… (pre-Pirates II)


Enjoying the Spoils

The hallway was dark as the servant girl moved stealthily towards the stairwell. She suppressed a giddy giggle as she stepped carefully over the carpet. Benji had told her that he would meet her in the pantry and she didn’t want to be late. She was just nearing the stairs when she stopped. A harsh thumping could be heard from the interior of the room next to her. The maid hesitated a moment before turning the knob for a peek inside.

She gasped when she heard the sounds of thumping increase. But she didn’t see anyone in sight… perhaps a ghost? No, she told herself, ghosts do not exist. Looking around, she noticed all of the finery and the elegant bed and suddenly realized that this was Miss Swann’s bedchamber! But where was the governor’s daughter?

The servant girl moved further into the room and was finally able to see the source of the sound. The closet door was shaking like mad as well as the heavy chair that was propped against it. Nervously, the maid approached and let out a whisper, “Miss? Are you in there, Miss?”

There was a pause and what seemed like an excited squeak before the thumping began again rapidly. She couldn’t be certain, but it had sounded like Miss Swann. The maid quickly grasped the arm of the chair and pulled it away, allowing for the closet door to fling open. Looking inside, she nearly screamed at the state of the young Miss.

Elizabeth Swann was tied tightly around her arms and chest as well as her knees. Her mouth was gagged with some foul-smelling rag, which the servant girl did not want to question. Curiously, Miss Swann was also dressed as some common street-whore with the overwhelming scent of brandy all over her. Tears beginning to fall from her eyes, the servant girl fell to her feet before the young Miss and fingers flew to unbind Miss Swann. She began to ramble to the governor’s daughter in her fright.

“Oh, Miss! Are you okay? Who has done this to you?! I’m so sorry, Miss! How did this happen? … Oh, Miss, I’m so sorry!!…”

As soon as the rag was removed from her mouth, Miss Swann took in a deep breath of clean air as the maid sputtered and fussed with the ropes around her sides. Her dark eyes sunk into a deep black as she caught her breath and spat out with disgust and anger, “Jack Sparrow!”

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Jack whistled to himself as he steered the Black Pearl away from the harbor. The crew was exceedingly glad to see him in such a good mood after the rather hazardous journey to Port Royal, when the captain was quick to snap at everyone, even Gibbs. They were now headed back to sea under the cover of night and then onward to Tortuga, as per the original plan. Everyone was still walking on eggshells whenever they ventured too close to the captain, but the crew was more relaxed and ready to enjoy themselves at the next port.

Gibbs stepped out of the captain’s quarters with a somewhat worried expression on his face. He stepped around to the stairs and climbed up to stand beside Jack.

“Everything all right, Mister Gibbs?” Jack inquired lightly.

“Fine, Captain. It’s all as yeh asked,” Gibbs replied.

“Perfect,” Jack smirked. He could see Gibbs flinch out of the corner of his eye but didn’t let it bother him. He was Captain Jack Sparrow and he could do as he pleased. “Take the helm, Mister Gibbs, and keep us on towards Tortuga.”

Gibbs stepped forward and took the wheel with a wary eye on the other pirate. “Aye, Captain.”

Jack sauntered down the stairs and started to turn into the captain’s quarters before heading towards storage. A nice bottle of rum would be perfect for his good mood. After tromping down and up with a rather dusty bottle in hand, he stepped into his quarters with a flourish.

Unfortunately, his dramatic entrance seemed to be wasted, as the young Turner was still knocked out cold and tied up in an armchair. Jack pouted for a moment before seating himself at the table in the middle of the room and nursing his disappointment with a healthy swig of fine liquor.

The rooms had changed since the days of Barbossa and his crew of miscreants. Jack had either destroyed or otherwise mutilated much of the finer decorations in lieu of more comfortable accommodations. Now the anterior room had a serviceable round table in the middle and straight-backed wooden chairs. This was well enough, but plenty of cuts and markings rendered the table as well-used and personal. All sorts of odds and ends were littered across the room as trinkets from his journeys. The remaining luxuries of the space were a plump couch and several comfortable armchairs.

Only about half of the bottle had been worked through before the lad began to show signs of waking and Jack leaned back to watch the event. Light eyelashes began to flutter and Will let out a low groan. He attempted to raise his hand to his head, but was prevented from the action by the ropes about his arms. This led to a growing alarm that showed on his face when he opened his eyes and frantically tried to take in his situation. Jack didn’t say anything as Will finally caught sight of him and flushed with anger. The captain allowed himself a smirk as Will instinctively tried to squirm out of the rope but Gibbs had tied it fast. Such an amusing picture, that…

“What’s going on here, Jack? Where are we?” Will spat out.

“Why, we are on the Pearl, o ’course!” Jack grinned. “A captain ought to be with his ship, oughtn’t he?”

The lad growled and Jack’s smirk was all the more satisfied. “That’s not what I mean, Jack, and you know it! Why am I tied up? Why have you taken me on the ship?”

Jack leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, rum bottle in hand, and put on a mock serious expression. “You, lad, were in imminent danger of being wedded to a woman-creature with no appreciation for the finer flavors of life. I have saved you from a lifetime without rum.”

Will was silent for a moment before looking incredulously at Jack. “You’re serious?” the blacksmith asked, “You’re mad.”

“Not mad,” Jack corrected as he stood up and sauntered in Will’s direction. “Brilliant. Those traits really are remarkably similar.”

“You’ve got to let me go, Jack. The Royal Navy will be after me soon and Elizabeth won’t be pleased to see you again.”

“Aye, especially after our last encounter,” Jack agreed.

Will looked at Jack sharply. “Last encounter? What did you do? You told me you talked to her.”

“The lass and I did talk,” Jack affirmed. “We conversed, we discussed. But in the end, we didn’t wind up seeing eye to eye, savvy?”

The bound blacksmith was now beginning to look rather pale. “And?” he asked with dread.

“Well, by the time I had announced my intention to collect on her debt, I feel that the young Miss Elizabeth was beginning to see me as dead. I rather saw myself as being alive,” Jack spared Will another roguish grin. “So I took the first opportune moment to leave without further risk to my valuable self.”

Will let out a relieved sigh. “So Elizabeth is… you didn’t hurt her?”

“Unless some extraordinary circumstances occurred after our separation, the lass is safe and well.”

Will gave Jack a genuine smile, “Thank you Jack.”

There was a pause and Jack considered Will carefully with his deep kohl-lined eyes. “Aye, yer welcome.” Another moment of study passed by until Jack gave another carefree grin. “As for the Navy, we won’t have to concern ourselves with them anytime soon.”

“Oh?” It sounded like Will was now fighting amusement. “How did you see to that?”

“I just let my crew have some fun at the docks,” Jack said innocently enough. “The flames were quite pretty.”

Will shook his head, then winced at a pain in his skull. He tried once more to raise a hand to his head, but was held back by the tight ropes. Looking pleadingly up at Jack, Will asked, “Can’t you untie me, Jack? There’s obviously nowhere I can go now and my head is aching.”

Jack put on a long show of considering this request, leaning in and checking the tightness of the knots. He hovered over Will as he investigated the situation, “Nay, I can’t let you go, Will.” Will started to protest until Jack moved directly in front of him and looked him seriously in the eye. “Not until I get a promise from you.”

Startled and a little nervous at the invasion of his personal space, Will’s voice came out a little breathy. “What promise?”

“I want you to promise that you will not attempt any rash escapes,” Jack said, disturbingly serious for the pirate. “If the Navy and your bonny lass want you back, they have to come and find you, savvy?”

“So this, this is a sort of test?” Will asked. He waited for Jack to nod before wondering, “Why? Why would you want to test them like this?” Jack remained silent, waiting for his response. Will bit his lip, wondering what he should do. To agree would be the same as agreeing to be a prisoner, which did not appeal to him at all. To disagree would only leave him in the ropes and uncomfortable for his entire time on the ship. Though he had faith in Elizabeth, Will did not want to remain immobile until his rescue occurred.

Jack, who had been watching Will bite his lip with fascination, was pleased to see the look of clarity return to the blacksmith’s eyes as he made his decision. He could already tell that he would get what he wanted, all that mattered now was the timing.

“I will promise to make no attempt at escape by myself for two weeks,” Will said, firmly. “So long as I am not held as a prisoner.”

With a grin and a sly glance, Jack asked, “And what would you be, if not a prisoner?”

“I’ll be a temporary member of the crew.”

Jack just barely restrained his triumphant laughter. Two weeks was more than enough. “Agreed. Welcome to the crew, mate.”

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