The Fine Line Between Legends And Lies

Chapter 5:

A/N: Okay this chapter will be a bit longer than the last one. This is where Elizabeth helps Jack make his brilliant escape from the hangman’s noose, enjoy! Let me know what you think!!

The first rays of dawn had barely began filtering into Elizabeth’s room through the light colored taffeta curtains on her windows. But she was already awake so she quickly pushed the heavy quilt back and climbed out of bed. She carefully dressed herself in a beige colored taffeta dress that to her joy did not require a corset. The neckline was a scoop fashion and it showed off a decent but not inappropriate amount of her perky little breasts. The bodice of the dress was covered in elegant white lace. The sleeves which came to stop at her elbows were also accented with the pretty lace as well. Stepping into her brown leather boots since the dress would cover them she smiled to herself. She would have to be ready to make a hasty retreat at a moment’s notice and heels just weren’t an option.

Grabbing her brown leather satchel she opened it to make sure that her pistol had not been discovered. She then headed downstairs to join her father for a seemingly normal breakfast. Just as she exited her room a sudden wave of nausea overwhelmed her and she made a hasty retreat back into her bedroom. Quickly throwing open a window Elizabeth leaned out and vomited what was left in her stomach from last night. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand she took a deep breath before shutting the window and leaving her room. Elizabeth walked down the winding staircase slowly as to not upset her already uneasy stomach. She walked into the dining room to find her father already waiting for her at the table. “Good morning my sweetheart.”

“Good morning father.” She sat down and waited for the servants to bring their meal. Her nose wrinkled a bit when a small bowl of oatmeal was placed in front of her. Noticing his daughter’s disapproval he cleared his throat.

“Is something wrong with your oatmeal Elizabeth?”

“No, it just doesn’t look very appetizing to me this morning.”

“Oh I see. Would you like something else then?”

“Maybe some eggs scrambled up with some cheese in them? Oh and some toast?”

“Is that all?”

“Oh no um….some milk and orange juice perhaps?”

“My don’t you have quite the appetite this morning?”

Her cheeks reddened a bit before she replied. “Oh yes, well I suppose that the little bit of stew that I had last night just wasn’t enough to tide me over for very long.”

“I see. You look lovely this morning. Any reason you’re wearing such a lovely dress?”

“I plan on going to Captain Sparrow’s execution this morning.”

“Elizabeth dear…”

“Don’t bother trying to talk me out of it because it will be a waste of your time.”

Seeing that his daughter had made of her mind and clearly wasn’t going to be dissuaded he shook his head in obvious disapproval of her choice. “Very well. Then I shall accompany you.”

“Thank you.” They finished the rest of their breakfast in silence before getting ready to leave for the execution. Elizabeth grabbed her leather satchel from the back of her chair and followed her father outside to where their black carriage was waiting to take them to the gallows platform. Climbing inside Elizabeth clutched her satchel in her lap tightly as they left the mansion. They said nothing as they approached their destination and the carriage was drawn to a stop. Elizabeth allowed the driver to help her out of the carriage and she waited for her father to walk her into the town square where the gallows platform had been erected. Her brown eyes grew wide as they fell upon the wooden platform and the rope that was to be placed around Jack’s neck to hang him. Her plan just couldn’t fail, Jack’s very life depended on it to succeed.

Elizabeth nodded and plastered on a fake smile as Commodore Norrington and Will came to stand alongside of her and her father. She glanced behind them when she heard the execution drums start to play. Moments later her eyes fell upon Jack as he was being lead out of the prison, his hands in shackles. Her eyes watered a bit before she forced her emotions down to the pit of her stomach. It would serve no good for Jack if she allowed her emotions to get the better of her while trying to rescue him. The guards led him onto the gallows platform and placed the noose around his neck. Elizabeth knew that when the drums stopped that the executioner would pull the lever that would make the floor come out from underneath Jack’s feet so that the rope would tighten around his neck.

Deciding that now was as good a time as ever to pull her pistol from her satchel she opened her bag quickly and produced the said pistol. Taken by surprise the Commodore and Will and her father all stepped back a bit. Elizabeth hoisted her pistol in the air and rushed towards the gallows platform. Commodore Norrington, Will and her father all stared in disbelief as they watched Elizabeth climb onto the platform. She rushed to stand in front of Jack pressing her back firmly against his chest. She then raised the pistol she held in her right hand and pressed it against her right temple. The clicking sound of the pistol being cocked seemed to yank everyone out of their frozen stupor.

Leaning down as far as the noose around his neck would allow Jack whispered into Elizabeth’s ear. “Don’t do anything stupid on my account love. Think of the runt, savvy?”

“I am thinking of the runt Jack.” She whispered before shouting out to her father. “Father, you will release Captain Sparrow immediately or I’ll shoot myself!”

“Elizabeth don’t be foolish! He’s a pirate!”

“Pirate or not……I love him!” Her eyes fell to Will to see the hurt look that washed over his face briefly before it was replaced with a bitter scowl.

“You love this scoundrel?”

“Yes I do! And if you don’t let him go then you will be responsible for my death and the death of your grandchild, who has yet to be born!”

Norrington lowered his sword in shock at Elizabeth’s words before speaking. “ Elizabeth, you’re carrying that man’s spawn?”

“You heard me James, I’m pregnant, and the spawn as you called it is Jack’s. Now are you prepared to watch me kill myself?”

“Governor Swann?”

“Lower the weapons and release Captain Sparrow at once!”

“You heard the Governor! Lower your weapons and release Captain Sparrow!” Elizabeth kept the pistol trained on her temple lest the Commodore try and take back the word to let Jack go free. The executioner removed the rope from around Jack’s neck and then allowed the Commodore to remove the shackles from his wrists.

Rubbing his wrists Jack flashed a crooked grin at Elizabeth who smiled in return. “Nice work love.”

“Thank you Jack.”

“Yer starting t’ think like me darling. Taking yerself hostage an’ all, now that’s something I’d do.”

“Celebrate my brilliance later. We have to get out of here now!”

“Right.”

Jack grabbed Elizabeth by the hand and ran with her through the streets of Port Royal all the way until they had reached the pier. It had only taken a moment for Commodore Norrington to send the eager troops of the Royal Navy after Jack and Elizabeth.

“Jack where are we going to go now?”

“We’re getting onto one of the ships love.”

“We’re stealing one of the Royal Navy’s ships?”

“Stealing is such a nasty word love. I’d much rather refer t’ it as commandeering.”

“Commandeering?”

“Yea….it’s a much more better word than stealing.”

Jack helped Elizabeth onto the deck of the ship that was known as the Elsinore. She was a grand ship with crisp white sails and the flag of the British Royal Navy flying high upon the main mast of it. “Undoubtedly we’re going t’ have t’ do something bout that bloody flag. But we can worry bout that latter when we have the luxury t’ do so….which we do not have at the moment.”

“Jack they’re coming down the pier heading straight for us!”

“Stand at the railing an’ keep threatening t’ blow that pretty little head of yers off love! That seemed t’ work wonders for us earlier so let’s stick with it for now.”

“Right.”

Elizabeth stood at the railing pistol pressed against her temple firmly threatening to shoot as Jack hastily pulled up the Elsinore’s anchor.

“Don’t any of you move or I’ll blow my head off right now!”

Jack grinned as he listened to Elizabeth threatening the soldiers of the Royal Navy that had come to try and recapture Jack. Just when had she become so fearless and brazen? She was utterly daft as he was, she was…….a pirate. That thought alone brought a broad smile to his face as he finished hoisting the anchor and then raced over to the wheel. Elizabeth glanced over to see Jack standing at the wheel. She grinned at him as he gave the wheel a quick spin turning the ship out of the harbor and towards the open ocean. Once they had cleared the harbor Elizabeth stepped back from the railing. She turned and headed up the steps that led to the wheel and Jack.

Placing her pistol back in her satchel she came to stand next to the pirate who she had just given away her entire life in Port Royal for. No there would be no returning to Port Royal ever, and she could most certainly kiss her future marriage to Will Turner goodbye. To her surprise the thought of things being undeniably over with Will didn’t sadden her the way that she always imagined it would if she ever lost him. Jack’s arm coming to rest around her waist drew her from her thoughts.

“Are ye having any regrets love?”

“None. I made my choice and I chose you Jack.”

“So ye did love. Tell me something?”

“Anything.”

“When ye said ye loved me back there, did ye mean it?”

“Of course I meant it Jack, I love you with all my heart.”

Jack regarded her with silence and a small smile. She hadn’t really expected him to say it back to her being the kind of man that she knew him to be. No Jack Sparrow would most likely never come right out and tell her that he loved her. And she could live with that because she knew that even though he might not ever actually say the words to her his actions would show her just how he felt about her.

“Where are we going?”

“T’ Tortuga love. Going t’ find me crew an’ me ship. Gotta ditch this bloody Naval ship as soon as I have the Pearl back.”

“And then where will we go from there?”

“Anywhere ye want love. We’ll sail the seas as long as ye are able an’ then we will find a place t’ make port so that the runt can be born.”

“That sounds wonderful Jack, but you know that they will never stop hunting you don’t you?”

“Aye an’ ye as well Elizabeth. Yer a pirate jus’ the same as me now darling. Don’t forget in helping me t’ escape the gallows ye have made yerself an ally t’ a pirate.”

“I don’t care about that. All I want is to be with you and for us to be safe.”

“Well ye jus’ leave the keeping us safe part up t’ me an’ everything else will take care of itself.”

She looked up into his dark glittering coffee colored eyes and allowed herself to relax for the first time since they had arrived in Port Royal. Without another word Elizabeth leaned up and pressed her lips to Jack’s in a sweet and chaste kiss. Jack not wanting their contact to end just yet wrapped his arm around her waist tighter pulling her closer to him. Elizabeth gasped against his lips giving him the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and coaxed her tongue to entwine with his. Elizabeth timidly allowed her tongue to sweep across Jack’s as he explored her mouth. His calloused hand slid up from her waist to bury itself in her hair at the back of her head. Jack pulled Elizabeth’s mouth closer to his forcing his tongue deeper into her mouth. She felt little tinges of heat ripple through her body as Jack pressed his hips against hers making her fully aware of what kissing her was doing to him.

Boldly she let her hands slide down his back to grab his arse and pull him even closer to her pressing his erection flush against her body. With a low moan Jack reluctantly broke their contact. “That’s enough of that for now love.”

“But Jack….”

“We haven’t the luxury t’ have another go round at what got us into so much trouble at this particular moment my darling.” Elizabeth pushed out her bottom lip in a pouting manner before giving a small sigh of defeat. As much as she hated to admit it Jack was right. They didn’t have the time for any lovemaking to take place right now.

“Do you think the Commodore has given the orders for them to chase after us Jack?”

“Oh I’d bet me life on it love.”

“You will do no such thing after I so boldly came to your rescue!”

“Yes ye did act rather fearlessly back there darling. Tell me how did ye ever learn t’ think so quick on yer feet?”

“Jack, I spent my entire childhood reading about you. You were my hero in a sense, and I wanted to be brilliant and quick witted like you.”

“Ah how endearing love. Ye really read bout me as a girl?”

“Yes Jack I really did. I used to keep book about you underneath my bed so that my father didn’t know I had them.”

Jack grinned impishly upon hearing this. “Lizzie ye naughty girl, hiding me underneath yer bed. I’m suddenly compelled t’ ask ye a very personal question.”

“How personal?”

“Considering that we already made love an’ yer in fact going t’ give birth t’ me runt I should think that this entitles me t’ ask ye anything I want.”

“I suppose you’re right, we are a bit past formality aren’t we?”

“Indeed love. Now onto me question, I jus’ have t’ know Lizzie, did ye ever touch yerself an’ think bout me?”

“Jack!”

“Well?”

Her face was practically set ablaze with the blush that spread across her skin. “ Alright, I might have touched my self while thinking scandalous thoughts about you once or twice.”

“Oh that’s delicious love. I can’t wait t’ get ye alone the next time we have an opportunity t’ do something undoubtedly naughty.”

She placed a chaste kiss on his lips before prying herself out of his embrace. “That will have to wait Captain Sparrow.” She tried to stifle a yawn but was unsuccessful.

“Darling why don’t ye go an’ lie down in the captain’s quarters? Ye look bloody exhausted an’ I suppose the runt would greatly appreciate a nap after yer little heroic episode back there.”

“I suppose I could take a nap.” He placed a kiss on her forehead and gave her backside a gentle slap as she headed for the captain’s quarters making her yelp a little. Elizabeth couldn’t keep the ridiculous grin from her face as she shut the cabin door behind her. She was really sailing away with her Captain Sparrow. Elizabeth stepped out of her boots and placed her leather satchel on the desk that was in the room. She then quickly stripped out of her dress until she stood in nothing but her under dress. Pulling back the quilt she climbed into the bed and allowed herself to be lulled into a light but comfortable slumber from the gentle rocking of the ship on the waves.

A/N: Okay that seemed like a good stopping point for now. I have to brainstorm some more on the next installment. Hope you are enjoying it so far! Please review and let me know what you think!