Savvy? [Will Turner]

XII

13.

The peace didn't last long just as Lynn expected but he still cursed their poor luck as the first cry of alarm rang out.

"The Black Pearl's gainin' on us!" one of the crew members cried out from below. Lynn took a second to look over his shoulder to gauge the speed the Pearl was going, Anna Maria following his gaze from where she stood beside him. If they couldn't outrun it, they'd have to stay ahead as long as possible.

"You lad! I need you high up in the masts. Act on your findings" The command wasn't sporadic but methodical, having a knack for knowing just what to do in dire situations, Lynn pointed to a rather agile-looking lad as the boy timidly nodded before scaling the wooden pole.

"Both of you drop the anchor!" Lynn ordered again and the two men that he directed his command towards cut the rope securing the anchor in place. It hit the water with a splash and Lynn could just barely feel the effects of it hitting rock bottom from where he stood in the ship's deck. Before the anchor could catch on anything he turned to one of the lasses on board.

"Anna Maria I need you to hold the wheel, tight now- don't let up" Lynn turned to the female beside him and spoke.

"Aye aye, Captain" her lips brushed Lynn's cheek as she answered, scurrying away to do her job before she could get scolded. Will scowled at the small exchange as he looked away, eyes furrowing when he felt Lynn's gaze on him. Though Lynn had seen the slight look of mild hatred directed at the lass from Will, Lynn offered no sign of recognition as he turned his gaze to the remaining crew who were looking up to him to be assigned their tasks.

"We need to lighten the load!" Gibbs ran to the crowd from where he had been tying and cutting ropes with the help of another man. Lynn agreed, figuring that the less they weighed, the faster they could cut through the air and forwards.

"Aye, Everyone! Get rid of anything heavy or unneeded and cut those rowboats down!" Many rushed and started tossing anything remotely heavy overboard, others went to cutting the ropes and Lynn could just barely hear the sound of them hitting the water over the sound of yells and war cries. Lynn supervised the activities, occasionally helping some weaker pirates hoist a particularly heavy load overboard.

"What's going on?!" Elizabeth shrieked as she came up from below deck to find the cause for all the commotion.

"The Pearls decided to host a tea party and we're first on the guest list," Gibbs poked his head into the conversation before Lynn could speak and left almost as soon as the final word had been uttered out of his mouth to go and resume his job. There was no time for mindless chatter yet somehow Gibbs found the time to come up with a sarcastic remark about little girls' tea parties and how they somehow fit into that equation.

"Luck won't save us anymore" Lynn growled out barely paying attention to Elizabeth as his head was swiveling back and forth to survey his men and their whereabouts. "Elizabeth I need you at the wheel with Anna Maria, shed keeping it steady. When the anchor catches I want you to let go and prepare to grab a hold of something to steady yourself with" She nodded without asking any more questions, effectively leaving Lynn and Will alone even if it was only for a second.

Lynn grabbed Will's arm as the blacksmith went to follow after Elizabeth. Pulling Will in, he brought his lips close to his ear and breathed out,

"William I need you safe." Those words concluded Lynns departing thoughts as he decidedly walked away, limp prominent as he went. Will watched the prince as the distance increased between them before shaking his head, delivering a somewhat sharp slap to his cheek, and nodding once as to affirm something to himself before going out to help.