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"Any of you so much as thinks the world 'parley,' I'll have your guts for garters!" said one of the pirates. He was shorter than most, gross and scruffy. He stopped at Clara, grinning. "I remember you. Saw you escaping the governor's house." He shoved the gun in her face. "Who are you?"
Clara swallowed. "A maid."
The pirates laughed. "We've already heard the one from this one." He looked at Elizabeth.
"Pintel!" growled Barbossa. "Leave the girl alone, eh?"
He backed away, Barbossa taking his place. He smirked and the Interceptor exploded as if on command. The whole looked closed their eyes at the sight and Clara and Elizabeth almost cried. Will was still on that ship. Elizabeth had freed herself, the rope having not been tied tight enough and jumped Barbossa.
"You godless pirate!"
He took her arm in hand, practically twisting it. "Welcome back, miss. You took advantage of our hospitality last time. It holds fair now you return the favour." He tossed her to his crew, all trying to touch her and take off her dress.
"Barbossa!" shouted two different voices. One belonged to Will, he stood atop the rail, overlooking the group. The other had come from the hold, dirty blond hair tied back and blue eyes dimming.
Jack's heartbeat quickened. He knew now why Clara had seemed so familiar, the boy he had stumbled upon years ago had the same eyes.
"Archie, what are ye doing?"
Jack stepped forward. "What should really be asked is why this boy is still on this ship. I mean, he's not even cursed!"
"What the hell is going on here?" snapped Clara. "Can this conversation be saved for later, I'd really like to be rescued right now."
The new man took a step forward. "Clara?"
She stopped trying to squirm against the ropes and met the man's eyes. "What?" she snapped.
That was all the confirmation he needed. "Barbossa, let my sister go."
Mumbling questions echoed about the ship and Jack grimaced, he hoped they won't have noticed. he shared a quick look with Will, both wanting to continue with their own plan.
"And why would I do that?" asked Barbossa.
"I'm the only one of your crew who's not cursed, I'm sure you can connect the dots."
Thinking the words over, Barbossa finally relented. Two of his men freed Clara and threw her into Archer's arms. "Is it really you?" she questioned, tears in her eyes.
"Aye," he nodded.
"They said you were dead."
"I was saved," was all he gave in return.
"Now, that she's outta the way-" Barbossa turned to Will "-What's in your head, boy?"
"She goes free."
"You've only got one shot - and we can't die."
"You can't, but I can." he put the muzzle of the pistol under his chin.
"Who are you?"
"No one," answered Jack, moving to stand in front of Barbossa. "He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew, twice removed. Lovely singing voice though. Eunuch."
"My name is Will Turner!" Clara rolled her eyes and buried her face in her brother's chest. "My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins."
"He's the spitting image of ol' Bootstrap Bill, come back to haunt us!" said the pirate with the fake eye.
Will cocked the pistol. "On my word do as I say or I'll pull this trigger, and be lost to Davy Jones' locker."
"Name your terms, Mr Turner."
"Elizabeth goes free."
"Yes, we know that one. Anything else?"
"The Garners go free, too. And the crew, the crew are not to be harmed."
Barbossa steps toward Will, smiling. "Agreed."
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When Barbossa had said he would let them go free, Clara did not think that that meant marooning them. They hauled Elizabeth up to the plank, the crew egging her on as they pushed her along with their swords.
"Barbossa, you lying bastard!" Will yelled, struggling against the men that had tied him up. "You swore she'd go free!"
Everything had suddenly turned quiet as the crew looked at the boy and captain.
"Don't dare impugn me honour, boy! I agreed she'd go free, but it was you who failed to specify when or where." Will was gaged as the crew and their captain laughed. "Though it does seem a shame to lose something so fine, doesn't it, lads? So, I'll be havin' that dress back before you go."
Elizabeth looked at him a moment and then undid the dress, throwing it at Barbossa. "Goes with your black heart."
"ooh, it's still warm," he joked, walking away.
Elizabeth turned round looking at the sea then back at Will and Clara. Her friend was to be next and she feared what they would do to her as they had not yet had their fun with the maid. The was now shouting at her to get moving, she took another look at the water and fell as one of the pirates stomped on the plank making it wobble.
"You're next," one of the pirates said, grabbing her and forcing her on the plank.
Archer struggled against the other men that held him back, much like Will. "No, Barbossa, let her be! I just got her back!"
"I don't think you'd want her to stick around. Too many men."
"She can't swim!" shouted her brother.
"You're dead! The whole lot of you!" Clara responded.
"That's nice, dearie," with that, a pirate shoved her into the cold depths below.
She tried to keep her head above the waves and she had been doing a fine job of it but she quickly began to grow tired. Her heart raced and her vision blurred, the memory of having fallen from the fort all those weeks ago surfacing. How she wished that Norrington was here with her, or that perhaps, maybe, she hadn't joined Will at all and inside was sailing around with James in comfort. Her heart hurt, was she ever going to see him again? Just when she found her brother, she had lost him - nothing had gone right for her.
The sea was now taking over her, a wave splashed over her head, forcing her down. They weren't that far off from shore, the small island was very close, yet, she had lost the will to fight. Barbossa had won. Sinking to the bottom, her dress like an iron weight, she let out her last breath and everything went black.
