The Older Swann

Chapter 7

Jack looked back at the Pearl as he waded out onto the beach shaking off the ropes that bound his wrists "That's the second time I've had to watch that man sail away with my ship." He said with longing in his voice.

I followed Jack as he walked away. "But you were marooned on this island before, weren't you? So we can escape in the same way you did then." I said.

"To what point and purpose, young missy? The Black Pearl is gone and unless you have a rudder and a lot of sails hidden in that bodice – unlikely - young Mr.Turner will be dead long before you can reach him." Said Jack.

We both followed him as he knocked on a tree trunk then took four steps and jumped up and down a few times "But you're Captain Jack Sparrow." Elizabeth said.

"You vanished from under the eyes of seven agents of the East India Company." I said.

"You sacked Nassau Port without even firing a shot." Elizabeth said.

"Are you the pirate I've read about or not?" I asked.

"How did you escape last time?" Elizabeth added.

"Last time...I was here a grand total of three days, all right? Last time...the rumrunners used this island as a cache. Came by, and I was able to barter a passage off. From the looks of things, they've long been out of business. Probably...have your bloody friend Norrington to thank for that." He said as he climbed into a secret cellar and brought out three bottles of rum.

"He is not a ' bloody friend '" I yelled.

"So you do like him then?" Jack asked. I didn't answer.

"So that's it then? That's the secret grand adventure of the infamous Jack Sparrow? You spent three days lying on a beach, drinking rum?!" Elizabeth spat out.

"Welcome to the Caribbean , love." Jack said amd handed us both a bottle of rum.

"We're devils and black sheep and really bad eggs. Drink up me 'earties yo ho! Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me." Sang Elizabeth and Jack and I could tell that they were both drunk Elizabeth less than Jack but they were both drunk.

"I love this song! Really bad eggs! Ooh." Jack fell, "When I get the Pearl back, I'm gonna teach it to the whole crew, and we'll sing it all the time!" Jack finished.

"And you'll be positively the most fearsome pirate in the Spanish Main ." Elizabeth said, tripping over her words to get them out.

"Not just the Spanish Main , love. The entire ocean. The entire wo'ld. Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails that's what a ship needs but what a ship is...what the Black Pearl really is...is freedom." Said Jack getting quite philosophical.

"Jack ...it must be really terrible for you to be trapped on this island." Elizabeth said.

"Oh , yes . But the company is infinitely better than last time, I think. The scenery has definitely improved." Jack said in what I think was supposed to be a seductive voice but it was just funny.

"Mr.Sparrow...I'm not entirely sure that I've had enough rum to allow that kind of talk." Elizabeth said and I was sure she was thinking about Will.

"I know exactly what you mean, love." Jack said and I think he was still trying to be seductive because he tried to curl the ends of his mustache.

"To freedom." Elizabeth said as she toasted.

"To the Black Pearl." He drank and lost consciousness. I went over to Elizabeth and took her bottle of rum and told her my plan. By the time Jack woke up, he realized something was burning. He turned sound and saw us burning the entire island. "No! Not good! Stop! Not good! What are you doing? You burned all the food, the shade! The rum!" Jack protested sadly.

"Yes, the rum is gone." Elizabeth said.

"Why is the rum gone?" Jack asked.

"One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two, that signal is over a thousand feet high. The entire Royal Navy is out looking for us, do you really think that there is even the slightest chance that they won't see it?" I said kind of mouthing off at him, but he was a pirate, he was below me.

"But why is the rum gone?" He asked one more time.

Elizabeth and I sat down at the horizon, "Just wait, Captain Sparrow. You give it one hour, maybe two, keep a weather eye out and then you will see white sails on that horizon." I said.

We saw the interceptor and waited till it got one of the boats down and rowed to shore. We got in the boat and were taken back to the Interceptor and finally saw our father and Norrington again. Elizabeth and our father got in an argument about going and saving Will

"But we've got to save Will ." Elizabeth said.

"No. You're safe now. We will return to Port Royal immediately, not go gallivanting after pirates!" Our father said.

"Then we condemn him to death." Elizabeth said.

"The boy's fate is regrettable, but, then, so was his decision to engage in piracy." Our father said.

"To rescue me. To prevent anything from happening to me." Elizabeth protested.

"If I may be so bold as to inject my professional opinion. The Pearl was listing near to scuppers after the battle. It's very unlikely she'll be able to make good time. Think about it. The Black Pearl. The last real pirate threat in the Caribbean , mate. How can you pass that up?" Jack asked.

"By remembering that I serve others, Mr.Sparrow, not only myself." Norrington answered.

"Commodore, I beg you, please do this. For me. As a wedding gift." I said because I really did want to marry him and this seemed like a good time to do it.

"Anna. Are you accepting the Commodore's proposal?"

"Of course I am."

"A wedding! I love weddings...drinks all around! "I know. "Clap him in irons," right?" Jack put his arm out as he said this.

"Mr.Sparrow, you will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with the bearing to Isla de la Muerta. You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase "silent as the grave." Do I make myself clear?" Norrington said.

"Inescapably clear." I heard Jack say as we walked away.