Prologue: Eight Years Earlier

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We were on the Interceptor sailing through England in very foggy weather. My older sister Elizabeth and I were standing at the front of the ship looking across the sea and we could hardly see a thing through this foggy weather.

"Hey Maria. Do you remember that pirate song I told you about?" Elizabeth asks.

"How can I forget," I mutter.

"Do you want to sing it with me?"

"Father told you not to, Elizabeth."

"Ahh, come on. Just one time."

"No!"

"Oh, you're no fun."

"You're going to get in trouble," I say, but she already started singing.

"We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot. Drink up, me hearties, yo ho. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We extort, we pilfer, we filch and sack. Drink up-"

"Quiet, Missy. Cursed pirates sail these waters. You don't want to bring them down on us do you," Mr. Gibbs says grabbing Elizabeth's shoulder, startling her.

"Leave her alone!" I say demandingly.

"Mr. Gibbs, that will do," Norrington says.

"She was singing about pirates. It's bad luck to be singing about pirates with us mired in this unnatural fog. Mark my words," Mr. Gibbs says.

"Consider them marked. On your way," Norrington says.

"Aye, Lieutenant. It's bad luck to have a woman on board too. Even a miniature one," Mr. Gibbs mutters as he walks away.

"I think it'd be rather exciting to meet a pirate," Elizabeth says. I look at her like she was crazy.

"Think again, Miss Swann. Vile and dissolute creatures, the lot of them. I intend to see to it that any man who sails under a pirate flag or wears a pirate brand gets what he deserves. A short drop and a sudden drop," Norrington says.

Elizabeth and I look at Mr. Gibbs and he imitates being hung and both of us gasp.

"Lieutenant Norrington, I appreciate your fervor, but I'm concerned about the effect this subject will have upon my daughters," Father says.

"My apologies, Governor Swann," Norrington says before walking away.

"Actually, I find it all fascinating," Elizabeth says.

"Me too," I say.

"Yes. That's what concerns me," Father says before walking away.

Elizabeth looks into the water, and she becomes fascinated by this umbrella that she sees floating in the water. I look in a different direction and see a boy floating on some rubble.

"Look! A boy! There's a boy in the water!" I shout to Norrington.

He, my father, and the rest of the crew run to the side of the ship and see the boy floating in the water.

"Man overboard! Man the ropes! Fetch a hook! Haul him aboard!" Norrington shouts demandingly. They bring the boy onboard and lay him on the deck. "He's still breathing," Norrington says.

"Mary, Mother of God," we hear Mr. Gibbs exclaim. We all look to see what he is talking about and see a burning ship.

"What happened here?" Father asks.

"It's most likely the powder magazine. Merchant vessels run heavily armed," Norrington says.

"A lot of good it did them," Mr. Gibbs says and everyone looks at him. "Everyone's thinking it. I'm just saying it. Pirates," he states.

"There's no proof of that. It's probably just an accident," Father says.

Elizabeth and I both look down at the unconscious boy.

"Rouse the captain immediately! Heave to and take in sail! Launch the boats!" Norrington demands.

They take the boy and move him and lay him on a barrel.

"Elizabeth, I want you to accompany the boy. He'll be in your charge. Take care of him. You too, Maria," Father says.

Elizabeth and I go to the boy and look down at him. Elizabeth touches him and he suddenly wakes up, startling us.

"It's okay. My name's Elizabeth Swann," Elizabeth says.

"And mine's Maria Swann," I say.

"Will Turner," he says.

"We're watching over you, Will," Elizabeth says and he falls back unconscious.

Elizabeth notices something around his neck. She picks it up and says something I didn't quite catch.

"Elizabeth, what's that?" I ask.

Before she could answer me, a voice comes up behind us.

"Has he said anything?" Norrington asks.

"His name's William Turner. That's all we found out," I say.

"Take him below," he demands, and the soldiers take him below deck.

Elizabeth and I look out across the sea and see a ship with black sails and a pirate flag sailing in the opposite direction. I become frightened at the sight of it and cover my face with my hands.


I still remember that day as if it were only yesterday.

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