Behind the Scenes

Revolutionary War Pirates Fanfic

I love Pirates of the Caribbean. The Curse of the Black Pearl is one of my top three favorite movies. I had this idea for a PotC fanfic where instead of finding Captain Jack Sparrow's compass to pardon himself and Elizabeth in Dead Man's Chest, Will Turner was recruited to fight for England in the Revolutionary War. I had a lot of exciting ideas for it, such as James Norrington and Will Turner friendship, more pirate Elizabeth Swann, Hamilton references, and the Cabin Boy from On Stranger Tides. For now, the story will live on in my notebook and brain. I really liked the first chapter though, so I'm posting it here. Drink up, me hearties. Yo ho! (Also, can we agree that the Marry Me suite is one of the most beautiful romance soundtracks?)

One More Day

The Caribbean Sea was unlike the Atlantic Ocean. The water was a brighter, greener blue contrast to the dark, cold blue. A warm wind blew from the south rather than the cold, harsh wind from the north. The Atlantic was cold and powerful. Every wave threatened to shatter the foreign object out of its territory. In comparison, the Caribbean felt lively. It lapped welcomingly at the hull. The HMS Dauntless  soared smoothly across the water, picking up speed in friendly waves.

If she voiced these personifications aloud, her father would call it nonsense and Lieutenant Norrington would have a logical explanation for the changes she felt. So she kept them to herself.

  Mother would understand, she thought. Elizabeth Swann folded her arms against the railing as she gazed at the sea from the prow of the proud ship. Soon, they will be home.

She heard soft steps behind her and turned her head. Still slightly frail yet standing on strong legs was their unexpected passenger, Will Turner. The boy looked abashed, lowering his head, smiling shyly and clasping his hands behind his back. There was a tinge of pink in his cheeks, which was the most color she had seen in his face since he was brought onboard.

"Will! How are you feeling? Should you even be up?"

"I am feeling much better, Miss Swa–Elizabeth," he corrected at her warning gaze.

He moved to stand next to her and his young caretaker felt his forehead with the back of her hand. She nodded approvingly.

"You look better. Your fever is gone and you're not as pale. You should be right as rain when we reach Port Royal."

Like she had done before, Will leaned against the railing and stared out to the blue sea. The wind rippled through his long, dark brown hair, which he tied back with a strip of leather. When his hair wasn't wet or soaked with sweat from sickness, his hair was wavy, a memory of the wet, springy curls. Slowly, he breathed in the salty air.

"I hope my father is there." His hand hovered over his chest where his medallion had been. Guiltily, Elizabeth's mind drifted to her chest of belongings where she had hidden Will's medallion. She quickly dismissed it as if Will could read her mind and discover what she had done.

"I'm sure he's waiting there for you," Elizabeth assured him. "We'll arrive in Port Royal tomorrow. One more day at sea."

Will nodded. "One more day."

* * *

Clang!

The pair of swords sang as they sliced the air. The duelists circled each other. Each measured step was answered by a countermeasure. After an analytical pause, the fight began again.

Will countered every one of Elizabeth's strikes. Compared to a year ago, Elizabeth was growing into a more skilled and confident swordswoman. In the more experienced Will's eyes, however, he was able to pick out the subtle flaws that she herself was unaware of.