A Rebel's Treasure

Chapter Nine

Eleanor and Elizabeth crept down to the hull of the Black Pearl. They had already thrown two of the guards into the water below, it was only a matter of time before they made their way back...if the currents didn't take them away.
"It's Eleanor and Elizabeth!" Mr Gibbs exclaimed as the two girls hurried towards them.
Eleanor hurried to unlock the crew from their cell. She grinned at Mr Gibbs as they stepped out. "Come on, Mr Gibbs, you didn't think we'd leave an old man like you behind."
Mr Gibbs grinned, "Who are you calling an old man, lassie?"
"We've got to go," Elizabeth said. "Hurry!"
They ran out from the hold, slashing their way through soldiers and pushing them over the side of the boat. Eleanor felt slightly guilty, since most of these men were only stationed here because of her fiancé. But sacrifices had to be made for the good of all.
The two girls ran towards the side of the ship. "All of you with us!" Elizabeth screamed. "Will is in that cave and we must save him!" Eleanor took her side, trying to heave the rowboat into the water. "Ready?" she called out. "And heave!" They both stopped and looked back at the crew. No one else had stepped forward to take the rope. They looked at the pair of them with guilty eyes.
"What are you all doing?!" Eleanor snapped. "Please, we need you help!"
"Come on!" Elizabeth shouted. They were both getting aggravated.
Mr Cotton's parrot was the only one to reply in the awkward silence. "Any port in the storm," it cawed.
Eleanor looked scandalised. "Lot of ruddy pirates you are," she hissed, "if you won't even help your captain! Jack's down there too!"
Mr Gibbs said, disgruntled, "Cotton's right, we've got the Pearl."
"And what about Jack, you're just going to leave him!?" Eleanor exclaimed, scandalised.
"Jack owes us a ship."
"And there's the code to consider," Gibbs nodded.
"The code?" Elizabeth frowned. "You're pirates! Hang the code, and hang the rules!" The crew looked uneasy. "They're more like guidelines anyway." But the crew remained firm, leaving the two sisters to row themselves back to the island screaming profanities and complaining about 'bloody pirates'.

Jack looked around the cave, feeling slightly anxious as to what Barbossa's orders to the crew really meant. Could Eleanor be safe back on the ship? He had planted the idea in dear ol' Norrington's head that Eleanor and her sister weren't one hundred percent safe unless confined somewhere they could not escape...maybe that had been a bad move. If they were trapped on the ship, with Barbossa's mens who had no morals, unlike the sailors, then it could end horrendously. Jack turned, trying to make up his next move now his plan had been shifted askew. He examined the treasure around him, however, Barbossa decided to interrupt Jack's mental processes. "I must admit, Jack, I thought I had ye figured." Barbossa gave a delighted shrug, "But it turns out that you're a hard man to predict."
Jack turned with a look of mock surprise on his face, "Me?" He scoffed, "I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly." He caught sight of Will in the corner of his eye and a message seemed to pass between the two of them. A plan that was brilliant and risky, the perfect plan for Captain Jack Sparrow. "It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly... stupid." He grabbed a sword and threw it towards Will, who caught it effortlessly. Barbossa growled and sprung towards Jack with his sword drawn. Jack, who was expecting this, was already ready to parry.
"You're off the edge of the map, mate," Barbossa hissed. His eyes widened madly. "Here there be monsters."
Eleanor and Elizabeth crawled onto the island, making sure they tied up the small boat. Behind them cannon fire started but they did not look back to see what was happening. They needed to save Will and Jack. It was the only thought running through their heads. That and stay alive!
The two sisters could hear the shouting and sword fighting from within the cave. They peered around to see Barbossa and Jack hacking at one another, making Eleanor's heart clench. Will was having a furious fight with some of the other pirates who had stayed behind. Elizabeth gripped Eleanor's hand and pulled her over to a pile of treasure. They crouched down behind it and peered over.
"We need weapons," Eleanor said. "Anything will do."
Elizabeth agreed, "We can't just run in there." Though it looked very much like that was what she wanted to do. Her eyes were constantly following Will as he fought. There were many close calls and Elizabeth had to stifle her gasps.
"You can't beat me, Jack!" Barbossa grinned. Eleanor had just peered above the pile of treasure when she saw Barbossa thrust his sword into Jack's chest and impaling him. Eleanor screamed, thankfully Elizabeth was fast enough, covered her mouth and pulled her back behind the pile of treasure. It seemed no one had registered it within their fight.
"Jack..." Eleanor whispered, feeling tears brim her eyes. Elizabeth allowed her another look. This time she was pleasantly surprised to find Jack stumbling back into a patch of moonlight...he looked like a skeleton.
"That's interesting," Jack said, looking down at his bony hands. He grinned – or at least Eleanor thought he must be it was rather hard to tell without the facial muscles – up at Barbossa. A gold coin flicking quickly through his fingers. "I couldn't resist, mate." The coin disappeared again. "Sorry."
Barbossa leapt forwards again and started to attack him. "So what now, Jack Sparrow?" he asked whilst parrying his sword. "Will it be two immortals locked in an epic battle until Judgement Day and trumpets sound? Hmm?"
Jack shrugged, seeming nonplussed. "Or you could surrender."
Barbossa laughed menacingly. Jack smiled and then ran, jumping over piles of gold and rocks. Barbossa chasing after him.
"We'll need to split up," Elizabeth said, watching Will struggle against two pirates.
Eleanor nodded, regretfully, "Agreed."
"Now!" Elizabeth hissed. She dashed to the right, to where Will was and Eleanor made a beeline for the left.
Eleanor searched quickly for a weapon, finding a rusty old sword and what looked like a mace. She glanced to the side and saw Will being cornered by three pirates. "I'm gonna teach you the meaning of pain!" one pirated hissed.
Elizabeth, with a face fiercer than Eleanor had ever seen, ran forwards with a heavy staff. "Do you like pain?" She swung the staff and knocked the pirate to the ground. "Try wearing a corset." Will grinned at her and they shared a short moment staring into each other's eyes, but Elizabeth broke it, looking over at Jack. "Whose side is Jack on?"
"At the moment?" Will asked. The pirates were reconverging and they worked together to impale the pirates on the staff.
Eleanor had been so caught up in watching she had forgotten that she was in the open and that pirates were still fighting around her. She was suddenly knocked to the ground, and tumbled down a pile of coins. She landed on her hip and groaned. Looking up a pirate with a deformed face looked down at her, he had a sword in one hand and a dagger in the other.
"Hello, pretty," he smiled, sliding down the coin hill.
Eleanor backed up, trying to get back to her feet. Suddenly, there was an explosion from nearby and the three pirates Will and Elizabeth had strung together had blown to pieces. It was enough to knock Eleanor back to the ground and allow the pirate to advance further. In the fall, she had dropped her sword, but was thankful the mace was still clutched in her hand. As he stepped over her, gripping the dagger menacingly, Eleanor swung the mace. It connected with the head of the pirate and sent him crumbling to the floor. She hurried to her feet and looked around her. "No!" Eleanor screamed racing towards Elizabeth. Barbossa's pistol was fixed on her. It was at that moment Jack seemed to realise Eleanor was present. His face was a white sheet. Barbossa grinned. Will stood over a treasure chest, clutching something in his hand. The only problem was that Barbossa had moved his pistol from Elizabeth and up towards Will.
Jack grinned, shooting his pistol whilst Barbossa was staring at Elizabeth wickedly. Barbossa looked down over at Jack with a gleam in his eye. "Ten years you carry that pistol, and now you waste your shot."
"He didn't waste it," Will called. They all watched as Will dropped the medallions into the chest.
Barbossa dropped his sword and stepped backwards, looking at the blood that was spreading across his chest. He looked up, shock over his ugly face, "I feel...cold." He stumbled backwards and fell to the ground...dead. The curse was over.
Eleanor looked over at Jack who was reveling in the death of Barbossa. He connected eyes with Eleanor and something passed between them. Eleanor dashed forwards and threw her arms around Jack's neck. He tensed for a moment, unsure what to do, before finally pressing his hands on Eleanor's back, holding her close to him. "I thought – I saw him stab you," Eleanor said, holding back the tears, "It looked – I thought you were dead!"
Jack chuckled, "It will take more than that to kill Captain Jack Sparrow." They pulled back from one another and looked deeply into one another's eyes. "That offer still stands," Jack whispered. "We can travel the seas...together."
"We should return to the Dauntless," Elizabeth said.
Eleanor stepped back from Jack nodding and not answering him.
His face was unreadable, "Your fiancé will be wanting to know you're safe."
"Jack – "Eleanor said.
He interrupted her, his demeanour changing instantly. "Now, if you'll be so kind, I'd be much obliged if you'd drop me off at my ship." He turned towards Will and Elizabeth who gazed uneasily between them before leading Jack towards the rowboat.
Eleanor stared after him with a sense of deep sadness in the pit of her stomach. She reluctantly followed and overheard Elizabeth informing Jack that the crew of the Black Pearl had gone, along with the boat. They settled on the boat and rowed out. "I'm sorry, Jack," Elizabeth said.
"They've done what's right by them," Jack answered. His mood was steadily declining. "Can't expect more than that."