Circle Sea 1: The Pirate Maze

Chapter 22: Miss Elizabeth and the Pirates

The eyes of everyone in the room were focussed on the amber heart that hung on the end of the silver chain. Elizabeth lifted it slowly so that it was level with her face as she stared deeply into its glowing core. The tiny shard of iron was just visible inside, like a splinter in the fabric of the universe itself.

Captain Mercy made a step towards her and she immediately reached out over the bottomless well so that the Needle hung above the deep black void. The darkness of the hole seemed to reach down towards the centre of the world - or maybe beyond it.

The Captain stopped still and raised his hands in protest.

'Now, let's not be too hasty,' he said quickly. 'You don't want to be doing anything too foolish now, do you?'

Elizabeth stared straight at him as Darnell gathered the other children and started moving slowly towards the door.

'Foolish?' Elizabeth exclaimed. 'It would be foolish to let you have all of this... stuff... How could I live with myself if I let you use these... weapons to hurt my father and his people.'

She glared at him defiantly.

'I may be young, but I am the heir to the house of Fernwood and I know my duty. It is to the Queen and her subjects, who we are sworn to protect!'

Mercy laughed but then cried out as she allowed the chain to run through her fingers. The heart dropped a few more inches into the well.

'Wait!' shrieked the Captain. 'You don't know what you're doing. You'll be trapped in here with us too - for all eternity!'

'So?' she replied defiantly. 'Every good deed requires sacrifice, and it might be time to make mine.'

'Without the heart, we will be able to hurt you, you know, and we'll have plenty of time to get our revenge! Meg here knows a million ways to cause pain and I would be delighted to let her take out her frustration on your delicate body. Don't you ever think I won't!'

'But you won't be able to hurt me if I go down with the Needle,' she said bluntly as she began to manoeuvre herself out onto the stone edge of the well.

'Okay, okay,' Mercy cried out desperately. 'What do you want? Can we do a deal? We could share all of this - or rule the world together? What do you want? Money? Power? Pretty things?'

She glared at him.

'First of all, I want that vixen of yours to get back where I can see her!' she replied as she pointed at Meg who was slowly edging around the room towards Darnell and his three companions. 'In fact, I want all of you lot to get over to the far corner before anyone does anything else. I'm happy to try a deal, but don't you think for one moment that I won't drop this!'

She jiggled the necklace over the well and the Captain winced.

'Okay, okay,' he replied again. 'We'll do what you say, and then we'll talk.'

The pirates slowly and cautiously joined their captain and they backed away towards the opposite side of the room. Elizabeth kept her eyes on them and carefully put the well between herself and the villainous crew.

'Okay,' the Captain said again. 'We've done what you wanted, now what's the deal?'

'We all live,' said Darnell quietly from the doorway.

He took a step towards Elizabeth.

'You've been very brave, young lady,' he said gently. 'And your mother and father would both be very proud of you, but you don't need to end it here. I think we can all get out safely and then dispose of the heart later.'