Claudia Norrington: POTC

Breaking the Curse

Claudia's POV

We're on the Dauntless and Elizabeth is trying to convince her father & my brother to go after Will. To save him. I agree we owe him at least trying for what he did for us. But my brother can be very stubborn. "We've got to save Will!" she shouts.

"No! You're safe now. We will return to Port Royal immediately, not go gallivanting after pirates" her father the governor tells her.

"Then we condemn him to death" she states.

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

"To rescue Claudia and me! To prevent anything from happening to us!" she screeches. Jack steps forward.

"If I may be so bold as to interject my professional opinion, the Pearl was listing near to scuppers after the battle. It's very unlikely she'd 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 asks my brother.

"By remembering that I serve others, Mr. Sparrow, not only myself" James tells him.

"Commodore, I beg you! Please do this! For me! As a wedding gift" Elizabeth begs.

"Elizabeth, are you accepting the commodore's proposal?" her father asks excitedly.

"I am" she says confidently.

"A wedding! I love weddings! Drinks all around!" Jack declares. We all look at him. "I know. "Clap him in irons," right?" he asks holding his arms out to my brother.

"Mr. Sparrow you will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with a bearing to Isle de Muerta. You'll then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase silent as the grave. Do I make myself clear?" James asks him.

"Inescapably clear" Jack assures him. He is escorted to the helm.

"Claudia, I wish to speak to Elizabeth alone" James tells me.

"Of course, I might get some rest" I tell him. "Congratulations to you both" I add. Before the governor leads me to mine and Elizabeth's room. I was having a lovely nap when Elizabeth is shoved into the room screaming about Barbossa's cursed pirate crew.

"They can't be killed!" she screeches at the lieutenant.

"Don't worry, miss. He's already informed of that. A little mermaid flopped up on deck and told him the whole story!" he tells her cheerily. He shuts the double doors and I hear them lock.

"This is Jack Sparrow's doing!" Elizabeth shouts.

"What's he done now?" I ask her as I stand up stretching.

"He took James and half of the soldiers ashore to save Will. But neglected to tell them that the pirates are cursed" she states.

"Well we can't sit here and do nothing" I tell her as I rip the bed sheets. "Get more, we're making a rope" I state lowly. She nods her head. "Now I am going to stay here to fight, think you can ensure the curse is broken?" I ask her.

"By myself?" she asks unsure.

"No, you free Jack's crew from the Pearl and then they help you" I tell her. "I have faith in you" I state. I soon see a shadow outside and signal her to be silent as we continue to tie the sheets together. As we hear her father speak.

"Elizabeth? I just want you to know, I... I believe you made a very good decision today. Couldn't be more proud of you! But, you know, even a good decision, if made for the wrong reasons, can be a wrong decision" he states. I silently open the window and Elizabeth tosses our hand made rope out it. I go out first and she follows. As her father continues to speak.

We snuck into the armory and I gave her a dagger. Then grabbed two swords and a pistol. I then helped her lower a long boat and watched her row away. As I return to the main deck, I hear something. I look over the side and curse silently as I see pirates climbing the anchor rope.

I race to the warning bell. I ring it. "What's the meaning of this Miss Norrington?" the lieutenant demands.

"Pirates!" I shout pointing behind him. "Attack!" I yell drawing my swords and lead the soldiers into battle with the cursed pirates. "Go for the head, fight to the bitter end!" I yell to the men. As i behead a pirate and kick his head over board. We all continue to fight and I hear some pistols go off. I feel something graze my side, but ignore it and continue to fight.

Suddenly the pirate I was fighting, was shot in the head. I whip my head around to see James and the rest of the men. "Attack!" he orders and now we out number the pirates. But they are still cursed.

"Come on Elizabeth!" I grumble as we head for the helm. So that we have the high ground. "James duck!" I yell and shot the pirate behind him. "We're even!" I tell him and start to fight another pirate.

"Hello Poppet" Pintel says and I start to fight him and Ragetti. Good thing I use two swords and that Ragetti lost his wooden eye. Otherwise I wouldn't have lasted long enough for the curse to be broken. "Parley" he says sheepishly as he and the other pirates realize they are mortal again. Some dropped dead.

"The ship is ours gentlemen" James declares.

"Huzzah! Huzzah!" the men cheer as the remaining pirates surrender. I sigh in relief sheathing my swords and lean against the railing. James comes over to me.

"You're hurt" he says concerned looking at my side. I follow his gaze and see I am bleeding. A bullet must have grazed me. He takes off his jacket putting pressure on it. I gasp in pain.

"Warn me next time" I tell him.

"Sorry" he says sheepishly.

"Where's Elizabeth?" the governor asks as he appears looking disheveled (spelling?).

"On her way back" I state nodding to a loan row boat heading our way.

"We lost the Pearl" James states.

"But we caught their crew and a Sparrow" I assure him. Placing a hand on his shoulder. He gives me a small smile. When Elizabeth, Jack and Will return. Jack is taken into custody and Will was given a full burden by the governor. My wound was tended to and we set sail for Port Royal. I was finally able to sleep in peace.

A/N

Pictures above of James and his men and of the Black Pearl pirates.