Tale of Two Swans

Past Meetings

As the crew prepared a boat, my mind drifted to my first encounters with Elizabeth and Will. It was a rather egregious ordeal, what with the girl almost drowning and with Will playing the heroics... I sighed.

I had been talking to two guards of the port, going into great detail about how I had been betrayed by my original crew and what had happened to me, when suddenly there was a loud splash a short ways off. 

The three of us turned, and if it weren't for the man yelling hysterically from a wall on the edge of the town, it would've been rather comedic. When I realized what he was screaming about, however, I sprung to action. 

I turned to look to the men I had been talking to, "Will you be saving her then?" They only looked at each other bleakly. "I can't swim."

I rolled my eyes, "Pride of the King's Navy you are." I grumbled, ripping off my belt and hat and handing them to the men. "Do not lose these." I said sternly, before turning and diving off the ship. I swam quickly, my eyes catching on billowing skirts as they drifted to the ocean floor. 

When I reached the girl I tried to drag her up as is, but quickly realized that her skirts were getting in the way. I made quick work of cutting them off, and suddenly we were free to breach the surface. I gasped quietly as I came up next to the dock, one of the men from before helping me bring her up and lay her down. 

"Ooh, I got her. She's not breathing!" He yelled, and I launched myself onto the dock. "Move!" I shoved them aside, grabbing my knife again and cutting open her corset. She immediately woke up, coughing up water and gasping for air. 

I glanced up and back to the ship we had been on, only to see Rufio spot me and dart off of the ship. I sighed frustratedly when he disappeared from my sight.

"Never would've thought of that." One of the men said curiously, taking the corset distractedly when I passed it to him. 

"Clearly you've never been to Singapore." I said stiffly, reaching forward and lifting the token hung from the girl chest. She eyed me when I blanched, recognizing the medallion. "Where did you get that?" I breathed, looking at her worriedly. 

The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps drew me from my thoughts, and I looked up blankly as a sword was drawn and held to my face. Norrington. "On your feet." He said firmly, and I sarcastically raised my hands as I stood, dropping them when everyone's attention went to the girl. 

"Elizabeth! Are you alright?" Oh so that's her name. And the man who asked must be her father. 

"Yes, I'm fine." She said, tucking the medallion beneath her under dress. I rose a brow at the action, but had no chance to say anything when the man who held her corset was suddenly looked at. He dropped it quickly, pointing at me and saying something along the lines of "It was him."

Elizabeth's father looked disturbed, his voice shrill. "Shoot him!"

My brows shot high and the girl quickly shoved her way forwards. "Father! Commodore, do you really intend to kill my rescuer?" The men all shared a look, and Norrington sheathed his sword, holding out a hand.  

"I believe thanks are in order." He said, his brows pinched. My confidence faltered, what is he getting at? I reluctantly reached for his hand and he snatched it quickly, jerking me forward and yanking up my sleeve. "Had a brush with the East India Trading company, did we, pirate?" He said when the burned scar of the letter 'P' was exposed.

We held eye contact when the girls father gave the command for me to be hung, his grip on my wrist still firm. "Keep your guns on him, men. Gillette, fetch some irons." He ordered, before pulling my sleeve higher. I locked my jaw, he knew who I was. He was only pretending now. And to think we used to be friends... "Well, well? Jack Sparrow, isn't it?" He mocked, spitting the 'Jack' out with annoyance.