Crossing Blades (POTC FanFiction)

twelve➵ choosing a path

"Love is not something you protect, it's something you risk."

- Gayle Forman, Just One Year

Evelyn's POV

Even with all of their begging and bribing, I wouldn't tell any of the officers who I was, so they just huffed in annoyance. I'd rather go to the gallows and be with Jack then tell them anything about myself. Damn. When did I, Evelyn Archer, become such a good person?

    Instead of granting me a night with Jack in the gallows, Elizabeth offered that I stay with her in their mansion. Governor Swann seemed a bit apprehensive about this decision and I did my best to make him as uncomfortable as possible.

    Now, standing underneath an overhanging shading us from the searing heat of this summer day, my heart tightens along with the rope around Jack's neck.

    He'll be okay...he'll be okay...he's got a plan. But as I looked up at the man who I'd grown to care so much for, I really did wonder how he was going to escape from this one.

    "This is wrong." Elizabeth tries to plead with her father and Norrington at the last minute and I'm about to plead with her when I remember what the officers told me when I tried to get to Jack five minutes ago.

    If you make a move or even make a sound, I'm putting this bullet between your eyes. The disgusting officers laughed as they told me this to which I ignored their lustful stares at my body.

    "Commodore Norrington is bound by the law. As are we all." Her father seems a bit disappointed by this fact and I question whether his heart really is into ending Jack's life.

    "...impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England..." The official drones on and on about all the wrongs Jack has done in his life and he smiles at this last one, causing my lips to lift slightly. I'm even more intrigued by him as I listen to the life of unlawfulness he has lead. He must have hundreds of charges throughout his life and I can't help but smile at this.

    As the drums begin going faster, my heartbeat drums along with it. The noose is tied even tighter around him and I feel my arms reaching out to go for him but I'm quickly tugged back into place, reminded by the men behind me that my life depends on my movements. My well calculated movements. Suddenly, Will appears in front of Elizabeth and I smile at him, to which he smiles back.

    "Governor Swann. Commodore. Elizabeth," He finally addresses the girl he fancies who's standing right in front of him, "I should have told you every day from the moment I met you. I love you." Her breath hitches in her throat, as does Norrington's but I just beam at him. Will looks to me, tipping his hat and winking with a serious look on his face.

    Just before he walks away, I notice him looking up at something so I turn my attention there to see none other than Cotton's parrot. My eyes widen and I have to think out my next moves carefully but I'm not given much time when the drumbeat quickens again.

    Next to me, I realize Elizabeth noticed the sign as well when she looks to me and sighs, "I can't breathe," and at this and she falls to the ground, causing all the guards surrounding me to turn their attention to her. I don't waste a second when I drop, tuck and roll away from the soldiers. I didn't go completely undetected when I hear a bullet whiz by my ear, missing me by a fraction of an inch.

    Quickly, I go rushing into the crowd, following after Will who I can only tell is him by his huge hat and the fact that he's the only other crazy person pushing through the crowd to save this abomination of a man. People are yelling at us to stop and attempting to push us back when we shove our way through the huge crowd surrounding the platform where Jack stands...for now.