The Curse of the Black Pearl

Rope around your neck

"Captain. Captain Jack Sparrow." The bound pirate beside me muttered angrily as the official read our sentence. The noose was pulled over his head, mine was quick to follow. I gave a defeated sigh, helplessly tugging at my bonds,
"I don't think it makes much of a difference." Jack looked over, remorse in his gaze and voice hushed,
"You woulda made a fine pirate, Luv. I wish I could have heard the tale of your scar." He nodded his head to my bandaged arm and I glanced down at it. The officials had been 'kind' enough to patch it up for me. My lips quivered as they tightened into a hopeful smile, my voice a whisper,
"Let's not eradicate the possibility." He gave a reassuring smile,
"Aye, that's the spirit." The official's voice droned on,
"Impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England." I glanced at the grinning pirate, eyebrows raised,
"You love to play dress-up, don't you?" He chuckled and wiggled his head in a gesture that didn't deny it.
"You are hereby sentenced to hang from the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul." The man clad in the white hairpiece finally finished his speech and closed the scroll, reaching for the second one that contained my life's crimes. He picked it up and unraveled it. My brow scrunched into a face of despair. My secrets would be revealed, my name spat upon, my very existence despised. I would never achieve my ambitions, would never discover my family. I leaned my head forward, allowing my necklace to swing forward into view. How many times had it comforted me? How many times had I lost myself in the abalone shell's blue sheen? How many times had I gripped it in my hand, finding hope when almost all was lost? A single tear trickled down my cheek as the officer cleared his throat. Was this my destiny? For my life to be cut short with my story partly untold?
"(Y/N) (Y/L/N), previously condemned to-"
"Move!"
My head whipped up as William Turner ran up onto the gallows, brandishing his cutlass and sporting a red cape. He threw a dagger at Jack, effectively slicing through the rope that constricted his throat. Jack fell to the floor with a gasp. The blacksmith went to throw a second at my own, but the executioner swung his ax at the man, thwarting his attempt. Will went onto the defense as Jack rolled out of the line of fire. But the all-black ax-bearer caught him as he whirled, disarming him in an instant. My eyes widened as the sword fell with a clang onto the wood. Going as far as the rope would allow, I used my foot to bring it closer to me. Once that was done, I immediately kicked it into the air and caught it in my bound hands. With surprising grace, I swung around and cut through the constraint. Now that was free, I stabbed the sword into the wood and used it to cut my bonds. Gripping the handle once more, I leaped into the fight after Jack and Will. I was the only one with a blade, so I put it to good use against the red-coated officials. We managed to get a surprising way away before they finally trained their guns on us, circling us all. With a start, I realized that we were standing at the very place the entire journey had begun. I pushed the two behind me when I saw Norrington. He levelled his sword next to my throat while I kept my own raised, I wasn't going down easily.
"I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill-conceived escape attempt, but not from you," Norrington remarked to Will. Governor Swann looked slightly hurt,
"I granted you clemency, and this is how you repay me? By throwing your lot with him? He's a pirate!"
"And a good man." Will retorted, moving to my side, "If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn three pairs of boots instead of two, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear."
"You forget your place, Turner," Norrington growled.
"It's right here, between you and Jack." I rose my brow. I'd had enough of heroic speeches quite frankly. The commodore, for some reason, turned to me,
"You know there is a way out of this that doesn't involve the noose, right?" I tilted my head, what was he saying? Norrington jerked his chin at Jack,
"His name is permanently blemished, but yours isn't. It could be on the next conduct for the HMS Dauntless. All you need to do is turn him in." My eyes went wide and my jaw slackened. He was proposing my future! I looked at Jack. He... He was different. He didn't judge, didn't take sides, didn't let anything get him down. He was, in fact, free.
Returning my gaze to Norrington, my heart twinged. To be on the pride of Port Royal? A female crew member? Sailing all over the Caribbean- perhaps the world? To have my name in the record books, never to be forgotten? It was unheard of!
So I twisted around, raising my sword to bring down upon Jack.