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Savarna	By : BrethlessM Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (All) > Het - Male/Female > Jack/Elizabeth Views: 5383 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
A/N: Wow! Sorry it took so long, but school is approaching again, and I've had a lot going on to prepare to go back! I won't bore you with all the details, but getting my schedule settled and adding in some work for my voice teacher in exchange for lessons, I've been squeezing in writing time wherever I can! I promise to post at least once a week, and we'll see what happens once school starts, but hopefully things will calm down enough for me to do some serious writing before I have to recalculate my schedule all over again. Thanks for all the lovely comments - they make me so happy - and I'll see you again soon! - Kimberlee
Chapter 7

Elizabeth�s cage was not gone, but it had increased in size significantly in the last� however long it had been. She wasn�t sure, and now she was too frustrated to care. The garden party she was hosting refused to end, and though all of the guests seemed as equally bored with it as she was, none of them would leave.

More than a dozen Elizabeths sat chained, each to their own mast, trying to take a sip of their tea in identical corseted dresses. Though they were trying to be polite, Elizabeth could tell that they were each distracted. At least four of them kept looking off in the direction from which the sounds of Jack and Will�s sword-fight were coming, looking worried or irritated. A fifth sat listlessly, staring at her teacup and sobbing silently. Only one seemed perfectly at ease with their situation, sitting primly and wearing an engaging smile, but it was none of these Elizabeths that most disturbed Elizabeth.

One Elizabeth alone was not wearing the same monstrous dress as the rest. She seemed to have removed it, and sat brazenly in her undergarments, with one leg crossed over the other in a very unladylike manner. This Elizabeth lounged in her seat, tea flung aside and arms lying casually at her sides. She wore the manacle connecting her wrist to the mast almost like a bracelet; she did not struggle against it, even when William began to cry.

But what made this Elizabeth particularly worrisome was the defiant way in which she stared at Elizabeth, a sneer delicately twisting her pretty face. She�d removed her hat and taken her hair down, and the hot sun was slowly baking her pale skin a warm cinnamon brown. Still, she seemed not to care about that, nor about the questing tentacles of the Kraken, which continued searching for them every now and again. As the other Elizabeths cried out in alarm and shrunk back in horror, she ignored everything but Elizabeth, the light of challenge evident in her eyes.

It worried Elizabeth, this insolence, especially because she secretly feared that the other woman truly was superior to her and that if she wasn�t careful, she�d be murdered the moment her back was turned. As one of the Elizabeth�s began screaming for Jack to rescue her, Elizabeth despaired that he would ever come, and for the first time she wondered if there was not something she hadn�t tried yet to win her own freedom.

William was serving lookout on the third watch and despite how late it was, he wasn�t tired. He had long grown accustomed to the change in his waking hours, and he even looked forward to the minutes that stretched between midnight and dawn, when he could sit atop the crow�s nest and look out over the cold blue ocean towards the ever-distant horizon. Somewhere out there, he knew, his mother waited for him.

Also on-duty during William�s watch were Jack and Ina, with Captain Teague at the helm. Since setting sail from Shipwreck Cove, Captain Teague had maintained control of the wheel for a full sixteen hours. He slept for only a few hours during the second watch in the afternoon, and at that time he�d allow Jack, and only Jack, control of his ship.

During his time off-duty, William was free to do as he pleased, for Marty, Ragetti and Pintel were the only crewmembers working that watch. It had become his habit, though, to sit on the wheel deck near Jack, keeping him company during his extra hours of duty at the helm. Besides when they were sleeping, this was the only time the two could spend alone together. This time meant a lot to William, for it was only in his company that Jack was truly himself. In the presence of the other men, and even Ina, the younger Captain Sparrow had reassumed his friendly and ever-drunken persona. No one questioned it � they were simply glad to have him back. But William knew that it was an act, for he�d seen the real Jack, and this was not it.
The Jack he became in William�s company was still clever, still dangerously witty, and still a bit flamboyant. But there was a sober honesty about him now; a softening in his manner of speech and a straightening of his posture that betrayed his wisdom, if you looked closely enough.
The more time he spent observing the circadian rhythms of Jack�s personality, the more curious William became. He was most fascinated by the interaction between Jack and his father, for he had never seen two people as much alike and unlike one another.
Even now, as he watched the two discuss their heading at the Savarna�s helm (though it looked a lot more like arguing), the similarities between the two Sparrow�s were strikingly obvious. They were equal in height and weight, trim at the waist, with strong upper bodies. Though under six feet tall, both men exuded a physical presence that made them appear larger than life. Both were ostentatious in their habit of wearing numerous rings on both hands, and of course, they each wore charms tied into their hair.
There were even similarities in their manner, though these were much harder to observe. In the week that they�d been at sea, William had come to recognize that Captain Teague was the source of Jack�s wicked sense of humor, as well as his ability to take the measure of a man at a glance and use it to his advantage if necessary. Both were fair Captains, and both could be the deadliest of adversaries if so provoked.
Jack however, hid the evidence of his true ferocity under a fa�ade of good-natured ineptitude. In contrast, Teague wore his severity openly. While Jack often surprised his foe with his sheer ingenuity, no one would ever make the mistake of under-estimating Teague.
Though Jack favored his father in his general appearance, there was something a tad softer and quite nearly angelic in his features that had to have come from his mother. It was impossible for William to guess just how much of the goddess Savarna�s personality was echoed in her son, but he found himself wondering about this whenever he pondered the greatest difference between the two men.
This difference lay, of course, in their personalities. They were a study in contrasts � Jack electric with energy and Teague coiled tightly around the hot core of his own. There were few emotions that did not play across the face of the younger Captain, while the elder rarely displayed any emotion at all.

At times, it almost seemed to William a form of rebellion - that Jack affected such opulent displays of passion as a way of shunning his father�s taciturnity. It was a thought that made William watch them closely whenever they came into contact.
They never seemed to agree, Captains Jack and Teague, yet William was beginning to discover that although they argued, they were often saying the exact same thing. It was funny � Jack raging at his father that they must head north-east, after which Teague would nod solemnly and say that going west would take a long time. Then Jack would growl that they should angle twelve degrees one way or another, and no matter the answer, the bickering would continue.
It made some of the men nervous that neither Captain seemed to know exactly where they were going, but William was not fooled, and not worried. There was a note of a familiarity to the disagreeing between Jack and his father, as though this too, was just an act between them. This idea was strongly reinforced by the fact that Captain Teague never lost his infamously short temper at Jack�s antics, and seemed more concerned on the occasions that Jack let any comment of his own pass without a retort.
The ship�s bell rang eight times, and William took one last look around the Pacific Ocean. From the talk of those who had been on the last voyage to the Locker � Marty, Pintel and Ragetti � he knew that the key to getting to their destination was getting lost. For his part, it was working; he had no idea where he was. In the far distance, William could just make out what looked like white mountain peaks, and as Noah climbed into the basket beside him, he commented on it.
Noah stared out in the direction William had indicated, and smiled a rare smile. �Dat must mean we are on de right track,� he said. �Pintel told us just last night about de field of ice through which dey had to travel before.�
Ice. William frowned, but didn�t voice his confusion. After wishing Noah a pleasant day, he climbed down from the crow�s nest and headed across the foredeck towards Jack and Captain Teague.
Jack was talking in a low voice, and though Teague never once looked at him, he appeared to be listening intently. �As I said, I didn�t make the trip to the Locker this way the last time, I took a decidedly faster route, but I�m positive that-�
�You�re positive that you�ll know how to find it because you�ve been there before,� Teague finished for him. �So you�ve said. What concerns me is that fact that Calypso would overlook the fact that her prison could be so easily found.�
�That�s only in the instances where certain persons have managed to return from those shores,� Jack said, �and how many times, to your knowledge, has that happened?�
�Twice,� Teague grunted in agreement. �Unless you consider the Greeks, which I prefer not to.� He looked down at William as the boy reached Jack�s side. �Any changes?� he asked his son.
Jack considered their heading and closed his eyes for a moment. �No,� he said finally, but he seemed uncertain about something. �When second watch begins I�ll reconsider it.�
�There�s ice ahead,� William reported. �Lots of it.�
This pleased Jack, and he nodded. �We�re on course then. Brilliant.� To his father he added, �If we reach the ice before this afternoon, send someone to wake me; I want to be here whilst we maneuver through the field.�
Teague raised a bemused eyebrow at being given orders on his own ship, but he said, �Aye,� as Jack led William towards their cabin.
The room William shared with Jack was smaller than the Captain�s cabin onboard the Pearl, being just large enough for the bed and a desk. The bed was large though, and comfortable enough. Though there didn�t seem to be any need for maps on a voyage to get lost, Jack had brought several rolls of parchment containing extraordinarily detailed maps of much of the known world, There was also an old tube made of bamboo sticks which he seemed to handle more carefully than any of the others.
It was this map which Jack withdrew from the desk each morning before bed while William dutifully washed his hands and face in a porcelain basin. William watched Jack manipulate portions of the map carefully, from the corner of his eye, longing to take a closer look at the strange object. Pulling on his nightshirt, he walked towards the desk just as Jack, seeming satisfied with his findings, began to roll the map closed again.
�What is it, Uncle Jack?� William asked, eyeing the ragged edges with interest.
�Just a map, mate,� Jack said easily.
�It moves,� William prompted.
Jack stood up and stretched. �That it does. Are you ready to sleep? I suspect it will be getting harder to come by, the further north we go.�
William frowned. �Why won�t you let me see the map?� he asked curiously. He didn�t once doubt that Jack would answer truthfully.
��Tis a very special map, that,� Jack answered after a moment�s pause. �That map contains every region of the known world, and some of the unknown. It shows the treasures of the old world and the keys to finding them as well.�
William�s interest-filled eyes darted to the map.
�There�s only one man outside my crew who knows I possess that map, and he�s likely dead.� Jack eyed William seriously. �It�s a dangerous item to have knowledge of� savvy?�
William nodded, thinking hard. �But � I already know you have it, so why can�t I look at it?�
Jack didn�t have good answer to that question. Truth was, if it were anyone else but William asking for a look at the precious map, he�d have seriously considered killing him instantly. He never mentioned the map�s existence to even the few men who already knew of it, in the hopes that they�d one day forget. Having been mutinied upon once already, Jack was never eager to show too much of his hand to anyone, but explaining this to a boy who was still too young to fully understand the concept of betrayal was something he wasn�t sure he could do.
�In for a penny, in for a pound,� he muttered to himself before telling William, �I�ll show it to you, mate � but you have to keep this between us. There are those who would murder the both of us in a heartbeat if they knew of this, even among those we think we can trust. I wouldn�t allow this honor to just anybody, but seeing as how you�re me partner in this mission�� Jack shrugged and sat at his desk again, rolling open the map.
William eagerly climbed into Jack�s lap and leaned close to the strange map. He�d noticed before that it was made of bamboo reeds, tied tightly together, and that certain parts of the map moved. Up close he could see the ancient inscriptions all over it, and as he began spinning the wheels at the maps center, he realized that it did indeed show all the known world depending on the angle. Strange messages appeared at various points, perhaps giving clues to the various treasures Jack had spoke of before, but there was one image that caught his attention and made him stop his manipulations of the maps features.
It was a sketch of a ship upon rolling waves, and the legend scrawled above and below said �up is down�, and �green flash at sunrise�. William examined it closely and finally said, �This is what we�re using, isn�t it? To find mother?�
Jack nodded. �Part of it, yes.�
Thinking carefully, William noted the strangeness of the drawing, as though there was more to it than his eyes were seeing. The water seemed to take a sharp turn and descend abruptly, as though in a waterfall, and remembering his mother�s stories about falling off the edge of the world to rescue Jack from the Locker, he said, �I thought that the world is round.�
Jack leaned back against his chair. �It is, mate� but even sphere�s have edges, it just depends on how you look at it.� When William turned to frown curiously at him, Jack said, �for example � my mother�s people believe that the Earth is a ball supported on the backs of three enormous elephants, and that those elephants stand on the back of a gigantic sea turtle � who was once the god Vishnu.�
�What does the turtle stand on?� William asked.

Jack grinned. �It�s a sea turtle, mate � they swim.� As William considered that, Jack went on. �So the sea turtle supports the world, carrying it through the universe to some unknowable destination, and the rest of us are all along for the journey. Now, although the world is round, if for some reason you were so inclined to visit said turtle, you�d have to leave the surface instead of following it round � savvy? You�d have to fall off the edge.�
�So� is the Locker on the back of the sea turtle?�
�Possibly,� Jack shrugged. �Doesn�t make explaining how we get back any easier, but perhaps the gravity of living souls is attracted to its own world, just as the gravity of those deceased is drawing into the afterlife. Don�t know for sure, but I suppose it isn�t necessary for one to understand it, for things to work properly, is it?�
Before William could respond, a loud knock came at the door. �Captain!� Murtogg�s voice called out. �We�ve reached the ice!�
Jack placed William on the ground and stood up. �Look�s like I won�t be getting any sleep a lot sooner than I thought.� He headed towards the door and William followed. �No, mate. No sense in us both suffering the cold and exhaustion. You take your kip and I�ll wake you when we�re close. We may reach your mother by morning.�
William looked as though he wanted to argue, but he nodded and Jack closed the door. Climbing into bed, William could see the strange markings from the bamboo map in his mind�s eye, and he realized that the more jagged looking waves at the left edge had not been waves at all, but ice. Jack was right � they were almost there.

His father was exactly where Jack had left him not more than an hour ago, and although he knew the Savarna�s speed was quite nearly equal that of the Pearl�s, even Jack was surprised to see exactly how close the were to the ice field that had look so distant when he�d retired for the morning. Towering mountains of ice and snow lay just ahead of them, and already the chill in the air was palpable. Mulroy was climbing the rigging towards the crow�s nest to bring several blankets to Noah, and the breath of the large African man � one of the men Jack had set free in Tia Dalma�s swamp a lifetime ago � was visible on the air, even at a distance.

Only Captain Teague seemed to remain unperturbed by the change in temperature. Forcing himself to ignore the cold, Jack climbed up to the poop deck and stood even with his father, just beside the helm. �William�s staying abed,� Jack commented, just as a way to break the silence. �I�ll wager he�ll need all the rest he can get before we�re through.�

Teague grunted noncommittally before Jack prattled on. �Of course, he hasn�t had an easy time of sleeping anyway, since his mum passed. He enjoys working with the men though, and as it keeps his mind off things�.�

�You care,� Teague said flatly.

Jack fell silent. Neither man looked at the other. After a moment, he said, �It�s not a weakness.�

Teague shook his head. �Never said it was.� After a pause he added, �You�re a good father, boy.�

Even as he spoke, Jack wondered why he bothered to deny, �He�s not my son, Captain.�

A glimmer of a smile cracked the ancient parchment of Teague�s face before he answered. �No, but you care enough anyway. I knew that woman had ensnared you the moment I saw you look at her.�

�That�s preposterous,� Jack said with soft indignation. �That claw-cat was the recent cause of my demise. What you saw was lust� or possibly indigestion.�

�You made her King.�

�Means, to an end, Captain. You know all about that.�

Teague grunted. �Say what you like. You care about that boy � and you�re off on some fool mission to save his mother. I�m old, but I�m not dead.�

Jack frowned. He hated being so transparent. �He needs her.�

�As do you.�

A wave of panic swept over Jack at the resounding truth in those words. A sudden memory overcame him; himself as a child, sitting has his mother�s knee and gazing up at her adoringly. Then just as swiftly, she was gone, and though her body remained it had returned to the statue-like presence he�d seen in his dream � always there, and yet too far away to touch.

Captain Teague steered calmly through the treacherously icy waters as though skimming the waters on a calm summer day. Frost had begun coating their mustaches and beards with rhime from their breath, and high above them Noah shivered deep inside his nest of blankets as he kept a careful watch for disaster.

�I wager we�ll reach World�s End by nightfall,� Jack said at last. �We�ll need to consider the best manner in which to approach the falls.�

Teague didn�t seem worried. �You should sleep. You�ll need you strength for what lies ahead.�

�I can�t,� Jack admitted honestly. It was as close an admission as Teague would get for the time, concerning his son�s affections, but it seemed to be enough. The old captain nodded understandingly. It made Jack scowl.

The room was frigid when William awoke, and the sky outside the cabin�s windows was so dark, he couldn�t determine the time of day. Pulling the thick quilted bedspread around him, William opened the cabin door and stuck his head out to look for Jack.

Sucking air through his teeth in a hiss at the cold, William was hesitant to step outside until he saw that the entire crew was gathered on deck, staring out over the bow of the ship. Wrapping himself tighter in the comforter, he went to see what had drawn their attention.

Jack stood closest to the railing, and in a flash William saw the comparison between the pirate�s face, and that of the wooden figurehead�s � it was his mother adorning the ship. Pleasantly surprised, William forced himself to focus on the horizon to see what they all were looking at.

The ship was no longer surrounded by ice, but the chill in the afternoon air said they were not far beyond it. The water stretching far into the distance off their port and starboard sides was nearly black, and the wind around them strong. They were moving along at a powerful, and slowly increasing speed, and though he stood on the tips of his toes, William could not at first tell what was so interesting to his crewmates.

Then, as if someone had drawn a veil of sleep away from him, William understood. The waterfall over the edge of the world was not quite visible yet, but the signs of their imminent arrival were all around. The pull of the current whipped them forward over the waves, and the wind seemed intent on pushing them to their deaths. If he listened hard, William even though he could hear a loud roar about that of the ocean, and it was this that sent a thrill of fear and elation through him.

Jack stepped away from the rail with a grim face. There was a spark of light in his eyes as he said, �Make sure the ship is secured and take measures to prepare yourselves. Keep a weather eye open and hold on tight; we�re in for a bumpy ride, and ye may get wet.�

The crew scrambled to their various stations, none of them knowing quite what to expect. Along the length of the ship people checked the rigging, made sure the cannons were firmly tethered, and at last, held tightly to the railing. Jack smiled down at William, wrapped in their quilt. They were the only two who hadn�t moved from the bow of the ship, and the look they exchanged now was full of anticipation.

�Don�t fall out of the ship, mate,� Jack said, feigning casual.

William felt a twinge of panic, and he looked at Jack with worried eyes. �What if she�s not there?� he whispered.

Jack�s eyes became distant and tight, as if in pain, but he said, �She�ll be there � we�ll get her back.� A thought occurred to Jack, and he looked at William carefully. �Listen, mate,� he said slowly. �When we get to the Locker� I�m not sure what we�ll discover, exactly. You may want to give a thought to staying behind whilst I go ashore to find her.�

William shook his head roughly. �No. I�m going with you.�

�It might not be pretty, mate � we don�t know what she�s been through in the last two months.�

Two months � William could hardly believe it had been that long, yet at the same time, it felt like an eternity since he�d seen his mother. �I�m going,� he told Jack. �Whatever she�s going through� she�ll need me. She�ll need the both of us.�

Jack said nothing, but after a quiet moment, he nodded. �Hold on tight � and stay close.�

William followed Jack towards the helm, where Captain Teague had remained without comment for hours now. Hurriedly, William returned the quilt back to his and Jack�s cabin and then returned to the deck, where he found Ina staring out before them. Though William was too small to see the waters ahead, he could not clearly hear the fury of the water as it spilled off the edge of the globe.

Turning to climb the stairs to be near Jack and Captain Teague, William saw that Ina was staring at him intently. He froze in place for a moment, caught by her piercing gaze, and wondering what she was thinking about at that moment. He didn�t have a chance to ask. Jack shouted for him to hurry, and William heeded his call automatically.

Jack had threaded both his hands and feet into the webbed rigging of the ship, clinging like a spider to its web. From the height of the stern deck, William could see Pintel and Ragetti tying themselves to the mizzenmast while the others simply clung to the railing with ropes wrapped tightly around their wrists. Teague had lashed himself to the wheel, and spared only a moment to nod his head in the direction of the railing, indicating that William should take hold.

He wrapped his fingers tightly around the wooden rails of the ship, twisting his arms around the banister and holding on for dear life. Looking forward once more, William realized he couldn�t see anything in front of them � there was nothing to be seen but sky, for the horizon was now beneath them. The Savarna hung for a breathless moment, suspended in time and space, before tilting dangerously downward to plunge over the side.

William couldn�t help the scream that was ripped from his throat, and somewhere in his terrified mind he heard a high-pitched shriek from behind him too, but it only lasted a second. They began to plunge down, down, down, and William could see no end to their descent. The palms of his hands became sweaty, and he began to feel his grip giving way.

Twisting his body around as best he could, William saw Jack hovering above him, entwined into the netted rigging. The boy tried to dig his heels into the deck to prevent his body from slipping forward, but it was no use. Overhead, Jack�s eyes widened as he realized what was happening, but even as he maneuvered quickly to free his hands, William�s fingers lost their grip from the railing, and he dropped into the dead space below.

Jack didn�t think. Freeing his hands and feet as fast as he could, he folded his body in mid-air like a jackknife, flipping neatly into a dive that combined with his weight to pull him faster towards his target. He reached William in his inelegant free fall within the space of seconds, which felt like hours, and the two collided.

Jack wrapped an arm tightly around the small form against his abdomen, and reached out blindly with his other hand until he felt the burn of a rope flashing past his fingers. Desperately he closed his hand and felt his shoulder yanked sharply as he drew up short, hanging from one of the yardarms.
William had wrapped his arms and legs tightly around Jack�s midsection, and when he was certain the boy had a firm grip on him, Jack let go and took a moment to lift their bodies up enough to wrap a bit of the rope around his wrist to make sure he wouldn�t fall. Looking down, he realized that the fine mist that was rising up to meet them meant an end to their plunge, and he couldn�t help closing his eyes tightly as he held tightly to the rope with one hand and to William with the other.
The crash he expected never occurred, and Jack opened his eyes to see the bow of the ship sink as easily into water as a knife into butter. He just had enough time to yell for William to hold his breath before the water was on them. The water was warmer than he�d expected, but his only concern was that William had heard his warning � the boy was still against him.
The ship plunged deep into water before the nose elegantly turned upward, as though proud of her fine lineage. She leveled out, and the Savarna broke the surface of the water. Her crew fell against the deck, gasping and coughing to clear the fluid from their lungs. High above them all, Jack remained suspended in mid-air with William clinging to his waist.
�You okay, mate? William?� Jack couldn�t hide the worry in his voice, and had he been capable of noticing, he would have been surprised to find that he didn�t care to.
Tentatively, William angled his face up towards Jack�s and when their eyes met, Jack felt relieved. �Hold tight,� he warned, although it wasn�t necessary. If William held on any tighter, Jack would no longer be able to breathe.
Forcing his lower body forward and then back again, Jack began to swing on the rope until he�d built up enough momentum. Letting go just before the peak of a forward swing, Jack flew towards another rope, long enough for him to slide along towards the deck. He landed firmly and continued holding on to the rope until he was sure he wouldn�t be thrown off balance by William�s weight.
William slowly let his feet down to touch the deck, and then loosened his grip on Jack, though he didn�t let go. The rest of the crew was around them instantly, and though Jack waved them away with assurances that all was well, he didn�t let go of William until Captain Teague called his name.
William let go of Jack�s waist but took his hand without a word, for the moment not wanted to be parted from him. He was grateful when Jack acted as though this were normal, striding confidently towards the helm where his father was watching them, blank faced.
�Captain?� Jack asked, his tone of voice daring his father to comment. Teague merely nodded towards the front of the ship, and they all turned to look.
For the first time, William realized that it was daylight � morning, to judge by the position of the sun. The day was already hot, and the water in his clothing felt nice against his skin. In the distance, a wide expanse of sandy beach was visible, very close by.
Jack felt dizzy at the sight and his breath caught in his throat. This was it � the Locker. He shook his head to clear it, and as he did, Jack couldn�t help wondering that it still looked so much like the hell he remembered from nearly ten years earlier. Nausea rolled in his stomach, and he felt an intense desire to turn around, for he could not set foot on that shore again. If he did, he worried, he might never be able to leave it again.
It was only when he noticed Captain Teague watching the emotions play across his face with a far too keen understanding that Jack forced himself to swallow deeply and stand upright. A gentle squeeze on his right hand made him remember William, and in turn, their reason for being here.
Elizabeth. She was here. He had found her. Somewhere on this vast expanse of sand was the woman who�d chosen death over him. A bubble of hysterical laughter threatened to escape from Jack, but he held it back. As the beach drew nearer, he realized they were as close as he dared to get at the same moment Captain Teague called out the order to lower anchor.
Marty�s voice echoed the bellow � more out of habit than necessity � and a few of the men hurried forward to turn the capstan, dropping the anchor to the seabed. Jack nodded to his father and took William with him to release the longboat.
Ina appeared beside them and went to work helping with the boat without comment. When the boat was ready, Jack lifted William carefully into it and was about to step across the gap himself when Ina stopped him.
�You�re sure he should go, Jack?� She asked. �If she�s in bad condition-�
�Then he has the right to know it first,� Jack finished quietly.
Ina nodded hesitantly, and said, �I should come too. She may need another woman�s assistance.�
�If she does, you can give it to her once we return to the ship,� Jack said. Noticing Ina irritation he added softly, �This is something William and I have to do ourselves, dearie� savvy?�
She nodded with an exasperated sigh, and Jack grinned at her and propelled himself into the longboat.
Neither he nor William spoke as Jack rowed them closer to the shore. Tamping down the anxiety that rose in him as they drew closer to the beach, Jack focused his mind on Elizabeth. In his mind he saw the golden honey of her hair and the sparkling laughter in her eyes. He even managed to recall the scent of jasmine that floated around her, even after six months at sea. It had always maddened him, but now it gave him the strength to step onto the glaringly white sand � where he saw his own footprints staring him in the face.

Elizabeth was panting hard as she sank to the floor of her cage. She was finally free of the manacle that had been only the first barrier between herself and freedom, but it had not come easily.

She had first tried to lubricate her wrist enough to pull it through the cuff by pouring the hot tea over it, but this resulted in fluid filled blisters as the liquid scorched her flesh. Determined to escape, Elizabeth had pulled and pulled, ignoring the pain � ignoring the sting of blistered skin bursting and scraping raw � and then at last, there was a loud popping noise and she was free.

Looking at her mangled hand, she realized that she was bleeding profusely, and it was the combination of the slick blood and the breaking of her thumb that had enabled her to escape. Elizabeth sobbed and laughed, and she looked up to see the other Elizabeths staring at her with a variety of emotions. Then, one by one they disappeared, until only two remained.

Besides herself, the only Elizabeth left in the cage was the one wearing only her undergarments, who�s expression of challenge had changed into one of delightedly wicked amusement. This Elizabeth rose languidly to her feet � the simple movement brazenly sexual � and took a step closer to the Elizabeth lying on the floor.

�Pirate,� she whispered with a twisted smile, before vanishing as completely as the rest of them.

Alone once more, Elizabeth tried to get herself under control again. Nearby, William�s sobs resumed their now familiar wail, and Elizabeth dragged herself to the bars of the birdcage, grabbing onto one with her good hand.

�William!� she called desperately. �William, I�m here! I�ll find you!� Not knowing what to do next to get free, she looked around for a lock, realizing as she did that she�d never noticed one before.

Indeed, it seemed that there was no lock, nor any door. The only way in or out was through the bars, and though Elizabeth couldn�t remember the last time she�d eaten, she knew she could not squeeze through to freedom. A frantic sob exploded from her, and she shrieked in frustration, pounding her fist against her prison.

Jack. She could still hear him out there, fighting and trading sly barbs with Will. Their swords clashed together loudly, and though she could not see them, she was certain they were near. One of them, surely, would rescue her son. �Jack!� she screamed at the top of her lungs. �Will!�

Suddenly, she saw him, and she wept with relief. He�d heard her � Jack would find her son. Elizabeth realized she was babbling incoherently - so that even she wasn�t certain what she was saying � but she reached her injured hand between the bars to point in the direction she thought William�s cries came from, hoping he�d understand.

Her cage bobbled in the water, and from beneath her came the grasping tentacles of the Kraken wearing her husband�s wedding ring. Was Will angry because Jack had come to her aid? Scurrying back into the middle of the cage, Elizabeth tried to curl into as tight a ball as possible to avoid being caught by the beast.

She heard Jack�s voice again, only this time it was addressing her and not Will. A younger voice called, �Mother!� but it couldn�t have been William, because her son was still crying somewhere � Jack had to find him!

A shot rang out, and everything fell silent in the echo of the gun blast. She heard the ring of a sword being unsheathed and then a thunk, as steel hit wood. Elizabeth couldn�t find the strength to look up, but in a matter of minutes, she was being lifted against a warm, solid body, and she curled into it like a child.

Jack. It was Jack. She would know him anywhere by the smell of saltwater, rum and a deeply personal aroma that went beyond the stench of unwashed flesh. Slightly comforted, Elizabeth�s eyes fluttered open. �William,� she muttered. �You have to find William � he�s crying. Something�s wrong; he�s been crying for ages and I can�t get to him.�

Jack was sick with worry, and he knew it showed on his face, though he tried to hide it. �No worries, love,� he whispered in a rough voice. �William�s all right � I took care of him, just like you asked.�

�Mother?� William�s voice was timid, as he pulled himself from the water into the cage where Jack knelt clutching her tightly to his chest.

Elizabeth turned her head, and when she saw William standing over her, she cried out in a mixture of anguish, joy and relief, throwing herself at him until he was crushed in her embrace. William�s eyes searched for Jack�s, but the pirate was focused on the mangled ruin that had been her hand.

�We need to get her out of here,� William said in an undertone to Jack. The older man nodded in agreement, and gentle pried Elizabeth away from William.

�Let�s get you home, love,� Jack said, and carefully he carried her to the edge of the cage until he could lower himself into the water and pull her after him. Avoiding the carcass of the Kraken � who had been so easily killed, it was obviously not the real thing � Jack swam on his side with Elizabeth under one arm. She made no sound, and he tried not to let his concern run rampant through him.

William reached the surrounding shore faster than Jack and his mother, and helped the two ease out of the water. Jack stood and immediately lifted Elizabeth into his arms. She was unconscious.

�Hurry,� was all Jack could manage to say, but William didn�t need the prompting. He was already running back to the longboat, glancing back every few steps with fear etched deeply into his face.
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Savarna