Drabble Challenge: 'Pirates'

[dwgm]

A snippet of Young Elizabeth and Will, written for the current drabble challenge at Black Pearl Sails.

And now to 1) Finish editing chapter six for honorat, 2) Give feedback and archive everyone's recent drabbles at Black Pearl Tales, 3) Pay the bills, and 4) Fix my closet.

Nothing like having one's priorities straight.

~ Act of Piracy ~

“You left me in charge of him,” Elizabeth told her father, and the lieutenant. “He needs me.”

Will flushed, but did not refute the assertion.

In the end, she was allowed to stay if she would agree to remain silent during the proceedings. She seated herself on the chair beside Will’s at the big table.

But as they questioned him, it was borne in upon her that Mr. Gibbs had been correct, and that she had been entirely wrong.

“I know it is difficult for you, Mr. Turner, but any information you can give us would be helpful.”

“They were pirates, sir,” Will said, unsteadily. “I saw their ship coming toward us, in the fog. The Lady Anne was becalmed, but the black ship… she just came on! Our captain had raised a flag of truce, but the pirates paid no heed to it. They fired upon us, but their aim… I don’t think they meant to do such damage. There was a fire, and then, almost before we realized how bad it was…” His voice trailed off and he sat staring blindly before him, remembering.

Elizabeth’s father said, “It’s a miracle you survived, my boy.”

Will nodded, and Elizabeth sensed what he was thinking: Why me, and not the others?

*

It was very late, but Miss Pettigrew had imbibed a paregoric draught in her ongoing struggle with mal de mer and was finally snoring peacefully, undisturbed by the lamp that still burned in the cabin. Elizabeth waited to be sure her governess was sound asleep, then set down her book and quietly retrieved the medallion from where she’d hidden it, in the bottom of her embroidery basket.

She looked at it closely in the lantern light, turning it, horrified anew at the death’s head and the arcane symbols, smoothing her fingers over the alluring, buttery gold.

It was real gold: she had bitten it, as John Coachman had shown her once, and sure enough there had been a faint mark left upon the edge.

Pirate gold.

And yet, it was now plain that Will Turner was no pirate.

She should give it back to him, and ask him how he had acquired such a thing.

But… not now.

Better to wait, until they reached their new home, and were away from the close confines of the Dauntless and her vast, inquisitive crew. Then she would tell Will what she’d done, and why, and he would answer her questions.

And she would give back the medallion.

One day soon.

Perhaps.


~.~

Comments

[kahva.livejournal.com]

Ooh!! I don't think I've seen anyone play with this particular point and time in the story, and I really like what you did with it. Bravo! :) I particularly like Elizabeth sensing what Will was thinking, "Why me, and not the others?" Survivor's guilt, and if poor Will had known the truth behind his medallion back then... I'll stop there before I give either one of us plot bunnies, I can hear them hopping onboard already!

And oh yes, fanfiction does come before bills. ;) ;) ;) Hee!! :) Your priorities are just fine, m'dear. :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I've thought about Elizabeth's possible reasons for keeping the medallion for a long time, and basically it boils down to the fact that she has more piratical tendancies than he does. I just may have to write a little more Young E&W soon...

Glad you enjoyed this!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I like the moment you chose. The moment when it all began, and Elizabeth was so curious.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

It's an intriguing moment. She tells Will why she took the medallion, but she never really admits her reasons for keeping it.

Thanks so much for commenting. I'm so happy you liked it. :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I think Elizabeth is good at keeping her thoughts and her motives to herself.

Thanks for writing it!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I think Elizabeth is good at keeping her thoughts and her motives to herself.

It's that "peas in a pod" thing. Pirate!

You're very welcome. Again, I'm glad you enjoyed the story.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Yay! Mini-Elizabeth and Will. You've picked an intriguing moment--Will beginning to have to deal with what he has lived through; Elizabeth pirating her first treasure. It is curious that she never asks Will about the medallion, considering how much she likes to hear pirate stories. I do like this very much.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

It is curious that she never asks Will about the medallion, considering how much she likes to hear pirate stories.

Exactly. Her desire to keep the medallion must have been stronger than her curiosity about where he got it. Although, it would have been natural for him to mention it, to, in connection with his father...

All kinds of little plot bunnies are hopping about here.

Glad you liked this!

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

It really is quite strange to think that they've never talked about the medallion. Hmm... Young Elizabeth stories are so much fun, I love your take on her and the details here, with the description of Miss Pettigrew, and Elizabeth having bitten the gold, like John Coachman had taught her :-)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

It really is quite strange to think that they've never talked about the medallion. Hmm...

Yes. Gets you thinking, doesn't it? A good little girl would have given Will back his treasure after she found out it wasn't the danger to him she'd thought. But perhaps there was a dual motive right from the beginning, even as she took it from his neck -- her piratical nature showing itself?

I'm so happy you liked the little details, too. The other day, I was discussing with Galadhir the idea that Elizabeth must have had some sort of female accompanying her on that long voyage to Jamaica, and a Governess seemed logical to me, and maybe a ladies maid, too. I'm sure Swann brought his valet along, at least, and perhaps one or two other family servants. Also I felt that Swann would have brought some female chaparon on the voyage to rescue Elizabeth from Barbossa, though we never see one in evidence. Of course, if it was the same Miss Pettigrew, and he'd just forgotten her tendency toward seasickness, that could be why. I can see her, not having been on a ship for eight years but determined to do her duty, and then succumbing to her weakness and taking to her bed shortly after the Dauntless leaves Port Royal.

Oooh, plot bunnies hopping! I may have to write that, one day. ;)

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

Goodness, yes, you should, it's a great idea, especially now that you've established Miss Pettigrew as a character and some of her quirks. I would love to read about her, staunchly determined to come to the aid of her ward, but thwarted by the power of the seas, as it were :-) I think, had it been real, Elizabeth would definitely have had a chaperone of some kind, her being alone on a ship full of men would hardly have been proper, rescue or not. But they don't really show any female influences in Elizabeth's life in the movie, of any kind.

As for the medallion, piratical nature, probably *g*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Maybe I can work her into the gap-filler fic, which I've now got a name and outline for: Uncertain Providence. She'd be good as comic relief -- the material is pretty angsty for the most part, as you may imagine. I'm thinking seven parts, from various POV's.

Really, I need to stop this and do some of the things I'm supposed to be doing. *G*

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

Oh, but most of those other things isn't half as much fun ;-) Really like that title, I'm very much looking forward to reading them! And I think it would be really interesting to have Miss Pettigrew involved, in some way...