Dreams

The horrifying scene of Will falling to his death vanished when Elizabeth's eyes snapped open, panic and fear etched across her ghost-white face. Her body was tense as she stared unseeingly at the wall at the opposite side of the candle-lit room, heart pounding erratically within her breast. For a moment, all she could think about was what had nearly taken place. She could still see Will's impending demise inside of her mind as gravity pulled him towards the earth.

To try to calm herself and catch her bearings, she decided to take in her new surroundings.

Elizabeth was sitting in a bed with her back propped against the soft pillows. She became conscious of the movement of her body as she felt herself sway left then right, and the sensation lulled her into a sense of security. It was the familiar feeling of rolling ocean waves as they rocked her to and fro, bringing into sharp relief the fact Elizabeth was still on the Dauntless.

Nevertheless, a part of her was terrified something dreadful had happened whilst she was asleep. Elizabeth lifted her hand with bated breath to feel for the gold chain of the medallion that had been around her neck when she began her slumber. As soon as her fingertips touched the warm metal, she pulled it out from underneath her chemise to see the trinket with her very own eyes.

The skull on the face of the medallion grinned sinisterly at her as it had the moment she'd laid her eyes on it.

A quiet, shaky sigh of relief came from her lips as her shoulders slumped and exhaustion took its hold. It was the proof she needed to feel assured nothing untoward had transpired. No one had discovered the medallion, and Will was safe. It had only been a terrible dream.

Elizabeth allowed herself to sink deeper into the pillows and tucked the medallion underneath her shift once more. Her focus moved to a thick leather-bound book she found resting in her lap. She could recall reading one of the many myths and legends it contained within its pages just before dozing off. It was open to a particularly fascinating story, the legend of the shining city of Zerzura.

The tale stated Zerzura was located on the magical island of Kerma, which was hidden by magic and illusions to ward off anyone who dared approach it. A glorious treasure was stowed away within the gigantic maze just underneath the city. As yet, no one has been able to find it. Many have spent their entire lives obsessing over its legend, some never to return from their search.

She grabbed the book and brought her knees closer to her chest before her eyes began to move over the words on the page. She found comfort in the story as her thoughts shifted away from the terrifying dream she'd just experienced, and she forgot the world around her. Elizabeth's eyes made it halfway down the page when an all too familiar sliver of white light brightened up the cream-colored paper. Her eyes widened in alarm as her gaze snapped to the red silk curtains covering the small round windows to her left, reminded of her dream. She let out a startled yelp and jumped in surprise when a violent explosion of thunder followed only moments later.

A distinct frown came to her lips as Elizabeth gently closed the book and held it to her chest. An uneasiness and deep-rooted fear had taken over her senses once more as she thought of what might be on the other side of the curtains.

Elizabeth was terrified she would face the sight of Will standing on a platform with a noose around his neck for a second time. It was an irrational fear, especially since she had enough sense to realize she still possessed the medallion. Howbeit, it was hard not to imagine the scenario when Will falling to his death had been the last time she'd heard the unsettling sound.

To find out and hopefully put her mind at rest, she rose from the bed and slowly approached the windows. Her heartbeat began to quicken until it was thumping loud enough she could almost hear it, fear and anxiety weighing down upon her. Elizabeth stopped when she made it to the curtains then, with great reluctance, reached out and gripped one of them tightly enough her knuckles turned white as her hand shook. She paused again, gathering up all the courage she could muster before throwing it open in one fell swoop.

Darkness was what greeted her on the other side. A faint light went across the horizon as the sun began to make its appearance and ascend into the sky. Without a doubt, it would soon be concealed by the dark storm clouds up above. Droplets of water had gathered on the surface of the window from the rain and powerful ocean waves beating against the ship.

Elizabeth exhaled, another shaky sigh escaping her lips as the sight put all of her fears to rest.

"Thank God," she whispered to herself.

Deciding it was much too early to leave her room, Elizabeth closed the curtain and made her way back to her bed. When she was comfortable, she placed her book back onto her lap to read it for a little while. Forthwith, her eyes landed on the fine gold lettering pressed into the front of the dark brown leather book.

My Lyfe

Amonge the Pyrates

By Captain J. Ward

A wistful smile appeared on her lips as she opened it. Near the bottom of the cover page was a distinct unpracticed scribble of handwriting that made her heart feel heavy with longing.

To my dear friend Elizabeth,

May you read this book and remember me.

Until we meet again,

Aeliana

Aeliana had given it to her as a parting gift the day before she was set to board the Dauntless. There wasn't a night that went by that Elizabeth didn't open it and read one of the many legends told by Captain J. Ward. It made her feel close to Aeliana, despite their ever-growing distance apart. She knew her father had felt mixed emotions when she'd received it; the title of the book had undoubtedly made him feel wary. He didn't wish to encourage her and Aeliana's fascination with pirates, nor did he want their overactive imaginations to run further amok than what they already had. Nonetheless, he allowed Elizabeth to accept the gift since he didn't have the heart to decline Aeliana's kind gesture.

As for Mr. Beckett, it was difficult to ascertain what he'd been thinking at the time. A part of her had wondered if he'd seemed annoyed. If the rumors about his past were true, then it wouldn't be a surprise. Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder how Aeliana procured such a book if his hatred ran as deep as others say.

As a matter of fact, the association between Aeliana and Mr. Beckett had always perplexed her. The two were quite different from each other. Aeliana had always had a certain wildness about her that contrasted with Mr. Beckett's self-control and tidiness. She had also taken a particular interest in pirates and myths of the sea that bordered on obsession. How had the two become acquainted? Even more so, how did she end up becoming his ward? Elizabeth always felt as if there was something important she was missing, but she never dared to ask. There was a well-concealed tension between them she couldn't place.

Elizabeth turned the page. Her senses were engulfed by the scent of aged paper as if the book was already quite old despite its pristine condition. There was also an underlying fragrance of violets, not unlike the parfum Aeliana and Mr. Beckett use.

She flipped to the next page, reaching the first legend in the novel. It told of the Brethren Court and the Code all pirates were meant to follow, lest they wished for certain death at the hands of one of their own. This time Elizabeth went undisturbed as she read the tale, ignoring the lightning that would brighten up the pages on occasion and the thunder that rumbled through the sky. And while lost in her own world, her eyelids grew heavy until she fell asleep once again.

The next time Elizabeth's eyes shot open, it was due to a series of loud knocks that had startled her from her sleep.

"Elizabeth," her father called out from the hallway on the other side of her cabin door. "Are you still there?"

She sighed then sat up, rubbing her eyes while feeling drained from last night. "Yes!" she managed to call out, disoriented. "I'm here!"

"Are you decent?"

"One moment!"

She threw off the covers and swung her legs over the edge of the bed with great effort. The wood floor felt cold against her bare feet as Elizabeth stood and approached the large oak wardrobe a few steps away. She'd elected to store her clothing inside it because of the length of the voyage. When she opened the doors, the left one slipped from her fingers and slammed into the nearby wall as the ship swayed in its direction.

Alarmed by the sound, Weatherby spoke in concern as she withdrew a robe. "Are you all right?"

"Yes!" she answered, slipping it on as fast as she could.

Her fingertips brushed against the chain of the medallion as she pulled her hair out from underneath the robe. Fearful that her father may walk into the room at any moment, she made sure it was still hidden underneath the collar of her chemise.

"I'm decent!" Elizabeth shouted, now fully awake albeit frazzled after her momentary scare when she remembered the trinket she was desperate to hide.

She spun around to face him as she heard the door open, and he made his way into the room. His eyebrows furrowed in worry as he glanced over at her. Their maid, Estrella, was with him, her dark brown eyes downcast as she stepped into the cabin.

She was an average-looking woman of just as average height and build, although that didn't mean she wasn't capable of catching a few men's eyes. Elizabeth had heard a few of the sailors on board had taken a fancy to her. The fact made her happy since she couldn't say the same for Estrella in England. Everything Estrella wore was plain and unembellished, as was the norm for people in her class and profession. Her dark brown hair was tied back in a tight bun at the nape of her neck and covered by a white cap. The modest maroon three-fourth sleeved dress she wore reached down to her ankles. Over it was a white apron with frills on the shoulder straps.

Estrella had worked in the Swann household for as long as Elizabeth could remember. She'd once told her she'd appeared on the doorstep of the Swann estate when Elizabeth was only an infant. She'd needed a place to work after her father passed away in an unfortunate accident. The situation had left her and her family destitute and up to their knees in debt. Elizabeth's mother was kind enough to listen to her story and convinced her father to let her work for them, although she had no experience. Because of her parents' compassion towards her, she's remained loyal to the Swann household ever since.

Convinced that nothing had happened to Elizabeth, the expression on her father's face shifted to his usual smile. "Still abed at this hour?" he asked, taking in her appearance. "I presumed I would see you on deck, watching us approach the harbor before the start of your day."

"Harbor? Have we already reached Port Royal?" Elizabeth asked in surprise as Estrella quietly walked over to the curtains and opened them to let light into the room.

She looked over at the windows and noticed they were slowly approaching land. The sun had long since risen above the horizon, but, as she'd predicted, she couldn't see it through the dark clouds blanketing the sky. The damp, squelching heat that appeared to prevail through the day was nonexistent, and a part of her was grateful for it. The weather was far different here than in England and had been almost unbearable during the last few days. Elizabeth knew it was something she must adjust to since the Caribbean was her new home, but it didn't make it easier for her to handle. She wore far too many layers of clothing to be comfortable.

"No, we're in Cuba. The captain says it's too dangerous for us to continue until the storm ends. Did you stay up late reading again?" he asked, noticing the candle that had almost been burned up and the book in her bed.

"I felt a bit restless last night," she admitted, knowing it would be impossible to hide her fatigue.

His smile faltered. "Yesterday was a trying day," he agreed, unable to hide the troubled look in his eyes as he thought of the previous day's events.

It was hard to believe it was only yesterday William had been taken aboard.

"Do you think the pirates that attacked Will's ship are still close by?" Elizabeth asked before she could stop herself.

Unlike the usual excitement and curiosity she exhibited when it came to the subject, she could only feel apprehension as she thought of the ship with black sails. She had seen what they were capable of, and it terrified her. Even so, deep down, she knew that once the voyage was over and her worst fears were put to rest that she would act as she always did. Her fascination with pirates would never completely be eradicated. Aeliana's obsession had become her own.

Weatherby looked at his daughter for a moment, then closed the space between them to pull her into a warm embrace. She felt the tension in her body disappear. The feeling of her father's arms wrapped around her brought her great comfort as she returned the hug.

"You don't need to worry, my dear," he whispered with a kiss to the top of her head. "We are under the protection of the esteemed Captain Saunders and Lieutenant Norrington. They will keep us safe."

Elizabeth nodded, although the thought of being near them didn't ease her worries.

He pulled away and bent forward to look her in the eye with a smile back on his lips. "Why don't you get dressed? It's nearly time for breakfast."

"Yes, father," she replied.

Estrella walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out a green dress for her to wear. Elizabeth was then ushered behind the privacy screen at the opposite corner so she could help her change.

While she was dressing, her thoughts went back to Will. She spent most of yesterday sitting by his side in hopes that his condition would improve. He had stopped shivering as much when it was time for her to retire, but he looked terrible. The surgeon was still watching over him when her father forced her to leave the room.

"How is Will?" Elizabeth inquired.

"The poor boy is very ill, I'm afraid," came her father's reply. "Now that the cold is out of him, he's become feverish."

Elizabeth poked her head out from behind the privacy screen with concern etched on her features. "Will he be all right?"

"We can only hope and pray," he said with a worried frown while staring out the window.

"Then I shall continue watching over him," she declared, determined to make sure Will made it through. "I promised him I would, and you left him in my charge."

Weatherby's expression turned into surprise from her proclamation as he gazed over at her before another smile came to his lips. "Yes, well, very good."

Once Elizabeth was dressed, the three of them stepped out of her cabin room. The familiar boisterous noise of the crew talking to each other while eating breakfast traveled down the hall as they approach the main stairs. Most of the men were sitting at the tables near the middle of the large room when they stepped into it, although there were a few vacant seats. Anyone who was missing was undoubtedly attending to their safe docking at the harbor.

Estrella made her way towards them, a few greeting her enthusiastically. One went as far as to shove his fellow crewmate off the bench and offer her his seat. She and Elizabeth gave each other looks of amusement.

"Governor," Lieutenant Norrington said, making his presence known as he walked down the wet steps leading to the upper deck.

"Lieutenant Norrington," her father greeted with a pleasant smile.

"Miss Swann," Norrington stated with a gracious nod.

"Lieutenant," Elizabeth said with a small curtsy.

"The captain sent me to retrieve you," Norrington informed them.

"Ah, yes, we are a little late," her father stated with an apologetic smile.

It had become custom for them to eat with the captain and his lieutenants during their voyage. Her father had grown to enjoy their conversations, and it helped him become more acquainted with those he would be working with to keep Port Royal safe. He had taken a particular shine to Lieutenant Norrington, which was something she knew would upset Aeliana. Elizabeth could only imagine how outraged she would be when she found out.

As her father conversed with him, Lieutenant Norrington led them up the steps. Elizabeth trailed a little behind them, being careful as she walked up the slippery surface of the stairs. The moment Elizabeth reached the upper deck, she paused and glanced around to get a better look at their surroundings.

Today was a little different than yesterday morning, despite the ominous storm clouds in the sky. The eerie mist that had wrapped itself around the ship was missing, allowing Elizabeth to see far into the distance. Droplets of rain continued falling from the sky as they had when she awoke from her nightmare, soaking her and everything they touched. The turbulent ocean waves were beginning to lose their strength as the wind helped sail them closer to shore. However, given the force of the storm, she knew they would never disappear completely. The wind was powerful enough to make the ship's bell chime.

"First the cat and now the bell," Mr. Gibbs muttered in horror. "I should have brought my horseshoes."

A bolt of lightning struck the approaching land in front of them, and her eyes widened in surprise as the deafening sound of rumbling thunder went through the air.

"Elizabeth?" her father called out in confusion.

She looked over at him and realized he was standing in front of the doors leading into the captain's quarters. Lieutenant Norrington was next to him, holding the door open for them. She swiftly rushed over and was the first to step inside.

Captain Saunders was sitting behind his office desk with Lieutenants Groves and Hayden standing in front of him. Three lieutenants were selected each day to eat meals with them. This would be the first occasion since the journey began that the three younger men would be eating with Elizabeth and father at the same time. She could see from Hayden's stiff posture that he didn't feel entirely comfortable with the situation. There was always an awkward air between him and the other two lieutenants whenever they were near one another, although no indication of animosity. It was as if they simply didn't know how to interact.

"Governor," Saunders said with a pleasant smile as he stood and greeted her father.

"Good morning, Captain Saunders," Weatherby replied.

"Did you two sleep well?"

"I'm afraid not," her father said with a weak smile. "The storm woke me in the middle of the night, and Elizabeth spent most of it reading."

"Reading?" Groves inquired.

"My Lyfe Amonge the Pyrates by Captain J Ward," Elizabeth stated. "I read it every night before bed."

The four men looked at her father in surprise.

"It was a gift," she explained, perceiving why they were gazing at him like they were.

"From Miss Lovelace, perhaps?" Norrington quickly deduced.

She nodded.

A mischievous look appeared in Groves' eyes at the mention of her. "Do you think that James is secretly a pirate just like your friend Miss Lovelace?"

His question caused Norrington to roll his eyes and sigh in exasperation. Amusement appeared on Captain Saunders and Lieutenant Hayden's faces.

"Mayhap," Elizabeth replied, returning his look. "She did say he was trying to compensate for something because of his hard stance against piracy."

"Compensating for something?" Captain Saunders asked, a strange expression on his face that Elizabeth couldn't quite place.

"I can assure you, Miss Swann, I am not," Norrington stated, clearly unamused and unhappy with the accusation.

"He's too stiff," Hayden agreed, joining in on the conversation. "Not to mention his father would have taken care of him by now. The Admiral has far too much experience to not notice a pirate in his midst." He turned his gaze to Groves and motioned toward him. "Out of everyone here, he's the one who's most likely to be a pirate."

"Me?" Groves asked, more curious than offended by the remark.

"You have a bad habit of bending the rules and getting into mischief. My brother and I should know, we were your intended targets on more than one occasion."

A wistful smile appeared on Groves' face. "Those were the days. Although, if memory serves me, you returned the favor in kind."

"We couldn't have you three showing us up and embarrassing us without retaliation. However, I must admit I'm amazed that you convinced Norrington and Gillette to go along with your schemes."

"It didn't take much persuasion once you and your brother embarrassed James in front of my sister while trying to get back at me. Half the things we did were his idea."

"What?" Captain Saunders said in disbelief, his gaze snapping to Norrington. "James?"

Elizabeth had to agree with his sentiment. It was hard to believe that James Norrington was capable of causing mischief, especially with the way he acted now.

Norrington opened his mouth to respond, embarrassed but appearing unashamed by his childhood actions. Before he could utter a single word, Groves took him off guard by clapping him on the shoulder. He glanced over at him with a wary expression as his friend spoke.

"He's a brilliant strategist and becomes quite resourceful when given the proper ammunition," Groves replied with pride. "I couldn't allow such talent to be wasted. I encouraged it."

The man standing next to him looked up at the ceiling as if asking for some sort of divine intervention. Captain Saunders shook his head, an amused glint in his eye.

"Besides, can you imagine how he and Phillip would have turned out if they wouldn't have been plotting things along with me?"

"Insufferable?" Hayden offered.

"Indeed."

Groves and Hayden stared at each other then grinned. Whatever tension between them appeared to have vanished with their agreement on Norrington's personality. Norrington didn't seem to know how to react to the sudden change or the circumstances behind it.

"Should we make our way to the table?" Captain Saunders said, failing to hide the upturn of his lips.

"Yes," Weatherby replied, clearing his throat. "Of course."

Elizabeth's attention turned to the round table to their left as they made their way towards it. A full English breakfast was laid out across the table consisting of fried eggs, sausages, back bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, fried bread, and black pudding. The sight of the food made her mouth water and realize for the first time how hungry she was.

She was the first to sit, her father helping her by pushing her chair in for her. He took his place to her right, between her and the captain, shortly after. Norrington sat in the seat straight across from her at the captain's right, as was the usual seating arrangement whenever he was invited to breakfast. Groves chose the seat to Norrington's right. Hayden was the last to be seated and took the only available spot to her left, between her and Groves.

"Speaking of Miss Lovelace—" Groves started once they all had food on their plates.

"Were we?" Norrington asked dryly, cutting him off. "I thought you two were agreeing on how insufferable my personality was."

"Might have been," Hayden corrected. "You could have turned out far more rigid."

"I can't imagine," Elizabeth stated with a hint of dubiety in her voice.

Norrington paused, his eyes widening in surprise from her honest reply as he stared at her from the other side of the table. Groves and Captain Saunders let out snorts, unable to completely hide the laughter that had bubbled up inside of them. Hayden, on the other hand, laughed without holding back. His attention turned to the three of them as he gave each man a pointed look.

"Elizabeth!" Weatherby chastised.

She bowed her head in embarrassment, taken off guard by her own outspokenness and her father's disapproving look. "Sorry."

Norrington let out a sigh. "It's all right, Miss Swann."

Once the other three males were able to compose themselves, Captain Saunders spoke. "Now, Theodore, what were you going to say about Miss Lovelace?"

Norrington rolled his eyes in exasperation from the topic being brought up again.

"What?" Groves asked in confusion before realization appeared on his features. "Oh! Yes! Right! I think I may have dreamt about her last night."

His words caused Elizabeth to pause and gaze over at him with her eyes wide in surprise. Everyone else, except Hayden, stopped eating as well, but she noticed even he had slowed his movements.

"What?" Norrington asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"We were all invited to a party at the Governor's new home, and a little girl showed her blatant dislike for James by sticking her tongue out at him. Intrigued, I decided to ask her to dance to find out more about her. She was charming for someone her age. I don't think I've met anyone like her."

She and Groves couldn't have possibly had the same dream, could they? He'd described the same events which took place in hers.

"How could you dream of someone you've never met?" Hayden inquired with a raised eyebrow, having stopped eating at this point as well.

"Theodore has always had an overactive imagination," Norrington replied, recovering from his surprise and confusion.

Captain Saunders, taking a strange interest in the subject, turned his gaze over to Elizabeth. "I wonder, Miss Swann, would you mind telling us what your friend looks like? I'm afraid Theodore and I never had the opportunity to see her while she was aboard."

"I'm rather curious myself," Hayden said.

Feeling wary but knowing she had to reply, she spoke. "A nine-year-old girl with curly brown hair and eyes the same color as the Caribbean sea."

The captain and Groves furrowed their eyebrows, clearly perplexed. Hayden also stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face. No one spoke, however. An awkward silence had filled the room.

Weatherby, noticing their attitude and also feeling unsettled, spoke. "Surely it must be a coincidence," he said, trying to put reason into the conversation while glancing at all the men at the table nervously.

No. Everyone had the same dream last night, even her father. She was sure of it by the way everyone was acting. How was it possible, though? Three of the men at the table had never met her before, and Norrington hardly knew her well enough that he would think of her while asleep. She and her father were the only ones who had a close bond with her that would warrant them dreaming of her.

An unsettling thought occurred to her as she continued to think of the dream and their involvement.

How much of the dream did they share? Did Norrington, Saunders, and her father know of the medallion? What about Estrella?

"Yes," Captain Saunders stated, thankfully brushing the thought of the dream aside. "You're quite right."

The rest of the table, along with himself, didn't look entirely convinced, but they dropped the subject since they couldn't explain it. Elizabeth's mind, though, couldn't stop dwelling on the possibility, especially whenever Lieutenant Norrington would look at her from across the table. An all-consuming terror had filled every fiber of her being that wouldn't let go.

What would she do if anyone discovered the medallion?

She felt great relief when breakfast ended. As they went to stand from the table, she noticed Norrington pause for a moment. His eyes had landed on the gold chain around her neck. Her heart stopped in her chest as his eyebrows furrowed, and he glanced up into her eyes in suspicion. She turned her gaze toward her father, pretending nothing was amiss in the hopes that he would brush it off as a coincidence.

Elizabeth could feel his gaze on her form even as she and her father made their way out of the captain's quarters. She chanced a glance in his direction as they stepped out onto the deck. The expression on his face told her everything she needed to know as their eyes met. Although he couldn't be sure, he knew deep in his heart that it was the medallion around her neck.

She must get rid of it before it was too late.

"Father, while we're at port, can we explore the area?"