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Please Read All The Notes… including the ones at the end:
First of all, I am soo happy to finish this chapter!! I took me over a week to write! Please review when you finish to tell me what you think of it! This chapter is 7.5 pages long in MS word, the notes are about two pages long.
1-Elizabeth has until this point been portrayed as being somewhat depressed, which is a pretty normal result for someone in her position of having lost almost everyone she cared for, and to have her life change so drastically. From this point on, she isn’t depressed, and that is due to her having met up with Will, not as her husband but as her friend. She needed someone to renew her confidence and to tell her that she was making the right decision, and no one else had except for him.
2- Whenever Liz mentions the lives that she wants to save, she’s not just referring to her father, Will, and James, she’s also referring to the mass slaughter of people by Beckett.
3- A ship’s captain would normally have a helmsman to steer the ship, but neither Jack nor Barbossa is a normal captain, and each would rather steer the ship than to have the other at the helm.
4- This chapter is exceedingly long, but that’s because we’re still in the intro, and I hate the intro parts of stories! (reading or writing them, lol) So I’m trying to make these chapters long in order to get through them quickly. (This chapter doubled the length of the story so far.)
5- I apologize before hand for the architectural terms near the end of the chapter, but since I know them, I may as well use them.
6- French translations are at the end of the chapter, although they may not be exactly correct in French, they are close.
7- Nautical terms:
bow/fore- front of ship
stern/aft- back of ship
helm- the wheel
port- left side of ship
starboard- right side of ship
hold- area below the top deck
forecastle- room at the fore of the ship which can be accessed from the top deck
crow’s nest- lookout place near the top of the mast
8- Other terms:
waxing moon- heading towards full
waning moon- heading towards new
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Temple of Kronos
Chapter 4: Greece
A not so subtle change had come over Elizabeth after her brief reunion with Will. She spent more time in the company of the crew, joking with them and listening to tales of the sea, both old and new. Yet even while it seemed like a heavy burden was lifted from her, the Pearl’s captains realized that it was because she had become more resolved in her purpose. Elizabeth had rediscovered her inner strength, something that she had thought was gone, but everyone else knew was always there.
Now, hardened by many trials, and strengthened by a newfound confidence and determination, Elizabeth’s inner steel shown through. She had found comfort in knowing that Will approved of her quest, as insane as her idea seemed to be. His faith in her had renewed her confidence in her plan, and that had caused the change in her demeanor. Even through her laughter with the crew, the steely strength of the Pirate King could be seen. Jack and Barbossa never said anything to her about her change, but they were both pleased that she had regained her confidence.
When she wasn’t with the captains or crew, she spent her time on the prow of the ship, or in the crow’s nest, always looking forward, yet often inwardly looking back. She had been a good governor of her island, and of the Pirate Kingdom over the years, even though she had spent much of her time at home. She had settled any manner of disputes that arose among the villagers or with various crews in the seas. She had founded a school on the island so that the children and various other family members of pirates could be educated and hopefully, live better lives as they grew. She had also started a sugar cane plantation on a large portion of the island, which was used to make rum that was sold to various towns in the Caribbean. The income from the rum sales supported many of the islands inhabitants, and provided a legitimate source of income for them all. Through all those things, she had proved her strength, even if she didn’t realize it herself at the time.
She was standing at the bow again, watching seagulls flying overhead. Jack walked over to her, from the helm at the aft, and stood beside her. “Have a fight with Barbossa gain,” she asked as he tightened his hands around the railing.
He debated shouting out his dislike of Barbossa for a moment, but he knew it would accomplish nothing. “He won’t let me have the helm,” Jack seethed.
She couldn’t help but laugh, which earned her a glare from Jack. “Why don’t you just wait until he needs to relieve himself or sleep, and then take it back?”
“Because,” he paused with his mouth open and hand raised. He knew what the answer was, and she knew it too; whenever Barbossa left the wheel, Jack was usually asleep or somewhere in the hold of the ship, drunk. He slumped forward on the railing, resting his head on his arms.
She looked down at him, amused by the fact that he was pouting. “We’re nearing land,” she offered as a consolation.
“Aye, that we are,” he proclaimed with a smile. He straightened up to face her. “We’ll be passing into the Mediterranean by nightfall.”
She grinned. “Then the journey is nearly over.”
“The journey to the island is nearly over, as we should reach before the week is ended. However, changing time as it were may take considerably longer.” She nodded thoughtfully, and even Jack was thoughtful for that moment. “Besides which, we may run into unexpected guests in these waters,” he added with a slight twitch of his lip.
“What do you mean?”
“We’ll be in the waters which are controlled by Pirate Lords Chevalle and Villanueva. Neither of them is too fond of me self or Barbossa.”
“Then it’s a good thing that I’m aboard isn’t it?” They grinned together.
“Aye, that it is Lizzie.” They watched the birds together for a moment in silence. “It’s good to have you back Elizabeth,” he said kindly. The words had many meanings. He had missed her over the years, and he enjoyed her company aboard ship, but he was also referring to the change in her personality.
She gave him a soft smile, replying to everything he could mean with few words. “It’s good to be back Jack.” She took a slow, deep breath. “I had forgotten how much I loved the sea and the Pearl.”
“The sea,” he asked. “Or freedom?”
“I’ve never lost my freedom.”
“Then you’d just forgotten it for a time I s’ppose, but that wasn’t the question.”
“Haven’t they always been one and the same, the sea and freedom?”
“Aye and we fought to keep it that way.”
“Aye that we did, and the price that was paid for freedom was high, too high.” The last words she spoke with some sadness and bitterness.
“You’ll change that Lizzie, if I know you at all, and I do know you.”
She regarded him for a moment, noticing how solemn he seemed to be. “You’re not being very Jack-like, you know?”
“Can’t I be serious every once and again? Lizzie dear, you haven’t been very Elizabeth-like until quite recently, so why can’t I be un-Jack-like, as you put it, for a moment?”
She laughed. “There’s no reason at all.”
“Good, now I’ll be getting back to me duties.”
“Duties?” She interrupted, an eyebrow raised.
He narrowed his eyes briefly, but answered undaunted. “My duty is to captain this ship with the help of that man who you insisted upon leaving aboard the Pearl, but since I’m the one with the compass which can point us wherever we wish to go, I’m plotting the course. Meanwhile, you can continue figurin’ out what we’ll be doing when we reach our destination, savvy love?”
“Of course Jack.” She watched him take a few steps before adding with a smile, “Oh, and Jack.” He looked back at her. “Try to get along with your co-captain.”
“Tell him that,” He yelled at her before marching off quickly.
“I already have,” she shouted back. She could tell that Jack was muttering something as he walked down the stairs onto the main deck, and that only succeeded in causing her to laugh more. She enjoyed antagonizing Jack, if only because she knew he wouldn’t take it to heart. She watched him lean against the mast and take a swig of rum from a bottle that had been lying on deck. “It is good to be back,” she whispered.
“We’ve reached Gibraltar,” Barbossa said, a certain pride in his words.
“Aye,” Jack replied, a similar tone of pleasure in his voice.
Elizabeth and most of the crew also felt glad to see Gibraltar for the same reason that Jack and Barbossa did. They had been born in Europe, and this was the first time they had seen a land close to where they had been born in many years. While the Caribbean was home to them all, they still felt a connection to their former homelands in Europe.
“Soon,” Elizabeth whispered under her breath. “Soon everything will be made right.”
Only three lanterns were lit on the ship, one near Jack, one on the main deck, and one in the crow’s nest with Elizabeth. Other than the dim light of the lamps, the only light came from the stars and waxing moon. Even in the low light, Jack could make out his headings by his compass and the stars. He wondered if Elizabeth was actually keeping watch in the crow’s nest, or if she had fallen asleep while writing in her journal, as usual. “Probably the latter,” he mused.
Gradually he became aware of a dim light to the port side. As he watched it with keen eyes, he could tell that the light was moving in the direction of the Pearl. “A ship,” he breathed, hoping they wouldn’t meet with the other vessel although that was unlikely.
Minutes later, Elizabeth signaled him with her lantern that she too had seen the vessel. She then began climbing down the ladder after dousing her lamp. When she reached him, they spoke in low tones. “You saw the light,” he asked.
“Yes, and they’ve probably spotted us.”
“Rouse the crew, and have them prepare for unexpected guests.”
“When do you think they’ll reach us?”
“Half an hour or less, they’ve got more wind in their sails then we do.”
She nodded, and then proceeded to wake up the crewmen who were on deck, which included Gibbs, Pintel, Ragetti, Mullroy, and Murtogg. After waking those four, Gibbs fell back to sleep, she went to wake up Barbossa while they roused the rest of the crew. By the time that everyone was alert and standing at the ready, the other vessel was pulling alongside them. In the dim light, they could make out the flag of Captain Chevalle. They signaled to on another with their lamps, wishing for a parley. After much debating over the lamps, they were close enough to yell to one another over the waters, still unable to decide which ship to meet on.
“You’re in my waters, ye must come to my ship,” Chevalle yelled to them in his thick accent.
“As we’re guests here ye should come to us,” Barbossa yelled back. Jack smirked with approval behind him, they had given the helm to another crewman for the parley.
“Clever words, but no captain leaves his ship without a good reason, and no one goes aboard the Black Pearl unless he wishes for his own ship to be commandeered. Why are you here?”
“We’re here at the King’s command,” Jack replied. “And she sails with us. So in order to meet with her, you must come aboard the Pearl.” The three captains on the Pearl, and most of the crew smiled at that.
“Fine, prepare to receive a party from my ship, we’ll come by plank and rope.”
Everyone on the port side of the Pearl backed up, and in a few minutes, Captain Chevalle and four of his men were on the ship. “He wasn’t lying I see,” Chevalle told Elizabeth.
“No, he doesn’t lie very often, much to the surprise of many,” she replied.
He gave a grunt of disbelief, but made no comment on the subject of Jack. “So, what are you doing here ma dame?”
“We’re searching for an ancient talisman. You have my word as King that the Pearl, her captains, and crew will do no pirating in your waters. We are only seeking adventure, not plunder.”
“Then ye may have passage through my waters.”
“Thank you Captain Chevalle,” she replied kindly.
He smiled back at her, though the makeup and wig he wore made it seem rather strange. “There is a matter that I’d like to discuss with you my King, if you have the time.”
“Of course,” she replied, and the two of them walked to the forecastle cabin while the others spoke with one another.
Taking seats and pouring themselves drinks, Elizabeth and Chevalle spoke with one another. “Qu’est que vous desirez discuter,” she asked in fluent French.
He smiled and replied in French as well. “Plusieurs années il y a j' ai reçu une lettre d'un messanger. Le messanger a dit que l'expéditeur a souhaité rester anonyme, mais que la lettre était importante. La lettre m'a demandé combien la dette du Jack Sparrow était, et ne pas l'enjoliver à tout. Naturellement, je me méfiais de que l'expéditeur pourrait être, mais j'ai répondu véridiquement, et depuis j'ai recu la somme et l'intérêt. J'ai entendu aussi que les autre Seigneurs de Pirate ont reçu des lettres similaires.”
“Ah, et vous croyez que je connais qui l’expéditeur est?”
“Peut-être ma dame.” He grinned at her, and she smiled ambiguously. They both took a sip of rum.
“Zee rum is good, but I do not recognize the maker.”
“That’s because it’s my label,” she replied.
“Vraiment?”
“Yes, I own an island and a plantation, the townspeople work the sugarcane fields, and we make rum to export. It’s a pirate island of course, but the people are good, and the money the rum brings in is decent.”
“Assez bon se débarasser des dettes du Jack, j’admis?”
She nodded slightly. “I owed him a debt that I had to repay. Just don’t go telling him that he has no debts to the Pirate Lords, or he’ll lose his fear of sailing in your waters.”
“De ne couler pas ma dame. Now I believe that I’ll take my leave of you. The Black Pearl is free to sail these waters as long as she does no pirating.”
“Bien sûr, merci,” she responded, standing up. They walked out of the cabin together, and shortly thereafter, the French pirates departed. Before crossing back over, Chevalle said farewell to Elizabeth. “Au revoir, ma dame et la bonne sante à vous.”
“Merci Chevalle, et la même à vous,” she replied as he swung back to his own ship.
“Have a pleasant chat,” Jack asked.
“Always Jack.” She favored him with a smile before focusing on Barbossa as well. “The Pearl is free to sail these waters under one condition, that we do no pirating.”
“That won’t be hard given that you’ve already told us that we’re not permitted to do any piratin’ on this here adventure,” Barbossa muttered in his typical manner. “Well, now that they’re headin’ off, I do believe it be time to sleep.”
A chorus of “ayes” was heard on the deck from the crew. “Aye,” she said as well. “To bed, bunk, and hammock, and in a few days we’ll be in Greece.” With that, they all went to bed, except for a handful of crewmen who were to keep watch and steer the ship on a steady course.
She walked unto the main deck, and had to blink for several minutes before her eyes were accustomed to the brightness of the sun shining off the water and the white marble buildings on the island. ‘The island,’ she thought. She looked around the deck to see that many of the crewmen were either wandering up and down a gangplank, or lazily lying on the deck. She took a few steps forward, and took in the view.
The dock they were at was small compared to most of the ones she had been at in her life, but it was large enough to dock more than half a dozen ships the size of the Pearl. The buildings on the island were ancient, many dating back over two thousand years. The streets and buildings were made predominantly from marble, and they gleamed brightly in the sun. On a hill above the town, and not too far away from town, was a temple. “The temple,” she whispered, raising a hand to her neck.
“So you’re finally awake,” Barbossa’s voice proclaimed behind her. She turned around and looked up to see him looking down at her from the aft deck.
“When did we dock?”
“Nigh about dawn,” came his reply.
“Dawn! It’s nearly noon! Why didn’t you wake me?”
He was walking down to her, followed closely by a male in his early teens who was clearly a native of the island. “We thought that you’d be wantin’ to sleep as you haven’t slept much of late.”
She smirked. “Well it’s hard when there are two men snoring loudly in the room.” She looked curiously at the stranger, but didn’t ask about him yet. “Where’s Jack?”
“Tellin’ the crew what supplies we be needin’ and then bringin’ ‘em back here. They should be back soon.”
She nodded. “And who is our guest?” She inclined her head towards the young Greek who was now standing in front of her next to Barbossa.
He bowed his head to her respectfully, and then replied with a heavy accent. “My name is Therapon Papadopoulos. I am in the service of the priests of Kronos. I was told to come to the docks and meet a strange vessel. I knew that it was this ship when I saw her. I was told that I would see a lady fair and strong aboard this vessel, and that when I met her I was to greet her kindly. When you are ready I am to take you to the temple, your coming has been awaited.”
She looked at him in shock. Barbossa just smiled, having already heard the boy’s tale. “You knew that I was coming?”
“Yes,” he answered solemnly. “She who is venerated by those who live by the seas told us of your coming.”
Elizabeth was going to ask what that meant, but at that very moment, Captain Jack Sparrow was walking, well swaggering, up the gangplank followed by crewmen with supplies. “Ah you’re awake love,” he proclaimed brightly. “And I see that you’ve met the little whelp, I mean guide.” He amended his words when she glared at him.
“I have,” she replied. “And if everyone is ready, I’d like to head to the temple as soon as I’ve had something to eat, unless of course we have something that could be eaten on the way?”
Jack quickly handed her a loaf of bread from one of the sacks that had just been brought aboard. “You can eat that on the way with no trouble,” he said. “Or you can look through the other goods we bought.”
“With my money I suppose,” she said after taking a bite of the bread.
“Of course love; you’re the one financing this little expedition of ours after all.”
She shook her head a little, but smiled just the same. Picking up a flask of wine from one of the crates that was just brought aboard, she took a swallow of it and made a soft sigh of pleasure. Deciding that the wine was delicious, and the bread filling enough for her, she had lost her appetite due to being so nervous and excited about being so close to her goal, she was ready to leave. “I’m ready to go if you are,” she told Jack, Barbossa, and their young guide. The men began to head towards the gangplank, with the captains ordering the crew to stow the cargo before they returned or else, but Elizabeth quickly returned to their cabin.
Laying her meal aside on the table, she grabbed her sword belt, and fastened it securely around her hips. Then she picked back up her bread and wine and hurried back outside, and down the gangplank to join her companions. Jack grinned a little at her. “Feel like you were missing something did ya?”
“A Pirate King needs her sword doesn’t she,” she replied with a grin of her own.
“Aye, even in a peaceful town like this, just so that her presence is known.” She laughed and nearly choked on a piece of bread at his playful remark, but managed to recover quickly. “Why don’t we remain serious until I finish eating so that I don’t choke to death,” she said.
“I’ll try, but it’s tempting.”
She opened her mouth, shocked that he said that, but held her mouth. They remained relatively quiet for the rest of their walk. It took about twenty minutes for them to walk from the docks, to the temple. The streets were paved with white stones, and wound up hillsides. In the lower levels of the town, people filled the streets, buying and selling goods. Further in and further up, there were people doing various tasks in their homes: cooking, cleaning, and sewing among other chores. When they left the town, they came upon a small lake that was fed by spring on the hill above. Many women were washing clothes in the lake. There were many trees around the path now, which cooled them considerably. The path wound steadily upwards, and it was difficult to travel at parts because the path was broken and worn away by the passing of the centuries. Eventually however, they stood before the Temple of Kronos.
The temple was small, but still grand. Four columns were in the front of the building, on the front portico, supporting the roof of the building and creating an ambulatory around the outside of the building. They walked up the steps and passed through the entryway in to the naos, or sanctuary, of the temple. Inside, columns lined the walls, and at the back of the sanctuary was a tall statue of Kronos. Braziers stood beside the columns, providing illumination to the windowless room. Near the statue stood two priests dressed in simple white garments. Therapon and the priests walked to one another and spoke in hushed tones for several moments, and then the priests spoke directly to Elizabeth.
“We were told of your coming, and we welcome you to the Temple of Kronos, keeper of time,” said the one.
“We are grateful to have in our presence some who have been touched by the gods,” said the other, as he looked upon all three of their faces.
“What exactly do you mean,” asked Jack.
“And who told you of our coming,” Barbossa added, leaving no question for Elizabeth to ask.
The priests and Therapon simply looked behind them, the elder priest motioning softly with his head for them to turn around. As they turned, they heard a familiar voice speak behind them. “I be the one who told them of your coming.”
Expressions of a vast array of emotions shown on their faces as they turned to face Calypso, goddess of the sea, also known as Tia Dalma. “My lady,” Elizabeth said softly, as she curtseyed. The priests and Therapon bowed their heads in reverence to Calypso, but the Captains only bowed their heads a little to her. The goddess was much changed from when the men had last seen her in human form. She seemed to be continuously changing, one moment she was Tia Dalma, but the next she seemed to be something much different and far more beautiful, though more terrifying at the same time. Her eyes were never the same color for long, and her voice had a far more vibrant quality to it than when she was bound in human form.
“You’re more beautiful than ever,” Jack proclaimed brightly, even though he was possibly more frightened than at any other time in his life, save when he faced the Kraken. She had scared him while she was bound, now that she was free to use her powers as she so chose, she was capable of anything.
“Relax Jack,” the goddess spoke, seeming to sense his fear. “If I had a quarrel with you, your ship would now lie at the bottom of the sea and you would have boarded the Dutchman to sail to your Final Judgment.”
“Noted,” he replied, much relieved.
“How did you know of our plans,” Barbossa asked.
Calypso smiled kindly. “I know many thing, many tales of what has been and some of what may come. I have heard whispers on the sea of the lives the three of you have been living, and I have also watched young Captain Turner as he has learned how to be the Dutchman’s captain. And I have known of the life you have lived, have I not,” she said to Elizabeth.
The young woman lowered her eyes a little, and the Captains looked at her. “What does she mean,” Jack asked.
“She has visited me many times throughout the long years,” Elizabeth answered softly. “It was she who mentioned in passing once that sometimes the course of life isn’t irreversible. That’s what inspired me to choose this course of action.”
“And it has brought you to this Temple in search of the Talisman which can change the course which the flowing of time and events has made. However, that which you seek isn’t here.”
Elizabeth, Jack, and Barbossa looked at Calypso in shock. If the Talisman wasn’t there, where was it?
Quick question, France or England? No, I'm not telling you why, I just want an answer.
Translations:
“Qu’est que vous desirez discuter” - What do you wish to discuss?
“Plusieurs années il y a j' ai reçu une lettre d'un messanger. Le messanger a dit que l'expéditeur a souhaité rester anonyme, mais que la lettre était importante. La lettre m'a demandé combien la dette du Jack Sparrow était, et ne pas l'enjoliver à tout. Naturellement, je me méfiais de que l'expéditeur pourrait être, mais j'ai répondu véridiquement, et depuis j'ai recu la somme et l'intérêt. J'ai entendu aussi que les autre Seigneurs de Pirate ont reçu des lettres similaires.”
- Several years ago I recieved a letter from a messanger. The messanger said that the sender wished to remain anonymous, but that the letter was important. The letter asked me how much Jack's debt was, and not to embellish it at all. Naturally, I was suspicious of whom the sender might be, but I responded truthfully, and since then I've recieved the sum and interest. I've also heard that the other Pirate Lords recieved similar letters.
“Ah, et vous croyez que je connais qui l’expéditeur est?” – Ah, and you believe that I know who the sender is?
“Peut-être ma dame.” - Perhaps my lady.
“Vraiment” –really/truly
“Assez bon se débarasser des dettes du Jack, j’admis?” –Good enough to pay off Jack’s debts I suppose?
“De ne couler pas ma dame.” –Of course not my lady.
“Bien sûr, merci.” –Of course, thank you.
“Au revoir, ma dame et la bonne sante à vous.” –Goodbye my lady and good health to you.
“Merci Chevalle, et la même à vous.” –Thank you Chevalle, and the same to you.
Therapon- servant or worshiper
Papadopoulos- son of the priest
7-9-2007