Title: A twist of fate and an oath of vengeance.
Author: Wendy Saunders
Rating: possibly Nc-17 later for violence and/or sexual content but I will warn you first.
Disclaimer: Guys you know the drill, I don't own the characters, please don't sue.
Summary: This story takes place about six/seven years after the curse of the black pearl. Wil and Elizabeth were married but she dies giving birth to their only child, a daughter named Katherine Rose. After his beloveds death Wil takes his daughter and settles down on a small island not far from Port Royal. But darkness looms on the horizon, the bastard son of Barbozza has returned to avenge his father. Finding himself once again reunited with Capt'n Jack Sparrow, Wil and Jack find themselves drawn into a web of betrayal, deceit and revenge and when Barbozza's son goes after Katherine Wil realises just how high the stakes are and the price for failure…
Part 1.
"You shall never defeat me," Her bare feet made almost no sound as she leapt from a small rock formation to land amongst the foaming surf.
"I am the most feared pirate queen in all the known lands, entire fleets have fallen before my wrath and you shall be next." She raised her sword ready to strike as she hovered in a warrior's stance.
"The treasure shall be mine!" She cried out in exultation as she moved with the quickness and grace of cat to strike down her sworn enemy.
However, her sworn enemy was not impressed, his long pink tongue lolled from the side of his mouth as he yawned and scratched lazily behind his ear with his hind leg before rolling in the soft white sand.
"No, midnight, bad boy!" She scolded him softly, dropped the small wooden sword by her side.
He wagged his tail happily as his young mistress dropped to her knees next to him.
"You'd never make a good pirate," She sighed dramatically as he licked at her face affectionately.
"Katherine Rose!" A deep rumbling voice startled her suddenly, "What in the world are you doing?"
"Papa" She stood quickly, trying to straighten her spoiled gown as she stared at her dirty feet guiltily, "Midnight and I were playing pirates."
"Pirates again?" Wil smiled as he took in the dishevelled appearance of his young daughter, her gown was wrinkled and smudged with sand and tucked into her pantaloons to keep the heavy skirt from impeding her movements and her dark raven hair fell in scraggly strands from the once neat and tidy bun.
She peeked out from beneath her long curly lashes, her eyes as blue as the ocean she stood before and Wil felt his heart ache once again because every time he looked into those eyes he saw his Elizabeth.
"Come here Princess," He replied, his eyes betraying his pain as he held his arms out.
Pulling her into his warm embrace he climbed up onto the small rock formation as they both gazed out at the rippling turquoise ocean.
"You're thinking of Mama again aren't you?" Katherine asked quietly.
"Yes," Wil breathed simply, "I see so much of her spirit in you."
"You still miss her don't you?"
"More than you will ever know." He replied sadly.
"What was she like?"
"Beautiful," He eyes sparkled momentarily before being replaced by a cloud of pain, "She was like the sunrise, whenever she was near I felt warm and at peace, her very smile was like the light of heaven itself and I did not feel so alone."
"But now she is gone, you feel alone?" Katherine asked innocently.
"But I am not alone Princess, I have you" He smiled genuinely.
"But it is not the same is it?"
"No Princess it is not the same," He sighed.
"You know what you need?" She asked.
"No, what is it I need?" Wil asked in amusement.
" A wife," She sated matter of factly with all the innocence of a child's logic, " Then you wouldn't be so alone."
"Katherine," She smiled ruffling her hair affectionately, "Nothing is ever that simple, you are too young to understand now, but one day you will, you see you never knew your mother, not like I did, you can't even begin to imagine how much I loved her, she was one of a kind, irreplaceable and I will never be able to love another as I loved her."
"I think it is sad." Katharine pouted prettily, "I may not have known Mama but I am sure she would not want you to be lonely."
"Maybe not," Wil kissed her wrinkled nose affectionately.
"Missy Bubba! There you are" A big woman huffed as she waddled across the sands, "Lord child look at the state of you! What would you're father say if he see you in such a condition."
"It is quite alright Hepsha." Wil smiled, "I know all too well what a wilful child she is."
"Sir," She curtsied as she saw Wil, her large bosom heaving with exertion as it spilled from the top of her gown, her thickly braided black hair swept from her face with a large silken scarf of bright yellow as the dying rays of sunlight reflected from her ebony skin. "My apologies Sir, she managed to escape once again from her studies, her tutor Mr Booth is most displeased."
"Is this true?" Wil asked his daughter sternly.
"But it is so boring papa!" She moaned dramatically as she rolled her eyes.
"It may be boring young lady, but it is necessary, what would your grandfather say if he thought I was not raising you properly?"
"Sorry father," She sulked.
"Come child," Hepsha motioning for her, "The hour grows late, you must bathe and then you must sleep and tomorrow you will resume you your studies."
"Yes Hepsha," She replied contritely, "Goodnight Papa."
"Goodnight princess," He kissed her fondly.
"Sir, shall you be returning to the house shortly?" She asked.
"No Hepsha, I shall remain here a while."
"Very Good sir," She bowed as she escorted Katherine back up the sandy dunes followed by Midnight.
Wil sighed as he gazed out across the dancing waves, the sun was beginning to set, the skies ablaze with fiery oranges and reds. The very ocean itself almost seemed to burn as crimson as blood.
It had been almost six years since he had lost Elizabeth and the pain still coursed through his veins like poison.
Time was not a great healer as he had learned, time had merely taught him to hide the pain from the sight of others, others it would with the exception of his daughter, she seemed to be able to see straight through the mask he wore for the rest of the world.
Katherine had always been able to read his heart, just like her mother, he thought sadly.
He was lonely, but he could not seem to bear the thought of another taking Elizabeth's place in his heart, therefore he had resigned himself to bear this loneliness for the rest of his life. At least he still had Katherine, she had been his one saving grace in those early years.
He honestly believed that if it hadn't been for Katherine and Jack he would never have survived that first year after Elizabeth's death.
Jack had been a surprise, after their adventures of reclaiming the black pearl and defeating Barbozza, he had not heard from Jack for near on two years.
But to all surprise showed up in the dead of night three days after his wife's passing.
Proving to Wil once and for all that beneath that roguish pirate exterior, his heart was as gold as his treasure.
Although to this day Jack would still deny it vehemently. Wil raked his hand through his dark hair, sighing loudly as he jumped down from the rock, the sky was beginning to turn black as the stars sparkled like silver.
Taking once last look at the ocean he turned to return to his home, to a bottle of wine, an empty bed and an empty heart.
But little was he aware that in the dark shadows a ship waited off anchor, flying the insignia of a pirate waiting for opportune moment to attack.
"Captain, What is you command?" A thin voice wheezed.
"We attack in an hour once the moon reaches its apex."
"And then?"
"Then," He smiled thinly, his eyes glinting yellow in the pale light, "See that the child of Turner is brought to me, alive and unspoiled."
"And what of Turner?"
"He is to be left alive," The dark man grinned ominously, "I have plans for Mr Turner and Captain Sparrow…."