Elizabeth's eyes shot open, only to recieve utter darkness. Her eyes could see nothing, but her ears heard something else.
Beat-beat...beat-beat...
It was Will's heart. Every beat, resonated in that heavy metal chest, sitting at the foot of her bed. Sometimes it beated loudly other times you could't hear it. And then at times it would beat fast and hard, and then sometimes it seemed to not beat at all.
It was another night that that heart would keep her awake. Some nights she woke up just as she did now, and she would never sleep, until that sun rose from the sea.
In the begining it would annoy and upset her. She was kept awake often by her newborn son, William. It didn't help that the bloody heart would wake her up too. But most times it saddened her. Knowing that her husband was gone, and she was left to take care of their child, but mostly it hurt becuase she had to do it alone. Everyday she struggled to bring food and water to the table for herself and her son. Everyday William learned new things, and Will was not there to see the amazing sight of his son learning and growing bigger each and everyday.
It has been 7 years since Will left. Infact she could remember exaclty how long he had been gone. It was a thing for her. 7 years, 5 months, 3 weeks, and 4 days since he left. Sometimes she could tell you the hours. But not tonight. She was too tired and more concerned with other, more pressing issues this night. What are we having for breakfast in the morning. Where will I get breakfast, how will I get it? What if I don't get it? Then what will be for dinner? What if a storm comes? What if we are raided again? So many things could go wrong in a day. And somedays she would go to bed weeping, either from frustration or fear, for what tomorrow laid ahead for them.
As tears welled in her eyes, she tried to bury herself under the covers of her bed. Desperatly trying to drown out the sound of Will's beating heart. But when she did this, it would seem to beat louder and clearer. As if it was Will himself who was trying comfort her with the soft and warm beating of his heart. Or tormenting her, with loud out cries, convincing her that it was she who did this to her son, and she who caused Will to be cursed for ten years on the Flying Dutchman.
Even though, none of this was true, it still seemed to be trying to comfort her, or torture her, each and every night. And each and every night, it was one or the other. And that determined whether she would go to bed smiling or go to bed with tears soaking into her pillow.
She never let her son William see her like this. She always wanted to look strong around him. She never wanted him to worry, not even for a single minute. When she felt like crying she would would go out by the outlook on the island and watch the horizen. Almost as if she were waiting for her true love to answer her tears of sorrow, and with a flash of green would see white sails, coming towards the land. And when she heard small feet coming up to see her, she would quickly dry her tears, and greet him with a smile, that always brightened any horrible day. And he would sit next to her, both laughing while Elizabeth told stories of her adventures at sea, with his father Will, Captian Jack, Barbossa and all the crew. These stories always left young Willaim wide eyed until sunset, when it was time for bed.
Jack Sparrow always made a stop at their island every now and then. He always brought a few supplies of use, and always had Rum. Elizabeth always took the rum, just for when those hard days hit. And they were few and far between. But any person who experienced days like Elizabeth had, would want a strong drink to num her already plagued mind, if not but a little bit would do.
But it was Gibbs and Barbossa who made periodic stops to resupply food, water, clothing, and some silver and gold money. Amazingly Barbossa seemed kind of attached to her. And it wasn't just that she was Pirate King, but she thought he felt a little bad for her. He would probably never sdmit it, but Barbossa seemed to get attached to Will and Elizabeth, if only a little. But it was enough that he would make these stops and he always got her a dress every now and then. She never really used them, but it was his way of saying she was in his thoughts.
Pryed from all this thought, Elizabeth woke from a slight sleep again. To see that there was a little light coming through her window. She got up, and looked out it. The sun was not far from rising from the sea. This was her signal to get up, and get ready for another day. Before she left the room she could suddenly her, clearly and loudly again, that,
Beat-beat...beat-beat...beat-beat...
Of Will's heart. Almost as if it were trying to remind her, to still stay strong, no matter what stays in the way. For in the end, he would come back, over the sea. And instead of seeing just a setting sun, she would see white sails, coming home.