Roses smalltalk:
I confess, this is utterly, sappy, crappy fluffy romantic.
Aaaand, on plus I don't even know, if this is the already proofread version by a beta, as I just came to find it on my computer.
I decided, to post it anyway and the whole story in once, as I'm to lazy to separate the chapters.
Have fun and greets Rose
of
TOBACCO and TOFFEES
I
"Ro, reef yer sails!" Bootstrap tried once again to calm down his best-friend, "We're on open waters an I'm pretty sure he don't awaits anything from ye!"
Roane just shook her head and breathed an other deep sigh: "But it's our first anniversary..."
Bootstrap tried hard not to laugh. This couldn't be true!
That lassie was practically married to Captain Davy Jones and even stood up against Calypso and now she was all jazzed just because she didn't now what she should...
"Boots," he flipped his head towards Ro, "we go at shore leave! Prepare the dinghy!"
Bootstrap starred at his friend and decided to argue: "He will be very upset if..."
"Zip it, Boots! I take the blame..." Ro's smile gave him the creeps, "He will possible like to whip me..." and with this she turned away.
Bill tried not to look back at the Dutchman, but it was so damn hard not to be afraid of the captain.
Roane chuckled and explained: "You can probably calm down Boots. I left Davy a note..."
He gulped hard an asked cautiously: "Ye left a note? With what on it?"
Ro giggled: "It says I will be back soon and then he can punish me in anywayhe want..." she smiled, "and that I love him more than anyone ever!"
Bootstrap just slumped on his bank and sighed once again: "How often, me lass, I said I wanna hear nothing of this?"
Ro gave him the most beautiful of her smiles and winked: "You're the only one I trust enough to chat about those things, Bill... you're me best friend."
Davy Jones, captain of the Flying Dutchman, scourge of the seven seas, collector of the lost souls and – almost legal husband of Roane the key keeper, his first cannoneer, stared in disbelieve at the note on the manual and read it over and over again.
The words on it didn't change:
Me beloved Captain
I'm just on a short shore leave.
I'm off duty, so I probably didn't act against any orders given.
Also I decided to take Boots (also off duty) with me as a bodyguard, or a chaperon if ye prefer.
And if I acted against an unwritten rule or an unspoken order, me Captain, so I'm ready to dearly accept ANY punishment ye'll choose for me.
With all me heart, I love ye.
Roane, keeper of the key
PS: Don't dare to punish Boots, this was entirely MY idea!
Jones shook his head and sighed soundless, this women was just unbelievable.
But at least her short-trip gave him the time he needed for his own plans...
II
"And what you think to say when someone ask why we look like half-fishes, Roane?"
She only chuckled: "Cosplay!"
Bootstrap stared at her: "What?"
Roane didn't answer and pulled the dinghy further on to the shore behind some bushes, while Bill examined the beach and the city nearby: "Looks very modern..." he snorted, "all that electric light, cars and so..."
Ro stepped up behind him, placed a hand on his forearm and stated: "To modern even for me... I never liked it that way. Never felt at home in those times."
The bosun turned once again to face her and nodded: "That's why I staid aboard..."
Ro returned his gently smile and answered: "And that's why I felt at home on the Dutch, from the very first moment..." she shrugged, "To tell the truth, I've fallen in love with the Dutch when I saw her for the first time seven and a half life ago..." her smile brightened, "... and not five minutes later I've fallen in love with her captain... and he killed me only a minute later."
Bill stared at her in wonder: "And you still love..."
"Boots," Ro interrupted him, "I tried five of the following life's to proof that I'm worth enough for him. Do you think I love me man or not?"
At this the bosun could only nod.
They walked side by side in silence along the beach.
"What ye want in the city, Ro?"
Ro almost jumped and then smiled: "Find a gift for me captain and a fiddle for moi!"
Bootstrap looked surprised: "Ye know to fiddle lassie?"
"Aye, Scottish fiddling... one of the things I did in all me life's I can remember..." an almost sad smile played along her features, "... but me fiddle drowned along with the cruiser, the night when I came home."
He smiled at her and stated: "And how we gonna pay those things?"
Roane didn't answer right away, but pulled a piece of eight out of her pocket, flicked it once into the air and smiled slyly: "There more of this... Ye know, I know to dive."
Bootstrap just grinned.
This lass was just unbelievable.
"I thought to buy some clothes and other useful stuff too..." Ro stated after a while, "Some books, new gloves and some new boots for ye Boots!"
He started to laugh and blinked conspiratorial at his friend: "Better to buy a second hat for a certain someone..."
Ro blinked and joked: "I jumped after his damned hat with nothing than me white shirt on..." she snorted, "... in front of half the crew!"
"Ye mean:" Bootstrap chuckled, "He throw ye afterward..."
"Pfft..." Ro pouted.
Bootstrap smiled to himself at the mere thought of this scene which had displayed not so long ago...
"Ro!" the voice thundered over the deck and half the crew turned around to see what 's going on.
Roane practically darted out of the captains cabin, the captains hat on her head and the Captain on her heels.
"Ro, I want me hat back!" Davy Jones growled deep and dangerous, "Now!"
Roane from somewhere high in the rigging smiled down, hat still on her head: "Off-duty-time, me Captain..." and she climbed higher.
Not two minutes later Davy Jones was up with her in the rigging – and somehow between a playfully duel the hat flew off.
This was the moment when every one could see Roane jumping.
But Bootstrap was probably the only one who was told the truth by Ro later...
Bootstrap after a few more minutes of silent walking asked curiously: "What he did to apologize?"
"Would like to tell ye, matey..." Ro grinned madly, "... but ye would say:" and she imitated him, "I don't wanna hear anything about this!"
They both broke into laughter.
A good walk later they where on the edge of the city and examined an tourist-map.
"Here's the mall..." Roane pointed at building, "and there's a bank!"
A quarter of an hour later a woman, clad almost like a pirate, long red tinted hair carefully draped over the sides of her throat to cover a couple of gills, shirt collar closed and rolled up over pearly-ruby scales, entered the bank and not a half of an hour later she left the bank with a huge smile and explained Bootstrap: "We're rich, rich, rich! Yo ho, a pirates life for me, pieces of eight, buckets of gold, diamonds and..."
Bootstrap chimed in: "... and a bottle of rum?"
"Yeah!" Ro cheered, "an' a bottle of rum!"
III
Authors note:
I didn't stole the fiddle, I owned this fiddle a long time ago.
An' that's why Ro knows to fiddle!
III
They padded through the streets, Bootstrap now overloaded with all sorts of things and Roane – happy like on her first day aboard the Dutch – chewed on a hot dog.
"What gift ye want for the..." Bootstrap got cut off by a high pitched screak as Ro darted off into a tobacconist's shop and he muttered by following her, "... well, I guess the lass found something adorable..."
Roane's finger gently held a wonderfully meerschaum-pipe and she whispered, while tracing the lines of the rich carved octopus: "This 's beautiful... he'll love this..." she looked up at the shop owner, "and I'll need some of your best tobacco too, dear Mister!"
The shop owner nodded with a delighted smile, only to stare at Boots.
Ro followed his stare and explained: "There's a pirate convention in town..." with this she brushed a strand of her own hair back from her gills, "Cursed pirates-cosplay, you know?"
The man nodded and his smile returned when he guessed: "So this pipe will be for a pirate-captain too, Miss?"
Ro corrected him almost automatically and with a smile: "Is Missus and yes, is for me Captain!"
At the end Ro bought the pipe and three different sorts of tobacco, one of them a rare Scottish blend which she assumed to smell like the one Davy only smoked on rare occasions.
"And now..." Bootstrap sounded distressed, "... tell me matey, how we should made our way back to the dinghy with all this stuff?"
Roane gave him a wondered look, stretched her hand up and demanded: "Taxi!"
" 'never sat in a automobile before..." Bootstrap almost sounded nervous.
"Don't worry Bill," the lassie smiled encouragingly at him, "I'm with you. 's almost like the Dutch on calm waters..."
They had made their way back to the beach in a cab, which Bootstrap was just happy to leave and now they had pulling the dinghy back into the water to make sail.
"Ahhh," Ro sighed, "I' sooo glad to go home again! I'm missing me Captain all the time long, but I'm pretty sure Davy wont even make shore if he can..."
Bill nodded: "Perhaps, but I'm almost sure if ye ask him, when the ten years are over, he would make it for ye, lassie..."
Roane shook her head in protest: "No, I don't want make him things do, just 'cause he loves me..." even he never said it aloud, "for this, I loves him to much."
Captain Davy Jones gazed at his pocket-watch, almost midnight and Ro still wasn't back.
His tentacles ghosted over the keys from the manual and only an instant later he played a soft, longing tune and – got answered by a fiddle.
Jones' play staggered barely inaudible before he continued.
As the tune ended he turned around to face his door with a curious look.
Who to hell knows to fiddle aboard the dutch?
He got his answer when the door opened and Ro stepped into the cabin, still playing and smiling at him.
When she took the fiddle down and leaned in to brush a soft kiss against his mouth she whispered: " 'didn't know ye'd play love songs, me Captain..."
He pulled her closer, in a deeper kiss and breathed back: "Ay, I didn't know ye'd know to fiddle, me lassie..."
Roane just smiled and made herself comfortable in his lap, placing her new fiddle upon the manual behind them, circling her arms around his neck: "I missed ye Davy..." gently playing along with his tentacles, "... I missed the Dutch..." the galleon beneath them made a low shiver, "... I missed me home, me Luvs!"
A loud thud reverberated through the cabin when the captain kissed her fiercely upon her lips and a soft, green glow illuminated the surrounding.
IV
He watched her sleep.
Ro smiled in her dream, shifted and snuggled closer, whispering his name: "Davy..."
His heart in the "dead mans chest" on the organ gave once more a loud thud.
"How ye can love me so much," Jones stroked a strand of her red tinted hair back, "I tried to kill ye..."
"O' course you did!" Roane mumbled drowsy, "Ye' Davy Jones..." she pulled at one of his tentacles, "... and ye fulfilled it..." Jones yelped, and Ro added: "... five times."
Davy Jones stared at her in the green glow of his haunted ship, while she curled herself up against his chest, pulling him closer by his tentacle: "Ro... uh..."
"Ah..." she yawned, "d' me 'he favor an' go t' sleep, Davy me Luv..." and she yanked playfully, "... tomorrow we've a lot of work..."
He made a surprised plopping sound and gave in, tucked her in and adjusted his left arm under her head.
This was so much more comfortable than to sleep alone. No nightmares... Not that he ever would admit this out loud.
The first light of dawn shone through the windows and some gulls squawked around the galleon, when Ro awakened.
They had to go back to duty soon.
But all Ro wanted was to stay in bed.
In bed with her Captain Davy and do a lot of naughty things...
"Ye know," Ro stifled a giggle, tickled a tentacle who shrank away from her skin, "me Captain, that ye would be the dream of any Japanese pornography-director?"
Davy stared at her: "First: What's a pornography-director? Second: Why I would be his dream?"
Roane winced and then busted in to laughter: "Catfish an' dogfish! I really got a special talent to talking meself in to the biggest mess..."
"So I'm supposed to remain unlighted?"
His almost wife just pulled him down in a searing kiss: " ' want explain it..."
Bootstrap almost felled out of his hammock as the Flying Dutchman took a violent jolt.
He grabbed his pillow from the floor only to cover his ears and muttered, before he get back to sleep: "Mornin' Captain, mornin' Ro..."
At least, he could by sure that the lass got no punishment!
"Port cannonry fire!"
"Port cannonry fire!" echoed Roane, first cannoneer of the Flying Dutchman her captains order and the cannon-shots thundered over the sea.
"Fire the chase-guns... Fire!"
Roane barked at the top of her lungs:"Gave the triples, boys! FIRE!"
Captain Jones smiled and shouted: "Starboard, port and chasers: FIRE!"
"Ye heard the captain me boys: All the babes FIRE!"
Roane and the captain grinned madly when the Dutch took a violent shake. Then the galleon came to a halt and the captain nodded at Ro, who looked out of the hatch: "Good job, first Cannoneer!"
Roane flashed him the most brightest of her smiles, saluted: "Thank ye Captain!" then she turned to her men: "Good job me boys, faster an' better than ever!" she gesticulated to the cannons," Strap and secure, scrub and polish..." she chuckled, "...the better, the faster we're off-duty me boys!"
Her "boys" gave her a salute and hurried back to work.
Roane saluted back and made her way to the powder magazine muttering: "General overhaul, stocktaking... what a bloody mess... especially today..."
"If ye count faster and complain less," she get cut off, "we get more off duty time..."
Roane turned around with a smile: "Ask permission to speak freely, me Captain."
Jones just nodded and Ro moved on by taking a step closer to Jones: "This, " she gesticulated towards the powder kegs, "was all yer idea. I mean this general overhaul, Luv..." her hand gently stroked over his claw, "And by the way: We got enough powder to blow up the whole royal marine twice!" and with a shrug and a frown she turned back to the kegs.
The captain made a surprised "plop" and stared stunned at Ro's back: "'re ye mad with me, Cannoneer?"
"Ye're the captain, Captain!" and with this she started to count aloud.
"What," Bootstrap entered the powder magazine growling, "did you to the captain, Ro?"
Ro just counted on: "Nine hundred, nine hundred and one, better ask what I didn't to the captain, nine hundred an' two..."
The Dutch's bosun rolled his eyes and took a seat on a powder barrel: "Ye know lass, he's insufferable when ye pout..."
"Boots, I'm counting."
He paused a moment and watched her in silence before he asked: "Why you're pouting at him, Roane?"
This time she noted a number on her pad and turned around: "I'm not really pouting, just 's our "special day"," Ro shrugged, "but at least he's Captain Davy Jones... and he was more than cute this morning, even if he forgot about... so it isn't so bad!"
Bootstrap made a face and groaned: "Ye're probably the only one person in the whole world who can get away with calling Davy Jones cute..."
"Would ye please shut up and let me do me work, Bill?"
Bootstrap froze and shot her a annoyed glare: "Don't Bill me, lass!"
Roane groaned and glared back: "Why t' heck you're down here, ol' scallywag? Shouldn't ye're be on the upper-deck instead to buggerin' me? Ye know: I still got a lot o' work to do, Bosun!" and she turned back to the powder kegs.
The starfish-faced man stifled a laugh and explained: "The captain sends me... should help ye out. Duh?" and he ducked behind the barrels as Ro tossed her pad at him by muttering:"Scurvy fish ye!"
"Aye, sometimes," Boots toke the pad and reached for the pencil, "how many?"
"Nine hundred thirteen..." and they went on.
V
Roane stretched and yawned before she left the powder magazine.
"Firstly to do: Make report to the captain. Secondly to do: Take a swim – possibly with the captain. Thirdly to do: All the things I can't get out of me head since yesterday – with a certain captain..."
Bootstrap chuckled: "Ro, would ye please stop to talk about those..."
"Take yer minds out of the gutter! Didn't talk about what ye think, Boots. Jus' want to give him the gifts I bought for him..."
"Ye didn't give him yet?"
"We had better things to do. Much better things..." she grinned and patted Bootstrap on the back, "... let's go report. I'm hungry!"
They stood in front of the captains cabin and stared at Quinto who sighted: "I'm sorry, but the captain had given the order, that he wouldn't see anyone!"
Bootstrap and Roane groaned in unison: "Sometimes his such a..." and they stopped, exchanging a look, only to settle cross-legged on to the planks.
Roane stated: "So we have to wait..." and she fished a hard tack out of her pocket.
Quinto stared at her and snarled: "You probably could get in, Ro!"
Ro glared up at the first mate: "The order is for everyone an' I'm still on duty," she took a bite from her hart tack, "That I move in an' out his cabin in off duty time doesn't mean I can do the same..." and she kicked out against a barrel nearby, "Diehard..."
"I heard that!" rumbled the captains voice behind them.
Roane and Bootstrap practically jumped to their feet and saluted: "Captain!"
She stood there in front of him and saluted, reported, green eyes fixed on his and he knew that he should move. But somehow this was the nicest look she had had for him since this morning.
And so he just nodded as Ro ended her recount and waved her off with a simple, grunted: "Off duty!"
Roane smiled and winked: "Ye too?"
He returned the smile, turned half and made an invitingly gesture to his door: "After ye, me bonnie lass..."
Roane certainly wasn't the only one who stared wide-eyed at Captain Jones.
Me bonnie lass? In front of the crew?
Then her lips curved upwards into the most beautiful smile he had ever seen and she almost danced past him, whispering: "Thank ye me Luv..."
They stood in the middle of the cabin and Ro examined Jones with curious eyes: "Ye called me me bonnie lass, in front of the crew."
He just shrugged and closed the gap between them: "It's true..."
"You never use pet names or compliments in front of the men," Ro went on, snuggling against him, deeper in his hug, and specified, "nor do I, Davy. I don't even use your given name..."
He just held her close and cooed: "Would ye please shut up Muirrean* me darling an' close yer eyes?"
For a single moment Ro just stared stunned into his amazingly blue eyes, then she closed hers: "As you wish, Davy me luv..." melting away like always when Davy used her forename.
He smiled, placed a sweet kiss on her lips and dropped his little gift in to her hands: " 's not much an' I'm no' good at makin' gifts..."
Ro shook her head by opening her eyes: "Ye gave me yer heart a year ago... Ye're the best at makin' gifts, Davy Jones..." and the best gift at all was that he hadn't forgot about the date.
Jones watched her carefully unwrap the little prezzy and then she shot him once more this gorgeous smile: "Ye remembered?"
He just gave a nod.
Roane ripped the final package, sniffed and stated delightfully: "Cinder toffee my favorite..."
Jones wondered how simple it was to make her happy. This was just toffee, but she...
He almost stumbled as Ro throw her arms around his neck: "I don't know where ye get this, but I love ye even more for get me this gift!"
*Muirrean from Old Irish muir "sea", may also mean "sea-white" or "sea-fair"
VI
"Love ye too, Muirrean..."
Ro stiffened and her fingers clutched in to Davy's shirt-collar for support, when her knees went weaker than ever. "Davy..." her voice quivered and tears brimmed in her eyes, so Ro sniffled: "Luve..."
"Did," the captain asked a little shocked, "I say something wrong lassie?"
Roane just tried to get closer and buried her face in his chest: "Ye said ye love me... jus' happy..."
He smiled and with a gently tentacle he brushed a tear from Ro's cheek: "Should 'ave said it more often..." in fact it was the first time he'd ever admitted it out loud.
Roane just smiled and retired to look into his eyes: "Got a gift for ye too..."
Davy watched her walking to the little trunk where she stored some of her stuff and when she came back to him she held a carved ebony box towards him: " 'Thought ye miss yours..."
Carefully, using his tentacled beard he opened the lid off the small box and gazed at the object in it.
Roane could see his features change from curiosity to surprise: "Looks perfectly like me old..."
"It's his sibling... was made by the same artist..." Ro explained cheerfully, "and after the yours is broken at this day back then..." Roane stopped in tracks when she saw Davy stare with a bright smile at her; and so she asked: "Pleased, Captain?"
"Best gift ever...uh.." he stopped himself when he could see Ro turn pale and take a step backwards, almost stumbling and intuitively searching for support.
The Flying Dutchman beneath their feet gave a high-pitched, piercing shriek as Roane broke to her knees, but stopped as Davy Jones caught Ro with his tentacled arm.
Bootstrap really forgot about who was the captain he was sailing for when he heard that bone-crushing, heart-wrenching shriek.
All he knows was that his best friend was somehow in danger and so he burst into his captains cabin only to find the captain on his knees with Ro in his arms.
Roane who shivered violently and whimpered.
"What's going on, Captain?"
The captain turned his had and stared with empty eyes at his bosun: "Dunno..."
"Down... please..." Ro almost choked on the words but she repeated them once again, "Please... let' make down."
Jones and Bill exchanged a quick look and then Bootstrap stormed of, barking orders.
As Bootstrap stood at the helm of the Dutch he pleaded with all his heart that the galleon would listen to him: "Please, me love, just do it for your captain and Ro..."
Jones stared at Ro in his arms and – never in his life he had felt so scared.
"Muirrean what's..."
She inhaled a deep breath of fresh seawater and visibly relaxed then she whispered: "Ye're not the only one who's cursed..."
"A curse? How can I breake it, Ro?"
"There's nothing to break..." she stated sad smiling, "...it's me heritage. I'm not only named after a selkie..."
Davy shuddered and asked cautious: "So you're a selchie, me Luve?"
Roane shot him a flash of a smile and corrected: "Only a quarter... and a quarter mermaid. Look..." Jones eyes gazed over her body only to rest at on a slender, pearly-ruby shark-like tail fin which Ro waved, "once all few years I transform entirely and has to stay underwater, for a whole night..." she shrugged, "I'm sorry not telling you the truth earlier, I simply thought to have more time, Davy. I was afraid ye'll think I'm using some powers or spells on ye..."
Jones heaved a sigh and smiled at her: "This explains a lot, me darling..." he stood up, her still slightly shivering body in his arms, her fishtail brushing the planks, "... we've to calm Boots... he nearly had a heart-attack... even he's immortal."
"Ye're not mad at me?"
"Ye're gorgeous me little mermaid."
Ro took this as a very good opportunity to kiss him senseless...
VII
Bootstrap stared at the scene displaying before him and blinked bewildered, no doubt this was Roane.
Roane with a long, slender, shark-like tail fin in the same color of her heart-shaped scale patch, hair now red like fire, melting down to her hips and where her ears should be she had something which looked like little finlets, floating mid-water at the captains side.
The captain who addressed him twice before Bootstrap could tear his eyes of his best friend.
"Bosun!"
Bill finally snapped out of his amazement and saluted: "Captain..." his eyes darted back at Ro, "... she's a mermaid!"
"Wouldn't rest... jus' for tonight..." he got answered in unison by the captain and Roane.
Bootstrap sighed in relief and looked back at Jones: "Orders?"
The captain nodded and turned to look at his first-mate Quinto who stood nearby: "Just stay underwater, let's Boots at the helm – seems like he got it – and we will back in the mornin' uh..." he then turned to watch Roane who swam around the topmast in low, elegant circles, before he floated towards her.
"Got ye..." Davy chuckled, "... little mermaid!"
"I'm probably taller than you in this form..." and Ro curled her fin around him and he thought this was just awesome.
They where in the middle of a coral reef, floating in the middle of nowhere and in the middle to play catch.
If someone would see them, this was going to spoil Davy Jones reputation as the scourge of the seven seas completely.
He couldn't care less.
"Ye," Ro's hand – now webbed – tore at his shirt, "lost, I won!"
This was a barefaced lie but Jones just chuckled and dropped his shirt, let it droop.
Roane started to giggle and he lifted his eyebrows questioningly: "What?"
"This is one way to put things in yer locker, Davy..." with sparkling eyes and a wink with her tail fin she swam away, diving after the shirt and cheering: "Catch me, Luv, if ye can!"
Davy Jones had caught her. Once more.
Roane turned half in his arms and smiled before pressing her lips to his, then she tried to wiggling out of his grip once more. But this time he hold her back, despite the fact that Roane was much more stronger than usual.
"Stop wiggling... uh..."
Roane ceased her efforts and placed a kiss upon his forehead: "What's wrong, Davy?"
"Nothin'... uh... want to touch ye..." that was rather direct for Jones, so Ro held still, "Uh, I didn't mean..."
Ro inwardly chuckled when she curled her fishtail around the captains waist and he almost blushed.
"You," Roane's voice – pearly and clearer then usual – trickled in to Jones mind, "don't now how much I love you..." and she pressed her lips on his, pleading, longing and full of tenderness.
Whenthey parted she smiled: "So, back to the topic: Ye wanted to touch me?"
Davy chuckled and nodded: "Probably, but not like ye think..."
Roane giggled and commanded: "Enlighten me Luv!"
Davy Jones' long tentacle-finger traced gently along her fin and his eyes grew wider every inch he moved on, while Ro's eyes felt shut: "Davy..."
"Why," he whispered against her ear-finlets, "ye're so shark-like? I thought sirens 're supposed to having whale-flukes?"
Roane shivered and whispered back: " 'cause it comes from daddy's side..."
"So ye're mother was a selchie?"
"Grandmother..." barely above a breath, accompanied by a whimpered "Davy, please stop..."
"Why?"
"... spell... hoodoo..." and a stuttering breath when the captain stroked the tip of Ro's dorsal fin.
Jones found himself pushed away, floating mid-water and Roane about twenty yards away, heavily shaking.
"Ro, what's wrong?"
His mermaid looked at him with sad eyes: "It's the siren-spell..."
Captain Davy Jones needed more than a moment to understand what was wrong, but when he got it he sighed and carefully he'd approached Ro: "Spells won't work – uh – on me. Duh?"
Roane shook her head and hided her face in her hands: "But if... ye'll die."
This time Jones shook his head violently: "Muirrean use yer brain..." and he gently touched her cheek, "I amalready dead. Over three-hundred years, by the way..." and with this he pulled her close.
VIII
Scales, pearly-ruby, hips small and smooth crowned by a sharp dorsal fin, a long delicate shark-like tail fin slung around his body, webbed small and strong hands, playing along with his tentacles, hard nails and razor sharp teeth marking sea tinted skin; carving her mark deep into his flesh and a voice like a promise to the paradise, who told him all about hell.
Agony mixed with passion; all overlaid by a love he almost feared.
"Mine!" they whispered in unison and stared into each others burning eyes.
Roane gave in first: "Yours to all eternity..."
"Mine..." Davy growled back and bit hard down on her collarbone. Marked her.
Muirrean whimpered in a tone no human ever could reach and throw her head back, exposing her vulnerable throat and – Jones followed the invitation.
"I know now what yer mermaid-part does..." Jones chuckled and examined a deep, bleeding bite mark on his left biceps – only one of a whole bunch – and smiled mischievous: "... whats the selchie-part for, Muirrean?"
His siren's nasty grin vanished and was replaced by a soft, lovingly smile: "The selkie-part is for seeing the very soul of any living being and never ending love and affection, Davy Jones. Selkie's only gave away there souls once..."
"Ye mean," he dared to ask, "once in a lifetime?"
Roane looked at him with warm green eyes: "No. If a selkie gives away love on freewill – not 'cause someone stole his skin – then it's for forever and the selkie's soul is bounded to his mate's for all times, in all circumstances..."
"And ye chosen me..."
"Aye, a long time ago me soul chose yours."
Jones swallowed hard and for once he didn't know what to say, so he just fastened his embrace and leaned his forehead against Roanes, gazing deep into her beautiful deep ocean-green eyes.
Bootstrap, still at the helm, jolted when the organ, in duet with the fiddle, begun to play a sweet lovers-tune.
When the both of them were returned to the Flying Dutchman?
And why the Dutch hadn't react?
Then the ship beneath his feet made a low, almost purring sound and a faint green glow raised, bathed the whole galleon in a strange warmness.
All of a sudden the purr was accompanied by a soft rocking, matching to the music.
As if the Dutch was dancing...
And he wasn't surprised when the low, deep and steady thuds of the captains heart caught in.
But he was a little surprised when a unnaturally beautiful voice starts to sing as the violin stopped.
The words floated over the deck – still underwater – like rays of light and warmth and Bootstraps eyes immediately felt shut, also like Quinto's who stood next to the bosun.
Some of the crew sorted the hold where the had played and gazed in wonder at the captains door.
And then the whispers started to roam: "Siren..." was one, "Mermaid..." an other, "Doom..." and "Perdition..."
Bootstrap and Quinto stepped in to stop the rumor: "We're 'ready doomed, cursed and sails on the sea forever... Just listen and be quit!"
Roanes voice was like a wind of fortune, a taste of paradise, a drag straight down to his own locker and filled with so much love he could barely stand it; and so Davy Jones played along on his organ, loosing himself in the music once more.
"Me beloved Captain..." Ro bent forward, placing a soft kiss on the greenish cheek of her lover, who felt asleep while playing his instrument, "sleep well 'n dream of me. I'll be back when ye wake up. Promise!" She then seeped through the wall once more, swam out into the endless ocean, leaving the Dutchman behind her, out to find what must be found, to do what must be don.
IX
Jones woke up and blinked at his organ keys. Oh no... not really?
This was somewhat – embarrassing.
He yawned and rubbed at his eyes; where was Ro?
And why he felt so fuzzy-headed?
And why his haunted ship now almost shone with green light.
When Jones turned around to look for Roane he was faced with a strange sight:
Muirrean Roane – back to her "normal-self" – knelt on the floor before him, the "Dead Mans Chest", which lid was open, in front of her, staring at his throbbing heart; one hand extended and about to touch.
Then, barely above his heart she stopped and lifted her gaze to look questioningly at him – Jones just nodded.
When Roanes fingertips touched his heart, Davy Jones' legs almost gave away and he had to sit back on the organ bench, hard.
Ro, much to the captains astonishment, gently lifted the beating heart out of the box, all the time softly stroking and then she purred: "Mine... and what's mine should be bedded in the most precious what I has to give beside me love..."
Jones stared wide eyed when she gently put the heart back in the chest only to take the most beautifulest seal-coat he'd ever had seen from behind her back.
White-silver and ruby-red sparkles shimmered as she lifted the fur and he instantly knew what he saw.
Ro just folded the seal-coat lifted the heart once more, lay the fur in to the chest and then gently placed the heart on it, whispering: "A year ago ye gave me yours, now mine should be yours too. Bound together..."
Jones saw her closing the chest, turning the key and he just felt as if he was waking up from a strange, endless nightmare named his life.
Roane stood up, made a step over the "Dead Mans Chest" and leaned in to brush a lovingly kiss against his cold lips and whispered: "Regard ye as truly a married man, Davy Jones..."
If Bootstrap hadn't hold on to the wheel, he was fallen by the sheer force off the tremble which shook the Flying Dutchman and he surly hadn't the chance to hold her down when the galleon decided to make surface.
Something was happening.
The Dutch leaped out of the sea in to a clear, star-sparkling full moon night and made course of her own.
First mate and bosun stared at each other and then over to the captains cabin as the door flew open.
"Course too the depth," there the captain stood, Roane by his side, both of them smiling, "this ship has a duty to fulfill!"
EPILOGUE
Muirrean Jones stood at he bow of the Flying Dutchman stared in to the black waters beneath her, waved a hand at a little boat who passed by and addressed the lonely, sad looking passenger: "Ahoy thar!"
The passenger slowly turned his empty eyes towards her and she smiled encouraging: "Do not fear death, me friend. Ye'll see all yer beloved ones..." her voice, no longer from this world, sounded like an eternal promise and the empty, sad features of the no longer lost soul lightened up, "just follow the Flying Dutchman, we'll guide ye save an steady to the..." she stopped right there cause a hand was placed on her shoulder.
"To the right course to paradise..." Davy Jones finished the sentence of his wife.
END
Roses smalltalk:
This btw, my friends is the tune they played (just make a dot for the word dot):
My Love is Like a Red Red Rose
www dot youtube dot com/watch?v=fDOyD2Pnp7o&feature=related
O my love is like a red red rose,
That's newly sprung in June.
O my love is like a melodie
That's sweetly play'd in tune.
As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in love am I
And I will love thee still, my dear,
Till a' the seas gang dry.
Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,
Till a' the seas gang dry,
And I will love thee still my dear,
Till a' the seas run dry.
Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun,
And I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o' life shall run.
And fare thee weel, my only love,
And fare thee weel awhile!
And I will come again, my love
Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile.
Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile, my love,
Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile.
And I will come again, my love,
Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile.