by: Sarah the crab
fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
pairings: Will/OMC, Will/Jack, some Will/Elizabeth
warnings: slash as indicated above
rating: Starts at G then goes to PG-13 and then to who knows
spoilers: post-At World's End so this is littered with spoilers
disclaimer: All characters are property of Disney.
summery: Will's destiny has only begun but his life will also be touched by many others and here is the tale of one such of these people.
a/n: Well, I thought I'd give this a shot because this has been in my head since Thursday night and well even if it doesn't go anywhere it's nice to get it out of my head. Has not been beta-read so if you want to volunteer that would be great. Keep in mind I haven't written fanfiction in about four or five years so I may be rusty.
Prologue
The stories had changed. The old tales of Davy Jones and his terrifying ship had begun to change. Silent tales of the new captain of the Flying Dutchman had now told of a gentle young man who did his duty as the goddess Calpyso had intended. Across the years to the islands of the Caribbean the tales flowed to the colony of Nevis.
Richard Pierce was young boy of seven when he first heard the tale of the Flying Dutchman from his old withered governess. Her skin wrinkled was dark and hung from her body and when she moved she seemed to float from side to side as a testament to her age. To most children she was terrifying but to Richard she was a friend and a beloved storyteller. It was she who knew the most about the supernatural world of the sea that surrounded their island.
"Tell me about the Flying Dutchman," Richard would ask again and again. He would look at her with pleading clear blue eyes that shone from under his unruly black hair. "Always about the Dutchman. Wouldn't you rather here a story of the Brethren Court of the other notorious pirates of the seas?" She asked as she slowly lowered her tired withered body into a rocking chair.
"Please, tell me the story about the Flying Dutchman again," He repeated. She gave an exasperated sigh and started, "Well, now how to begin a story you've heard so many times before. Long ago Davy Jones died. When it's not quite sure for those who knew have gone on to the beyond, but according to legend the person who killed Davy Jones took his place as an immortal and the new captain of the Flying Dutchman."
"Captain Turner," Richard interrupted.
"Aye, Captain William Turner as he was called took up the helm of the Dutchman. Legend states that he is to ferry the souls those who die at sea to their place in the next world and his reward for doing this is one day to step on land every ten years."
"That doesn't seem like a lot," Richard said.
"No, not to us anyway. You see most people won't ever hope to see more then seventy-years on this world but to someone who can never die it is merely a drop in the bucket."
"But if Davy Jones died does that mean Captain Turner can die too?"
"Of course. According to the tales there is a chest. The Dead Man's Chest that houses the heart of the captain of the Flying Dutchman and the only way to kill the current captain is to stab the heart. Most people dismiss this as a legend like the Dutchman himself but I make a promise to you now, little one, to ignore the stories of the past is to invite trouble."
Richard blinked in surprise. "But it's only a story."
The older woman leaned down towards the small child.
"What I'm about to tell ye, you are not to tell anyone else, understand?"
Richard leaned forward and nodded. "The legend is true. This I know for a fact."
"How do you know?" Richard asked.
"My father was once a member of the Dutchman's crew."
Richard jumped back in surprise. "Your lying!"
"I swear I'm not. When my father was a lad a little older then you but not quite to his majority yet he worked as a cabin boy on a merchant vessel. One time they got caught in a hurricane and the ship sunk. My father barely hanging on to a piece of floating wood was picked up by the Flying Dutchman and came face to face with Captain Turner who asked him, 'Do you fear death?'
My father answered, 'Yes.'
Right there and then he and Turner made a bargain. My father would work for him for as long as he wanted and when my father wanted to leave Turner would release him from his contract. Sure enough ten years later on the rare visits to port my father met my mother and decided to marry her. True to his word Captain Turner canceled my father's contract and sailed away. He told me this on his death bed and swore it the truth."
Richard's eyes were now huge plates. "What did Captain Turner look like?"
The old woman sat back in her chair. "The only word I could get my father to say about him was, 'Beautiful,' So I can only assume that he is. Now that's enough for one day, you've tired me out. Go outside and play on the beach but be wary of the waves."
Richard nodded and ran out the the door and onto the small road before reaching on the crashing waves of the beach. For a few moments he stood with his eyes lingering on the horizon.
He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of the waves and took in the sounds of the water moving around him. Somewhere in his mind a thought came to him. I want to meet him.
tbc...
Author's Note: Review?