Ten Years Chapter 2, a pirates of the caribbean fanfic

----

As he had come to do a lot the resent days Will was leaning against the railing. He watched the calm sea they were sailing with nothing but blackness around them and mused about the souls they'd come across.

There were two sorts of souls so far; the ones that didn't know they were dead and let the Dutchman ferry them to the land of the dead with a distant, far-away expression. You couldn't talk to them or get any sort or reaction from them. They were just quiet, in denial and made no fuss what so ever. The other sort was the exact opposite. They knew they were dead, some, most, accepted it and didn't make things hard. They would even help sometimes, getting bored as there were little to do if you weren't a crewmember. While they worked they would tell stories about their lives and things they experienced. But those that didn't accept it, that for some reason refused to believe it and didn't turn into the quiet ones, they would fight, argue and sometimes even try to bargain their lives back. A story that was currently going around the ship was of the man who promised Will all three of his daughters if he got his life back. Will, embarrassed and a little horrified said no and quickly tried to get the man to his destination as fast as possible.

But now, without knowing it, Will would get a third sort; the sort where he knew the soul from before.

"Capt'n, we got one over here."

Will pushed himself away from the railing and went to the other side. The man who called for him was one of the twins (as they turned human they separated). He was pointing out where his brother was on his way of fishing the poor soul out of the ocean and into a small jolly.

"Get him onboard," Will ordered, "we'll continue on this course a little longer before setting sails for the land of the dead."

"Aye, Capt'n Turner."

The man walked away and Will stood waiting. Soon the jolly was beside the Dutchman and Will helped the crewman and the soul onboard. Will got a good look at the face of the soul and was startled when he recognized the man.

"Captain Bellamy?"

Thomas Bellamy looked at the man speaking.

"I know you," he said but clearly couldn't remember from where.

Will was shocked. Bellamy had been the captain of The Edinburgh Trader, the ship that picked him up after his escape from Jones. Will had also been the one who doomed the merchant vessel to a grave under the sea as the Kraken had attacked trying to get to him. Now, standing here, Will had no idea what to say. What did you say to the man whose death you're responsible for? That he was on the ship that ordered the attack, even under a different captain, and was to be taken to the land of the dead?

In panic Will motioned for his father, who had been standing further away, to come. "Captain Bellamy, follow Mr. Turner and he will get you dry."

"Turner, wasn't that your name?" Will heard Bellamy asked as he was lead under deck by Bill.

Will exhaled shakily and made his way to his cabin. He hadn't been doing this for long, getting souls and then take them to the land of the dead, and he hadn't even considered the possibility that he would meet someone he knew.

All it took was for someone to die on the sea and it didn't matter it happened on a ship. It was still Will's duty to get them. Just the thought of having to ferry Jack, Gibbs, Cotton or even Barbossa if they would die made him feel sick. He didn't even want to think about doing it with Elizabeth, because he had no illusions that she would stay on land during these ten years.

"Stay safe, Elizabeth, stay safe all of you," he whispered out to the room.

----

Elizabeth was once again walking the streets of Port Royal. It was early morning, not many people out besides the seamen and traders, and that was how she wanted it. Early morning, not many people; less chance of running into someone she knew. She wanted to be on the safe side incase there was still a warrant out for her arrest even if Lord Beckett was dead.

She walked briskly along the familiar streets, only stopping once at Brown's Forgery for sentimental reasons, and soon approached the gates of the Governors Mansion. It had been three month since she saw it last, just before her failed wedding. So much had happened since then and on some level she was glad that she no longer had to call it home. Even if her father was alive, and if Will wasn't stuck on the Dutchman, she didn't think she would be able to settle down once again and be the English society woman she was born. She had changed too much.

She opened the gates and walked the path up to the door. There she stood for a moment wondering if she could walk in or if she had to knock. She shook her head and opened the door, even if they had a new governor they would have to deal with it, she didn't care.

The house was quiet. Elizabeth wondered where everyone was. It was early yes, but maids and a butler usually were up by now. She shrugged, not really caring and walked up the stairs and toward her room.

It looked exactly like she left it. She moved slowly around the room gathering thing she thought she might need. Jewelry and other valuable things she could sell. She walked to her closet and opened it. With a satisfied smile she decided to never have to wear those torturous corsets and heavy dresses ever again.

"What are you doing in here? Get out before I call for lawman!"

Elizabeth turned and saw her old maid Estrella standing shocked by the door. "God morning, Estrella," she said.

"Miss Swann. I'm sorry Milady. I did not recognize you," the maid said curtsying. Elizabeth looked down at herself and understood the confusion. She was dressed in a man's breeches, a white shirt, boots and she had her hair up under a hat. She had a belt around her waist from which a sword hanged. Around her neck was her new piece of eight (Calypso might be free but they still need to be able to identify the nine pirate lords). It was Will's necklace; he gave it to her two weeks earlier when they parted on the island.

"Where is everyone?" Elizabeth asked ignoring the maid's apology.

"We got a message about the Governors death, may he rest in peace, and the new Governor won't be here until next month so they left to seek other employments," she said. "I'm here to look after the house."

Elizabeth sat down on her bed thinking about her father. For a moment she felt slightly nauseous and she thought it was because of her grief. A few tears fell from her eyes and she looked at the maid.

"What about father's things? Have you moved them?"

Estrella shook her head, "no, Milady. It wasn't my place."

Elizabeth nodded, it was up to her. She spent the rest of the day going through her father's papers and kept all that looked important. For the furniture that hadn't come with the house when they moved in was given away. All day Estrella helped her and after she called Elizabeth "Miss Swann" for the fifth time that she told the maid of her marriage to Will. She didn't tell the whole truth; just that he was away and wouldn't be able to come home for a long time. Estrella of course thought this strange but knew it wasn't her place to question it.

"Where will you go?" the maid wondered as they walked to the doors.

"I have a ship waiting for me at the harbor," Elizabeth said. It was actually the Empress, the ship she was captain of. She had met her crew at Tortuga and they, thinking it were an honor to serve the Pirate King, happily brought her back to Port Royal.

"Are… are you one of them now?" Estrella wondered carefully.

Captain of the Empress, Pirate Lord of the South China Sea, Pirate King of the Brethren Court and wife of the immortal captain of the Flying Dutchman; there was only one answer.

"Yes, I'm one of them now."

----

TBC…