Disclaimer: I do not own the world of Pirates of the Caribbean!
A/n: Hey s/o to Fanfictioner1997, H. Reilly, and "blank" who reviewed this story! I'm glad you like it!
Shakily, Rebecca wrapped a bandage around the torn flesh of her hand, trying to ignore the fact that her heart was still beating painfully in her chest. It had been at least two hours since the harpies had left and the men had gone to their rooms, exhausted and sad. They had lost another five men, five friends. As far as she knew, Captain Sparrow was in his quarters with Mr. Gibbs, discussing on whether or not they should turn back. She hoped they'd make the right choice for her sack and theirs.
"You are either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid; I'm still trying to figure out which." Rebecca looked up at Hermes who was smiling down at her. Sighing he reached forward taking her hand and the bandage. "Trapped as you are in this form, I cannot heal you."
"It's fine," she mumbled, watching him wrap the bandage quickly around her left hand. When he was done, he crossed his arms over his chest and floated back from her, just staring. Finally she looked up at him, taking a deep breath. "What do the others say?"
"Iris is not happy," Hermes muttered, "but then again she hardly ever is when someone bests her creatures. Poseidon is letting you pass merely based on curiosity. The others though, surprisingly are waiting and watching to see if you and this crew make it. You are the subject of many conversations, dear Galene."
"But why?" Rebecca asked. "Why are they so fascinated?"
"Whenever an immortal fights against their own for the lives of mortals, or a mortal in this case, it is always a source of fascination." Hermes smiled at her. "As I said, you are either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid."
Rebecca shook her head, getting to her feet. "It may be a little of both."
"Where are you going, little one?"
She turned back to him when she reached the door, a slight smile on her face. "To do something either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid."
His twinkling laughter followed after her as she shut the door.
The ship was quiet, rocking with the waves. Rebecca move silently through the small kitchen/dining area and up the stairs that led to the deck. Stars were out, the moon bright. . . .
What in the world was she doing?
This was stupid, she realized. What was she even thinking?
She started to turn around and go back to her room when a slight movement to the right of her caught her eye.
Will stood on the starboard side, staring off into the sky. Rebecca hesitated a moment because he hadn't noticed her yet. She could easily sneak back into her room and he would be none the wiser. Just as soon as the thought crossed her mind, however, Will stood up straight, turning in her direction. A smile came to his face, one she thought he saved just for her. Rebecca tried to smile back but her heart was stuck in her throat. She was still considering running back to her room but instead she found her feet moving forward, towards him.
When she reached him, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. Rebecca wrapped her arms his shoulders, hanging on to him as he were her lifeline. As hard as it was to admit, she loved the feel of his arms around her, the smell of him like sea salt and linen, the feel of his curly hair brushing against the side of her face.
Will Turner was an amazing person.
He leaned back, reaching up to move the hair away from her face. "How are you feeling?"
His soft voice snapped her back to reality. She looked down, away from those eyes of his. "I'm fine."
"May I see your hand?" Rebecca placed her bandaged hand, palm up, into his. "Did you wrap it yourself?"
"No," she answered, suddenly feeling tired. "Someone helped me. . . . I was just coming to check on you. Perhaps we should get some rest."
Will didn't seem to hear her though. He was staring down at her hand, the fingertips of his free hand tracing lightly over her bandage. "I heard your voice you know . . . in the midst of everything, I heard you scream my name."
Rebecca watched him, holding her breath, not sure where he was going with this. When he finally looked up at her, she saw that same look in his eyes, the one she had been trying to ignore and avoid but now she couldn't find it in her to look away. "I told you to listen to me."
Will shrugged, a half smile on his face. "I tried, I did, and I heard you. . . . You saved my life . . . you saved everyone's lives."
"I was fighting for you," she muttered.
Will lifted his hand, placing it on her cheek. "I know."
He leaned forward, or perhaps Rebecca leaned up but either way, their lips met. His arms circled her waist again and she tried to pull him closer to her. In all her life, Rebecca never felt such an intense passion for anyone. She could barely breathe for wanting him. His hand traveled to the small of her back, pulling her flush against him, causing her to gasp against his mouth.
Suddenly a pain shot up her thigh and she doubled over, Will's hands gripping her arms. "Rebecca?" he said, alarmed.
"Don't go showing off those goods of yours to that little boy toy of yours," Ragsford had said.
Rebecca pushed away from Will, gasping for air. He stared at her shocked. "What's happening? What's wrong?"
"I – I can't," she mumbled. She took a couple of steps back before she turned and ran, back down the stairs, back towards her room. Damn Ragsford! Damn him to hell! He had cursed her!
She slammed the door behind her, leaning against it. Tears burned her eyes and she lifted up the edge of her night gown. Ragsford's mark on her thigh burned hot red as if it were newly made. She put her hands in her hair, tugging at it as she dropped down on her bed.
The door burst open so hard that it bounced off her bed frame, slamming closed after an especially angry Will Turner stepped into the room. "What's going on?"
"Will," Rebecca stood, wiping the tears from her face. "Will, I'm sorry I just –"
"You can't," he said, shaking his head. "Yeah, you said, you can't. But what you haven't said is why or why you keep leading me on like you can."
"It's – I can't explain."
"I'm not leaving until you do. I care about you but obviously you don't feel the same way."
"I do!"
"Then tell me what's going on!"
"I'm Bound to someone!"
Will stared at her, leaning back against the door. "What does that mean?"
Rebecca looked down at her hands. "Someone – someone owns me."
At the door, Will was silent, brooding. "Do you mean you're married?"
She shook her head. "I am a Nereid and my name, my true name is Galene. I am the goddess of calm seas. For years, I've granted deserving sailors safe travels. Your father often . . . Captain Sparrow just the same. I was friends with the gods and played games with the goddesses. Everything was perfect. Harmonia granted me with a gift once . . . her necklace, the necklace Captain Sparrow holds in his quarters. I cherished that gem and Harmonia charged me to care for it. If it feel into the wrong hands it could be dangerous.
"One day, I was passing by a ship when I was captured by Ragsford the Rotten, forced into human form and he dragged me onto his ship. I begged him to let me go but he said only for a trade, only if I provided him with calm seas would he let me leave human form. He kept the necklace, to ensure that I wouldn't leave. I thought – I thought that if I told him the necklace was cursed, the perils that came with it, he would let me go but I was wrong.
"He wanted to know everything about the treasure, how rich it would make him . . . I warned him, told him that it was dangerous, that he could kill his whole crew, that it was a mad endeavor but he is a greedy man and a coward. He wouldn't make the trip himself so we went to Tortuga to try and find someone foolish enough to attempt the journey and bring him back the treasure.
She looked up at him, sadly. "I would never wish this on anyone, this terrible adventure. So many men have died and will die. I stole the necklace from Ragsford and that's when I met –"
"Me," Will muttered. "'Someone foolish enough'."
"No." Rebecca got to her feet, moving closer to him. She wanted to touch him but the anger on his face stayed her hand. "No, Will, I put the necklace in your pocket in hopes that I would be able to reach you and maybe you could help me escape . . . but then Ragsford Bound me to him and everything changed."
"You keep saying that. What does that even mean?"
Hesitantly, Rebecca turned sideways, lifting up the hem of her gown to reveal her thigh. Now, Will started, his arms unfolding. He stared at the burn in horror as it turned bright red. Rebecca gasped in pain again, letting her dress drop and cover it up. Will lifted his eyes to hers. "He branded you?"
"A Bound can be anything as simple as giving the human form a beloved token. They won't be able to take it off or get rid of it and the point is still the same but Ragsford he – he chose to brand me this way. It means that I have to obey him no matter what. He told me I was to lead the Black Pearl to the treasure and return it to him along with the ship and that I wasn't to get to close to you."
"Can it be broken?" Will asked. "The Bound, can we get rid of it."
"Usually, when the Bound is a token it's easier to break the spell but this . . . I've never heard of a Neried being Bound like this or, at least if they have, they've never returned." Rebecca sat back down on her bed. "I'm sorry. I've put you all in danger and the worst thing is there's no way out of it. I thought about putting myself on a life boat, drifting away but I couldn't. Ragsford phrased the command in such a way that I have to get the Pearl to the treasure –"
"— whether there's a crew or not," Will finished. He walked over, sitting down next to her. "You have to obey everything he commanded?"
"To the letter."
"What did he say about me?"
Rebecca flushed. "It was right before he branded me. He said 'Don't go showing off those goods of yours to that little boy toy of yours'."
She looked up at Will to see his face had turned red as well. "Oh. Well, what does that entail?"
Rebecca chewed on her lip. "I don't know exactly I just know that every time we kiss the pain becomes more intense."
Will and Rebecca sat still for a moment in silence. The young sailor shifted for a moment and she feared that he might leave her there, alone and scared. But then he spoke up, his voice soft, "Does it imply that I can't hold you?"
Rebecca looked up at him and saw him watching her. "I suppose we could see."
She moved first laying down and Will crawled beside her, facing her. His arm fell gently across her waist and she cuddled close to him, fitting against him like a puzzle piece. A dull throb traveled up her leg but it wasn't as painful as it could have been. . . .
And she found she didn't care.
A/N: WOW IT'S BEEN FOREVER! I hope you guys like this short filler chapter. Hopefully next week we can get to the nitty gritty of the story again. Thanks for reading!