Thank you all so much for your support! A few of you asked who the author I talked about in the previous update was. I don't want to name names online because I don't want to be a drama-starter, but if you desperately want to know, then shoot me a PM and promise me that you won't start anything with this person online. I refuse to stoop to their level.
In other news, I'm dedicating this chapter to my Aunt Greta. Yesterday she lost her battle battle with cervical cancer. This chapter is for you. RIP.
Alice paced about the cabin, her jaw clenched and her hands curled into fists. "You're not to open your mouth, Alice," she shrilly mocked. "You've done enough, Alice. You're just some stupid girl, Alice." She let out a loud groan and paused, glaring daggers at the door that was undoubtedly being guarded. "It's like they never expect anything but stupidity out of me." She pouted and plopped down on the ground, knowing full well she was more than likely acting as immaturely as they expected from her.
The door opened and Kitty entered, Elizabeth close behind. Elizabeth was wearing an extra naval uniform now instead of the nightdress from weeks ago in Port Royal. "Alice, what were you thinking?" Kitty asked as she sat down in a nearby chair. "I was so worried when you ran off. Not entirely surprised, but worried."
"I was thinking that Borington's way was going to take too long," Alice said. "Jack knew exactly where to find the Black Pearl and he knew exactly what Barbossa wanted. Speaking of which," Alice turned to Elizabeth who was sitting on the lone bed in the room. "Why didn't you say anything about the curse?"
"James didn't believe us when we tried to tell him that Lydia was a Nereid," Elizabeth said. "Why would he believe us if we told him that there was a ship full of undead pirates who needed Will's blood to be freed?"
"Wait, what?" Kitty asked. Alice turned to Kitty, who's brown eyes were wide with confusion and clear alarm.
"When the moonlight hits them, they appear as half-decayed skeletons," Elizabeth explained. "The first night Lydia and I saw them, I tried to stab Barbossa in the heart. He merely pulled it out and laughed, asking what I planned to do after I killed him." Kitty placed a hand over her mouth and looked between the two girls. "I know you wouldn't believe us. I wouldn't have believed it unless I'd seen it with my own eyes."
"No, I believe you," Kitty said. Alice widened her eyes and tilted her head. Kitty actually believed them about the undead pirates. "I've always believed that a great many things we could never comprehend exist on this earth. If you've seen some of those mysterious things, then I believe you. Plus, it would explain the lack of pirate bodies found in Port Royal after the attack. I know that was baffling James a great deal."
"You actually believe us?" Alice asked, still amazed her very rational sister would just believe them without any tangible proof. Kitty nodded, a soft smile gracing her face. "You're not just saying that to reassure us or something?"
"I swear to you, I'm not," Kitty said. "Though I do want to know what a Nereid is."
"Barbossa explained it as some kind of sea goddess," Elizabeth said. "His exact words were, 'one of the fifty daughters of Calypso.' When she touches seawater these markings appear. He nearly drowned her to see if the markings would appear on her face."
"Not to mention her eyes turn blue," Alice added. "We need to get Lydia out of there as soon as possible. I told her to go along with Barbossa's offer to train her, just to try and keep her safer. But there's no telling what he plans on doing with her once the curse is broken."
"How is the curse broken?" Kitty asked.
"You need to know the origins of the curse first," Elizabeth said. For the next hour, the two sisters filled Kitty in on everything involving Barbossa and his cursed crew. From the origins of the curse to how it would be broken; including Will's role and the reason the pirates came to Port Royal. Alice could see the growing confusion and awe in Kitty's eyes, even if she never showed any sign of being phased in her expression. But she was taking in all of this information surprisingly well. Of course, Kitty was one of the most open-minded people Alice knew. Well, besides herself.
"So my sister's a sea goddess that's currently being held by a group of undead pirates who are going to spill our childhood friend's blood over Aztec gold to free themselves from the curse that makes them unkillable?" Kitty finally asked after everything had been thoroughly explained.
"That's pretty much everything," Alice said. Kitty took a breath and nodded.
"All right then," Kitty said. "But if they can't be killed, how are James's men supposed to effectively rescue Lydia? We need to save both her and Will, but we can't save Will if they've already used him to break the curse. They will want to kill him rather than do a simple cut on the hand like they did for you, Elizabeth."
"Why?" Elizabeth asked.
"To make sure it's done right, more than likely," Kitty said. "If you make a mistake once, during the second try you'd want to take every precaution. It's human nature."
"But they aren't human!" Elizabeth snapped.
"They were once," Alice said. "Lydia seemed almost sympathetic to them when I spoke with her on the Black Pearl. I mean, the reason their doing this is so they can have their humanity back."
"But in doing so they're losing their humanity anyway," Kitty said. "Imagine how many they have slain trying to get these coins back. The death toll was in the hundreds at Port Royal alone; and that was for only one coin. Lydia may be sympathetic to their plight, but there's no possible way she's supporting their actions."
"She doesn't," Alice said. "Jack told me she spat in his face before he was marooned. I can imagine the arguments they're having right now..."
"We need to get to the Isla de Muerta as soon as possible," Elizabeth said, standing up. "I can't bear the thought of Lydia or Will being harmed." The door suddenly opened and Kitty stood up. Alice remained sitting on the floor. She'd finally gotten comfortable, resting her back against the side of the bed. James Norrington and Governor Swann entered the room. Alice almost felt guilty about the way her father was glaring at her. Almost. Alice stood by her actions and felt no regret about how she handled the capture of Elizabeth and Lydia.
"Elizabeth, could you come outside for a moment? I would like to speak with Alice alone," Governor Swann said. Elizabeth nodded and left the room with Kitty and Norrington. When the door closed, Governor Swann sat down. Alice took a deep breath, bracing herself for the long, long lecture that she was inevitably about to receive from her father.
"Let me guess," Alice said. "Your actions disgrace our family, blah blah blah, do you have any idea how stupid you've been, blah blah blah, you have to act like a mature young lady, blah blah blah, no man will want to marry you, blah blah..."
"Alice, I'm more relieved that you're alive and well than anything," Governor Swann said. "I had three of my four children go missing within two days. As angry as I was about you running off with a pirate and a blacksmith, I was more afraid for you than anything." Alice arched an eyebrow and stood up, sitting on the bed next to her father. "You remind me much of your mother when she was about your age."
"I do?" Alice asked.
"Well, she wasn't nearly as spirited as you," Governor Swann said. "But she was spirited. She would always hold in her biting remarks and outspokenness until we were alone, unlike you. She would only ever make such remarks about others around me."
"So Elizabeth and I ended up like mum while Lydia and Kitty ended up like you," Alice said.
"Kitty is a pretty even mix of me and your mother," Governor Swann said. "She has the mind of a philosopher and a dreamer, but acts only according to how propriety dictates. I admit, the rules of what is proper and what isn't can be stifling sometimes, especially to women." Alice nodded and sighed.
"So you're not as mad as I thought, then?" Alice asked.
"Of all the things you have done, this has by far been the most rash and stupid," Governor Swann said, his tone suddenly sharpening. "Though I will probably tolerate your sneaking out to the docks and otherwise generally rude behavior if you promise never again to do something like this. As I said before, I was more afraid for you than anything. That isn't to say I'm not upset with you nor is it to say that this will not go unpunished."
"I figured as much, Father," Alice said. She looked up at him and sighed. "I faced death thrice on this venture. As scared as I was, I always accepted that death was a possibility. I knew that I was risking my life for my sisters and I felt that was a risk I was willing to take. I just want you to know that I didn't run off thinking that I wasn't going to face danger. I didn't run off because I wanted an adventure. I did it because I felt like it was the only thing I could do for my sisters. I didn't want to sit around helplessly and hope they were okay." Governor Swann let out a faint smile and hugged his daughter.
"That is perhaps the most mature thing I've ever heard you say," he said. Governor Swann stood up and walked towards the door. "You'll have to remain here for the remainder of the journey. I'm sure the Commodore has a punishment he wishes to enact." Alice rolled her eyes and snorted.
"Please tell me Elizabeth hasn't accepted his proposal," Alice said.
"She has not," Governor Swann said. "But... I suppose I'll confide in you on this matter." Alice arched an eyebrow at her father. "It appears that Kitty and the Commodore have formed a bond with each other."
"They were always good friends," Alice said.
"I believe they're starting to feel a bond beyond friendship," Governor Swann said. "I doubt either of them think I suspect anything." Alice widened her eyes and dropped her jaw. The Commodore and Kitty?
"The Commodore actually has feelings?" Alice asked. It probably wasn't the best way to ask, but considering her hatred of James Norrington... Governor Swann shook his head and sighed.
"I believe he and Kitty have had feelings for each other for a long, long while now. I was shocked when he asked to court Elizabeth rather than Kitty, but I agreed to let him. He needed to figure out his emotions for himself, as did Kitty," Governor Swann said. "In fact, I'm almost sure they're speaking with Elizabeth about the engagement situation. While society might not look kindly upon James leaving one sister to court the other, I have no quarrel with it." Alice nodded and sighed.
"If Borington really makes Kitty happy, then I suppose I could deal with him on occasion," Alice grumbled. Governor Swann smiled and nodded. He turned around and opened the doors, leaving Alice alone in the cabin.
Lydia stood on the deck of the Black Pearl, staring out at the high sun over the dark waters. The sunlight glittered off the ocean, giving it an almost radiant beauty. A beauty that would surely not be there if nature knew what was going to happen today. Today was the day they would reach the Isla de Muerta and today was the they that her childhood friend would lose his life. And Barbossa had the audacity to ask her to figure out her own feelings for him.
As if she could focus on such things when she knew her friend was very well about to lose his life.
As if she could focus on that when she knew her sisters were almost certainly dead by now.
She sighed, her face stony and cold. She knew very well she had no expression on her face because there was simply nothing to express. Everything she was feeling was beyond words now. It was beyond expression and action. Mere weeks ago she'd been so afraid of everything around her; now it felt more like she just stopped caring. She'd stopped caring about the horrors around her and just began to accept them as they came. When did she become so cold of a person?
"We'll reach the Isla de Muerta by nightfall."
Lydia turned around and saw Captain Hector Barbossa standing behind her. There was a sorrow behind his eyes that she was sure only she could see right now.
"Thank you for telling me when my friend dies," she hissed under her breath. She stormed off in the direction her unofficial cabin, only to be stopped. Barbossa grabbed her wrist and she paused.
"Lydia, I just want to be free of this unending hell I'm living in," Barbossa said. "I want my men to be free. That is all we seek. Freedom from a living hell." Lydia wrenched her hand out of Barbossa's grasp and walked back to the cabin.
She didn't think she could be anywhere near him right now. The last thing she wanted to do was speak to this murderous monster. There was no way she could think of him as anything else. She couldn't let herself think of Barbossa as anything but this monster. The moment she thought of him as even remotely human, she knew she would lose all resolve that she worked so hard to build up last night.
She would not allow herself to fall into the trap of her own emotions.
"Sparrow believes we will catch up to the Black Pearl by nightfall."
Kitty looked up at Norrington and smiled. The two of them and Elizabeth were heading below deck where they could all speak in private. At least, that was what Kitty was presuming. The brief look he gave her as they left Governor Swann alone with Alice in the Captain's cabin was enough for her to understand his intentions right now.
"Then we could save Will before he dies?" Elizabeth asked.
"If we're lucky," Norrington said. "Based on what you've told us, Lydia will more than likely remain alive so long as Barbossa believes she's some myth." Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief.
"I can't bear the thought of her on that ship for a moment longer," Elizabeth said. "The way Barbossa favors her is almost sickening. I shudder to think of what he'd try to do to her..." She looked up and saw James Norrington looking down almost awkwardly. "But I don't think that's why we're down here right now. What is it that we must discuss in such privacy?"
"Elizabeth..." Norrington started almost hesitantly. Kitty bit her lower lip and looked away. "You care for Turner, don't you?"
"He's one of my dearest friends," she replied stiffly.
"You know perfectly well that's not what I meant," Norrington said. Elizabeth sighed and nodded.
"Yes. Yes I do care for him," Elizabeth said. "But I know nothing can come of it. He is a blacksmith and I am more than likely expected to accept your proposal." She from Norrington to Kitty for a few seconds before making the realization. "You're in love with my sister, aren't you?"
"I did not make the realization until this venture," Norrington said. "But I am. And I believe I have been for quite some time."
"A-And I feel the same," Kitty replied, gently placing a hand on Norrington's shoulder. "I-I have for years now, Lizzie."
"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Elizabeth asked.
"Because it was obvious that James intended to court you," Kitty said. "I cared more for his happiness than my own. It wasn't until after when I realized that your heart belonged to another and at that point..."
"I understand," Elizabeth said. "Does Father know?"
"No," Norrington sharply answered. "We wished to discuss the matter with you first. It would require me to formally retract the proposal but it also might shame you. I may not love you, Elizabeth, but I do care for you. The last thing either of us would wish is to take away your happiness and prospects-"
"James," Elizabeth interrupted. "It is rare that two people are able to marry for love. We can always say that I rejected the proposal. If you retracted the proposal and immediately proposed to my sister, you would surely be shamed as well. I care not for my reputation. I only care that Kitty is happy and well taken care of. I know you can provide that for her."
"Are you certain?" Kitty asked. Elizabeth nodded and Kitty let out a smile. She walked up to her sister and hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Elizabeth. Thank you so much!"
"Besides," Elizabeth said with faint laugh. "My reputation would be ruined if I was with Will anyway." Kitty pulled away from the hug and nodded. "I wish both of you the best."
"I wish the same for you and Will," Kitty said. "We'd better head back to the deck before the crew suspects anything."
"I was just about to suggest that," Norrington said. The three of them walked back up the stairs onto the deck, where the sunlight was already beginning to grow dimmer and glow more orange.