Chapter Thirty-Six
This Was No Secret

- Atlantis-
- Three Months Later –

Some things are meant to happen. And as she stood in the courtyard balancing her nearly one year old daughter on her hip, she knew that there was a reason behind everything that had happened in the last year. Or years, she should say. She glanced down at Annie. Being almost one, and being that goddess babies age differently than normal babies, Annie was acting as if she was almost two instead of one. She was too attached to her father for her own good sometimes, but it was clear to everyone who she looked like.

She paced the courtyard that had since morning, turned into a sea of daises, which was of course, Saphira's favorite flower. The young princess stirred in her arms as she walked, her long, sea-blue gown trailing behind her, and her curls cascading down her back held up with her tiara. Annie popped open one of her green eyes that mirrored her mother's and made a fussy noise, up until someone walked up to Lila, put their arms around her, and kissed her cheek. She smiled and turned around to see William standing behind her. His long, dark curls were pulled back with a golden tie and he was dressed in the typical naval uniform her officers wore, though his was slightly different just enough to let his prince status be known. A smile appeared on his handsome face as he asked her, "How are my girls?" She rolled her emerald eyes as Will took Annie, and wrapped his free arm around her. She leaned against him as she said, in reply to his question, "She's just fine. It's me that's worn out."

Will smiled down at Lila as she took her seat in the very front row. He sat beside her and said, "Darling, you know Calypso's trying to work something out." Annie, who had since woken up, smiled up at Will and was making noises as she struggled to find his hair, since she loved tugging on it. He smirked, knowing she couldn't reach it, and turned to look Lila in the eyes, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She whispered, leaning back in her seat as Ana and Calypso made their way down the aisle. Will looked at her for a moment, as she twirled his key around her finger, which nearly always meant that she was thinking about him. She turned to look at him and said, "Querido, I'm fine." Ana came to sit on one side of Will, and Calypso took the seat beside Lila. She leaned across Lila and reached over for Annie, since she did that nearly every time she saw her. Which was another weird thing. Annie absolutely loved Calypso. And another weird thing? Possibly her favorite person in the world had just stepped on to the alter and was looking at the doors with a rather nervous look on his face. When Annie saw him, she pulled her head off of Calypso's shoulder and yelled, "Jackie!"

He darted his eyes away from the door and smirked down at the little princess. He made a face that sent her into a fit of giggles. Jack's eyes met Lila's for a moment. She smiled up at him, causing him to smile back, not smirk, and wink at her. Just about that time, Anne, Neptune and Grant made their way into the courtyard and took their seats behind the row Lila, Will, Ana, and Calypso were sitting on. Calypso smiled down at Annie, and Lila was just glad that she had stopped fussing.

She rested her head on Willl's shoulder, ignoring the sound she heard Grant make behind her. Moments later, though, she had to lift her head off of his shoulder because the wedding march had started playing, and Saphira was making her way down the aisle with Triton on one arm and Rupert on the other. Ana smiled at Rupert, and Saphira momentarily locked gazes with Lila. After Lila's hour long speech on how if Saph goes crazy within a week of being in this family it wouldn't be here fault, Saphira wasn't worried. She only smiled at Lila, happy that this day had finally come.

After they got to the alter, and after Triton and Rupert had hugged and kissed Saphira, she carefully walked up the stairs, not wanting to trip on her gorgeous, gold-trimmed wedding gown, and stood in front of Jack as he took both of her hands in his. She smiled up at him as the priest took his spot and cleared his throat, "We are gathered here today to join these two in holy matrimony. If there is anyone present who wishes these two not wed, please speak now or forever hold your peace." Jack eyes darted out at Lila who had her had already halfway raised. She winced in pain as Grant's hand collided with her head, nearly making her tiara fall off, sending Will into a fit of laughter. She cursed Grant under her breath, and sat back down beside Will. Jack smirked and turned back to the priest who said, "Good. Now. Do you, Grant Jacob Teague Sparrow, take Saphira Marie Triton to be your wife?"

Jack smiled a golden-capped smile and said, in the gentlest voice he had ever used, "I do."

"And do you, Saphira Marie Triton, take Grant Jacob Teague Sparrow to be your husband?"

She beamed up at him, as she said, "I do."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife." Jack smiled down at her as the priest said, "Jacob, you may kiss your bride." Jack smiled as he pushed back her veil, and leaned down and kissed him. She smiled too as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The priest then said, "It is my great honor to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs.-"

"-Captain-"

"-Captain Jack Sparrow." Saphira smirked up at Jack, and he leaned down and kissed her cheek, before taking her arm, and leading her down the aisle and out where the reception was to be held. Grant shook his head, as if he was in supreme shock that his son actually got married by the time Anne had finally managed to shove her brother out. Ana took Rupert's hand and led him to one of the tables. Lila looked over at him and smiled. It was only a matter of time before Rupert asked her. She knew it. She also knew that he was going to be a fine ruler for Atlantis.

Since her father and Triton were on good terms once more, and after the Court meeting the previous week, Rupert agreed to serve under Lila as admiral until the day that he was needed to step up for his father. But when he did, though they both knew that Atlantis and the Seas would always be separated, Lila and Rupert only made that agreement if the Court would agree that no matter what the problem, Atlantis and the Seas would never rule against each other. They would forever be separate kingdoms, but they wouldn't rule against each other, but side by side. Rupert caught Lila's gaze and winked at her as he led Ana to the fountains. She smiled to herself as she turned around to see that Calypso and Anne were playing with Annie by the statue of Athena, leaving Will to take Lila's hand and pull her out on the dance floor.

They danced in silence for a moment, before Lila rested her head on Will's shoulder and said, quietly, "Everything turned out right for once." Will smirked down at Lila when she said that, causing her to smile up at him. She shrugged and placed her arms around him as they swayed to the music. "What? It did."

"No, I'm in completely agreement with you, Your Majesty." William said, with a teasing look in his eyes. He put a hand on her back, and dipped her down. She laughed as he brought her back up to face him and said, "Well, you know. Everything turned out alright for everyone except Mercer." She rolled her eyes at that since Mercer had been hung a few months previous. She shrugged and said, "Well, he got what was coming to him."

"Once again, I am in complete agreement with you, love." Will said, smirking as he leaned down and kissed her. "Though they are the oddest match ever."

"Oh, come on, William." Lila said, smiling. "Saphie and Jack are adorable." Will wrinkled his nose at that, causing Lila to smack his arm and say, "William, they are. They're perfect for each other. A very smart match if you ask me." At seeing Will's face, Lila compromised and said, "Well, some people say love is blind."

"In Jack's case? It must be blind and deaf." Will laughed when he saw Lila's face, and he said, "Darling, I was kidding." He was about to lean down and kiss her when a young boy, no more than the age of twelve, ran up to them with a letter in his hand. "Your Highness? This came from a Mr. Gibbs." Will took it, and opened it. After he scanned it over, he sighed and said, "Barbossa's on his way."

"Mutiny?"

"Worse." Will said, smirking as he folded the paper back up. Lila was about to ask him why he found this funny, but she found out why a minute later when Will took her hand, and pulled her into the palace. She was trying not to laugh as Will pulled her down the empty part of the palace, wanting nothing more than to get revenge on Jack of his own robbed wedding night. He smirked at Lila as he walked near the only door with light coming from under it.

Inside the room, Jack pushed a laughing Saphira up against the wall and kissed her. She smiled, and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him closer to her. They stood like that, against the wall, kissing for a moment, before a rustling sound outside the door distracted Saphira. She tore away from Jack and paused for a moment, before Jack said, "Love? Are you alright?"

"Yes, I just thought I heard-" But she never got a chance to finish that sentence. Because at that moment, the windows flew open and the candles went out. Cursing under his breath, Jack mumbled, "Saphira?" As they were sent into complete darkness, he tried to feel his way around to the door. "Saphie?"

"JACK!!!" He cursed loudly when he heard her yell and bolted towards the door. He glanced around the hallway, and didn't find her. Up until her heard laughing coming from beside him. He turned to see Saphira lying on the ground, laughing so hard her face was purple and he was surprised that she could still breathe. He glared when he saw Will leaning against the wall, laughing behind her. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a teasing voice from behind him, "You seem shocked to see me. Or rather not…" She trailed off smirking when he turned around and glared at her. Lila smirked as she waved the letter in the air and said, "Barbossa."

"I don't care." Jack narrowed his chocolate eyes and took a step towards Lila. She was trying not to laugh, but failing despite the fact that Will and Saphira were still laughing hard in the corner. She bit her lip and looked up into Jack's eyes to see he wasn't kidding. Her eyes got wide, and she took off down the hallway. "LILA!" He yelled, running after her. "GET BACK HERE!" Lila's screams rang out through the castle as Jack advanced on her. Moments later, there was a loud thud at the other end of the corridor and shouts. Will sighed, and offered his hand to Saphira. She smiled, and allowed Will to pull her up.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, the two of the walked back out the courtyard where Lila and Jack ran off to. He smiled down at her and said, "I'm sorry about your honeymoon." Saphira smirked, and picked up the letter Jack had dropped as she said, "I bet you are." Will chuckled softly, and glanced up at the fountains where Anne and Grant were trying to pry Lila and Jack off of each other.

"JACOB!"

"LILABELLE!!" He said, making a move towards her. She screamed when she saw him do this, and he collided with her, knocking them both into the fountain. Cursing, Lila dunked Jack under, and started wading to the edge of it, only to be pulled back by him again. She laughed and splashed at him, only for him to pick her up and toss her back into the fountain. Dripping wet, he smirked as he hopped over the wall and walked over to where Will and Saphira were. Will pulled Saphie back, because moments later, a wave of water crashed against Jack. His murderous gaze was accompanied by a laugh as she pulled herself out of the water and said, "Goddess."

"I hate you."

"Keep telling yourself that, darling." Lila said with a laugh as she skipped back into the palace. Jack narrowed his chocolate eyes once more, and stormed back inside, dripping wet. Saphie laughed and followed Will back into the palace, hearing Jack or Lila yell out a curse aimed at each other every now and then. Everything was back to normal.

Secrets. That's why they're called secrets, right? They're never meant to be told. And while that statement holds true for most secrets, it didn't hold true for this one. Because as far as the Secret of Atlantis goes, there are some secrets that are just waiting for you to find the meaning behind.

And as crazy as life can get in the Caribbeans, especially for these for, after finding the meanings for the secrets that bound them together, and besides the fact that the next morning would probably prove this statement false, everything, for the first time in what seemed like forever, was perfect.

And as I said, that wouldn't hold true for the next morning, now would it? But it wouldn't be the Caribbeans if everything stayed perfect for long…

…but at that moment, none of them really cared about what the next day would bring.

And that was no secret.