A/N:
So as there turned out to be a lot of stuff to wrap up...another chapter came to be…Well should I have cut out the events of this chap or tried to join it with the epilogue, it would've felt incomplete to me…So here's the update until the final chapter.
And it appears as this site doesn't allow too long names for chapters, I had to discard my originally intented title.
Chapter Twenty Six
Turned back to melancholic Will faced his father, Henry following his suite as after their brief moment of joy Bootstrap's words brought them back to reality, reminded them of what was to happen next, and in concur Will nodded with a wistful smile. Studying his father, the newly appointed captain of the Flying Dutchman, carefully one last time...Feeling like that young boy again who'd once lost his father and had to make do without him…As he would have to now.
"It'll be a long time before I see you again."
"Ten years pass quickly…For someone with enough resolve and something to look forward to in the future to see them through. You would know that, Will", Bootstrap replied with a significant smile, Will letting out a slight sigh but leveled a concurring look to his father's way. Indeed knowing that despite it to have been at times close to unbearable to spend all those long years away from those he loved, he had endured it…at the promise of one day seeing them again.
"Still…I shall miss you", Will told him, his as well as his father's smile widening as Bootstrap placed his hand on his son's once more. Tapping it encouragingly.
"As will I. But not as much as Elizabeth has needed you…Now go."
"Well, good luck with things then, mate…Hope ye'll make a better captain than yer son did with less…flair to follow the footsteps of a certain squid face for we have regrettably ran out of Tridents to uncover to save ye", Jack said, coming to face Bootstrap from between Will and Henry. Earning himself a slight quizzical but also somewhat jaded glance from Will, but gained a small gale of laughter from the elder Turner who now exchanged a comradely look with the pirate.
"It was good to see you again Jack…if ever our meetings shall further remain but brief."
"But speaking of leaving…how are we going to get out of here?" Carina asked then skeptically, gazing about the sanctum now a bit worried, for the inescapable fact was that they were stuck at the bottom of the Mediterranean ocean. With no way out.
"The portal we used to get here…Wouldn't it still be open?" Carmen questioned, but immediately realized that as not an option once Henry replied, sharing Carina's sentiments.
"Even if it were, it would only lead us back to the tomb which would be now filled with water. That very portal saved us from drowning."
Carmen cast her eyes down in silence, scolding herself for suggesting something so silly as of course Henry was right. Her then also letting her gaze scour the treasury in wonder, however like the others not seeing any way for them to get back to the surface…or especially to the right sea for that matter.
"The portal was closed not long after you made passage here", the demigod said then, looking at the spoken individuals until his attention went to his father's Trident. "That pathway was created only for you to enter, and was never meant to offer a way back."
"But the other Trident opened that portal. Surely this one could also…" Carmen begun, but once she happened to lock gazes with the sea god she cut herself off, going silent under the pressure of his ever so domineering presence. However soon enough once more looking back up in relief when she heard the sea god's answer.
"Indeed. I shall grant you passage back to whence you came", Poseidon assured. Carmen actually exchanging a short stare with the god and for a moment found herself lost to those eyes that although feeling like staring into the depths of her soul and beyond also made it seem as if she was was lost to the surge of the ever rippling waves, until Poseidon then swung his Trident. The gypsy girl stepping back as the mighty spear was first dipped downward, until Poseidon whipped it around in a half circle and turned around, water slithering across the floor from the outside of the temple and Carmen and the others followed it to amass at the command of the sea god who lastly sliced through the once again stilled air of the sanctum, until with a bright green flash a visible rift emerged at the centre of it through the gathered, roiling water. Invisible knife wielded by the Trident's tip cutting through nothing, instead of a clear portal like passage in front of them appearing a rupture like hole which reminded of a tear on a sail, running diagonally in an erratic line as if the Trident's prong had simply clawed them a way out of the sanctum…But as promised Poseidon had opened them a path, one which would lead them back to where they came from. Indeed as Henry, Carmen, Carina, Jack and Barbossa peered through the churning haze of the rupture they indeed imagined to see the sweltering glare of the Caribbean sun to greet them from the other side.
"The path is open. Now you must take it", the sea god prompted, the ease Poseidon had demonstrated upon practically cutting the passage open with a single flick of his arm fazing the mortals for a brief instant as they now watched the god to twirl the Trident in his hand habitually to the side while shifting his attention to them. Beckoning towards the rift with a barely distinct tilt of his head. The slight edge that had been now present in his tumultuous voice however making it clear the god to wish for them to leave that place, for now his son freed and his debt paid at the discovery of his Trident that had woken him from his own slumber, he understandably preferred not to suffer mere mortals at his most sacred sanctuary any further…Even some could've argued him to have defaced it himself by turning the very first temple built in his honor into his personal treasure room.
"What about them?" Henry asked then, beckoning towards Fernán's crew members, and now everyone turned to eye at the statue like men. Despite of who these men were and what they had done to them, what the lad had witnessed them to do back at his home island which alone proved how corrupted and malign human beings they were along with their dead captain, Henry still couldn't help but feel a sting of guilt at the thought of leaving them behind to certain death.
"What of them? Those scoundrels can stay and rot here for all I care", Carina spat, in abrupt rush of anger and she strode closer to one of the petrified brigands, sizing the man up upon recogizing him as the one who'd come close killing her during the earlier skirmish, before glared at him viciously. For a brief instant thinking of kicking him to where it would hurt most, but decided against it at the reminder of the state he was in and would remain so, hence controlling herself and only scowled at the pirate murderously. "Let's leave them. Let them stand here till all eternity."
"We can't just leave them Carina", Henry argued, with a deep sigh however, as he neither felt any actual sympathy for these cutthroats…But was however more humane not to act exactly as they undoubtedly would've if it were their enemies currently standing there petrified. Carina now leveling a soft, incredulous glare at the lad.
"Well I say different. They almost killed us!"
"No, their captain almost did. They just followed orders."
Carina let out a loud scoff at this, mumbling about something bloody pirates and their incredible knack for doing everything but follow orders, as shifted her gaze away from Henry and back to the defeated buccaneers, as Poseidon now also turned to eye at the handful of men dismissively. Their fate of no interest to him, but he then did answer to the lad's inquiry.
"They were affected first hand by the gaze of the Gorgon which as the legend says can turn a man to stone…But since it wasn't the still living creature itself they were doomed to look upon the effect shall wear off in time. Otherwise they'd be dead", Poseidon explained, Henry casting his eyes down briefly in understanding, until studied the still miscreants once more, releasing a new sigh.
"Very well…They're coming as well."
"I trust there be no arguing against that, now is there?" Barbossa questioned as now sauntered closer to their now prisoners in turn. Arriving by Carina's side as drew his weapon, who thought him to have addressed her just now, but instead pointed the blade at the pirates threateningly while a spiteful smile was playing on his lips. Him lastly cutting Esteban with a swift slice of his blade's tip who'd been spared from the power of Athena's shield and instead had ended up guarded by a number of Will's crewmen. The first mate leering at the elderly pirate but said nothing, his lips drawn into a tight line that told of no surrender, even if his expressive behavior did while surrounded with so many of the Dutchman's crew. Barbossa's grin widening a tad and turning downright gloatful as he cocked his head backwards at the sight of the man's furious attempt to pry the restraining hands off of himself. However just as Barbossa slipped his sword back into his belt Carina suddenly staggered, feeling lightheaded the young woman finding her vision blurring for a brief instant it took her then to lose her balance. Carina coming close to fainting and she almost dropped to the floor, Barbossa however swooping in and catching her in time.
"I've got ya."
Once now steadied by his arm Carina shook her head upon regaining her shortly blackened vision. Once more bringing a fleeting hand to her injured forehead as her confusion was then replaced with realization when she figured that episode to have been caused by the hit she'd received during her tumble against the altar stone. However as her eyes first zeroed in on the elderly pirate who was eyeing back at her, as much as she was then abruptly able to gather perhaps even in concern before she then came to actually find there to have been true hint of tenderness in his voice before, until she then happened to notice the buccaneer's torn shirt sleeve once his other arm rose to secure around her upper back. Carina blinking as she saw the tattoo that was now fully visible from under the ruptured, dirty fabric and understanding as well as instant shock hit her like a tidal wave. Having as great of an impact as the blow of the Trident had previously as she of course recognized the symbol that apparently was tattoeed to this man's arm. The young woman's widened eyes immediately riveting to Barbossa, to study his age worn, weathered features in grave disbelief until she was left but dumbfounded, after a moment while under he influence of the revelation that was causing her emotions then to overflow her then indeed finding something familiar about those eyes that were taking her in as she now let out a breath, stunned. Her voice that then broke the silence astounded, but even under that quizzical tone Barbossa could hear a distinct tint of hope…which however took a moment to reflect on Carina's mien as she turned serious, staring at the pirate in a perusing manner.
"What am I to you?" Carina demanded, her current feelings over the sudden discovery of the constellation branded to this man's arm conflicted, as on the other hand she couldn't believe her instant suspicions about that tattoo's meaning to be true, where the actual possibility of her conclusions to be right daunted her now that she was presented with a chance to come face to face with the mystery of her background all so suddenly. However as she now thought back to the times she'd spoken to this man and considered the way he'd often behaved while around her it not seeming all that insane or ludicrous at all, especially now when she actually witnessed the way Barbossa's lips next curved up into a genuinely tender smile at the behest of her accosting stare. Everything then falling to place for her as the man let out a sigh before replied, what he said leaving Carina but bewildered even though it was the answer she'd been expecting and downright suspected, it nevertheless not making this moment any less shocking once she found the sole thing she'd spent her whole life desiring for was now right there in front of her…Staring at her square in the eye with such affection that it even stupefied Jack who despite knowing the truth as well behold the way his former first mate was looking at this girl.
"Treasure."
No more needed to be said for the others as well to understand what Barbossa's response meant, Henry ogling at Barbossa in dismay until his attention went fully to flabbergasted Carina whose stern features had been now mellowed by pure astonishment. Her gauging at Barbossa skeptically, overwhelmed by both joy and doubt, where Carmen who as well had had her suspicions eyed at the pair in understanding…Although it was surprising to learn of this apparent and yet so obvious bond between them the elderly pirate's previous soft delivery had been enough to convince anyone of his attachment to Carina. Barbossa now running brief fingers over the gash on Carina's forehead until released her, and before she could get over her awe he left her side. To limp over to the open passage that would take them out of the Poseidon's temple, dragging Esteban with him.
"See ya on the other side", Barbossa mused to Jack, locking passing, amused gazes with him until was the first to go through the rift. The water that licked the edges of the passage rising and eventually consuming the pair of men until they disappeared, crossing to the other side, leaving now others to follow suite. Bootstrap and the Dutchman's crew grabbing the rest of the petrified buccaneers and tried to lead them over to the rift, however after finding all of their movements thwarted by the Gorgon's power that included their legs, them ending up hauling them over to the rest of the assembly already waiting by the rift along with the sea god and his son. Henry and Will turning to Bootstrap once the man handed one of Fernán's men over to his son.
"The lads and I shall return to the ship the same way we came in", Bootstrap told him, his eyes visiting Henry for the last time until he nodded at Will. Stepping back before finally turned to walk away. "Take care son."
Will said nothing as watched his father and his former crew next to vanish into the openings of the temple's walls. Sighing only as watched them go, before soon bettered his hold of the petrified pirate. Exchanging a look with Henry who also took hold of the buccaneer after watching first Carina and Carmen to cross over with a slight leap, clinging to one another while supporting unconscious Salazar they'd taken upon carrying, until the two other remaining prisoners were shoved through by the father and son. Henry smiling at his father as nodded towards the rift, raising his eyebrows at him.
"Together."
Will returned his smile, making a slight nod. "Together."
Before joining his son Will's eyes moved over to Poseidon who was standing by the rift, now truly seeming like the terrifying supernatural force he was know as while towering above them with such dignity and glorified air to him that it would make any mortal easily cower, the infamous Trident glistening and overflowing with power while propelled against the sanctum floor in the divine being's grasp. Will however only holding the sea god's gaze until saw him to nod at him, a gesture of final parting, and there perhaps had been some gratitude in Poseidon's eyes until they shifted away from the man the moment Will and Henry stepped over to the passage and pushed through. Getting blinded by a new flash of green light until it soon turned into the bright radiance of the sun once those same waves swallowed them and sent them stumbling out to a scenery much more familiar. The seabed and the remains of a a rundown underwater city now gone, and with a sigh of utmost relief Henry discovered them to be standing on the shore of the island they'd come across during their escape from the Silent Mary. Not long ahead the Black Pearl waiting docked near the shoreline, her jet black hull glistening in the waning light of the sunset and her once more tied sails softly fluttering in the breeze even while bound. Giving her the type of sensuality that perhaps but a certain pirate captain was only able to see, but which he unmistakenably had missed beholding during her years of captivity within the bottle.
"Still as gorgeous as every time I see 'er", Jack remarked, almost dreamily perhaps as gazed at his ship, relatively enraptured by the sight. Will taking a few paces forward while also marveling at the vessel, nostalgia perhaps causing her look more beautiful than she actually was in his eyes, but just because of that he then smiled at Jack's words in concur. Nodding.
"Aye."
But just as he'd admitted to that he along with everyone else could see figures to pop out from behind the Pearl's gunwale. Jovial outcries of Jack's crew filling the air once the handful of men arrived to witness their captain's return with Barbossa's men, but not long after scouring the faces of the pirates greeting them Will's eyes fixated to a person he now saw to race to the banister. Her golden locks also glistening in the orange hue of the bleeding sun so beautifully that it suddenly took away all the marvel out of the ship's magnificence…With a blissful smile of his own Will finding himself then to greatly disagree with Jack's previous words, although didn't actually say it as simply gazed upon his beloved wife…His restored heart swelling now for unrestrained affection until it skipped an actual beat at the sight of her equally beaming smile once she spotted him down at the shore before her eyes found their son, overjoyed.
"Aye. You're right about that…"
Henry watched how his father then took off running. Dashing across the shore to reach the shoreline, until in a flash he had jumped into the water and begun to swim over to the ship, until was already scaling his way up the Pearl's hull and soon enough threw himself over the gunwale. To meet with Elizabeth who received him with a joyous call of his name, at the instant discovery of to be looking at the same man from the past still unbothered by the effects of the Dutchman's curse her scooping Will into her arms, despite of his drenched state. Only to be soon captured by her husband's own and raised in the air, with his own heart rejoicing over the sight of his reunited parents Henry spying them to spin around a couple of times. His mother's laughter ringing in the air until Will brought them to a halt and put her down, for Elizabeth to level a loving look at Will's features once more devoid of all sea life, until they went in for a kiss. Carmen and Carina coming to a stop at the shore upon laying witness to Henry's parents' endearment, the gypsy girl breaking into an eventual sweet smile at the evident depth of their much tried affection that single act embodied, and which then made her realize why Henry had been so desperate to free his father, until Jack's peevish voice spoke up from behind them. The girls and the lad turning to cast baffled glances at him.
"What a truly revolting sight."
"It's love. Surely something a pirate like you would know nothing about", Carmen stated, now eyeing at Jack a bit poignantly over her shoulder after giving Henry's parents one more even a bit wistful look, but then earned but a matter-of-fact gaze back from Jack that took her aback. The pirate smiling at her knowingly which in the end came close to cause her to flush once she caught onto his insinuations.
"Very much like certain youngsters too occupied wallowing in gratuitous misconceptions over investing in their own affinities to recognize them as such…But any case should ye come to know me better I'd wager ye to be greatly surprised, love."
Holding back a blush Carmen gave Henry a quick glance, who for her chagrin had just then turned to look at her as well at the sound of the pirate's reply, until with one more passing glance given to the other young woman she shifted her focus to the injured man she and Carina were struggling to keep upright. Salazar's limp body weighing them down and it took everything the girls had to keep him from collapsing to the ground, however soon enough Jack coming forth after casting a brief look at the ecstatic woman standing on deck with her restored husband and ordering his crewmen to sent out the longboats. While they were lowered into the water and the pirates begun to row over to them the youth taking a look at the island, seeing what remained of the previously coherent, solid rock, but which due to the opening of the passage to the bottom of the ocean had been torn open by the awakened power of the trident. Leaving behind a gaping chasm that by now had indeed been filled with water, but which now stretched across the whole island, and had forced the pirates to sail the ship a little farther not to get caught up into the raging surges that could've caused the vessel to capsize.
Once the rowboats arrived the prisoners were quickly loaded aboard until the others followed, however after aiding Carina to settle Salazar into one of them Carmen remaining, and just as the boats were about to take off she turned around. To cast a deeply anxious look at the bare island, searching her surroundings with worried eyes, not seeing him anywhere. Henry just managing to bring the departing boat into a halt at the sight of the gypsy girl still standing on the shore, and taking hold of the rope he leapt ashore himself, but although he'd been briefly confused as to why she didn't seem to intend to come with them it then became obvious as he watched her to scour the destroyed island silently. The visible tensity of her shoulders easing as he landed a hand on her arm.
"We're leaving."
"I can't. Not without him", Carmen responded, shaking her head as continued to eye at the island, as if by her looking for him the possessed gypsy man would just appear. Henry giving her an uneasy look until cast his eyes down, his hand sliding away from her arm.
"There's no one here…I don't know what happened to him…But he's not here. He should be here."
Henry next brought her head around by placing his palm onto her neck briefly, and as they locked gazes and he laid witness to the anxiety over the gypsy man's fate his free hand now taking hold of Carmen's, to coax her to follow him. Despite of him knowing how she felt, it serving no purpose of her to stay behind and wait for him even there was no guarantee of him showing up…Especially now when his body had been taken over by a godly being, who was unlikely to return him without a body of his own to change into. "Come with me to the Pearl. It's no use staying here and wait."
Of course Carmen knew him to be right, and she did then give into him with a sigh. Letting him lead her to the awaiting longboat already carrying Carina, Salazar, Jack and the captive pirate, but as she was helped within the boat and she took her place behind Henry once he claimed the oars, she could feel quilt rapidly take hold of her. Weighing her heart, and she couldn't help but look back to the distancing shore, the uncertainty of what had become of Pedro causing her to have to hold herself back from jumping overboard and going back to wait for his appearance. Salazar however then drawing all of their attention as he now stirred after a very long while remaining unconscious, so soundly in fact that Jack had even suggested them to simply dispose of him to the sea, which Carina had been quick to dismiss with a hard leer, although neither she was in rather good terms with the man. The Spaniard letting out a pained groan, until his eyes fluttered open. Their gaze confused at the discovery of even that little sunlight remaining blinding him, until his once more conscious mind registered the bleeding ulcer on his stomach. Carmen peeking from behind Henry to see the man's hands to instantly grasp at his midriff, settling onto the at the present covered bandages that however didn't do much to staunch the bleeding, and gaining an unsettling reminder of Pedro the gypsy girl winced. Voluntarily letting Henry's body to obscure her vision and only listened as Salazar proceeded to let out a series of coughs, his fingers soon enough prying away his jacket Carina had covered him with to have a feel of the sloppily put on wraps as his foggy mind tried to make sense of things. Striving to remember, his once more closed eyes eventually opening again to take in Carina who'd leaned over him, to see his dismay. The Spaniard's voice hoarse as it questioned her.
"Que pasó?"
"The curse was broken. Your brother freed you, but stabbed you right after with the Trident", Carina reminded, even a bit surly as she curtly recalled the cowardly act of the younger Salazar, until sighed. Raising the coat from the bottom of the longboat before spread it over the man's torso again, the several medals of honor attached to the front of the jacket jingling loudly at the action. Carina's voice more amiable once she soon continued.
"So…I'm alive?"
"Yes. Whether it's a good thing or not."
Salazar was visibly puzzled by this information, for the last thing he indeed remembered was his brother running him through with the Trident and him retaliating by stabbing him with a knife before finally passing out…Presuming to have died there, but apparently not…For he was still drawing breath, and could feel the warmth of the waning sun and the gentle tug of the breeze tousling his unbound hair…Despite of the hellish smarting of the bleeding wound feeling more alive than ever. At the comforting, delightful thought of that a blissful sigh erupting from Salazar's lips until his mien turned but earnest, the Spaniard staring up to Carina sternly. Although he already knew the answer to what he was then about to ask, asking nonetheless…For he needed an explanation for the odd, hollow feeling he then could find eating himself away, realizing it to have been caused by but one thing he then so much dreaded for…Despite of what kind of a man Fernán had turned out to have become.
"And what of my brother, señorita?"
Regardless of the not so fond regard Carina had for the man Salazar's question left her then a bit speechless and she looked up to Henry for help. Knowing that even if a mere enemy to them to this man Fernán Calabar had been family, so naturally he couldn't bring himself to utterly detest him like they did…Jack however replying for Carina, his own delivery reflecting nothing sort of such esteem towards the deceased man.
"Let us say that it is a good thing that he isn't one of us living", Jack informed, after gazing at the nearing silhouette of his ship shifting his eyes down to Salazar who abruptly jerked upward at the sound of his voice. After briefly mellowed by given grief over the pirate's mention of Fernán's implied death Salazar's features now hardening for understandable displeasure, even anger, although that same homicidal rage from before wasn't anymore present anywhere in him. "Otherwise not many of us would've survived to spear ye from an inglorious death by a fratricide."
"So you still live, Sparrow?" Salazar questioned, or spat more like with what then sounded to the youth a rather disappointed voice that also had an bilious edge to it due to Jack's way of rubbing in the doomed brotherly squabble at his face, until he crashed back to the bottom of the boat due to the painful twinge of his injury. Carina letting out an another sigh at this, casting a stern look down at the Spaniard.
"Keep moving like that and not much keeps you from joining him."
"It takes lot more to dispose of me, mate. Yer brother learned that, but for his clear calamity the perniculous way", Jack replied carelessly, ignoring the Spaniard's acrimonious tone of voice.
"So the injustice has come to pass yet again…The scum of the earth are allowed to live on detriment of those righteous and virtuous", Salazar stated, gloomily and despite of letting out a slight laugh it was far from joyous. Shadowed by his anger over the fact that he very much would've wished to deny, that like Jack had just said he'd been saved from death back at that sanctum solely due to his enemy's act of spearing him instead of leaving him behind to die to his wounds…To be forced to suffer the humiliation of being saved by pirates being most outrageous and maddening thing that he ever could've imagined to have to endure, owing his survival to not any other common pirate but to Jack Sparrow no less.
"I wouldn't speak so highly…For even before his final moments your brother had become nothing less than those scoundrels you've made a living of killing, while the very miscreant you so despise is responsible of preventing you from facing the same fate", Henry cut in amidst a draw of the oars. Casting an annoyed glance at the injured man over his shoulder, which in the end turned into a slight glare at his own remembrance of the man to have not displayed much such fairness either by possessing him in order to kill Jack. The pirate in question however now bypassing Henry's remark in turn as simply stared down at Salazar only grimly, in the end raising his eyebrows slightly as leveled a significant look at the man.
"Aye…The righteous still have not quite inherited the earth and remained to dwell in it…But it's that lamentable injustice ye owe yer life to."
Salazar said nothing to that. Perhaps to have been finally left speechless by the indisputable truth he'd just been reminded of, or by the numbing pain of loss that was starting to take over him, and with but an vexed sigh he then settled at the bottom of the boat again. Getting lost to his torment once more that was a hurtful mix of both physical and emotional as closed his eyes. Despite of trying not to let it show it becoming clear him to be in great agony, and upon eyeing at him during their short row from the shore to the Black Pearl Carina wasn't quite sure would he in fact survive…The amount of blood covering his once white clothing speaking volumes against that…If not the betrayal and later bereavement of his brother would become the end of him first.
Once they arrived to the ship they swiftly hauled themselves on board, the transport of their prisoner as well as Salazar proving somewhat difficult, but somehow Henry managed to move the Spaniard from the longboat up the hull to the main deck with the help of Carina, while the captured pirate was pulled up with a rope that Carmen had been thrown to tie the miscreant with. As the last to come aboard Carmen climbing up the ladder in tow, halting briefly as the instant uneasiness took over her again at the thought of boarding once the vessel rocked, although she hadn't been away from it all that long. Her imminent dislike of ships to have not disappeared however despite of her time spent getting accustomed to travel on board one, but she was able to forget it once Henry's hand appeared and took hold of her, guiding her the rest of the way up and helping her over the gunwale to see how Salazar did then collapse to the deck after rejecting Carina's offer of support. Alarmed outcries breaking the silence and the gypsy girl discovered Salazar's crew to have apparently made out alive as well, now sitting tied at the side of the main deck while guarded by a few pirates, who'd presumably rescued them from the water by the sight of their still damp clothes and hair. But although the Spaniards had so far simply sat there silent, at the sight of their survived captain falling onto the deck bleeding they were all startled, roused from their musings and the man wearing an eyepatch leapt to his feet. Trying to race over to his captain as called his name, but the pirates kept him at bay with a raise of their weapons, however once Jack then strode forth and gave the buccaneers a remarkable nod the men stepping aside while the pirate captain walked forth. With a grim exchange of stares Jack walking over to Lesaro but for his surprise then cut his bonds, enabling him next to pass the guards as prompted by the new dismissive nod of Jack's he hurried to Salazar, turning him over.
"You are wounded", the first mate mused, somberly as looked upon the grisly ulcer, another man now rising from the row of Spaniards overseeing their exchange once the officer next glanced over his shoulder. "Sánchez needs to have a look at you."
"Estoy bien, Lesaro", Salazar replied, impassively as if they were talking of a mere scrape, and his gaze then moved over to his crew while the risen man then arrived at the mention of his name. Searching the faces he was able to make out until made a quizzical frown when the secondly arrived officer begun to unlace the bandages, to have a look at the wound himself. "Is this all of you?"
"Sí, capitan. We are all here, unharmed…Free at last."
"Bien…Muy bien."
"What happened, capitán? What happened after the curse was restored and you were trapped within the tomb?…Why…was Fernán there?"
Salazar's eyes opened as he looked at his second in command, grimly. "You saw him?"
"Yes. After we escaped at the revoking of the curse we saw him enter the tomb…Although he should be dead."
"My brother…is gone, Lesaro. Muerto. Has been for years…as the man I once knew."
Lesaro was quiet for a long while until he answered, his features softening for genuine compassion, for he had known his captain for years and was aware of how important his brother had been to him, as well as all about their past fall out which had long pestered him so, even after the younger brother's assumed demise…For that reason recognizing the depth of the torment his captain was now under while delivering these regrettable news, and hence didn't need the events to be recounted for him to already guess what had come to pass, him simply bowing his head."Lo siento, capitán."
Carmen watched as Salazar then got tended by one of his crewmen, but all her focus then went to the figure she then realized to have appeared at the other side of the ship. Henry gasping as he then suddenly noticed the gypsy girl to dart forth and leave his side, half running across the deck to where the demigod was currently standing in clear wait of her. Carmen halting a few paces away from the godly being in sudden remembrance of her to be still confronted with the possessed childhood friend of hers and not the real Pedro, her eyes however then instantly riveting to the wound on his stomach that she'd also tried to tie with the strips of her clothing…Worry taking over her again and the gunshot wound caused her heart to lurch fearfully as she studied the demigod, soon casting a wondering look up to him.
"Is he alright?" she asked, all eyes now turning to them, and even Will and Elizabeth forgot each other for a moment as they turned to witness Carmen's confrontation with the demigod, who only leveled a blank look at her in return. However upon picking up the concern in her voice him then glancing down at the wound as well, such look not boding well, and his following reply upset the gypsy girl even more.
"He will be returned to you in the same condition he was."
Carmen let out a breath. Not of relief or worry either, but she could then say nothing as she suddenly noticed Pedro's eyes to close after the demigod had nodded at her thankfully, and not long after the body he'd been occupying slackened. Carmen flinching for immediate fright as she followed Pedro to now begin to collapse in turn after his eyes briefly shot open again and she could hear an agonized moan to slip his lips, him however staying on his feet, barely, but still Carmen then watched his gaze to rise up to her. Once more those familiar eyes she knew looking back at her, this time a stunned breath escaping her as she behold that shadow of a delighted smile to pass his lips as he took her in while his hands automatically latched onto his midriff. There to be no mistaking then whom the gypsy girl was looking at as after pressing against the ulcer briefly his other hand then reached out to her, weakly, despite of his evident confusion over to what had happened Pedro looking simply at her, relieved.
"Carmenita…"
That one word had hold such emotion that hearing it caused Henry then to gasp to a halt, just as Pedro's eyes then fluttered shut and with a gruesome splutter of blood and a tired moan he finally lost control of his weakened body. Starting to keel over now that the godly entity that had kept him from succumbing to the deadly injury was gone, but alarmed Carmen was swift to leap over to him and caught him, keeping him from collapsing but was forced to give in under the weight of his limp body as it crashed onto her, almost tackling her as well. Carmen clutching to him with both arms as brought him down, cradling his upper torso as shook him, trying to wake him. One look next cast down to his wound causing instant tears of fear to emerge as she watched the gash to finally continue to bleed, soon staining her hand as it moved from the gypsy lad's forearm to press against the wound like back at the tomb. Any calls of his name doing nothing to awaken Pedro, and neither did her fingers soon brushing against his wane complexion stir him from the slumber he'd fallen into…After uselessly begging him to wake up, to not die, Carmen's tear-riddled eyes then begun to scour her vicinity. Glancing at the staring people around her helplessly as her arms latched around Pedro, as if her touch was the sole thing that anymore kept him anchored to life that was all the while draining from him into that puddle of red that was beginning to drench her dress.
"Help me! Help me, please! He's dying!"
Henry cast his eyes down sadly, the sight of Carmen crying like that quickly becoming too unbearable for him to witness, and not only due to the evident distress she was in…Her current state alone proving something he hadn't until then considered, that that young man was much more important to her than he'd ever even realized as someone who hadn't been much in her life during the time Henry had been in hers, but those startled looks she was giving them while clutching to gravely injured Pedro, who either wouldn't be in this situation if not for his initial desire to protect her, proved that perhaps Henry hadn't given enough value to the bond that seemed to exists between that young man and the girl he'd taken a great fancy to…So much so that despite of the gravity of Pedro's state Henry would've been lying if he had denied not to have been envious of him at the moment upon beholding the care she was giving him.
Will was the first one to respond to the gypsy girl's plead, about to go to her aid, but surprisingly Salazar stopped him by abruptly rising from the deck. Against his crewman's advice straightening at the sound of Carmen's alarmed voice, and with the support of Lesaro he rose into a sitting position, to turn his attention to the gypsy girl, and he then did remember the lad in her arms. Despite of being tormented by the effects of the Triangle's curse that at the time had taken much of his awareness, Salazar recalling the way his brother had mercilessly shot him before letting the freed demigod to possess him…So as he then recalled the way Carmen had been helplessly crying over this injured lad before like she was now, taking into an account of the other atrocities he was then reminded of Fernán to have committed to not only to her but to others as well after their entrance to Poseidon's sanctum and for which he as his brother now owed them, Salazar sighed. Beckoning towards the pair while exchanged a look with the officer inspecting his injuries.
"Juan…Go help him."
"But capitán…"
"Do it. It's an order. That lad doesn't have much blood left to spill."
The man gave his captain a curt addled glance but did then do as commanded, leaving Salazar's side and for the further surprise of everyone then walked over to Carmen, startling her upon kneeling by her side, whose initial reaction was to recoil away from him. Instinctively trying to shield Pedro from him as her only memories about Salazar's crewmen were of them as ghosts who'd done nothing than tried to kill them in the past. The officer however leveling now a quelling look at her, causing Carmen to flinch as he placed a soothing hand on her arm resting on top of Pedro's chest.
"It's alright, señorita. I work as a surgeon aboard La Maria…I can help him, if you only allow me."
Carmen was hesitant, her eyes traveling over to Salazar and his first mate briefly until returned back to officer Sánchez upon seeing Salazar to nod at her reassuringly. Her making a slight nod herself as gave the man room to examine Pedro, officer Sánchez soon taking her spot as lowered the gypsy lad onto the deck, soon enough giving the bloody clothes a grim look after ripping the lad's shirt apart to have a brief glance at the wound before looked at Carmen who soon spoke up, scared.
"Is he going to die?"
"The wound is severe, and I cannot do much without my tools", officer Sánchez replied after a slight sigh. Right at that moment everything about him signaling of his doubt whether or not this young man either would survive, and equally frightened of that Carmen escaped his gaze. Her hands squeezing around the hem of her dress as she fought back the new stream of tears, her finally looking up to Pedro as the surgeon then beckoned to a few of his fellow officers to come forth.
"Just promise me that you save him."
"I'll do all I can, señorita."
Once a couple of others of Salazar's men were cut loose at the wordless behest of Jack they came forth, them and Sánchez then using their coats to carry Pedro a little farther to the side of the deck, for he was bleeding too much to be moved below decks. Lesaro resuming the surgeon's duties in giving first aid to their captain as Gibbs who'd briefly disappeared now emerged from the captain's quarters. Taking aback the Spanish officer by handing him a bag of apparent medical supplies that had somehow found their way to a pirate ship, although it wasn't in any way common for pirates to enlist the service of doctors like the Royal Navy did. Carmen instead finding herself unable to move as she then simply stood by the railing, watching the surgeon to begin to treat Pedro, until she suddenly flopped to the deck. In sudden exhaustion, only then in some part of her coming to realize how much of a heavy toll the events of the past weeks had taken in her, until she was consumed by only worry. Once she observed the bloody clothes to be soon tossed aside onto the deck her attention shifting to her hands which also were covered in Pedro's blood, also tainting the sleeves of her dress, and feeling a lump to form in her throat she hid them under the fabric that had draped around her knees. Therefore not noticing Henry who'd by then arrived by her side, the gypsy girl picking up his presence only when he slid down to take a seat next to her.
"Are you alright?" he asked, knowing fully well that she wasn't, but at such a loss of what he should've been doing or saying finding no other words to ease his own anxiety over Carmen's sentiments. Giving a quick look at her own wounds to which she however gave no heed to, her reply only saddening him as she next shortly returned his gaze until her eyes moved over to Pedro, a new tear falling down her cheek as she answered with a desolate shake of her head.
"No. It's my fault, Henry…He's dying because of me…Because he came after me."
Carmen said then nothing, with a sad breath that resembled a sob her next drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, where her gaze riveted to the surgeon attending to Pedro's injury. Having nothing left to say himself Henry then only letting his hand to sweep past her forearm once he stood, walking away, his own focus then going back to his parents, who despite of the grave turn of events had once more become lost with the bliss of their reunion…Smile soon enough rising on the lad's lips once he saw his mother in his father's arms, her own smile so beaming and radiant that he knew to have never seen her like that before, so over the moon happy…And same went with his father. Henry's attention however getting drawn away from them once he could feel something to nudge at the back of his wrist, gazing down to see Carina's journal before his confused eyes looked up to Jack. The pirate giving the diary a remarkable glance before handed it over, Henry sighing upon then turning to see Carina who was standing a little farther away from him. Lost to her own musings, her own gaze however trailing after Barbossa who had assumed immediate command of the ship, for the great vexation of Jack, ordering them to take the prisoners down to the brig.
"Are you well?" he now asked her, walking over, and with a puzzled look also given down at her journal Carina tilted her head unsurely.
"I don't know…For so long I've lived with not much anything…And now that I suddenly have everything I've ever hoped for and more…It scares me", she replied, stroking the leather bound booklet hesitantly upon taking it into her hand. Henry leveling a quizzical look at her.
"How so?"
"For upon setting out to find the Trident with you…I didn't expect to find my father instead."
Henry, who yet had been to be informed of this revelation was shocked, but after casting a dubious look after the elderly pirate who was currently escorting Esteban below at the point of his enchanted sword he simply raised his eyebrows. As unbelievable as that may have sounded the very look on the young woman's face being enough to tell him such an outrageous claim to be true, hence him then simply smiling slightly. Carina sighing instead.
"It sure will take some figuring out exactly how to be a daughter..."
"In your defense I reckon him not to have a very good perception of how to be a father either, Miss. Smyth"
They shared a slight chuckle, but Carina then looked into Henry's eyes somewhat proudly. For the first time ever in her life knowing exactly who she was and despite of this lifelong mystery to have been something she least had expected, not the least ashamed of it. Simply content that she now finally knew where she came from…and who her father was. Hence making it clear as replied, smiling now but happily.
"Barbossa. My name is Barbossa."
"'To release the power of the sea all must divide'…It meant but one ocean, one power…Breaking of that trident which we then regarded as the real one unleashing but a fraction of the true power, but to unleash the might of all seven seas…It never was about dividing something that was there, but rather about something that was already divided…and to be brought together."
Carina, Will and Elizabeth turned over to spoken Henry, whose eyes however were solely directed to the stars that were beginning to emerge to the darkened sky. Them to have been sitting on the main deck together a few hours after sundown, discussing over the events that had taken place at the sanctum and before that at the tomb once Fernán had appeared, the passed time that had followed to have given Henry a chance to think things over especially once Carina had told them about the inscription she and Carmen had found from the altar stone within the second half of the real Trident had been sealed. Him now straightening from his slightly hunched position as his gaze dropped back to the people in his presence, first naturally fixating to his father who'd been left alone after Elizabeth had taken her leave to go over to the gypsy girl to check on her. Them to have been previously seated side by side onto a pair of barrels, their backs against the gunwale, while Elizabeth had been comfortably nestled against Will's side. Her arms wrapped around his torso while her shoulders had been draped by his jacket he'd covered them both with, to enclose them into their intimate little snuggle, which truthfully had made them look like young newlyweds, especially taken the way Henry often had caught his mother behaving, but on the other hand it didn't bother him…For technically they were those young newlyweds once separated after but one day wed, only now after years of delay given the opportunity to live up to their expectations of married life.
"The tridents had to be divided and joined as one…it makes sense. That demigod was the son of Poseidon, his direct descendant, so naturally his weapon hold half of his power…So that's why it could open the portal to the temple, but couldn't break the Triangle's curse and became powerless the moment we arrived there…And why the demigod told us to 'unite' them", Carina filled in then, to have also thought over the mystery still hanging above the business with the Trident and everything that still had remained uncleared about what had come to pass at that sanctum. Her sharing a look of realization with Henry, whose eyes eventually found their way back to his father.
"Meaning that the true power of the seas laid in the bond of a father and son…Once divided but brought together again", Henry mused, his current smile subtle but remarkable as he looked up to Will who returned the gesture with a smirk of his own. Them then exchanging a fond look with one another and Will was about to say something, but arriving Elizabeth cut his intentions short. Will shifting to welcome his wife who reclaimed her seat beside him, settling back against his awaiting arm while buried herself under the warmth of his coat. Earning a passing kiss to her cheek from Will, where Henry's eyes instantly shifted over to Carmen whose back was once again propped against the gunwale at the portside of the vessel while Pedro laid at her lap. Still asleep, where the gypsy girl was staring over the starboard side railing, at the moon that had finally made an appearance, clearly worn out. The treatment of the gypsy lad to have been completed those several hour earlier after which the surgeon had also been taken below to the cells, and Carmen had taken it upon herself to guard the injured lad at the sound of the doctor's not so hopeful diagnosis. For that reason their previous attempts of getting her to step away from Pedro long enough to tend for herself to have been for no avail, as she'd refused to leave him.
"How is she?" he asked, leaning on his knees gazed up to his mother, whose smile then turned into a fleeting concerned frown.
"Calmed down. I managed to pry her away from him long enough to dress her wounds…But how does she know him?" Elizabeth answered, until cast a curious nod at Pedro. To have witnessed the somewhat downcast look her son had sent at the pair of gypsies until assumed a stolid expression, however unable to hide his true sentiments from his mother…And least of all his father, who despite of to have not perhaps raised him and hence learnt to know him was still able to tell something to lie behind the lad's following response.
"They're childhood friends…He was the reason why she had to leave her family and live at the convent to protect him from Fernán", Henry elaborated, this explaining a lot to Elizabeth who now looked at Carmen and Pedro in surprise until soon sighed, allowing Will to pull her back into his embrace. Soon enough however quirking her eyebrows at Henry reassuringly, noticing how he kept glancing at the gypsy girl in clear concern.
"She's fine, Henry. Her wounds aren't that severe. They'll heal."
"Who is she?" Will then asked, made curious himself due to have also seen the way his son had continued to look at the girl throughout the evening and even before that, not however needing to utilize his father's instinct to tell him something to be going on between the two of them. Henry's eyes instantly darting up to him while he then received a remarkable look from Elizabeth, the woman smiling sweetly as cast a teasing look at their son.
"Well, she is…"
"A friend! She's a friend", Henry hastened to say, Elizabeth now narrowing her eyes at him this time around as eyed at him quizzically. Unsure as to why he would so strongly deny to have feelings for Carmen, but nevertheless he did. Eventually also her letting the issue be as Will simply settled for the response he'd been given, nodding. At the remembrance of Carina still being in their presence Henry then diverting the discussion back to the earlier topic, looking to his father now only in wonder.
"But there's something I don't understand…How did you get into that temple? Calabar had to use Carina to summon Poseidon's son to open up the portal for us, so how did you do it?"
"Working a commission given to you by a sea goddess has its benefits…aside for the curse and everlasting life that are the greatest occupational hazards that come along with it", Will replied, exchanging a knowing look with Elizabeth until smiled at her. Shifting his focus back to Henry at the sound of his answer.
"Ones which you no longer have to worry over", he remarked, raising his brows quizzically, to which Will sighed. Shrugging slightly upon finally replying to his son's question.
"I suppose she found herself owing an old debt."
Henry frowned. "To you?"
"To me and many others…Although she chose to forget it at the time in favor of justified scorn and other declamatory dramatics befit for a godly being", Will elaborated. Him and Elizabeth exchanging another significant look as they both then recalled the ritual held aboard the Pearl all those years ago that had released Calypso from the mortal body the Brethren Court had trapped her in, and the theaterical manner the goddess had reacted to her regained freedom…But as Henry saw the second look his father soon enough leveled at Elizabeth he realized him to have referred to his mother. "Calypso opened the portal for us."
"So you summoned her and asked for her help…But still, what could've possibly made her agree to help you?" Henry asked, indeed doubtful of the heathen goddess to have simply paid heed to his father's heartfelt request of helping him, especially at the threat of his desire to be rid of his commission. Will then turning quite thoughtful but clueless at the same time, clearly not knowing the whole truth either.
"Apparently she found herself betrayed by a witch who'd devised a plan to free the demigod she herself had once imprisoned to the bottom of the Caribbean ocean…And she wasn't all that happy about it. So in fact after your mother had gotten in contact with me and told me in what kind of trouble you were, Calypso came to us herself."
"That witch…Barbossa mentioned her, as did Calabar. She was working with him", Henry realized, his brows knitting slightly at that. "It must've been her who told him about the Trident and the facts detailing the true nature of its legend, including how to use the false trident to gain access to the sanctum...She even used Barbossa as a pawn to play into their shared plans, ones she played a significant part in devising as the one with the direct connection to the sea goddess. Calabar was just someone whose ambition she used for her own benefit."
"Aye. To gain the power of the demigod for herself. That's what Calypso told us…Although I'm not all that sure was he intending to go through with his deal with the witch, so it raises the question which of them was the one being used", Will concurred, brief silence descending as they mulled over his previous notion. The slight pause coming to an end as Carina spoke up, pensive look on her mien.
"It appears this wasn't the first time she tried to make use of someone to locate the tomb of the demigod…My fath…Captain Barbossa told me him to have taken Galileo's diary from an Italian sailor who also at the time possessed the piece of the jewel found at the island beneath the first trident was buried", she informed them, causing Henry to frown at this information after smiling at the young woman's awkwardness of adopting the idea of a pirate like Barbossa being her father…Which even if true nonetheless was rather incredible to her, who for so long had had a totally different idea of the man.
"Which opened the passage to the tomb…And which also explains the things Calabar said …The witch had given the jewel to that sailor and sent him to find the trident just like she did with Barbossa", Henry mused, earning a nod from Carina.
"Seems that way."
After another slight pause Carina then sighed, her eyes traveling across the faces of the Turner family until her full focus went back to Henry, her smiling at him in a way that the lad's parents couldn't help but notice to be rather fond.
"Well, despite of it all we survived…That's what matters."
Henry's counter smile was this time short-lived, as his own attention was then drawn back to Carmen. The gypsy girl however remaining now clueless of the attention she was getting as she only eyed at the tattered clouds that sailed across the moon for a moment more until sudden stirring of Pedro caught her unawares. Her eyes instantly dropping to him in alarm, only to discover him to have simply shifted uncomfortably in his feverish slumber. Carmen raising a brief hand to feel his forehead, but upon finding it practically scalding against her skin she sighed, holding back a rush of distress as settled back against the hard boards of the gunwale. Finding her position highly uncomfortable, but she couldn't move from that spot in case of Pedro's state taking a turn for even worse…Although she couldn't believe him to be able to turn any weaker than he already was, despite of the surgeon of the Silent Mary to have been able to do as much as save his life.
While her attention was centered around the lad asleep in her lap Carmen failed to notice how the twin doors leading within the captain's cabin then swung open, out sauntering Jack, who ambled to the main deck upon straightening his askew tricorne hat. Coming to a brief halt at the discovery of the happy family together with Carina to still remain gathered by the stairs leading to the upper deck, talking, until he next spotted the gypsy girl who was sitting apart from the rest. Finding her to have not moved an inch since the last time he'd taken notice of her, and with a perceptive eye he soon discerned the what else but pining looks the young Turner was making while eyeing at the object of his at least somewhat committed affection with the other young man. Although not fully knowing why or at least admitting the reason for it Jack then changing his mind of going over to the helm, and directed his steps towards the gypsy girl. Getting as close as halting but a couple of paces away without her noticing, Jack stealing one more look at Henry over his shoulder until turned his eyes to the inpenetrable darkness that surrounded his beloved Pearl. Closing his eyes only shortly to enjoy the breeze that blew against him.
"So, love…Made any progress in untangling the clutter that is yer sentimental dilemma?" he then questioned casually, taking a swig of rum, where Carmen gasped amidst running an absentminded hand across Pedro's chest, to have indeed not noticed Jack to have arrived. The taken aback girl looking up to him with an addled frown and finding him to have apparently fetched himself a new bottle to replace the one Elizabeth had previously confiscated from him in order to use the drink to disinfect Carmen's wounds, very much like the Spanish surgeon had been forced to do at the lack of other more proper substances…The fact that the rivarling captain and one of his oldest foes had claimed his quarters for his use and as if by doing so professing himself the captain of the Black Pearl yet again seemingly not bothering the pirate as much, at least as long as he had the Caribbean breeze and that bottle of rum to indulge in.
"What?" Carmen stated, too consumed by her own musings to have followed what the man had said. Earning a jaded sideways glance from the pirate captain who however next cast a meaningful look at Pedro.
"I don't deny that your tactic of directing yer affections towards two strapping lads simultaneously wouldn't be justified or expected…But I truly hate to have to repeat myself, and in fact know of someone driven by yer little artifice who is very anxious to get to the bottom of such sentiments as much as their own", Jack specified, meeting Carmen's gaze as waved a significant hand towards Henry, who once again was keeping an eye on Carmen, who now instead turned to gaze over to where he sat. Catching him staring, and not liking a single bit how miserable his attention actually made her feel then, especially thanks to Jack's following commentary as like so many times before she eluded the lad's gaze in guilt.
"What's it to you?" she asked, truly not believing this pirate to have an actual interest in the true nature of terms between her and Henry. Jack however proving her wrong by turning after another swig, leveling a knowing look at her.
"Let us just say that I've had me fair share of lovesick dullards complicating me life with their said impassioned hankerings, so would rather like to aid ye in figuring yers out…As it seems the lad isn't the only one in need of an answer to that, now is he?" Jack told her, whether it had been his initial intention or not actually getting through to Carmen and helping her to view her conflict from a whole new perspective. The gypsy girl only gazing up to the pirate silently, in realization until after a brief exchange of knowing stares he then took off after flashing her a lopsided grin. Humming to himself a song that soon reached the ears of Elizabeth as the man trudged over to the stairs and begun to make his way up to the quarterdeck, Henry's mother picking up the tune from where Jack had left off and for a while the silence of the night was disturbed by a sole, clear voice as she begun to sing…Although soon enough everyone listening having to admit her not to exactly possess all that great of an ear for music.
After losing herself into the verses of the sea shanty Carmen was then again made alert when Pedro abruptly moved, his head shifting in her lap significantly, and once she gazed down she actually discovered him to have finally woken up. Perhaps to have been roused by Elizabeth's singing, but not paying much visible heed to it the gypsy lad then bemoaned. Undoubtedly feeling the devilish smarting of his wound as he instantly stopped fidgeting, squeezing his eyes shut, where Carmen's hand resumed its previous act of brushing his hair back from his drenched brow.
"You should sleep", she told him softly. Soon picking up a faint chuckle as regardless of his delirium Pedro looked into her eyes then, the slight shift of his head presumably indicating a headshake as he slowly brought up a hand from his stomach. To touch the inside of the wrist of her free hand that had remained on his arm.
"How could I sleep when I'm finally here…with you", he said hoarsely, having great difficulties speaking and Carmen sighed at his insistence of doing so. Trying not to appear too worried as now allowed a small smile to grace her lips.
"You almost died."
"So did you."
Carmen stayed silent at the sound of that, taking a break, until after giving his covered up injury a glance she then shook her own head. Skeptically as locked gazes with Pedro, who was struggling to stay awake. His high fever not helping him in his attempt to carry out the prolonged discussion he'd yearned to have with her, ever since finding out her to have taken off with the gorger boy he'd seen her with outside the convent. Her following question almost getting lost to him as he dozed off, almost falling back asleep.
"Why did you come here? You almost got yourself killed."
"Why did you leave? You should've stayed at home", Pedro breathed, that single question draining him of much of his strength, and he then voluntarily laid still his eyes closed. The demanding ache of his sore wound close to paralyzing, and he honestly felt like hovering between life and death, Carmen seeing his jaw to clench at his effort to fight back the pain once she answered.
"It was dangerous to stay home. After what happened at the convent it was safer to leave."
"It was stupid of you to leave! You…never should've left with him, Carmen", Pedro said, with such sudden zeal that it surprised the gypsy girl, and she blinked once she saw the scorn that made an appearance on his pallid face at the mention of Henry. His following words causing her heart to lurch, and not in a pleasant way. "You should've stayed…so that we, your family could've looked after you…So that I could've protected you just like I have always done since we were little…Instead of running off with him….For you know…what your parents would think of this…and that you can never…have anything to do with him again…Is that clear?"
Carmen couldn't help herself from frowning sadly. Pedro finding his words to have an opposite affect on her, but he pursued by then striving to level an affectionate look at the girl he'd long since believed to come to share a life with. Pouring all his sentiments into the next words he next spoke, to make it clear to her once and for all it to be ill-adviced for her to go against what he'd just told her, that she had no reason to do so. No matter her past actions, and those of present.
"I went after you, because I…worried. Because I feared…for you…Because I have always loved you, Carmenita…And that…hasn't changed. So, please…Come back home. You can never have a life with that boy, so…don't…turn your back to your blood…over an outsider like aunt Lía did."
As had become apparent by the way the gypsy lad had to search for his words Pedro then lost the fight against the wearing effect of his injury and fell unconscious. His hand which had curtly risen to smooth shocked Carmen's cheek before eventually curling around her delicate fingers to make his point across then slackening, the gypsy girl gazing at him now but desolately as naturally she knew him to be right…But didn't want him to be, and hence for the first time in a while much more sure of her own feelings thanks to this unexpected confession Carmen let out a helpless sigh. Stealing an immediate peek at Henry who was engaged in a discussion with his parents, in turn now unaware of her despair, and she pressed her head against the gunwale with a frustrated sigh. Her heart aching for the sincere feelings of Pedro, but also for her own as she spoke to the silence that was the only one to hear her.
"I know that."
Crying now Carmen listened to the subtle puffering of Pedro's laborious breathing until she turned away once she spotted Henry to rise from his respective seat and take off to the direction of the helm when his parents and Carina rose to retire to their cabins. Henry remaining clueless to the longing looks he was given by the girl as he strode up the steps, in need of some alone time to think, and although he was aware of Jack to have manned the helm in place of Gibbs he figured his quiet presence not to hurt his private musings as he walked over to the railing and leant against it. Gazing over to the dark waters that as pitch black as were the skies, only the lanterns hung to the ship's mast creating some light upon reflecting from the calm waves rocking the vessel. After some time simply standing there in utter silence Henry then casting a glance at Jack, spotting the bottle in his possession, and before the pirate could argue snatched the rum from him. Despite of not considering himself any form of a drinker taking a swig, instantly regretting it at the foul taste of the liquid that scorched its way down his throat. This apparently amusing the pirate who'd at first seemed miffed by the lad so shamelessly claiming his drink from him.
"Ye seem to share an inborn crave for rum with yer mother, but unlike her at least express it through natural consumption", Jack mused. Henry raising significant brows at him as handed the bottle back to him, to have heard the story of that too, but still wasn't all that sure did he agree with that particular allusive remark.
"I have a lot in my mind."
"Seem like ye do as ye almost jugged down the rest of what remained of me rare select vintage", Jack murmured, only partly accusingly and gave the bottle a slight squint before slipped it under his coat. Out of the lad's further reach, Henry making a half smile upon then also coming to doubt that previous notion taken the quality of the rum that to him had tasted overall poor, until then gazed about the Pearl pensively. Listening to the grating of the rigging and the creaking of the ship, that temperate moment soon reminding him much of the similar instance spent on board the Dying Gull…When he'd pondered over similar matters as he did now, so hence inspired by this and the fact that the pirate was far less inebriated than he'd been back then, the lad figuring to be actually able to gain a sensible answer from him. Henry this time directing a quizzical look at Jack before shifting his eyes over to Carmen, nodding at her, although he was then clearly referring to the gypsy lad.
"What ever would your advice tell me to do now? For he is neither a brother nor a sister, so I'm pretty much drawing a blank there…" Henry inquired, half jokingly, as wasn't truly expecting to gain actual tangible counsel from the man, but couldn't help asking…For that question well embodied what he'd been so troubled with ever since Pedro's appearance at the tomb.
Jack said nothing at first. Also giving the gypsy in Carmen's company a lingering look until looked at Henry enigmatically. However against the lad's assumptions not speaking as singularly as he'd hoped, even he shouldn't have expected nothing less, was Jack rat-arsed or much less so. "I'd say that I once adviced yer father to keep a sharp eye for an opportune moment…But if you are yer father's son then I'm sure such an advice would be wasted in a sense that ye Turners seem to not pay heed to any of 'em…instead going about doing the opposite."
"What do you mean?" Henry queried, honestly clueless, or slow to catch on to Jack's ramblings as he often was. The pirate leveling a significant look at him.
"Just look what happened to yer parents!"
"You mean they got married even without your such outlandish lessons on how to properly secure someone?"
"No. Your father, against me given advice, chose not to take the opportune moment, which resulted in him having to break free yours truly that led to him getting himself and his damsel in distress yet again by a certain company which then had him ending up picking up a mantle of a certain squidface and captain the notorious ghost ship and ergo henceforth got him separated from the missus and the little whelp for years…Only because he didn't heed to what dear ol' Jack said."
Henry scoffed incredulously at Jack's yet again so eloquent way of putting a simple notion, but let it go as then became sincerely curious to hear to what he was getting at by saying so. Folding his arms as faced the pirate. "And what would you say now?"
"Be like yer father. Do nothing and let the once so favorable opportunity go by in favor of not pursuing that which ye want, or follow yer desires to whatever pressing pickle they might later steer ye to…Because if you choose not to yer mother can tell what almost happened with a certain Commodore that almost became the impediment between yer birth and a life of a society wife", Jack elaborated. In the end perhaps even flashing the lad a slight smile until assumed that same indifferent expression, simply having eyes for the horizon he was staring at upon resuming to steer the Pearl. Now taking out his compass he'd previously gotten back from Barbossa's monkey, from which the pirate had taken it from upon getting reunited with his old pet, and upon thinking over his words Henry watched the needle to turn and followed Jack to change the ship's course accordingly. Soon enough thinking that he understood, needing not a compass like that to tell him what was it that he wanted.
"Thank you Jack", Henry said, but taken by both his tone and the stress of his voice meaning much more than he then let on, and also Jack was then quick to take note of it. Despite of the new ghost of a smile that then made an appearance on his lips the pirate however dismissing the lad's words with an usual impassive wave of his hand.
"If ye're truly grateful, ye can start by paying up the as of now ten pieces I'm owed."
With an amused shake of his head Henry then left, tracing his steps back to the main deck which by then had indeed become devoid of any other people aside for him…and Carmen of course. But as the lad then came to a stop and gazed over to where the gypsy girl sat huddled against the side of the ship, he realized she was in fact asleep. Her head greatly tilted downward after it had seemingly slipped from its propped up position, making it seem her to keel over if it weren't for the young man's body resting upon hers to keep her upright. However upon now ending up simply eyeing at her for awhile from the distance the temptation to get closer winning Henry over and he moved out, with silent steps making his way over to the pair of sleeping gypsies, but his undiverted attention was solely on Carmen. For the first time the lad taking notice of how cold it actually had become as upon bringing out careful hands to raise her into a sitting position he saw her to suddenly shiver, despite of the fact of another man laying asleep in her very lap, without thinking him then immediately removing the jacket he'd previously found from below. Soft smile instead visiting his lips as he attempted to cover the girl with the garment, however the hand that shot out to stop him and took hold of his wrist startling him and the lad gazed down to notice Pedro to have woken. With a leer that was nothing sort of friendly the gypsy man darting upright surprisingly agilely upon discovering Henry hovering over asleep Carmen, and used his firm grip to shove the lad away. His injury not bothering him a bit then as he scowled at Henry, regardless of his notable sway telling him to stay away.
"She has no need of you gorger. She never did, and she never will. As of now leave her be", Pedro told him acridly, however even though his tone was nothing less biting his weariness causing him now to falter significantly and he pretty much flopped back down into Carmen's lap. Even Henry could tell him to be in great pain the young gypsy man still glowering at him in disdain, but his meandering ponders made notably more clear by his previous exchange with Jack Henry next simply locked indifferent gazes with him. Nonchalant to his hateful behavior and placed the coat over Carmen before looked into Pedro's eyes earnestly.
"She'll be cold", Henry stated, making sure the jacket wouldn't fall from Carmen's shoulders by tucking the edges under her until lastly also pulled the hem of the jacket far enough for it to also give warmth to the wounded lad. Earning hence a bemused glance from him until rose to leave. "In case you need to warm yourself up as well. For I know she'd be devastated to wake up and find you dead from the cold."