- Author's Note - Hey, guys! Thanks so much for the favorites and follows, and a special thanks to MedievalWarriorPrincess and x XRoweenaJAugustineX x for reviewing!
Here's Chapter 3. I hope you enjoy it, and, if you do, PLEASE review!
The mansion was relatively unharmed from the attack by the Pirates the night before. There was some minor damage to the stone walls that surrounded it, and the beautiful steel gates had been bent slightly by what looked like canon fire, but the mansion itself was perfectly intact, which, to Lucinda, made no sense. The rich houses were usually the first to be targeted by Barbossa, who hated the wealthy. But maybe the Governor's mansion had been out of range.
Despite the damage to the gates, two servants opened them for Norrington, when he arrived on horseback with Lucinda, who couldn't help but gaze in awe up at the mansion.
She hadn't been this close to a house so grand since she was a child, because, as stated before, Barbossa would always target them first, as though he knew the happiness seeing such a place would give her, and wanted to deny her even that, or even wished to cause her the sadness witnessing them being destroyed would bring her. After all, she had no clue if her own grand estate still stood back in England.
Norrington brought the horse to a halt near the front doors, where another servant took the reigns of the animal. James climbed down first, then offered Lucinda his arms.
Swinging her leg over to the other side of the house, she slid down into the Commodore's waiting embrace, where he set her gently on her feet, before taking up her hand once more.
"Come," he said, smiling, as he nodded his head at the front doors, then guided her toward them.
Another servant opened the front doors for them, allowing Norrington to simply step right into the mansion with Lucinda, who's gaze immediately lifted to the what of the impressive interior she could see from the foyer.
"What do you think?" Norrington asked, upon seeing the awed expression on her face.
"It's beautiful," replied Lucinda, managing to tear her gaze off of the home, in order to meet the man's gaze with her own.
"Commodore," came a sudden unfamiliar man's voice, and both James and the young woman looked forward, through the foyer, at the grand staircase beyond it, as an older gentleman in a long grey powdered wig, impecibly dressed, began down it. "May I ask the meaning of this early visit? I've just managed to get Elizabeth to bed after such a dreadful night."
"My apologies, Governor," said Norrington, lifting a hand to Lucinda's back, and using the hold to guide her forward to meet the man, while he descended the steps. "But there is someone you must meet."
Governor Weatherby Swann's brow furrowed, as he came to a halt at the bottom of the staircase, then walked the few steps left to where the Commordoor stood with the beautiful young woman.
"Hello, child," the man said to her, with a respectful nod of his head, before his brow furrowed. "I don't believe I've ever seen you before in Port Royal."
"No, Sir," Lucinda responded. "I'm new in town."
"What is your name?" Governor Swann asked.
"Lucinda," she answered, remembering Norrington's response to seeing her initials engraved on her boots, and deciding to add her last name. "Lucinda Crane, Sir."
The expression on the older man's face completely shifted at her words, from one of confusion and question, to a dawning look of realization and complete and utter shock.
"By God," Governor Swann breathed, while it was Lucinda's turn to have her brow furrow, as she watched the same expression that had graced Norrington's face behind the Blacksmith's shop now etch itself on the older man's. "Can it be? Little Belle?"
Lucinda's brow smoothed out, and her honey brown eyes widened, at the Governor's use of her middle name, something she hadn't been addressed as since she was a child.
"How do you know me?" she asked, as fear instinctively took over, and she began to back up, away from the man.
"No, no," the Governor said, holding up a hand to her, while Norrington gently reached out to touch her back once more. "No, don't be afraid. Please." Lowering the limb, when she stopped, he gently shook his head. "We all thought you dead."
"Who are you?" Lucinda inquired, with a slight shake of her own head. "How do you know me?"
"I'm Weatherby Swann, Belle," the man explained. "I'm a friend of your family's. We used to spend so much time together, my family and yours, when we still lived in England. We'd just begun to settle in here when we heard of your Mother's death. By the time we returned, your home was abandoned, and you and your brother were nowhere to be found."
Lucinda's brow smoothed out, when she thought back many years, and remembered a family of three, a man, his wife, and a little girl her age, who'd come to the estate at least half a dozen times a year, and stay for a few days or even a week. So much of her childhood she'd forgotten, or blocked out, because it was simply too painful to think of all she'd had, and all she'd ultimately lost.
"Little Lucinda Belle," Governor Swann stated, raising a hand, and softly touching one side of her beautiful face with the backs of his fingers, as she now looked at him with a light sheen of tears in her eyes. "How you've grown." Laughing gently, he went on. "I can't believe you're here. After all these years."
"What about my Uncle Archibald?" asked Lucinda, sniffling. "You must know where he is. We rarely saw him, after our Mother died. And then he just vanished."
"I do know where he is, my dear," Weatherby responded, before moving his hand that he'd touched her face with, and using it to point back into the foyer, indicating an entranceway in it that led into another part of the house. "He's in the drawing room."
Lucinda followed his gesture, her brow furrowing, before it swiftly smoothed out, when she realized the Uncle she'd been looking for for over 10 years, was in this very house, just several feet away.
Looking back at the Governor, who was smiling, then flicking a glance at Norrington, who's face was also etched with joy, she turned her gaze in the direction the former had indicated, and took off toward it.
Lucinda came to a halt in the doorway of the drawing room. Littered across the area were several tan and black Bull Mastiffs, at least six, while, sitting in front of the fireplace, in one of the two large chairs set before it, was a man, with thick should length brown curls, wearing all black entire, while a matching cane rested against the arm of the seat.
She gasped softly, her honey brown eyes filling with a fresh brim of tears, while the sound of her intake of breath drew the attention of the dogs to her, though none growled, instead whined softly, their tails wagging slightly, which got the attention of the man in chair, who's dark head turned to see what had disturbed the animals, and his gaze soon fell upon the young woman in the doorway.
The man's face was handsome, but tired and aging in a way that had nothing to do with years, but emotional stress and torment, and when he saw Lucinda, it completely changed. It lit up, it grew strength, it gained life, and the deep brown orbs that were the man's eyes began to sparkle.
"My God," Lord Archibald Crane breathed. He knew who she was. Without a word, without more than an initial look at her, he knew who she was. Because of her eyes. They were the same eyes that used to look up at him, when he held her as an infant, feeding her her bottle, when he held her tiny hand as a young child, while she led him through the gardens of their home, showing him everything there was so see of the plant and animal life that had bloomed in the Spring. "Belle?"
"Uncle?" Lucinda exclaimed, Norrington and the Governor forgotten, though they stood several feet back, in the foyer, watching.
Lord Crane grasped the arm of the chair with his hand, and used the hold to push himself up onto his feet, stepping out from in front of the chair, then absently fetching his cane, before beginning to make his way over to where she stood.
Both seemed to be holding their breath, as Lucinda watched her Uncle approach her, the few seconds it took for him to cross the few feet between them stretching into what felt like an eternity, while their eyes never left one another's.
Lucinda's heart was beating faster than normal, and a single tear slipped free to glide down her cheek, when Archibald came to a halt in front of her.
"Belle," he managed to say, before his legs suddenly gave out from beneath him, and he began to collapse to the floor, the grip on his cane disappearing, causing the item to clatter to the ground.
"Uncle!" Lucinda gasped, instinctively reaching out to grab him, as he fell, wrapping her slender limbs around his lean form, but not possessing the strength to hold him up, so she sank to the floor with him, both remaining in sitting positions, while their eyes met once more.
"Belle," said Archibald once more. "Oh, my God. My beautiful little Niece. You're alive."
Raising one hand, his other splayed on the wood floor, he gently touched Lucinda's cheek, an action that caused her eyes to slip closed, squeezing several more tears free.
"Uncle," Lucinda gasped out, gazing back into his handsome face again. "I can't believe it. I thought I'd never see you again."
"As did I, my girl," Archibald said, with a soft, sad little smile.
"Come, my Lord," came the voice of Norrington, as he walked into the room, and over to the man's side. "Let's get the two of you up off of the floor."
Lucinda sent the Commodore a grateful smile, then got to her feet, before taking up one of her Uncle's arms, as James did the same, and the two assisted the man back over to his chair, Lucinda soon passing off finishing the task to Norrington, while she took up her Uncle's cane, leaning it against the arm of the seat once more, then moving around in front of it, where she gently fell to her knees before the man now settled in it again.
Archibald reached for his Niece's hands, while Norrington moved back to give the two of them room, pulling them into his lap, as he gazed down at her in continued awe.
"Look at you," he breathed in wonder, smiling, while his own deep brown orbs began to glitter with tears. "All grown up, and more beautiful than we could've ever imagined."
Lucinda laughed sweetly, gently pulling one of her hands free of his, in order to lift it, and lovingly touch one side of his face, an action he leaned into like a cat seeking affection. "And you're just as handsome as I remember, Uncle." Though she didn't recall him needing a cane to walk, and that thought caused her brow to furrow once more, as she flicked a glance at the item, then down at the leg of his she'd noticed him limping on, when he first came over to her. "What happened to you, Uncle? Why do you need a cane?"
"Oh, that," Archibald laughed, lifting his free hand to gently grasp hers where it touched his face, while he too flicked a glance down at his leg. "When I came home, after learning of your Mother's death, and found you and your brother gone, I set out to find the two of you. I searched for many years, my girl. For as long as I could, until I injured my leg. Then I could look no longer. At least, not myself." Taking in a deep breath, he went on, after releasing it. "But I sent others. Though none ever returned with good news." Smiling, he continued, as he gazed lovingly at her. "I never gave up hope. Not even when I was advised to."
"You look so tired, Uncle," Lucinda said, even as her heart ached at the knowledge that the man had been looking for her and Jack all this time, and lost so much because of it, flicking her honey brown orbs over every inch of his handsome, albiet exhausted, face, which she grazed the backs of her slender fingers down the side of, a touch he once more leaned into.
"Well, that'll stop now," replied Archibald, returning his gaze to hers. "Because we're together again now. Finally. After all this time."
A bright smile lit up every inch of Lucinda's breathing visage, and she leaned up on her knees, in order to wrap her arms around her Uncle's neck, hugging him tightly, while freeing the tears of joy and relief she'd been holding back, as Archibald secured his own limbs about his Niece's slender form, embracing her in return as securely as he could, almost afraid she'd turn into smoke, and disappear, or he'd wake up, discovering the past few moments had been a dream.
"Oh, my precious girl," Lord Crane breathed, holding her and kissing her hair, while she sobbed against his shoulder, clutching at him as though her life depended on it. "Fret no more. For you're safe now. You're home."
A short while later, Lucinda was settled on the couch in the drawing room, her Uncle next to her, while the Governor had the servants open up the kitchen, making a proper meal for her.
Lucinda couldn't remember the last time she'd had actual good food. Since she was the only one on board a ship full of Pirates who couldn't taste, the kitchen was naturally a scarce sight. It was really only when they'd go ashore that she managed to get something to eat at a tavern. Otherwise, she mainly lived off of apples, which Barbossa had an unusual obsession with, and ale or wine. Fresh water was also a rarity for her.
"You must be hungry," Archibald smiled, as he watched her forego any lady-like behavior, and dig into the delicious tray that was brought to her, placed on the table before them.
Lucinda blushed softly at her Uncle's words, grasping one of the folded clothes on the tray to wipe at her beautiful face. "I'm sorry. I should've warned you it wouldn't be a pleasant sight."
"Nonsense," Governor Swann chuckled, from where he sat across from them on another sofa. "You'll have as much as your stomach can handle."
"Thank you," Lucinda replied, before grabbing the glass of water, and drinking down half of it.
"Well, I must be going, I'm afraid," came Norrington's voice, as he stood by the entrance to the drawing room, causing her to look up from her meal.
"Thank you so much for bringing her to us, Commodore," said Archibald, while he sent the man the most grateful look he could. "I'll never be able to repay you."
"No thanks are necessary, my Lord," responded Norrington. "I'm honored to have been the one to bring her back home."
"Nonetheless, please let me know if there is anything we can ever do for you," said Weatherby, as he got to her feet, turned to face the man, and offered him his hand.
"Your family had already done quite enough for me, Sir," said James, while he shook the Governor's hand.
"James," Lucinda spoke up, rising from the couch, and rushing over to the Commodore. "Must you go?"
"Yes, I'm afraid I must, my Lady," Norrington replied, before he extended his large limb to her, which she immediately placed her hand in, allowing him to lift it to his lips, and grace its knuckles with a kiss. "I'll stop by Mr. Brown's on my return to the Fort. If young Mr. Turner is awake, I'll make sure he knows of the lovely young woman who saved his life last night."
"I will be down to see him as soon as possible," Lucinda nodded, while smiling gratefully at the man.
"And if he's anything like me, he'll look forward to that visit with great anticipation," James replied with a smile of his own. "I'll see you again soon."
"I hope so," said Lucinda, just as Norrington stepped back, bowing to her, then offering Governor Swann and Lord Crane a nod of respect, before turning, and striding from the house.
"He's truly one of the best men I've ever known," said Weatherby, as the front door was closed by the servant who saw the Commodore out.
"I wholeheartedly concur," Lucinda replied to the man.
"Well, if you'll excuse me as well, my dear," the Governor said, bowing slightly to her as well. "I have a great many things to see to. But I'll have a room and a bath prepared for you."
"Thank you," answered Lucinda. "So much."
"As you're Uncle said," spoke Weatherby, nodding over at Archibald. "You're home now."
Lucinda sent the older man a smile, watching as he left the room, before she turned to face Lord Crane, who held out a hand for her, and she immediately walked back over, taking up the limb, as she sat down beside him once more.
"Eat," Archibald said, leaning over to press a kiss to her temple, before pulling back, to watch, while she returned to her tray, an action that soon prompted more than one of his Bull Mastiffs to rise up onto all four of their massive paws, and pad over to them. "Oh, don't beg. Go on now."
Lucinda laughed softly, as the dogs came over to sniff at her tray. "It's all right, Uncle." Plucking some food off of her tray, she offered it to the large animals, giggling sweetly, when they lapped at her hand, licking every bit of the yummy treat off of the delicate limb, before she reached out to scratch them behind the ears, while she gazed questioningly over at Archibald, who was smiling at the sight of his Niece with his dogs. "Why do you have so many?"
"Well, truthfully, I made my fair share of enemies over the years of looking for you and your brother, my child," was his response, one that caused Lucinda's happiness to dim almost completely from her beautiful face. "So, they're mostly protection." He chuckled softly, as the dogs began pushing each other out of the way in their attempts to be the closest to his Niece. "And they're usually more intimidating than this."
"I'm so sorry, Uncle," said Lucinda, reaching over to grasp both of Archibald's hands with her own, which he lifted to his lips to kiss. "Uncle, why haven't you asked me where I've been? Don't you want to know?"
Lifting his gaze back to hers, Lord Crane gently shook his head.
"Why not?" Lucinda exclaimed in confusion and disbelief. "Uncle, you gave up your youth, your money, your leg, your safety, you could've lost your life, and you're not the least bit curious as to why? I show up the morning after Pirates attack the town, and you just think it's coincidence?"
"Belle," Archibald spoke, gently tightening his hold on her hands, while firmly meeting her gaze with his. "I'd do it all again." Lifting one large limb, he lovingly cradled one side of her beautiful face. "Sweetheart, you're my Niece. You're like my own child. You're my daughter, as far as I'm concerned. And I'll never forgive myself for all of the time I spent away from you, your Mother, and your brother after your cousin died."
Lucinda's eyes slipped closed, squeezing fresh tears free, at her Uncle's words. Her cousin, Colin, who'd been her age, though born too soon, after her Aunt Mary fell off a swing in one of the gardens on the grounds, and died, while pregnant with him, causing him to be sickly and crippled for the first years of his life, until Jack and Lucinda began taking him outside, teaching him how to walk, and he was healthy and happy, for the first time.
But a clot eventually blew in his leg, traveling to his brain, and he died, something Lucinda always blamed herself for, as she was the one who encouraged Colin to go outside, to learn how to walk. Lord Crane was rarely home after that, having already been torn about his wife's death, then to lose his son, and, unfortunately, a few months after Colin died, so did Anne.
The servants took care of Jack and Lucinda after that, with Archibald coming to visit every few months, but always staying mostly holed up in his room, until, one night, Jack woke Lucinda, telling her their Uncle was going to send them to a Boarding School, and that they needed to leave to find their Father, so Lucinda had gone with her brother, and the two became Pirates.
"And. . . " continued Archibald, pausing to lovingly tuck some long honey blond hair behind Lucinda's ear. "If you want to tell me what happened, where you've been, what you've gone through, I'll listen. And I'll not tell a soul what you confide to me. But, as far as I'm concerned, none of it matters. I love you, you're home, you're safe, we're together once more. That's what matters. That's what I care about."
Sniffling, Lucinda opened her eyes, her beautiful face stained with fresh tears, and looked at her Uncle, grapsing his hands in return, as she met his gaze with her own. "I love you, Uncle."
"I love you too, my beautiful little Lucinda Belle," replied Archibald, before he gently shook his head. "And I'll never let you go again."
Smiling, Lucinda reached out, and wrapped her arms around her Uncle, hugging him tightly, an embrace the man immediately returned.
"Tell me one thing though, my girl," said Archibald, as they sat on the couch in one another's arms.
"Anything, Uncle," replied Lucinda, gently shaking her head against the side of his.
"What happened to your brother?" the man asked. "Where's Jack, sweetheart?"
Lucinda's eyes, which had slipped closed while they hugged, opened, while a feeling of dread and sadness washed over every inch of her, and she soon pulled back enough from her Uncle's embrace in order to meet his deep brown gaze with her own.
"He's dead, Uncle," she said, her heart aching at the expression of despair that etched itself across the man's handsome face. "I lost him almost ten years ago. The people we were with, they. . . " Pausing, she licked her lips, while lifting a hand to tuck some hair back behind her ear. "They betrayed him. Left him on an Island to die."
"Oh, Belle," breathed Archibald, as tears pricked at the corners of his tired brown eyes. "You've been without your brother for all these years?"
As if sensing Lucinda's sadness, all of the man's massive Bull Mastiffs got up from their current positions in the room, four moving closer to settle once more, while two walked right up to her feet, where one laid, as the other placed his large head in her lap.
Smiling softly, Lucinda rested one of her slender hands on the dog's enormous head, scratching it, while Archibald lovingly stroked her long honey blond hair.
"When James and I first arrived," Lucinda spoke up, attempting to change the subject. "Governor Swann said he'd just gotten Elizabeth to go to sleep. Is Elizabeth his daughter?"
"Yes," replied Archibald, with a soft smile. "She's actually your age." He gazed questioningly at his Niece. "The two of you used to play together when the Swanns would come visit us. Do you remember that?"
Lucinda's brow furrowed, as she thought back to her childhood, before nodding, when she recalled a girl her age, whom she closely resembled in appearance, both having honey brown eyes, and matching in hue eyes. "Yes, I do."
"I know she'll be overjoyed to see you," said Archibald, moving his hand to her back, which he gently stroked. "She's missed you as well, all these years."
Lucinda smiled softly, but before either she or her Uncle could do anything more, the sound of clicking heels, in the form of quickly approaching footsteps, reached their ears, and both looked over to see a beautiful young woman, wearing a nightgown, robe, and slippers, entering the drawing room from the foyer.
"Belle," Elizabeth Swann breathed, smiling brightly, as she moved over to the couch, which Lucinda rose from, then reached out to hug her. "I couldn't believe it when Father told me."
Lucinda knew it was going to take some time to get used to being called "Belle" once more, and her brow furrowed slightly when the fellow young woman immediately enveloped her in a tight, warm hug, but it didn't take her long to recover, before she lifted her slender arms, and embraced her in return, smiling softly.
It'd been so long since she'd felt so much love, so much kindness, so much warmth, not since her single night with Killian had she experienced just enough of it to remind her what the experience was like, bringing her back to her safe, happy childhood, and now she was surrounded by people who were giving her as much of it as she could take at a near constant rate.
Elizabeth pulled back a moment later, her bright smile remaining, as she gazed into her friend's visage. "Oh, my gosh. You're so beautiful!"
Lucinda laughed sweetly. "Thank you. You're quite beautiful as well, Elizabeth."
"Oh, I'm simply so happy," Elizabeth went on, pulling her friend into another embrace. "This is the most wonderful thing that could've ever happened, especially after last night."
Lucinda's own smile faded, and she quickly pulled back from the renewed hug to gaze questioningly, and with concern, at the fellow young woman, at the reminder that the monsters she'd been forced to live with for nearly ten years had been in this town, which she now knew was the home of so many people she loved. "Are you all right? You didn't come into contact with the Pirates, did you?"
"Well, not those from last night, in particular," answered Elizabeth. "But-"
"Elizabeth," Archibald quickly spoke up, using his cane to help him to his feet. "I think our Belle has had quite enough for one day."
"Oh, yes, of course," Elizabeth replied, while Lucinda now flicked her curious gaze between the two. What weren't they telling her? "Come. I'll take you upstairs. You can have a wonderful long, hot bath, then lie down, and get some sleep. You must be exhausted. I'm sure my clothes will fit you until we get you your own."
Elizabeth took up Lucinda's hand, and began to guide her from the room as she spoke.
"Go on," said Archibald, nodding and smiling at his Niece, when she looked over at him as the fellow young woman led her off. "I'll come see you before you go to sleep."
Lucinda nodded and smiled in response, then faced forward, allowing Elizabeth to show her the way through the house, and upstairs.
- Author's Note - Archibald has been added to my Profile, so go check him out! Next Chapter, we'll get back to Inara and Jack, as well as Will.
Again, I hope you enjoyed, and, if you did, please take the time to send in a review!