Author's Note: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean or any of the characters. I only own the plot to the story and a few characters of my own
Summary: Western Au. Wild Spirited Elizabeth Swann leaves behind her family in Philadelphia heading to the small Texas border town of Sliverston for a teaching job.
Will Turner was a man not looking for trouble but trouble had always found him. He had a reputation as a gunhand who was rumoured to have killed thirty men. A nonsense Bounty Hunter who rode with questionable characters. Dark Will.
Chapter 12
Sliverston, Texas
1890
It had been a busy couple of weeks. Between breaking the horses in for Major Monroe, general ranch work. And chasing down a few bounties. I had been in Sliverston a few times to see Elizabeth.
Today was one of the rare days I had time to come in to Sliverston to see her. The dapple grey mare I had cut out of the mustang herd we'd brought back from Gun Canyon. Snorted as I lead her into town beside Dutchmen.
I slowed both Dutchmen and the mare to a walk as we came into town. I dismounted Dutchmen outside the Sheriff's office.
"That's a fancy piece of horse flesh you go there Will. Where did you get her" Barbossa asked standing on the porch of the Sheriff's office
"She was a part that herd of Mustangs up in Gun Canyon we brought down to break for the Army Horse Buyer Major Monroe" I answered as I tied both the mare and Dutchmen to the hitching rail.
"Major Monroe you said. Not Major Francis Monroe was it"
"Yeah that's he's name."I answered
"Apparently Beckett got him out at East India entertaining him. Hoping to strike up a deal to sell him some horses"
"Well he's here buying horses. So he's got to get them where he can."I shrugged my shoulders. As a rough looking sort rode into town."Any new bounties" I asked after a few minutes.
"No new bounties I'm afraid" Barbossa shook his head.
"Thanks. I'll see you around Hector." I turned to walk down the board walk to Doc Walker's. Carina had asked me to get some medicine from Doc Walker while in town for Arabella. She had nasty ear infection.
"Mr Turner. It's good to see you again" Major Monroe stopped to talk with me. With him was Cutler Beckett's daughter Amelia.
"You as well. Major. Miss Beckett" I tipped my hat.
"Mr Turner."
"How are you and your brothers going with those horses. Will you have them at the rail head at Blackford before I have to leave."Major Monroe asked.
"They'll be ready by then"
"How many horses did you mange to get out that herd your brother mentioned" Monroe queried.
"About forty five. There of a good quality."I replied
"Well. I may head out and take a look at myself. In the next few days if that's not to much trouble."
"That will be fine Major" I agreeded
"About how far from Sliverston is Broken Arrow Ranch"
"About an hour's ride. We're on the other side of the Little Howl River. I'd best be get moving. Good day Major, Miss Beckett" I bid them farewell as I continued on my way to Doc Walker's.
Doctor Emmett Walker that been the doctor in Sliverston for close to forty years and his father Emmanuel before him had been the Doctor here in Sliverston before that. He been an Army Doctor and Surgeon during the Civil War.
Both of his younger brothers Silas and Leland fell at Chickamauga in September 63. He didn't speak much about the war. Like others who had lived through those bloody years of the Civil War.
"William. What can I do for you" Doc Walker asked as I stepped into his office.
"Carina asked me to drop in while I was town. Arabella's sick. She's got an ear infection. Do you have anything we can give her"
"Hang on a second. I'll be back in a minute" Doc Walker went out to the back to collect the medicine I needed for Arabella.
"Here you are. Give this to Arabella three times a day. If she doesn't show improvement in the next couple of days. Tell Carina and Henry to bring her into town" Doc Walker advised.
"What do I owe you"
"Dollar and half" I paid him the amount owed.
"Thank's Doc" I thanked him before leaving his surgery.
I walked back to where I had Dutchmen and the mare tied to the hitching rail. I placed the medicine for Arabella in my saddlebags.
I checked my pocket watch. I still a few hours till school was being let out for the day. I mounted Dutchmen. Riding in the direction of Syrena and Phillip's house on the outskirts of Sliverston.
Syrena was sweeping the porch when the sound of two horses approaching the house caught her attention. She'd recognised that black overo paint stallion anywhere. It was Will who was riding up to the house.
He was leading a beautiful dapple grey mare. Syrena hadn't seen much of Will these last few weeks. She had seen him a few times. He mainly came up to the house to see Elizabeth if she was home.
Every since the dance. There had been a lot of tension between Phillip and Elizabeth who where normally quite close. Elizabeth's blossoming romance with Will. Seemed to be the main thing that put the bur under Phillip's saddle so to speak.
"Afternoon Syrena. It's certainly a hot one. We may get a storm later this afternoon or tonight" I say as I approached the house.
"It certainly is a hot day."Even in the shade of the house and porch it was bloody hot.
"Phillip about"
"No he's gone over to Blackford. He left this morning, he won't be back till tonight. What did you need to talk to him about Will" Syrena asked.
"Just had to straighten out a few thing with him regarding"
"Elizabeth and You" Syrena finished.
"Yeah something like that."I wiped the sweat from my neck and face with my bandana
"The mare for Elizabeth" Syrena nodded to the mare teetered with Dutchmen at the hitching rail.
"She is" I chuckled.
"Did you want to come in for a cool drink and get out this unbearable heat" Syrena offered.
"A cool drink is just what doctor ordered. It's bloody hot" I followed Syrena inside. I hung up hat. I removed my gun belt and bandoleer.
The house was a lot cooler then outside. Syrena made up jug of ice tea.
Syrena poured us both a glass before passing mine to me. I took a long sip. The tea helped cool me down in the unbearably heat of a hot day. It had to be pushing 96°F.
"Haven't seen much of you since the Dance and the trial" Syrena started to speak.
"I've been busy. Breaking in horses, plus normal ranch work and bringing in a few bounties."I answered.
"Where did you find the mare. She is a beautiful animal"
"We brought down the herd of mustang up in Gun Canyon. There's an Army Horse buyer in town" I explained.
"Major Monroe. I've seen him around Sliverston the past week with the Becketts"
"I saw him with Amelia when I was heading to Doc Walker's."I took another long sip.
"It seems Amelia's taken a shin to him"
"Who Major Monroe" I frowned. He was old enough to be her father.
"No. James Norrington. Who bought Arthur and Madeline's ranch with his business partners Theodore Groves and Michael Gillette" It seems I had been barking up the wrong tree.
"I suppose they make a nice couple"
"Though Phillip would rather James's affection be with someone else" I had a good idea who.
"Elizabeth"
"Yes. He invited James and his business partners over for dinner one night. Hoping to push them together" Syrena shook her head.
"Pigs would bloody fly before that would happen. Elizabeth and James think of one another as brother and sister"
"I know that. I wish excuse my language. That Phillip would get his head out of his ass. And get over whatever his problem is with you" Hell would freeze over before that happened.
Elizabeth was headed home hoping to escape the excessive heat of the day. This was the hottest it had ever been since Elizabeth had arrived in Sliverston. She had let everybody go home early. It was too hot to be in the school house.
Elizabeth spied a familiar horse teethed with another horse to the hitching rail. The other horse was a beautiful dapple grey mare.
Both Syrena and Will where no where to be seen. If they had a lick of sense they would be inside out of the heat.
"Your home early" Syrena stated as Elizabeth came inside.
"It was to hot. So I sent everyone home" Elizabeth replied not noticing I was standing beside me.
"You've got a visitor"
"I know where is Will. I saw his horse outside" I snuck up behind her. I wrapped my arms around her from behind her" I'm here" I whispered.
Elizabeth turned in my arms. Wrapping her arms my neck. She pressed her lips against mine. We both had to pull away after a time.
"Do you two needs some privacy. I can always go. I promised Mrs Baker I'd drop in and see her" Syrena cleared her throat.
"No. We're just going to go for a ride" Elizabeth answered blushing.
"Will you be back before dinner. Phillip will be back tonight"
"We'll be back by then" I answered.
I put my gun belt and bandoleer back on. I grabbed my hat on the way out the front door.
"She's a beautiful animal. Where did you get her" Elizabeth nodded to the mare I had broken in for her.
"She was a part of the herd of mustangs we bought down from Gun Canyon. She's yours" I answered.
"What" Elizabeth looked at me in surprise.
"She's yours" I repeated my self.
Elizabeth stood there for a few minutes just looking at me for a time" Thank you. She's beautiful" Elizabeth threw herself at me.
I manged to catch her and keep my footing somehow. I thanked my lucky stars for this beautiful woman to be mine.
"I'll saddle her up. Then we'll head up to Wolf's Hill" I offered.
"It's too hot for that"
"I wasn't talking about sex Darlin. But if your offering" I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively.
"William Turner"
"Alright. Alright You asked me to teach you how to shoot remember" I held up my hands in mock surrender.
Sliverston, Texas
1890
Weatherby Swann wiped the sweat from his brow. As he and his nephew Phillip rolled into Sliverston on Phillip's buckboard. Weatherby had arrived on the late afternoon train into Blackford yesterday.
Phillip telegram had concerned Weatherby to no end. Elizabeth had take up with some no good scoundrel the way Phillip told it. It sounded nothing like the man Elizabeth had written about in her letters home.
They drove out of Sliverston to the small holding of sorts. Phillip, Syrena and Elizabeth lived on the edge of Sliverston. He would have comfortable staying at one of the hotels or boarding house in town.
Syrena was on the front porch when they pulled up.
"Phillip Andrew Swift. What in the Lord's Name are you up to" Syrena hissed as she stepped off the porch.
"Syrena don't take the Lord's Name in vain"
"Oh don't give that crap. Why is Elizabeth's father here" She hissed nodding to Weatherby who sat uncomfortably on the buckboard listening to every word.
"He's here on business"
"Oh I'm sure" Syrena snapped at her husband before going back inside
"Does Elizabeth know I was coming"
"She knows" Weatherby wasn't sure wither he believed his nephew or not.
Wolf's Hill. Sliverston, Texas
1890
Elizabeth cursed under her breath as she missed the bottles. I had put on the corral fence as targets.
"Steady your breathing. Take a firm grip. Squeeze the trigger as you exhale" I advised standing to one side.
"Goddamn it."Elizabeth cursed as she missed again with my Henry Repeater.
"Here" I moved behind her. Correcting her stance and hold on the Henry Repeater."Visualise the target in your mind's eye" She did as I advise.
The bottle was obliterated as the bullet struck it
"I'll make a crack shot out you yet" I moved back to the side."Now try it again" Elizabeth levered the spent cartridge from the chamber bringing a fresh cartridge into the chamber.
She hit the next two bottles.
"A bit more practice you'll be as good as any man."I took the Henry back from her. I levered the spent cartridge out and uncocking it.
"Now we'll try a pistol" I took one of my Schofield out of my hostler. I removed the bullets. For a dry run. To show Elizabeth how to shoot it without it being loaded.
"Cock it. Same as the Henry. Fire on the exhale" I advised again.
"Right now crack the top open. It's not like a Colt. You load it by cracking the top." I showed her how to load and unload the Schofield.
I stood to the side once more. It took a little while for Elizabeth to get her eye in. When she did she was a crack shot.
"Not Bad." I took my Schofield back. I reloaded the spent ammunition.
It was starting to get late. We'd have to leave soon if we wanted to get to back to town before it got dark.
"We'd best be getting back. It'll be dark before long" I didn't feel like riding back in the dark.
"You know we could always stay the night. Go back in the morning"
"What and give your cousin more reason to hate me" I replied as I slid my Henry Repeater into the scabbard on my saddle.
"I wish he would just stay out it. It's my life and I don't need him trying to run it"
"I know Darlin. That's the one thing we can't change. We can pick our friends but we can't pick our family" I agreeded as I mounted Dutchmen. We headed in the direction of town.
Sliverston, Texas
1890
The sun was just sinking low. As we rode into Sliverston. The town was mostly deserted. All the towns folk had no doubt turned in for the night.
I slowed and dismounted Dutchmen. I tied him to the hitching rail. I followed Elizabeth into the makeshift stable.
We worked in silence as we unsaddled her new horse
"You thought of a name for her" I asked as I rubbed her down.
"Empress"
"It suits her" Empress snorted in agreement.
I let her loose with the other horses in the pen.
Elizabeth and I made our way to the house arm in arm. The front door opened. A man in his later fifties stepped out. He wore a well pressed expensive suit. His hair was greying and balding at the same time.
"Father" Elizabeth stopped dead when she came face to face with her father. Last I heard her father was back East in Philadelphia with her family. What was he doing here in Sliverston of all places.