PLEASE READ THE VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE BOTTOM!!!! THANK YOU!!!
And enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own them.
There was nothing I could do.
Nothing, absolutely nothing. I knew it right from the beginning, that the Captain more than just fancied Elizabeth, but now that her father approved of the match it was very nearly sealed in stone. My heart was bound to be broken, but now...
Why had I done what I did? Why had I let myself lose control even for one moment? The inevitable fall from the high I was still recovering from was bound to be much more difficult now. I was going to feel pain, incredible, unimaginable pain. And there was nothing I could do.
I simply stood there, staring at her beautiful face, hand still stroking her soft, smooth cheek. I closed my eyes, breathing in.
"Will?" she asked me softly.
I swallowed, opening my eyes again. "Yes?"
"There's still hope, isn't there?"
Hope? I no longer believed in hope. All these years I'd hoped to own her, to have her for my own, to be able to touch her and admire her without the incessant chains I was forced to keep myself in. Now, now that I had it just for three minutes, it was leaving me. The one thing I ever wanted in life was leaving me. What hope?
"No, I don't believe there is," I said softly, trying to regain some element of sanity.
She appeared distraught. "Why not?"
"Because," I said, sounding eerily calm. "There is no way this can work. You know it, I know it. If your father wishes you to be with the Captain, then you will be with the Captain. That's the end."
"But we don't have to listen to my father!" she pleaded, I believe more with herself than I. "It can work, Will, all of it can."
I simply shook my head. I gave her one last look before turning around.
She stopped me right in my tracks. "Why do you have to break my heart like this?"
I spun around, and before I could think my hands were back on her face, stroking her hair, just trying to touch her. I brought our faces millimeters apart. "I'm not trying to break your heart. This is no one's fault. It's just the way things are. It's a question of who is in power." I let my lips brush hers gently, feeling the shudder happening to both of us at the same time. "I can't help it, you can't help it... There's nothing we can do." I let my lips touch hers again. "Please don't make it harder than it already is." One final kiss goodbye...
She wouldn't let me go, though. She held onto me, holding me as close to her as I could get. I could feel her breathe in my scent, as I took in hers, committing it to memory. When she finally let me loose, she looked up at me earnestly, sadly, and said, "Will..."
I tried to swallow my pain, stop the tears from flowing. "Goodbye, Ms. Swann."
She looked ready to cry once more, and it was all I could do to stop myself from returning to her at once, telling her it would all be okay. But I could not do that. I knew better than to do that, for it would only cause us both more pain in the scheme of things. If Elizabeth was to be with the Captain, she was to be with the Captain, end of story.
Needless to say, I cried myself to sleep every night for the next few months. I was lucky in that Ms. Smith did not question my actions; and it pained me to go by the Governor's home en route to the blacksmith's shop every day. It was all I could do not to drop to the ground and ask God to take me, beg him to remove me from this earth and just end my pain.
Just another drop in the bucket, Will, I told myself. Just another thing you'll cry about, and eventually will forget about and move on. I was damned to a life of pain and misery, that had become quite apparent to me over the years. I told myself that it would happen, that I would forget her, that I would leave Port Royal soon in search of my father and everything would be all right after I found him. And yet...
And yet I could not forget the feel of her lips on mine. I could not forget the emotions that rushed through me when I came so close to her, the intensity of it all. She could only be described in one word to me: unforgettable. So simple, yet so perfect. The dreams of her coming to me again refused to cease, she remained my motivation when I was building swords, and she was the only thing I could cling to anymore. I never had to doubt what I felt for her, and yet I pitied myself because of this, as it had become visible that she herself was moving on.
The only glimpse I saw of her was on the rare occassion I had a delivery for the Governor, in which case she might come downstairs for a brief few moments. In the earlier days, she never addressed me, simply watched me with a longing in her eyes. I returned the gaze intently, and yet the Governor never noticed. As the years went by, the longing in her look faded, only to be replaced by a friendly look from that of our youth. Every so often she would address me, and though I referred to her by her first name in my mind, I would call her Ms. Swann. She asked me every so often to please call her Elizabeth, a note of something else hidden in her voice, but I would always decline, knowing it was only politeness that led her to do so. I needed no one's pity, especially not Elizabeth's. I imagined she was getting on very well with the Captain.
Three years passed in such a fashion, and my nineteenth birthday came and went, before the last time I saw her in this manner. I remember the morning; it was the morning before my life changed forever, and I was taking a sword to the Governor's home to be made ready for Captain Norrington. His ceremony was being held later that day, in honor of his promotion to Commodore.
I arrived at the house, and the maid Magdalene answered the way she always had.
"Hello, Maggie," I said, and she ushered me into the front hall.
I gazed at an old candlestick, one that I had eyed on many occassions from the drawing room when Elizabeth tried to teach me piano. I gently fingered it... And suddenly it broke.
I could hear the Governor's voice coming from the other end of the hall, so I did the only logical thing to do:
I threw it into the nearest space I could find.
"Will, my boy," he greeted me as he always did. "Good to see you."
"I have your order, sir," I said. I opened the case I was holding, laying it down on the table. "Perfectly crafted," I said in admirance of my own work. "Despite the width of the blade, it is the exact same weight," I took my time to toss it in what might appear to be a careless manner, "as the handle."
"May I?" he asked. I handed it to him, and he studied it for a moment. "Very nice."
I placed it gently back in the case.
"Will," he said suddenly. "Do give my compliments to your master."
Of course, I thought. Because my master spent the past four days working nonstop on this sword, while I, the apprentice, lazed about at the pub. "I shall. A man always enjoys it when his craft is praised."
Just then, we were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs.
"Elizabeth," Governer Swann said, turning around to face her, "You look lovely."
Lovely indeed. I could not remove my eyes from her.
"Thank you, Father," she said, her voice melodious. "Will," she said chirpily. "I had a dream about you last night. About the day we met. Do you remember?"
Her voice was so cheery, but it was masking sadness, I could tell. I knew her well enough for that. "How could I forget, Ms. Swann?"
"Will," she said. "How many times must I tell you? Call me Elizabeth."
"Once more, as always, Ms. Swann." I pleaded that I did not sound desperate.
Her gaze turned sharp.
"Well, at least the boy has a sense of propriety, Elizabeth," Governer Swann said, sounding relieved. He was praising me for my actions, and I was admonishing myself instinctively. "Come, we must be going."
"Good day, Mr. Turner," she said harshly.
Her words stabbed me harder than any sword.
I chased after the carriage as it left her home, saying loud enough so that she could hear, "Good day, Elizabeth."
And as I walked toward the shop again, I knew something.
There were things meant to fail one's heart, and things meant to stay true. I knew not which this would turn out to be, but one must go day by day. And today, for this one day, I decided to play faith's good side.
For who knew what tomorrow would bring?
*************************************************
Okay, so basically this is the end. I think. There are two options: you guys can let me end the fic here, and I can begin my work on a sequel, which would take place after the movie. Or you can make me go through the movie (warning, it probably won't be word for word) from Will's point of view, and once we finish with that, we'll decide to move on to who knows what. So tell me what you think: to continue, or to end and make a sequel? That is the question. Review with your answers/opinion.
Disclaimer: I do not own them.
There was nothing I could do.
Nothing, absolutely nothing. I knew it right from the beginning, that the Captain more than just fancied Elizabeth, but now that her father approved of the match it was very nearly sealed in stone. My heart was bound to be broken, but now...
Why had I done what I did? Why had I let myself lose control even for one moment? The inevitable fall from the high I was still recovering from was bound to be much more difficult now. I was going to feel pain, incredible, unimaginable pain. And there was nothing I could do.
I simply stood there, staring at her beautiful face, hand still stroking her soft, smooth cheek. I closed my eyes, breathing in.
"Will?" she asked me softly.
I swallowed, opening my eyes again. "Yes?"
"There's still hope, isn't there?"
Hope? I no longer believed in hope. All these years I'd hoped to own her, to have her for my own, to be able to touch her and admire her without the incessant chains I was forced to keep myself in. Now, now that I had it just for three minutes, it was leaving me. The one thing I ever wanted in life was leaving me. What hope?
"No, I don't believe there is," I said softly, trying to regain some element of sanity.
She appeared distraught. "Why not?"
"Because," I said, sounding eerily calm. "There is no way this can work. You know it, I know it. If your father wishes you to be with the Captain, then you will be with the Captain. That's the end."
"But we don't have to listen to my father!" she pleaded, I believe more with herself than I. "It can work, Will, all of it can."
I simply shook my head. I gave her one last look before turning around.
She stopped me right in my tracks. "Why do you have to break my heart like this?"
I spun around, and before I could think my hands were back on her face, stroking her hair, just trying to touch her. I brought our faces millimeters apart. "I'm not trying to break your heart. This is no one's fault. It's just the way things are. It's a question of who is in power." I let my lips brush hers gently, feeling the shudder happening to both of us at the same time. "I can't help it, you can't help it... There's nothing we can do." I let my lips touch hers again. "Please don't make it harder than it already is." One final kiss goodbye...
She wouldn't let me go, though. She held onto me, holding me as close to her as I could get. I could feel her breathe in my scent, as I took in hers, committing it to memory. When she finally let me loose, she looked up at me earnestly, sadly, and said, "Will..."
I tried to swallow my pain, stop the tears from flowing. "Goodbye, Ms. Swann."
She looked ready to cry once more, and it was all I could do to stop myself from returning to her at once, telling her it would all be okay. But I could not do that. I knew better than to do that, for it would only cause us both more pain in the scheme of things. If Elizabeth was to be with the Captain, she was to be with the Captain, end of story.
Needless to say, I cried myself to sleep every night for the next few months. I was lucky in that Ms. Smith did not question my actions; and it pained me to go by the Governor's home en route to the blacksmith's shop every day. It was all I could do not to drop to the ground and ask God to take me, beg him to remove me from this earth and just end my pain.
Just another drop in the bucket, Will, I told myself. Just another thing you'll cry about, and eventually will forget about and move on. I was damned to a life of pain and misery, that had become quite apparent to me over the years. I told myself that it would happen, that I would forget her, that I would leave Port Royal soon in search of my father and everything would be all right after I found him. And yet...
And yet I could not forget the feel of her lips on mine. I could not forget the emotions that rushed through me when I came so close to her, the intensity of it all. She could only be described in one word to me: unforgettable. So simple, yet so perfect. The dreams of her coming to me again refused to cease, she remained my motivation when I was building swords, and she was the only thing I could cling to anymore. I never had to doubt what I felt for her, and yet I pitied myself because of this, as it had become visible that she herself was moving on.
The only glimpse I saw of her was on the rare occassion I had a delivery for the Governor, in which case she might come downstairs for a brief few moments. In the earlier days, she never addressed me, simply watched me with a longing in her eyes. I returned the gaze intently, and yet the Governor never noticed. As the years went by, the longing in her look faded, only to be replaced by a friendly look from that of our youth. Every so often she would address me, and though I referred to her by her first name in my mind, I would call her Ms. Swann. She asked me every so often to please call her Elizabeth, a note of something else hidden in her voice, but I would always decline, knowing it was only politeness that led her to do so. I needed no one's pity, especially not Elizabeth's. I imagined she was getting on very well with the Captain.
Three years passed in such a fashion, and my nineteenth birthday came and went, before the last time I saw her in this manner. I remember the morning; it was the morning before my life changed forever, and I was taking a sword to the Governor's home to be made ready for Captain Norrington. His ceremony was being held later that day, in honor of his promotion to Commodore.
I arrived at the house, and the maid Magdalene answered the way she always had.
"Hello, Maggie," I said, and she ushered me into the front hall.
I gazed at an old candlestick, one that I had eyed on many occassions from the drawing room when Elizabeth tried to teach me piano. I gently fingered it... And suddenly it broke.
I could hear the Governor's voice coming from the other end of the hall, so I did the only logical thing to do:
I threw it into the nearest space I could find.
"Will, my boy," he greeted me as he always did. "Good to see you."
"I have your order, sir," I said. I opened the case I was holding, laying it down on the table. "Perfectly crafted," I said in admirance of my own work. "Despite the width of the blade, it is the exact same weight," I took my time to toss it in what might appear to be a careless manner, "as the handle."
"May I?" he asked. I handed it to him, and he studied it for a moment. "Very nice."
I placed it gently back in the case.
"Will," he said suddenly. "Do give my compliments to your master."
Of course, I thought. Because my master spent the past four days working nonstop on this sword, while I, the apprentice, lazed about at the pub. "I shall. A man always enjoys it when his craft is praised."
Just then, we were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs.
"Elizabeth," Governer Swann said, turning around to face her, "You look lovely."
Lovely indeed. I could not remove my eyes from her.
"Thank you, Father," she said, her voice melodious. "Will," she said chirpily. "I had a dream about you last night. About the day we met. Do you remember?"
Her voice was so cheery, but it was masking sadness, I could tell. I knew her well enough for that. "How could I forget, Ms. Swann?"
"Will," she said. "How many times must I tell you? Call me Elizabeth."
"Once more, as always, Ms. Swann." I pleaded that I did not sound desperate.
Her gaze turned sharp.
"Well, at least the boy has a sense of propriety, Elizabeth," Governer Swann said, sounding relieved. He was praising me for my actions, and I was admonishing myself instinctively. "Come, we must be going."
"Good day, Mr. Turner," she said harshly.
Her words stabbed me harder than any sword.
I chased after the carriage as it left her home, saying loud enough so that she could hear, "Good day, Elizabeth."
And as I walked toward the shop again, I knew something.
There were things meant to fail one's heart, and things meant to stay true. I knew not which this would turn out to be, but one must go day by day. And today, for this one day, I decided to play faith's good side.
For who knew what tomorrow would bring?
*************************************************
Okay, so basically this is the end. I think. There are two options: you guys can let me end the fic here, and I can begin my work on a sequel, which would take place after the movie. Or you can make me go through the movie (warning, it probably won't be word for word) from Will's point of view, and once we finish with that, we'll decide to move on to who knows what. So tell me what you think: to continue, or to end and make a sequel? That is the question. Review with your answers/opinion.
