Romancing the Wind
Pirates of the Caribbean: A New Generation
By: Tabitha Sly
Written: 08.21.03
Chapter One: Whispers on the Breeze
"Once upon a time I doted on Elisabeth. And she on me. And Commodore Norrington on her. One fine day he proposed to her. She accepted. Then after much deliberation, I told her I loved her. She called it off with Norrington. Two years later Elisabeth and I got married. Not to each other of course." William Turner's eyes sparkled in honey brown amusement at the girl sitting on the window seat with him. His mahogany gaze swept over the boy sitting, his back pressed against the wall. Thomas was seated near the fire, a small glass of port in his hands. The two men grinned at each other. "I met your mother one day at the pub. She had come to collect her drunk of a brother, and was radiant. It took me ages to break the news to Elisabeth, and even longer to get the courage to talk to Marian. Elisabeth was only too happy for me to break things off. Thomas Lace from America had caught her fancy. So as I wooed Marian, Tom was wooing Elisa. We married on the same day. In fact, the four of us shared a wedding. It was beautiful. Your mothers were in soft off white silk. White roses littered the room. I only wish Jack hade been there."
"Enough," Smiled Elisabeth sweeping into the room "Dorian, we're going home. It's been wonderful to see you and Marian again Will."
"As always seeing you is a delight Elisabeth." Smiled Will.
"See you soon, William. Tabitha" Thomas kissed Tabitha's hand and the eight year old Dorian Lace stood and bowed to young Tabitha Turner, and followed in his mother's wake. Tabitha leaned back against the window and watched the two leaving. She turned her gaze out the window to watch Thomas, handsome with pale blonde hair and blue eyes, help Elisabeth into their carriage. He waved at her from out side. Tabitha and William waved back as the red haired Marian swept into the room. Will kissed his wife chastely.
"Father?" Tabitha spoke quietly. "Who is Jack?"
"Another time, maybe." Smiled William, kissing his daughter's auburn hair as her governess strode into the room. Miss McClay was a kind young woman with soft blond hair and big hazel eyes. She was gentle and round and Tabitha loved her very much. Secretly she loved her more than her own straight backed mother. Tabitha did love her mother. but the woman was rigid with her daughter, expect perfection in everything. Miss Tara McClay on the other hand was always ready with a laugh or a wink or a story of adventure. Tabitha took Tara's hand and the two left with a curtsy to her parents. Tabitha could make out her mother's voice as they mounted the stairs.
"She does not need to know of Mr. Sparrow." Her mother was insisting. She sighed. That would mean her father would never tell her. William always did as his wife requested in such matters. Tara hurried Tabitha up the stairs, a story already spilling over her lips.
"Now little miss" The young woman's lilting Irish made the words dance and spin like faeries.
"Did I ever tell ye about King Arthur and the Black Knight?"
"Never," beamed Tabitha. Stories of King Arthur were always the best, especially ones with Morgan Le Fey, his enchantress half sister.
"Never?" Tara beamed "Well we'll have ta fix that wont we lass?"
"Tell me Tara." Pleaded Tabitha as they sat down to their needle point. Tara smiled and returned to the unicorn she was working on, a piece to a quilt the two were making.
"Alright lassie, if you'll pay it heed." Tabitha knew well the ritual to these stories. She nodded furiously and Tara began the tale "Well one dreary Autumn day, much like today, young, handsome King Arthur was riding through the forests. . ."
~*~
"I'm deeply sorry for your loss" Commodore Norrington's voice was crisp and cold. Tabitha nodded mutely. Why the hell did he hang around any way? It wasn't as if he didn't have other places to be. Tabitha sighed. He hung around because he still cared about Elisabeth, because, despite their differences he respected her father. And, she thought, because mother is gone. Tara was sitting beside her, tears in her eyes. Tabitha stared forward at the casket, Dorian's hand in her own.
William Turner had tears running down his cheeks. Elisabeth Lace was crying quietly. Everyone who had known Marian Turner was sobbing. Everyone but her daughter. The girl sat gazeing forward emotionlessly. She didn't stir again until her father lifted her into his arms and carried her home. That night it finally sunk in. Her mother was gone. Tuberculosis had dimmed the woman's eyes, stilled her laughter. Tabitha raged. A vase shattered against her wall and she shrieked her anguish. She was never close to her mother but blood was, after all, blood. Tabitha's mirror was smashed in her grief, pictures books, toys, dolls all thrown around the room the shattered glass and porcaline cutting into her feet and leaving bloody tracks on the hard floor. Tabitha seized a shard of glass and sliced it across her wrist. She lay on the ground, her hand in a pool of blood as she grew paler. She swallowed heavily. It hurt.
"Little lass, it's time for – oh mother goddess!" Tara dropped the glass of warm milk she'd been bringing up. "Master Turner! Oh William come quickly!"
Tara had cradled Tabitha in her arms and wrapped her wrist. Tabitha cried herself to sleep in her father's arms that night as the two sat up with her. The next morning the wound was healing and she was regaining her natural pallor. Tara made her eat more meat that day.
"Iron, ye need iron lassie" she insisted stirring some good smelling herbs into a warm mug of milk and making sure Tabitha drank it. The girl stared sullenly at her wrist. The rent was ghastly "Never ye mind that scab child, it'll scar that's for sure"
"But you wont have to see it" William kissed her head lightly and lay a beautiful wide beaded bracelet on the table "That'll cover it if you want my sweet"
"Thank you father" Tabitha murmured. Late that night Tabitha lay restlessly in bed "Good night Ma"
~*~
Long years had passed and both Tabitha and Dorian had reached the fine age of eleven. Tabitha sat in her father's smithy, watching the handsome man working. His back was bent over the sword and his honed muscles rippled in his back. She watched, fascinated, as a sword took shape from the red hot steel. She stared down at the blank patch in her hands. The last piece of the quilt she was making with Tara. Her father paused to smile down on her.
"Father," she asked "What should I put as the very last patch on my quilt?"
"A skull," He answered after a moments thought. "With a red bandana. Over two crossed sabers."
"A pirate emblem?" Tabitha asked shocked. Her father wiped the sweat from his brow and crouched before her. She smiled at him, her father was beautiful. He pushed a loose strand of hair off her face "Why that papa?"
"Because, little one, you have pirate in your blood." She gaped at him. He smiled and the skin around his eyes crinkled pleasantly. He laughed softly and lifted her up, 'commandeering' her chair and seating her in his lap. "When I was 18 I met a man named Jack-"
"Sparrow." Tabitha murmured in awe. It had been two years since her mother had died of tuberculosis and her father was imparting information the woman had not wanted her child to know.
"Captain Jack Sparrow." William smiled fondly "He'd have my head if I forgot that. I met him here in fact. Right over there by the anvil. We fought, swords clashing, sparks flying. I nearly beat him but he cheated, broke the rules of engagement. But then he was a pirate . . ."
Tabitha listened in awe and adoration as her father told her of magnificent ships and battles with legions of the undead. A world unfolded where a woman like Elisabeth could fight along side the man she loved to lift a terrible curse. Williams eyes lit up while he spoke and he grew more and more animated as he told of Jack's narrow escape from the gallows, and Commodore Norrington's men. The true story of her father and Elisabeth fell into the light. Tabitha was enrapt by the tale, every word she drank like wine. When her father was finished he looked younger than she'd ever seen him, lines of worry were gone from his face.
"A skull over sabers it is." Tabitha murmured beginning the patch, her mind swirling with what she had learned. William looked down at his daughter and picked up a new piece of steel. He watched the light from the forge fire shine on her auburn locks, making hair that had seemed brown, glow more like red and shaped a new sword.
Later that week, when Elisabeth and Thomas had them for dinner, Tabitha dragged Dorian out to the yard and repeated the story for him, every detail remembered. The handsome boy had stared at her a moment before a smirk danced on his face.
"Tabitha," He beamed his blue eyes glowing "We've got pirate blood. Your father and grandfather and my mother, for a short while at least."
"We're pirates!" Tabitha giggled "Stodgy old Norrington will have a conniption!"
"We can't tell." Dorian warned "Mother and William probably don't want it brought up."
To her disappointment, Tabitha had to agree. William watched the two talking in the yard, and pulled Elisabeth aside. She had a right to know he'd told Tabitha the story. Especially since it now seemed that Dorian knew. Elisabeth had nodded calmly and listened to Will as he spoke. In her calming way, she'd assured him that he'd done the right thing. There was nothing wrong in telling the truth.
That same night under the same moon, Captain Jack Sparrow lay on the deck of his ship, his dark eyes reflecting in the light. The wind seemed to murmur a story. Mere whispers on the breeze.