~* Muchos Gracias to my reviewer. I knew there were a lot of different things about vampires. (They're different in so many places… Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Anne Rice Novels, classic movies, legends, books… ) But the extra insight was very much appreciated. J ~*

Part Two. Old Friends

"So… how long have you and Will known each other, Miss…"

"Villefort, Rhiannon Villefort" replied the dark-haired woman, seated in the arm chair. "I've known will for as long as I can remember, Miss Swann."

Elizabeth stepped into the living area of the small apartment herself and Will had come to call home in Tortuga. They had been traveling from place to place and had found themselves here. Not Elizabeth's favorite place, but it would do for now.

"Funny… he's never mentioned you…. May I offer you something to drink?" she added quickly.

The woman laughed a bit, crossing her legs as she sat back in the chair. "No thank you, I'm just fine." The room fell into silence as Elizabeth seated herself in the second armchair. After a while of neither woman speaking, Rhiannon sat a bit further up in her chair, her voice no longer sounding so cheerful and carefree.

"So, how long have you and Will been… together?" Rhiannon asked.

Elizabeth's face brightened to think of it. "Not long actually, but it's like living in a fairy-tale! I pity the poor soul that may try and come between us…"

Rhiannon nodded unenthusiastically. "How nice," she murmured.

At the sound of a lock turning in the door, Elizabeth sat erect in her chair, smiling broadly. Will Turner stepped into the room, locking the door behind him as he entered, preventing him from seeing the guest. Elizabeth leapt up and threw her arms around him from behind. Will laughed, kissing the back of her soft hand.

"Ah, hello my sweetest love!" he said, turning to smile at her, but his eyes turned quizzical as he looked at the dark-haired woman in the armchair. "And who do we have here?"

"Will… do you know a Rhiannon Villefort?" Elizabeth asked slowly.

"Know her!?" Will exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "Damn me to hell, I know her!" He laughed running over to Rhiannon and helping her out of the chair. "I can't believe it's you! How long has it been."

"Long…" Rhiannon said with a smile.

"I can see you've grown much more lady-like," Will commented with a laugh.

Elizabeth cast another look over Rhiannon, her eyebrow arching slightly. Rhiannon did not appear to be lady-like at all. She wore men's clothes and dusty traveling boots that were caked in mud. At her side was a pistol, which Elizabeth had not bothered to ask about. Though, it didn't take a second glance to notice that she wasn't what she dressed as. Elizabeth imagined that by being more lady-like she must have shaved a beard, but that did not seem too likely.

Will threw his arms around Rhiannon, which she returned rather slowly. "Er… she doesn't mind… does she?" she asked, nodding towards Elizabeth, who was standing to the side, looking a put off.

He drew out of his embrace with Rhiannon and couldn't help but laugh again. "Elizabeth? No, of course not! Elizabeth isn't one for jealousy! Elizabeth!" Will cried, as if it were necessary to catch her attention further. "This is my dear friend Rhiannon Villefort. One of the finest in fencing I've ever met."

"That's odd," Elizabeth said, her eyes casting another searching look over the other woman. "For the fine fencer Will claims you to be, I see no sword…"

"Well, that's partly what I came to see you about," Rhiannon said, turning to Will. "I lost my sword in a bit of a scuffle…"

"You're lucky you didn't lose more," Will said seriously. "This isn't the friendliest place in the Caribbean."

"I know full well the dangers of Tortuga… which was why I was surprised to learn you were here."

"Well, I guess you could say we were looking to catch up with an old friend," Will replied. "So what is it you want from me, Rhiannon?"

"Last I saw you, you were training to be a blacksmith…" Even as she spoke, Will wore a look that grew steadily more and more and uncomfortable, making Rhiannon simply feel desperate, which came out through the tone of her voice. "And I thought that maybe you could be of some help, in the situation that you had become a decent enough blacksmith."

"Rhiannon… I haven't done any work as a blacksmith for at least a year now," Will said slowly. "And… needless to say, I'm not quite as good as I was."

"But you can still help me?" Rhiannon pleaded.

"I know someone. She's damn good at what she does. Almour Dalman. Better than I could have ever been."

"Will… no," Elizabeth started in a protesting manner. "I don't think it's a good idea…."

"Well, why not?" he demanded.

"We don't have time for this," she said, lowering her voice, though Rhiannon could hear her quite clearly. "It's getting dark… You don't want to be out there at night…"

"Elizabeth, we have all the time in the world," Will stated finally. Then he turned to Rhiannon with a happier light on his face. "Come on, if we're lucky we can make it there before night. Elizabeth, are you coming?"

"I'll stay here thanks," she responded dully, as Rhiannon and Will went towards the door.

Will simply shrugged. "Just be careful."

(~*~)

"Where have you been, Rhiannon?"

"Where have I been?" she repeated the question as they walked down the streets of Tortuga, pulling down the hat on her head, casting most of her face into shadows.

"Yes, where did you go all those years ago. It was like you just up and disappeared."

"Well, from the stories I've heard about you, we've fallen into the same crowd."

Will took a moment to think about what she meant, then it all came clear. He was kicking himself how he hadn't realized it before. "You ran off to be a pirate at fifteen!?!" Will exclaimed in an incredulous manner.

"Shhhh!" Rhiannon held her index finger to her lips. "Not so loud! We don't need all of Tortuga looking over here!"

Will turned to Rhiannon and did his best to lower his voice. "You told me your cousin was dying and you had to go to her! Was piracy your dying cousin!??!" he hissed, still in a state of disbelief.

"I've heard stories about you too, Will!" Rhiannon snapped. "And from the sounds of them, you've had a bit of a run in with the Black Pearl of all ships. Don't preach to me about going off to be a pirate, Will! You're nothing short of one yourself."

He didn't bother to return, for he knew it was true. That was a long time ago, his mind argued. But with another look at Rhiannon he reminded himself. It didn't seem to matter how much time passed, people don't really change.