Chapter 25: The Time Has Come
Arianne woke to find herself in Will's arms, and was surprised. She always was shocked at her immensely good fortune, and was positive she was dreaming every time she woke to him. What had she done to deserve this tender, loving man?
As she shifted slightly she winced. Maybe not so tender. Yesterday's sparring had been rather abusive on both of them. As the days had passed on their trip back to Port Royal, they had both become very tense. Tempers snapped every so often, the flat of a blade would fall a little too sharply upon an arm or leg, and still each night they would fall into each other's arms, murmuring apologies before falling into an exhausted sleep. Jack had given up on making them concentrate on working after Will had mopped the same spot for over half an hour and Arianne had nearly missed an oncoming storm.
One of the reasons Arianne was so snappish with Will--and she had to admit this to herself--was because they were drawing nearer and nearer to Elizabeth. Five nights ago he had mumbled her name over and over in his sleep, and had occasionally done the same in the nights since. She deeply feared losing him to her. When she had told Jack, he had simply stared at her soberly for a moment before laughing and joking as was his wont. She had laughed and joked with him, but she wondered if maybe he had feelings for Elizabeth himself?
She sighed. Now that she was awake it would be impossible to get back to sleep. Climbing over Will to get out of bed, she stood for a moment staring down at him and began to get dressed. It's amazing, she thought, how he can sleep through anything. She opened the door and left.
********************************
Will started awake when the door opened and closed only to find himself alone. He sighed, wishing she would wake him when she left. He knew she was getting nervous about going back home, and he was too. He shook his head as the memory of that awful dream came back to him. Ever since that night, a sense of dread had taken hold of him, and he felt the need more than ever to be back in Port Royal.
Was Elizabeth in trouble?
********************************
He watched as she stood on deck, looking out at the smudge of land that would all to soon prove to be the island that Port Royal rested on. When Jack came to stand beside her she didn't look at him. "What do you think will happen when we reach it, Jack?"
"Well, with any luck I won't be arrested again, but other than that I don't know. Buck up, love, it'll all play out for the best in the end," he replied, and then he left her to her musings. Ah, he envied Will. As the days passed he couldn't help but love the girl more, and he felt guilty for it in spite of his pirate's soul. What would he say to Elizabeth? I'm sorry, Elizabeth darling, I fell for the woman that captured your husband's heart, can you ever forgive me? He smiled inwardly. She would murder him. Well, maybe not murder. . .but she would severely injure him. He winced at the thought of where that injury would take place.
He surreptitiously stared at Arianne as he wandered about the deck, wishing she didn't have to go back to Port Royal. She was a good worker, and she added a certain aura to everyday life that he couldn't quite put his finger on. It was really too bad she was so in love with Will. Ah, well.
********************************
When night fell, the Black Pearl moved into the harbor and docked. If anyone noticed or even cared, there was no sign of it.
Arianne and Will stood in their cabin, Arianne tying a deep red sash about her waist. She wore a white shirt tailored to her womanly torso with slightly billowing sleeves, her pants were full-length and form-fitting, toughened leather boots coming halfway up her calves. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail instead of the customary braid, and Will admired the rich golden fall of it. She returned to Port Royal not as a noble, but as a pirate.
She hadn't smiled since the fort had come into view, and even now she went about with a grim, determined face. She stuck a knife into the sash, looking around to see if there was anything she was missing. He handed her a sword, beautifully crafted, as were all of the blades he made. She took it solemnly and stuck it through her sash as well.
They had made love earlier, each feeling for their own separate--if similar--reasons that it would be the last time they would do so. And still she had not smiled. He looked at her sadly, aching inside. He needed the happy woman that brought so much light to his life right now. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again, unsure what exactly he was going to say. Each idea seemed more ridiculous than the last. Finally he gave up, and let the silence layer ever thicker over them.
Finally she turned to him, smiling sadly. He got up and walked over to her, holding her tightly to him. When she tilted her head back, he immediately obliged by leaning down and kissing her firmly on her soft lips.
When he finally pulled back and opened his eyes, he met her deep, deep blue eyes, filled with purpose and tears. His own eyes threatened to overflow. They had been so happy for a while, why did it have to come to this? He looked away first, and didn't hold to her when she pulled away.
They had had their share of happiness with each other, and he hoped against all hope that they could be together once more after all of this was over.
"I love you," she whispered, and then she was gone.
***********************************************************************
Alrighty, first things first. . .I deeply apologize for the length of time it took me to update. It would have come sooner if my child hadn't fallen sick and then passed it along to me. Blah. As it is, most of this was done when I was sneezing up a storm and I'm not entirely sure whether it makes sense now--but it should later! Hopefully.
Arianne woke to find herself in Will's arms, and was surprised. She always was shocked at her immensely good fortune, and was positive she was dreaming every time she woke to him. What had she done to deserve this tender, loving man?
As she shifted slightly she winced. Maybe not so tender. Yesterday's sparring had been rather abusive on both of them. As the days had passed on their trip back to Port Royal, they had both become very tense. Tempers snapped every so often, the flat of a blade would fall a little too sharply upon an arm or leg, and still each night they would fall into each other's arms, murmuring apologies before falling into an exhausted sleep. Jack had given up on making them concentrate on working after Will had mopped the same spot for over half an hour and Arianne had nearly missed an oncoming storm.
One of the reasons Arianne was so snappish with Will--and she had to admit this to herself--was because they were drawing nearer and nearer to Elizabeth. Five nights ago he had mumbled her name over and over in his sleep, and had occasionally done the same in the nights since. She deeply feared losing him to her. When she had told Jack, he had simply stared at her soberly for a moment before laughing and joking as was his wont. She had laughed and joked with him, but she wondered if maybe he had feelings for Elizabeth himself?
She sighed. Now that she was awake it would be impossible to get back to sleep. Climbing over Will to get out of bed, she stood for a moment staring down at him and began to get dressed. It's amazing, she thought, how he can sleep through anything. She opened the door and left.
********************************
Will started awake when the door opened and closed only to find himself alone. He sighed, wishing she would wake him when she left. He knew she was getting nervous about going back home, and he was too. He shook his head as the memory of that awful dream came back to him. Ever since that night, a sense of dread had taken hold of him, and he felt the need more than ever to be back in Port Royal.
Was Elizabeth in trouble?
********************************
He watched as she stood on deck, looking out at the smudge of land that would all to soon prove to be the island that Port Royal rested on. When Jack came to stand beside her she didn't look at him. "What do you think will happen when we reach it, Jack?"
"Well, with any luck I won't be arrested again, but other than that I don't know. Buck up, love, it'll all play out for the best in the end," he replied, and then he left her to her musings. Ah, he envied Will. As the days passed he couldn't help but love the girl more, and he felt guilty for it in spite of his pirate's soul. What would he say to Elizabeth? I'm sorry, Elizabeth darling, I fell for the woman that captured your husband's heart, can you ever forgive me? He smiled inwardly. She would murder him. Well, maybe not murder. . .but she would severely injure him. He winced at the thought of where that injury would take place.
He surreptitiously stared at Arianne as he wandered about the deck, wishing she didn't have to go back to Port Royal. She was a good worker, and she added a certain aura to everyday life that he couldn't quite put his finger on. It was really too bad she was so in love with Will. Ah, well.
********************************
When night fell, the Black Pearl moved into the harbor and docked. If anyone noticed or even cared, there was no sign of it.
Arianne and Will stood in their cabin, Arianne tying a deep red sash about her waist. She wore a white shirt tailored to her womanly torso with slightly billowing sleeves, her pants were full-length and form-fitting, toughened leather boots coming halfway up her calves. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail instead of the customary braid, and Will admired the rich golden fall of it. She returned to Port Royal not as a noble, but as a pirate.
She hadn't smiled since the fort had come into view, and even now she went about with a grim, determined face. She stuck a knife into the sash, looking around to see if there was anything she was missing. He handed her a sword, beautifully crafted, as were all of the blades he made. She took it solemnly and stuck it through her sash as well.
They had made love earlier, each feeling for their own separate--if similar--reasons that it would be the last time they would do so. And still she had not smiled. He looked at her sadly, aching inside. He needed the happy woman that brought so much light to his life right now. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again, unsure what exactly he was going to say. Each idea seemed more ridiculous than the last. Finally he gave up, and let the silence layer ever thicker over them.
Finally she turned to him, smiling sadly. He got up and walked over to her, holding her tightly to him. When she tilted her head back, he immediately obliged by leaning down and kissing her firmly on her soft lips.
When he finally pulled back and opened his eyes, he met her deep, deep blue eyes, filled with purpose and tears. His own eyes threatened to overflow. They had been so happy for a while, why did it have to come to this? He looked away first, and didn't hold to her when she pulled away.
They had had their share of happiness with each other, and he hoped against all hope that they could be together once more after all of this was over.
"I love you," she whispered, and then she was gone.
***********************************************************************
Alrighty, first things first. . .I deeply apologize for the length of time it took me to update. It would have come sooner if my child hadn't fallen sick and then passed it along to me. Blah. As it is, most of this was done when I was sneezing up a storm and I'm not entirely sure whether it makes sense now--but it should later! Hopefully.