Kin

Part Nine : In Which 'I Do' is said and Jack Doesn't Pilfer His Weaselly Black Guts Out

by : epiphanies


Governor Swann eyed Elizabeth as she sat at her dresser the next morning, struggling with her curls.

"Are you quite sure that you don't want Odetta to help you with these, Elizabeth?" he asked gently, their eyes locking in the mirror. Her cheeks flushed pink.

"No, I'm fine. I don't need to have her fussing over me all of the time. I can handle myself."

"That's obvious," he chuckled in spite of himself - after all, he had to be a bit at odds with his insides, his only daughter was marrying a -blacksmith-.

She clipped the last curl into place and admired it with a smile, then turned and looked up at him, looming over her.

"I wish my curls were as easy to manage," she touched the tip of his wig adoringly, and his mouth broadened. He held her shoulders as she stood.

"You look stunning."

She smiled with an eyebrow aloft, "Do you really think so? Should I have opted for the other dress?"

"Definitely not. No dress with a corset will do for such an occasion."

"Yes, if I faint, you cannot blame it on that."

He laughed, and she wrapped her arms around him, careful not to stir her hair.

"I love you, father," she whispered, her eyes filled to the brim. He breathed her in, his daughter, his only one. The only woman left in his life. He was giving her away today.

"Now, I do love you too, Elizabeth, but you need not get sentimental." he beamed at her and stroked her cheek with an affectionate finger, "You need to get out there. They're waiting for you."

She sniffed and nodded, hiking up her skirts. She took a steadying breath, and slipped her arm in his.


Nobody had noticed Jack yet.

Will took a steadying breath, and the suave-looking pirate eyed him.

"Relax, mate," he muttered, "She's not left you at the bloody altar."

Will hadn't even thought of that. Jack noticed the flicker of perpetual fear in Will's eyes and inwardly giggled.

"I don't like having my boots this shiny, mate," Jack complained quietly, looking down to stare conspicuously at his feet, "I can see me bloody reflection."

"Be quiet, for once, Jack." hissed Will, and Jack shrugged. He caught the eye of Commodore Norrington and nodded solemnly.

"He really believes that I'm your father?" he whispered, and Will rolled his eyes, "Of course he does."

"What an idiot."

"You're old enough."

"How would you know?"

"Oh, well how about-"

Will stopped dead. The music had begun. The veil at the end of the walk-way had opened, and he could see two forms making their ways into the sunlight. Elizabeth and Governor Swann, arm in arm.

Elizabeth was beautiful, in her creamy white gown, puffed sleeves, silken veil, billowing skirt in the caressing Caribbean winds... Will silently willed Jack not to whistle.

Elizabeth caught his eye, and smiled shakily. He did the same.

They were really, truly going to do this. His smile grew broader as he remembered their very first exchange...

*

"It's ok. My name's Elizabeth Swann."

"Will Turner."

"I'm watching over you, Will..."

*

"Do you, William Turner, take this woman Elizabeth..."

*

"And do you, Miss Elizabeth Swann, take this man William..."

*

"You may kiss your bride, William."

*

Jack squinted in the constant sun, and found Desdemona in the crowd. That ceremony had gone on -far- too long.

"Wasn't it beautiful, Jack?" said a wistful voice from behind him.

He smirked, "Lovely. You should have been closer, love."

Desdemona smirked right back, "Why, to see Will's shaking?"

"And Elizabeth's near-fainting. I was ready to catch the lass, you know, make Will look like a bad husband, and everybody will want her to marry me instead."

"That's an abomination," Desdemona laughed, "She wasn't even wearing a corset."

Jack took her arm and led her to the edge of the fort, where he had fallen (in escape, of course) only a few months before.

He glanced down quickly, then turned his attention to Desdemona.

"So, you ready for a drink?"

"Jack, I don't think they serve the wine until after dinner is served."

Jack scowled at the sunset, "Who ever heard of that?"

Desdemona leaned on a turret and examined him.

"So, Jack, was I just seeing things, or did I see tears in your eyes during the ceremony?"

This got Jack's attention.

"Tears? Maybe I was sweating out of 'em."

"You can't sweat out of your eyes."

"Then it was from the sun. Terrible position it was in, during that entire shindig."

"Shindig? It was your best friend's son's wedding, Jack. It isn't to be classified as a shindig."

"Clam dig?"

"Not even."

"I like clam-digs. You get to eat clams."

"Very funny. But never fear," she winked at him as they headed back to the crown surrounding Mr and Mrs William Turner, "I heard Governor Swann say that they're the first item on the menu."

Jack grinned.


Will had never shaken so many hands in his life - and he hadn't even been married for five minutes!

He whispered in Elizabeth's ear, to many "Aw!" sounds from the crowd, "I'd rather be with you than all of these people right now."

She smiled warmly at him and took his hand.

"There's plenty of time left in this day, Will."

Will cursed wedding parties at that moment, then turned to shake the hand of a jovial, pastor-looking fellow, who continued to talk about how wonderful his union to Elizabeth was, and how long he had been waiting for it to happen. Will felt it would be awkward to ask the man his name and relation, so he merely smiled, took his wife's hand again, and continued their pathway of 'meet and greet' duties with a concrete smile.