The dawn rose bright and clear that morning, shining in through the unshuttered windows of the island village to awaken those who would leave its shores for a few hours that day. Laura rolled over sleepily, allowing her husband to slip regretfully from their bed and dress, watching him as his memories schooled his expression into one of sorrowful remembrance. She pulled herself out of the bed, drawing her own garments over her head as he dragged his boots onto his feet.
In silence, they made their way to the doorway of their home, where he took his leave of her, moving swiftly to join his cousin and their friends as they walked solemnly down to the ships. Their crews walked with them, their faces solemn, their movements strangely formal. Not a word was spoken between them as they walked this well-worn path to greet the dead on this day of mourning. Both ships had been dressed with sails of black, the ropes tarred to match the cloth that would propel them to the captain's resting place. The Red Dragon seemed to stand taller in the water, determined, from her bilge to her maintop, to do her former captain proud.
Esteban stood in the doorway of his house, his wife and children gathered around him. They had never seen such a solemn occasion, especially among those they had always been told had no honour or emotion to speak of. The months they had spent among the pirates had taught them otherwise, and now they felt for their friends as the crews of both Dragon and Pearl made ready to visit a time many wished they could forget.
The air of sorrow that hung over them was palatable, affecting the children as they stood together. Devante unconsciously wrapped an arm about his sister, something that would never happen normally, even as Esteban absently lifted his youngest son into his arms. The little family watched the solemn procession as they rowed out to the ships and clambered on board, the captains and their families among the last. And slowly the ships lurched from the natural harbour, to sail gently to their old friend's final resting place.
Aboard the Dragon, the men remained silent, following the orders Will gave out in a muted voice without banter or complaint. They knew the reason for this voyage, each felt the need to say goodbye one last time. They had done what the old dragon had asked of them, lost men in the struggle to complete his final orders, and now could finally put him to rest, safe in the knowledge that not even Elias Fitzpatrick could find a reason to haunt them now.
Will stood at the helm, trying hard to forget that there was one other who should be making this journey with them. Somehow, Elizabeth's absence made this all the harder for him. He needed her strength, her confidence in him, to see him through this painful day, the reminder of the day he had taken life in cold blood, without mercy, for the sake of his friend and her own. His son stood unsteadily by his side, holding onto the top of his boot for balance as the Dragon rolled ponderously towards the headland. Will knew there was no way Matthew could understand the reason for this outing, but somehow the child knew to stay quiet, to respect the silence that surrounded him. Despite himself, Will was proud of his son, and he knew Elizabeth would have been too.
Hopkins, the old first mate who had served under Elias Fitzpatrick from when he was a young lad to the day he died, found himself regarding his young captain with fresh eyes, eyes that saw the similarities between Will Turner and the dragon who had given him the care of the ship he had loved so well. Both strong willed and stubborn, both driven by the love of someone close to them, both nurtured with a deep love of the ocean that surrounded them. And both had earnt the respect of a seasoned crew, without complaint or mutiny, by simply being as they were, and expecting no less. Yes, he nodded. Old Fitzpatrick had chosen well for his loyal friends, and they all knew it.
Along the way, down on the main deck, Dugan leant wearily against the rail, staring out across to the Pearl as she slipped through the water beside them. His eyes followed Marin as she walked with Jack, her daughter cradled close in her arms and her eyes dark with that haunting sorrow that had almost torn her apart in the days after Elias' death. He could not shake the feeling that he should not be there, that he had somehow failed Elias when Elizabeth had been killed. He knew nothing anyone said would remove the guilt from his soul, not even his captain. Will had told him time and again that he was proud to have him in his crew and as his friend, and though Dugan had been overjoyed to hear it, he could not bring himself to believe it. This, from the man whose wife he failed to save.
Gibbs made his slow way along the deck to where Jack and Marin stood together, both engrossed in their daughter, and their memories. He touched his cap respectfully, somehow nudged into remembering his navy training by the pall that hung over them.
'Beggin' yer pardon, cap'n, but there's a ship approaching the headland from Port Royale,' he said softly, unwilling to break the silence. 'They've put up a signal, but I never had the learning of such, sir.'
Jack's rueful grin was muted as he looked on his first mate.
'I don't believe that for a moment, mate,' he chuckled, his suspicions confirmed as Gibbs flashed him a sly smile. 'Who is it and what do they want?'
At this, Gibbs glanced past them to where James leant against the rail. He'd been watching the commodore closely since the ship had come within sight, and knew for a fact that he would have read the signal as soon as it was flown.
'Don't feel it be my place to say, cap'n,' he muttered.
The commodore gave him a flat look, sighing as Marin turned to her cousin in confusion.
'What's going on?' she asked, shifting Beth up onto her shoulder.
James glanced between her and Jack, noticing with no little irritation that Gibbs had scarpered hastily.
'It's the Dauntless,' he told them, ignoring for a moment the look of surprise that crossed their faces. 'Captain Gillette requests permission to lay off and join us in our remembrance of those who were lost.'
Marin's expression softened abruptly, tears beginning to collect in her eyes as the memory of the lost swept over her. Jack's arm snaked about her shoulders, his fingers gently caressing his daughter's cheek.
'Tell them they're welcome, mate,' the captain told him, and James nodded, glancing over to where Solomon and Harry already had the signal flags out.
He moved away, leaving Marin to glance up at Jack in confusion.
'Why should the navy want to remember pirates?' she asked him, wincing as Beth grasped a handful of her hair.
'The same reason anyone remembers the lost, love,' Jack told her softly, carefully pulling the copper strands out of their daughter's grip. 'It was a waste of life, no matter what they would have chosen to do with their lives had they lived.'
Marin nodded slowly, not quite understanding this. Jack shrugged.
'And it's a chance to make sure the dear commodore isn't being treated badly by the wicked pirates,' he added.
They heard the quiet shouts as the Dauntless approached, dropping her anchor so that she would come to a halt beside the Pearl. The men aboard were in full uniform, turned out beautifully as they lined the ship's side. The officers were gathered on the forecastle, flipping salutes across to James where he stood with his cousin as they stepped aside for their passenger to acknowledge the other ships. Governor Swann nodded solemnly to them as he moved to stand at the ship's rail, breathing deeply of the sea air. The Dragon drew up on the other side of the Pearl, and was swiftly ready for them, the men standing to face the ocean where they had lost such good friends.
The boarding planks thumped into place, and Marin, James, and Jack walked across to the Red Dragon, thumping aboard with steps that sounded suddenly too loud in the eerie silence that surrounded them. Will met them on the main deck, Matthew held close in his arms as they made their way together up to the poop deck. The ships were silent, even the sails seemed muted as they flapped in the breeze.
Jack was the first to speak, stepping forward to address the ocean as his voice carried across the flat calm waves.
'Well, we made it, Fitz,' he said. 'Followed your instructions to the letter, and we found the gold. It was a good adventure. You'd have enjoyed it.'
'I kept my promise,' Marin spoke up, her voice trembling in the clear air. 'You made me make a promise and I kept it, regardless of any doubts I might have had. And I'm glad, Elias, because . . . I'm happy. And it's all because of you.'
Jack's hand reached out to squeeze her shoulder as her head drooped, her posture slumping under the weight of her grief.
'But I miss you,' she sobbed quietly, her words stolen by the breeze.
Choked, James moved to say his piece, even as Marin was folded into her husband's embrace. He swallowed carefully, feeling Will at his shoulder as the two men tried to think of what they could say.
'How can I ever repay you for what you have given me, Captain?' Will said. 'In all I have suffered, this ship, this crew you foisted upon me in your dying hours have kept me alive. They've supported me through everything, and I have you to thank for that. Look after her for me, Elias. She's in your care now.'
No one needed to ask who she was, as Will and Jack stepped back, leaving James and Marin to settle with their cousin's spirit.
'Everything's as you intended it to be, cousin,' James murmured. 'Marin and Jack are settled, the Dragon in good hands, the gold distributed. Now there's only one thing left to do.'
Marin withdrew her hand from her shirt, holding her fist over the water.
'Tis only right you should see some of what you died for,' she managed, and opened her fist.
Gold sparkled in the afternoon sunlight as four golden coins fell, flashing, into the sea, to rest beside the man who had lead his family to them. The ships remained silent long after the echoes of the splash had died away, no one quite knowing how to break the silence. Then a soft voice did so, sending a lilting, painfully familiar melody out across the water.
'Oh, all the money that e'er you spent,
You spent it in good company . . .'
Marin turned with wide eyes to stare at Jack as he sang the tune, his gaze fixed on some point far out to sea. Almost without thinking, she raised her voice to join his, feeling the weight of the grief that had haunted her for two years begin to slowly lift from her heart.
'And all the harm that e'er you've done
Alas, it was to none but thee . . .'
James glanced at Will, and found the younger man murmuring the familiar words beneath his breath, lacking the courage to raise his voice to wind around the others.
'And all you've done for want of wit
To memory now, I can't recall . . .'
The blacksmith sighed softly, finally letting himself sing with his friends, and let his memories go.
'So fill to me the parting glass
Goodnight, and joy be with you . . .'
Slowly, the crew of the Red Dragon took up the haunting melody, winding harmony and counter-harmony around it out of habit. The Pearl and the Dauntless lay silent, listening as those who had known the old captain said their last goodbye to him in the only way they knew how.
'Oh, all the comrades that e'er you've had
Are sorry for your going away
And all the sweethearts that e'er you had
Would wish you one more day to stay . . .
James felt a small hand slip into his, looking down to find Marin smiling up at him through her tears, her voice as strong as it had ever been since the night she had sung this very song to her dying guardian. Encouraged by her strength, he began to sing with her, feeling the release that she had felt as the words drifted out across the water.
'But since it falls unto your lot
That you should rise, and we should not,
You'll gently rise, and we'll softly call . . .'
And so it was, on a clear autumn day, beneath the warm sun of the Caribbean, the spirit of Elias Fitzpatrick, and those who had fought and died with him, was finally laid to rest with the song that had seen him safe to the next world.
'Goodnight, and joy be with you . . .'
*~*~*
Ildera: I hope the three chapters makes up for the long wait and lack of A/N . . . but I am a bit busy at the mo. If you're desperate to know the real reasons behind my erratic posting, don't hesitate to ask. So, until next time!
In silence, they made their way to the doorway of their home, where he took his leave of her, moving swiftly to join his cousin and their friends as they walked solemnly down to the ships. Their crews walked with them, their faces solemn, their movements strangely formal. Not a word was spoken between them as they walked this well-worn path to greet the dead on this day of mourning. Both ships had been dressed with sails of black, the ropes tarred to match the cloth that would propel them to the captain's resting place. The Red Dragon seemed to stand taller in the water, determined, from her bilge to her maintop, to do her former captain proud.
Esteban stood in the doorway of his house, his wife and children gathered around him. They had never seen such a solemn occasion, especially among those they had always been told had no honour or emotion to speak of. The months they had spent among the pirates had taught them otherwise, and now they felt for their friends as the crews of both Dragon and Pearl made ready to visit a time many wished they could forget.
The air of sorrow that hung over them was palatable, affecting the children as they stood together. Devante unconsciously wrapped an arm about his sister, something that would never happen normally, even as Esteban absently lifted his youngest son into his arms. The little family watched the solemn procession as they rowed out to the ships and clambered on board, the captains and their families among the last. And slowly the ships lurched from the natural harbour, to sail gently to their old friend's final resting place.
Aboard the Dragon, the men remained silent, following the orders Will gave out in a muted voice without banter or complaint. They knew the reason for this voyage, each felt the need to say goodbye one last time. They had done what the old dragon had asked of them, lost men in the struggle to complete his final orders, and now could finally put him to rest, safe in the knowledge that not even Elias Fitzpatrick could find a reason to haunt them now.
Will stood at the helm, trying hard to forget that there was one other who should be making this journey with them. Somehow, Elizabeth's absence made this all the harder for him. He needed her strength, her confidence in him, to see him through this painful day, the reminder of the day he had taken life in cold blood, without mercy, for the sake of his friend and her own. His son stood unsteadily by his side, holding onto the top of his boot for balance as the Dragon rolled ponderously towards the headland. Will knew there was no way Matthew could understand the reason for this outing, but somehow the child knew to stay quiet, to respect the silence that surrounded him. Despite himself, Will was proud of his son, and he knew Elizabeth would have been too.
Hopkins, the old first mate who had served under Elias Fitzpatrick from when he was a young lad to the day he died, found himself regarding his young captain with fresh eyes, eyes that saw the similarities between Will Turner and the dragon who had given him the care of the ship he had loved so well. Both strong willed and stubborn, both driven by the love of someone close to them, both nurtured with a deep love of the ocean that surrounded them. And both had earnt the respect of a seasoned crew, without complaint or mutiny, by simply being as they were, and expecting no less. Yes, he nodded. Old Fitzpatrick had chosen well for his loyal friends, and they all knew it.
Along the way, down on the main deck, Dugan leant wearily against the rail, staring out across to the Pearl as she slipped through the water beside them. His eyes followed Marin as she walked with Jack, her daughter cradled close in her arms and her eyes dark with that haunting sorrow that had almost torn her apart in the days after Elias' death. He could not shake the feeling that he should not be there, that he had somehow failed Elias when Elizabeth had been killed. He knew nothing anyone said would remove the guilt from his soul, not even his captain. Will had told him time and again that he was proud to have him in his crew and as his friend, and though Dugan had been overjoyed to hear it, he could not bring himself to believe it. This, from the man whose wife he failed to save.
Gibbs made his slow way along the deck to where Jack and Marin stood together, both engrossed in their daughter, and their memories. He touched his cap respectfully, somehow nudged into remembering his navy training by the pall that hung over them.
'Beggin' yer pardon, cap'n, but there's a ship approaching the headland from Port Royale,' he said softly, unwilling to break the silence. 'They've put up a signal, but I never had the learning of such, sir.'
Jack's rueful grin was muted as he looked on his first mate.
'I don't believe that for a moment, mate,' he chuckled, his suspicions confirmed as Gibbs flashed him a sly smile. 'Who is it and what do they want?'
At this, Gibbs glanced past them to where James leant against the rail. He'd been watching the commodore closely since the ship had come within sight, and knew for a fact that he would have read the signal as soon as it was flown.
'Don't feel it be my place to say, cap'n,' he muttered.
The commodore gave him a flat look, sighing as Marin turned to her cousin in confusion.
'What's going on?' she asked, shifting Beth up onto her shoulder.
James glanced between her and Jack, noticing with no little irritation that Gibbs had scarpered hastily.
'It's the Dauntless,' he told them, ignoring for a moment the look of surprise that crossed their faces. 'Captain Gillette requests permission to lay off and join us in our remembrance of those who were lost.'
Marin's expression softened abruptly, tears beginning to collect in her eyes as the memory of the lost swept over her. Jack's arm snaked about her shoulders, his fingers gently caressing his daughter's cheek.
'Tell them they're welcome, mate,' the captain told him, and James nodded, glancing over to where Solomon and Harry already had the signal flags out.
He moved away, leaving Marin to glance up at Jack in confusion.
'Why should the navy want to remember pirates?' she asked him, wincing as Beth grasped a handful of her hair.
'The same reason anyone remembers the lost, love,' Jack told her softly, carefully pulling the copper strands out of their daughter's grip. 'It was a waste of life, no matter what they would have chosen to do with their lives had they lived.'
Marin nodded slowly, not quite understanding this. Jack shrugged.
'And it's a chance to make sure the dear commodore isn't being treated badly by the wicked pirates,' he added.
They heard the quiet shouts as the Dauntless approached, dropping her anchor so that she would come to a halt beside the Pearl. The men aboard were in full uniform, turned out beautifully as they lined the ship's side. The officers were gathered on the forecastle, flipping salutes across to James where he stood with his cousin as they stepped aside for their passenger to acknowledge the other ships. Governor Swann nodded solemnly to them as he moved to stand at the ship's rail, breathing deeply of the sea air. The Dragon drew up on the other side of the Pearl, and was swiftly ready for them, the men standing to face the ocean where they had lost such good friends.
The boarding planks thumped into place, and Marin, James, and Jack walked across to the Red Dragon, thumping aboard with steps that sounded suddenly too loud in the eerie silence that surrounded them. Will met them on the main deck, Matthew held close in his arms as they made their way together up to the poop deck. The ships were silent, even the sails seemed muted as they flapped in the breeze.
Jack was the first to speak, stepping forward to address the ocean as his voice carried across the flat calm waves.
'Well, we made it, Fitz,' he said. 'Followed your instructions to the letter, and we found the gold. It was a good adventure. You'd have enjoyed it.'
'I kept my promise,' Marin spoke up, her voice trembling in the clear air. 'You made me make a promise and I kept it, regardless of any doubts I might have had. And I'm glad, Elias, because . . . I'm happy. And it's all because of you.'
Jack's hand reached out to squeeze her shoulder as her head drooped, her posture slumping under the weight of her grief.
'But I miss you,' she sobbed quietly, her words stolen by the breeze.
Choked, James moved to say his piece, even as Marin was folded into her husband's embrace. He swallowed carefully, feeling Will at his shoulder as the two men tried to think of what they could say.
'How can I ever repay you for what you have given me, Captain?' Will said. 'In all I have suffered, this ship, this crew you foisted upon me in your dying hours have kept me alive. They've supported me through everything, and I have you to thank for that. Look after her for me, Elias. She's in your care now.'
No one needed to ask who she was, as Will and Jack stepped back, leaving James and Marin to settle with their cousin's spirit.
'Everything's as you intended it to be, cousin,' James murmured. 'Marin and Jack are settled, the Dragon in good hands, the gold distributed. Now there's only one thing left to do.'
Marin withdrew her hand from her shirt, holding her fist over the water.
'Tis only right you should see some of what you died for,' she managed, and opened her fist.
Gold sparkled in the afternoon sunlight as four golden coins fell, flashing, into the sea, to rest beside the man who had lead his family to them. The ships remained silent long after the echoes of the splash had died away, no one quite knowing how to break the silence. Then a soft voice did so, sending a lilting, painfully familiar melody out across the water.
'Oh, all the money that e'er you spent,
You spent it in good company . . .'
Marin turned with wide eyes to stare at Jack as he sang the tune, his gaze fixed on some point far out to sea. Almost without thinking, she raised her voice to join his, feeling the weight of the grief that had haunted her for two years begin to slowly lift from her heart.
'And all the harm that e'er you've done
Alas, it was to none but thee . . .'
James glanced at Will, and found the younger man murmuring the familiar words beneath his breath, lacking the courage to raise his voice to wind around the others.
'And all you've done for want of wit
To memory now, I can't recall . . .'
The blacksmith sighed softly, finally letting himself sing with his friends, and let his memories go.
'So fill to me the parting glass
Goodnight, and joy be with you . . .'
Slowly, the crew of the Red Dragon took up the haunting melody, winding harmony and counter-harmony around it out of habit. The Pearl and the Dauntless lay silent, listening as those who had known the old captain said their last goodbye to him in the only way they knew how.
'Oh, all the comrades that e'er you've had
Are sorry for your going away
And all the sweethearts that e'er you had
Would wish you one more day to stay . . .
James felt a small hand slip into his, looking down to find Marin smiling up at him through her tears, her voice as strong as it had ever been since the night she had sung this very song to her dying guardian. Encouraged by her strength, he began to sing with her, feeling the release that she had felt as the words drifted out across the water.
'But since it falls unto your lot
That you should rise, and we should not,
You'll gently rise, and we'll softly call . . .'
And so it was, on a clear autumn day, beneath the warm sun of the Caribbean, the spirit of Elias Fitzpatrick, and those who had fought and died with him, was finally laid to rest with the song that had seen him safe to the next world.
'Goodnight, and joy be with you . . .'
*~*~*
Ildera: I hope the three chapters makes up for the long wait and lack of A/N . . . but I am a bit busy at the mo. If you're desperate to know the real reasons behind my erratic posting, don't hesitate to ask. So, until next time!