Thanks for the reviews, guys! :D Once again, I do not in any way, shape OR form claim to own Pirates of the Caribbean.  No matter how many times the voices inside my head tell me I do… ;)

On to Chapter 2

OLD SECREST DIE HARD

Chapter 2 Revelations

Elizabeth stood there, like a statue, thinking. "But Will, I thought you said he was a merchant sailor?"

Will looked into her eyes seeing so much love and devotion, but confusion along with it. He had to tell her, no matter how much it hurt. "I thought he was too, but he was really a pirate…" His words trailed off, but once he regained his train of thought he continued. "When we were back in England, he left all the time, not coming home for many months at a time. Thus is the life of a merchant sailor… or a pirate. However, when he was home, his one true passion was that of a Blacksmith. He had enjoyed the "hobby" long before he met my mother and he was crafting exquisite pieces of jewelry for the rich ladies and lords in England." Upon seeing Elizabeth's strange gaze he quickly explained. "Where do you think I received my fond love of the craft? My father would take me to his shop when he was home and would let me watch him as he worked. I was there when he made that ring…" His gaze wondered off… remembering many things all at once, totally forgetting where he was and who was with him. He was brought back to life by Elizabeth.

"Who asked for such a ring?" Being the Governor's daughter, beautiful pieces of jewelry were not uncommon to her, but this was a ring like she had never seen in all her life, or in Port Royal. "And how did it find its way to Port Royal?"

Seeing her curious gaze Will brought up the tale of his father, and the homeless man who posed him a challenge.

"I suppose you'll want the whole truth, even if it does bring to light some terrible things?"

Her response was an eager "Oh yes!" and then both sat down in the sand for what seemed to be a long, long story.

"The story began a long time ago, before we were born, when my father was plundering and pillaging with Jack and Barbosa and their like. He was young; maybe my age or younger, when he met a woman on an island that he had inhabited with Jack. Apparently Jack was convinced that on this certain island there was buried treasure. Well, Jack went off in search of the treasure, leaving my father in the small fishing village on the east side of the island along with the rest of the crew. Jack was of the mentality that the more there are, the less likely you are to find the treasure… or something unreasonable like that. My father, Will, did not mind. He was having a fine time, drinking and singing with the villagers, when in walked the most beautiful woman he had ever seen." At this he stopped and stared at Elizabeth, thinking she must not have looked much different than her.

Sensing his gaze and knowing his thoughts, Elizabeth blushed a deep red and begged him to go on.

"Well, he walked right up to her and started to make a conversation with her, much to the crew's dismay, you see, many men in the crew had their eye on her. But none like my father, for he wanted her for more than just one night. She seemed uneasy, but formidable, and spoke to him very kindly. He loved everything about her, her eyes, her hair, even the small tattoo of a flower she had on the back of her right hand. Needless to say, he fell in love with her. He made up his mind that when Jack came back from his ridiculous treasure hunt, this beautiful woman would leave with him. And she did."

Elizabeth, loving the sound of the tale, let a smile grab hold of her lips. "Was she your mother?"

"Yes. Yes, she was. He brought her back to England where he married her. They had me right away, but he was not there to witness my birth, as I said before, he was always away. But one night, when I was five or six years old, he was walking home from his shop, (he had the Blacksmith's shop before he joined Jack, as he had grown up with the local Blacksmith himself) he came across a homeless man. 'Beautiful wife you have there, lad.' Hearing the words of the man, my father inquired as to how he knew who his wife was, and what he knew of her. (More blunt then I was, I'm sure)  The homeless man smiled a toothless smile. 'She bears the mark! The lovely tattoo she 'as of the flower? That mark was the mark of death!' Hearing these words my father asked the man what he was talking about, and threatened to kill him. It was late at night and he had already had had a long, hard day at the shop, and maybe if he was less tired or apprehensive he would have noticed the homeless man as someone he was quite familiar with himself….  A member of his own crew! The pirate, cleverly disguised as a homeless man, created a story that went something like this..." At this he took a breath. "Are you sure you want to hear this, Elizabeth?" She nodded, not knowing what she was getting herself into and not caring either.

"The tattoo was the mark of 'the chosen one', he explained. Every ten years the villagers of her home had a ritual. The most beautiful and perfect virgin male and female were to be sacrificed to the god of the sea, or so the man said" Elizabeth's face showed shock. "But why would that man lie like that? Did he fancy her as well…?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so" Will replied. 

Elizabeth was intrigued deeply by this story. "What did your father do? How does the ring come into this? It doesn't make sense… Why would this man cook up a story like that!!?? Did your father believe him?"

"The man had a plan, a plan to taint my father's vision of her. As to how she "escaped", he created a devious idea and planted it in my father's mind, in hopes of him falling out of love with her. He said that she never really was the chosen one, but that she put the mark there herself… In hopes of saving the woman she loved. She did save her, and she put her lover on another boat before meeting my father and running away with him, for she was a wanted woman as well."

Elizabeth grew even more wide-eyed and stared at Will as if he had sprouted another head. "You ARE kidding… Aren't you?" 

Will just continued with the story, as if he NEEDED to get it off his chest. "My father did not believe the man. Not until the man showed my father his hand, which bore the same mark as his wife's. Revealing that the man was the perfect virgin too be sacrificed with his wife. My father screamed at the man, saying it weren't true, and how much his wife loved and adored him. 'That might be so' the man said 'But you're not 'er first love! I 'ave proof, too! She 'as a place, doesn't she? A place she says you are not too look, because she keeps 'er "things" there. And of course you don't, because you respect 'er privacy… Look there and you will find a ring there, an emerald ring. That ring 'as a special place in 'er 'eart, because it was given to 'er by the one she loved. Just read the inscription, it will tell you all. When you accept the truth, I'll be 'ere, waiting to tell you the rest of the story… For there is much to tell, and little time to tell it.'  My father did not know that the man planted that ring there, knowing that my father would surely look to see if he was telling the truth."

Elizabeth interjected here "I thought you said your father made the ring, Will… How could the man have gotten his hands on it?"

"There was more than one ring, Elizabeth. When my father found it he became enraged and did something the pirate man did not expect."

"What's that?" Elizabeth asked.

Will never did get the chance to explain, because it was right then that a familiar voice standing above them said "I'll be takin' that ring, Mr. Turner. Unless you don't want Elizabeth here to see the light of day again!"

                                                ~MEANWHILE~

Jack stood on his ship, watching the happy couple as the evil pirate lurched over them. [Will found it. It's about time! Took 'im (him) a good ten years! I should have told 'im… but we were pretty occupied with Barbosa and 'is filthy lot!  Pity Barbosa got to Will before I could…] He prepared to anchor the Black Pearl as the port came into view.  " 'old (hold) on, Will. 'old on…"

I would like to say thanks to all my lovely reviewers… You know who u are!! :D Please review and be kind.. I know it was a ig capter and VERY confusing and VERY cliffy, but if you have any comments or questions please feel free to submit them! I can take a little criticism! (tho not very much…. Lol) Thanks!

~Poztcardz205pean