First off I would like to say that I love all my reviewers!!!! *hugs you all and then passes around lots of Diant Digital Pockey* You have all made me so happy!!! I've been smiley and grinning all day because of you! Thank you all!
FF.N Reviewers:
Jaded*Secrets: There most certainly will be slashy scenes! Just give me another chapter or two and you'll see. Though I have to tell you, I'll have to tone it down a bit for ff.n and if you want to read the full NC-17 version, you'll find it on adultfanfiction.net
eck: thank you very much ^^ I love positive reviews
doompaw: Yes inclusion is a word, and I'm glad you like how I'm writing. I'll hopefully have a chapter up every 24-48 hours ^^
Sandrine Black: Thank you thank you! I was debating even posting this fic at first and then I broke down and got back up on ff.n. I'm really glad people like this though, it has renewed my confidence in my writing abilities and is getting me over my writers block! Yay!
Title: A Change of Course 3/?
Author: ElizabethGreenleaf
E-mail: chichirinoda2002@yahoo.com or elvenarcherlover@aol.com
Rating: R for now. The slashy NC-17ness is coming…erm…was that no pun intended…I'm nto so sure…
Pairings: JS/WT, WT/ES (friendship, post-failed relationship)
Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Summary: Post PotC, Jack/Will. Life for Will, and even Elizabeth will never be the same as for the first time they each take their lives into their own hands and Will comes to terms with who he is and who he loves.
Feedback: ::Holds up a sign that says "Feed the Starving Writer" and a big red arrow pointing to REVIEW:: R any feedback is greatly appreciated. I hope I have Jack IC, any suggestions welcome!
Archive: sure, just tell me where so I can come and visit! ff.n, aff.n, Savvy? (http://evolutionsx.net/savvy/), Debauchery (http://debauchery.deep-ice.com/), And Cat's stick-figure fan-comic will be posted on her site, http://home.graffiti.net/cocfansite/coc.htm There's a little paint picture of Stick figure Jack up there now ^^;;;
Genre: Drama/Romance/and a touch of Adventure
Disclaimer: Still not mine ::sigh::
Warnings: Spoilers, Angst, Lemony goodness, SLASH, if two pretty boys going at it in the bedroom isn't your cup o' tea, get out now me hearties, YE HAVE BEEN WARNED!!
"// //" = dream
"* *" = thoughts
Chapter 3: Of Unexpected Happenings and Farewells
Again, Will woke with a start, his heart was racing and his clothes sweated through. It was not anywhere near dawn, yet Will knew he would get no restful sleep that night. Will splashed some cool water on his face and left his bed without looking back at it, afraid that his dreams -- his nightmares -- were real. Will could almost feel the ghostly touch of the damned Jack who waltzed him into oblivion. Will shuddered, though not from cold, as he slipped his work clothes on.
Firing up the forge, Will stoked the fire until it was the proper temperature to heat the metal he would be working with. Will let himself go as he concentrated on working the steel of the sword blade. Hammering his emotions into every piece he worked on.
It may have sounded strange, but Will liked to compare particular tasks to different people and by concentrating on thoughts about that one person, it seemed to make the time pass quicker and his work was more thorough.
His hatred for Norrington was hammered into every link of the shackles and irons he worked, hoping with a perverse desire to see him shackled and behind bars without the leverage to save him from the bonds he deserved to wear. Will silently swore that he would never let Norrington marry his dear Elizabeth, for he would kill him before they could say their wedding vows. But it wasn't just Elizabeth, it was Jack. Will would never allow Norrington to lay a finger on Jack so long as there was breath in his lungs and strength enough in his body to lift a sword.
Then came the cannon balls. While pouring the liquid metal for these Will sent a silent prayer out to all who would use them and all who would die from them, praying that his soul would not pay with the burden of those lives lost.
He worked on shackles and cannon balls to every day items -- repairs mostly, pots, pans, common household things that people often took for granted but were truly the bread and butter of their livelihood. Into these Will concentrated on the strength and friendship of Elizabeth. Their long relationship was strong and as such Will sought to make his items just as strong.
Then came his swords, the thing he loved the most to work on, to create things of such grace and beauty. Once his inspiration for swords was his dear Elizabeth, but as of late, his swords had taken on an even more perfect design as Will's muse has morphed into a pirate unlike any Will has ever heard tale of. It was the little things that Will would obsess over while he worked; the swagger of his hips was beaten into the red hot metal, the keen, sleek, and cunning of his ever plotting mind was honed into the blade's edge. The sturdy reliability of Jack's good friend, rum, was part of the hilt. The reflection of the sun off his earrings and jewelry, and even his golden teeth was interlaced into the elegant design work of the hilt. And over it all was Jack's constantly cool appearance. Even on the dead of summer when the entire crew was half-naked, save Anamarie, Jack stood proud and tall, a sheen of sweat on his skin, but no sign of the heat that seemed to afflict everyone else. Some of the crew joked and said that it was because he had no blood left in him -- it had long since been replaced by his beloved rum.
Whatever it was about Jack that Will thought up went into the sword in his hands and in the end, Will would turn out another superb blade.
Will stepped away from his work. It was nearing mid-morning and he had not even noticed. His old master and still owner of the shop, John Brown, was due to stumble in any moment and take up his place in the corner and pass out as he had every day for the past five or so years. Will still had a few minutes to himself before then though, a few minutes he could steal away and work on the one piece he longed more than anything to be working on.
It was indeed something splendid and spectacular he wished to be working on, it was the blade he was making especially for Jack Sparrow. It was much like the dagger that he had given to Elizabeth, in fact he had started both at about the same time, but in the case of the sword, Will was putting every ounce of emotion he had into it. While he had made Elizabeth's dagger filled with the strength of their friendly love and sibling-like bond, it was not the greatest achievement in his young life. It was certainly one of his best pieces, but his sword for Jack, /i would be /i.
With a greater eye for detail than any of his other works ever came close to receiving, that sword would be the crowning achievement of his life's work. The friendship, camaraderie, acceptance, trust (well that was iffy, but Will at least trusted Jack, even if Jack thought of him as a hot head who never learned to think before he acted,) and his faith in Jack was all hammered into his work and inlayed in the final details. Yet, in the end, it was incomplete and Will knew it. It was as if he feared to finish the sword because finishing it meant only one thing; he would have to come to terms with all the overwhelming feelings he felt for Jack.
Will carefully unwrapped the un-finished sword from its place within his locked chest and held it in his hands. The sword had not had a hammer brought to it in weeks, for Will had stopped just before he finished. He had begun forging the sword within days of his return to Port Royal and Jack's escape. But then he had stopped and put the blade away. It was his dreams that scared him into action. He had watched his inner-self look at Jack with the honesty of his true feelings and Will had felt his fear melting away, but it was dream-Jack's death that brought it all into perspective. He loved Jack. Was iin love/i with Jack. That was the missing piece, the missing element.
Will returned to the forge to find Mr. Brown dead to the world, his snores drowned out by the bustling city outside the window and the loud forge inside. A bottle of something was clutched in his hand. Will wiped his brow with his shirt and set to work on Jack's sword.
The hours ticked by and Will only stopped briefly for a hearty slice of bread and a chunk of cheese to satisfy his hunger. He did not notice that he was not alone in the shop until a voice in front of him spoke in an oily smooth tone that made Will cringe as he looked up. "You're work seems to have improved as of late." Commodore Norrington stood in front of Will, a look of extreme concentration upon his face as he examined the sword in his hands. Jack's sword. Will resisted the sudden urge to snatch it back from the Commodore and he worked to keep his voice level and even.
"Thank you, sir." Will took a deep breath. "Is there something you want, or is this a social call?" Will couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice.
"How much for this sword?" Norrington asked as he continued to look the sword up and down. Will felt fire in his soul as Norrington examined the sword, it felt as though Norrington was lusting after his woman. Will gritted his teeth.
"It is not for sale." Will put out his hand to demand the sword back. Norrington hesitated. Will met his eyes squarely and Norrington quickly handed the sword back to him. "Is there something I can help you with, /i?"
Norrington sneered. "As a matter of fact, there is." He turned and took a step away from Will before turning back to him. "I know that you and Miss Swann have a strong, relationship. I was hoping that you could help me to…/i her to accept my proposal." Norrington held up his hand to keep Will from talking. Will's nostrils flared as he bit his tongue to stem the tirade of words saying what he really felt. "In her sad and unfortunate situation, Miss Swann has come to realize just how important a good marriage is. There are none other than myself in the area who could offer her the sort of life she is accustomed to."
"What exactly is it you would like my help with, Commodore?"
"Why, that is simple, my boy. I want you to convince Elizabeth to marry me." He grinned almost sadistically. "If you do not, Miss Swann will return to England and be married off there. At least this way you could be near your 'dearest friend.'"
Will's jaw ached from his clenched teeth. The image of the Elizabeth in his dream struggling against Norrington's steel grip as Jack was hung was fresh in his memory. His nails bit into the palms of his hands. "Elizabeth is her own person, she can decide for herself who she will marry and when."
"Are as naïve as you appear to be, Mr. Turner? I thought you had more sense and a better understanding of the world than that! You are her friend, one of her few, if not her only confidant. She will listen to you because she trusts you. She will listen to you because you are the only person she has left to turn to." Norrington stepped closer to Will and lowered his voice. "She is vulnerable now, more so than she has ever been in the past and I intend to use that to my advantage."
"I will do no such thing, Commodore. I care for Elizabeth too much to lie to her, even if it meant keeping her close." Will was close to overstepping the bounds of his station and he knew it, but he did not care. It was time that Commodore Norrington learned that he was not an uneducated street-urchin who was blessed with a lucky break in life. He was the son of an educated Merchant's daughter, Jane Thomas, and a pirate, William "Bootstrap Bill" Turner. Strong blood, good blood flowed through his veins, even if some of it was pirate's blood. Perhaps it was that which made him so bold, and so reckless. "I would /i recommend to her that she marry you." There he had said it.
"You, /i, are out of line! Who do you think you are? I demand an apology!" Norrington was livid, how dare anyone in Will Turner's position say such a thing to him!
"I owe you no apology, nor will I take back any of what I have said. I have spoken naught but the truth today and I shall not begin to lie now. I suggest you leave, Commodore, before I 'loose my mind, and in a fit of jealousy kill the man who wanted to remove me from my love's heart and affections,' " Will lifted Jack's sword and pointed it at Norrington, who retreated one step.
"You will pay for this, Mr. Turner. Someday I will see you hang for piracy and I will laugh as you struggle for breath that you cannot get. You are a pirate through and through, Mr. Turner. The old governor was too soft on you. I will see to it that his replacement knows iall about/i your antics this past season. Just you wait."
"Get. Out." Will's voice was dangerously quiet. Norrington raised his hands in a forced air of nonchalance, but his eyes and a twitch of his mouth betrayed his nervousness, and he walked out the door.
"Tha' wers fair foolish of ye," A slurred voice said from behind Will. Startled, Will turned to see Mr. Brown half awake and watching him. "He'll be yer enemy fer life now, mark my words." And with that Brown closed his eyes and began to snore. Will shook his head.
He had slacked off for a day and did not practice his fencing skills. For the next two and a half hours Will constantly drilled himself in the same moves, parry, thrust, retreat, advance, etc. Constant repetitive drills taught the muscles of his body to respond to him at his slightest command. When he fought, it was as though he was always a step ahead of his opponent because he had practiced so much. He soon stripped off his shirt, hot from the mid day sun, the forge, and the physical exertion.
The sun was hanging low in the sky when he finished; sunset would be upon them soon. Will felt the ever constant pull of the sea and he could not ignore it. Changing quickly into a clean shirt, Will was ready to leave. Jack's sword still lay on the table and Will paused and walked over to it. He held it in his hand, and almost without thinking he strapped it to his side and was out the door.
Shoes and stockings hidden beneath the same vegetation on top of the same rock, Will was again under the bridge, in the shadows, watching the sunset and wishing that Jack were here with him. His hand continued to caress the hilt of the sword he had made for Jack. It truly was a magnificent weapon and had it been for anyone but Jack, Will would have bean loath to part with it, but as it were, now that it was complete, Will wanted nothing more to deliver it to Jack at that very moment.
Will sighed. It would probably be months, if not years before the Pearl sailed into Port Royal again and Will was a fool to think otherwise. The Pearl would not be coming to him, so he would have to be going to it. He knew what he would have to do, he'd been planning it from the day he helped Jack Sparrow escape the executioner's noose. The itch to be back at sea was growing stronger, and his desire for Jack was growing by the moment. But Will could not leave until Elizabeth was taken care of.
The sun had set and Will had not noticed. "Damn it." He muttered to himself as he gathered up his shoes and stockings and again hurriedly put them on.
Instead of returning to his home, Will made his way up the streets to Elizabeth's, hoping that it was not too late to call upon her. As it turned out, the household was still very much awake.
Will entered the house and he felt like he had never been in the place before. The foyer floor was covered in trunks and there was the occasional piece of furniture. The rooms were bare of most furniture and what was left seemed to be only the heaviest and most immobile things. "M'lady is in th' kitchen." The maid curtsied and gestured for Will to follow her.
"I know my way, Mary." The maid nodded and disappeared. Will turned a corner and walked down the hallway to the kitchen, where Elizabeth sat composing a letter.
"Elizabeth?" He asked hesitantly, not wanting to disturb her.
"Will!" She said in surprise. "I was just coming to see you after I finished this letter. Sit, sit, I'll only be a moment." Will did as he was told and looked around at the table. There were letters there addressed to everyone from the head of the house hold staff to Commodore Norrington. There was even one addressed to him. "Done." She said finally. Will noticed that her fingers were stained with ink when she swatted his hand for reaching for her letter to him. "You're not to read that until I'm gone." Will glared at her like a spoiled child who had been told no snacks before dinner, making her laugh. Her expression quickly darkened. "I'm going to miss that."
"Miss what?" Will asked in confusion.
"You making me laugh. Oh I'm just going to miss you, Will!" She launched herself out of her chair and into his arms. She was holding back her tears as best she could.
"But we still have a little time together," Will comforted her, despite the tug in his abdomen that told him this wasn't true.
"No we don't," She whispered. "I leave tomorrow for England, or rather to Virginia and then on a ship to England." She stood up to gauge Will's response.
"What?" So soon? Will thought that she might be leaving within a week or two, but within the day?
"I found out this morning that there is a merchant who was a childhood friend of my father's in port. He is sailing to Virginia with the morning tide. From there I will board either another merchant ship or a diplomatic royal ship and travel back to England that way."
"Is there no other ship?" Will didn't realize he was practically begging.
"No, nor is there one who's captain I trust more, aside from Jack, that is." She looked at him, her eyes pleading with him to understand.
"Oh, Elizabeth, I wish you were not going." Will said quietly. She closed the distance between them.
"I must, or I shall eventually have to marry the Commodore." She smiled, her eyes over-bright with tears. She smiled faintly and pressed her lips chastely against Will's.
"What?" Will asked in confusion when she pulled away.
"I had to be certain that there was truly nothing between us before I left." She explained simply.
"And was there?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"No, there was not." She took a breath and looked down at her feet before continuing to talk. "There never has been anything between us, as we both well know. You need to follow your heart, wherever it takes you." She looked out the window as if looking towards the sea, which was not possible seeing as it was pitch dark out. "He loves you too, you know. He as much told me so the night we were on that island together."
"Wh-what!?" Will sputtered, unsure of what to say or how to respond.
"Captain Jack Sparrow is as much in love with you as you are in love with him." Will opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off. "Do not try to deny it. I see it in your eyes when ever anyone mention s his name. And that sword you have strapped to your side? You did not make that for just anyone, you made it for /i."
"How-?" Will did not know what else to say. Elizabeth smiled.
"Call it 'woman's intuition,' " Will looked skeptically at her. "Or we could just be honest and say that Jack was a little too drunk the night he and I were trapped on that Island together and said a few things when his tongue was too loose." She smiled and kissed Will's blushing cheek.
"Elizabeth," Will huffed like a bird who fluffed his feathers indignantly.
"Hush. Lets just enjoy our last night together and talk about all the good times we've had."
"Agreed." He smiled and retrieved a bottle of wine, some cheese and bread from the counter as they sat down and talked.
Late into the evening they talked, and they were both yawning extensively when it was decided that Will should leave.
"Will I need you to do something for me." Elizabeth said in her most serious voice as Will was about to step out the door. From her tone alone Will knew she was not joking.
"Anything."
"Don't come and see me off tomorrow. If you are there, I don't think I can go through with leaving." Elizabeth searched his eyes for honesty when he responded.
"If I must stay away, I will." He smiled sadly at her. "I guess this is 'goodbye'?"
"I guess so." She smiled and was gathered up into a firm, strong, reassuring hug. She cried and wished the hug could go on forever. Will hung on, knowing this might be the last time he ever saw his dear friend.
"Goodbye, Elizabeth," Will said as he kissed her cheek lightly, tears shinning in his eyes as well.
"Goodbye Will. Tell Jack I said goodbye when you see him." She said the last like she knew it was certain, a firm fact of life.
"I will." He held her hands, still reluctant to leave her forever.
"Oh! Your letter! Elizabeth retreated into the house to retrieve the letter she had written for her friend. She returned and placed it in his hand. "Promise me you won't read it until I am gone? Until my ship has left port?"
"I swear." He turned and descended the front stairs.
"Good. Goodnight, Will Turner." She called after him
"Goodnight, Miss Swann" He called as he turned to call to her, not being able to resist teasing for old time's sake.
"How many times do I have to ask you to call me 'Elizabeth'?"
"At least once more, Miss Swann, as always." Will smiled as he waved and turned again and was gone.
Will was dead on his feet when he walked in the door of the shop. One good thing could be said for exhaustion – he rarely dreamed when his body was this exhausted. And Will did not dream that night, though his internal clock woke him just after dawn. Will hurried to dress and took Elizabeth's letter with him. He arrived on the dock that the Graceful Maiden had no more than half an hour left from, in fact he could still see it in the distance. He had kept his promise to Elizabeth and had not come and seen her off, but he had not yet begun to feel the loss of his best friend. He still could not believe she was gone!
Will carefully unsealed the letter Elizabeth had written and began to read it. It was far shorter than he expected it to be.
i
Dearest Will,
By the time you are reading this you are probably standing on the dock where the Graceful Maiden just set sail from. Please don't be mad with me Will, but I have done something that will change my life forever. I am not going to England. I am going to get off the ship in Virginia and make a new life for myself. I intend to change my name and such. Please do not be angry with me, but I just cannot do this anymore! I want to live my life the way I want to live it! Not the away society demands that I do! Someday I will write and tell you that I am alright, but you must promise not to come searching for me. Please, it is either this or a loveless marriage. I cannot do that Will, you know I cannot. I will not be forced to obey someone else's orders for the rest of my life! I want to be free! I want to be able to live with the same freedoms you and Jack have – the freedom to go where you want, do what you want, and to love who you want. I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you'll do the same for me. Goodbye my dearest Will, I will certainly miss you.
Love Always,
Elizabeth
P.S. Don't be surprised if the Commodore visits you some time after he receives my letter, he is going to be none too pleased with me. Thank you for everything.
/i
Will stood reading and rereading the letter. A combination of surprise, amusement and anger washed over him. She had taken her life into her own hands and he couldn't be happier for her, even if that happiness was tinged with fear for a woman alone in the world. If anyone could survive and prosper, it was Elizabeth. With that in mind, Will realized that he wasn't quite as shocked as he should have been.
It all began to fall into place. Elizabeth had always dreamed of going away, of traveling, but she thought those would only be dreams for her. The night she found out about her father's death, she had been too resigned to her fate, Will should have known she wouldn't go without a fight!
She had been too quiet, like she was planning something! But Will had just brushed it off as her packing and getting ready to move, he had not expected her to do this!
His brotherly instincts told him to steal the nearest boat and stop her, but as Elizabeth's best friend, he stood firmly rooted to the spot. "Fly, Elizabeth, fly!" He whispered as the ship faded out of view.
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TBC…
FF.N Reviewers:
Jaded*Secrets: There most certainly will be slashy scenes! Just give me another chapter or two and you'll see. Though I have to tell you, I'll have to tone it down a bit for ff.n and if you want to read the full NC-17 version, you'll find it on adultfanfiction.net
eck: thank you very much ^^ I love positive reviews
doompaw: Yes inclusion is a word, and I'm glad you like how I'm writing. I'll hopefully have a chapter up every 24-48 hours ^^
Sandrine Black: Thank you thank you! I was debating even posting this fic at first and then I broke down and got back up on ff.n. I'm really glad people like this though, it has renewed my confidence in my writing abilities and is getting me over my writers block! Yay!
Title: A Change of Course 3/?
Author: ElizabethGreenleaf
E-mail: chichirinoda2002@yahoo.com or elvenarcherlover@aol.com
Rating: R for now. The slashy NC-17ness is coming…erm…was that no pun intended…I'm nto so sure…
Pairings: JS/WT, WT/ES (friendship, post-failed relationship)
Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Summary: Post PotC, Jack/Will. Life for Will, and even Elizabeth will never be the same as for the first time they each take their lives into their own hands and Will comes to terms with who he is and who he loves.
Feedback: ::Holds up a sign that says "Feed the Starving Writer" and a big red arrow pointing to REVIEW:: R any feedback is greatly appreciated. I hope I have Jack IC, any suggestions welcome!
Archive: sure, just tell me where so I can come and visit! ff.n, aff.n, Savvy? (http://evolutionsx.net/savvy/), Debauchery (http://debauchery.deep-ice.com/), And Cat's stick-figure fan-comic will be posted on her site, http://home.graffiti.net/cocfansite/coc.htm There's a little paint picture of Stick figure Jack up there now ^^;;;
Genre: Drama/Romance/and a touch of Adventure
Disclaimer: Still not mine ::sigh::
Warnings: Spoilers, Angst, Lemony goodness, SLASH, if two pretty boys going at it in the bedroom isn't your cup o' tea, get out now me hearties, YE HAVE BEEN WARNED!!
"// //" = dream
"* *" = thoughts
Chapter 3: Of Unexpected Happenings and Farewells
Again, Will woke with a start, his heart was racing and his clothes sweated through. It was not anywhere near dawn, yet Will knew he would get no restful sleep that night. Will splashed some cool water on his face and left his bed without looking back at it, afraid that his dreams -- his nightmares -- were real. Will could almost feel the ghostly touch of the damned Jack who waltzed him into oblivion. Will shuddered, though not from cold, as he slipped his work clothes on.
Firing up the forge, Will stoked the fire until it was the proper temperature to heat the metal he would be working with. Will let himself go as he concentrated on working the steel of the sword blade. Hammering his emotions into every piece he worked on.
It may have sounded strange, but Will liked to compare particular tasks to different people and by concentrating on thoughts about that one person, it seemed to make the time pass quicker and his work was more thorough.
His hatred for Norrington was hammered into every link of the shackles and irons he worked, hoping with a perverse desire to see him shackled and behind bars without the leverage to save him from the bonds he deserved to wear. Will silently swore that he would never let Norrington marry his dear Elizabeth, for he would kill him before they could say their wedding vows. But it wasn't just Elizabeth, it was Jack. Will would never allow Norrington to lay a finger on Jack so long as there was breath in his lungs and strength enough in his body to lift a sword.
Then came the cannon balls. While pouring the liquid metal for these Will sent a silent prayer out to all who would use them and all who would die from them, praying that his soul would not pay with the burden of those lives lost.
He worked on shackles and cannon balls to every day items -- repairs mostly, pots, pans, common household things that people often took for granted but were truly the bread and butter of their livelihood. Into these Will concentrated on the strength and friendship of Elizabeth. Their long relationship was strong and as such Will sought to make his items just as strong.
Then came his swords, the thing he loved the most to work on, to create things of such grace and beauty. Once his inspiration for swords was his dear Elizabeth, but as of late, his swords had taken on an even more perfect design as Will's muse has morphed into a pirate unlike any Will has ever heard tale of. It was the little things that Will would obsess over while he worked; the swagger of his hips was beaten into the red hot metal, the keen, sleek, and cunning of his ever plotting mind was honed into the blade's edge. The sturdy reliability of Jack's good friend, rum, was part of the hilt. The reflection of the sun off his earrings and jewelry, and even his golden teeth was interlaced into the elegant design work of the hilt. And over it all was Jack's constantly cool appearance. Even on the dead of summer when the entire crew was half-naked, save Anamarie, Jack stood proud and tall, a sheen of sweat on his skin, but no sign of the heat that seemed to afflict everyone else. Some of the crew joked and said that it was because he had no blood left in him -- it had long since been replaced by his beloved rum.
Whatever it was about Jack that Will thought up went into the sword in his hands and in the end, Will would turn out another superb blade.
Will stepped away from his work. It was nearing mid-morning and he had not even noticed. His old master and still owner of the shop, John Brown, was due to stumble in any moment and take up his place in the corner and pass out as he had every day for the past five or so years. Will still had a few minutes to himself before then though, a few minutes he could steal away and work on the one piece he longed more than anything to be working on.
It was indeed something splendid and spectacular he wished to be working on, it was the blade he was making especially for Jack Sparrow. It was much like the dagger that he had given to Elizabeth, in fact he had started both at about the same time, but in the case of the sword, Will was putting every ounce of emotion he had into it. While he had made Elizabeth's dagger filled with the strength of their friendly love and sibling-like bond, it was not the greatest achievement in his young life. It was certainly one of his best pieces, but his sword for Jack, /i would be /i.
With a greater eye for detail than any of his other works ever came close to receiving, that sword would be the crowning achievement of his life's work. The friendship, camaraderie, acceptance, trust (well that was iffy, but Will at least trusted Jack, even if Jack thought of him as a hot head who never learned to think before he acted,) and his faith in Jack was all hammered into his work and inlayed in the final details. Yet, in the end, it was incomplete and Will knew it. It was as if he feared to finish the sword because finishing it meant only one thing; he would have to come to terms with all the overwhelming feelings he felt for Jack.
Will carefully unwrapped the un-finished sword from its place within his locked chest and held it in his hands. The sword had not had a hammer brought to it in weeks, for Will had stopped just before he finished. He had begun forging the sword within days of his return to Port Royal and Jack's escape. But then he had stopped and put the blade away. It was his dreams that scared him into action. He had watched his inner-self look at Jack with the honesty of his true feelings and Will had felt his fear melting away, but it was dream-Jack's death that brought it all into perspective. He loved Jack. Was iin love/i with Jack. That was the missing piece, the missing element.
Will returned to the forge to find Mr. Brown dead to the world, his snores drowned out by the bustling city outside the window and the loud forge inside. A bottle of something was clutched in his hand. Will wiped his brow with his shirt and set to work on Jack's sword.
The hours ticked by and Will only stopped briefly for a hearty slice of bread and a chunk of cheese to satisfy his hunger. He did not notice that he was not alone in the shop until a voice in front of him spoke in an oily smooth tone that made Will cringe as he looked up. "You're work seems to have improved as of late." Commodore Norrington stood in front of Will, a look of extreme concentration upon his face as he examined the sword in his hands. Jack's sword. Will resisted the sudden urge to snatch it back from the Commodore and he worked to keep his voice level and even.
"Thank you, sir." Will took a deep breath. "Is there something you want, or is this a social call?" Will couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice.
"How much for this sword?" Norrington asked as he continued to look the sword up and down. Will felt fire in his soul as Norrington examined the sword, it felt as though Norrington was lusting after his woman. Will gritted his teeth.
"It is not for sale." Will put out his hand to demand the sword back. Norrington hesitated. Will met his eyes squarely and Norrington quickly handed the sword back to him. "Is there something I can help you with, /i?"
Norrington sneered. "As a matter of fact, there is." He turned and took a step away from Will before turning back to him. "I know that you and Miss Swann have a strong, relationship. I was hoping that you could help me to…/i her to accept my proposal." Norrington held up his hand to keep Will from talking. Will's nostrils flared as he bit his tongue to stem the tirade of words saying what he really felt. "In her sad and unfortunate situation, Miss Swann has come to realize just how important a good marriage is. There are none other than myself in the area who could offer her the sort of life she is accustomed to."
"What exactly is it you would like my help with, Commodore?"
"Why, that is simple, my boy. I want you to convince Elizabeth to marry me." He grinned almost sadistically. "If you do not, Miss Swann will return to England and be married off there. At least this way you could be near your 'dearest friend.'"
Will's jaw ached from his clenched teeth. The image of the Elizabeth in his dream struggling against Norrington's steel grip as Jack was hung was fresh in his memory. His nails bit into the palms of his hands. "Elizabeth is her own person, she can decide for herself who she will marry and when."
"Are as naïve as you appear to be, Mr. Turner? I thought you had more sense and a better understanding of the world than that! You are her friend, one of her few, if not her only confidant. She will listen to you because she trusts you. She will listen to you because you are the only person she has left to turn to." Norrington stepped closer to Will and lowered his voice. "She is vulnerable now, more so than she has ever been in the past and I intend to use that to my advantage."
"I will do no such thing, Commodore. I care for Elizabeth too much to lie to her, even if it meant keeping her close." Will was close to overstepping the bounds of his station and he knew it, but he did not care. It was time that Commodore Norrington learned that he was not an uneducated street-urchin who was blessed with a lucky break in life. He was the son of an educated Merchant's daughter, Jane Thomas, and a pirate, William "Bootstrap Bill" Turner. Strong blood, good blood flowed through his veins, even if some of it was pirate's blood. Perhaps it was that which made him so bold, and so reckless. "I would /i recommend to her that she marry you." There he had said it.
"You, /i, are out of line! Who do you think you are? I demand an apology!" Norrington was livid, how dare anyone in Will Turner's position say such a thing to him!
"I owe you no apology, nor will I take back any of what I have said. I have spoken naught but the truth today and I shall not begin to lie now. I suggest you leave, Commodore, before I 'loose my mind, and in a fit of jealousy kill the man who wanted to remove me from my love's heart and affections,' " Will lifted Jack's sword and pointed it at Norrington, who retreated one step.
"You will pay for this, Mr. Turner. Someday I will see you hang for piracy and I will laugh as you struggle for breath that you cannot get. You are a pirate through and through, Mr. Turner. The old governor was too soft on you. I will see to it that his replacement knows iall about/i your antics this past season. Just you wait."
"Get. Out." Will's voice was dangerously quiet. Norrington raised his hands in a forced air of nonchalance, but his eyes and a twitch of his mouth betrayed his nervousness, and he walked out the door.
"Tha' wers fair foolish of ye," A slurred voice said from behind Will. Startled, Will turned to see Mr. Brown half awake and watching him. "He'll be yer enemy fer life now, mark my words." And with that Brown closed his eyes and began to snore. Will shook his head.
He had slacked off for a day and did not practice his fencing skills. For the next two and a half hours Will constantly drilled himself in the same moves, parry, thrust, retreat, advance, etc. Constant repetitive drills taught the muscles of his body to respond to him at his slightest command. When he fought, it was as though he was always a step ahead of his opponent because he had practiced so much. He soon stripped off his shirt, hot from the mid day sun, the forge, and the physical exertion.
The sun was hanging low in the sky when he finished; sunset would be upon them soon. Will felt the ever constant pull of the sea and he could not ignore it. Changing quickly into a clean shirt, Will was ready to leave. Jack's sword still lay on the table and Will paused and walked over to it. He held it in his hand, and almost without thinking he strapped it to his side and was out the door.
Shoes and stockings hidden beneath the same vegetation on top of the same rock, Will was again under the bridge, in the shadows, watching the sunset and wishing that Jack were here with him. His hand continued to caress the hilt of the sword he had made for Jack. It truly was a magnificent weapon and had it been for anyone but Jack, Will would have bean loath to part with it, but as it were, now that it was complete, Will wanted nothing more to deliver it to Jack at that very moment.
Will sighed. It would probably be months, if not years before the Pearl sailed into Port Royal again and Will was a fool to think otherwise. The Pearl would not be coming to him, so he would have to be going to it. He knew what he would have to do, he'd been planning it from the day he helped Jack Sparrow escape the executioner's noose. The itch to be back at sea was growing stronger, and his desire for Jack was growing by the moment. But Will could not leave until Elizabeth was taken care of.
The sun had set and Will had not noticed. "Damn it." He muttered to himself as he gathered up his shoes and stockings and again hurriedly put them on.
Instead of returning to his home, Will made his way up the streets to Elizabeth's, hoping that it was not too late to call upon her. As it turned out, the household was still very much awake.
Will entered the house and he felt like he had never been in the place before. The foyer floor was covered in trunks and there was the occasional piece of furniture. The rooms were bare of most furniture and what was left seemed to be only the heaviest and most immobile things. "M'lady is in th' kitchen." The maid curtsied and gestured for Will to follow her.
"I know my way, Mary." The maid nodded and disappeared. Will turned a corner and walked down the hallway to the kitchen, where Elizabeth sat composing a letter.
"Elizabeth?" He asked hesitantly, not wanting to disturb her.
"Will!" She said in surprise. "I was just coming to see you after I finished this letter. Sit, sit, I'll only be a moment." Will did as he was told and looked around at the table. There were letters there addressed to everyone from the head of the house hold staff to Commodore Norrington. There was even one addressed to him. "Done." She said finally. Will noticed that her fingers were stained with ink when she swatted his hand for reaching for her letter to him. "You're not to read that until I'm gone." Will glared at her like a spoiled child who had been told no snacks before dinner, making her laugh. Her expression quickly darkened. "I'm going to miss that."
"Miss what?" Will asked in confusion.
"You making me laugh. Oh I'm just going to miss you, Will!" She launched herself out of her chair and into his arms. She was holding back her tears as best she could.
"But we still have a little time together," Will comforted her, despite the tug in his abdomen that told him this wasn't true.
"No we don't," She whispered. "I leave tomorrow for England, or rather to Virginia and then on a ship to England." She stood up to gauge Will's response.
"What?" So soon? Will thought that she might be leaving within a week or two, but within the day?
"I found out this morning that there is a merchant who was a childhood friend of my father's in port. He is sailing to Virginia with the morning tide. From there I will board either another merchant ship or a diplomatic royal ship and travel back to England that way."
"Is there no other ship?" Will didn't realize he was practically begging.
"No, nor is there one who's captain I trust more, aside from Jack, that is." She looked at him, her eyes pleading with him to understand.
"Oh, Elizabeth, I wish you were not going." Will said quietly. She closed the distance between them.
"I must, or I shall eventually have to marry the Commodore." She smiled, her eyes over-bright with tears. She smiled faintly and pressed her lips chastely against Will's.
"What?" Will asked in confusion when she pulled away.
"I had to be certain that there was truly nothing between us before I left." She explained simply.
"And was there?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"No, there was not." She took a breath and looked down at her feet before continuing to talk. "There never has been anything between us, as we both well know. You need to follow your heart, wherever it takes you." She looked out the window as if looking towards the sea, which was not possible seeing as it was pitch dark out. "He loves you too, you know. He as much told me so the night we were on that island together."
"Wh-what!?" Will sputtered, unsure of what to say or how to respond.
"Captain Jack Sparrow is as much in love with you as you are in love with him." Will opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off. "Do not try to deny it. I see it in your eyes when ever anyone mention s his name. And that sword you have strapped to your side? You did not make that for just anyone, you made it for /i."
"How-?" Will did not know what else to say. Elizabeth smiled.
"Call it 'woman's intuition,' " Will looked skeptically at her. "Or we could just be honest and say that Jack was a little too drunk the night he and I were trapped on that Island together and said a few things when his tongue was too loose." She smiled and kissed Will's blushing cheek.
"Elizabeth," Will huffed like a bird who fluffed his feathers indignantly.
"Hush. Lets just enjoy our last night together and talk about all the good times we've had."
"Agreed." He smiled and retrieved a bottle of wine, some cheese and bread from the counter as they sat down and talked.
Late into the evening they talked, and they were both yawning extensively when it was decided that Will should leave.
"Will I need you to do something for me." Elizabeth said in her most serious voice as Will was about to step out the door. From her tone alone Will knew she was not joking.
"Anything."
"Don't come and see me off tomorrow. If you are there, I don't think I can go through with leaving." Elizabeth searched his eyes for honesty when he responded.
"If I must stay away, I will." He smiled sadly at her. "I guess this is 'goodbye'?"
"I guess so." She smiled and was gathered up into a firm, strong, reassuring hug. She cried and wished the hug could go on forever. Will hung on, knowing this might be the last time he ever saw his dear friend.
"Goodbye, Elizabeth," Will said as he kissed her cheek lightly, tears shinning in his eyes as well.
"Goodbye Will. Tell Jack I said goodbye when you see him." She said the last like she knew it was certain, a firm fact of life.
"I will." He held her hands, still reluctant to leave her forever.
"Oh! Your letter! Elizabeth retreated into the house to retrieve the letter she had written for her friend. She returned and placed it in his hand. "Promise me you won't read it until I am gone? Until my ship has left port?"
"I swear." He turned and descended the front stairs.
"Good. Goodnight, Will Turner." She called after him
"Goodnight, Miss Swann" He called as he turned to call to her, not being able to resist teasing for old time's sake.
"How many times do I have to ask you to call me 'Elizabeth'?"
"At least once more, Miss Swann, as always." Will smiled as he waved and turned again and was gone.
Will was dead on his feet when he walked in the door of the shop. One good thing could be said for exhaustion – he rarely dreamed when his body was this exhausted. And Will did not dream that night, though his internal clock woke him just after dawn. Will hurried to dress and took Elizabeth's letter with him. He arrived on the dock that the Graceful Maiden had no more than half an hour left from, in fact he could still see it in the distance. He had kept his promise to Elizabeth and had not come and seen her off, but he had not yet begun to feel the loss of his best friend. He still could not believe she was gone!
Will carefully unsealed the letter Elizabeth had written and began to read it. It was far shorter than he expected it to be.
i
Dearest Will,
By the time you are reading this you are probably standing on the dock where the Graceful Maiden just set sail from. Please don't be mad with me Will, but I have done something that will change my life forever. I am not going to England. I am going to get off the ship in Virginia and make a new life for myself. I intend to change my name and such. Please do not be angry with me, but I just cannot do this anymore! I want to live my life the way I want to live it! Not the away society demands that I do! Someday I will write and tell you that I am alright, but you must promise not to come searching for me. Please, it is either this or a loveless marriage. I cannot do that Will, you know I cannot. I will not be forced to obey someone else's orders for the rest of my life! I want to be free! I want to be able to live with the same freedoms you and Jack have – the freedom to go where you want, do what you want, and to love who you want. I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you'll do the same for me. Goodbye my dearest Will, I will certainly miss you.
Love Always,
Elizabeth
P.S. Don't be surprised if the Commodore visits you some time after he receives my letter, he is going to be none too pleased with me. Thank you for everything.
/i
Will stood reading and rereading the letter. A combination of surprise, amusement and anger washed over him. She had taken her life into her own hands and he couldn't be happier for her, even if that happiness was tinged with fear for a woman alone in the world. If anyone could survive and prosper, it was Elizabeth. With that in mind, Will realized that he wasn't quite as shocked as he should have been.
It all began to fall into place. Elizabeth had always dreamed of going away, of traveling, but she thought those would only be dreams for her. The night she found out about her father's death, she had been too resigned to her fate, Will should have known she wouldn't go without a fight!
She had been too quiet, like she was planning something! But Will had just brushed it off as her packing and getting ready to move, he had not expected her to do this!
His brotherly instincts told him to steal the nearest boat and stop her, but as Elizabeth's best friend, he stood firmly rooted to the spot. "Fly, Elizabeth, fly!" He whispered as the ship faded out of view.
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TBC…