Chapter 6: The Party.

Author's Note: More coming very soon. This chapter and the next chapter used to be one big chapter, but I wanted to post something, so here. Sorry, DLsam. I did a songfic anyways. This is what a songfic is: A normal story. Except with the lyrics to a song/songs written between the paragraphs. Usually written while listening to the song, and (according to me) Should be read while listening to the song. If some of you don't know what Windows Media Player is, DOWNLOAD IT! It's free, and you can find a hell of a lotta songs on it. You can look this one up. There will be another songfic-the last chapter of this story. There's one chapter coming up in a while I think would be good as a songfic, too. If you don't like it, sorry. I do. And since I'm the author I think I get a bigger say in the matter. Heh heh heh... Also, I am amazingly sorry that this took so long (story of my life...). I've been struck down with a flurry of story ideas and then a full-on, ground-to-a-halt writer's block. Because of that, this chapter might not be very good.
Humph.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean. And I know I'm going to have to say that every chapter throughout this ENTIRE STORY. It makes me sad (sniff) But it's true... so boo hoo.

I also don't own "Landslide" by The Dixie Chicks. Even though I love it. It's one of the only country songs I actually like... (sigh)... oh well.

Author's Note 2: Okay, I absolutely LOVE writing about girls - especially not particularly attractive girls - who have beautiful voices. Plus, that's part of the myth of Sirens. Mermaids who lewer sailors to their deaths with their beautiful voices. I know that when this story is set, it's something like three hundred years until this song is written... oh well.

Holy crap, long author's note... okay, shutting up. On with the story.

Note: Back to Siren's P.O.V.

I met them, one by one. Elizabeth introduced them, this was Mr. Cotton, this was Mr. Gibbs (he looked at me strangely, and took my hand like it was a poisonous snake). I was surprised when a tough-looking, but slightly scrawny, young man took off his hat to reveal a woman not much older than me. I realized that the even-baggier-than-everyone-else's shirt was to hide her breasts, and that her long, black-brown hair had been held up by the hat she had been wearing. She glanced at my hand, and hesitated, as if wondering weather or not to take it. She finally did, her dark-skinned hand callused and firm under my own. She looked surprised at the feel of my hands. Mine where also callused, though not as rough as hers. My left one had been burned when I was ten, and the rough scar still scraped anything I touched.

The he walked up. The he I'd thought was my beloved Jack. He walked up to Will first, and they exchanged hoots and teases and back slaps. Then he went to Elizabeth. Taking her hand in both of his, he raised it to his lips and smiled his lopsided grin.

"How's my girl?" He sad/whispered, and Elizabeth smiled before jumping into his arms. They hugged fiercely. My mother fanning herself, upset by the public displays of affection. When they separated, both of their eyes where glistening with tears.

Then he came to me. I looked him over. He was wearing a billowy shirt and a leather vest, gray-brown breeches, soft leather boots and the hat and coat the announced him captain. His tanned olive skin was dirty, and his dark brown hair was knotted and braided. Shells, stones and other such trinkets hung from it. He walked with a sway, from the boat-onto-land transition, or if he was just drunk, I wasn't sure. My scanning eyes stopped at his (surprisingly, lined with thick kohl. I'd never seen kohl on a man before, always thinking it a lady's substance. It suited him.) as he stood in front of me, and something flashed. I'm still not sure weather or not I imagined it... the years I've spent in a world that is anything but kind have taken their toll on my mind, but I think I saw something. It was only there for a second, but it was like... recognition. A certain softness. And in a moment, I knew I never wanted to look away. I wanted to stay here, lost in his eyes, drown and never resurface. Then he spoke, and the moment shattered.

"And this lovely piece of work, must be the Lady Siren Main." He said, bowing. I stood tall, not smiling, not moving.

"Yes." I said, gripping Harry's hand in a vice grip (I heard him moan in pain, but I paid no heed). "And you, sir, must be the infamous Jack Sparrow." I said, challenging him with my eyes. I didn't know why, but for some reason, I didn't like him. Was it fear? No, I wasn't afraid of him...

Maybe... The annoying part of my mind mumbled, it's how he made you feel. I remembered the warm feeling I'd gotten when I'd seen his eyes, and for a moment, I was crazy. For a moment white-hot fire sprung from deep inside me and rushed through my body. It was those eyes... those eyes...

I blinked, and the feeling was gone.

But my comments had not deflated his air in any way. He smiled again, and I saw a glint of gold from the corner of his mouth.

"She's charming, Liz." He called and continued walking. I followed him with my eyes, not trusting him anywhere near my fiancé, or my parents. He was amazingly charming, though. My mother, seeing not a man, but a bloodthirsty Pirate, could not be tricked by any amount of charm and kept her distance. But my father an he got along wonderfully. From the second they met, they seemed to know each other, Positive it was my imagination, I ignored it.

Later that night, I gasped as Elizabeth did up my corset.

"Elizabeth! Ow...Good God, woman. Have some mercy!" I gasped, clasping a hand over my chest and trying, with no avail, to breathe.

"I'm getting back at you for wrenching out half my hair an hour ago." She muttered. I smiled, giggling, as I remembered her expression and squeal as I'd dragged the brush through her hair.

"Say what you want, I think you look fine." I said, flashing her a grin that she could see through the mirror I was standing in front of. She smiled. "Yes, you did a good job." She sighed and wrenched once more on the laces, making me cry out in pain. "There's one thing I don't understand, though: I got engaged before you, and you're getting married before me."

"That's because your parents don't want you to spend your whole life a trophy to curtsy and smile and do needlework and dance all nicely..." I shuddered. "Well, maybe he does, but your mother doesn't need everything to happen now now NOW." I said, snapping my finders with every 'now' and instantly regretting the unneeded use of oxygen when it caused a wave of dizziness to wash over me.

"Good point." She said, doing up the last lace and running over to where my dress hung. I turned, and let her pull it on. "We've got to do something with that hair..." She said, walking over to my dusty makeup table I almost never used. She picked up my silver brush and headed over to where I say on my bed. She sat behind me, calmly and gently working knots from my nearly-white hair.

"Liz?" I asked.

"Mm-hmm." She answered, picking up a sheer purple ribbon.

"Can you tell me about Mr. Sparrow?"

"Jack? He's a complete loony, but one of the most amazing men you'll ever meet." She said, starting to braid my hair.

I made a face. "Anything more specific? Where he came from, his background, anything?"

I could feel her shrug. "Not really. You as much as I do, since you've asked for the pearl story about ten billion times." She emphasized the word billion, adding a comical accent. I couldn't see her, but in my mind, I could see her eyes open wide and mouth gape as she said it.

I smiled, though I was disappointed.

"Why? Are you sweet on him?" She tied the braid, and I ran my hand down it. My hair reached nearly to my knees, slanting up to around my shoulders near the front. Elizabeth's even, beautiful braid had shortened it, and she'd woven in the ribbon. About four inches of the shortest of my shorter hair had been left out, hanging heavy and framing my oval face.

"You do remember I'm getting married, right?" I shot back.

Elizabeth grinned. "You're not married yet." She got up and came back with a pair of earrings made from a twisted, dark metal. The design looked almost as if it had been made of leaves, and it held the darkest red stone I'd ever seen.

She hooked them onto my ears, which had been pierced (by William and Elizabeth much against my will. I hate needles) a few months ago. They felt heavy, but comfortable. She stood me up and once more brushed the hair that had been left down. She carefully lined my eyes with kohl and smudged it outwards ("It looks dramatic!" Liz said to my protests against makeup). She smoothed on a balm that stained my lips a dark shade of red (again, ignoring my protests).

She was smoothing out my skirts when I replied to her earlier comment.

"You're right. I'm not married yet. But I will be tomorrow, so I've no time for a fling." I said, almost disappointed.

Elizabeth grinned, "It's never too late for a fling..." She looked at me and her smile faded.

"You don't love him, do you?"

"Who, Harry?" Elizabeth nodded. I sighed, "No. No, I don't. I will someday. But as of yet, I don't." I glanced at her and forced a smile, "You're lucky. You got to marry for love."

Liz snorted. "Yeah. To a pirate who can barely show his face in England. I'm lucky James is infatuated with me, or he'd be dangling from a rope by now. He's the only reason I could invite my friends for your wedding." She smoothed out the last wrinkle and looked me over again. "You look beautiful." She said, smiling. I rolled my eyes, never able to imagine myself as anything more than chubby and imperfect. She took my shoulders and turned me.

A pretty, curvy pale girl looked back at me. Her hair was silky and fell gracefully to her bare shoulders. The rest of her hair was tied back with a red ribbon braided into it. Her huge blue eyes dominated her face, made to look even bigger by the kohl smudged around it. She blinked too often, as I do. But her blinking didn't make her look skittish, or untrusting. Just sweet. Her lips where an amazing shade of crimson, standing starkly against her pale skin. The red sleeves of the low-cut dress she wore where sheer, and you could see her arms. This see-through gauze seemed to be an under-dress, but fell slightly over the top of her skirt. The rest looked strapless, laced in the front and a wide array of shades of red. Different intertwining designs crept their way up her bodice, which accented her chest (You could tell her breasts where humble, but the dress made them seem fuller and perfect). A deep red silk skirt fell to the floor, flaring out around her feet and trailing behind her. One side was attached to a glove on her right hand, and raised when she moved her hand. The same earrings I'd seen earlier dangled from her ears, and a ribbon choker with a ruby at the front clung to her neck. A chain of the same metal hang from it, and another, smaller ruby lower on her chest.

It took me a moment to realize that girl was me.

I gasped and clapped my hand over my mouth. The pretty girl did the same. I waved my arms around, and the girl copied. I stuck my tongue out-so did the girl, I crossed my eyes- so did she.

Holy crap.

I was still nothing compared to Elizabeth, who was wearing almost the same thing but in shades of green and blue.

"Wow. Elizabeth... I..."

"You're beautiful. Well, more so than usual."

That was a lie, I wasn't beautiful usually. But I was now... I was beautiful. Siren Main, future duchess, was beautiful.

It was a concept I wasn't going to get used to anytime soon, I was used to being Sireny-wireny. The imperfect daughter of a woman who needed everything to be perfect. I was the girl who bought boy's clothes from the stable hands and climbed trees. I was the girl who's best friend in her whole life had been a boy from town. I was...

I deep, masculine holler from the next room interrupted my train of thought. I jumped (again, so did the girl in the mirror. This was going to take some getting used to...).

"What the hell was that!" I asked Liz, who looked puzzled herself. Slowly, a smile spread across her face. She giggled.

"It sounded like Jack..." She said. We went to the door and opened it, just in time to see Will wrestle Jack into his room.

"Jack! Calm down! You have to brush your hair..." Will said. Jack broke free and attempted to run. He didn't get half a step before Will tackled him again. "No! Nonononono! You can't make me!" Jack fumbled for his sword, realized it wasn't there, and tried to crawl away. Will still had his legs in a vice grip, and all Jack managed to do was flop around like a dying fish. "Will! Please, God, show mercy." He whined before Will managed to shut him into the room.

From the door to my room, Liz and I looked at each other. For a second there was complete silence, then we burst out laughing.

Careening in a fit of hysterics, Liz and I stumbled into the room and onto my bed. About fifteen minutes, out final giggles died down. Someone knocked on my door, and I stood to answer it. My maid, Eloise, stood there.

"Milady Duchess told me ter tell ye that yer both wanted at the party." She said with a smile. "Yeh look gorgeous, Siren, mam." She said. I smiled and gave her a pound as a tip. "Thank you, Eloise. We'll be down in a moment." She grinned and left.

When I turned again, Liz was in front of the mirror, guiding a few hairs back into place. She looked at me and smiled.

"Ready?" She asked.

"Ready." I answered.

As we passed the room Will would be sharing with Elizabeth (the same room we'd seen William wrestle Jack into a few minutes ago) we heard snipping.

Of course, we hadn't meant to eavesdrop or anything. But the hilarious look on Jack's face as Will dragged him into it had made our ears sharper to any suspicious sounds. And plus, the door was thin, sound passed through it easily. Especially around the hinges.

With my ear pressed against the cold door I listened. No words where heard, just snip, snip, snip. At my waist Liz crouched, her ear pressed against the hinge as well.

Snip. Snip.

"What are they doing?" I mouthed to Elizabeth. She shrugged.

Snip. Snip.

Finally, voices:

"Ow! Damn it, Will, that was my ear!" Jack's voice hissed.

"Sorry."

"Siren!" My mother's harsh bark cut through the still air. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, mother."

"I called for you. Come. Now." She grabbed my hand and lead (dragged) me down the hall, a short flight of stairs, and a narrow corridor. Liz followed, rushing to keep up with my mother's brisk steps. I could hear the soft hum of voices from below us. Mother stopped us in front of the grand staircase, and I could see the many people dancing, talking and eating in the ballroom. The peaceful sounds of music from the small orchestra mother had ordered drifted to my ears, and the knot of anxiety in my stomach loosened. I closed my eyes and just listened for a moment, singing softly and wordlessly along to the soothing notes.

My voice, according to me, had never exactly been nails on marble. I could sing better than Elizabeth, who on many occasions tried and failed to entertain her father's guests. I had always found it easy, no one had shut me out of the room or told me to stop when I sang. My voice was high, and I could reach notes many couldn't.

A thought popped into my head, and I looked around at the small group assembled at the top of the staircase. I waved quickly to Elizabeth as she descended, arms linked with Will. (Who had somehow miraculously gotten to the staircase before us.)

"Where's Harry?" I asked mother, who was looking me over, brows furrowed.

"What, dear? Oh. He's already downstairs. You'll see him in a moment. Now..." She trailed off then looked into my eyes (only an inch higher than her own. I was short. Mother was shorter), a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Are.. are you sure you're my daughter?" She did smile this time, and took my hand. "You look lovely."

My insides twisted with pride. Mother had never said anything like that to me before. I squeezed her hand gently and turned towards the staircase. Like I'd practiced for hours with mother before, I set my hand lightly on the banister and took the first step. I heard the announcer start:

"The lady Siren Elizabeth Jacqueline Main. Daughter of Duke Brennan Main and Duchess Jacqueline Main."

I scanned the crowd and found Harry standing with Elizabeth and Will. His back was turned to me. I swallowed and looked away, smiling at the crowd.

The brisk walk to the staircase was catching up with me. I felt faint. Quickly, I leveled myself out with the deepest breath my overly tight corset could allow and glanced back at Harry. Will looked up, grinned, and tapped Harry on the shoulder, motioning for him to turn around.

He did, and the smile on his face quickly washed away. He went pale, and didn't seem to recognize anything but me.

I got to the bottom of the steps, and he walked over to me.

He didn't speak. His lips where parted, and he was looking me over.

Oh, no... I thought, he doesn't like me.

"S... Si..." He stuttered. He looked down, face going crimson.

"You look..." He started.

He was wearing a simple suit, black. His shoulder-length hair was pulled back. I tried not to smile as his face turned a deeper red. I tried to finish for him:

"Tacky? Overdone? Silly?" I brainstormed, expecting the worst.

"... beautiful." He finished, finally meeting my eyes. He smiled nervously and fiddled with his sleeve.

Warmth crept up my body, and I grinned, taking his hand, "Thank you." I said.

Then I turned, and saw him.

And the world melted away.

Blah. It's bad. Oh, well.

Another cliffy. Don't you just love me?