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Warning: May contain DMC spoilers.
As a warning, the b's equal scene changes, I had trouble using my usual indicator's.
Chapter 2: Message in a bottle
The faint voices seeped from the office below, and Naiya knew what her father was doing. It was the same thing he had been doing for the past two years, since she was seventeen. He had spent much of his time attempting to find a suitor for her. Occasionally, she would be forced to spend a considerable amount of time with some charming young man at a party or other social event. But they were all the same, charming, young, wealthy, and they didn't care about her. None of these young men wanted to know her; they just wanted an opulent dowry to fatten their bank accounts, and pretty young wife to hang off their arm at parties while they smoked and drank their brandy.
Unfortunately this time, her father was serious. Her father was determined to marry her off to a wealthy, distinguished, older socialite: Charles Philip Yorke, third Earl of Wilmington. He had come to Port Royal only five years back. Naiya on the other hand had been in the Caribbean her entire life. Her father had been there over thirty years, and as the story went, he had met her mother Lydia Ainsworth there. The truth was that Naiya was an illegitimate love child. Her father had bedded a young Spanish maid; Rosalynn Vargas, but she proved to be to frail for childbirth and had past away mere minutes after giving birth to Naiya. However her father was a respectable man, and had covered up his sordid past, by taking Lydia as his wife shortly after hearing news of Rosalynn's pregnancy. Since both her father and Lydia were dark haired, people overlooked Naiya's long chocolate, brown, wavy locks, her naturally bronzed skin and curvy physique.
As usual, Naiya was displeased to hear news of her father's latest attempt. She despised the idea of an arranged marriage. She grew tired of all the people who surrounded her. They had all been forced into arranged marriages, which were based on a mutual desire for vast amounts of money and popularity. Her own father had tossed the love of his life away in order to maintain a certain reputation in this society. She was trapped in every direction by the results of real estate mergers and grand dowries.
b
"Well Charles, I'd say we have settled our business. Please have another spot of brandy before you leave." Astor replied approaching a small cherry wood table covered with crystal decanters.
"Please Lord Everett, I would adore to stay longer, but I am afraid I must depart. I have much to attend to. But I look forward to seeing Miss Naiya at the ball on Friday evening." He bowed and turned to leave.
Astor turned to his wife, he knew it was time to break the news to his daughter. He only wished she would seem the least bit excited or even interested about her betrothal. "Lydia, send for my daughter.
" Lydia curtsied and left the room. She reached Naiya's room. She found her in the same place she always found her, sitting by her window, it overlooked the sea and one could hear the waves crashing against the cliffs.
"For goodness sake child, come away from the window. I don't know what fascination you find in the sea but I will have none of it. Besides, your father wishes an audience." Naiya sighed and followed Lydia to her father's office. She knew what was going on, it had become routine for her: the beckoning, the same speech, the invitation to some grand ball where she would be forced to join the company of some dull, superficial, arrogant man who she would always have to drive away by some means.
b
"My daughter, please sit. I need a word with you. I know you detest my help in finding a husband, but I believe I have found a man who will suit you, and make you happy. He is a man of charm, wit, good looks, intelligence… He will be a wonderful provider and will make you a happy woman indeed." He held his head high as he tried to win his daughters interest, or at least her attention.
"Who is he?" Naiya asked. It too was routine, she had no desire to know anything about this man, but she had no choice, so each time her father brought her to his study and listed the same traits, she always did him the courtesy of asking the name.
"Charles Philip Yorke, Earl of Wilmington." Astor held his high, he as proud of the match and felt confident that perhaps this time would be different, that maybe Naiya would accept his hand. "He owns a wonderful plantation to the east of the port. You will join him at his ball on Friday evening. He is anxious to meet you my dear."
"Very well thank you father." Naiya said politely as she stood and left.
b
The Flying Dutchman charged through the billowing winds and the blasting rain. The waves tossed back and forth, but this was not a normal ship and it fought its way among the waves, where another ship and its crew might be claimed by this storm.
Will entered Davy Jones' quarters; it was dimly lit and smelt of damp wood and mould. Davy Jones was at his organ, but he wasn't playing, he had expected Bootstrap.
"I've got a task fer ya..." he rose from the bench and paced the room. "Thirteen years ago, I raised the black pearl, fer that spineless, sorry excuse of a man: Jack Sparrow. I made a deal with 'im, that he would be captain fer thirteen years, and then he would join my crew. I want you to send 'im this message…
b
Naiya sat in her dressing gown, she stared at the moon at it peeked above the cliffs, casting its' beautiful, silver rays upon the rippling waters. Her maid Lena bustled about behind her, preparing her bed.
"Oh please Miss, come away from the window, before you catch your death of colds." She was a slender young English girl with a touch of cockney to her voice.
"Lena, do you believe that there is more to life then what's in front of us?" her voice was curious and innocent, but her eyes never left the sea. It calmed her, reassured her.
"I'm not sure, why do you ask?" she replied, now suddenly quite curious herself.
"I've never felt like I belong here. I don't belong here. Sometimes I think it's because I belong there." She smiled just saying it, the idea that she could be out at sea and far away from the confines of this place inspired her.
"Oh really? What would you do out there, at Sea? Wear buck skins and marry some pirate." She laughed, the hole idea seemed preposterous to Lena. Lena adored Port Royal; the fancy Gala's and parties even if she wasn't to attend them. Naiya smiled.
"A pirate's life for me…"
Well I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please read and review, I'd love to hear feedback!
And a special thanks to saxongirl345, who gave this story it's first review.