The next week of sailing improved Elizabeth's spirits greatly. While she spent the mornings battling retching over the side of the ship, her afternoons and evenings were spent controlling the helm and conversing with Ana. She was grateful to have a fellow female pirate aboard to keep her company. Without the company, Elizabeth was sure all the men aboard would have driven her mad. After the first week, she told Ana about her pregnancy. Surprisingly, Ana was not shocked by the news.
"You and Will love one another," she said. "Why wouldn't you be blessed with a child?"
"It's a small miracle that I wasn't expecting," Elizabeth explained. "After all, Will and I were only together for one day."
"It only takes one day," Ana replied, pausing for a moment. "Trust me, I know."
"What happened, Ana?" Elizabeth asked, concerned for her friend.
"It was a long time ago, 'bout four years past, I was young and thought I loved someone," Ana said. "When I told him, he said that he would be a terrible father because he would never be home."
"That's horrible," Elizabeth gasped.
"Months later, I gave birth to a daughter. She was beautiful, with dark curls and curious eyes," Ana continued. "I named her Jacqueline."
"What happened to her?" Elizabeth inquired.
"About a year after her birth I gave her up to another family that could give her everything I couldn't. She would have a mother and a father, as well as a better life than the one I lead. The husband and wife couldn't have children and desperately wanted a daughter to love," Ana answered. "The only thing I requested of them was that they keep her name and they agreed."
"Oh Ana, I'm so sorry," Elizabeth consoled her friend.
"Don't ye worry about it. I know that she is doing fine. Her mother writes to me regularly to keep me updated on her," Ana said. "Don't you ever give up your little one, though. His father would want to be in their life and will in ten years."
"I won't," Elizabeth promised. "I know Will and he'll be surprised to have a family when he comes home, but proud to have a child."
"He'll be a good father," Ana said.
Elizabeth nodded. She knew Will would love to be with her through her pregnancy and the birth of her child, but as the circumstances were, he would not even know she had a child until he returned home. That night, after Ana had gone to sleep, she pulled out the chest containing her husband's heart. She leaned forward and listened. Will's steady heartbeat could be heard inside the chest. Quietly and gently, she pulled the chest close to her stomach, where her child was.
"That is your father's heartbeat," she whispered to the baby. "He loves you very much and wishes that he could be here."
Closing her eyes, Elizabeth began to imagine what the baby would look like. She hoped that the baby would have Will's eyes and devilishly good looks. While Elizabeth continued to imagine, she realized that for nine years, she would raise this child alone. She prayed that she would have enough strength to keep up with a child without Will beside her. When she opened her eyes, Ana was still sleeping, so she crept back to her clothing trunk and pulled open the bottom compartment and safely put Will chest back inside. She climbed back into her bed and pulled the covers around her. Tomorrow they would arrive in Port Royal and she would have to face everyone there, so she needed all the rest she could get. Unfortunately, sleep did not come easily. Her thoughts turned once more to Will. She wondered what he was doing right now and if she was in his thoughts as much as he was in hers. A few tears escaped the corners of her eyes and fell onto the pillow. She remembered a promise he made to her a long time ago, before they became pirates, before they even knew Jack Sparrow, and before they ever admitted their true feelings for one another.
They were seventeen years old and Elizabeth had just been introduced to society. Even though her social schedule was busy, she still made time to come see Will. Though her father didn't approve of their friendship, Elizabeth neither cared nor paid any attention to his disapproval. On Saturdays, Will was given the afternoons off to do as he pleased. So, she would meet him on the beach outside of town for a few hours, just to talk. One particular Saturday, she came to the beach upset and crying. Her father had informed her that very morning that she had reached marriageable age and would start looking for a suitor for her to marry. While she knew her father's intentions were noble, she still couldn't help but be upset. When she reached the beach, her cheeks were completely stained with tears. As soon as Will saw the tears, he went to her and asked what was wrong. She told him the truth. They sat in the sand together. After a few moments, he turned to her.
"Elizabeth," he said.
"What is it, Will?" she asked.
"If there is anyway I could spare you from this, I promise that I will find it and keep you from being forced to marry someone you don't love," he said.
"You would?" she asked.
"Yes," he said.
She smiled when she realized that he had fulfilled his promise to her. He had saved her from marrying someone she didn't love. Now she was married to the love of her life and expecting his child. Her tears dried when she realized that, but she still missed him so much. As she calmed down, sleep began to overtake her. Just before falling asleep, a bright light filled the room. Elizabeth stirred and looked over to see Ana, unaffected and still asleep. She sat up and looked toward the light to see a figure coming out. The figure belonged to Tia Dalma, rather Calypso in human form. Elizabeth bowed her head in reverence.
"What do I owe the great honor of your visit, Calypso?" she asked.
"You may call me Tia Dalma if ya wish," Calypso said, stepping towards Elizabeth and sitting on the end of the bed. "I come because I hear that ya havin' a chile, William Turner's chile."
"Yes," Elizabeth answered. "It's true."
"'Tis a blessin' that should be celebrated by both parents," Calypso said, placing her hand on Elizabeth's stomach. "I come to tell ya that I will tell William of his chile."
"You will?" Elizabeth gasped. "Oh, thank you Tia Dalma. You don't know what this means to me!"
"I also come to tell ya that because of him curse, William will not age," Calypso continued. "So, I have decided that neither shall you."
Elizabeth nodded in understanding. After that, Calypso got up and with a flash of light, was gone again. Elizabeth laid back down and found that sleep came easier knowing that Will would soon know about the baby. She had the word of the Sea Goddess herself.
The next morning, Elizabeth woke to the bustling of the crew as they neared land. She dressed and went outside. Ana was already awake and giving orders, as a first mate should. Elizabeth could see Port Royal and it was exactly as it had always been, a busy port. As they neared the port, she ordered the men to take down the sails and guide the ship next to the dock. The Empress sailed easily to the dock and Elizabeth jumped off the ship and tied the rope around a post to secure the ship. With strict orders to stay on the ship, only Elizabeth and Ana got off while the rest of the crew stayed on board. Elizabeth began the journey to the Governor's mansion, her old home.
"Where did you live?" Ana asked.
"See that house on top of the hill?" Elizabeth asked, pointing to the mansion. "That was my home with my father."
"You lived there?" Ana asked in disbelief.
"I was the Governor's daughter," Elizabeth explained. "Come on, I just need to get a few things and make sure that nothing happens to my father's estate."
The two women made their way through town. As they walked through, other women held their children back and whispered. Elizabeth could feel the sting of their stares boring into her back, but she didn't care what they thought. Many of the mothers would know that she was with child, even if she wasn't really showing yet. She knew they would figure that Will got her pregnant and then left her. None of that mattered anymore to her. All that mattered was that she knew she was married and carrying the child of her husband, whom she loved with all of her heart. Finally, after what seemed like an eternal walk, they reached the front door of the mansion. Elizabeth knocked and waited for the door to open. It creaked open and Andrew, her father's butler, greeted them warmly and invited them inside.
"Miss Swann!" he exclaimed. "It is so good to see you. After the terrible news of your father's passing arrived to us, we all wondered if you were alright."
"Andrew," she warmly said, kissing the old man's cheek, "yes, I'm quite alright, but it's Mrs. Turner now. Will and I were married."
"You were?" he asked, taking her hands. "Then where is your ring?"
"Will and I didn't have time to get any. We were married on a ship after father passed," Elizabeth explained.
"Oh, well you have my congratulations and well wishes for the both of you," he said.
"Thank you," she replied.
Elizabeth and Ana went upstairs to Elizabeth's old room. Everything was just as she had left it almost a year ago. She traced the length of her bed with her fingers and looked out the window at the view of Port Royal. Ana stood back and let Elizabeth deal with her past. Elizabeth walked over to a desk and opened a box. She pulled out two rings and slipped them onto her left ring finger. She turned around and showed Ana.
"These rings were my mother's. My father always told me that he wanted me to wear them when I got married. Now I can," she explained. "Even though Will and I don't need rings to show our love, it will clear up any more questions that people may have."
Elizabeth continued to walk around her room. She looked in the wardrobe at her dresses and dreaded corsets. In her head she silently thanked God that pirate women didn't wear corsets. For all the beauty they could bring, they weren't worth wearing. As she continued to look around at the things that reminded her of her former life, one of the many housemaids walked in. It was Lily, one of Elizabeth's favorites that she had grown up knowing.
"Lily!" she exclaimed and walked over to embrace her.
"Miss Swann," Lily said as she eagerly hugged her mistress.
"Not anymore," Elizabeth corrected. "I'm Mrs. Turner now."
"Congratulations," Lily said. "I always knew you loved him."
"Well, you knew me better than most people did," Elizabeth said.
"When are you expecting?" Lily asked bluntly.
"What?" Elizabeth asked, dumbfounded.
"The baby. When is it due?" Lily inquired.
"In about seven months, probably March," Elizabeth replied. "How could you know?"
"Your form is beginning to change to bear your child and you're glowing like an expectant mother," Lily answered. "I've been around expectant mothers for a long time and delivered many of their babies. I know these things."
"Is it really that obvious?" Elizabeth asked.
"Only to those who know what to look for," Lily replied laughing. "So, I have found the blushing bride, but where is the handsome groom?"
"He had to leave for some business, but he'll return home later," Elizabeth answered, knowing it was only half the truth.
"And you with child?" Lily asked.
"He didn't know when he left. I only just found out, but I sent word to him," Elizabeth replied.
"Will is going to be a fine father for sure and you, a wonderful mother," Lily said.
"Thank you," replied Elizabeth.
"Are you going to stay here?" Lily inquired.
"No," Elizabeth said. "Will and I are going to live closer to where some of our friends live for a while, at least until after the baby is born. This is my friend Ana who has offered to help us."
"It's nice to meet you," Ana politely said.
"Pleased to meet you as well. Well, in that case, you'll be needing something for the baby to sleep in," Lily said. "Come with me, I want to show you something."
Elizabeth and Ana followed Lily into another room of the house. Lily pulled out a small basket lined with blankets, baby blankets. It was beautifully decorated with white ribbons attached to the side. Elizabeth could hardly believe her eyes.
"I started making this when you were engaged to Will here," Lily explained. "It was going to be my wedding present to you, but you weren't married here. It's called a Moses basket because it's what they placed the baby Moses in before he was put in the river in the Bible."
"Lily," Elizabeth said, taking the basket. "This is beautiful. I couldn't imagine a better place to put my baby to sleep in. Thank you."
"You're more than welcome. So, you've come to fetch your things and?" Lily asked.
"I need to settle my father's affairs before I leave. I don't know if he left a will or anything before he died, so I need to speak with his lawyer," Elizabeth answered.
"I'll send for him immediately," Lily said.
Elizabeth waited in her father's office for about fifteen minutes before her father's lawyer, Mr. Thomas, arrived. Once he arrived, he spoke with Elizabeth for over an hour about her father's estate. Like most men of his status, Weatherby Swann did leave a will just in case something should happen to him. In that will, he stated that everything would go to Elizabeth, his only child. That meant the house and all things inside the house were officially property of Elizabeth Swann Turner. Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief to know that she had something substantial to her name and a place to call home for her family once Will could come home for good. For now, she decided to leave the house in charge of Andrew and Lily until she could come home. That evening, after dinner in the mansion, Ana and Elizabeth said their goodbyes to the household and walked back to The Empress with the Moses basket that Lily had given Elizabeth as a gift. Elizabeth ordered that they set sail immediately for Tortuga to get supplies for a ten month long voyage. She decided that the only stop they would make otherwise would be for her to give birth to her child when the time came.
Aboard the Flying Dutchman
Captain William Turner stood at the helm of his ship as the sun rose over the ocean. It was another beautiful sunrise that he had seen. However, he couldn't look at it without thinking of his Elizabeth. It had been over two months since the last time he had seen her. It would be near ten years before he could see her again. The curse that had saved his life had also condemned him to ten years of loneliness without his wife. His wife, the woman he loved more than anything else in this world. He knew that it was tearing her up inside too to be without him. In order not to let his grief consume him, he immersed himself in the job of ferrying the souls to the other side and making the transition for some as easy as possible. If he were to do his job to the satisfaction of Calypso, he would be released in ten years from his bond to the Dutchman. Will turned away from the sunrise and looked down at the scar where his heart had been cut out. His heart, which he freely gave to Elizabeth to keep safe for ten years on the one day they had spent together before his sentence was to begin.
Bootstrap Bill climbed the steps to the helm to stand beside his son. If it was one consolation to being on the Dutchman without Elizabeth, at least Will had his father. This would give him the opportunity to get to know the father he never knew as a child. Bootstrap stood next to his son, knowing how much pain he was in. He placed his hand on Will's shoulder.
"Don't worry son," he said. "You'll see her again."
"I know," Will replied.
After a while, Will retired to his cabin and let his father control the helm for a while. Will sat on the edge of his bed and rested his head on his folded hands. His thoughts still dwelt on Elizabeth. He wondered what she was doing and how she was doing. As he sat there, a bright light filled the room. Will stared into the light as a figure came out of it. Calypso, in human form, stood before him. He stood up and bowed to the Goddess.
"What do I owe the honor of your visit, Calypso?" he asked.
"I bring ya good news from your wife, William Turner," she said.
"Elizabeth," he whispered.
"She will bring your chile into the world," she said before vanishing before his eyes.
Will sat back down on the bed, speechless. He couldn't believe what he had just been told. He was going to be a father. The thought had never occurred to him that the one time he had been with Elizabeth could produce a child. At that same moment an incredible guilt set in over him. Elizabeth would have to endure the pregnancy and childbirth alone. More than anything he wanted to be there for her and comfort her, but he knew that it was impossible. He prayed that she knew that he wanted to be there as she brought their child into the world. Elizabeth had given him everything and now the most precious gift of all, a family.
A/N: Well, here is the second chapter. Thank you to all who have reviewed so far. Excuse my attempt at Calypso's accent, I know that it was pretty bad. Review and let me know what you think. There will be lots more Will appearances in the future to let you know.