It had been three days since Natalie's arrival aboard the Dutchman. She knew most about the crew and what to do and what not. The captain ran a tight ship and Natalie soon realized that everyone participated; alive or not. She found small things to do while the rest of the crew remained busy with work.
Bootstrap watched over Natalie day and night to see that she was alright. Natalie noticed how protective he was and became suspicious. Natalie was often seen wondering around the ship singing to her causing young men to smile and tease her foolishness; Bootstrap was always right behind her.
Natalie was sitting with Bootstrap on deck for night watch. Each of them would share little jokes or stories they had heard over the years. Natalie had never felt so close to a person in all her days. The old ma was a comfort to have around. She walked up and down the ship watching the waves lap against it.
She looked up at the still moon and thought of her mother and her father. She heard someone and looked up; it was the captain. He was standing next to the wheel running his hand along its wood. He looked depressed and sad. Natalie shivered; she felt sorry for him.
Bootstrap walked up behind her and looked up as well.
"It is terribly sad when you loose a loved one. Knowing that you will never feel their touch or look into their eyes again; I suppose you have memories but…" Bootstrap looked down.
Natalie kept looking at the captain, "He must miss her." She said. It was almost if she knew what the two men were feeling and thinking.
Bootstrap looked up, "Indeed, he looks like that a lot; always in deep thought and despair. I did not know her that well but she was beautiful. She had a presence about her; it made you turn every time she walked in."
Natalie smiled; for a pirate this man was a poet. "Was she married to him?" Natalie asked looking up at the captain who was oblivious to the two below him.
"Aye; they married in the middle of a climatic battle that would choose the future of pirates everywhere. He was killed at the point of a sword from the previous captain of this ship." Bootstrap had anger in him that was boiling over in him.
Natalie had heard this story all her life; it was the most told tale on the seven seas. She could not help but feel pain for the man.
"Did she die?" Natalie asked with sorrow on her face.
"Yes; it was fourteen years after her marriage. She had two children; one who was away being an apprentice. The other was in her mothers arms when she shot." Bootstrap was throwing his knife into the railing.
Natalie had tears welling in her eyes, "How awful!" she said almost said crying. Somehow she felt connected to this. She had always heard that these men were killers; they killed Calypso's true love. Yet these meant weren't killers; they were heroes in their own way.
Natalie pushed her tears aside and decided to get some sleep. She ran down into the galley; the other pirates were asleep in their hammocks snoring loudly. Natalie giggled to herself and found a small hammock in the back of the room. She placed herself inside ad started to dream.
Natalie awoke to the sound of singing she turned in her hammock to see who it was. It was a woman who was sitting down next to Natalie rocking herself in a rocking chair. Natalie knew right away who it was.
"Mother!" she yelled. Natalie reached out to touch her face but the woman pushed back.
"My angel." The woman said. She stood up and walked to Natalie's hammock. Natalie tried to get up but her mother pushed her down.
"I-I thought you were dead." Natalie said. Tears were threatening in her eyes. She looked at her mother as if she had known her all her life. Her hair was just as Natalie imagined it; it was a honey blonde with hints of brown. Her eyes were amber brown and were soothing.
Her mother kept stroking Natalie's hair and smiling.
"Dreams have a way of bringing people back." Her mother said.
Natalie frowned, "You mean you're not alive?" she asked.
"I am afraid so" her mother said. She rubbed Natalie's arms to sooth her. She began to tell Natalie about her past.
"Calypso shot me because I was the only thing that was in her way to get you. She needed someone to take her place as Calypso after she left to be with Davy Jones. She needed blood from the sea; a pirate's blood." she was interrupted.
"Pirates blood; but your not a pirate…are you?" Natalie asked.
Her mother smiled and continued rubbing Natalie's arms and brushing her hair away from her face.
"Your father is a pirate and I am too. She chose you because your father and I were in love. That is very uncommon with pirates." She stopped and sat back down in her rocking chair but kept looking at Natalie.
"You have your father's eyes." She said.
Natalie smiled; her mother was the most beautiful person she had ever laid eyes on. "What is your name…mother?" she asked.
"Elizabeth." She said. Her eyes glowed in the darkness of the ship. Her smile made Natalie feel warm inside.
"Here, take this." Elizabeth said. She pulled off a necklace that had a heart shaped locket on it.
"Never take it off or lose it." She said placing it on Natalie's neck.
"I thought this was only a dream." Natalie said feeing the silver chain on her neck.
"This is more than a dream...its destiny." Elizabeth said. She stood up and kissed Natalie on the cheek.
"The letter and the box are clues and keys to finding your father." Elizabeth said. She turned to leave but Natalie stopped her.
"Please; I need you." Natalie was on the verge of hysterics.
Her mother quieted her and brushed her tears off her face.
"You are strong…you don't need me" Elizabeth whispered
"I will always be here for you." Elizabeth whispered into Natalie's ear. She kissed her cheek and disappeared.
Natalie just laid in shock and sadness. She was gone forever. Natalie cried and drifted back into sleep. Tears fell slowly from her eyes; they stained her pillow. These were not ordinary tears…these were tears of love.
The boat shook as though it had hit a rock. No one had noticed the boats abnormal shaking except for one man.