Chapter 7
A/N: Thanks for sticking with me those that are still here! I know this fic has stretched out over many, many years, but I'm absolutely in love with it again and plan on staying with it (as long as my writer's block stays far far away!) until I finish. Once I complete it, I plan to rewrite the first few chapters to reflect my current writing style. Without further ado, please enjoy the latest installment of A Twisted Fate. :)
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Elizabeth sighed and nuzzled Jack's neck, taking in every drop of his scent. They were cuddled on one of the many patio couches, and it was difficult to tell where one of them began and the other ended. Their legs were entwined and their fingers were laced together. But as wonderful as this was, Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder what time it was. The moon seemed to be fading, and although Jack's warm body was pressed against her, she couldn't control the shiver that escaped her.
Jack tightened his grip on her. "Bit nippy?" he mumbled.
Elizabeth nodded. "It's getting late. Or early." She yawned. "I'm not sure which is correct at this point."
Jack grinned. "I should let you get to bed. Dear William will ask questions tomorrow morning if you're exhausted."
Elizabeth groaned. The last thing she wanted to do was leave Jack's arms, but she knew this night wouldn't last forever, no matter how much she wished it would. Jack felt the same way and pressed his lips against hers one more time to convey that to her. She eagerly kissed him back as her body melted into his again.
Half an hour had passed before they reluctantly untangled their limbs and stood up. Elizabeth stole one last kiss before she bid Jack goodnight and slowly made her way to her own bed. He watched the darkness of the hallway devour her, and as she disappeared entirely from his sight, a wave of loneliness washed over him. He was suddenly consumed with a horrible ache of not being with her. It angered him. These feelings were new and confusing, and he wasn't sure he liked them.
"Love is worse than a keel hauling," Jack grumbled into the night as he began to stalk to his own room.
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A single ray of sunlight found its way around the heavy emerald drapes of Valerie's room and shone onto her face. She furrowed her eyebrows and turned her head to dodge the ray, but it wasn't long until it was joined by friends and sunlight began pouring into the room. Valerie moaned and slowly opened her eyes.
'Is it morning already?'
She gazed at the ceiling for a moment and tried to organize her fuzzy thoughts. Where was she again? The Governor's mansion, she remembered. For Elizabeth's wedding. Elizabeth was getting married? To William Turner. Why did that name sound so familiar and dear? She heard a noise beside her and jumped.
"Morning, Sunshine," Will whispered and kissed her bare shoulder. Oh, that's right. William Turner was in her bed. Christ, how could she forget?
"G'morning," she mumbled.
"Sleep well?"
"Yes," Valerie said. "When I did sleep," she added, grinning. It had been a good night.
Will chuckled and kissed her shoulder again, this time a bit higher and closer to her neck. A slight shiver escaped her as his morning stubble tickled her skin.
Will could not keep his hands off of her. He just wanted to hide out in the confines of their room with Valerie in his arms all day, but the reality of what had transpired was beginning to set in and he knew they would have to face it sooner or later.
"What are we going to do?" Valerie asked before he had the chance to.
"I have no idea." God, he felt stupid. Why couldn't he think of anything to say?
"We can't stay here all day. It is daytime already and you're still in my room. That might rouse suspicion when you take your leave."
"Are you kicking me out?" he asked, half joking.
"Reluctantly, I'm kicking both of us out." She gave him a slight nudge in the side as she kissed his cheek.
They dressed themselves in utter silence, though in their heads, their thoughts were rioting. Neither one wanted to discuss what was to come next, so Will gave Valerie a quick peck on the lips and slipped out of her room, undetected. Valerie threw her hair up in a ponytail and left moments later.
She ran into Elizabeth at the breakfast table in the dining room.
"Good morning!" Valerie exclaimed, attempting to mask the guilt that was beginning to tug at her conscience with a bit too much enthusiasm.
"Morning," Elizabeth replied. Valerie noticed her eyes looked darker than usual.
"Everything ok? You look exhausted!"
Elizabeth wondered if she should tell her friend everything that was going on in her mind. She wanted to relieve the pressure it was causing in her chest. She wanted to tell her that she loved Jack, and was doubting this whole marriage altogether. Instead, she replied, "Everything's fine. I just had trouble sleeping last night."
"Pre-wedding jitters!" Governor Swann was quick to exclaim as he sauntered into the room. "It'll pass dear, it's only natural to be nervous!"
"Who's nervous about what?" Jack asked, strolling in behind the governor. Elizabeth's father nodded his head toward her and chuckled. Will walked in moments later to complete the party. Governor Swann grabbed some toast from the table and floated back out of the room, leaving them in awkward silence. Valerie was afraid to look both Will and Elizabeth in fears that her face would reveal the events of last night, so she stared at Jack instead. Jack avoided her gaze and picked at his fingernails while Will and Elizabeth made eye contact for the first time in what seemed to be days.
Will's heart did not change pace. His stomach did not flip. He did not want to sweep Elizabeth up in a loving embrace. He was amazed to discover that he felt nothing. Elizabeth gave him a weak smile and he returned it with the same strength.
'Poor Will,' Elizabeth thought. 'He doesn't even know that I'm about to break his heart.' She had decided to speak to Will about her feelings. She just wasn't sure how much she was going to disclose to him yet.
Abigail, the cook, entered with a fresh plate of poached eggs and breakfast sausages for each of them and they gratefully welcomed the interruption. They sat down and ate in silence, as no one wanted to share their thoughts with the rest of the group. The lack of conversation was agonizing to Elizabeth. She wasn't used to the silence amongst her friends.
"So, what are the plans for today?" Valerie finally asked.
"Father's throwing us a special dinner tonight," Elizabeth answered. Will cringed. He had completely forgotten about the engagement dinner.
"Oh how lovely!" Valerie exclaimed. She was looking forward to a social event that would take her mind off the complicated situation she had landed herself in.
"Smashing," Jack said mockingly. He hated social gatherings. It wasn't exactly the type of thing pirates partook in. "I think I'll pass."
"Please come, Jack," Elizabeth said softly. "It would mean the world to me."
Jack felt a tug at his heartstring. 'Damn it, how does she do that?'
"Alright, I'll be there." The words were out of his mouth before he knew it. He mentally slapped himself.
Elizabeth beamed for the first time that day. "Excellent. You can go as Valerie's date!"
The facial expressions on Jack, Valerie, and Will's faces were identical. Jack was being dragged to a fancy dinner that would no doubt include dancing, and he couldn't think of a more dreadful way to spend the evening. Valerie was disgruntled about being volunteered to be Jack's date. She was still feeling rather cross with him. Will was overcome with jealousy that Jack's hands would be the ones to hold Valerie's waist as they waltzed that night and not his. Elizabeth seemed to be the only one with high hopes for that evening.
However, in her mind, Elizabeth was quite upset. She was indeed looking forward to dinner and dancing that night, but she wanted Jack to be her groom. She wanted to dance in his arms and to toast to their happy future. She began to fidget with her hands in her lap, trying to keep them occupied and away from the body she yearned to touch. Jack noticed her uneasiness and grinned to himself. He slowly moved his foot under the dining room table to find her leg. Elizabeth jumped lightly as she felt his boot run slowly up and down her calf. Jack's grin grew wider as he pushed his foot higher to touch the inside of her thigh. Elizabeth choked on the tea she had been drinking and Jack withdrew his boot, masking his chuckle with a bite of egg.
Valerie gave her friend a sideways glance. She knew something was amiss, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to investigate. This whole mess was overwhelming her, and she felt it begin to take its toll on her body. The beginnings of a migraine were upon her, so she excused herself from the table and retired to her room. She couldn't be fighting a migraine at the ball, so she collapsed on her bed and fell into a light slumber.
Will watched her recede up the stairs and fought the urge to follow her. He wanted to ensure her well being, but realized how odd it would look to the others, so he filled his mouth with tea instead.
'This is going to be a long day,' Will concluded.
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That evening, the Governor's mansion was transformed into a palace of lights and glitter. Everything gleamed and sparkled. Guests slowly began to fill the ballroom and chatted as they waited for the guests of honor to appear.
Jack trudged bitterly down the hall toward Valerie's room to pick up his "date" for the ball. He stopped in front of the oak doors, took a deep breath, and knocked. Valerie opened the door after a few moments and emerged to greet him. Regardless of how he felt about the events of the previous night, Jack couldn't help but draw a sharp breath. She looked dazzling in her ruby red gown, which surprisingly, did not clash with her red hair but accented it instead. She wore it in light curls that fell gently around her face. The dress hugged the curves of her hips nicely before falling freely to the floor. Her green eyes shone with excitement and showed absolutely no resentment toward the man standing in front of her. It seemed that she had forgiven him for the spat they had. Jack let out a small sigh of relief. He had fully expected her to rip his head off and snack on it as she sauntered down to the ball.
"Hi!" Valerie exclaimed, her voice a bit higher than usual from the excitement. Her cheeks were flushed a rosy pink and her cherry-red lips curved upward in a mischievous smile.
Jack laughed. "Hi yourself, love. You look fantastic." He extended his arm to her.
"Thank you," she beamed, and wrapped her arm under his. They began their journey downstairs.
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Elizabeth paced in her room. Physically, she was more than ready to head down to the dinner. She had chosen to wear her golden dress, which flowed gracefully around her as she moved. She had dug up a pair of dangling gold earrings that had belonged to her mother and matched them with a pearl necklace that her father had gifted to her on her twenty-first birthday. Her hair was swept up into an elegant bun that allowed her curls to overflow and bounce when she walked. She looked stunning.
Emotionally, however, she was a complete wreck. She couldn't stop thinking about her evening with Jack. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so serene and peaceful than when she was in his arms, and her heart yearned to be back in that safe place again. A sharp knock at her door pulled her out of her thoughts.
Elizabeth opened the door to find her fiancé standing before her. Will looked handsome, she thought to herself. However, there was no spark between them as he took her arm under his, nor were there any words of happiness exchanged as they made their way down to greet their guests. An aura of awkwardness surrounded them as they descended into the ballroom.
Jack and Valerie were already in the crowd. Valerie was mingling with several guests while Jack stood nearby and shuffled his feet. Valerie's vibrant personality was hard to miss, and her infectious laughter attracted its fair share of young gentlemen. Will spotted her as he made his way down the stairs and felt a pang of jealousy.
Elizabeth's eyes met with Jack's and a wave of sorrow swept over her. He gave her an intensely encouraging look and she could almost hear him say to her, "You can do this, love. Put your faith in me that everything will work out." She rewarded his glance with a smile and felt the tightness leave her chest.
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The ball was a huge success. Guests were laughing and dancing joyfully, so no one noticed the anguish of one particular man who was showing the world a false smile and a brave face. Will Turner was not enjoying the evening in the least bit. He hardly listened to the guests as they individually congratulated his future wife and himself, and nodded dully as their words washed over him. Elizabeth had dragged him out to dance twice now, and he had followed her idly, keeping up with the notes of the music only to distract himself from his burning desire to seek out Valerie.
Valerie was having the time of her life. She had lost Jack in the crowd shortly after they had arrived and had been swept off her feet and onto the dance floor several times by the young men who were battling for her attention. She had decided that moping about the situation she had gotten herself into would result in a dull and miserable night, so she welcomed the new gentlemen into her life for the evening. She laughed as another suitor spun her.
Jack had concealed his presence rather well for the majority of the evening. He felt out of place at a function like this, mostly due to its lack of rum. He meandered out onto the balcony and stared at the evening sky as his thoughts consumed him. Jack's hiding place was eventually discovered.
"There you are mate," Will said as he slapped Jack heartily on the back. Jack turned and grinned at his friend.
"Found me, did you?" he chuckled.
"Can't say I blame you," Will said. "I'd hide here if I could as well."
Jack gave Will a quizzical look. "Not enjoying your engagement dinner?"
Will shrugged. "I suppose my heart's not as into this as it should be," he murmured.
Jack's eyebrows shot up into his cornered hat, but before he could inquire about the mysterious comment, they were interrupted.
"Found you!" Valerie exclaimed. She was out of breath and her face was flushed from dancing. "Come on, Jack, you're my date! You owe me a dance."
Jack groaned. "I don't dance, poppet."
"First time for everything!" Valerie laughed and pulled him toward the dance floor. As she dragged him along, she tossed her head back and shot Will a warm smile. "Next dance is mine!" she shouted as she disappeared into the crowd of dancers.
Will's heart jumped. Dancing with Valerie would turn this night around for him. A true smile lit up his face for the first time that evening, and he was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Elizabeth make her way toward him and into his arms. He shook himself out of his daydream and looked at the woman whose waist he was now holding: a woman who should have made him melt, but instead felt like a complete stranger to him.
Jack stood in front of Valerie like an awkward foal, unsure of how to act. She giggled to herself and put on hand on her waist and grasped his other into hers. They began to move to the rhythm and Jack quickly learned that Valerie was a fantastic dancer. She was quick and light on her feet, yet also a strong leader. They flew by the other couples and a few even stopped to watch them.
"Who knew the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow could dance?" she teased him.
"You're a good partner, love," he grinned. "Listen, about last night…"
"Don't mention it," Valerie interrupted. "I don't want us feuding. You're one of my oldest friends and I forgive you for everything." She gave him a merciful smile.
Jack's movements suddenly became even livelier.
The dance was swift and vivacious. Elizabeth and Will both focused on keeping up with the music and didn't try to remedy the silence between them. Elizabeth looked into Will's eyes and wondered why he was hardly speaking that evening. He looked distant and unfamiliar. His eyes weren't warm and friendly the way they usually were.
'He can't possibly know what I'm going to talk to him about, can he?' she wondered.
"Will," she started. Maybe now was the best time to talk this out.
"Hm?"
"Will, we need to talk about something…"
However, before she could say anything else, the song ended. Elizabeth was drowned out in applause as the dancers thanked the musicians. Will's focus shifted to a fiery redhead who was laughing and giving Jack an exaggerated curtsey. Jack couldn't help but laugh with her as he bowed.
"Can we talk on the balcony?" Elizabeth said as she tugged on his sleeve lightly.
"I'm afraid that will have to wait, Lizzie," Valerie replied. "I hate to inform you, but I'm borrowing your fiancé for a dance." She smiled.
"Be my guest!" Elizabeth stepped aside. Something caught the corner of her eye and she shifted her gaze sharply to investigate. Jack had vanished into the night once again. She turned swiftly on her heel and followed him.
The orchestral group began to play a slow and sad melody. Will gently placed his hands slightly above Valerie's hips and pulled her close. She responded with a passionate look and slipped her hand into Will's. Their fingers entwined and they began to waltz with the music.
One, two, three. One, two, three.
"Val," Will breathed. She met his gaze and was astounded with the intensity in his eyes.
"William."
Something inside him stirred as his full name escaped her lips. How he longed to kiss those wonderful luscious lips. He pulled her closer and rested his cheek on the top of her head. Valerie closed her eyes blissfully and inhaled his irresistible scent. It tickled her nose and reminded her of a fresh autumn morning.
One, two, three. One, two, three.
"I never want to let you go," he whispered. The world was fading and all that remained was the two of them, slowly gliding over the marble floor.
"Then don't."
Will obeyed and held her close. The sad tune of the waltz pierced his heart, but Valerie's warm touch comforted it.
One, two, three. One, two, three.
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"Jack?" Elizabeth said into the darkness. A figure emerged from the shadows.
"Miss Turner," Jack replied bitterly. "Tis an honor to be graced with your presence."
Her cheeks flushed. "Do not call me that, Mister Sparrow." Her voice was cold.
"Soon enough, the world will be calling you that. I was just testing it out."
"I'm going to speak with him tonight, Jack."
Jack froze. "What will you say? How much will you tell him?"
"I—don't know," she stuttered and looked down at her feet.
Jack felt sympathetic for her. This was by no means easy for him, but he could only imagine what Elizabeth was feeling. After all, this was an engagement for marriage, one of the most sacred bonds between man and woman. He cautiously approached her and took her hands into his.
"You and I can never be together in this world. You should marry Will. He can give you the life you deserve. I'm just a pirate."
"You're so much more than that, Jack." She looked up at him with her melancholy amber eyes.
"Oh? And what am I?"
"You're a Captain." She kissed him.
Jack had yet to understand how she made his inside melt the way she did. He held her softly and kissed her back. For once, he had no desire to bed the woman he was kissing as he usually did. He just wanted to hold her tenderly and savor every moment they were together. He wanted to spend the rest of his life slowly learning everything about her.
'Is this what true love is?' he wondered.
"Elizabeth, we can't be together. You know that. You're a lady of high society. You don't belong with someone like me."
"Stop it, Jack." Why was he saying these things? Couldn't he understand?
"I love you." The words flowed from her lips easily, as if there had never been anything truer in the universe. They hit Jack forcefully. He had never heard that phrase uttered to him before.
"Sorry?" He felt foolish. He didn't know what else to say.
"I'm in love with you, you silly man," she whispered as she stroked his cheek.
He gaped at her. How could she love him? A life with him would mean constantly running away, plundering, and indulging in rum. He knew she could handle the rum, but was unsure of the rest.
"You don't mean it," he told her, hoping with his entire being that she did.
"Why can't you accept that?" She was growing frustrated with him. Why was he being so stubborn?
"You are trying to tell me that you want to live as my lass, choosing a ship over a mansion, a cot over your luxurious bed, tattered boots over…" He paused and waved wildly at her feet. "Well, over whatever those golden frilly things are."
"Yes. I do. That and everything else that being a pirate entails." Her voice reflected a hint of excitement.
Jack thought for a moment. He imagined what it would be like to sail with her by his side. His life of solitude had never steered him wrong, but he enjoyed the idea of having a partner in crime, especially one so lovely as Elizabeth.
He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. "I want to kidnap you."
"Let's run away," she suggested. He was in love with the idea, but he had no ship.
"We need to get to Tortuga," Jack said.
"Let's leave tonight." She seemed eager to go. "Now, for all I care."
Never in his life had he met someone as magnificent as her. He scooped her up and kissed her passionately.
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The evening finally drew to a close. Guests thanked the host before they wandered off to their carriages.
Neither guest of honor could be found.
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A/N: Soooo I hope it turned out alright. I personally enjoyed writing this chapter a bunch, so that's why it's super long. I promise to bring the character thoughts back into the end of the next one! I just feel a bit braindead from writing this for 4 days straight. Thanks for reading, and as always, please review! :)