Author's Note: I couldn't resist using the song from Pirates of the Caribbean in this!
He can smell the sea in the air.
His and Mary's journey has taken them to a forest that hugs the coast, but it is not open water they seek but the mountains that lie beyond it. He feels a strange tugging in his chest, overwhelmed by the urge to just look at the marvelous sea, but the forest is too thick and their quest is too important to give up now. The siren call of the sea is strong, but he forces it to the side, at least for now. After they part ways—once Mary is safely returned to her native Yorkshire and he has made sure that the Dark One will not be following her under any circumstances—then he can make his way back to his ship, and from there out into the blue, wherever his heart desires. The thought makes him smile, and he tries to ignore the little tug on his heart at the thought that if he's once more upon the Jolly Roger, sailing the realms to his heart's content, then Mary will no longer be with him.
She'll be home, Jones. She'll be where she belongs. Surely that should be good enough for you.
To take his mind off of it all, he begins to hum under his breath, absentmindedly at first and then slowly growing louder. He doesn't realize that she's noticed until he spies Mary eyeing him as they walk along. He knows the look in her eyes well enough by now to know that he's piqued her curiosity.
"Penny for your thoughts, love?" he asks as he uses his hook to move a low-hanging tree branch out of their path.
"That song," she saysimply, the faintest hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "How does it go? I've not heard it before."
He smirks, his eyes sparkling playfully at her. "I'd imagine not, love. It's an old song of the sea. I can't imagine you've heard much of it in Yorkshire."
"Will you sing it to me?" Her voice is as eager as he's ever heard it, and he finds himself surprised by her enthusiasm. He quirks an eyebrow at her, considering, before he opens his mouth and begins to sing.
"My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold,There is nothing can console me but my jolly sailor bold."
He can feel her eyes on him as he goes through the song, his soft voice and the sound of their footsteps the only sounds in the otherwise quiet forest. She studies him intently, but he keeps his eyes fixed ahead of him, almost afraid of seeing her reaction to his tune. When he comes to the final chorus, though, he is shocked to her her voice—pure and sweet in his ear—join him in the song.
"My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold,There is nothing can console me…"
His voice trails off.
"But my jolly sailor bold," Mary finishes for him.