Calypso smiles down at Emily and Alex, sleeping peacefully together in his little room at the inn. This part of her plan, at least, has been quite easy to put together. The next steps will not be nearly as simple, and Emily will need a close friend like Alex more than ever in order to come out on top.
One year is so short a stretch for mortals. Emily has a lot of growing up to do in a very short amount of time.
But she was getting ahead of herself. Before anything else could happen, Emily needed to be reminded of a few things about her father. After all, the goddess had long since come to realize, few things motivated any being, and mortals in particular, like revenge did.
Unfortunately for Emily, that meant things were about to get complicated.
The cabin looks just as it did before her father left. There is a fire burning bright in the area where her papa works; his tools are laid out as though he has just been working on something. Her papa is nowhere in sight though.
Emily freezes for a moment, looking around, trying to place the feeling in her gut. She is used to things feeling a bit offin dreams, but this is different.
There is no one around, save for her. This is what gets to her first. Her visions always involve others, usually many others, but as far as she can tell she is alone. For the moment anyways.
She walks further into her papa's work area, notices the handle of an unfinished sword resting in the fire pit, picks up the hammer where it lays out of place on his work table. The whole scene looks so normal, as if her papa had simply been called away for some reason, would be back in a moment. And yet still there was that feeling that something about this whole place wasn't right.
Wait a minute. She just picked up the hammer. In her visions she is a ghost, unable to do or say anything, simply observing.
So – this is real?
"W-who?" A familiar deep baritone half whispers from somewhere behind her.
She whirls around and draws her sword, pointing it at the tall and rather thin figure before her.
He freezes where he is and glances down at her sword. All is silent for one tense moment, and then realization dawns on his face and he begins to move forward again.
"You can't kill me." He says.
"Can't I?" Emily asks, though for all she knows he's right. "My sword is real enough. Who are you?"
"You can't kill me because I am already dead. Don't you know where we are?"
"I suppose we're in White Bird Bay*, where I grew up."
"Do you know that for certain?"
"Yes I'm certain, I know this cabin like the back of my own hand. W-who are you?" She is becoming more unnerved by the man in front of her with each word that passes his lips.
"Will Turner." He answers simply, calmly.
"No. No, you're not. He died." She is beginning to get angry now.
"Yes. Yes, I did, which is why you can't kill me. We're in – well, everyone knows it as Davy Jones Locker, but since he's hardly the one in charge of it anymore, I'm not sure what to call it. 'Hell' would work nicely. You're very much alive, though, aren't you? Perhaps you should put the sword away, girl, you're more likely to hurt yourself with it then me."
Emily does lower her sword, feeling dumbstruck.
"You certainly sound like, well, you. I suppose you can only be telling the truth. Don't you recognize me?"
He shakes his head a bit, then seems to study her, and realization slowly dawns on his face.
"This is the sword you made me, I never go anywhere without it." She holds up the sword in her hands. "And I'm quite capable with it, thank you." She twirls it skillfully a few times. "Practiced three hours a day."
He comes towards her now, his expression an unreadable mix of emotions. And then, so suddenly she has little time to react beforehand, he has his arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly. Her sword crashes to the floor beneath them and she wraps her arms back around him, any anger that she could be feeling melting away, because this is her papa and she has missed him more than she can express in words.
They stay that way for what could be hours for all they know. He pulls away finally and seems to study her for a moment, a grin slowly spreading across his face.
"How long has it been? You were only twelve!"
Emily wipes away the single tear that makes its way down her cheek.
"Five years. I'm seventeen, now, Papa."
"My Emily. Just look at you! You're all grown!" His grin fades as he looks down and seems to take note of how she is dressed. "Oh. Emily…"
"Papa, please, don't be angry with me, I don't know how much time we have…"
"Angry?" He looks shocked. "I could never be angry with you!" He pauses. "Though it would taste a lie to say I'm not a bit disappointed. I'm sorry. I'd hoped you'd find something better for yourself, I really did, but I suppose I didn't leave you with too many choices." He chuckles softly. "And you are your mother's daughter, aren't you?"
"Oh, but I'm alright, Papa, really, I am!" She says, because she has a strong feeling he doesn't need anything more to feel guilty about. "I'm Anamaria's first mate, now, and I have Alex." And she grins as her lips tingle at the memory of his kisses.
"First mate on Ana's ship. I'm not at all surprised. I knew you two would get along famously if you met, and you learn so fast, it was only a matter of time." His smile fades. "I only wish you could tell me more. You'll be going back soon, won't you?"
Emily can distinctly feel that this is true, and it doesn't seem fair, it really doesn't. Her goddess has shown her glimpses of how the Locker works, very brief glimpses, but enough that she does not believe her papa deserves this. She can't think of anyone who truly would, really.
And just like that any resentment she'd been feeling towards her father vanishes.
"Yes." She replies finally. "Yes, I will. Oh, Papa, I don't want to leave you!" She throws her arms around him this time, and he hugs her tightly again.
"I know."
"This is wrong. This whole thing…you shouldn't be here."
He freezes at this, and perhaps it's something in the tone of her voice that tips him off. He pulls back again to look her in the eye.
"Emily. Don't. I brought this on myself."
"No, no one deserves this, certainly not you. I could fix this."
"No, don't. Don't do that, Emily, don't even think about it."
"Why not? You know I could! You brought Uncle Jack back –"
"That was different, very different, no one needs me around –"
"There's no reason I can't do the same with you, I need you around, and so does Joshy –"
"But your mother –"
"That sea hag is not my mother –"
"You don't have a ship –"
"Anamaria trusts me enough to make me her first mate, she'll be more than willing to listen to me –"
"Emily!" He yells, and it reminds her of when she was just a little girl and they would argue. "Leave it alone!"
But she is no longer a little girl.
"No!" She yells back. He looks shocked. "I won't! Someone has to fix all of this! First I'm going to find a way to get my mother back, and then I'm going to get you out of here. I swear it, papa, I'll find a way."
Time's up now, Emily can feel her goddess pulling her back to the world of the living, back into Alex's arms. She wants to stay longer. She really, truly does. But she doesn't fight it because now there is work to be done.
"Emily, please. You don't have to do this."
"I don't care whether I have to or not." She replies. She picks up her sword, sheaths it, leans in to place a kiss on her papa's cheek…
"Emily? Emily? Wake up, love."
For a moment she isn't sure of exactly where she is.
She groans, keeping her eyes closed, trying to get her bearings.
She feels Alex's lips press lightly against hers and she smiles before allowing her eyes to flutter open, wincing only a little at the mild ache in her head. Thankfully the room has no windows and is dimly lit, even though it is probably day time by now.
"Good morning." She says quietly and Alex returns her smile.
"G'mornin."
She sits up and tries to sort through all that's happened in the past day and while she was sleeping. Reading the strange book. Talking to her Uncle. Coming back to see Alex.
There was a little bit of rum in there somewhere, probably where the ache in her head came from, she isn't used to drinking spirits.
Oh, and there was kissing too. A smile tugs at her lips again.
"How are ye feelin?" Alex asks her.
"Good. Great! I mean… of course I'm alright, waking up to you." She smiles and blushes and Alex chuckles.
"Ye're cute when ye're cheeks go turnin all red like that."
She only blushes harder, if that's possible.
"Come on, get up. We don't sail until tomorrow mornin. I thought we could explore this place a bit. Doesn't seem 'alf as bad in the day time."
Wait a minute.
"The ship!" Emily exclaims, jumping out of the bed and tugging on her boots.
"What?" Alex watches her blankly.
"I have to get down to the docks. Captain wanted me to help with the ship."
"Cap'n told me and Adrienne she had enough hands to help with that…"
"Aye, but she wanted me down there too, suppose it makes sense."
"Why?"
"Well, she did make me first mate and…" She stops short just as she finishes strapping on her belt. "Oh. Right. I was going to tell you."
"She..made ye..all the able bodied crewmen on board, and she picks ye to be first mate?"
"Oh, I was surprised too, believe me." Emily grimaces. "Do you have some sort of problem with the idea." She glares at him, crossing her arms.
He knows better than to mess with her when she gives him the look that she is.
"No, course not love, no problem at all." He answers her quickly.
"Good." She says simply.
"Suppose I'll tag along with ye. I stay here too long and Adrienne might come lookin for me." He grimaces at the thought.
"Oh, right, Adrienne." Emily responds, picking up her pistol and inspecting it. "Knew this would come in handy for something."
Alex raises his eyebrows, eyeing the pistol, and it always looks rather strange in her small, delicate hands. At least, he thinks it does.
"Bit drastic don't ye think."
"No, not really." She puts the pistol away and heads out of the room.
"Well, I'll just be good and sure to stay well out of yer way then…"
"About time, Miss Turner." Her Captain calls to her from the quarter deck just moments after she makes it on board. Alex leans in and, in plain sight of the Captain and the many other crewmen on deck, places a sweet little kiss on her lips. Emily grins and blushes lightly before crossing the deck and making her way up to Anamaria. "I went to wake you at the Goddess this morning. It appears you weren't even there." The Captain casts a glance in Alex's direction.
Emily tries not to smile.
"I'm sorry, Captain."
"Oh, don't bother with that, it's hardly any of my business who you go spending your nights with." Anamaria replies with a wicked smile before switching to a more captain-like tone of voice. "Now, I need you to do something for me. You know that little book shop you've been spending so much time at?"
"Aye, Captain."
"The owner has something for me, and I'd like you to go and get it." The Captain takes out a coin purse and hands it to Emily. "That should be more than enough to pay him for it."
Emily slips the coin purse into a pocket.
"And Emily, this is very important. I need you not to look at the parcel he'll hand you, understand?"
Emily shrugs, and although she is more than curious about it now, she also trusts her Captain enough not to ask.
"Aye Captain, I understand."
"Now where are you going?"
"Captain has an errand for me." She replies to Alex off handedly, eyes scanning the docks. "Do you remember seeing the Pearl here when we came in?"
"No. Why?"
"Uncle Jack apparently isn't on it. I talked to him just last night."
"And this surprises you? Dad never manages to 'ang on to his precious Pearl. Everybody knows that."
"It's been his ship for as long as I can remember."
"Are ye actually worried about 'im?" Alex chuckles. "Or didn't yer papa ever tell ye 'bout us Sparrow's and 'ow we have a knack for poppin back up. Like bad pennies. I'm sure dear ole dad'll be back to gettin under Barbossa's skin in no time, assumin Barbossa's the one who took the stupid ship."
"I don't know who else would dare to take it. And I think everyone deserves to have someone who's willing to worry about them a little."
"You worry about everyone but yerself, seems kind of backwards for a pirate, dunnit?"
She decides not to grace that with a response.
The item Emily retrieves from the clerk at the book shop is long and circular, as if whatever it is, is rolled up inside the bag it's hidden in. She is sorely tempted to take a peek at it to spite what her Captain told her, and really, she probably could. It's not like Anamaria would know if she did.
She decides not to, thinking that her Captain must have had a good reason for not wanting Emily to look.
They set sail the next day, as early as the Captain can manage to get the crew up, and she seems to have an actual destination in mind. She tells Emily to take the helm, giving her an actual, specific heading, and Emily finds herself a little excited by it.
Adrienne is sure to avoid Emily like the plague, staying – or perhaps hiding, more like – down in the galley. Emily wonders if Adrienne is really afraid of her in some way; the idea gives her a strange feeling of satisfaction.
They've been sailing for about four days when Emily finally thinks to ask the Captain about exactly where they are headed.
"You ever been to Shipwreck Cove?" Is her Captain's response.
"No, Captain. I heard enough about it from Papa, though. He used to love telling me about how mother wound up the Pirate King."
"It's an interesting place, I'll tell you that much. I don't guess Will ever mentioned a man named Teague when telling you these stories?"
"He did a few times. Keeper of the Pirate's Code, right?"
"Aye, among other things. He's who I want to see."
"And why is that?" Emily asks, and she doesn't think there is anything wrong with the question until Anamaria's eyes harden almost angrily.
"None of your business, Miss Turner."
Emily is so startled by the sudden change in her Captain's tone that she is left speechless for several awkward moments.
"Right." She finally replies. "Sorry, Captain."
She stands and leaves the Captain's cabin without another word. It doesn't strike her until much, much later, when she is lying in bed, that her Captain may have over reacted a little.
First the mysterious item that she wasn't allowed to look at, and now this.
Just what was the older woman not telling her, anyways?
And I'm going to stop it there for now.
It's been less than a month, and I already have another chapter for you. *gasp!* Be amazed, people, be amazed.
Thanks to AngieRosie for reviewing!
*I made up the name of the place where Emily grew up. I know I probably could have found a real place... but I get lazy sometimes and just didn't feel like it. :D