Birds of a Feather

The Curse of the Black Pearl

Chapter Fifty-Four

Till Death Do You Part

Philip Swift woke to a beautiful morning shining through the window, and all he could think was today is the last day I wake up alone. In twenty-four hours, Syrena would be lying in bed next to him as his wife. Then he would have to get dressed, go to church, and announce it to the entire town what he had done today.

For a moment, he seriously considered making a run for it.

"You love Syrena," Will reminded Philip as the servants busily worked around them. "This will all work out."

Philip had barely had time to contemplate his running away plan before his valet, Arthur Penwall and Will entered the room to start prepping Philip for his wedding. They didn't have nearly as much to do as the women, so they had a rather leisurely morning.

Everyone in the house had been given baths the previous night and both Rachel and Will had been given rooms to stay in overnight. Still, the grooming of the men hadn't been completed so the men were subject to haircuts and rather luxurious shaves.

Will then managed to pin the rather green looking Philip down in a chair and get a light breakfast into his friend.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Philip pushed around the fruit on his plate with his fork.

"Two more bites," Will ordered as he scribbled down his best man speech.

There wasn't going to be a formal reception for Philip and Syrena. Rather, Weatherby Swann had invited a small number of close friends for a dinner party at which they would announce the marriage. Syrena had insisted that the Gilettes be invited because she needed to see the looks on their faces when they heard the news.

"Excuse me, Master Swift?" a voice interrupted.

Philip looked up at his valet, "Yes, Penwall?"

He bowed his head, "I was wondering if you had any special requests for the arrangements tonight?"

"Oh, no, I think the girls have the dinner pretty well handled."

"Uh…" Penwall couldn't help but glance over at Will. "That's not exactly what I was referring to."

"What do you mean then?"

Will snorted.

Philip shot him a scolding look, "What?"

"He, uh," Will cleared his throat, "he means your wedding night. You know… with Syrena."

Eyes widened like a rabbit facing down a musket.

"If you make a run for it, I will tackle you," Will said calmly.

"Thank you," Philip said sincerely. His head was buzzing with panic and images of Syrena in states he should not imagine her in. Or at least not yet.

Penwall hesitated and then offered, "There are many things we could do for you. Nice sheets. Some strategically placed candles. Flower petals. Some good wine."

Philip couldn't even swallow because his throat felt so dry. He was going to have his wedding night. He and Syrena would become one flesh in the eyes of the Lord. It was proper and a culmination of every touch they had stolen. He wanted Syrena so badly and now he would have her as man and wife.

So why were his hands shaking?

"Philip?" Will asked gently. "Are you okay?"

"I… Uh, yes," Philip managed to find the Swann spirit in him. He did what Swanns did best: balled up his feelings, buried them deep, and tried to pretend nothing was wrong. "Right, Penwall, um, tonight I guess… Nice sheets. Something soft and comfortable. The blankets too. Also, maybe a prettier pattern than my usual bedding?"

"I'm sure we can manage," Penwall said politely.

"Candles, yes," Philip continued. "But not too many, just enough to set the scene. Forget the flowers, that just seems messy and unnecessary. No wine. We should be sober."

"Understood, Sir."

"That should be all then," Philip dismissed his valet.

"Philip," Will said wearily, "are you really okay?"

"Of course I am."

"It's just that it's your wedding day and you don't seem that excited."

"I am, it's just… I don't know. It's all been so rushed. I think I'm in a bit of shock."

Will glanced at the servants tending to the room and then leaned in conspiratorially.

"If you honestly don't wish to do this," Will said, "just say the word and I'll get you out. No judgement. Just tell me what you need."

Then Philip saw one of the maids bring in a large, beautiful bouquet of red hibiscus flowers. She arranged it in a vase on a table next to the dressing screen. It looked right having the flowers in that room, like they had always meant to be there.

And he couldn't wait for that life to begin.

"Actually, I need you to ask Commodore Norrington for a favor."

It took a very long time for Will to convince James of Philip's request, but Will was Philip's best man and he was going to take that role very seriously. He may have had to promise a ton of free labour to do it – not that Will entirely knew if his impending homelessness would be able to let him fulfill that labour – but Will came through in the end.

He returned with barely enough time to get into his own wedding attire, a smart looking brown suit with cream shirt. As Philip dressed, Will hung around in the background, feeling awkward as Penwall smoothed out the creases and made the last few adjustments. Thankfully he found himself useful when Philip asked him to retrieve the Swift family ring from the vault in Philip's office.

The Swift family ring had been passed down through all nine generations of the Swift family since they began brewing Swift Whiskey. It was said that the founder of the label, Edric Swift had bought it for his wife, Marjorie when he made the first major sale.

It was a battered old golden ring with a simple emerald. Compared to the Swann family collection his uncle maintained, it was rather shabby. But all eight generations before him were lifelong love matches, so Philip figured he might have a bit of luck bless his union was Syrena.

Will was heading back up the stairs, carefully securing the ring in his breast pocket, when a door swung open. A figure stepped out and Will smiled and came to a halt on the landing.

"Elizabeth," he breathed. "You look beautiful."

Her gown was a deep purple blue that Rachel had called gentian blue. It had white lace hems and swirls of white stitches across the skirt. Her stomacher was alabaster with blue cornflowers, and she wore a pendant of a large flower made of sapphires. Hanging from her neck and ears were the smallest sapphires in the Swann Family collection, which meant they were fairly ostentatious but desperate times and all. She had originally worn the dress to the wedding of Theodore and Fanny Groves, so it struck that balance of exhibition but not attention theft that a bridesmaid should have. Naturally her hair had been piled up in an appropriate fashion, and some small blue flowers that Will couldn't name decorated the right side of her head.

Elizabeth blushed slightly and played with her skirt, "You think so?"

"I know so," Will gave her a good look up and down. "Then again, I don't think you'll ever be not beautiful in my eyes."

Elizabeth cocked her head to the side and grinned with challenge, "Even if I were in trousers and sword fighting pirates?"

"Don't tease me with images you don't intend to fulfill," he stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her hip.

A maid walked by at that moment, and the pair quickly broke apart. Will nodded to the maid, who couldn't restrain a smile but didn't break her stride.

"I guess we need to be careful about our embraces. Your father might be quickly forcing us down the aisle next." Will caught the look on Elizabeth's face. He pointed at her, "Don't you dare."

"It would solve a lot of problems."

"And cause even more." Will sighed, "Can we talk about this tomorrow? This whole money thing is just-"

"I know," Elizabeth took a deep breath of her own. "I'm stressed about it too. Will, you should know that-"

"Any money that was going to come to us from your father is going towards this wedding now? Yeah, I figured."

"He's going to bill Philip for it at least."

"Too little too late."

"I- I'm sorry."

Will shook his head, "It's not your fault."

"But If I never said parlay to those pirates-"

"Stop," he held up his hand. "If we go down that path, we're going to be stuck forever in what ifs. At some point we just have to accept that what happened happened."

She reached out and took that extended hand. Gently she squeezed it and managed a small smile.

"And you need to accept at some point that what will happen, will happen," her eyes sparkled with love. She kissed the back of his hand, "Someday you and I will be getting ready in outfits just like this and we'll be the ones standing at the end of the aisle."

His eyes flicked down at her dress, "Yellow."

"What?"

He smiled at her, "I like when you wear yellow."

A grin slid across her face, "Then I'll wear yellow that day, as long as you promise to wear blue."

"We have an accord."

As Maid of Honour, Elizabeth set to her duties with gusto of helping Syrena with the finishing touches of her outfit. Elizabeth affixed some glittery little hair pins in Syrena's dark hair that was up in elaborate bun which involved a braid across the crown of her head.. She helped put on the pearl necklace from Syrena's Isla de Muerta haul, Syrena's little tribute to Ragetti, Pintel, and Barbossa being at her wedding. Elizabeth herself did Syrena's makeup (or at least Estrella let Elizabeth claim to do the makeup when really she just helped Syrena with the lip coloring.)

She picked out the earrings for Syrena: a pair of gold stem and leaf holding on to a flower of lapis lazuli. At first Syrena wasn't sure about it, but then Elizabeth pointed out the joke of why she personally loved those earrings. The purple blue stone had small cracks of a gold material called pyrate. Syrena instantly went for the earrings.

Elizabeth helped Syrena pick out her hand fan: a white and cream specimen that showcased the image of two swans swimming along a riverbank that two lovers were strolling by. She oversaw the lacing of Syrena's corset so that the mermaid was comfortable in it. Elizabeth chased off Jack when the monkey started playing with the bouquet. She did need Syrena's held to hold the monkey still when they decided to use one of Philip's hair ribbons to tie a little bow tie on him.

"Not a bad result for a rush job," Elizabeth pronounced when she, Syrena, and the maids observed the final product.

Syrena fiddled with her hibiscus bracelet as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, "Do you think Philip will like it?"

"He won't know what hit him, Miss Finson," Giselle giggled.

Syrena blushed as the maids twittered amongst themselves in delight. Elizabeth eventually waved her hand to hush them.

A knock came at the door.

"Enter," Elizabeth called.

The door opened and Weatherby Swann stepped into the room. He stopped short at the sight of Syrena.

"My Dear, you are an absolute vision," he declared. "Excellent work all of you."

"Thank you," Syrena bowed her head shyly. "Is it time to go?"

"Uh," he glanced back out of the room. "Not entirely. The boys have just headed to the church. The carriage will be back in a while for us."

"Had a nice chat with Philip?" Elizabeth asked, noticing the red rim to his eyes.

Weatherby shifted his weight, slightly embarrassed, "Yes. Just sundries like how proud I am of him and how I wish the rest of our family was alive to see this day."

Syrena's smile faltered for a moment as the desire for Barbossa to be here crested over her like a wave. But she pushed it down and took a deep breath. Weatherby had already offered to give her away, and she would be happy to accept her new family. After all, if Barbossa had truly wanted to be there for his daughter's wedding, he would have made that choice when she begged him to choose her over revenge.

Weatherby seemed to have caught the look. He cleared his throat and gestured to his manservant waiting outside the door.

"I have a gift for you," Weatherby announced as his manservant brought in three ornate boxes.

"Is this one going to make Syrena go cliff diving as well," Elizabeth teased.

Weatherby shook his head but said nothing, allowing Elizabeth to recognize exactly what he had brought in.

She gasped.

"Are you sure, Father?" Elizabeth stepped forward to inspect the familiar boxes. Her hand in particular laid upon the largest of the boxes, about the same size as the jewelry box that sat on her vanity. Delicate carvings of skylarks decorated the box.

"Only if you are comfortable," Weatherby promised. "I figured that if Syrena is going to be a part of the family and since this is a rushed affair… But again, if you do not wish for me to loan these to Syrena, then I shall not. They were set aside for your own wedding."

Elizabeth bit her lip and weighed her feelings. Part of her really said that no, these are specially mine and the connection belongs to me. But then she turned and looked at Syrena and found a lightness in her heart.

"Of course, I'll share," she smiled brightly. "It's what they would have wanted. And it's what I want too."

"Very well. Syrena, if you so wish to choose, I have a few items for you to wear today." Weatherby picked up the slightly larger of the small boxes, "This belonged to my sister, Rebecca."

Syrena cautiously reached out for the box and was grateful when he let her handle it. She opened the box to find a somewhat plain looking brooch pendant. It was golden branches in an inverted triangle shape with a few diamonds at the ends. At the very bottom of the brooch was an off white pearl.

"It's nothing that important to her, admittedly," Weatherby explained, "but it was her favorite one. She would wear it at least three days a week. It was very simple which she found matched her status of a missionary's wife. I thought it would be a nice little touch of Rebecca on her son's wedding day."

"I would be honoured," Syrena handed the brooch pendant to Giselle to affix to her bosom. "What is the rest?"

"This," Weatherby picked up the other small box, "is probably the piece I had most dear in our family collection."

He opened it to reveal an elaborate swan hair comb made of gold, diamonds, and a few strategically placed sapphires. It read of wealth, grandeur, and nobility.

"I gave this to my Katherine upon our wedding day," Weatherby explained. "Rather, I gave it to Rebecca to give to Katherine upon our wedding day and Katherine wore it during the ceremony. I intend for every Swann woman to wear it at their wedding. Katherine wore it at hers, Rebecca wore it at hers, Elizabeth will wear it at hers, and if you consent, you'll wear it tonight at yours."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes.

"No, I couldn't," Syrena objected.

"Please, I insist," Weatherby thrust the hair comb into her hand.

Syrena stared down at the comb. It felt too intimate. She was too much of a stranger to the family to even consider wearing something so important.

But then she looked up at her soon to be Uncle-in-law and she understood. It was him making his own true love be part of their son's wedding. How could she not include Katherine Swann in Philip's wedding?

"Thank you," Syrena whispered, holding the comb like the treasure it was. Not just a thing of gold and diamond, but that symbol of love and family. Maybe much like the Swift family ring, this hair comb would impart some modicum of good fortune to her marriage.

She turned around and Weatherby himself placed the hair comb in the hair of Philip's mermaid bride… and then Estrella fixed it up afterwards to make it actually look nice.

"Sorry," Weatherby reddened slightly, "I've never been that good with hairdressing. There's a reason Reynolds does my wigs for me."

Syrena giggled.

But Elizabeth didn't.

"Father?" she asked. "You said that Aunt Rebecca had the hair comb at her wedding. How did she do that if she eloped in the dead of night?"

Elizabeth could have sworn there was a beat of silence.

"I didn't mean her wedding wedding," Weatherby said smoothly. "I meant the renewal make up wedding we did with our families after my father died and they could come home."

There was something that didn't sit well with Elizabeth in that answer.

Syrena noticed and decided to push the conversation forward, "What is the last item?"

Elizabeth looked at her father, "May I?"

"By all means," he gestured towards the box.

"This," Elizabeth opened the box to reveal a mound of white lace, "was my mother's wedding veil. It's also going to be my wedding veil, and today it will be yours."

Syrena felt the urge to object, but after having done the little song and dance twice already, she gave up on a third argument.

The veil was a long elaborate cathedral style. Clearly the Skylarks had intended to show off their money once more with the opulence of their daughter's wedding veil. It actually was quite heavy and a bit awkward to move around in, but Elizabeth promised to carry her train and Weatherby promised he wouldn't let her fall.

When they finished affixing the veil to Syrena's head she looked like a picture perfect bride… if that picture was done in a rush and the artist switched from watercolors to oils for most details. Overall, it worked, but it was a far cry from a commissioned, carefully planned out wedding attire set.

"Now, before we go, Pastor Thomas asked me earlier what your middle name was," Weatherby said. "I told him that I didn't know and would ask you. Can you tell me it so he can complete the vows?"

Syrena glanced over at the maids. She knew exactly what Weatherby was really asking: to pick a middle name for herself. Syrena thought hard. It would be far too odd for her to say she did not have a middle name and she didn't trust Elizabeth's quick thinking after the christening of Finson.

At first, she felt the heavy weight of restriction upon her shoulders: she wasn't supposed to name herself; it was against the rules. But then she remembered how the men who loved her had christened her and so there was no need to continue that fight. She could name herself. In a way, it felt liberating. But what to call herself?

Syrena's fingers idly played with the pearls Ragetti and Pintel picked out for her.

Then she stopped.

"Ratel," Syrena announced. "My middle name is Ratel. It's a form of Rachel."

The maids seemed to accept the explanation easily, but Elizabeth and Weatherby shared a secret smile. It wasn't a form of Rachel… it was a mash up of the two men who first loved and named her: Ragetti and Pintel.

Syrena smiled to herself. Syrena Ratel Barbossa, soon to be Syrena Ratel Swift.

She had found her true name.

When Elizabeth Swann entered the church, she thought that James Norrington was the last person she expected to see present. She was quickly corrected on that notion of last person on earth she expected to see when she set eyes on the reason James was present.

"Hello Poppet," Pintel called as Ragetti eagerly waved at them.

"James," Elizabeth said warily, glancing back towards the street where her father was helping Syrena out of the carriage. "What are they doing here?"

He glanced briefly at them. The both were chained up heavily and surrounded by about six soldiers. Still the pair seemed happy, polite, and Elizabeth could have sworn their clothes looked a smidge fancier than she remembered.

"Mister Swift's request," Norrington answered, looking not entirely enthused about the development. "He and Turner offered me a ton of coin and free labour for the favor. Additionally these soldiers are being paid quite handsomely to keep their mouth shut and not ask questions. Apparently, your cousin wanted to give a little surprise for his bride. Speaking of, why is there a wedding going?"

Elizabeth stifled a giggle.

"Don't ask," she advised.

Hearing a loud gasp, the pair turned to see Weatherby, Syrena, and Jack the Monkey standing slack jawed in the doorway. Without a word to anyone, Syrena clumsily raced forward on unsturdy legs and practically tripped into an embrace with Ragetti and Pintel.

"What are you doing here?" she hugged them both so tight.

"Present from Philip," Pintel told her. "We get to watch your wedding."

"You look so pretty, Fins," Ragetti interjected.

At the nickname, Elizabeth instinctively looked to the soldiers surrounding the pirates. They didn't flinch. She glanced at Norrington, surprise on her face.

Norrington shrugged, "Like I said, no questions asked."

"What exactly is going on here?" Weatherby demanded.

"We've chained them up good and tight and have six men guarding them," Norrington explained. "They understand that as long as they behave, they get to stay and watch the wedding."

"And if they try to escape?"

"We execute them here and now in this very church."

"That'll thrill Philip," Elizabeth muttered.

"We promise we won't make a fuss," Ragetti crossed his heart.

"We don't want to ruin your wedding day," Pintel assured Syrena.

She smiled at them and then looked to Norrington.

"Thank you for agreeing to have them here," Syrena said. "It means the world to me."

James couldn't help a smile, "I wish you the best of luck, Miss Finson."

Syrena bowed her head, "Thank you. I'm very excited for this."

"Well," Weatherby still felt awkward about the whole thing but knew it wasn't a battle worth fighting. "Then let's get you married."

Breathe, just breathe, Philip reminded himself as he walked down the aisle with Will at his side. Philip was dressed in bronze and green, but he looked every bit his normal dressed up self. Hair tied back with a tail, cross around his neck, bible on his hip, and a little bit of facial hair. The only thing that didn't look normal was how pale he was.

Breathe, just breathe.

"Steady, Philip," Will whispered. "Focus on something. A point on the wall. The sound of Anne's organ playing. Count the people in the pews."

The last one sounded good, so he focused on the guests who had come to witness his marriage.

Anne was at the organ, playing the processional.

Pastor Thomas stood by the pulpit with a proud fatherly smile.

On the groom's side of the church, Rachel and Hannah sat in the second row. Hannah looked like she was doing her best to hold herself together. Rachel was happy and trying to comfort Hannah. Archdeacon Rutherford had decided to attend and sat somewhere in the fifth row. It looked so distant with the sea of empty pews.

On the bride's side was Norrington in the first pew, keeping a slight eye on his men. Ragetti and Pintel sat side by side in the third pew, dabbing at their eyes. They were guarded by a man on either side of them, and then two men sat directly in front of them, and two sat directly behind them. All of the guards were armed.

Philip suddenly realized that he was at the steps. He grinned, happy to have not passed out halfway his walk down the aisle. Will patted him on the shoulder, and Philip let out an exhale he'd been holding on to despite his mantras.

As groom, it was his duty to continue to face forward during the processional. He didn't see how Jack the Monkey scampered down the aisle somehow on pace to the organ music. Philip only knew when Elizabeth walked down the aisle because he heard the hitch in Will's breath.

"Pretty soon the four of us will all be switched about," Philip teased as Will watched Elizabeth walked down the aisle toward him, but not to join in their matrimony.

There was something oddly pained in Will's eyes at that.

Then he heard the shuffling of feet as they all rose and the music changed to that familiar song. The moment had arrived. Syrena's moment had arrived.

He gathered his courage and he turned around to face his bride.

Green eyes met hazel, the same way they had done eight years ago. The same way they had done on Isla de Muerta The same way they had when he gave her a name.

And the world finally made sense. Every choice in his life had led to this perfect moment of destiny. She was his destiny.

Syrena Ratel Barbossa was the soul the Lord God had ordained for him.

He watched dumbly, saying nothing but his eyes speaking as loud as a choir. She smiled at him, her eyes never leaving his as she came step by step closer to the man she would in moments call husband.

And then she reached the steps, and her walk down the aisle was over.

Taking his cue, Philip came down to steps to face Syrena and his uncle.

"Hi," Syrena said in a quiet but joyous voice.

"Hi," he smiled at her. Then he turned to Thomas and nodded.

Thomas nodded back and began the words that had united hearts for centuries.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony; which is an honourable estate, instituted of God in the time of man's innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church: which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought, in Cana of Galilee; and is commended of Saint Paul to be honourable among all men: and therefore is not by any to be enterprized, nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, to satisfy men's carnal lusts and appetites, like brute beasts that have no understanding-"

Elizabeth snorted.

Her father shot her a death glare.

Pastor Thomas continued, "but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God; duly considering the causes for which Matrimony was ordained. First, it was ordained for the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of his holy Name."

Philip decided not to mention that he suspected their daughters might be more inclined towards Syrena's "Mother Goddess" but he would work on them.

"Secondly, it was ordained for a remedy against sin, and to avoid fornication; that such persons as have not the gift of continency might marry, and keep themselves undefiled members of Christ's body."

Elizabeth thankfully kept quiet this time.

"Thirdly, it was ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity. Into which holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. Therefore, if any man can show any just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace."

Thankfully they were only met with silence.

Thomas continued, "I require and charge you both, (as ye will answer at the dreadful day of judgement, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed) that if either of you know any impediment, why ye may not be lawfully joined together in Matrimony, ye do now confess it. For be ye well assured, that so many as are coupled together otherwise than God's Word doth allow, are not joined together by God, neither is their Matrimony lawful."

For a minute Philip vaguely wondered if it was against the will of God that humans and mermaids married, but then he decided that God wouldn't have given mermaids legs on land if he didn't want them around humans.

Thomas turned to Philip, "Philip Swift, wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?"

His answer didn't waiver, "I will."

"Syrena Finson, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honour, and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?"

Neither did her answer, "I will."

A loud nose blow came from Ragetti.

Thomas looked to Weatherby, "Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?"

With that authority that a Governor carried, Weatherby said, "I do."

Weatherby held Syrena's hand, Thomas beckoned Philip forward. Philip extended his right hand forward, and Weatherby took Philip's hand and placed it in Syrena's right hand.

Philip repeated the words that Pastor Thomas spoke.

"I, Philip Nathaniel Swift, take thee, Syrena Ratel Finson to my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth."

He could have sworn he saw a tear glittering in Syrena's eye.

As laid out in the instructions from the Common Book of Prayer's wedding ceremony, they released their clasped hands. Weatherby took Syrena's right hand and placed it back into Philip's right hand.

It was Syrena's turn to pledge her troth.

"I, Syrena Ratel Finson, take thee, Philip Nathaniel Swift to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth."

Philip turned to Will, who handed him the emerald ring.

Sliding the ring onto Syrena's finger, Philip vowed, "With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

"Let us pray," Thomas commanded the assembly.

They all bowed their heads, even Jack the Monkey.

"Eternal God, creator and preserver of all mankind, giver of all spiritual grace, the author of everlasting life; Send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy Name; that, as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, (whereof this Ring given and received is a token and pledge;) and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

"Amen," the congregation echoed back.

Thomas once more joined Philip and Syrena's hands together, "Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder."

Bride and groom smiled lovingly across from each other.

"Forasmuch as Philip and Syrena have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared the same, by giving and receiving of a Ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be Man and Wife together. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

It was done: Philip Swift and Syrena Swift née Barbossa were married.

The sermon continued on with all of the traditional prayers and blessings as outlined by the Book of Common Prayer, but Syrena barely paid attention. Her head was spinning.

She was married to a man she so dearly loved and who so reverently loved her.

And in that moment, she thanked the Mother Goddess that Barbossa didn't let her die upon those rocks.