Chapter 19: A Pearl of Truth
Will watched as Peggy thanked Captain Labelle, the two exchanging quiet words.
It had been a very long day since his and Peggy's argument.
First, he woke alone and worriedly, searching for Peggy throughout the ship to ensure she was alright, only to find her already up on deck and helping with chores. She barely acknowledged him save for grunting a small 'morning' to him before purposefully picking up a crate to block her view of him as she made her way back below deck. She kept it up for the rest of the morning, her reserve letting up slightly when the cook had given them their breakfast rations, and she began talking about their plans for when they reached shore in the evening.
However, despite Will's attempts to lighten the mood and discuss other topics, she remained stubborn and avoided talking with him unless it was necessary.
It was not the first time Will had been on the receiving end of her cold shoulder, though this perhaps was the most painful it had ever been, if only because he had no idea what he had done to deserve it.
And now the Painted Lady had finally made her way into Tortugan waters in the early evening, docking at her usual pier with barely a hitch. Despite this, the crew seemed mightily happy to be back on land again, especially in the safety of the pirate port.
"Gods, I can't believe it. It's gotten even more crowded, and it's hardly five-thirty!" Sloane muttered from Will's side as he checked a silver pocket watch. He had changed from his refined clerk's uniform into a pair of worn brown breeches and brown boots, a black shirt and a brown vest under a dark green coat, very worn and weathered from the time at sea, all tied with a dark mustard yellow sash around his waist in which he had holstered two guns and a sword.
He had not bothered to shave this morning, so his chin, while close-shaven, had a slight shadow of scruff that matched his windswept fair locks. Yet all this suited him well. He looked well at home amongst the rough and scraggly characters of Tortuga.
Will would never have guessed he could play the part of a refined English gentleman.
His new appearance did little to warm Will's opinion of him. However, the blacksmith decided it would probably be easier to guess his true motives if he put his anger on the shelf and tried to cooperate.
"It was pretty crowded the last time Peggy and I were here together." Will folded his arms as he watched Peggy hug young Jimmy goodbye.
"Oh, it's always crowded at night." Sloane shrugged. "This is different. It's never usually this crowded during the day. Most pirates prefer to sleep away the day or enjoy a wench in their beds. No, this is Lord Beckett's work. His most recent order to tighten the noose in the surrounding waters must have finally reached the rest of his ships. Not to worry," He added before Will could open his mouth. "I already told Labelle all Beckett's plans so far. She'll pass it on to the right people. I hope those people can leave Tortuga to pass on the message before it's too late."
"Too late?" Will frowned, and Sloane nodded wearily.
"Beckett wants to try and purge all piracy from the Caribbean. He'll do his best to recruit certain pirates under the EITC ruling by offering to make them privateers, but apart from those select few…Well, even those who associate with pirates unknowingly may be in danger."
"But that's…that's insane." Will stared at the male selkie in alarm. "Taking care of a few problem pirate ships is one thing, but obliterating anyone who comes into contact with them, that's-"
"Genocide." Sloane finished bluntly. "One not too dissimilar from the one my kind went through twenty years ago."
Will's stare darted between Sloane and Peggy in horror. It was one thing to hear about the Selkie Purge. But this was…this was different. This was about to happen here and now.
He looked back at the dockworkers and noted their haggard and slightly gaunt expressions. Fear was already starting to affect their everyday lives.
Will could not help but wonder how one seemingly calm and cold man like Beckett could amass such power to order the deaths of hundreds of people.
Oh god…associates of pirates…Will felt his stomach churn. Forget Elizabeth; even his neighbours in Port Royal would be in danger of such atrocities through mere association with him and Peggy.
"Now you see why I tried pushing courtship early on," Sloane muttered. "If I hadn't offered to take Blake as a wife, another one of Lord Beckett's associates would have leapt at the opportunity and used her knowledge of piracy to gain favour with her father. And let me tell you, many of those sick bastards would enjoy trying to tame Blake's temper."
"So, your bold attempts to flirt were you trying to protect her?" Will's brow furrowed. He still did not quite believe the man's motives, yet Sloane seemed genuine in his bitterness.
"As a selkie and an older brother to four girls, I would rather hang than see another female of my kind be imprisoned like that." Sloane's lip curled in distaste at the thought "You forget, Turner, women don't have many rights in 'civilised' society. Even your beloved fiancé, while more privileged than most, is limited and shackled by the rule of law. Any property of her family, her assets, monetary and otherwise, her safety, her status, and even her children aren't hers; they're all yours by law once you marry-"
"I don't care about Elizabeth's money or status-"
"Doesn't matter. Whatever your personal beliefs, by the rule of law, you practically own her once you say your vows."
Will grimaced at the thought. He was not wholly unaware of his privileges as a man in Port Royal, but the way Sloane described it almost made it sound as bad as slavery. Governor Swann might have quietly been against the idea of owning other human beings, but there were other noblemen and women in Port Royal who owned slaves to work their plantations and households.
Will had never been comfortable owning another human being, especially after being treated like a dog by Mister Brown in his youth. The idea that even a civilised person could be treated as property because of their biology made his stomach churn with disgust.
To think, Peggy might have been subjected to such a fate if she had stayed with her father.
His thoughts were interrupted by Peggy striding towards him and Sloane, shouldering a satchel full of supplies.
"Ready?"
"Whenever you are Blake."
"Good, I'm glad to see you two are finally being civil towards one another."
"For now." Will grunted before Sloane could open his mouth. "We have a job to do; we can't afford distractions or making enemies out of one another."
"Well said," Sloane smirked, enjoying the way Will bristled at the compliment.
However, to the selkie's surprise, the blacksmith schooled himself as he and Sloane followed Peggy's lead down the gangplank.
"Four sisters?"
"and two brothers." Sloane nodded. "All back home in Cape Clear, that's near Cork County. Good ol' Ireland." He added when Peggy glanced back at him with interests
"You don't sound very Irish?" Will pointed out.
"I had to train myself out of my accent when I began spying on Lord Beckett." Sloane sighed. "It was difficult, but unfortunately necessary if you want to be taken seriously by men like him."
"And your siblings?" Peggy asked quietly, and Sloane shrugged.
"Most of them have grown up and moved out onto their own lives. Only the twins Aisling and Oscar remain with my sister Fiona, but it won't be long till they are old enough to get married and move out. Last I heard, Oscar's starting to get into trouble with quite a few girls and their fathers." He chuckled and shook his head. "Little blighter, he'll be quite the heartbreaker when he comes of age."
"Yes…heartbreaker…" Will stroked his chin thoughtfully as his eyes wandered to the small taverns and buildings lining the pier. "You don't think Jack-"
"Will be in a brothel?" Sloane finished following Will's gaze. "I do not know. I don't see the Pearl anywhere, but he could have moored her offshore since it's so crowded. Still not a bad place to start."
"If he is in a brothel, he'll visit the Dandy-Lion's Den or Madame Celia's," Peggy grunted. "But before that, we'll go to the Twelve Daggers. That's where I promised to meet him after I left. We can reserve a room or two while we're there."
"I don't know how you think you'll get a safe room this time, Blake," Sloane grunted as a drunkard swayed across his path.
"Oh, I will. Anna will make sure we do."
"Anna?" Will frowne.d "Wai,t you don't mean-"
"Annamaria. Yes." Peggy nodded curtly, and Wil frowned.
"She retired from Jack's crew?"
"Her brother recently had a baby, so now she's helping him run the inn," Peggy explained. "Be warned, she's got a lot on her plate, so she may not be too happy to see you. She's hardly happy to see Jack when he shows his face." She added with a slight smirk, remembering how exasperated Annamaria's face got whenever Jack strolled in with a wench or two on his arm that he had picked up from the streets.
It did not take them long to reach the Twelve Daggers. As they walked, they occasionally stopped to ask different pirates if they had seen Jack around.
However, even at this time, most pirates they came across were so drunk off their faces that they could hardly see anyone or were too busy trying to rush indoors they barely came up with an answer.
Eventually, Will had the bright idea of approaching Scarlett and Giselle for news about Jack, having remembered their faces from the previous visit to Tortuga.
"Jack Sparrow?" Giselle turned to Scarlett, who smirked viciously at Will.
"Haven't seen 'im in a month."
"When you find him, will you give him a message?" Giselle's sneer widened as she stalked up to Will.
Kathwack!
Peggy could not help but smile a little as the force of the slap almost made Will spin on the spot. She knew she should feel sorry for him. After all, that smack was meant for Jack, and given his record with the ladies of Tortuga, he deserved their ire. But after all that she had gone through in the past few days it felt good to see someone else other than her give Will a little taste of vengeance.
And yet, despite her pettiness, a small part of her felt disgusted with herself.
Whatever he had done to her, Will was still her friend for ten years. He did care for her…in his way…so long as it benefitted himself…
To Peggy's surprise and gladness, it did not take them long to find Annamaria or the Twelve Daggers, for the ex-smuggler was there to greet them at the door. Or rather, they caught her tossing a bum onto his face in the mud.
"An' stay there, ya cheap bilge-rat!" She snarled, dusting her hands off as she straightened up.
As soon as she saw Peggy's copper curls approaching her, her scowling face split into a warm smile.
"Peggy! You're back!"
"Hey, Anna." Peggy sighed, accepting Anna's tight hug as she got within arm's reach.
"I'm glad you got back so soon. I was worried you'd gotten caught by the EITC. I swear, the buggers are swarming everywhere now." Annamaria whispered into her ear, only to stiffen as she looked over Peggy's shoulder and saw Will standing a few feet away with Sloane, both men smiling and standing awkwardly, waiting for an introduction.
"Turner…" Annamaria scowled as Will tried a small, awkward wave.
"Uh… Hello, Anna. Nice to see you again." He gulped as she narrowed her eyes venomously at him. Thanks to a small pinch from Peggy on her back, Annamaria merely grunted in response and chose to look at Sloane.
"And you? Who are you?"
"Sloane, Ronan Sloane." Sloane gave his most charming grin and tilted his head to Annamaria, unphased by her suspicion. "Captain Labelle sent me to watch over these two."
"Fine, come in then." Annamaria nodded, though her eyes narrowed as she quickly pulled back to haul Peggy inside. She left Will and Sloane behind to follow at their own pace.
"I thought you said you would just warn Turner and leave him high and dry for good? What happened?" Annamaria hissed as she dragged Peggy through the already crowded and rowdy floor of the Twelve Daggers and over to the bar, which Peggy noticed was being manned by one of Annamaria's uncles.
"It's a long story-" Peggy sighed heavily.
"Oh, I bet it is." Annamaria scoffed, shaking her head as she wrapped her knuckles on the bar and gestured to her uncle for some ale for the both of them. "And ain't that Sloane fellow the one you warned me-"
"Yes." Peggy rolled her eyes. "Like I said, long story. One I'd rather not repeat out in the open."
"I am going to take a wild bet anyway and say that it involves a noble lubber brat named Swann?" Anna huffed, and Peggy could not help but smile at the fierce expression on her friend's face. "If that idiot asked you to help him save her again-"
"He didn't," Peggy muttered as she accepted her mug of ale and took a swig. "But he needs Jack's help to save her, and I need to find Jack for my own business, so our interests are aligned for now."
"Well, if you're lookin' for Jack, he ain't been around since you left six days ago." Annamaria scowled as Will and Sloane finally managed to jostle through the crowds and reach the bar.
"Goodness, what a crowd!" Sloane groaned as he stretched out his back and leaned against the bar. "Ale stat!" he called, setting down some coin on the bar top. At once, two mugs of ale appeared for him and Will, who nodded gratefully as he managed to squeeze his way out of a drunken prostitute's tight hold of his arm and reached the bar.
As the two men glugged down a couple of swigs of ale in silence, Annamaria turned her back on them to look Peggy up and down with a critical eye.
"You look a bit peaky," she muttered darkly. "I'll get Ma to rustle up some grub for you on the house. And you can stay in my room tonight. As for Turner and that one-" she glanced over her shoulder to glower at the two men as they paused in their drinking. "We only have one room available, and it ain't big. They'll have to either take it or sleep somewhere else tonight because we don't have the room."
"That's fine!" Will nodded gratefully at the ex-smuggler. "We can manage in one room."
"Aye. I'm sure I can deal with anythin' this whelp throws my way." Sloane grinned as Will shot him a filthy glare over his tankard.
"We'll see."
Peggy groaned as the two men downed the last of their drinks in unison, their eyes cold and vicious as they silently sized one another up again like a pair of young bucks ready to charge. Ugh! What was with these two? Peggy understood Will's suspicion of the man and even shared some of it, but he was making a fool of himself with this petty rivalry. It was worse than dealing with him and Jack.
"See what I've had to deal with." She muttered to Annamaria, who rolled her eyes as Will ordered another round of drinks.
"Men!" Annamaria shook her head in exasperation as she turned to her uncle and asked, "Oy! Tio Mattias! Does Ma still have some of her fish stew?"
"Plenty of it left," Mattias grunted, nodding gruffly at Peggy in greeting before glancing at Will. Sloane's bristling forms behind Anna's back. "I'll save some bowls for you and your lads there?"
"Thanks, Mattias. O-oh, and," Peggy whispered into his ear, leaning over the bar. "For those two, make it extra hot."
"You got it, lass." Mattias nodded with a conspiratorial wink. "Leave it to me and Ma; we know how to handle two annoying pups."
"Ay, you are mad at 'im! Good, he deserves it!" Annamaria laughed and raised her mug of ale in a toast, which Peggy met with a tired chuckle.
"How's the Commodore doing?" She asked quietly as the musicians on the stage began playing a more lively hut to get the crowd going.
"Not too bad." Annamaria shrugged. "He's been drinking a lot less, probably because Ma and Da won't let him anywhere near the bar until after he's eaten a proper meal. Unless it's his day off, then he drinks like a fish. As for work, he's been useful when he's sober. He works hard and doesn't complain about the smell. Ma's got him helping scrub pots and pans in the back so he stays out of trouble, and sometimes he helps my brother breakin' up a few fights when it's busy. He's a tall fellow, and he knows how to shout. Must be all that time in the navy."
Peggy nodded, her shoulders sagging in relief. She had been worried about Norrington adapting to pirate life since she had seen him so defeated in that alleyway.
"You can talk to him later if you'd like. When these two are out of your hair and the dinner rush ends, I'll take you to him." Annamaria jerked her thumb in the direction of the kitchens. "I think it'd do him good to see ye. He was about as worried about you finding that one as I was."
"Really?" Peggy wondered aloud, and Annamaria looked at her with annoyance.
"Peggy, do you realise what you did for the poor bloke? I mean, that bastard behind me took his girl and his reputation and left him high and dry with nothing. On top of that, no one here would give him a chance to start over, not even me…no one except you. He's in your debt!"
"I…" Peggy felt her cheeks burn in embarrassment. "I only felt a little sorry for him."
"Yeah, well, that's more than anyone else has probably done for the bugger in a long time. Well, except my Ma. She's grown quite fond of him." Annamaria rolled her eyes.
"So have you. Coming to his defence so quickly." Peggy smirked, and it was Annamaria's turn to blush a little.
"Bullshit! I don't have to be fond of someone to know what happened to him was shitty. Besides, he's probably the only one who knows what it's like to get hurt by that one." She jerked her head irritably at Will, who was now desperately trying to fob off a fair-haired, pink-dressed prostitute trying to hit on him. Sloane was no longer beside him, having started chatting up the wench's friend, a very pretty red-haired woman with short corkscrew curls and a low-cut dark blue dress. The two of them were coming to some arrangement, for Peggy could see the selkie's large hands wandering over the woman's rather curvy backside.
For the first time, Peggy envied the wenches around her. She did not have anything against prostitutes in general. They were just fellow women like herself trying to make a living in a world where the deck was always pitted against them. To sell one's body was not easy by any stretch, and from what she had heard over the years, it could often be a rather terrifying experience if johns were particularly nasty. It was fear of that sort of violent treatment that kept Peggy from pursuing such work.
However, now that she knew her life was nearly up, she wondered what it would be like to carelessly give her body away and enjoy the pleasures of the flesh with a good-looking man for a night.
Yet even as the thought crossed her mind, she could feel her insides coil and shrivel. Bitterly, she took another large swig of ale from her tankard, downing the last of it.
No…No…even if she wanted to have sex with a stranger to ease her loneliness, her body would not agree to it. Even now, she could feel her bond with Will, drawing her eyes towards him. It was as if it were trying to tell her that she would not accept anyone between her legs but him, even if she were drunk off her face.
Great. Just great! She slammed her tankard on the bar. I can't enjoy one first and last romp in the sheets because of him. I'm going to die an insane, miserable, lonely virgin.
Her heart ached as Will seemed to feel her gaze upon him and turned to look in her direction. His brow furrowed as he gently maneuvered the wench trying to hit on him onto another patron.
She wondered what he saw when he looked at her with such concern.
I'm probably a pathetic mess that cannot compare to his precious, perfect Elizabeth. She mused bitterly, returning her attention to Annamaria, who watched her sadly as she handed her another mug of ale.
"Yikes, you are not doing okay, are you?" She tutted almost motherly, frowning as she reached out to tilt Peggy's face from side to side.
"I thought I could handle it," Peggy mumbled, feeling her eyes burn. Damn the alcohol! It always made her extra weepy. "I thought I could see him again and be done with it. But honestly, I…I'm an idiot, aren't I?"
"I don't know about that." Annamaria took a swig of her ale. "Maybe it's a good thing you got to see him again."
"What?" Peggy blinked. In all her months moping around, Annamaria had staunchly opposed her running back to see Will or even think about him. If anything, she was just as angry to hear Will's name being mentioned as Jack was, and that was saying a lot, as the Pirate Lord was still very peeved with the blacksmith.
"Well, while he was out of the picture, you weren't exactly going anywhere with your grief; you were just kinda stuck, weren't you? In a constant state of moping and wondering, 'what if? this or 'what if?' that.'" Annamaria shrugged. "In the end, Labelle was right. It might be painful, but if you wanted to find peace with what happened, then you needed to see what a piece of work Turner was for yourself. Otherwise, how else could you be sure that you made the right decision to leave his ungrateful arse in the first place?"
Peggy stared into her ale tankard listlessly.
It made sense, she supposed. If she were a regular human and this was a typical betrayal of the heart, seeing Will again like this would have bolstered her to find someone better and move on.
But alas, she was not a normal human. She was a selkie. A stupid-stupid selkie who had bonded with him to such an extent that she could not enjoy the companionship of another man beyond simple friendship. She wondered if this was why she opposed courtship from the other young men in Port Royal. It must have been.
She was glad when Mattias chose that moment to return from the kitchen with a tray of steaming hot fish soup.
"Come! We'll eat at one of the tables; let the bar stay free." Annamaria clapped Peggy on the shoulder before barking at Will and Sloane, "Oy! You two louts! Dinner's here! If you don't come now, I'll feed it to the pigs."
Will groaned as he stood and stretched his arms above his head.
The room he and Sloane had shared in the Twelve Daggers was cramped and tiny. That was not a problem. Will was used to sleeping in smaller spaces than this. He just wished he had not been forced to lie on the floor and listen to Sloane having a turn with the prostitute in the room's thin and rough bed for nearly half the night.
Will scowled as he eyed the sleeping woman draped over the muscular, fair-haired selkie's body under the sheets.
The prostitute's red hair was not too dissimilar in colour and form to Peggy's, though it was cut short around her ears and duller and darker than her fiery copper. She also had no freckles and was a little plumper and curvier than Peggy, who, despite her curves, was lean and lightly muscled from long hours spent training with swords and sailing.
However, from the small glimpses he had accidentally caught of the pair while tossing and turning with his pillow over his ears to block the sound, Will knew it was no accident that Sloane had selected this particular woman's company for the night.
It did not help that the male selkie had been very gentle and concerned for Peggy before she had split to spend the night with Annamaria's family.
Will snarled as he remembered the friendly pat on the shoulder and the gentle bidding of goodnight.
He knew he had to play nice for all their sakes, but there was a limit to taunting Will could take. Just who did Sloane think he was? Playing the kind, gentle friend then bringing a prostitute that looked like Peggy to bed with Will in the room?
Was this his sick attempt to prove to Will that he was the better man in this situation?
Whatever it was, whatever sleep Will did have was not restful. Instead, it was plagued by awful dreams where Peggy was in the prostitute's place in Sloane's bed, making those noises of pleasure. Worse, when Will tried to banish such appalling thoughts, he found his mind putting himself in Sloane's place with Peggy beneath him.
Will gritted his teeth as he strode out of the room and slammed the door behind him, not caring if he woke the remaining occupants.
As shameful as it was, it had not been the first time he had such a dream about Peggy. Back in his adolescence, he had many similar lustful dreams of several attractive women and girls he knew, Elizabeth included. However, when it came to Peggy, he always felt strangely embarrassed, not of her, but of himself and did his best to squash the thoughts before his mind could run away with the fantasy. She was his housemate, and she endured enough leering and unwanted attention from other men without having to be made uncomfortable about his sinful thoughts. Granted, she had always been a pretty girl and had grown more beautiful over the years...
But that dream last night had been different than the lustful imaginings of a hormonal and curious teenage boy.
Last night, he felt…possessive…angry. The closest he had ever come close to feeling that way was the first time Mister Brown had stolen his earnings. Will had felt a savage urge to beat the snot out of his drunkard master, take his first sword away from the customer and shout from the rooftops it was his.
But Peggy had no property to sell or own. She was a person, free to be with whoever she pleased…in whatever way she pleased…and yet…
Yet, Will was unsure if he felt comfortable with her being intimate with anyone, especially Sloane—anyone but HIM!
Will silently cursed himself as his mind wandered back to that incident with Gabrielle in The Faithful Bride, how his eyes had wandered down the front of Peggy's open shirt to ogle her bosom. Then he thought about that morning just before they had first rescued Elizabeth from Barbossa when he had awoken beside Peggy. He knew he shouldn't have, but he enjoyed the softness and warmth of her body pressed against his.
Then, that night before the battle at Isla de Muerta. That awful night, he had feared he would never see her again, only to be granted one last meal together.
Will raised a hand to his lips, groaning softly in frustration as he remembered the way Peggy had kissed him so gently but so desperately. Was that her first kiss? He knew men were interested in her, but she barely seemed interested in other men. Sure, she admitted to him that certain men were attractive, and she did sometimes get bashful seeing handsome men like any other young woman her age, but she was always quick to shrug it off. The only other closest male relationship she really had was with Jack, and they were…Well, Will was not quite sure what they were, but it was not romantic, which is why he had no problem with her choosing to sail with him.
To think that Sloane thought he could worm his way into her skirts almost made Will want to thrash the living daylights out of the other man. He did not care if he was the only Selkie who could help Peggy learn more about her heritage. He would not have his way with her and toss her around! What if she bonded with Sloane, and he betrayed her? Then she'd die because of his selfishness! Will could not let that happen.
He would not let that happen.
Will snarled to himself as he stormed out of the inn and towards the back, where a small house was set up separate from the main building.
Annamaria and her family stayed in a small house just behind the inn with only a few small rooms, far removed from the patrons for privacy and security. It was a safe place to sleep if only because one of Annamaria's many brothers or cousins was always on guard day or night on shifts while the rest of the family took turns minding the house, and nearly all occupants owned a firearm or sword. Peggy had spent the night with Annamaria and a few of her siblings and their children so while it was crowded, Will was sure she was safe.
Unlike Elizabeth, who was probably still stuck in a cell back in Port Royal. Good god, Will ran a hand through his hair. All this worrying about Peggy and he'd almost forgotten about his fiancé who was imprisoned for piracy because of him!
But then again, of course,e he was worried about Peggy. Elizabeth might be in danger, but at least she had her father's influence and protection. He'd find some way to keep her safe and secure until Will returned.
Peggy…who did she have to look after her without Jack?
Sure, Labelle had been a gracious host to them, but even Peggy did not seem to trust the woman, and as for Annamaria…Annamaria was trustworthy and a loyal friend to Peggy, but she was devoted to staying with her family in Tortuga.
Will sighed only to suck in a sharp breath as singing wafted into his ears through the open windows of the small home as one of Annamaria's brothers opened to let the steam out from where they were cooking something delicious for breakfast:
I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Brave sailor, beware, 'cause a big 'uns a-brewin'
Mysterious fathoms below!
Heave ho! Heave ho!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his merpeople sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
Will shut his eyes and smiled as he let her voice wash over him like a soothing balm. How many months had it been since he woke up to her singing? He knew it was six months, but it felt like forever. He had almost forgotten how calming her voice was.
Down there be livin' the king of the sea
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
The son of the god of the oceans is he
In mysterious fathoms below!
Heave ho! Heave ho!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his merpeople sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
The salt on your skin and the wind in your hair
And the waves as they ebb and they flow
Swim deep in the blue depths if you dare
In mysterious fathoms below!
Heave ho! Heave ho!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his merpeople sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
Opening his eyes, Will's feet moved forward as if in a trance towards the front door, which was also open, though Annamaria stood on the threshold shaking out a damp dishcloth.
The tail of a fish and a conch in his hand
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
The merpeople come and go by his command
In mysterious fathoms below
Heave ho! Heave ho!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his merpeople sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
As Will approached, Annamaria nodded a curt 'morning'. Her eyes narrowed, and he merely bobbed his head politely in return, his attention fixed on the song still flowing from within the tiny house.
The king of the ocean gets angry
An' when he gets angry, beware!
I'm tellin' ya, lad, when King Triton is mad
How the waves'll buck, rock to and fro!
Hold on, good luck, as down you go!
Heave ho! Heave ho!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his daughters all swim in
In mysterious fathoms below!
Annamaria's nostrils flared as she watched the blacksmith peek around the door frame and into the communal living space. Peggy sat by the hearth with a few dark-skinned and dark-haired children around her. Some of the older children were peeling fruit and potatoes for their elders, while the younger ones held toys or scraped peels from the floor and put them into bowls for disposal. All of them were listening in joy and delight as the red-haired selkie woman sat in their midst with one of the younger toddlers, a little girl, and braided her hair as she sang.
The daughters of Triton are fair it is true
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Seven sea maids for the Seven Seas sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
Heave ho! Heave ho!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his daughters all sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
Oh no…he's not…no. Stinking little bilge rat, don't you dare! Annamaria scowled as Will's eyes softened upon the peaceful domestic scene, his gaze transfixed upon Peggy's peaceful smile. Annamaria remembered how the lad had pinned for Elizabeth Swann the same way after they rescued her from Barbossa.
Just what is his deal? Annamaria's teeth grit in her skull as she willed herself to keep her usually fierce mouth shut. He has a fiancé! He chose to be with that dainty little lady of his, and yet now he has her, and he's chasing after Peggy. Lubber Pig! How dare he?! After everything he put her through!
Aye there's mermaids out in the bottomless blue
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Watch out for 'em, lad, or you'll go to your ruin
Mysterious fathoms below!
Heave ho! Heave ho!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his merpeople sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
As the last note faded, Will could not help but wonder at his friend. He had not heard of this shanty before. Was it a new one she had picked up on her travels? The children certainly enjoyed it from the way some of the little ones squealed with delight and shouted, "Again! Again!" while clapping with the older ones.
"Now you've done it! She won't let you leave now." One of the older children, a young lad in middling adolescence, smirked, earning himself a slight poke from his siblings. "Face it, Blake, you're stuck with us forever!"
"Nonsense. I am sure you found ways to part with me before you managed to do so again." Peggy snorted at the boy's cheek, cheeks blushing as some small ones started clamouring for another song.
Will opened his mouth to speak, but Annamaria quickly cut across him:
"Don't!" with a glower, the ex-pirate shut the door in his face so she and Will were separated from Peggy and the children.
Will stared at Annamaria in surprise. He knew she was not particularly fond of him, but he had not expected this much hostility from her first thing in the morning.
"I beg your pardon?" He raised an eyebrow, and Annamaria's dark eyes hardened.
"You heard me; leave her alone. I see how you look at her, and honestly, I should slap you!"
"Excuse me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Will returned the glower, but Annamaria was not phased.
"Oh, don't act all dumb, Turner." She hissed, trying to keep her voice down so the children would not hear her. "How could you dare to chase after Peggy like this after you dumped her?"
"I dumped her?" Will's nostrils flared. "How dare you – Peggy was the one who left me-"
"And why do you think she did that, hmm?" Annamaria snarled, "She risked her life and freedom for you, and you go and toss her for some noble brat! And now here you are six months later, hounding after her like some lovesick puppy the minute she becomes useful to you again. You should be ashamed of yourself!"
Will's nostrils flared. All the warmth and softness of Peggy's singing felt like a distant dream, now replaced by hot rage. He could tell Annamaria and Peggy had grown close in the last six months, but who was she to judge his actions? He was Peggy's friend for much longer than she had been.
"Lovesick puppy? You don't know what you're talking about-" he growled at her, trying to keep his fraying temper in check.
"Oh, don't I?" Annamaria snarled with the ferocity of a lioness, voice still low and deadly. "You might have known her for ten years, Turner, but you weren't there for her for these last six months. Where were you for her when she cried to sleep night after night because of how you hurt her? Where were you when she had nightmares about Barbossa or the Devil hurting you? Where were you? That's right, in the arms of that blonde chit who barely lifted a finger to be with you for ten years when Peggy risked everything to make you happy because she was in love with you?! And now here you are, shamelessly bothering her and expecting her to cater to your every whim as adoringly as she once did after you tossed her aside like trash? I always knew you'd end up being bad news, but not even I thought you'd stoop to being such low scum!"
Will felt like a bucket of ice had been thrown in his face.
"What did you just say?"
"I said not even I thought you could-"
"I meant about Peggy being in love." Will snapped, clapping a hand over Annamaria before she could raise her voice. "What the hell do you mean she's in love with me?"
"Exactly what I said," Annamaria whispered fiercely, yanking his hand off her mouth roughly. "Oh, come on, Turner, it's so obvious! Everyone has seen it! Jack saw it, Gibbs, me! Everyone! She loves you more than as a friend. Even now, when she's pissed at you, she still loves you and wants you to be happy. Why do you think she's keeping her mouth shut about what's bothering her? She doesn't want you to feel guilty even though you probably should be grovelling at her feet begging for her forgiveness."
"That's not true!" Will breathed, hands shaking and heart hammering as each word hit him with the force of a bullet. "Peggy's not…she can't be in love with me. She-she can't-"
"The proof is right in front of you, Will Turner." Annamaria hissed, dragging him away from the door as one of her siblings opened it to let some smoke out from the house, along with the smell of something burning. "Why do you think a selkie of all creatures would stick by you, look after your home, cook your meals, follow you into certain death without any thought of anything in return? Didn't you ever in that tiny brain of yours wonder why she stayed with you on land for ten years even though the ocean probably called so loudly it ached?"
Will did not know what to think. Yes, he had often wondered what had kept Peggy on land when her selkie side had such a close connection to the ocean, but he had thought it was because she was afraid of getting hunted by the EITC. The idea that she stayed because of him…that she had risked so much because she was in love with him of all people…
No…no, Annamaria had to be wrong. She had to be.
Maybe Peggy did love him, but one didn't have to be in love with someone to feel love for them. If Peggy's relationship with Jack had taught Will anything, a man and woman could still love one as family and not have romantic attachments. And yet…
He felt his lips tingle at the memory of her kiss aboard the Black Pearl, her desperate pleading with Barbossa to keep him alive and not hurt him… the sorrow in her eyes every time he caught her looking at him and Elizabeth…
"No…no…no-no-no-"
"Oh, come on, Turner, I'm spelling it out for you, and you still cannot take responsibility."
"No, you don't…you don't understand." Will gulped as his heart began to race with panic. "You…you don't. Peggy can't be in love with me; she can't!"
"She is."
"No! You must be mistaken-"
"I'm not. She told me so herself."
"She…she told you?"
"The day she came back to the Pearl." Annamaria sighed in exasperation as if she were trying to reason with a toddler.
The ice-cold feeling hit Will in the face more powerfully than before, the force of it making him reel so severely he almost felt ready to throw up.
He could not believe it.
He just couldn't…Peggy could not be in love with him. Not all this time.
No, that could not be true! She could not be in love with him because if she were, that meant when he chose to marry Elizabeth, she would…she would…No…NO!
But she can't be in love with me! She can't!
Yet even as he thought this, another memory surfaced in his mind. A memory of a drunken naval official who had sneered in his face:
"You truly must be a pathetic fool if you thought a woman like Miss Blake would ever be happy watching you slobber over another woman after all the pain and heartache you put her through."
No…no Peggy can't be in love with me…maybe she's confused. He thought wildly. Perhaps she thinks she loves me because we've lived together for so long. She can't love me…because if she loves me, then…, then…she'll…she will…no. No it can't be true! She can't have bonded with me! She can't! If she did, that means when I chose Elizabeth, she would have…no-NO!
Will shook his head, backing away from Annamaria, who was still glaring at him with the wrath of a rhino rearing to charge as the door to the tiny house opened and Peggy stepped through, chuckling as she did her best to resettle her hair wincing as her fingers got caught in the mass.
"God dammit. Well, I'll give the kid credit. She knows how to tie a good knot." Her small smile fell into a frown as she looked between the now stunned pair of Annamaria and Will, the latter staring at her with a face so pale as if he had seen a ghost.
"What the hell is going on here?" Peggy looked between the pair.
"Nothing," Annamaria grunted, shifting uncomfortably as Will stared at Peggy wide-eyed and horrified. "Just clearing the air is all."
"About what?" she blinked.
"Nothing!" Will blurted out before Annamaria could speak. "Like Anna said, nothing important…" He looked down at his toes as he tried to cough and shake himself off. "C-come on. I'll wake Sloane, and we can start searching for Jack."
And with that, he turned on his heel and began to stalk away back to the Twelve Daggers.
Peggy narrowed her eyes at Annamaria.
"All right, what the hell is going on, Anna?"
"I caught him lurking around tryin' to catch a peek of ye through the windows." Annamaria snapped. "He can visit if he likes, so long as he knocks on the door like a normal person. But you know the rules. Don't come around lurking unless you want to get a hiding. He should count himself lucky I was the one who caught him because at least I know what he looks like. If one of my brothers caught him, they'd string him up by the ankles over the door."
"He probably did not want to interrupt anyone." Peggy shook her head.
"No, he just wanted to stare at you while you were singing like some lovestruck fool." Annamaria rolled her eyes. "And the way he was lookin' at you? He should be ashamed! He has a fiancé; what does he think he's doing simpering after you like that?"
"Will doesn't love me, Anna. He's probably still worried about me after what happened." Peggy groaned. "I told you before, he's an extreme worrywart at the best and worst times. And what happened the day before yesterday…he's probably still anxious I will go off the deep end again."
"How do you feel today?" Annamaria quirked a brow, and Peggy sighed.
"Still shitty in here." She patted her heart. "But it did help sleeping in a proper bed last night. Not to mention your ma's cooking hit the spot, so thanks."
"No need to thank me." Annamaria waved her off, though Peggy could see the relief in the woman's face clear as day. "Ma would never have let me off the hook if we didn't look after ye like one of the family after everything that went down with you and your father. Though I gotta say, never thought a guy that far up the ladder would be your dad."
"Neither did I." Peggy sighed. "I don't think he was that high up when I was younger. From what I remember, he was not a lord back then, so I don't know how that happened."
"I take it you're going to tell Jack?" Annamaria grunted, "You do know his history with the man."
"Yes. I'd much rather he hear it from me than through the grapevine." Peggy nodded grimly. "I just hope he takes it well."
"He will." Annamaria said confidently, "Even if he didn't care about you, Jack wouldn't judge you for your father's actions. How can he? You don't get a say in who your parents are. I think he'll get a real kick outta it all. Especially that part where you called your Da a 'hornswaggling bilge rat'."
"That was pretty satisfying." Peggy blushed as she and Annamaria both chuckled.
Peggy looked at her fellow pirate woman, her heart clenching in pain as a deep fondness rose within her.
These last few months had been miserable, but Annamaria had been a good friend. She would miss her terribly when she…
Annamaria shut her eyes as she let the heartbroken selkie throw her arms around her neck and hold her close, cursing herself for losing her temper with Will.
She had not meant to let the whelp get under her skin, but watching him pine for Peggy after all he had put her through…just what was wrong with him? How could one man be oblivious to the damage he caused with his antics?
Still, she should not have said anything without asking Peggy first. After leaving Port Royal, Peggy had told her everything that had happened in confidence, and, as a friend, Annamaria knew she should have honoured her trust.
But how could someone like Will be so unaware of Peggy's affection for him when it hit other people in the face like a dead fish?
She hoped Peggy would not be so mad that she spilled the beans. The girl had quite a punch to be reckoned with.
James Norrington watched with narrowed eyes from where he was cleaning the windows as Will Turner and an unknown fair-haired man met with Peggy before the Twelve Daggers.
"Do you think we can trust that fisherman?" the fair-haired man asked quietly. "I know he said a black ship with black sails-"
"It's the Pearl." Peggy nodded. "Trust me. No one else would dare imitate the Black Pearl's design. Jack may be the captain, but after her time in Hector's hands, her reputation goes beyond even him."
"Well, at least we have a lead now." Will sighed in relief. "We're running out of time, and it's the only solid intelligence we have."
"I know. I'll tell Anna we're leaving tonight."
Norrington shook his head as he returned to swabbing the grimy windows.
He could not believe it. The gall of that young blacksmith. Recruiting Peggy to help him once more after breaking her heart so brutally. Then again, Norrington knew that if Elizabeth had approached him and begged him for help, he probably would have folded just as quickly. Both he and Peggy were foolish in the face of love.
However, to the officer's surprise, both blacksmith and pirate woman were somewhat awkward around one another…no…awkward was not the right word. Peggy looked tense and brimming with stress, and Will… looked like he had just seen hell and come back. Though neither seemed able to look the other in the eye, Norrington noticed that Will always kept stealing glances at Peggy whenever he could, his expression flickering between guilt and desperation as she pointedly tried not to engage beyond necessity.
Norrington rolled his eyes. Despite his hatred of Jack Sparrow, he would agree that Will Turner was a pathetic whelp. He hurt someone who gave her life for him, and now he was sulking because she was giving him a taste of his own medicine?
As for the information he had just heard, he wondered what trouble the blacksmith and the ex-washerwoman had gotten themselves into this time.
Peggy and Jack Sparrow split only last week, and she was already desperate to return to her captain's side. Norrington did not quite understand Peggy's bond with the enigmatic knave, but he admired her loyalty nonetheless. Given her loyalty and prowess with a sword, she would have made an exemplary officer for the crown if she had been born a man.
He was surprised when Peggy looked around and spotted him at his chore. She quickly excused herself as Sloane steered Will into the Twelve Daggers to pack for their new journey.
"Peggy," Norrington clipped as Peggy ducked beneath a passing beam being carried by two pirates to reach him.
"James," She nodded.
"I see Turner has wiggled his way back into your waiting arms." Norrington drawled, and Peggy sighed.
"Yeah, well, you know how it is. You try and avoid fate, and it somehow ends up screwing you over anyway."
Norrington nodded in grim agreement. Ah, so this arrangement was not her design. That would explain her unsettled expression.
Yet there was something else behind her gaze he could not quite understand.
A lingering bittersweet sadness.
"Is there something I can help you with, Peggy?" He asked, his tone gentler than before as he tried to gauge the young woman's unusual mood. She usually looked so strong and in command of herself, but now…now something inside her seemed fragile…broken even.
"Me…nothing much…" She shook her head and sighed. "Actually…I…I came to say goodbye."
"Goodbye?" He quirked a brow at her surprisingly sombre tone.
"Yes I…This is…You see…this is my last time in Tortuga." She suddenly looked sheepish.
"The last time?" Norrington frowned. Now, he could hear the brokenness in her voice. She sounded tired, weary…like someone very sick waiting for the final nail to be driven into the coffin.
"Yeah…I've…I've got some business to take care of with Jack and Will, and after that I…I won't be in the Caribbean for a while."
"I see…" Norrington frowned as the younger woman shifted uncomfortably on her feet.
"I know what you're probably thinking." She mumbled distractedly, "Why am I telling you this? I…the truth is I just wanted to tie up some loose ends before I left for good."
"Indeed?"
"Yes…look, James…I know I played a part in ruining your good standing in life, and I…I just wanted to…I'm sorry." She looked up at him in earnest. "I truly am sorry for the part I played in losing your commission."
Norrington stared at the young woman.
He was not quite sure what to say. First, she returned his handkerchief to him and helped him land a semi-stable job with lodgings, and now this?
He would not deny that a small part of him felt vindicated by her apology. It had been a long time in coming. He had lost everything that day because of Peggy and Will's actions to free Jack. However, Norrington could not help but feel sorry for the young woman before him.
He was not quite sure how, but he felt that even though he was barely scraping below rock bottom, somehow, in the last few days, she had managed to sink to such a low point that even he could not see.
She was not acting deplorably or pathetically; rather, the spark of life had vanished from her eyes.
"Peggy..." He said carefully, putting down his wet rag and bucket and looking at the younger woman. "Did…did something happen between you and Turner?"
"No!" she coughed, only to grimace as he quirked an imperious brow at her, not too dissimilar from the ones he often used to spare for an officer trying to pass a fib. "Well…sort of…it's…complicated." She sighed, running a hand over her head of copper curls.
"I…Well…I guess I'm…I'm sick."
"What?" Norrington's brow furrowed, and Peggy sighed, her gaze averting to the tavern wall and her eyes shutting as she listened to raucous laughter and music already starting within.
When she spoke next, Norrington was alarmed by how calm she sounded.
"I'm sick. Well, more than sick…I'm dying."
Norrington felt his blood run cold. This was…he had not expected this.
"When did you find out?" He asked, almost dreading the answer.
"A few days ago," Peggy muttered, folding her arms and leaning back into the tavern's grubby outer wall. "But I…I had been feeling the symptoms of my condition for a few months already. I did not know what they meant till now."
"Does anyone else know?" Norrington asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Does Turner-"
"No…no, I haven't told Will." Peggy shook her head. "I've been meaning to tell him…but honestly, I don't know how. You're…you're the first person I've told. I haven't even told Anna."
Norrington did not know what to say to that.
He was not quite sure what he had done to earn her trust. Even Peggy did not know why she had confided in him. Perhaps the damage they had shared at Turner's hands made her feel like she could trust him.
The thought was depressing in its own right.
"And Sparrow?"
"No…Jack doesn't know." Peggy murmured, and Norrington felt his heart break as he caught sight of the wetness in her eyes. "Forget William; I have no idea how I will tell Jack the news."
"…and how long do you think you have?"
Peggy looked at her toes.
"A few weeks. A month, perhaps, if the gods are kind." She fell silent as a pair of arms wrapped tight around her.
Norrington, meanwhile, sucked in a deep breath to soothe his own heightened emotions as he hugged Peggy close to his chest. He knew he must have reeked of sweat and alcohol, but to his surprise, she did not reel away from his comfort.
In his old life, he had done his best to be prim and proper, and though he had slid off the deep end in recent months, he had never really indulged in human companionship beyond yelling, fist fights and even the occasional night with a whore. But what else could he do in the face of such a tragedy?
Peggy Blake was a young woman barely into adulthood. She had hardly had the chance to live an entire life, and already she was on death's doorstep before she had the opportunity to truly live for herself?! She'd never marry or have children. She'd never find true peace.
Why was fate being so cruel to one already suffering so much?
"I'm so sorry." He murmured, cursing himself for how clumsily the words had slipped out his mouth.
Peggy shut her eyes as she let herself return the embrace. It was a little awkward. She had not expected comfort like this from a person like Norrington, but she would not deny it felt nice to be held.
Jack only hugged her occasionally and privately, where no one else would see his tender side. Sloane was…well, it was nice, but she was not sure she trusted him, Selkie or not. Of course, she had a moment of weakness a day or so, and he had respected her, but still…
And as for Will…Well, hugging him recently only made the pain in her chest feel worse rather than better.
However… Norrington hardly knew her, but it was true. After what they had been through at the hands of Will and Elizabeth, Peggy would not deny feeling a slight kinship with the man.
He quickly released her after a few seconds, holding her by the shoulders.
"Forgive me." He murmured. "Do you…do you need anything? Would you like me to tell Anna on your behalf?"
Peggy shook her head.
"No. I…I'd rather not tell her. If she knew she'd never let me leave and I…I need to tell Jack…I need to see the Pearl one more time."
Norrington nodded in understanding. He did not find the Black Pearl a beautiful ship after being the leader of a vessel like the Interceptor or the Dauntless. She was striking, true, but not to his tastes. However, he could understand Peggy's longing to go back.
From what little he had gathered about her past, the vessel was her home, and if she truly were going to meet her maker, she would want to be in a place that comforted her.
"Sorry," Peggy muttered apologetically. "Here you are minding your own business, and I fling this shit on you."
"You don't need to apologise." Norrington shook his head. "You needed to get it out of your system. Are you sure you don't want me to do anything for you before you leave?"
"Just one thing." Peggy smiled weakly as she patted him on the shoulder. "Live a good life, James Norrington. You survived that hurricane for a reason; don't waste the time the gods gave you…not like I have."
And with that, she walked off, leaving James Norrington to stare at the back of her long copper curls with sad eyes.
"Goodbye, Peggy Blake. And thank you."
And there we have it! Chapter 19. Someone finally told Will about Peggy's feelings! Bloody hell, even I was starting to get annoyed with his blindness, and I'm the writer, so yeah. It happened!
I was not originally planning for it to happen, but as soon as I got to Annamaria's part, my fingers would not stop. Annamaria does not know Peggy is going to die, but after watching her friend suffer for months, homegirl is not going to take Will's nonsense lying down, especially when it hurts her friend. As for Will, yes, he's now being 'willfully' oblivious to the truth (and no, I am not sorry for the pun), but I guess it would be brutal news to swallow.
The song Peggy sings is an appropriation I made to the "Fathoms Below" song from Disney's The Little Mermaid (the Broadway show). I edited some bits and added a few verses to make it more of a fuller sea chantey. I was going to put an actual chantey/folk song from the 1700s but could not find one that fitted what I wanted for this chapter.
Hopefully, we'll get more into the fun stuff in the next chapter (hopefully, it's Jack because I miss writing about him and Peggy). Norrington, as always, is such fun to write, and I look forward to exploring his character later on.
As always, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Please keep reading, reviewing, faving, and following for more.
Cheers
Fuzzybeta