Fate and the Lady

FATE AND THE LADY

BY: The Mad Fangirl

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Will stood alone at the Black Pearl's bow, the moonlight that had once cast her into dessication now gleaming harmlessly, even beautifully, from each drop of spray. The once-blacksmith sighed and rested his arms on her railing. "Do you know," he began, conversationally, "that you and I have a history, Lady? Do you realize how large you're writ across my life?" He sighed. "For one, you took my father from me. I've no doubt he loved me, but I fear he loved you more. To you, he returned, after all. . .it's even possible he loved you more than honor itself, for he left with you as his Captain could only watch and mourn. . ." Will stopped and considered for a moment. "Perhaps I'm being unfair. I shouldn't place upon you guilt that may be mine. By all accounts, Bootstrap Bill was an honorable man; I admit that one thing that might interfere with my sense of honor would be having a son to think about. Mayhap that's why he allowed what he did, if indeed he could have done a thing to stop it." His brow narrowed. "But he still fell beneath your hull, one of your cannons a weight about his ankles, and that, I do not know if I can ever forgive." "And then, of course, once I came to seek him, you very nearly destroyed me. Your cannons, Lady, again. You left me clinging to a board as the world burned. Were you trying to end the Turners, finish what you'd begun? Or were you making amends? Did you know that you would lead me to a life where I'd grow strong, make at least one true friend to last all my days? And did you guess, then, that I'd return to you someday?" Will placed his hands flat on the rail and leaned forward, needle-fine spray prickling his face and alighting jewel-like in his hair. "Now, it appears, we're rivals, for I returned to you to follow your captain. The captain, I'd remind you, that you betrayed, and for all that, he loves you more than he could ever love me or any living soul. Even cursed and skeletal, you held such beauty in his eyes. . .sometimes, Lady, I hate you for forcing me to share him with you. So bittersweet, that I truly cannot compete with you, and yet, without you, he would never have become the ~Captain~ Jack Sparrow that I love. . ." Drawing a deep breath, he closed his eyes, and then Will lifted away from the weathered railing, shook himself, and stood straight. Turning, he murmured, "I must be mad. . ." "Well, that's as may be," a lilting voice answered, "but there are worse fates, and anyway, you're right as far as it goes." Will's eyes flew open. "Jack!" "Ah, c'mon, mate, you remembered a second ago. . ." "Sorry, ~Captain.~" "Much better." Fathomless, dark-rimmed eyes met the younger man's, and Jack said, "You are right, I fear. The Pearl will always be me first love." Then he grinned, his best, maddest grin, the one that set his eyes to glowing with a light all their own. "On the other hand, she's all canvas and planking, and I can't hardly pound her into my bunk, now can I, savvy?" Will fought his answering grin only a second, before answering, "Aye." "Aye what?" "Aye Cap-mmmph!" Pulling back, Jack licked his lips and looked Will up and down, surveying his handiwork. The younger man returned his gaze with no little lust, and ruefulness, both. "I was being too serious again, wasn't I?" "That y' were." Mercurial, Jack shifted serious again himself. "She's a pirate wench, lad, and doesn't need reminding of her sins." Then he leered. "Now get below so I can punish you properly." And as the two moved together from the rail, Will jumped at a well-placed pinch. END

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