After the storm... {Posted in Raise The Colors
(This is moved from GJ, since it is collapsing. William Turner is played by ptrylblacksmith @ GJ or captain_wturner.)
Characters: William Turner & Bootstrap
Location: On The Flying Dutchman, moments after she was claimed by the Maelstrom. (nearly the end of AWE)
Rating: PG - just a little graphic
Notes: This is BACKLOG. Will wakes up for the first time after he becomes the Captain of The Flying Dutchman. Update: Also includes the destruction of the Endeavour from the perspective of the Dutchman and through to the conversation between Will and Bootstrap after the battle.
William Turner:
Therewas no chorus of strings or singing angels, just the rush of the seaand the creak of a ship, when Will’s eyes opened again. A heavy hazefilled his vision, nausea playing at his throat, and his chest ached asthough he were being pressed to death. Everything felt cold. A calmbreath stilled his nerves that felt like flames lapping at hot oil.Something was missing. The whole world seemed calm as he the fog liftedfrom his eyes and he looked around at the world, bathed in a gentleblue. Like water.
Notions of what had happened, Calypso, the Maelstrom - Elizabeth. They had been on the deck of the Pearl.Over the crash of the storm and the swords, he could hardly hearBarbossa’s voice from the quarterdeck. This was it, the moment that hehad longed for as long as he could recall. She looked as beautiful asever, even with her hair drenched with the rain and her chest pantingfrom the fierceness of the battle around them. “I do.” She finally saidit.
There was more, though, even after all of that. He wasrunning to her, to Elizabeth, his wife. Davy Jones had struck her downand he stood over her, ready to finish his work, but he would not layanother hand on her. With a strong thrust of his sword, Will ran theCaptain of The Flying Dutchman through the chest.
Nothinghappened. What Will had forgotten in the space of time between beingambushed by his father and going to save Elizabeth was the curse of thecaptain of the Dutchman: no heart. In a blur of raindrops andwhipping sails, Will found himself on the ground, the wind stolen fromhis lungs and his eyes locked on Elizabeth. If he needed to he wouldget up again. He would stab Davy Jones again. He would keep going untilhe could no longer before he would let him near her again.
Andthen there was Jack. Just when he thought there could be nothing elseto do for Elizabeth than die, there was Jack’s voice, yelling clearover the thunder of canons and the heavy storm. For a moment there washope - hope for both of them. Jack held the heart of Davy Jones with ashattered sword’s blade, Jack’s broken sword, pointed at it. It wouldbe fitting for Jack to win immortality in the end, Will thought. Afterall, he could sail for the horizon forever.
All histhoughts came crashing down in one moment when the mountainous form ofDavy Jones whirled around, and then there was pain; a pain enough thathe could do nothing to resist his body wrenching and his voice fromcrying out. Feebly, his heart tried to overcome, but as soon as hecould feel after the white shield of shock lifted from him, he couldfeel his head beginning to swim with the weakness of his failing body.
Hefelt the icy steel with his hands as the tips of his fingers went cold.But then there she was - Elizabeth - her warm hands caressing hischeeks and her voice calling to him. The air left him before he couldspeak her name. The embers in his eyes slowly snuffed out tonothingness as they looked to her. She was so beautiful.
Now hewas awake. How could it be? His heart had been pierced by Davy Jones.Again he looked around. There were no clouds on the horizon. In fact,there was no horizon to be seen. There was only a haze of blue. He wasunder stirred water. As the water cleared, the deck of The Flying Dutchman unfolded.
“Elizabeth!”he yelled, like a child that had been woken from a terrible nightmare,the name bubbling in the ocean water. Was she safe? What had happened?How was he not dead?
His hand moved through the water and wentto check his heart. Panicked, he pressed his palm to his chest. Hisskin was marred by what felt like a large scar. What was worse, hecould find no heartbeat.
Bootstrap Bill:
Bill's heart ached with him, still having one. He had to. He had donewhat she wanted. She had to have a Captain. And he had given her one,as it was said, so it had to be done. Bill threw his small dagger away,letting the water take it. He would not be using it again. The cursedchest had a heart. It felt like Bill's was dying. What had he done?
Heremembered seeing Jones attacking Will, stabbing him. It had awakenedhim from his apathy, like lighting. He knew he had no chance againstJones, but he could distract him. He didn't matter. Will mattered all.True enough, it hadn't taken Jones long to fight him off. Then it was ablur. Things had happened so quickly. Jack had taken Jones heartsometime in the midst of chaos. Finding Will to losing him soquickly... But he hadn't lost him, instead Jack who also was as good asJones to turn the tables quickly had stabbed the heart, not with hisown hand. But with Wills.
And then it began. The pull. Thewill of her. She needed him. Needed them all. Why he’d carved his ownsons heart out, he would never know. He just had to. Just had to do it.There was no other choice.
Maccus was there. Clanker. Theywere all there sitting around them letting the water flow around them,waiting for what would happen next.
Will woke up quickly screaming a name. Her name. Elisabeth's. So he had destroyed two lives, Bill thought.
"She is not here." was all Bill could say, hoping Will could hear as they heard him, there new Captain.
William Turner:
At long last, his eyes darted away from their empty stare and up toBootstrap, Bill Turner, Will's father. In an instant he understood onething: everything had changed. There was no choking beat of his heartto see his father covered with barnacles. There was not even a gentlemurmur of his heart. Nothing.
He could have cried out for heragain. He could have asked why, where she was, or if she was safe, butit was clearly too late for such action. As the waters cleared more andthe thunderous creaks of the ship being tossed by the stormy waterssubsided, the other crewmen were revealed. Why were they all staring?
Unsteadily,he shifted his feet beneath him to stand. Despite the stormy seasaround them, they found a solid grip on the deck beneath him, as thoughsomething were holding him to her. Standing was surprisingly easy,despite believing that he had died. Or perhaps that was why? All theanswers seemed just barely out of reach.
The Flying Dutchmanbegan to shift again, though this time it was a gentle shift, as thoughthe winds had caught in her sails again. In the water, every pitch andturn of the hull could be heard echoing around them. The spires of sealife that made her three masts, the weeds that had grown on the sailslicked toward the surface, and every inch of the ship seemed to settleas the water stilled. Never before had Will looked at her as he didnow. The Flying Dutchman looked beautiful when what Will guessed must have been the sun appeared above the surface.
Thoughthey were clearly below water, Will could breathe. Only for a seconddid it startle him as he took in a fast breath. A breath? How strangethat he could breathe in the sea and not drown.
Once more, helooked to Bootstrap. "What's happened?" All the lingering memories didnot clarify for him what he needed to know. They only confused theanswer that he could only guess at.
Bootstrap Bill:
As the water moved around them Bill could feel all the changes all around them. Even in her, the Dutchman. Jones... was gone.
Billdidn't dare look his son in the eyes. They were all so focused onWilliam they didn’t notice the change in themselves, Bill didn’teither. Only the starfish stubbornly hung on to his chin, refusing toleave.
"You remember the fight, William? Jones... stabbed you.Through the chest. You would not have lived it. But... Jack. He... hadJones heart. Stabbed it. With your hand. To save you, I guess. And I...took your heart to the chest." Bill sighed deaply. "You are ourCaptain, William. What do you want us to do now?"
Yes. What now?There was still a battle raging over there heads, on the surface. Andin the midst, the girl his son had called for.
William Turner:
"Captain..." Will rolled the word around under his breath. All thefragments of thought, the shards of the broken image, fell into place.It was not by any mistake that he was now below the sea, that he couldbreathe the water as though it were air, or that his chest ached as itdid.
Then he felt her, the muse that held his feet to her deck: The Flying Dutchmanwas now a part of him. With his heart in the chest, he was now bound tothis ship, her purpose was now his purpose, and her powers were his. Itwas not as if she spoke to him, but he felt her.
"Did the Pearl survive?" With Davy Jones replaced, the Dutchmanwas no longer bound to the East India Trading Company, or any mortalman for that matter. Her purpose was to serve the sea and all the soulsthat she claimed.
Again the final moments before he had slippedaway returned to him. Elizabeth, holding his hand and stroking hishair, her voice still reaching his ears over the stormy sea. Had shereached safety? "And what of Elizabeth and Jack, where are they?"
Bootstrap Bill:
Bill nodded. "Yes, the Pearl has survived so far. She is a clever shipand has a clever crew, just like her Captain." Never a truer word.
Billwasn't sure about how Jack and Elisabeth had made it to safetythough... He had seen them leave, with the help of a piece of theDutchman's sail. If they had landed in safety he couldn't tell,although he wished he could.
"I am not sure. They left, with thehelp of sail somehow... but I couldn't see to were, until we wentunder. I am sorry, William."
Not to mention his focus wereelsewhere, on the grisly task he had at hand then. Bill shivered at thethought. Was it because it was his son that the task must be his? Acruel joke if so.
William Turner:
ntently, he listened to the words his father had to offer, noddingintently as he listened. At the uncertain answer about Elizabeth, Willdid not immediately leap to action as he once would have. The sea wasstill in turmoil and there was a tyrant that was the cause of all ofthis. The Dutchman demanded justice for what was being done to its domain.
Oncehis mind had charted the course of action to be followed, he nodded."We must defend our waters," he spoke sternly, decisively. If the Black Pearl fought to rid the sea of Cutler Beckett, the Flying Dutchman would be at her side.
"To the surface."
Bootstrap Bill:
At Captain Turners orders, everyone repeated the order. "To thesurface!" The ship creaked and started to move toward the surface ofthe sea with quite the speed. Everyone stood up to go to therestations, Jimmylegs who'd been holding the chest all along silentlyputting it in front of Williams feet. It was then they noted they werenot there usual monstrous selfs. They were back to human. And as theDutchman broke the surface of the water they could just stand and stare.
AlthoughBill's heart was very heavy at what he had done to his son, he couldn'thelp but feel wonder at it all. The heaviness of all the coral andbarnacles was just not there anymore, washed away by the sea. Only thestubborn seastar. Bill took a hold of it and gently pulled it away. Ithad, after all, kept him company for many years. The sky was blue, andit was a marvelous day.
A marvelous day for a battle as he sawthe entire armada of the East Indian Trading Company before them andthe pirate-ships of the Bretheren Court behind them.
William Turner:
No longer will the East India Trading Company's arm stretch across theseas. Will moved swiftly to the rail of the grand ship take in thesurrounding vessels and gage the winds of battle. No canons werefiring. The only ships in motion were the Black Pearl, who was making a swift come about to run along side the approaching Endeavor. The bow of the Pearl was nearly in line with their own.
Withhis mind engaged fully in the tactics of naval warfare, or at leastwhat he knew of it, Captain William Turner moved to the helm to pilothis ship into battle.
"Ready on the guns!"
Bootstrap Bill:
At Captain Turners order, everyone woke from there wonder and ran tothere battle stations. Swiftly and silently. They had done this taskfor many many years. Some had for centuries.... Ogilvey was the onlyone giving out some orders, being the head gunner of them all. Stillthey didn't know who to fire at... As soon as they were ready with all,they awaited there Captains orders.
Wheelback and Bill stayedwith William by the helm. Wondering if he was the only one quite clearon who William would attack, Bill looked at his son from the corner ofhis eye, a pride slowly building. He had cursed him, but he had takenup the cloak of captain-ship with ease. At least on the surface. Billcould only guess what went on in William's head.
William Turner:
From his vantage point on the Dutchman's high quarterdeck, Will could clearly see the Black Pearl's ebony canvass fill.
Willknew the primary goal of naval warfare was to get a full broadside onthe enemy. Whats better, Will also knew that two broadsides were betterthan one. With a good strong turn of the wheel, Will turned his ship torun parallel to the Pearl's course, which set Beckett's Endeavor between his 19 starboard guns and another 16 from the Pearl's port. Enough heavy iron to turn the ship to splinters.
Both ships closed in on their prey with great speed. The Endeavour'ssails, even when harnessing every puff of air that the wind would grantthem, would not have been able to come about in time to escape.
Bootstrap Bill:
When Will took hold of the wheel to turn it, Wheelback took a step back and looked at Bill. Oh, so that was the game.
LeavingWheelback and Will, Bill ran down to the gun deck. He would be of moreuse there. All hands were ready. Wouldn't have expected anything else,Bill thought. Jones had thought them well and hard in what else theyhadn't already known when coming aboard.
Reaching his station byone of the canons, he saw that his once partner most have been lost inthe big maelstrom. Not all present anymore, he thought sadly. Theyhadn’t been close friends by any means, but still…. Many years had beenspent by said canon. No matter. He could easily work it on his own, andso he did. They were not that many left he noted, looking around. Manyhad been lost in the maelstrom. Bill only mourned that they hadn’tgotten the same chance the rest of them had.
William Turner:
When at last they were running clear alongside the Pearl, helooked across the deep, dark waters to examine the activity on her deckfor a moment. Faces that were familiar and yet somehow different nowfilled the deck. The distance between the battle and now became evenclearer, and it hurt him in a place he knew to now be hollow.
Hisheart was still on board so the weight of it was not completely gone,but he could feel how removed he felt now. The youthful rashness thathe depended on to guide him was softened to a decisive need for action.
The Endeavour'sstern passed their bowsprit. It was close enough to see the goldenlettering on her stern in great detail, every flake of gold paint andevery notch in the carved letters. The ship itself was spectacular,both inside and out. A true masterpiece of a vessel. It was not herfault that her master was a selfish conqueror, but she would have to bedestroyed.
The call to fire cut through the air only an instant before Will himself made the call. "Fire all!"
Bootstrap Bill:
Looking out through his little canon-hatch, Bill could see them closingin on the Endeavour. A pity on such a gorgeous ship, he thought. Andthey had once sailed under the same flag. Not anymore, and he was in asense glad for that.
Alone and not on place in time, Billdidn't ready his canon quickly enough before he heard the call out forfire from the Black Pearl. Only in instant after, Will did the same.
Thereaction on the gun deck was immediate, from being dead calm, tobristle with activity. All the canons that had been loaded (exceptBill's) shot at the Endeavour. Ogilvey made sure they reloaded asquickly as possible, to give it another go. And they did. So did thePearl. And again. Reloading, shot. There wouldn't be anything butsplinters left. Bill sent a quite thought to all those sailors thatdidn't jump ship in time.
William Turner:
Every volley that rent the air was echoed by the shatter of the Endeavour'shull. The ship was ill-prepared. Her men were scattered on the decklike a startled flock running about with no one to guide out of themayhem. The men on board had made a terrible mistake in siding withBeckett. The price for this mistake would be their lives. It was aprice Will was willing to take from them if it meant the safety of hisseas and those whom he cared about.
The crash of the port side of the ship was enough to drown out the familiar ringing of the cannons of the Black Pearl. Somehow, after only being on board the Dutchman for a brief stint, the boom of his own cannons was familiar to him already. The sound rang clear and true with every shot.
Shrapnel flew through the air and into the seas, filling Captain Turner's vision until all he could see was smoke and splinters.
When the last cannon fired, Will was certain that the Endeavour would never be sailing again.
Bootstrap Bill:
And then there was silence. Only gasps and screams from the survivingmen from the Endeavour. Poor souls, Bill though walking towards thestairs, and hoped that any of the ships around would pick them up.Pirates or EITC ships, it didn’t matter. As a sailor in the sea,survival was all that mattered, wasn’t it?
Reaching the deck,Bill cast a glance behind them. Nothing left, the explosion had sunkthe Endeavour. Flagship indeed… Hearing the cheers around them, it felta little good indeed and warmed Bill’s heart, and a small smile spreadon his face. Then he saw his son, alone at the high quarterdeck and hissmile faded. Left by Wheelback who had joined the rest of the crewlooking over the water to the other pirate-ships. What would he say toWill? What would he do? He didn’t even know him... To many questions,to little answers. Reaching the stairs towards the quarterdeck, hestarted to climb towards him with slow steps.
William Turner:
The sea sounded calm again. He could hear it over the cheering thatseemed to come from everywhere. Everything had been fine until themoment that he glanced across the tumultuous seas to glimpse her.Elizabeth, his wife, was alive and well on board the Pearl. Thenews was both good and heart wrenchingly cruel to think about. As thedin of wild cheers filled the air, all he could think of was her face.The starboard rail was as close as he could get for now.
Hisheart ailed for her with a throbbing, painful need that he had neverknown. Perhaps being without it would not be so terrible, because itwould not drive him mad with grief if it was not with him. Every detailof her filled his mind as he looked over the destruction. Before he hadeven noticed, the wastes of the Endeavour were long at their wake and still he stood there, watching her.
Allthese years of doubt, trials, and false victories had come down tothis, and it seemed wretchedly cruel. But with these thoughts came theguilt of knowing that it was part of his plan all along until the lastmoments when he had changed his mind. He didn't want this anymore. Hejust wanted a life with Elizabeth if Jack could free his father. Allthe "what ifs" swarmed in his mind. All he could return to for solacewas her face and all the love he had for her.
Bootstrap Bill:
Reaching the top of the stairs, Bill saw that his son was lost inthoughts, dreams perhaps. Dreams that now couldn’t be fulfilled.Because of him. ‘No, not only you’ a small voice in his head said. Truehe answered himself. It could have been Jack’s heart in that chest. Buthe had held the dagger. He had put the heart in the chest. Had seenJimmylegs close the small chest. He couldn’t help it. Couldn’t help thefeeling of guilt over his part in it all.
But there wasnothing to be done by it. He was part of the ship and part of the crew.William’s crew. His son’s crew. He would follow his orders. Unless hetold him to leave. Because that he couldn’t do. Bill just couldn’tleave William’s side now after such a sacrifice for him. Something hewould never have done himself.
When he was just behind him, Bill quitly spoke:
“Orders, sir?”
William Turner:
All that had transpired darted through his mind far faster than theworld around him moved. Everything was at rest after a battle that hadboth torn apart and saved all he cared for in the world.
When atlast he heard his father's voice, it was like being called from a deepslumber. Will took one last, lingering moment to look out toward the Pearlbefore standing to face his father, who looked much more like the manhe remembered from his few memories from his youth. This was BillTurner. A faint smile pulled at his lips that felt as though the wouldnever have another smile.
Will had not forgotten his oath or his purpose. He had done it after all. He had saved his father from Davy Jones and the Dutchman.It felt strange to have so many things that he had longed for so dearlyfor such a long time, and yet still feel as though the world wouldnever be bright again.
"You are no longer bound to the Dutchman."And his father would not be the last one he would say that to. Thesemen had been used long enough by their previous captain. They couldstay with the ship by their own free will and serve with it its truepurpose, or the could pass on, as they were meant to.
"You'refree." Though the cost had been terribly high, it felt good to at lastsay it. The man who had left his mother to sail the seas and neverreturn was still his father in the end. Not for a moment did he regretthe sacrifice he made to save those whom he loved and cared for.
Bootstrap Bill:
So much a better man then himself. And Bill’s feelings was somewhatconflicting with pride over the man William had become, despite himleaving the small boy, and himself being so much less of a man. Or atleast not much to be proud off. William’s words brought a small shysmile to Bill’s face.
Free. Many years he had spent on theDutchman, feeling her steady pull. He could still feel it, even afterWilliam’s words, but also. He knew. Somehow. Should he choose to, shewould let him go. If he wanted. Did he? No. The answer feltcrystal-clear. He had no life left on land, did he? A grave, andmemories of a young love. A child he left, that grew up without him.The only people he could call friends was on the sea, even if they werenot on this very ship. And then there was the sea itself. The one andonly thing that he’d been fateful to. Yes. The sea. Bill couldn’timagine living without it.
Looking at William, smiling shyly Bill answered the only way he could.
“Aye, that is a fine thing, but… By my reckoning I still have a debt that has to be paid. If you’ll have me?”
William Turner:
The answer surprised him. Will was certain that, after all this time,his father would wish for nothing more than freedom. Not in recentmemory did he ever think his father would chose him. It was a hardtruth to bare that his father had chosen him before and hisback had not forgotten it. Rage, just after he stumbled to his feetafter being flogged, had blinded logic when his father had told himthat what he had done to him was a kindness. In retrospect, he was soaccustomed to being passed over or left behind that it surprised himstill that even Elizabeth had chosen him.
Gradually, Will's lipsturned in a larger smile, taking this offer of getting to know hisfather and have company in his new purpose with love and gratitude. Itwould be a thing in the future for Will to discover how he would treathis father as his father and less as one of his men. For now, he wasone of his crew and a fine helmsman, and the helm had been leftuntended.
"On the wheel then, Mister Turner."
Bootstrap Bill:
Bill’s smile widened a little. “Aye, Captain Turner.” He said, withrespect in his voice. His son had offered much for him. Repaying wasimpossible. But he was sure that William would be a fine Captain. Hehad already proven to be a good man. As Bill took hold of theDutchman’s wheel, he first slowly let his hands move over it, beforetaking hold of the wheel.
Looking back at his son, he saw himstaring over the water again. Towards the Black Pearl. Bill’s smilefaded. A hard thing to leave the one you love. He had done it freely,and his Sarah had promised to wait for him, even after there harshwords. And she had. He hoped Elisabeth had promised the same thing.Bill could hardly remember the young woman who had talked to him in thebrigg, and been in the battle with Jones. He did remember her beautifuleyes that had looked at him with sadness in the brigg though. Then theDutchman had taken him in again, and that was that. That William lovedher dearly was plain to see. A wave off guilt washed over him. (Wouldhe ever be rid of it?)
“This ship has a purpose again. And wherewe are bound she can not come. One day ashore, ten years at sea. It isa step prize for what has been done.”
It was true. She did havea purpose again. Could a ship smile? Feel friendly? Bill wasn’tcertain, but he surely felt more welcome standing on the helm now, thenhe had when he was spending his time on board during the ten years thathad passed.
William Turner:
She was beautiful. The distance between the Dutchman and the Pearlcould not hide her beauty. Everything about her mesmerized him. Thevery fact that she overcame everything that she had in the past fewyears, and still remained as strong as she was enough to steal hisbreath. She could see beyond his poor rags and even poorer breeding,and take him as a man, and nothing else. Had he not interfered, shewould be the wealthy daughter of a Commodore with all the comforts thatshe deserves. Instead, Elizabeth Swann, the governor's daughter, choseWilliam Turner, the blacksmith's apprentice.
And now she wouldhave to live with that choice, or chose to leave Will to the seasforever. Will hoped that she would chose what would make her happy.Should it be his freedom, the he would at her side until he himselfneeded passage to the next world.
When he finally turned to hisfather, his mind was filled with her. What Bootstrap had said was true,but Will could not find it in himself to regret anything or blameanyone. Things could have unraveled differently and been so much worsethan they were right then. He could have died, never having the chanceto even consummate his marriage or share a real life with Elizabeth. Atleast now, there was a chance to live that life. Certainly at leastthere was a chance to hold her close, hear her speak to him, and learnof their future. One day was enough time to celebrate their marriageand make plans.
"Depends on the one day."
Characters: William Turner & Bootstrap
Location: On The Flying Dutchman, moments after she was claimed by the Maelstrom. (nearly the end of AWE)
Rating: PG - just a little graphic
Notes: This is BACKLOG. Will wakes up for the first time after he becomes the Captain of The Flying Dutchman. Update: Also includes the destruction of the Endeavour from the perspective of the Dutchman and through to the conversation between Will and Bootstrap after the battle.
William Turner:
Therewas no chorus of strings or singing angels, just the rush of the seaand the creak of a ship, when Will’s eyes opened again. A heavy hazefilled his vision, nausea playing at his throat, and his chest ached asthough he were being pressed to death. Everything felt cold. A calmbreath stilled his nerves that felt like flames lapping at hot oil.Something was missing. The whole world seemed calm as he the fog liftedfrom his eyes and he looked around at the world, bathed in a gentleblue. Like water.
Notions of what had happened, Calypso, the Maelstrom - Elizabeth. They had been on the deck of the Pearl.Over the crash of the storm and the swords, he could hardly hearBarbossa’s voice from the quarterdeck. This was it, the moment that hehad longed for as long as he could recall. She looked as beautiful asever, even with her hair drenched with the rain and her chest pantingfrom the fierceness of the battle around them. “I do.” She finally saidit.
There was more, though, even after all of that. He wasrunning to her, to Elizabeth, his wife. Davy Jones had struck her downand he stood over her, ready to finish his work, but he would not layanother hand on her. With a strong thrust of his sword, Will ran theCaptain of The Flying Dutchman through the chest.
Nothinghappened. What Will had forgotten in the space of time between beingambushed by his father and going to save Elizabeth was the curse of thecaptain of the Dutchman: no heart. In a blur of raindrops andwhipping sails, Will found himself on the ground, the wind stolen fromhis lungs and his eyes locked on Elizabeth. If he needed to he wouldget up again. He would stab Davy Jones again. He would keep going untilhe could no longer before he would let him near her again.
Andthen there was Jack. Just when he thought there could be nothing elseto do for Elizabeth than die, there was Jack’s voice, yelling clearover the thunder of canons and the heavy storm. For a moment there washope - hope for both of them. Jack held the heart of Davy Jones with ashattered sword’s blade, Jack’s broken sword, pointed at it. It wouldbe fitting for Jack to win immortality in the end, Will thought. Afterall, he could sail for the horizon forever.
All histhoughts came crashing down in one moment when the mountainous form ofDavy Jones whirled around, and then there was pain; a pain enough thathe could do nothing to resist his body wrenching and his voice fromcrying out. Feebly, his heart tried to overcome, but as soon as hecould feel after the white shield of shock lifted from him, he couldfeel his head beginning to swim with the weakness of his failing body.
Hefelt the icy steel with his hands as the tips of his fingers went cold.But then there she was - Elizabeth - her warm hands caressing hischeeks and her voice calling to him. The air left him before he couldspeak her name. The embers in his eyes slowly snuffed out tonothingness as they looked to her. She was so beautiful.
Now hewas awake. How could it be? His heart had been pierced by Davy Jones.Again he looked around. There were no clouds on the horizon. In fact,there was no horizon to be seen. There was only a haze of blue. He wasunder stirred water. As the water cleared, the deck of The Flying Dutchman unfolded.
“Elizabeth!”he yelled, like a child that had been woken from a terrible nightmare,the name bubbling in the ocean water. Was she safe? What had happened?How was he not dead?
His hand moved through the water and wentto check his heart. Panicked, he pressed his palm to his chest. Hisskin was marred by what felt like a large scar. What was worse, hecould find no heartbeat.
Bootstrap Bill:
Bill's heart ached with him, still having one. He had to. He had donewhat she wanted. She had to have a Captain. And he had given her one,as it was said, so it had to be done. Bill threw his small dagger away,letting the water take it. He would not be using it again. The cursedchest had a heart. It felt like Bill's was dying. What had he done?
Heremembered seeing Jones attacking Will, stabbing him. It had awakenedhim from his apathy, like lighting. He knew he had no chance againstJones, but he could distract him. He didn't matter. Will mattered all.True enough, it hadn't taken Jones long to fight him off. Then it was ablur. Things had happened so quickly. Jack had taken Jones heartsometime in the midst of chaos. Finding Will to losing him soquickly... But he hadn't lost him, instead Jack who also was as good asJones to turn the tables quickly had stabbed the heart, not with hisown hand. But with Wills.
And then it began. The pull. Thewill of her. She needed him. Needed them all. Why he’d carved his ownsons heart out, he would never know. He just had to. Just had to do it.There was no other choice.
Maccus was there. Clanker. Theywere all there sitting around them letting the water flow around them,waiting for what would happen next.
Will woke up quickly screaming a name. Her name. Elisabeth's. So he had destroyed two lives, Bill thought.
"She is not here." was all Bill could say, hoping Will could hear as they heard him, there new Captain.
William Turner:
At long last, his eyes darted away from their empty stare and up toBootstrap, Bill Turner, Will's father. In an instant he understood onething: everything had changed. There was no choking beat of his heartto see his father covered with barnacles. There was not even a gentlemurmur of his heart. Nothing.
He could have cried out for heragain. He could have asked why, where she was, or if she was safe, butit was clearly too late for such action. As the waters cleared more andthe thunderous creaks of the ship being tossed by the stormy waterssubsided, the other crewmen were revealed. Why were they all staring?
Unsteadily,he shifted his feet beneath him to stand. Despite the stormy seasaround them, they found a solid grip on the deck beneath him, as thoughsomething were holding him to her. Standing was surprisingly easy,despite believing that he had died. Or perhaps that was why? All theanswers seemed just barely out of reach.
The Flying Dutchmanbegan to shift again, though this time it was a gentle shift, as thoughthe winds had caught in her sails again. In the water, every pitch andturn of the hull could be heard echoing around them. The spires of sealife that made her three masts, the weeds that had grown on the sailslicked toward the surface, and every inch of the ship seemed to settleas the water stilled. Never before had Will looked at her as he didnow. The Flying Dutchman looked beautiful when what Will guessed must have been the sun appeared above the surface.
Thoughthey were clearly below water, Will could breathe. Only for a seconddid it startle him as he took in a fast breath. A breath? How strangethat he could breathe in the sea and not drown.
Once more, helooked to Bootstrap. "What's happened?" All the lingering memories didnot clarify for him what he needed to know. They only confused theanswer that he could only guess at.
Bootstrap Bill:
As the water moved around them Bill could feel all the changes all around them. Even in her, the Dutchman. Jones... was gone.
Billdidn't dare look his son in the eyes. They were all so focused onWilliam they didn’t notice the change in themselves, Bill didn’teither. Only the starfish stubbornly hung on to his chin, refusing toleave.
"You remember the fight, William? Jones... stabbed you.Through the chest. You would not have lived it. But... Jack. He... hadJones heart. Stabbed it. With your hand. To save you, I guess. And I...took your heart to the chest." Bill sighed deaply. "You are ourCaptain, William. What do you want us to do now?"
Yes. What now?There was still a battle raging over there heads, on the surface. Andin the midst, the girl his son had called for.
William Turner:
"Captain..." Will rolled the word around under his breath. All thefragments of thought, the shards of the broken image, fell into place.It was not by any mistake that he was now below the sea, that he couldbreathe the water as though it were air, or that his chest ached as itdid.
Then he felt her, the muse that held his feet to her deck: The Flying Dutchmanwas now a part of him. With his heart in the chest, he was now bound tothis ship, her purpose was now his purpose, and her powers were his. Itwas not as if she spoke to him, but he felt her.
"Did the Pearl survive?" With Davy Jones replaced, the Dutchmanwas no longer bound to the East India Trading Company, or any mortalman for that matter. Her purpose was to serve the sea and all the soulsthat she claimed.
Again the final moments before he had slippedaway returned to him. Elizabeth, holding his hand and stroking hishair, her voice still reaching his ears over the stormy sea. Had shereached safety? "And what of Elizabeth and Jack, where are they?"
Bootstrap Bill:
Bill nodded. "Yes, the Pearl has survived so far. She is a clever shipand has a clever crew, just like her Captain." Never a truer word.
Billwasn't sure about how Jack and Elisabeth had made it to safetythough... He had seen them leave, with the help of a piece of theDutchman's sail. If they had landed in safety he couldn't tell,although he wished he could.
"I am not sure. They left, with thehelp of sail somehow... but I couldn't see to were, until we wentunder. I am sorry, William."
Not to mention his focus wereelsewhere, on the grisly task he had at hand then. Bill shivered at thethought. Was it because it was his son that the task must be his? Acruel joke if so.
William Turner:
ntently, he listened to the words his father had to offer, noddingintently as he listened. At the uncertain answer about Elizabeth, Willdid not immediately leap to action as he once would have. The sea wasstill in turmoil and there was a tyrant that was the cause of all ofthis. The Dutchman demanded justice for what was being done to its domain.
Oncehis mind had charted the course of action to be followed, he nodded."We must defend our waters," he spoke sternly, decisively. If the Black Pearl fought to rid the sea of Cutler Beckett, the Flying Dutchman would be at her side.
"To the surface."
Bootstrap Bill:
At Captain Turners orders, everyone repeated the order. "To thesurface!" The ship creaked and started to move toward the surface ofthe sea with quite the speed. Everyone stood up to go to therestations, Jimmylegs who'd been holding the chest all along silentlyputting it in front of Williams feet. It was then they noted they werenot there usual monstrous selfs. They were back to human. And as theDutchman broke the surface of the water they could just stand and stare.
AlthoughBill's heart was very heavy at what he had done to his son, he couldn'thelp but feel wonder at it all. The heaviness of all the coral andbarnacles was just not there anymore, washed away by the sea. Only thestubborn seastar. Bill took a hold of it and gently pulled it away. Ithad, after all, kept him company for many years. The sky was blue, andit was a marvelous day.
A marvelous day for a battle as he sawthe entire armada of the East Indian Trading Company before them andthe pirate-ships of the Bretheren Court behind them.
William Turner:
No longer will the East India Trading Company's arm stretch across theseas. Will moved swiftly to the rail of the grand ship take in thesurrounding vessels and gage the winds of battle. No canons werefiring. The only ships in motion were the Black Pearl, who was making a swift come about to run along side the approaching Endeavor. The bow of the Pearl was nearly in line with their own.
Withhis mind engaged fully in the tactics of naval warfare, or at leastwhat he knew of it, Captain William Turner moved to the helm to pilothis ship into battle.
"Ready on the guns!"
Bootstrap Bill:
At Captain Turners order, everyone woke from there wonder and ran tothere battle stations. Swiftly and silently. They had done this taskfor many many years. Some had for centuries.... Ogilvey was the onlyone giving out some orders, being the head gunner of them all. Stillthey didn't know who to fire at... As soon as they were ready with all,they awaited there Captains orders.
Wheelback and Bill stayedwith William by the helm. Wondering if he was the only one quite clearon who William would attack, Bill looked at his son from the corner ofhis eye, a pride slowly building. He had cursed him, but he had takenup the cloak of captain-ship with ease. At least on the surface. Billcould only guess what went on in William's head.
William Turner:
From his vantage point on the Dutchman's high quarterdeck, Will could clearly see the Black Pearl's ebony canvass fill.
Willknew the primary goal of naval warfare was to get a full broadside onthe enemy. Whats better, Will also knew that two broadsides were betterthan one. With a good strong turn of the wheel, Will turned his ship torun parallel to the Pearl's course, which set Beckett's Endeavor between his 19 starboard guns and another 16 from the Pearl's port. Enough heavy iron to turn the ship to splinters.
Both ships closed in on their prey with great speed. The Endeavour'ssails, even when harnessing every puff of air that the wind would grantthem, would not have been able to come about in time to escape.
Bootstrap Bill:
When Will took hold of the wheel to turn it, Wheelback took a step back and looked at Bill. Oh, so that was the game.
LeavingWheelback and Will, Bill ran down to the gun deck. He would be of moreuse there. All hands were ready. Wouldn't have expected anything else,Bill thought. Jones had thought them well and hard in what else theyhadn't already known when coming aboard.
Reaching his station byone of the canons, he saw that his once partner most have been lost inthe big maelstrom. Not all present anymore, he thought sadly. Theyhadn’t been close friends by any means, but still…. Many years had beenspent by said canon. No matter. He could easily work it on his own, andso he did. They were not that many left he noted, looking around. Manyhad been lost in the maelstrom. Bill only mourned that they hadn’tgotten the same chance the rest of them had.
William Turner:
When at last they were running clear alongside the Pearl, helooked across the deep, dark waters to examine the activity on her deckfor a moment. Faces that were familiar and yet somehow different nowfilled the deck. The distance between the battle and now became evenclearer, and it hurt him in a place he knew to now be hollow.
Hisheart was still on board so the weight of it was not completely gone,but he could feel how removed he felt now. The youthful rashness thathe depended on to guide him was softened to a decisive need for action.
The Endeavour'sstern passed their bowsprit. It was close enough to see the goldenlettering on her stern in great detail, every flake of gold paint andevery notch in the carved letters. The ship itself was spectacular,both inside and out. A true masterpiece of a vessel. It was not herfault that her master was a selfish conqueror, but she would have to bedestroyed.
The call to fire cut through the air only an instant before Will himself made the call. "Fire all!"
Bootstrap Bill:
Looking out through his little canon-hatch, Bill could see them closingin on the Endeavour. A pity on such a gorgeous ship, he thought. Andthey had once sailed under the same flag. Not anymore, and he was in asense glad for that.
Alone and not on place in time, Billdidn't ready his canon quickly enough before he heard the call out forfire from the Black Pearl. Only in instant after, Will did the same.
Thereaction on the gun deck was immediate, from being dead calm, tobristle with activity. All the canons that had been loaded (exceptBill's) shot at the Endeavour. Ogilvey made sure they reloaded asquickly as possible, to give it another go. And they did. So did thePearl. And again. Reloading, shot. There wouldn't be anything butsplinters left. Bill sent a quite thought to all those sailors thatdidn't jump ship in time.
William Turner:
Every volley that rent the air was echoed by the shatter of the Endeavour'shull. The ship was ill-prepared. Her men were scattered on the decklike a startled flock running about with no one to guide out of themayhem. The men on board had made a terrible mistake in siding withBeckett. The price for this mistake would be their lives. It was aprice Will was willing to take from them if it meant the safety of hisseas and those whom he cared about.
The crash of the port side of the ship was enough to drown out the familiar ringing of the cannons of the Black Pearl. Somehow, after only being on board the Dutchman for a brief stint, the boom of his own cannons was familiar to him already. The sound rang clear and true with every shot.
Shrapnel flew through the air and into the seas, filling Captain Turner's vision until all he could see was smoke and splinters.
When the last cannon fired, Will was certain that the Endeavour would never be sailing again.
Bootstrap Bill:
And then there was silence. Only gasps and screams from the survivingmen from the Endeavour. Poor souls, Bill though walking towards thestairs, and hoped that any of the ships around would pick them up.Pirates or EITC ships, it didn’t matter. As a sailor in the sea,survival was all that mattered, wasn’t it?
Reaching the deck,Bill cast a glance behind them. Nothing left, the explosion had sunkthe Endeavour. Flagship indeed… Hearing the cheers around them, it felta little good indeed and warmed Bill’s heart, and a small smile spreadon his face. Then he saw his son, alone at the high quarterdeck and hissmile faded. Left by Wheelback who had joined the rest of the crewlooking over the water to the other pirate-ships. What would he say toWill? What would he do? He didn’t even know him... To many questions,to little answers. Reaching the stairs towards the quarterdeck, hestarted to climb towards him with slow steps.
William Turner:
The sea sounded calm again. He could hear it over the cheering thatseemed to come from everywhere. Everything had been fine until themoment that he glanced across the tumultuous seas to glimpse her.Elizabeth, his wife, was alive and well on board the Pearl. Thenews was both good and heart wrenchingly cruel to think about. As thedin of wild cheers filled the air, all he could think of was her face.The starboard rail was as close as he could get for now.
Hisheart ailed for her with a throbbing, painful need that he had neverknown. Perhaps being without it would not be so terrible, because itwould not drive him mad with grief if it was not with him. Every detailof her filled his mind as he looked over the destruction. Before he hadeven noticed, the wastes of the Endeavour were long at their wake and still he stood there, watching her.
Allthese years of doubt, trials, and false victories had come down tothis, and it seemed wretchedly cruel. But with these thoughts came theguilt of knowing that it was part of his plan all along until the lastmoments when he had changed his mind. He didn't want this anymore. Hejust wanted a life with Elizabeth if Jack could free his father. Allthe "what ifs" swarmed in his mind. All he could return to for solacewas her face and all the love he had for her.
Bootstrap Bill:
Reaching the top of the stairs, Bill saw that his son was lost inthoughts, dreams perhaps. Dreams that now couldn’t be fulfilled.Because of him. ‘No, not only you’ a small voice in his head said. Truehe answered himself. It could have been Jack’s heart in that chest. Buthe had held the dagger. He had put the heart in the chest. Had seenJimmylegs close the small chest. He couldn’t help it. Couldn’t help thefeeling of guilt over his part in it all.
But there wasnothing to be done by it. He was part of the ship and part of the crew.William’s crew. His son’s crew. He would follow his orders. Unless hetold him to leave. Because that he couldn’t do. Bill just couldn’tleave William’s side now after such a sacrifice for him. Something hewould never have done himself.
When he was just behind him, Bill quitly spoke:
“Orders, sir?”
William Turner:
All that had transpired darted through his mind far faster than theworld around him moved. Everything was at rest after a battle that hadboth torn apart and saved all he cared for in the world.
When atlast he heard his father's voice, it was like being called from a deepslumber. Will took one last, lingering moment to look out toward the Pearlbefore standing to face his father, who looked much more like the manhe remembered from his few memories from his youth. This was BillTurner. A faint smile pulled at his lips that felt as though the wouldnever have another smile.
Will had not forgotten his oath or his purpose. He had done it after all. He had saved his father from Davy Jones and the Dutchman.It felt strange to have so many things that he had longed for so dearlyfor such a long time, and yet still feel as though the world wouldnever be bright again.
"You are no longer bound to the Dutchman."And his father would not be the last one he would say that to. Thesemen had been used long enough by their previous captain. They couldstay with the ship by their own free will and serve with it its truepurpose, or the could pass on, as they were meant to.
"You'refree." Though the cost had been terribly high, it felt good to at lastsay it. The man who had left his mother to sail the seas and neverreturn was still his father in the end. Not for a moment did he regretthe sacrifice he made to save those whom he loved and cared for.
Bootstrap Bill:
So much a better man then himself. And Bill’s feelings was somewhatconflicting with pride over the man William had become, despite himleaving the small boy, and himself being so much less of a man. Or atleast not much to be proud off. William’s words brought a small shysmile to Bill’s face.
Free. Many years he had spent on theDutchman, feeling her steady pull. He could still feel it, even afterWilliam’s words, but also. He knew. Somehow. Should he choose to, shewould let him go. If he wanted. Did he? No. The answer feltcrystal-clear. He had no life left on land, did he? A grave, andmemories of a young love. A child he left, that grew up without him.The only people he could call friends was on the sea, even if they werenot on this very ship. And then there was the sea itself. The one andonly thing that he’d been fateful to. Yes. The sea. Bill couldn’timagine living without it.
Looking at William, smiling shyly Bill answered the only way he could.
“Aye, that is a fine thing, but… By my reckoning I still have a debt that has to be paid. If you’ll have me?”
William Turner:
The answer surprised him. Will was certain that, after all this time,his father would wish for nothing more than freedom. Not in recentmemory did he ever think his father would chose him. It was a hardtruth to bare that his father had chosen him before and hisback had not forgotten it. Rage, just after he stumbled to his feetafter being flogged, had blinded logic when his father had told himthat what he had done to him was a kindness. In retrospect, he was soaccustomed to being passed over or left behind that it surprised himstill that even Elizabeth had chosen him.
Gradually, Will's lipsturned in a larger smile, taking this offer of getting to know hisfather and have company in his new purpose with love and gratitude. Itwould be a thing in the future for Will to discover how he would treathis father as his father and less as one of his men. For now, he wasone of his crew and a fine helmsman, and the helm had been leftuntended.
"On the wheel then, Mister Turner."
Bootstrap Bill:
Bill’s smile widened a little. “Aye, Captain Turner.” He said, withrespect in his voice. His son had offered much for him. Repaying wasimpossible. But he was sure that William would be a fine Captain. Hehad already proven to be a good man. As Bill took hold of theDutchman’s wheel, he first slowly let his hands move over it, beforetaking hold of the wheel.
Looking back at his son, he saw himstaring over the water again. Towards the Black Pearl. Bill’s smilefaded. A hard thing to leave the one you love. He had done it freely,and his Sarah had promised to wait for him, even after there harshwords. And she had. He hoped Elisabeth had promised the same thing.Bill could hardly remember the young woman who had talked to him in thebrigg, and been in the battle with Jones. He did remember her beautifuleyes that had looked at him with sadness in the brigg though. Then theDutchman had taken him in again, and that was that. That William lovedher dearly was plain to see. A wave off guilt washed over him. (Wouldhe ever be rid of it?)
“This ship has a purpose again. And wherewe are bound she can not come. One day ashore, ten years at sea. It isa step prize for what has been done.”
It was true. She did havea purpose again. Could a ship smile? Feel friendly? Bill wasn’tcertain, but he surely felt more welcome standing on the helm now, thenhe had when he was spending his time on board during the ten years thathad passed.
William Turner:
She was beautiful. The distance between the Dutchman and the Pearlcould not hide her beauty. Everything about her mesmerized him. Thevery fact that she overcame everything that she had in the past fewyears, and still remained as strong as she was enough to steal hisbreath. She could see beyond his poor rags and even poorer breeding,and take him as a man, and nothing else. Had he not interfered, shewould be the wealthy daughter of a Commodore with all the comforts thatshe deserves. Instead, Elizabeth Swann, the governor's daughter, choseWilliam Turner, the blacksmith's apprentice.
And now she wouldhave to live with that choice, or chose to leave Will to the seasforever. Will hoped that she would chose what would make her happy.Should it be his freedom, the he would at her side until he himselfneeded passage to the next world.
When he finally turned to hisfather, his mind was filled with her. What Bootstrap had said was true,but Will could not find it in himself to regret anything or blameanyone. Things could have unraveled differently and been so much worsethan they were right then. He could have died, never having the chanceto even consummate his marriage or share a real life with Elizabeth. Atleast now, there was a chance to live that life. Certainly at leastthere was a chance to hold her close, hear her speak to him, and learnof their future. One day was enough time to celebrate their marriageand make plans.
"Depends on the one day."