Nymphadora had done a fair bit of celebrating, herself, but pirate parties are only so much fun when you can't partake of the rum stores. Also, 'Dora's exhausted. But she can't sleep; instead she's staring at a knot in the timber above her, wondering when -- and how -- she was going to get back home.
But the footsteps make her turn her head, and she smiles faintly at the sight of Elizabeth.
Face drawn, Elizabeth halts when she sees 'Dora. She's ashamed that she hadn't thought more of her friend during the long, chaotic battle; Mal would have done a much better job looking after her.
It's a fleeting feeling, soon buried under the heavy weight of what's happened to Will.
"The pitching around probably didn't make you feel very well," Elizabeth guesses, at a loss for what else to say.
Elizabeth looks down and makes like she's going to begin gathering her things, only to remember there's very little to collect.
"It seems silly to say, but I'm not sure," she admits, picking up a coil of rope they had used to practice knots. In a whisper: "It all happened so fast."
If it were her, in Elizabeth's place, if it were Bernard-- how would she feel? Relief that he wasn't truly dead, furious that his heart was wrenched away from him, grateful that she'd been given moments with him, angry that those moments amounted to a handful stretched over a lifetime?
Probably all of the above, she thinks ruefully.
"Anyway, it's done, isn't it? For better or worse." A sharp little laugh escapes her, and Nymphadora smiles faintly. "Rather like marriage."
Nymphadora works hard to keep her voice light. "Any thoughts on that? Because I'm not actually above trying every single door, porthole, and window I come across."
It's quiet in this part of the ship, but Elizabeth's ears are still ringing with the sounds of cannon fire and steel clashing against steel. She nods again, stifling an inappropriate laugh at the words she'd told herself so frequently, back when Will's anger was the worst thing she could imagine.
"There's an island near Shipwreck Cove. That's where we'll go," she shares, voice flat. "Will you wait on the Empress? Jack and Barbossa are sure to leave."
'Dora knows that feeling, how the after-images of battles that keep flashing long after they're passed.
"Yeah. That'll be fine."
Adopting a slightly mischievous and falsely innocent air, she leans closer to speak conspiratorially. "So, you're feeling all right about the whole... wedding night... thing?"
Good, they have an accord: no fits of apoplexy. Annoyed at the slip, Elizabeth quickly gets herself under control and straightens until she looks in danger of snapping in two.
"I understand the mechanics," she says stiffly, then frowns down at her hands. "That doesn't concern me.
"But what should I do if he's not interested?"
Lilly hadn't thought it would be a problem, but then it had been. Even though things are vastly different now, Elizabeth feels compelled to ask anyway.
But the footsteps make her turn her head, and she smiles faintly at the sight of Elizabeth.
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It's a fleeting feeling, soon buried under the heavy weight of what's happened to Will.
"The pitching around probably didn't make you feel very well," Elizabeth guesses, at a loss for what else to say.
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Her face is impassive, compassionate. Because she cannot imagine.
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"It seems silly to say, but I'm not sure," she admits, picking up a coil of rope they had used to practice knots. In a whisper: "It all happened so fast."
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If it were her, in Elizabeth's place, if it were Bernard-- how would she feel? Relief that he wasn't truly dead, furious that his heart was wrenched away from him, grateful that she'd been given moments with him, angry that those moments amounted to a handful stretched over a lifetime?
Probably all of the above, she thinks ruefully.
"Anyway, it's done, isn't it? For better or worse." A sharp little laugh escapes her, and Nymphadora smiles faintly. "Rather like marriage."
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Fighting the numbness that threatens to swallow her whole, Elizabeth tries to smile and meets with moderate success.
"I couldn't have imagined anything like this." Wryly, "We practically married ourselves."
It's easier to focus on that.
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Elizabeth's still fidgeting, and Nymphadora catches her hand, tugging her friend down beside her.
"So. What now?"
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"We have one day." A quick look, to see if Tonks understands the full implications of this. "After that..."
Glancing around at the dark wood of the ship, Elizabeth frowns.
"We will find your way home."
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But now, at least, she's thinking beyond Will's departure for another world. Straightening, Elizabeth turns to regard her friend.
"The first time I found Milliways, I was in Port Royal. And the second." A firm nod. "That's where we'll sail."
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'Dora gives her a reassuring smile, as much for her own benefit as for Elizabeth's.
A sigh.
"Anyway. Don't worry about me. It'll be all right."
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"There's an island near Shipwreck Cove. That's where we'll go," she shares, voice flat. "Will you wait on the Empress? Jack and Barbossa are sure to leave."
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"Yeah. That'll be fine."
Adopting a slightly mischievous and falsely innocent air, she leans closer to speak conspiratorially. "So, you're feeling all right about the whole... wedding night... thing?"
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"I hadn't-" she chokes. "I thought only of seeing him again."
She blinks. A whole new set of concerns pushes its way to the forefront of her mind; it's both a blessing and a curse.
"I don't..."
A bewildered look: Oh, this is embarrassing.
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She takes a deep breath, simultaneously glad she asked, and wondering why she can't keep her big mouth shut.
"Okay. Right. Tell me what you know." At Elizabeth's horrified look, she hurries on: "You can be vague!"
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"I understand the mechanics," she says stiffly, then frowns down at her hands. "That doesn't concern me.
"But what should I do if he's not interested?"
Lilly hadn't thought it would be a problem, but then it had been. Even though things are vastly different now, Elizabeth feels compelled to ask anyway.
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