Horizons
Title: Horizons
Author: nelliedances/Miss Ruby Tuesday
Rating: Mild R for later chapters
Pairings: Jack/Elizabeth, mentions of Will/Elizabeth
Warnings: Very vague DMC/AWE. Set after the third movie
Disclaimer: Sure I own it; I also have a great bridge for sale in Brooklyn, if anyone’s interested.
Summary: Elizabeth, trapped and unhappy with life on land and with Will, embarks on an affair with Jack.
Status: Complete with epilogue.
Elizabeth's eyes were on the sea. The breeze blew in from her balcony and swirled around her ankles. In her heart, she knew her decision was already made. It was just a matter of how to tie up loose ends before she moved on. She'd never be happy here, not after she has tasted freedom. Cynically, she also knew that no one would have have a ruined woman, not even Will, not even for her. Such a deliriously wonderful ruin it was, though. She'd scoffed at the tattoos of half naked women bearing the banner “Man's Ruin” when she'd seen them on Jack's crew. She had told Jack one that she'd have him tattooed on her arm, bearing the banner “Propriety's Ruin”. At that thought, a smile broke on her face like the dawn on the seas. She wasn't so much ruined as spoiled.
A pebble being tossed on the balcony broke her concentration. She looked down, expecting Jack, but instead finding Will. To borrow Jack's favourite phrase oh, bugger. She was shocked by what she saw. He was disheveled and swaying and very much looked as if he'd been drinking.
“Elizabeth... Miss Swann!” he hissed. “Come down. I have need to speak to you.” She'd nodded her affirmation, scurried to quickly change into breeches, and made quick work of climbing down the trellis. It was nothing after the weeks she'd spent in the rigging while crewing the Pearl; at least the trellis was solid.
“Will,” she started. “It's been years since you've done this... or called me that. What's--”
“I needed to speak to you,” he cut her off. “Can we go some place a little more ...private..? Our cove, perhaps?” Stunned by his brusqueness, she simply nodded and followed his lead.
~*~
At least he knew her trick for making it down the steep cliffs now: she was barefoot. And dead sober. She glided down the trail at twice his speed, not stumbling, as though her feet knew every inch. He wondered just how often she had been making this trip, alone or not. Tears pricked at his eyes for what seemed like the thousandth time that night; he promised himself he would not cry again, at least not until all was said and done.
For her part, Elizabeth was rehearsing what she planned to say in her head and nothing sounded right. There would be no practised speech of the merits of following one's heart like she had given to James Norrington when she broke their engagement officially, when she had come to him fresh from Master Brown's where she'd pledged her troth to Will. In her mind's eye, she replayed the scene, trying to glean any remaining wisdom from it.
“James,” she'd said, her voice going up an octave with apprehension. “James, are you here?” Her face burned with the shameful notion that she was currently in possession of not one, but two fiancés. Deliciously improper, a little part of her brain cried.
He stepped out of his office, his face lighting up when he saw her, as though he had received a reprieve from the gallows. For an awful moment, she felt as though she would lose her nerve. He looked so happy to see her and she was going to tear that all down within moments.
“Could we speak in your office, please? It's of dire importance.”
“Of course, my dear,” he'd offered her his elbow and she'd taken it, hoping that would somehow lessen the sting of what she was about to say.
He'd taken the return of the ring with dignity. He did not cry, did not yell, did not beg her to reconsider. He'd simply asked if she would be happy, really happy, with William Turner, as he had before, and when she had said she would be, he'd wished her the best and promised to remain her most loyal friend. He'd bowed his head when he'd said it, but it was a dignified finish. She'd kissed his cheek, as she readied to leave.
“It would never have worked between us, James,” she said absently, echoing Sparrow's words to her earlier and for a moment, he thought that he could smell a faint whiff of rhum mixed in with her perfume. He'd escorted her to the door and bowed stiffly to her before bidding her good day. After, when the news spread that Governor Swann's daughter had rejected the Commodore, she'd marveled at how she'd become the hottest bit of gossip for the third time in less than a week.lj-cut>
Author: nelliedances/Miss Ruby Tuesday
Rating: Mild R for later chapters
Pairings: Jack/Elizabeth, mentions of Will/Elizabeth
Warnings: Very vague DMC/AWE. Set after the third movie
Disclaimer: Sure I own it; I also have a great bridge for sale in Brooklyn, if anyone’s interested.
Summary: Elizabeth, trapped and unhappy with life on land and with Will, embarks on an affair with Jack.
Status: Complete with epilogue.
Elizabeth's eyes were on the sea. The breeze blew in from her balcony and swirled around her ankles. In her heart, she knew her decision was already made. It was just a matter of how to tie up loose ends before she moved on. She'd never be happy here, not after she has tasted freedom. Cynically, she also knew that no one would have have a ruined woman, not even Will, not even for her. Such a deliriously wonderful ruin it was, though. She'd scoffed at the tattoos of half naked women bearing the banner “Man's Ruin” when she'd seen them on Jack's crew. She had told Jack one that she'd have him tattooed on her arm, bearing the banner “Propriety's Ruin”. At that thought, a smile broke on her face like the dawn on the seas. She wasn't so much ruined as spoiled.
A pebble being tossed on the balcony broke her concentration. She looked down, expecting Jack, but instead finding Will. To borrow Jack's favourite phrase oh, bugger. She was shocked by what she saw. He was disheveled and swaying and very much looked as if he'd been drinking.
“Elizabeth... Miss Swann!” he hissed. “Come down. I have need to speak to you.” She'd nodded her affirmation, scurried to quickly change into breeches, and made quick work of climbing down the trellis. It was nothing after the weeks she'd spent in the rigging while crewing the Pearl; at least the trellis was solid.
“Will,” she started. “It's been years since you've done this... or called me that. What's--”
“I needed to speak to you,” he cut her off. “Can we go some place a little more ...private..? Our cove, perhaps?” Stunned by his brusqueness, she simply nodded and followed his lead.
~*~
At least he knew her trick for making it down the steep cliffs now: she was barefoot. And dead sober. She glided down the trail at twice his speed, not stumbling, as though her feet knew every inch. He wondered just how often she had been making this trip, alone or not. Tears pricked at his eyes for what seemed like the thousandth time that night; he promised himself he would not cry again, at least not until all was said and done.
For her part, Elizabeth was rehearsing what she planned to say in her head and nothing sounded right. There would be no practised speech of the merits of following one's heart like she had given to James Norrington when she broke their engagement officially, when she had come to him fresh from Master Brown's where she'd pledged her troth to Will. In her mind's eye, she replayed the scene, trying to glean any remaining wisdom from it.
“James,” she'd said, her voice going up an octave with apprehension. “James, are you here?” Her face burned with the shameful notion that she was currently in possession of not one, but two fiancés. Deliciously improper, a little part of her brain cried.
He stepped out of his office, his face lighting up when he saw her, as though he had received a reprieve from the gallows. For an awful moment, she felt as though she would lose her nerve. He looked so happy to see her and she was going to tear that all down within moments.
“Could we speak in your office, please? It's of dire importance.”
“Of course, my dear,” he'd offered her his elbow and she'd taken it, hoping that would somehow lessen the sting of what she was about to say.
He'd taken the return of the ring with dignity. He did not cry, did not yell, did not beg her to reconsider. He'd simply asked if she would be happy, really happy, with William Turner, as he had before, and when she had said she would be, he'd wished her the best and promised to remain her most loyal friend. He'd bowed his head when he'd said it, but it was a dignified finish. She'd kissed his cheek, as she readied to leave.
“It would never have worked between us, James,” she said absently, echoing Sparrow's words to her earlier and for a moment, he thought that he could smell a faint whiff of rhum mixed in with her perfume. He'd escorted her to the door and bowed stiffly to her before bidding her good day. After, when the news spread that Governor Swann's daughter had rejected the Commodore, she'd marveled at how she'd become the hottest bit of gossip for the third time in less than a week.lj-cut>