the Dalaverse

Short bit. Trying desperately to finish this silly thing off.



Nothing New Under the Sun (X)



For Elizabeth and Will, the following week or so was a time for gossip and secret-sharing, for catching up on one another’s lives. Out of respect, Will was somewhat more distant with Norrington around, but the air of exclusivity still hung about them like a veil. Jack, annoyed that he should not be included in the club but used to being on the outs with Will, smiled indulgently at them and made sure to lavish attention on his first mate when they were alone. Norrington had grown accustomed to being able to hold Elizabeth’s attention and, finding himself so easily dismissed in the presence of the man she had once loved, did not accept circumstances so easily. Instead he pouted, well and often.

One afternoon, as the four of them were walking along a deserted stretch of beach to the west of town, Elizabeth managed to notice her husband's sulking. She and Will were walking arm in arm, chattering about making mudpies behind the baker’s as children, and Jack was ambling along beside them, scanning the horizon and humming under his breath. James was hanging back, dragging his feet and scowling down at the sand.

Suppressing a smile, Elizabeth patted Will’s hand and dropped back. Before Will had time to do more than blink at her in surprise, Jack had settled into Elizabeth’s place, tilting his head to whisper something in Will’s ear that made his mouth twitch and his ears redden.

James carefully schooled his face into an expression of impassivity, but as she took his arm she caught his genuine smile creeping out.

“It’s a nice day, isn’t it?” she asked, pressing her cheek to his shoulder.

“It is a lovely day.” She could hear the smile in his voice, and her fingers tightened around his.

In front of them, Will and Jack had drawn some way ahead. Flicking his hair back, Jack turned his head to say, “Saw an interesting bird swoop into those trees there, going to inspect.” He winked at Elizabeth and tugged a sniggering Will into the relative privacy of a clump of bushes at the edge of the treeline.

Norrington let out a much-maligned sigh. “Were there ever two people so ridiculous?”

“Don’t be unkind, darling,” said Elizabeth, poking him in the ribs. “I seem to remember a time in which a certain young commodore looked for any excuse he could find to pull a governor’s daughter aside.”

“Yes, but think of their – their situation,” James griped, frowning as the leaves rustled faintly. “It’s indecent on more than one level.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Do try to let it go, James.”

He shrugged, taking advantage of the movement to draw her under his arm. “I’ve done my best. I simply can’t think of a more unfortunate candidate for reproduction than Jack Sparrow.”

“Jack is –” Elizabeth began before she was interrupted by a high-pitched shriek. Exchanging a dire glance with James, she hiked up her skirt and followed her husband into the little copse.

Jack was attempting to sheathe his sword, hampered by Will’s frantically clinging limbs. Making sure that they both appeared to be all right, Elizabeth exclaimed, “What happened?”

“Snake,” Will said in something just a few degrees away from a whimper, pointing to a bright green coil at Jack’s feet. “It dropped from the trees.” He shuddered and turned his face into Jack’s neck. Jack patted him absently.

James muttered something about the negative effects of sodomy, coddling, and pregnancy on a man’s nerves and Elizabeth pointedly ignored him. “You’ve never been frightened of snakes before,” Elizabeth said to Will, puzzled. “You used to rescue those little black snakes when Tommy Ryan and Daniel Yount would capture and taunt them.”

He raised wide eyes to her, still draped over Jack. “You’re right. I suppose I was struck by fear for the baby.”

Elizabeth glanced down at the snake, trying to see if it had been transformed into a great danger for her as well. It merely looked dead.

Jack poked it with the toe of his boot, causing Will’s arms to latch about his neck. “Augh – you’re chokin’ me, William.”

“Sorry,” Will muttered, his grip loosening only slightly, his eyes never leaving the snake. “Please don’t touch it, Jack, it might still be dangerous.”

Behind Elizabeth, James snorted. Elizabeth ground her heel onto his foot and he fell silent.

Jack’s head was cocked to the side, his eyes bright and curious. “Wonder if we could eat it?”

“I’d rather not, if it’s all the same to you,” said Elizabeth. Will nodded fervently, rubbing at his stomach with one hand.

“Y’don’t know what you’re missing,” said Jack solemnly, still examining the dead reptile. “Snake’s a delicacy in lotsa parts o’ the world – roasted, boiled, stewed, cut up into little chunks and shish kebob’d with pineapple and peppers...tastes just like chicken, I swear...”

“Oh God,” Will groaned. He finally released his captain in order to spin around and retch into a nearby bush.

“That is disgusting,” said James. “Elizabeth? Eliz –” For she had taken a closer look at the snake, seen that it was oozing something quite unlike blood from its mouth, and followed Will.

Jack and the commodore looked at one another with a rare instance of perfect understanding. Then they both sighed and went to take care of hair-holding duties.





Am I projecting there? Of course not.

Snake: Hiss.
Dala: AIEEEEEEEE ::runs away::

Maybe just a little.