Request Ficlet for Erinya
Apr. 10th, 2005 04:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dwgmOne more for the Drabble/Ficlet Request Meme, written for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
erinya who wanted...
It was some time ‘til the end of the middle watch, and sleep held most souls captive aboard the Dauntless. As it turned out, this included the brig’s lone guard, snoring gently in the dim light of the one small lantern. The corner of Elizabeth’s mouth twitched against a grim smile: it was well for her, of course, but if James discovered this lack of diligence, the young man might pay dearly.
Steeling herself, she entered the dreadful space. She had not come here before. Those of Barbossa’s men who had survived the battle were packed into these two bigger cells near the door, and she certainly had no wish ever to see them again, or for them to see her. Needs must, however: her goal lay past them. She could feel eyes upon her—they were not all asleep. But, to her relief, there were no sounds save those natural to men at rest. She moved on, into deeper shadows.
It was the last cell. The light of the sentry’s lantern nearly failed here, and Jack’s shape was barely discernable in the gloom. But he was awake.
He rose with silent grace and crossed to her. “What are you doing here, Miss Swann?” he asked in voice meant for her ears alone.
She wanted to reach through the grate and touch him. Instead, she said, rather gruffly, “I’ve brought you something.” She reached into an inner pocket of the red coat and drew out the silver flask, handing it to him.
There was a flash of white and gold, visible even in the gloom. “What’s this, then?” he asked, pulling the stopper.
“Rum.”
With a minimum of fuss, he set the flask to his lips and took a drink. “Ah! Mother’s milk,” he said, voice still soft. “It’s good. Where’d you get it?”
“From James, of course.”
There was a small, surprised silence. Then, “Oh. Of course. Don’t suppose he knows?”
“Oh, no.”
He chuckled, took another, deeper drink, then said, provocatively, “You should be spanked. But I don’t suppose he would.”
She successfully stifled a bark of shocked laughter, and said, with mock indignation, “Of course not!” Then, after the briefest of pauses, asked suspiciously, “Would you?”
“Of course not. I’d kiss you.”
She nodded, and watched him drink again.
Pausing once more, he wiped his lips on his sleeve. “My sincere thanks, Miss Swann,” he said, quite seriously.
'Miss Swann'. “It’s Elizabeth. And I would it had been the key!” He stared, and she added, bitterly, “I tried to get it, you know.”
“You didn’t!”
“I did! But… but I couldn’t.” A warm hand touched hers where it held the grate. Half choking she said, “I have spoken… begged my father, and James. They will do nothing. And Will… he stands at the rail and looks to the sea, and asks what one man can do?”
“A home question,” Jack remarked, his voice light.
Her hand turned and gripped his. “If I were a man, I’d show him what one man can do!”
He squeezed back, briefly. “You’d make a fine pirate, love.”
“Would I?” She took a deep breath, withdrew her hand, and her voice was less strained as she said, “Be careful, Captain. If fate intervenes, I may hold you to that.”
He nodded, and raised the little flask once more. “Here’s to fate, then, eh?”
~.~
Of all the money e're I had, I spent it in good company,
And all the harm I've ever done, alas was done to none but me;
and all I've done for want of wit, to memory now I can't recall,
so fill me to the parting glass, goodnight and joy be with you all.
Of all the comrades e're I had, they're sorry for my going away,
and all the sweethearts e're I had , they wish me one more day to stay,
but since it falls unto my lot that I should go and you should not,
I'll gently rise and softly call, goodnight and joy be with you all.
If I had money enough to spend and leisure time to sit awhile,
there is a fair maid in this town who sorely has my heart beguiled.
Her rosey cheeks and ruby lips, alone she has my heart in thrall,
so fill me to the parting glass, goodnight and joy be with you all.
~~ Traditional Irish Folk Song ~~
erinya who wanted...~ The Parting Glass ~
It was some time ‘til the end of the middle watch, and sleep held most souls captive aboard the Dauntless. As it turned out, this included the brig’s lone guard, snoring gently in the dim light of the one small lantern. The corner of Elizabeth’s mouth twitched against a grim smile: it was well for her, of course, but if James discovered this lack of diligence, the young man might pay dearly.
Steeling herself, she entered the dreadful space. She had not come here before. Those of Barbossa’s men who had survived the battle were packed into these two bigger cells near the door, and she certainly had no wish ever to see them again, or for them to see her. Needs must, however: her goal lay past them. She could feel eyes upon her—they were not all asleep. But, to her relief, there were no sounds save those natural to men at rest. She moved on, into deeper shadows.
It was the last cell. The light of the sentry’s lantern nearly failed here, and Jack’s shape was barely discernable in the gloom. But he was awake.
He rose with silent grace and crossed to her. “What are you doing here, Miss Swann?” he asked in voice meant for her ears alone.
She wanted to reach through the grate and touch him. Instead, she said, rather gruffly, “I’ve brought you something.” She reached into an inner pocket of the red coat and drew out the silver flask, handing it to him.
There was a flash of white and gold, visible even in the gloom. “What’s this, then?” he asked, pulling the stopper.
“Rum.”
With a minimum of fuss, he set the flask to his lips and took a drink. “Ah! Mother’s milk,” he said, voice still soft. “It’s good. Where’d you get it?”
“From James, of course.”
There was a small, surprised silence. Then, “Oh. Of course. Don’t suppose he knows?”
“Oh, no.”
He chuckled, took another, deeper drink, then said, provocatively, “You should be spanked. But I don’t suppose he would.”
She successfully stifled a bark of shocked laughter, and said, with mock indignation, “Of course not!” Then, after the briefest of pauses, asked suspiciously, “Would you?”
“Of course not. I’d kiss you.”
She nodded, and watched him drink again.
Pausing once more, he wiped his lips on his sleeve. “My sincere thanks, Miss Swann,” he said, quite seriously.
'Miss Swann'. “It’s Elizabeth. And I would it had been the key!” He stared, and she added, bitterly, “I tried to get it, you know.”
“You didn’t!”
“I did! But… but I couldn’t.” A warm hand touched hers where it held the grate. Half choking she said, “I have spoken… begged my father, and James. They will do nothing. And Will… he stands at the rail and looks to the sea, and asks what one man can do?”
“A home question,” Jack remarked, his voice light.
Her hand turned and gripped his. “If I were a man, I’d show him what one man can do!”
He squeezed back, briefly. “You’d make a fine pirate, love.”
“Would I?” She took a deep breath, withdrew her hand, and her voice was less strained as she said, “Be careful, Captain. If fate intervenes, I may hold you to that.”
He nodded, and raised the little flask once more. “Here’s to fate, then, eh?”
~.~
Of all the money e're I had, I spent it in good company,
And all the harm I've ever done, alas was done to none but me;
and all I've done for want of wit, to memory now I can't recall,
so fill me to the parting glass, goodnight and joy be with you all.
Of all the comrades e're I had, they're sorry for my going away,
and all the sweethearts e're I had , they wish me one more day to stay,
but since it falls unto my lot that I should go and you should not,
I'll gently rise and softly call, goodnight and joy be with you all.
If I had money enough to spend and leisure time to sit awhile,
there is a fair maid in this town who sorely has my heart beguiled.
Her rosey cheeks and ruby lips, alone she has my heart in thrall,
so fill me to the parting glass, goodnight and joy be with you all.
~~ Traditional Irish Folk Song ~~
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no subject
Date: 2005-04-10 07:33 pm (UTC)I like the moment when she tells him to call her Elizabeth. Because at the end of the movie, he does call her so, and she doesn't object, so obviously something has changed between them...
Where are the lyrics from?
no subject
Date: 2005-04-10 07:57 pm (UTC)I need to edit that. That's an Irish folk song. Not sure who wrote it. I'll have to google it.
I'm glad you enjoyed it, and that you understood that bit about her giving him permission to call her Elizabeth. It always struck me that some scene was missing in which she must have done so.
no subject
Date: 2005-04-10 08:35 pm (UTC)"A home question."
::dies from envy of your mastery of period language::
no subject
Date: 2005-04-10 09:03 pm (UTC)The period language is fun to play with, and seems to give PotC fics an appropriately historical flavor. There is some controversy, of course, about how much of it is actually authentic, but that always seems like quibbling to me. We're not writing textbooks here.
no subject
Date: 2005-04-10 09:57 pm (UTC)Hey, mind if I friend you?? :-D
no subject
Date: 2005-04-10 10:00 pm (UTC)Of course I don't mind being friended. I will friend back, if that's OK with you.
no subject
Date: 2005-04-10 10:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-10 10:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-10 10:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-10 11:04 pm (UTC)The Parting Glass is a traditional Ballad, but none sing it finer than the Poxy Boggards (A Drinking Group with a Singing Problem)
Alas, I do not know where I could point you to a lovely MP3 of this song, but it is truly a beautiful ballad, often sung in memory of those we've lost.
no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 12:18 am (UTC)And apropos beautiful words, Geek Mama, yours always are lovely. This little story has wonderful turn of phrase and a delightful grasp of the characters. And I love how it could fit into the movie.
Re. Will: I could definitely see him answering Elizabeth in that way even as he was starting to plot his grand, gallant gesture! I could even see her question as the catalyst moment. I like these sly little winks to canon. :)
no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 08:41 am (UTC)I'm glad you liked that bit, and indeed, I have a Will Turner "deleted scene" story I want to write about that very thing. I've been thinking about the plot for some time, and I think it will be very cool. AFTER I finish Harry IV, though. I have to start working on that again, and get it done!! (Unfortunate for my readers that I'm so easily distracted.)
So happy you enjoyed this one! Thank you for the kind words.
Glad you
no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 07:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-10 11:38 pm (UTC)Thank you
He chuckled, took another, deeper drink, then said, provocatively, “You should be spanked. But I don’t suppose he would.”
She successfully stifled a bark of shocked laughter, and said, with mock indignation, “Of course not!” Then, after the briefest of pauses, asked suspiciously, “Would you?”
“Of course not. I’d kiss you.”
*melts*
no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 07:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 01:03 am (UTC)“I have spoken… begged my father, and James. They will do nothing. And Will… he stands at the rail and looks to the sea, and asks what one man can do?”
“A home question,” Jack remarked, his voice light.
Her hand turned and gripped his. “If I were a man, I’d show him what one man can do!”
Elizabeth in a nutshell, as it were ;-)
no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 03:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 05:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 08:10 am (UTC){{{hugs you from afar}}}
I'm glad this little fic cheered you up some. I am certainly enjoying writing these J/E snippets. I had the plot of this one written down, but when I saw that pic that was posted yesterday I decided I just had to NOT do the paperwork I was supposed to do and write this instead. So I'm taking today off to do the RL paperwork--got a sub for work and everything! It's quite a delightful feeling being home on a Monday morning. Wish you were here. I would feed you hot tea with honey, and we could watch PotC while I go through my papers.
Feel better soon!
no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 11:43 am (UTC)*hugs back*
no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 03:21 am (UTC)Beautiful! And well done, of course. I feel like I've just emerged from the dark and dank of the brig - but there is just the hint of a tingle in my hand.
*
“Would you?”
“Of course not. I’d kiss you.”
(knees buckle-good thing I'm sitting)
*
“You’d make a fine pirate, love.”
“Would I?” She took a deep breath, withdrew her hand, and her voice was less strained as she said, “Be careful, Captain. If fate intervenes, I may hold you to that.”
(Such a fine mix of strength of will and desire.)
*
"The Parting Glass" - my favorite watering hole in Saratoga, NY. "Hair of the Dog" - my favorite Irish-ey band who play there often, and have recorded the most haunting version of this song that I have ever heard. Mike DeAngelis-beautiful tenor voice-brings tears to my eyes every time.
Thank you so much for starting this gloomy Monday off well!
no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 08:21 am (UTC)Yes, I found those pics that were posted yesterday to be quite inspiring and decided I had to write this, instead of doing the things I was supposed to do. ;) I'd already had the plot sitting there for a couple weeks, though--nice of
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Date: 2005-04-11 06:24 pm (UTC)http://www.hair-of-the-dog.com/index2.html
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Date: 2005-04-19 04:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 06:12 am (UTC)As is everything in your J/E plotline, this is lovely. So delightful how you build the relationship between them, carefully and bit-by-tiny-bit, and stay perfectly true to canon. Wonderful missing scene.
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Date: 2005-04-11 08:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 06:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-11 08:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-12 09:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 02:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-15 06:05 pm (UTC)