Request Ficlet for Erinya

[dwgm]

One more for the Drabble/Ficlet Request Meme, written for 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 ~~

Comments

[erinya.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thank you so much!

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?

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Where are the lyrics from?

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.

[teresa-c.livejournal.com]

Really wonderful.

"A home question."

::dies from envy of your mastery of period language::

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.

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.

[aradiria.livejournal.com]

Oh, that was quite lovely. The interaction was flawless and I could totally see it in me 'ead. Wonderful, love.

Hey, mind if I friend you?? :-D

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! So glad you could "see it"--so much more fun that way!

Of course I don't mind being friended. I will friend back, if that's OK with you.

[aradiria.livejournal.com]

of course it is! *g* I just figured I commented enough and wandered over to your journal enough times. :-D

[shazzathegreat.livejournal.com]

Lovely, lovely, lovely. It really does seem like a missing scene. And the language is just perfect.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm happy you enjoyed it.

[conconhead.livejournal.com]

I love the song-lyrics so I had to read this. ;)

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.

[tiggothy.livejournal.com]

What a wonderfully sweet, gorgeously-written story to read first thing in the morning :-)

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*

[spican.livejournal.com]

Strange, this is the second time in a couple of weeks I've heard of this song and the first time was on a tragic occasion. Paul Hester, the former drummer of Crowded House took his own life two weeks ago and Neil and Tim Finn, who've been touring Europe, held the next three concerts in his memory. On at least one of those nights, the concert ended with Neil singing "The Parting Glass", alone, no musical accompaniment. I'd never heard of the song before, but the lyrics were quoted on the Finn messageboard and the idea of Neil singing these beautiful words in last greeting to Paul, in tears and with his eyes closed, was enough to make me weep like a baby. :(

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. :)

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

Woke up this morning, perfectly miserable, with a terrible cold... then discovered this... Made everything seem much better :-) It's gorgeous, beautifully written and thought-out, and of course, it makes sense that she has allowed him to call her Elizabeth at some point. And while I dearly love the whole thing (she brings him the flask and all), this bit in particular just feels so *right*:

“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 ;-)

[jenthegypsy.livejournal.com]

Great back story for those new pics floating around out there...!

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!

[jenthegypsy.livejournal.com]

Monday morning AND a cold? Sigh. Hope you feel better soon! Jen

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :-)

[hendercats.livejournal.com]

I'm wordless.

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.

[azziria.livejournal.com]

Lovely :-)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I shall have to do a search for the Poxy Boggards. The only recording I have is off the Robert Shaw Chorale 'Irish Folk Songs' CD, though I've heard other people sing it. Great, great song.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

So happy to have assisted you in melting. ;) And, speaking of wonderful things to read first thing in the morning, thank you so much for the glowing review!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Oh, sweetie! I'm so sorry to hear you've taken ill. I hope it will be short-lived, and that you will soon be able to enjoy the spring weather and greenery (to which, I like to assume, you have access).

{{{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!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

So happy to have brightened your Monday! I'll have to check and see if I can get a recording of Hair of the Dog playing The Parting Glass -- great song. The only recording I have of it is the Robert Shaw Chorale Irish Folk Songs CD, which is excellent in its way--lots of great songs on it.

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 erinya to request a J/E deleted scene.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

So happy to have rendered you wordless! Which condition was expressed by some very kind words indeed--thank you! :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks! So happy you enjoyed.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

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. :)

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

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the kind concern! Yes, there's greenery nearby and the weather's fine, the sun's been shining outside my window all day. The fic fit the picture perfectly, and you know how much I love your J/E stories, they always cheer me up! Sounds great to have a day off (without being sick), and I wish I could have been there to drink tea and watch PotC with you too :-)

*hugs back*

[jenthegypsy.livejournal.com]

Here you go! I think this worked - web site for my boys. Their CD's are sold on Amazon, or you can buy them through the site. The song "The Parting Glass" is found on the CD "The Parting Glass", which was recorded live at...The Parting Glass in the fall of 2000. I'm proud to say that I was a member of that happy crowd! Honestly, if you were so inclined to purchase this CD and found you didn't like it (not likely) I would buy it from you, including tax and gratuities..... These guys are really, really fantastic. Anyone who enjoys good music, with an Irish flare, will love them! (End of commercial)

http://www.hair-of-the-dog.com/index2.html

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much!

[torn-eledhwen.livejournal.com]

Perfect characterisation, and great use of language and description.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much!!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I got that CD today--it's GREAT!!! Really a fun one. Thanks for recommending it!