A Rebel's Treasure 3

Chapter Five

Eleanor's heart felt dull and she knew her eyes were puffy when she finally emerged from the captains cabin the following morning. Jack had tried once to talk to her through the door, but she had simply thrown an ink pot at him. He got the message. She needed to be alone.

The sun blared down on the ship when she emerged. The crew either did not notice her or were purposefully avoiding her, as no one glanced her way though she thought she saw Ragetti's eye swivel towards her. She leant against the railing and looked out at the endless ocean. Already she could feel the heat beating down on her. She frowned into the glare – it was going to be a long day if they couldn't get any closer to returning to the living world.

She felt someone sidle up beside her and she expected to see Jack grinning at her, instead it was her sister. She looked how Eleanor felt. "Hey," Elizabeth said, leaning heavily on the railing as well.

"Hey," Eleanor replied, lamely.

Both girls were silent for a couple of beats before Elizabeth sighed and turned towards Eleanor. "We need to talk...about everything."

"Yeah," Eleanor nodded, still staring out into the ocean, "I know."

Elizabeth looked uncertainly at her sister. "Well, I want to say I'm sorry - "

"As you should," Eleanor interjected.

"As I should," Elizabeth amended. "I am sorry I didn't tell you about what I did to Jack, and most of all I am sorry you had to suffer that whole time thinking that I – that I loved Jack and had stolen him from you." Eleanor could feel her heart panging with familiar shocks of pain. She knew if she hadn't cried out all of her tears she would have a couple threatening to leak. "And before you say anything – I know I've been a terrible sister to you. I hardly allowed you to grieve, and I couldn't see past my own guilt." Elizabeth let out a long and shaky breath. "I don't expect you to forgive me right now, or for a while, but I don't want this to ruin our relationship." Her voice cracked, "Especially as we are the last family we have."

Eleanor looked over at Elizabeth, feeling sweat start to slide down her spine. "I don't forgive you." Elizabeth closed her eyes for a moment, before looking down at her shoes. "But...I wont hold it against you anymore. I think you've been torturing yourself enough for the both of us." Elizabeth cracked a sad smile. "And I think that I can have a couple words to Will to ensure that he lets you off a bit more too." Elizabeth beamed at her sister. Eleanor rolled her eyes, "Don't start getting all cute and blushy with me..." Eleanor grinned. She reached out and took hold of Elizabeth's hand. She gave it a small squeeze. She was serious again when she spoke, "I'm sorry about Father."

Elizabeth swallowed, "So am I. He didn't deserve this."

Eleanor's throat felt chocked up, but she still managed to say, "At least we know, no matter what, he was proud of us." Elizabeth returned her sad smile before pulling her sister in for a tight hug. When they finally parted both girls were smiling.

The sun blazed down on the deck, with many of the crew sitting and leaning against the masks. Pintel turned a bottle up against his lips before frowning when nothing came out. "Why is all but the rum gone?"

"Rum's gone too," Gibbs grumbled, chucking an empty bottle onto the deck. Eleanor groaned, her throat feeling dry and sandpapery.

"If we cannot escape these doldrums by nightfall," Tia Dalma prophesised, "I fear we will sail trackless seas, doomed to roam the reach between worlds...forever."

"Lovely encouragement," Eleanor grumbled, rolling her eyes. She stood up from where she was sitting and looked around the open sea.

"With no water, forever seems to be arriving a mite too soon," Gibbs said.