Jolly Sailor || Elizabeth Swann

12

"You're going to stop me from leaving the boat, aren't you", Jack sighed as the crew filled the longboat. 

"It's after you, not us", Benj replied, far more calmly than he was feeling. His gaze on Will and Elizabeth as they handed supplies down to the boat. Elizabeth at the top of the ladder as she reached to hand Will a barrel of water. Her hair was golden in the evening sunlight. Will's handsome face highlighted in sharp angles as he gazed up at her. 

"It is a noble thing", Jack sighed dramatically. "Sacrificing for love. A waste". 

"Git", Benj chuckled as he elbowed his captain in the ribs. "In fact", he grinned as he shoved Jack back into the mast. "You can just stay there for a moment". He grasped one of the manacles chained to the wood and clicked it shut over the man's wrist. It locked and Jack tugged on it angrily. 

"Oi", he scowled. "Benjy you bastard, come and unlock me". 

"Nope", Benjy sung as he stepped back.

"Benjy", a voice stopped him. He turned to see Elizabeth standing behind him. She was close, only a few feet away. Her face was full of nerves, though here eyes hardened as she glanced at Jack for a second. "The boat is loaded. Are you coming?" 

"Elizabeth, love", there was a desperation in Jack's smile now. "Come and unlock me". The man was afraid and Benjy didn't blame him. 

"I've got to watch him", Benj smiled, it was a small thing. "You know me. I will catch up. The deep doesn't scare me". It wasn't fully a lie. He wasn't scared of much in the deep, but the beast bellow was far older and more powerful than him. 

Elizabeth's eyes were hard to read. Slowly, as if afraid of startling him, she reached out to place her hand on his shoulder. "When I saw you kiss Will", she breathed as she stepped closer. Close enough for him to feel her warmth. "I didn't understand. I think I understand now. Don't get me wrong", she amended. "I love him. But I understand now". Then she was leaning up and kissing him. Benjy catching her by the waist to hold her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. 

She kissed differently than Will did. Will had kissed hesitantly, more surprised and taken away by Benjy's flow to establish much of his own. Elizabeth's kiss was demanding. She was passionate and demanded passion from him in return. It was consuming and fiery and she was the one sweeping Benjy away. When they parted, he was breathing heavily as he pressed his forehead to hers. She inhaled and leaned forwards to press another lingering kiss to his lips. "Don't die", she ordered. 

Benj smiled as she pulled away. "I don't plan on it". He opened his eyes to see Will staring at them from the top of the ladder. His eyes were wide but he reached up to help Elizabeth down with barely a word. Benjy hurried to the rails as the longboat set off. "Save a kiss for me too my jolly sailor!" He called over the waves as the longboat gained distance. 

"Promise!" Will's shout drifted back. Benjy's chest felt light and his smile was hurting his cheeks. 

"That was a nice show", Jack whistled. The ship swayed threateningly under their feet. Unnatural in the still water. 

Benj just grinned as he crossed back over deck. He began picking the lock of Jack's manacle with his sharpened nails. "I think she likes me". 

"I think she more than likes you", Jack wriggled his eyebrows as the lock clicked open. He rubbed his wrist and drew his sword. "Now, let's get out of here". 

Benj watched as the tentacles reappeared on the starboard side. His smile fell as he watched them get higher. The body following, a squid like form with a round mouth of sharp teeth looming over them. "Time had run out", he sighed as Jack slowly turned to see what Benj was staring at. 

"Oh". The captain muttered. "Right then". Then the kraken opened it's mouth and roared. Benj ducked behind the mast, clutching at his ears as green spit came flying out of the beast's mouth. Jack was covered from head to toe and a familiar hat bounced across deck. When the roar ended, he wiped the goo from his eyes. 

"That's disgusting", Benj grimaced as he emerged from his shelter. "Also that's my signal to go". 

"Hey Benj", Jack called as the merman made for the other railings. He paused on the edge. "Don't you dare take my treasure". 

"What do you take me for?" Benj grinned as Jack set his hat back onto his head. Then the two men were moving. One diving towards the beast as the other hurled himself into the water. The pearl wrapped in tentacles and being pulled towards the depths. 

Benj might have made it. He might of hit the water and swum away like he had done many times before. If his luck was better than he might have made it. But alas his luck had been so very poor that day. A kiss did not change that, not matter how much it brightened his spirits. His luck was still poor and he didn't make it. 

One of the tentacles caught him mid fall. It wrapped around his ankle and hoisted him to a stop. He cursed as he wriggled in a fierce struggle to free himself  but the tentacle just wrapped around him tighter until his ankle snapped. It brought a scream from his lips and he hacked at the slippery flesh with his sword. The blade cut but he didn't have the time. When the ship went down, he followed. The kraken yanking him underwater with it as he went down and down. The light rapidly fading into black as his eyes adjusted. It was only his mermaid heritage that saved him but even he couldn't adjust to the pressure changes that quickly. He passed out as the light above disappeared. His hope and his fear fading as he went limp. The depths swallowing him up along with the Black pearl. 

unedited 

oof. he is really having a bad day. 

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