𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐔𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐌𝐀𝐍'𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑 ▸ W. TURNER

𝟤. 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝐂 𝐇 𝐀 𝐏 𝐓 𝐄 𝐑   𝐓 𝐖 𝐎

[ 𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑔𝑎 ]

𝐴𝑆 𝑆𝑂𝑂𝑁 𝐴𝑆 𝑇𝐻𝐸𝐼𝑅 𝐺𝐴𝑍𝐸𝑆 𝑀𝐸𝑇, 𝐿𝐼𝐿𝐿𝐼𝐴𝑁 𝐾𝑁𝐸𝑊 𝑆𝐻𝐸 𝑊𝐴𝑆 𝑅𝐼𝐺𝐻𝑇.

She hadn't laid eyes on William Turner in half a decade yet there was no denying it was him – though it seemed he must have climbed in status a little since their goodbye. Perhaps he'd cleaned his act up over the last five years, become the respectable blacksmith Mr Brown expected him to be. After all, there would've been no reason for him to slack off for battles once his duelling partner had left town. His clothes were a little finer, more expensive than the hand me down shirts and broken boots he used to wear.

But the changes in his attire were nothing compared to the rest of him.

She had to look away for a moment and turn back, wondering whether it was just her eyes playing tricks on her. Even at the age of twelve, Lillian had predicted that her friend would grow up to be a fine looking young man, but the sight before her proved her judgement to be incredibly lacking, for William Turner wasn't simply attractive. He was exquisite.

"L-Lillian?" Will stammered, eyes wide with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

A somewhat nervous laugh escaped Lillian's throat. "I live here, Will. This is where my mother moved us when we left Port Royal."

Will's brow furrowed slightly as he took a couple of steps towards her, his gaze wandering around the tavern. Already the laughter and singing had started up again, rowdy and shrill. "She willingly exchanged Port Royal for....here." A glimmer of disgust ran across his face as he took in the crowds, and Lillian couldn't help but feel unsettled by it.

Despite her daily rants and moans to Marin about the place, Lillian truly had come to love Tortuga for what it was, over the years – there was something about it which held complete disregard for all which was ordered and correct in the world, and it thrilled her in a way which Port Royal never could. Except when she was with Will, of course. But it was looking awfully likely that he'd fallen prey to those in high places since she'd last seen him The boy who had started fights in alleyways and climbed across rooftops with her as a teenager was no more.

"Come on, it's not all that bad I promise." She countered bracingly, in the hope that her presence as a somewhat familiar face might help change his mind. He didn't look all that convinced, but there was time to change that. Or at least, she hoped there would be.

"Forgive me for the interruption love, but am I missing something here." Lillian jumped. She hadn't notice Jack sidle up beside them, too distracted by the sheer miracle of finding someone she'd thought was lost to her forever. Jack's eyes ran between the two of them as if they were attached to a pendulum, one brow raised in question. Behind him, one of her regular customers, Mr Gibbs, hovered awkwardly as he watched the scene unfold.

Lillian gave a quiet sigh and clamped a hand down on Jack's shoulder. "Yes, I know him. We grew up together in Port Royal." Jack gave a slow nod of understanding and stepped back.

"Oh, fancy that. Well, carry on then. Gibbs and I need to have a little catch up, as it were." The Captain turned to leave but quickly swivelled to face her again, expression sheepish. "Oh, and Lyssie, you wouldn't mind grabbing us a bottle would you?"