You can tell it's a fic post cuz it's late and I should be sleeping. [stunt

Isn't it always, though?

Anyway, publicly musing about my fic provides good incentive to actually get it done, since I completed the rough version of the first ficlet in that collection I talked about in the last entry whilst on my lunch break. I'm sure the inspiring conversations that I can engage in with you wonderful folk have something to do with it. :)

Anyway, bear in mind that this is the rough version - I am, as always, not entirely satisfied with it, and will probably continue to edit it for a week or so. Comments, critiques, and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

[EDIT] Oh, crap. The text appeared black-on-black again. It does this sometimes, and I don't know why, and I'm too tired to fix it right now, so I'll have to ask you all to just highlight it for now.

Having a black background is way more trouble than it's worth.

Title: Now What?

Words: 614

Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean

Rating: PG

Characters/Pairings: Will Turner, mentions of Will/Elizabeth.

Notes: Takes place shortly before Dead Man’s Chest begins; spoilers up to Dead Man’s Chest. First in a ficlet series.

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Will should have been happy. After all, he got what he wanted.

Not so very long ago, his days were consumed with smithing and swordsmanship, hewing something beautiful from the mass of crude steel and learning, bit by bit, how to make it sing. And he had been happy with it, for the most part. It was what he loved doing. It was what passed the time between orders and what made the solitary evenings pleasant. There had only been one thing missing from his life, and her name was Elizabeth Swann.

Elizabeth. Fascinating Elizabeth. Unattainable Elizabeth – but he’d known that. It is only because of their chance meeting all those years ago that he was even able to keep company with her as often as he does, and the casual acquaintance that brings was starting to lose its meaning. Their lives intersected for minutes at a time, if that; in between those minutes, he watched her on the other side of a chasm he could not cross for fear of losing what generosity Port Royal had granted him.

And then she’d been captured and taken out to sea, and none of that had mattered.

There are no rules here except this: what a man can do and what a man can’t do.

He had barely heard the words at the time; he’d been to preoccupied with Elizabeth to notice them (or, at the moment, with clinging to the mast for his life). But ever since he’d returned to his old life, he’d thought about them more that he would have liked to.

In a few short hours he would marry the love of his life, the woman he’d do anything for.

Then what?

Well, then, he assumed, they’d build a life together. Buy land. Have a family. Everything you were supposed to do.

Maybe he’d continue smithing – but no, there was always that disdain in the governor’s voice when he said “blacksmith”. Even if he owned his own shop, it wouldn’t be enough, and why should Elizabeth have to be punished for choosing him when she could have had all the luxury the world had to offer?

He could join the Royal Navy. After all, he wasn’t a bad sailor, not anymore. And he could take to the seas without fear of capture or punishment.

Of course, that also meant unquestioning obedience to crown, country, and whatever higher-up happened to be standing over him at the moment. And it meant leaving Elizabeth again.

He had seen Elizabeth gazing out her windows lately, staring out at the sea. Did she miss it at all, he wondered. And did he really want to put the both of them right back where they were – him spending more time with his hammer and steel than with another human being, her sitting in some other house in some other ridiculous dress?

But maybe he was wrong. Maybe all that time she’d just wanted to go home. Maybe she liked the damn dress, as confounding as it was. Maybe he was only making excuses for himself, assuming he knew what she wanted so he could justify his own longing for salt air and a clear horizon and answering to no one.

The future he’d fought for is stretching out in front of him in a long, unbroken pattern. And even with the comfort that love and familiarity provide it is still a pattern, and it never stops and it never changes.

The trouble with having everything you’ve ever hoped for is that there’s not much to hope for after that.

When the soldiers arrive at his door to arrest him he is shocked, and confused, and angry. And curious.

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Very nice, but a few suggestions (and/or blatant nitpicky corrections):

1. "...he’d been to preoccupied..."
To should be spelled too.

2. "Elizabeth. Fascinating Elizabeth. Unattainable Elizabeth – but he’d known that."
This is good, but I'd suggest adding a few more adjectives, i.e. Elizabeth. Beautiful, fascinating, unfathomable Elizabeth. Unattainable Elizabeth, etc.

3. I'm not quite sure that the juxtaposition between past and present tense works. It seemed somewhat inconsistent. Maybe stick to one or the other?

If I think of anything else I'll let you know, but otherwise, good job. :)

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Thanks much for picking those out - especially the "to" where "too" should be. Don't know how I missed that.

I wasn't sure whether I wanted this all in past or partially in present tense, so I guess I just sort of mixed them up along the way. Changes shall be implemented/worked upon once I can get back to the original document and make them.

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P.S. I love the second-to-last sentence. May I use it as a possible epigraph for one of my novels?

Why sure! Glad you liked it; I was dithering for a while over whether or not to put that in.

Thanks! :D If I do use it, how would you like me to credit you? (My preference is to use your real name, so as to make you sound nice and creditable, but if you're not comfortable with that you can make up another name. I'll be writing under a penname myself.)

I'd prefer a first name and a last initial, if that's okay, but otherwise go ahead. Just don't link the name back to any of my Intarwebs aliases :)

That can certainly be done. Or would it be acceptable to use your first initial and last name?

This, too, would be acceptable. :)

Very nice; as much as I love the happy ending of CotBP, after all that adventure it is a bit curious to try and imagine them suddenly sliding into domestic tranquility. And man, that ending paragraph is great. Going off Viralmancer's comment...I think dual tenses works, just not when it switches mid-sentence with "he'd fought for is." My suggestion would be to leave that one all in past tense; after that it segues more naturally into present. Might also try flipping the order of the sentences "even with the comfort..." and "the trouble with..."

Thanks for pointing out that sentence; I had trouble figuring out which tense that should be. Changes shall be made shortly; in the meanwhile, thank you again for the read and review!

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stunt_muppet

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July