Story [Pirates of the Caribbean] The Queen- horror story, complete. Author Replies 12/4

The Queen
Author: jedipati
Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Characters: Will, Captain Jones, Crew of the Dutchman, OFC bad guy
Rating: PG-13 for suspense and frightening images
Warnings: This is a horror story. It was originally supposed to be out before Halloween. Also, I?m fairly certain it?s AU.
Summary: The Queen- who rules an island of monsters- takes an interest in Will, while he?s on the Dutchman. Things to do not as planned. Mid-DMC, in between the flogging scene and the Dice Game.
Author?s Notes: This was inspired by cosplay pictures of POTC characters as zombies, posted over on livejournal.


Part 1 of 3

After the events of the previous night, most of the crew- including the only mortal on board the Flying Dutchman, Will Turner- were glad they?d had an uneventful day.

Will was trying to find a comfortable position to get a bit of sleep. His back hurt with every contact with the wood of the ship, but there was no way he would sleep on his stomach.

Bootstrap Bill Turner leaned against the side next to him. ?It?d be easier if ye leaned against me, Will.?

Will glanced at his father. ?I beg your pardon??

?If ye lean against me, I can make sure ye don?t hit your back, and ye can get a bit of sleep.?

Will considered, but exhaustion won out over the uneasy feeling he had.

?I think something is going to happen,? Will finally said as he leaned against his father. True to his words, Bill arranged them so Will?s back wasn?t pressed against anything.

?What do you mean?? Bill asked.

?Something?s not right? beyond the obvious, that is,? Will said. ?I just? something?s not right. It?s not the Dutchman. It?s something else.?

Bill smiled briefly at Will?s first sentence, and then frowned at the rest of his comment. ?Why do you say that?? He glanced at Clanker, who was sitting close enough to hear.

Clanker frowned back.

Will didn?t notice the byplay. ?I don?t know, really,? he said, sounding slightly confused. ?It?s probably nothing.?

Bill sighed. ?It might be nothing, aye,? he said. He made a quick decision. If something was to happen, it would be important for Will to be rested. ?You?d best get some rest. The work is too hard for a mortal, an? you?ll need as much strength as ye can get.?

Will frowned at him but apparently agreed. ?I hate this ship,? he muttered as he closed his eyes.

Bill sighed. ?I don?t blame you, lad,? he said. He stayed silent as Will?s breathing evened out and deepened. When he was sure his son was asleep, he looked up at Clanker.

?Do ye think he?s right?? Clanker asked quietly.

?It?s possible,? Bootstrap said. ?I know any abilities a man might have normally don?t show themselves until they?ve been crew f?r some time, but Will?s always been more aware then most, even as a lad. And we?ve never had a mortal on board for more then a day.?

?An? we?re sailing close ta? ta that isle.?

?Aye,? Bill said, very quietly. ?He may just be hearing the calls. It?s not a danger ta us, but Will isn?t safe if those creatures manage to get on board.?

Clanker nodded. ?I?ll go warn Maccus. He?ll decide if we should tell the Captain.?

Bill grimaced. ?I?d rather not. Captain?s already too interested in Will as it is.?

Clanker gave him a long look. Finally, he turned and headed out to find the first mate.

Bill sighed quietly and looked down at his son. Will was asleep, and Bill supposed he should get some sleep too. He might not need it, but it was nice.

~~~~~~~~~~

The fog drifted over the ship. No one remarked on it. The crewmen on deck weren?t horribly affected by the fog, though it did affect visibility somewhat. Down below, it was quiet, and the fog didn?t really get into the crew quarters. Almost all of the crewmen off duty were asleep. Those that weren?t asleep were drinking themselves toward unconsciousness.

Even the Captain was quiet, though Greenbeard, at the wheel, could hear him moving around in his cabin.

Down in the crew quarters, Will stirred briefly as he heard s

 

I think it's very good!! I'm really interested to see where you're going to take this, and curious about the queen. I love Bill caring for Will

 

Ahoy!

That be some right good piratey stuff goin' on thar!

I must admit, I ain't too keen on young Will -- makes a better elf than a pirate, does Mr. Bloom, IMO -- but I'll make an exception this time....

Now, ye be hurryin' up wi' part two, won't ye?

Yarrr!

 

NYCitygurl: Thank you! I hope you like where I'm taking this- it's a bit different. Will and Bill are two of my favorite characters.

Lithiniel: Yep, pirates are awesome! Personally, Will is one of my favorites, which of course means he gets into more trouble in my stories then anyone else. As for hurrying up with part two... how about now?

Part 2 of 3

Will woke up slowly, groggily. He was on his stomach, surrounded by pillows and blankets. He didn?t move, uncertain as to what his situation was. He knew he wasn?t on a ship any longer- the ground was still.

His back was bare, and he could feel someone washing off his untreated lash marks. Luckily, he did seem to be still wearing his breeches.

?Whoever did this to my consort will be punished,? a woman said.

Will barely managed to avoid reacting to her voice. She sounded? sinful. As if all his desires and dreams would come true the moment he looked at her.

He didn?t move.

?Yes mistress. We took him from the sea-ship, the one the ferryman commands.?

?Then Captain Jones did this to him. I wonder why he had a mortal on board.?

Will still struggled to keep himself from reacting, but something must have alerted the person dressing his wounds. ?He is awake, mistress.?

Since there was no point in pretending, Will opened his eyes, and turned his head to the side.

The same creature that had managed to overcome him was beside him, and holding a cloth that was stained red. Apparently, he?d reopened his wounds during the fight.

?Are you ready to meet your queen, future consort??

Will scowled. ?Unless this queen happens to be of England, then I am meeting no such person.?

He heard delighted laughter from his other side and he turned his head.

A strikingly beautiful woman stood there, looking down on him. She was beautiful, yes, with dark hair and eyes, but Will thought of Elizabeth, and she didn?t seem that special.

Will glared at her. ?The leader of these creatures, I assume?? The urge to stay silent and simply allow her to do as she wished with him began to grow. He tossed his head sharply. ?It won?t work.?

?Oh, I think it will, my consort.?

?I am no one?s consort,? Will snarled. ?And certainly not yours!?

She laughed. ?Oh, my servants have chosen marvelously!? she said. ?And tell me, what is your name??

Will didn?t move, and didn?t answer.

She frowned at him, but tilted her head. ?William, then. That?s a good name.?

Will scowled. ?Where are the rest of my clothes?? he asked.

She blinked. ?They?re here, but we will eventually need to find something better then what you were wearing.?

Will didn?t say anything as he sat up and grabbed his torn shirt. After he?d buttoned up his vest over it, and pulled on his boots, he stood up.

?Madam, I thank you for your hospitality, but I have things that I need to do. If you could provide me with a rowboat and a way to leave this island, I?d appreciate it.?

Her smile, which grew at his first words, faded. ?William, my dear, you will not leave until you are mine.?

Will stepped back. ?I think not,? tried to ignore the voice telling him to let her use him, to let her do as she wished with him, to become hers? ?I have other plans.?

?Your plans do not matter, William. And your feelings will change.?

Will snorted. ?I think not, madam. In any case, I am engaged. The only woman I wish to know is her.?

Instead of looking angry, the woman appeared intrigued. ?This fiancée of yours- is she a beautiful woman??

Will scowled. ?What business is it of yours?? he asked.

She smiled. ?She is. Excellent. Perhaps I can accommodate you in this. You are to become the vessel for my consort, just as this body is my vessel. But I can always take a new body. I can take the body of your fiancée. The two of you would live together, as our vessels, for centuries.?

As she spoke, Will could see images of him and Elizabeth, living for centuries, together, loving each other. It was compelling, until he looked at their fa

 

YAY!!!!!

I was absolutely on the edge of my seat the whole time... That was great!

 

Lithiniel: I'm glad you liked it!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Bill was only prevented from diving off the side of the ship and following the creatures as they carried away his son because Quittance and Greenbeard grabbed him and held him back.

The last of the creatures fled, and Bill collapsed against the two holding him. ?Will,? he whispered.

Captain Jones leaned on the rail and watched the creatures go. The only indication of his feelings was the angry writhing of his tentacles.

?Down!? he ordered, louder then was strictly necessary. Once they were underwater, he turned to Maccus. ?Get us as close to the island as possible.?

He snarled. ?That queen dared attack my ship, and stole what is mine! We attack at dawn!?

He looked at Bill. ?I trust, Mr. Turner, that I can count on you to retrieve the boy??

Bill blinked and focused on him. ?Aye, Captain,? he said. ?Though depending on what condition Will is in, I may need help.?

?I?ll help,? Quittance said.

?Good,? Jones said.

?Maccus, you?re in charge. I canna go, so I expect you to keep the crew in line.?

It was a long wait, especially for Bootstrap, before the sea around them lightened with sunrise. ?Whatever you find there, I want ta know,? Jones said.

~~~~~~~~~

Bill and Quittance skirted the main fight and headed deeper into the fortress they?d attacked. Cap was leading the way, apparently following some trail to Will.

?Are ye sure this is th? right way?? Quittance asked.

Cap scolded him with a yowl and ended his complaint with a snort of disgust.

Bill shook his head. ?No. But what else can we do? We have to find him, and quickly, before the queen does? whatever it is she does? to him.?

?You really care about the lad, don?t you??

?He?s my son. And I?ve not been there for him. I don?t want t? be reunited with him, only to lose him t? this queen.? Bill sighed. ?Better t? have not seen him again, if that happens.?

Cap stopped in front of a door. It was locked, and they couldn?t pass through it, but Bill solved that problem by simply ramming into it and breaking it down.

Cap was the first through the door, and the first to react to the scene they found.

The changed cat yowled and flung himself onto the queen?s head.

The queen jumped up and away from Will. Will could only move his head, and he tilted it back, startled. Bill recognized the look on Will?s face. It was hope, threadbare and tattered, in the midst of overwhelming fear and resignation.

Bill had seen that look on countless sailors over the past nine years, but he?d never wanted to see it from his own son.

Bill brought his sword down on one of the ropes holding Will down, taking advantage of the queen?s distraction.

Will looked like he wasn?t sure he believed that he was being rescued, but he responded quickly enough. He reached out and grabbed the queen?s leg and pulled her down just as the queen threw Cap away.

The queen landed hard on her back, and Quittance kept her there by the simple method of threatening to cut off her head if she moved.

Bill finished freeing his son. After a moment, Will stood up, pressing his hand against his throat.

?What are you going to do to her?? His voice rasped slightly as he asked.

Quittance shrugged. ?Captain said we could do what we want to her,? he said.

?Good,? Will responded. ?Can we get out of here now?? His voice was improving as he spoke, and by the last word, it was normal.

Bill grabbed Will?s arm and pulled his hand away to get a look at Will?s throat.

Will?s throat was cut in two places. It looked almost like? Bill glanced down at the queen, then back up at Will. ?She bit me,? Will confirmed. ?I?m not sure why.?

?We have to get you back to the Dutchman, now,? Bill said.

Will frowned. ?Um??

?We don?t know much about how she makes her servants, except that they were mortal men once,? Bill said. ?And??

Will nodded. ?I understand,? he said. That fear reappeared in his gaze. ?But will the cure be as bad as the disease??

Bill sigh

 

Nice ending!!

In my head, he's fine and life goes on.

 

I don't do this often, but.... SQUEEEE!

Ok, just had to get that out of my system. That was a fun read!

I liked how you tied it back in with the events of the movie, and left it open to interpretation whether or not Will's a changed man from his experience.

 

NYCitygurl: Thank you! That's certainly one interpretation. Some people want it that way, some don't. I prefer to let people chose themselves.

Lithiniel: Thank you! I so rarely get squees, all of them are appreciated! I'm glad you liked it!