Elizabeth Swann's Sister

Part 19. Heart to Heart With My Closest Friend

We made it into the Black Smith's shop, away from all the hustle and bustle of the screaming terrified crowds. The shop was pitch black, I couldn't see much of where I was going. Luckily the roof had gaps in it, so the glint of the moonlight, was beaming down within the shop, creating a torch light effect, to help guide us around. The donkey was fast asleep upon the hay, over by the sword holder.

I walked over towards him and gave him a stroke to make sure that he was alright, before I turned towards the rest of the hay, that was more of a bigger pile and I sat down, clutching my aching, bleeding head. Thomas in the meantime, was finding anything he could to block both doors with, to prevent anymore pirate's from entering. Once he had finished, he lit some candles around the shop and he started up the furnace, what they use to melt the iron with, to keep us both warm.

He sat down next to me, his knees raised and his arms resting upon them, both hands clasped together, he didn't look at me at first, so we sat in silence for a good 5 minutes, the only thing we both could hear was the crackling furnace, that was keeping us both warm, mumbled screaming and shouting from the crowd of people outside. Single gunshots could be heard now and again, with the occasional clincking of metal objects that someone had stolen and was running past with them. After what had seemed like forever, the noise from outside had quietened down, the only thing that could be heard now, was one or two of Norrington's men, going round the town probably in search for survivors and more pirate's and the occasional mut's muffled barking, growling howling and whinging throughout the night.

I started shivering from the chill of the night air,so I brought my knees up to my chin and wrapped my arms around them, my hands clasped together to keep me warm. Thomas must have seen me do this, so he stood up and went to fetch a blanket to wrap around my shoulders. I finally broke the silence. "Thank you". I said to him, he did nothing but smile at me and sat back down, I pulled the blanket even further around myself, to prevent myself from freezing to death.

Thomas sat back down in the position he did before. Before he turned to look at me, he must have noticed that my head was still bleeding, so he got back up and took a clean rag from the bench, dipped it in a bucket of cold water, which looked like it was used to keep the rain out of the shop with and sat back down. "Here, let me help you, that looks really sore". He said to me in a whispered tone. I scooted towards him, with the blanket still hugged around my shoulders and I let him place the rag upon my head.

I winched in pain as he placed it there.
"Sorry, you know this could get infected, you should really see a doctor first thing in the morning". "That's if there's any still alive by the morning". I slurred to him through tiredness and exhaustion. We both laughed at my remark, Thomas dipped the rag back into the cold water, before returning to look at me and dab my head. "That was a real brave thing you did Anne, going after your sister, when you too could have been in serious danger, I mean what were you thinking of? A woman like you alone with rotten pirates, anything could have happened!". He said to me whilst continuing to dab my wound.

"Erm excuse me! what is that supposed to mean? A woman like me, just because I am a woman of a rich background and should act more like a lady, does not mean that I couldn't take on those vicious scally wags all by myself you know, plus judging by the look of them both, they both looked like they would rot away with a single human touch, they were so utterly disgusting and for your information, I wasn't alone as Elizabeth was there with me". Thomas sniggered at my last words. "Ha ha, very funny, now hold still, as this wound is very deep and you have lost a lot of blood!". He instructed. I put my hand up to my forehead and did a salute. "Aye Aye, Sir". I replied, we both chuckled at my actions.

After what seemed like forever of Thomas blotting my head, to clean up the blood and stop anymore from pouring out of the wound, he took another clean piece of the rag, ripped it in half and tied it around my head. "Thank You, you know you should re-think your profession Turner, you would make quite a good doctor". "Hmm why thank you, maybe I should, after all I am the most smartest, dashing man throughout Port Royal after all". He sat up straight and put his hands on his hips and pointed his chin in the air. We both belly laughed at his actions, creating enough noise to wake the whole of Port Royal. "Shhh". I told him putting my finger to my lip, "They may here us and think we are pirates and I couldn't take anymore blows to my head or my body". I said to him through bouts of laughter.

"Well if they were to hear us, then wouldn't that be a good thing?, as it would mean that your admirer Norrington, would rush in and save you, maybe even sweep you off your feet and take you away to his fort". I slapped him on the arm and laughed. "He is not my admirer, besides he has his eyes set upon my sister, even if he was my admirer, he would never think twice about looking at me, he sees me as nothing but a child and Elizabeth's younger sister, he probably sees himself as an older brother to me too".

"You really like him don't you?". Thomas asked me, "Yes, I really do!, he is the most handsome, kind, caring and brave man, I have ever come across in Port Royal, a part from you of course". We both chuckled. "Who am I kidding though, I mean who would look twice at little old me, standing at the height of a child, my fiery red hair and pale freckled complexion, is enough to put any suitor off me, then you have my sister, gorgeous sun kissed skin, beautiful hazel eyes and hair". I said to him whilst looking down at my hands and picking at my nails.

Thomas took my hand within his and turned to look at me. "Anne, don't you ever say that about yourself!, you are beautiful, kind, funny, not to mention clever, and your the best sister figure that I have ever had, why if I felt different about you other than just as a sister, I would make sure that you were my first choice, my only choice to marry and just think, if we do end up two lonely elderly people, sitting by a fire somewhere, drinking tea, eating biscuits and talking about this night, then I am glad I got to spend every day with you, whether that be married with children of my own or not". He told me.

"Oh Thomas that is so sweet of you to say, I hope that we will see each other all the time, even when we are married off and possibly have children of our own, I hope that both our children, will have the same friendships as we have and don't forget I need someone to help me pick out a wedding dress, when the time comes". I said to him with a chuckle and a yawn, as I was starting to feel sleepy. I rested my head upon his shoulder and closed my eyes, before I knew it I must have fallen into a deep sleep, the last thing I could remember was the sound of Thomas's quiet whispers "Goodnight Anne, sweet dreams". He said whilst stroking my hand, before he too placed his head upon mine and drifted off to sleep.