𝔸 ℙ𝕚𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕤 𝕃𝕚𝕗𝕖 𝔽𝕠𝕣 𝕄𝕖

Chapter 39 - Together again

I sighed and folded my arms despondently. I swayed back and forth gently my long brown hair was being tossed about in the cool winds that swirled the decaying leaves of the world below.
"Don't go anywhere Luv."
"Jack...my legs are bound, im upside down and tied to a bloody palm tree. Where do you think I am going to go?"

One step later with the leaves crunching underfoot a rope snapped up from the ground latched onto Jack's foot ensnaring him too.
I chuckled lightly to myself my coping mechanism for all dire situations we seemed to find ourselves in.

Jacks face was close to mine as he too swung back and forth on the thick rope.
"Why are you laughing?"
"At least we can suffer together huh Jack?" I teased.
"Aye,"

From here it was a waiting game, it was inevitable that the tribe would find us eventually and in truth, we hadn't even planned on being here but steering the ship in a drunken stupor and paying far more attention to each other than our heading had never got anywhere got before and so unsurprisingly we managed to return to the island that thought Jack was a god. Though this time knowing my own family I found it quite ironic. We didn't realise we were here when we both woke up cuddled together on the beach each holding a bottle of rum and no ship in sight until I stumbled into this trap.

"Why is that whenever I find you you're in some sort of situation that's not in your control?"

"Hey, Gaia." I skilled cheerfully.
"Hey Cel," She returned slicing her sword swiftly through the air cutting the ropes. Jack and I fell tangled together with a grunt.

"Gentle as always as I," Jack commented as we untangled ourselves and got to our feet.

Ngaio tackled me into a hug as soon as physically possible.
"Miss me much?" I teased holding her tightly.
"You missed me too," Ngaio declared punching me in the arm. "And im sure Jack did too."

"Aye, but we both know he'd never admit it," I grinned.

Jack pretended to not be paying attention until Ngaio grabbed him dragging into a small hug leaving Jack confused as we headed back to the Flying Dutchman.

"How did you get here?"

Jack and I both shrugged in response.
"I have a vague recollection of trying to get the boat to go as high in the air as I could manage but that's about it... How did you know we were here?"

"I was in Tortuga for supplies and heard people laughing about how you and Jack had gone to find an island to tell some people they picked the wrong person for a god," Ngaio explained chuckling.

"Makes sense." I shrugged.
"Aye, and they were wrong. Doubly wrong in fact given they're two of you," Jack added justifying our drunken decision.

I smiled upon seeing two ten-year-olds racing across the wet sands in their small brown boots towards us. They'd grown up so luck already and I felt a little disappointed that. This was the first time I was actually seeing them. Of course, I heard so many stories from Ngaio and Will but it wasn't quite the same. It's part of the life of a pirate though and the pirate's life is for me.

"Auntie Celeste!" The girl cried her brown hair flicking about as she rushed towards me. Whilst Storm threw herself into my arms gladly and I lifted her off the ground spinning her around a little.
"Hey there Miss creator of chaos," I laughed putting Storm back onto the sand. I looked at Atlas who was cautiously peering at Jack and I from behind Ngaio's legs. Storm proceeded to throw herself at Jack causing Ngaio and I burst out laughing. As Ngaio went to help Jack I walked to Atlas who looked a time nervously.
"Hey, you know who I am right?" I knelt down to his level ignoring the uncomfortable feeling on water seeping into trousers where I had knelt down.
"Auntie Celeste," He said quietly. I noticed the water running about his feet swirling about gently.
"I see you can do it too," I smiled pulling the water upwards and making it flow around my hand spiralling around my fingers. With this, some of his shy manner melted away hugging tightly before getting back to his mother. By this point, Storm was firmly planted on an awkward-looking Jack's shoulders.

"Having fun up there?" I asked with a laugh.y question was only met by giggles from the brunette as she played with Jack's hat much to my husband's dismay.
"Aye up there but not down here," Jack muttered.

"Come Will will be expecting us," Ngaio said linking her arm with mine and leading me to the water. Jack followed behind with Storm still happily perched on his leather-clad shoulders. Atlas came and took my hand I'm his as the water began to lap around our feet. Them with a small slurping sound we arrived on the deck of the Dutchman.

The Dutchman was very different to how it had been when I sailed aboard it. The sails were bright and for the most part intact. The floors were no longer coated in moss not decaying as they once were. Under Will, the ship had been restored to its former self and was thriving now the duties my father was once given by my mother were now being followed and obeyed. Jack was finally able to set Storm down and both twins went running to greet their father who smiled warmly at me in greeting.

"It's good to see you again Cel," Will said pulling me into a hug after putting the twins down.
"It's good to see ya too, Will," I replied with a small laugh.

"Catch Cel!" Ngaio called to my left. I turned to face her a saw a brown bottle flying at me. I caught it just in time.
"Maybe a little more warning next time Gaia," I laughed.

I pressed down on the cork between my teeth pulling the cork from the brown glass bottle freeing the liquid gold inside. I took a large swig enjoying the subtle burn as it went down. Soon all of us had a bottle in hand except for the kids of course though I had slipped storm a little of mine a couple of times when her parents weren't looking. I was determined to be the cool aunt.

"So let me get this straight..you and Jack we were taken captive on the Queen Anne's revenge. The first mate of which was Jack's ex-fiance?" Ngaio questioned bottle in hand.
"Aye, that's about right," Jack said, opening his second bottle.
"And she's still alive?" Will questioned.
"Who knows?" I shrugged lazily leaning against Jack's side whilst we sat on the table in the large room that still housed the organ my father was once so fond of playing.
"I'm surprised she survived the whole journey with how jealous Celeste gets," Ngaio teased.
"Says you!" I exclaimed. "Remember how you were when you found out Liz was with will?" I remarked silencing my sister.
"Touché," She muttered. The twins had been galavanting about chasing each other about the room fighting with two small wooden swords, which would eventually be exchanged for metal ones, but finally, their energy began to dwindle as the moon was high on the sky.

"Come on you two, time for bed," Ngaio said to the twins who, like any other children, complained loudly to our amusement. I gave Ngaio and hand putting the kids to bed stumbling only a little as I did so.

"So what are their full names again?" I questioned as we headed back to the others.
"Atlas Caspian Turner and Storm-"
"Celeste," I cut in.
"No, it's Storm-"
"Celeste!"
This went on practically all the way back to Jack and Will who, quite unsurprisingly, were looking at us in drunken bewilderment.
"What're you two arguing about now?" Jack asked now lying across the table.
"Will," I spoke in the sweetest voice. "Don't you think that Storms middle name should be Celeste?"
Will raised an eyebrow.
"That's what you two are arguing about?"
"Of course since when do we argue over anything serious?" Ngaio and I shared a laugh.
"Well I think Celie has a great idea there. Storm Celeste Turner sounds like a pretty good name to me," Jack chimed it.
"For once, I agree with Jack," Will declared with a curious look.
"Then it's decided." I clapped my hands together looking to my twin.
"Aye it is. I was just messing with you," Ngaio smirked lightly hitting me in the arm.