Barbossa's Daughter

Chapter 38

"Me Cora," Barbossa called as he approached the stern where his daughter was drying off as she gazed at the horizon. "Ye may have paid a steep price to rid us of Jones and win us this battle, but the day be not over yet. There be still time for ye to say goodbye."

Her breath was shaky as she allowed her father to guide her to where a longboat was waiting to take her ashore, his arm wrapped around her.

"Don't worry, my darling Delia," Jack said before she could climb down into it. "We be waiting for you when the sun sets. Ain't no leaving our King behind."

And gave her uncle a pained smile. "I'm glad you learned yer lesson." And she kissed his cheek before she rowed out to the sandy shores, sticking her sword in the sand as she waited for who was to arrive next.

And her legs lifted her up from the rock she sat on as she watched a figure emerge from the water and then there was a sword crossed with hers in the sand. And she was running into Will's arms.

"Yer here!" she cried before she pulled back to look at his face and he smiled at her.

"I'm here."

And then her eyes trailed down to his chest. The sun was shining down on them as her fingers trailed the red scar that marred Will's chest and she could no longer feel the beating of his heart beneath it. "What does it feel like? Do you-do ye still-"

And Will couldn't take it anymore as he grabbed her hips and brought their lips together in a kiss that was passionate and harder than the pain they would both feel when the sun finally set.

"I still love you," Will confirmed when he pulled away. "Cutting my heart out of my chest didn't change that." She gave him a small smile before he said, "And to answer your question, it feels strange, to say the least. My feelings are still there but they feel dulled, like I can't quite reach them or feel them as deeply as I used to. My father said eventually I won't feel anything."

Her eyes widened. "Bootstrap! Is he-"

"He is fine," Will cut in. "He will serve aboard the Dutchman with me. It shall give me a chance to finally know my father, to know the man you knew."

"That is good," she said sadly as she continued to grip the material of his shirt. "Ye won't be alone at sea then."

Will lifted her eyes to look at him. "You saved my life. You and Jack. You have to know that if I could stay with you, I would. I want nothing more."

"I don't want to break yer heart," she spoke, repeating the words she said aboard the Dutchman. "I want it. I want you. I want ye to have my heart."

"It shall never be broken again by my hands," he swore before Cora shook her head as if shaking something off.

"Enough o' this sappy nonsense. I refuse to spend this time, whatever time we have left, like this."

Will raised a brow. "And how would you spend it?"

"With ye proving yer words. Prove to me how much ye love me, Captain Turner."

Will grinned. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

And their lips collided once more.

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The sun had never been warmer than when Cora lay with Will on top of their coats that they laid on the sand, Cora wearing Will's tunic as he was only in a pair of pants. Cora had definitely been with her fair share of men before but being with Will and making love was unlike anything she'd ever experienced. And she doubted she'd ever experience it again once the sun set but she tried not to think about it as she had a happy smile on her face as Will trailed a finger down her cheek.