Elizabeth Swann's Sister

50. Warm Milk And Telling The Truth.

I walked around the right side of it and sat down, whilst father walked around the opposite side and did the same. We both sat down not saying a word to each other for a while, I longingly stared into the fire, I did it for a long time it started to burn and sting my eyes so I had to take my eyes from it. "Are you feeling any better dear?". Father was first to break the silence between us. I turned slowly to look at him, half sleepy and in daydream land. "Hmmm, oh yes much better thank you father". The last bit I muffled with my hand, covering a yawn. "Ooo someone's a tad sleepy aren't we?". Father mocked slightly, as he gently ran a finger up and down my cheek. "Just a little, I suppose the journey back home has made me this way". I chuckled slightly, before glancing down to my hands. "Has thee doctor been to see you yet?". Again muffling another yawn, "Oh yes he came to see me before I came down here". I told him. "Did he say everything was alright?". He asked. "Oh yes, he told me that I should suffer no more infections and that my wounds should heal up nicely in a few more weeks or so". "Oh that's excellent news". Father beamed and sighed with relief, as he leant over towards me and kissed me on the forehead.

I smiled in response to his actions, as he reached up and pinched my nose, making us both chuckle. I yawned once more and stretched my arms up towards the ceiling, as I nestled futher into the sette and began to feel my eyes slowly closing. I was nearly nodding off, before I felt movement beside me and I realised that father had gotten up from the sette and began to walk over towards the trunk, he had kept within the corner of his room. Through my sleepy eyes, I realised that he had pulled out a blanket, as he gently closed the lid and made his way back over to me, carefully placing it on me as I sleepily started to pull it up further towards my shoulders. "Sorry darling, didn't mean to startle you". He whispered. "It's alright father, you brought me down here to speak with me and I'm being insufferably rude and falling asleep". I yawned out again. He sat down beside me again and gently stroked the top of my head, being careful to mind my bandage. "It's quite alright darling, you can't help feeling tired, what I wanted to talk to you about can wait till tomorrow, after the hanging". He whispered, as he continued to stroke my hair.

I was slowly beginning to close my eyes again, as my head slumped further back, on to the back of the sette. I must have shocked myself at the sudden drop I had felt, as I jolted my eyes awake, before scrunching them shut and opening them as wide as I could, in order to help myself wake up. "No father please do go on, I shall try my hardest to keep awake, what was it you wished to talk to me about?". I asked him. He sighed slightly, before he took his hands in mine and squeezed them. There was silence between us, as he looked me dead in the eyes, as I did him. Inhaling sharply and letting it out again, Father finally broke the silence. "Anne darling what I wished to talk to you about, was a matter that had occurred upon the Dauntless the night we were attacked". He paused briefly and looked over into the fire. "Go on father, what is it your trying to ask me?". I said, as I lifted myself further up onto the sette. "Very well, why were you hiding underneath the desk crying, when I had found you, you were in a right state my heart was breaking for you too see you like that and I wish to never see it again". He soothed, placing a hand up to my cheek and caressing it.

"I told you father, twas because I was thinking about mother was all". I told him. He let out what seemed like a frustrated sigh. "Anne, please try and not lie to me, I know you miss your mother a lot, a hell of a lot in fact but I have never seen you cry so hysterically like that before, so I know it must not have been because of that reason". He said. I bit my lip and turned away from him, as I too stared into the fire, trying to think of a way out of telling him, what I was truly crying for, but it twas no use, I was too tired to come up with anything, I suppose now is the time to tell him the truth. "Father I". I was cut off by him. "Is it because of some boy, is that it?". He soothed, as he gripped my hand tighter and moved a bit closer to me. I stared at him in shock, did he already know and was he just trying to hear it from my own mouth, I'm sure by now my eyes were a total giveaway, as I'm sure by now they were bugling out of my head.