Chapter 23
The Right Thing
I felt the comfort of warm water drip against my back as I slowly opened my eyes. The first thing to come into my observation was a pile of blood stained rags lying along the ground. I tilted my head over to my side and looked up to see my mother dabbing another cloth into a bowl and then ringing it out. Her eyes were filled with tears.
“Mother?” I sat up slowly rubbing my eyes. “Where am I?”
“Aurora, do not move too hastily,” Mother cautioned, putting her hand on my arm as I sat up. “You have lost a lot of blood.
As I scanned the room, I observed a neat British style room similar to the one I spoke with Mother before, only this one was smaller. I had been placed on a soft feather bed so she could treat my wounds. Feeling movement as I placed my feet on the ground, I concluded that we must be on a ship.
“Mother, where am I?” I repeated in a darker tone.
Still ignoring the question, she placed her hand briefly over her mouth and let out a frustrated breath. “Oh, Aurora, why couldn’t you have just stayed before. This could have been avoided.”
“Beckett,” I uttered in a tone filled with bitterness as I recalled what happened. “Just wait until I get my hands on him.”
The moment I stood up, fiercely, my mind grew clouded with dizziness. I was forced to grab on the Mother’s arm for support and she gently sat me back down.
“Aurora, you have already lost too much blood and your wounds remain open,” Mother warned. “If you lose any more blood then you could die. We all thought you were going to, but Beckett ordered…”
“He had Jones do just enough to weaken me,” I interjected realizing the epiphany. “He knew just what I was planning.”
“And what would that be, Aurora?” Mother stammered, rising to her feet. “Whatever it was nearly got you killed. Who were you even doing this for, Jack? Is he really worth it?”
“Its more than just Jack?” I protested, positioning my hands firmly by my side.
Mother folded her arms. “Oh really, and what then might it be?”
“I, uh…”
Before I could finish we heard a knock on the door. At Mother’s beckoning, a British soldier entered, standing up straight and proper.
“Lord Beckett requests an audience with the Lady Aurora,” he stated firmly.
Lady Aurora?
“Absolutely not!” Mother fumed causing him to take a step back. “Can you not see she is in no condition for that?”
“I am sorry, my lady,” He muttered rather intimidated. “It is Lord Beckett’s wishes.”
I stood up more slowly this time. “Fine, I will go.” I turned my head to Mother and shrugged. “I better see what he wants.”
As I walked over to the soldier he put his hand up and insisted, “Lord Beckett wishes you to be presented as a lady?”
When I just starred at him blankly, he motioned to a maid, carrying an ivory flowered dress, to come forward.
I rolled my eyes and let out a huff. “You have got to be kidding me.”
Deciding it was best not to waste time debating something this trivial, I agreed to wear the dress. Mother helped me assemble it, which took an unnecessary amount of time, while the man waited outside.
“Ouch!” I put my hand on my back as she tied the corset. “Why does this have to be so tight?”
“It is suppose to be tighter actually,” Mother pointed out. “It is just because…” She let out a heavy breath. “The bleeding still has not stopped. Aurora, I want you to promise me you will come straight back here once he is finished with you. Do you understand?”
“Fine,” I grumbled as I headed to the door. “I promise.”
I was then led to another room, which consisted of Lord Beckett along with Davy Jones and Will. They appeared to be discussing Calypso. I had heard that name on the Dutchman before, but every time I asked Jones of her, he would grew cold and immediately change the subject. Now, he appeared enraged by this topic.
The moment I stepped into the room, they went silent, their eyes turning to me, except for Jones’s, who instead forced his downward.
“Who is Calypso?” I asked, approaching the table where they sat.
“Never mind that,” Davy Jones growled and then turned furiously to Beckett. “She is not supposed to be here. Get her out!”
“Aurora’s whereabouts are no longer of your concern, Davy Jones,” Beckett replied in a calm yet cool tone.
“She belonged to me first!” Jones bellowed, “and I will not have her here now!”
As they continued to argue, I sat down next to Will and whispered, “Does he mean the Goddess, Calypso?”
Will nodded as my eyes fell to Jones’s locket lying on the table. I began to finger the heart shaped jewel.
“Jones was the one who imprisoned her,” Will explained softly. “He felt she betrayed him.”
With that information, I immediately rose up, ignoring my light-headedness, and went over to Davy Jones.
“Calypso is the one who did this to you, isn’t she?” I asked Jones, just as he was about to retort something else to Beckett. “She is the one who put you on the Dutchman in the first place and she is the reason you cut out your heart.” When he kept his eyes down, I demanded, “Look at me!”
“Enough of this,” Beckett interjected, motioning his hand to the chair I was sitting in. “Let us return to business.”
As he continued to negotiate with Will over the terms of the Black Pearl along with Will’s father, I thought more on Calypso. Somehow, in a way I do not yet know, she may be the solution to this mess.
“Now,” Beckett continued, “For the time being, I will need someone in charge of the Flying Dutchman. That person will be…” He paused as his eyes fell on to me, “Aurora.”
Not expecting that, I gaped at him. “Me?”
“Yes,” Beckett continued as he gradually paced the room. “After all, you do have connections with both the Dutchman and now to me. You can represent both.”
I could tell by the way he said that, there was more to it than just mere representation. Soon, I found out just what that was.
Beckett walked over next to where I sat and added, “Since you are well familiar with the Flying Dutchman I will need you to lead the ship to the Black Pearl, and I want its captains brought to me.”
“No!” I turned to face him in fury. “I will not give you Jack!” Or Barbossa.
Beckett then placed his hand on my shoulder, digging his fingers into one of my wounds. “I do not believe you have a choice, Aurora.”
I let out a small gasp, trying not to show I was in too much pain, and managed a nod. I noticed Will giving me a concerned look, but I just shook my head and looked over to Davy Jones, who still refused to look at me.
The moment our meeting was concluded, Jones stormed out. I rushed after him.
“Wait!” I called out, picking up my dress so I could move faster. “Stop! You have to listen to me now, remember?”
Coming to a dead stop, Jones whirled around and demanded, “What?”
“I want to talk to you more about Calypso,” I uttered more softly.
Jones just starred at me for a few moments before asking softly, “What about her?”
I took a step towards him and began with caution. “If we were to free her, would she help us? Could she get us out of this?”
“Calypso aids no one but herself,” Jones growled, his eyes pointed downward.
“Well, maybe if helping us would somehow benefit her then she would do it,” I suggested as I stepped beside him and gazed out into the ocean. “After all, even I came back to free you because it benefitted me.”
He turned to look at me furiously. “No it did not. You are lucky to even be alive right now, and trust me, that will not last. The moment Beckett decides you have outlived your usefulness then it will be over for you.”
I stared at him, finding myself at a loss for words.
Jones then turned to walk away, but briefly turned his head back and muttered, “Trust me, Aurora, no one can save us now.”
xXx
That evening, instead of retuning to my mother as I promised, I lingered outside, leaning of the side of the ship, staring out onto the glistening ocean. I could feel the sticky blood seeping through the back of my dress. After every moment passed, my body felt weaker. I wondered if what Jones said is true. Would I be put to death once Beckett decides I am no longer of any use? Perhaps I am already dying now and that was his original intention, to keep me alive just long enough for his benefit.
“Aurora?”
Still feeling dazed, I turned my head and saw Will approaching me.
“What happened?” he asked, looking at my back.
“Beckett is what happened,” I answered darkly and then let out a sigh. “I tried to go after heart.”
Looking surprised at first, Will, too, sighed, as he leaned on the rail next to me. “That is quite a big risk.”
“Yeah, well, I did it to save…” I let out a huff, “to save myself.”
Will eyed me curiously. “Just you?”
I groaned and muttered reluctantly, “Maybe for a few others as well.”
“If I did not know better, Aurora, I would say you were trying to do the right thing.”
I turned and looked into his eyes. “If I did not know better, I would say you were doing the exact opposite, considering your betrayal.”
“I suppose we both have changed,” he muttered turning his head away. “Its just that I have to free my father, no matter the costs.”
“I know,” I uttered soothingly. “I understand that now.”