landfall: chapter 2
On a bright fateful morn, Jack Sparrow brings rumors of the Black Pearl and her crew of the damned to Port Royal. In theory, the ship should be no match for the dragon Tempest and his Captain Norrington — but the Pearl harbors dangerous shadows of her own.
or: potc, but temeraire, multi-chapter wip. sequel to windfall
A flash in the water catches her eye. The spine of a large fish breaks the surface. She peers closer and — no, it is not a fish, but Barbossa’s dark dragon, miraculously keeping pace with the Pearl. Lookout swims just below the surface of the water. His colors — black-blue scales with stark white dappling — make him nearly invisible to the untrained eye. Elizabeth watches him swim, entranced, her stubbed toe forgotten.
At midday Lookout finally bursts from the water. He circles the Pearl once, his wingbeat not unlike the snapping of sailcloth, then lands on the deck directly in front of the captain’s quarters. There is just enough space for him to curl around the capstan — his tail drapes over the side of the ship into the water, yes, but it must be comfortable enough, for he closes his eyes against the sun and relaxes to nap. The crew steps over his thick tail like he is a minor obstacle, clearly used to such behavior.
Elizabeth holds her breath. Perhaps the crew placed Lookout here to deter her from escaping (as though she has anywhere to go). They could not know that Elizabeth has spent most every day of the last three years in the immediate presence of a much larger dragon. With a rational amount of fear and not a mote more, Elizabeth crouches before the doors to the cabin and pushes one open, just slightly.
“Lookout? Can you understand me?” Elizabeth whispers.
Lookout’s ears flick irritably. “Yes,” he says. He opens his mouth only enough to growl the word.
“Then help me,” Elizabeth pleads. She inches forward. “I can offer you treasure beyond your imagination, amounts beyond what fits in a ship’s hoard.”
“Leave me be. Every human lies to get what they want. You are no different.”
(read here on ao3!)
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@emcads said : (for elizabeth) stays loose and ribbons dangling, the queen consort is in a delightful state of undress, and she turns with pleading eyes towards her king as if she were a lost kitten amongst all that linen and silk. ( for she's chosen a back-laced garment, almost certainly to have this very excuse ) "lace this for me?"
———ELIZABETH BITES DOWN upon her bottom lip to cut off the whimper rising within her. the pirate king does not have many weaknesses. but esmeralda in such a tempting array of undress, all silks and ribbons and teasing expression ( she knows what she is doing ), is certainly one of them. ❛ and what horrible sin have i committed to deserve such hellish punishment as this? ❜
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