Oh no…
Was Will asking about the coin?
He hadn't so much as mentioned it to her in all these years and now he was bringing it up?
Was… was this whole thing about the coin from the start?
Was his proposal just an excuse to get close and take it back?
Why was he asking in such a roundabout way? Was he going to take it and run? Was he going to become a pirate? Was he-
"Elizabeth?" Will's voice drew her out of her thoughts.
"Yes?" Elizabeth's voice was a bit higher than she meant it to sound.
"Are you alright?" Will was practically oozing so much concern for her that she couldn't help but to let her worries wash away.
Elizabeth looked to the door, listening closely for any approaching footsteps and hearing none. She turned back to Will and dug into her neckline.
Will looked away with a sudden blush on his cheeks. He was just too cute; it wasn't like she was undressing.
"Do you think this was what your… friend was asking you about?" Elizabeth asked, holding a coin in her cupped hands along with the chain it was attached to. It was large, made of gold, and inlaid with an intricate skull.
Will hazarded a look back, as if he wasn't sure she would be decent when he did. He then cast his gaze to her most prized possession.
"This…" Will muttered. "Why is this so familiar to me?"
"When we first met, when you were pulled out of the sea, I found it on you," Elizabeth revealed, then hastened to explain. "I thought you'd be taken for a pirate if they found it on you! I- I couldn't leave you to that fate, so I hid it..."
"Okay," Will said, completely unfazed. "It does look kind of creepy, but not really dangerous like Miss Harpin suggested."
Elizabeth blinked. She wasn't expecting him to just accept that she had taken something from him on their very first meeting. Let alone something as valuable as gold.
"I think… maybe my father sent it to me?" Will rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I don't remember why, though. I think he just told me to keep it safe."
"We're the only ones who even know I have it!" Elizabeth rushed out. "So… it's been pretty safe… I guess. Do you want it back?"
Will shook his head, surprising her once again. "No. Miss Harpin just wanted me to confirm what it was. She said she can't be sure it won't harm you if it's taken from you."
"It could hurt me?" Elizabeth asked. That was a little worrying, especially with how often she has slept with it. "How could it do that? Poison?"
Will shook his head. "I asked that as well. Miss Harpin said it was like magic, only not stupid and made up."
"I find that difficult to believe," Elizabeth scrunched up her face in a way that was probably less than attractive.
"I said that too," Will agreed. "She then called me stupid, pulled out the strangest pistol I'd ever seen, and shot a stream of sugary dark beverage into my face. Then she soaked all the clothes I was wearing for good measure and forced me to go clean up and change before I came to meet you. Given that she doused me with more of that drink than could have been stored in that little firearm, I suppose she meant it as a demonstration."
"Really?" Elizabeth felt a strange thrill of wonder at the story. "I'd like to see it sometime. Was the beverage any good?"
"It was interesting, but I'm not sure I liked it. I suppose the taste was alright, if a bit too sweet, but the bubbles were unsettling," Will reviewed.
"Bubbles?" Elizabeth was very interested now. "Like Champagne?"
"I haven't had Champagne before, I wouldn't know," Will admitted.
"We'll have some at our wedding, then!" Elizabeth clasped her hands together in excitement. "Oh, but that won't be for a while now, will it? We can get some sometime later this week!"
Before Will could say any more, Muriel burst into the room with a tea cart and Elizabeth hid the coin away hurriedly.
Muriel refused to leave them alone again, so they had some somewhat stiff small talk before Will left for the day.
…
The very moment Will was outside line of sight with the Manor, Cherry dropped down next to him as he walked.
"You look like you can't believe something just happened to you," Cherry commented.
"She said yes," Will said. "I just blurted out the marriage proposal the instant I saw her like an idiot, and she still said yes!"
"Damn, she's really got the hots for you, huh?" Cherry nodded. "Must be that pretty face. You make Norrington look like a frog in comparison, and he isn't all that bad looking himself."
"I'm sure that she wouldn't just agree to marry me for such a shallow reason," Will defended.
"Confident too, I see," Cherry smirked. "Think you're the whole package, do you? You make a nice sword, but ladies don't usually care for that sort of thing."
Cherry snapped her fingers. "That must be it! She's a princess-knight type!"
"A what?" Will squirreled up his face in confusion.
"You know, the type of spoiled heiress that longs for adventure!" Cherry nodded emphatically. "I bet she'd love it if you made a sword for her. You should offer to teach her to use it, too! That's a great idea for a first date."
"I think so, as well," Robin said, making Will flinch from her sudden appearance on his other side. "I actually think she hates those dresses even more than you do, darling."
"I can imagine so!" Cherry concurred. "She actually has to wear them! You certainly have a type, William. Hehe~"
"I do not have a crush on you," Will denied.
"Sure, sure, I get it," Cherry winked at him. "You only have eyes for Elizabeth and never so much as look at other women except to make appropriate eye contact."
"That's right," Will confirmed, knowing full well she was being sarcastic but choosing to take it literally.
Cherry tugged on her collar and laughed loudly when his gaze twitched downwards for a split second.
"So when is the wedding?" Robin asked, giving the man an escape route from her tease of a wife.
"Elizabeth argued with the Governor and arranged it tentatively for a year from now. Something about curbing rumors of a pregnancy forcing the betrothal," Will explained.
"You wouldn't have to worry about any of that if you two elope," Cherry suggested. "We'd gladly take you with us, especially if Elizabeth wants adventure."
"I appreciate the offer, but I believe Elizabeth cares deeply for her father, however frustrating she may find him in regards to her romantic life," Will said.
"That's rather insightful of you. You gathered that much from your brief visits?" Cherry asked, looking intrigued.
"The maids like to talk," Will admitted.
"Especially to a pretty boy like you, eh?" Cherry barked a laugh and nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "I bet they thought they'd have a shot with you when you gave up on Elizabeth!"
"I don't think Marianne-" Will began.
"She has a name too!" Cherry lost it. "Oh, I feel so bad for this poor girl. Don't you, my dear?"
"It is rather rude for you to lead a girl on, William," Robin chastised.
Will wasn't sure if he could handle traveling with these two, even if it came down to running away with Elizabeth.