High Tide
folder
Pirates of the Caribbean (All) › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
6
Views:
1,618
Reviews:
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Recommended:
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Currently Reading:
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Category:
Pirates of the Caribbean (All) › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
6
Views:
1,618
Reviews:
12
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Port Royal, Jamaica
Closeted away inside his office, Commodore James Norrington was pouring over charts and figures. At present he was plotting patrol schedules for the next month in effort to avoid the inevitable and imminent arrival of his wife in Port Royal. They had been married by proxy nearly four months prior and during the time since, James had repeatedly berated himself for his uncharacteristically rash behavior. The sound of approaching feet brought him out of his self-derision just as the governor appeared in the doorway.
“I hear congratulations are in order, my boy,” Governor Edward Swann said as he clapped the younger man on his shoulder. “Well done, lad. It’s about time too.”
“So it would seem,” the commodore replied.
In truth, James was apprehensive at best about his recent marriage. The circumstances surrounding his nuptials alone were enough to give him pause, let alone the fact that he’d actually gone through with the ordeal. However, one just did not simply welsh on a wager with James Sommerford. He had lost plain and simple and the price to be paid was that of marriage to his friend’s spinster niece. For the thousandth time that day, James cursed his own stupidity.
“And when does the lovely lady arrive?” the governor asked, oblivious to his young friend’s plight.
“With the morning tide, I am told. Apparently the ship goo good time and encountered little difficulty.”
“No sign of pirates?”
“None sir. While I disagreed with your making Sparrow a privateer, especially since we are not currently at war,” James said, hissing the word ‘privateer’ through clenched teeth, “I am grateful for the impact it has had on the state of affairs here in the Caribbean. It has been a most effective deterrent.”
“Yes, well, it didn’t seem right hanging the man after all he’d done for my family and myself.”
“Though it wasn’t for lack of trying.”
“Indeed, it was most fortunate that my son-in-law decided to come to Sparrow’s rescue. Otherwise, I doubt we’d be enjoying the current peaceful waters we now claim.”
“Perhaps you place too much faith in Sparrow’s abilities.”
“Bollocks. Young Turner was right. Sparrow is a good man. One I’m glad to count as a friend rather than a foe.”
“And yet, I doubt you’d trust him to…”
The Commodore’s next words were cut off by the announcement “Sail ho!” from the battlements of the fort. Picking up his spyglass, James strode out onto the bastion for a look. There on the horizon were the billowing white sails of the Relentless - a full day early.
“It would appear that my bride has arrived earlier than I expected,” James remarked as he shut the glass and returned to his office. “If you’ll excuse me, Governor, I feel it only proper that I greet the lady in person.”
“Of course, of course. I’ll send word round to Elizabeth and have her meet you there. Always good for a young woman to have lady-friends.”
“Yes, that would be most kind of you, sir. Excuse me.”
Send Elizabeth down indeed. That’s just what he needed: his former fiancée greeting his wife whom he’d not actually seen since she was a girl of thirteen. At the time, the Lady Jocelyn had been rather plump, with mousy brown hair and a constant frown. Though she could not be called ugly, she was a far cry from the beauty her mother had been. The one occasion that he’d met the girl, she had been sullen and unfriendly. Never mind that the girl had just lost her father and brother within days of each other.
James was certain of nothing save the fact that he’d managed to step in it this time. He’d been quite wild as a youth, taking on one adventure after another with Jason Sommerford and narrowly escaped trouble on most of those occasions. Often as a boy he’d been told that his sins would one day revisit him. Now, it seemed they had. One visit home to England in ten years and he d upd up married as a result.
It would take nearly half an hour for the ship to make it to it’s berth, allowing James the time he needed to calm his rising anger with the situation in which he now found himself. Pacing the length of the dock, he appeared a nervous groom to onlookers. However, his irritation would not be lessened and he quickened his pace, muttering choice words and unflattering epithets for Jason Sommerford as he waited.
A gentle hand on his arm stopped him in his tracks and James found himself looking into the concerned brown eyes of Elizabeth Turner. “Your father said he’d send you down,” he remarked.
“Yes, he did. Is everything alright, James? You seem a bit distraught,” Elizabeth replied.
“Everything is as it should be, madam. Thank you for your concern.”
“Don’t get all stuffy on me, James Norrington. I came down here for you, not for your wife. We were friends once, you and I.”
“We are friends, Mrs. Tur – Elizabeth. And I am most grateful for your continued friendship. I don’t believe I have offered my congratulations. How are you feeling?”
Smiling broadly, Elizabeth ran a hand over her rounding belly. “I am quite well. Though I confess I tire more easily than I would like. Will is forever fussing at me to rest. I had to sneak out of the house in order to come down here today.”
“Do not let me keep you. If you are tired, go and rest. I do not want to be the cause of any discord between you and your husband.”
“Posh,” she scoffed. “There is always discord between Will and I. It keeps life interesting. No, I shall wait here with you. Besides, your wife knows no one here, least of all you. I have a feeling she’s going to need a friendly face when all is said and done.”
“What is that supposed to mean, madam? Do you believe that I will make the lady unhappy?”
Laughing light-heartedly, Elizabeth tapped him on the arm with her fan. “You, James Norrington, are quite possibly the stuffiest man I have ever known.”
“I beg your pardon?” he asked, incredulous.
“You heard me. Please do not take insult. I truly meant no offense. What I’m trying to say is that your wife has been uprooted from all that she knows. Having had a similar experience when I was a girl, I hope to extend my friendship to her.”
“Thank you, Elizabeth.”
“You’re welcome, James. Ah, I believe you might want to straighten your hat. Here comes the lady now.”
Caught off guard, James turned so quickly that his tricorn tilted precariously on his head and finally fell to the water unnoticed as he looked upon his wife’s face for the first time.
“Shut your mouth, James. It’s most impolite,” Elizabeth admonished with a grin.
Port Royal, Jamaica
Closeted away inside his office, Commodore James Norrington was pouring over charts and figures. At present he was plotting patrol schedules for the next month in effort to avoid the inevitable and imminent arrival of his wife in Port Royal. They had been married by proxy nearly four months prior and during the time since, James had repeatedly berated himself for his uncharacteristically rash behavior. The sound of approaching feet brought him out of his self-derision just as the governor appeared in the doorway.
“I hear congratulations are in order, my boy,” Governor Edward Swann said as he clapped the younger man on his shoulder. “Well done, lad. It’s about time too.”
“So it would seem,” the commodore replied.
In truth, James was apprehensive at best about his recent marriage. The circumstances surrounding his nuptials alone were enough to give him pause, let alone the fact that he’d actually gone through with the ordeal. However, one just did not simply welsh on a wager with James Sommerford. He had lost plain and simple and the price to be paid was that of marriage to his friend’s spinster niece. For the thousandth time that day, James cursed his own stupidity.
“And when does the lovely lady arrive?” the governor asked, oblivious to his young friend’s plight.
“With the morning tide, I am told. Apparently the ship goo good time and encountered little difficulty.”
“No sign of pirates?”
“None sir. While I disagreed with your making Sparrow a privateer, especially since we are not currently at war,” James said, hissing the word ‘privateer’ through clenched teeth, “I am grateful for the impact it has had on the state of affairs here in the Caribbean. It has been a most effective deterrent.”
“Yes, well, it didn’t seem right hanging the man after all he’d done for my family and myself.”
“Though it wasn’t for lack of trying.”
“Indeed, it was most fortunate that my son-in-law decided to come to Sparrow’s rescue. Otherwise, I doubt we’d be enjoying the current peaceful waters we now claim.”
“Perhaps you place too much faith in Sparrow’s abilities.”
“Bollocks. Young Turner was right. Sparrow is a good man. One I’m glad to count as a friend rather than a foe.”
“And yet, I doubt you’d trust him to…”
The Commodore’s next words were cut off by the announcement “Sail ho!” from the battlements of the fort. Picking up his spyglass, James strode out onto the bastion for a look. There on the horizon were the billowing white sails of the Relentless - a full day early.
“It would appear that my bride has arrived earlier than I expected,” James remarked as he shut the glass and returned to his office. “If you’ll excuse me, Governor, I feel it only proper that I greet the lady in person.”
“Of course, of course. I’ll send word round to Elizabeth and have her meet you there. Always good for a young woman to have lady-friends.”
“Yes, that would be most kind of you, sir. Excuse me.”
Send Elizabeth down indeed. That’s just what he needed: his former fiancée greeting his wife whom he’d not actually seen since she was a girl of thirteen. At the time, the Lady Jocelyn had been rather plump, with mousy brown hair and a constant frown. Though she could not be called ugly, she was a far cry from the beauty her mother had been. The one occasion that he’d met the girl, she had been sullen and unfriendly. Never mind that the girl had just lost her father and brother within days of each other.
James was certain of nothing save the fact that he’d managed to step in it this time. He’d been quite wild as a youth, taking on one adventure after another with Jason Sommerford and narrowly escaped trouble on most of those occasions. Often as a boy he’d been told that his sins would one day revisit him. Now, it seemed they had. One visit home to England in ten years and he d upd up married as a result.
It would take nearly half an hour for the ship to make it to it’s berth, allowing James the time he needed to calm his rising anger with the situation in which he now found himself. Pacing the length of the dock, he appeared a nervous groom to onlookers. However, his irritation would not be lessened and he quickened his pace, muttering choice words and unflattering epithets for Jason Sommerford as he waited.
A gentle hand on his arm stopped him in his tracks and James found himself looking into the concerned brown eyes of Elizabeth Turner. “Your father said he’d send you down,” he remarked.
“Yes, he did. Is everything alright, James? You seem a bit distraught,” Elizabeth replied.
“Everything is as it should be, madam. Thank you for your concern.”
“Don’t get all stuffy on me, James Norrington. I came down here for you, not for your wife. We were friends once, you and I.”
“We are friends, Mrs. Tur – Elizabeth. And I am most grateful for your continued friendship. I don’t believe I have offered my congratulations. How are you feeling?”
Smiling broadly, Elizabeth ran a hand over her rounding belly. “I am quite well. Though I confess I tire more easily than I would like. Will is forever fussing at me to rest. I had to sneak out of the house in order to come down here today.”
“Do not let me keep you. If you are tired, go and rest. I do not want to be the cause of any discord between you and your husband.”
“Posh,” she scoffed. “There is always discord between Will and I. It keeps life interesting. No, I shall wait here with you. Besides, your wife knows no one here, least of all you. I have a feeling she’s going to need a friendly face when all is said and done.”
“What is that supposed to mean, madam? Do you believe that I will make the lady unhappy?”
Laughing light-heartedly, Elizabeth tapped him on the arm with her fan. “You, James Norrington, are quite possibly the stuffiest man I have ever known.”
“I beg your pardon?” he asked, incredulous.
“You heard me. Please do not take insult. I truly meant no offense. What I’m trying to say is that your wife has been uprooted from all that she knows. Having had a similar experience when I was a girl, I hope to extend my friendship to her.”
“Thank you, Elizabeth.”
“You’re welcome, James. Ah, I believe you might want to straighten your hat. Here comes the lady now.”
Caught off guard, James turned so quickly that his tricorn tilted precariously on his head and finally fell to the water unnoticed as he looked upon his wife’s face for the first time.
“Shut your mouth, James. It’s most impolite,” Elizabeth admonished with a grin.