Battling Destiny

If you’re an Elizabeth fan then you’re probably not going to enjoy this chapter……consider yourself warned!

Thanks for the reviews! Keep them coming!


Chapter 2

Smiling at fates irony, Destiny climbed the stairs to her room. She had always pictured her beloved to be someone who fell in love with her at first sight, someone who was determined to make her his at their first spoken words, someone who could barely contain his passion for her.

What was in store for her instead was a skeptical, extremely logical, focused on his career military man that was deeply in love with someone else. He was handsome to be sure, those green eyes were enough to effect the oldest of women, but the fact that he thought her unhinged and irritating darkened his appeal.

There were no doubts in her mind of his opinion of her. Even if he had not made his feelings obvious the man’s thoughts were an open book to her, waiting to be waded through.

From the moment she had touched his arm at the party she had known that Commodore Norrington was the one she was intended for. She had three months to prove it but she wasn’t sure it was enough time. He was tough.

She pushed the door to her room open and crossed to her vanity so she could begin pulling the pins from her hair. Destiny knew all about tough naval men. Her grandfather was an admiral, her father was an admiral, her uncle was an admiral, her oldest brother was well on his way with his position as commander, and her two other brothers were lieutenants. They were easily the best men she knew.

Though Commodore Norrington had certainly not presented his best side tonight, her uncle’s extravagance had obviously thrown the practical James to a place well outside his comfort zone, she knew he was a man of equal caliber.

The warmth and adoration she sensed he had for the other woman was enough to convince her of that fact. He possessed the type of love that she yearned for…it was just directed at the wrong woman. For the moment anyway.

She wasn’t worried, she had destiny on her side. They would next meet at his promotion ceremony and she would leave a new impression on him.

The good commodore needed some shaking up and she was just the person to do that, she thought as she pushed the door to the balcony open and stood in the warm night air.

James felt the tension easing from his body as he was finally able to leave the party. It had been five hours of near torture and he took a moment to just breathe the fresh air and look at the stars.

He gazed up to instead find Miss Overland illuminated on her balcony, drawing a comb through her long hair. She too was gazing up and he felt secure in the darkness of night to observe her in her unaffected state.

She was humming melodiously and looked lost in her own thoughts. Again he was struck with the comparison to a porcelain doll as he took in the smoothness of her pale skin. James could admit that the woman was beautiful but she was even more striking in the moonlight. Her thick chestnut hair had been freed from its pins and was cascading in waves down her back, the breeze lifting it gently.

Destiny was perfectly aware that James was watching her from below. He was trying to get a feel for her and she’d allow him that. It proved that she had intrigued him. The man was a thinker and needed this opportunity to judge her character.

They continued that way for a long while, she gazing at the beautiful stars in the clear night sky and he gazing at her in the moonlight, until finally the days excitement caught up with her and exhaustion set in. She yawned and stretched before heading inside.

James stood there for a full five minutes after Miss Overland had gently closed the drapes. He couldn’t deny that he certainly found her bewitching and that perturbed him worse than anything else that happened in the course of the evening.

In a weeks time James found himself ready to attend his promotional ceremony. He was anxious but excited and the carriage ride seemed to take an eternity.

He was in his finest regalia and, much to his annoyance, wearing his freshly curled dress wig. He hated to admit it but Miss Overland had been right about it being lopsided.

No sooner than he thought her name did he spot her.

His breath slammed into his chest and for a moment he forgot to exhale. She looked stunning and he didn’t fail to notice the number of admiring glances she received. Her violet blue eyes met his across the room and she smiled ardently before gliding toward him.

The red velvet dress had a daring cut in the bodice that allowed a teasing glimpse of her cleavage. Sections of her hair had been pulled into a braid that wound around her head, exposing the graceful line of her neck, with the rest spilling in curls down past her bottom.

James was surrounded by the smell of lavender and instantly felt off balance when she stopped in front of him.

“Congratulations Admiral Norrington.” She said serenely.

“Thank you. But I’m not an admiral yet.” James replied cautiously, unsure what her angle was this time.

“Soon.” She promised. “I bought you a gift.”

“You didn’t have to do that Miss Overland.” He said with surprise.

“I wanted to. Consider it a peace offering.” She said with a warm smile as she handed him the slim box.

A new facet to a many faceted woman, James mused.

He opened the box to find a shiny gold dagger with an emerald crusted in the tang. He slipped the box under his arm pulled sheath from the blade and light glinted off razor sharp silver.

“The emerald reminded me of your eyes but now that I think about it sapphire would have matched your uniform.”

“It’s gorgeous.” He finally managed, wondering why her notation of his eye color pleased him.

“A dagger is the traditional gift in my family when one of them gets a promotion, and with a father and three brothers on active duty it happens often.” She shared.

An emotion he dared not name coursed through his blood. “Thank you.” He managed softly meeting her gaze.

“You’re welcome.” She said just as quietly.

“James?” Came a female voice from behind him.

It took a moment for it to register someone was speaking to him but when he realized who it was he jumped back guiltily.

“Elizabeth!” He said, suddenly flustered. He felt as if he had been doing something dishonest and he’d been caught.

So this is the woman he is in love with, Destiny noted.

“You look lovely.” He rushed on. “Thank you so much for coming. Is the governor here?”

James noted that she wasn’t even listening as she stared curiously at the dagger and Miss Overland. He stuffed the dagger sheepishly in his coat pocket, again feeling as if he had been caught doing something wrong.

“Forgive me. Elizabeth Swann this is Destiny Overland….she’s Admiral Overland’s niece.” He said as if he were trying to make an excuse on why he why he was speaking to her.

“We met at my uncle’s party last week. Nice to see you again.” Destiny said with a friendly smile.

“Did we? I don’t recall.” Elizabeth lied icily as she eyed her challengingly.

Elizabeth Swann does not want James nor does she want anyone else to have him. How selfish, Destiny thought.

“I have exciting news James. I’m engaged.” Elizabeth said.

Destiny’s eyes flew to James and she watched as he quickly hid a crestfallen expression.
Oh you vicious woman. How could you ruin his promotion ceremony, Destiny thought angrily, disliking her more with every passing second.

“Engaged? Indeed?” He said slowly. “Congratulations.”

Even though James had known Elizabeth didn’t return his love he had always harbored a hope that one day she would. Now that his heart had shattered into a million pieces he saw how foolish that hope was.

There was an uncomfortable silence until he said, “Will you excuse me? I think the ceremony is about to begin.”

Destiny stood there a moment alone with Elizabeth debating whether to speak her mind or not. In the end she could not bite her tongue. “Don’t pretend to not know what you have done. Your news could and should have been held until tomorrow. Ruining his evening was completely narcissistic. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

“And what do you know of it Miss Overland?” Elizabeth said coldly.

“I know many things.” Destiny replied evenly.

“It’s not my fault he is in love with me.” Elizabeth said.

“Isn’t it?” Destiny said before turning on her heel and returning to her uncle’s side.

The ceremony mercifully began and Destiny could feel her heart breaking for him as she watched him go through the motions. To the outside onlooker everything appeared normal but she could see the sadness in those green eyes.

She knew he wasn’t feeling the pride and happiness he should be. He wasn’t experiencing anything other than pain and it was more than she had ever felt in another in her entire existence.