Safe Haven (in nine parts)

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THE FIRST PART

The almost imperceptible rocking of the ship threatened to lull Captain James Norrington into sleep. He had been staring at the same map for some time now, but his mind refused to concentrate, preferring instead to drift away from the tedious business of running the ship and the long uneventful voyage they were on; seeking refuge from his struggles with command, his boredom - and his loneliness. Better to just sit and let time flow by, let the routine take care of the ship and just wait for another day to be over.

He had enjoyed his stay in the Caribbean. He didn’t particularly want to go, but governor Swann had thought it best - for his daughter’s sake, and for his. He wasn't expected to report to his new station in Singapore for some time, so Norrington had taken the liberty to stay in calmer weather for some time longer. In hindsight, that may have been a mistake. The detour had given him too much time to be alone and too much time to think.

He would miss her, the only woman he ever considered marrying. It would have been a fine match. But Norrington had accepted her choice and he knew she wouldn't regret it. He might have given her love and devotion, but the young Turner could give her true passion. She deserved that.

He had the Dauntless and her crew for company now. He already knew most of them, from his days as a lieutenant, but now it was different. He was their captain. He hadn't expected it to be this hard - to be tried this much. He had thought himself the same man, essentially - except in title. But it seemed that the title carried more weight for others than it did for him. He now was the line that others tried to cross; he was the judgment for every little dispute; he was responsible for everything that went wrong.

He didn't think himself a harsh man, but it the end it was his duty to command, to draw the line, to pass judgment. And that set him further apart than he had imagined. He felt their dislike like a weight around his neck. The slow journey and the crew's boredom only seemed to make things worse. Whenever he was among the men, he felt himself constantly watched - and judged. So more and more of his time was now spend in solitude.

***

WHITE mist gathered all around,

Obscuring all from view.

Day and night and night and day

This shroud was all I knew.

I was alone so many days,

I wished for death to come.

But angels did not heed me

And the Saints I called stayed dumb.

Helpless and in agony,

I would lie upon the deck.

But it seemed my life was tied to me

Like the bird around my neck.

And so I drifted, for time untold

In hunger and in thirst.

With my lifeless friends reminding me

Of the fact that I was cursed.

Then one day the fog had cleared,

Before the sun's advance.

I thought I saw over the sea

A ship far in the distance!

I could not move, I could not scream,

As I saw the sails appear.

Was this another devil ship,

To fill my heart with fear?

I dared not even take a breath,

As I watched it coming near.

THE SECOND PART

The call for 'sails in sight' rudely awoke the Captain from his slumbers. It took him a minute to compose himself and check his uniform before he was ready to go up on deck to see what the commotion was about. His First Lieutenant Gillette, who was already waiting for him on the ship's prow, stood up yet a little straighter when he arrived. Norrington pulled out his telescope to take a closer look at the ship that appeared on the horizon.

He could see they were closing in on a medium sized merchant vessel flying British colors. The ship seemed to be adrift and in a poor state. He couldn’t see any crew onboard. This was curious indeed - victim of a pirate's raid, perhaps?

“Take us alongside,” he ordered without taking his eye off the spyglass. He heard his order being repeated along the chain of command, but paid no notice to it. He quickly made a sweep along the horizon to check for any black flags - or black sails - but saw none.

Most of the crew had now gathered around him, glad of the diversion in their monotonous day. The wind was gentle and slowly they got a better look at the ship they were approaching. He heard the whispers and mumbles of 'Lord help us…' around him as the ship finally came close enough to inspect her decks. Norrington could see stacks of bodies spread out all over the ship. None seemed alive.

Finally they drew alongside and Norrington ordered to throw out the boarding hooks. The crew of the Dauntless had fallen eerily silent now that they had a clear view of the devastation on the other ship. Nobody seemed eager to go across. Being the Captain, Norrington knew it was up to him to act.

“Gillette, come with me,” he ordered as he stepped down to the quarterdeck.

“Aye, Sir,” his lieutenant responded without much enthusiasm.

Paying no mind to all the eyes followed them; they carefully climbed across and stepped onto the other boat. They had to wend their steps carefully through the scattered bodies while they made a quick survey of the decks. It was clear that none of these men were alive and that all of them had died only recently.

“Dear God…what has happened here?” Gillette crossed himself and mumbled part of a prayer. He was interrupted by a faint groan coming from the stern of the boat. Norrington didn't wait for his lieutenant to pull himself together, and hurried towards the sound. What he found was a man barely holding himself up by the rigging.

The man appeared completely haggard, but at least alive. His clothes and hair were filthy and his face gaunt with lips parched and split. But the most striking thing was the large bird hanging around the man’s neck. The man's hands reached out for him. His lips moved, but he didn’t seem to be able to make any sound - only his eyes were pleading.

Norrington motioned Gillette to bring some water. While he waited for his lieutenant to come back, he knelt next to the unfortunate man and took his hand.

“I’m Captain Norrington of Her Majesty's Royal Navy….”

He hesitated; he really didn’t know what to say. The man seemed about to fall over dead at any moment, but he managed to squeeze his hand in last found desperation.

“…You're going to be all right.”

This seemed to calm the man down a bit, who closed his eyes, but didn’t let go of Norrington’s hand. This left the Captain no option but to wait for Gillette to return. When the Lieutenant finally came back with a bottle of water, Norrington quickly took it and gently shook the man, who drowsily opened his eyes again.

He gently lifted the man’s head and trickled some water over the man’s lips. The gratefulness in the man’s eyes hit Norrington unexpectedly. Unconsciously he stroked the man’s hair to soothe him.

What had happened here that only left this one man to survive?

***

I HEARD voices loud and soft

Breaking the silent day -

Voices that were strange to me,

But seemed without hostility -

Chasing my fears away.

Then a captain came to me.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

Was this sight a living man,

Or Death in sweet disguise?

His face looked worried as he knelt

Closely by my side.

He said his name was Norrington

And that all would soon be right.

Was this a dream, by Angels sent,

To break my cursed doom?

Or a temptation brought by Hell,

That I believed too soon?

His hand took mine so caringly,

As if to let me know:

A savior had come for me at last;

I could not let him go.

His voice was tender as a maid,

Who soothes a weeping boy.

So gently touched his fingertips

When he brought water to my lips;

My heart was filled with joy.

My throat was still too dry to speak.

I hoped my thanks still showed.

And in his eyes I saw returned

My joy, which overflowed.

If only he could understand

What gift it was to me,

To have him there by my side

To lift my misery.

THE THIRD PART

After he had fed the man as much water as he dared - he didn’t want him to get sick - Norrington moved to get back on his feet. The man reached out in desperation, but he caught the hand before it could reach him.

The man reached out his other arm, his hand trembling as it reached Norrington’s face. “Thank you,” the man whispered almost inaudibly. “Thank God.”

Norrington didn’t know what to say so he smiled awkwardly. God knows how long the man had been alone on this ship. He took the cord that held the strange bird around the man’s neck and tried to lift it. But the cord was too tight to slip over his neck. This seemed to upset the man greatly, who began to cry. Norrington let the bird be, but didn’t know how to calm the man down.

“It’s all right. You should come with me to my ship.”

“No! No!” the man shrieked with more force Norrington imagined the man to have. “Curse!”

The man seemed to rapidly regain some of his strength as he fisted his hands in Norrington’s jacket and pulled him closer. “You have to leave. You will all die.”

“What curse; what do you mean?” Norrington asked confused.

“I killed the bird, killed the bird!”

The man was raving, beating his chest with one fist while shaking Norrington with the other to get his point across. He must have gone mad - heatstroke or malnutrition, Norrington thought to himself.

“Then she came, that witch, and they all died. It’s my fault. I have to suffer. You don’t understand…it’s my fault," the man rambled on. Norrington could hear Gillette snort behind him

"Brain fever?" his first lieutenant suggested quietly.

For some reason Gillette's assumption irked him. “Help me,” Norrington ordered his lieutenant curtly. “We can’t leave him here. We need to get him to the Dauntless.”

Gillette composed himself and helped Norrington pull the man to his feet. The man seemed exhausted by his previous outburst and didn’t protest anymore.

***

I TRIED to speak,

as I touched his cheek,

to feel with my own hand.

I told him thanks for saving me.

For I knew he was godsend.

He smiled and squeezed my hand that time.

His face shone with light.

He tried to take the Albatross,

But the cord was strung too tight.

It showed the curse still on my life.

My eyes filled up with tears.

I knew I'd be a danger

To all that I was near.

I still was doomed upon this ship.

I did not deserve relief.

I had to pay for the deed I’d done
And causing all this grief.

How could I tell them of my doom

And make them understand?

When all I wanted in my heart

Was to hold on to his hand.

THE FOURTH PART

The rest of the crew stared in amazement as Norrington and Gillette carried the man back across to the Dauntless. There was a lot of muttering and some of crew made the sign of the cross. Norrington tried to ignore it, as he and Gillette made their way through a flood of disapproval.

“Bring him down below."

With a slightly raised eyebrow, Gillette complied and together they carried the man down to Norrington’s living quarters. “Leave us,” Norrington ordered after they had positioned the man in one of the more comfortable chairs.

“But, sir…” Gillette began to object.

“Leave us, Lieutenant,” Norrington repeated.

“Aye, Sir.” His lieutenant saluted and left the cabin, shutting the door behind him.

Quickly Norrington poured some wine and brought the glass to the strange man. He gently shook him and when the man focused his eyes on him brought the glass to his mouth. He let the man drink a few sips, which seemed to revive him somewhat.

“Can you tell me what has happened? What did you mean by a curse?”

***

I TOLD him of the torment

I had faced upon this sea.

How all the crew had lost their souls

And all because of me.

I shot the bird that led our way

And paid a heavy price.

I had been haunted ever since,

Too late to realize

That the bird had been a gift

From the spirit of the ice.

I knew he wouldn't understand.

My tale was new and strange.

But I felt the love he couldn't hide

And made me feel so warm inside.

I knew my fate would change.

I saw the way he looked at me

With such a caring glance.

I knew within my very soul

That I was in safe hands.

THE FIFTH PART

Absentmindedly, the man stroked the bird with his right hand while he recounted his story, much of which Norrington couldn’t make sense of. But the man seemed crippled by guilt about accidentally shooting the albatross and somehow felt himself responsible for the death of the crew.

When he was finished the man remained still, lost in is own thoughts apparently. Norrington knew he should get a doctor to take a look at the man, but he was reluctant to leave him - or to let anymore intrude on the two of them. He wanted some more time alone with this strange man.

But first of all he needed to be cleaned up. Quietly Norrington got up and poured some lukewarm water in his washbasin and took it together with some soap and a cloth back to the chair in which the man was still seated.

Norrington considered trying to get the man to remove his clothes, but decided against it for the moment. Norrington took one hand and gently wiped it clean with a damp cloth. He then repeated the ritual with the other hand. All through this the man remained silent, seemingly staring at nothing. It felt so comfortable holding the other man's hands in his own that Norrington was reluctant to let go of them. He remembered his mother cleaning him like this in the tub when he was a young boy and how wonderfully soothing her touch had felt.

Norrington continued by gently cleaning the man’s face. He took one of his own razors and carefully removed most of the unruly beard. Beneath all the grime the man's face was smooth and soft and Norrington took his time to cautiously shave the vulnerable skin.

“I don’t deserve this...” the man whispered. Then his eyes closed and his head lolled to the side. Norrington interrupted his cleaning and looked at the handsome man who had appeared from under the dirt and who now seemed sound asleep. He looked a bit older than he was himself. His skinned was browned from an outdoor life, but still definitely handsome.

With a start, Norrington withdrew the hand that had unconsciously reached out to stroke the sleeping man’s face. He got up quickly. He needed some fresh air.

When the Captain returned on deck he was immediately met by the ship’s Doctor.

“How is the man you brought aboard? I need to see him.”

Norrington squared himself, hoping his earlier unease wasn't showing. “He’s seems fine, he’s asleep now. Let him be for a while.”

“But, sir, he could carry some sickness. I will need to see if he’s safe.”

No doubt Gillette had already given a full account of the case to the medic. “Later, Doctor. Let him sleep for now.”

Clearly reluctant the doctor withheld himself from further comment and stalked off. But before the Captain had a moment to himself, he was approached by his First Lieutenant.

“The wind seems to have died down completely, Sir. We’re dead in the water.”

Indeed when Norrington looked up, all he could see was a clear blue sky and not a single breeze of wind touched his face.

“We’ll wait then.”

As he had expected, Gillette was clearly not satisfied by his casual answer.

“Sir, this is unexpected...the men are worried,” he added in an urgent whisper. Norrington looked around and saw several men eyeing him suspiciously.

“I’m sure you are fully capable of negating such nonsense, Gillette.”

“Aye, Sir,” Gillette answered dutifully, but Norrington could very well see in his face that his lieutenant was just as restless as the crew. They were still alongside the ghost ship, both of them now idle in the water, and looking at it made a shiver run up his spine. He needed to find out what had happened.

He looked around and saw the man he wanted still hovering nearby.

“Doctor!”

Immediately the man returned to his side.

“Will you please go over to the other ship and examine the cause of death of these men.”

The doctor looked over at the ship, just as he had done himself just moments ago, not totally succeeding in hiding the horror from his face.

“Of course, Sir,” he said firmly when he looked back, “I will find out all I can.”

That would keep the doctor busy for at least a while, Norrington thought. Time to go back to his unusual guest. But he felt reluctant to go back below. Something about this strange man from this strange vessel, so shockingly breaking into the menial routine of the last weeks, was deeply disturbing him.

But with the wind gone and the ship idle, there wasn't much going on above deck. Most of the crew had gone below anyway, avoiding the closeness of the ghost ship. The sun was hot and the rich fabric of his captain's uniform was beginning to feel awfully clammy. Time seemed to crawl by, but still Norrington couldn't make himself move. Hours must have passed when he saw the doctor had returned.

He immediately turned to the man. "Doctor, have you determined how the unfortunate crew died?"

"They didn't," the doctor answered, wiping his brow with a handkerchief.

"This is not the time for humor, Sir," Norrington said annoyed, the heat making him short-tempered.

"Believe me, this isn't funny. As far as I can tell there was nothing wrong with any of them. Except for the fact that they're dead, they are in perfect health. There were some signs of dehydration and starvation, but nothing that would kill a man," the doctor explained.

Norrington didn't understand what he was hearing. "Then how did they all die?"

The doctor excused himself to go and freshen himself up, leaving Norrington alone again with his thoughts. The fact that the man sleeping below in his cabin was the only survivor of this unexplainable phenomenon made the whole situation even more bizarre.

The ship had felt dead when he had stepped upon it. It wasn't just the sight of the dead crew, but the ship itself had the air of death. He had felt it before, once when he was young and had seen an old plague ship in the harbor and more recently on the Black Pearl. As if the wood itself had turned from ship's hulk into coffin, condemning anyone in its grasp to burial at sea. It didn't feel natural. None of this felt natural.

He took off his hat and sighed. This man was his responsibility now, just like the Dauntless and her crew were. He would have to stop hiding himself from that reality and start to act.

With renewed resolution, Norrington descended the narrow steps down to his cabin. But as soon as he entered the room and saw the man sleeping in his chair with that ridiculous bird around his neck, all his resolution drained away. He just stood there, staring. He didn’t dare wake the man, since he looked so peaceful at last. With his cleaned face and his dirty clothes the man had an aura of strangeness about him that made Norrington forget who and where he was; it made him forget the minutes he had spend already staring at him; it made him forget that what he was feeling in his head, his stomach, and his groin was blasphemous and illegal.

Why did he feel this way? Why did he long to kiss this man like he had dreamed kissing Elizabeth? Nothing about this made sense; not this man, not the ghost ship, not the dead crew, not his own feelings.

More importantly, what would he do about it? Naturally, he had to offer the man passage back to England, so that would mean they would be together for a long while. That prospect filled him with a kind of excitement he hadn’t felt since Elizabeth had accepted his marriage proposal.

But it also terrified him. He wasn't used to feeling so off-balance, so overwhelmed by the situation he was in. He would have to control himself even more. If he'd let himself slip for just one moment, if he would do anything improper, the man would most likely report him and that would mean total disgrace and the end of his naval career.

***

MY whole mind was so absorbed

By his gentle touch.

I cried again within my heart

I wanted this so much.

Did he even realize

The gift he was to me?

I prayed he wouldn't recognize

The danger I could be.

Slowly and with tender care,

He cleaned my grime away.

How much his actions meant to me,

I knew but couldn't say.

But still this genuine affection

Had made me feel unnerved.

I feared that all of this attention

Was more than I deserved.

I closed my eyes and thought no more;

Too grateful for his deeds;

Selfishly enjoying him

Fulfilling all my needs.

My skin could feel his fingers move,

Like I had never known.

I must have dreamt such sweet caress,

For I was left alone

I understood he must have tasks

And duties to perform.

I saw the way he wore with pride

His captain's uniform.

He seemed so young for such a post.

A burden it must be;

To have the lives of all these men

As responsibility.

Now I was in his care as well.

If only I could repay

The peace he was bringing me,

In only some small way.

Such tiredness came over me.

Any dreams I would accept.

For on this ship where he was near,

There were no nightmares more to fear

And finally I slept…

THE SIXTH PART

The man stirred and opened his eyes. When he saw Norrington in the doorway looking at him, he smiled weakly. The smile hit Norrington so unexpectedly he had to catch his breath.

"How are you feeling?" Norrington finally managed to ask.

The man stretched his muscles. "I'm feeling better," he said. "Hungry," he added.

At last Norrington moved from his place by the door to the table and picked up some bread and sea biscuits. When he turned back to the chair, he saw the man looked troubled. His face had dropped as he took in the movements of the ship. "We're not sailing."

"The wind has calmed down," Norrington explained as he handed the man the biscuits and bread. But the man ignored him and got up. Standing up Norrington noticed the other man was quite a bit taller than he.

"This is because of me…" he mumbled as he started to pace around the cabin.

"It's just the weather; it happens," Norrington tried to say convincingly.

"No, no, no. I can feel it. Don't you feel it?"

Norrington didn't answer. Though his mind was distracting itself with studying the man pacing in front of him, he could still pay enough attention to know that the man was right. It wasn't just the wind that had died. It was as if time had frozen. The air had become too heavy and no cloud would break the relentless sunshine.

"We'll all be trapped here…"

The man's words hung in the air. He looked Norrington in the eyes and the Captain could see the rising despair. All he wanted was to comfort him, he wanted to hold him - but he didn't. He couldn't make himself move.

"I have to go back," the man decided.

"W-why?" Norrington stumbled. He couldn't imagine that the man would ever want to go back to that haunted ship. He wanted the man to stay here - with him - in their own frozen hourglass where he could watch over him.

But the man had become very agitated and was determined to leave. "I am a curse upon this ship, just as I was on my own," he kept on repeating.

"All right," Norrington finally said, "Calm down. We'll go back to your ship."

The grateful look the man gave him was worth it. Norrington wished he could make the man look like that all the time. But he had already turned away, eager to leave.

***

SO sweet it was to be with him,

With just the two of us.

Protected from the outer world

And anything dangerous.

But my sentence was not yet cleared,

I still had to pay my due.

The Albatross reminded me:

This dream could not be true.

Again I felt those spirits,

Who had haunted me before.

I had to face the demon ,

That I'd tried to ignore.

I had to leave my haven

And go back to my ship.

I couldn't have my curse defile

This new companionship.

But there was one thing that had changed

By all the kindness he had shown:

I knew he would stay by my side;

This time I would not be alone.

THE SEVENTH PART

No one was near when the two emerged above deck. Thankfully the sun had finally begun to descend, painting both ships in an eerie yellow glow. But still the air was stuffy and stale, making Norrington stop for breath. He was surprised when the other man took his wrist and pulled him along towards the railing where his own ship was tied. None of his officers would ever have dared to grab him like that. In fact he hadn't been casually touched like this since his days as a midshipman, when things had been much less formal.

Like two schoolboys skipping class, they made their way to the side of the Dauntless and climbed over. Once they had jumped on the deck they were stopped by the bodies of the dead crew, who were now arranged in orderly lines along the deck. Thankfully, the doctor had been kind enough to close their eyes. The man stood still for a while to look at them.

"You think you have everything under control, but you don't. One little mistake can lead to this," he said softly.

Norrington put his hands on the man's shoulders. He didn't want to think of that. After all, he was a captain; every choice he made affected everyone on his ship. He wanted to stay there in the twilight dusk, enjoying the closeness of the man next to him. But the man turned away.

"I have seen enough of this. Let's go below."

Norrington nodded. Silently they descended to the mess hall and onto the sailors' sleeping quarters. They stopped at what Norrington assumed was the man's former hammock. Together they sat down on one of the trunks, close enough so their bodies were touching. The room was dusty and obvious hadn't been cleaned in a while. The man looked around the empty hammocks.

"I did a terrible thing and everyone around me was cursed because of it."

The man covered his face with his hands. Norrington got off the narrow trunk and knelt in front of him. He took the man’s head between his hands to steady it. “*You* are not a curse,” he said determined.

The man rested his hands on Norrington's shoulders. "God forgive me," he mumbled.

He didn't fully understand why he was doing it, but Norrington leaned forwards and softy kissed the man on the lips. They stayed that way, doing nothing but letting their mouths touch, till he could taste salt water trickle across his lips. He pulled away and saw tears running down the man’s face.

"There is nothing wrong with you," Norrington whispered. He leaned forward more confidently and kissed the trembling lips again.

"There is nothing wrong with this." Norrington felt he meant it for the both of them. The man's hands moved over his shoulders to embrace him. As their heads touched, Norrington felt the bird between them slip away and fall to the floor.

***

I WENT back to my nightmare.

I knew I had to show.

I had to make him understand.

I had to let him know.

I didn't deserve his kindness;

He had given me enough.

He would have to leave me here;

I didn't deserve his love.

I felt myself drowning

In the thoughts of staying here.

But then I felt his arm on me;

Anchoring me near.

Still he stood there by my side

And didn't let me go.

He followed me silently,

As we went down below.

In my familiar surroundings

Our souls seemed to unite.

I heard the words he spoke and knew

That everything was right.

I knew what he was offering:

I had his love to earn.

In that moment I was blessed

And blessed him in return.

For that sweet point in time I was

Redeemed by selfless care.

His actions proved his love so strong,

What I had craved for all too long,

Had now been made aware.

As our lips touched in need

I felt my curse no more.

I sensed the rope come off my neck;

The Bird fell to the floor.

THE EIGHTH PART

Norrington unbuttoned the man’s shirt and pulled it off his shoulders. The body underneath was thinned by malnutrition, but the outlines of muscles were still clear. Norrington had to steady his hands as he tentatively stroked the other man's chest. He was more nervous than he imagined.

The man allowed Norrington to explore in silence, occasionally guiding the hands when the Captain seemed lost or unsure. After a short while he moved forward to unbutton the captain's jacket. Norrington withdrew in surprise.

"You are not a captain here," the man assured him before continuing to undress him. Norrington stayed motionless. He knew the man was right, but giving up his uniform scared him nonetheless. This wasn't his ship and this man wasn't under his command and none of it made sense, except that he wanted to feel this man's touch more than anything right now.

After his own chest was exposed, Norrington didn't hesitate anymore and kissed the man more passionately. He felt the strong hands grow more forceful as they molded his shoulders. Norrington let his intuition take over and continued kissing the man while his hands buried themselves in the other's hair. The slow rocking of the ship naturally cradled the two men against each other. He didn't know what he should be doing but this definitely felt right.

The fact that his erection was unmistakably growing in his breeches was another sign that his body was enjoying the attention. Norrington hadn't expected such a strong reaction from his own body, but he couldn’t deny it either. After a while the man pulled away and made an obvious glance at Norrington's crotch, making the Captain suddenly very nervous.

"Don't worry," the man said, "just follow my lead."

Norrington nodded. It had become almost second nature to him to always act confident and sure, but he had never felt more out of his depth. For once he was not in charge and he didn't mind it. He had to put his trust in this other man.

The man moved behind him, leaving Norrington to steady himself on the trunk. His hands massaged his tense muscles, moving from his shoulders to his lower back to the front of his breeches. The man's weight leaned against him as his fingers undid his breeches and pulled them down far enough to expose his straining erection.

A hand wrapped around it, stroking firmly and slowly along the sensitive flesh. A couple of girls had done him the same favor in the past, but never had he felt so excited about anyone doing this before. The man's hand was strong and determined and it didn't take long before pre-come started to leak from the tip of Norrington's erection. He whimpered as the hand withdrew.

"Trust me," the man spoke softly in his ear. "You have to let go."

Norrington tried to relax as he felt the man's slick finger tease against his opening. The feeling was unusual, but not unwelcome. When the finger finally pushed inside, Norrington released a sigh of relief. He had feared it would have been more uncomfortable, but instead he just wanted the sensation to continue.

With every extra finger, Norrington felt himself a little bit more overwhelmed, but none of that seemed to matter. He let his head fall on his forearms, as all his energy seemed to be focused on the lower half of his body. By God, he needed this. He had needed to do this for too long.

The fingers withdrew, leaving him cold and exposed. First the hands came back, steadying his hips, then the blunt head of the other man's erection pressed against him and slowly pushed itself inside.

He winced at the initial pain, but as soon as the man was all the way inside and rested against him, the feeling was replaced by a wondrous sense of unity. When the man started to move Norrington couldn't control his emotions any longer and moaned out loud at the intense sensation. The growing pace of the man was taking over his consciousness. He knew he wouldn't last long. His erection was trapped between his body and the trunk he was leaning over and he didn't have the energy to touch himself. But the man behind him took pity and wrapped his hand around the burning flesh. It only took a light touch from the man's hand and Norrington exploded.

The man kept on driving into him, until at last he too reached his final moment and released his fluid into Norrington's exhausted body. Together they sank to the floor, the man holding onto Norrington as they sat in silence, catching their breath.

***

THIS gift that he had given me

I knew I could repay.

I saw the question in his eyes;

The hesitation in his way.

I saw a need I recognized,

That had to be set free.

A yearning for a loving touch,

Of which we are deprived so much.

He gave himself to me

I knew the step he had to take:

To give control to me.

In his touch I felt the fear

And insecurity.

I made a vow within my heart:

'This trust I won't betray'

He had been so good to me;

I couldn't turn away.

With my touch I let him feel

The safety in my hands.

The shelter he had been to me

Is what I wanted now to be:

A love for him to sense.

I felt him relax to me,

His body formed to mine.

I knew that he was ready

To cross that final line.

The shivers of his body

Echoed within my soul.

His surrender so complete,

As I took him whole.

The union of our bodies;

The joining of our fate;

In the release of our needs

We could not separate.

We held on to each other,

To keep the moment real.

A perfect peace within myself

Was all that I could feel.

THE NINTH PART

Norrington was first to move, pulling up his breeches and trying to retie them with shaking fingers. He couldn’t quite believe what had just happened. It was been wonderful, but still…he was a Commodore. It anyone ever knew he would be finished. What if Elizabeth ever found out what he had done? She would be disgusted to think she once agreed to marry him.

He searched the floor for his shirt and jacket. When he finally found them a hand on his arm stopped him. Norrington looked up at the man.

"Thank you," the man said softly.

As Norrington took in the words, his anxiety calmed down. This had been a magical moment just between the two of them. Maybe he shouldn't question it. After he had composed himself somewhat, his attention was drawn to the movement around them. He had been too distracted to notice that the gentle rocking of the ship was now a clear sensation of waves: they must be sailing.

He straightened in shock and began putting his uniform back in order as quickly as he could. The other man was on his feet as well, looking almost as troubled as he was.

"We have to get back to the Dauntless," Norrington said concerned. The other man nodded absentmindedly, but Norrington didn't have the time to reflect now. He needed to get back to his ship.

When he emerged above deck he was greeted with a strong wind. While only hours before the sky had been clear blue, now there were no stars to be seen. This was a most unexpected storm.

Norrington tried to make his way along the unsteady deck as water splashed in his face from the rolling waves. He climbed onboard his ship and was met by several anxious members of his crew. Only when he made sure that the Dauntless had been accurately prepared for the unstable weather did Norrington look around him. The other man wasn't there.

Norrington finally looked back at the small boat. The man was standing on the deck, looking at the dark waves as if he could see a hidden meaning in them.

"You have to come aboard," Norrington shouted.

The man looked at him and slowly shook his head. "It's okay. I'll be all right," the man shouted back.

Norrington didn't understand why the man wanted to sit out the storm on his own ship instead of the much safer Dauntless. But he didn't have time to argue as the waves rocked the Dauntless violently to the side and the smaller vessel was pulled loose.

"Hold on, we'll throw you a rope!" Norrington cried out immediately.

But the man didn't heed him, standing with his arms outstretched, shouting, "I'm going home!"

The two ships drifted apart, the smaller one seemingly on a course of its own. Norrington moved along the railing so he could keep sight of the other ship.

"Wait, what's your name?" Norrington yelled.

"It doesn't matter. I'm just another mariner."

Norrington just managed to catch the words before they were blown away, like the mysterious man and his ship. He stood on the deck, looking out into the darkness. Around him his crew was busy keeping the Dauntless on course. He knew he needed to get back to the helm, but he couldn’t make himself move. He felt as if a part of him had just sailed away with his unusual guest.

"Captain?"

Gillette's voice sounded worried. Norrington finally looked away to face his lieutenant. Gillette was frowning, apparently surprised by his Captain's distracted behavior. Norrington could understand why. He never let anything distract him from his duties. Already what had happened between him and the other man was starting to seem like a surreal dream. It had been a beautiful thing, almost too good to be true.

Norrington shook his head. Whatever had happened, it had passed. It was time to be the captain again.

"Set a course for Singapore," Norrington ordered.

Gillette gave a quick salute. "Aye, Sir."

***

OH, I was sailing free again,

Though I did not know where.

The feeling of the waves

Was sweet beyond compare.

The ship followed her own course,

Away from my short love.

We only had a moment,

But the time had been enough.

At last the sea was mine again.

The wind blew on my face.

The rain washed all my troubles

Away without a trace.

Now I was alone once more,

But not like I had feared;

My captain-friend had set me free:

The sprites had disappeared.

I sailed for days on a course unknown;

Just happy to be free.

And as a sign of my release:

A bird then came to me!

As it landed on the mast -

A lovely sight to see -

I felt it was a friendly soul

To keep me company.

The bird would come to me each day

And showed me where to go.

Last time it was an Albatross,

This time a lonely Sparrow.

 

END

 

September 2004