Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean and all related characters belong to Walt Disney, Gore Verbinski and Jerry Bruckheimer.
Setting: Takes place right after Curse of the Black Pearl.
Characters: Norrington, Gillette, Groves, Anamaria, Murtogg, Mullroy, Marty, Will, Elizabeth, Jack Sparrow, Tia Dalma.
Parings: Will/Elizabeth, Norrington/Anamaria
Chapter 12: Acts of Piracy
_
For nearly a whole day James Norrington waited for his ship to come across another. He would wait on deck while Gillette continued to steer the ship. He would have steered himself if it were not the battle that continued in his mind and stomach. He knew what he was about to do was wrong and against everything he stood for, but then again he stood for justice and keeping people from receiving the necessary supplies and sick children from the medical ingredients they needed was certainly an unjust act. Still his head hurt and he felt weak in his stomach over it.
“Dear Lord,” he prayed before his midday meal of soup, bread and tea. He did not want to chance his stomach with anything else and he needed a clear head for what he was also about to do, therefore, his lips shall not touch anything stronger. “I know what I am about to do is wrong. I know that though shall not steal. I have often heard the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but I have to wonder, am I supposed to ignore those people in order to continue to abide by the law? Am I to turn my back on those children and allow their conditions to worsen and possibly die?”
He inhaled. “Is there another reason why I feel this way? Am I too concerned about my pride and stature? I do care about my image, but is this why I am vexed, because I Commodore James Norrington of His Majesty’s Royal Navy is about to commit an act of piracy. I have told that scoundrel, Jack Sparrow, I serve others. In this world I am not serving Governor Swann or the Navy. I have provided aid for Arthur Havers and the other survivors. I am going to help Dr. Beckett and his patients. Please forgive me. I am not doing this for myself. I am doing it for them.” He was silent for a whole minute before he picked up his spoon.
James was nearly finished with his meal when he heard a knock on the door. “You may enter.”
“This is troubling you more than I thought,” Anamaria closed the door behind her. “I am glad to see that you are trying to eat something at least.”
“I would not be of much help to my crew if I was too weak from vomiting,” James used his napkin to wipe his mouth. “Did you come to check on me, or are we coming up on another ship?”
“No,” she stared down. “I did come by to see if you were finished. I came by earlier to check on you, but I heard you were praying.”
“I thank you for not intruding.” He stood up.
“Don’t stand,” she approached him. “Sit where you are. You are too tense.”
“Well considering what I am about to do, is it any wonder?”
“You will not be able to do it if you are too stiff in your joints,” she crept behind his chair. “Just breath deeply.”
“What are you about to-“ His eyes widened when he felt her hands on his shoulders. Her fingers pressed into his skin rubbed around in deep circles. “Anamaria.”
“We crew members do this to each other. Andrew has done this to you and I have done this to Theodore and you have done this to Marty.”
James allowed his arms to remain limp as Anamaria continued to rub his shoulders and upper back. The tight feeling he had felt in his muscles slowly ebbed away with her ministrations. He even closed his eyes and leaned his head back.
“You see?” Anamaria breathed. “You are feeling better already.”
James murmured an agreement before he felt soft lips press against his own. He opened his eyes and nearly fell from his chair when he tried to stand up.
“What is wrong?” She stared at him in confusion.
“I am not him.”
“Of course,” she turned away from him. “You are not him.”
“I’ll admit I am a bit jealous he was able to fall in love with a woman who loves him,” he flustered as he tried to save face. “Very jealous since you are brave and beautiful and clever.” He shouldn’t be saying such things, even if she did smile at the compliments. “What I mean is to say…he is very fortunate.”
“You don’t have to say anything,” she continued to smile. “It is my fault. Once again I had forgotten you are a Navy man.”
“James,” Gillette knocked on his door. “Ana, we have come across another ship.”
“It is time,” James placed his sword back into its hilt.
-
James stared at the other ship as they neared it through his spyglass. “Come up to its larboard side.” He commanded. The ship was flying the colors of the French flag. That did relieve him somewhat. He would have hated to board one of England’s ships. “Prepare the cannons and do not run up the flag until we are about to fire.”
He watched the innocent ship and marveled at its beauty. He would not rob it blind or even think about setting fire to the structure, and hopefully the wound surrender soon. He did not want to blast holes in it.
“Ready when you are, Captain.” Marty said.
“Close of all avenue of escape,” James hollered. “Mr. Small tell them to run up our colors.”
“Aye captain,” the small pirate ran towards the main mast.
“Fire a warning shot,” James instructed. “They are more than likely to be unarmed.”
He heard the blast of a single cannon ball and watched to see that it had landed inches from the stern of the merchant ship, striking the waves and creating a large splash. He stared up at the main mast of his ship and saw the familiar black flag waving in the breeze.
“They are not attacking,” Anamaria loaded her pistol with a shot and poured in enough powder. “Shall we board?”
James stared at the masts of the other ship; no other flags were being run up. “They are also not surrendering.”
“Some wish to fight with the steel instead of cannons.”
“Then we shall fight them,” James could understand why the other ship might not be surrendering. To give up to a pirate ship was a certain death for most. “Set out the planks.”
The Dauntless Spirit closed in on the merchant vessel, close enough for the planks to connect between the two decks. Some of James’s crew decided for an even more dramatic entrance and were ready to swing aboard on rope.
“We will not take any prisoners,” James turned to his crew. “We will also try not to harm them. Do not steal everything. Let them keep their food and supplies. We will take their money and if they are carrying any, exquisite flasks, mirrors, candlesticks and snuff boxes.”
“Aye, Captain.” His men called out.
“Now.” His voice thundered as he ran across one of the planks to the merchant ship.
Anamaria was right. Some of the merchants were armed with swords. James unsheathed his and struck his blade against the other. It was obvious he had the advantage over the other man. Within seconds he had his opponent disarmed.
“I am sorry to have to do this,” James struck his pistol against the back of the man’s head. “I can’t have you attacking my crew, nor do I want to kill you.”
“Captain,” Marty called. “Behind you.”
James turned around in time to avoid being struck by a small powder keg. “You don’t believe in fighting fair, do you?” He pointed his sword at the other man. “Raise your arms.”
The other man gulped and did what was asked.
“Mr. Small I want you to hold this one at bay until you can tie him up.”
“Aye, Captain.” Marty pointed his own sword at the sailor, while it was not aimed at the man’s chest or throat it was pointing at another vulnerable area.
James surveyed the rest of the ship. The sailors who had wished to fight were either disarmed or had given up. Gillette and Groves had already begun tying some of them up.
“Once they are secure you may join me,” he ran to the hatch.
-
“In you go,” James shoved the frightened young man into the storage room. A few other members of his crew were still battling and securing some of the merchant sailors. “Look everywhere and check the sailors themselves.” He opened the door and stepped inside.
The gasps and shrieks of three young women greeted him followed by a string of French words.
“Sorry,” James covered his eyes and first. He gradually lowered his hand, saw their faces, necks and when he reached their shoulders he could confirm they were indeed dressed. “I had no idea there were women in here.”
“You should have knocked,” the woman with ginger colored hair said in English
“You are correct miss,” James said. “I should have.”
“Are you a pirate?” The shortest of the three asked. Her light brown hair was kept in tight curls and she had a splash of freckles across her nose and under her eyes.
“That I am miss,” James remembered what Anamaria said and placed his sword back into its sheath. “I am Captain James Norrington of the Dauntless Spirit.” He bowed before them.
“I have heard of you,” the same young woman stepped closer to him.
“Clara, don’t.” The third woman said. Her dark hair was kept under a lace-trimmed hat. “He said so himself. He’s a pirate.”
“He may be the Gentleman Pirate.”
“You don’t know if those stories are true,” the one with ginger colored hair said. James noticed that she and Clara had the exact same eyes and nose, and wondered if they were sisters.
“The stories may or may not be true,” James approached Clara. “But I do try to be a gentleman. Your name is Clara?”
“Oui it is, Captain Norrington.”
“You may call me James,” He noticed a ring on her hand. It was made out of bronze and had a rather large square cut garnet in the center. “Are you traveling with your sisters?”
“Margaret is my sister,” she pointed at the woman with the ginger colored hair. James was right in his guess. “Helena is my friend.”
“Forgive me if I seem to forward, but you have beautiful hands, Clara.”
“My hands?” She held them up.
“I believe a thousands of angels worked for a long time to create such aesthetically beautiful hands. I do not believe there is an artist in the entire world who could draw hands or sculpt hands as beautiful as yours.”
“He is trying to charm you,” Margaret said in her native tongue.
“I am an honest man,” James answered in French and looked Margaret in the eye. “I do believe only a liar would say your sister’s hands are anything but perfect.” He noticed Helena was swooning at every word he said.
“No one has said that about my hands before,” Clara said. “Some would say they were pretty.”
“Pretty is almost an insult,” James took her jeweled hand into his own. “Almost as bad of an insult as this ring. Smaller rings would have been better. A ring like this one distracts from the true beauty of your hands.” He lowered his head and before he placed a kiss on her fingers he slipped off the ring and placed it into his pocket.
Clara sighed once his lips had made contact with the back of her hand.
“You are a clever pirate,” Margaret glared at him.
“Such compliments from a fine woman such as yourself are an enchanting melody.” James decided to approach her last.
“Your words would not work if you weren’t so handsome,” Margaret’s hands flew to her mouth as soon as she had said it.
James felt his face turn red. “Thank you, Miss Margaret. You have done me great honor.”
“He’s blushing,” Clara smiled. “Margaret, you made him blush.”
“I didn’t know,” Margaret was still blushing herself.
“We pirates can blush,” James turned to Helena. The young woman was still swooning, or was she? “Miss Helena I could not help to notice that you are having difficulty breathing.” He eyed the tight gold band around her neck. “I know this is incredibly bold and rude, but is your corset laced too tight?”
“No,” Helena gasped.
“I am not frightening you?”
“No you are not.”
“I believe I may know the problem,” he walked behind her. “Lets see if I can loosen this for you.” He gently undid the clasp of the back of the necklace. “Lets see how you breathe now.” He slid the necklace back to him.
“You see?” Margaret said. “He just wants our jewelry.”
“It is easier to breath,” Helena said.
“There is a line on her neck,” Clara pointed.
“Yes there is,” James stared at Helena’s neck where the necklace was. There was a crimson line encircling her pale throat. “It was cutting in to you.” His eyebrows rose when she stepped away from him. “Have I done something wrong?”
“I thought you were going to kiss my neck.” Helena blushed.
“Only if you asked,” James hoped she didn’t. He would blush again.
“No,” She held up her hand. “But if you may.”
“Another honor.” He kissed the top of her hand.
“Save your honeyed words,” Margaret removed something from her chest and held it out. “You won’t stop until you take something from me.”
“I do appreciate your generosity,” James selected the item. It was a brooch, made out of silver with a few pearls in the center.
Margaret did not lower her hand even after he had pocketed the jewelry.
“I see,” he kissed the back of her hand before he turned around to the door. “I will not forget such fine ladies as such as yourselves.” He wouldn’t because this was the only time he would ever steal. He had to wonder what their equivalents in his world might be like.
He could hear the three of them whispering amongst themselves, even giggling. Well he certainly upheld the guise of the Gentleman Pirate.
He opened the door to their cabin and stepped out, only to have knife strike him in the side, under his arm. James immediately grabbed at his sword, only to see a blunt object strike the back of his assailant’s head.
“James,” Anamaria lowered the candlestick as the man collapsed.
“It is not that bad,” James cringed and stared were the knife was. The blade was only half through. It was mostly likely dull, but still sharp enough to pierce through his layers of clothing and into his flesh. He gritted his teeth and pulled it out.
“Still, back to The Spirit.”
He nodded. “Return to our ship.” He called out.
“Just take what you have found,” Anamaria added before she lowered her voice. “I’ll command them. You take it easy.”
“Thank you.”
-
James had dropped his coat over his chair once he had entered his cabin.
“Remove your waistcoat and your shirt,” Anamaria had entered behind him.
He did not argue. She was the ship’s healer. If she were a man he would have complied so why allow the difference in gender actually make a difference.
“Did you manage to find anything while you were in that room?” Anamaria poured some water into the basin. She did not have a pot of steaming water this time.
“Three women were traveling together,” James winced as he peeled off his shirt. “Each had a piece of jewelry that would be worth much coin in Tortuga. One was nearly choking on her necklace.”
“Did you bow before them and kiss them?”
“I did as you explained,” James sat down and raised his arm. “I only kissed the back of their hands.”
“I don’t mind where you kiss them,” Anamaria soaked a cloth. “You are not my James and I don’t care where he kisses them. He feels nothing for them.” She pursed her lips as she examined the wound. “It is not too deep.”
“Good thing it hadn’t been sharpened recently.” James closed his eyes as she cleaned the wound. “I guess I am not cut out to be a pirate. I’m more suited to hunting them down.”
“You have done well,” She set the blood soaked clothe aside and opened a bottle of rum. “This may sting.”
“It usually does.” He managed to get out before he felt the burning liquid against the wound.
“Once we are in Tortuga we can get some ingredients for this.” She placed a wadded up rum soaked cloth against the wound. “Lower your arm.”
“How long have you been able to heal like this?”
“I was fourteen years old when a man helped me break free from the slave holders. He taught me how to fish and how to take care of wounds.” She tore a large piece of cloth into several long strips.
“Who was this man?”
“He was once a crewmember of yours before your old first mate lead a mutiny. Hold up your arms.”
“What was his name?” He held up his arms.
“Bill Turner,” she wrapped the cloth strips around his midsection, securing the rum cloth over the wound. “This was before he joined your crew.”
“William Turner’s father.” He turned to face her.
“He was a good man. Like you.” She leaned forward.
“Like me,” James whispered before he felt her lips on his.
-
Replies:
Voratre, thank you
Ogreatrandom, Dr Becket was a bit of fun, so is James when he is in full action mode.
Sudoku, I’m thinking good ole Hector would be the man in charge.
Commodore-cavanaugh. Jack will make his appearance in a few more chapters.
Barbaro’s angel. Thanks
Sea Breeze. Thank you.