Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean and all related characters belong to Walt Disney, Gore, Jerry, Ted and Terry.
This Chapter features a strong hint of Norriana aka Norrington/Anamaria
Chapter 6: Rosemary
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James held onto the wooden wheel spokes and continued to stare forward. The sky had been clear for most of the day. There hadn’t been much change in the weather since they had sailed through the squall, save for a small rain shower, and that wasn’t even worth drawing the sails over.
“Are you getting a bit tired, captain?” Gillette asked him. “You have been at the helm for over six hours.”
“I am quite well,” James did not feel the slightest bit tired. He did feel a little bit hungry.
“Are you certain?” Gillette asked. “I have asked Murtogg to bring some food to your cabin. Mullroy had made a delicious meal of those swordfish we had caught earlier today.”
James tried to ignore the rumbling sound coming from his gut. “I may eat a little later.”
“But then your food would be cold.” Gillette shook his head. “Wouldn’t be in prime perfection.”
“No it wouldn’t,” James tried to keep from grinning. “I believe you are trying to remove me from the helm so you can steer the Dauntless Spirit.”
Gillette stared at the deck. “No, Captain. I just want to make sure you have rested. You look like you need to be off of your feet for a bit.”
“Very well,” James stepped away from the wheel. “But only because you insist, Andrew.”
“Enjoy your meal,” Gillette took his place at the wheel.
James gave his first mate a light pat on the back before he made his way to his cabin.
“Here you go, captain,” one of his crew placed a bottle of rum into his hand. “To go with your dinner. There are not many bottles left and it shouldn’t be right for me to have one and not you.”
“Is that right,” James stared at the bottle and the rust colored liquid inside.
“Especially after you got us through that storm.”
“Thank you,” James slipped the bottle into his coat. For the past two days his crew were willing to give up their shares of rum for him. James had seen the look of admiration in the faces of all his crew after Gillette and Anamaria told them about how the three of them sailed through the storm. If they had only merely respected their pirate captain before they nearly worshipped him now.
All of them admire him, except for Groves. The man refused to make eye contact with him after the incident with the squall. Was Groves ashamed because of the cold shoulder he was giving James recently?
He encountered Groves near the mizzen mast, feeding small bits of potato skin to his ferret. Neither the man nor the animal had noticed James had approached them.
“You never were fond of potato skins, Theodore.” James said. “Always asked for them to be peeled, even though the doctors told you they were healthy.”
Grove nearly dropped a piece of skin. “Captain.”
“I’m sorry about what is between us,” James scratched the top of his head. “Although I am not certain what that may be.”
“I am not fond of naval officers such as yourself,” Groves narrowed his eyes.
“As you can see I am not trying to arrest you,” James tried to smile and pulled back the sleeve of his coat, revealing the brand on his wrist. “I’m pretty much a pirate myself.”
“Until you return to your comfortable life where you will hunt us down.”
“My comfortable life includes a lieutenant Theodore Groves standing by my side.” He did not want to come off snappish. “We hunt down other pirates, we also fight against invading forces from other nations, all for the good of England.”
Groves turned when both men heard some of the crew grumbling and pointing at their direction. “I am sure you impressed them with your sailing skills, none of them know who you really are, maybe if they did they would also see you as a foolish man who sailed through the storm.”
“Sailed through the edge of the storm,” James pointed his finger at the pirate, the tip of his finger only inches from Groves’s nose. “And I choose to do so to keep my crew from being captured by the navy and sent to the gallows.”
Arrow slinked around Groves’s head, claws still clutching his clothes and bit down on James’s hand.
James’s eyes widened from the pain. He jumped back, taking the animal with him until the ferret released his hold and landed on the deck.
“Arrow,” Anamaria spoke in a stern voice. She had her hands on her hips as she stared down at the ferret. “Theodore.” She turned to Groves.
Groves sighed before he shook a finger at Arrow. “That was a naughty thing to do, bad ferret.”
Arrow squeaked once before he climbed up onto Grove’s shoulder once again.
James held onto his bleeding hand, glaring at Groves. “I will speak with the both of you later.” He turned to his cabin.
“James, the rum?” Anamaria followed after him.
“Yes, the rum,” he fished out the bottle from his pocket. Usually he would secretly hand small tokens of appreciation over to Gillette and Anamaria who would place it back into storage. “Not this time.”
“You are going to drink it?”
“Just this once,” he removed the cork and took a sip. He immediately wanted to spit it out, but forced himself to swallow the burning liquid. “Is there a mug of water in my cabin?”
“Yes there is,” Anamaria nodded.
“Good,” he tried another sip and gagged. He may not be able to handle it pure, but he was certain he could drink down grog.
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James woke up to the sound of knocking at his door. His head was buried in his arms at his table. He did not make falling asleep at his table, or desk a habit and wondered how tired he actually was last night. Then again he also consumed an entire bottle of rum.
“Captain,” Anamaria called from the other side of the door.
“I’m coming,” James slowly stood up. He examined his hand where the ferret had bit him. It was wrapped in cloth and the pain had subsided. Lucky for him, there was also no pain in his head. His double may have become quite used to the effects of rum and needed many bottles before he could achieve the level of a hangover, not that James planned on drinking any more rum.
“We have made land,” Anamaria smiled. Her smile faded when she stared at him. “How do you feel?”
“I feel quite fine,” he ran his hand against his face, feeling the stubble. He would shave when he returned. “When did I fall asleep?”
“Not long after you had finished eating. I had Murtogg slip in while you slept and remove your empty dishes. You are not displeased with my actions?”
He shook his head. “No, in fact I thank you.” He stretched and shook his arms. “Has the longboat been prepared?”
“Aye captain.”
“You, Gillette are to accompany me to see this Rosemary,” finally the ordeal can end. “I also want Murtogg and Mullroy to row us to shore.”
-
They did not have to ask to many questions. All they had to ask if anyone had heard of a mysterious woman by the name of Rosemary, and if they knew where she was. The locals did seem suspicious of why they asked and many were wary of her. Good. It meant that Rosemary was the type of person they were looking for and it mean they would most likely not to be bothered by any of the locals.
“Why didn’t you use your compass?” Gillette asked as they trudged through the terrain.
“The compass may point to the right direction,” James answered. “But it doesn’t answer all the questions.”
“We only asked where this Rosemary was,” Gillette said before nearly tripping over an exposed root.
“The best questions are those that are not asked.”
Gillette blinked. “That doesn’t quite make sense.”
“It makes perfect sense,” Anamaria said.
James caught her smile and returned it. He would of asked Murtogg and Mullroy to come along, but he needed someone to watch the longboat and mind the tide. Not to mention Murtogg and Mullroy did not know he was not their true Captain Norrington.
As was expected, Rosemary lived in a shack similar to Tia Dalma’s; only it was smaller. It was surrounded by a copse of trees and the path leading up to it was cracked and broken, with weeds growing through the gaps.
James did not waste anytime thinking about the welcome he would receive and knocked on her door.
“You may enter,” a warm and silky voice greeted him.
“I will be watching your back,” Gillette said, his hand was gripped onto his hilt.
“And I will watch your front,” Anamaria said and grabbed onto the doorknob.
“I will watch out for the both of you,” James said as they entered.
They all paused when the stepped onto the woven rug and stared around. The small building was lavishly decorated with small tapestries, paintings and what appeared to be dried out flower bouquets. The few tables were finely carved and dressed in exquisite cloths.
“My other told me you would arrive,” a woman was stretched out on a sofa. James did not remember her voice, but he remembered her blue eyes. She wasn’t dressed like a serving girl. She wore a deep green gown with a low cut above her bosom, not unlike the gowns favored by whores. Her brown hair was set in a braid and held by a string of beads. A black cloth headband with several more beads was wrapped around the top of her head.
“Are you Rosemary?” Gillette asked.
“I am she,” the woman reached over to the table next to the sofa and removed a piece of fruit from a small bowl.
“You are the one who did this,” Anamaria’s voice took on a sharp edge as she stepped in front of James.
“I did nothing,” Rosemary sat up. “It was the other me who did this. The dutiful little bar maiden.” She placed the fruit in her mouth.
“If the other version of you is also a witch I will see to it she is hung for her crimes,” James glared at her.
“Captain?” Gillette backed away from him.
“Her a witch?” Rosemary chuckled. “She probably worked up a great deal of courage to approach you like that. She is a good little girl, very demure and was unaware of her potential until I cam in contact with her a few years ago.”
“How?” James could understand if the Rosemary who put a spell on his drink was different.
“Mirrors,” Rosemary held up a hand held mirror. “It is always mirrors. You would think witches would be a little bit more creative.”
“You forced your other version to place the spell on James,” Gillette accused. “And since you seem to gloat about how much of a witch you are, then you can reverse it.”
“Of course I will reverse it,” Rosemary set the mirror down. “But I won’t, not now.”
“Why not?” Anamaria removed her blade.
“That is unwise,” Rosemary stood up. “Think about the consequences if you kill me.”
James already knew what the direst consequence would be. “Sheath your swords. No one wants me stuck here when you want your true captain.”
“You are a wise man, James Norrington,” Rosemary sauntered over to him. “How does it feel to become the thing you hate the most?”
“I have yet to engage in any act of piracy,” James did not remove his eyes from her. Were pirates the very thing he hated most in the world? He despised murderers and those who harmed the innocent. Pirates just happened to be the type that did both.
“As you have said,” Rosemary grasped his chin. “Yet.” She whispered the word into his ear.
“And he wont have to,” Anamaria grabbed onto the other woman’s wrist and pulled her away from James. “Because you will undo the spell.”
“He isn’t your Captain,” Rosemary slithered back towards James. “And I am not ready to perform the spell.”
“Why not?” Gillette scowled. “Does the moon have to be in a certain phase? Do you require a certain ingredient?”
“Clever,” the witch approached him. “And you are close. I do require something.” She brushed her fingers across the top of his shoulder.
“What do you want?” Gillette stepped back away from her.
“I want a heirloom returned.”
“I do not have it,” James crossed his arms. He was getting tired of the dance, Rosemary engaged in.
“Did I say that you had it?” Rosemary asked. “I know who stole my bracelet from me. He is a pirate who calls himself the Prince of the Sea.”
James had never heard the name before, although he was certain both Gillette and Anamaria knew, by the way they sucked in their breath.
“Why did he steal this bracelet from you?” James asked.
“I do not have to explain the motives of pirates,” Rosemary clasped her hands together. “We played a game of cards. If he won he would receive a different piece of jewelry from me. If I won he would perform a chore.” Her eyes narrowed. “He cheated.”
“And instead of taking the jewelry you had offered he took your bracelet.”
“Was there something special about this bracelet?” Gillette asked. “Could it make the wearer stronger, or give them the ability to fly?”
“It may do something,” Rosemary shrugged. “But I have not been told. It was my father’s and before him it belong to my grandmother, and before her my great grandmother.”
“Why do you need me?” James asked.
“Because it is the prince of the sea who stole my bracelet and the only person I know who can fight him would be the great pirate James Norrington.”
“I am not he.”
“Yes and no,” Rosemary raised a finger. “My other told me about the great Commodore James Norrington. You both are just as bold, just as intelligent, just as cunning, just as skilled with the sword, and I believe just as handsome.”
James tried to ignore the feeling of her fingers rubbing against his neck. Luckily for him, Anamaria slipped in between the two of them.
“I have told you he is not your captain,” Rosemary sneered.
“Precisely,” Gillette said. “Why did you not try to locate our captain?”
“The notorious pirate is hard to find.”
“So you had the spell performed.”
The witch nodded. “You have figured it out.”
“What does it look like?” Anamaria asked. Her voice did not loose the sharp tone. “This bracelet of yours?”
“Two bands of copper with a third in the middle,” Rosemary described. “The one in the middle appears as if it had been braded with small aquamarine stones woven in.”
“We will be on our way,” there was one other question on James’s mind. “Why did the other Rosemary agree to helping you?”
“I promised her I would sever the link and never contact her again.”
James pulled out the lacquered compass and flipped back the lid. The arrow pointed to a new direction. “Mr. Gillette and Anamaria, we will return to the ship.” He glanced back at Rosemary one last time. “And you better honor your end of our bargain.”
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Replies: Sudoku, thanks
Ogreatrandom, thanks I keep on writing because of my muse.
Admiral Norrington, thanks.
Captain Mera Sparrow, you are right in your guessing.