Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean and all related characters belong to Walt Disney, Gore, Jerry, Ted and Terry.
Chapter 5: A Near Miss
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They had rode back to the Dauntless Spirit in near silence. Both Murtogg and Mullroy were eager to get back to the ship. Their fear slowly ebbed away as they put enough distance between themselves and the swamp. Both Marty and Gillette had confused expressions on their face. Groves had sat near the back, hunched low while he continued to glower towards James’s direction. Anamaria was impassive. James could read nothing from her.
“I’ll make my chicken stew,” Mullroy said once they had climbed aboard the Spirit. “Does that sound good?”
“I always enjoy your stew, Mr. Mullroy,” James said. Mullroy the Marine enjoyed to cook as a hobby. James had enjoyed the meals Mullroy had brought to him when James had spent long hours in his office. He had also liked the breakfast prepared by Mullroy the pirate.
“I’ll make sure there is plenty of onions,” Mullroy made his way below deck. “I know you love onions in your stew.”
“I do,” James smiled. “Just make certain there isn’t too much.”
“Aye captain,” Mullroy said.
“It is a bit of a shame we do not have any garlic,” Murtogg said.
“It would enhance the flavor a bit,” James agreed and was a bit thankful the others hadn’t told Murtogg and Mullroy the truth.
“It would,” Mullroy nodded before he stared at Murtogg in confusion. “I thought you were allergic to garlic.”
“I’m allergic to oranges, and only if I eat too much.”
“You were gagging the last time I used garlic.”
“It was raw,” Murtogg spread out his hands. “Nobody likes raw garlic.”
“I like raw garlic.”
“Gentlemen if you please,” James silenced the two with a wave of his hand. “Not many prefer the taste of raw garlic. I did enjoy the time you roasted the garlic cloves, Mr. Mullroy. You may go to the galley.”
“Aye captain,” Mullroy said before he climbed down the stairs.
“Mr. Murtogg I want you to make sure the sails are at full mast,” James instructed.
“Yes sir,” Murtogg said before he left.
James motioned Marty, Anamaria and his lieutenants closer. “I thank you for not telling them what Tia Dalma had said.” He spoke in a low tone as he addressed them.
“We won’t tell anyone,” Gillette said. “Not that the rest of the crew would believe us.”
James smiled as he nodded. “I thank you Mr. Gillette.” He closed his eyes and breathed deep. “I am certain the James Norrington you know and respect is also trying to find his way back.”
“We understand sir,” Marty nodded.
“We want our James to return.” Anamaria said.
“Until then I have to act like your James.”
“Yes,” Groves scoffed and crossed his arms. The ferret changed positions on his shoulders. “The great pride of the Royal Navy has to pretend to be a pirate.”
“Theodore,” Anamaria stared at him.
“Mr. Small, I want you and Mr. Groves to take care of the rigging. Ask some of the other members of the crew to join you.” James tried to ignore the cutting remark. Groves wasn’t fond of pirates. His dislike was not near the level as James’s hatred, nor Gillette’s. He was the first to be impressed by Sparrow’s skill, however he agreed they were some of the worst scum to sail the waters.
“Aye, captain.” Marty saluted him before he turned around.
“Bye your command,” Groves responded coldly before he turned on his heel.
James stared at the back of his pirate lieutenant before he let out a deep breath. “I know none of you are quite fond of me.”
“This isn’t your fault sir,” Gillette reached up to adjust his scarf.
“It’s that witch who is at fault,” Anamaria agreed. She reached to place a hand on his shoulder and paused halfway. “The woman, Tia Dalma had named.”
“Rosemary,” James stared at the makeshift bandage on his finger. “How will this compass find her?”
“You do not carry this compass?” Anamaria pointed to the broken compass hanging from James’s belt.
“That would be the compass of Captain Jack Sparrow.”
“Commodore Sparrow is a pirate?” Gillette blinked. “If he is a pirate and you are a high ranking officer of the Royal Navy then what of us?” He pointed to himself and Anamaria. “Am I really a lieutenant?”
James nodded “You and Mr. Groves are two of my most loyal, most responsible, and most trustworthy lieutenants. Mr. Murtogg and Mr. Mullroy are in the marines.” He turned around to see several his men on hands and knees, scrubbing the deck. “Most of my men are also in the Navy or in the Marines.”
“And myself?” Anamaria asked
“You and Mr. Small are unchanged, as is Mr. Turner and Miss Swann.”
Anamaria nodded. “It is because of the color of my skin and because of Marty’s height?”
James closed his eyes. “And because you are woman. That is why you are not in the Navy.”
“I was not thinking of the Navy,” Anamaria said coldly before she brushed past the men.
James blinked. What was she thinking about if she did not mean the Navy? Was she speaking of society where she wouldn’t be a slave? Marty could be a proper gentleman of high society.
“It would be improper of me if I do not apologize,” he turned towards the direction Anamaria had walked towards until he felt a hand on his shoulder. “Mr. Gillette?”
“You may have insulted her, but there is no need to fret. She will get over it. What we need is to find Rosemary. Which direction is the compass pointing?”
James still did not understand how the compass was going to help. “The direction is north by northeast.”
“That is where we are heading,” Gillette smiled before he gave a light pat on James’s back.
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“Do you see anything?” James Norrington called up to Marty in the crow’s nest. Two days in a row they have sailed through calm weather, barely any cloud in the sky and not a single other ship to have cross their path.
“Smooth sailing, captain,” Marty called down.
“Excellent,” James took a sip from his coffee. The cup he carried around with him was possibly stolen from a merchant vessel, but his mind should not dwell on such matters.
“Captain, have you noticed where we are heading?” Anamaria approached him with a chart in her hand. She had forgiven him for what he had said a few nights prior.
“I have noticed when Mr. Gillette and myself have charted our path.” James and Andrew had drawn at a map; the coordinates they had already sailed through and where would the most possible direction of where they were headed. “We are heading towards Bermuda.”
“We are going to sail through the triangle.”
“Do not tell me you are afraid of the rumors and stories.” James had heard everything about the Bermuda triangle. There were stories about mermaids and sirens luring men towards their death at sea. Stories of ghost ships causing wrecks, causing even more ghost ships, stories of a whirlpool sucking down ships and sailors to the lost city of Atlantis, tales of Davy Jones and the Flying Dutchman sending sailors to his locker. James had heard them all.
“The rumors and the stories had to start from somewhere.” Anamaria lowered her arm.
“We will be entering the triangle in less than half a day,” James took another sip from his cup, taking notice of how the brew was cooling down.
“You are still not thinking of taking another route?” Anamaria stared at him.
“Of course he isn’t,” Groves walked past him. “You wouldn’t expect anything from a man of the navy. All he cares about is getting back to his old life.”
“And you believe our James isn’t” Anamaria started after him. “You think our captain isn’t doing anything and everything to return to us?”
“Don’t,” James grabbed onto her shoulder. “Let him be. He may come out of it. It might take a few days but he will come around.” Groves was not one to hold grudges for a long time, never longer than a few weeks and if there were apologies and a chance at making up the grudge would last even less.
“And what if he doesn’t?” Anamaria asked.
“He will,” James took another gulp from his cup and approached the helm.
“Captain,” Marty shouted from the crow’s nest. “There is a ship.”
“What kind of ship?’ James stared up.
“It is a Navy vessel. A few knots ahead.”
“In which general direction?”
“Where we are headed.”
Even with his clean and shaven presence, Norrington knew he would still be recognized by the Naval crew and there was little guessing to what they would do to himself and his crew. They may be pirate versions of the people he cared about, but they were still the same in mind and personality.
“Mr. Gillette turn this ship around.’
“Captain?” Gillette turned his head away from the wheel.
“Turn the Dauntless around, and when I give the order hard to starboard.”
“Aye, Captain,” Gillette turned the wheel, causing the ship to veer around.
Norrington braced as the ship turned, careful as to not stagger or even fall from the lurch. He did not move until the ship was steady.
“Captain Norrington,” Murtogg approached him. A chunk of wood was in his hand. “What are your plans?”
“My plan is to avoid the Navy at all costs,” James said before he drained the last from his cup. “And to keep my crew safe.” He handed the cup to Murtogg and pulled out his spyglass. “After we loose them we will change course back to our original destination.”
“I will inform the rest of the crew,” Murtogg said before he slipped away.
James continued to stare through the spyglass. He did not want to lower it until the other ship was gar enough away. Once the appearance of the ship was no more than a mere dot riding on the waves he removed the spyglass from his eyes.
“Mr. Gillette, now, hard to starboard.”
“Aye Captain,” Gillette turned the wheel, not as harshly as before and causing a smoother turn.
“Thank you Mr. Gillette,” James crossed his arms and stared up at the masts of his ship. The site of the billowing sails filled his chest with a tingling pride. He could not help to love her, despite her vocation of being a pirate vessel.
“Sir,” Marty’s voice carried down. “I think we have been seen. It is following us.”
“Following?” James frowned. “Is she ganging on us?’
“It is still the same distance as when we turned, but it had also turned.”
“She will not catch up with us.” The Dauntless could not match speed with the Interceptor, but there is no other ship, neither navy, merchant, nor pirate they wouldn't be able to keep up with the Dauntless, unless it was The Black Pearl. A new thought had entered his mind. What if this ship was the Crowning Jewel and Commodore Sparrow was aboard?
He stared out at the sky. Most of it was clear and blue. There was a small cluster of clouds that were darkening in a northeastern direction.
“Mr. Gillette, we are turning north.”
“Are you certain sir?” Gillette asked. “It looks like a storm is developing.”
“Precisely. We will arrive when it is still weak. I will order Marty out of the nest and everyone to vacate the sails.”
James stood by Gillette as they sailed through the storm; the clouds darkened the sky creating an illusion of an early night. He did not move when the first rain pelted against his skin, nor when the wind picked up.
“James, are you certain this is a good idea?” Anamaria appeared by his side. “The winds are getting stronger.”
“We will get through this,” he turned around staring at the stern and the worsening storm behind them. “We have already missed the worst part of the storm.”
“It does not look like it will be getting any better anytime soon,” Gillette said.
James nodded. “Anamaria I want you to order the sails to be drawn, except for those on the foremast and half the crew to get below deck.”
“James?” She stared into his eyes.
“I want you to go down with them.”
She reached for his hand and pulled back. “Yes sir.”
James stood by Gillette, as the winds had grown even stronger. Both men were completely soaked from the rain. James had turned to watch the storm behind them and what was in store for them.
“Mr. Gillette I shall take the wheel now,” James grabbed onto one of the wooden handles. “Take down the sails of the foremast and make certain you and the rest of the crew are below deck.”
“What of you?” Gillette released his hold on the wheel.
“I will try to steer us clear,” James did not turn to look at him. “I cannot have my concentration waver because I am worrying about the safety of my crew. Join the others below deck. That is an order.”
Gillette drew up his lips into the pouty frown James had grown to know. “Aye captain.”
James felt the muscles in his arms tense as he tried to keep the wheel steady as he steered through the rough waters. The storm was a strong squall, not quite near a tropical level and he could see the end, a small line of golden sunlight. It was his beacon.
The brow lurched suddenly towards port and Jams tried to use all the strength to keep her steady. “Steady girl,” he said despite his fingers slipping from the wheel. He tried to push even further. He felt the wheel slide away from him as he stumbled and fell to the deck.
A pair of hands grabbed his arm before he landed on the deck.
“Anamaria,” James stared into the concerned eyes of the pirate woman as she helped him to his feet.
“I have the wheel,” Gillette clenched his jaw as he tried to pull the wheel back.
“This will need two men,” James said as he grabbed onto the other side of the wheel and pulled along with Gillette.
“Two men,” Anamaria joined them. “And a woman.”
“I shall speak with you about disobeying my orders,” James said once the ship was steady. “But as for now I thank you.’
“We can speak after we make it through,” Gillette said.
“Agreed,” James took his place, directly behind the wheel while both Gillette and Anamaria remained at his sides, one arms each against his back, their other hands attached to the wheel.
James did not let go until the rain downpour had lightened to a mere drizzle and the winds were once again breezes. Most of the clouds were behind them, leaving clear skies ahead.
“Should I alert the crew?” Gillette asked.
“Now would be a good time,” James nodded in agreement.
“Would you like your hat back,” Anamaria asked as she pats his back.
“I can wait,” James stretched out his arms, sending droplets of water flying everywhere. “Mr. Gillette when you do go below deck, ask Mr. Mullroy to make us some more of his chicken stew and some tea.”
“Aye,” Gillette smiled. “We could all do with something warm in our stomachs.”
“We should also change out of these wet clothes,” James smiled as he removed his coat.”
“I will find us some blankets,” Anamaria said. “Will we be regaining our original destination?”
“After we are warm and dry,” James brushed his fingers against the compass.
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Replies: Ogreatrandom, thank you. Jack will make an appearance in a later chapter.
Captain MeraSparrow, Thankyou.
Sudoku, thanks. Tia Dalma strikes me as the type, the one all pirates go to for answers. I’m a bit of a Gilleton fan myself, but Andrew watching James bathe his upper half is probably the closest to the pairing, I shall write.