The Oldest Story in the Book
Chapter 1
Disclaimer: most of it isn't mine. Pearl is, and I'm ver protective of her. So stay away!
Author's Note: The majority of people said they wanted a new story, so here you go. Be happy. If you haven't read Pearl or Braving the Flames, go away, read them, and come back. Otherwise this will make no sense. Which doesn't bother me all that much but I want you to be happy.
As for Pendragginink who sent me the review giving me ideas for Maggie (if the rest of you haven't read it you should), I offer you a challenge. Mwa ha ha. Write it. My Maggie probably wouldn't do that stuff, but I would certainly lend her to you. I'd love to read it. Did love reading it and I want more. I will say this: I'm protective of Pearl. If you want to stick her in I would probably want to know about it. And maybe Emmie. You'll know who that is after you read this. I'm a pain, I know, but she's my baby. So write it. Write it, post it, and tell me. I'll make everyone read it.
I've enjoyed all of you guessing what I was going to do. Some of you were right, others were very close, and all of you had great ideas that made my boss ask what was so funny (don't worry, I'm not it trouble. I can think on my feet).
Oh, and to AgentStarbuck, who asked about Marden, of course he's not gone. Look, here he is! I had this planned all along but kudos to you for remembering him!
3 Years Later
"Something's not right," Norrington remarked to himself as he studied the sheets of papers before him. It was a statement from a merchant ship's captain that had been robbed and set loose by the Black Pearl. That wasn't what disconcerted him in the least. What did bother him was that the only woman mentioned in the report was a dark woman who seemed to spend most of her time pointing menacingly at Jack, just like every other report he'd ever gotten from anyone unfortunate enough to have a run in with the Black Pearl. Either Pearl was masquerading as a man, which seemed totally out of character, or she hadn't been on her father's ship in three years.
Norrington sighed as he planned a visit to the Turners the next day. At first he had believed that the Turners truly hadn't heard from either of the Sparrows. After a year, however, rummer reached him that Jack had been in town. The Turners denied it and Bethany Maltrey had never turned up, so Norrington had dismissed it. After that he had grown suspicions of Jack planning something. But surely Jack wouldn't sit on a plan for two years. The pirate could be patient, he knew, but he doubted Jack would sit on an insignificant plan to humiliate him for two years. Something was going on and he was losing patients with waiting to find out what. Tomorrow he would go over to visit the Turners and find out what was going on. Maybe he would take Maggie with him. She would like that.
He smiled at the thought of his wife. She had turned out to more of an asset than he ever could have imagined. Her open, caring manner endeared her to people, winning him their support through her. She was also surprisingly and dangerously good at talking people into things. And now, three months after the birth of their first child, she was starting to get back on her feet.
She had insisted he was coddling her, keeping her in bed so long. He knew part of it was fear, after seeing Pearl so sick, and Maggie so weakened. But she was almost fully recovered now and the baby boy, Ethan, was strong and healthy. Everything seemed perfect.
Norrington began to pack up his things so that he could go home as the light slowly dwindled. He lit a candle before walking toward the door. He was nearly there when it swung open and Captain Gillette stepped into the room. "Apologies, Commodore," he said quickly. "You were on your way home?"
"Yes," Norrington answered. "But what did you need?"
"The man we have in the brig, the pirate we branded this afternoon? Marden?"
Norrington nodded. There was something familiar about that name, but he still couldn't place it. "He's insistently wishing to speak to you. Making a bit of a nuisance of himself, in truth. Promises to calm down if he can have just a moment of your time."
Norrington shrugged. "Doesn't sound like too big a bother. Lead the way."
Gillette nodded, taking the Commodore down the flights of stairs to the cells. They were fairly full, containing the entire crew being held for piracy. They had been branded that afternoon, a precaution in case they escaped before their hanging the next day. Norrington hadn't been present--he had better things to do, after all--so this was the first time he had seen these men.
A man stepped forward as they came in, hands moving through the bars to rest his arms on the cool metal, rolled up shirt revealing the red burnt flesh of the new brand, one booted foot settling against the bars in a completely relaxed attitude. "Well lookie here, gentlemen, we got him down here after all," the pirate remarked as the rest of the crew chuckled behind him.
"I assume you're Marden?"
One arm withdrew to take the hat from his head, sweeping it around in a broad movement. "In the flesh, as I'm painfully reminded at the moment," he remarked with a glance at his arm.
"What did you want?" Norrington asked, crossing his arms.
"Just to get a good look at you, mostly. You want to know more than that, I'd recommend you send your entourage to await your commands elsewhere," he said with a pointed look at a rather outraged Gillette and the guard behind him.
Norrington considered it, wondering if the man really did know something that could impugn his honor as he was suggesting or if he was simply refusing to speak with anyone else in the room. His eyes narrowed before he turned to Gillette and nodded toward the man at the door. "Tell him to wait for us at the top of the stairs." Norrington returned his attention to the pirate. "I'm meeting you half way," he informed the man. "Anything you want to tell me you may tell Gillette as well."
"I guess we'll find out," he remarked, carefully studying the man before him. "You know, you ain't the sort I had imagined. Not Pearl's type a'tall," he said with a snicker the men behind him echoed.
It came back to him then, someone in Tortuga mentioning a man named Marden who would be disappointed that Pearl had latched onto him. Norrington's eyebrows rose. Maybe, in a backward sort of way, he was about to get his questions answered after all. "Sorry to disappoint you," he remarked.
"Not me you have to worry about disappointing, Mate. That's Pearl." The pirate paused to study Norrington heavily. The man stood stock still under the pirate's scrutiny. Marden laughed aloud when he came back to his eyes. "Well, I'll be. Your daughter has your eyes."
Now Norrington was thoroughly confused. "My son, you mean. My wife just had a boy, not a girl. And he has blue eyes, as do most babes. He's only three months old."
The pirate tsked as he shook his head. "Pearl has been a bad girl, hasn't she? I don't pretend to know about any of that you just said, but your daughter, Emerald, or Emmie if you will, is a little over two, and she has your eyes."
It took Norrington several minutes to understand exactly what the man was suggesting. When he did his eyes widened suddenly and he turned and ran for the door. "Commodore! Where are you going?" Gillette called after him.
"To the Turners'," he answered.
Author's Note: I know, it's short. Bad author. Like I said, things are hectic. I have a pile of reading I'm not doing now, so you should all be happy. I'll update soon as I can. Inspire me by reviewing. Now!
Chapter 1
Disclaimer: most of it isn't mine. Pearl is, and I'm ver protective of her. So stay away!
Author's Note: The majority of people said they wanted a new story, so here you go. Be happy. If you haven't read Pearl or Braving the Flames, go away, read them, and come back. Otherwise this will make no sense. Which doesn't bother me all that much but I want you to be happy.
As for Pendragginink who sent me the review giving me ideas for Maggie (if the rest of you haven't read it you should), I offer you a challenge. Mwa ha ha. Write it. My Maggie probably wouldn't do that stuff, but I would certainly lend her to you. I'd love to read it. Did love reading it and I want more. I will say this: I'm protective of Pearl. If you want to stick her in I would probably want to know about it. And maybe Emmie. You'll know who that is after you read this. I'm a pain, I know, but she's my baby. So write it. Write it, post it, and tell me. I'll make everyone read it.
I've enjoyed all of you guessing what I was going to do. Some of you were right, others were very close, and all of you had great ideas that made my boss ask what was so funny (don't worry, I'm not it trouble. I can think on my feet).
Oh, and to AgentStarbuck, who asked about Marden, of course he's not gone. Look, here he is! I had this planned all along but kudos to you for remembering him!
3 Years Later
"Something's not right," Norrington remarked to himself as he studied the sheets of papers before him. It was a statement from a merchant ship's captain that had been robbed and set loose by the Black Pearl. That wasn't what disconcerted him in the least. What did bother him was that the only woman mentioned in the report was a dark woman who seemed to spend most of her time pointing menacingly at Jack, just like every other report he'd ever gotten from anyone unfortunate enough to have a run in with the Black Pearl. Either Pearl was masquerading as a man, which seemed totally out of character, or she hadn't been on her father's ship in three years.
Norrington sighed as he planned a visit to the Turners the next day. At first he had believed that the Turners truly hadn't heard from either of the Sparrows. After a year, however, rummer reached him that Jack had been in town. The Turners denied it and Bethany Maltrey had never turned up, so Norrington had dismissed it. After that he had grown suspicions of Jack planning something. But surely Jack wouldn't sit on a plan for two years. The pirate could be patient, he knew, but he doubted Jack would sit on an insignificant plan to humiliate him for two years. Something was going on and he was losing patients with waiting to find out what. Tomorrow he would go over to visit the Turners and find out what was going on. Maybe he would take Maggie with him. She would like that.
He smiled at the thought of his wife. She had turned out to more of an asset than he ever could have imagined. Her open, caring manner endeared her to people, winning him their support through her. She was also surprisingly and dangerously good at talking people into things. And now, three months after the birth of their first child, she was starting to get back on her feet.
She had insisted he was coddling her, keeping her in bed so long. He knew part of it was fear, after seeing Pearl so sick, and Maggie so weakened. But she was almost fully recovered now and the baby boy, Ethan, was strong and healthy. Everything seemed perfect.
Norrington began to pack up his things so that he could go home as the light slowly dwindled. He lit a candle before walking toward the door. He was nearly there when it swung open and Captain Gillette stepped into the room. "Apologies, Commodore," he said quickly. "You were on your way home?"
"Yes," Norrington answered. "But what did you need?"
"The man we have in the brig, the pirate we branded this afternoon? Marden?"
Norrington nodded. There was something familiar about that name, but he still couldn't place it. "He's insistently wishing to speak to you. Making a bit of a nuisance of himself, in truth. Promises to calm down if he can have just a moment of your time."
Norrington shrugged. "Doesn't sound like too big a bother. Lead the way."
Gillette nodded, taking the Commodore down the flights of stairs to the cells. They were fairly full, containing the entire crew being held for piracy. They had been branded that afternoon, a precaution in case they escaped before their hanging the next day. Norrington hadn't been present--he had better things to do, after all--so this was the first time he had seen these men.
A man stepped forward as they came in, hands moving through the bars to rest his arms on the cool metal, rolled up shirt revealing the red burnt flesh of the new brand, one booted foot settling against the bars in a completely relaxed attitude. "Well lookie here, gentlemen, we got him down here after all," the pirate remarked as the rest of the crew chuckled behind him.
"I assume you're Marden?"
One arm withdrew to take the hat from his head, sweeping it around in a broad movement. "In the flesh, as I'm painfully reminded at the moment," he remarked with a glance at his arm.
"What did you want?" Norrington asked, crossing his arms.
"Just to get a good look at you, mostly. You want to know more than that, I'd recommend you send your entourage to await your commands elsewhere," he said with a pointed look at a rather outraged Gillette and the guard behind him.
Norrington considered it, wondering if the man really did know something that could impugn his honor as he was suggesting or if he was simply refusing to speak with anyone else in the room. His eyes narrowed before he turned to Gillette and nodded toward the man at the door. "Tell him to wait for us at the top of the stairs." Norrington returned his attention to the pirate. "I'm meeting you half way," he informed the man. "Anything you want to tell me you may tell Gillette as well."
"I guess we'll find out," he remarked, carefully studying the man before him. "You know, you ain't the sort I had imagined. Not Pearl's type a'tall," he said with a snicker the men behind him echoed.
It came back to him then, someone in Tortuga mentioning a man named Marden who would be disappointed that Pearl had latched onto him. Norrington's eyebrows rose. Maybe, in a backward sort of way, he was about to get his questions answered after all. "Sorry to disappoint you," he remarked.
"Not me you have to worry about disappointing, Mate. That's Pearl." The pirate paused to study Norrington heavily. The man stood stock still under the pirate's scrutiny. Marden laughed aloud when he came back to his eyes. "Well, I'll be. Your daughter has your eyes."
Now Norrington was thoroughly confused. "My son, you mean. My wife just had a boy, not a girl. And he has blue eyes, as do most babes. He's only three months old."
The pirate tsked as he shook his head. "Pearl has been a bad girl, hasn't she? I don't pretend to know about any of that you just said, but your daughter, Emerald, or Emmie if you will, is a little over two, and she has your eyes."
It took Norrington several minutes to understand exactly what the man was suggesting. When he did his eyes widened suddenly and he turned and ran for the door. "Commodore! Where are you going?" Gillette called after him.
"To the Turners'," he answered.
Author's Note: I know, it's short. Bad author. Like I said, things are hectic. I have a pile of reading I'm not doing now, so you should all be happy. I'll update soon as I can. Inspire me by reviewing. Now!