BROADSIDES

Disclaimer: I would like to take this moment to say that the characters used from "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" are the property of Walt Disney. I do not profit in any way from their use. Original characters, however, are my property and would therefore appreciate them not being used by others. Ditto for the storyline. Don't take them…I bite hard.

Author's Note: Don't go calling your optometrist just yet. The spelling of the word "lieutenant" is now "Lievtenant" because of the pronunciation of the word in the British Royal Navy. This spelling is accurate for the time period, and so I use it.

Thank you for reading, and enjoy!

Prologue

The mood was bleak, very bleak. Commodore James Norrington walked away holding his head high, but inside, his soul was troubled. He had left the dozens of soldiers and onlookers behind as he passed through the fort alone, making his way to his office with a slowing step and a heavy heart. Behind him, young Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann were finally able to admit their mutual love as they became locked in a passionate embrace.

The long corridors of Fort Charles seemed to stretch endlessly on as the Commodore strode numbly toward his office.  He casually looked over to his left and studied the stone-lined walls before reaching out to trace the lines with his fingers.  Rough stone passed underneath his fingertips.  How cold they were beneath his touch.  It always amazed James how cool the inner expanses of the Fort could remain despite the dreadfully hot Caribbean sun outside. 

Norrington looked up as he continued down the darkening hall.  The stone was very much like him.  On the outside he was composed and collected no matter what the circumstances.  He was known for keeping his stone-like resolve even in the dead heat of battle.  His profound success in the Royal Navy and the Caribbean was a direct result of his ability and character.  Achieving the rank of Post-Captain at the age of 29, and being appointed Commodore at 31 were no small tasks and were certainly nothing to scoff at.  They were, in fact, nearly unheard of in His Majesty's Service.  Commodore James Norrington had nearly eliminated the pirate threat in Caribbean waters with his quiet tenacity and cool demeanor.

But how much of that could be interpreted as cold?  This thought troubled James as he retreated further into the Fort.  Elizabeth Swann, daughter of Royal Governor Weatherby Swann, was 20 years old and positively stunning.  There was not an educated opinion in Port Royale, Jamaica, that did not agree that the match between she and the Commodore was a fine one indeed.  Both were well respected and handsome in their own right, and wonderful things were sure to come out of such a union.  Every respected citizen expected it, and Elizabeth had come to accept her role as the daughter of a public official and wife of a high-ranking Naval officer.  The one thing she had not expected, however, was William Turner.  And pirates…

Elizabeth and Will had been childhood acquaintances, but grew up in two entirely different worlds.  Elizabeth's father ensured that she lived her life according to strict propriety, while the orphaned Will grew up in an apprenticeship to the town's blacksmith.  Both held affection for one another, but society prevented them from making such affection known.  It would seem as if they were destined to live in the shadow of a vast, bridled passion that was never to be explored.

That was until the events of a week prior.  The attack on Port Royale by a crew of cursed pirates ignited a string of events that would rattle the very foundation of everyone involved.  Elizabeth's heroics were complimented by Will's selfless flight to rescue her from the dangerous grasp of Captain Barbossa.  She discovered her love for him at the end of that perilous journey, but kept it hidden.  It was Will's actions to save the well-meaning pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow, from the gallows that prompted Elizabeth to no longer hide what she was feeling.  She loved Will and no other.  The truth came out at the expense of the one Elizabeth had promised her hand to, Commodore Norrington.

He had suspected that her acceptance of his marriage proposal that day aboard the HMS Dauntless was made under duress, but did not admit it to himself.  At that point, she had been rescued from a deserted island where she was found with Captain Sparrow; the Dauntless, with Elizabeth, her father, the Commodore, his crew, and the arrested Sparrow, was about to return to Port Royale and leave Will Turner to his fate with the cursed pirates.  Elizabeth begged and pleaded for James to travel to the uncharted island destination and rescue the blacksmith and take the pirate threat, but he refused.  He refused on the grounds that he served others and not only himself.  He refused until she threw an unexpected blow.

"Commodore!  I beg you, please do this, for me…as a wedding gift."

How unexpected that was!  Norrington had gripped the railing in order to ensure his stance.  He looked down at her, completely taken by surprise, and gazed into her eyes.  Elizabeth's face displayed a hurt that could not be expressed in words at that moment.  She looked up at him, then averted her eyes to the deck. 

In retrospect, James could not decide if her expression of pain was because she could not fathom a life with him, or - and at less expense of James's pride – because she realized she was using him for his power.  His suspicion was nearly written on his face, but James conversed with Elizabeth afterward and he expressed his concern.  Elizabeth was soft-spoken, but her words rang in his head clear as the ship's bell.

"Your answer would not change mine.  You are a fine man, James…"

She had assured him with those 12 words that she did indeed mean to marry him, and perhaps saw him for more than just the uniformed figure commanding hundreds of nameless troops.  One thing James had noticed about Elizabeth in their eight years of acquaintance was once she announced her intention, she saw it through with all the fervor of the most passionate soldier.  Her spirit made her unique, and her heart made her the passionate individual she was.  But her heart was not his.

Having reached his office, Norrington walked to his desk and slumped into his chair. He removed his hat and wig and discarded them to the side, and rested his head in his hands. Elizabeth was now free to make her own decision. James had done the right thing; admitted defeat and graciously moved on. Even so, he could not help but feel as if he had lost the most important battle of his life. The woman he loved had chosen another, even when he had done everything correctly to the highest standards.

"So this is where your heart truly lies then?"

"It is."

Those words rang in Norrington's head. He remained there at his desk for what seemed like eternity before he heard a timid knock on the door.

"Commodore, sir, are you alright?" asked Lievtenant Gillette nervously.

Norrington looked up slowly. The last thing he wanted at the moment was to be disturbed. Lievtenant Matthieu Rhodes Gillette had been Norrington's most trustworthy and dedicated officer for nearly eight years. He knew his superior's habits and personality in and out, and being concerned over his actions at the gallows, he had followed Norrington back to his office. Gillette stood outside the door awaiting an answer as he glanced to his left down the hallway to assure no one was in the immediate area. Having heard nothing, Gillette knocked once more, his concern becoming more and more evident.

"Sir, are you well? May I enter?" he asked. Gillette's unwanted persistence forced Norrington to take action. He leaned back and absently raked his fingers through his short, dark brown hair, as he usually did when frustrated. Sighing, he said, "I'm quite alright. Thank you, Lievtenant."

"If you would permit me sir, I should like to come in," said Gillette, his tone growing more confident. He would be damned to see his commander wallowing in self-pity. The man did not deserve it. Gillette drew a breath and entered before Norrington even had the chance to respond. He closed the door behind him and stopped. Gillette was silent as he gazed in disbelief at his commander. There sat the Commodore looking forlorn, slumped in his chair, wig thrown to the side and hair disheveled. It was neither a common nor comfortable sight for Gillette to see. He looked down at the wooden floor as he searched for the appropriate words.

"My condolences, sir," started Gillette nervously.

Norrington glanced over toward Gillette and sighed. "I hope you are referring to our losses aboard the Dauntless, Lievtenant. I see no reason for them otherwise." The Commodore's words were emotionless. He looked away from the younger officer and stared out the window to his right. Gillette stood rigid as a board as he looked at Norrington. It was then, in that awkward moment, that he decided to drop the pretense.

"If it makes you feel any better James, I think you made the right decision," Gillette stated quietly. Norrington paused, and then turned slowly back to the Lievtenant.

"Any decent man would have done the same thing, Matthieu," began Norrington. He drew a breath to continue, then decided against it. He merely stared blankly ahead.

"That's not the truth and you damn well know it," said Gillette firmly, stepping in front of Norrington to look straight at him. His tone was no longer that of an inferior and less experienced officer. To Hell with protocol. He saw how his friend was sinking into a black pit of despair, and he would not allow it. "Few men would have done what you did. It was very honorable of you." Gillette paused, unsure if he was speaking too boldly.

The Commodore rose and brushed a stray hair from his eyes before replacing both the wig and his hat, and walked toward the door. "Thank you for your concern, Gillette, I'll be fine. Prepare the Dauntless and the Navigator to sail first thing tomorrow morning." Norrington knew, however, that if the Black Pearl had any head start, that catching them would not be possible. Not that he particularly cared. He was trying not to dwell on the fact that Sparrow had escaped, Elizabeth had refused him, and there was no hope of catching the Pearl. Commodore Norrington, the great pirate hunter himself, lacked the heart.

Gillette seemed to sense his superior's thoughts and tried to mend the situation. "They say it is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all, sir," he began softly.

Norrington paused just feet from the Lievtenant and closed his eyes as he drew a breath. He turned to Gillette and looked into his eyes as he lamented, "Try it."

With that, the Commodore exited the office and started back toward home, leaving Gillette to ponder those last, heartrending words.