James Norrington stood before a mirror, straight razor in his hand,
preparing for another day as Commodore in Port Royal. His white, curled wig
rested on a stand by his side, his jacket was hanging next to the bedroom
door. He surveyed his appearance in the mirror. He was still young, his
brown hair only marred by a few gray hairs near the temples. He still had
the same good looks he had possessed at twenty, if perhaps a more refined
air. Back then he had thought that everything would go perfectly, and by
this time he'd have everything he could've desired. A year and a half
before, when he'd been promoted to Commodore, he'd still thought so. He had
his position, and it seemed as if Elizabeth Swann would marry him, making a
fine wife and mother to his children. It would have been the perfect life.
But then Jack Sparrow had sailed into town on his broken down boat, and the Black Pearl had followed him. In a cruel twist of fate, Elizabeth had been kidnapped by pirates, and James had not been the one to rescue her.
No, it had been William Turner, a common blacksmith of unknown parentage. And although James had always known that Elizabeth fancied Will, he had never expected that she was in love with him. Will was young, handsome, and good with a sword, but James had had no idea that Elizabeth's feelings ran deeper than a young woman's dreaming. Nor had James thought that Will's feelings for Elizabeth were such that he would befriend a pirate and steal a ship to come to her rescue. Many men had eyes for the Governor's daughter, because of her beauty and spirit, but Will was the only one to risk everything for her.
James had known that Elizabeth did not love him when he had proposed to her, and he was not sure that he was in love with her, either. But she was a fine woman, a woman he cared for deeply. And he had still been hurt when, after the incident with the Black Pearl had ended and Jack Sparrow had eluded him again, she had chosen Will Turner.
Will and Elizabeth had married only a few months after Sparrow's departure, as soon as Governor Swann would allow. He had wanted a proper wedding, despite the circumstances and the groom. The pair had moved into a modest house near the Governor's mansion, and James wished them the best. He spoke often with Elizabeth, more often with her father, and occasionally with Will, who remained a blacksmith but who's business and reputation had suddenly boomed following rumors of his excursions and pirate heritage. Governor Swann had mentioned the other day the Elizabeth was now expecting a child, and James had congratulated him heartily.
But James had decided he'd had enough of women. There was no other girl in Port Royal that he could see himself with, and he didn't understand their thinking enough to risk hurting himself again. Plus he felt rather foolish about the incident. His pride had been wounded. A bachelor's life, he had decided, devoted to his work... yes, that was how it would have to be.
James finished shaving and put on his coat. Buttoning up the uniform and adding the wig and hat, he thought about what a difference they made to his appearance. He strapped on his sword and pistol and headed out the door to resume his duties in the Port Royal harbor. He had stopped sailing the seas hunting pirates, for fear that he would run into Jack Sparrow again and deal with another fiasco involving Will and Elizabeth, who would surely come to his rescue. And after everything that had happened, he had rather lost his lust for pirate hunting, content to wait for them to come to Port Royal. After all, he thought, they were only a risk to the town when they came to the town. Oh, he still loathed pirates, of course. They deserved to hang, each and every one of them. But his last adventure had left a bitter taste in his mouth that still lingered, and until he got over it he didn't think he'd be sailing the seas looking for those filthy scoundrels.
As he arrived at his office, he had little idea just how important the day's events would be.
***
Dinah Morgan strolled down the dock in the Port Royal harbor, boots clicking on the wooden slats. The day was hot, and she was glad to not be trapped beneath layers of petticoats and velvet, as most women her age were, but her own dress was hardly better at the moment. The long trousers weren't so bad, really, nor the shirt, but she was wearing a brown leather coat, buttoned completely, with the collar turned up above her face. Only her eyes were visible between the coat and the tri-cornered hat perched on her head. Her auburn hair was twisted up and completely obscured beneath the hat, and she was thankful for the small blessing that it was off of her neck.
A sword was fastened around her slim waist, and she was also carrying a pistol, powder, and extra shots. But Dinah was hoping that she wouldn't have to use them. Though her chosen profession often required it, she preferred that things remain simple and easy and without violence. However, if the need arose, she could defend herself well.
Dinah strode purposefully towards her prize. The key was, she had learned, to act as if you belonged in a place. Her eyes were locked on the ship she had chosen. It was a modest merchant vessel that traveled to the other islands in the area (except, perhaps, for Tortuga, since no honest ship sailed there), fit for a small crew and light piracy, but it would do her for now. She thought it far too risky to try for a larger ship in Port Royal, especially alone. Commodore Norrington, the pirate's ultimate foe, made his home here, and if she'd been able to leave Port Royal without stealing she would have.
But of course, Stanton had known that she would have to steal a boat in Port Royal when he had forced her to walk the plank just outside the mouth of the harbor. Just as he had known that Norrington was stationed in Port Royal, making it perhaps the most difficult place to commandeer a ship. She cursed the day that she had agreed to join Stanton's crew, but she had had little choice. Though she was skilled with a sword and could aim a pistol, her previous experience had all been solo, much smaller work that she'd have with a crew. Few pirates wanted to take on a new member, especially one who had never worked on a large ship before. She had been desperate when Stanton had come to her and offered her a place aboard the Bonnie Lass. She knew of Stanton, knew of his despicable ways, and she had wanted nothing to do with him. But he was the only option, and she had grudgingly agreed to come aboard.
For a while, she'd thought that perhaps it wouldn't be so terrible after all. She was treated as all the crew were treated, and it wasn't a bad life. Well, for the first few months at least. After that, Stanton started making advances towards her, and although she was no blushing maid, she was repulsed by him and offended that he had only taken her aboard thinking she would be his private prostitute. She had rejected him over and over, eventually beginning to sleep with a knife next to her bed. She'd managed for a while, but after a year of carting her around and seven months of begging, Stanton had had enough. He had given her an ultimatum: deliver what he wanted, or leave the crew.
Dinah had refused. She had thought that Stanton would return her to Tortuga, where she would again try to find a place or, if worst came to worst, end up as a common whore there. But when Dinah saw the look in his eyes as he smiled at her after she'd told him, she had grown fearful. She'd thought that perhaps it was the fate of a mutinied captain for her, alone on a desolate island. But Stanton hadn't the heart to condemn her so completely. Three days previously, he had forced her off the plank with her effects, the only land in sight the Port Royal harbor, and Dinah had known she was nearly as bad off. Stealing a ship here would be near impossible. Stanton was probably hoping that she would send word to him somehow to return for her, she'd do as he wished, but Dinah would rather hang than give him the satisfaction.
So she had chosen the merchant ship. Its owner hadn't been around the docks much in the past few days, and Dinah was hoping that she could slip aboard and sail it away without even arousing suspicions. Then she could perhaps find her own crew, using all new and inexperienced pirates if the need be, and Stanton would see how wrong he had been.
Dinah slipped aboard the ship and began preparing to make way. So far, so good, no one seemed to notice anything. Everyone probably presumed that she was the ship's rightful owner.
She's just finished with the sails and was about to untie the vessel when a shout made her freeze.
"Help! Someone is stealing my ship!" Unfortunately, the ship's owner had come to see about stocking his vessel, and noticed that it was nearly ready to leave the docks.
Dinah raced to the back of the ship frantically, trying to formulate an escape plan. She saw a uniformed man running down the docks towards the ship. The rest of the guard was no where in sight, although the owner of the ship was running to get them. One man... she could handle that, she thought.
Dinah drew her sword as the soldier raced aboard the ship. "Freeze, pirate," he yelled as Dinah turned, entering a fighting stance automatically.
Her blood ran cold. This was no ordinary soldier. The uniform revealed him to be none other than Commodore Norrington himself, glaring at her angrily from beneath his wig. She was taken slightly off guard. He was more attractive than she had pictured him, though every bit as severe. Suddenly, he lunged, and she had no more time to contemplate these things. They were off, swords clanging , shifting and turning.
Dinah slashed at him with her sword when a startling realization struck her. She wasn't sure if she could kill him. She didn't know if she could make herself run him through with her blade if she needed to to get away. It wasn't the fear of killing, oh no, for she'd often fantasized about slitting Stanton's throat. But there was something about Commodore Norrington, a man who she'd heard of and hated, that made her feel as if she could not kill him.
Dinah was distracted by this, and suddenly the Commodore's sword was at her throat. He'd managed to hit the button on it perfectly, and her coat fell open and away from her face.
Norrington froze as her face came into view. He took in her full lips and delicate features. "You're... you're a woman!"
The rest of the soldiers were running up the dock now. In a moment they would be upon the ship. Dinah had to do something, and fast.
"Aye," spat Dinah. And then, taking advantage of his shock, she drew back her fist and punched him hard in the jaw. He reeled backwards, and Dinah sheathed her sword, turned and dived off of the ship into the water.
"He got away," cried Norrington's right hand man, Gillette, as the soldiers arrived by the Commodore's side.
Norrington blinked at the spot where Dinah had disappeared into the water. After a second he regained his composure. "Don't worry, Gillette," he said, "he can't get far. He hasn't got a ship, and so he can't leave Port Royal."
Gillette nodded, and quickly began doling out search assignments to the men. "I'm returning to my office to... to make a report," said Norrington, and hurried away.
But then Jack Sparrow had sailed into town on his broken down boat, and the Black Pearl had followed him. In a cruel twist of fate, Elizabeth had been kidnapped by pirates, and James had not been the one to rescue her.
No, it had been William Turner, a common blacksmith of unknown parentage. And although James had always known that Elizabeth fancied Will, he had never expected that she was in love with him. Will was young, handsome, and good with a sword, but James had had no idea that Elizabeth's feelings ran deeper than a young woman's dreaming. Nor had James thought that Will's feelings for Elizabeth were such that he would befriend a pirate and steal a ship to come to her rescue. Many men had eyes for the Governor's daughter, because of her beauty and spirit, but Will was the only one to risk everything for her.
James had known that Elizabeth did not love him when he had proposed to her, and he was not sure that he was in love with her, either. But she was a fine woman, a woman he cared for deeply. And he had still been hurt when, after the incident with the Black Pearl had ended and Jack Sparrow had eluded him again, she had chosen Will Turner.
Will and Elizabeth had married only a few months after Sparrow's departure, as soon as Governor Swann would allow. He had wanted a proper wedding, despite the circumstances and the groom. The pair had moved into a modest house near the Governor's mansion, and James wished them the best. He spoke often with Elizabeth, more often with her father, and occasionally with Will, who remained a blacksmith but who's business and reputation had suddenly boomed following rumors of his excursions and pirate heritage. Governor Swann had mentioned the other day the Elizabeth was now expecting a child, and James had congratulated him heartily.
But James had decided he'd had enough of women. There was no other girl in Port Royal that he could see himself with, and he didn't understand their thinking enough to risk hurting himself again. Plus he felt rather foolish about the incident. His pride had been wounded. A bachelor's life, he had decided, devoted to his work... yes, that was how it would have to be.
James finished shaving and put on his coat. Buttoning up the uniform and adding the wig and hat, he thought about what a difference they made to his appearance. He strapped on his sword and pistol and headed out the door to resume his duties in the Port Royal harbor. He had stopped sailing the seas hunting pirates, for fear that he would run into Jack Sparrow again and deal with another fiasco involving Will and Elizabeth, who would surely come to his rescue. And after everything that had happened, he had rather lost his lust for pirate hunting, content to wait for them to come to Port Royal. After all, he thought, they were only a risk to the town when they came to the town. Oh, he still loathed pirates, of course. They deserved to hang, each and every one of them. But his last adventure had left a bitter taste in his mouth that still lingered, and until he got over it he didn't think he'd be sailing the seas looking for those filthy scoundrels.
As he arrived at his office, he had little idea just how important the day's events would be.
***
Dinah Morgan strolled down the dock in the Port Royal harbor, boots clicking on the wooden slats. The day was hot, and she was glad to not be trapped beneath layers of petticoats and velvet, as most women her age were, but her own dress was hardly better at the moment. The long trousers weren't so bad, really, nor the shirt, but she was wearing a brown leather coat, buttoned completely, with the collar turned up above her face. Only her eyes were visible between the coat and the tri-cornered hat perched on her head. Her auburn hair was twisted up and completely obscured beneath the hat, and she was thankful for the small blessing that it was off of her neck.
A sword was fastened around her slim waist, and she was also carrying a pistol, powder, and extra shots. But Dinah was hoping that she wouldn't have to use them. Though her chosen profession often required it, she preferred that things remain simple and easy and without violence. However, if the need arose, she could defend herself well.
Dinah strode purposefully towards her prize. The key was, she had learned, to act as if you belonged in a place. Her eyes were locked on the ship she had chosen. It was a modest merchant vessel that traveled to the other islands in the area (except, perhaps, for Tortuga, since no honest ship sailed there), fit for a small crew and light piracy, but it would do her for now. She thought it far too risky to try for a larger ship in Port Royal, especially alone. Commodore Norrington, the pirate's ultimate foe, made his home here, and if she'd been able to leave Port Royal without stealing she would have.
But of course, Stanton had known that she would have to steal a boat in Port Royal when he had forced her to walk the plank just outside the mouth of the harbor. Just as he had known that Norrington was stationed in Port Royal, making it perhaps the most difficult place to commandeer a ship. She cursed the day that she had agreed to join Stanton's crew, but she had had little choice. Though she was skilled with a sword and could aim a pistol, her previous experience had all been solo, much smaller work that she'd have with a crew. Few pirates wanted to take on a new member, especially one who had never worked on a large ship before. She had been desperate when Stanton had come to her and offered her a place aboard the Bonnie Lass. She knew of Stanton, knew of his despicable ways, and she had wanted nothing to do with him. But he was the only option, and she had grudgingly agreed to come aboard.
For a while, she'd thought that perhaps it wouldn't be so terrible after all. She was treated as all the crew were treated, and it wasn't a bad life. Well, for the first few months at least. After that, Stanton started making advances towards her, and although she was no blushing maid, she was repulsed by him and offended that he had only taken her aboard thinking she would be his private prostitute. She had rejected him over and over, eventually beginning to sleep with a knife next to her bed. She'd managed for a while, but after a year of carting her around and seven months of begging, Stanton had had enough. He had given her an ultimatum: deliver what he wanted, or leave the crew.
Dinah had refused. She had thought that Stanton would return her to Tortuga, where she would again try to find a place or, if worst came to worst, end up as a common whore there. But when Dinah saw the look in his eyes as he smiled at her after she'd told him, she had grown fearful. She'd thought that perhaps it was the fate of a mutinied captain for her, alone on a desolate island. But Stanton hadn't the heart to condemn her so completely. Three days previously, he had forced her off the plank with her effects, the only land in sight the Port Royal harbor, and Dinah had known she was nearly as bad off. Stealing a ship here would be near impossible. Stanton was probably hoping that she would send word to him somehow to return for her, she'd do as he wished, but Dinah would rather hang than give him the satisfaction.
So she had chosen the merchant ship. Its owner hadn't been around the docks much in the past few days, and Dinah was hoping that she could slip aboard and sail it away without even arousing suspicions. Then she could perhaps find her own crew, using all new and inexperienced pirates if the need be, and Stanton would see how wrong he had been.
Dinah slipped aboard the ship and began preparing to make way. So far, so good, no one seemed to notice anything. Everyone probably presumed that she was the ship's rightful owner.
She's just finished with the sails and was about to untie the vessel when a shout made her freeze.
"Help! Someone is stealing my ship!" Unfortunately, the ship's owner had come to see about stocking his vessel, and noticed that it was nearly ready to leave the docks.
Dinah raced to the back of the ship frantically, trying to formulate an escape plan. She saw a uniformed man running down the docks towards the ship. The rest of the guard was no where in sight, although the owner of the ship was running to get them. One man... she could handle that, she thought.
Dinah drew her sword as the soldier raced aboard the ship. "Freeze, pirate," he yelled as Dinah turned, entering a fighting stance automatically.
Her blood ran cold. This was no ordinary soldier. The uniform revealed him to be none other than Commodore Norrington himself, glaring at her angrily from beneath his wig. She was taken slightly off guard. He was more attractive than she had pictured him, though every bit as severe. Suddenly, he lunged, and she had no more time to contemplate these things. They were off, swords clanging , shifting and turning.
Dinah slashed at him with her sword when a startling realization struck her. She wasn't sure if she could kill him. She didn't know if she could make herself run him through with her blade if she needed to to get away. It wasn't the fear of killing, oh no, for she'd often fantasized about slitting Stanton's throat. But there was something about Commodore Norrington, a man who she'd heard of and hated, that made her feel as if she could not kill him.
Dinah was distracted by this, and suddenly the Commodore's sword was at her throat. He'd managed to hit the button on it perfectly, and her coat fell open and away from her face.
Norrington froze as her face came into view. He took in her full lips and delicate features. "You're... you're a woman!"
The rest of the soldiers were running up the dock now. In a moment they would be upon the ship. Dinah had to do something, and fast.
"Aye," spat Dinah. And then, taking advantage of his shock, she drew back her fist and punched him hard in the jaw. He reeled backwards, and Dinah sheathed her sword, turned and dived off of the ship into the water.
"He got away," cried Norrington's right hand man, Gillette, as the soldiers arrived by the Commodore's side.
Norrington blinked at the spot where Dinah had disappeared into the water. After a second he regained his composure. "Don't worry, Gillette," he said, "he can't get far. He hasn't got a ship, and so he can't leave Port Royal."
Gillette nodded, and quickly began doling out search assignments to the men. "I'm returning to my office to... to make a report," said Norrington, and hurried away.