In a large manor house in the small town of Oars Rest, a brunette woman was laying in the large four poster bed, clinging to the bed sheets as her body was covered in a thin layer of sweat, the huge bulge of her stomach barely covered by an extra sheet. "Where's Hector?" She cried as a contraction tore through her body. "He said he would be home today!" She wiped at the tears on her face from the pain of labor and the fact that her husband might miss the birth of their first child.
A maid came into the birthing room, holding a man's coat. "Missus! The master is home!" She moved aside as Hector Barbossa tore down the hall and into the room, kneeling next to the bed. He kissed her hand repeatedly, rubbing her stomach like he had done throughout her pregnancy. "I thought I had missed it," He murmured.
The midwife smiled. "Captain, you came at the perfect time. The child is almost here." She ducked back down and held out her hand for a towel. "Charlotte, I need you to keep pushing, you're doing so well."
Within ten minutes after the Captain walked into the room, a cry filed the birthing room. The midwife wrapped the babe in the soft blanket they had waiting and placed the child in the mother's arms. "It's a healthy baby girl, Charlotte." As the maids walked about, removing the soiled linins from the room, the two new parents gazed at the soft pink features of their child.
Hector stroked the face of his offspring softly as he watched his wife fuss over the blanket to the way the babe's slight curls fell. "What shall we name her?" He asked, moving the towel from his wife to the arms of the waiting maid next to him.
"Rosanna Marie Barbossa. Hector, we already decided this months ago." Charlotte gave her husband a look.
"I know, but I didn't know if you changed your mind." He moved from the floor to the side of the bed, slipping his arm around his love. He had never thought that he would have this. A family, a large home and a beautiful wife. Even though he was away at sea for many weeks, she still waited for him. She nearly always came to the beach where they docked, wearing her hair down and no shoes or stockings, having left those at the house.
They had been trying to start a family for nearly a year before Charlotte fell pregnant, finding out when Hector was away at sea. When she greeted him at the docks, she was five months along, and her slender frame was weighted down with her baby. Hector nearly walked past her, not recognizing his wife as she wasn't the tiny little woman he married. When he did, he twirled her around the beach for what felt like hours, excited for the prospect of fatherhood, ready to give up pirating, only to be called away from home once again. He promised to be home for the birth, and wrote often to his wife, and demanded to know of every little change in her pregnancy.
And now he had what he once thought was a lost hope. He had the child he always longed for. And he wouldn't trade his family for all the swag in his holds.
"Rosanna Marie, stop running this moment! Bartholomew Gabriel, pick up your toys, they're all over the sitting room." Charlotte Barbossa struggled to stand, and was steadied by her father, Gabriel Anderson. "Thank you Father." She smiled and rested her hands on her pregnant belly.
"Rosanna, stop running, you'll fall and rip your stockings!" The four year old stopped speeding around the house and settled for the large window seat, kicking at the pillows.
"When is Papa coming home?" Rosanna pouted, crossing her arms over her stomach.
"Any minute now, Rosie. His ship just docked." Gabriel came over and stilled her legs. "You want to be a good girl for when Papa comes home, right lass?" He murmured in her ear. He picked her up, and settled his granddaughter on his hip, before reaching down and scooping up Bartholomew from the floor. "The two of you are gonna give Papa a big hug when he comes in, right?"
The two toddlers nodded hard. Gabriel placed them down and straightened his coat. He and his wife, Emilie, moved in when Charlotte found she was pregnant again, right before Hector left. The parents felt it wouldn't be fair if Charlotte had to care for her children and for her unborn babe alone, or to relay on the servants. He looked at his wife, who was removing her apron, covered in smudges of chocolate and flour. Emilie cooked for her family with the cooks in the kitchen, something she was unable to give up, loving the feeling she got when she made something truly wonderful, something her family loved to eat.
Just then, the door opened, and Hector Barbossa walked in, removing his large feathered hat and hanging it up on the hook by the door.
"Papa!" The four and three year olds screeched and threw themselves at his legs. He staggered back by the force of it, but lifted them up to his hips, kissing them both all over their faces. "How I've missed you both so much. Have you been good for your mama?" He looked at his wife for conformance.
"They've been as good as they can be, my love." Charlotte kissed her husband and took her son from him. She held him in a similar manner as her husband held their eldest and first born.
"Well, have they been good enough for presents?" Hector gave each of his children a probing look.
"Yes, papa! We have been really good!" Both children cried.
"How about today before I came home? How did they behave?"
"Well, Rosanna was running in the house, but that was right before you walked in. Other than that, they've been perfect." Charlotte kissed her husband again, smiling as she did so.
"I think after supper they can have their presents then. I'll see if they can behave at the table." Hector placed his daughter down, and accepted the tea from his mother in law. "Why don't we go sit instead of conversing in the foyer?" He led his wife to the sitting room just off the foyer, where Bartholomew's toys were still scattered.
Charlotte sighed. "Bartholomew, I thought I told you to clean up your toys." She gave him a stern look and the young boy looked at his father, terrified of making him mad, just as he got home. Instead the Pirate lord of the Caspian Sea placed his cup down on the side table and lowered his wife onto the couch. Then he sat on the floor next to the toy chest he had carved for his son's second birthday and started handing the three year old toys to place in the chest.
"Next time your mama asks you to do something, do what she asks of you." Hector placed the last toy sword in the chest and shut the lid. "There, now the sitting room is clean." He kissed Bartholomew on the forehead before picking him up and settling on the couch next to his wife, with his son on his lap.
Rosanna looked sullen, sitting on her chair alone, clutching her doll before Gabriel picked her up and held her like Hector was her brother. He knew it wasn't the same, but at least she wasn't being left out. The family listened to Hector's stories of life on the high sea until dinner was served, a maid coming into the room and announcing which dining room supper would be in.
Rosanna clung to her grandfather like a monkey, wrapping her arms around his neck and refusing to let go. He entered the dining room and helped his wife into her chair and removed Rosanna from his person. Plopping her into her chair, as Hector did the same with Bartholomew, the children fell silent, knowing that during meals, children were to be seen and not heard, and that they were to speak only when spoken to.
The servants brought out pitchers of wine and poured glasses for the adults and milk for the two children. After they finished, bowls were placed on the plates and onion soup was ladled into them, spoons placed on the plates of the children. Charlotte started having the children's silverware brought out piece by piece so it minimized the amount of play that they had with the cutlery. The children listened to their father tell stories of fabulous treasure and of Tortuga, tales of sea creatures and of mythical beasts that were in the waters off of certain islands.
"And with one hand, I drew me sword and with the other, I grabbed my pistol and I fired at the belly of the beast, cutting off it's head, as it tried to drag me under the water. Nasty creatures, those mermaids. They won't hesitate to sink a ship, and to drown the crew. Why, I bet I-"
Charlotte cleared her throat and gestured to the children, who's eyes were wide with fear and amazement that their father could be so brave. "Maybe a different story, dear?" She posed it as a question, but left no room for questions from the captain.
Hector seemed flustered, but changed topics. "I also found a half sunk ship, full of swag. The holds were bursting with gold, emeralds, rubies, you think of it, and it was there. Me crew loaded up everything we could get our hands on, and sailed off, leaving nothing but a bit of sail and the hull."
Over roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, Charlotte told her husband of the childrens' activities, and how they all faired with his absence. With the goose and apple sauce, they discussed the pregnancy and how the babe was progressing. There was boiled fowls with celery sauce, turtle soup, boiled ham, beets, chicken pie and oyster pie. For dessert, there was plum pudding, lemon crème pie, mince pie and apple pie, another favorite of the captain. Treacle tart and custards were placed near Charlotte to curb her cravings, though she shared them with her children.
Rosanna and Bartholomew tried to eat very little during each part of the meal, knowing how much dessert was being prepared, but with the sharp looks from their father and the thought of not getting their presents, they ate as much as they could for each course. However, Bartholomew refused to eat the turtle soup, saying it tasted funny. Their grandmother reminded him that children are to be seen and not heard, resulting in the three year old bursting into tears. Hector stood up from the head of the table and went around to his son, picking him up from the chair. Rosanna stayed silent, but thought her brother was going to get his bottom warmed for the tantrum behavior, but was shocked when the boy was cuddled on Hector's lap.
"Did the children take a nap today?" Hector asked his wife.
"No, love, they were too excited of you coming home to sleep. I tried to put them down for one, but you can see how well that went." Charlotte laughed a little, rubbing her large belly.
Hector smiled as Bartholomew curled into his father's chest, falling into a light sleep. Hector allowed him to stay on his lap, asleep, until dessert was served. The captain of the Cobra lightly shook his son awake and had his son's plate placed next to his own on the table. Hector placed what Bartholomew wanted on the plate and chatted with his family, unknowingly to all of those at the table, Rosanna was fighting tears of jealousy, remembering what her father had told her long ago before she became an older sister.
'There will be no tears, lass. I need you to be a big girl for your mama and your new brother or sister in case he or she is born before I get back. I will come back before too long, and you will always be in my thoughts.'
She stared down hard at her plate, the porcelain blurring from unshed tears. She knew better than to cry at the table, and even if Bartholomew could get away with it, she knew she couldn't. So she blinked back her tears and poked at what was left of her apple pie, trying not to pout.
Rosanna sat in the sitting room with a large box on the floor in front of her. Bartholomew sat on Hector's lap still, sucking his thumb and gazing at the box of equal size to his sister's.
"You can open your gifts now." Hector said, helping his son tear the paper off the box. Rosanna got to the box first and pulled the top off. She tried to pull the toy out but was unable to, for it was too heavy for the four year old.
"Grandpa, help me, please." Rosanna batted her eyelashes at him and smiled. Gabriel laughed and pulled out the toy, revealing it to be a huge dollhouse, coming up to be the size of the couch. The house was fully furnished with dolls inside already.
"Everything inside is handmade by your papa," Hector said, pulling the rest of the paper off the box for his son. "That's what I've been doing during the long storms and late nights at sea. The house is from a French marketplace."
Bartholomew cried out for help pulling his toy from the box, and was gifted with a large wooden rocking horse, one that he would be able to use till he was about seven year old.
"I have a present for the both of you to share. If you can't share it, your papa will take it away and give it to another child."
Hector pulled out a wagon from the back of the couch, and left it in the middle of the floor. Rosanna put her brother in the wagon and tugged him throughout the first floor of the house, the two laughing merrily.
As the clock in the main foyer chimed ten, Hector stood and announced, "It's bedtime for the little ones, I think." He moved toward where the children sat playing with their gifts, trying not to yawn.
"Come, it's time for bed." Hector held out his hands to his children. Bartholomew and Rosanna held up their arms to be picked up and Hector picked up his son, calling to Rosanna, "Come, little one, it's time for bed."
Rosanna looked at her mother helplessly, her chin trembling as Hector walked away and Charlotte hugged her to her legs. "Father?" she asked, nodding at the little girl.
"Of course, my love." Gabriel picked up the four year old girl and felt his heart break as hot silent tears started to drip down his neck. She clung to his shirt, desperate for some comfort. Gabriel wrapped his arms tightly around her and bounced her as he walked, praying she wouldn't start to wail.
Gabriel let his daughter and Hector get farther in front of him before going into his granddaughter's room and getting her nightgown. Taking her into his bedroom, where his wife was turning down the bed for the maid to place the bed pan in when she came in, he undressed and redressed his sobbing granddaughter, who had indeed, began to cry loudly as her grandfather quickly changed her for bed.
"What happened?" Emilee came around and buttoned the neck of her nightgown before hugging the little girl tightly.
"Hector is favoring Bartholomew again. I understand, the boy almost died when he was born, but the lad is three. He's fine now. He's letting it impact his family."
"Well, let's get her to bed and see what we can do about this in the morning. Maybe separating the two would do some good, or taking both? We'll figure this out later though, she's falling asleep in my arms."
"That's because she cried herself out again." Gabriel shook his head. Picking up the nearly asleep girl, he carried her to her bedroom and tucked her in. Rosanna mewed when her grandfather stood after placing her in bed, so he sat back down and helped her roll over. Rubbing her back until her breath evened out, Gabriel sighed, before getting up from the bed. Shutting the door, he walked to Bartholomew's room, where Hector was reading him a story.
"Can I have a word with you when you're done, Hector?"
"Of course… He's almost asleep anyways." Barbossa quickly finished the story and followed the older man out into the hall. They walked a little towards Rosanna's room and Gabriel suddenly grabbed Hector's shirt and slammed him against the wall.
"You're picking favorites again, Hector. That little girl in there, she cried herself to sleep because you couldn't be bothered to carry her to bed, because you ignored her again. You've babied Bartholomew all night."
"Gabriel, you know that's not true." Hector cried. "I love both my children equally."
"The only time you touched your daughter was when you walked in the door! I watched you, Hector. All night long you've babied your son. He threw a tantrum at the table, something you wouldn't have brushed off if it was Rosanna. You would have tanned her hide right at the table. I know because I've seen you do it! You should have taken that boy over your knee for his behavior, but instead you consoled him!"
"Gabriel, I don't know what you want me to do!" Hector pushed his father in law off of him, and stopped moving when the loud cries of his daughter could be heard through the door, having been woken from the yelling.
"I think you can figure out exactly what I want you to do." Gabriel gestured to the door with his head, crossing his arms in front of him.
Hector opened the door and lit the oil lamp on the dresser by the door. "Rosie? Little one, are you alright?" Hector shut the door behind him.
He brought the lamp with him to the bedside table and set it down, before sitting next to his crying daughter. "Shhh, don't cry, Rosie." He pulled her into his arms. "Papa's so sorry. I should not have treated you like I have been today. Aw, lass, please stop crying, papa's sorry."
"You like Bartholomew better than me!" She sobbed into his neck. No matter how much she wanted him to go away, to leave her alone, she missed her father so much over the past six months and she had no idea when he would have to leave again.
"Oh no, lass, I love you both the same. Your both so important to me, I would hate to lose either of you for any reason."
"But you stayed with him all day!" She wailed, tears spilling from her eyes. Hector crushed her to his chest, cuddling her tightly. He rocked her in his arms, trying to get her to fall back asleep, but she clung to his shirt, trying to relish in his touch. She missed him so much, and now he was trying to put her down. Hector sighed and stood, holding her with her legs on either side of his torso, pacing the room with her, rubbing her back as she cried into his neck. She kept gathering more of his shirt in her little hands as he walked, moving in front of the window over and over. He knew she did this when she thought he was going to disappear forever, like when he said goodbye before he left for a voyage.
"Rosie, I didn't mean to upset you." He had no idea how to explain to a four year old that he was scared his son's illness would return and be dead before he came back from his next voyage.
"You don't like me anymore!" She sobbed, before she started to gag from how hard she was crying. Hector quickly moved her to be cradled in his arms, where he could more easily rock her, trying desperately to calm her before she made herself sick. Once the gagging stopped, he moved her back to his neck, to continue his bouncing walk in front of the window.
Hector resumed the back rubbing, as she usually responded well to that. Then he remembered his wife rubbing her back and bottom when Rosanna really couldn't calm down when she was a small babe, so he began to do the same as his wife used to; patting her back and bottom as he paced.
"Love, I like you plenty. You're my baby, forever, and you know that." Hector kissed her head a few times, resting his head lightly on hers', as her breathing evened out and her cries turned to sniffles after several more minutes. "Do you have to use the chamber pot?" He asked his child who shook her head against his shoulder. "Have you tried?"
"No, Papa…" Her voice shuddered with sobs that produced no tears.
"Why don't we try before we go to bed, hmmm?" Hector sat with her on her bed so he could reach underneath and get the small pot from under her bed. Hector squatted with her on the floor, lifting her nightgown so she could sit on the pot. Eventually she would be too big and have to squat like everyone else. After she went, like Hector expected she had to, he pushed the pot back under the bed for the maids to take care of in the morning. "Now, it's high time for little girls to be in bed." He addressed his daughter, whose face had gone back into his neck when he picked her back up and stood.
"Noooo!" Her little legs kicked at his torso, and Hector lightly patted her bottom a few times to get her to stop.
"You do not kick anyone, Rosanna Marie." Hector scolded her mildly before sighing a little. "Lass, you have to go to bed, it's late. I'll come and get you in the morning like when you were small. I promise."
"Promise?" She peeked her head out of his collarbone, face puffy and red, as she rubbed her eyes with her fist.
"I would never lie to you." Barbossa laid her down and when she was finally settled, he peppered her face with kisses. When she was giggling from his beard tickling, he stopped and blew out the lamp.
"Good night, lass. Sleep tight."
Hector woke as the sun crept under the curtains in his and his wife's bedroom. He stretched his limbs while lying down and wrapped his arms around his sleeping wife. He knew that she slept longer while she was pregnant, and was a moody little thing when her ankles swelled.
Charlotte woke then, and rolled over to kiss her husband. "Did you wake the children for breakfast?" She asked sleepily.
Hector shook his head, and stood up, tugging his night shirt up and over his head. Going to the wardrobe, he dressed, pulling his clothing on, and lacing his boots up.
He went into his daughter's room, finding her lying on her stomach, bottom up in the air. Hector sat on the bed and gently shook her awake, rousing her from the deep sleep.
"Hmmm?" she groaned, and rolled over. "Papa?"
"Good morning, lass. It's time to wake and get dressed."
"Okay, Papa." She reached out for him to pick her up and he did, carrying her to the front of her closet.
"What do you want to wear this morning?"
Rosanna reached out to the navy blue sailors dress with the white piping around the cuffs of the long sleeves and the edge of the skirt.
Hector took it from the hanger and placed her on the floor. Pulling her crisp white nightgown over her head, the dress replaced the nightwear, and stockings were put on her legs, along with her shoes. He pulled her hair out of the messy braid it was in from the night before, and he combed it through, before redoing the plait neatly.
"Let's go wake Bartholomew, okay little one?" Barbossa picked her up and placed her on his hip, and went into his son's room, opening the curtains and waking him as well.
"Come, son, time for breakfast." Placing his daughter down, he dressed his son, and carrying the two, they went down to the dining room. His wife was walking in with the aid of her parents, rubbing her belly, wincing in pain.
"The babe is acting up today. The little one has been kicking me in the bladder for hours. It seems like she or he has no room left." Charlotte sighed. "He or she should be coming any day now."
They all sat down at their places at the table, and waited for the servants to serve breakfast. Bartholomew had brought to the table his little army men, and Hector gathered them up, placing them in their pouch and tucking them in his pocket. When Bartholomew whined, Hector gave him a stern look, one that silenced his fussing.
Breakfast came soon after and the family began eating the porridge and berries that the servants brought out for them. Rosanna dutifully ate what was in front of her, trying to make as little mess as possible, unlike her brother who was dribbling the porridge all around his place setting. She was bound and determined to not be a messy baby.
Hector smiled at her, wiping his own mouth with the napkin on his lap, before taking a sip of his tea. Rosanna smiled back, like they had some secret between them.
"What are the plans for today?" Emilee asked as she took hold of the sugar bowl her husband passed her. "It's Friday, so the shops are definitely open, even the bakery that the children are so fond of."
Emilee knew that the best bakery in town was only open two days a week, Friday and Saturday. The owner had no children of his own so he loved when the children in town came in to his shop. Rosanna loved to show him her new dolls and Bartholomew talked about the soldiers he owned. Every conversation was different and the man was so patient.
The two younger parents watched the eyes of their children light up with excitement, and they shook their heads in defeat. Now that the idea of going to town was in their heads, they would never be able to get them to calm down if they didn't go.
Charlotte laid her spoon down. "How are we getting there? This day is beautiful so we could walk. The children would be able to get some energy out that way."
Hector turned to her. "But your ankles…You were complaining last night about the state of them."
"I'll be fine, Hector." She gave him that look that silenced him quickly.
He grumbled a little under his breath, and continued eating, looking annoyed. Rosanna was nervous that her papa was upset that they wanted to go to town, and kept sneaking worried glances at her father.
He finally caught her eyes, and saw the nerves, so he placed his napkin down and stood up from the table, excusing himself. He came around to her chair and lifted her by the armpits, after placing her spoon down, and carried her on his hip to the sitting room across the hall from the dining room, ignoring the looks from his family.
"Rosie, what's wrong?" He asked, sitting in his large armchair with her on his lap. They ordered it oversized, in case they had children so he could sit with them while he read in the winter months.
"Are you mad?" Rosanna ducked her head down toward her lap, before her father put two fingers under her chin and lifted upwards.
"Look at me when you're speaking to me, Rosanna." Hector then gave her a soft look. "Why would I be mad? Lass, papa isn't mad at you, you've done nothing wrong." Hector kissed her forehead lightly.
"But you were making faces when Mama said we would walk to town and I thought you didn't want to go to town."
"Oh, child." Hector sighed. He had no idea how to explain the fact that her mother was about to burst with the amount of baby she was carrying and should take it easy. "I am not cross and I do want to go to town with you. It's just your mama is going to have her baby soon and I don't want her to get hurt by walking."
"So we can still go?" Rosanna's eyes lit up and she started bouncing on Hector's lap, making him laugh.
"Of course, but not until we finish breakfast." Hector put her back on the floor and led her by the hand back to the dining room. Lifting her to her seat, Hector laid her napkin on her lap, before he dropped a kiss on her head. "Eat, lass, for the sooner your brother and you finish, the sooner we can go." He moved around the table to wipe his son's face free of food. Sitting back down, he finished his cup of tea, looking sideways at his wife.
"Softie," she muttered with a smile, rubbing her belly as the babe kicked.
After Bartholomew was changed out of his soiled clothes, the family left the house. Hector straightened his daughter's cap as she ran past him, eager to be out in the sunshine. Charlotte looped her arm with her husband's and lifted her umbrella to block the bright sun from her face. Her parents wandered ahead of them, to keep an eye on the children so the younger couple could have some alone time.
"This babe is coming any day now, Hector. You are going to be here for the birth, right love?" Charlotte looked at her husband's weathered face, which turned to look at her.
"Of course I will be there, Love. I have yet to miss the birth of any of my children. Anyways, I'm staying here for the next few months." He pushed her umbrella away, so he could capture her lips with his own, his hand resting gently on her cheek.
"Hector, that was not at all proper!" Charlotte straightened her hat and lightly smacked her husband's chest playfully.
"The thoughts I am having of you are not proper either," Hector let his hand wander down to her bottom and he pinched her backside through her skirts.
"Hector Dominick Barbossa! The example you are setting for your children!" Charlotte's face was a bright red as she glanced at her children who were climbing on some low rocks. She went to call to them to get down, but Hector stopped her.
"If they fall, they won't be too hurt. It's low enough, and besides, your father and mother are right there."
Just as he finished speaking, a cry came from the direction of the children. The parents hurried over to find Rosanna on the ground and Bartholomew on the rock. Hector released his wife before crouching to examine their daughter.
"Rosie, what happened?" Hector pulled her to her feet, and examined her for cuts.
"Bartholomew pushed me off the rock!" She whimpered, trying not to cry, even though the scraps on her hands, knees and elbows really hurt.
"Bartholomew Gabriel, you do not push your sister. You won't like what happens to you when we get home, young man." He turned to his daughter. "Where do you hurt?"
She showed him the scrapes on her hands, which he cleaned with his handkerchief and water from the nearby brook. "Anywhere else?"
Pulling up her skirts, she showed her father the torn stockings and bloody knees, which he knelt to clean gently before pulling her dress down. She was rubbing her elbows, but the dress wasn't ripped so he couldn't get to the scrapes until she had a bath later that night. Hector picked her up and carried her after he looped arms with his wife again.
Gabriel and Emilee walked with a sniffling Bartholomew, who was now worried about what his father was going to do when they got home.
Eventually they reached town, and Hector placed his daughter down and she and Bartholomew ran to the shops.
"What are you going to do about his behavior when we get home?" Charlotte asked Hector, twirling her umbrella a little.
"He's going over my knee, Charlotte," Hector rubbed his face. "Perhaps an early bedtime as well. Yes, right after dinner he's going to bed. And no dessert either, because that seems to be a worse punishment for our children then the whipping."
Charlotte nodded, knowing that if her husband didn't punish the small boy, her father would. The adults followed the children into the bakery they loved so much where Rosanna was telling the shopkeeper about her brother pushing her down.
"Bartholomew, that wasn't very nice of you." The shopkeeper scolded lightly. But he still gave the two sweet cakes and a few cookies like he did every time they went to town.
When the family returned home, Bartholomew had forgotten all about his punishment and ran into the sitting room to play with his soldiers while his sister played with her doll house.
"Bartholomew Gabriel, come here." Hector called from the hallway, making the boy's blood run cold.
The boy climbed to his feet and shuffled to his father, who picked him up and carried him to his study. Hector pulled the desk chair back, before he sat down on it with his son on his lap.
"Young man, you understand why I'm cross with you, don't you?" Hector gave his son a stern look, waiting for the boy to say he didn't know.
"I pushed Rosie down, Papa…" He looked down at his hands. "I didn't mean to hurt her; I just didn't want her on my rock!" He looked up at his father's face. "Honest!"
"Whether or not, you still pushed her. You know we don't hurt each other, Bartholomew. If it was an accident, that would be a different story, but you pushed her on purpose. You know what that means, son."
"No, Papa, I'll be good! No 'panking!" The little boy tried to slide off Hector's lap, but his father caught him easily, and with one fluid movement, the boy's bare bottom was exposed and he was over his father's knee.
"We do not hurt our sister, Bartholomew Gabriel," Hector brought his hand down every other word, not very hard, but enough to cause discomfort. "She cannot play as rough as you, and she can't catch herself as easily when she falls because of her skirts. I am very disappointed in you, young man." He kept bringing his hand down, turning the boy's bottom bright red.
Bartholomew was shrieking, fat tears rolling down his cheeks. After Hector raised his knee to get at the boy's sit spot better, Bartholomew moved his hands to block his sore bum, ones that Hector simply swatted away. "Young man, do not block my hand. You are in enough trouble." Ten more swats to the lad's bottom, and Hector pulled his son's pants back on, tying the laces that held them on quickly. His son was crying, and Hector pulled him onto his lap, holding him close.
"It's all over, Bartholomew. Your bum's going to hurt for the rest of the day, but so are your sister's cuts." Hector placed his son down and let the boy run back to the sitting room to continue playing. Gabriel came into the room, nodding a little.
"I take it you approve of how I handled the situation?" Hector asked his father-in-law, who nodded.
"Actually, yes. If you hadn't done it, I would have." Hector nodded, before organizing his papers on his desk.
"It doesn't get easier, Hector. But they stop behaving so childishly eventually. If I remember, the last time I canned Charlotte, she was 13, and it was because she snuck out her bedroom window to go swimming with her friends at midnight." He laughed. "The whole thing seems silly now, but then, I was furious. Her backside was bruised for weeks." Gabriel shook his head before leaving the room.
The family sat in the sitting room, watching the children play with their toys before dinner. Hector and Gabriel sipped on glasses of rum, and the pair chuckled a little as Bartholomew continued to rub his bottom throughout the night. Hector was sure that the boy would be squirming at the table later.
Hector felt a little guilty that he had to tan his son's hide at all, but from his memory, his own father, Antonio Barbossa, would have canned Hector if he had done the same thing to his sisters. And Hector had been his son's age when he got his first whipping, so he didn't feel too bad that he only used his hand. The two younger parents had decided that they would only use their hand, unlike their parents before them, unless their children really did something horrible.
A maid came in the room, and announced the serving of dinner. The children ran forward as the older family members followed behind. Charlotte looped her arm with her husband's as they walked behind her parents to the dining room. After settling his wife into her chair, Hector sat himself, and watched his children at the table.
"Bartholomew, put the toys away, we don't play at the table." Hector directed at his son, who looked up at his father, with a little fear in his eyes. He stuck his soldiers back in the bag and dropped them onto his lap. Emilee took the bag with a soft smile and passed it to Hector, who tucked it into his pocket.
The servants came out with large platters of food, placing them before the family, before starting to serve them. Hector sipped his wine, and chatted quietly with his father in law. He picked at his meal and ate slowly, mulling over the events of the few months. His children acted out for the first few days when he returned home, but then after about a week, they calmed down and grew used to their father being home for a few months. He hated the first few days when his children acted out, but it was something his mother-in-law told him was normal, so the young parents rode it out.
After supper was finished and the plates cleared away, Charlotte nodded to her husband to bring their son to bed. When his wife wasn't pregnant, she was a firm disciplinarian, but when she was, discipline fell to Hector to complete. Wiping his mouth, Hector stood and picked his son up out of his chair.
"Papa?" The boy questioned his father as he was brought out of the room.
"You're going to bed early, young man. Maybe then you'll think before you push your sister." Hector walked up the stairs with the boy, as he kicked his feet and howled, though no tears came from his eyes. He just screamed "No, no, no, no, no! Papa, I'll be good, promise!"
Hector just held Bartholomew's legs down and continued up to the boy's room. Once they reached the boy's room, Hector made quick work of preparing the boy for bed. After he helped the boy use the chamber pot, Bartholomew was tucked into bed.
"Papa, please, I'll be good! Please, can I come back down? I'll stay ready for bed but I want to come down!"
Hector sighed. "Bartholomew, you need to go to sleep. You were naughty today and you know that. Maybe tomorrow you can stay up and have dessert, but not tonight." He pulled the blankets up to his chin and kissed his forehead. "I'll have your mama come in when we put Rosanna to bed and see if you're still up. But try to sleep." He gave the boy a stern look before he left the room and shut the door.
He returned to the dining room, and patted his daughter's head as he walked by, going back to his chair. The servant behind him placed a plate of apple pie in front of him, which he smiled at. He saw his daughter giving her brother's chair sideways glances, but he didn't say anything to her, just continued to eat. Barbossa knew his father would not have accepted the punishment given to his son that night, and Hector remembered being sent to bed without supper for the most trivial things, like running in the hallways with his siblings and for throwing tantrums. Antonio would haul the small boy over his shoulder and bring him to bed, readying him for sleep just like Hector did for his own son.
Antonio rarely came to see his grandchildren, due to his own voyages, but Hector's mother, Isabel often visited with presents and sweets for her grandbabies, as she called them. Hector hoped his parents would be able to visit, but he doubted he would see them before he left for his next trip. While the town and neighbors thought him to be a respectable merchant, the Cobra captain was actually a pirate, and his father was considered a merchant as well, but also sailed under pirate colors.
After dessert was finished, the family moved back to the sitting room, where Rosanna continued to play with her dollhouse. Hector and Gabriel looked up after a few minutes when the floorboards creaked like someone was walking up above them.
"You don't think he got out of bed, do you?" Hector asked his father-in-law.
"He might have. He might be trying to sneak down here, or to the kitchens to get dessert." Gabriel adjusted his glasses and turned a page in his book, clearly not going to be the one to get up and check on the boy.
Hector sighed and marked his place in his book before getting up and moving to the doorway, where tiny feet could be heard puttering down the stairs. Hector opened the door and saw his son coming down the steps, trying to be quiet and still.
"Why are you out of bed, Bartholomew?" Hector crossed his arms and leaned against the door jam, raising an eyebrow at the boy.
"Papa! Ummm, I left my…" He trailed off as Hector scooped him up and carried him back up the stairs.
"There is nothing down here that you need to go to sleep." He tucked the little boy back into bed and started to leave the room, which was now starting to get dark with the setting sun.
"I want to say goodnight to Mama…" Bartholomew's chin trembled a little, as he fought tears. He hated crying in front of his father, but it wasn't fair that he had to go to bed without his mother kissing him goodnight.
"Your mama cannot walk upstairs very easily, son. When she comes up to bed, she'll say goodnight." Hector turned to see the boy trying hard not to cry. "Oh, alright. Come here." Hector wiped the tears and carried his son back down to the sitting room, where he was handed to his mother.
"I thought he was to be going to bed early, Hector?" Charlotte placed her book down and gave her husband a look.
"He wished to say goodnight and I think he feared he would be asleep before you could come up and kiss him goodnight." He saw his wife's heart melt, before she peppered his face with kisses like she always did.
"Goodnight, my love. Sleep well." She watched him accept attention from his grandmother and grandfather before leaving with his father holding his hand up the stairs to bed. After the boy was tucked into bed, the sea captain returned to his family and was a little shocked when his daughter climbed onto his lap with her doll. He tucked her into the crook of his arm and continued reading his book, while she played on his lap. Hector knew she usually would have been on her mother's lap, however, there was very little room left.
As his daughter was starting to nod off, his wife clutched her belly like she was in pain. "Hector, I think the baby is coming." She looked at him slightly panicked, as her mother helped her stand up.
In a flash, Hector put his book down and called for his children's nanny, who also worked in the kitchens. When she arrived, Rosanna was passed off to her, causing her to squeal, reaching for her father who was throwing on his coat and hat.
"Papa, where are you going?" Rosanna was terrified her father was leaving for good, but he kissed her head and promised to be right back. He left the house with the door wide open as he ran into town.
"He's just going to get the midwife, love." Dotty, her nanny told her as they went back into the kitchens. "He'll be back quick as a flash." As they passed the front door, the older woman closed and latched it tightly.
Charlotte was helped up the stairs by her parents, going to her and Hector's bedroom, where her father turned his back and her mother helped her dress in her nightgown. After she was dressed, the two propped her up in bed, as her contractions started.
After nearly 45 minutes, Hector returned with the town's midwife, shedding his coat and hat, handing them off to a servant in the halls who was passing by. He sat next to her and held her hand, even though she was sitting a little more comfortably now that she was out of her heavy dresses.
"Hector, I'm okay. My contractions are too far apart for the baby to come any time soon, and they're light anyways. You don't need to fuss over me. And Mrs. Nichols didn't need to come yet, we're going to be here for a while. "
"It is a very good thing your husband came and got me, Mrs. Barbossa." Mrs. Nichols said, taking towels and blankets from the servants. "Last time you started to bleed rather heavily in early labor. I'd rather be here now in case anything happens this time."
Hector looked at her smugly before pulling her to recline against his chest so he could rub her large belly. "I told you the baby was ready to come out soon. You were nearly bursting yesterday."
"Hmmm," she shook her head and covered his hands with her own. "You know, I'm naming this babe, right?" She looked up at her husband's weathered face.
"What makes you think that?" Hector pressed a kiss to her forehead, before he started to redo her hair so it was off her neck.
"You named our son. I get to name the next one." Charlotte smirked a little when he chuckled.
"Is that how this works?" Hector smirked as he braided his wife's dark hair before coiling it on her head, knowing how much she would sweat when she had to start pushing. She smiled a little when he gently tied the cord that held it all up, taking great care in his work.
Early morning rays peeked out of the curtains as Charlotte lay covered in her sweat as she pushed with the encouragement of her husband and the midwife. The woman nearly sobbed as she felt the little body leave her own, as she relaxed considerably. The midwife wrapped the baby up and handed the bundle off to her assistant who arrived earlier that morning.
The parents gazed across the room at the little bundle before Charlotte gasped and touched her belly again in pain.
"Mrs. Nichols?" She called, making the woman come back to her side and examine her.
"You're not going to believe this, Mrs. Barbossa, but there is another babe on the way. The head is on its way out. Margret, get me another blanket!"
Again they repeated the pushing process until the second child was born, wrapped in the same way as the first. The midwife checked Charlotte over to make sure it was only two, before handing her the first child to be born that morning, the second girl to be born to Hector and Charlotte. The new parents marveled over the tiny fingernails and the light wisps of hair that were already a slight auburn color, like the rest of the children they had.
"Do you have any idea of what you would like to name her?" Hector took the second child in his arms, this one a male.
"Georgina Rose, and for my son, Nathaniel Antonio, for your father." She gave her husband a sharp look at his weak protests. "Hector, you agreed to give Bartholomew my father's name as his middle name. It's only fitting that our second son gets your father's name as his namesake."
"Alright, darling. I'll write to my parents this afternoon, so they can come and see the babes. Now, I'm going to see to our other children and make sure they have eaten. I'll bring you breakfast before I go to town." Hector handed his wife Nathaniel so he could leave the room to tend to the older children. He supposed he would take the two with him when he went to town to purchase a second set of everything for the nursery.
Hector peeked into his son's room and saw he was still in bed. Dotty usually let the children sleep later than Hector and Charlotte did, and while they didn't mind, it was a little harder for them to wake the two.
"Bartholomew, it's time to wake." Hector shook his son until he opened his eyes. Pulling the warm child out of bed, Hector sat with him on his knee. "You need to get dressed and we'll go to town after we eat."
Bartholomew rubbed sleep from his eyes with his fists before yawning a little bit. "Are you still mad, Papa?"
"Oh no, my boy. I forgive you, but you need to apologize to your sister." Hector stood and picked out clothing for Bartholomew to wear. After dressing the child, they moved to Rosanna's room where Hector put Bartholomew down next to her closet so he could wake his daughter. After he dressed her, the three went into the dining room for breakfast. As the children tucked in to their meal, Hector plated a little of everything and loaded it all onto a tray to carry up to his wife.
"Stay here and do not make a mess. If you are naughty, I will be going to town alone." He gave his children a stern look.
"Papa," Rosanna twisted around to look at her father. "Why is Mama still in bed?"
"Your mama has had her babies, little one." Hector smiled. "She's too tired to come downstairs right now, but after she sleeps for a while, maybe you two can go see your new brother and sister." Hector nodded to their nanny to watch them, before he left the room, tray in hand.
He opened the door and placed the tray on the side table next to his wife. "How are they?" Hector picked up Georgina and rocked her against him. His mother and father in law had left to their own room to sleep for a while and the midwife and her assistants were on their way out.
"They're wonderful, Hector." She gazed down at her son as he suckled at her breast. "I can't believe we had twins."
"I know, love. I'm going to town to see if I can purchase another cradle and other things for Nathaniel. If not, I'll order one today. Is there anything you need while I'm gone?" Hector sat next to her, with Georgina in the crook of his arm.
"We'll need a non rocking one for the nursery, Hector." Charlotte fixed her nightgown after Nathaniel finished and fell asleep. "We have enough clothes for the two and the swaddling clothes that we have from Rosanna and Bartholomew are fine. But I don't want them having to share a cradle for too long."
Hector nodded and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "I'm going to take the children to town with me so you can rest."
"Don't spoil them too much, dear." Charlotte picked up a piece of toast and nibbled on it.
"I don't spoil them," Hector huffed and sat in the rocking chair in the corner as Georgina started to fuss. He waited until his hours old daughter was sleeping before standing, transferring her to the cradle in the corner. "I don't try to anyways."
"Love, I think you feel a little guilty when you leave and you try to make up for it by buying them everything they set their eyes on." Charlotte took a sip of tea. "Just don't give in too much, that's all I ask. They both have plenty of toys."
Hector rolled his eyes before kissing his wife goodbye. "I should be back before supper." With that, he left the room and went back to the kitchen, where his older children were finishing breakfast.
"Papa, are we leaving soon?" Rosanna raised her arms and waited for her father to pick her up. With a small sigh, he lifted her up and sat with her in his chair. Rosanna tucked her head under his chin and wrapped her arms around his middle. Hector didn't respond for a few moments and was content to hold his child on his lap.
"I still need to eat, dear. Are you still hungry?" He fixed the ribbon in her hair as she nodded. Hector lifted her and placed her feet on the floor. "Go back to your seat, Rosie."
Instead, Rosanna held onto her father's chair and stomped her feet a little. "Papa, I don't want to sit anymore!"
Hector accepted the plate of food from the servant before regarding his daughter. "Rosie, I don't want to get angry, so please go sit back in your chair. Or you can go to the sitting room and play."
She let out a groan but she trudged back to her chair. Plopping back in the chair she had left, she picked at the plate of cut up apples that were on the table. Bartholomew watched his sister out of the corner of his eye as he ate his bread and jam, trying to make her stop her tantrum.
Hector ate quickly and when he was done, the pirate captain stood up and picked his children up from their seats. "Go get your caps on. I'll be along to help you in a minute."
As his children ran from the room to the front hall, Hector walked into his study and started writing a list of what they were going out to purchase. He hoped that the carpenter would have all the things they needed or that anything that needed to be ordered could be made as quickly as possible. When the shopping was done, he needed to go to see that his ship was being repaired. Thankfully, Rosanna and Bartholomew loved his ship, but knew the rules that Hector put in place so he shouldn't have to watch them too closely. He was sure that if he promised the two a treat or something similar they would behave.
"Papa, are you coming?" Bartholomew poked his head into the room, holding his hat, hair mussed as if he struggled to put it on.
"Yes, lad, I'm finishing here. Come, and I'll help you with your cap." Hector waited till the boy was standing in between his legs, and put the cap on his child's head. "Is your sister ready to go?"
"She can't get her cap on, Papa, but I'm not sure if Dotty is helping her." Bartholomew climbed onto Hector's knee and reached for the quill in the stand.
"No lad, that's not yours to touch." He pulled the three year old back to lean against his chest. "Let's go and see if your sister needs help." Hector picked Bartholomew up as he stood and settled him on his hip. Picking up the list and folding it into his pocket, the two left the room, Hector shutting and locking the door behind him.
When they reached the front hall, Hector placed the small boy down and went to his daughter who was standing at the door trying to pull on her cap. Dotty was laughing and trying to help her, but the four year old was batting her hands away, wanting to do it herself.
Hector laughed quietly and came up behind her, pulling the back of the cap down onto her head. "Rosie, it's time to go. Dotty was only trying to help you."
Rosanna turned around and took her father's hand. "I wanted to do it myself, Papa." She leaned her head onto his arm, letting him place his arm around her.
"I know, but we can practice when we come back home. We need to go and get the things your siblings need. Then I need to go to my ship to check on repairs." He picked up his son and settled him on his hip. "Come along, Rosie." He thanked Dotty before putting his own hat on and taking the two children back to town with him.
"Are we going to walk or take the wagon, Papa?" Rosanna skipped next to her father as they moved down the path quickly.
"We're walking today, child. Whatever we buy can be delivered later today." He gave both his children a stern look. "Now, you both are going to behave today, correct?"
"Yes, Papa!" Both of the Barbossa children exclaimed.
Hector adjusted his son on his hip and took his daughter's hand as they made it to the main road in the town. It was Saturday, and the town was full of bustling people. The shops were going to be fuller than yesterday, which made Hector worry about losing one of the children.
"The two of you are to stay at my side the entire time we are out, or you won't be able to sit comfortably for a week, is that understood?" Hector waited until his offspring nodded, then he smiled. "Good, I don't want to lose either of you to the crowds. Bartholomew, stop squirming. I'm not going to be putting you down. If your grandparents could have come then it would be different, but you're too little to walk on your own right now. You'll get trampled."
Bartholomew stopped his squirming, but he still had a surly look on his face as Hector walked with the two.
"Keep that look on your face and we won't stop at the tin shop to get you more soldiers." Hector muttered into his son's ear before kissing his forehead.
So, I wrote this story a long time ago, and I figured it should be posted since I worked pretty hard on it. I know that I've only written Harry Potter fanfiction in the past but I have a bit of an obsession with the pirates of the Caribbean, though Harry Potter will always have my heart. Please, review, favorite, etc. Check out my other stories too!
Love,
Erectopatronum
