A/N: Hey guys! New story, first time that it's not Sparrabeth. I know, GASP! But this is Norrington/OC so it's ok, not betraying JE in any way. :)
Based on the song "Gravity" by Vienna Teng, a very beautiful song with a fantastic meaning so check it out! And of course, as always, please review!
Disclaimer: PotC belongs to Disney and "Gravity" belongs to Vienna Teng.
"Be sure to go into town and pick up some fresh fruits for Cam, alright dear?" Mrs. Scott asked Lara.
Lara smiled at the thought of her charge, Cam, and nodded her head respectfully to Camille's mother. "Of course, Ma'am. I'll return as soon as possible."
Lara White loved her 'family' more than anything. True, her mother was dead and her father was out at sea, being the merchant sailor that he was, never visiting for more than a few days out of the year. But he couldn't help it. Every penny he earned he sent back to her so someday, she wouldn't need to work for the Scotts, caring for their daughter. She didn't mind being the child's caretaker. In fact, she really liked Cam. But she also wanted to find the one thing she didn't have… love.
And the kind of love she desired could not be found within the confining walls of an estate where all whom she conversed with were either much older than her or just unappealing.
Still, she loved the Scotts for what they did. Because of them, she had a place to sleep, food to eat, and even earned some money from them. Soon, she would be able to leave the small English port and live her life.
Lara walked to the coat hanger and grabbed a shawl. It was an unusually warm day in the charming town of Rhodes and she was wearing a light dress with a blue bodice, white sleeves, and a green cotton skirt. The fabric felt wonderful against her skin and when she walked outside into the warm sunshine, she decided to leave the shawl behind and enjoy the breezy day.
The market came into view and she smiled in delight as the new shipment of fruits was being wheeled into the market, ready to be placed on the stalls. She picked some fresh bananas, mangos, apples, and pomegranate, her favorite.
After she paid a young lad to take the bag of fruits back to the estate, she decided to go into the market near the shipyard to buy a new dress from her old friend, Madeline. It would be winter soon and she would need something heavier for the colder weather to come. On her way, she accidentally tripped on a raised cobblestone and to top it all off, the Royal Navy soldiers nearby had seen it all.
Oh, who was she kidding? It didn't matter if they saw her fall. They already thought of her as beneath them. Why did she even care? No one else seemed to. No one cared to help her up, or ask if she was alright, if she needed anything. Why would they? She was nothing, a nobody. The only people who even knew her name were the Scott's. Quickly, she stood up, smoothing her dress and continued to walk down the streets, aware and cautiously. She didn't notice one of the men wearing the navy's redcoat following her.
"Excuse me, Miss." Asked a charming voice from behind her.
Surprised, Lara turned around, her long sun-kissed hair whipping across her face. What she saw nearly caused her to topple over backwards. He had the most handsome face and beautiful, sea foam green eyes. A small wisp of hair escaped his wig and she saw that it was also brown, just a few shades darker than hers.
Dazed for a moment, she had forgotten to curtsy and did so immediately, bowing her head to the navy man in front of her.
"Good day, Sir." She smiled meekly. "Is something the matter?"
He smiled back. "I saw you fall. I'll have someone take care of that faulty cobblestone as soon as possible." He noticed her smile fade when he mentioned that he had witnessed her embarrassing moment. "But that's not the important thing. Are you alright? It seems you are, but one can never be sure." He said, chuckling at the end.
"Thank you, Sir. I am perfectly fine, just a small stumble. " She looked him in the eye. "And please, don't go out of your way to correct something that most others would be able to avoid."
"I can't risk something happening to someone as lovely as you." Said the navy man, nervously.
Of course. Not to her but someone like her. Why would he have an interest in her? She had no wealth, no standing to her name. And by the looks of it, this man in front of her was going places. As should she, considering how the sun had started to set.
"Well, I must be going. It's getting dark and I have to be home yet." Shyly, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
He smiled. "Perhaps I'll see you in town, then?"
"Yes. But hopefully not in the same manner. I shall avoid that walkway like the plague." She explained conspiringly.
"Goodbye, Miss…" he trailed off, his brows furrowing in apology as he extended his hand.
"White. Lara White." She said timidly, wondering why the man would care to know her name.
"Miss White. I bid you a good day." He said.
A smile graced her lips. "And you as, well, Sir."
As she began to turn around, he gently touched her arm and she looked back at him.
"It's James, Miss. James Norrington." He told her quietly.
"Good day, then, Mr. Norrington." She replied as she turned and began making her way back to the Scott residence.
James watched Lara as she disappeared into the crowd of shoppers and said softly to himself, "Good day… Lara."
Lara walked home with a spring in her step unlike any other she had ever had. He was just so handsome, that James Norrington. James… she would engrave his voice into her memory. Soft, yet husky at the same time. She was quite taken with him. Norrington… she had heard that name before. Just as she had thought, James was high up in the navy, she could tell. But she would be blind to not see that he had the most beautiful eyes she had ever come face to face with.
As she returned to the Scott residence, she did so with a bounce in her step and a glint in her eyes that Mrs. Scott did not fail to notice.
"Why are you so cheery, Miss Lara?" asked the older woman, an eyebrow raised.
Lara smiled to herself and put on an innocent face. "Why, Mrs. Scott, I've no idea what you mean." She paused, but continued due to the doubtful look the woman had. "It's just a beautiful day, is all. Hard to find here in Rhodes."
Mrs. Scott scoffed. "A beautiful day is hardly enough cause to see you smiling so much. Come on, now, dear. There's more to it than that."
"I met someone." She offered, carelessly examining her nails. "Today at the market."
"Oh, did you?... Who?" she asked.
Lara took a deep breath. "No one, just a kind gentlemen who came to see if I was alright."
"Oh, a gentleman, is it?" she said suggestively. "What happened to you?"
"I tripped." She muttered, laughing to herself.
Mrs. Scott joined her. "So like you, Lara. Tell me, did you happen to catch this young man's name?"
Lara pondered on the question more than necessary. Mrs. Scott was a kind woman but they were from two different worlds, she and Lara. Mrs. Scott was all about class and social standing and were she to know that it was James Norrington of the Royal Navy that she had met, her reaction might be undesirable. So, with a fake frown, she turned to Mrs. Scott.
"No. Unfortunately, he was in a hurry and we barely had time to bid each other goodbye!" she said convincingly.
"What a shame. Oh well, I'm sure you'll find another chance to find out who he is." And with that, Lara was left to tend to Cam who had been eavesdropping on the entire conversation.
"Hello, Sweetheart."
"Hi Miss Lara." Camille giggled. "I heard you met someone. I did too!"
"Did you? Who, love?" she asked, interested in the little girl's story.
"The boy who came to drop off the fruits! He was surely cute." She replied, blushing.
Lara kneeled in front of Cam and tugged on her ribbon. "Is that why you're wearing your best dress, young lady?"
"Of course!" She clapped her hands together. "Like Mother always says: one must dress to impress."
Lara's smile faltered. She hated how Mrs. Scott rubbed off on her daughter. Cam was a sweet girl with a good heart that was being poisoned by false notions of what was right and acceptable. It wasn't the poor girl's fault, at least. She was an impressionable child. It made her recall her own mother, so true and loving. So different from Mrs. Scott. And it tugged at her heart the little Camille would never know a mother's love like she did.
"You should run along now, Cam. I'm going to turn in so please tell your mother I won't be joining you for dinner, alright?" she asked, smoothing the little girl's blond locks.
"Sure, Miss Lara. See you tomorrow bright and early!"
Lara looked confused. "Bright and early?"
"Yes. Don't forget I have a dress fitting tomorrow."
"Of course. Goodnight, love." She replied.
With that, Lara made her way upstairs into her bedroom. She quickly changed into her nightdress, brushed her hair, rinsed her face, and got into bed under her warm covers.
Oh, how she longed to see James again. Maybe class didn't matter. Maybe, if he could be so kind to her, they had a chance.
And then, a brilliant idea entered her mind. If tomorrow around the same time, if she were to make her way to Madeline's, she would run into James again. And with that, she dozed off dreaming of those soft, green eyes.