Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean. I do own Penelope and various other characters to be revealed later on in the story.

Paths of Fate

By ExoticTreasures

Chapter 1

Penelope watched Commodore Norrington walk away from the woman he loved, who was embracing her love, Will Turner. Penny frowned fiercely as the embracing couple.

"You shall pay for this in time. Your love shall pay the ultimate price." Penny predicted with bite. With a disgusted huff, she turned away and headed after the Commodore.

She found him in his 'thinking' spot on the beach near the cliff where her humble hut rested. He was standing very still, spine straight, and hands folded at his back. His steady green eyes were fixated on the fading sunset at the horizon.

Penny approached slowly, her purple gown flapping back against her form in the swift rough wind. She stopped beside him and admired the colorful sunset in silence. They stood there for many minutes in a weird companionable silence, each in their own thoughts.

"You saw?" Norrington asked, breaking the silence. By his tone, he already knew the answer.

"I did. It was generous of you to give Sparrow a day." Penny responded quietly, her copper eyes glancing sideways at him. His face looked like it was craved from granite.

"A day makes no difference. I will catch Sparrow and he will hang." Norrington vowed, green eyes glittering with rage and pain in the fading light.

"You blame him for Turner and Miss. Swann." Penny watched Norrington jerk his head toward her, face hard and unreadable, but his eyes burned through her.

"Nonsense. Miss. Swann chose Turner. She lo..," Norrington swallowed heavily, "Loves him. I wish them well."

Penny gazed at him with knowing eyes before turning her eyes to the darkening sky. "I came to warn you, Commodore."

He raised a dark eyebrow at her. "Oh? Have you come to tell me about my gruesome death at sea?"

Penny turned glaring eyes at him. "Yes! If you go after Sparrow tomorrow, you shall walk the path to your death. I beg you to wait a few more days."

Norrington's sardonic green gaze turned angry. "That is out of the question. How dare you ask me to ignore my duty to the Crown."

"I ask you to think of your duty to yourself, your family, and your future. Don't die for the likes of Sparrow." Penny pleaded, a hand lightly touching his sleeve to emphasize her point.

"My duty is to the Crown and to the safety of Port Royal. I shall see Sparrow hanged.. If that means my death, so be it. Good night, Mistress Penelope."

Norrington strode away, anger in every step back to the fort.

Penny watched him leave with pained loving eyes. "If you refuse to save yourself, James, I shall have to save you myself."

Later that night many inhabitants of Port Royal looked worriedly at the starless, cloudy sky. Many hadn't seen such fierce clouds for years. The last time had been the day…

Many heads shook away the memory and went to their warm beds while a few lingered at their windows. Elizabeth Swann stood at her window, holding the curtain as she examined the sky in dread and hope.

"It seems like we're to have a fierce storm, Miss." Martha, the lady's maid, observed while she prepared the bed for her mistress.

"I have hoped for one, but as I look at it I can't help fearing what the storm might bring." Elizabeth murmured as her golden colored eyes reflected back at her from the window and the lamp light.

"I wouldn't fret to much, Miss. It might bring a mighty fine rainbow and there suppose to be very lucky." Martha commented.

Elizabeth let go of the curtain with one last look at the angry sky before climbing into her vast bed. Briskly, Martha tucked Elizabeth in after putting the hot pan in the covers to keep Elizabeth's feet warm during the night.

"Good night, Miss. If it isn't too bold, may I say congratulations on your engagement to Master Turner." Martha said as she walked to the door.

"Good night." Elizabeth turned on to her side and shut her eyes while whispering, "Good night, Will."

In his study, Weatherby Swann gazed at the clouds in worry. A storm would halt any attempt to hunt down Sparrow. Or, the governor thought this unlikely, Norrington might sail out into storm to track down Sparrow.

"He wouldn't be so rash. It isn't in his nature." Weatherby said to his reflection in the window. However, the governor couldn't squash the bit of doubt in his heart as he spoke aloud.

"Do you require anything else, Sir?" Sampson, the butler, asked from the door.

Weatherby jumped a bit at the sound of the voice in the still silence before turning around.

"No, Sampson. Go find your warm bed. I believe it shall be a cold night."

"Indeed, Sir. I haven't seen clouds such as those since five years ago." Sampson observed quietly.

Weatherby frowned fiercely as a shiver skidded down his spine. "Utter nonsense, man! This storm has nothing to do with Raines hanging."

Both governor and butler jumped as thunder cracked across the sky followed by a bright bolt of lightening. The light from the lightening illuminated two aged and uneasy faces as they watched the rolling clouds burst open, letting down sheets upon sheets of hard rain.

Weatherby swallowed heavily before turning to his butler. 'To bed with you, Sampson, and say no more. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir. Good night, Sir." Sampson left quickly, leaving the governor alone with his single oil lamp which he picked up on his way out of the study. At the door, he paused and gazed back fearfully at the window.

"God have mercy on us.' Governor Swann whispered before slowly making his way to bed.

Will Turner, the new blacksmith of Port Royal, smiled at the hard rain.

"Sail far, Jack. Fate has given you her favor this day." Will turned away from the window and began hammering at hot steel. Another masterpiece was to be made this night.

Commodore James Norrington cursed as he slammed his fist against the window pane. His green eyes glared at the desk clouds and heavy rain.

"Damn you, Sparrow! I will see you hanged for all you've done." Norrington vowed as lightening lit up the sky and scenery. Green eyes widened then narrowed at the distant cliff where James had seen a slight figure briefly illuminated by nature's light. He waited tensely for another bolt of lightening and when it came, he saw nothing, but the lone hut sitting far back from the cliff's edge.

James relaxed his tense shoulders and turned away from the window, snorting at his fanciful thoughts. "Utter nonsense."

Commodore Norrington returned to his desk to resume his paperwork. He had changes to make thanks to the blasted storm.

Penelope Raines stood up from the wet ground and tilted her head back, letting the rain caress her face. Her arms lifted as she smiled up at the sky.

"Thank you, Mama." Penny shouted to the storm. A crack of thunder immediately answered her followed by a fierce bolt of lightening.

Penny laughed gaily. "And you too, Papa."

She lowered her arms and turned to face the fort that held the man she loved. "You shall walk a different path, James. A path you will dread taking, but in time I hope you'll forgive me."

A/N: Hello! I'm Brandi, the writing half of the Exotic Treasures. My other half is Caitlin, the graphics guruette! We both love all POTC movies. Caitlin loves Will Turner. I love James Norrington. Over time, we will have many stories and a lot of one shots up in this account. We also have a website where our graphics for our stories and more shall be. It shall be our homepage! Anyway, please review! I love reviews!