I don't know how this happened. I never liked her this way, she's the perfect age to be my daughter. She's fifteen years old and my wife of three years. She was twelve years old and the most beautiful child in all of Port Royal, but that was just it, she's was a child… still is. Now she is my wife.
"Lord Norrington, this is Rebecca Marks," Governor Swann said with a smile as a beautiful young girl entered the room. Rebecca smiled at me as she glided over to me.
"Lord Norrington it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance," Rebecca said as she curtsied.
"Yours as well Miss Marks," I said with a bow.
"This is to be your wife," Governor Swann said to me.
"What? Sir she's a child," I said in shock.
"Lord Norrington, I am twelve years old and I am betrothed to a man that wants me only to bear his children. He as has hit me and hurt me. My parents wrote in our marriage contract that if another man will take my hand a month before my wedding he could marry me. You need a wife and I need a husband. Please," she whispered.
"Ok Miss Marks, I will marry you."
Slowly I fell in love with her. She is a child but she is also my wife. I love her but she holds nothing for me. To her, marrying me was an agreement, not an act of love. She never expected love to come of it, neither did I.
"Good Morning darling," I called out as she sat in the parlor.
"Merry Christmas James!" she called out as she glided over to me. She kissed my cheek before going to a wooden cradle that held our seven month old daughter. "Mrs. Turner sent their butler and has asked us over for the day. He is still in the foyer awaiting an answer, I didn't wish to decide without talking with you." She picked up our daughter and held the baby's back to her breast.
"I'll go let him know that we will my love," I told her with a smile.
"All right, I'll dress Gabrielle," she said with a beautiful smile. I nodded and walked into the foyer.
"Please tell Mr. and Mrs. Turner that we will be attending and will come by within the hour." The butler nodded and I called for a maid. "Please load our gifts in a carriage and take them to the Turner household."
"Yes me Lord," the woman said as she ran off.
Before long I was loading my family into the carriage. Rebecca was holding Gabrielle in her arms as I assisted her into the carriage. I followed her and the butler closed the door. I sat across from her as she rocked our daughter.
"Rebecca?"
She looked up and smiled at me. "Yes James?"
"Rebecca, what do you feel for me?" I asked her, careful not to look at her as I said this.
"James… you are my husband," she said, unsure of what I was getting at.
"No, Rebecca, I love you. I love you more then anything in the world. Do you love me?" I felt like a blushing fool asking her that when I knew the answer. She didn't love me, she just needed a husband. She went white at my question and looked down at Gabrielle.
"James I…" she was cut off when the carriage stopped.
"Here we are Lord and Lady Norrington," the butler said as he opened the door.
"Thank you Joshua," Rebecca said with a smile as he helped her out of the carriage. I followed close behind her.
"Rebecca," Elizabeth gushed as she hurried towards them, her coatless form seemed immune to the cold winds and the wet snowflakes.
"Merry Christmas Elizabeth," Rebecca greeted as she followed Elizabeth into the large manor.
"Merry Christmas Becca," Elizabeth said with a grin as she ushered my wife to a chair in the parlor.
"Where is my wife to be?" ten year old Liam Turner yelled as he ran into the room, heading straight for Gabrielle.
"Liam, would you like to hold her?"
"Can I?" he asked with happiness spackling in my eyes.
"Of course," she said with a smile as she motioned for him to sit down. I bit my lip at the thought of him holding my daughter. She smiled brightly as she handed my pride and joy to the Turner boy.
"Come on everyone, time for presents," Will said as he entered the room.
"Can Gabrielle open my present first?" Liam asked shyly as he looked down at my beautiful baby girl.
"Of course Liam," my beautiful angel said as she took Gabrielle from Liam. The young boy smiled as he jumped up and ran to the stack of gifts. He searched for a few minutes before grabbing a gift. He ran back and handed the gift to Gabrielle. My little princess took it in her hands and started to bite it.
"No Gabrielle, try this way," Liam said as he held the hand of my baby girl and guided her to the edge of the brown paper. Gabrielle gave him a toothless grin as she yanked the brown paper from the box. Rebecca laughed as she and Liam opened the box to see a beautiful doll.
I looked over to Elizabeth and Will and saw them smiling at their son. "I saw many things in the store that we thought would be good for Gabrielle but Liam insisted on that doll. He said that Gabrielle deserved a doll as beautiful as she is."
"Do you think she likes it?" Liam asked nervously. His question was answered when Gabrielle let out a squeal of happiness and grabbed the doll. He smiled and scooped my daughter up into his arms and kissed her cheek.
Will and Elizabeth laughed as they kissed each other. I couldn't help but sigh at the love these two share. I wish Rebecca and I could be like that.
Christmas was a wonderful event. The dinner was great and the kids where now playing with their presents in the parlor. It was almost time for us to go when I noticed Rebecca go out on the balcony. I smiled as I followed her.
"Rebecca, are you alright?" I asked her as I turned to look at her.
"James, why do you lie to me?" she whispered with tears in her eyes. I looked at her in shock. "I know you love Elizabeth yet you said earlier that you loved me more then anything. I know that you know I wish for love but you are doing me no favors by pretending to love me like that. In your eyes I am still that child you met three years ago."
"Rebecca, I loved Elizabeth at one point… but I don't love her anymore. I love you so much my dear. I watched her and Will because I wish we could be like that, so much in love."
"I do love you James, so very much," Rebecca whispered to me as she kissed my lips. I was shocked. We always did what was needed till we produced a child and we would do it again till we had a son, but she never kissed my lips and I hadn't either.
"I love you so much Rebecca," I whispered before caputring her lips again.
