After his unsuccessful engagement with Elizabeth, Commodore Norrington poured himself into his work even more and quickly was promoted to a new position of Admiral. His father had hardly anything to complain about—besides the lack of women in his son's life—and having a loyal, honourable men, a good position and his father not breathing down his neck 24/7 James should have been happy. But he was not.
It was everything society expected of him—minus the girl—everything his father expected, but it was no longer what he expected.
He hated how fake it all was, how he knew that he didn't really *know* any of his men. And they didn't know him because everyone wore a bloody mask. No one knew him, come to think of it...how the Admiral would work double what his men did and more, coming home tired and sore and with a migraine, but he couldn't sleep that night. Not even Weatherby knew—his closest friend.
Why was it that getting married was so important, yet the fact that he hadn't gotten over someone was considered shameful by his father and certainly not common. James didn't know anyone else who was so fascinated with another.
And so when Weatherby had an opening for a trip to Spain to get a better relationship with the Spanish, James snapped it up, eager to leave the place he was wasting away in.
Things hardly changed though, he emptied himself nearly dry just *going* to Spain. And they hadn't even gotten there yet.
And once they did, his officers were much too interested in the Spanish women who would otherwise be unavailable. James somehow had to knock some sense into them. They called him names for it—saying he needed to lighten up.
"I'm simply not interested."
And it wasn't because he had something against the Spanish, he just didn't like the idea of being with someone that you didn't care about. And he couldn't explain this to his men because they wouldn't understand—not now, not ever. They married because it was just what happened. They married, had an heir and that was it. The women were treated as things, as a possession you could use more as another person. Then they came to places like this to "have to fun" and it really, honestly, disgusted the Admiral.
Nevertheless there was no stopping them…especially not when there were banquets and parties to attend.
It was there that he met her.

David Hart, his Lieutenant, was probably the worst out of his men. Lovely blue eyes and fair hair with high cheekbones…he was the charming one ladies swooned over back at home, and it was no different here. He knew how to flirt, how to bewitch them. And he was very good at it too James had to admit. Part of him actually, secretly, was jealous of the attention Hart got from the women. He was too polite and soft spoken to be so bold and brash with the ladies. But it wasn't what he wanted in the long run so he pushed those thoughts away. Unfortunately Hart loved to drag him into things. Like tonight, at their first banquet after docking in Spain that afternoon. After engaging in a polite conversation with a Spanish Captain James had moved to the corner of the room. He disliked parties and these sorts of events. And would be happy when he could leave. David spotted him alone and grabbed his chance. "Come on Admiral, they're going to start a dance in a moment and I've got someone you should ask to join you."
"I'd rather not." James insisted with a well-mannered half smile as he finished off his wine. "I was thinking about leaving actually…"
"But we only just arrived!" David clapped his shoulder that made the Admiral grimace. "Come along! Have some fun."
James was about to remind him that he wasn't the sort to just "have fun" but he noticed the look on his Lieutenant's face.
"You're going to end up like your old man." David reminded a little sarcastically. And it irritated James enough to be compared with his father that he agreed just for the sake of peace.
He followed his shorter, wiry officer through the crowd to a small group near the punch table. Two of his youngest officers were also there, happily chatting away with some Spanish women as they tried to understand each other through the language barrier. James glanced over them briefly while David tried to introduce. He said their names: Isabel, Mia… "and this is Angelica."
James moved his gaze away from the two younger ones busy with his men to the last one. He hadn't even noticed her when approaching. She stood a little behind the others, looking out of place. She wore the typical Spanish dress with a long that came off her shoulders, but she let her hair hang loose-unlike the others who had flowers tucked in their braids. Her hazel eyes sceptically took in the British men who had invaded their town before she finally locked gazes with him. David must have said a few things because the next thing James heard was; "Oh! There's the music. Looks like their lining up."
James snapped his eyes away and took in the couples. But he had never been good at dancing, and the Spanish danced far differently then they did back at home.
"Were you going to join us, Admiral?"
James noticed David now had a lovely lady hanging on his arm dotingly.
"I'm afraid I was never very good." Again he forced that typical, polite smile and folded his hands behind his back.
David didn't press any further, he and another two officers dragged off the women. But James noticed Miss Angelica didn't look quite as happy as the other two did…