Chapter 1: The Journey Begins
A/N: So. This is my latest fanfic, my first crossover. It'll be a 1776/ PotC crossy, but there won't be much Pirates in it. Well, there'll be pirates, not PotC. *Ahem* We're going to say this chapter at least is gonna be in 1766, and James Norrington and all other PotC characters are going to be in this time period instead. Please R&R!
"Neddy? When are we leavin'?" Lynnette Henrietta Rutledge asked her older brother, blue eyes wide.
"In a while now, darlin'." Edward Rutledge replied, leaning against the white marble rail of the balcony outside his room.
The nine year old South Carolinian smiled and moved to wrap her arms around his legs. "Are we gonna' meet the King, Neddy?" She asked, hugging his legs and resting her head on his hip.
"Yes, Lynnie girl, we are." Edward replied, reaching down to card his fingers through her dirty blonde hair.
"Is he gonna' be nice?" The little girl peered up at him from beneath her bangs, which had fallen into her eyes.
Edward chuckled and leaned down to pick her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Yes, darlin'." He replied softly, pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead.
"We gonna' go on a big boat?" Lynnette asked happily, tangling her fingers in his golden hair. "With Uncle Jamie?"
Edward snorted at the name she'd given the British Officer James Norrington. "Yes, Lynnie. Uncle Jamie and us, we are sailing to England to visit the King within the next hour now." Edward said, setting her down gently.
Lynnette grinned. "I think." She paused, making Edward look down his nose at her curiously. "I think I'm gonna' be a pirate when I grow up." She said seriously.
Edward snorted. "And I'll be your first mate, then, shall I?" He teased lightly, a smirk tugging at his lips.
She grinned even wider. "Alright. And I'll be the Cap'n. Argh!" She grabbed his waist and hugged his legs again.
Edward threw his head back and laughed. "Argh." He agreed when he regained control of his voice.
Lynnette beamed, then let go of him at the call of, "Oh, Neeeeeeddddddyyyyyy!"
Two identical pairs of crystal blue eyes widened in joy. "Uncle Jamie!" Shrieked Lynnette as she took Edward's hand and proceeded to drag him off the balcony and through his bedroom.
The little girl pulled her brother through the large South Carolinian plantation house, crying, "C'mon! It's Uncle Jamie!"
Edward just smirked and allowed himself to be pulled. When they arrived in the front hall, the little girl shoved the doors open and bolted out and into the arms of the young British Officer. James laughed loudly as he picked her up, hat askew from her vivacious greeting.
"Ah, hello, Lynnie!" He welcomed, squeezing her tightly before setting her down.
"Hi, Uncle Jamie!" She hollered, throwing her arms around his neck.
"Hello, Mr. Norrington." Edward said, a wide smile playing on his lips. "Welcome to South Carolina." He drawled.
James grinned and set down the nine year old, before moving to embrace his old friend. "It's good to see you, Neddy!" He cried, hugging the other fiercely.
"It's good to see you too, Jamie!" Cried the South Carolinian.
Finally releasing the tanned Southerner, James stepped back and smirked. "So! We leave on the hour!" He shouted, raising a fist.
Smugly, Edward led the British man towards his personal carriage. "We're all ready to go. Come, Lynnette, dear." He opened the door to the carriage, and they all got in.
With a 'Hiya!' and a snap of the reins, the driver had the black horses galloping along the road away from the Rutledge plantation, and towards the port of Charleston, South Carolina. Edward, James and Lynnette settled into the carriage, sighing in contentment.
"So, we'll be boarding the Typhoon and be off to England in about an hour!" Edward said, excitement seeping into his voice.
The sixteen year old South Carolinian beamed at his English friend. "And you'll be meeting the King!" The Officer replied eagerly.
Lynnette squealed happily and clapped her hands together. "I wanna' meet the King!" She cried excitedly.
Edward chuckled. "Six weeks, love. Six weeks and we'll be having tea with his Majesty himself." He said, grinning.
James smirked, the carriage bouncing along the cobbled streets of Charleston. "Indeed." James agreed.
Lynnette clapped again, and hopped off her seat to sit between the two. Both men looked at her as she said seriously, "I'm gonna' be a pirate princess."
James covered his snort of amusement with a cough. "Yes, you will be, if you want to, dear." She nodded, blonde hair falling into her eyes again.
James and Edward shared a glance, eyes flashing with silent laughter. Slowly, the carriage clattered to a stop, horses snorting. The door was opened, and the three got out, Edward holding Lynnette's hand. "Is that our ship?" She demanded, pointing at one of the African slave trading ships.
James shook his head, adjusting his tri-corn hat. "No, it's not." He said, frowning at the ship.
Edward eyed it curiously, always on the lookout for new property. "Well, Lynnie, that's our ship." He said. "There." He pointed at James' ship, the H.M.S Typhoon.
The girl's eyes widened. "Brilliant." She breathed.
Edward and James chuckled as they led her up the gangplank. Lynnette giggled when a sailor bowed deeply to her, smiling. "Ma'am, welcome to the Typhoon." He said, nodding to James and Edward.
"Officer Norrington." The sailor greeted. "Mr. Rutledge. You can call me Mr. Reed."
"Pleasure, suh." Edward drawled, shaking the man's hand firmly when it was offered.
"Your servant, sir." Reed replied, nodding before turning and walking off to attend to his duties.
"Your quarters are this way." James said, gesturing to a staircase that led below decks.
Lynnette grabbed his hand and allowed him to lead them both down to the guest quarters. Their room was almost as large as James' and the captain's. They had a wall-fixed bunk bed with curtains available to pull across the entrances for privacy.
A writing desk rested against the wall, with an elegant chair. A bookcase, small but functional, sat at the opposite wall. Lynnette bounced into the room and clambered up the ladder to the top bunk.
"I wanna' sleep here, Neddy." She said sincerely.
Edward smirked. "Be my guest, Lynnie girl." He said, running his hands through his hair. "Thank you, Jamie. We'll meet you on deck when our belongins' are delivered." Edward said.
James nodded. "I'll see you in a while then." With that, he turned and swept from the room.
Edward sighed and slid into the bottom bunk, closing his eyes and propping his hands up behind his head. "Well, Lynnie, we're goin' to meet the King now."
He could practically feel her excited grin radiating off of her. "Brilliant." She said.
A smart knock came from the door. "Mistuh Rutledge, suh?" A thick Southern accent called.
"Hi, Rosy!" Lynnette greeted, swinging down from the bunk and nimbly landing on her feet.
"Hello, Lynnie." Rosy, Edward's personal servant returned, a warm smile spreading across her face like molasses. "Hello, Neddy."
"Hello, Rosy." Edward said, sitting up and peering out at the African American slave. "Have you brought our things?"
"We got 'em right here, suh." She said, motioning two straining sailors to bring in their multiple trunks of belongings and stow them against the wall near the bookcase.
Edward grinned. "Good. We've got to go up and see off everybody." With that, he stood and led the two back up to the main deck.
Lynnette in James' arms, Rosy and Edward standing on either side of the Officer, they all waved feverishly at the gathered crowd. "BYE MOMMA!" Screamed the little blonde girl into James' ear, knocking his hat off with her frantic arm movements.
Rosy laughed at James' startled expression, the girl squirming in his arms. They could all hear the call of, "Goodbye, Lynnette! Goodbye, Edward!" From their mother and siblings.
Edward beamed, waving calmly. "Wish us luck, John!" He shouted to his older brother, who was cantering along the dock on his mare as the ship sailed off.
"Good luck, Neddy!" His oldest brother yelled back, pulling his horse to a stop at the end of the wooden planks.
Neddy, James, Rosy and Lynnette shared identical grins. "Great Britain, here we come!" Edward cried to his brother's whoop of joy as the horse reared up, hooves flashing.
They had a long six weeks ahead of them, but somehow, Edward knew they would be worth it.
-ooOoo-