AN./ Well! Here I am with another chapter! Please, R&R, and make my day! Thanks!

Much love,
~ Silvertongued Dreams

Chapter Twenty-Five: Reflections and Pressing Questions

The first evening in our home was a peaceful one, I must admit. As I roamed about the rooms, I could see that, clearly, our quarters had been picked out for us prior to our arrival. The first room was entirely pink. Nauseatingly… pink. I swear, I had to turn my eyes away for a moment: the unnatural luminance of the room nearly blinded me! Jenna always had adored pink… and I could immediately tell that this living space had been intended for her.

Walking on, I saw Steph's room: a jumbled mess of blue and sea-gray. Steph had always been the mysterious one. Gray had always intrigued her: a sort of dark beauty lay beneath that colour. So, I could only assume, that these quarters had been meant for her.

There was only one other room left on the first floor: and that, without even looking, I knew was for my father. Father always hated traveling up the stairs. I, on the other hand, could not resist it.

As I climbed the short stairway, my thoughts flew back to the day when I had first discovered that we all were to be moving to the Caribbean. I scoffed, now, at how distraught I had been when I had first found out that we were leaving London. Then, I realized something.

I had not felt such bliss as I had these past two days with James Norrington, since I had first been adopted by my father. Though I had always been a joyful person, this was something entirely different. There was a… lightness… to everything that I saw. The sky seemed bluer. The sun… shining more strongly than it ever had been before. What has happened to me? I asked myself as I finally reached the door to my room, and pushed it open.

I breathed lightly as I took in the beautiful sight before me.

A large bay window engulfed the wall straight ahead of me: exposing a gorgeous view of the Caribbean sea. I could hear the desperate cries of the seagulls as they soared high in the sky, and swooped down onto the water with elegance and grace.

I smiled serenely as I walked up to the window, and looked down at the beach. For once, it was completely devoid of any human life.

Time to take a walk, I told myself: To get some air.

As I left my new room, which was completely furnished with lime green and Caribbean blue: two of my favorite colours. Even though Beckett was a monster, at least he took the time to arrange things to all of our likings.

As I walked back down the stairs, I could not help but wonder how different things would have been, had Father not gone into business with Lord Beckett. Would I still be in London, or would my adventurous spirit still have led me to this wondrous place?

Well, no matter, I told myself: opening the back door.

An exhilarating sea breeze blew in my face: mussing my hair. I did so love the sea, but I had never imagined that I would be fortunate enough as to live right by it.

There was a slight chill in the air: I had a feeling that a storm would be coming within the next few days. It was certainly the season for it! That much I knew from all my book-study.

It was with that thought that I looked back at our new home and cringed. Would our little home be able to take the beating of a mid-summer Caribbean storm?

Meanwhile, back at Lordthorne Hall, James Norrington raced to his front door. It had already started to rain, and Gillette and his cousin Elanor hadn't had the time to return to their home. One thing was for certain. They were not going to risk going back in this weather.

"Confound it all!" Gillette exclaimed irately: holding out his hand to feel the strength of the rain as James hastened to unlock the door. "Of course, it had to rain. This day has been bad enough already!"

James gave the door an uncharacteristically hard jerk, and turned to Gillette, panting. "I did not find the day as dull as you appear to have."

"Of course you didn't!" Gillette continued as the three of them rushed inside. "Other than losing that duel with Turner, you had a pretty good time of it. 'Sweaty hands', my foot! I mean, it's not often that a girl will just up and offer to button up your overcoat. Great one-liner, Jamie! Tell me, does it work on all of the young ladies?"

Norrington turned sharply towards his friend: his cheeks burning bright red. "I have no idea what you might be insinuating, Phillip."

"—Oh, I think you do," Gillette pushed further: a teasing expression on his face. "What man in his right mind would pass up an attractive young woman with a pleasing form cozying up into his personal space? Something to think about, eh?(!)"

"Gillette, if you weren't my good friend, I would have knocked you to the ground by now for making such hideous accusations!" James growled through gritted teeth.

"Please, don't think I am blaming it all on you," Gillette continued. "I mean, it is obvious that she was ready to leap at the chance you gave her. I bet she's been dreaming of getting that close to a man for a long time."

"Stop this right now, Phillip. It is one thing to jest. It is another thing entirely to tarnish respectable people's reputations with your foolish accusations."

"Oh, 'foolish', are they?" Gillette smiled: his plan was working. "Why, I am just trying to get you to say something that we all know you are thinking."

Norrington sighed exasperatedly. "What is that, exactly?"

James's gaze seemed to bore straight into him, and for a moment, Gillette found that he couldn't find the right words to say. "You like her, don't you?"

Elanor, who had remained entirely silent during this heated debate, gasped at the thought, and her face turned ashen white. Could it be? Was it even possible?

James locked gazes with his friend and scoffed: walking away. Did Gillette really think that he was going to answer him, after all of the thoughtless provoking he had just made him endure?(!) No, Norrington wasn't going to reward his friend's behavior. Besides, whatever he felt, positive, or otherwise… was none of his business.

Sorry for the lack of fluff in this chapter. I just needed to have Ariana really think on all the stuff that has happened to her. Even though this is a filler, it isn't a pointless one, as I hope you will keep in mind. I promise there will be a major twist coming along in a bit, I just don't know exactly when will be the appropriate time to announce it :D