Disclaimer: I do not own PotC. I do not own its characters or plots. But
Jesmina and this story (the original parts) are mine. Please do not steal.
Also, please review, but please do not flame. Critique me all you want, but
please do it politely.
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It was a month later when the Swann household moved everything and everyone onto H.M.S. Fortune and started for the Caribbean Sea. Elizabeth was promptly seasick.
As she clung doggedly to the railing of the ship, she felt an arm around her shoulders. "Here, little miss, drink this." Jes's other strong hand pushed a bottle to Elizabeth, and she uncorked it and upended the contents into her mouth. Jes laughed. "Don't choke yourself, Miss Elizabeth."
Elizabeth finished swallowing. "What was that?"
"Just a little concoction of sea water, kelp, old stew-" Jes smiled, her white teeth flashing against her dark skin-her teasing smile. "Don't turn green on me again. It's just a concoction, without any of the afo'ementioned ingredients. Now, look at the horizon line, straight out. It's one of the best ways to prevent seasickness."
Elizabeth watched the line where water met the sky. "Jes, how do you know so much about pirates?"
When her nurse didn't reply, Elizabeth glanced over at her. She was staring at her hands, her arms resting on the railing. Her hair, usually left down or in a braid, was tied back with the red scarf Elizabeth had only seen once before, and she wore a simpler dress than usual, a shirt and a belted skirt, without the normal extravagances and forms. But her golden eyes were pale. "Jes?"
"I have known pirates, Elizabeth."
"Really?" Elizabeth turned to Jes. "How?"
"Ye don't need to hear of such things, little miss."
"But, Jes."
"No poutin'." Jes smiled again and knelt, holding Elizabeth's hands. "I'll tell ye about the famous Gold Claw, the most feared pirate ship in the days of my youth. . . ."
* * *
Norrington walked over to Governor Swann. "Who is she?" He nodded to Jesmina.
"Oh, that's Elizabeth's nurse, Jesmina Newfield."
"Rather unusual looking for a nurse."
"Yes, well, she is completely capable. Elizabeth's first nurse had to leave to take care of her own family. The second dear old woman died of the same illness that took my wife. Both women were wonderful, but Jesmina has been a blessing. She takes care of Elizabeth and has become a good friend to her which, considering that she's been without a mother for almost four years, is wonderful."
Norrington noticed Gibbs standing by the mast, watching the girl and her dark-skinned, black-haired nurse, dressed much more sensibly than the girl for sea travel. The woman also walked with the easy, rolling gait of a seafarer; the girl used the small, mincing steps utilized sometimes by the untried to steady themselves. These differences were especially obvious now as the two females walked around the deck, the woman talking and the girl listening raptly. "Has your daughter's nurse always walked like that?" he asked the governor.
Governor Swann's eyebrows drew together. "Like what?"
"Like one who is comfortable at sea?"
Governor Swann frowned. "No, not at all. Why do you ask? Do you think- "
"It may simply be a habit from times past, if she used to travel on ships. Such a habit can be easily acquired by one who accompanies merchant ships or government vessels. Women come on occasionally to act as nurses or cooks." Norrington's brow furrowed, his eyes darkening.
The governor turned to stare at the dark woman. "Come now, Captain. Surely you've never heard of a lady pirate?"
"No, sir. That is not what I meant at all."
"But-"
A sailor called from the poop deck. "If you will excuse me, sir." As he walked away, Norrington glanced again at the woman, his mind churning. She looks like a gypsy, not a pirate. But gypsies are not sea-faring people. . . . She must have been on ships as a cook.
It was a month later when the Swann household moved everything and everyone onto H.M.S. Fortune and started for the Caribbean Sea. Elizabeth was promptly seasick.
As she clung doggedly to the railing of the ship, she felt an arm around her shoulders. "Here, little miss, drink this." Jes's other strong hand pushed a bottle to Elizabeth, and she uncorked it and upended the contents into her mouth. Jes laughed. "Don't choke yourself, Miss Elizabeth."
Elizabeth finished swallowing. "What was that?"
"Just a little concoction of sea water, kelp, old stew-" Jes smiled, her white teeth flashing against her dark skin-her teasing smile. "Don't turn green on me again. It's just a concoction, without any of the afo'ementioned ingredients. Now, look at the horizon line, straight out. It's one of the best ways to prevent seasickness."
Elizabeth watched the line where water met the sky. "Jes, how do you know so much about pirates?"
When her nurse didn't reply, Elizabeth glanced over at her. She was staring at her hands, her arms resting on the railing. Her hair, usually left down or in a braid, was tied back with the red scarf Elizabeth had only seen once before, and she wore a simpler dress than usual, a shirt and a belted skirt, without the normal extravagances and forms. But her golden eyes were pale. "Jes?"
"I have known pirates, Elizabeth."
"Really?" Elizabeth turned to Jes. "How?"
"Ye don't need to hear of such things, little miss."
"But, Jes."
"No poutin'." Jes smiled again and knelt, holding Elizabeth's hands. "I'll tell ye about the famous Gold Claw, the most feared pirate ship in the days of my youth. . . ."
* * *
Norrington walked over to Governor Swann. "Who is she?" He nodded to Jesmina.
"Oh, that's Elizabeth's nurse, Jesmina Newfield."
"Rather unusual looking for a nurse."
"Yes, well, she is completely capable. Elizabeth's first nurse had to leave to take care of her own family. The second dear old woman died of the same illness that took my wife. Both women were wonderful, but Jesmina has been a blessing. She takes care of Elizabeth and has become a good friend to her which, considering that she's been without a mother for almost four years, is wonderful."
Norrington noticed Gibbs standing by the mast, watching the girl and her dark-skinned, black-haired nurse, dressed much more sensibly than the girl for sea travel. The woman also walked with the easy, rolling gait of a seafarer; the girl used the small, mincing steps utilized sometimes by the untried to steady themselves. These differences were especially obvious now as the two females walked around the deck, the woman talking and the girl listening raptly. "Has your daughter's nurse always walked like that?" he asked the governor.
Governor Swann's eyebrows drew together. "Like what?"
"Like one who is comfortable at sea?"
Governor Swann frowned. "No, not at all. Why do you ask? Do you think- "
"It may simply be a habit from times past, if she used to travel on ships. Such a habit can be easily acquired by one who accompanies merchant ships or government vessels. Women come on occasionally to act as nurses or cooks." Norrington's brow furrowed, his eyes darkening.
The governor turned to stare at the dark woman. "Come now, Captain. Surely you've never heard of a lady pirate?"
"No, sir. That is not what I meant at all."
"But-"
A sailor called from the poop deck. "If you will excuse me, sir." As he walked away, Norrington glanced again at the woman, his mind churning. She looks like a gypsy, not a pirate. But gypsies are not sea-faring people. . . . She must have been on ships as a cook.