Author's Note - Pirates of the Caribbean does not belong to me. Thanks for
the reviews and criticism, and please keep it up!
Chapter Four
Commodore Norrington fancied himself to be a very patient man. He dealt daily with foolish officers and argumentative townsfolk - not the least of which was that ornery blacksmith, Turner. A good man . . . a well meaning man, if not always one who did the right thing. William Turner, however, was getting on the Commodore's nerves. First of all, the fact that he had blatantly broken the law, and gotten away with it. Well, that could be pardoned, Norrington supposed, as he meant no harm in it. Secondly, having the audacity to fall in love with - and become engaged to! - Miss Swann. She seemed to love the boy, though, so Norrington found it in his heart to forgive that as well. What Norrington felt unable to forgive was Turner's friendship with Jack Sparrow - the last real pirate in the Spanish Main.
The Commodore had often looked back upon the day of Sparrow's hanging and wondered why in hell he'd done what he had. Why not go after the Black Pearl immediately? Why not catch Sparrow, hang him? With a bitter laugh, Norrington shook his head. He was growing soft.
Now, however . . .! Now, Sparrow was in Tortuga, and having the pirate mock the Commodore with his presence was unbearable. Steps had to be taken to prevent Jack Sparrow from escaping.
"Sodburough!"
A young officer entered the chamber immediately. "Yes, Commodore?"
"Have posters made offering a reward for the capture of Captain Jack Sparrow and any of his crew."
The youth nodded and made to leave, but Norrington spoke again. "Wait . . . have the posters say 'Jack Sparrow'."
"No 'Captain', Sir?"
"No . . . no Captain."
_____________________
Anamaria glared pointedly at Giselle, and entered the Faithful Bride. "Easy to see how faithful she is!" she muttered. Standing there with her arms around that officer . . . how dare she? This was her town they were destroying too! "Turncoat!"
Catching sight of Jack, the pirate lady stomped over to him. "You see your Giselle now? With that knave! Why . . ."
Jack shook his head frantically and put a finger to his lips, finally clapping a hand desperately over Anamaria's mouth. "Shh! She's on our side . . ."
Struggling away from him, Anamaria frowned. "All right, then . . . Captain," she said resentfully.
"Anamaria . . . did you see Norrington?"
Jack's companion sat in sullen silence.
"Oh, come on, love! Did you see him?"
Shaking a finger in his face, Anamaria spat, "Why should I tell you? You stole my boat, you sat drinking in a tavern while I did your work for you, and now you do not even tell me what you found out while I risked my life at Norrington's!"
Jack looked at her with hurt, brown eyes.
"Oh, you are infuriating! I shall tell you after you tell me."
"Flattered, love, I really am. I heard but one thing, one thing only." Jack paused, and his eyes grew hard. "They've locked away all the pirates."
A short silence, and then -
"The bastards."
_____________________
Anamaria and her Captain left the Faithful Bride more or less reconciled. Jack made a mental note, however, not to trust the pirate woman utterly - though loyal and hardworking, she was still bitter about the loss of her boat; that he could see clear as a parrot in the sun. She had told him all she'd heard at Norrington's, but it soon became evident she'd missed vital news . . .
Jack tore down the Wanted poster and read it, rolling his eyes. "How many times, Norrington? Captain Jack Sparrow!"
"Perhaps we shall have to pay the good Commodore a visit," replied Anamaria tartly, snatching down another poster and tearing it to shreds.
Chapter Four
Commodore Norrington fancied himself to be a very patient man. He dealt daily with foolish officers and argumentative townsfolk - not the least of which was that ornery blacksmith, Turner. A good man . . . a well meaning man, if not always one who did the right thing. William Turner, however, was getting on the Commodore's nerves. First of all, the fact that he had blatantly broken the law, and gotten away with it. Well, that could be pardoned, Norrington supposed, as he meant no harm in it. Secondly, having the audacity to fall in love with - and become engaged to! - Miss Swann. She seemed to love the boy, though, so Norrington found it in his heart to forgive that as well. What Norrington felt unable to forgive was Turner's friendship with Jack Sparrow - the last real pirate in the Spanish Main.
The Commodore had often looked back upon the day of Sparrow's hanging and wondered why in hell he'd done what he had. Why not go after the Black Pearl immediately? Why not catch Sparrow, hang him? With a bitter laugh, Norrington shook his head. He was growing soft.
Now, however . . .! Now, Sparrow was in Tortuga, and having the pirate mock the Commodore with his presence was unbearable. Steps had to be taken to prevent Jack Sparrow from escaping.
"Sodburough!"
A young officer entered the chamber immediately. "Yes, Commodore?"
"Have posters made offering a reward for the capture of Captain Jack Sparrow and any of his crew."
The youth nodded and made to leave, but Norrington spoke again. "Wait . . . have the posters say 'Jack Sparrow'."
"No 'Captain', Sir?"
"No . . . no Captain."
_____________________
Anamaria glared pointedly at Giselle, and entered the Faithful Bride. "Easy to see how faithful she is!" she muttered. Standing there with her arms around that officer . . . how dare she? This was her town they were destroying too! "Turncoat!"
Catching sight of Jack, the pirate lady stomped over to him. "You see your Giselle now? With that knave! Why . . ."
Jack shook his head frantically and put a finger to his lips, finally clapping a hand desperately over Anamaria's mouth. "Shh! She's on our side . . ."
Struggling away from him, Anamaria frowned. "All right, then . . . Captain," she said resentfully.
"Anamaria . . . did you see Norrington?"
Jack's companion sat in sullen silence.
"Oh, come on, love! Did you see him?"
Shaking a finger in his face, Anamaria spat, "Why should I tell you? You stole my boat, you sat drinking in a tavern while I did your work for you, and now you do not even tell me what you found out while I risked my life at Norrington's!"
Jack looked at her with hurt, brown eyes.
"Oh, you are infuriating! I shall tell you after you tell me."
"Flattered, love, I really am. I heard but one thing, one thing only." Jack paused, and his eyes grew hard. "They've locked away all the pirates."
A short silence, and then -
"The bastards."
_____________________
Anamaria and her Captain left the Faithful Bride more or less reconciled. Jack made a mental note, however, not to trust the pirate woman utterly - though loyal and hardworking, she was still bitter about the loss of her boat; that he could see clear as a parrot in the sun. She had told him all she'd heard at Norrington's, but it soon became evident she'd missed vital news . . .
Jack tore down the Wanted poster and read it, rolling his eyes. "How many times, Norrington? Captain Jack Sparrow!"
"Perhaps we shall have to pay the good Commodore a visit," replied Anamaria tartly, snatching down another poster and tearing it to shreds.