Show Me the Horizon
Chapter 2
"Do you, William Matthew Turner, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
Will looked into Elizabeth's eyes, and smiled tenderly. "I do."
"Do you, Elizabeth Angela Swann, take this man to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
Elizabeth smiled radiantly up at Will. "I do."
"Therefore," continued the minister, "I now pronounce you man and wife."
As the crowd applauded, Will lowered his head and kisses Elizabeth warmly. They broke apart laughing, and walked down the aisle, greeting their guests. The grounds of the Governor's house had been transformed into a fairyland of flowers and white satin ribbons, and the wedding had taken place in the garden, with the bright Caribbean sun shining down on them. Liveried servants carried trays filled with glasses of champagne among the guests. It wasn't long before the couple was swept apart by the press of the friendly crowd. Will looked over at Elizabeth, who was accepting congratulations from a group of young women. He smiled, and continued to walk toward the house. They were married. Finally.
Captain Jack Sparrow, disguised in a curly periwig and fancy clothes, lurked at the edge of the crowd. Accompanying him was a pretty black woman, dressed in a gown of peach colored silk and holding a lace fan near her face. As Will walked through an archway, Jack seized his elbow and swung him into a small room, shutting the door behind them. After a moment of surprised confusion, Will recognized Sparrow. "Jack!" he exclaimed. "I'd hoped you'd find a way to be here!"
"It was long enough in coming, lad," said Jack, warmly clasping Will's hand.
Will shrugged. "Elizabeth's father insisted on a long engagement. I think he wanted to give her plenty of time to change her mind." He bowed over Annamaria's hand. "You look stunning! I've never seen you dressed like this before!"
"You'll never see me dressed like this again!" stated Annamaria. "Now I understand what Elizabeth says about corsets."
"I've got something for you, Will," said Jack, gesturing toward a small chest. "It's from the whole crew."
Will shot Jack a suspicious look, and opened the chest. A set of six gold goblets studded with jewels lay within. "Oh, my God!" exclaimed Will. "Jack, I can't take pirate booty!"
"It's from what was in the caves of the Isla de Muerta," said Jack. "From what Barbossa had stashed over the years. Without you we never could have managed a year ago." Jack leveled a serious look at Will. "Take them, Will. Let us give you a gift to mark your wedding day."
Will smiled. "Thank you, Jack. They're beautiful."
"So, how's your father-in-law?" asked Jack mischievously.
"Governor Swann doesn't approve of his son-in-law following a trade. He'd rather I accept his offer to manage his estate in Antigua."
Jack settled into a chair and sipped his wine. "Why didn't you?"
Will sat down as well, shrugging again. "I don't know anything about estate management. I barely know which end of a plant goes in the ground, much less how to grow sugarcane. Besides, I'm a craftsman. I LIKE making swords, and I want to keep doing it. What I DON'T want is to end up as a painted puppet, taking a token job from my father-in-law. I'd lose all respect for myself. I've agreed to go to Antigua and stay there for our honeymoon, and I've agreed to live in the Governor's house when we return to Port Royal, but after that I draw the line."
"I hear you're traveling on the Wave Dancer to Antigua. Sailing tomorrow, aye?"
"Aye," smiled Will. "You're well informed. We'll spend tonight aboard ship and make way in the morning."
"I've put the odd word out here and there. You should have an uninterrupted voyage."
At this point the door opened and Commodore Norrington stood on the threshold. "Captain Sparrow, I was hoping you'd attend."
Jack slipped a pistol out of his pocket, and aimed it at Norrington. "You're not going to make me shoot you at a wedding, are you Commodore?" he asked. "It would dampen the festivities."
Norrington waved a hand. "Put it away, Sparrow. I'm not going to arrest you today. I want to talk to you, however."
Jack returned the pistol to his pocket. "What about?"
Norrington ignored him for a moment and bowed to Annamaria. "You must be Annamaria Simone, the second mate of the Black Pearl that I've heard so much about." He kissed her hand. "I hadn't heard that you were so lovely, however."
Annamaria twisted her wrist slightly to show her forearm. "If you're looking for a pirate brand, Commodore, you won't find one."
Norrington smiled slightly. "Not at all, Miss Simone." He turned to Jack. "There is a new pirate operating in this area. He's been sinking ships and sacking some of the small coastal villages. Several of the victims from the villages were obviously executed after the battle rather than dying in the fighting. Women and children too, Sparrow. What do you know about this?"
Will jumped to his feet. "You can't be accusing Jack of..."
Norrington shot Will a rather cool look. "No, I'm well aware that Sparrow and the Black Pearl don't have anything to do with it." He looked back over to Jack. "The stories of your exploits read very differently, Sparrow. Very few deaths, quarter given freely, the ship allowed to continue on its way with no further molestation."
Jack shrugged again. "If you have the reputation for honoring quarter, people surrender more easily. Very few merchant captains willing to die for someone else's money."
"What of this other pirate?" Norrington asked. "Do you know who he is?"
Jack sipped his wine. "I have my suspicions. But I have no proof."
Norrington poured himself a brandy from a decanter on a small table. "Are you willing to discuss your suspicions?"
Jack sipped again. "The Brethren of the Coast stick together, mate. I won't turn any of them over to you. Besides, if I had proof, I'd sink him me own self."
Norrington raised his eyebrows. "Why would you do that?"
Jack replied. "Killing women and children, not offering or honoring quarter, despite being rather despicable, is a good way to bring the attention of the Royal Fleet down upon all of us." He toasted Norrington. "As it has done. The Brethren would prefer to take care of this matter itself, rather than trouble yourself. It's part of the Code." Jack got to his feet and set his wineglass down. "But what I will do is, if I kill this pirate - I'll let you know."
Norrington raised his eyebrows again. "So that I'll stop searching for him, no doubt?" He went to the door. "Fair enough. You may not want to linger, Captain. I'm not the only person here who knows you well enough to see through that disguise." Norrington opened the door and strode out, shutting it behind him.
Will rose as well. "He's right, Jack. You don't want to stay. I'm honored you came, but I don't want to be the cause of you being recognized."
Jack and Annamaria went to the door. "Give Elizabeth a kiss for me, won't you, mate?"
Will smiled. "Count on it."
Chapter 2
"Do you, William Matthew Turner, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
Will looked into Elizabeth's eyes, and smiled tenderly. "I do."
"Do you, Elizabeth Angela Swann, take this man to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
Elizabeth smiled radiantly up at Will. "I do."
"Therefore," continued the minister, "I now pronounce you man and wife."
As the crowd applauded, Will lowered his head and kisses Elizabeth warmly. They broke apart laughing, and walked down the aisle, greeting their guests. The grounds of the Governor's house had been transformed into a fairyland of flowers and white satin ribbons, and the wedding had taken place in the garden, with the bright Caribbean sun shining down on them. Liveried servants carried trays filled with glasses of champagne among the guests. It wasn't long before the couple was swept apart by the press of the friendly crowd. Will looked over at Elizabeth, who was accepting congratulations from a group of young women. He smiled, and continued to walk toward the house. They were married. Finally.
Captain Jack Sparrow, disguised in a curly periwig and fancy clothes, lurked at the edge of the crowd. Accompanying him was a pretty black woman, dressed in a gown of peach colored silk and holding a lace fan near her face. As Will walked through an archway, Jack seized his elbow and swung him into a small room, shutting the door behind them. After a moment of surprised confusion, Will recognized Sparrow. "Jack!" he exclaimed. "I'd hoped you'd find a way to be here!"
"It was long enough in coming, lad," said Jack, warmly clasping Will's hand.
Will shrugged. "Elizabeth's father insisted on a long engagement. I think he wanted to give her plenty of time to change her mind." He bowed over Annamaria's hand. "You look stunning! I've never seen you dressed like this before!"
"You'll never see me dressed like this again!" stated Annamaria. "Now I understand what Elizabeth says about corsets."
"I've got something for you, Will," said Jack, gesturing toward a small chest. "It's from the whole crew."
Will shot Jack a suspicious look, and opened the chest. A set of six gold goblets studded with jewels lay within. "Oh, my God!" exclaimed Will. "Jack, I can't take pirate booty!"
"It's from what was in the caves of the Isla de Muerta," said Jack. "From what Barbossa had stashed over the years. Without you we never could have managed a year ago." Jack leveled a serious look at Will. "Take them, Will. Let us give you a gift to mark your wedding day."
Will smiled. "Thank you, Jack. They're beautiful."
"So, how's your father-in-law?" asked Jack mischievously.
"Governor Swann doesn't approve of his son-in-law following a trade. He'd rather I accept his offer to manage his estate in Antigua."
Jack settled into a chair and sipped his wine. "Why didn't you?"
Will sat down as well, shrugging again. "I don't know anything about estate management. I barely know which end of a plant goes in the ground, much less how to grow sugarcane. Besides, I'm a craftsman. I LIKE making swords, and I want to keep doing it. What I DON'T want is to end up as a painted puppet, taking a token job from my father-in-law. I'd lose all respect for myself. I've agreed to go to Antigua and stay there for our honeymoon, and I've agreed to live in the Governor's house when we return to Port Royal, but after that I draw the line."
"I hear you're traveling on the Wave Dancer to Antigua. Sailing tomorrow, aye?"
"Aye," smiled Will. "You're well informed. We'll spend tonight aboard ship and make way in the morning."
"I've put the odd word out here and there. You should have an uninterrupted voyage."
At this point the door opened and Commodore Norrington stood on the threshold. "Captain Sparrow, I was hoping you'd attend."
Jack slipped a pistol out of his pocket, and aimed it at Norrington. "You're not going to make me shoot you at a wedding, are you Commodore?" he asked. "It would dampen the festivities."
Norrington waved a hand. "Put it away, Sparrow. I'm not going to arrest you today. I want to talk to you, however."
Jack returned the pistol to his pocket. "What about?"
Norrington ignored him for a moment and bowed to Annamaria. "You must be Annamaria Simone, the second mate of the Black Pearl that I've heard so much about." He kissed her hand. "I hadn't heard that you were so lovely, however."
Annamaria twisted her wrist slightly to show her forearm. "If you're looking for a pirate brand, Commodore, you won't find one."
Norrington smiled slightly. "Not at all, Miss Simone." He turned to Jack. "There is a new pirate operating in this area. He's been sinking ships and sacking some of the small coastal villages. Several of the victims from the villages were obviously executed after the battle rather than dying in the fighting. Women and children too, Sparrow. What do you know about this?"
Will jumped to his feet. "You can't be accusing Jack of..."
Norrington shot Will a rather cool look. "No, I'm well aware that Sparrow and the Black Pearl don't have anything to do with it." He looked back over to Jack. "The stories of your exploits read very differently, Sparrow. Very few deaths, quarter given freely, the ship allowed to continue on its way with no further molestation."
Jack shrugged again. "If you have the reputation for honoring quarter, people surrender more easily. Very few merchant captains willing to die for someone else's money."
"What of this other pirate?" Norrington asked. "Do you know who he is?"
Jack sipped his wine. "I have my suspicions. But I have no proof."
Norrington poured himself a brandy from a decanter on a small table. "Are you willing to discuss your suspicions?"
Jack sipped again. "The Brethren of the Coast stick together, mate. I won't turn any of them over to you. Besides, if I had proof, I'd sink him me own self."
Norrington raised his eyebrows. "Why would you do that?"
Jack replied. "Killing women and children, not offering or honoring quarter, despite being rather despicable, is a good way to bring the attention of the Royal Fleet down upon all of us." He toasted Norrington. "As it has done. The Brethren would prefer to take care of this matter itself, rather than trouble yourself. It's part of the Code." Jack got to his feet and set his wineglass down. "But what I will do is, if I kill this pirate - I'll let you know."
Norrington raised his eyebrows again. "So that I'll stop searching for him, no doubt?" He went to the door. "Fair enough. You may not want to linger, Captain. I'm not the only person here who knows you well enough to see through that disguise." Norrington opened the door and strode out, shutting it behind him.
Will rose as well. "He's right, Jack. You don't want to stay. I'm honored you came, but I don't want to be the cause of you being recognized."
Jack and Annamaria went to the door. "Give Elizabeth a kiss for me, won't you, mate?"
Will smiled. "Count on it."