Chapter 10

Authors Note: Every kid at one point or another dreams of either being a pirate, a jedi master, a swordsman, or something of that nature. In the age of piracy don't you think that this dream would be even more so thought upon? I don't think Norrington is really as proper as he seems, after all we all wear a mask/façade once in awhile don't we? Why should he be any different?

Damn the bloody pirate anyway, after aimlessly barricading himself in his study Norrington still didn't know what he was doing. He had started out carefully planning out the route the Black Pearl would be taking before realizing that there was no point in it. Jack Sparrow wasn't aboard the ship, what need had he for the ship? The real prize was the Captain.

Everything had changed after Elizabeth married the blacksmith, William Turner. It had also caused quite a scandal as everyone expected, imagine the governor's daughter marrying beneath her station. When she had the Commodore openly courting her? How could she have insulted such an important man?

It confirmed Norrington's thoughts of what a fine woman she was when she not only publicly apologized to him for the humiliation he must have gone through when people gossiped about him, but held her head high and stuck by what she believed in. William hadn't minded the apology, he understood a man's pride well enough to understand what was really going on. In Port Royale nobody had anything better to do than gossip about others.

The scandal had somewhat calmed down now though especially since William opened his own blacksmith shop. Brown had died right after the pirates attack that long day ago. No one was surprised, nor were they surprised when Will took over the trade. Everyone knew that he had been better than Brown himself.

Norrington sighed and wondered if he should break out of the law just once and do what he knew was right. He'd just been promoted, why would he risk it and throw all of his hard work to the side?

When he was a young boy he had once dreamed of becoming a pirate too, a buccaneer of the sea, answering to no one and taking treasure as he deemed fit. His father absolutely forbid it and entered him in the Navy on his seventeenth names day. As Lieutenant it was only fitting that his son would follow suit. Norrington had given up all thoughts of piracy and tired to make his father proud. Now he was Commodore and, may his father rest peacefully in his grave, content that one his son had done his duty.

James sighed again and made up his mind quickly before he backed out of such a scandalous idea. He definitely couldn't do it alone though, he would need help and there was only one other man he could go to. William Turner, he knew, had kept in touch with Jack Sparrow. Treasonous as it was, the Commodore had kept quiet on the matter.

He still loved Elizabeth, if truth were told, and by accusing her husband of treachery she, too, would be brought to court for crimes against the crown. James couldn't, in good conscience, allow a woman to be hanged.

The Navy had orders to demolish anyone who opened fire on their ships, shouldn't it go to reason that the pirates would do the same? Such thoughts were worth a life in prison, but he couldn't help them. He donned his cloak and on second thought changed his attire altogether. He wasn't an officer of the Royal Navy tonight, he was just a man who planned on helping a friend.

- - -

"Have we heard anything of the Pearl?" Elizabeth asked. It was the second week of the month, usually by now some letter on waterlogged parchment and a brown paper wrapped gift of some sort would have reached them.

"Not yet, but you know ships are afraid to dock in the port now that Gillette was moved first officer to Norrington." A loud knock resounded throughout the house, as wedding present to Will and Elizabeth, the governor had bequeathed to them a large sum of money for future investments. Combined with the sudden interest in blacksmithing profits rose and they had enough money to buy a house of their own.

"Who would be calling at this hour?" Elizabeth donned a robe and went to open the door. Neither of them liked having servants around, Will was completely unaccustomed to them and Elizabeth liked her privacy. Servents weren't known for their confidentiality. For them to let a rumor out that Jack Sparrow, captain of the Black Pearl kept in touch with them would result in another trip to the hangman's noose. Cotton's parrot was nowhere near and she doubted the corset trick would work again.

"Good evening, Miss. Turner." Norrington bowed elegantly, "I'm sorry to intrude at such a late hour."

"It's always a pleasure to have the Commodore visit." Elizabeth would have curtsied but then thought better of it. While propriety condoned that she do so, the robe and gown underneath were more suited for sleeping in than greeting guests. Instead she opened the door wider and invited him inside.

"Ah, good evening, Commodore." William shook hands, "What can we do for you this evening?" he waited until the door was firmly closed to answer.

"Jack Sparrow returned here a few days ago. Unfortunately, it was out of my power to try and help him. I do, however, know of his whereabouts and that is the intention of my visit." He removed his hat somewhat hesitantly. The whole idea sounded rather ridiculous now that it was actually said aloud.

"Is he in danger?" Will asked, motioning for him to enter the sitting room.

"I'm afraid so. This has gone beyond my rank, he is locked in Turak's prison. I'm not certain if you've heard of it?" he glanced questioningly towards Elizabeth, the tales he could tell of the place were not fit for a lady to hear. Then again, Elizabeth wasn't like most other women.

"I've heard of it." William looked grim, "that's where they've been keeping him?"

"What's Turak's prison?" Elizabeth asked curiously.

"Where the worst criminals and vagabonds are sent. Not many make it out alive." Will said softly, "And if what you've said is true, no time can be wasted. A few days ago, you said, it'll be a miracle if he's still alive."

"I'm coming too." Elizabeth said determinately. "You will not go gallivanting off to rescue Jack without me."

"Not to Turak's prison, you're not." William could be just as mulish as she. He had seen Turak's prison once and it had been enough to turn his stomach inside out. He would not chance Elizabeth's health in such a place.

"No, Miss. Turner. If you would, prepare a place for Jack when we return. Somewhere perhaps like the blacksmith shop? I'm sure no one would look for him there, not even if they know about him in the first place."

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed, "Very well. I'll arrange a place in the back closets where the swords are put when they're finished. He should be safe there until I can think of somewhere else to hide him."

"Thank you." Will went to the front hall and got a sword and sheath. Norrington had already thought of that.

"Ready?" he asked.

"After you." Will and Norrington went out the door and were enveloped in the night's fog. Elizabeth meanwhile raced upstairs to go and change.