Braving the Flames
Chapter 5
Disclaimer: Not mine, and I have a bank account balance of $2.18 and $10,000 in college debt, so I'd suggest suing someone else because going after me would be a waist of money.
Author's note: Well, apparently you're all as clueless as me. Lovely. Well, the mystery of Jack's left arm, as I shall now call it, shall have to remain a mystery. Too bad. I'm going to have to give Nightfox the elf because she found out my secret reason for making Norrington's fiance's name Margaret.
As taken from americanbaby.com:
Margaret:
Origin: "Greek"
Meaning: pearl
Traits: Despite all of the queens with this name, Margaret does not have a royal image. Rather, Margaret is seen as a solid, matronly woman who is smart, hardworking, quiet, and strong-willed.
Sound familiar?
Although I'm looking into Kit's suggestion to try to find out if the elf has any brothers I could steal to keep the rest of you happy. Or keep them both for myself. I like that idea too. We'll just have to see what comes up. It's slow going, though. He doesn't speak too much English so he seems to think I should learn Sindarian (I think that's how you spell that). I would teach him English, but then he might get away. And I'm sorry to Captain Cheesehead for giving you a question that bothered you, but it's bothering me too, so there. I'm glad you're all glad Pearl is alive. This is a short update, but it works.
The first break Norrington had the next morning he took to walk down to the Turners' home. He had promised to have dinner with Maggie's family that night, and he was anxious to hear what the surgeon had said about Pearl's condition.
Elizabeth greeted him at the door, inviting him in. "Pearl's awake," she informed him. "She tried to stand yesterday and managed to fall flat on her rear end. Will had to put her back in bed. We keep telling her she can't expect to just bounce back. And she keeps screaming that she could at least retain the ability to walk."
As she spoke a commotion could be heard upstairs. They turned to find Jack carrying his daughter down the stairs, firmly wrapped in blankets, as a maid squawked at him and a chuckling Will followed. "Jack!" Elizabeth cried. "I told you she was not under any circumstances to leave the bed!"
"It's okay Lizzie," Pearl chirped. "I'm only going to sit in the parlor and read my book. If I stay in that room upstairs one more moment I'll go crazier, and I'm actually quite happy with my level of insanity at the moment."
"I'll second that," Jack remarked, turning into the parlor. "Besides, I made her promise to have absolutely no fun," he added.
"Indeed," Pearl sighed before catching sight of Norrington. Holding a hand out to him she added, "Care to help me break my promise, Edward?"
"Now we know she's feeling better," Will remarked, wrapping a soothing arm around his wife's shoulder. "She's feeling well enough to flirt so we know she's in no danger of dying."
"Mind your mouth," Jack ordered as he tucked the blankets carefully around her on the couch he had settled her on. "That's an ancient Sparrow family secret you're giving away there."
"Besides, I'm engaged now," Norrington put in.
"And so?" Jack and Pearl said at the same time.
"Come now, you can't be serious," Norrington said.
Pearl shrugged. "I'm a pirate. It's all about the details. You haven't taken any vows so you're still fair game."
Rolling his eyes he turned to Elizabeth. "What did the surgeon say?"
"That she's too stubborn to die," Jack said. "And it's a small wonder, really. Obnoxious as she it doesn't seem so surprising that neither the devil below nor the good Lord above would want her."
"He didn't say that," Norrington contradicted.
"Actually, he did," Will said. "I'm afraid Pearl was far more cooperative unconscious."
"My mother would get three doubloons in Tortuga for what he wanted to do to me!" she cried.
"He's a surgeon," Elizabeth put in.
"I don't care if he's the bloody King of Timbuktu, he ain't getting a free show off of me." A nasty grin crossed her face as her eyes returned to Norrington. "Edward, on the other hand--"
"Any luck with the country house?" Will broke in to ask Elizabeth.
"I'm afraid not," Elizabeth sighed. "My aunt sold it last summer."
"What about a country house?" Norrington asked.
"Oh, the surgeon said she would recover more quickly if we could get her out into the country," Will put in. "We haven't had any luck getting permission from anyone with a country home, however."
"Personally, the further we get her away from the sea the better I'll feel. She'll be considerably less likely to jump a ship and ride into the sunset," Jack put in.
"Aren't you going to contradict him?" Norrington asked of Pearl, who had opened her book and begun reading with an air of total indifference.
"No," she answered. "He's actually quite right."
Norrington studied her for several moments. So long, in fact, that she abandoned her reading to return his stare. "What?"
"I'm trying to decide whether I trust you or not."
She looked up at him in apparent confusion and he silently claimed victory for having gotten one over on Pearl Sparrow. "I beg your pardon?"
"My mother had a country home. It was part of her dowery. As she's deceased, and my father, it is technically mine. I've never visited it myself, but there's no time like the present I suppose."
"Maggie won't like it," Elizabeth put in. After receiving several heated looks she added, "Well, he is nearly married. It's high time he started thinking of these things."
"Nonsense," Jack and Pearl said in the same breath. Their eyes met and identical grins broke over their faces as they both shook their heads and said, "Nobles and their silly ideas."
"You two have been together way too long," Will remarked.
"Now he sounds just like Bill," she informed Jack, who nodded firm agreement.
"How far is it?" Elizabeth asked. "She isn't up for any long rides."
Norrington shrugged. "Ten, twelve hours. I'd wager she could manage it."
"I should go get Diamond," Jack put in. "She'll skin me alive for not coming to get her when you first fell sick as it is."
"You took me to the nearest place I could get care and stood by me," Pearl answered. "She'll thank you for it. Mark my words."
"I should write them to let them know I'm coming," Norrington added. "I hate to think what disrepair the place must be in. Although it can't be too terribly bad. I get reports every few months and the farm lands seem to be turning a profit. They've only ever asked me for money once, and then it was repaid in full the next year. I've never had reason to inquire after them."
Jack and Pearl shared a look. "Sounds like an excellent breeding ground for vipers," Pearl remarked.
"If they were pirates, perhaps," Elizabeth spoke up. "These are quiet country folk. So long as Edward lets them well enough alone they've no reason to dislike him. And surely a little visit won't do it."
"I should hope not," he answered, looking suspiciously at the Sparrows.
"I'll leave tomorrow, first thing," Jack announced. "I should be back by the next morning."
"We could leave the day after," Norrington said. "Everything should be in order by then. You'll come as well, won't you Elizabeth? Will?"
"I don't see why not," Elizabeth said with a shrug.
"I don't think there's anything at the smithary that can't wait," Will put in. "Will you be able to get away from your duties, Edward?"
He shrugged. "Gillette's been wishing for more work, and I am going to be a married man soon so I suppose it's high time I gave him the chance."
Author's Note: What a surprise. Pearl hasn't given up on Norrington, and they're running off to his nice, quiet country estate. Possibilities abound. In the mean time, I have a test on Thursday I should be studying for, work this weekend in addition to my normal weekly load, and finals next week. In short, I'm afraid it might be a bit before you see a new chapter. I promise, I'll get to it as soon as I can. And who knows, maybe I'll even surprise myself!
Chapter 5
Disclaimer: Not mine, and I have a bank account balance of $2.18 and $10,000 in college debt, so I'd suggest suing someone else because going after me would be a waist of money.
Author's note: Well, apparently you're all as clueless as me. Lovely. Well, the mystery of Jack's left arm, as I shall now call it, shall have to remain a mystery. Too bad. I'm going to have to give Nightfox the elf because she found out my secret reason for making Norrington's fiance's name Margaret.
As taken from americanbaby.com:
Margaret:
Origin: "Greek"
Meaning: pearl
Traits: Despite all of the queens with this name, Margaret does not have a royal image. Rather, Margaret is seen as a solid, matronly woman who is smart, hardworking, quiet, and strong-willed.
Sound familiar?
Although I'm looking into Kit's suggestion to try to find out if the elf has any brothers I could steal to keep the rest of you happy. Or keep them both for myself. I like that idea too. We'll just have to see what comes up. It's slow going, though. He doesn't speak too much English so he seems to think I should learn Sindarian (I think that's how you spell that). I would teach him English, but then he might get away. And I'm sorry to Captain Cheesehead for giving you a question that bothered you, but it's bothering me too, so there. I'm glad you're all glad Pearl is alive. This is a short update, but it works.
The first break Norrington had the next morning he took to walk down to the Turners' home. He had promised to have dinner with Maggie's family that night, and he was anxious to hear what the surgeon had said about Pearl's condition.
Elizabeth greeted him at the door, inviting him in. "Pearl's awake," she informed him. "She tried to stand yesterday and managed to fall flat on her rear end. Will had to put her back in bed. We keep telling her she can't expect to just bounce back. And she keeps screaming that she could at least retain the ability to walk."
As she spoke a commotion could be heard upstairs. They turned to find Jack carrying his daughter down the stairs, firmly wrapped in blankets, as a maid squawked at him and a chuckling Will followed. "Jack!" Elizabeth cried. "I told you she was not under any circumstances to leave the bed!"
"It's okay Lizzie," Pearl chirped. "I'm only going to sit in the parlor and read my book. If I stay in that room upstairs one more moment I'll go crazier, and I'm actually quite happy with my level of insanity at the moment."
"I'll second that," Jack remarked, turning into the parlor. "Besides, I made her promise to have absolutely no fun," he added.
"Indeed," Pearl sighed before catching sight of Norrington. Holding a hand out to him she added, "Care to help me break my promise, Edward?"
"Now we know she's feeling better," Will remarked, wrapping a soothing arm around his wife's shoulder. "She's feeling well enough to flirt so we know she's in no danger of dying."
"Mind your mouth," Jack ordered as he tucked the blankets carefully around her on the couch he had settled her on. "That's an ancient Sparrow family secret you're giving away there."
"Besides, I'm engaged now," Norrington put in.
"And so?" Jack and Pearl said at the same time.
"Come now, you can't be serious," Norrington said.
Pearl shrugged. "I'm a pirate. It's all about the details. You haven't taken any vows so you're still fair game."
Rolling his eyes he turned to Elizabeth. "What did the surgeon say?"
"That she's too stubborn to die," Jack said. "And it's a small wonder, really. Obnoxious as she it doesn't seem so surprising that neither the devil below nor the good Lord above would want her."
"He didn't say that," Norrington contradicted.
"Actually, he did," Will said. "I'm afraid Pearl was far more cooperative unconscious."
"My mother would get three doubloons in Tortuga for what he wanted to do to me!" she cried.
"He's a surgeon," Elizabeth put in.
"I don't care if he's the bloody King of Timbuktu, he ain't getting a free show off of me." A nasty grin crossed her face as her eyes returned to Norrington. "Edward, on the other hand--"
"Any luck with the country house?" Will broke in to ask Elizabeth.
"I'm afraid not," Elizabeth sighed. "My aunt sold it last summer."
"What about a country house?" Norrington asked.
"Oh, the surgeon said she would recover more quickly if we could get her out into the country," Will put in. "We haven't had any luck getting permission from anyone with a country home, however."
"Personally, the further we get her away from the sea the better I'll feel. She'll be considerably less likely to jump a ship and ride into the sunset," Jack put in.
"Aren't you going to contradict him?" Norrington asked of Pearl, who had opened her book and begun reading with an air of total indifference.
"No," she answered. "He's actually quite right."
Norrington studied her for several moments. So long, in fact, that she abandoned her reading to return his stare. "What?"
"I'm trying to decide whether I trust you or not."
She looked up at him in apparent confusion and he silently claimed victory for having gotten one over on Pearl Sparrow. "I beg your pardon?"
"My mother had a country home. It was part of her dowery. As she's deceased, and my father, it is technically mine. I've never visited it myself, but there's no time like the present I suppose."
"Maggie won't like it," Elizabeth put in. After receiving several heated looks she added, "Well, he is nearly married. It's high time he started thinking of these things."
"Nonsense," Jack and Pearl said in the same breath. Their eyes met and identical grins broke over their faces as they both shook their heads and said, "Nobles and their silly ideas."
"You two have been together way too long," Will remarked.
"Now he sounds just like Bill," she informed Jack, who nodded firm agreement.
"How far is it?" Elizabeth asked. "She isn't up for any long rides."
Norrington shrugged. "Ten, twelve hours. I'd wager she could manage it."
"I should go get Diamond," Jack put in. "She'll skin me alive for not coming to get her when you first fell sick as it is."
"You took me to the nearest place I could get care and stood by me," Pearl answered. "She'll thank you for it. Mark my words."
"I should write them to let them know I'm coming," Norrington added. "I hate to think what disrepair the place must be in. Although it can't be too terribly bad. I get reports every few months and the farm lands seem to be turning a profit. They've only ever asked me for money once, and then it was repaid in full the next year. I've never had reason to inquire after them."
Jack and Pearl shared a look. "Sounds like an excellent breeding ground for vipers," Pearl remarked.
"If they were pirates, perhaps," Elizabeth spoke up. "These are quiet country folk. So long as Edward lets them well enough alone they've no reason to dislike him. And surely a little visit won't do it."
"I should hope not," he answered, looking suspiciously at the Sparrows.
"I'll leave tomorrow, first thing," Jack announced. "I should be back by the next morning."
"We could leave the day after," Norrington said. "Everything should be in order by then. You'll come as well, won't you Elizabeth? Will?"
"I don't see why not," Elizabeth said with a shrug.
"I don't think there's anything at the smithary that can't wait," Will put in. "Will you be able to get away from your duties, Edward?"
He shrugged. "Gillette's been wishing for more work, and I am going to be a married man soon so I suppose it's high time I gave him the chance."
Author's Note: What a surprise. Pearl hasn't given up on Norrington, and they're running off to his nice, quiet country estate. Possibilities abound. In the mean time, I have a test on Thursday I should be studying for, work this weekend in addition to my normal weekly load, and finals next week. In short, I'm afraid it might be a bit before you see a new chapter. I promise, I'll get to it as soon as I can. And who knows, maybe I'll even surprise myself!