A Pirate's Story
Chapter 2
An English Lady
Disclaimer: If I owned Orlando, would I really be wasting my time writing about him??! Ha!
Note: I know this isn't technically an original story of mine, but I just feel the movie provides so much on its own to write about, and thoughts and ideas kept coming to me as I watched (oh, only the last twenty times!). I've tried to be true to the movie itself, following every spoken word exactly, but the fill-in thoughts are my own idea of what the characters are thinking and feeling, based on the material given. I hope you enjoy. This is my first published writing of any kind, so be gentle! But honest reviews are appreciated!
~*~*~*~
Elizabeth's deep blue-green eyes jumped open, suddenly waking from her startling dream. She glanced at the lamp, gauging its oil level to determine how much time had passed. Its soft glow illuminated her heart- shaped face, the smooth golden skin giving a healthy glow. After eight years, why would she now be dreaming of that fateful day, when Will Turner came into her life? When the medallion came into her life? Grabbing the oil lamp from her bedside table, she rushed over to her dresser, pulled open a drawer, and hurriedly pulled out its contents, finding the latch to release its false bottom. As it sprang up, she saw it: grey with years of dust, but the gold still shined through. As she lifted the pirate coin from the drawer, she rubbed her thumb over its face, feeling every little bump of the skull's design. Standing before her mirror, she followed the strange urge to put it on. Fastening the chain behind her neck, she gazed at it resting at the low-scooped neckline of her nightgown. She caressed it once more, as a knock at her door startled her out of her musings.
Glancing at the door, she ran over to grab her housedress, running into furniture in the process. Quickly she shoved her arms into it, at the same time hiding the medallion down the bodice of her gown.
"Elizabeth?" It was her father! "Are you alright? Are you decent?"
"Yes! Yes!" She made attempts at arranging the housedress naturally over her breasts, and her hair over all, to hide the chain around her neck, since the neckline didn't help much in that regard.
Her father breezed into her bedchamber with two maids at his heels. "Ah, still abed at this hour? It's a beautiful day!"
Elizabeth squinted as the maids pulled back the heavy drapes and opened the two large windows in her room, revealing a sapphire blue bay, emerald hills, and fluffy white clouds in the blue sky above: Port Royal, their Caribbean home.
"I have a surprise for you," the Governor couldn't hide his pleasure at spoiling his only child. A maid held out a large box as he pulled off the top, revealing a beautiful gown of a soft green, with lace at neck and sleeves.
"Oh, father, it's beautiful!" Her smile was genuine as she pulled it from its wrapping. Then a sudden thought caught her. Glancing back at him, she gave him a look, asking, "May I inquire as to the occasion?" For all she knew, it could be some bribe or 'incentive' to do something boring with one of the numerous political connections he had as Governor.
He feigned innocence, "Does a father need an occasion to dote upon his daughter?"
Rewarding him with a dazzling 'thank you' smile, she skipped off to her dressing screen to put it on.
Swan was thankful she seemed to take his brush-off, because as soon as her back was turned, he immediately grew pensive, and confessed having a real reason for the dress.
"Actually, I, uh - I had hoped you might wear it to the ceremony today."
Her reply was muffled as she removed her nightgown. "Ceremony?"
"Captain Norrington's promotion ceremony."
Her head bobbed around the side of the screen in disbelief, her honey-brown hair swinging behind her, "I knew it!" She knew there had to be a reason behind the gift!
"Commodore Norrington, as he's about to become!" The Governor's voice could not hide his pride and approval as he asked, "Fine gentleman, don't you think? He fancies you, you know."
Elizabeth didn't answer right away - indeed she couldn't, as the very air was being squeezed from her lungs by a barbaric fashion accessory known as the corset, and her maids were mercilessly pulling the laces tighter and tighter. Giving them a look, she struggled to answer her father's inquiries as to the dressing process.
"It's difficult to say," she managed to gasp out.
"I'm told it's the latest fashion in London," he informed her, rather apologetically.
"Well, women in London must've learned not to breathe." Pressing her hands to her stomach, she tried to get in a good gulp of air, but struggled.
A butler entered the doorway and announced to her father, "Milord, you have a visitor."
~*~*~*~
Chapter 2
An English Lady
Disclaimer: If I owned Orlando, would I really be wasting my time writing about him??! Ha!
Note: I know this isn't technically an original story of mine, but I just feel the movie provides so much on its own to write about, and thoughts and ideas kept coming to me as I watched (oh, only the last twenty times!). I've tried to be true to the movie itself, following every spoken word exactly, but the fill-in thoughts are my own idea of what the characters are thinking and feeling, based on the material given. I hope you enjoy. This is my first published writing of any kind, so be gentle! But honest reviews are appreciated!
~*~*~*~
Elizabeth's deep blue-green eyes jumped open, suddenly waking from her startling dream. She glanced at the lamp, gauging its oil level to determine how much time had passed. Its soft glow illuminated her heart- shaped face, the smooth golden skin giving a healthy glow. After eight years, why would she now be dreaming of that fateful day, when Will Turner came into her life? When the medallion came into her life? Grabbing the oil lamp from her bedside table, she rushed over to her dresser, pulled open a drawer, and hurriedly pulled out its contents, finding the latch to release its false bottom. As it sprang up, she saw it: grey with years of dust, but the gold still shined through. As she lifted the pirate coin from the drawer, she rubbed her thumb over its face, feeling every little bump of the skull's design. Standing before her mirror, she followed the strange urge to put it on. Fastening the chain behind her neck, she gazed at it resting at the low-scooped neckline of her nightgown. She caressed it once more, as a knock at her door startled her out of her musings.
Glancing at the door, she ran over to grab her housedress, running into furniture in the process. Quickly she shoved her arms into it, at the same time hiding the medallion down the bodice of her gown.
"Elizabeth?" It was her father! "Are you alright? Are you decent?"
"Yes! Yes!" She made attempts at arranging the housedress naturally over her breasts, and her hair over all, to hide the chain around her neck, since the neckline didn't help much in that regard.
Her father breezed into her bedchamber with two maids at his heels. "Ah, still abed at this hour? It's a beautiful day!"
Elizabeth squinted as the maids pulled back the heavy drapes and opened the two large windows in her room, revealing a sapphire blue bay, emerald hills, and fluffy white clouds in the blue sky above: Port Royal, their Caribbean home.
"I have a surprise for you," the Governor couldn't hide his pleasure at spoiling his only child. A maid held out a large box as he pulled off the top, revealing a beautiful gown of a soft green, with lace at neck and sleeves.
"Oh, father, it's beautiful!" Her smile was genuine as she pulled it from its wrapping. Then a sudden thought caught her. Glancing back at him, she gave him a look, asking, "May I inquire as to the occasion?" For all she knew, it could be some bribe or 'incentive' to do something boring with one of the numerous political connections he had as Governor.
He feigned innocence, "Does a father need an occasion to dote upon his daughter?"
Rewarding him with a dazzling 'thank you' smile, she skipped off to her dressing screen to put it on.
Swan was thankful she seemed to take his brush-off, because as soon as her back was turned, he immediately grew pensive, and confessed having a real reason for the dress.
"Actually, I, uh - I had hoped you might wear it to the ceremony today."
Her reply was muffled as she removed her nightgown. "Ceremony?"
"Captain Norrington's promotion ceremony."
Her head bobbed around the side of the screen in disbelief, her honey-brown hair swinging behind her, "I knew it!" She knew there had to be a reason behind the gift!
"Commodore Norrington, as he's about to become!" The Governor's voice could not hide his pride and approval as he asked, "Fine gentleman, don't you think? He fancies you, you know."
Elizabeth didn't answer right away - indeed she couldn't, as the very air was being squeezed from her lungs by a barbaric fashion accessory known as the corset, and her maids were mercilessly pulling the laces tighter and tighter. Giving them a look, she struggled to answer her father's inquiries as to the dressing process.
"It's difficult to say," she managed to gasp out.
"I'm told it's the latest fashion in London," he informed her, rather apologetically.
"Well, women in London must've learned not to breathe." Pressing her hands to her stomach, she tried to get in a good gulp of air, but struggled.
A butler entered the doorway and announced to her father, "Milord, you have a visitor."
~*~*~*~