Author's Note-
Well, the week has passed and I'm done with school. Yippee! I managed to survive my finals without any major breakdowns. (Always a positive thing.) But, now that that's out of the way, I can update. Also, just to let you all know, the sequel has already been started and I think that it will be brilliant...once I get more written, of course. But, on with the Thanks and then the chapter.
Author Thanks-
Anaknusan - Thanks! (for the review and the excellent advice) I must admit that I thought of updating, but I didn't...I was a good little girl...lol....don't worry, you didn't sound too much like my mother anyone else's. It was very good advice. Enjoy!
Jessica Van Helsing – Thanks! Enjoy!
Moulin-Rouge-Pirate - Thanks! Enjoy the chapter!
Zubachickqt4u - Thanks! Just wait and see...Enjoy!
TriGemini - Thanks! You're exactly right about Christy worrying, Jack keeping his crew safe and all the points you raised. I'll keep that in mind, though, lol...that I'm a nice author. Yeah, I did fine on my finals...most were not a big deal except my Pre-Calculas...but on that one, even the sophomore whose in my class and is a super genius, said it was hard. Enjoy!
Triity144 - Thanks! Flying monkies?! Gah! Run and hide! Enjoy!
Inu Lover - Thanks, mate! Enjoy!
ortain - Thanks! Hope you like the chapter!
tefsparrow - Thanks! I hope you survived your exams...I just managed to get away with my life on some of them. Enjoy!
Miss Sofie - Thanks! Enjoy!
S.S.I. - Thanks! Only 5? Grr...lucky person, you. Hope you like the chapter!
Deppster34 - Thanks! Sorry that you cried! Enjoy!
RK9 - Thanks! hmmm...can't find it...Okay, check out my favourite story list, its under there! Enjoy!
Jeeves Swineford - Well, long time no hear, lol. Thanks for the review, mate. Have a great week! Enjoy!
AJ-Sparrow - Thanks! I can't tell you, you'll have to wait and see. Enjoy!
RMB (3) - Don't worry about a short review every once in a while, I completely understand. Lol...I was just hoping that it got read, since it was long! But its all good. Will and Liz interrogated Jack because, I mean, think about it, even though he is their friend, just imagine how odd it would be to see a friend who has a bit of a ... history with a 'proper' woman who was obviously pregnant...it would just raise questions. I think everybody would raise questions about it. Slappin the Cap'n...lol...but its only natural that she would panic, she was afraid that he had left...Definitely gonna be a sequel! Should be up in early August. Anyways, enjoy!
Eccentric Banshee - Thanks! Don't worry bout reviewing irregularly...I'm bad about it too! Enjoy!
Cagalli - Thanks! lol...I remember my geometry final...fun stuff, not. Enjoy!
-A-
Last Time
With it fully gone, I looked over at Will and Elizabeth, standing a ways away from me up the beach. They stood arm in arm, looking peaceful as they watched the horizon.
-A-
What's in a Name?
Chapter 27: The Port Royale Citizens
Back up at the house, I moped around for the remainder of the morning until lunch. I ate silently while Will and Elizabeth talked idly about novel things. Now that Jack was gone, the reality of my situation was starting to sink in.
I was, once again, without the people I loved.
And although I was with Will and Elizabeth and felt safe and comfortable with them, I couldn't help feeling a deep sense of loss at Jack's departure.
The afternoon passed quickly enough. I managed to distract myself until the time came that I was sitting in a carriage with Will going towards Victoria's home.
When we got there, Will promised that he would be back within two hours time and then left. A rather ancient butler let me in and led me to Victoria's sitting room. As I appeared in the doorway, there was a flurry of skirts that greeted me and I found myself in an exceptionally tight hug.
"I can't believe it's you! Christina Smit. I can't believe that I'm finally seeing you again!" Victoria said in my ear in a hurried voice.
I managed to pry my friend off me so that I could actually breathe ... I had been starting to have some trouble with that essential task. "Victoria ... as happy as I am to see you after all these years, I do need to be able to breathe ... it is rather important."
Victoria released me and stepped back, looking me up and down. "Look at you. You look absolutely radiant. How have you been? Where have you been? Tell me everything."
Carefully wording my response, "I've been well enough ... "
"I heard about the pirates. Are you all right? Was it absolutely horrific?" she asked, placing a hand to her heart.
I shook my head ... then nodded after reconsidering my answer. I had had a very strong opinion about pirates when I had been at school and I knew that if I sounded too out of character, she'd be suspicious. "While I was there ... yes, 'twas horrific but I got rescued by a good man who brought me here ... "
Victoria looked at me carefully. "Christina ... are you pregnant?"
I grinned. "Yes, yes, I am."
"Who's the father?! When did you get married?" she squealed.
"Well ... I didn't exactly get married ... "
Victoria's face fell. "Oh..Who's the father? Or would you rather not say?"
"I'd rather not say ... it's a bit painful to talk about." And in truth, I was being completely honest. It was painful to talk of Jack at the moment. He wasn't here and I wanted him to be ... that was painful.
"Okay. Well, if you want to talk about it sometime, you know where I am."
I nodded. I figured I would be getting a lot of that response. "How about yourself? Elizabeth told me that you had children. What's happened for you since we left school?"
And with that gentle prompting, Victoria launched into a lengthy history of the past few years and I listened eagerly. It was so nice to just listen sometimes and hearing her talk kept my mind occupied and off of Jack.
Unfortunately, after Victoria finished her tale, I was forced, by politeness to reciprocate. So, I retold the events of my mother's illness, my father and brother's deaths, the voyage towards Port Royale, culminating in my stay on board the Black Pearl. I had to 'modify' some of the events after that. If I told her the exact truth, Jack would end up in a noose and I would likely be right beside him after giving birth. So, instead, I told her of being forced into slavery and being rescued by a dashing rogue who brought me back to my proper place among polite society.
Victoria watched me, her eyes wide as I told my story and after I finished, she flew out of her chair and embraced me in a bone-breaking hug. "Oh, you poor dear. You must have been terrified. I can't believe you went through all of that, Christina, you are so much stronger than I am. I would have thrown myself into the sea to drown."
I smiled wryly. She was right of course, I had always been stronger than she, not that it made too much of a difference when we were younger.
-A-
Sooner than I would have liked, Will came to retrieve me. I bade Victoria a fond goodbye and left. I had had an excellent afternoon, after all, in spite of the bad morning.
The visit with my old friend had unblocked me. I felt more at peace with the situation and I chatted amicably with Will and Elizabeth during our evening meal.
Following dinner, Will had to go back to the smithy, he had forgotten something while he waiting for me in the afternoon and refused to let it wait until morning. While he was gone, I got to know Elizabeth much better.
We talked about many things. I learned more about her and Will and just the overall situation in Port Royale. And in turn, I told her about Jack ... how he made me feel safe, how he made me feel wanted and what it was that made me love him.
It was a good end to the evening.
-A-
The next two weeks passed well enough during the day. I kept occupied, somehow managing to keep my mind mostly off of Jack. There were times, only once in a great while, when I wished that I had paid greater attention during some of the more domestic classes that I was forced to take at school. However, I had always been a decent seamstress and mended clothes for Will and Elizabeth. This small way of showing my gratitude pleased Elizabeth to no end, for as she told me, she had no patience for such things.
While days were moderately busy, my nights were far from it. I couldn't sleep hardly at all and spent most of my evenings watching the stars from my window in the Turner household. It seemed that I had grown far too accustomed on having another person in the bed with me to sleep worth anything. So, I grew to function on few ... if any hours of rest at night and took naps on a chair during the day when it was warranted.
My presence in Port Royale did not go undetected for too long. People soon found out that the 'survivor from the terrible accident nearly a year ago' was staying in their town. It came into my mind how little these people must have to do if they could easily recall the story of an accident that long ago. In London, people would talk for a week at most and then forget.
The most interesting outcome of this was that a young Commodore of the British Navy who was an acquaintance of Will and Elizabeth, came to call upon me.
While this was not entirely unexpected, Elizabeth had given me some warning about him, it was not at all appreciated. I knew that he would coddle me, thinking that I was a tragic pregnant woman, clinging to sanity by a hair. And truth was, the more people treated me in that role, the more I found myself fitting it. Only it was not the memory of my captor that made me cry and be distraught, it was the wanting of my lover.
And so it was that James Norrington entered my life. He came the afternoon of November 23rd and insisted to Will that he speak with me. Of course the insistence was done politely, but it was none the less, a request that I could not avoid. I knew from what Elizabeth and Will had told me that he was an ambitious man, so I knew well enough to watch my wording of phrases and steeled myself to be completely unresponsive to the names Jack Sparrow or The Black Pearl.
So, when Elizabeth led me to the sitting room where the Commodore was at, it was out of companionship not my need for my bearings about the house, and I greatly appreciated the gesture. My hands were practically shaking from repressed nerves as she opened the door. I lingered in the frame for a fraction of a second before I could get up the nerve to enter the room. Seeing my hesitation, she pushed me gently, only because without such a push I would not have gone in at all, and shut the door behind me, thus sealing my escape route.
The Commodore himself was standing, back to me, studying a wall decoration, his arms behind him in the classic 'English gentleman' stance. Upon hearing the door shut, he turned with military precision and smiled demurely at me. "Good afternoon, Miss- ... "
"Smit ... Christina Smit," I answered, deciding it would be best to use my given name, rather than Delcot...that might also link me to pirates and I didn't want that, either.
"Good afternoon, Miss Smit. Please, come sit down. I only have to ask you a few questions."
I nodded and moved to a chair to sit. He sat across from me, leaning slightly forward, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands steepled.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Miss Smit. I hope that this isn't too much of an inconvenience."
I shook my head. "Not at all, Commodore. I hope that I can be of help to you."
"Indeed ... I was wondering how long ago it was that you were kidnapped from pirates."
"Well ... it was nearly nine months ago."
The Commodore nodded to himself. "And what ship were you on before you were kidnapped?"
"I was on ... I was on The Spirit, making the crossing from England with my mum."
Again a nod ... I wished that I knew what the bloody hell those nods meant ... it was making me nervous.
"What happened to your mother? Was she with you in captivity?"
I shook my head 'no.' "She died...when the ship was taken."
"Oh...I'm sorry for your loss, miss."
I nodded silently and gazed intently at my hands in my lap.
An awkward moment elapsed.
The Commodore cleared his throat. "Now, you're related to James Smit, are you not?"
"Yes...he was my father."
"How did he die?" the Commodore inquired.
I looked up at him. "I don't see how that's relevant...but he died with my brother in a boating accident."
"Tragic...It seems that you keep getting hit with things, doesn't it..."
I didn't really care for that at all... "I beg your pardon?"
"It just seems...rather coincidental that your entire family died before you were kidnapped...almost too unrealistic, that's all."
My eyes narrowed into almost impossibly small slits. "Are you implying something, sir? Because if you are not and are merely trying to get me upset...you are doing your job quite nicely. Yes, it is tragic that my family died and I spent quite a long time learning to cope with the loss and I do not appreciate the insinuation that I had something to do with it. Bad things happen to people all the time, Commodore and it just so happens that right now, I've had a bad run of things. Now if you wish to ask me about anything from when I was in captivity, please, go right ahead, but if you seek to delve into a past that I am just starting to get over, please leave me in peace. I had no control over the events leading to my family's demise and I can assure you that if I did, they would be alive right now. But I can neither change the past nor predict the future so I beg of you to ask me something that I do know or nothing at all."
At these words, the Commodore flushed. "I'm sorry, miss. I just need to get all the facts straight...my superiours are curious as to the entire situation."
I heaved a giant sigh, my blood still boiling underneath it all. "You may tell your superiours what you will...but I wish to speak no more of those events...they are especially painful to me even now."
"Of course, miss. Of course," the Commodore quickly rectified.
I nodded. "Now, what else did you wish to know?"
"What ship were you on during your captivity? And how did you escape?"
"I...I don't remember what ship it was, I never saw anything but the brig...and the captain's cabin. But they sold me to a man and I was placed up for auction...I escaped...I don't know how exactly but I did...and when I was running, I ran into a captain...he brought me back here and...now I'm here."
"Do you know who the captain that brought you here is? Could you describe him for me? I only ask because it is odd that you would live here...with the Turners, I mean, of all places. How do you come to know them? I never did get around to asking either of them."
My mind whirred quickly, trying to find a suitable lie that would cover my story well enough to seem believable... "Will is my cousin. Well, my second cousin. His mother and my mother were very close in their childhood, they were only about a year apart in age, so they got on very well. That's the main reason that Mum decided to come here, she wanted to know someone. And after I got freed...I thought it only fit to pick up where I left off. And the Turners graciously agreed to help me get my feet planted firmly on the ground."
"That's very kind of them indeed..." the Commodore said distractedly. His eyes studied me carefully and I could see the question in his mind before he even parted his lips to ask it. "Miss Smit...I know this is painful enough for you...but I must ask...I can see that you are pregnant and...you still go by 'Miss' so am I right to assume that...you were...was that a willful acquisition?"
I smiled slightly at the politeness of the British man before me... "No, Commodore...not exactly. As I said, I was sold in a slave auction...and I won't elabourate on the details to anyone for the time...lock me away if need be, but that is one thing that I will not discuss. Those wounds are still raw and I won't tear them open again. But a child is a child and I will care for him or her when it arrives. I may not have asked for it, but neither does a child ask to be born...so the two of us are rather in the same boat."
"Yes, Miss...but I will tell you that if it feels like too much for you, I dare say there will be some families in Port Royale who would be more than willing to accept a child into their home."
I smiled wryly. "I appreciate the offer, Commodore...but I think it wise that I care for my own child."
"Thank you, Miss Smit. I think that that answers all my questions for now. If I have any more in future, shall I send word?"
I nodded. "It would be much appreciated...I hope that I've been of help to you, Commodore."
The Commodore rose to his feet and I followed suit before showing him to the door. "Yes, Miss. It has been very enlightening. Good afternoon, Miss Smit," he said, holding his hand out.
"Good afternoon, Commodore Norrington." I too extended my hand and he raised my own in his and brushed a polite kiss to it before letting my hand fall.
The Commodore turned and strode militarily out the door and down the walk.
Shaking my head slightly, I shut the door and went upstairs to inform Will that he was now my 'cousin' and to recount the rather interesting events of the interview.
-A-
Over the next several weeks, the Commodore came to call numerous times. At first, I believed it was just out of common courtesy for the Naval officer to help the new woman in town become acquainted with the area but...after he arrived with flowers one afternoon, I had reason to doubt my first assumption. And while I was touched by his sentiment, I could not give my heart to anyone except Jack. He was and had my love and I would not have any sort of dalliance with the Commodore. But saying this proved harder than I imagined...
"James...I appreciate the flowers...and the gesture behind them, but I am afraid that I am not ready for any sort of relationship in the romantic sense yet. My heart is still healing and I can't put myself out there while I still have bleeding wounds...it would be unfair to you and painful for me," I told him that afternoon..
I didn't look into his face as I said this...I didn't want to see hurt or anger or any other emotions.
Several long moments of silence elapsed and then he said, "I see...I'm terribly sorry if I've offended you, Christina...I'll take my leave now."
And with that, he strode away.
Even though I had no romantic interest in him, my heart wrenched slightly to reject him thus. I hurried after him and planted myself before him on the path, knowing full well that an Englishman would not push a woman out of the way and that I had effectively stopped him.
"I need you to listen for just one moment and then I'll leave. I did not say that to hurt you, only to express my true feelings. I think that you are a good man, but I...I'm not ready for such a relationship right now and I don't know if ever will be...besides, you deserve better than me...You could miss out on the perfect woman for you if you waited in vain for me to be ready for what you want...and that isn't fair for either of us. So how about we just go on as friends and respect each other for who we are and what has made us that way?" I said quietly before I stepped out of his path, giving him an easy escape should he choose to take it.
"Good afternoon, Miss Smit," he said before leaving.
I shook my head frustrated with the whole business of men and went back inside, feeling slightly low.
-A-
Author's Notes-
Well, I hope that was enough to stave off the many threats of people going insane...if not, join the club, we're all insane in one way or another.
Hope you all liked the chapter! Have a great week! I'm not sure when I'll update...probably Friday...but I'm not sure.
Check out POTC: The Aftermath by The Quidditch Gals...its under my favourites. It needs love...
Well, that's all for now! Har en god uke!
Mange Klemmar
CrazyCanoeingGIT
Well, the week has passed and I'm done with school. Yippee! I managed to survive my finals without any major breakdowns. (Always a positive thing.) But, now that that's out of the way, I can update. Also, just to let you all know, the sequel has already been started and I think that it will be brilliant...once I get more written, of course. But, on with the Thanks and then the chapter.
Author Thanks-
Anaknusan - Thanks! (for the review and the excellent advice) I must admit that I thought of updating, but I didn't...I was a good little girl...lol....don't worry, you didn't sound too much like my mother anyone else's. It was very good advice. Enjoy!
Jessica Van Helsing – Thanks! Enjoy!
Moulin-Rouge-Pirate - Thanks! Enjoy the chapter!
Zubachickqt4u - Thanks! Just wait and see...Enjoy!
TriGemini - Thanks! You're exactly right about Christy worrying, Jack keeping his crew safe and all the points you raised. I'll keep that in mind, though, lol...that I'm a nice author. Yeah, I did fine on my finals...most were not a big deal except my Pre-Calculas...but on that one, even the sophomore whose in my class and is a super genius, said it was hard. Enjoy!
Triity144 - Thanks! Flying monkies?! Gah! Run and hide! Enjoy!
Inu Lover - Thanks, mate! Enjoy!
ortain - Thanks! Hope you like the chapter!
tefsparrow - Thanks! I hope you survived your exams...I just managed to get away with my life on some of them. Enjoy!
Miss Sofie - Thanks! Enjoy!
S.S.I. - Thanks! Only 5? Grr...lucky person, you. Hope you like the chapter!
Deppster34 - Thanks! Sorry that you cried! Enjoy!
RK9 - Thanks! hmmm...can't find it...Okay, check out my favourite story list, its under there! Enjoy!
Jeeves Swineford - Well, long time no hear, lol. Thanks for the review, mate. Have a great week! Enjoy!
AJ-Sparrow - Thanks! I can't tell you, you'll have to wait and see. Enjoy!
RMB (3) - Don't worry about a short review every once in a while, I completely understand. Lol...I was just hoping that it got read, since it was long! But its all good. Will and Liz interrogated Jack because, I mean, think about it, even though he is their friend, just imagine how odd it would be to see a friend who has a bit of a ... history with a 'proper' woman who was obviously pregnant...it would just raise questions. I think everybody would raise questions about it. Slappin the Cap'n...lol...but its only natural that she would panic, she was afraid that he had left...Definitely gonna be a sequel! Should be up in early August. Anyways, enjoy!
Eccentric Banshee - Thanks! Don't worry bout reviewing irregularly...I'm bad about it too! Enjoy!
Cagalli - Thanks! lol...I remember my geometry final...fun stuff, not. Enjoy!
-A-
Last Time
With it fully gone, I looked over at Will and Elizabeth, standing a ways away from me up the beach. They stood arm in arm, looking peaceful as they watched the horizon.
-A-
What's in a Name?
Chapter 27: The Port Royale Citizens
Back up at the house, I moped around for the remainder of the morning until lunch. I ate silently while Will and Elizabeth talked idly about novel things. Now that Jack was gone, the reality of my situation was starting to sink in.
I was, once again, without the people I loved.
And although I was with Will and Elizabeth and felt safe and comfortable with them, I couldn't help feeling a deep sense of loss at Jack's departure.
The afternoon passed quickly enough. I managed to distract myself until the time came that I was sitting in a carriage with Will going towards Victoria's home.
When we got there, Will promised that he would be back within two hours time and then left. A rather ancient butler let me in and led me to Victoria's sitting room. As I appeared in the doorway, there was a flurry of skirts that greeted me and I found myself in an exceptionally tight hug.
"I can't believe it's you! Christina Smit. I can't believe that I'm finally seeing you again!" Victoria said in my ear in a hurried voice.
I managed to pry my friend off me so that I could actually breathe ... I had been starting to have some trouble with that essential task. "Victoria ... as happy as I am to see you after all these years, I do need to be able to breathe ... it is rather important."
Victoria released me and stepped back, looking me up and down. "Look at you. You look absolutely radiant. How have you been? Where have you been? Tell me everything."
Carefully wording my response, "I've been well enough ... "
"I heard about the pirates. Are you all right? Was it absolutely horrific?" she asked, placing a hand to her heart.
I shook my head ... then nodded after reconsidering my answer. I had had a very strong opinion about pirates when I had been at school and I knew that if I sounded too out of character, she'd be suspicious. "While I was there ... yes, 'twas horrific but I got rescued by a good man who brought me here ... "
Victoria looked at me carefully. "Christina ... are you pregnant?"
I grinned. "Yes, yes, I am."
"Who's the father?! When did you get married?" she squealed.
"Well ... I didn't exactly get married ... "
Victoria's face fell. "Oh..Who's the father? Or would you rather not say?"
"I'd rather not say ... it's a bit painful to talk about." And in truth, I was being completely honest. It was painful to talk of Jack at the moment. He wasn't here and I wanted him to be ... that was painful.
"Okay. Well, if you want to talk about it sometime, you know where I am."
I nodded. I figured I would be getting a lot of that response. "How about yourself? Elizabeth told me that you had children. What's happened for you since we left school?"
And with that gentle prompting, Victoria launched into a lengthy history of the past few years and I listened eagerly. It was so nice to just listen sometimes and hearing her talk kept my mind occupied and off of Jack.
Unfortunately, after Victoria finished her tale, I was forced, by politeness to reciprocate. So, I retold the events of my mother's illness, my father and brother's deaths, the voyage towards Port Royale, culminating in my stay on board the Black Pearl. I had to 'modify' some of the events after that. If I told her the exact truth, Jack would end up in a noose and I would likely be right beside him after giving birth. So, instead, I told her of being forced into slavery and being rescued by a dashing rogue who brought me back to my proper place among polite society.
Victoria watched me, her eyes wide as I told my story and after I finished, she flew out of her chair and embraced me in a bone-breaking hug. "Oh, you poor dear. You must have been terrified. I can't believe you went through all of that, Christina, you are so much stronger than I am. I would have thrown myself into the sea to drown."
I smiled wryly. She was right of course, I had always been stronger than she, not that it made too much of a difference when we were younger.
-A-
Sooner than I would have liked, Will came to retrieve me. I bade Victoria a fond goodbye and left. I had had an excellent afternoon, after all, in spite of the bad morning.
The visit with my old friend had unblocked me. I felt more at peace with the situation and I chatted amicably with Will and Elizabeth during our evening meal.
Following dinner, Will had to go back to the smithy, he had forgotten something while he waiting for me in the afternoon and refused to let it wait until morning. While he was gone, I got to know Elizabeth much better.
We talked about many things. I learned more about her and Will and just the overall situation in Port Royale. And in turn, I told her about Jack ... how he made me feel safe, how he made me feel wanted and what it was that made me love him.
It was a good end to the evening.
-A-
The next two weeks passed well enough during the day. I kept occupied, somehow managing to keep my mind mostly off of Jack. There were times, only once in a great while, when I wished that I had paid greater attention during some of the more domestic classes that I was forced to take at school. However, I had always been a decent seamstress and mended clothes for Will and Elizabeth. This small way of showing my gratitude pleased Elizabeth to no end, for as she told me, she had no patience for such things.
While days were moderately busy, my nights were far from it. I couldn't sleep hardly at all and spent most of my evenings watching the stars from my window in the Turner household. It seemed that I had grown far too accustomed on having another person in the bed with me to sleep worth anything. So, I grew to function on few ... if any hours of rest at night and took naps on a chair during the day when it was warranted.
My presence in Port Royale did not go undetected for too long. People soon found out that the 'survivor from the terrible accident nearly a year ago' was staying in their town. It came into my mind how little these people must have to do if they could easily recall the story of an accident that long ago. In London, people would talk for a week at most and then forget.
The most interesting outcome of this was that a young Commodore of the British Navy who was an acquaintance of Will and Elizabeth, came to call upon me.
While this was not entirely unexpected, Elizabeth had given me some warning about him, it was not at all appreciated. I knew that he would coddle me, thinking that I was a tragic pregnant woman, clinging to sanity by a hair. And truth was, the more people treated me in that role, the more I found myself fitting it. Only it was not the memory of my captor that made me cry and be distraught, it was the wanting of my lover.
And so it was that James Norrington entered my life. He came the afternoon of November 23rd and insisted to Will that he speak with me. Of course the insistence was done politely, but it was none the less, a request that I could not avoid. I knew from what Elizabeth and Will had told me that he was an ambitious man, so I knew well enough to watch my wording of phrases and steeled myself to be completely unresponsive to the names Jack Sparrow or The Black Pearl.
So, when Elizabeth led me to the sitting room where the Commodore was at, it was out of companionship not my need for my bearings about the house, and I greatly appreciated the gesture. My hands were practically shaking from repressed nerves as she opened the door. I lingered in the frame for a fraction of a second before I could get up the nerve to enter the room. Seeing my hesitation, she pushed me gently, only because without such a push I would not have gone in at all, and shut the door behind me, thus sealing my escape route.
The Commodore himself was standing, back to me, studying a wall decoration, his arms behind him in the classic 'English gentleman' stance. Upon hearing the door shut, he turned with military precision and smiled demurely at me. "Good afternoon, Miss- ... "
"Smit ... Christina Smit," I answered, deciding it would be best to use my given name, rather than Delcot...that might also link me to pirates and I didn't want that, either.
"Good afternoon, Miss Smit. Please, come sit down. I only have to ask you a few questions."
I nodded and moved to a chair to sit. He sat across from me, leaning slightly forward, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands steepled.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Miss Smit. I hope that this isn't too much of an inconvenience."
I shook my head. "Not at all, Commodore. I hope that I can be of help to you."
"Indeed ... I was wondering how long ago it was that you were kidnapped from pirates."
"Well ... it was nearly nine months ago."
The Commodore nodded to himself. "And what ship were you on before you were kidnapped?"
"I was on ... I was on The Spirit, making the crossing from England with my mum."
Again a nod ... I wished that I knew what the bloody hell those nods meant ... it was making me nervous.
"What happened to your mother? Was she with you in captivity?"
I shook my head 'no.' "She died...when the ship was taken."
"Oh...I'm sorry for your loss, miss."
I nodded silently and gazed intently at my hands in my lap.
An awkward moment elapsed.
The Commodore cleared his throat. "Now, you're related to James Smit, are you not?"
"Yes...he was my father."
"How did he die?" the Commodore inquired.
I looked up at him. "I don't see how that's relevant...but he died with my brother in a boating accident."
"Tragic...It seems that you keep getting hit with things, doesn't it..."
I didn't really care for that at all... "I beg your pardon?"
"It just seems...rather coincidental that your entire family died before you were kidnapped...almost too unrealistic, that's all."
My eyes narrowed into almost impossibly small slits. "Are you implying something, sir? Because if you are not and are merely trying to get me upset...you are doing your job quite nicely. Yes, it is tragic that my family died and I spent quite a long time learning to cope with the loss and I do not appreciate the insinuation that I had something to do with it. Bad things happen to people all the time, Commodore and it just so happens that right now, I've had a bad run of things. Now if you wish to ask me about anything from when I was in captivity, please, go right ahead, but if you seek to delve into a past that I am just starting to get over, please leave me in peace. I had no control over the events leading to my family's demise and I can assure you that if I did, they would be alive right now. But I can neither change the past nor predict the future so I beg of you to ask me something that I do know or nothing at all."
At these words, the Commodore flushed. "I'm sorry, miss. I just need to get all the facts straight...my superiours are curious as to the entire situation."
I heaved a giant sigh, my blood still boiling underneath it all. "You may tell your superiours what you will...but I wish to speak no more of those events...they are especially painful to me even now."
"Of course, miss. Of course," the Commodore quickly rectified.
I nodded. "Now, what else did you wish to know?"
"What ship were you on during your captivity? And how did you escape?"
"I...I don't remember what ship it was, I never saw anything but the brig...and the captain's cabin. But they sold me to a man and I was placed up for auction...I escaped...I don't know how exactly but I did...and when I was running, I ran into a captain...he brought me back here and...now I'm here."
"Do you know who the captain that brought you here is? Could you describe him for me? I only ask because it is odd that you would live here...with the Turners, I mean, of all places. How do you come to know them? I never did get around to asking either of them."
My mind whirred quickly, trying to find a suitable lie that would cover my story well enough to seem believable... "Will is my cousin. Well, my second cousin. His mother and my mother were very close in their childhood, they were only about a year apart in age, so they got on very well. That's the main reason that Mum decided to come here, she wanted to know someone. And after I got freed...I thought it only fit to pick up where I left off. And the Turners graciously agreed to help me get my feet planted firmly on the ground."
"That's very kind of them indeed..." the Commodore said distractedly. His eyes studied me carefully and I could see the question in his mind before he even parted his lips to ask it. "Miss Smit...I know this is painful enough for you...but I must ask...I can see that you are pregnant and...you still go by 'Miss' so am I right to assume that...you were...was that a willful acquisition?"
I smiled slightly at the politeness of the British man before me... "No, Commodore...not exactly. As I said, I was sold in a slave auction...and I won't elabourate on the details to anyone for the time...lock me away if need be, but that is one thing that I will not discuss. Those wounds are still raw and I won't tear them open again. But a child is a child and I will care for him or her when it arrives. I may not have asked for it, but neither does a child ask to be born...so the two of us are rather in the same boat."
"Yes, Miss...but I will tell you that if it feels like too much for you, I dare say there will be some families in Port Royale who would be more than willing to accept a child into their home."
I smiled wryly. "I appreciate the offer, Commodore...but I think it wise that I care for my own child."
"Thank you, Miss Smit. I think that that answers all my questions for now. If I have any more in future, shall I send word?"
I nodded. "It would be much appreciated...I hope that I've been of help to you, Commodore."
The Commodore rose to his feet and I followed suit before showing him to the door. "Yes, Miss. It has been very enlightening. Good afternoon, Miss Smit," he said, holding his hand out.
"Good afternoon, Commodore Norrington." I too extended my hand and he raised my own in his and brushed a polite kiss to it before letting my hand fall.
The Commodore turned and strode militarily out the door and down the walk.
Shaking my head slightly, I shut the door and went upstairs to inform Will that he was now my 'cousin' and to recount the rather interesting events of the interview.
-A-
Over the next several weeks, the Commodore came to call numerous times. At first, I believed it was just out of common courtesy for the Naval officer to help the new woman in town become acquainted with the area but...after he arrived with flowers one afternoon, I had reason to doubt my first assumption. And while I was touched by his sentiment, I could not give my heart to anyone except Jack. He was and had my love and I would not have any sort of dalliance with the Commodore. But saying this proved harder than I imagined...
"James...I appreciate the flowers...and the gesture behind them, but I am afraid that I am not ready for any sort of relationship in the romantic sense yet. My heart is still healing and I can't put myself out there while I still have bleeding wounds...it would be unfair to you and painful for me," I told him that afternoon..
I didn't look into his face as I said this...I didn't want to see hurt or anger or any other emotions.
Several long moments of silence elapsed and then he said, "I see...I'm terribly sorry if I've offended you, Christina...I'll take my leave now."
And with that, he strode away.
Even though I had no romantic interest in him, my heart wrenched slightly to reject him thus. I hurried after him and planted myself before him on the path, knowing full well that an Englishman would not push a woman out of the way and that I had effectively stopped him.
"I need you to listen for just one moment and then I'll leave. I did not say that to hurt you, only to express my true feelings. I think that you are a good man, but I...I'm not ready for such a relationship right now and I don't know if ever will be...besides, you deserve better than me...You could miss out on the perfect woman for you if you waited in vain for me to be ready for what you want...and that isn't fair for either of us. So how about we just go on as friends and respect each other for who we are and what has made us that way?" I said quietly before I stepped out of his path, giving him an easy escape should he choose to take it.
"Good afternoon, Miss Smit," he said before leaving.
I shook my head frustrated with the whole business of men and went back inside, feeling slightly low.
-A-
Author's Notes-
Well, I hope that was enough to stave off the many threats of people going insane...if not, join the club, we're all insane in one way or another.
Hope you all liked the chapter! Have a great week! I'm not sure when I'll update...probably Friday...but I'm not sure.
Check out POTC: The Aftermath by The Quidditch Gals...its under my favourites. It needs love...
Well, that's all for now! Har en god uke!
Mange Klemmar
CrazyCanoeingGIT