Hello once again! I hope you all are enjoying your Jack clones; I know I am! ;) Thank you all very, very much for your lovely reviews. Now, we are back to the main story. This chapter isn't really one of my favorites: it isn't really as funny as the other ones had been (or at least I hoped they had been), but it had to be done. It is pretty long, though: 10 pages on Word! I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 6
Onboard the Dauntless, the new King of England watched somewhat sadly as his beloved ship sailed out into the ocean without him. The Black Pearl, after all, was his home, as well as his freedom. If Jack Sparrow had a choice to accept the throne or not, he would most definitely declined the job. But, "choice" was the key word there. He did not have a choice, and if he chose to decline, he and his crew would have all been taken prisoner and hung for piracy. And he would just not let that happen.
So it was, that Captain Jack Sparrow, infamous captain of the fearsome Black Pearl, formerly Sir Francis Johnathan Henry Stanton IV, Duke of Worcester, became the most powerful man in the entire world.
Being a King did have its positives, Jack supposed. Like that little dancing episode earlier that day, for example. Just the thought brought a smile to the pirate's face, clearly displaying his numerous golden teeth. He was trying to think up more orders for the Navymen when he was approached by none other than the Commodore.
After ordering his men to set sail for Port Royal, James Norrington thought it to be in good interest to locate their new leader, both to brief him on the events after their arrival in Port Royal and to keep him out of too much mischief. Norrington shuddered at the thought of the havoc the mad pirate could wreak when there were no penalties.
But currently, said mad pirate was leaning over the port side railing of the ship, staring off into the distance at the Black Pearl. Norrington walked over and stood next to him, staring in the same direction. The pirate turned briefly to look at the Commodore, then stood up straight to face the man. "Is there somethin' you'd be wanting, my dearest Commodore?" he inquired with a grin.
Norrington frowned slightly at the "king's" mouthful of gold. That surely would not look good when meeting some of England's highest aristocrats. But he would worry about that later. "Your Majesty," he began sarcastically. He couldn't help but smile in spite of himself to see Sparrow's grin widen. The whole situation was just so completely bizarre that to keep any sanity, one almost had to find it humorous. "Would you please accompany me into my office so I could brief you on the events after your arrival?"
Jack took a gaze at the sea, then answered, "Why of course I would, Jimbo." He stifled a laugh to see the Commodore's cheeks redden with anger as his eyes narrowed and lips tightened.
"Mr. Sparrow, you will address me as 'Commodore Norrington.'" Jimbo. What a sickening nickname, Norrington thought.
"Jimbo, you will address me as 'Your Majesty,' and I'll address you however I want, savvy?" Jack replied, mimicking the Commodore's tone. Commodore James "Jimbo" Norrington was one of the most fun people to bother, Jack had discovered over time. And now, there was no way he could stop him.
Norrington closed his eyes and let out a deep, irritated breath. He really did not have much power over Sparrow now, and that was a bit disconcerting. "All right, your Majesty," he said in a mocking tone, "But do keep in mind that your powers may be revoked if you cross the line too far, and then the crown will have no other option but to hang you for your crimes."
And what he said was true. There had been many meetings of the navy to discuss the unique circumstances of the heir to the throne. One decision was that the King's identity as Jack Sparrow would not be revealed to the public. Actually, only the Commodore and a few other high-ranking naval officers knew that Sir Stanton was now Jack Sparrow. Well, of course, so did the crew of the Dauntless, now that they had heard Sparrow's tale. Not even Governor Swann knew of this fact, as they were trying to restrict the information to Naval officials only. Another decision made was that they would, indeed, allow Sparrow to accept the crown, as long as he agreed to use his powers in moderation. If he took too much advantage of his authority, then they had the power to remove him from office. This delicate balance of power would prove to be very interesting indeed.
"Anyway, please follow me into my office so we can discuss the coming events." Jack, who could hear the annoyed tone of the other man's voice, decided he best not push the envelope, and followed Norrington as he entered the doors to his office. Inside, there was a very large, well-kept room complete with many maps, bookshelves, and a large cherrywood desk in the center. The Commodore took his place behind the desk as Jack proceeded to walk around the room, pulling out books and flipping through them, picking up various knickknacks and examining them. As he was about to slip a small jade statue into his coat pocket, Norrington called loudly, "Your Majesty, please sit."
Giving an annoyed sigh, Jack put the statue back on the shelf. "Why thank you, Jimbo," he said as he sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk, propping his feet up on the desktop. He grinned as Norrington rolled his eyes.
The Commodore, already much annoyed with his new king, began his speech. "When we dock at Port Royal in an hour or two, you will be meeting with Admiral Aston. He's the one whom the letter you read was written by. He is the man who was put in charge of locating you and returning you to England. After you meet with the Admiral, we will escort you to the Governor's mansion, where you will be residing until we leave for England."
Throughout the Commodore's directions, Jack had been paying more attention to the twiddling of his thumbs than to the Commodore's words. But after hearing that he'd be staying at the Governor's house, he perked up. He hadn't even thought of what Will and Elizabeth would say. He didn't even know if they knew he was King or not. "Do they- do they know?" he asked, and the Commodore fully understood what his vague question meant.
"No, Miss Swann and Mr. Turner are not aware that you are King. Due to the. . . sensitivity of the pirate situation here, only a few Naval men know that Jack Sparrow is Francis Stanton."
Jack raised a finger. "Captain Jack Sparrow."
Norrington once again rolled his eyes and disregarded the interruption. "It would not be too well taken by the citizens of the Crown if they found out that their new King was a pirate. Therefore, you, Captain Sparrow, must do your best to clean up and act as a law-abiding citizen."
Now Jack really did not like the sound of this. Clean up? As in. . . take a bath?! Surely nobody could force the King of England to bathe, or brush his hair, or even worse. . . shave. Could they?
Before the King could inquire in regards to the much-loathed bath taking, Norrington continued revealing the plan for the new King. "You will have a bit of time to settle into the Governor's estate, and this evening, a royal ball will be held in your honor to introduce Port Royal to their new King." The Commodore thought it ironic that if two months ago, if anyone had suggested throwing a ball in Jack Sparrow's honor, most people would have thought him mad.
But Jack just thought the whole event amusing. "A ball? Just for li'l ol' Jack? Why Jimbo, you shouldn't have! If I would've known, I would've brought me good coat from the Pearl.
"It is the Governor who is throwing the ball, your Majesty. And in regards to your wardrobe, we will get you cleaned up for the party, don't worry." 'Jimbo' smiled at seeing Sparrow grimace. It was obvious that the man was not terribly fond of bathing, simply by his odor.
"Now Commodore, that really isn't necessary. Y'see, I just took a swim in th' ocean last week! That should cover me in th' bathing department for a while."
"Oh, but your Majesty," Norrington said sarcastically, "We want you to look especially nice this evening. Not only will you be getting a bath, but a shave, a haircut, some nice clothes. . ."
"Ye'll not touch me hair! Or me beard! Or I'll have you placed under arrest!" Jack was quite upset at the prospect of being "cleaned up." He was the King, after all; who were they to say how he had to look?
But that Commodore, he only laughed at his King's threats. "By whom, your Majesty? Am I to arrest myself? I am the highest authority in Port Royal, after the Governor, that is. And do keep in mind that you must pass as a respectable gentleman in order to become King."
Jack just sneered at the man's "insolence." How dare he speak to the King that way? But his words were true. "Fine, Jimbo," he said in an annoyed tone as he stood up and walked to the door that led to the deck. "Well, I'll be leaving now.
"Don't get yourself into too much trouble, Mr. Sparrow," the Commodore called after the exiting pirate. "We'll be arriving in Port Royal shortly."
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As he stood at the helm of the Dauntless, Norrington sighed as he spotted his new King climbing about the ship's rigging, tightening ropes and arranging the sails more to his liking. 'Lots of propriety that one has,' he thought to himself as the pirate now stood atop the highest beam on the mainmast. Actually, perhaps Jack Sparrow as King would be just what England needed. He certainly would liven things up a bit. . .
The lookout called, "Land Ho!" as the Dauntless rapidly approached Port Royal. Norrington called Officer Groves up to the helm. "Yes, sir?" the younger man asked his superior.
"As soon as we reach shore, I would like for you to bring word to the Admiral and the Governor that our new King has been found. Let them know that we will be in my office in Fort Charles."
"Of course, sir," Groves said as he returned to his work. The ship was just entering the harbor, and they would be docked in Port Royal in less than half an hour. Then, the citizens would be introduced to their new leader, Captain Jack Sparrow.
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As he stood atop the mainmast, holding tightly onto the railing of the crow's nest, feeling the wind blow his hair back, Jack Sparrow was having a feeling of deja vu, remembering the last time he had made a grand entrance into Port Royal. Although, this time around, he was atop a grand ship, not a little dinghy, and his ship was actually watertight. He was rather enjoying himself, caught up in the fond memories of the faces of the people watching him sink into port, when he heard the Commodore call him down. "Your Majesty," he yelled, "Come down, we will be docking in a few minutes." Jack rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed sigh as he grabbed a rope and climbed down onto the deck. (A/N: Thanks to Hecate for inspiring that idea! I thought it was grand.)
He strolled up to the helm where Norrington stood and casually put his hand on the man's shoulder, much to the Commodore's dismay. Sparrow always did have a way of invading everyone else's personal space. "Tell me, Commodore," he began, waving his other hand around in some incomprehensible gestures, "Will we be stayin' in Port Royal long enough to attend the wedding of Mr. Turner to the lovely Miss Swann? After all, that's the reason I was comin' to yer fine town in th' first place."
"Yes, I do not believe that they would let us take you anywhere until after their wedding. Now if you would be so kind. . ." he carefully pushed the pirate's dirty hand off his shoulder with a single finger, then wiped his hand on his jacket. A bath would definitely be in store for the King, preferably in the near future.
The Dauntless finally pulled up to the dock as the anchor was dropped and lines were thrown down to secure the large ship. Groves approached the Commodore at the helm, where the pirate captain was still standing next to him. "Sir, I shall go retrieve the Admiral and Governor Swann for you," the young officer said.
"Very good, Groves. Tell them that we shall be in my office in a few minutes." Groves nodded, then exited the ship off the gangplank. Norrington followed suit, and when he was halfway to the gangplank, he motioned for Jack, who was still staring at the water, to follow.
"Come on now, your Majesty," he called, and Jack ran up to meet him. "We must go to my office to meet the Admiral."
"Ah, now tell me again, what's th' name of this pompous git?"
Norrington gave a long-suffering sigh, then answered. "Admiral Patrick Aston. He was placed in charge of finding you. And also, Governor Swann will be coming along to greet you."
Jack smiled at the thought of the Governor's face when he saw his new King. The two men were not exactly on the best of terms, to put it lightly. "Well, Jimbo, this should be an interesting meetin'," he said as he walked to the edge of the ship and down the gangplank. Norrington followed.
"Yes, your Majesty, I suppose it will be." Commodore James "Jimbo" Norrington led the way to Port Charles, keeping a close eye on the pirate to make sure he would not try anything funny.
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"Are you at all nervous, Will?" Elizabeth Swann asked her beloved fiance. Their wedding was the day after next, and the final preparations for the extravagant event were already in progress. Just that morning, actually, Will had gone to the tailor to be fitted for his new suit for the wedding. Elizabeth, her father, and a few servants had accompanied him, and she had been rather amused to see his anxious reaction to seeing himself in such finery.
Will Turner looked up from stirring his cup of tea. After the morning's fitting, he decided to take the day off work to spend with Elizabeth. They were currently having afternoon tea at the Swann residence. However, Will felt that his stomach was tied in so many knots that he could not possibly eat a bite. It was amazing how nervous something so simple as a wedding could make a person. "Nervous about the wedding? No, I'm not," he lied. "Why do you ask?"
"Only because you put eight lumps of sugar into your tea."
"Oh." Elizabeth giggled as her fiance looked down at his cup, a bit dismayed.
Just then, they were interrupted by loud, quick knocking on the front door. A butler got up to answer the door, and Elizabeth, too, went to see who the visitor was. They were not expecting any company today, and she was quite surprised to see a rather out-of-breath Officer Groves standing at the front door. "Why, Officer Groves, do come in!" she ushered him into the foyer and towards a chair. "Please, do sit."
"Thank you, Miss Swann." The tired man gratefully accepted the invitation and let out a huge breath. It sure took a lot of energy to walk through the entire town, up the hill to the Governor's mansion. But he had business to attend to. "I'm terribly sorry to intrude, but Commodore Norrington sent me to relay a message to Admiral Aston and to the Governor."
"Oh, is that so? Pardon me, Jeeves?" Elizabeth summoned the butler who had answered the door.
"Yes, Madame?"
"Would you please fetch the Admiral and my father?"
"Right away, Madame," he responded while leaving the room to complete his mission.
Will entered the foyer to see who had arrived that was causing all the bustle. "Why, hello, Officer Groves," he greeted the Navyman with a handshake, curious to see what the man was doing at Elizabeth's house.
"Good day, Mr. Turner," Groves returned the greeting. Just then, a very flustered looking Admiral Aston came running down the stairway, his white curly wig half falling off his head. Governor Swann, too, entered the foyer from his study, walking at a rapid pace. They both immediately crowded around Groves, coming close to shoving Will and Elizabeth out of the way.
"Is he here? Have you found him?" the Admiral demanded of Groves.
"Yes, we just brought him in on the Dauntless." The Admiral and the Governor both breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled and began to laugh. Groves continued with the Commodore's message. "He is with Commodore Norrington in his office up at Port Charles. The Commodore would like you both to come up as soon as possible."
Both of the older men were ecstatic about the news. "Splendid! We shall make way immediately!
However, the young couple had no idea what the others were so terribly excited about. Elizabeth, who was naturally very curious and prone to eavesdropping, decided to find out. "Father," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder, "What is going on? Who have you found?"
"My dear," he said with a big grin on his face, "Commodore Norrington has just found Sir Francis Stanton IV!"
Now this surely was news. Will had heard much about the search for the missing heir to the throne. He joined into the conversation. "Sir Stanton, as in the new King of England?"
"Yes, Mr. Turner, the King of England is right here in Port Royal!" He then summoned Jeeves. "Jeeves?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Please go to the stables and have one of the carriages prepared to go to Fort Charles. Then have one of the maids prepare the finest guest room for the King to stay in. And after that, have everyone begin preparing for the King's welcome ball tonight! I want to make sure that he will be given Port Royal's finest greeting."
"Right away, sir." Jeeves, in his usual manner, rushed out of the room to fulfill his orders.
Elizabeth turned back to her father. "This is wonderful, Father! So, will the King be staying in our house?"
"Yes, Elizabeth. He will be here for a few days, until we can prepare a ship to bring him to England. And tonight, we will be having a grand ball to welcome him." He saw the carriage pull up in the front drive, and the driver opened the front door and gestured for them to climb in. The Governor got an idea, then turned back to Elizabeth and Will. "Would you two like to come with the Admiral and me to meet Sir Stanton?"
The prospect of this made Will feel a bit nervous. Him? Meet the King of England? Surely Sir Stanton would not approve of being welcomed by a lowly blacksmith, someone obviously much below the King's social status. "Well, erm-"
However, his fiance would hear nothing of his excuses. Elizabeth Swann had been wanting to meet this mysterious nobleman since she first heard about the search for him. Nudging Will, she said, "Oh Will, don't worry so much! It will be quite an honor to meet the King!" To her father, she replied, "We would love to come, Father."
Before the Governor could say anything, a very impatient Admiral Aston stood in the doorway, tapping his foot. His already high-strung personality had been wound even tighter at the pressure of finding Sir Stanton. Now, he could hardly wait to greet the new King. "Governor, we really must be going," he announced hurriedly as he walked quickly away and climbed into the carriage.
"On our way!" Governor Swann led the way out the door, with his daughter and her blacksmith fiance following close behind. As the carriage began moving, Will let out a nervous breath. Hopefully the King would not be too disapproving of having to meet the town's blacksmith.
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The sight they saw when Admiral Aston flung open the doors of Norrington's office was a bit unexpected by both the Swanns and Will Turner. As the group stepped into the large, well-decorated office, there were only two others in the room. One, of course, was Commodore Norrington, who sat behind the large mahogany desk. And the other, which both delighted and shocked the young couple, was Captain Jack Sparrow. He was seated in a chair in front of the Commodore's desk, feet propped up on another chair, hands behind his head.
When the group entered the room, he looked over to see who the intruders were, then turned wide-eyed at the sight of Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner. Some surprise they were in for.
"Jack! What on earth are you doing here?" Elizabeth rushed up to him, giving him a worried greeting. She had not seen her unusual pirate friend, if that was the right term to describe her and Jack's relationship, since Will saved him from the gallows over a year ago. It was good to see him again, but it was not as good to see him in Commodore Norrington's office.
Will shared the same worry. "Did you get caught?" he asked the pirate. He assumed Jack had been in Port Royal to attend their wedding, but did not wish him to be hung only days before the event.
Jack stood up and faced them, offering a warm grin. "Yeah, I s'pose ye could say that. Good to see ye again, lad," he said, shaking Will's hand. "And ye, Miss Swann, ye look as lovely as ever." Jack performed an elegant bow and kissed Elizabeth's hand. He then turned to view the other occupants of the room. He recognized Governor Swann, who looked a bit perturbed at the sight of the pirate who had threatened his daughter and Port Royal. Jack sauntered over to the older man and shook his hand. "Hello again, Gov'ner," he greeted, as Swann grimaced and wiped his hand on his pants. What possibly could this vile man be doing here? he wondered.
The only other person in the room was another man, perhaps around the governor's age, dressed in a blue navy uniform. It was much like the Commodore's, except it was more heavily decorated with various insignia. So this must be the Admiral. "Admiral Aston, I presume," Jack said, shaking the man's hand and finding a bit of humor in his disapproving looks. "It's a pleasure to make yer acquaintance."
Elizabeth decided to interrupt Jack's string of greetings. Her mind was overflowing with questions. What on earth was he doing here? How did he know the Admiral? But one predominant question came to mind. "Commodore," she asked, "Where is the King?"
Norrington smiled as he walked over beside Jack, who gave a tight-lipped smile and then turned his attention to the floor. "Governor, Miss Swann, Mr. Turner," he addressed the three befuddled people. "It is my pleasure to introduce to you Sir Francis Johnathan Henry Stanton IV, King of England."
At hearing the Commodore's words, three sets of eyes became a mile wide and three jaws dropped to the floor.
Did you enjoy? I hope so. Guess what, though? Today, August 2, is my birthday! Woot Woot! And if you really wanted to get me a great present, just go click that little "review" button and let me know what you think. Everyone who reviews will get a piece of cake! 'Tis good, trust me.
Tune in next time when Jack will have to brave one of his most dreaded enemies: THE BATHTUB.
Chapter 6
Onboard the Dauntless, the new King of England watched somewhat sadly as his beloved ship sailed out into the ocean without him. The Black Pearl, after all, was his home, as well as his freedom. If Jack Sparrow had a choice to accept the throne or not, he would most definitely declined the job. But, "choice" was the key word there. He did not have a choice, and if he chose to decline, he and his crew would have all been taken prisoner and hung for piracy. And he would just not let that happen.
So it was, that Captain Jack Sparrow, infamous captain of the fearsome Black Pearl, formerly Sir Francis Johnathan Henry Stanton IV, Duke of Worcester, became the most powerful man in the entire world.
Being a King did have its positives, Jack supposed. Like that little dancing episode earlier that day, for example. Just the thought brought a smile to the pirate's face, clearly displaying his numerous golden teeth. He was trying to think up more orders for the Navymen when he was approached by none other than the Commodore.
After ordering his men to set sail for Port Royal, James Norrington thought it to be in good interest to locate their new leader, both to brief him on the events after their arrival in Port Royal and to keep him out of too much mischief. Norrington shuddered at the thought of the havoc the mad pirate could wreak when there were no penalties.
But currently, said mad pirate was leaning over the port side railing of the ship, staring off into the distance at the Black Pearl. Norrington walked over and stood next to him, staring in the same direction. The pirate turned briefly to look at the Commodore, then stood up straight to face the man. "Is there somethin' you'd be wanting, my dearest Commodore?" he inquired with a grin.
Norrington frowned slightly at the "king's" mouthful of gold. That surely would not look good when meeting some of England's highest aristocrats. But he would worry about that later. "Your Majesty," he began sarcastically. He couldn't help but smile in spite of himself to see Sparrow's grin widen. The whole situation was just so completely bizarre that to keep any sanity, one almost had to find it humorous. "Would you please accompany me into my office so I could brief you on the events after your arrival?"
Jack took a gaze at the sea, then answered, "Why of course I would, Jimbo." He stifled a laugh to see the Commodore's cheeks redden with anger as his eyes narrowed and lips tightened.
"Mr. Sparrow, you will address me as 'Commodore Norrington.'" Jimbo. What a sickening nickname, Norrington thought.
"Jimbo, you will address me as 'Your Majesty,' and I'll address you however I want, savvy?" Jack replied, mimicking the Commodore's tone. Commodore James "Jimbo" Norrington was one of the most fun people to bother, Jack had discovered over time. And now, there was no way he could stop him.
Norrington closed his eyes and let out a deep, irritated breath. He really did not have much power over Sparrow now, and that was a bit disconcerting. "All right, your Majesty," he said in a mocking tone, "But do keep in mind that your powers may be revoked if you cross the line too far, and then the crown will have no other option but to hang you for your crimes."
And what he said was true. There had been many meetings of the navy to discuss the unique circumstances of the heir to the throne. One decision was that the King's identity as Jack Sparrow would not be revealed to the public. Actually, only the Commodore and a few other high-ranking naval officers knew that Sir Stanton was now Jack Sparrow. Well, of course, so did the crew of the Dauntless, now that they had heard Sparrow's tale. Not even Governor Swann knew of this fact, as they were trying to restrict the information to Naval officials only. Another decision made was that they would, indeed, allow Sparrow to accept the crown, as long as he agreed to use his powers in moderation. If he took too much advantage of his authority, then they had the power to remove him from office. This delicate balance of power would prove to be very interesting indeed.
"Anyway, please follow me into my office so we can discuss the coming events." Jack, who could hear the annoyed tone of the other man's voice, decided he best not push the envelope, and followed Norrington as he entered the doors to his office. Inside, there was a very large, well-kept room complete with many maps, bookshelves, and a large cherrywood desk in the center. The Commodore took his place behind the desk as Jack proceeded to walk around the room, pulling out books and flipping through them, picking up various knickknacks and examining them. As he was about to slip a small jade statue into his coat pocket, Norrington called loudly, "Your Majesty, please sit."
Giving an annoyed sigh, Jack put the statue back on the shelf. "Why thank you, Jimbo," he said as he sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk, propping his feet up on the desktop. He grinned as Norrington rolled his eyes.
The Commodore, already much annoyed with his new king, began his speech. "When we dock at Port Royal in an hour or two, you will be meeting with Admiral Aston. He's the one whom the letter you read was written by. He is the man who was put in charge of locating you and returning you to England. After you meet with the Admiral, we will escort you to the Governor's mansion, where you will be residing until we leave for England."
Throughout the Commodore's directions, Jack had been paying more attention to the twiddling of his thumbs than to the Commodore's words. But after hearing that he'd be staying at the Governor's house, he perked up. He hadn't even thought of what Will and Elizabeth would say. He didn't even know if they knew he was King or not. "Do they- do they know?" he asked, and the Commodore fully understood what his vague question meant.
"No, Miss Swann and Mr. Turner are not aware that you are King. Due to the. . . sensitivity of the pirate situation here, only a few Naval men know that Jack Sparrow is Francis Stanton."
Jack raised a finger. "Captain Jack Sparrow."
Norrington once again rolled his eyes and disregarded the interruption. "It would not be too well taken by the citizens of the Crown if they found out that their new King was a pirate. Therefore, you, Captain Sparrow, must do your best to clean up and act as a law-abiding citizen."
Now Jack really did not like the sound of this. Clean up? As in. . . take a bath?! Surely nobody could force the King of England to bathe, or brush his hair, or even worse. . . shave. Could they?
Before the King could inquire in regards to the much-loathed bath taking, Norrington continued revealing the plan for the new King. "You will have a bit of time to settle into the Governor's estate, and this evening, a royal ball will be held in your honor to introduce Port Royal to their new King." The Commodore thought it ironic that if two months ago, if anyone had suggested throwing a ball in Jack Sparrow's honor, most people would have thought him mad.
But Jack just thought the whole event amusing. "A ball? Just for li'l ol' Jack? Why Jimbo, you shouldn't have! If I would've known, I would've brought me good coat from the Pearl.
"It is the Governor who is throwing the ball, your Majesty. And in regards to your wardrobe, we will get you cleaned up for the party, don't worry." 'Jimbo' smiled at seeing Sparrow grimace. It was obvious that the man was not terribly fond of bathing, simply by his odor.
"Now Commodore, that really isn't necessary. Y'see, I just took a swim in th' ocean last week! That should cover me in th' bathing department for a while."
"Oh, but your Majesty," Norrington said sarcastically, "We want you to look especially nice this evening. Not only will you be getting a bath, but a shave, a haircut, some nice clothes. . ."
"Ye'll not touch me hair! Or me beard! Or I'll have you placed under arrest!" Jack was quite upset at the prospect of being "cleaned up." He was the King, after all; who were they to say how he had to look?
But that Commodore, he only laughed at his King's threats. "By whom, your Majesty? Am I to arrest myself? I am the highest authority in Port Royal, after the Governor, that is. And do keep in mind that you must pass as a respectable gentleman in order to become King."
Jack just sneered at the man's "insolence." How dare he speak to the King that way? But his words were true. "Fine, Jimbo," he said in an annoyed tone as he stood up and walked to the door that led to the deck. "Well, I'll be leaving now.
"Don't get yourself into too much trouble, Mr. Sparrow," the Commodore called after the exiting pirate. "We'll be arriving in Port Royal shortly."
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As he stood at the helm of the Dauntless, Norrington sighed as he spotted his new King climbing about the ship's rigging, tightening ropes and arranging the sails more to his liking. 'Lots of propriety that one has,' he thought to himself as the pirate now stood atop the highest beam on the mainmast. Actually, perhaps Jack Sparrow as King would be just what England needed. He certainly would liven things up a bit. . .
The lookout called, "Land Ho!" as the Dauntless rapidly approached Port Royal. Norrington called Officer Groves up to the helm. "Yes, sir?" the younger man asked his superior.
"As soon as we reach shore, I would like for you to bring word to the Admiral and the Governor that our new King has been found. Let them know that we will be in my office in Fort Charles."
"Of course, sir," Groves said as he returned to his work. The ship was just entering the harbor, and they would be docked in Port Royal in less than half an hour. Then, the citizens would be introduced to their new leader, Captain Jack Sparrow.
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As he stood atop the mainmast, holding tightly onto the railing of the crow's nest, feeling the wind blow his hair back, Jack Sparrow was having a feeling of deja vu, remembering the last time he had made a grand entrance into Port Royal. Although, this time around, he was atop a grand ship, not a little dinghy, and his ship was actually watertight. He was rather enjoying himself, caught up in the fond memories of the faces of the people watching him sink into port, when he heard the Commodore call him down. "Your Majesty," he yelled, "Come down, we will be docking in a few minutes." Jack rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed sigh as he grabbed a rope and climbed down onto the deck. (A/N: Thanks to Hecate for inspiring that idea! I thought it was grand.)
He strolled up to the helm where Norrington stood and casually put his hand on the man's shoulder, much to the Commodore's dismay. Sparrow always did have a way of invading everyone else's personal space. "Tell me, Commodore," he began, waving his other hand around in some incomprehensible gestures, "Will we be stayin' in Port Royal long enough to attend the wedding of Mr. Turner to the lovely Miss Swann? After all, that's the reason I was comin' to yer fine town in th' first place."
"Yes, I do not believe that they would let us take you anywhere until after their wedding. Now if you would be so kind. . ." he carefully pushed the pirate's dirty hand off his shoulder with a single finger, then wiped his hand on his jacket. A bath would definitely be in store for the King, preferably in the near future.
The Dauntless finally pulled up to the dock as the anchor was dropped and lines were thrown down to secure the large ship. Groves approached the Commodore at the helm, where the pirate captain was still standing next to him. "Sir, I shall go retrieve the Admiral and Governor Swann for you," the young officer said.
"Very good, Groves. Tell them that we shall be in my office in a few minutes." Groves nodded, then exited the ship off the gangplank. Norrington followed suit, and when he was halfway to the gangplank, he motioned for Jack, who was still staring at the water, to follow.
"Come on now, your Majesty," he called, and Jack ran up to meet him. "We must go to my office to meet the Admiral."
"Ah, now tell me again, what's th' name of this pompous git?"
Norrington gave a long-suffering sigh, then answered. "Admiral Patrick Aston. He was placed in charge of finding you. And also, Governor Swann will be coming along to greet you."
Jack smiled at the thought of the Governor's face when he saw his new King. The two men were not exactly on the best of terms, to put it lightly. "Well, Jimbo, this should be an interesting meetin'," he said as he walked to the edge of the ship and down the gangplank. Norrington followed.
"Yes, your Majesty, I suppose it will be." Commodore James "Jimbo" Norrington led the way to Port Charles, keeping a close eye on the pirate to make sure he would not try anything funny.
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"Are you at all nervous, Will?" Elizabeth Swann asked her beloved fiance. Their wedding was the day after next, and the final preparations for the extravagant event were already in progress. Just that morning, actually, Will had gone to the tailor to be fitted for his new suit for the wedding. Elizabeth, her father, and a few servants had accompanied him, and she had been rather amused to see his anxious reaction to seeing himself in such finery.
Will Turner looked up from stirring his cup of tea. After the morning's fitting, he decided to take the day off work to spend with Elizabeth. They were currently having afternoon tea at the Swann residence. However, Will felt that his stomach was tied in so many knots that he could not possibly eat a bite. It was amazing how nervous something so simple as a wedding could make a person. "Nervous about the wedding? No, I'm not," he lied. "Why do you ask?"
"Only because you put eight lumps of sugar into your tea."
"Oh." Elizabeth giggled as her fiance looked down at his cup, a bit dismayed.
Just then, they were interrupted by loud, quick knocking on the front door. A butler got up to answer the door, and Elizabeth, too, went to see who the visitor was. They were not expecting any company today, and she was quite surprised to see a rather out-of-breath Officer Groves standing at the front door. "Why, Officer Groves, do come in!" she ushered him into the foyer and towards a chair. "Please, do sit."
"Thank you, Miss Swann." The tired man gratefully accepted the invitation and let out a huge breath. It sure took a lot of energy to walk through the entire town, up the hill to the Governor's mansion. But he had business to attend to. "I'm terribly sorry to intrude, but Commodore Norrington sent me to relay a message to Admiral Aston and to the Governor."
"Oh, is that so? Pardon me, Jeeves?" Elizabeth summoned the butler who had answered the door.
"Yes, Madame?"
"Would you please fetch the Admiral and my father?"
"Right away, Madame," he responded while leaving the room to complete his mission.
Will entered the foyer to see who had arrived that was causing all the bustle. "Why, hello, Officer Groves," he greeted the Navyman with a handshake, curious to see what the man was doing at Elizabeth's house.
"Good day, Mr. Turner," Groves returned the greeting. Just then, a very flustered looking Admiral Aston came running down the stairway, his white curly wig half falling off his head. Governor Swann, too, entered the foyer from his study, walking at a rapid pace. They both immediately crowded around Groves, coming close to shoving Will and Elizabeth out of the way.
"Is he here? Have you found him?" the Admiral demanded of Groves.
"Yes, we just brought him in on the Dauntless." The Admiral and the Governor both breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled and began to laugh. Groves continued with the Commodore's message. "He is with Commodore Norrington in his office up at Port Charles. The Commodore would like you both to come up as soon as possible."
Both of the older men were ecstatic about the news. "Splendid! We shall make way immediately!
However, the young couple had no idea what the others were so terribly excited about. Elizabeth, who was naturally very curious and prone to eavesdropping, decided to find out. "Father," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder, "What is going on? Who have you found?"
"My dear," he said with a big grin on his face, "Commodore Norrington has just found Sir Francis Stanton IV!"
Now this surely was news. Will had heard much about the search for the missing heir to the throne. He joined into the conversation. "Sir Stanton, as in the new King of England?"
"Yes, Mr. Turner, the King of England is right here in Port Royal!" He then summoned Jeeves. "Jeeves?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Please go to the stables and have one of the carriages prepared to go to Fort Charles. Then have one of the maids prepare the finest guest room for the King to stay in. And after that, have everyone begin preparing for the King's welcome ball tonight! I want to make sure that he will be given Port Royal's finest greeting."
"Right away, sir." Jeeves, in his usual manner, rushed out of the room to fulfill his orders.
Elizabeth turned back to her father. "This is wonderful, Father! So, will the King be staying in our house?"
"Yes, Elizabeth. He will be here for a few days, until we can prepare a ship to bring him to England. And tonight, we will be having a grand ball to welcome him." He saw the carriage pull up in the front drive, and the driver opened the front door and gestured for them to climb in. The Governor got an idea, then turned back to Elizabeth and Will. "Would you two like to come with the Admiral and me to meet Sir Stanton?"
The prospect of this made Will feel a bit nervous. Him? Meet the King of England? Surely Sir Stanton would not approve of being welcomed by a lowly blacksmith, someone obviously much below the King's social status. "Well, erm-"
However, his fiance would hear nothing of his excuses. Elizabeth Swann had been wanting to meet this mysterious nobleman since she first heard about the search for him. Nudging Will, she said, "Oh Will, don't worry so much! It will be quite an honor to meet the King!" To her father, she replied, "We would love to come, Father."
Before the Governor could say anything, a very impatient Admiral Aston stood in the doorway, tapping his foot. His already high-strung personality had been wound even tighter at the pressure of finding Sir Stanton. Now, he could hardly wait to greet the new King. "Governor, we really must be going," he announced hurriedly as he walked quickly away and climbed into the carriage.
"On our way!" Governor Swann led the way out the door, with his daughter and her blacksmith fiance following close behind. As the carriage began moving, Will let out a nervous breath. Hopefully the King would not be too disapproving of having to meet the town's blacksmith.
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The sight they saw when Admiral Aston flung open the doors of Norrington's office was a bit unexpected by both the Swanns and Will Turner. As the group stepped into the large, well-decorated office, there were only two others in the room. One, of course, was Commodore Norrington, who sat behind the large mahogany desk. And the other, which both delighted and shocked the young couple, was Captain Jack Sparrow. He was seated in a chair in front of the Commodore's desk, feet propped up on another chair, hands behind his head.
When the group entered the room, he looked over to see who the intruders were, then turned wide-eyed at the sight of Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner. Some surprise they were in for.
"Jack! What on earth are you doing here?" Elizabeth rushed up to him, giving him a worried greeting. She had not seen her unusual pirate friend, if that was the right term to describe her and Jack's relationship, since Will saved him from the gallows over a year ago. It was good to see him again, but it was not as good to see him in Commodore Norrington's office.
Will shared the same worry. "Did you get caught?" he asked the pirate. He assumed Jack had been in Port Royal to attend their wedding, but did not wish him to be hung only days before the event.
Jack stood up and faced them, offering a warm grin. "Yeah, I s'pose ye could say that. Good to see ye again, lad," he said, shaking Will's hand. "And ye, Miss Swann, ye look as lovely as ever." Jack performed an elegant bow and kissed Elizabeth's hand. He then turned to view the other occupants of the room. He recognized Governor Swann, who looked a bit perturbed at the sight of the pirate who had threatened his daughter and Port Royal. Jack sauntered over to the older man and shook his hand. "Hello again, Gov'ner," he greeted, as Swann grimaced and wiped his hand on his pants. What possibly could this vile man be doing here? he wondered.
The only other person in the room was another man, perhaps around the governor's age, dressed in a blue navy uniform. It was much like the Commodore's, except it was more heavily decorated with various insignia. So this must be the Admiral. "Admiral Aston, I presume," Jack said, shaking the man's hand and finding a bit of humor in his disapproving looks. "It's a pleasure to make yer acquaintance."
Elizabeth decided to interrupt Jack's string of greetings. Her mind was overflowing with questions. What on earth was he doing here? How did he know the Admiral? But one predominant question came to mind. "Commodore," she asked, "Where is the King?"
Norrington smiled as he walked over beside Jack, who gave a tight-lipped smile and then turned his attention to the floor. "Governor, Miss Swann, Mr. Turner," he addressed the three befuddled people. "It is my pleasure to introduce to you Sir Francis Johnathan Henry Stanton IV, King of England."
At hearing the Commodore's words, three sets of eyes became a mile wide and three jaws dropped to the floor.
Did you enjoy? I hope so. Guess what, though? Today, August 2, is my birthday! Woot Woot! And if you really wanted to get me a great present, just go click that little "review" button and let me know what you think. Everyone who reviews will get a piece of cake! 'Tis good, trust me.
Tune in next time when Jack will have to brave one of his most dreaded enemies: THE BATHTUB.