AN: The original plot-bunny for this story was swawned by reading Gileonen's fics "Meet the Norringtons" and "Emeralda."
The name Tremaine comes from Georgette Heyer's book "The Maskeraders." The family motto is "I contrive."
All characters belong to whoever they happen to be in love with at the time, or possibly Disney or something. Consider them disclaimed. Except Edward. He's mine. Currently being tempted to borrow the Impressive Clergyman from the Princess Bride.
Title: Lord Norrington and the Sparringtons
Author: Darklady Erisa (Lurker #178)
Rating: PG for slash, just in case.
Summary: Jack asks James's father for permission to marry him.
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Chapter One
A few months later...
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" Mr. Jonathan S Tremaine to see you sir." Lord Edward Norrington's steward ushered said personage into his study and departed unobtrusively.
Lord Norrington studied the man before him with veiled curiosity. Sharp almost delicate features, and golden skin. Causally elegant and, save for being wigless, impeccably dressed. Black hair swept back to be tied loosely at the base of his neck in easy breach of fashion. Tremaine's dark eyes caught and held his attention, weighing Edward as carefully as he measured the man before him, but with an odd note of wariness that couldn't be explained by careful scrutiny. Norrington wondered once again why the man had sought an audience in the first place.
As if that had been his cue, the man facing him bowed respectfully. "Lord Norrington. I request permission to marry your son."
For a moment he could feel nothing but shock, for all that his expression remained politely detached until his thoughts came trickling back to support it.
"I am afraid, Mr Tremaine, that that is not a request I can give an affirmative answer to at the present time."
The other grinned at him predatorily, as he pulled up a chair uninvited and leaned across the desk, expression and action at odds with his costume. "So. Is it that you don't know me? Or is it that you feel I am just a bit too dangerous to be trusted. Or perhaps you are simply trying to work out which son it is I am referring to, without having to let on that you," he gestured extravagantly at Norrington, "don't already know?"
Norrington blinked, slightly unnerved to be read so easily, and Tremaine saw that too. And gave him an smile laced through with amusement. "No my lord Norrington, you are not that transparent. I know James, that's all. You share the same expressions."
"Ah." A wealth of understanding and regret compressed into the single word.
Hypnotic brown eyes focused on him intently. "Tell me," he breathed.
The soft words were a demand not a request and Edward thought vaguely that he should at least try to resist. He found himself answering anyway, old wounds to his heart turning his words wistful and halting. "We did not part on the best of terms. I... did not wish him to join the Navy. I thought I would loose him." Norrington paused, "and I did, but not for the reason I expected. He never let anything stop him, once he'd made up his mind." There was pride there, amidst the regret and the blunted guilt of a wrong decision recognised and accepted even if too late to change things.
"You can't fight the sea if she calls you." A flicker of expression informed Edward that he wasn't speaking only of James. He wondered if the man before him had ever tried to fight the sea. He wondered if James had, and decided it didn't matter.
"I think I know that now."
"You do care, then. James assumed not."
A spiked gift, that information. Edward tucked it away carefully, not commenting. "How did you meet my son?" he asked instead. Hoping for information and receiving instead an evasion set to cause more questions than it answered.
"I saved the girl he was in love with. The rest... I dare say you wouldn't approve of. But then," he paused, "I'm not as respectable as I look." The warning was spoken in an accent just a few shades different from the aristocratic one he'd been using. Posture relaxed, head tilted to one side with dark hair tumbling around his shoulders, Tremaine smirked. "Savvy?" The embodiment of impertinent disrespect, and for some reason not based on logic Norrington was more intrigued by it than angered. The caution was still there too, as if the other - for all his arrogance - expected enmity. Jagged rocks hidden in the sea and betrayal from people he should have known better than to trust. "I had best be going, I believe," he added abruptly. "About the question I came here to ask..?"
Operating on instinct, Edward didn't hesitate. "Yes. You may marry him, and with my blessing." And why would he entrust his son to an obviously lethal, unpredictable almost-stranger. Soon to be son-in-law. Who was smiling, unexpectedly bright. "I failed him once. I do not have the right.... And I'll trust you." He hesitated on his next question. "Mr Tremaine? If I had said no...?"
"Nothing would have changed. Except this way," golden teeth glittered as he grinned, "you are invited to the wedding." A sealed envelope spun across the desk. "And please, call me Jack." The other man tapped idly on the window before pushing it open. Norrington watched, fascinated, as he swung easily to the ground and waved before setting off across the lawn.
Darklady ErisaO o
I don't have to threaten you for reviews do I? Smiles sweetly. Loved the last lot by the way!
And y'know, the whole likelihood of them marrying in that time period? For Jack Sparrow, reality will bend. Mwuhahahahaha! Slightly AU, I'm guessing. The more fun for me!
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