A Dance, Savvy?
How can Jack change an evening? Simple, invent a socially unacceptable, and rule-breaking dance and convince the high society to join in.
Note: There are no particular pairings in this fic, just the ones that are obviously stated in the film.
I own nothing but the plot.
Jack Sparrow, usually one for enjoying himself, was finding it extremely hard to keep awake during this particular celebration. William and Elizabeth were nice people -- and had extended the invitation to include him -- but their taste in parties was indeed shockingly boring. They were hardly painting the town red, for there was a full bowl full of rum punch on the table, and yet it seemed no one wanted to disgrace themselves. Jack knew that had he been the one tying the knot with a woman like Elizabeth, he would have been shouting it to anyone with ears to listen.
Watching Elizabeth's dress whirl around her legs, Jack realised he had yet to grace the dance floor himself. The polished boards seemed to be winking at him with the reflective candle flames bouncing off the surface. But nobody gave the impression of wanting to dance with him, at least no one had asked.
Never really having been to a gathering such as this, Jack didn't quite know how and in which way to approach a woman. Wandering over to the table and drinking a large glass of surprisingly strong punch, Jack began scanning the room for a potential dancing partner.
Along the back wall sat the girls who had not yet been asked by other men, and Jack found his way over, confident that they wouldn't refuse him.
"'Allo there lass, fancy a spin?"
"Pardon?" the girl inquired looking over his clothes with a most offended manner.
"A dance, savvy?"
An older woman appeared behind Jack and attempted to shoo him away.
"No indeed she would not, please do not bother Miss Andrews any further Sir."
Jack held up his hands as he backed away, thinking himself lucky that the girl hadn't agreed. What a woman to have as a chaperone! She would have been bothering him all night otherwise. Jack knew enough of the rich folk to know that the chaperone always had to go every where with the girl.
Straightening his hat, Jack headed towards the maid who had appeared from the servant's door to clear away empty plates.
"Madam I am overw'elmed with your beauty," Jack said trying his best to be dashing.
The young maid dropped her tray as she blushed and stooped down to retrieve it. Jack bent down to help her.
"Oh no Sir, don't worry about it. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so clumsy!" she mumbled as she piled the split contents back onto the tray.
"Bothering serving maids now are we Sparrow?" Lieutenant Groves asked.
Jack stood back up to face him. The girl blushed and held the tray tight to her body. Keeping her eyes on the floor she noticed the differences in their footwear. One uniformed, the other purely for individuality.
"Mind your own Navy, I was 'elping the lass," Jack said puffing out his chest with pride.
"Humpf, from a mess you probably caused pirate," Groves said eyeing the disorderly mess on the tray.
The girl's eyes lifted at the mention of the word pirate, and she looked Jack square in the face. Now that she knew he wasn't her superior, she was no longer embarrassed to be in his company.
"Commodore Norrington has been waiting for an excuse to put you in the cells Sparrow, and he doesn't quite mind what it is. Causing an upset to the Turner's wedding feasting-table is an offence."
"Really Sir, it was my fault," the maid spoke, keeping her eyes away from both men.
"Thankee love," Jack said. "And its Captain Sparrow," he reminded the man in front of him.
Without any reason to have Jack taken away, Groves snapped at the maid instead, and sent her scurrying to the kitchens; the tray clattering and her lips ready to tell her fellows about meeting Port Royals' most iniquitous pirate.
Groves gave Jack a disgusted glance and walked away.
Still without a dance partner, Jack sat down on an out-of-the-way chair and thought. If the ladies wouldn't accept him and the maid only blushed and dropped things, who would say yes?
Looking at his reflection in the window, Jack wondered what the point of changing his clothes had been if still no one tolerated him. The fashionable shoes of the time annoyed Jack, but Elizabeth had strictly forbidden his boots, and the white stockings made his legs seem undernourished. He was certain he looked like a stick drawing. But he found himself becoming rather fond of the new waist coat and shirt, even if the coat hid it.
Pulling off the coat, Jack decided to risk Elizabeth's wrath with informal dress, and straightened his hat once more. Biting the inside of his lip, he looked around for anyone standing alone. If only he'd persuaded Anamaria to accompany him, he wouldn't be in such a bored state.
James Norrington watched Elizabeth laugh as she was spun from the arms of her husband and into the feigned embrace of another man, only to return flushed and giggling back to William.
It still pained him to see her with him, but it was hard to be angry when it was clear that she was so happy. Besides, tonight he had another worry on his mind.
In the folly of her young years, Elizabeth had invited the pirate Jack Sparrow to witness their nuptials, and he found himself constantly watching the man to make sure he didn't do anything he shouldn't. So far he had behaved tolerably, but James wondered how long it would last. Jack Sparrow had a tendency to get bored easy, and James wondered how long it would be before Jack grew tired of pretending to be respectable.
It wasn't long, for Jack was up and bothering Miss Andrews as soon as he'd devoured a glass of punch. When he caused the maid to drop her tray, James had sent Groves over to warn him. It had worked, as Sparrow had then left all the women alone. But his attention seemed now to be fixed on him, and James found himself watching as Jack drew closer to him.
"Not dancing Commodore? Would of thought those sea legs of yours could do with a stretch, eh?" Jack said standing too close.
James moved to the side.
"I am perfectly fine Mr Sparrow; there is no need for you to be concerned about me."
"Twern't concerned mate," Jack said waving his hand. "But you missed me offer like."
"And what was that?" James inquired refusing to look at him fully.
"Ter dance!"
James stared at him unable to speak. However Jack waited patiently for an answer.
"You wish for me to dance with you?" James asked carefully.
Jack grinned heartily.
"Aye, that be my offer love."
"Absolutely not," James said quickly.
"Why not?" Jack asked refusing to let the matter drop.
"Because men do not dance together for one thing, and if you want more of a reason Mr Sparrow, might I suggest you considered what you do for a living? It would be entirely improper!"
"I wasn't suggesting we dance together mate, no, I was sayin' we ought ter ask some lasses," Jack tried again.
"No," James answered not even bothering to explain why.
"Would you if one asked you?"
"No."
"How about if Elizabeth asks you to?"
"No. For the last time Sparrow the answer is no, and if you value what you call your life, you will leave me alone. If however you are so eager to dance, might I suggest you invent a dance where no one actually has to touch you, and then suggest it to the ladies?"
Jack opened his mouth, but James told him firmly to leave. He didn't want rumours circling that he had been socialising with Jack during the party, since rumours like that were hard to shift. It would be, 'James Norrington hates pirates, yet he's happy enough to talk to them at parties.' Jack nodded and walked away.
Not one for giving up on a task. Jack headed towards the door where he had seen the maid disappear into. Ten minutes he reappeared along with two maids, with trays overflowing with glasses filled to the brim with rum punch.
"Care for a drink mistress?" asked one of the maids, the coins Jack had given her jangling in her pocket.
"Sir, please help yourself to punch," offered another, the same amount of gold in her apron too.
"Let me fill that up for you Sir!"
In fact the entire household staff of the Swann manor had been bribed by Jack Sparrow, and all now jingled with gold as they walked.
With the strong punch beginning to affect the minds of most of the party, Jack helped himself to the now extra strong drink also. The maids had helped him spread the alcohol, now he needed them to help him spread the rumours.
With a pocket full of gold, the maids began whispering to the youngest daughters, who then passed it along to the eldest, who informed their mothers until it became knowledge for all. There was a new dance in town.
"I heard that there is a new dance, my daughter tells me it's all he rage in the high circles of society."
"I heard it was French madam."
"No, most unquestionably English. Why don't they dance it here? It is an insult to us all not to insist upon this new dance. Do they think we are incapable?"
"Lass, the Turner's would love to dance the... Del a Sparrow," Jack said quickly making up a name. "But unfortunately the commodore refuses to allow it, savvy?"
"Why, that is an outrage! We must be shown this dance immediately."
"Aye, an outrage love, but pre'aps we could persuade 'im ter change 'is mind?" Jack said holding out a hand to the older lady. "'ow could 'e refuse if you asked 'im love?"
The lady blushed as red as the feather on her oversized headdress, and took Jack's hand as if he was the most noblest man she had ever met, with a shy smile.
"Oh Mr...Err....you are a flatterer Sir," she said giggling as Jack lead her towards the Commodore.
James who had just begun to relax, and feel confident that he had rid himself of Jack Sparrow for the duration of the night, was shocked and traumatized to see him heading his way once again.
"Oh yoo-hoo!" cried the woman on Jack's arm.
There was no chance for escape. As revenge for his comments earlier, Jack was now bringing over the worst gossiper he had ever met. He hoped for Jack's sake he knew how to avoid creating scandals around this woman, as they would become infamous before the night was out. But then, James supposed that was why Jack had chosen to attach himself to her. A few more stories about already famous Captain Jack Sparrow couldn't go amiss.
"This gentleman claims that you are the one forbidding this new dance Commodore!" the lady said in her screeching and annoying voice. "Surely this is most unfair is it not?"
"Oh yes, very unfair," Jack agreed as the woman took hold of James' arm with a clamp like grip.
"You will change your mind and dance with me won't you?" she asked peering up at him with small eyes that held an expression of always getting her own way.
Jack grinned and started to back away from them only he backed too far and bumped into someone. Elizabeth took Jack's arm and pulled him to the side of the room.
"What is all this about this new dance? The Del a Sparrow? Is this your idea of sabotage? There is no such dance!" Elizabeth whispered furiously.
"Just tryin' ter liven things up lass!"
"Well you can show us this wonderful dance then!" Elizabeth said trying to make Jack back down. But to her horror Jack didn't. "Oh no," she said. "Not me!" she whispered as Jack took hold of her.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN," Jack shouted. "MRS TURNER HAS ASKED ME TO DEMONSTRATE THIS NEW DANCE TO YOU ALL, AS I AM LATELY RETURNED FROM ENGLAND'S COURTS....Lovely place England, very green..."
"You try me Jack," Elizabeth said trying to look happy and confident in front of all the people staring at her.
"Just like on the island then," Jack said instructing the players that had just had new sheet music placed in front of them. Elizabeth gave him a bemused smile at this. "Just a little something from the tavern love."
"The tavern! Jack!" she screeched as the music began and Jack grabbed her hand.
Elizabeth felt herself grabbed in some rather inappropriate places as Jack whirled her around.
"My my, it is rather unusual isn't it," commented the woman still hanging onto Norrington's arm.
"The dance or the pirate?" he muttered frowning. People were becoming much too drunk for such a gathering of what was supposed to be for respectable people. He suspected this was Sparrow's fault as well, but without any evidence there was little he could do.
Despite her reluctance in the beginning, Elizabeth found herself enjoying the freedom that Jack's form of dancing allowed. There were no particular steps, yet she suspected Jack knew somewhat of dancing because they held some grace, however messy. Pulling a face at Jack by sticking out her tongue as he whirled her past him, Elizabeth laughed and got in line with him. Taking hold of his waist, Elizabeth followed his dizzy steps, weaving about the room like a snake.
"Come on Norrington," Jack said as he danced past him. "No sense in being a wallflower now."
"This is ridiculous!" he exclaimed as Elizabeth grabbed him and forced him into the line in front of her.
Being very much loathed to touch the pirate in front of him, James refused to hold on to him, and therefore was pushed around by Elizabeth and half the other occupants in the room as Sparrow lead them about like a drunken pied piper.
Soon the pirate became bored with people following him and trying to copy the way he was walking, and took hold of Norrington to push him out of the way. Norrington looked scandalised as Jack and Elizabeth began skipping around him as if they were dancing about a camp fire. Their hands patting at their mouths like children pretending to be Indians, and spin about in a giddy manner. Norrington tried to leave, alarmed for he'd never seen people have so much as they were having now.
This stupid dancing action was mirrored by the rest of the dancers as they nominated someone to stand still as they all skipped around like them with abandonment.
Norrington wondered what had happened to all of the respectable people to make them act like tavern crawlers and carnival folk. Frowning as Jack and Will started strutting down the rows of dancers, who with their arms outstretched in an arch formed a walkway for them. Jack and Will walked with their hands on their hips and a swagger in their step.
Glancing at the clock and seeing it was almost one-in-the-morning, the time in which his clemency expired, Jack finished his dance with a sharp clap and a bow before he left the room in chaos. People were dancing about all over the place, and without Jack to lead them, were falling over each other trying to remember the dance.
Elizabeth giggled as she pulled Will away from the scene.
"I told you inviting Jack was a good idea," she said looking around at the people whose hair was coming loose from its holds.
"I'm just glad your father is playing billiards and didn't see it," Will said looking around the room.
Elizabeth laughed and took a large glass of punch.
"Bottoms up!" she said before swallowing the strongest punch she's ever tasted.
Jack walked down to the harbour, and looked around for those he was supposed to meet. Ana and Marty waited patiently in the dark for his arrival, and raised and eyebrow when they saw him.
Jack grinned at them and looked back up at the big house.
"What on earth 'ave ye been doin' up there Jack?" Ana asked as they climbed into the rowboat.
Jack fixed her with a sideways stare.
"Just dancing' love," Jack said trying to keep himself from laughing as they returned. "When we return to the ship, your first duties are to learn the Del a Sparrow."
END.
A/N: Reviews would be fantastic, so please, if you're all the way down here write me one! Cheers!