Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.
I glared at my father, taking my arm swiftly out of my escort's. The last thing I needed was for my father to find some excuse to match me up with some one more appropriate in order to "tame me. Just because I don't pretend to have a mind completely full of air doesn't mean that I should be sold off to someone suitable. Besides, Will was much more suitable compared to this stupid puff who seemed intent on leading me over to a chair, pulling it out for me, seeing that I was seated comfortably (fat chance in this stupid dress), and then pushing my chair in for me; pushing it in rather too far so that any chance I had of breathing was diminished yet again.
But who's complaining? I'm certainly not.
My father, however, seemed to think it was entirely amusing, and motioned for Gillette to take a seat beside me. The Commodore was on my father's right hand side, seeing as how this was a formal dinner, and Gillette on his left. Elizabeth, to her utmost distaste, was sitting next to the Commodore, and I next to Gillette. I wondered vaguely if he would try to cut my meat, seeing as how I was such a helpless woman thing. If he tries it, I think I shall stab him.
I was becoming more and more irritated by the minute, not only because the company was such that I would be happier eating among drunken louts, but because the dress that I was wearing was so low cut, and my sunburn started getting even itchier. Not fun, seeing as how both elements combined were a beacon for my chest; and Gillette nor the Commodore saw fit to ignore it.
I bit my lip angrily and pushed a napkin to the front of my dress, as a bib, to try to cover myself up a bit. So what if I looked like I was four? While my father and the Commodore droned on and on about worthless things, like how wonderful it was that Elizabeth was home safe - honestly, she'd been home safe for two weeks now, does it matter anymore? - I tried very hard to look like I was absorbed by the engravings on the forks. No such luck, Gillette (or "Jonathon" as he would have me call him) turned to me and started to run his mouth off about something or other. Every so often he would lean in miserably close, as if he thought me deaf. I coughed loudly when Mary came in with the other maids, and glared at her. She bit her lip, trying to look anxious, but I could tell she thought it was the funniest thing in the world.
"Dinner will be served soon, sir," Mary said quietly to my father. He looked up at her, and smiled. "Thank you, lass," he said, nodding. She walked around and stupidly came to my side of the table. I pushed my chair out quickly, and caused her to trip. Alas, she did not fall.
"Christina, are you quite all right? You are behaving so oddly this evening," my father said sharply. I smiled thinly at him.
"I'm afraid I was pushed in too far to breathe properly, Father," I said, choking in my feigned sweetness and excusing myself to walk out of the dining room "for a breath of fresh air". What I really meant was that if Gillette kept breathing down my neck, I'd most likely punch him in the nose. And God only knows how much trouble I'd get into for pulling a stunt like that.
I walked just out side of the dining room and paced around angrily, trying to figure out how I would possibly sit through dinner without fatally wounding any of those present. Mary came up and regarded me angrily. "What was that for, Christina?" she hissed. "You made me look like a fool! In front of you father! In front of the Commodore," she snapped. I crossed my arms, looked down, and then uncrossed them, slightly alarmed.
"Well, you, my dear, made me look like…like…some sort of prick pincher, or bar maid! For God's sake, Mary, couldn't you have loosened the corset! Or did you want me to look like I should be saying 'a penny for a suck, mate' and winking with every other sentence!" I said accusingly. Mary flushed up to her hairline at what I was implying, and bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"Its not funny!" I almost shouted.
"Shh," she whispered, between bouts of laughter. "I'm sorry, alright? I just thought it would keep your mind off Will for a bit. You looked ever so depressed," she said. I snarled at her.
"Yes, well now I have to keep that slimy First Mates hands and eyes off me, it's taking all of my energy! Not to mention the Commodore, which is quite frankly disgusting."
"Oh, I hardly think you are so well endowed as all that," Mary said shortly.She fussed over my hair for a few seconds and then turned me around and shoved me back into the dining room. With a snort of disdain and a glare for all the occupants of our dining room, I took my seat.
"So, Miss Swann, your father tells me that you're quite the swords…er...woman," Gillette said loudly, as I sat down again. I pulled the napkin out of the front of my shirt and laid it on my lap.
"Does he now? I don't see how he could possibly know, he's never seen me with a sword," I said uncaringly. My father frowned.
"Mind your tongue, Christina, I was offering you a compliment. This is the attitude that got you confined here in the first place, if you don't start paying the proper respect to those whose station demands it, you wont be allowed to go anywhere at all this whole week." I lowered my head, embarrassed. My father had just scolded me, a grown woman of twenty, in front of the two highest ranking men in Port Royal.
"Yes, Father," I mumbled quietly, looking up. I was nearly shocked that Elizabeth hadn't had a smart thing to say this whole time. Perhaps she was ill.
"How long have you been schooled in the art of swordplay?" the Commodore said, almost sounding sincerely interested. I willed myself not to shrug, 'tis not becoming of a lady.
"For about eight years now," I said, picking up my fork and stabbing at whatever was on my plate.
"That is indeed a long time," Gillette said.
"Would you show us some of what you can do, Christina?" Elizabeth said quietly.
I stared at her, "Excuse me?" I asked.
Before my father had the chance to forbid it, Gillette said, "Oh, yes, that would indeed be very interesting. You wouldn't deny us a bit of a show, would you, Christina?" he asked. I frowned sourly. Oh, 'a bit of a show' eh? I'm sure that's not all Gillette will be wanting from me after this night is through. Cocky bastard.
"I'd really rather -"
"Yes, Christina, I would like to see if what Mr. Sparrow said is true. How did he so eloquently put it? Oh yes, that you could wipe the floor, swab the deck, some pirate rubbish - with me, if we were engaged in a duel," the Commodore said. I blinked incredulously, has the world gone mad? Would I truly be subjected to this humiliation?
"You can't be serious! Father, you wont allow me to do such a thing, would you? A woman, dueling with the Commodore, in the Governor's house? Its preposterous!" I said hoarsely. My father smiled indulgently at me.
"Oh, sweeting, you've been complaining about being cooped up all day. Against my better judgment, I will allow this little duel to transpire. I would like to see exactly what Mr. Turner has taught you. Besides, you didn't think it too preposterous when you went off gallivanting with that rogue, Sparrow," he said. I stared at him, agape.
"First of all, I was not gallivanting - we were on a mission to save Eliz -"
"Point taken, Christina, but after dinner you shall go upstairs and get changed. Our guests have requested a demonstration, and you shall be a proper hostess and will not deny them," my father said. Good lord, maybe the world isn't flat after all!
"Surely you two have something to say against this," I said to our other two guests, Officer Murtogg and the man whose clothes I'd stolen. Murtogg said nothing, but the other man offered this grand piece of conversation:
"Well, I should like to know that my clothes weren't stolen for nogoodreason!" the rest of the table indulged in uproarious laughter. I wanted to pound my face into the pork that was just brought in front of me.
"Can you believe this, Mary? They're making me duel! With the Commodore…" I moaned, pulling my hair out of its neat up-do and allowing Mary to braid it back, while I hastily unbuttoned my dress and tossed it to the floor. Or I would have tossed it, had it not been for the hoops. The stupid contraption just stood where it was, proud as you please.
Mary carefully avoided conversation, going over to my bureau and searching for something that I could wear. "Oh, dear," she said, coming back empty handed. "What?" I asked, pacing around anxiously in my shift. "I'm afraid you don't have anything to wear, Christina…the clothes that you had when you went off with Sparrow are in no condition for you to present yourself in front of the Commodore in," she tittered nervously. I groaned.
"There are no clothes made in God's green earth that would be suitable for me to duel with the Commodore in," I said angrily, pulling on a robe and marching out of my room. Who ever heard of such a thing, a woman, the Governor's bloody daughter, flouncing off to a duel? I mean, at least when I was with Jack I had to do it otherwise I'd end up minced meat. But there is absolutely no reason for me to do this now. None at all. I walked into my father's study quickly, wishing I hadn't as soon as I got there. Who else would be there, except for my father? The Commodore and his First Mate, of course. And what should I be wearing? My bloody shift and robe, which I didn't even bother to tie. By the clothing standards, I was quite naked. Elizabeth is going to pay for this.
"Father, I'm afraid I'll have to pass on this little duel. First off, I really don't think its proper -"
"Tosh," said my father.
"Secondly, I haven't got anything to wear,"
"I'd be glad to lend you my jacket -" said Gillette, ever my champion.
"Thirdly, I'm afraid I've had much too much to eat, and I'm feeling rather full, and very tired…I think I'd be ill if I engaged in a duel - especially with someone as skilled as you, Commodore," I wanted to rip my tongue out, I had actually stooped to paying a compliment to Norrington! I cant stand the whelp! Still, desperate times...
"Nonsense, Christina, you hardly ate a bite," Elizabeth said helpfully as she walked down the hall. I groaned and stormed out, back into my room.
"Mary, this is awful! What am I going to do? They are forcing me to duel! With Norrington!" I hissed. Mary clucked her tongue at me.
"That's what you get for being such a spirited little thing, and running off to William every day for the past eight years. If you had been a proper lady, you would never be in this situation," Mary said. Grand.
"Oh, you mean if I was a simpering little moron who got kidnapped by pirates and couldn't do a thing about it! If I was like that?" I spat. Mary just grinned at me. "And what are you smiling at, Mary? Hmm? I'll have you know that Elizabeth fired a few shots of her own, and blew up an entire cache of rum! So she may be more of a lady than me, but she's not to be held in such esteem as all that! She's no proper princess either!" I snapped angrily, pulling off my robe and flinging it on the bed.
"I can't believe this," I said, ripping a slit in my shift on one side, just a few inches above my knee. Well, I can't move properly in a narrow dress! I walked over to the closet and pulled out a pair of boots, jerking them on roughly and almost falling over. I snarled at her when she tried to steady me. "And I will not do worse than I normally would, just because this moron is the sodding Commodore," I continued, watching my reflection in the mirror. I looked like a vagabond. Or a wench recently tumbled in the hay.
Mary raised an eyebrow at me. I stuck the knife into my boot, fully intending to cheat so I would win and humiliate Commodore I'm-An-Insufferable-Arse Norrington.
"Did you ever think that maybe all these strange things happen to you because you're not like all the other ladies?" Mary said quietly. I stared at her.
"What?" I asked, picking my blade from where it usually stood in the corner of the room.
"You heard exactly what I said. You're not like other ladies."
"No, I'm more like other village girls," I said, turning to leave and still a bit angry with Mary for what she said before, that I'm not "proper", and that I was my fault that I'm being forced into a duel.
"No, not like them either. You're just...different," Mary said. I turned around and she shrugged. "Somehow it just makes you likable, if infuriating."
I grinned at her and walked out, heading down the stairs into the atrium of the house, where the entrance was. It was a good sized room for a duel, I realized. There were two stairways heading up to the second floor, and not a lot of clutter in between. Norrington was already waiting for me, as was Gillette and my father. So were the other members of the bloody Royal Navy. Elizabeth hurried in from another room and stood next to my father.
"Good Heavens, Christina, what are you wearing? It is entirely indecent," my father said. I regarded him sourly.
"I think this whole ordeal is indecent, Father, so do not hold me accountable for my attire," I said, standing opposite the Commodore and saluting reluctantly.
Elizabeth considered me skeptically, the slit in my shift all the way up to my thigh, and my boots covering a little more than half way up to my knee. She met my eyes and glared angrily. I could tell that she was thinking that this was how Will had seen me, nearly every day for the last eight years. I certainly shall not be doing anything to prove her wrong. The only regret I had at the moment, besides being born, was the Gillette would not stop looking at me. I think the shock of a woman's leg must have been too much for him.
"Certainly a woman's body comes as no surprise to you, Jonathon," I said airily. Why should I be ashamed? I am not doing this of my own will. Why not wreak a little havoc? He raised his eyes to mine.
"Do you mean to say that you've never seen a simple leg before? I would have thought that a man of your age and station wouldn't act quite so damn surprised," I continued. He glared at me and looked away.
I remembered Jack's words from weeks ago, in the blacksmith shop.
I grinned, "Or is it because you are incapable of wooing the...ah, fairer sex?" I asked innocently.
"Mind your tongue, Christina, you will show our guests proper respect, or you will go up to your room for the rest of the night," my father said. I sighed.
"And you say that women are fickle. Nothing would make me happier than to retire for the night, Father, but I would hate to deny our guests their request of 'a bit of a show'."
"That's enough," my father warned, and I decided that it would be a fine time to stop talking, because after all, he could just ban me from leaving the house all this week. And I did not intend for that to happen. After all, that is the only chance I have of seeing Will.
"Shall we duel, Miss Swann?" Norrington said, bowing grandly. I nodded curtly and got into position, not expecting him to attack so fast. It had been a while since I last dueled with someone, because of my injury, and I was a bit out of shape. However, I would not be beaten, at least not easily. I parried and retreated a few step, allowing him to come to me before attacking. He was better than I had expected, also, but he should be. After all, he is the Commodore, it would not suit him well if he couldn't defend himself.
I wonder would it would do to his reputation if people learned that he had been beaten by the Governor's daughter.
It was this wondering, however, that kept me off guard. I forced my mind back to the duel at hand, parrying most of the time, trying to get him to think that he had the upper hand (which he might have had anyway). The one thing that I will say about him that is to my benefit is that he fought very mechanically, and it wasn't hard for me to think about what move he would do next. Unlike Anamaria, who was constantly changing, or Jack, who was as flamboyant as he was drunk, or even Will, who would come up with a creative attack every once in a while; Commodore Norrington was, to put it simply, boring. Talented, but boring. Skilled, most definitely, but predictable. And if I could keep moving fast enough and spontaneously enough to keep him off guard, then that's how I would win.
It was not easy. His defense was flawless, and every time I saw an opening and went for it, he parried. He was fast, too, andterriblystrong. Each parry sent a shock up my armthatstung so much it was a wonder I didn'tdrop my blade.I bit my lip as I started to sweat, and moved around in circles, trying to get to the stairs where maybe I could surprise him with what not. No such luck. If the Commodore wanted you to stay somewhere, then by God he made sure you stayed there. And it was annoying me to no extent.
Perhaps the best thing Norrington's got going for him was his patience - and stamina. I would later reflect upon this and realize that I must have looked like a fool, prancing around madly, while he was calm and collected (even though his powder was running and his wig was lopsided). I was getting tired and careless, only managing a handful of legitimate hits. He hadn't hit me yet, but I had a feeling he would soon.
And I sincerely hate it when I'm right. He didn't hit me, but he knocked my blade from my hand and sent it zinging towards Elizabeth. She shrieked and jumped out of the way - it landed by her feet. Norrington stood proudly with his blade pointed at me. He didn't know that I don't stop moving unless a blade is against my throat - and even then its hard to tell if I'll give in. With Jack, he had me cornered and I pulled my dagger on him anyway.
I pulled the dagger quickly out of my boot and beat his blade away, but evidently the Commodore's been around pirates long enough to anticipate that move. He caught my wrist as I moved in to win the duel, and squeezed it. I cried out, even though hewas surenot toreally hurt me, but because I was surprised. I dropped my dagger and was disarmed and defeated. I wrenched my arm back and glared angrily at him, able to cross my arms and not pop out of my shirt for once.
"Bravo!" my father called, walking up to me and offering me his coat. I shrugged it off angrily, it was much to hot to be wearing that now. My father hung it over my shoulders, just now being concerned for my dignity. Fine timing, if you ask me.
"Christina, when next you see Will, you must tell him that he's done a fine job teaching you, a fine job! I didn't know who to think would be the winner, but obviously Commodore Norrington is much more experienced then you. Who would have known a woman could fight like that?" my father said, taking his arm back from around my shoulders and seeing the Commodore and the Royal Navy members back into the dining room for dessert.
Gillette looked at me, apparently in a state of shock. I didn't say anything, but nodded and went to go up the stairs, longing for a bath and for sleep. He grabbed my arm and turned me around.
"How do you dare, Mr. Gillette?" I said angrily, wrenching my arm back. I was still feeling rather humiliated and wasn't quite sure what my father was playing at, telling me to duel with the Commodore in the middle of a dinner party. For all he believed, I really didn't like to be made a spectacle of.
To my utter shock, Gillettelooked equally angry. "I merely wanted to congratulate you. You faired well against the Commodore, few can last as long as you did, and none ever win. Believe me, I know."
"I'll take your word for it, then, but keep in mind that I was out of practice, and just recovered from a recent and rather dire injury. With a few days of practice I would have won, of course. Unfortunately, you men think women are at your every beck and call, and so I did not have any time to prepare to sufficiently humiliate our venerable Commodore," I said haughtily.
"For someone with such a bleak outlook on men, you forget that you are about to be married to one," Gillette said,with a wry smile.I glared up at him.
"You seem to forget as well," I snarled, glancing at his hand, still gripping my arm. To my surprise - again -he started to laugh.
"You don't think I'm interested in you, do you, Miss Swann?" he said loudly. Elizabeth was still there, listening. Wonderful. She could have all the ammunition she needs to paint me the harlot.
"I don't know," I said stiffly.
He grinned. "It's all for sport, my good woman. You are too spirited for me, I think. I like a woman who is demure and obedient. I find you all too invigorating to marry and to keep, and have to worry about some other bloke setting his sights on my...unique...wife," he said. My mouth dropped open and I stared at him, completely bewildered. He chuckled again and headed into the dining room. Invigorating? Thatwas certainly a peculiar way to describe someone. I felt my face grow hot and grew more irritated.
"For your information, Will is different from most of your despicable kind! Its not a bleak outlook, its just accepting the horrid way of life," I call, my voice ringing in the atrium of the house and sounding childish to my own ears. He turned around and tossed a grin over his shoulder at me, before he disappeared into the dining room.
"Men," I grumbled, heading up the stairs. To my dismay, Elizabeth followed me.
"Quite pleased with yourself, now aren't you?" Elizabeth asked. I ignored her completely and walked into my room, where Mary had blessedly set up a bath for me. Elizabeth seemed to be upset that I'd slammed the door on her face, and stormed in after me. I pulled my hair out of its braid and walked behind the screen, still intent on ignoring her.
"Just wait until Will finds out that his fiancé pranced around half naked in front of four men," she hissed. I walked out from behind the screen, wrapped in my robe.
"You wouldn't dare," I said coldly, staring at her, quite terrified.
She smiled nastily at me. "I would. In fact, I will. Tomorrow morning, first thing," she said. I stared at her in dismay.
"Fine," I said, walking back behind the screen.
"What?" she gasped.
"Go ahead," I said uncaringly, sinking into the semi-warm water. Mary had gone through all the trouble of heating the water for me, it made me wonder how long the duel had actually lasted. Not for long though. I was preoccupied with concocting a plan that would get me to Will fast enough to explain to him why I was not the whore that Elizabeth would paint me as. Which meant that I would have to sneak out tonight - after only the first damn day of my punishment - to see him. Well, I'd broken rules before, and I'd break them again. Its not like I wanted to, but Elizabeth's undying hostility forced me.
"He wont want you anymore, though, if he knows that's how you act," she said desperately. I sighed, feigning contentment.
"Like I said, Elizabeth, you don't know the first thing about love. Oh, you may be right about that whole 'I'd do anything for them' bit. But love is also about trust. I trust Will, and he trusts me. Nothing you say can change that," I said, lathering soap into my hair with shaking hands. Because if I truly believed what I had just said, I wouldn't be sneaking off tonight to get to him first.
Elizabeth left the room with a slam of a door. I put my face in my hands and sighed angrily, hating the fact that she could make me doubt myself so much.
"Miss?" Mary said, walking in and closing the door quietly. I got up and wrapped myself in a robe, going over to my bureau and pulling out my clothes that Jack had bought for me at Tortuga.
"What are you doing, Christina?" Mary asked, exasperatedly. I didn't say anything, but got dressed quickly as she went behind the screen to clean up.
"Don't tell me your going about again?" Mary said, wringing her hands.
"Hush," I whispered furiously, letting her braid my hair again.
"You're going to get into so much trouble," she hissed.
"Not if I don't get caught. Mary, I need you to do me afavor," I asked, grabbing her hands and pulling her down to sit next to me. She bit her lip as I told her what Elizabeth had told me, about going to Will and telling him about how I'd let practically the entire Royal Navy see up my skirts.
"That's horrible of her. And she encouraged the duel, too," Mary said.
"Well you can bet your life that she wont be telling him that important piece of information," I said. Mary grimaced. "Here's what I need you to do," I said, walking over to my night table and pulling open the second drawer. I took out the fake bottom, just like Elizabeth had done to get her, or rather, Will's, pirate medallion. I took out the key to my room.
"I need you to go down stairs and tell my father that I've retired from the night. I'm going to lock the door and leave out the window, I'll bring one of my dresses with me so that I can come home later tomorrow and say that I went out to the market early. You let yourself in here and do whatever you will, just make sure that you unlock the door," I said.
"And where are you going for the rest of the night?" she asked, even though she knew the answer. I smiled thinly, my heart racing.
"I'm going to stay with Will," I said.
Her eyes widened, "Christina, I don't think that's such a great idea," she said, lowering her voice even more. I smiled.
"Oh, come off it, Mary, Will's a gentleman," I said, trying to lighten the mood.
She didn't laugh, "Yes, but you're not so much of a lady!" she said.
I stared at her. "I may not be entirely proper but I am in no way as slovenly as some would portray me to be."
"No! Its not that at all, but what if someone sees you? And tells your father?" she asked. I pulled out the sash that was once part of my robe, and tied it low over my forehead, tucking my hair into the back of my shirt. "Its dark. No one will recognize me," I said, sticking my dagger into my boot once again.
"What if someone does see you, or makes a target of you? What if some man on the street corners you and-"
"Well then you'll just have to pray for me, Mary. But promise me you wont tell. You can meet me in the market, if it makes you feel better. You have the key to this room, just let yourself in, take one of my dresses, and hop out the window. Get Anita to lace your corset," I said, when she opened her mouth.
I smiled, "I'll be fine. If I can defend myself against the Commodore, I think I'm safe from every rogue in Port Royal," I said, heading for the window.
"What about every band of rogues?" I heard Mary whisper, as I grabbed the bag with my gown and shift in it, and climbed out the window dropping down quietly into the garden.
I had to run crouched low to get the wall, where I edged around carefully and found the exit. Just my luck, it had started to rain, and now my clothes would be wet for tomorrow. I didn't think about it, but crept quietly down the path, breaking out into a run as soon as I was far enough away from the mansion. It had started to rain rather hard, and I was soaked thoroughly in a very short amount of time. I never realized how far the blacksmith shop was from the mansion. At least the rain meant that no one was out on the streets.
I reached the market in what had to be a quarter of an hour, and searched in almost complete darkness for the blacksmith shop. I knocked on the door, wanting to keep quiet, and when no one answered, tapped on the window. I went back to the door after receiving no response.
"Come on, Will, please," I whispered, not wanting to have to explain to my father why I was soaked and in men's clothing if I had to return to the mansion. Somehow I don't think sleep walking would quite cut it. Neither would, "Its not such a big deal. I slept at an inn with Will and Jack, weeks ago. And on the commandeered ship, with about fifty other men in the same cabin!"
Will finally opened the door minutes later, shirtless and rumpled. He blinked when he saw me, and didn't move. "Christina wha-"
"Hello, Mr. Turner," I said, my teeth chattering a bit. "Could you let me in?"
He stepped back blearily and I walked into the warm shop…the fire was just dying out. Will closed the door behind me, and I turned to face him, aware of the fact that tonight would be the first night I would spend alone with Will Turner.