Chapter Two

Sunny Skies and a Light Breeze

"Gentlemen, good morning – as you can see it is sunny skies and a light breeze that greet us, and a rather sorry sight…" Jack said, the very next morning, pacing up and down the line of men that were gathered, all to see a certain ex-commodore humiliated. "Someone, doesn't know who's in charge around here…" A few sniggers and exchanged glances, looking towards James who stood restrained by two, his back bare.

"Jack!" A lone voice called out, and a young man came pushing forwards, "Jack don't!"

The Captain rolled his eyes and turned around to find himself face to face with none other than his first mate, looking murderous. "Will darling, if it's about last night…"

"He doesn't deserve that – you're just using him as a scape goat." Will muttered in low tones. Jack pushed him aside and turned back to the crew, "Let this be a lesson to all you scurvy dogs, should you ever have the fancy to cross your Captain. I certainly don't intend on spending another month of my life marooned on an island...Mr Gibbs, if you will?"

It was obvious that some of the crew wanted to do this deed, but out of the whole crew, Mr. Gibbs was one of the few who didn't want to see the man pained, however much he was an arrogant fool, even if he did entertain them in their jokes. And to make matters worse, he was holding the long leather whip, eyes squinted against the fate that awaited him if he didn't obey Jack… but if the Cap'n was feeling like this… - perhaps it was time for another docking, to stock up on their beloved alcohol, perhaps in Tortuga, and they could return the ex-Commodore to where they found him in that lowlife Pirate dump. It was to be honest, a dump.

He raised his arm, the whip falling behind his back, and he hesitated a second before striking, watching the smooth back arch backwards as there appeared a thin gash, and five seconds later Gibbs struck again, the blood creeping slowly from the fresh wounds down the un-torn skin, blood running into blood, mingling and stinging and Norrington braced himself for the next stroke, hating the fact that Gibbs was good at this, and knew that to make it fully hurt there must be a pause to allow full extent of pain. It was almost like a schoolmaster with the cane, abusing a boy with the harsh stick for his dark sins.

Gibbs held up six slightly chubby, grimy fingers, showing them to Jack, and waiting for his approval. When it came in the form of a curt nod, he brought the instrument against the flesh a further three times, before waiting and giving the final blow, dropping the weapon after he had finished immediately, covering his ears and walking behind a couple of crew members, resting his forehead against one of the masts, blocking out the cry of agony that James elicited, and covering his eyes from looking at the strips of flesh hanging from his bleeding back, not being able to contain the aggrieved whimper any longer.

The crew dismissed themselves; the two holding Norrington still dropped their iron grips on his upper arms, and he fell to the floor, not daring to look at anyone besides Jack, let alone he was shaking and could not have gazed at Jack had he lusted after the man like a rampant bull.

Will came to the man's side, helping him up and taking him down to his quarters, also avoiding looking at Jack for fear he might cast him a dark look, and suffer the same hurt as Norrington had. He left the bowl of water and the cloth and salve by James' bed, and left the room while the man lay there, staring at the ceiling.

Was he truly that conceited his life had been doomed to eventual deep scars on his back, and agonizing memories sharp and depressing forever burned into his mind until his last breath?

Perhaps that would have taught him a lesson in humility, perhaps not. Jack turned away, uninterested as he took up the wheel once more, flicking open his compass. "Steady as she goes lads; raise the sails and lets be off - east; no wait northeast!" He called, watching his men get to work and carry out his orders. What had happened to James however, niggled in the back of his mind, not exactly the best idea he had come up with as a Captain, but to be honest he was growing bored of the man on his ship, and if Jack didn't like anyone, he didn't like Norrington. Well, he liked him so much as he was good to make fun of, and get ahead of, but that was as far as his liking went. But the expression on the man's face had taken all the fun out of beating him, and now Jack's mood was no better than last night. There was no sign of the other ship on the horizon either, and by his reckonings, they weren't more than three days away from Port Royale.

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Author's Notes: Well I'm sorry it's a little shorter than the first chapter, but let me guess, you did want to see Norry being whipped, surely! X) heheh sadism… Please if you have a comment drop me a review any questions send me an email (: