New Beginnings: Chapter 17
Jack helped Dani out of the longboat and onto the dock. His crew had instructions to guard the ship. Norrington's naval uniform was cleaned and his boots were shined. Jack, Dani, Will and Elizabeth cleaned up the best they could, which was extremely well and the five headed out to find means to get to the king.
They docked in Brighton and it turned out to be a couple hours from London, but Norrington assured them that they were guaranteed an audience with the king when they got there.
The group was going to have to hire a carriage or walk.
"I am not walking to London from Brighton. And Elizabeth can't walk on her swollen feet," Danielle protested.
Norrington came back from talking to a carriage driver. He shook his head, "too expensive. Can you ride a horse?" He looked to Dani and Elizabeth.
"Yes," they answered together.
Jack looked horrified. Jack did not ride those beasts. Too tall. And odd-looking. Nope. No horses for Jack.
"What about you?" Norrington turned to Jack.
"No," he mumbled.
"You've never ridden a horse?"
"No," Jack pouted.
"Well, mate," Dani slapped him on the back. "You're going to learn real soon."
They rented three horses. Norrington would get his own, Jack and Dani on another and Will and Liz on the third.
Once Jack had been on the animal for a while, he seemed to enjoy it. It wasn't that hard, you just had to keep a hold of it. And since Dani was holding the reigns, Jack was enjoying holding on to her.
The trip ended up being more than just a couple hours and it was dark when they reached the outskirts of London. All five of them got down off their rides and stretched. Riding a horse for so long was painful.
Their presentable-ness had disappeared. Dani's skirts were tucked up to ride and were now wrinkled. Elizabeth's hair was a mess, tangled and damp. All they wanted was some rum and to sleep.
"I think we've found London," Dani said as she looked around. "It's been a while since I've been here, but there was a stable down the alley here." She led them down a long alley and found said stable. They tied up their horses and paid the man. He was grumpy but willing to accept a little extra payment in return for waking him.
"Do you think we'll be able to find some place to stay this late?" Elizabeth asked to no one in particular.
"Your family lives here, don't they, Danielle?" Norrington asked not answering Elizabeth's question.
"Well…yes…" Dani answered apprehensively.
"Do you want to go see them?" Jack asked.
"No," she answered firmly this time.
"Why not?"
"Because my family doesn't know that my husband is dead. Or anything about Jack. Or my life."
"That's unfortunate," Jack said.
"Why?"
"Because we're going anyway. Love, we need a place to get some sleep." He said, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"No, we can find a hotel or something."
"We're gong to start knocking on random doors. Just let us know where we need to go."
"Fine, Jack, fine."
She smoothed out the light blue fabric of her dress and stood up straight, shoulders back. She was going to have to look her best for her family.
"You will have to follow my lead when we get there, savvy?" she asked the group. They nodded and tried to look unconcerned for her sanity.
They walked through the damp streets while the fog became more dense.
"You aren't just leading us in circles, are you?" Will asked.
"No," Danielle hissed as she stopped in front of a small stone two-story house.
She walked up the three shallow steps and knocked on the door.
Thirty seconds passed and Dani turned back to the group after getting no response.
"I suppose no one is home," Dani smirked.
She began to take a step back down when the door creaked open. She whipped back around.
"Mother," Dani smiled.
"Danielle Ann Reese!" The woman shouted before pulling her into a hug. Her mother was a shorter, rounder version of Danielle herself.
The group stood silent at the bottom of the steps, jaws on the ground.
"So you," the woman started, pointing at Jack, "must be Charles Drummond."
"Actually, mother. I must tell you something…"
"Yes, I am Charles Drummond, Mrs. Reese. Pleasure to finally meet you," Jack pushed Dani out of the way.
"Richard!" the woman shouted back into the dark house. "Alexandra! Robert! Wake up! Danielle is home!"
Jack, or Charles, turned back to Norrington, Elizabeth and Will and smiled. He thought this would be fun.
A small groggy-looking crowd gathered at the door behind Mrs. Reese.
"Mother, Father, this is my…husband, Charles. And these are my very good friends: William and Elizabeth Turner and Commodore Norrington. Everyone, this is my mother, Anastasia, my father, Richard, my sister Alexandra and her husband Robert. And this must be Aristide." She picked up a small-looking boy and he giggled. "You're so big," she smiled at him and caused him to giggle some more.
The group was ushered inside and tea is made. The small house was warm and inviting but Jack could understand why she said her family had struggled. The décor was sparse and the teacups were chipped, but her family seemed nice enough.
"I would offer some food, but we seem to a little short right now," Anastasia said sheepishly.
"That's quite all right, Mrs. Reese, " Norrington told her. "We're inconveniencing you."
"Please call me Anastasia," she told them. For the first time the group could hear a distinct Russian accent that they didn't hear previously.
"What brings you back to London?" a thickly accented voice came from the dark corner. Danielle's father.
"Commodore Norrington has business with the king and he asked us along."
"You don't look like what you told me you did. You aren't old enough."
"Looks can be deceiving," Dani answered for Jack.
"Aristide," Alexandra said. "Time to go back to bed." She bid them good night and took the boy back up the stairs.
"Don't mind her," Robert told them. "She's just jealous. We were going to move to Port Royal ourselves, but we don't have the money." He stood. "It was very nice meeting all of you. I should go check on her." He kissed Anastasia and Dani on the cheek and followed Alexandra up the stairs.
"Do you suppose we could spend the night here?"
"Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way. We have one bed upstairs and we can make up a couple down here."
"Elizabeth and Will can have the bed. She is expecting, after all."
"What do you do, William?" Richard asked.
"I am a blacksmith. I specialize in cutlasses."
"And Commodore Norrington, you serve under Lord Beckett, correct?"
"Yes, well, not any more."
"I'm just asking because he was a good friend of mine."
"What?" The five of them shouted.
"He and I had known each other through some random circumstances. And at one point I sailed under him. With you as well."
"Oh of course," Norrington remembered. "You sailed on the Sparkling Diamond."
"What an odd name for a ship," Anastasia commented.
"The king named it," Norrington sighed.
"Well, let me take you two upstairs," Anastasia smiled
"Mother, I'll take care of our beds. Thank you for letting us stay."
The woman nodded and led the Will and Elizabeth upstairs, with Richard following close behind.
Jack, Dani and Norrington stayed in their seats.
"My father sailed with you?" Dani whispered as she stood.
"I suppose he did."
She started pulling quilts out of a chest.
"Why do you have so many quilts?"
"Because all the women in my family are seamstresses. We don't waste the extra bits."
"What does your father do?"
"He shoes horses. Not a lot of money in that."
"I wouldn't assume so."
"Is there anywhere to go buy food early in the morning?" Jack asked as he settled in next to her on the floor.
"Yes, don't you remember? Shops open up very early."
"I was born in India. This is the first I've been to London."
"Well, we should get some sleep, Jack Sparrow," Dani whispered before yawning and closing her eyes. "Good night, James. Night Jack."
Danielle's father crept back up the stairs. He heard everything. That was not Charles Drummond, it was the wanted pirate Jack Sparrow. Richard was going to become a very rich man in the morning.
A/N: Sorry it took so long. I've been sick for a week now and it's totally stressing me out. I'm feeling better now, but it's just upgraded to crap. On the bright side, my theater let me take home the official POTC: DMC standee with Jack running from the cannibals of Pelegostos. Yay!
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