a/n: Okay, I'm back with another chapter, and review responses! As usual, they are at the end of the chapter. I hope you all enjoy (and review)!
Romen
Disclaimer: Familiar; not mine. Unfamiliar; mine.
Chapter Eleven
James
Over the next few days it seemed that the only thing Elizabeth could talk about was James. In fact, Will felt like he knew James just as well as she did. The only difference was he didn't like what he heard, for some strange reason. Perhaps it was the fact that everything Elizabeth saw, however outrageous it was, somehow reminded her of James.
"Oh, James has always been very skilled when it comes to that area!"
"Really, James would never do a thing like that."
"That reminds me of the time I went an on outing with James."
"Did I tell you about the art in James's manor? Will, it's truly astounding!"
"James has always been interested in that author's work."
And yet she claimed that they would get along 'just fine'.
When the day finally came when James was due to arrive, Will couldn't help but feel relieved. Elizabeth was probably just very excited about seeing her friend again, and would most likely calm down now that he was going to be there. After all, the only reason that she probably obsessively thought of him was because of her anticipation for his arrival. And who knew; maybe they would get along, just as she claimed. Will was sure that if anyone was a friend of Elizabeth's, they could be a friend of his as well.
Even if they spoke four languages, owned a villa in France, and were prodigies.
Trying to push all of this to the back of his mind, Will went downstairs to do the dishes with Susan, who was her usual snappy self. They finished quite early. Afterward he went to find Elizabeth, who was nervously pacing the parlor back and forth, dressed in her Sunday best.
"Oh, Will!" she cried when she saw him, her eyes wide. "He's going to be here at any minute! How do I look?"
"You look...very good," he replied, not sure of what to say.
She gave a shriek. "Oh no! What am I to do?"
Will flinched, realizing he had just made a crucial mistake. "No, um, I mean, you look very beautiful."
"Now you're just lying," she exclaimed, sounding tearful.
"Miss Swann, please, I am completely sincere."
She sniffed. "Really?"
"Yes, really."
She ran her hands over the skirt, as if smoothing out invisible wrinkles. "I suppose this will have to do as it is. James says he likes this color, and that it looks good on me."
Will had to fight back the urge to tell her she looked horrible, even though she didn't.
"It's his favorite color, actually." She chewed on her lip as her hands nervously wrung a small scarf. "I do hope he notices that I wore his favorite color."
Apparently James fancied a light, baby-powder blue...
"My favorite color is," Will murmured, but he was cut short as Elizabeth let out a loud shout, rushing to the parlor window.
"Will, oh Will! He's here!" She rushed past him like a whirlwind, only to return and drag him into the entrance hall. She once again smoothed her skirt, tucking two loose strands of hair behind her ear and clasping her hands in front of her. The governor appeared not long after. Will suddenly felt very awkward.
The doorbell rang (as if they all didn't know that they were already there), and the butler shortly answered it. A tall, lean, dark-haired man strode through, immediately shaking hands with the governor. Behind him came almost a miniature version of himself, except with fine, wispy blond hair and soft, blue eyes (the same color as Elizabeth's dress, Will noted with a shiver).
"Lizzy." The boy rushed across the floor. He kissed her hand lightly. Elizabeth flushed.
"Oh, James, it's so wonderful to have you here! It seems like it's been so long..."
James smiled. "One year, three months, one week, four days."
Will gaped.
It seemed that was the first moment that he noticed Will. He looked taken aback, then understanding flashed across his face. "Ah, new household staff! There, why don't you make yourself useful and help carry up my trunk? There's a good lad."
Will blinked. He was speechless. He cleared his throat, his face feeling very warm. "Uh...I- I'm"-
Elizabeth seemed mortified. "Oh no, James, he's not part of the staff." She took one of their hands in either of hers. "This is my friend, William Turner."
James scrutinized him with obvious distaste. "Oh really. Forgive me, William, of my mistake. You greatly resemble the common staff." He loosely took Will's hand, grasping it with the tip of his fingers, as if afraid the very touch of him would somehow soil his skin. "Pleased to - er - meet you."
"The pleasure is mine," Will mumbled, pulling roughly from his grip.
There was a beat of awkward silence before Elizabeth took charge. "Really, I'm sure you two will get along just fine. You certainly do have...a lot in common." She looked pleadingly at Will, as if asking him silently not to embarrass her. "Come, let us sit in the library and chat."
Will followed them up the staircase like a gaudy mutt follows two exuberant purebreds. Compared to James he was nothing. James moved, spoke, even breathed with the air of an English gentlemen. For the first time in his life, Will longed to sit on the sheet and do the dishes with Susan. After all, it wasn't like he was going to take part in any of their conversations. Most likely they would debate on intellectual matters. He would just sit there like a mindless fool, their amusement when the subject would die until they could find another topic.
By the time they finally reached the library, Will felt like he was on a cliff, walking dangerously near the edge, waiting to be pushed off. He took a seat on the bench next to Elizabeth, as James sat in the chair that she had fallen asleep in the just the other night.
"Oh Lizzy," James breathed, as if wearied from thought, "it has been so long that I don't even know where to begin." He leaned back. "Mr. Turner, tell me, where is it you originate from? You are certainly not a native of Port Royal."
Will shifted uncomfortably. "I come from England."
"Mm-hm." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "And what countries have you been to, Mr. Turner? Port Royal is quite far from Britain, so you must have done some traveling in your time."
"I..." Will paused. "I've never really traveled outside of the country before."
"Is that so." It was a statement, not a question. James frowned. "Where did you live in England? I've never heard of the name 'Turner' before."
"I lived in the city."
"Ah, that makes much more sense." He turned his attention to Elizabeth. "So tell me, Lizzy, darling; what have you been up to lately?" He smiled rather cheekily.
The discussion from then on was mainly over trivial matters experienced by both James and Elizabeth. Will was thankful that James was no longer picking him for answers, but he found himself feeling very excluded. He was just about to excuse himself when James interrupted.
"Why don't we go down to the stables?" he suggested. "Perhaps we could take a small ride."
"But Miss Swann is not allowed to ride," Will couldn't help but protest.
Elizabeth smiled gently. "I'm allowed to ride when James is here."
James nodded. "We always ride here."
Knowing that it wasn't up to him anyhow, he reluctantly followed them to the stables. They headed to the very back, where James affectionately rubbed a chestnut on the nose. In return the horse nuzzled him back.
"It's so good to see Jacques again. I always ride him," he explained to Will.
"Good for you," Will muttered under his breath, earning him a frantic glare from Elizabeth.
The stable-hands brought Jacques and a roan out, saddled and bridled. Even though he really hadn't been looking forward to riding, Will couldn't help but feel resentment. He obviously wasn't being invited. Elizabeth must have noticed.
"Oh, Will!" she chuckled. "Don't worry; the roan is for you."
He frowned. "What about you?"
"Lizzy and I always ride together!" James quipped, already mounted.
Will watched gloomily as a stable-hand helped her mount. She sat side-saddle, glancing at Will quizzically.
"Are you not coming?"
Will glanced at the roan, who seemed about just as fond of Will as Will was of him. 'I am going to die,' he thought to himself, clumsily mounting and wrapping his arms around the roan's neck fearfully.
He had ridden before, of course. In fact, several times (enough to know how to). However, none of them had been very pleasant, and they were memories that he would rather not recall. He gulped, looking at the distance between him and the ground.
"You don't have to come if you don't want to," Elizabeth said graciously, as James led the horse nearer him.
However, the sight of them on the horse together, her dress the exact same color of James's eyes, was just too much. He feigned courage and grinned.
"Don't worry, I'm looking forward to coming." He leaned forward, his mouth next to the horse's ear. "Please, please, don't kick me off," he hissed. "Please."
The roan snorted in response, taking off at a speedy trot without any command whatsoever from Will.
They continued in that direction at the same speed for quite some time, Will and the roan trailing along behind what seemed to be a very familiar path. Every so often he would hear James and Elizabeth break into laughter, something that would cause him to scowl. He was beginning to wonder how much longer they would go on when Jacques stopped abruptly. Elizabeth and James slid from the saddle. Will followed suit, though not half as gracefully.
"What are you doing?" he asked, leading the roan over to them.
James was unbuckling the saddle. He shook his head. "William, if you don't mind me calling you that, we are going to ride bareback, like we usually do."
"You see, Will, Father doesn't like when I ride alone, but as long as I ride with James, it's all right," Elizabeth explained earnestly. "We ride bareback when no one can see us, because Father wouldn't be very happy about that."
James tucked the saddle behind a bush. "Really though, this is something that we just like to do. We're not pressuring you to follow suit. Pardon my saying so, but you do look very uncomfortable upon a horse."
Will's ears roared. He stood still for a moment, his eyes going from Elizabeth, to James, and then back to Elizabeth again before he pitted on his heel and began to fiddle with straps on his own saddle.
"Will, what are you doing?" Elizabeth questioned cautiously.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" he grunted, his hands sweaty as they slipped across a strap.
He somehow managed to unbuckle the saddle, flinging it aside as he struggled to mount. When he finally did, he wished he would have stayed on the ground. It was the most uncomfortable position he had ever been in his entire life. He gripped the reins of the bridle tightly, hoping his discomfort didn't show.
Jacques pranced over, James already upon his back, Elizabeth behind him. He smirked.
"Well done, Mr. Turner, well done." He looked ahead. "I propose we have a little race. What say you?"
Elizabeth gasped. "Oh no, James, I don't think we should..."
"Come, come, Lizzy; I'm sure Mr. Turner wouldn't mind a little healthy competition, if you can even call it that." His eyes flashed.
Will chewed on his lip. "Yes."
James grinned. "Very good! Now, Lizzy, you don't have to race if you don't want to."
"No, I want to," she assured him, looking doubtfully at Will. "But I don't think this is a very wise idea..."
"Have no fear, Lizzy; Mr. Turner can take care of himself. Now, on my mark, set, go."
They shot off. Will clung to the roan, having a hard time controlling it bareback. Elizabeth's skirts billowed out behind her, her chin tucked firmly over James's shoulder. Her arms were wrapped securely around his waist. It looked like she was cuddling with him...
Will suddenly remembered that he was on horseback. He pulled the reins sharply to the left, the roan nearly avoiding a deep dip in the ground. However, the horse changed direction so abruptly that Will had no time to prepare himself. He tumbled over the side, his back making impact with the ground.
"Will!" Elizabeth shrieked. She slid to the ground just as James pulled Jacques to a halt, rushing over. She knelt next to him, her brow netted. "Will, are you all right?"
"Yes," he answered dazedly. He began to rise, but she pushed him back down.
"Did you- did you break anything?" she stuttered, pressing gently on his ribs, as if feeling for broken bones. "Are you sure you're all right?"
"Yes, Miss Swann, I am fine."
She hit him roughly in the shoulder. "Never do that again! You could have broken your neck!"
Will cringed. "Forgive me, Miss Swann, I did not do it on purpose..."
She helped him sit up. "Really, Will, please do try to be more careful."
He looked down at his fist. "Thank you, Miss Swann."
"What happened?" James asked breathlessly, skidding to a halt behind Elizabeth.
"Will fell off of his horse."
James shrugged. "No harm done, it seems."
"No harm done!" Elizabeth cried, horrified. "We have to get him home, right away!"
"Miss Swann, really, I assure you, I'm fine."
"No, no- You might have hit your head! You really should rest."
Will caught a sheepish glance at James, who looked rather annoyed.
TBC...
a/n: Reviews for this extra long chappy, please.
The responses:
Jenn 1: Thanks; I try lol.
RoXySuRfEr12: Heheheh; Isn't too hard to tell, is it?
Williz: You're right; James is rather annoying...
lateBloomer04: Actually, James is an original character. I don't know if Norrington's first name is 'James' too, but James is just some friend of Elizabeth's. I'm not that big of a fan of the commodore either lol.