Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates of The Caribbean, nor any of it's characters. So don't sue!
Chapter 3: (Jolt) He's a fine man
Dresses, corsets, makeup, jewelry, shoes. The large and brightly sunlit bedroom is simply filled with all sorts of garments and accessories .
A young girl is digging through her closet, examining and discarding everything she comes across.
"It's useless! Nothing seems to fit or is just too ugly to be seen in." Exasperated, Elizabeth throws yet another expensive dress on her bed. She glares around, daring the various pieces of clothing to come alive and object at being called ugly or unfit.
Elizabeth, as any 16 year old girl, is having a little bit trouble with deciding which dress she should wear to the ball tonight.
This should come as no surprise to anyone who has had any experience with 16 year old girls, usually they fret about clothing every day in the week.
But today is a special day for Elizabeth. Today, or rather tonight, she'll be dancing with the famous James Norrington. He asked her father for a spot in her ball book. "If she would be so kind to save a dance for me?" he had asked. As if she'd ever hesitate to dance with him!
James was a very fine man, very fine indeed. A smile comes to her lips when she thinks of him. James with his magnificent white wig and great sword. James in his uniform, telling the other sailors what to do. He is so manly, so masculine, so.. so.. unlike any other man she has ever met.
"Miss? You have to hurry. Your father wants to leave for the ball in less then forty minutes" The maid flurries around Elizabeth, trying to avoid the mess lying on the ground.
Rudely pulled from her daydream, Elizabeth frowns and looks around the room as if she sees it for the first time. Then, realization dawns on her.
"I have got nothing to wear.." she mumbles, her lip quivering. And this is a critical point in every dramatic dressing scene. Every girl has been through this. Having nothing to wear, while the whole closet is full with clothes. It will drive every man insane, but women have to deal with it almost on a daily basis.
The maid gently leads Elizabeth to her dressing table and makes her sit down. Forlorn and numb, Elizabeth gazes at the mess she made.
"There. Sit down. I'll get you a dress and we'll fix your hair and make up in less than no time."
Ah yes, the miracles maids can perform. Because a mere hour later, Elizabeth is ready and set to go to the ball.
When she comes down in the hall, she sees her father talking to someone she knows very well. William Turner. That raggedy boy they saved a few years back. Last she heard about him he was made an apprentice as a blacksmith.
Bit of a shame really, when she found that medallion she had hoped that he would be the son of a mighty pirate. She had dreamt about great adventures at sea with her and William.
But as the years went by, and no mighty pirate had stopped in Port Royal to pick William up, Elizabeth had lost interest.
It was strange to see him again now, he wasn't a little boy anymore. Well, he wasn't a man like James, obviously. But still. There was something about William suddenly that made her blush like a little girl.
"Ah, Elizabeth. Finally. You, ah, remember master Turner? He just stopped by to deliver those wonderful candelas. Aren't they lovely?"
Elizabeth nods at William as he takes her hand and gives it a light kiss. Suddenly it feels as though a spark flew from his lips to her hand. With a jolt she pulls her hand back. Startled she looks Will in the eyes. Oh dear.
All at once, James doesn't seem so fine anymore.