Shots rang out on top of the Fort in a salute as James stepped forward to accept his station as the New Captain of the Dauntless. It would have felt perfunctory, especially considering he had done this once before already but as it were, this events repetition was made more special by the presence of people who hadn't been there before when he had been made Captain.
This was a smaller affair than his Commodore inauguration only for his fellow sailors and close family and friends to witness. Last time, The Governor of course had been present since he was the one who would bestow the Captaincy to him but other than that all the rest of the attendees were his crew mates or superiors.
This time around, lined behind the sailors performing the gun salute, dressed in white uniform with blue trims made specifically for them were seven young cadets who were part the training program he had introduced last year. In the center of that lineup was his genuine pride and joy, Cadet Turner. Back straight, face impassive but eyes expressive, labeled as the unofficial leader of his peers Will was well on his way to become a sailor and he was also well on his way to becoming a master blacksmith his effort and dedication second to none. James could not have been prouder.
The lads next to Will also did him proud but it was pretty obvious that the new Captain's star pupil had always been one William Turner. James was also very pleased with the future prospects for the youth in question. He was pretty sure that in his past life, by the time he had been Captain at least one of these boys had gotten into piracy and another into burglary, both had lost their lives soon after, one to the sea and the other to the end of a homeowners self defense arms. They were buried and forgotten, leaving no one to remember them by. Already their future looked brighter and he was happy to have brought about that change in their lives. Every little bit helped in his opinion. Two lives saved and he might be that much close to absolution. But absolution was usually an after thought, if he had the power to make a difference in someone's life with his foreknowledge he was going to do it, damn the consequences.
As the 21 gun salute finished the Governor stepped forward, presenting him with a beautifully constructed flintlock pistol. He saw gold inlays and engravings shining from the stock, intricate and deliberate. And while his service weapon was still well cared for and working, this piece was a work of art, he definitely didn't receive this from the Governor in his last go around. Curious and a little concerned with what he had messed up for this to happen he looked at the Governor in surprise.
"It's a little extravagant perhaps," he admitted at James questioning eyes, "but then again you're a credit to the Royal Navy, Captain. And that's without considering all you have done for my family personally and let's not forget the young men you have inspired to lead a better life. You don't see how much of a difference you personally have made in the lives of everyone in Port Royal, James. I'm glad that Elizabeth convinced me to gift you this instead of a standard flintlock. No one deserves it more than you."
Elizabeth, of course. It was always her and his behaviour towards her that changed things unexpectedly. He looked past the Governor to see the young woman in question smiling happily and knowingly at him, he was sure that she was delighted to have managed to catch him off guard.
He nodded an acknowledgement of her getting one over him and thanked the Governor taking the offered pistol and aiming down the sights, pointing first at the ground, then across the battlements out to see. The sight was true and straight and the pistol itself felt light and capable in his hands, better than any he had handled before.
With all that pomp and circumstance done, the crowd cheered for his new Captaincy and the final ceremony began as the Dauntless itself, the ship he was to now command, began to fire 21 cannons out to sea.
The crowd now began mingling in earnest and he spied Will and Elizabeth sneaking off out to the corner, out of sight of the Governor no doubt. Not wishing to attract anyone else's attention to the two, being the subject of the event James chose to walk over to the battlements where in a previous life, he had had the ill-concieved notion of proposing marriage to one Elizabeth Swann.
James scoffed, remembering how much a blabbering idiot he had been. She had said that she couldn't breathe and he took that as a romantic declaration instead of realising she was being suffocated by that damn dress. Unbidden his last moment with Elizabeth came to the forefront of his eyes even as another blast from the Dauntless echoed in the quiet bay. He had in his last duty to her, finally shed propriety and kissed her. His lips on hers, the sweet taste of her lingered with him even though he had somehow been blasted back into the past. It had been everything he had dreamed of and even more. But it had also felt wrong and dirty. Tainted by what had come before and what was about to come. Him and Elizabeth would always have this between them. Destinies entwined but never joined.
Today, judging by the amount of sneaking around they were doing and how close they were during their 'library' sessions, he was aware that Elizabeth and Will were already on the verge of something that they were already destined for. He was happy for them, genuinely so. And what's more is that even the Governor wouldn't have much to protest about if James Norrington's star pupil and prodigy as he was known by not only the sailors but the townsfolk as well, would ask to court his daughter. Things were in a much better place for their future than he could ever had imagined when he set up that program for the youth of Port Royal.
But as the last cannonball fire rang out, a small part of him, a petty, sad and lonely part of him cried out in agony as he once again lost Elizabeth to Will Turner. In his melancholy one single tear managed to escape his eye and it was unfortunate that that's how the two in question found him.
Elizabeth and Will had snuck off to fetch their prepared personal gift to their Captain. Will kept playing with her hair as she secured the package under her shawl and she smacked Wills hand away from her playfully. There was something growing between them, she was certain. But for now it wasn't as important as her duty to her Captain.
Walking past the few people still remaining they spied the Captain leaning against a battlement staring out to see as the last few cannon fires echoed. But as they approached, Elizabeth felt her heart clench. This was very familiar, it happened less often these days but there were moments still when he came out of his study to escort her home, that the atmosphere became oppressive and almost dark in nature. Thankfully Elizabeth had developed an intuition for these moments and a solution too.
She stopped Will a few feet away from him and he looked at her questioning. She nodded meaningfully at Captain Norrington and Will instantly understood. He had been through this with Elizabeth and knew what to do, immediately backing off and going to the steps to look out. Elizabeth took a breath and walked steadily to her Captain. At fourteen years she was already to his shoulder in height but she remembered even to this day how she had first gotten through to him when he went down these dark pits that something or other had triggered.
Without hesitation she placed a firm hand on his back, feeling the tense muscles of his back tighten. Before she pressed her torso into his right side, her free right hand coming to cover his heart, she leaned in and whispered slowly but steadily about how she was here and she was here for him. This was the only time ever when she permitted herself to use his name.
"James," she said into his shoulder knowing her words would reverberate into his body. "Come back to me, please." and he did. Gently she felt his muscles relax and his breathing steadied like it always did and he slumped heavily on his arms clutching desperately at the battlements to get steady like he always did and Will was there immediately to shoulder his weight like he always was because she brought him back from the brink and he steadied him so that he wouldn't slip back in.
Together they helped him sit on the raised platform Elizabeth removing his hat and wig to comb his matted hair back while Will keeping a sharp eye lest someone spot them and think the Captain was in a compromising position.
It wasn't long before the ironclad control returned but still they didn't really move apart. Elizabeth and Will were the only people in front of whom The Captain didn't put on a single facade and they adored him for it. He sighed heavily.
"This was supposed to be a fun event," he muttered a little angrily as the sky began darkening rapidly. Twilight approached.
Elizabeth nudged him in the side. "Who said it wasn't, my Captain?" she grinned as she tested out the honorific. She had been the one to refer to him as hers for the first time almost a year ago. It was also after the first time she had tried calming him down after an episode. Rest assured the Captain had been horrified and demanded that she never do these things again as he would never permit her honor be brought into question. She had then just proceeded to ignore his orders when they were in present company. "I personally think that the entire thing went on without a hitch. And now we're finally ready for the grand finale."
The Captains eyes sought hers in confusion. "Finale? Isn't that what those 21 cannon fires were for?"
Elizabeth scoffed, "That? Pish, as if the inauguration of Captain James Norrington could end in such a pedestrian way? What do you take us for, the Navy?!" she asked him in mock outrage only to receive a shrug in response. She sighed even as she leaned into him. She was giddy that he wasn't pulling away today. There was only so much close affection her Captain could take before bolting, she was grateful that today seemed to be one of his good days. "Will, if you could do the honors?" she asked softly as the daylight truly began to fade.
Will got up swiftly and pulled out the gift covered in Elizabeths shawl and knelt on one knee to present it with the lid open. "Sir, I graduated to weapon smithing this past summer and have been working on this design that Elizabeth and I came up with for you in mind. I hope it fits you well." with a flourish be produced the box, opened it fitting the bottom box into the lid for presentation and holding it out for their Captain to inspect.
James was floored by this. He was still recovering from his bout of whatever after effect of being sent back in time plus melancholy did to him but these two doing this for him was a lot to take, even for the stoic Jame Norrington.
It was supposed to be him ensuring their happiness the last he checked. It always concerned him that he needed them to break out of whatever demented episode he begins to experience when he starts dwelling on his past. Sure he could do so himself, if given a whole night and two bottles of gin, but they never failed to bring him back from the brink without needing him to be shit faced. He was always grateful but also painfully aware of how improper it all was. They always waved away his concerns and reprimands but he was always keenly aware that he could hurt Elizabeth dearly if their occasional form of comfort was to be aired for all to see.
He didn't honestly know what he would do with his episodes once Will and Elizabeth's relationship progressed. He knew that there would come a time soon where they would be way too invested in one another to pay him any mind. He both looked forward to that day and dreaded it too. Damn him and his inability to say no to these two, they had made him dependent on their help and he would be completely lost without them. Which was, of course an inevitability. He supposed, more so predicted that he would be back at the bottle at that point and hoped that his purpose here would be complete before that inevitability came to pass.
And then there was this, James thought to himself as he pulled back in to the present. A boy he had considered a hated rival in a past life, a young man who he pretty much considered his own blood and soul in this life, presenting him with this gift that he and Elizabeth had made for how long? How much planning had this taken and even as he lifted the dagger from it's felt bed in the box, he knew that just like his sword yet to be made, this was a beautiful and elegant piece that was perfectly balanced and made with care and dedication. He was beyond touched and felt that he deserved just about zero of all these two were giving him. Not being able to say that he stood up, placed the dagger next to where he had been sitting to pull the younger man into his embrace.
Elizabeth cheered as he said thank you and leaped into the hug as well, the first hug he had initiated ever in their relationship but he hoped that before the time came for him to be removed from the picture of their happily ever after, he would get to initiate a few more.
Looking out into the Horizon the Dauntless slowly being swallowed by the oncoming oppressive darkness of the night, he felt a need to charter a course to Isla Cruces. But the heart of the sea could wait for a little while longer, his own heart was full today and he wanted to bask in the rare feeling for a while.
I would imagine James Norrington would have more than enough fuel for PTSD. Especially a James Norrington murdered on a ghost ship by his ex-fiancés new fiancés thrice cursed dad while he tried to save said ex-fiancés life? And everything that came before that? Maybe? Yeah, I'd think so. Leave a review if possible. Cheers.