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Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean and all related characters belong to Walt Disney, Gore, Jerry, Ted and Terry.
Original Characters such as Julia Carlisle and Abigail Peterson are my own creation.
Characters: James Norrington, Theodore Groves, Murtogg, Mullroy, William Turner, Elizabeth Turner, Julia Carlisle, Abigail Peterson.
Setting: A few months after The Chosen.
Hearts Across the Sea
Chapter 7: Whitecap
-
The sound of his crew screaming filled James Norrington’s head, creating the droning buzz of an angry hornet’s nest. James could still hear the cries of fear and feel the foreign bodies brushing against his legs and the sharp claws against his chest. He could also feel something large and soft cradling the back of his head and the soft and cool feeling of a sheet against his skin. As the seconds passed the screams and the pain became more distant and the comfort increased.
James slid back his eyelids and stared at the stone ceiling above him, strange greenish-gray moss like growth covered the surface along with bulb and flower like fungus that glowed with a natural greenish yellow light. James blinked and sat up. How did he get into such a place, who placed him in bed, and where were his men?
“Where am I?” he questioned out loud and stared over the sides of his bed. What he slept in was once a long boat, one pointed end had been cut off and replaced with a headboard, dome like in the center with two spiral posts framing the edges. Legs had been added to beneath the boat and down filled cushions lined the bottom of it. More moss covered the floor in rug like patches and more of the glowing fungus had lined the wall.
He was alone. There was no one to answer any of his questions. He was going to have to investigate the place on his own. James peeled back the sheets and paused when he stared down his bare chest, and legs. He was naked, and what was worst was he had lost the ring Julia gave him. He brushed his fingers against his neck, affirming what he had originally knew. Someone had rescued him from the ordeal and removed all of his clothing.
“Where am I,” James demanded, “and who took my clothes.” He stared at the sheet, pondering if he should make it into a makeshift robe if he was going to explore his whereabouts and find out what happened to his men.
“You do not have to shout my dear,” a female voice answered him. “All will be explained.”
James stared at the one area of the room covered by curtains. It was where the voice came from and blinked when they parted to reveal a tunnel, illuminated by the same fungus and a woman.
“You had a trying night,” the woman did not walk as much as she glided across the floor. She was taller than most women James had known and dressed in a shimmering blue green gown that stopped right above her knees. Her legs were as pale as the rest of her body; skin was as pristine as freshly fallen snow, silken tresses of fire gold cascaded down from the top of her head and fell about her shoulders. “I hope you slept well.” She carried a bundle of clothing in her arms
“I have,” James felt a lump in his throat and pulled the sheet closer to his skin.
“You do not have to be modest,” she smiled her lush lips that were painted a bright crimson, causing James to think of strawberries. Her face was oval in shape with fine cheekbones and a pert nose. Thick eye lashes were the awning over turquoise eyes.
James knew he was gaping, but he couldn’t help it. This strange woman had the figure of an hour glass with round breasts that were concealed by her gown and hips that curved like a bell, strings of pearl and coral wrapped around her slender and slightly long neck.
“Is there something wrong?” The woman placed the bundle on the foot of the bed and spread out her hands, displaying long fingers that ended in pale pink nails.
“Are you an angel?” James felt the words fall out of his mouth before he could think. “Sorry.”
“I did rescue you in a way,” the woman smiled again. “I should give you my name.” She held out a hand. “I am Lorel.”
“James,” he kept the sheet up with one hand and held out the other. “Admiral James Norrington.”
“I knew you were a man of high rank,” Lorel’s hand was soft but her shake was still firm. “Your uniform had more flair than the others.”
“I never would have called it flair,” James smiled. “I hope you do not think it rude of me, but I need to dress and I do not wish to shame each other.”
“I understand,” she nodded. “Your uniform is still being cleaned and dried. I hope you don’t mind wearing this until then.”
“Miss Lorel,” James raised a finger. “There should still be something amongst my uniform, a topaz ring on a chain.”
“I have it wrapped inside,” Lorel pointed towards the bundle. “I knew it was important to you. I will leave you to dress while I prepare you something to eat. I have a feeling my friends have already cooked something delicious.”
“So you do not live alone.”
“Of course not, there are many of us. The others are tending to your friends.”
James’s eyes widened when he realized what she meant by his friends. “My crew is still alive?”
Her smile faded. “Most of them are still alive. We tried to save everyone but seven did not make it. I’m sorry.”
“You do not have to apologize,” James sighed. Having everyone survive was a fantasy. He did hold onto hope, but even he had to be realistic.
“I will ask for all their names and inform you when I bring you food,” Lorel said before she slipped behind the drapery.
“I have no idea how I came here,” James reached for the bundle and slowly unwound it. It was only a shirt and a pair of trousers, similar to the clothing he wore when he was drunkard living on Tortuga, except these was clean. “I just have to send a thankful prayer that Lorel and her friends were able to rescue us and treat us.” He smiled when his hands brushed against the pale blue gemstone of Julia’s ring. “And I promise I will return to you, Julia.”
-
Captain Theodore Groves tried to be a rational man, so when he went from a meeting in Port Royal with Governor Swann and Admiral Norrington to being in the middle of the ocean in a single longboat he tried to come to a logical conclusion and the most obvious answer was that he was dreaming. He had to be, it would also explain why the governor was wearing a rather large and rather ridiculous mustache and why Norrington was discussing on how they had to take on the vampires.
“Either I should wait for the reason I am here,” Theodore sat back and stared at the endless blue waves. “Or I am about to wake up, which means I do not have much concern or worry.”
He knew he had spoken too soon and turned to see a large wave rushing towards him, the wave paused before it descended, leaving nothing but its white cap that turned into a column of foam. The pillar stood only few seconds before it shattered into hundreds of bubbles, leaving behind the same small girl who gave Theodore his warning.
“You have returned,” Theodore stared at sand dollars and other seashells the child wore in her hair.
“I told you I would come back,” she did not smile.
“This isn’t a dream?”
“Yes it is, but I will be with you and I will be real.” She skipped on the waves.
“When will this be?”
“After you wake up, but I have to tell you your friend’s fear has come true.”
“No,” Theodore shook his head. They were too late. The Naiad was destroyed and James and the crew were dead. “He can’t be dead.”
“He is still alive, and he will be alive for a long, long, long time unless I help you.”
She was not making sense. “We want him to live for a while.”
“A while and not forever,” the girl raised a finger. “You will awake soon and when you do you must fish.”
“I am to go fishing when I wake up?” Theodore just stared at her. “The second I wake up I am to take a net and try to catch some fish.”
“Not a net, but a pole. Keep the door to your cabin open. Release your catch on deck and follow it. Then you can close the door.”
“I am not certain what you mean.”
“Hush now,” the girl placed a hand over his eyes. “This dream is over.”
-
Theodore opened his eyes and sat up. He was back in his bed, in his cabin on the Atlantis. The dream had indeed ended.
“A pole,” Theodore muttered as he sprang from his bed. He had to find a fishing pole and some bait fish. Hopefully some of the crew would have it on hand when he left his cabin.
“Good morning Captain Groves,” one of the midshipmen had greeted Theodore as soon as he had left his cabin.
“Morning,” Theodore greeted and raced to the hatch. He was certain they kept some fishing rods below deck, next to the wooden stairs.
“Sir, you have left your door open,” the young man pointed towards the open cabin.
“Leave it,” Theodore ran toward the steps, nearly colliding with both Murtogg and Mullroy as they were about to start their morning shift. “Excuse me gentlemen,” he pardoned himself before he grabbed one of the fishing rods and reached into a water filled barrel for a still living baitfish.
“Are you feeling all right, captain?” Murtogg asked him.
“I’m feeling quite well,” Theodore raced up to the steps and ran to the larboard side of the ship, trying to hook the bait fish. “I just have a small craving to fish. It won’t be long, I can promise.” He hoped it won’t take long. He was already certain Murtogg and Mullroy and the drowsy eyed men of the night shift and thought he had gone mad.
Not even a whole minute had gone past since Theodore had cast his line when he felt a familiar tug. He grinned as he pulled and it took little effort for him to bring back a fish that was at least two feet long.
“The fish are already biting this morning,” the night shift passed the information along to the morning shift as the posts were changed.
“Good catch, captain,” Mullroy congratulated.
“Thank you,” Theodore held fast to the fish as he carefully removed the hook from its mouth. “There we are no harm down.” He released the fish and let it flop on deck.
“It got away,” Murtogg pointed at the fish as it jumped about.
“Leave it be,” Theodore held up his hand and watched as the fish was flopping towards his cabin. “I’ll take care of it.” He handed the pole to Mullroy and ran back towards his cabin, and entered, right after the fish had leaped inside. “Now maybe I will find out what this is all about.” He closed the door behind him.
The fish flopped on the floor, slowly bloating like a puffer fish until it burst, sending a shower of bubbles and glittering scales everywhere. The bubbles had drifted away and leaving behind a tiny female figure sitting in the middle of the clear puddle left by the fish.
“Sorry about that,” the girl said, except she wasn’t a girl. She had the figure and facial features of young woman of sixteen years. She was soaking wet. Her pale blond hair was plastered to her back and stuck to her shoulders. The sopping dress she wore was the same color as the fish “Our kind likes to make an entry.”
“Your kind?” Theodore could not remove his eyes from her.
“Yes, my kind.” She stood up. The top of her head could only reach Theodore’s knees and that was when he noticed the strange adornments to her hair. They were not shells but rather diaphanous fins. A pair of larger fins were attached to her back and fluttered when she walked. Her eyes were shaped like the oval eyes of a cat, although her pupils were round and not slotted. “It is obvious of what I am.”
“No it is not,” Theodore bent down to stare into her eyes. On closer inspection he could see that her ears were pointed and there were tiny fins attached to her wrists. “Are you a mermaid or a sea nymph?”
“There are many legends.” She ran her fingers over the hem of her gown and pulled at the material, revealing legs that were covered in tiny scales and her feet were long and stretched with webbing between the toes like flippers. “I am a nixie, a water faerie if you will.”
“I thought water faeries preferred fresh water,” Theodore still couldn’t believe that such beings were real, there was one in his cabin and he was having a conversation with one.
“We live in all kinds of water,” the faerie said. “We live in lakes, and ponds, rivers and springs, and creeks and the sea. My clan lives in the sea.”
“I am sorry,” Theodore stood back up. “I still can’t believe you are real.”
“I am very much real and as I promised I have come to help you help him.”
“You want to save James,” Theodore cocked his head to the side. “While I do thank you I have to wonder why you wish to help.”
“He did something for me once, a long time ago.” Her eyes widened and she rubbed her stomach. “I’m sorry. I’m a bit hungry.”
“I shall be right back.”
-
Theodore tried to avoid everyone as he made his way to the galley. He did not want to answer any questions about the strange fish he had caught earlier. What was he going to tell them? The fish he caught had turned into water faerie? If they hadn’t thought he had gone mad earlier then they would when he told them the truth.
“Good morning Captain Groves,” Abigail Peterson greeted him when he entered. She was stirring some strange concoction in a bowl.
“Morning,” Theodore greeted her. “If you wished to have breakfast you could have sent the message to one of my men.
“This isn’t for me,” Abigail stared at the bowl. “It is for Mr. Gull.” She clearly had meant the injured seagull. “He is my responsibility and I have made this mix of pieces of scones and cream and fish.”
“This cream is still fresh?” He pointed to the nearby pitcher.
“They have just brought it up from the where they store the beasts,” Abigail explained.
“Perfect,” he searched through the cupboards for the right dish and settled on saucer, it would be the size of large soup bowl for the faerie, but it would do. “I need to ask a small favor of you.”
“You are asking me for a favor?” Abigail arched an elegant brow and pointed to herself.
“When you see any of my men on your way back to your cabin I want you to tell them that I had caught you a fish to give Mr. Gull.”
“But you haven’t, I had to use some bait fish for his morning meal.”
“I will explain everything,” he tilted the pitcher just enough for a little bit of the cream to fit the saucer. “I just need you to do that for me right now.” He set the saucer down on a tray.
“Have you a new responsibility?” Abigail asked. “Like my own with Mr. Gull?”
“Similar.” He searched a little more through out the galley and found a slice of bread and the honey pot. “Although its appetite may be a bit more varied.” He did not like referring the faerie as an "it", but he couldn’t tell Abigail what she was, not without showing her, and he was certain his guest was ready to be seen by all.
“I have never heard of animal that dines on cream and bread and honey,” Abigail gave the mixture one last stir. “I was told stories where elves and faeries and the like dine on such foodstuffs.”
“Yes,” he stared at the bread. He had divided the slice into four triangular sections after he had spread the honey on. “I should give you the honest truth. I have gotten into more than my share of the liquor last night. My father told me this is a good cure for the aftermath.
Abigail stared at him, stepped closer and stared deep into his eyes. “You certainly do not appear like someone who was very drunk the night prior.”
“I tend to not show it,” Theodore placed the bread slices on the tray along with the cream.”
“I wish you feel well,” Abigail carried her bowl out of the galley.
Theodore placed the covering over the tray. He had a feeling that she didn’t believe him. He hoped he would be able to explain himself in the future.
-
“Miss,” Theodore did not meet any strange stares as he made his way back to his cabin. “I have returned with some food. Miss Faerie?”
“Did I forget to give you my name?” The faerie jumped down from a one of the chairs. “I’m sorry. It is hard for human tongue to pronounce my name. You can call me Whitecap.”
“I at least have a name to call you,” Theodore grabbed a cushion and placed it on the floor and placed the tray on top of it. “I hope this is enough for now.”
“Ah,” Whitecap blinked when the cover was removed. “You have heard faeries enjoy cream, honey, and bread.”
“I can get you more if it isn’t enough.”
“Oh it is,” she lifted the saucer with both hands and took a sip. “I also like fruit if you have any, but you don’t have to give it to me now. This will be enough.”
“I will keep that in mind.” He was starting to feel a little hungry himself. “What has happened to James?”
“He and his crew had been taken captive by another creature you once thought was a myth.” She took a bite from the bread. “It would be best if we waited for the others.”
“What others?” Theodore raised his eyebrows.
“She who can see in dreams and he who was once a Chosen, and those close to them.”
“I will go and find them,” Theodore was certain she implied the Turners. He had a feeling the one who dreamed was Julia since did have a nightmare about James. He would also invite Abigail. He no idea why he wanted her along, only because he wanted her to know the truth.
“Let them eat first,” Whitecap raised a finger. “They would take the information better on a full stomach.”
-
Besnik
Date: 2007-07-12 10:12 am (UTC)From: (Anonymous)