Adult-FanFiction.org : Movies

Tortuga: Roses and Thorns	By : MarianTheBlackadder Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (All) > Het - Male/Female Views: 2441 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
~Dream Catchers~
          Norrington starred into Dani’s eyes as he pumped his hips hard deep into her body, his strong arms holding her tight against him as he lay over her. She clung to his shoulders, thrusting her hips against his crying out in the final throws passion. Satisfied that she had been satisfied, James pushed deep inside her quivering womanhood and released himself reaching his own climax keeping his gaze locked on Dani’s.
           When he did this, Dani’s look changed and her eyes narrowed. Norrington wasn’t at all sure why he did that, and his eyes turned away as he released her from his arms letting her out from under him. Dani scooted over and turned over away from him on her stomach pulling the sheet back over her. James moved closer and wrapped his arm around her naked body pulling her close wanting to feel her warmth against his own body.

           “You do it just because I say not to, that’s it isn’t it.” She said in an irritated tone. “Just because I tell you to pull out before you go doing that . . . and it’s breaking one of my rules . . . it makes it more fun for you doesn’t it.”
           Norrington sighed, “Just what exactly has put in such a God awful mood tonight?” He questioned. “You aren’t usually this irritable and so intent about nit picking everything down to the last detail.”
           “There you go, changing the subject.” She said punching her pillow and smashing it back under her head. Norrington lifted his head looking at her for a moment.
           “I think you are the one who is changing the subject.” He countered. “I haven’t even brought up the subject of your trying to kill me earlier. That is rather new to say the least.” Dani grew quiet. “You see. And I definitely think that deserves a bit of explanation.” She still didn’t say anything. Norrington reached over grasping her shoulder and turned her onto her back so he could look down at her. “What is it?” He demanded to know.
           “You need to get out of Tortuga, James Norrington.” She said simply. “Before it swallows you whole and takes the last ounce of your humanity with it.” Pushing his hand away she rolled back over onto her side pulling the sheet up over her shoulder hoping to successfully end the conversation
           Norrington looked at her for several moments before lying back down, just starring at her back. It seemed his question had been answered for him. It was her who had killed MacQueen. That was why she was longing for her old life so badly right now and trying to pretend as though it was still her life even if it was just a few hours by herself. A lot of things that had happened over the course of the evening made sense now. He sighed slightly.
           “Come here, Dani.” Norrington said after a few moments. The young woman furrowed her brow not certain if she had heard correctly. After all of that, was he actually commanding her to do anything? “Come to me. Now.” He said directly, clearing up any misconceptions she might have had about what he had said.
           She raised her head and turned looking at him. There was no mistake, it was what he had said. When it seemed she wasn’t complying with his demand, he reached over and took her by the shoulder pulling her back against him wrapping his arms around her getting them both comfortable and settling back into the mattress and pillows.
           “Your brother taught you how to handle a dagger. I recognize the technique. A rather sloppy one at best, but when one is attacking outright there isn’t really a more graceful way to accommodate.” Dani sighed wondering why he wanted to talk at all. Usually men were quite happy not to have a word spoken when they were finished. Just drop a few coins and be gone.
            Norrington leaned close to her ear, “You fuss about it, but honestly I think you happen to adore having my seed inside you.” Dani’s eyes went wide when she heard his words. It was an incredibly vulgar thing to say.
           “How dare you! You arrogant ass! Only you would be so bold as to think any woman would crave your jizz inside her!” She shouted as she started to get up swatting his hands away from her body. Only James wrapped his arm around her and slammed her back down on the mattress leaning over her a bit so she couldn’t get up again.
           “Tell me I’m wrong then. Look into my eyes and tell me I’m wrong. That your body doesn’t quiver and shake aching for me to fill your depths.” He said holding her down against the mattress.
           “What are you trying to do, James Norrington!” She shouted, “Create another life that I have to end because it cannot be brought into this world!” She cried. “Just because it gets you hard thinking about how good it feels to sew your wild oats in someone who doesn’t want them!”
           James lowered his head with a sigh closing his eyes, “Dani . . . for Christ’s sake.” He said with a groan. “There’s got to be a way to get you started.” He said rolling over off of her starring at the ceiling. “The knife was interesting . . . . it’s a shame that you wanted to kill me with it instead of just try and mame a little.”
           “What are you talking about.” She snapped slightly.
           “I’m starting to wish I had a chance at MacQueen for stealing away your passion before his death. At least before, you were a bit of a challenge. A real adversary to be reckoned with.”
           “If I’m not your taste anymore, there’s the door. I’m sure you know how to use it.” She said bluntly. “You’ll find another on Tortuga that’s more to your liking. Perhaps even better company then I’ve ever been.”
           Norrington half laughed, “Your just scared Dani. That’s all.” He turned his head to look over at her. “You were pushed, and pushed until you could be pushed no further. It was that fiery passion in your that wouldn’t be broken . . . and it the same furious passion that led you to MacQueen’s room that day, and end his life.” It was quiet for a moment before Dani looked over at him. “Now your afraid because you had no idea just how passionate you were . . . how incredibly powerful passion can be. So you don’t want to touch it ever again. It frightened you.”
           “Be quiet.” She said starring at him breathing deeper as if he was reading everything that was going on inside her like she was nothing more then an open book.
           “It caused you to do strange things didn’t it? Even after he was dead, you didn’t stop there . . . you were still so angry after everything he had done, everything he had threatened, every time he struck you and threatened to hurt your friends if you didn’t do as he says . . . . so you kept stabbing him, even though there was no real purpose in it . . . he was already dead.”
           “Shut up . . .” Dani said her eyes wide as she sat up starting to shake a little, her throat feeling dry. Norrington sat up quickly keeping his eyes locked on hers. “Just . . . stop it James!” She said louder.
           Reaching out he grabbed her shoulders not allowing her to retreat like she was preparing to do. “How many times did he take you Dani? How many times did he force himself upon you, or force someone else upon you?”
           “HE DIDN’T” She nearly screamed. Breathing hard holding onto his arms looking into his eyes in terror. “He tried . . . so many times to force me to do what he said . . . and I refused. He didn’t trust me to suck his cock, because he knew if he put it near my mouth I would bite it off in a heartbeat . . . . I wouldn’t care if he killed me for it. He tried to have me and Kelly . . . . to have us . . .” She stopped not even wanting to recall his demand, “While he watched . . . . he settled for a lavish kiss, and sent Kelly back to her room before beating me half to death for disobeying him.” Her eyes started to tear slightly, “He started to hurt the girls . . . to make me watch while he did things to them . . . refused to let me do anything to save them.”
           James watched her as she spoke and could almost see the helplessness she was feeling that thrust her into the state of mind that sent her to MacQueeen’s room that day. “He was out of his mind . . . . I don’t know what he was trying to prove to me. What he wanted from me. I wouldn’t let him near me . . . every time he tried to touch me I attacked him . . . . but he made sure I . . . . or at least attempted to make me learn my lesson . . . .but I never learned.”
           Her eyes shifted from the memories of what had gone on with MacQueen back to James as she reached up cupping his face in her hands, “You see? You see James? That’s why you must get off Tortuga, it’s cursed . . . . it drags everyone down into it’s maggot infested bowels sooner or later no matter how they try not to let themselves become apart of it.”
           “You escaped it, Dani. The bastard had to die. No one else could have . . . would have done it. You saved yourself, you saved your friends. Who knows who else you might have saved from his tyrannical nonsense by removing his carcass from this world. You should be satisfied with the small bit of justice you brought to this God forsaken island . . . instead of tormented by it. You did what had to be done.”
           “Shut up.” She said wrapping her arm around his neck and pulling him into a bestial furious like kiss. James was a little surprised by the sudden turnaround but eagerly returned the kiss. Dani wrapped her thigh around his hip, and Norrington reached down grabbing her knee pulling her leg further around him pressing his manhood against her warm sex. His other arm wrapping around her back embracing her tightly. “I must be mad James.” She whispered leaning her head back as he hungrily tasted her throat and neck.
           “No more then I . . .,” he whispered as her hands slid up his shoulders and into his hair lowering his head further down to her breasts as she arched her back. “ . . . I feel the same rush after a battle . . .” letting his tongue flick at one of her nipples he suckled at it lightly for a moment before raising his head, sliding his hand up her back seeking out her lips once more. They hungrily consumed one another’s mouths, as James hand moved to the back of Dani’s neck and he slowly tipped her backwards laying her beneath him on the mattress.

~Dysfunctional~
           Kelly, Jess, Dani and several of the others from the house where all down by the shoreline doing their laundry in the early morning hours. It had gotten to be a habit in the past few weeks so that they could troll for customers in the taverns. They got paid more when they washed their clothes at least once or twice a week and it was always a blessing to rake in more pay.
           Jess and Kelly as usual stayed close to Dani and chatted a little about customers they had had and traded stories back and forth. There was a bit of an uneasy feeling about, and Dani wasn’t blind. She could see the others around casting glances in her direction. It was something that had been going on for a while. It wasn’t like before. These glances where about something else, and there were whispers that she couldn’t quite hear but she knew that there were rumors and gossip that were surrounding her name.
           When a noticeable group of whisperers nearby that they didn’t even know were actually pointing her out, Dani’s smile faded as she looked down and concentrated on her wash. Jess and Kelly looked at each other before looking over to see what had changed Dani’s mood. Their own smiles faded as they realized what had upset her.
           “Don’t let it get to you Dani.” Kelly said. “Rumors are just a pass time in Tortuga. You know that.”
           “The talk will stop soon enough and they’ll move on to the next one. They’ll forget all about it.” Jess added.
            “What are they going on about?” Dani said looking at her friends. “Perhaps it wouldn’t bother me so much if I knew what it was all about. I’m not usually so out of the flow of things that I don’t even know what the rumors are.” Jess and Kelly looked at each other again.
           “You mean . . . you don’t know?” Jess said in amazement. Dani shook her head looking between the two. It must have been something huge for that sort of reaction to her being oblivious to the rumors. “How could you not?”
           “Dani that’ll only make the rumors worse.” Kelly said leaning closer keeping her voice down. Dani was at a loss still not knowing what was going on. Kelly thought she had better tell her quickly and looked about so no one could hear and scooted a little closer. “Everyone is sayin that you’re Norrington’s whore.”
           Dani half laughed and rolled her eyes, “Is that all?” She said shaking her head. “I’m the only one that will service him. What’s the rumor there? That’s no secret.”
           Jess put her hand on Dani’s arm, “Exclusively, Dani. That you haven’t been takin’ other customers and that you don’t charge him anymore.” She said quickly. Dani frowned a little looking between the two girls.
           “You know that’s bad for business, Dani. Especially with his reputation. You won’t have anyone comin’ around you offerin’ you any kind of work.” Kelly sighed, “Some are even sayin’ that it was him who killed MacQueen. Because he was jealous of you.”
            “That’s ridiculous. James Norrington is a drunkard and a hot tempered fool. Not a murderer.” Dani said reaching out and taking a skirt as she started to wring the water from it. “Why are people saying these kinds of things. Why are these rumors circulating about anyway.” She said a little frustrated that so much attention seemed to be focused on her right now.
              Jess blushed a little as Kelly looked at her before looking back at Dani. “You’re really askin’ me this?” Dani glanced at Kelly before she stopped what she was doing and looked at her again seeing the look on her face and the blush on Jess’s cheeks wondering what on earth she was hesitating to tell her. Kelly paused for a moment before answering, “You and Norrington are worse then brawling pirates with each other. You mate like violent rabbits. Brawling violent pirate rabbits even.”
               Dani was speechless. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. “Kelly!” She exclaimed.
               “You asked me, and I’m tellin’ you! The walls of the boarding house aren’t so thick love. Perhaps you can’t hear conversation but you can certainly hear screams, hollers, strikes, punches and pounding as hard as the two of you go at each other. Honestly I don’t know how either of you walk about at the end of it all.”
                 Jess giggled and covered her mouth turning her face away. Dani shook her head completely and utterly embarrassed raising her hand to her head realizing that entertainment was being had by half the boarding house at night at her expense. “The point is, Dani . . .” Kelly continued. “You need to sort out what your doin’ and fast. I’m not sayin’ you should get rid of Norrington completely . . . if that’s the sort of thing you like . . . and want . . . I suppose.” She grumbled to herself twisting her garment she was washing and putting it in her basket once it was wrung out before moving to the next. “But, maybe just until you get yourself back into your regular ways you better tell him not to come round. Aye? We’ve all been a little out of sorts since MacQueen was killed. It’ll be a while before we’re all back to normal. It affected you too. You need time as well.”
                Dani watched Kelly a moment before she sighed and wrung out some of her laundry as well putting it in the basket. “I suppose your right.” She said softly. “He shouldn’t come around so much.”
                Kelly glanced at Dani a moment before going on about her work.

~Sick and Twisted~
           Norrington was sitting on some crates in an alley behind a Tavern, half asleep with his head leaning back against the wall. His arm was draped over another crate as he had his feet up on yet another and his ankles crossed, as comfortable as one could be under the circumstances. There wasn’t much of anything to do in Tortuga during the daylight hours. That was usually the business time of the day, and if one was half drunk or hung over it was unlikely he could make himself useful in getting a days work for a days worth of wages. All he could really do was nap until the sun set and he could wonder about nipping a drink of rum here or there.
           “You really are a useless lump, do you know that?” Norrington half opened his eyes to see who was addressing him furrowing his brow at the tone. Kelly stood in the alleyway with her hand on her hip and her arm around a basket. “You can’t even find somethin’ to be doin’ during the day other then to lie about attractin’ flees and acquiring a smell that would make a pig cry.”
           “Didn’t you die.” He stated in a disappointed tone that she was still alive and well.
           She smirked, “Only in your dreams. I’m still quite alive and healthy.” She said putting her basket down and walking over knocking his feet off the crates, “A far cry from what your goin’ to be if you come round the house botherin’ Dani every night like you been doin’.”
           Norrington sat up almost falling off the crates and pushed his hat back, angry that she had thrown him so much off balance and jolted him about so. “Is there ever been a time in your miserable existence where you didn’t pry into affairs that didn’t concern you?” He said giving her an evil glare. Yet Kelly glared right back. James look darkened as he clinched his jaw. “If Dani didn’t want me to go to her she is a grown woman and fully capable of telling me on her own. She doesn’t need you to act as her guardian.”
           “Oh Dani’s grown, that’s true enough. She’s smarter then most of the rest of us combined I’ll testify to that. But you’ve managed to addle her brain beyond a question of how smart she is.” Norrington stood up dusting himself off slightly.
             “You’ve no business in my affairs, or hers. There is nothing that gives you the right to invade our privacy. I don’t care if you’re her friend, no level of concern gives you a warrant to go poking about in things that do not concern you.” Suddenly Kelly lashed out and smacked him.
              “You’re a man you wanker. You can walk away from her at any time and lie about where you’ve been and what you’ve done. Be whatever you want, and no one will say boo to you. She can’t. She’s a woman and this, heaven forbid, is a mans world. But she’ll please you . . . . she’ll do whatever it takes to please you, . . . . because as smart as she is . . . she’s done the worst and fallen in love with you.”
               James grit his teeth and took a step towards her to react with a response to the slap but stopped, freezing in place when he heard her last words. “What?”
               “You heard me! What she sees in you I’ll never know, and why she does will remain a mystery for the ages! You treat her like dirt as you have treated every other woman on the island if not worse!” James was dumbstruck a moment as he stared into Kelly’s angry face.
                “She told you this?” He said still not certain if he had heard correctly.
                 “Dani won’t even admit it to herself, you think she’s going to say it out loud indirectly?” Norrington looked away. “Even more reason for you to stay away from her. She’s sacrificed enough of herself for you, why make her sacrifice any more.”
                “Kelly . . . how evil can you be.” Norrington snapped turning looking at her. Kelly grew quiet not expecting him to have said that. “It’s no secret that you yourself are in love with Dani. Every word that you utter is nothing more then the ranting of a scorned would be lover. Despite that, she would defend you as eagerly as she would defend me if someone were to speak ill of either one of us. So you’ll excuse me if I do not take this conversation to heart.”
                 Giving her an evil look, he turned and walked away down the alley. With wide eyes Kelly took a few steps after him, “STAY AWAY FROM HER JAMES NORRINGTON!” She cried. “LEAVE HER BE!!” When he disappeared around the corner, she kicked the crates and yelled.

~Gypsy Curse~
           James sat on the rocks where he and Dani had sat together when they had swam on a few occasions, racing each other out to the far rocks that could barely be seen this time of night even by the moonlight. Throwing one rock after another, skipping it along the surface of the water lost in thought. He had told Kelly that he wouldn’t think about what she said, but her words were invading his mind like an infection.
           It was something that he had thought about before, perhaps because it was a struggle he was having himself. Denying that he felt anything for Dani other then pure and utter lust one would feel for a woman. That she was nothing more then a paid whore to visit when he wanted physical satisfaction or comfort. Yet that wasn’t always the case. Sometimes he just wanted to see her eyes, hear her voice, share her company, take in her scent after she had had a bath. There was a certain joy he felt just being close to her when they were doing nothing more then having a conversation. Even a cutting one when they were trying to outwit the other with remarks that could clip a hedge of their tongues were sharpened blades. Sometimes he would look annoyed when really there was a smile on the inside that she was so intelligent that she could keep up with him, rather then fold and give in.
           Norrington skipped another rock as he thought about how beautiful she was with her hair down, and the soft warmth of her skin when he held her in her arms while she slept. There where times when he just watched her sleep, careful not to breathe to much or to hard that she might wake and remember that he was there. Once he could remember pretending that they were man and wife, in his mind of course not out loud, and what a pleasant feeling it was to imagine that she was Mrs. Commodore James Norrington. A complete fantasy from beginning to end, but a wonderful dream it was.
           The few moments he was presented with the possibility of being a father, a similar dream popped into his mind. They would be husband and wife, she would be Mrs. James Norrington, and they would have three sons, one named after her father, one named after his father, and one named after him. In the highly unlikely event that they would have a daughter, she would be sent to be raised in a convent. To be well protected and hidden away from all the evils of the world. She would have an arranged marriage, to a man as close to her own age as possible, very wealthy and very handsome with a large family, so that she would never find herself in her mother’s situation. Ever.
           James skipped yet another rock. It was strange how the mind could wonder off so far into such dreams. The feeling that they gave a man that made him feel like he had the world in the palm of his hand even though it was just an illusion.
           But the question was starting to linger in his mind. They were both on Tortuga, they were basically together each night as it was, what would be so wrong about their staying together exclusively? What would be so wrong in that? As far as sin went, neither of them could really go much further down the sinners path. What on earth would really change from this moment except that she would be his and he wouldn’t have to share her with anyone anymore? Yes . . . that sounded rather agreeable actually. Not having to share Dani with the entire island.
           Norrington skipped yet another rock, remembering something Dani said a few weeks back about his trying to regain access to his old life and how there would be no place for her in it. That was a quandary. That went hand in hand with what Kelly had to say earlier about it being a man’s world. Perhaps his sins were redeemable in someway in the worlds eyes, but Dani was a woman. Things would always be different, she would be looked upon differently and it would reflect upon him as well.
           But here, on Tortuga, it didn’t matter much really. The rules were somewhat different. And of course what if they went somewhere else? What if they went somewhere that no one knew them by name or face? It would be a new start for both of them. They would simply leave their lives behind and have a chance to start a third time with a clean slate.
            James skipped another rock and sighed. His mind was going off, dreaming again with thoughts such as those. If only things were so simple and not so complicated. How could he just forget about her? She was everything since he came to Tortuga. The little bit of heaven he had been allowed to have when everything else was gone. The warmth he could seek out on the coldest of nights, the safety he could turn to and always knew was there, that would hold him against her bosom and tell him everything was going to be alright. Even though neither of them knew how it ever would be. How could he not love her?
             “JAMES!” A voice shrieked coming up from behind him. “JAMES NORRINGTON!” He quickly stood turning around seeing Jess tripping over the rocks clinging to her shawl around her shoulders.

~Rest In Peace~
             Norrington ran as fast as he could with Jess struggling to keep up with him. “Please hurry. Please hurry.” She cried. Entering the boarding house, James nearly kicked open Dani’s door pushing girls out of the way.
           Dani was lying on her bed, a pale almost white color to her skin. “What happened.” James demanded as he sat down next to her taking her hand, and putting his hand on her forehead. She was cold as ice, almost frozen to the touch. Leaning down he put his ear by her mouth. He couldn’t hear her breathing, or feel her breath on his face.
           “Mary was here this morning.” Jess said quickly with tears in her eyes, hardly able to choke out the words.
           James turned and looked at Jess, “Mary? The midwife that Kelly had look after her months ago?” He said with a frown. Jess swallowed the lump in her throat trying to breathe as she nodded.
          “I asked Dani what was the matter, but she wouldn’t tell me. She was upset, but wasn’t crying. She just . . . she just shut her door and I didn’t see her the rest of the day.” She said breaking down into tears again. Norrington paused and looked back at Jess again.
            “You spoke to Dani?” He said. “After Mary left?” Jess nodded with tears streaming down her face. James thought a moment his eyes wide, “She didn’t do this to her.” He looked back at Dani, “Christ, Dani what have you done.”
           Quickly he reached up sliding his finger into her mouth so he could look down her throat seeing blood, and then opened her eyes with his thumbs. “She’s poisoned herself.” He breathed. “Get a surgeon now!” He called out.
           “A surgeon?” One of the girls said as they looked around at each other. “Where is there a doctor around this place?” another said in a worried whine, others were still crying not sure what to do.
           “This is Tortuga, it’s the fucking end of the line for Christ sake, everything ends up here, FIND ONE!” He shouted. “MOVE!!” He roared when they didn’t seem to move from their places. The girls jumped at the sound of his thundering voice and they all scattered quickly running from the room.
           Reaching up he pulled her shirt open and the buttons popped off her blouse. He pressed his ear against his chest holding his breath listening closely. He didn’t hear anything, and her skin was cold against his face. It was starting to become evident that Jess had found her to late. His hand rested gently against her head as his eyes closed tightly,

feeling a pain in his own chest starting to stab harshly.
           The only reason for that woman to have been there earlier in the day, Mary, when she lived all the way on the other side of the island would have been because Dani suspected that she was with child again, or she knew and wanted conformation. She had been talking strangely about this life, about how much she had hated it these past weeks since MacQueen’s death. How much she hated herself, the life that she had lived and could never escape from.
           He grit his teeth as an overwhelming feeling of despair started to swallow him from deep within. Perhaps what Kelly had said was true, she did love him and it was his blindness that had contributed to her feeling as though she was so alone. Dani was so independent and had a strong feisty will that could make even the closest of persons forget that she was just as fragile as the next woman.
           A soft, almost faint heartbeat against his ear caused his eyes to open. He pressed his ear a bit harder against her chest holding his breath his eyes wide, and after another long moment he heard a second heartbeat. Raising his head he began to rub her chest over her breastbone vigorously, trying to encourage some sort of circulation over her heart even though he had no idea what he was doing. He looked about, “Cold . . . cold . . .she’s cold.” He said out loud, trying to figure out what else to do continuing to rub her chest.

~Farewell~
           James sat on the floor of Dani’s room his back against the wall, clutching the black ribbon that she had used to tie up her hair on occasion in his hand. He been there for hours, every since they took her body out to prepare her for burial. It took a great deal of persuasion to get him to let them take her finally. He sat with her body once it was made clear that there was nothing more that could be done and she was gone. Almost two days.
           Kelly stood at the door watching him for several moments, not saying anything. There wasn’t really anything to say, and it didn’t seem like there was anything that could be said. After the longest time, she stepped into the room and Norrington’s eyes shifted towards her. Kelly was one of the ones who was helping prepare Dani to be buried. He had no idea what she had to say to him, but he was certain that it wasn’t going to be pleasant. He was in no mood for anything she had to say, and God help her if she opened her mouth to blame him for this.
           Instead, Kelly produced a white envelope from her pocket. “We found this in Dani’s skirts.” She said simply. Walking over she placed it on the table he was sitting next to. Giving him once last look she put her head down and left the room leaving him alone once again.
           Norrington watched Kelly leave, glaring at her as she left. He had developed a natural hate for every living thing in the past few days. Wishing that they would all suffer as much as he had. From beginning to end and understand just how miserable it was to be alive. Reaching up he took the envelope from the table.
           A shutter went up his spine when he turned it over seeing his name written in the clear elegant swirls of Dani’s handwriting. ‘James Norrington’. It even smelled like her, Lilacs and Jasmine. Turning it over again, he started to open it but stopped. He couldn’t open it any further. He couldn’t take seeing what she had written, not right now. No doubt it was to blame him for her death. Making her life so unbearable that she couldn’t go on any longer. Lord knows that she had every right to do so, but he simply couldn’t read the words she’d written right at this moment. Not after he had spent the past few days, holding her hand as she died, staying by her side hoping that perhaps a miracle would occur and she would somehow magically come back to life. Norrington sighed as he lowered the envelope and held his fist that clutched her ribbon against his forehead.

~Funeral~
           At the gravesite, there was quite a turnout. Dani really did have quite a circle of friends and people who thought well of her. Tavern owners, every girl at the boarding house, even those who ran the same sort of rackets as MacQueen did made an appearance in the background. Her full name was provided for her marker by an anonymous source . . . the only one who knew it. The only person she had ever told it to, but James didn’t feel the need to make it know it was him who provided it.
“Daniela “Dani”

Josephine McKey”
           Once she was lowered into the grave and words were said over her wooden casket, the grave was filled in and everyone walked by paying their respects as they went back into town out of the graveyard. James stood alone, away from the crowds not speaking with anyone, not wishing to. Kelly and Jess placed flowers at the base of Dani’s marker and wrapped their arms around each other standing for another moment remembering their friend. Kelly’s eyes moved out towards James several times during the service, as did several others but no one said anything and Norrington paid them no mind.
           When at last, the final person walked out of the graveyard and back into town James finally approached Dani’s grave in silence. He looked at her marker a moment, before placing a small bouquet of flowers underneath her name as he crouched down beside the freshly filled in dirt.
           “I suppose I’m the last one you wanted to see at your funeral.” He said, “Being the one who put you in your grave.” He paused a moment looking out over the water having so much to say to her, but feeling as though he had missed the chance to say it. “I waited you know. I kept, waiting for you to open your eyes. To look at me and call me a bastard one more time. Even after they said there was no cure for the poison you’d taken. I was so sure you wouldn’t leave without giving me a piece of your mind.” That harsh stabbing feeling was hacking into his chest again. “I’m sorry Dani.” He said looking at her grave marker again. “I know you hated me at the last, for what I did to you. I know you didn’t want a child with me, but I ignored your rules at every chance I broke them. I shouldn’t have forced it upon you. I’m not like all these wondering uneducated morons that go walking about this place, I know what not pulling out would result in full well. I’m sorry.”
           He didn’t know what else to say, he would give anything for her to be alive right now to smack him across the face for what he had done. Looking at her marker again, he realized that perhaps she could have the final say. Remembering the letter that they had found in her skirt, he reached into his pocket and took it out. Turning it over he opened it and took out the letter.
            Norrington prepared himself, and slowly unfolded the parchment:

James,

           I don’t know how to write this letter. I have all sorts of thoughts running through my mind and very little time to put them down on paper. What’s done, is done and nothing can undo it now. So there is no danger anymore in speaking my mind, or my heart.

           I received news this morning that I am to have a child in the summer months of next year. I was offered the same escape from this that I was given before, but I cannot go through the pain of what such a so called ‘escape’ left behind a second time. I’ve already deprived two of their lives, I cannot take yet another and I feel that if I continue to live mine . . . depriving others of their lives with continually come into question sooner or later. I may have quite a few strengths of my own, James . . . but murder is not one of them. It pains me to say that I took pleasure in killing MacQueen, and it terrifies me to have done so. I have lived in Tortuga to long, if it has become a pleasurable occurrence to watch the life leave another human being and take joy in being the one who caused it’s departure.

           Yes James, the child is yours. And I wanted it. With all my heart and soul I wanted it for my own, because it was our child. I had foolish notions of taking all the money I had earned and traveling somewhere far away, to give birth to our child and raise him as my own. But I hadn’t nearly enough money to book passage, and the East India Trading Company would have had me marked as a whore before I made it past their inspections. Tortuga is no place to raise a child, and a whore has no business being a mother.

           Perhaps I should take this secret with me into death . . . but it doesn’t seem fair too. Not after the past that you had to endure that included a woman whose name I dare not speak.

           I was afraid to admit to myself that it was true, that I even cared for you much less anything more. I pushed you away from me constantly, I insisted that you leave me an never came back. Yet for some reason I could never quite explain or understand I always took you in. Always fed you when you were hungry, always let you sleep in my bed when you had no where else to go, took care of you when you were sick, mended you when you were ill, and yes . . . even gave you a throw every now and then when you didn’t pay me.

           I love you James Norrington. I must have always loved you and simply refused to realize it. We’ve never exactly been kind to each other, but that’s not the sort of relationship we have. There is kindness and generosity there when it’s absolutely needed, but we are the sort that need to be kept in line, reminded that we are not stronger then the other, and that we are not always in control of the situation. Neither of us will ever back down from a fight, we shall never surrender, and we will always approach life or death on our own terms. And everything in between.

           There is no other ending for us here James, this must be it. You have a life, waiting for you to come back to it. Opportunities standing at the ready, you simply have to see your chance and seize it.

           There is nothing that comforts me more now as I feel my body starting to grow numb then remembering all the times we spent together in each other’s arms. The explosive passion we shared unmatched by any other, that so many will never know.

           My time is running short, I wish I had a few more moments to say a bit more, but I think I should lie down now.

           I’ve already said it in this letter, but what I could not say to you in life, I must say to you again now: I love you James Norrington, with all my heart, and for the rest of eternity. I will always be there to watch over you, so you needn’t feel alone again. I promise that you shall find a way to have your old life back, and restore honor to your name. Don’t lose hope . . . it is not the Norrington way.

Forever Yours,
Daniela Josephine McKey

           James was floored as he read the words she wrote, hardly able to believe it. Tears formed in his eyes as he closed them and pressed the letter against his face wishing that it was Dani so he could hold her in his arms again. Pulling the letter away from his face as he clutched it in his fists he leaned his head back looking towards the heavens feeling as though his chest would burst from the pain that was chewing through his insides. The tears escaped his eyes and rolled down his cheeks as he closed his eyes and grit his teeth fighting against the sorrow and utter despair as his entire body tensed in gut wrenching agony.
           Reaching out he placed his hand on the freshly dug pile of dirt bowing his head, “Dani I loved you, I loved you desperately.” He breathed clinching a handful of dirt tightly in his hand, “You didn’t have to leave . . . we would have found a way. Some way to escape this place together.” He couldn’t breathe, it was like he was drowning and there was no air to be had. Reaching up with the hand that held the letter he clutched his hand over his heart, barely able to cope with the pain. “Oh God.” He said his eyes closing tighter as he leaned further over her grave.
           Leaning his arm across his knee he buried his head in his elbow gasping for air trying to clam himself down. “I thought I was in love once.” He said after a few minutes in a much calmer voice. “I told her she was a fine woman. Then proposed to her then and there.” His eyes turned towards the grave marker. “She wasn’t half the woman you were . . . and she was a supposed lady, who wouldn’t know what it is to love if it walked up and smacked her in the face with a butt of a riffle. She knew nothing of the love of others, only the love of herself.”
           “You were right Dani.” He said. “This world is a terrible one. But I’ll have to find something to regain my honor, and restore my place if I am to do something about it.” His eyes were looking out at the sea recognizing a ship that was sailing into port. A ship with black sails, which he would know in the dark with no lamplights. He’d chased it long enough, and hard enough. There was no mistaking, the Black Pearl.
           His eyes shifted back towards Dani’s gave marker and then to her letter that he held in his hand arching a brow. He was far to educated to believe in superstitions. But the timing of this was a bit of a perfect coincidence to say the least. He sighed a little and half smiled looking at her marker, “You can’t expect me to go from your funeral right into perusing a course of action to reclaim my birthrights, can you?”
           Looking down at the letter in his hand he started to put it away but stopped noticing he had missed a bit. Under where she had signed it he noticed a post script.
P.S. Don’t waste a moment when an opportunity presents itself. Tortuga is no place for a Commodore.

~Dani~

           James looked up at her marker again in disbelief. Putting his head down he thought about Dani, still feeling pain in every inch of his body not wanting to leave her grave side, or her yet. Not ever. Not the way he felt right now. He arched a brow looking up towards the marker once more, “All right, Dani.”
           Slowly he got to his feet putting the letter away as he started to walk out past her grave. However he stopped a moment and looked back towards her. “I promise you . . . Tortuga won’t be the end of me. It won’t even be a remembered storm in my voyage.” He paused a moment and smiled a little, “Except for you.” His eyes moved downcast as his smile faded a little, feeling his heart twist in his chest. Turning on his heel he left the graveyard, heading into town to the docks. To see if the Black Pearl was taking on any new crew.

~The End~
- 7
- 8
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Tortuga: Roses and Thorns