James Norrington / Reader - Part 3
And so it was that your father, who had started drinking more and more during the years, so much in fact that it had started to affect his sanity and had made him delusional, had decided to make you a captain of one of his ships. You sailed with the merchants to the waters that were ruled by neither the Brits nor the Spaniards where your own crew was waiting for you. Your father was also there which surprised you because the truth to be told, you were not that close. Oh no, you were not close at all because in his opinion you were too soft because you refused to take lives when you robbed merchant ships. In your opinion however your father had started to behave in a rather ruthless manner and if you had once admired him and considered him as an honorable man… your view had changed during the recent years. He used too much alcohol, took unnecessary risks that had caused many lives and he had committed shameful deeds, such as betrayed some of his most loyal friends for his own benefit.
There had been a time when your father had been different; he had been the one who had taught you the difference between right and wrong, always to negotiate before firing threats and taking up arms. He had been the one to explain that even if you were an outlaw you could still be an honorable person… and he had been the one to make you swear that you or your crew would never take a life when it was not absolutely necessary… and the only valid reason for such action was self defense or when you were defending people that you loved. These were the rules that you had been living by and he, your father, had been the man you had respected more than anyone… but unfortunately he was not the same great man he had once been. Oh no, he was now only a greedy, foolish drunk who had too much power and no will to use it wisely.
There had been increasing talks about mutiny among the sailors who sailed under your father’s command and most of them had sworn their loyalty to you in secret because in a way they saw in you what your father had been… many years ago. He had not turned selfish and cruel overnight but after your mother had died due to a long illness about thirteen years ago your father had gradually started to drink more and he had started to make exceptions to his own rules, take risks… especially during the last five years. Fortunately by that time you had already reached adulthood and learned everything he had in his sleeves to teach you, the proper values. You had also grown to be your own person, smart and strong, a woman who couldn’t be pressured to commit horrific acts. Therefore now that you were almost twenty seven years old you indeed were independent and had a strong sense of pride to hold onto the things that you knew to be right.
- Commodore. you said and bowed when your father walked down the stairs from the quarterdeck.
- Captain. your father said and gestured his personal servant to bring him a hat that had been decorated with one big feather and three slightly smaller feathers. There was also a brooch bejeweled with a couple of large gemstones that sparkled in the sunlight. Your father gestured you to bow your head down and when you did, he walked closer and put the hat on your head.
- A captain needs a hat. he said with a festive tone and gestured you to stand up straight after securing the hat with a couple of pins. He had also gotten you a coat that matched the hat by color and style and he helped you to put it on your dress. “Boots and trousers” he mumbled when he took a long look at you from head to toes.
The coat was made of deep red velvet that looked almost black when there was no direct light to highlight the velvety redness of the color. The coat was lined with black silk and was decorated with simple silver-colored embroideries that made the coat resemble a uniform. There were silver buttons and the sleeves were decorated with ruffles. There was a lacing in the back and some ruffles as well that made the coat look feminine without being too girly. He had also gotten you a proper sword, a sword that was sharp and light and looked impressive with your new clothes.
After this you and your father went to the captain’s cabin to discuss business. You told him that you had managed to secure trading deals with Port Royal by negotiating with the governor and your father commented that you sounded like you were about to switch sides and betray him. “You will never manage a fleet on your own, if you’re so soft” he stated with a mocking tone belittled all your accomplishments but then again you had basically known he would so you tried avoid taking it too personally. Yes, your father had wanted you to sail to Port Royal with your own crew and to force the town, the pride and joy of the British Crown, on its knees with cannons and swords. You however had defied your father’s wish and sailed there with merchant-allies instead. “There is something you’re not telling me, isn’t there?” your father asked because you seemed absent and your thoughts got derailed every once in a while during the conversation. “It’s nothing” you commented and pushed the memory of Captain Norrington aside since you couldn’t possible tell your father, the pirate lord, that you had fallen in love with a officer of the Royal Navy.
Your father left and during the following weeks you did not meet him. You kept doing what you did and he kept doing what he did and soon it had been almost four months since you had left Port Royal where you had spent the happiest week of your life with Norrington. You had hoped that your feelings would get milder instantly but every night the handsome gentleman haunted your dreams and if you had felt a little bit less in love during the previous evening, the next morning when you woke up you were deeply in love with him again.
Captain Norrington was getting restless. Restless and desperate. He had never felt so strongly towards anyone before and then, just as he had gotten used to feeling so lighthearted and bursting with happiness… you had just left. He had reasoned that his heartbreak and the love he carried in his heart for you would fade away soon but as the days had turned into weeks and weeks had eventually turned into a couple of months, he had noticed that his heart was not going to let you go. Therefore he had orchestrated a search party masked as a routine sailing and set the sails of HMS Dauntless to the waters that were ruled neither by the Brits nor the Spaniards. His own vessel, the Interceptor, had encountered pirates during the previous voyage and was currently under a massive reconstruction.
Norrington sailed the seas, asked around about Miss (Y/N) but despite many knowing your name and reputation as a merchant no one was able to tell the captain where your ship was anchored or even sailed. You were almost like a mythical being; no one had met you but everyone had a friend who had a friend who had actually done business with you. However this kind of hearsay was not really getting Norrington anywhere with his quest of finding you and therefore he decided to sail further into the uncharted waters that were mostly ruled by the pirates and cursed by monsters that lived in the deep oceanic trenches and came to the shallows to hunt for sailors who dared to sail too far from home. Norrington did not believe in such monster-tales but he was afraid of encountering pirates though.
And that was exactly what happened one night, a couple of hours before the sunrise; the pirates had sailed in the cover of darkness and ambushed the Royal ship. The pirates had fired their cannons at the Dauntless and as a result many of Norrington’s men had died and a handful had managed to escape into a medium-sized rowing boat before the barrels of gunpowder had exploded due to the fire aboard, leaving the Royal sailors at the mercy of the sea. Norrington cursed silently that his actions had caused so many of his men to die but after such enormous sacrifice he felt even more determined and compelled to find you so it wouldn’t be all for nothing. However he had a serious problem; he was on a rowing boat with thirteen of his men, there was no land in sight and he and the remaining members of his crew had no water to survive days drifting at the mercy of sea currents under the scorching sun.
As the hours passed and the day turned into night Norrington’s men started to get restless but the captain managed to calm them down, stating that these waters were traveled by many merchants and it wouldn’t take long for someone to find them. Norrington however was very profoundly concerned even though he managed to conceal his true emotions and thoughts; they had seen no ships in anywhere during the first day and it made him nervous. What if no one came? What if someone came but it would be too late already and all the rescuers find would be a boat-full of rotting corpses? What would the families of his soldiers think? He after all was supposed to keep their loved ones safe from harm and now he had done the exact opposite.
Above everything else Norrington prayed for a little rain because when the new morning dawned his men, Norrington included, started to feel badly dehydrated as well as exhausted. His men had in fact had started to behave in a very delusional and confused way, some thinking that they could swim ashore or to quench their thirst with the salty seawater. That however was pure madness because there was no land in sight in any direction, Norrington or any of his crew did not know how far they had drifted and what came to the matter of drinking-seawater… well, Norrington knew that his men were well aware that it was lethal to drink salty water. However the dehydration and the heatstroke caused by the sun was blurring the minds of his men and even Norrington, the most rational of all men, found himself occasionally toying with the idea of just swimming ashore, his first officer and good friend Gillette managed to keep the captain somewhat connected to the reality. Anyway, since most of the men of the captain’s crew was slowly going insane, it meant that the major part of Norrington’s time was spent keeping his men onboard and preventing them from drinking water from the surrounding sea.
However, unfortunately when the sun rose on the second day it was quite obvious that the day was going to be sunny and there were no clouds in sight, none in the horizon… none… anywhere. Any other day the captain would have been pleased for such calm seas and perfect weather, but not today. Norrington cursed himself for being so reckless; he should have known better not to leave the waters ruled by the British Crown but his rational mind had been clouded by his longing for the woman he believed to be the love of his life… his soul-mate, if one believed in such things.
He certainly had not. Oh no, Norrington had always been a man of reason and discipline. He had hoped to marry an amiable and agreeable woman from a respectable family, someone to dedicate herself to the upkeep of his household and to grow old with after living a very steady and well-balanced life that would surely make him and his wife very content… But… yes, but… He had met you, a fine lady, yes, but so much more complex and multi-dimensional than he had ever imagined. You were strong and independent, steadfast but still gentle and compassionate. You were attractive and enchanting, you captured the attention of a crowded room simply by entering it… and you were fearless. Yes, that, your strong character had terrified Norrington in the beginning, he had sensed danger and fierce adventures when he had met you in the party, topped by his notion that you did not talk about your life in great detail… and you had defended pirates… but his worries, concerns and doubts as well as suspicions had faded away during the week that he had spent with you… the week that had been the happiest week of his entire life.
Suddenly Norrington noticed a ship, sailing from the west as the sun was already setting, as it about to plunge into the sea in an hour. He knew that he and his men would not survive to see another day because they had been on the mercy of the sun without any water for a day and a half. Norrington woke his men up and encouraged them to wave their arms as well as shout even though their throats were sore and their mouths were dry which made making any sounds painful. But they had to try to draw attention to themselves if they wanted to survive.
You were called on the quarterdeck because the man whose duty was to keep a look-out had noticed a rowing boat filled with people clothed in hats and red uniforms. “British soldiers, most likely” you commented when the man described to you what he had seen. You took the telescope and mumbled with a barely audible tone “I wonder what they’re doing this far from the British waters” as you looked through the glass. You put the telescope away for a moment as you tried to decide what to do; you were currently sailing under the pirate-flag and you were absolutely certain that the soldiers would realize it and therefore you would put yourself as well as your crew into risk by changing the course and rescuing them.
But then again, you knew that these waters were ruled by the pirates and most of them did not share your restraint when it came to claiming a life of another. Besides, it could be days until the men in red coats would encounter any ships here and since they were sailing with a rowing boat, it meant that their ship most likely had sunken by… well, either pirates or sailing to shoal, which seemed very unlikely considering that there had not been any storms for a while. “It must have been pirates” you thought aloud and groaned because you hated to be in this situation. Would you risk your own crew or would you let the soldiers to die?
- Change the course! you ordered, pointed at the rowing boat in the distance and ran to the bow of the ship to take a closer look with the telescope again. The ship started to turn and soon you noticed the people in red coats waving at you although it was apparent that they were exhausted, most likely they had been adrift for a day or two.
Your ship approached slowly the rowing boat and when you reached them, you ordered your men to help the survivors aboard in anyway necessary. You straightened your coat and made sure that your hat was perfectly on your head when you walked to the men, laying on the deck of your ship. The men, few of them, tried to stand up but their limbs were too weak to carry them so there was no point for them to even try. “Bring water” you shouted immediately as you walked cautiously around the British soldiers. Soon the cook of your ship hurried with a carafe of water to the deck and he was followed by his apprentice who was carrying wooden cups to use as glasses. You ordered your men to help the soldiers to drink while you kept your keen eye on them but soon you realized that they would not pose any threat towards you and your crew… today at least.
- Who is your captain? Is he with you? you asked after the men had all managed to drink a bit. One of the men raised his hand and you walked to him, squatted down and took the hat off his head to expose his face since he was keeping his head bowed down. You put the hat on the deck and lifted his head by placing your hand under his chin.
- Norrington! you exclaimed when you recognized the face of the captain.
- Am I dead? he asked with a fragile voice that was filled with disbelief and then he passed out, fell forward which caused him to lean against your shoulder with his forehead.
- No, you’re not dead. you spoke softly and then added with the same loving voice “You’re safe.”
You helped the captain lean back and stood up, ordered your men to keep an eye on them and to help them drinking until they were fit to drink on their own. You forbid your crew to harm them and if any of the solders tried to take up arms, your crew would secure the situation without violence and tell you immediately so you would handle it yourself. After this you retired to your cabin and just as you were about to make a mark to the captain’s log, you suddenly stopped and put the quill away. You couldn’t make any note about this because you knew that your father inspected the logs regularly.
You took off your hat as well as your coat and boots and lay down when it was almost midnight. You however were incapable of getting any sleep because you were too nervous about tomorrow; the soldiers would gain consciousness for sure and Captain Norrington would find out who you really were. You decided to go out to the deck to keep an eye on the survivors as well as the horizon, told your crew that you would set sails in the morning towards the British waters because you would have to drop the soldiers off to a merchant ship that would take them to a British port.
Then the sun came up and as the darkness faded away the survivors started to look better as well. Some of them had even managed to eat a little, Norrington being one of them and now they did not resemble drifting corpses anymore. You retired to your cabin to calm your nerves and to put on your hat as well as your coat because there was no point to hide your true identity anymore. You also fastened your sword on the belt that decorated your hips, although you hoped more than anything that you wouldn’t have to threaten anyone with the weapon. You heard Captain Norrington talking with some member of your crew, demanding to speak with the captain and then, after taking a deep breath, you stepped out from the large cabin that was located right under the quarterdeck.
- Captain Norrington. I trust you’re feeling better. you said with a calm and friendly tone, although there was an undertone of cautiousness in it.
- Miss (Y/N)! Good God! Have you been kidnapped? he asked and stood up even though his feet were a bit shaky still. He took a quick look at you from head to toes and suddenly the expression on his face changed completely; he had been deeply shaken by the fact that he had found you on a pirate ship… but now he realized that you were wearing a captain’s hat and a pirate coat.
- You wanted to speak with the captain. you spoke and offered him your hand so he wouldn’t lose his balance but this time Norrington was the one who hesitated and rejected your gesture.
- Yes. Norrington said and looked at you with strong disbelief in his eyes. He grabbed the handle of his sword because he realized that he and his men were surrounded by your crew. You stepped a bit further away and made a gesture with your hands, signaling him that he was not in a danger and that you were not going to attack him.
- Put the sword down, James. you spoke with a soft voice. He shifted his gaze from your crew to you without saying a word.
- My crew will not harm you or your men. you stated calmly.
- Your… crew? Norrington asked. “Yes” you replied with a nod. “You’re a pirate?” he scoffed and clenched his hand even tighter on the handle of his sword. You put your hand on the handle of your sword and gestured your men to be on alert, but not to do anything for now.
- Yes. you replied and then continued by stating “But I also saved your life and the lives of your men.” You hoped that Norrington would realize that if you wanted to harm him or his crew, you would have done it already by simply sailing by. Norrington however did not let go his sword so you rolled your eyes and sighed out of frustration. “You do realize that you would have died if we had not picked you and your crew up?” you said, hoping that this statement would forge some sense into the captain. “And if we wanted you dead, we wouldn’t have changed our course” you added with a tone that was a combination of being offended, amused and irritated, everything at the same time.
- Do you expect me to thank you? Norrington asked and then scoffed “Pirate!” with a disgusted tone. He was shocked, no, he was beyond shocked because obviously he had risked the lives of his men for some… pirate! Hell, many of his men had died for his feelings that had caused him to act so recklessly!
- No, not really. you admitted and then continued “But if you don’t… I must consider you as a threat.”
- What does that mean exactly? he asked with a defiant tone.
- It means that I must ask your men to surrender their arms and if that is not enough, I must take them below the deck and lock them up. you explained with a calm yet assertive tone. “However, I do not wish to do that” you continued and took a calculated risk by removing your hand from the handle of your sword. “But I will, if it is necessary for the safety of my crew” you added.
- Oh it makes sense now why you were so keen to defend the pirates. Norrington mumbled and after thinking his options through he gestured his men to give their weapons, knives, swords and muskets to your men who collected them all and placed them into a chest that got locked with a heavy-duty padlock. After the lock had been secured, your first officer gave the key to you.
- You, Captain Norrington, are entitled to have your sword if you want. you said as he was reluctantly offering you his sword. “Please, do not make me regret that decision” you spoke and gestured your men to take the chest below the deck. You explained that you were now sailing towards the British waters and when you encountered an ally merchant-ship you would pay for the voyage of the soldiers of the Royal Navy to the nearest British port and they would get their weapons back when they reached the harbor.
- My men have clear instructions to cause you no harm. you spoke as soon as you had caught the attention of all the men aboard, both your and Norrington’s, and then added “However if I hear that your men, Captain Norrington, are trying anything, with or without your authorization, Captain-“ you said and focused your full attention on Norrington before continuing further. “I assure you, your sailing with us will get less comfortable” you said with a serious tone that sounded even slightly threatening to Norrington.
- Like this could get any less comfortable. Norrington stated defiantly.
- Oh it can. you assured him and smirked at him. Norrington smirked back, nodded and gestured his men to calm down.
As the hours passed the survivors gathered their strength and they were surprised to notice that your men, even despite the clear discontent about the fact that they were forced to deal with the member of the Royal Navy, obeyed your orders and posed no threat to any of them. Norrington’s men ate and drank, rested and towards the evening they even started to chat with the crew of your ship which made you feel slightly more at ease because people who at least chatted and laughed together were less likely to start quarrels with each other… although you were sure to keep your eyes and ears open.
- Would the captain like to spend the night in the captain’s cabin or on the deck with his men? you asked when the sun had set and it was time to eat some dinner. Norrington inhaled slowly and then said “Lead the way”. He followed you into your cabin that was very large and fancy; it was furnished with delicate furniture and lit with many candles. There were large windows on the back wall of the cabin and some of them were open so the cabin was filled with fresh, cool air. You gestured Norrington to sit down by the dining table and then asked your personal servant to notify the cook that the dinner could be served.
- So… Is this who you really are then? Norrington asked after the cook and the servant had left the cabin, leaving you alone with the handsome captain.
- My father… he is a pirate lord. you said and then added “A commodore of a fleet. Five ships, this included” with a thoughtful voice.
- I see. Norrington commented and sipped the wine from the wineglass that had been filled for him by your servant.
- May I point out before you judge me any further… that none of my crew has ever hurt or killed anyone. Not under my command at least. you spoke and sipped some wine. “And neither have I” you added and leaned back in your chair as you stared at Norrington with an expression that made it apparent that you were reading him like an open book, or trying at least.
- Is that supposed to impress me? Norrington asked mockingly and scoffed. "Let me be very clear about something, Miss (Y/N)..." he said and paused to emphasize the following, "It does not because..." he said and then added "It... means... nothing" by stating each word separately to add seriousness to his statement. "You and your crew are pirates nevertheless, all the same" he commented with a belittling tone and started to eat. You chuckled bitterly as you shook your head. Apparently there was no point to talk to Norrington because his opinion of you had changed entirely now that he knew who you were.
You and Norrington ate in silence, rolling your eyes at each other every once in a while and finishing the carafe of wine together. You took quick glances at each other when you thought that the other was not looking and tried to hide the hurt that followed the fact that here you were… both in the same place at the same time, together… but you had never been so far apart. The strange magnetism was still there, taunting you, reminding you about the happiness that you had experienced together… whispering about the hidden desires and passions that were forbidden now. Sure they had been forbidden even before by the etiquette and the rules of appropriate behavior but now they were forbidden by the fact that you and Norrington lived very different lives and that made you enemies.
- Surrender this ship and your crew to me, to the British Crown-
- What? you exclaimed. You couldn’t believe what Norrington had just suggested!
- You must understand that I cannot let you just… go. Norrington stated and then added “You’re a pirate, I am the officer of the Royal Crown” with an assertive tone. You scoffed and when Norrington started to talk again, you slammed your hand on the surface of the table, stated “No!” and stood up.
- I saved your life and the lives of your men… you said and took a quick breath before continuing “…And you want to commandeer my ship!”
- No, not commandeer. Norrington stated and then corrected you by saying “I want you to surrender yourself, the crew and this ship to me of your own free will.” His tone was calm and he sounded serious, official and like you were nothing but a stranger to him… a criminal, whom he did not know personally or had any dealings with, especially anything romantic in nature, yes a criminal who had taken pity on him and his crew and saved their lives.
- Unbelievable. you said and mocked Norrington with a laughter. Norrington felt his blood boiling and therefore he stood up, drew out his sword and pointed it at you in a threatening way.
- You dare to threaten me on my own ship. you said and drew out your sword as well. “Do you think it is wise?” you asked with a strong disbelief in your voice.
- I think it would be wiser for you to put down your sword, Miss (Y/N). Norrington said and stepped closer, to which you reacted by stepping a little bit backwards.
- Never. you stated defiantly and stepped closer, minding the table that was partially between you and him.
- I do not want to hurt you. Norrington stated. His tone was firm and cold, but there was a slight undertone of hesitation in it and the truth was that he did not want to fight you for that exact reason.
- With all due respect, Captain Norrington, I find that a bit hard to believe. you stated and held your ground. You both kept pointing at your swords at each other but neither of you dared to attack and start the fight. You both feared that if you started this, nothing would be the same ever again, and there would be no going back.
- Well, shall we fight or not? you shouted with a deeply irritated tone and attacked by seemingly threatening Norrington’s life with the sword. It was a very slow and lazy attack that was easy to block and it was followed by Norrington’s attack which was just as lazy. “Fight for real, if you’re going to fight me!” you stated angrily and attacked him again. There was no real room to even fight but you kept trying anyway, sidestepping to avoid the furniture and warding off the attacks that you both constantly served for one other. It was almost like you had been dancing again but this time things got broken as your swords hit precious vases and even toppled candles. Fortunately the flames always died before hitting the table or the floor since burning the ship in the middle of the open sea would have been plain stupid… but still you kept taking risks as you kept fighting.
Suddenly you managed to hit the sword off from Norrington’s hand as he fell on his back to the floor. His sword flew across the room to the side where the captain’s bed was, leaving the Captain defenseless. You threatened Norrington with your sword and looked at him with a serious look on your face but instead of hurting him, you put your sword away and offered him your hand. He looked at you with a strong disbelief and after hesitating for a moment, he took your hand and you helped him up. However Norrington pushed you away from him and ran to get his sword to which you responded by shouting “Are you serious?”
You moved a toppled chair and drew out your sword again, followed Norrington and tried to prevent him from getting his weapon but he managed to get it anyway. He stood up and pointed the sword at you, although it was clear that he was getting exhausted from the fighting that had turned your cabin into a mess of broken furniture… however you were unable to see the full extent of the damage because there were only two candles remaining and they did not emit enough light to fill the entire room.
You managed to hit the sword off his hand again, but he still did not give up. Norrington grabbed the sword and then, when you tried to get the sword away from Norrington, you lost your footing to which he responded by pushing you down on the bed. He locked your hand, the one that was holding onto your sword like it had been the last thing to keep you alive, against the bed and threatened your throat with his blade. He was laying on top of you, panting furiously and staring into your eyes with intense anger in his eyes. You held your breath for a moment and for the first time during the entire battle, your eyes filled with fear.
However then happened something that you had not anticipated; in a blink of an eye Norrington released the sword from your hand, threw it to the floor and then threw his sword on the floor as well. He locked your arms against the bed firmly and held you tightly at your place even though you tried to wiggle out from his grip. Without saying anything, he suddenly slammed his lips against yours and muffled your screams as well as objections by kissing you intensely. It took a moment for you to realize what was happening and during that time you tried to fight back but as soon as you apprehended that Norrington was not in fact threatening your life or even hurting you, oh no, he was being extremely gentle despite the desperation and intensity of his actions, you relaxed and responded to his kiss by kissing him back.
His lips explored yours with great skill and hunger. He nibbled your lower lip and then engaged your entire mouth into the kiss again, without giving you time to catch your breath, which made your head spin even more, pushing you to the verge of actually passing out. Norrington allowed you to inhale sharply, during which also he gasped for air before returning to ravish your lips again. He moved your hands above your head and kept them tightly against the mattress with his hand, releasing his other hand to caress you as he wanted. He placed his hand on your neck and rubbed your earlobe between his index and middle fingers and then suddenly drew back a little, turned your head and moved to kiss your neck instead of your lips.
You both could feel your hearts drumming beneath your ribcages and many layers of clothes as Norrington’s lips kept devouring the sensitive skin of your neck. He used his lips, tongue and even teeth to make you moan as the weight of his body was keeping you in place. He shifted himself a little, nesting between your legs so when he moved against you in the perfect unison with the explorations of his mouth, he made you moan even louder and your whimpers got even needier. You raised your leg a little which shifted your position and wrapped your leg around Norrington’s hips. He groaned against your neck when this new angle intensified the sensations that being so inappropriately close to you was providing him. Suddenly he stopped and drew back a little to stare deep into your eyes in the soft, dim candlelight. He was panting and after staring at you like this for a moment, he released your hands, expecting you to push him away but instead of pushing him away, you tangled your fingers with the collar of his uniform-coat and slid it off his shoulders with one fluid motion.
The next your fingers found the knot of the white scarf that was decorating his neck, you opened the bow and pulled the scarf away, exposing his neck for you. You felt his warm, soft skin with your fingertips and started to open the buttons of his vest one by one, slowly exposing his chest which you caressed gently with shaky hands. Norrington smiled at you, drew back to kneel between your legs on the bed and pulled you up. He helped you to open all the buttons of his vest and to slide it off his shoulders as well, leaving him wearing his loose white undershirt that was neatly tucked in his breeches.
You pulled the shirttail out from his trousers and slid your hands under his shirt which sent shivers down Norrington’s spine. He had a very strong back, a well-built chest and wide shoulders, muscular arms even though he was not as muscled as some of the sailors, Norrington was a high-ranking officer after all, but you could feel that he was athletic and manly… strong, safe and warm. You traced the muscles of his torso under his shirt and finally tangled your fingers into the hem of his shirt. “Wait” he said suddenly and as soon as you had shifted your eyes from his chest to his eyes he asked “Is this what you truly want?” His voice was trembling and it was clear that he wanted you very much but he was also nervous.
You responded to him with a calm smile and by placing your finger on his lips as you said “Shhh” and continued pulling his shirt off. Norrington smiled at you and cupped your face, gently feeling your neck and then sliding his hands on your shoulders. He slid your coat off your shoulders and opened slowly the buttons of your shirt that had decorative ruffles in the front. When he was done with the buttons, he pulled the shirt slowly off your shoulders leaving you with your corset and undergarment, which was a very light, short sleeved shirt.
Norrington opened the hooks of your corset, threw the garment on the floor as soon as the last hook had been opened and then pulled your light undershirt off as well. He traced your collarbones with his fingertips, running his fingers on your arms up and down very slowly a couple of times before returning to your chest. He lay you down and very carefully lay himself on you, pressing his chest against yours as he lowered himself to kiss you again. This time however his actions were slower and delicate; he crossed his fingers with you, tangled his long digits into your hair and as minutes slipped away in this sweet embrace, your caresses eventually grew more daring and possessive.
His fingers reached to touch every inch of you, even the parts that were hidden and you did the same, slowly removing the last items of the clothing and leaving you both completely naked in the darkness now that even the last remaining candles had burned out. Norrington was gentle and strong, he listened to the sounds you made and took his time to make sure that you were completely ready as well as relaxed. He wanted to give you pleasure and to satisfy you entirely and therefore he used his hands as well as mouth to touch you, to explore and to study your physique that fascinated him profoundly. He enjoyed the sounds you made when he found the most sensitive spots and touched you with such adoration that you had no other choice than to let go and surrender to the new sensations, desires and overwhelming need to be touched.
You did the same for him, kissed every part of his body, satisfied your curiosity and examined how to provide him pleasure, how to make him lose his breath and moan your name at the moment of his release. Then finally when you were both completely ready you and he melted into one being, giving yourselves to each other, moving slowly yet intensely, gently, savoring every moment of this brief union. You knew that after this night was over, your paths would move into different directions again and it was more than probable that you wouldn’t meet again… and if you did, especially if it happened on the British waters, Norrington would be obligated to take you under the custody of the British Crown.
You and Norrington spent the last remaining hours in bed, embracing each other and trying to come up with a way to avoid the looming separation. You pressed soft kisses on his chest as you watched the first rays of sun lighting up the ceiling of the captain’s cabin and struggled to keep your feelings bottled behind your exterior. Norrington ran his fingers up and down on your bare back and then squeezed you against him, holding you tightly against his naked body. “No goodbyes, please” you sighed against his skin as one single tear escaped from the corner of your eye. “No goodbyes” Norrington spoke softly and pressed a kiss on your head. It was time to get up, get dressed and face the world like nothing had happened.