Sins of the Past
Elizabeth lost her footing when a stranger pushed her into a wagon. Her arm scraped across the jagged wood leaving a scratch. As she inspected her wound she wanted to lash out at the person who was gingerly walking away in their finery. But today Elizabeth had to hold her tongue and try to blend in with the crowd if she was going to remain safe.
Peddlers lined both sides of the narrow road yelling to passer-bys. Beggars young and old held out their dirty hands asking for food. A group of children wearing tattered clothing ran up to Elizabeth and tugged on her cloak. She looked down at their sorrowful faces, but shook her head when they asked for money.
The humidity hung like a thick blanket, making the temperature almost unbearable as the sun beat down upon her sunburned skin. Squinting, Elizabeth looked at her new country. India was a dirty, hot and altogether unpleasant place. It did not have any of the beauty of Port Royal.
Elizabeth reached her destination. She paused at the wooden door wondering if she should proceed. Then she realized there was no choice. She pounded on the door and waited for an answered. Overcome by the heat, Elizabeth leaned against the doorway. Her head began to spin as sweat continued to run down her forehead. Through blurry eyes Elizabeth looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was following her, and then she knocked again.
“What?” James Norrington demanded, as he stood with his pistol aimed at Elizabeth’s face.
She smiled, but he did not lower his gun. Elizabeth wondered if she had made a terrible mistake in coming. But what other choice was there for her now? Fate had brought her back to James Norrington.
But fate was cruel to Elizabeth when she realized he did not recognize her. Unable to stand the humiliation, she bowed her head. “Forgive me, sir.” As she went to step away the gun was lowered.
“Elizabeth!” James gasped. He stepped out onto the stoop and looked around. Once he was sure no one was watching them he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his small home.
Shock marred his handsome face. It had been five years. Elizabeth had made her intentions clear when she rejected his proposal and decided her destiny was to become a pirate.
“What are you doing here?” Norrington was duty bound to arrest Elizabeth, but he could not. Once again he found himself helpless. Time, he thought would helped ease his heart, but looking at her again rekindled old feelings. “And where are the other scoundrels?”
She spoke in a soft voice. “I am alone.”
Norrington took in her appearance. Elizabeth’s hair hung below her shoulders in greasy strands and she wore a brown homespun dress, which was two inches too short. There was no trace of finery on the young woman. “You are a sight. What is that stench? Is that you?” Norrington stepped away. “Miss Swann, what has the world done to you?”
“I am greatly altered.” Elizabeth did not have the strength to look at him. His handsome green eyes were too much for her to bear right now.
“I should be grateful for small miracles. At least you are properly dressed and not in trousers.” He went to the table and poured a glass of water.
Despite the heat, Elizabeth pulled her cloak closer around her shabby dress. “Wearing a dress was wiser than my pirate clothes. I did not want to draw attention to myself.”
“Yes, well, a dress would have been wiser, but not that one. It’s in tatters and you look like a strumpet.” Norrington offered Elizabeth the glass.
Elizabeth was taken back by his comment. Is that what he thought of her now? “I am not strumpet.”
“Indeed, yet your clothes portray you as one.” His judgmental eyes roamed over her body. “Your ankles are showing.”
Elizabeth looked down. Her ankles showing were the least of her concerns at the moment. Ill-fitting shoes were causing her great pain as they pinched her toes and her dress was too tight.
“I see you have not changed. You are quick to point out someone’s faults.” Elizabeth bit the inside of her mouth. Making him angry would not help her plan, and she needed to watch what she said. Elizabeth needed him on her side.
“Please take the water, and take off that foolish cloak. You will pass out from the heat if you continue to wear that thing.”
Elizabeth did as she was told and took a sip of water. The warm liquid slid down her throat. Elizabeth wondered if anything in this land was not hot and unbearable.
James motioned for her to sit, and she did. As she struggled to drink the warm water she studied Norrington’s appearance. Time had not altered James Norrington. He stood before her, his posture as perfect as ever and dressed in his finest clothes. His brown hair was neatly pulled back with a black ribbon. Elizabeth always hated his white wig, which made him seem old and more like her father. James appeared to be healthy and the only flaw she found on him was a scar on his left cheek. It was faint, but Elizabeth’s eyes settled on it at once. She wondered if he received it from fighting pirates.
“Tell me Miss Swann, what brings you to India? I seem to remember stories of you sailing off the coast of China. Wherever you have been I must say you look horrible. You are as dark as a slave. No doubt you have callous on your hands as well.”
“I’ve been on a pirate ship, James. I’m sorry if you do not approve of my appearance.” She took another sip of water and forced it down. Elizabeth would rather have rum.
“Your father would be devastated if he saw you now. It’s almost a blessing he is dead.”
Elizabeth gasped. Did he mean to hurt her with his words? She shifted her weight in the uncomfortable wooden chair.
“Forgive me. I did not mean to sound cruel.”
Quickly, she decided to change the direction of the conversation. “You are looking good, James. I am glad life has been treating you well.”
He laughed. “Well? That is not something that I would call myself, Miss Swann. I am stuck in one of the worst ports in the Empire. There was no choice for me. I was told where to go, and like a good soldier I obeyed. But I have always been a good soldier. Perhaps one day I will learn from such folly.” He paused, and then continued. “Pray tell Miss Swann, what brings you to India?”
“I wanted to see you.”
“You will have to forgive me if I do not believe you, Miss Swann. I am no fool.” James walked towards the window. “It has been five years. I know that you have not come to inquire about my health. You made it quite clear what your feelings were for me.” He closed his eyes trying to block out the memory of her rejecting him for a lowly blacksmith. “You cast off whatever I offered you and decided to run away with Mr. Turner and Jack Sparrow. I cannot believe now, after all these years; you have had a sudden change of heart.”
“That’s unfair, James. I always cared for you. Maybe not in the way you wished, but I did care.” Elizabeth held the empty glass in her hand.
“Indeed.” He sighed. “It doesn’t matter now. Nothing matters now. That is all in the past, and for my sanity I do not wish to remember it.” Norrington turned to her and took a deep breath. “Since you will not inform me of the true reason for your visit, I must ask if you will be staying long.”
She smiled. “I am unsure. That is for you to decide.”
Peddlers lined both sides of the narrow road yelling to passer-bys. Beggars young and old held out their dirty hands asking for food. A group of children wearing tattered clothing ran up to Elizabeth and tugged on her cloak. She looked down at their sorrowful faces, but shook her head when they asked for money.
The humidity hung like a thick blanket, making the temperature almost unbearable as the sun beat down upon her sunburned skin. Squinting, Elizabeth looked at her new country. India was a dirty, hot and altogether unpleasant place. It did not have any of the beauty of Port Royal.
Elizabeth reached her destination. She paused at the wooden door wondering if she should proceed. Then she realized there was no choice. She pounded on the door and waited for an answered. Overcome by the heat, Elizabeth leaned against the doorway. Her head began to spin as sweat continued to run down her forehead. Through blurry eyes Elizabeth looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was following her, and then she knocked again.
“What?” James Norrington demanded, as he stood with his pistol aimed at Elizabeth’s face.
She smiled, but he did not lower his gun. Elizabeth wondered if she had made a terrible mistake in coming. But what other choice was there for her now? Fate had brought her back to James Norrington.
But fate was cruel to Elizabeth when she realized he did not recognize her. Unable to stand the humiliation, she bowed her head. “Forgive me, sir.” As she went to step away the gun was lowered.
“Elizabeth!” James gasped. He stepped out onto the stoop and looked around. Once he was sure no one was watching them he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his small home.
Shock marred his handsome face. It had been five years. Elizabeth had made her intentions clear when she rejected his proposal and decided her destiny was to become a pirate.
“What are you doing here?” Norrington was duty bound to arrest Elizabeth, but he could not. Once again he found himself helpless. Time, he thought would helped ease his heart, but looking at her again rekindled old feelings. “And where are the other scoundrels?”
She spoke in a soft voice. “I am alone.”
Norrington took in her appearance. Elizabeth’s hair hung below her shoulders in greasy strands and she wore a brown homespun dress, which was two inches too short. There was no trace of finery on the young woman. “You are a sight. What is that stench? Is that you?” Norrington stepped away. “Miss Swann, what has the world done to you?”
“I am greatly altered.” Elizabeth did not have the strength to look at him. His handsome green eyes were too much for her to bear right now.
“I should be grateful for small miracles. At least you are properly dressed and not in trousers.” He went to the table and poured a glass of water.
Despite the heat, Elizabeth pulled her cloak closer around her shabby dress. “Wearing a dress was wiser than my pirate clothes. I did not want to draw attention to myself.”
“Yes, well, a dress would have been wiser, but not that one. It’s in tatters and you look like a strumpet.” Norrington offered Elizabeth the glass.
Elizabeth was taken back by his comment. Is that what he thought of her now? “I am not strumpet.”
“Indeed, yet your clothes portray you as one.” His judgmental eyes roamed over her body. “Your ankles are showing.”
Elizabeth looked down. Her ankles showing were the least of her concerns at the moment. Ill-fitting shoes were causing her great pain as they pinched her toes and her dress was too tight.
“I see you have not changed. You are quick to point out someone’s faults.” Elizabeth bit the inside of her mouth. Making him angry would not help her plan, and she needed to watch what she said. Elizabeth needed him on her side.
“Please take the water, and take off that foolish cloak. You will pass out from the heat if you continue to wear that thing.”
Elizabeth did as she was told and took a sip of water. The warm liquid slid down her throat. Elizabeth wondered if anything in this land was not hot and unbearable.
James motioned for her to sit, and she did. As she struggled to drink the warm water she studied Norrington’s appearance. Time had not altered James Norrington. He stood before her, his posture as perfect as ever and dressed in his finest clothes. His brown hair was neatly pulled back with a black ribbon. Elizabeth always hated his white wig, which made him seem old and more like her father. James appeared to be healthy and the only flaw she found on him was a scar on his left cheek. It was faint, but Elizabeth’s eyes settled on it at once. She wondered if he received it from fighting pirates.
“Tell me Miss Swann, what brings you to India? I seem to remember stories of you sailing off the coast of China. Wherever you have been I must say you look horrible. You are as dark as a slave. No doubt you have callous on your hands as well.”
“I’ve been on a pirate ship, James. I’m sorry if you do not approve of my appearance.” She took another sip of water and forced it down. Elizabeth would rather have rum.
“Your father would be devastated if he saw you now. It’s almost a blessing he is dead.”
Elizabeth gasped. Did he mean to hurt her with his words? She shifted her weight in the uncomfortable wooden chair.
“Forgive me. I did not mean to sound cruel.”
Quickly, she decided to change the direction of the conversation. “You are looking good, James. I am glad life has been treating you well.”
He laughed. “Well? That is not something that I would call myself, Miss Swann. I am stuck in one of the worst ports in the Empire. There was no choice for me. I was told where to go, and like a good soldier I obeyed. But I have always been a good soldier. Perhaps one day I will learn from such folly.” He paused, and then continued. “Pray tell Miss Swann, what brings you to India?”
“I wanted to see you.”
“You will have to forgive me if I do not believe you, Miss Swann. I am no fool.” James walked towards the window. “It has been five years. I know that you have not come to inquire about my health. You made it quite clear what your feelings were for me.” He closed his eyes trying to block out the memory of her rejecting him for a lowly blacksmith. “You cast off whatever I offered you and decided to run away with Mr. Turner and Jack Sparrow. I cannot believe now, after all these years; you have had a sudden change of heart.”
“That’s unfair, James. I always cared for you. Maybe not in the way you wished, but I did care.” Elizabeth held the empty glass in her hand.
“Indeed.” He sighed. “It doesn’t matter now. Nothing matters now. That is all in the past, and for my sanity I do not wish to remember it.” Norrington turned to her and took a deep breath. “Since you will not inform me of the true reason for your visit, I must ask if you will be staying long.”
She smiled. “I am unsure. That is for you to decide.”