PotC Fic: Missed the Most
My contribution to the blackpearlsails "Twelve Days of Christmas" challenge.
Title: Missed the Most
Author: joyful_molly
Rating: G
Genre: humour
Characters: James Norrington, his mother, the House of Lancaster (of sorts)
Warnings: none
Author's notes: PotC with a nod to Jane Austen
Disclaimer: here
Mrs. Norrington had run out of conversation themes to entertain Mrs. Lancaster and the two Misses Lancaster.
The weather?
Snow. Cold. Outrageous.
The servants?
Uncouth. Clumsy. Outrageous.
The last season in Bath?
Rainy. Wet. No suitable bachelors. And, of course, outrageous.
It had all been covered twice over, and the increasingly sourly expression on Mrs. Lancaster's face didn't escape her.
She couldn't blame her; after all, the three Lancasters (nicknamed "The House of Lancaster" by the late Admiral Norrington) had braved strong winds and heavy snowfall to visit Norrington Manor and welcome the younger of the Norrington sons. James Norrington had left a midshipman when Anne, the eldest of the Misses Lancaster, had still collected pebbles and hidden frogs in her escritoire (Improper. Indecent. Outrageous.), and now he had returned a captain. A very dashing one, as Anne had noticed.
The afternoon had begun pleasantly enough. Tea and cake were excellent and James Norrington, looking very splendid in his uniform, had held the undivided attention of the ladies. While her mother and sister had listened to his tales wide-eyed and with the occasional "huh!" and "hah!" - Henrietta even went as far as pretending to feel a spell of faint - Anne thought that it was rather fresh yarn, but still: if only half of it was true, James Norrington had led a very exciting life.
Anne couldn't help but notice that James was restless, though. Pacing along the windows, he had halted his steps several times to look outside, as if he was looking for something. Or maybe waiting for somebody? Anne had been curious about the first, but not too excited about the latter.
"You must have terribly missed England's green and pleasant land, my dear Captain Norrington," her mother had said. "To think, all those years away!"
"Of course I have missed my dearest mother," Norrington had replied, with a gallant bow in direction of Mrs. Norrington. "As for the green and pleasant land - well. I found the Caribbean green and pleasant enough, but indeed, there are some things I've missed very much."
Another glance towards the window, then a quick, unexpectedly boyish smile across his face, and James Norrington had taken his leave, promising to return very soon.
That had been an hour ago, and Mrs. Lancaster found James' behaviour not befitting a gentleman - outrageous, indeed! - and she didn't try too hard to hide her disappointment. After all, she wasn't here for her own pleasure; she had two unmarried daughters, and suitable bachelors were hard to find.
"I'm very certain my son will return soon," Mrs. Norrington said, looking up quickly from her teacup. "I suppose-"
She was interrupted by a whoop which seemed to come from outside. It was muffled, but clearly the voice of a man.
"Good grief!" Mrs. Lancaster clutched her handkerchief. "What was that?"
"I have no idea, but it sounds terrible." Mrs. Norrington put cup and saucer on the table, stood up and went to the window. The three Lancasters followed her, pressing their noses to the glass and trying to see what was going on outside.
Another whoop and Mrs. Norrington took a step back. She threw her hands in the air and made a growling sound, not unlike an angry cat.
"I can't believe this!" Hastily, she opened the glazed door and stormed outside, ignoring what had turned into a nice little snow storm.
"James Norrington! What are you doing there?" she cried.
A rhetorical question, for it was quite obvious what James Norrington was doing: the much-feared scourge of pirates all over the Caribbean was rolling down the hill, covered in snow, whooping and laughing like a five year old boy. A children's sled stood next to a snowman wearing Norrington's wig and hat, carrying his sword with all the dignity of a seasoned officer.
"So that's what he has missed the most," Anne said, and her laughter joined Norrington's.
"Shocking!" gasped Mrs. Lancaster.
"Outrageous!" cried Henrietta.
"Indeed," Anne agreed, then quickly gathered her skirts, trudged through the snow towards the sled and then sledged down the hill, scarf and hair and ribbons flying in the wind. Her mother cried, her sister fainted, but faint heart never won fair captain, and that aside, it was the most fun she'd had in years.
Sorry for the delay - LJ was being difficult.
Molly originally posted this entry at http://joyful-molly.dreamwidth.org/395318.html. You can comment on LJ or DW, using OpenID.
Title: Missed the Most
Author: joyful_molly
Rating: G
Genre: humour
Characters: James Norrington, his mother, the House of Lancaster (of sorts)
Warnings: none
Author's notes: PotC with a nod to Jane Austen
Disclaimer: here
Mrs. Norrington had run out of conversation themes to entertain Mrs. Lancaster and the two Misses Lancaster.
The weather?
Snow. Cold. Outrageous.
The servants?
Uncouth. Clumsy. Outrageous.
The last season in Bath?
Rainy. Wet. No suitable bachelors. And, of course, outrageous.
It had all been covered twice over, and the increasingly sourly expression on Mrs. Lancaster's face didn't escape her.
She couldn't blame her; after all, the three Lancasters (nicknamed "The House of Lancaster" by the late Admiral Norrington) had braved strong winds and heavy snowfall to visit Norrington Manor and welcome the younger of the Norrington sons. James Norrington had left a midshipman when Anne, the eldest of the Misses Lancaster, had still collected pebbles and hidden frogs in her escritoire (Improper. Indecent. Outrageous.), and now he had returned a captain. A very dashing one, as Anne had noticed.
The afternoon had begun pleasantly enough. Tea and cake were excellent and James Norrington, looking very splendid in his uniform, had held the undivided attention of the ladies. While her mother and sister had listened to his tales wide-eyed and with the occasional "huh!" and "hah!" - Henrietta even went as far as pretending to feel a spell of faint - Anne thought that it was rather fresh yarn, but still: if only half of it was true, James Norrington had led a very exciting life.
Anne couldn't help but notice that James was restless, though. Pacing along the windows, he had halted his steps several times to look outside, as if he was looking for something. Or maybe waiting for somebody? Anne had been curious about the first, but not too excited about the latter.
"You must have terribly missed England's green and pleasant land, my dear Captain Norrington," her mother had said. "To think, all those years away!"
"Of course I have missed my dearest mother," Norrington had replied, with a gallant bow in direction of Mrs. Norrington. "As for the green and pleasant land - well. I found the Caribbean green and pleasant enough, but indeed, there are some things I've missed very much."
Another glance towards the window, then a quick, unexpectedly boyish smile across his face, and James Norrington had taken his leave, promising to return very soon.
That had been an hour ago, and Mrs. Lancaster found James' behaviour not befitting a gentleman - outrageous, indeed! - and she didn't try too hard to hide her disappointment. After all, she wasn't here for her own pleasure; she had two unmarried daughters, and suitable bachelors were hard to find.
"I'm very certain my son will return soon," Mrs. Norrington said, looking up quickly from her teacup. "I suppose-"
She was interrupted by a whoop which seemed to come from outside. It was muffled, but clearly the voice of a man.
"Good grief!" Mrs. Lancaster clutched her handkerchief. "What was that?"
"I have no idea, but it sounds terrible." Mrs. Norrington put cup and saucer on the table, stood up and went to the window. The three Lancasters followed her, pressing their noses to the glass and trying to see what was going on outside.
Another whoop and Mrs. Norrington took a step back. She threw her hands in the air and made a growling sound, not unlike an angry cat.
"I can't believe this!" Hastily, she opened the glazed door and stormed outside, ignoring what had turned into a nice little snow storm.
"James Norrington! What are you doing there?" she cried.
A rhetorical question, for it was quite obvious what James Norrington was doing: the much-feared scourge of pirates all over the Caribbean was rolling down the hill, covered in snow, whooping and laughing like a five year old boy. A children's sled stood next to a snowman wearing Norrington's wig and hat, carrying his sword with all the dignity of a seasoned officer.
"So that's what he has missed the most," Anne said, and her laughter joined Norrington's.
"Shocking!" gasped Mrs. Lancaster.
"Outrageous!" cried Henrietta.
"Indeed," Anne agreed, then quickly gathered her skirts, trudged through the snow towards the sled and then sledged down the hill, scarf and hair and ribbons flying in the wind. Her mother cried, her sister fainted, but faint heart never won fair captain, and that aside, it was the most fun she'd had in years.
Sorry for the delay - LJ was being difficult.
Molly originally posted this entry at http://joyful-molly.dreamwidth.org/395318.html. You can comment on LJ or DW, using OpenID.