Chapter 50:  My Goddess

 

“Come in,” Captain Jack said as someone knocked urgently on the door to his cabin.  Jack quickly put his compass out of sight as Pintel came into the room.  “Admiral Norrington is here, sir.”

“Jack looked up sharply.  “What’s he doing here?”

“I think he may have Robin captive, sir.”

Jack blinked.  “That’s just ridiculous.”

“Well, he’s with Robin.”

“Not quite as ridiculous.”  Jack wondered what the Admiral wanted, and if Jacqueline was really with him.  After all, she was a free goddess now, but perhaps she could assume human form as her mother often did.  “Show them in.”

Norrington tilted his head in respect as he walked in.  “Come to rejoin my crew, Admiral?” Jack joked.  “Jackie!” he gasped as his daughter followed the Admiral into the room.

“Father!” Jacqueline greeted Jack with a smile, uncharacteristically friendly as she embraced him.

“You all right, Jackie?”

“I’m wonderful,” she replied with a bright smile.

Jack watched his daughter carefully as she rejoined Norrington’s side.  She nudged the Admiral.  “Oh!” Norrington exclaimed, reaching into his jacket.  “I have something for you, Captain.”  Jack placed his hand casually on the handle of his pistol, just in case; but he need not have worried, for Norrington only pulled out an envelope.  “Letters of Marque.”  He placed them on Jack’s desk.

Jack eyed Norrington suspiciously as he reached for the envelope.  Just as he was about to pick up the papers, Norrington quickly put his hand on them, pinning them to the desk.  “There is a condition.”

“Ah,” Jack said, withdrawing his hand.  “Sorry, mate.  I’m not working for the East India Company.”

“Nothing of that sort,” Norrington said quietly.  “I only need you to perform a ceremony for me—for us,” he amended, taking Jacqueline’s hand.

“I’m not a witch doctor.”

Norrington laughed.  “Jack…Captain.  I would like…”  He glanced at Jacqueline.  “I have asked your daughter’s hand in marriage, and she has accepted, after much consideration.”  Jack stared at Jacqueline in shock, who flushed and nodded with a small smile.  “And I want you to perform the ceremony.”

“Here?” Jack asked, still staring at his daughter in surprise.

“Right here, on the deck of the Black Pearl…right now.”

Jack looked from one to the other.  “Are you serious about this?”

“Very,” Norrington said quietly, gazing into Jacqueline’s eyes lovingly.

Eyeing the Letters of Marque on the desk, Jack said, “Now?”  Norrington nodded, still gazing at Jacqueline.  Jack turned to his daughter.  “Are you sure that’s what you want, Jackie?”

Jacqueline smiled encouragingly at Jack.  “Yes.”

“There is one little problem with this arrangement.”  Norrington and Jacqueline both looked at him inquisitively.  “I’m not happy with it, savvy?”  He motioned to Norrington.  “You didn’t even bother to ask my permission.”

Norrington stared at him, openmouthed.  “But—I love her!”  Jack shook his head slightly.  “I asked her before I knew you.”

“You did?” Jack asked, brow furrowing in surprise.

“And it’s not your choice, anyway,” Jacqueline interrupted.  “It’s mine.  Savvy?”

“I’m your father.”

“I’m a god.”  Jacqueline smirked as Jack tried to find a good response to that.

“I’m…the father of a god,” Jack replied.  Jacqueline rolled her eyes.

“Jack, James is being very considerate and kind about—.”

“He did not bother asking me,” Jack interrupted.  “I don’t care when he asked you.”  Norrington stared at him in amazement.  “Love, I know you,” Jack said to Jacqueline.  “You can never be happy in marriage.  If you want something from him, take it without marrying him.”  Norrington flushed and shifted uncomfortably.  “It’s against your nature to marry,” Jack added, gazing emotionlessly at Norrington.  Jack felt almost bad for both of the couple; but Jack also knew that a marriage simply could not work and would only serve to cause both pain in the future.  His daughter, the goddess of freedom, willingly marrying anyone, particularly an officer of the Royal Navy, was inconceivable.

“But, Jack…”

“I’m sorry, love.  But I know you could not be happy.”

“James will never be happy without me.”  Norrington nodded.  “Nor I without him.”  She took a deep breath as Norrington wrapped an arm about her.  “I love him, Father.”

Jack stared at his daughter in disbelief.  Jacqueline had never claimed to love anyone.  She had never even told Jack, her own father, that she loved him.  Jacqueline’s eyes shone with sincerity as she watched his reaction in silence.  Jack sighed heavily as he reached out and picked up the Letters of Marque.  “Get out on the deck,” he said quietly.

“You will…?” Norrington asked hesitantly.

“Yes,” Jack muttered.

Jacqueline’s face lit up with a dazzling smile.  She kissed her father lightly on the cheek.  “Thank you,” she breathed.  She made to leave with Norrington, but Jack caught her by the arm.

“Are you absolutely and positively certain that this is what you want, Jackie?” he asked under his breath.  “No matter what the consequences?”

Her eyes darkened slightly, but regained their happiness a moment later.  “Yes.  I’ve thought about it for years.  As James said, he asked me long before he knew you,” she said with an enigmatic grin as she took Norrington’s arm and left the cabin.

“Oi!  You two!” Jack said, motioning to Pintel and Ragetti as he followed Jacqueline and Norrington onto the deck.  “Over ‘ere, we need witnesses for this!”

Jack felt a sudden lump grow in his throat as the attention of those on the deck turned to him.  He watched his daughter as she gazed into Norrington’s eyes.  She had not been lying or deluding herself.  She really did love him.  “We are all gathered here today…well, we are now, at least…”  Jack coughed.  This was much harder than he had thought it could be.  “We are gathered here to unite this man, the Admiral, and this goddess, my daughter who is far too good for him…”

“Jack,” Jacqueline interrupted, unable to keep the sides of her mouth from pulling into a smile.

Jack smiled kindly at his daughter and took a deep breath.  “Do you, James Norrington, take this goddess, Jacqueline Sparrow, to be your lawfully wedded wife until…”  He paused.  “I’m not certain the death part works here…” he muttered.  “Forever,” he corrected.  “In sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and to cherish her and love her…forever?”

“I do.”

Norrington spoke with no hesitation, his words filled with more emotion than two syllables should allow.  His hand held Jacqueline’s tightly, almost as though he feared that she may suddenly change her mind and pull away.  Given Norrington’s luck with fiancés, Jack could certainly understand why he had this fear.

“And do you, my lovely daughter, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and health, until…”  Jack paused.  “Is this the forever thing again or what?”

“I’ll have to explain everything to you later,” Jacqueline whispered to Norrington, who nodded slightly.  Finding that he could say no more, Jack fell silent.  “And to love and cherish him forever,” Jacqueline finished.  “I do.”

“By the power vested in me by me rank,” Jack continued hesitantly, “I pronounce you man and wife.”  Jack swallowed hard.  “You may kiss the bride.”

Norrington was about an inch away from Jacqueline’s lips when he suddenly pulled back.  “One moment.”  Jacqueline gazed at him curiously as he removed his hat.  He held it out to her, and she held it for him, watching him with a growing smile as he removed his wig.  He tossed it casually behind him before gently taking Jacqueline’s face in his hands and kissing her passionately.  Jacqueline put the hat back on his head as she wrapped her arms around him, smiling against his lips.

Jack watched the couple with a small grin.  He sighed heavily before raising his arms and shouting, “Drinks all around!”  Norrington and Jacqueline parted, both laughing as Jack motioned energetically to some of the crew to indicate for them to bring barrels of rum onto the deck.

“I love weddings,” Pintel said quietly, dabbing at his eyes with a rather dirty handkerchief.  Ragetti nodded.

“Music!” Jack exclaimed.  “We need music!”

As the sun set, the Black Pearl was alive with drinking and music and dancing—much like Tortuga, except with no fights.  Well, no real fights.  Pintel and Ragetti had a small argument over who got to dance with Jacqueline after Norrington, but Jacqueline made the choice for them, choosing the one-eyed pirate and leaving a scowling Pintel in the shadows.

 * * *

Jacqueline sat down beside James and held out a bottle of rum to him.  “You’re not drinking anything,” she observed.

James shook his head.  “I may be the husband of the Captain’s daughter, but I am still an Admiral of the Royal Navy on a pirate ship.  I don’t want to make it too easy for him,” he said, smiling shyly at his new wife.

His wife…after all these years he was actually married.  And to the goddess of freedom, of all women!  Jacqueline slid closer to him, leaning against his chest and looking up at the sky.  “It’s a beautiful night,” she commented.  James wrapped his arms about Jacqueline’s waist, holding her close to him.  “Just as the night you proposed.  It certainly took me long enough to accept, didn’t it?” she said with a giggle.

“It is probably a record,” James said with a grin.  “How many years was it?”

“Far too many,” Jacqueline said quietly.  She looked around at the drunken pirates.  “It’s very loud here, isn’t it?”

James smirked.  “Pirates with a good excuse to get drunk; why shouldn’t they be a bit unruly?”

Jacqueline laughed quietly.  “True,” she agreed.  “Half of them have probably already forgotten that it was a wedding.”  She sighed.  “This was…so sweet of you.  This, here, on the Pearl, and with my father.  It really means a lot to me.  And this is probably the last place you ever thought you’d marry.”

James sighed and nodded.  “To be honest, I was resigned to never marrying at all, seeing as the women I proposed to had the habit of running off with pirates.”

“You’re talking about Elizabeth, you bastard!”

James struggled to hold back a smile and caught her wrist as she reached up playfully to smack him.  “Wench,” he replied quietly, kissing her fingers.  He looked around.  “It’s very loud here.”

“I just said that,” Jacqueline said with a grin.

James stroked his bride’s hair.  “We could take a walk on the beach,” he suggested.

“You know what everyone will think as soon as they realize we’re gone.”  She turned around on his lap and kissed him slowly and deeply.  “It seems almost unfair to deprive them of being right,” she breathed as she pulled away, smirking slightly.  James swallowed hard as she stood and took his hand.  “I haven’t seen your manor in ages.”

“Our manor, Mrs. Norrington,” James corrected as he stood.  Jacqueline blushed prettily as the two snuck away from the party.

James had left his horse tied near the docks, and so the two rode to his manor, with Jacqueline taunting him with teasing touches beneath his jacket the entire way.  He was both humiliated and aroused as she quoted parts of his second letter to her, whispering the sinful words into his ear.

“Are you trying to make to me unable to get us home?” he finally asked.

“You wrote it,” Jacqueline breathed in his ear.

“To be done, not spoken,” James muttered.

“Oh, they will be,” Jacqueline breathed.

James swallowed nervously.

The two attempted to sneak into their home undetected.  They managed to get all the way upstairs without running into the butler, but failed to get to the bedroom and were caught by James’ maid.

“Admiral Norrington!  We were beginning to believe that you—Miss Elodie!” Anne exclaimed in surprise as she set eyes on Jacqueline, who smiled kindly at her.  “Miss—but—you’re all right!”  Anne curtsied to her.  “I’m sorry, miss…we just thought…I never expected to…”

“It’s good to see you too, Anne,” Jacqueline interrupted.

“Um…the guest bedroom isn’t exactly ready for company, but I’ll—.”

“No need,” James said with slight irritation at this interruption.  “Jacqueline shall be sharing my room tonight.”

“Sir?” Anne said quietly, her eyes widened in surprise.  James flushed as Jacqueline giggled and held out her left hand, showing off her ring.  “Oh!” Anne exclaimed.  “Congratulations!  I did not know…but how did you meet again?  And when did this happen?  And where have you been all this time, miss?”

James sighed softly, annoyed at the excessive questions.  “It’s sort of a long story,” Jacqueline answered.  “Actually a very long one…one which I’m certain James will be happy to explain to some extent tomorrow—if he’s up to it, of course.  He may be too tired.”

Anne seemed to finally realize what she was keeping the couple from, and she blushed and apologized before running downstairs, likely to inform Charles, James’ butler, about James’ marriage and how he would be occupied that night.

Oh, God…

This was real.  Completely real.  Jacqueline was his wife; she was here, in his home, pulling him along toward his—toward their—bedroom.  It was utterly unbelievable.  It was almost as though he was years in the past, and Jacqueline had accepted the proposal the night he had proposed, yet so much had happened, and so much had changed—they had both changed.

“Something wrong, love?” Jacqueline said, interrupting his thoughts as they entered the bedroom.

“I…”  He smiled at her.  “I’m just thinking.”

“About?” Jacqueline asked curiously, putting her arms about his neck.

“Everything.”

Jacqueline grinned wickedly at him.  “We can’t have that now, can we?  You need to focus.”

And suddenly he was being kissed fervently and passionately, his mind clouding as he felt Jacqueline’s hands working to remove his jacket.  He tried to catch his breath when Jacqueline pulled away and began unbuttoning his shirt.

“You seem rather eager,” James said, kissing her slowly and deeply.  “Don’t you want it to last?” he asked, kissing her neck and moving the fabric of the gown from her shoulder.

“It will, I’m sure,” Jacqueline breathed as James pressed his lips to her bare shoulder.  She shivered slightly under his touch as he worked to remove her gown.  “Well, it might,” she said suddenly.  James paused and looked at her inquisitively.  “Does Captain Gillette ever visit you?”

James’ brow furrowed slightly in confusion before he smiled at the joke.  “Not usually, but knowing him, he will tonight.”

“Just so we’re clear, we’re ignoring him.  Unless he wants to join, of course.”  James stared at Jacqueline incredulously before she winked at him.  “I’m only joking!”

“Good!  I’m not particularly partial to the idea of Gillette interrupting our wedding night, and I particularly don’t like the idea of him taking—.”  James closed his mouth quickly and flushed.  He coughed nervously.

After watching him in silence for a few moments, Jacqueline sighed and said, “I’m sure you aren’t exactly partial to the idea of your bride leaving out of sheer boredom either.” Smirking at James’ surprised expression, she managed to let her dress slide completely off of her and to the ground, where she stepped out of it and stood before James in nothing but a thin chemise.

“I…oh, God…”

“Goddess,” Jacqueline said quietly, again working at unbuttoning his shirt as she kissed him again.

Smiling against her mouth as they fell back onto the bed, James breathed, “My goddess…”  Jacqueline giggled.