Picture Drabble for Hereswith

[dwgm]

A reply to hereswith's request on that Picture Drabble Meme I did awhile back. She wanted Norrington/Elizabeth, with that rather horrible dog.

This is in the same universe as Seconds.

~ Dark Encounter ~

In the blind night, James woke to soft cries of distress.

“Elizabeth!” He caught at her, where she flailed beside him, in the grip of some nightmare. For a moment she struggled, but then his voice seemed to reach her. She stilled, then allowed him to gather her into his arms. “It was only a dream,” he murmured against her hair.

“Yes.” She shuddered, and clung to him. He soothed her with hands and lips, and after a little while was rewarded with a deep sigh, and a kiss. Then she whispered, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. What was it? Can you tell me?”

She hesitated, and he brushed another kiss against her forehead, and did not press her. But at last she told him. “It was the dog.”

He knew what she meant. Taking a walk after supper, the thing had lunged at them from where it was chained in the yard of one Thomas Greeley, reputed miser. Elizabeth had been uncharacteristically shaken by the encounter.

“Shall I confront Greeley? The thing is dangerous—or would be, if not chained.”

“No…I mean…you will do as you think best. But in my dream…”

He kissed her cheek, then prompted, “Yes?”

“Oh, James. It became…Barbossa. That second night, when he revealed to me what he was. What they all were.”

She shuddered again, and he held her close.

But she went on. “He was chained, too. By the curse.”

“Yes.” He stroked her hair. “It was so long ago.”

“Not long enough.”

They were silent then, for a time, until finally she drew back, and he knew she was trying to see him in the blackness. Her hands moved over him, in a pattern that was becoming deliciously familiar. She asked him, “Will you help me forget?”

He replied, “Of course, sweetheart. I am, as always, entirely at your service.” His tone was light, and he felt her smile. But God knew the words were the unvarnished truth.



~.~

Comments

[jenthegypsy.livejournal.com]

Bravo!

Oh, hereswith will absolutely adore this. Love your "Seconds" universe. You do N/E so very well!

(Hugs ficlet, while lucky Elizabeth is hugging James.)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I had a time thinking of something to go with that infernal picture. I'm glad you thought it worked. ;)

[torn-eledhwen.livejournal.com]

That is a truly horrid dog. But the ficlet is extremely good - I like the comparison between Barbossa and horrid dog.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Barbossa=dog was the first thing that came to mind, but it took me a while to think of how to work that into a N/E story. So happy you liked the final result. :)

[erinya.livejournal.com]

Wow, good job with the prompt. That was a tough one.

This is lovely. I love this pairing more and more all the time. Such sweetness and tenderness between these two, and you show it wonderfully. "Seconds"...which somehow I didn't comment on the first time I read it...is similarly delicious.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm thankful I don't have to think about that dog any more, actually.

If it wasn't for Will's presence, I think Elizabeth could have learned to love Norrington. I think he is second only to Will in personal growth in the movie, certainly, and I've heard that this will continue in Dead Man's Chest.

I'm glad you enjoyed both this one, and Seconds. Thanks so much for commenting.

[hendercats.livejournal.com]

It's so interesting how things can catch you in such different ways at different times. Of course I followed the link to "Seconds" before reading this, and am so glad you revisited this universe. In particular, this line from "Seconds":
"I was thinking of our vows, yesterday. With my body I thee worship." really choked me up this time (and that was *not* the part that stood out for me the first time through). The vow itself had been running around in my head the past few weeks and I'd wondered if it was a remembered snippet or a bunny begging to get out and run rampant. Obviously choice (a) wins the prize. Lovely, lovely ... thanks for the reminder.

(Now to comment on the actual bit you've just posted.)
How you can take a thoroughly unpleasant picture and make such a gentle, lovely ficlet is a wondrous delight! Chapters and chapters reduced to one beautiful sentence: Her hands moved over him, in a pattern that was becoming deliciously familiar. *happy sigh*
And then, " ... I am, as always, entirely at your service." His tone was light, and he felt her smile. But God knew the words were the unvarnished truth.
Gorgeous. Wonderful. I love it.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

It's fun trying to tell a whole story with a minimum of words. I'm glad you feel I've succeeded in painting beautiful and interesting picture here, and in Seconds.

I'm working on your mermaid story, btw!

[virgo-79.livejournal.com]

Sweet, sweet story, geekmama!

And what a darling little doggie. Sheesh. Laid to rest in Indian burial ground, was he?

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Actually, the caption on it was "rabid dog", which looks like the truth.

Glad you liked the story!

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Very creative use of the mad doggy. As others have commented, the comparison between the dog and Barbossa is brilliant. And Norrington is so in character "at your service". I have become so sympathetic to him--always giving, never taking for himself--as I've been writing about him. It's lovely that he can get a little of his heart's desire in an alternate universe at least.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

It's lovely that he can get a little of his heart's desire in an alternate universe at least.

Oh, yes. After seeing to Jack's happiness in Harry & the Pirate, my next thought was for Norrington, especially since I'd been reading a lot of 'Sparrington' by then. He's a interesting character, no more black and white than Jack is.

I'm glad you enjoyed this. :)

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

*bounces*

Sorry about the rabid dog, dear... but oh, you've done wonders with that difficult prompt, this is such a lovely, touching scene. I like the comparison between Barbossa and the dog, with both of them being chained, the tenderness and trust between Elizabeth and James, how she stills when his voice reaches her and how she tries to see him in the blackness, the "blind night". And the last paragraph is so very N/E to me, it's achingly gorgeous. Heartfelt thanks, again, and lots of hugs! :-)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

The rabid dog certainly presented a problem, but not an insurmountable one. Dog=Barbossa occurred to me fairly quickly, but it took me a while to figure out how to work that equation into a N/E story. I'm very happy you enjoyed the result!

[elessil.livejournal.com]

Ooohh, lovely. I want James to help me over nightmares, too! ;)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Ha! Wouldn't most of us!

Glad youu enjoyed it. :)

[sleepy-lotus.livejournal.com]

Sigh. This was lovely! You write Norribeth so well!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you. James is such a wonderful character, and thank goodness we can give him some happiness in fanfic.

[sleepy-lotus.livejournal.com]

It's so true, and a little happiness is hard to find for the dear Commodore even in fic! I've been combing through LJ for Norribeth recently and was getting seriously depressed reading about him dying and pining over and over! lol. So, your renditions are a well needed lift. ;) Great job again!