Admiral James Norrington: In Memoriam

Chapter 3: The Boat and the Governor

Elizabeth sat cold and alone on the Empress. She was now completely divided from everything from her childhood. Her mother was long dead before she came to Port Royal, her father had been ordered to be killed by Beckett, and now the man who took her and her father to Port Royal, and who later fell in love with her was gone, killed by her love rival's father. Even Will seemed to be dwindling away from her. His mission to free his father would mean losing Elizabeth, and she didn't know if her relationship with Will was going to survive. It had soured severely on the day they reunited on Isla Cruces, and he saw her seduce Jack, and then after learning she killed him, he too hid the secret that he would betray the crew of the Black Pearl to aid his mission. 

Elizabeth felt so foreign to the world now. She was once a respected daughter of a Governor under the King of England. But now she was an outcast pirate lord, and without a friend in the world. Her crew were only just beginning to trust her after she showed her loyalty to them when James captured them, but they were nowhere near as kind to her as they were to Captain Sao Feng. Her father and close friend were dead, Will was distancing himself more and more from her, and Jack refused to forgive her for leaving him to die. 

"Captain." said Tai Huang. "We are approaching Shipwreck Cove." 

"Look alive and take caution upon docking." said Elizabeth sternly. 

Tai Huang gave the order, but then hesitated, as if struggling with his options. 

"What?" asked Elizabeth stiffly. 

"Captain, I, er, well, we, as in the whole crew cannot help but feel curious." said Tai Huang hesitantly. "He was a high ranking officer, and yet he set us free. A pirate crew set free by an admiral. It doesn't happen. We wanted to know...who was he?" 

Elizabeth could see where the crew were coming from. It was true that in all of history, no-one had ever heard of an admiral who let an entire pirate crew go free. But she felt that she needed to respect James and his private motives. 

"All you need to know is that Admiral Norrington was a good man." she replied after a moment's pause. 

Tai Huang took the hint and agreed to honour James' memory as a good man, despite being on Beckett's side at first. 

Later, in Shipwreck Cove, Elizabeth was shocked to find herself as Pirate King of the Brethren Court, courtesy of Jack's vote and Captain Teague's ruthlessness. She ordered to assemble all vessels for war, and the Brethren obeyed. 

After watching Jack converse with Teague, which involved for some reason, a shrunken, decapitated and withered head, Elizabeth approached him, thanking him for his vote. Jack looked at her with a smile. He also had a look of curiosity about him. 

"Might I inquire as to how you came to be here, if Sao Feng fell to the Dutchman?" he asked. 

"I was aided in escaping." she replied briefly. 

Jack could see that she was hiding pain in her eyes. 

"Did Bootstrap Bill release you?" he asked. 

"No." said Elizabeth. She looked close to tears. Despite Jack's cold attitude towards her since their return from the Locker, she knew she had to release her emotions on someone, and Jack was the nearest to a friend she had. She gestured to Jack to follow her to a private room in the fortress. 

Once in the confines of the small room, Elizabeth collapsed in tears holding Jack to her. 

"Eh?" said Jack, completely perplexed at her breakdown. Elizabeth was the strongest woman he had ever known, and that was counting the sea goddess currently languishing in the Black Pearl's brig.