You, Me, and the Seven Seas.

Chapter 6 - Wedding Bliss

That next year was the longest, yet fastest of my life. Even as a captain, James still had to be away now and again. As much as we wanted to get married, we decided we would take the time to make it so that all of our family and friends could be there. We traveled together on the Dauntless just a month before the wedding. We visited everyone in England, making sure that each guest traveled safely on one of the Navy's ships. I suppose that's a perk of the governor's child marrying a/ Navy Captain, you never run out of boats. We were even invited to tea with the king of Great Brittain himself, George I. He gave James a custom handgun with a detailed wooden handle, no doubt carved by hand. He gave me a tiara that had belonged to his mother before she passed. As it turns out, the tiara was part of a set that had been separated in the chaos of her death. It was the third and final piece of her favorite sea collection, the same one of gold and pearls that had been made with my ring and necklace.

"A few years ago, James was visiting London on a delivery trip. I ran into him at a charity ball, and he wouldn't stop talking about this lady by the name of Swann. He had shown you the necklace he had gotten for you in Fort Charles, and I recognized it immediately. Just by the fact that he pushed other women away the entire night, some of them even royalty, I knew he would need the ring sooner or later. Unbeknownst to him, it traveled with him on his way back and was given to the jeweler he had purchased it from, the jeweler who made it for my mother. By strict order of the king, it was saved for James until he was ready for it."

I look at my soon-to-be husband with awe, amazed that he would turn down royalty. "Your majesty, I don't know how I could possibly thank you, this is just incredible!" He smiled at me, "All I ask is that you come to visit with your first child straight away, so I can have him or her baptized here in the Church of England." James and I looked at each other in shock, until he finally had the courage to speak. "It would be an honor, your majesty." When we arrived back, the island was buzzing with all different sorts of people. Family members, guests, wedding vendors, and staff from the manor. With three days until the wedding, the town was more excited than I had ever seen before.

That night, we kicked off our shoes and walked along the shore, hand-in-hand. "I can't wait, no more formalities, nobody to tell us to sleep in separate rooms, just the two of us." Clearly, James was looking forward to the honeymoon, and I couldn't help bet laugh. "Two days until our wedding, and all you can think about is sleeping together during the honeymoon. I shake my head in disbelief. "Not true, I've also been thinking about sleeping with you after the honeymoon." I pushed him away, "God, you are such a boy, James." He laughed, running in front of me. He had his regular hair tied back, no hat, and no decorated coat. Just his plain white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, he was unbelievably attractive. "You know I'm kidding, Lilli." Pretending to be angry, I try to step away from him, but he just copies my every move. Eventually, he gets sick of my little game.

James picks me up, wrapping my legs around his torso. "There, now you can't run away." He said this smugly, with a smirk on his face. "Do you know what I'm really looking forward to?" I giggle, "What?" He smiles, "Telling the world that I have the smartest, kindest, strongest, and most beautiful woman throughout the seven seas as my wife. To make you, Mrs. Norrington." I give him a look of thought, "Mrs. James Norrington, it has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" I playfully kiss him on the nose. "It's music to my ears." He kisses me passionately, laughing in between breaths. When I get back home, Elizabeth awaits me on my bed. "The maids and I quite enjoy the show you two put on, it's far more interesting than anything going on in here." I just laugh, "You'll get yourself in trouble sticking that nose where it doesn't belong."

On the morning of the wedding, my maids take their time to put extra care into my hair and makeup. Lizzie fastens up my dress, one button at a time. It's simple, with an off-the-shoulder neckline, full-length sleeves, a beautiful beading pattern across the top, and a satin bodice. It was its simplicity that made it so elegant. My sister carefully placed the tiara atop my head and folded it over my veil. When I came down the stairs, my father burst into tears. I had to hold everything in me so as not to cry as I hugged him before he calmed down so we could get in the carriage. He held my hand as we made the 20-minute drive across town to the church.