Secrets Of a Commodore

Part 1

(A/N/ this is a rewrite of the fainting scene from the curse of the black pearl, it involves the idea of "what if James Norrington was a trans man?")

"congratulations on your promotion commodore" Elizabeth politely acknowledged the newly promoted Naval Officer,

"your congratulations are appreciated miss Swann" James remarked with a soft smile,

it was a gorgeous day in Port Royal, and it was playing out as scheduled.

The ceromony to promote one James Norrington had gone by swimmingly, which brings us to now, James a newly pronounced commodore and Elizabeth the Governers daughter stood on the ledge of the fort, near the bell, which presented a view of the vast Caribbean Sea, discussing matters of, at least to the Governer, great importance.

"let us not beat around the bush miss Swann" James straightened his poster, his breathing becoming more laboured "I wish to ask your hand in marriage" he paused for a moment placing a hand to his chest. which now ached for his ribs to decompress.

"i'm very flattered commodore, but i'm afraid at this moment i'm not sure how to respond to this" Elizabeth rebuttaled raking over the pros and cons of the match.

it wasn't until now that she turned and looked at the commodore, whose face was growing unusually pale,

"are you quite alright James" Elizabeth inquired her tone laced with concern, evident by the use of his first name.

"yes... yes i'm quite alright Miss Swann" James was hesitant to answer her question, as he needed to catch his breath,
"you certainly don't seem alright commodore" Elizabeth muttered.

Panic fledged into James' system, he didn't want to be rude but he needed to find a space where he could not be seen,

"i hope you're not disappointed at my answer, i did not mean it to come off as rude, you are a fine gentleman but i must think about" Elizabeth rambled eyes shifting from the commodores pained expression to the water and back again.

"no it's not that it's just..." he took another pained shallow breath, leaning against the frame of the bell tower for support, his legs beginning to feel like gelatin, "it's just..." he continued,

Elizabeth interrupted his sentance, "i mean it commodore you're a fine gentleman, and a fine Naval Officer, i do hope your feelings are not hurt" she offered attempting to reassure his feeling of what she believe to be sadness.

James didn't answer, not because he did not have a clue of what to say, but because he could not produce the breath to say a single word, "it's..." his vision to blur and spoted,
Norringtons hand slipped from his firm grip on the wall, his vision completely going black,

His legs giving way to the sheer force of his lack of balance, falling into the sea below.

Elizabeth jerked her head around as her peripheral vision caught James tumbling off the balcony.

"James!" she screamed gaining the attention of the other Naval Officers who had previously been unaware to their conversation,

the group rushed over to miss Swann, crowding the edge of the fort, peering down at the water which rippled signafying where the commodore had fall in,

Elizabeth began untying her large skirt hoping to jump in after her friend, "don't do it miss, it's a miracle he missed the rocks below" one of the Officers said grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the ledge,

"for christ's sake we have to do something" Elizabeth argued thrashing away from his grasp, pulling off the remainder of her skirt before diving in after him.