PotC Ficlet: Last Rites
Jan. 13th, 2007 03:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bimoJust a tiny bit of fluff that I came up with, while the longer story is still caught up in re-write hell. Rather sweet and not very serious in nature *g*
Title: Last Rites
Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Characters: Groves, Norrington
Summary: Theodore Groves looks after his captain
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: Lots of thanks to the fabulous![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
fabu who proofread this one for me :-)
LAST RITES
"Shall I fetch you the surgeon, Sir?" Theodore asked. Even for his own very lax standards it was an odd moment to witness. He had seen all sorts of injuries over the years. Light ones, deep ones, the ones that bred maggots and nightmares, but never a stubbornly heroic personality like Norrington flinching from such an everyday nuisance as a sore heel. The wound had the shape and size of a coin with raw, oozing flesh and a bit of encrusted blood round the fringes. Altogether not very messy and harmless in nature if properly treated.
"What else are you suggesting, Groves? Amputation perhaps?" Norrington said, sounding awfully tense. His smirk was a mere act of defence, Theo decided.
"Not at all. Just that you take a breath and calm down. Here, for strictly medical purposes…"
When Theo handed over his hip flask, Norrington did not even bother to ask what was in it, just had a brave, hearty and very long swig. There goes your Scotch, Charlotte, Theo thought, but chose not to comment. With more than just a tad of amusement he watched Norrington cough and fight for breath.
"Your generosity will be marked, Groves. Quite exceptional stuff. Where did you get it?"
"My aunt, Sir. She re-married last Spring and moved up to Inverness. Scottish baronet's wife now; apparently a reason to send gifts all across the Atlantic."
"You must think me rather pathetic, don't you?"
"No," Theo replied. "All I think is that you are very justifiably worried." A shameless lie, he knew, but one for right the motives. It was his guess that such a major step in life as a promotion to Commodore could cause strangely imbalanced behaviour in even the sanest, especially if they were eager.
Hoping that his words would match his intention, Theo looked Norrington straight into the eyes.
"The ceremony will run well, Sir. You've had everyone, including yourself, exercising for hours."
"What? You watched me practice?"
"I and Perkins did. And if you allow me to say so, we both agreed that your moves looked nothing but splendid. A true sight for a king."
"It's not the ceremony that has me worried," Norrington said. Theo could not help but notice how slowly the words came out of Norrington's mouth and how much his voice quavered.
"What then?"
"Writing desk. Top drawer. Just open the casket and say what you think."
"That this is a very beautiful ring, Sir," Theo replied after he had leaped up and done what he was asked for. Under his feet, the ground trembled a little, for he had never expected Norrington to entrust him with such an intimate secret. Carefully Theo held the precious little thing against the sunlight to see it unfold the softest, most fetching silvery glow. Certainly not an inherited item, he reckoned, judging by the modern cut and cluster arrangement of diamonds. Quiet and simple, yet at the same time very effective with a larger, slightly champagne-coloured stone set in the middle. Dear God, Theo thought. If he's financed that ring alone from his captain's salary and a little prize money here and there, he must have been saving for months.
"Sir, I'm convinced that whoever the lady in question, she will instantly know that your intentions are serious and the purest of heart, and your affection deep, gentle and steady."
Hopefully the statement would offer the form of support that his superior needed. While the Scotch had brought back some colour to Norrington's cheeks, he still looked rather strained and unhappy.
"Each night I pray that she will," Norrington finally said. "If that stupid foot gets infected, or if it rains and I have to get through the whole affair all soaked and hobbling on crutches…-"
"Then you'll find a better moment to tell her."
"You believe it is that simple?"
Theo took a clean handkerchief out of his pocket and sprinkled it with a few drops of liquor.
"Yes, Sir. And now let me see what can be done for your heel."
Title: Last Rites
Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Characters: Groves, Norrington
Summary: Theodore Groves looks after his captain
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: Lots of thanks to the fabulous
fabu who proofread this one for me :-)LAST RITES
"Shall I fetch you the surgeon, Sir?" Theodore asked. Even for his own very lax standards it was an odd moment to witness. He had seen all sorts of injuries over the years. Light ones, deep ones, the ones that bred maggots and nightmares, but never a stubbornly heroic personality like Norrington flinching from such an everyday nuisance as a sore heel. The wound had the shape and size of a coin with raw, oozing flesh and a bit of encrusted blood round the fringes. Altogether not very messy and harmless in nature if properly treated.
"What else are you suggesting, Groves? Amputation perhaps?" Norrington said, sounding awfully tense. His smirk was a mere act of defence, Theo decided.
"Not at all. Just that you take a breath and calm down. Here, for strictly medical purposes…"
When Theo handed over his hip flask, Norrington did not even bother to ask what was in it, just had a brave, hearty and very long swig. There goes your Scotch, Charlotte, Theo thought, but chose not to comment. With more than just a tad of amusement he watched Norrington cough and fight for breath.
"Your generosity will be marked, Groves. Quite exceptional stuff. Where did you get it?"
"My aunt, Sir. She re-married last Spring and moved up to Inverness. Scottish baronet's wife now; apparently a reason to send gifts all across the Atlantic."
"You must think me rather pathetic, don't you?"
"No," Theo replied. "All I think is that you are very justifiably worried." A shameless lie, he knew, but one for right the motives. It was his guess that such a major step in life as a promotion to Commodore could cause strangely imbalanced behaviour in even the sanest, especially if they were eager.
Hoping that his words would match his intention, Theo looked Norrington straight into the eyes.
"The ceremony will run well, Sir. You've had everyone, including yourself, exercising for hours."
"What? You watched me practice?"
"I and Perkins did. And if you allow me to say so, we both agreed that your moves looked nothing but splendid. A true sight for a king."
"It's not the ceremony that has me worried," Norrington said. Theo could not help but notice how slowly the words came out of Norrington's mouth and how much his voice quavered.
"What then?"
"Writing desk. Top drawer. Just open the casket and say what you think."
"That this is a very beautiful ring, Sir," Theo replied after he had leaped up and done what he was asked for. Under his feet, the ground trembled a little, for he had never expected Norrington to entrust him with such an intimate secret. Carefully Theo held the precious little thing against the sunlight to see it unfold the softest, most fetching silvery glow. Certainly not an inherited item, he reckoned, judging by the modern cut and cluster arrangement of diamonds. Quiet and simple, yet at the same time very effective with a larger, slightly champagne-coloured stone set in the middle. Dear God, Theo thought. If he's financed that ring alone from his captain's salary and a little prize money here and there, he must have been saving for months.
"Sir, I'm convinced that whoever the lady in question, she will instantly know that your intentions are serious and the purest of heart, and your affection deep, gentle and steady."
Hopefully the statement would offer the form of support that his superior needed. While the Scotch had brought back some colour to Norrington's cheeks, he still looked rather strained and unhappy.
"Each night I pray that she will," Norrington finally said. "If that stupid foot gets infected, or if it rains and I have to get through the whole affair all soaked and hobbling on crutches…-"
"Then you'll find a better moment to tell her."
"You believe it is that simple?"
Theo took a clean handkerchief out of his pocket and sprinkled it with a few drops of liquor.
"Yes, Sir. And now let me see what can be done for your heel."
