Elizabeth Swann's Sister

Part 7. Getting Ready For Norrington's Promotion

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* *Knock*. We both turned around in shock. "Elizabeth, Anne?". The Knocks continued to echo around our room whoever it was, they surely wanted our attention. *Knock* *Knock* *Knock* *Knock* *Knock* *Knock*. Elizabeth hurried over to her bed to put on her bed robe, whilst knocking over the chair in the process. "Careful!" I whispered. "Are you both alright?" The voice from behind the door said, I recognised the voice straight away and I knew that it was our father. Elizabeth was still hurrying to get her robe on, so I figured I should do the same.

"Are you both decent?", father said again. "Errr yes!" Elizabeth huffed out whilst hiding the necklace into her nightgown so father wouldnt see it. "YES!" she just managed to breath out successfully, hiding the necklace out of sight, before our father opened the door and entered the room. "Oh your both still a bed at this hour?!" father said looking at us both, whilst the maids followed behind him into the room. Before we both knew it, the maid opened up the curtains and the balcony doors, making both Elizabeth and myself gasp and shut our eyes, protecting them from the blinding light that came billowing in, through our bedroom.

The breeze from the Caribbean sea came gushing through the room, however it was not cold like the wind back home in England. The Seagulls were screeching and squawking, as though they were communicating with each other in some way. The sun was beaming in the room, it was a truly beautiful sight to see every morning for the past 8 years.

Although I do miss looking out through the window, to the beautiful green landscape and bright coloured flowers, that we had within our grounds. However I have managed to get used to the extraordinary view that we have now.

"It's a beautiful day, I have a gift for you both". Father said whilst walking towards us, followed by one of the maids holding two huge boxes, "This one is for you Elizabeth". He said whilst opening the lid on the box, Elizabeth walked over so she could get a better look. "Oh it's beautiful!" Elizabeth breathed out. "Isn't it?" Father stated. "May I see Elizabeth?" I said whilst walking over to her, she held up the dress so I could get a better look at it, "It is truly magnificent" I said in excitement.

"Wait till you see your's Anne!". Father told me whilst lifting the lid on the box containing my dress. "OH MY GOODNESS!" I squealed covering my cheeks in shock. "It's the most beautiful dress I have ever seen!". "Well I'm glad you like it Anne, now that your becoming a young Lady like Elizabeth, it's about time you get to wear lovely gowns, just the same as her". I hugged father before turning my attention back to the dress, it was a beautiful duck egg blue colour on the stomacher, with lace sleeves embellished with floral lace patterns on it and it had a whitish-cream coloured skirt, Elizabeth's was a beautiful white gold colour, with the same detailing as mine, however her's also came with a hat and it was all one colour, mine came with, beautiful jewel encrusted, hair clips for my hair.

"Oh your's is exquisite Anne!" Elizabeth told me, whilst holding a part of my dress. I smiled at her before doing a twirl with the dress held up to me. Elizabeth then turned to our father "May I inquire as to the occasion?". "Yes father what is the occasion? You never buy us beautiful dresses like these, unless there is a ball or fancy dinner party". I added, "Does a father need an occasion to dote upon his daughter's?" Father said to us chuckling. "Go on" he notioned to the maids to help us get changed into the dresses.

We both went behind the screens to get undressed with the help of our maids, when father said "Actually, I, erm, I had hoped you both might wear it for the ceremony today". "The ceremony?" I heard Elizabeth say from behind her screen, "Captain Norrington's promotion ceremony", Father told her. "I knew it!" Elizabeth said coming out from behind her screen to meet father's gaze.

"Commodore Norrington, as he's about to become". "Oh really he's going to be a Commodore now, wow!" I piped up. I must confess over the years I have grown a fondness for Norrington, I think he is rather an intelligent man, a fine gentleman who knows a lot about the sea, and also piracy, he can spot a pirate in a crowd any day, yes I have a strong likeness for the man and I hope that one day I will meet and marry a man just like him someday.

I could hear Elizabeth gasping for air as the maids must be doing up her stays a little too tight. "Fine gentleman, don't you think?" Father asked her. "He fancies you, you know". Elizabeth gasped even louder by this time making father call out her name to make sure she was alright "Elizabeth?, how's it coming?"."It's difficult to say" she huffed out as though she was gasping for the last bit of air that she had left in her lungs. "I'm told it's the latest fashion in London" father told her. "Well...Women...In...London... Must've learned not to breathe!" Elizabeth managed to say between breathes as the maids were doing her corset up even tighter.

"My lord you have a visitor". The butler has said to father. "Right yes, I will be with you in a moment Sedrick", father told him. "Girls I shall see you both downstairs, Anne I think you should finish getting ready, Helen will assist you", father said to me. "Okay father". I replied.