The Proposal

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After waiting for the ceremony to be over for at least twenty minutes, I heard heavy footsteps approach me from behind. I turned around and saw the newly appointed Commodore.
"It's a wonderful afternoon, wouldn't you agree?" he smiled, joing me by my side.
"Yes, it is rather beautiful I suppose," I smiled. I felt nervous for some reason, that was weird, I was never nervous, I was beginning to wonder if this outfit had anything to it.
"You look lovely, Hazel," he smiled, seemingly anxious.
I smiled politely, he was a nice man, and a good one, but not my type, too formal I suppose.
It was at this point I realized I really wasn't getting enough air. The last three hours of wearing this corset caught up on me. I couldn't even get the air if I tried my hardest.
"I can't breath," I stuttered.
I realized that I sounded more nervous than desperate.
Norrington turned his back and began to talk to me. That meant he couldn't see me. Oh no. I was going to go out one way or another.
"I have realized, that in this new promotion, I have lacked one thing. A marriage to a fine woman,"
He turned back to me.
"You have become, a fine woman, Hazel," he spoke, before turning back away and continuing to ramble.
I took one last forced intake of oxygen before collapsing over the fort wall, my eyes fluttering shut, and I didn't know if I would ever wake up again. As I drifted from my conscious state, I heard Norrington yell considerably loud.
"HAZEL!!!!"
And that was the last thing I knew before hitting the water and blacking out.

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When I awoke, the first thing that I saw was a long, brown dreadlock looming over my face. When I fully opened my eyes, I found myself to be lying on my back, on the docks, down to my undergarments, so that I could finally breath again.
As I looked at my mysterious rescuer, I saw a man with ominous, brown eyes, equipped with eyeliner on the brims, he had a dark mustache and a fluffy goatee, his skin was smooth and tanned, and he had very prominent cheekbones and a dangerously sharp jaw lines. His hear was messy with a crimson bandana tied around it. There was what looked to be a bone of some sorts tied into his ponytail. I'd be lying if I said he wasn't attractive.
As I sat up, the man took the medallion in his hands.
"Now where did you get that," his low, gravelly voice asked, giving me a confused and intrigued look.
I was about to answer 'my sister stole it when she was younger' when a sword was pointed at his face. He looked at it questioningly.
"On your feet," a voice that I recognised to be the Commadores' ordered.
We both stood up and Father came running to my side.
"Hazel!" his worried voice spoke, as he wrapped a coat around my frame. My wet hair stuck to my face, causing irritation and discomfort.
The man was dressed in seeming pirate-like attire, he had his hands up in defense.
"Shoot him," my Father spoke.
I didn't quite understand him, without him I would be dead. I saw Elizabeth come running to the scene, still in the damned dress Father bought. She hugged me worriedly and whispered my name, pulling away and staring disapprovingly at the man. I wouldn't let him die, I owed him my life, and he hadn't done anything wrong.
The soldiers cocked their guns and pointed them at the man.
"Father!"
"What?" he asked surprised.
I turned to the Commodore.
"Commodore, do you really intend to kill my rescuer?" I spoke firmly.
He looked defeated, the man signed a subtle thank you to me, and I smiled back at him, before I looked back at the Commodore, who extended a hand to the man. He tentatively took it only to have his sleeve rolled up in a flash.
From what I could see from my angle, it was a tattoo of a Sparrow. I wondered what this meant, and why the Commodore was so smug about it. The man sighed as if he should've seen it coming.
"Well we'll, Jack Sparrow isn't it?" he snarled.

Jack Sparrow, I had heard of him in my pirate research. He was a fierce pirate, who should be feared. He didn't look so bad, certainly not fear mongering, although that could be a well thought out tactic.

"There should be a 'Captain' in there somewhere," he retorted, making some strange hand gestures.
I stifled a laugh.
"Well I don't see your ship," Commodore smirked. That was true, the only ships I saw were the Dauntless and the Intercepter.
"I'm in the market, as it were," he explained, narrowing his eyes, which made me laugh, he was quite amusing.
"Said he'd come to commandeer one," a bumbling idiot spoke from behind him.
"Told ye he was telling the truth," the other muttered.
Commodore took the mans pistol and examined it.
"No additional shots nor powder, a compass that doesn't point north....."
He unsheathed the mans sword and grinned mockingly.
"And I half expected it to be made of wood," he taunted.
"Gillette fetch some irons, Mr Sparrow has a dawn appointment at the gallows, and I would hate for him to miss it," Commodore glared.
"Commodore I really must protest, do you really intend to kill my rescuer?"
"He's a Pirate Hazel!" Elizabeth injected.
"He saved my life!" I argued, getting exponentially angry, would they not understand that I'd be dead without him?
"One good deed is not enough to redeem a man from a life time of wickedness!" Commodore reasoned. I sighed, standing in front of him as he was being manacled.
"Though it seems enough to condemn him," the man spoke from behind. I quickly looked at him and shot him a smile, I would do the best I could for him. He wasn't necessarily a bad man.
"Indeed."

After I heard the click of the mans chains, he grinned.
"Finally!" he sighed, putting his chains around my neck.
I gasped initially before sighing.
"Let me go you piece of...."
"Do not use foul language my dear, it shall get us nowhere,"

I understand where he was coming from, I doubted he would kill me, just use me as a bribe.

Everyone gasped loudly as he held me captive.
Elizabeth let out a small shriek and Father wavered a small,
"No.."
I shook my head and looked back at everyone.
"Now, my effects, and my hat!" he exclaimed. I chuckled a little to the deep dismay of my Father.
"Now, Hazel, it is Hazel isn't it?" he began. I nodded, I liked the way my name sounded when he said it. What was I on about, I was captive!
"If you'd be so kind," he smiled, gesturing to his effects.
I slowly out on his belt, strapping it tightly around his frame, perhaps as a cheeky payback, as I smirked while I did it.

"Easy on the goods Darling," he grinned, showing off his shiny golden teeth.
I shoved his hat on his head and shook my head, smiling at him. I didn't feel threatened, not one bit. Maybe I should have, but what I wanted was for this man to get off free, as a thanks for saving me.

Once I was finished, I sighed.

"Your welcome!" I spoke, annoyed at his lack of appreciation.
"Thank you Darling, now," he said, spinning me around and gently putting a gun to my head.

"Commodore, Hazel, you will always remember this as the day that you almost caught Captain. Jack. Sparrow!" he smiled, as he pushed me back into my Fathers arms and kicked something, ascending him to the air. He winked at me which made me smile. He was quite amusing if I was being honest.
I stood back up and Elizabeth ran over to me, pulling me away from all of the gunshots which were now being fired at the man, he yelped and I shook my head, smiling, waking back over to Elizabeth.

She hugged me.
"Oh my God Hazel, I thought I lost you when you fell, but then when he threatened you, I was so worried!" she gasped, I was worried she'd hyperventilate if she didn't take a breath.
"Calm down, breath," I instructed calmly.
"He would never have shot me, he just used me to get away from the guards, I was safe the whole time,"
"How do you know!? He's a pirate!" she exclaimed, appalled by my judgement. I understood her point though, and I guess he could've shot me, no matter how much I thought the wouldn't.

"I'm sorry, you're right, what does it matter he's gone now anyway, we can all move on," I smiled reassuring her I was ok.

She nodded timidly.

"Come on Hazel, let's get you a warm bath and some nice comfortable clothes," she smiled.

"I really am fine, I'm never wearing a corset again though!" I laughed and she joined in.
"I'll join you on that one," she smiled as we walked back to our house.

"Norrington proposed, or tried to, before I fainted,"
"Oh my gosh Hazel this is perfect! When are you getting married?" she buzzed.
"Elizabeth I'm not, I don't like him, he'd fit someone else much better, I'm not his type," I explained.
She shrugged, disappointed.
"He's a fine man," she pointed out.
"Yes, just not one I want to marry."

I wondered what would become of Jack Sparrow, whether he would escape Port Royal with that ship he planned to commandeer. I hoped so, nobody deserves to be hanged for piracy, it must be an exciting life. Better than sitting around in fancy dresses posing for an artist who can't even get your lips right. Elizabeth kept rambling on about how worried she was, and about Norrington, which was annoying, but nice to know she did actually care greatly, no matter how annoying she was sometimes.

When we got back home, Elizabeth got the maid to draw me a nice hot bach. To be honest I wasn't really interested, just exhausted and in need of sleep, after being abruptly woken that morning by Father.

I ended up just falling asleep anyway, thinking about the Commodores proposal and how to politely decline, and not to hurt his feelings too much.

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