PotC ficlet: Tradition Maintained [Norrington, general]
Title: Tradition Maintained Author: celandineb Fandom: PotC Characters: Norrington, Elizabeth Rating: general Length: 270 words Summary: James misses having a proper Yule log. Note: For darkladyothsith, who wanted Norrington and gave the prompt "Yule log".
Oaks of goodly size not growing in profusion in the Caribbean, James had been unable to have what he considered a proper Yule log for the past five Christmases. He had tried to console himself with the thought that the climate was really too warm for one, anyway, but in this his sixth year here, he was determined to have one regardless.
Two possibilities came to mind. He might use some native tree of a suitable girth, but it might not burn slowly enough to last the full twelve days of Christmas. Alternatively he might secure oak planks from the small shipyard at the port, taken from one of the vessels they mended. Most English ships were oaken vessels, after all, and damaged planks were removed if they could not be repaired, to be replaced with local wood until the ship returned again to her northern island home. Oak planks, though, might also burn too quickly, nor would they have the impressive form of the true Yule log.
It was a problem. James put his mind to work to find a solution.
When the governor and his daughter arrived at newly promoted Captain Norrington's home on the third day of Christmas, and Miss Swann gave a delighted smile as the Yule log blazed brightly, James felt that all his trouble in the matter amply repaid. He contented himself with a slight smile to Miss Swann's queries about how he had arranged for such a traditional fire. There was no need to say that he had gone to the expense of having the whole log shipped specially from England for their pleasure.