Roseanne yelped as a piece of splintered wood caught her arm, tearing through skin and flesh. The adrenaline cruising through her numbed the pain and she held steady the cool steel blade she had equipped herself with. Roseanne didn't know how to use a sword, but the feel of the sharpened metal in her grasp gave her some sort of comfort.
She clambered out of her now shattered hiding place, ears ringing with the rumble of Captain Jack's orders over the roar of cannon fire. Smoke stung her eyes and clogged her throat but she stood strong.
"Prepare to board!" A clean English accent bellowed from the attacking ship.
Roseanne fumbled with the hilt of her sword switching between holding it with one and then two hands, rolling it from right to left; before she could quite get her grip she was forced to slice out mercilessly as a body flew at her. She heard a cry of agony as the figure didn't quite make it onboard and fell to oblivion. Roseanne felt a rush of satisfaction, even it had been a blind sweep.
Another fellow swung over on a thick braided rope, this one a little more prepared for his landing. His sword was drawn, and clashed with Roseanne's as he landed upon deck. She could feel the strength in his trained arms as she struggled beneath her hazy opponent's blade. She pulled away and went for a cheap shot at his breast through the smoke. He saw it coming and parried the attack away. Roseanne cursed, her beginners luck had washed out and she was highly disadvantaged with a lack of expertise. The enemy noticed the hesitation in her attack and pushed forward with a stab. Roseanne closed her eyes turning her head and attempted to defend her self with the slither of steel poised like a shield. The satisfying clatter of metal proved she'd saved herself; this time.
"You sure do fight like a girl." A rich, soft tone whispered in her ear.
A talented hand folded around her own, the other phantom hand snaked around her waist and held her close to a figure; a figure that smelt of the sea.
"Follow my lead." Jack whispered.
Roseanne let her arm trust in the experience of Jack. His cool hand over hers helped the sword to bring to life a triumphant dance, its song the crashing of metal and hum of each swing at the opponent.
Her eyes grew accustomed to the smoke and she was able to see a little clearer. The figure before her was sweating now, his muscles beginning to tire as he fought for his life against pirate and lady. His white shirt was flecked with red stains from the small injuries to his hands as the blades collided; his navy coat was torn, the golden buttons hanging by a dangerous thread. Roseanne gasped as she recognized the uniform and acknowledged the face of her attacker; Commodore Norrington. Her eyes searched her primary surrounding, and confirmed her suspicion. There her father stood in combat with a deck hand. This was a rescue party for her.
Roseanne's lack of concentration on the pending fight before her meant she missed Jacks lunging attack for Norrington's defeated chest, and it was by spontaneous instinct she was able to push Jacks arm off balance so the sword merely clipped her father's friend's shoulder.
"Norrington it's me, I'm safe!"
"Lord Blackhazel I've found her!" He bellowed above the chaos.
Momentarily, the fighting ceased, the Kings troops aware their mission was successful, the pirates simply curious to just who he had 'found'.
James Norrington slipped his uninjured arm around the exhausted girl's waist, brushing against the lingering arm of the pirate he had just been fighting with. He jumped to conclusion; the pirate had obviously been holding the girl hostage while they fought, using her as a safeguard. James let go of the girl in fury, drawing his pistol against the captain's forehead to prevent him from escaping.
"Father!" Roseanne fell against her parent in tiredness, shaking from the strain of the fight.
"Oh Roseanne what have they done to you?" Lord Blackhazel ran his finger over the bruise on her temple, and hissed in disgust at her ragged clothes.
"Nothing, it wasn't these Father, they sa…"
Roseanne was cut off as the Lord roared in anger. "Jack Sparrow we meet again!"
"Captain." The dreadlocked Captain whispered with less conviction than he normally did.
Roseanne frowned in confusion at Jacks conserved form.
"He was holding Roseanne captive sir, he held her fast while he fought me" Norrington informed.
"Actually he was helping me fi…" Roseanne was interrupted again.
"You just don't learn to stay away from my family do you Sparrow." Blackhazel spat through gritted teeth.
"Look, he is no crook, he saved my life." Roseanne shouted at her father in fury.
"Stay out of this Roseanne, you're too naïve to understand." Her father yelled back. "Take both of them back to the Interceptor, and lock the wretched Sparrow in the brig."