Age 21
Chapter 7: Do I Win Freedom or Slavery?
I was dressed and ready to go with in minutes of waking up, having put on my favorite black bodice and lightest clothes. What I had in store that morning was what capturing ships was the most entertaining for my girls. I smiled at Jack's sleeping form, calm and relaxed. My eyes fell on the tunic I wore the night before, discarded on the ground from intense activities from the night before. Picking it up, I folded it and set it on my dresser, intending to mend the tear he'd accidentally caused from lust.
I'd shared equality with him. I made a particular effort to avoid letting men dominate me, but Jack and I didn't try and force the other to obey; just to make love and make it as pleasurable as possible. I smiled, not smirked, as I grabbed my bandana and walked out and into the sunlight, shutting the door behind me.
"Sage!" I yelled, calling for my first mate. She came running up in seconds and saluted me.
"Aye, Cap'n?" she asked a bit breathless. She must've just made it from Rosy's ship by the sound of it, delivering her share of the Pearl's spoils.
"I feel like dueling today, my dear," I said, throwing my hair into a bun and tying the bandana snuggly around my head.
…………
Jack glanced nervously around. He held in his hands his cutlass and I held my favorite rapier (long story short, won it off Will in a game of dice). My women and Rosy's men circled us, holding onto Jack's crew and keeping them in line and keeping them captive. Rosy sat on a crate, leaning on her current girlfriend. She nodded towards me to start, anticipating probably one hell of a show.
"The rules are simple, mates," I explained, circling him. His eyes followed me like a hawk. "I'm giving the Jack the honor to duel me. If he wins, I set him free and his crew as well and no one pays any mind. If I win though," I gestured to myself, "Jack owes me his life and a debt he can't repay. Ever." A shout went up from his crew.
"Jack! Don't be a fool! She'll gut you where you stand the ginger demon!" a man with a grey beard yelled. I turned and glared at him.
"SHUT IT OR YA LOOSE YA DICK!" I yelled. I do hate being interrupted and being called a ginger. I have a soul, it's just tormented, twisted and very black! He fell silent and the captors roared with laughter. I spun and began to circle Jack again.
"But," I continued, walking away from him then, "I will set you free in the event you loose. But you still owe me and I will make collections." I spun and looked him dead in the eye. "Otherwise, I'll keep you and kill when I've had my way with you and grow tired of you." Spoken in the acid tone I learned from my mother. Jack shook his head.
"I'm Jack Sparrow, love," he said, taking a proper stance for sword-play. "I don't loose." I grinned at the challenge. I bowed low to him and took a step forward, allowing our swords to begin the duel.
No one ever fought me as formidably before this. Ever blow, every parry, each counter attack seemed to have only equal strength. Our battle raged on, neither he no I gaining ground because we twisted and turned, jumping over boxes and barrels, although I did manage to make him go up the stairs backwards (which was funny to watch!). The crews cheered me on, Jack's own trying to be heard through the yells of mine and Rosy's.
He slipped up once, giving me the chance to trip him. He fell back with an "Oof!" and looked up at me shocked. I held my sword pointed at his throat. I batted my eyelashes again.
"Yield, my Bird?" I inquired sweetly. He growled and banged away the tip of my rapier with his cutlass and lunged at me. Back to the dueling swords it seemed. The commotion must've attracted attention from the docks because I could hear cheering from the people on there. Jack and I separated for a minute to catch our breath.
"Ye not bad with the blade, Aby," he panted. He used my name…? I shook it off.
"Aye, me good man," I teased, readying myself again. "Only to defeat my opponents." Lunge. Slash. Parry. Stab. Counter. Parry. Parry. Stab. I couldn't corner the slippery eel and he couldn't catch me. About a year after this fight, I remember Rosy making an interesting comment: "It was like watching to halves of the same whole try for dominance!"
Our blades locked at the hilts and we began trying to shove the other off. He and I both gasped for air, sweat slicked and tired. My muscles strained to hold my ground, my boots pressed hard against the deck. Jack panted, glaring and trying all he could to overpower me.
"Aby! It's a draw!" Rosy's voice shot through my concentration. "You'll strain and hurt yourself!"
"I won't yield!" I yelled. I continued to force myself to press against him.
"Aby!"
"NO!" Adrenalin shot through me, giving me just the edge I needed to shove him on his backside again. This time I pressed the blade against his throat. "I… Win..." I whispered, breathing heavily. I shuddered and fell over.
…………
Apparently, I fainted. When I woke, I was stripped to the bare minimum and a cold cloth rested on my forehead. I sat up and clutched my throbbing head. "What the hell…? I whispered. Rosy's hand pushed me down.
"What did I tell you Abs?" she asked, exasperated. I sighed and took the water she offered in a bottle.
"Aye, I know I shouldn't have…" I admitted, grinning. "But I beat his sorry ass!" She shook her head. I looked around my cabin and saw he wasn't in it.
"Where's my captive?" I asked. I drank some more and felt the headache ebbing away, along with my killer thirst.
"Outside, stripped to just his breeches and awaiting your punishment," she said. I blinked. "Your girls decided it was his fault you fainted and wanted you to punish him," she explained. I gulped another mouthful.
"He had any water?" I asked. What the hell was coming over me? She shook her head and I jumped up. Bad move. My head throbbed again. "You'll kill 'im that way!" She made me lay back down and told me to rest. She promised to let me go in an hour if I proved able to stand and talk. I finished my bottle and handed it to her. "Take him some, please?" I asked. I only asked Rosy since she was both older and my friend. She grabbed the neck of the bottle and left me to rest.
…………
I re-dressed and walked out. It was nearing sun down and the skyline was beautiful with the waves lapping at the sinking sun. I looked at Jack chained to the main mast before me. Bruises littered his body from an apparent struggle with my girls and Rosy's boys. I smirked. I liked a man who fought back.
"Jack Sparrow," I said. "I've beaten you fairly and promised to release you even so. Unlock his chains." Sage, who was also my disciplinarian for the crew, stared at me. I gave her my infamous glare and silently order, "Unlock. His chains." She quickly did so. I held out my hand and a few crew members handed me his clothes which I then held out to him. He rubbed his wrists and took them.
"Ya got any rum, love?" he asked. I laughed and walked away.
…………
Heck yes! The genre IS action and adventure too ya know! I sure hope you enjoyed the little duel between Aby and Jack!
Jack: (still in pain from the crews attacking him)
Aby: Damn baby…
Jack: Aw, hush!
(Gun clicks)
Jack: Uhhhh…. I mean…
Er… Before Jack dies, please be patient for the next chapter! Hope you enjoyed this one.
