Chapter 7

"Swordplay or Foreplay"

Evangeline and Jack began to circle each other like sharks. "Make you?" she asked. "So, not only are you a pirate, but you're a five-year-old as well?"

"I hope you can fight better than you insult," Jack laughed.

"I insult quite well, Sparrow."

"Captain Sparrow."

"Captains are in the navy…"

Jack smirked. "Pansies are in the navy." Evangeline extended her sword, quickly making contact with Jack's. "Oh…Did I strike a nerve?"

"Men of honor and skill are in the navy – thieves and scoundrels are pirates." Their swords met several times.

"Ye don't have a bloody clue about what yer sayin', lass." Jack's speech seemed to slur as he fought. "Will's dad was a pirate…"

Will shouted, "We really don't need to bring my father into this conversation."

"What conversation, Will? The lass an' I are fightin', not conversin'."

"As if I'd ever converse with you?" Evangeline sneered.

Jack circled behind her, his smile cocky as ever, and his speech sounding as though he'd been out at sea for years without a reprieve. "I'm willin' t' bet that some part o' ye wants t' do more than converse with me." Evangeline didn't respond verbally, instead, she intensified her attacks, wiping the smile from Jack's face. The pirate began to sweat from the workout he was receiving. "Ye say ye've been teachin' 'er, Will?"

Will smiled proudly. "Yes, I have. Why?"

"She fights better than ye do."

The two continued to fight relentlessly – Jack found that he wasn't holding back in the least. After twenty minutes or so, Evangeline had succeeded at backing Jack up against a wall, her sword to his throat. She simply smiled and said, "Well, look at this, I could have very easily killed 'Captain' Jack Sparrow."

Jack smiled back, snaking an arm around Evangeline's waist, his breathing ragged. "An' ye can' tell me that the thought doesn' 'ave ye feelin' jus' a bit randy, Love." Evangeline grunted and let her blade nick Jack's throat before she stormed off to the back room of the smithy. "I knew it," Jack said loudly enough for her to hear.

Will walked up to Jack, shaking his head. "You're bleeding."

"I'm glowin', Will." His speech began to clear slightly. "That was the most intense foreplay…"

Will's eyes went wide. "You mean swordplay."

"You heard what I said, eunuch. That lass is going t' be wrapped around me finger before I…"

"Jack," Will interrupted, "did you notice how mad she got when you poked fun at the navy?"

"What of it?"

"Aren't you curious about why?"

"I figured it was Norrington's 'expanded' tales that he likes to spread around."

Will shook his head. "Her fiancé is one of Norrington's captains."

Evangeline had left through the back door of the smithy, not wanting to see Jack. "How dare he imply that he could possibly arouse me," she mumbled to herself. "Stupid pirate. Filthy creatures, the lot of them. Dirty men with those big brown eyes and cheekbones that…" She gasped, covering her mouth. "There is no possible way that I am attracted to that! Cedric will be home soon and things will be better." She tried convincing herself of her words. "Pompous, arrogant, stupid…" She mumbled her way to The Brass Bell and headed straight back to the kitchen. Of course, her mumbling ceased when she found her cousin kissing a young man.

Deana saw her cousin and her eyes widened. "Ev! Uh, I didn't think you'd be back so soon."

"Obviously," Evangeline smiled. "I left Will's rather early. That obnoxious pirate from last night is actually a 'friend' of his and was there! We fought, I won…" She paused for a moment. "…and now I'm extremely hungry.

Jess couldn't believe his ears. "Did ye jus' say that ye beat a pirate in a fight?"

Evangeline nodded, tearing off a piece of bread from a nearby loaf. "Apparently not just any pirate, either. 'Captain' Jack Sparrow. Honestly, all of those stories about him have to be rubbish."

"So, ye don' care for 'im, eh?" Jess asked.

Evangeline looked at Jess. "Not at all," she answered wondering why this young man seemed to care about her opinion so much. "Not that I have to ask, but are you the one who had my cousin floating home last night?"

"Ev," Deana whined.

Jess blushed. "Aye. I'm Jess."

"Are you a seaman, Jess?"

Jess paused a moment, then laughed. "The accent gives me away, eh?"

"Just a bit." Evangeline looked at the two teens before her and smiled. "Go on, you two, get out of here."

Deana's eyes widened. "What?"

"The two of you look too happy to be held up in here all day. Go on, enjoy yourselves."

Deana smiled brightly. "Thank you so much, Ev." She and Jess disappeared out into the tavern, then out the front door into Port Royal's streets.

Evangeline busied herself with the duties in the tavern until she noticed Commodore Norrington walk inside. Not wanting to get Will into any trouble, she resisted the urge to tell him about Jack and instead asked him about Cedric.

"Commodore, wonderful to see you," she said, smiling sweetly.

"Always a pleasure, Evangeline," the Commodore replied. "Am I too early for lunch?"

"Not at all." She led him to a table and took his order herself. "Commodore, is there any word of when Cedric's ship will be returning?"

Norrington smiled. "You'll be pleased to know that they're due back today."

Evangeline smiled. "That's wonderful news." Her heart fluttered for a moment at the thought of her love returning to her. "I'll go prepare your lunch."