Chapter 9: Brand
John swung Jack's cutlass at Elizabeth. She moved out of harm's way with no difficulties, even in the relatively small confinement of the captain's quarters on the Pearl where she'd insisted on seeing Lord Rochester in action. "Come again!"
John tried a thrust, but Elizabeth side stepped him, "again!" He clutched the weapon annoyed. This woman was playing with him, having fun of his expense for sure! He hardly took reins well, especially from a woman, that was one of the reasons why his relationship with his mother was so bad.
"Just hold it, don't clench your fingers round the hilt, it will hinder your aim," she explained, "again!"
He adjusted his weight, holding the cutlass with two hands instead, he had to give it was different from the thin swords he was used to. He came with some rapid strokes, but Elizabeth was once again able to block it. He even felt he was clumsy against her swiftness. That particularly bothered him. He had his sword unsheeted and yet he wasn't quick enough to help Billy Downs either the once when it counted.
She pulled back and called, "again!"
Maybe with manly strength? He attacked with so much force sparks were flying off the two blades. She nearly fell, but as she let him close she only did so to hit him in the head with the butt of the cutlass. She sneered at the dazed writer though, leveling her sword and pointing the tip steadfastly at him, "learned it from Jack, no fairness in fights. There's little Jack can't or won't do and you'll have to be the same cause there won't be the whole navy behind you to protect you while you're playing hero. Again!"
"Fuck! What??" John was now sweating, "there was nothing amiss with my attack! You cheated!"
"You know what was amiss. Again!"
"We've done this twenty times today!" He protested.
"And we will do it twenty more."
"Nobody speaks to me like that!"
"Precisely! Nobody will spare you in battle either for being the side kick of the king."
"That's because you're attacking a whole island with two ships."
"Four. Gentleman Jocard's two will join us, he's the only other pirate lord we can trust since Jack raided some of the slave ships taking people away from Jocard's homeland. Which brings us to why you haven't been taking captain responsibilities for weeks. Can you navigate?"
"I matriculated at Wadham College, Oxford at age twelve and at fourteen I was conferred with the degree of Magister Artium, do you know what that means?"
"Art will not save you. I repeat, can you navigate or do we have to tell everyone who you are?"
tbc