Chapter 3: Swords and Pirates
Elizabeth tucked her sword into a belt of leaves that Peter tossed her, and flew high into the air. The wind was cool, and blew her hair wildly about.
"See that cliff there?" Peter pointed. "I'll race you." Without saying a word Elizabeth threw her arms against her side, and jolted forward. Peter crowed as he caught up to her, but cut off short as she began to pull away. His face set into determined lines as he too threw his arms back, and sped along. Elizabeth was having quite a lot of fun; she then turned with a laugh and circled around him in a spiral. The casual onlooker would have thought they were dancing, but in truth they were locked in combat. Elizabeth's eyes were full of joy, as were Peter's. His joy, however, was hidden behind the need to win. Finally, with a jovial laugh the two broke out of their spiral, and headed toward the rocky cliff where they landed.
Elizabeth's long hair was now wildly tangled all about her face, so with a piece of string plucked for Peter's leafy garb she tied her hair back into a long braid.
"That is much better." She sighed, and as she put her arms down a slight twitch could be detected in Peter's arm, and so she leapt high into the air. Her attention was quite lucky for Peter had drawn his sword and thrust at her.
"That's cheating Peter!"
"There's no such thing Liz. An enemy does not always fight fair. Now come down here."
"No." She crossed her arms. Liz was not at all pleased that Peter would have attacked her when she didn't even have her weapon drawn.
"Believe me; you don't want me to come up there." Peter was nonchalant, but still Liz could tell that he was quite serious, so relenting; she drew her sword, and felt her bare feet touch the smooth rocky ground.
"Okay, teach me, all mighty Pan." Peter smirked at her words.
"I rather like the sound of that. Perhaps the Lost Boys should call me that from now on. I can hear it now. 'Yes all mighty Pan.'" Liz watched him, and the moment she thought he was completely self-absorbed she thrust. Peter's eyes widened as he just barely blocked the blow.
"Lesson one Peter Pan. Not all enemy's fight fair." Peter smiled slightly as he continued to take the defensive.
"Lesson two." Peter spoke easily while fighting. "If you can't defend, you die." Peter now stepped forward, using a series of upward and then downward blows. Elizabeth was counting the blows, and matching her footwork to them.
"One, two three, down two three." Peter smiled. She learned fast, just as he had. Now it was time to change things up a bit. Peter turned in a circle, changing his pattern. Liz almost stumbled at first, but then adjusted to the changed. The girl had now grow quiet, but still spoke occasionally.
"Lesson three, be ready for a change." Elizabeth spoke softy, but never took her eyes off of his shoulders. Peter's brow furrowed at her words, but soon understood what they meant. Elizabeth sped up tremendously, and took the offensive. Peter's feet lifted off the ground for a moment, but then came down remembering he was fighting friend. A cocky smile spread across his face as he too sped up. The siblings were now dancing, their blades flashing brightly in the sunlight. They alternated between offense and defense in no particular order, and fought all over the rock. Finally, Elizabeth took a swipe with the flat of her blade at Peter's arm, which he only dodged by taking flight.
"I've never seen anyone learn so quickly." Elizabeth's face now bore a mischievous grin. Peter squinted his eyes. He knew that look for he himself wore it quite often.
"What?" Elizabeth now burst into laughter.
"Lesson four, never underestimate your opponent. That is not the first time I have I have bandied swords. Well, the first time with a real sword. My parents allowed me to take fencing lessons after I begged so often. They use foils which are not sharp." Peter looked angry at first for her trickery, and then burst into grins.
"All the bett.." His words were cut off by Elizabeth's hand covering his mouth. She grabbed his should, and pulled him to the ground.
"Peter look." Coming around the island was a grand looking ship. Singing could be heard from aboard as many pirates manned the sails.
"They're back. Falcon, it seems you shall have a grand adventure after all. I wonder who the new captain is."
"What makes you say there is a new captain?" Peter looked at Elizabeth as though she were quite stupid.
"There's always a new captain. That's just the way it is. Last time it was Flint, and this time it will be someone new. I always get to fight the captain. It's my right, so swear now that in an open fight the captain will be left to me." Elizabeth raised her right hand and swore upon her sword that the captain would be left to Pan.
"Okay, now let's go meet the captain."
Peter of course had no idea that the new captain would become his most famous enemy. The two rose high into the air, and headed off, trailing the pirate ship, ironically named the Jolly Roger.
Elizabeth tucked her sword into a belt of leaves that Peter tossed her, and flew high into the air. The wind was cool, and blew her hair wildly about.
"See that cliff there?" Peter pointed. "I'll race you." Without saying a word Elizabeth threw her arms against her side, and jolted forward. Peter crowed as he caught up to her, but cut off short as she began to pull away. His face set into determined lines as he too threw his arms back, and sped along. Elizabeth was having quite a lot of fun; she then turned with a laugh and circled around him in a spiral. The casual onlooker would have thought they were dancing, but in truth they were locked in combat. Elizabeth's eyes were full of joy, as were Peter's. His joy, however, was hidden behind the need to win. Finally, with a jovial laugh the two broke out of their spiral, and headed toward the rocky cliff where they landed.
Elizabeth's long hair was now wildly tangled all about her face, so with a piece of string plucked for Peter's leafy garb she tied her hair back into a long braid.
"That is much better." She sighed, and as she put her arms down a slight twitch could be detected in Peter's arm, and so she leapt high into the air. Her attention was quite lucky for Peter had drawn his sword and thrust at her.
"That's cheating Peter!"
"There's no such thing Liz. An enemy does not always fight fair. Now come down here."
"No." She crossed her arms. Liz was not at all pleased that Peter would have attacked her when she didn't even have her weapon drawn.
"Believe me; you don't want me to come up there." Peter was nonchalant, but still Liz could tell that he was quite serious, so relenting; she drew her sword, and felt her bare feet touch the smooth rocky ground.
"Okay, teach me, all mighty Pan." Peter smirked at her words.
"I rather like the sound of that. Perhaps the Lost Boys should call me that from now on. I can hear it now. 'Yes all mighty Pan.'" Liz watched him, and the moment she thought he was completely self-absorbed she thrust. Peter's eyes widened as he just barely blocked the blow.
"Lesson one Peter Pan. Not all enemy's fight fair." Peter smiled slightly as he continued to take the defensive.
"Lesson two." Peter spoke easily while fighting. "If you can't defend, you die." Peter now stepped forward, using a series of upward and then downward blows. Elizabeth was counting the blows, and matching her footwork to them.
"One, two three, down two three." Peter smiled. She learned fast, just as he had. Now it was time to change things up a bit. Peter turned in a circle, changing his pattern. Liz almost stumbled at first, but then adjusted to the changed. The girl had now grow quiet, but still spoke occasionally.
"Lesson three, be ready for a change." Elizabeth spoke softy, but never took her eyes off of his shoulders. Peter's brow furrowed at her words, but soon understood what they meant. Elizabeth sped up tremendously, and took the offensive. Peter's feet lifted off the ground for a moment, but then came down remembering he was fighting friend. A cocky smile spread across his face as he too sped up. The siblings were now dancing, their blades flashing brightly in the sunlight. They alternated between offense and defense in no particular order, and fought all over the rock. Finally, Elizabeth took a swipe with the flat of her blade at Peter's arm, which he only dodged by taking flight.
"I've never seen anyone learn so quickly." Elizabeth's face now bore a mischievous grin. Peter squinted his eyes. He knew that look for he himself wore it quite often.
"What?" Elizabeth now burst into laughter.
"Lesson four, never underestimate your opponent. That is not the first time I have I have bandied swords. Well, the first time with a real sword. My parents allowed me to take fencing lessons after I begged so often. They use foils which are not sharp." Peter looked angry at first for her trickery, and then burst into grins.
"All the bett.." His words were cut off by Elizabeth's hand covering his mouth. She grabbed his should, and pulled him to the ground.
"Peter look." Coming around the island was a grand looking ship. Singing could be heard from aboard as many pirates manned the sails.
"They're back. Falcon, it seems you shall have a grand adventure after all. I wonder who the new captain is."
"What makes you say there is a new captain?" Peter looked at Elizabeth as though she were quite stupid.
"There's always a new captain. That's just the way it is. Last time it was Flint, and this time it will be someone new. I always get to fight the captain. It's my right, so swear now that in an open fight the captain will be left to me." Elizabeth raised her right hand and swore upon her sword that the captain would be left to Pan.
"Okay, now let's go meet the captain."
Peter of course had no idea that the new captain would become his most famous enemy. The two rose high into the air, and headed off, trailing the pirate ship, ironically named the Jolly Roger.