One Night

Elizabeth cursed herself as she gathered Emily to her breast and grabbed John by the hand. That was just like her, to scold and yell at the boy right when bloody pirates were attacking. Now he was gone, and she had no idea where, and her only thought was not to left her or the children be found in the governor's house, where they would surely be taken ransom. She wanted to find Will. That was her first plan.

Will was still a young man, not quite yet thirty. Still fair and strong, with a face softened by the adoration of his family, devotion for his wife. He couldn't have been happier. He told the stories of his and Elizabeth's adventure to them at least twice a week (the scoundrels begged it out of him!) and he had fond memories of pirates, nowadays, rather than the hateful visions he used to have.

But that didn't stop him from defending his home and family, when they came. He had a pile of three bodies around him already, and he had barely left the black smith shop. He needed to get to Elizabeth, and the children, and if he had to hack his way through, so be it.

Luckily, this wasn't the case. Elizabeth had crept into the shop through the back door, away from the turmoil and, having seen her husband outside, opened the front door, grabbed his collar, and dragged him in. He grasped her tightly, she was white, and he had blood on his face. Oh, he was glad to see her all right. He bent and embraced the children. Only two sets of arms were clinging to him. Where was-

"Elizabeth," he whispered. "Where's Billy?" She bit back her trembling lip. It was all her fault.

"I don't know," she whispered. "I scolded him, and he left. That was before.but now I don't know where he is."

Will swore under his breath. "Damn him for a fool! The lad's probably out trying to fight- you know how he is."

Will turned to go, but her slim hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"I'm going with you!" she said, in a strong voice, despite the fear underlaying it. Fear for her son.

"No, you're not. Elizabeth, think of the children! They need someone, if I don't." He didn't voice the rest, but they all knew.

Her reserve quavered for a moment. But then she thought of Billy, her first born, her little pirate. "Billy needs us, now, Will, more than these two. If anything were to happen, they would go with my father, and you should know more than anyone he's a good man. Everything will work out." And with that, she reached up and grabbed a sword, any sword, and Will did not argue anymore.

She turned and kissed her beloved children, and Will swung them up high into the attic of the shop. He covered them with a blanket and hay, and told them not to make any noise.

Will looked grim. Elizabeth faltered. Billy needed her, but she could never just leave these two unprotected. That was madness. Here she thought of an idea.

The governor was always locked up in the Commodore's office during sieges, it was the way things went. He simply has to be protected, to continue to lead the people after the battle. She was sure she could get the children in there, it wasn't far. And they would be ever so much safer with their grandfather. She whispered this to Will, who nodded and hooked John under his arm. John began to protest this unfair treatment and was silenced with a light cuff from his father.

Elizabeth cradled Emily to her breast. They left through the back door.

Will went first, to the delight of John. He, as he had promised, hacked and slashed his way through the crowd. The air was full of stinging smoke and the cries of injured people. Elizabeth seethed. How dare they!! How dare they! She stuck her sword into more than one pirate's belly on the way.

Just as she was nearly certain all was lost, that they would never get through all this mayhem and blood and death, they were there. They wasted no time on good byes. Will all but threw John into the office, and Elizabeth herded Emily into her grandfather's surprised arms. She kissed her children swiftly, whispered "I love you. Be good." And left, Will's arm pulling her back along through the crowd.

"We don't have anything to barter with! What good would parley do?" she said through gritted teeth, her back against her husbands, her sword flashing nearly as dangerously as his. She had been taught by her husband, and she had shown an aptitude for sword fighting. Now at last her skills proved useful. She drove her rapier hard through the shoulder of one hook handed pirate, and then slashed downward into his stomach and twisted hard. He screamed, and blood splattered her cheek. He fell. More came. It was hopeless. But she couldn't give up. Not when her child was out there, somewhere. Probably fighting.

Her Will felt the same, she knew. Otherwise he would have never let her come. He would have tied her into a chair if the need arose, rather than risk her. But a mother's love is perhaps the strongest thing on Earth, and she merely would have hurt herself trying to escape the well-meant bonds. So he didn't argue and let her fight.

He just hoped they could find Billy before it was too late.