Alyssia watched with great amusement as Jack tried and failed to
awaken the blacksmith, who was lying in a drunken slumber in a corner of
the dimly-lit, dusty smithy. She giggled, and said, "And here I thought
YOU were really drunk." Jack ignored her, so she settled in to watch the
show she knew was coming, leaning casually against the wall.
Jack tried to sever the links of the chain on his hands with a hammer, but it didn't work too well. Alyssia grinned, and said, "Look up." He did, and saw the gears overhead. Setting the hammer down on the anvil, he drew a wickedly hooked piece of metal out of the forge fire, its tip glowing a menacing cherry red in the half-light. His eyes fell on the donkey harnessed to the machinery.
"Congratulations, you're free," Alyssia said sarcastically as the chain creaked and snapped as the gears of the machinery overhead rolled over it. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'd just as soon get out of- Hide, now!"
The wooden door creaked open, casting a square of white sunlight on the floor. A young man entered the smithy, carefully closing the door as quietly as possible. He turned to look at the machinery overhead, and at the donkey, which was still walking rather quickly in a circle. He walked right by Alyssia and knelt next to the creature, petting it and calming it down.
Then he rose and turned to look at the sleeping blacksmith, who was still snoring peacefully in the corner. A sardonic smile flitted across his lips as he said, "Right where I left you."
He strode over to the forge and paused, frowning at the hammer Jack had left out on the anvil. "Not where I left you," he said slowly.
Alyssia walked boldly forward until she was standing right next to him. 'Man, he's even cuter up close,' she thought irrelevantly. 'So... if my pirate is really Jack Sparrow, not an actor playing a part, then this isn't Orlando Bloom, really. This is... Thomas... No... Turner! William Turner!' She watched as he reached for Jack's hat, which had also been left lying around.
Jack chose this moment to emerge from hiding, smacking the back of William's hand with the flat of his sword. Alyssia jumped back smartly as he advanced, keeping the tip of the sword between himself and William. The boy's brown eyes widened, and he backed up a pace, saying, "You're the one they're hunting- the pirate."
Alyssia took another step backward and waited for a classic Jack Sparrow answer. She was not disappointed. Jack narrowed his nearly-black eyes and replied, "You seem somewhat familiar. Have I threatened you before?"
William took offense, and snapped, "I make a point of avoiding familiarity with pirates."
"Your loss," Alyssia said dryly, "We've been having great fun almost getting killed." But of course he didn't notice her.
Jack gave him a mock-courteous smile, and made as if to leave, saying, "Ah, well, then it would be a shame to put a black mark on your record. So, if you'll excuse me-" He turned to leave, but William made a sudden lunge and grabbed a sword from a rack near the wall. Alyssia swallowed hard. 'What'll I do if Jack gets killed? This William has the look of a swordsman about him, and Jack is, well, a half-drunk, half-mad pirate with an inferior blade.'
Jack didn't look too concerned, however. His eyes glittered with malice as he turned back to face his opponent and demanded, "Do you think this wise, boy? Crossing blades with a pirate?"
William's head came up, and his tone was dangerously quiet as he answered, "You threatened Miss Swann."
'Typical Disney, the fair lady's knight in shining armor,' Alyssia thought in disgust. 'I expect I shall never live it down if Jack gets killed by this guy. Honestly.'
Jack grinned and slid his blade mockingly against William's with a screech of metal as he replied, "Only a little."
Alyssia watched, fascinated, as they exchanged a few blows and parries, (Jack talking like a teacher the entire time) testing one another, until Jack turned once more to leave, sheathing his sword. He got as far as the door before William threw his blade, which thudded deep into the wood next to Jack's head. Alyssia gaped, open-mouthed. "Cool..."
Jack took hold of the hilt and tugged, first one-handed, then with both hands, wrenching as hard as he could, trying to pull it loose. William watched his efforts, smiling grimly.
"Give up," Alyssia advised. "There's a back way out of here, look." She pointed.
Jack turned to face William, his cocky grin back in place, and made his challenge. Challenge accepted.
It was one of the best sword-fights Alyssia had ever been privileged to watch. Both men were quick and strong, their swords were silver blurs in the air. She watched, awed, as the fight unfolded, first on the ground, then on a cart which swayed dangerously, then on the rafters overhead. At last, both returned to the ground, Jack without his weapon, William half- blinded with sand.
"Don't forget to use a few dirty tricks," Alyssia mocked as Jack trained his pistol on William, who was now reddish brown with sand and dust.
He didn't reply. William's eyes traveled in surprise from the pistol aimed at his head to Jack's face, which was utterly devoid of expression. "You cheated!" he accused.
Jack and Alyssia said, "Pirate!" at exactly the same moment. Alyssia heard the voices of British marines outside, and the sound of them trying to break the door down.
"Move away," Jack ordered.
"No."
"Please move?" Jack said, real pleading in his voice. Alyssia glanced at him in surprise. Why get upset now, of all times, after the fight was over?
The boy refused.
Jack cocked the gun and said tightly, "This shot is not meant for you."
Apparently, the hefty bottle in the hand of the newly-awakened blacksmith was meant for Jack, however. Specifically, meant to connect with a thud with the back of his head. He collapsed without a sound just as the marines rushed in and surrounded him. Alyssia said a few choice words, some directed at the marines but mostly at Jack, and trotted after them as they carried the unconscious pirate away.
************************************************************************
A/N: ok, not the greatest, but there was only so much I could do with a fight scene. The next chapter will be a lot better, because *drumroll, please* it is ALL Alyssia/Jack dialogue. Every last bit. so hang in there, better times ahead. cheers, mates!
Jack tried to sever the links of the chain on his hands with a hammer, but it didn't work too well. Alyssia grinned, and said, "Look up." He did, and saw the gears overhead. Setting the hammer down on the anvil, he drew a wickedly hooked piece of metal out of the forge fire, its tip glowing a menacing cherry red in the half-light. His eyes fell on the donkey harnessed to the machinery.
"Congratulations, you're free," Alyssia said sarcastically as the chain creaked and snapped as the gears of the machinery overhead rolled over it. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'd just as soon get out of- Hide, now!"
The wooden door creaked open, casting a square of white sunlight on the floor. A young man entered the smithy, carefully closing the door as quietly as possible. He turned to look at the machinery overhead, and at the donkey, which was still walking rather quickly in a circle. He walked right by Alyssia and knelt next to the creature, petting it and calming it down.
Then he rose and turned to look at the sleeping blacksmith, who was still snoring peacefully in the corner. A sardonic smile flitted across his lips as he said, "Right where I left you."
He strode over to the forge and paused, frowning at the hammer Jack had left out on the anvil. "Not where I left you," he said slowly.
Alyssia walked boldly forward until she was standing right next to him. 'Man, he's even cuter up close,' she thought irrelevantly. 'So... if my pirate is really Jack Sparrow, not an actor playing a part, then this isn't Orlando Bloom, really. This is... Thomas... No... Turner! William Turner!' She watched as he reached for Jack's hat, which had also been left lying around.
Jack chose this moment to emerge from hiding, smacking the back of William's hand with the flat of his sword. Alyssia jumped back smartly as he advanced, keeping the tip of the sword between himself and William. The boy's brown eyes widened, and he backed up a pace, saying, "You're the one they're hunting- the pirate."
Alyssia took another step backward and waited for a classic Jack Sparrow answer. She was not disappointed. Jack narrowed his nearly-black eyes and replied, "You seem somewhat familiar. Have I threatened you before?"
William took offense, and snapped, "I make a point of avoiding familiarity with pirates."
"Your loss," Alyssia said dryly, "We've been having great fun almost getting killed." But of course he didn't notice her.
Jack gave him a mock-courteous smile, and made as if to leave, saying, "Ah, well, then it would be a shame to put a black mark on your record. So, if you'll excuse me-" He turned to leave, but William made a sudden lunge and grabbed a sword from a rack near the wall. Alyssia swallowed hard. 'What'll I do if Jack gets killed? This William has the look of a swordsman about him, and Jack is, well, a half-drunk, half-mad pirate with an inferior blade.'
Jack didn't look too concerned, however. His eyes glittered with malice as he turned back to face his opponent and demanded, "Do you think this wise, boy? Crossing blades with a pirate?"
William's head came up, and his tone was dangerously quiet as he answered, "You threatened Miss Swann."
'Typical Disney, the fair lady's knight in shining armor,' Alyssia thought in disgust. 'I expect I shall never live it down if Jack gets killed by this guy. Honestly.'
Jack grinned and slid his blade mockingly against William's with a screech of metal as he replied, "Only a little."
Alyssia watched, fascinated, as they exchanged a few blows and parries, (Jack talking like a teacher the entire time) testing one another, until Jack turned once more to leave, sheathing his sword. He got as far as the door before William threw his blade, which thudded deep into the wood next to Jack's head. Alyssia gaped, open-mouthed. "Cool..."
Jack took hold of the hilt and tugged, first one-handed, then with both hands, wrenching as hard as he could, trying to pull it loose. William watched his efforts, smiling grimly.
"Give up," Alyssia advised. "There's a back way out of here, look." She pointed.
Jack turned to face William, his cocky grin back in place, and made his challenge. Challenge accepted.
It was one of the best sword-fights Alyssia had ever been privileged to watch. Both men were quick and strong, their swords were silver blurs in the air. She watched, awed, as the fight unfolded, first on the ground, then on a cart which swayed dangerously, then on the rafters overhead. At last, both returned to the ground, Jack without his weapon, William half- blinded with sand.
"Don't forget to use a few dirty tricks," Alyssia mocked as Jack trained his pistol on William, who was now reddish brown with sand and dust.
He didn't reply. William's eyes traveled in surprise from the pistol aimed at his head to Jack's face, which was utterly devoid of expression. "You cheated!" he accused.
Jack and Alyssia said, "Pirate!" at exactly the same moment. Alyssia heard the voices of British marines outside, and the sound of them trying to break the door down.
"Move away," Jack ordered.
"No."
"Please move?" Jack said, real pleading in his voice. Alyssia glanced at him in surprise. Why get upset now, of all times, after the fight was over?
The boy refused.
Jack cocked the gun and said tightly, "This shot is not meant for you."
Apparently, the hefty bottle in the hand of the newly-awakened blacksmith was meant for Jack, however. Specifically, meant to connect with a thud with the back of his head. He collapsed without a sound just as the marines rushed in and surrounded him. Alyssia said a few choice words, some directed at the marines but mostly at Jack, and trotted after them as they carried the unconscious pirate away.
************************************************************************
A/N: ok, not the greatest, but there was only so much I could do with a fight scene. The next chapter will be a lot better, because *drumroll, please* it is ALL Alyssia/Jack dialogue. Every last bit. so hang in there, better times ahead. cheers, mates!