Chapter 30: Will you be good, or shall I shoot you?
She stepped aside and avoided his wild lunge easily, slapping him on the back with her sword as he passed by. If he keeps doing this, she thought idly, then he'll wear himself out and take care of the work for me.
"Mother," she called out as she parried a blow from Amos. "The police! Quickly!"
********************************
For a moment, Amara just stood there before her limbs finally moved and she bolted out the door, which, for the second time that night, remained open. Jack closed the door behind her and turned back to watch the fight, not in the least bit concerned for Arianne's safety. She was doing very well, as a matter of fact. She moved with a rhythm that Amos could not match, and she was physically fit enough that it took very little effort to take his hardest blows and turn them to an angle where she could better handle them. A better look at Amos told Jack that he would not last much longer at the pace he had set, and he knew it, too. He desperately tried to turn down the tempo of their match and failed miserably.
He smiled proudly as he watched her. She would be just fine.
********************************
Will watched with his heart in his throat. The brute was twice her size! How could she possibly hope to fend him off? He turned to Jack and was about to tell him that he was going in to help her when he noticed the expression on Jack's face. He was smiling and gazing proudly upon Arianne. Will wanted to scream at him, but without tearing his eyes away from the battle Jack turned Will so he could see what was happening.
It was stunning. She was even more of a natural than he had suspected when he first began teaching her, and now that she was actually in danger she far exceeded his own skills. Even more amazing was that she was speeding up the swordplay, dancing in and about Amos' direct thrusts. It was almost too slow for him to see it, but as Amos started taking two slaps from the flat of her blade for every swing if his, it was obvious. And she had barely a sheen of sweat upon her brow.
********************************
Elizabeth rested her mouth for a bit. She was desperately trying to rid herself of the gag that was so tightly wedged into her mouth and found progress slow. She was also trying to loosen the cloth ties around her ankles and wrists in between working the gag. She thought she felt a little give, but couldn't be entirely sure and so kept trying. She had to get free of this! She would have cried in frustration if her eyes hadn't been so dry.
When she finally lay unmoving, panting with exhaustion, she slowly felt despair begin to crawl over her once more. Not now, she thought, I will not give in to despair now! She wiggled her hands and feet almost involuntarily and realized that she had a little more slack than she had had before. When she tried to free her wrists from the bonds, however, she failed. There apparently was not enough slack for that.
With grim determination, she set about making her bonds looser.
********************************
As the battle wore on, she found it harder and harder to turn the flat of her blade against him rather than the sharp edge. His stubborn resolve to cause her as much pain as possible fueled the fires of anger, but she stayed her hand ruthlessly from the killing blow she longed to deliver. As much as she may wish to, she knew that to harm him would likely land her in jail. As it was, she had much to explain to law enforcement without causing more trouble.
Amos, though he was obviously exhausted, kept on after her, his swings very slow now. Had she decided to, she could have ended his life with one blow, not a single scratch laid upon her.
********************************
Arthur watched, his shock and numbness slowly fading to grief and yet more anger. Here were his two children fighting against each other, and the WOMAN was winning! Women were weak, useless except in bearing and raising children! He could not believe his son--deranged as he was--was being defeated by a woman.
When Amos finally fell to the ground, something inside Arthur snapped. His life had crumbled around him, and the one who had brought it about must be stopped.
********************************
At last, when he was bent over with weariness, she brought the hilt of her sword down upon his head and sent him into unconsciousness. She bent over and picked up his sword in her other hand and turned to Jack and Will, suddenly feeling very weary. Jack looked at her with a proud grin, and Will simply stared at her with shock bordering on awe written all over his face.
She smiled shakily and looked down at the swords in her hands, moist with sweat. It was finally over. Amos could not hurt her any more, she was free of him! Her smile grew wider as she thought about it. She looked back up at Will and Jack, desperately wanting a loving embrace, but she was unsure of which one to go to. Will was obviously still in love with Elizabeth, though he seemed to love her in some manner as well, and something about Jack's behavior--though she suspected that he had had feelings for Elizabeth--told her that he loved her more than even silver and gold.
She was about to just hug the both of them with joy that she had won the day when she saw Will's expression turn to horror and Jack begin to take a step towards her.
********************************
Raucous laughter reached her ears, waking her from an exhausted sleep she hardly knew she had slipped into. Panicking, thinking that Amos was returning for her, she struggled all the more with her bonds, finally sliding one hand free. Frantically she crawled forward, using her elbows to pull her across the sand and sharp debris, stabs of pain arcing through her shoulders and back at the use of limbs so long held in stasis.
"What the bloody 'ell is that thing?" queried a voice thick with what was most likely drunkenness.
"It's a person! Bloody hell, man, that's a woman!"
When she realized that neither of the voices was Amos, she stopped her frantic scrabbling along the ground and lay there, hardly feeling the blood weeping from her elbows and forearms, mixing with the sand to make a reddish sort of mud.
The one that sounded less drunk leaned over her and rolled her onto her back. "I think she's hurt, Sam!" he called to his companion. "What's your name, miss?" he asked her. She tried her best to answer, but nothing would escape past the gag. When she opened her mouth, he immediately understood and pulled the piece of cloth out. After forcing her name past the dried lump that seemed to be in her throat, she passed out, thinking herself saved.
Unfortunately for her, the man recognized her name and realized that this was the governor's daughter. He could likely get some money out of her return if he played his cards right. He smiled gruesomely and picked her up.
********************************
She turned just in time to see her father running at her with his sword drawn. Before she could even begin to lift her weapons, he was upon her and had slashed hard, ripping into her abdomen. She fell, shock evident in her eyes as she stared up at him. He lifted his sword again, and as it fell in a blow that would surely kill her, another sword was abruptly batting it away. Shock and pain continued to keep her body out of her own control, and she found herself watching helplessly as Jack battled her father away from her.
********************************
Will knelt beside her as soon as Jack had distracted Arthur, cursing himself yet again for not defending her as he should have, and immediately. "God, Arianne, I'm so sorry," he whispered. She didn't even look at him, her eyes solely on the battle between Jack and her father.
********************************
She heard Will's words, but didn't truly register them as Jack quickly disarmed Arthur and pulled out his pistol once more. "Are you going to be good now, or will I really have to shoot you?" Jack asked threateningly.
Arthur, his determination gone, seemed to shrink in on himself and sank to the ground. Jack, not one to be fooled, didn't take his eyes away from the pathetic man. "Is she alright, Will?" he asked, his voice thick with concern.
"I'm fine," she croaked before Will could answer. As if to prove herself right, she sat up, defying the pain. Will tried to pull her back into her former position, but she pushed his hands away. "I'm fine," she said more firmly, forcing herself to her feet. Ignoring the warmth of blood pouring from the wound, she took a step, and then two before the haze of gray around the edges of her vision made her stand still.
Little good it did, she thought to herself as she fell once more, this time into unconsciousness.
***********************************************************************
Alright, this may take a few more chapters than I had anticipated to finish, but not very many more! I appreciate all the reviews I got for that last chapter, I opened up my e-mail this morning and, lo and behold, 6 new reviews! As it is, I think there were 9 reviews total for this chapter, and I'm so very grateful for all of them! You guys have been absolutely fantastic, and I don't think this story would have gone very far without you!
She stepped aside and avoided his wild lunge easily, slapping him on the back with her sword as he passed by. If he keeps doing this, she thought idly, then he'll wear himself out and take care of the work for me.
"Mother," she called out as she parried a blow from Amos. "The police! Quickly!"
********************************
For a moment, Amara just stood there before her limbs finally moved and she bolted out the door, which, for the second time that night, remained open. Jack closed the door behind her and turned back to watch the fight, not in the least bit concerned for Arianne's safety. She was doing very well, as a matter of fact. She moved with a rhythm that Amos could not match, and she was physically fit enough that it took very little effort to take his hardest blows and turn them to an angle where she could better handle them. A better look at Amos told Jack that he would not last much longer at the pace he had set, and he knew it, too. He desperately tried to turn down the tempo of their match and failed miserably.
He smiled proudly as he watched her. She would be just fine.
********************************
Will watched with his heart in his throat. The brute was twice her size! How could she possibly hope to fend him off? He turned to Jack and was about to tell him that he was going in to help her when he noticed the expression on Jack's face. He was smiling and gazing proudly upon Arianne. Will wanted to scream at him, but without tearing his eyes away from the battle Jack turned Will so he could see what was happening.
It was stunning. She was even more of a natural than he had suspected when he first began teaching her, and now that she was actually in danger she far exceeded his own skills. Even more amazing was that she was speeding up the swordplay, dancing in and about Amos' direct thrusts. It was almost too slow for him to see it, but as Amos started taking two slaps from the flat of her blade for every swing if his, it was obvious. And she had barely a sheen of sweat upon her brow.
********************************
Elizabeth rested her mouth for a bit. She was desperately trying to rid herself of the gag that was so tightly wedged into her mouth and found progress slow. She was also trying to loosen the cloth ties around her ankles and wrists in between working the gag. She thought she felt a little give, but couldn't be entirely sure and so kept trying. She had to get free of this! She would have cried in frustration if her eyes hadn't been so dry.
When she finally lay unmoving, panting with exhaustion, she slowly felt despair begin to crawl over her once more. Not now, she thought, I will not give in to despair now! She wiggled her hands and feet almost involuntarily and realized that she had a little more slack than she had had before. When she tried to free her wrists from the bonds, however, she failed. There apparently was not enough slack for that.
With grim determination, she set about making her bonds looser.
********************************
As the battle wore on, she found it harder and harder to turn the flat of her blade against him rather than the sharp edge. His stubborn resolve to cause her as much pain as possible fueled the fires of anger, but she stayed her hand ruthlessly from the killing blow she longed to deliver. As much as she may wish to, she knew that to harm him would likely land her in jail. As it was, she had much to explain to law enforcement without causing more trouble.
Amos, though he was obviously exhausted, kept on after her, his swings very slow now. Had she decided to, she could have ended his life with one blow, not a single scratch laid upon her.
********************************
Arthur watched, his shock and numbness slowly fading to grief and yet more anger. Here were his two children fighting against each other, and the WOMAN was winning! Women were weak, useless except in bearing and raising children! He could not believe his son--deranged as he was--was being defeated by a woman.
When Amos finally fell to the ground, something inside Arthur snapped. His life had crumbled around him, and the one who had brought it about must be stopped.
********************************
At last, when he was bent over with weariness, she brought the hilt of her sword down upon his head and sent him into unconsciousness. She bent over and picked up his sword in her other hand and turned to Jack and Will, suddenly feeling very weary. Jack looked at her with a proud grin, and Will simply stared at her with shock bordering on awe written all over his face.
She smiled shakily and looked down at the swords in her hands, moist with sweat. It was finally over. Amos could not hurt her any more, she was free of him! Her smile grew wider as she thought about it. She looked back up at Will and Jack, desperately wanting a loving embrace, but she was unsure of which one to go to. Will was obviously still in love with Elizabeth, though he seemed to love her in some manner as well, and something about Jack's behavior--though she suspected that he had had feelings for Elizabeth--told her that he loved her more than even silver and gold.
She was about to just hug the both of them with joy that she had won the day when she saw Will's expression turn to horror and Jack begin to take a step towards her.
********************************
Raucous laughter reached her ears, waking her from an exhausted sleep she hardly knew she had slipped into. Panicking, thinking that Amos was returning for her, she struggled all the more with her bonds, finally sliding one hand free. Frantically she crawled forward, using her elbows to pull her across the sand and sharp debris, stabs of pain arcing through her shoulders and back at the use of limbs so long held in stasis.
"What the bloody 'ell is that thing?" queried a voice thick with what was most likely drunkenness.
"It's a person! Bloody hell, man, that's a woman!"
When she realized that neither of the voices was Amos, she stopped her frantic scrabbling along the ground and lay there, hardly feeling the blood weeping from her elbows and forearms, mixing with the sand to make a reddish sort of mud.
The one that sounded less drunk leaned over her and rolled her onto her back. "I think she's hurt, Sam!" he called to his companion. "What's your name, miss?" he asked her. She tried her best to answer, but nothing would escape past the gag. When she opened her mouth, he immediately understood and pulled the piece of cloth out. After forcing her name past the dried lump that seemed to be in her throat, she passed out, thinking herself saved.
Unfortunately for her, the man recognized her name and realized that this was the governor's daughter. He could likely get some money out of her return if he played his cards right. He smiled gruesomely and picked her up.
********************************
She turned just in time to see her father running at her with his sword drawn. Before she could even begin to lift her weapons, he was upon her and had slashed hard, ripping into her abdomen. She fell, shock evident in her eyes as she stared up at him. He lifted his sword again, and as it fell in a blow that would surely kill her, another sword was abruptly batting it away. Shock and pain continued to keep her body out of her own control, and she found herself watching helplessly as Jack battled her father away from her.
********************************
Will knelt beside her as soon as Jack had distracted Arthur, cursing himself yet again for not defending her as he should have, and immediately. "God, Arianne, I'm so sorry," he whispered. She didn't even look at him, her eyes solely on the battle between Jack and her father.
********************************
She heard Will's words, but didn't truly register them as Jack quickly disarmed Arthur and pulled out his pistol once more. "Are you going to be good now, or will I really have to shoot you?" Jack asked threateningly.
Arthur, his determination gone, seemed to shrink in on himself and sank to the ground. Jack, not one to be fooled, didn't take his eyes away from the pathetic man. "Is she alright, Will?" he asked, his voice thick with concern.
"I'm fine," she croaked before Will could answer. As if to prove herself right, she sat up, defying the pain. Will tried to pull her back into her former position, but she pushed his hands away. "I'm fine," she said more firmly, forcing herself to her feet. Ignoring the warmth of blood pouring from the wound, she took a step, and then two before the haze of gray around the edges of her vision made her stand still.
Little good it did, she thought to herself as she fell once more, this time into unconsciousness.
***********************************************************************
Alright, this may take a few more chapters than I had anticipated to finish, but not very many more! I appreciate all the reviews I got for that last chapter, I opened up my e-mail this morning and, lo and behold, 6 new reviews! As it is, I think there were 9 reviews total for this chapter, and I'm so very grateful for all of them! You guys have been absolutely fantastic, and I don't think this story would have gone very far without you!