Chapter Two: Will's Surprise
"Caroline, what have I told you about beating the boys every time you get challenged?" Dad asked me when I had shut the door.
"You tell me two different, and very contradicting things." I started.
"First, you say never to let anyone win, because then they can never get better. Then you tell me not to go so hard on the boys. How can I do both at once?"
"Many of the boys are just as good as you. You just need to go a little easer on them, in order to give them a chance to beat you." Dad said.
I sighed. "I don't want them to beat me. I just want them to know what I can do. They always say how I'm just a girl, and I can't do anything. Do you know how irritating it is to have everyone underestimate you all the time?"
"Yes, I do." He said. And he left it at that.
"Can you elaborate on that?" I asked, pacing.
"I can, but the real question is, 'Do you deserve this?'" He said, pulling down the most magnificent sword I had ever seen. It was gleaming silver, and as I stared at it, Dad turned it so that I could see a large, sparkling sapphire, set in the hilt.
"I think I deserve it." I said, acting cute and innocent. Maybe, if I was lucky, I would get the most beautiful sword in the world.
"I don't think you do." Dad said. He was smiling all the same, and Dad never smiles when he's giving out punishments. Believe me, I know. "What will you do to assure me that you have earned this?"
I racked my brain. Something that I would do that he could be sure that I would do, so that I could get that sword. "I could do all the cooking during our next sail." I said. Father was captain of his own ship, and he always brought Mother and I along.
"Caroline, don't lie." He said. Why was I always being accused of lying? That's because most of the time, that's what you do, said that annoying little voice in my head that spoke the truth. "You couldn't stand to just stand below deck all day." He was right. I could hardly stay below deck for ten minutes, nevertheless the whole trip.
"Promise to give the boys a chance to beat you, and I'll give you the sword." He said, and I wanted to shoot him.
"You're telling me to play nice with the boys? I don't like to! They take the mickey out of me, and I'm going to beat them because of it. I'm not going to let them win, after they have made fun of me!" I then started muttering in French under my breath.
"Caroline, say it in English, or don't say it at all." Dad said, clearly sick of my muttering in odd languages.
I closed my mouth. I thought over his proposed deal. "Fine." I said. "I'll be nice to the boys." I wasn't happy about the arrangements, but it was easer to do it his way than to fight it. At least in this situation.
He handed me the sword. It was perfect.
"Caroline, I need to go down to check up on the loading." He said, as he walked towards the door. Take the orders, and I'll get to them as soon as possible."
"Right, Dad." I said, and he swept through the door.
It was a slow day. Old Mr. Tibbles came in, complaining about his dagger. He made the order for another one, and that was the most action I had seen all day. That is, until the door banged open unexpectantly.
"Caroline, what have I told you about beating the boys every time you get challenged?" Dad asked me when I had shut the door.
"You tell me two different, and very contradicting things." I started.
"First, you say never to let anyone win, because then they can never get better. Then you tell me not to go so hard on the boys. How can I do both at once?"
"Many of the boys are just as good as you. You just need to go a little easer on them, in order to give them a chance to beat you." Dad said.
I sighed. "I don't want them to beat me. I just want them to know what I can do. They always say how I'm just a girl, and I can't do anything. Do you know how irritating it is to have everyone underestimate you all the time?"
"Yes, I do." He said. And he left it at that.
"Can you elaborate on that?" I asked, pacing.
"I can, but the real question is, 'Do you deserve this?'" He said, pulling down the most magnificent sword I had ever seen. It was gleaming silver, and as I stared at it, Dad turned it so that I could see a large, sparkling sapphire, set in the hilt.
"I think I deserve it." I said, acting cute and innocent. Maybe, if I was lucky, I would get the most beautiful sword in the world.
"I don't think you do." Dad said. He was smiling all the same, and Dad never smiles when he's giving out punishments. Believe me, I know. "What will you do to assure me that you have earned this?"
I racked my brain. Something that I would do that he could be sure that I would do, so that I could get that sword. "I could do all the cooking during our next sail." I said. Father was captain of his own ship, and he always brought Mother and I along.
"Caroline, don't lie." He said. Why was I always being accused of lying? That's because most of the time, that's what you do, said that annoying little voice in my head that spoke the truth. "You couldn't stand to just stand below deck all day." He was right. I could hardly stay below deck for ten minutes, nevertheless the whole trip.
"Promise to give the boys a chance to beat you, and I'll give you the sword." He said, and I wanted to shoot him.
"You're telling me to play nice with the boys? I don't like to! They take the mickey out of me, and I'm going to beat them because of it. I'm not going to let them win, after they have made fun of me!" I then started muttering in French under my breath.
"Caroline, say it in English, or don't say it at all." Dad said, clearly sick of my muttering in odd languages.
I closed my mouth. I thought over his proposed deal. "Fine." I said. "I'll be nice to the boys." I wasn't happy about the arrangements, but it was easer to do it his way than to fight it. At least in this situation.
He handed me the sword. It was perfect.
"Caroline, I need to go down to check up on the loading." He said, as he walked towards the door. Take the orders, and I'll get to them as soon as possible."
"Right, Dad." I said, and he swept through the door.
It was a slow day. Old Mr. Tibbles came in, complaining about his dagger. He made the order for another one, and that was the most action I had seen all day. That is, until the door banged open unexpectantly.