CHAPTER FOUR: Four Years Later. . .
"C'mon, Papa! Don't hold back! Give me everythin' ye got!" Maddy cried, holding out her wooden sword. Her dark hair whipped in the wind.
Jack smiled and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "I'll hurt ye, darlin'," he teased her.
"'Cause yer th' greatest swordsman in the world!" she thrust her sword into the air. "An' I ain't even competition fer ye, am I?" she asked, whipping her sword around.
"Soon you'll be better'n me, Maddy," he said, returning to the starting stance.
"Uncle Gibbs," Maddy called, pulling the old man from his chores. "Fight Papa, he needs real practice."
Gibbs shook his head, "I don't think so, little lady. I know from many years of experience not to cross blades with yer father."
Maddy pouted. "C'mon, Uncle Gibbs, I want some entertainment."
The metal zing of a sword being unsheathed drew everyone's attention. Sunni was standing in a doorway, sword drawn, with an evil smile on her face.
Jack straightened up and smiled. "Now, luv, it's been many years since ye've used one of those. Ye think it wise?"
"Mommy, ye can't use a sword," Maddy cried, leaning back on Mr. Gibbs.
Sunni's smile widened and she tossed a real sword to her husband. Jack dropped his wooden one and caught the real one. They both took a fighting stance. Sunni advanced on him first, feigning, just to get the feel back.
"C'mon, luv," Jack taunted her. "Ye need more'n amateur moves to beat me."
He ran at her, sword swinging and the metal clang soon sounded as they fought. Sunni was a little rusty, but it all came back to her. She enjoyed the loosening of her muscles and sweat on her brow as she fought Jack, move for move. Maddy watched in excited amazement as her mother gave her father a run for his money. He was breathing heavily and sweating, just like Sunni. The danced around, drawing a crowd by the rest of the crew. Soon, coins flew out of pockets as bets were made and wagers drawn. Gibbs hoisted Maddy onto his shoulders so she could see properly as her parents went round and round.
"C'mon, Jack," Sunni panted. "I been doin' this since I was nearly a foot tall. No need ta hold back."
"I've got a lifetime of experience on ye, darlin', ye'd beg me ta hold back once I let loose."
Sunni laughed and spun out of the way of his sword before counterattacking. It was almost like watching a ballet; only the crowd was jeering and shouting.
At one point, Jack was able to pin Sunni against the mast with her hands and sword above her head. He smirked down at her. "Looks like yer in a tight spot, luv," he said.
Sunni leaned forward and kissed him passionately, and used that as a diversion to duck under his arms and away from the mast. Jack whipped around to face her. "Ye cheated," he accused.
Sunni shrugged. "Pirate."
And again, they fought. Sunni, seeing an opportune moment, whacked Jack's wrist with the dull side of her blade, making his hand go numb and drop his sword. Soon after, he found himself on the floor of the ship with a blade pointed at his throat.
Sunni was hovering over him, panting for breath, but smiling. "I think I still got it," she told him in between huffs. She tossed her sword away and offered him a hand up.
Jack took her hand and pulled her down on top of him, saying, "I let ye win, luv."
Sunni laughed as she fell on Jack's chest. He wrapped an arm around her waist so she couldn't get away. "I beat ye fair an' square," she said.
Jack just laughed, gold teeth glinting in the sun. He reached his neck upwards and kissed her. The crew yelled some catcalls, but Jack, while still kissing Sunni, waved them away with his free hand. Maddy watched, still on Gibbs' shoulders, as her father picked her mother and headed to their cabin. She sighed.
"Why do they always do that?" she asked Gibbs. "What do they do in there?"
Gibbs choked on his own saliva, while Ana laughed. "Maybe… maybe we'll save that subject for when you're older," the old man told her.
Madelyn Sparrow was growing up beautifully on the Black Pearl. She was surrounded by pirates who were like her family and loved her more than anything. Maddy Sparrow was the apple of everyone's eye on the ship. She had the adventurous spirit of her parents.