Chapter 4

They had no sooner sat down at a small table in the corner than a man came asking for Blackbird. He spoke in a low voice, but he was saying something about a drinking contest. Apparently she had been requested as an opponent. Blackbird looked over at Jack, who only shrugged and looked back at her. She hesitantly followed the man the table he had indicated. Jack and Ghost went over for a better view, and Will, not wanting to be left behind, followed.

Blackbird was seated across the table from a man that Will quickly recognized as Mutig. They were both downing shots of liquor as quickly as they could, hardly pausing in between. Will looked over at Jack, who was attempting to place a bet on the outcome.

"I thought you didn't have any money," he said quietly.

"I don't," Jack replied, "but they don't know that."

"Isn't that a bit dangerous?" Will asked. "What happens if you lose and you don't have the means to pay?"

Jack shrugged. "I won't lose. Blackbird hasn't lost a match in two years and this is a grudge match. She beat Mutig only last week. Look, it's already affecting him." Sure enough, the large man was beginning to sway back and forth and his eyes had a glazed-over look to them. Blackbird, on the other hand, seemed hardly affected and was still going steadily. Finally, Mutig gave a loud belch and his head dropped to the table. Once they were sure he was unconscious, the man who seemed to be the judge declared Blackbird victorious. Several individuals paid off their bets unhappily, most of which turned out to be to Jack, who seemed quite content.

"She bloody cheated!" one large man shouted suddenly. Several others quickly agreed with him and gave varying accounts of how she'd done it.

Blackbird drew her sword quickly. "If any of ye cowards dare challenge my honor, let him come forth!" she said, glaring fiercely around the room. To Will's surprise, most of the crowd drew back. Apparently she had been telling truth about her reputation.

Her original accuser stepped out from the crowd. "Come on, the lass just 'ad near fifteen shots o' liquor. She ain't in no condition to fight!" he said angrily. Drawing his own sword, he charged at Blackbird.

Fighting broke out among the bystanders and quickly spread. Will finally had no choice other than to fight. Any attempt he made to get out only pushed him further into the disarray. Jack, who had immediately jumped into the middle of everything, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. He had already taken down two or three men and was working on another. Will's attention turned to Blackbird. Despite the fact that she had just been drinking heavily, her movements were still fluid and exact, exerting no more effort than necessary. He was struck with a sense of familiarity by the fire in her eyes. He had seen that determination somewhere before, he just couldn't place where. Will shook himself out of it and concentrated on the fight at hand.

As suddenly as it had started, the fight was over. One look at the center of the room and Will could see why. Blackbird stood there with her sword lowered, looking down at her dead opponent. There was no trace of emotion on her face and the fire was gone. In its place was a look of sheer exhaustion. It had taken more out of her than she would let on to. She slowly made her way back to their table. Everyone immediately resumed their activities as if nothing had happened.

Blackbird ordered a round of drinks for everyone and they sat without speaking for quite some time. It was Jack who finally broke the silence.

"Well," he said cheerfully, "that was a nice bit of excitement to get us back in the spirit of things."

Blackbird nodded in agreement. "It's always good to have a bit of exercise before getting on a small, crowded ship for a month."

"But you didn't get out of it uninjured," Will pointed out, indicated a slice in her sleeve that was drenched in blood.

Blackbird looked her arm. "Oh, that?" she said casually. "It's nothing, just a slight miscalculation on my part; it's nothing more than a scratch.

Jack examined it. "Well, maybe a bit more than a scratch, but you've seen worse," he said. "It's certainly not anything that would impede your ability to sail with us tomorrow."

---

After several rounds of drinks and much discussion about the next day's journey, Blackbird left with the excuse that she needed some rest after the last night's activities. Will started to do the same, but Jack stopped him.

"I suppose you'll at least see us off tomorrow?" he said hopefully.

"Yes, but that is all I intend to do," Will replied.

Jack's expression fell. "No change of heart, then, eh?"

"None whatsoever," he said firmly. "You don't seem to get it, Jack. That lifestyle doesn't work for me. I am Bootstrap Bill's son, not Bootstrap himself. My father's decision to engage in piracy does not bind me to the same course. I am a grown man, fully capable of making my own decisions."

"And I respect that," Jack said. "I just don't think you're making the right choice."

"Of course you don't," Will said exasperatedly. "Anything that doesn't benefit you isn't the right choice in your mind. Good night, Jack," he said, walking out of the tavern.

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Will wasn't sure where he was going until he found himself at the docks. The gentle lapping of the water against the shore allowed him to sort out his thoughts.

"I see I'm not the only one seeking solitude tonight," a voice said from behind him. Startled, he whirled around to face the speaker. "Easy," Blackbird said, raising her hands in surrender. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Sorry," Will apologized awkwardly. "You startled me."

"Apparently," she replied, eyeing the sword in his hand. He quickly put it back in its sheath and sat down on the edge of the dock. "Mind if I join you?"

"Sure, though I think two people seeking solitude together somewhat defeats the purpose," he commented.

They sat in silence for a while, a task Will had thought impossible for Blackbird. After about fifteen minutes, though, it proved too much for her. "So I guess you haven't changed your mind about joining us, right?" she finally asked.

"No."

She nodded her head thoughtfully. "Jack probably tried to convince you otherwise," she continued. Again, Will agreed. "You're no doubt a little frustrated with him at the moment. You wonder why he can't respect your decision as final."

Will looked over at her in surprise. "That's very perceptive of you. I take it you're familiar with dealing with Jack, then?"

"Yeah…my father died when I was ten, and Jack kind of took me in…Will, I know Jack can be hardheaded sometimes, but in the end he normally does know what he's talking about."

"I don't care if he knows what he's talking about; I do too. People with different perspectives often reach different conclusions," he argued.

Blackbird shrugged. "That doesn't make either one right or wrong. Look, I'm smart enough to know that there's nothing I can say to change your mind. Just promise me this: you'll listen to your heart about this and not your head. Logic has no place in the world of pirates, so there's no sense in determining matters by it. I'll see you in the morning, Will. What happens after that is entirely up to you."