Lizzie had never been a coward, she had never been a timid mouse of a girl, but at this moment she was terrified. The sound cannon fire and the fierce shouts coming from the men above deck, was enough to make the most courageous woman tremble.
After the cabin boy had warned them of the approaching pirate ship, Lizzie and Jane both hurried below deck, where they found tons of crates to hide behind. Though Lizzie couldn't help, but think that if their cousin had really cared about their safety, he wouldn't have secured their passage on an easily targeted merchant ship.
It wasn't that she was worried about her own safety, but rather Jane's. Jane was delicate, and if anything happened to her, Lizzie didn't know what she would do.
"Lizzie," Jane whispered, tugging urgently on the sleeve of Lizzie's dress, "I think someone's coming."
Lizzie looked out from behind the crate to see a thin figure hurrying down the steps that led to where they were.
She turned to Jane, and whispered urgently, "hurry to the far side of the room, and hide."
Jane nodded her agreement, knowing better than to argue with her sister, when they were in such a perilous situation, but just as she turned to obey, Lizzie grabbed her arm, and said; "Jane no matter what happens don't reveal yourself; It will only harm us both."
She was about to protest, but Lizzie shoved her in the direction of where she wanted Jane to hide, and disappeared behind another crate.
Lizzie knew it was a dangerous risk revealing her presence to the mysterious figure now roaming around the cargo area, but she also knew that if she didn't, Jane was more likely to be found. This in her mind wasn't an option.
The thin figure was standing a random a spot of sunlight, making it incredibly easy to see him. This isn't a very wise choice. Lizzie thought to herself. It makes obvious if he's trying to hide, and obvious if he's trying to find someone, but it makes it easier to reveal myself. She thought wryly, just as she stepped out from her hiding place.
Two things were obvious to Elizabeth, as he caught sight of her. One; he was not a pirate, and two he was trying to hide from someone.
""W-who are you?" he jumped, fumbling, as he pulled out his sword.
Lizzie was amused at the display of false bravado. "I'm a passenger on this ship. Elizabeth Bennet is my name." she said sticking out her hand, feeling as if a curtsy was out of place.
"Jack Wickham, at your service." He said, shaking her hand.
Lizzie couldn't help, but notice his particularly weak handshake. Her Papa always said that you could tell a man's worth, by his handshake. Maybe he was frightened. She thought to herself.
She never got a chance to ask, because next thing she knew a tall, dark headed man came down the steps; sword drawn.
"Jack Wickham, it seems we meet again." He said, with a grim smile, as Jack spun around horror filling his eyes. "It doesn't surprise me, finding you hiding with a woman, while your crew mates die. You always were a coward."
"W-Will?" Jack stuttered in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to do what I should have done, three years ago." He said, his blue-green eyes glowing with hatred.
"Will, you wouldn't really kill me, would you?" he asked taking a few steps back.
Will laughed shaking his head, "Jack, I'm not going to kill you," he paused giving a barely perceptible nod, "I'm going to torture you, until your hearts bursts."
Jack looked so terrified Lizzie couldn't stand it, it didn't occur to her, until much later, that a well seasoned sailor shouldn't show this much fear, but so angry was she at these pirates for taking over their ship, and harming honest hardworking men, that she didn't pause to think; instead she stepped out of the shadows, drawing the pirate's attention.
"Let him go, you nefarious pirate!" She shouted.
William Darcy looked at the petite red-head in front of him with a mixture of shock and amusement. She couldn't be much more than a child, and yet she dare yell at him in defense of this blackguard. So great was his surprise he began to laugh.
"Child, I think you've yet to realize who the real nefarious one is." He said, after he had finally stopped laughing.
"First off," she began, "I am not a child! Goodness I was nineteen last October, and secondly how can you judge any one of being evil, when you yourself are a pirate? You tell me what kind of man robs honest hardworking men, when their only crime is happening to come across your ship."
Will couldn't help but admire the fiery indignation in her amber colored eyes. He looked a bit closer to realize, while her face and stature was that of a child, her curves were not. Will shook his head, was he truly taking a good look at a woman, and a woman that dared argue with him no less.
"I must be going insane." He mumbled under his breath.
"What is that?" she asked cupping her hand to her ear, mocking him. "The pirate has no response to my argument? Ha!" She laughed placing her hands on her hips, her eyes continuing to mock him.
Will didn't even bother to respond; he simply whistled for his men, when they arrived, he handed Jack over to one of his stronger crew members, he then went on to tell his men to tie the Lady's hands behind her back, until he decided what to do with her. Will had to admit he admired the fight she put up, when they went to bind her, but she was no match for his larger much stronger men.
"Capin' she's just a child." Devin Yancy murmured in his ear. "What do ye want wi' a child?"
"Devin, do not be deceived, she is no child, merely a woman with a child's height, and face." Will replied, watching as Devin squinted to get a closer look.
"By all the saints, she is a woman!" he exclaimed, then continued in a lower voice. "Why don't ye just take 'er back to the ship? Meanin' no disrespect, sir, but you could use a woman's touch. If ye don't want 'er, I'll certainly take 'er." He said giving Will a roguish wink.
His sudden rage at his first mate's suggestion was unexplainable. He was no fool he know mostly, if not all of his crew members enjoyed the pleasures of women, he turned a blind eye, as long as it didn't interfere with them leaving port, when he desired, but the idea of his first mate using this woman to satisfy himself made him angry.
"Mr. Yancy, she is not one of your tavern wenches, she is a lady of a respectable repute. I will not sully her or have any of my other men sully her, while she is on my ship." He turned to his first mate with a violent look in his eyes. "Is that clear?" he demanded.
"Yes, Capin'." The crew said in unison
"Excellent!" he said with a firm nod. "Now take our prisoners aboard. Place Jack in the brig, and this lady in my rooms. If we make haste we shall dock tonight, and celebrate a job well done."
With that declaration the men wasted no time getting aboard the Persephone, and setting sail. Soon enough they were in port, and Will was alone with the fiery red-head.
Not long after the pirate's left, Jane came out of hiding. She had heard everything, and knew she had to track them, as soon as possible. They would surely kill Lizzie.
"By God," she whispered, as she came above deck surveying the damage, "pirates have kidnapped my sister."
