Hello! Part 3, and final, of the duel! Thank you to all the people who have reviewed! The number is increasing and I can't thank you all anymore. :)

I jumped into the air, swinging down for Alfred's head. He dodged and I landed, raising my sword to block his swing. I smiled. He had gotten faster. Good.

I rolled away and got to my feet, side-stepping a lunge. He has gotten better, I thought, as I swung at his head then reversed my blade to stab him, but he anticipated the move and side-stepped. He swung at my head, but I saw it coming and ducked, lunging towards his stomach. He side-stepped again and I barely blocked a swing to my side. I laughed. "You have gotten quite good, Alfie, but I am still better."

The blood drained from his face. "You learned a new move, didn't you."

I smiled. "What do you think, brother?"

I back-flipped away from another swing and tossed my knife into the nearest mast. He charged at me, hoping to catch me off guard, but I jumped onto the handle of the blade. He swung at my legs, I jumped, front-flipping over his head, and landing behind him as I spun and slid my sword into place behind him, pointed directly at his spinal cord.

"I win," I said, grinning broadly.

Alfred sighed and sheathed his sword. He turned around and grinned broadly. "That was so awesome! The way you flipped off that knife! How do you even stand on that?"

I laughed. "Come on, Alfie, did you expect any less than me?"

He shook his head, blond cowlick bouncing.

I turned to Kirkland. "Alright, Mr. High and Mighty. It is time for our duel."

He smirked. "Be prepared, Miss Jones. I am not one to be challenged lightly."

I raised an eyebrow. "You are the one who challenged me."

He smiled. "Touché."

I grinned. "We shall see."

He laughed. "Indeed."

He shrugged out of his coat, hanging it on the railing, and approached me, drawing his sword. I pushed down the girly side of my brain that was currently screaming about how hot he looked with his jacket off, approaching me with a smirk and a sword in hand. I had to focus.

He had the advantage, he had watched me fight seven different opponents and I knew nothing about his style. He was, of course, better than any of the others, including my brother, and it was said that before he was a pirate, he killed a man in a duel, which suggested that he was skilled as a nobleman, and so being a pirate could only have improved his skill, if perhaps made it a little rougher. I wanted to know what his style was like, but in order to do that I had engage him, as he showed no signs of making the first move.

I sighed and took a few steps towards Kirkland. He did not so much as bat an eye. I lunged, driving my blade toward his heart, and he batted it aside as though it were a pesky fly. He swung downward at my head and I blocked it and pushed it aside, surprised at the amount of strength hidden in his slender frame. We exchanged a few more test blows. I would swing, he would block, he would riposte, and I would parry. It was like we in class, simply practicing the forms. I recognized most of his movements as belonging to the style commonly practiced by English gentlemen. However, as I suspected, there was a rougher, more brutal undertone to his style, most likely coming from his days as a pirate.

He swung his sword and I blocked it again, then riposted. He side-stepped and I swung again, only to have it blocked again. I frowned. He was toying with me. It was time to stop testing the waters and take the dive. I took a deep breath and found my center. I closed my eyes for an instant and then snapped them open as Kirkland swung his sword towards me. I blocked it with a sweeping motion and kicked his abdomen. He dodged it and grinned. "Good, adapting."

I smirked, and blocked another one of his swings. "I do not want you to go easy on me, Kirkland. I will win this fight, fair and square."

He raised one of his huge, caterpillar eyebrows. "Really? I am known as the best swordsman on land and sea."

I smirked. "Well, I am no swordsman."

He chuckled. "Touché."

"Not yet."

He laughed. "Your wit is delightful, Miss Jones."

I grinned. "You ain't seen nothing yet."

Alfred snorted as Kirkland looked stunned. "That was not the Queen's English."

I stuck my tongue out and lunged at his stomach. He side-stepped and lunged. I spun out of the way and swung at his head. He blocked it and pushed my blade down. I quickly back-pedaled, cursing silently. It was so easy to forget he was stronger than me. He smirked at me. "Scared yet, miss?"

I laughed derisively. "As if I would be scared of a caterpillar-browed blonde English softie."

His eyes narrowed. "Be prepared, miss. Overconfidence will be your downfall."

I rolled my eyes and dodged another lunge, blocking his swing as it came towards my head. Kirkland was good. We exchanged several more blows, and I started to get worried. He was stronger than me, faster than me, and probably better than me. I had underestimated him slightly, and I was playing a dangerous defensive reacting game. If I made one little slip-up, I would lose instantly.

He swung downward as I swung upward, and our blades locked. I knew I could not last long if he turned it into a competition of strength. He pushed closer, narrowing the gap between our bodies. He grinned. "Ready to lose, love?"

I refused to be swayed by his flirting. This was a battle with swords, not with words. I leaned in closer, pushing against him with more of my weight. "I am not going to be the one losing, Eyebrows."

He smirked, leaned in closer and kissed me. I did not react. Well, my body, so well-trained in combat did not, but my brain and my heart and chemistry did. My face turned crimson and my girly brain just sort of screamed. It was my first kiss, after all. I blinked at him, then kicked him in the stomach. My face was burning, but I felt incredibly satisfied when he stumbled away, surprised at my lack of reaction.

"You did not react to that as expected, Miss Jones."

"When do I ever react as expected, Captain?" I asked as I swung my sword at his head. He blocked it, but could not stop the left hook I leveled at his jaw. He stumbled backward, surprised. I smirked. "You should never let your guard down, Captain."

I swung again and kicked him in the stomach. He gasped, and stumbled backward again. I felt a small bit of exultant victory fill my heart. Our roles had been reversed. He was the one playing the defensive game now. His distraction had backfired, and now I had a chance at winning. I forced the feelings down, refusing to accept my victory until I held it in my hands. Literally.

I lunged and he blocked it, then I grabbed his wrist, twisted it and kneed him in the stomach, pulling his sword of out his grip. I spun around, releasing him, letting him fall to his knees and slid my blade past his neck and placing the tip of his blade at the base of his throat. "I win, Kirkland. You are a dead man."

He was honestly quite surprised. He stared up at me, chagrined. "Well done, Miss Jones. It seems I underestimated you."

I smirked. "Did you now? Does that mean you expected me to react just like every other girl you have ever kissed? And, for you information. That was my first." I nodded to Alfred. "Good luck with my brother."

Kirkland at first looked shocked, then slightly frightened when he saw Ludwig trying to hold Alfred back, as Alfred glared at Kirkland. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you, Arthur! How dare you kiss my little sister!"

I laughed. I sheathed my sword and held out my hand. He took it and I pulled him to his feet, which turned out to be a little more difficult than I anticipated, since he was taller. We ended up quite close together, and as I looked up at him, I felt my lips tingling. I released his hand and stepped away, handing him his sword. He took it, sheathed it, and bowed. He turned to go when someone cried out, "Captain! There's an approaching ship!"

CLIFFHANGER! :P Hope you enjoyed. Little bit of flirting going on. :) And a note about Amelia when she says "You ain't seen nothing yet." That's her sassing Arthur. :) Please Review!