Shout out to 1, Mei and Mickey, MiserableOrchid, MiyukoLove, QuintessentiallyEccentric, Angy, I Know I'm A Dreamer, Phantom Ice, Mizushi-Hime, animelover8m!

So many reviews! :D Okay, test-surge done, hopefully more frequent updates in the offing :)

It was mentioned that DarkAntonio was enjoyed...well he's back! Let me know if you enjoy him and he will reappear in future stories!

EDIT: Special thanks to Angy for providing accurate Italian translations! I appreciate the input, especially when it is helpful and helps me improve my story. This, my friends, is what we call constructive flames and I love 'em! :D

Enjoy!

"Eh, Lovina? Could you help me with this?"

Lovina glanced back over at the bar once she'd sat down the last tankard of ale, trotting back over as Madeline struggled with a large tray of food. The other girl gave her a grateful look as they both carried it to a table on the far side of the room, dropping it down on the thick wood with a clunk.

"Thanks," said Madeline as they both returned to the back. "It didn't look that heavy when I picked it up."

"Don't mention it. You do it for me more than I do it for you."

"Lovina! Refills, the ones at the bar need refills," chided their new boss as she swept past them.

Rather than argue as she had on her first day, Lovina hurried behind the bar. She swept up coins and switched empty tankards for full ones with what was becoming practiced ease. It wasn't as though she had cause to argue or grumble, anyway. Compared to many of the places she'd seen in Tortuga, and more than a handful she'd seen even here, the Blue Tulip was a clean and well run establishment. Two Dutch siblings ran the place, but the elder brother, Lars, kept to the kitchens. It was the slight Bella, who in Lovina's opinion was a more bossy version of Amelia, who ran the tavern/inn. The two stories above the tavern were living quarters for the workers and rooms for rent. Lovina and Madeline now shared one of them. In return for getting their pay cut in half, they could sleep in a warm bed and have food in their bellies whenever they got peckish. Lars was a stern, mostly humorless man, but he was a very good cook.

Madeline ducked back into the kitchen to fetch the next batch of food. Lovina glanced after her, lips twitching as her hands twisted the tap on the rum barrel. She had been very surprised by how much she enjoyed this particular line of work. She kept her hands busy, and was so tired by the end of the day she had no problems falling asleep. She only had to dodge the occasional slap or grab directed at her behind, and was encouraged by Bella to punch them when they did so. It was hardly as though the patrons themselves complained. No one, not even Bella, seemed to mind if she cursed. If anything the patrons enjoyed having the petite Italian bellow across the tavern, "You'll get your damn food! Be patient you stupid bastardi!"

Madeline seemed to be getting along all right, but it wasn't Lovina who counted up their earnings every night and kept an eye on the constantly changing prices for passage to Port Diego. Every night Lovina would tell her, "It's not as if it will grow faster if you count it." Usually she received a reply along the lines of, "Shut up and go to sleep," from the equally tired girl.

They'd already sent their letters, though, so Lovina had felt the initial rush to get home dissipate. She was content here, surprisingly so. Besides, the work and the exhaustion meant it was easier not to think about pirates. The only time she did was in that few minutes between her head hitting the pillow and nodding off into a weary slumber.

Sometimes she worried over Amelia, but not often. Usually it was the green eyed Spaniard that drifted into her mind. She still worried about what he might do when he caught up to Kirkland, but sometimes she wondered if he would at all. What if he didn't come looking? Why should he? She'd done nothing but fight him and make a nuisance of herself the whole way. After wondering about that, though, she'd usually remember the look on his face as Kirkland had taken her onboard the Green Revenge.

She was never really able to get things worked out completely before she was out, though.

BREAK/BREAK\BREAK

Amelia was a very heavy sleeper. The only reason Madeline had been able to wake her up the night of the raid on their French cargo ship was because her sister had just rolled her out of her bunk and onto the floor. The drop from the second level had done the trick.

That said, Amelia had apparently become more attuned to her new environment, because the moment Arthur rolled out of bed her eyes were opening groggily. She groaned, struggling to keep her eyes open a crack. A glance at the windows showed it was still pitch black out, and the only light was from a small lantern Arthur was lighting hurriedly.

"What's goin' on?" she mumbled, forcing herself up from the blankets.

"Something's not right," said Arthur grimly, belting on his weapons. Once he was armed, he grabbed her sword belt and brought it over to the bed. He put it and a dagger on the edge of the blankets, and then leaned over to take her face in his hands. After placing a gentle kiss on her forehead he said, "Stay in here, love. If anyone comes in, surprise them."

With that he was gone, slipping out the door. Amelia frowned, crawling over to the edge of the bed. Once on her feet she stretched, yawned, and reached for her boots. She was just synching the sword belt around her waist when she heard a sound she'd become very familiar with over the last few days: the sound of metal on metal. Sword on sword. Fighting. People were yelling now too, but it wasn't coming from the Green Revenge. It was coming from outside, from either side of her.

Heart sinking, Amelia unsheathed her rapier and ran for the door. She wrenched it open in time to see flames flare up from the ship's aft as someone threw a torch onto the deck. Rather than flicker out as it should have, flames shot up in a large pool, lighting the ship. Oil, someone poured oil on the deck, she thought numbly.

For a moment Amelia was frozen in place, staring in horror as men swarmed over both sides of the ship. Two vessels, one equal to the Green Revenge in size and the other a good deal smaller, had landed multiple grapples on Arthur's ship. Her remaining crew was trying to come up on deck, but every man that managed it was cut down before he could do more than raise his weapon. The skeleton crew that had been on deck for night duty was already dead. Arthur was in the thick of it, but he was losing ground quickly. For every man he cut down two more swarmed him.

Amelia tightened her grip on her sword, and with a shriek threw herself into the fray. She didn't think about the man she thrust her blade into first, didn't think about the startled and dead look on his face as she braced a foot on his back and yanked it out again. It was the first life she'd taken, but at the moment she had more problems to worry about. It hadn't taken long for the men to realize someone besides Arthur was trying to make a dent in their numbers.

If anyone had asked her about it later, Amelia wouldn't have been able to tell them much about the fight. She kept his sword swinging, not daring to stop for a moment as she darted about the deck. Half of her blows didn't even land, but she didn't care, so long as none landed on her. Arthur had told her that she wouldn't be able to overpower an opponent by force alone, insisting that speed was her best ally. Besides, a well-placed wound would take out an opponent just as much as a killing blow.

Feeling like one of those deranged tree rats that had made a nuisance of themselves back home, Amelia ran up and down the deck, jumping and twisting and pivoting, never staying in the same place for more than a few seconds. Men yelled and screamed and swore around her, but the actual words didn't really register with her. A shout or scream meant she'd landed a blow. A curse or snarl meant he had a friend that wasn't happy about it.

How long this went on Amelia didn't know. She only really came out of it when a blade caught hers, blocking it. It stopped her in her tracks, the American's free hand coming up to grab the hilt in a two handed grip. She stared at the sword's owner, gasping for air, sweat trickling down her temple.

Red eyes glinted eerily in the light of the burning deck. White skin and hair seemed almost luminous, and Amelia felt a chill run down her spine. It didn't help when a slow grin spread across the pirate's face. Though if the hat perched on his head and the good quality coat whipping around him was any indication, this wasn't just any pirate. This was a captain. Arthur had only spoken of one pirate captain who was albino.

"Well, well, another fräulein? You're prettier than the last one," the pirate said, thrusting her sword away.

Amelia stumbled, but kept her feet and hurriedly brought her sword back up. "Why are you attacking us, Belishmet? What do you want?"

"I am here to keep a promise to my bruder. Carriedo just wants to kill Kirkland. Now tell me, where is that Italian girl?" asked Gilbert, slowly moving towards her.

Amelia took a step back, but then steeled herself. A heroine didn't back down. Wait, what had he said? "Carriedo's here?" she demanded, looking around quickly.

"Ja. He's the dummkopf that wanted to attack. Tell me where the Italian is and the Awesome me might be able to keep him from killing Kirkland."

"New Madrid," Amelia said quickly. Gilbert was still advancing, so she kept her sword up. "He left her and my sister in New Madrid in exchange for me staying with him."

Gilbert paused, frowning. "That's not good."

Before Amelia could ask why, a roar of victory rang up from the deck. Gilbert turned, but rather than take advantage of the situation, Amelia felt her heart drop to her boots. How she'd missed him she had absolutely no idea, a giant axe didn't exactly blend in.

"Oh no," she whispered.

Arthur was still alive, that wasn't what worried her. What made fear shoot up her spine was the figure stalking towards him across the deck. His expression was set, dark, and if Amelia had to put a name to it, she would have picked murder.

Gilbert made a grab for her, but Amelia ducked around him, scrambling around the remaining men, living and dead alike. She reached them just as Arthur was yanking his sword from the stomach of a now unmoving pirate, turning just in time to throw himself out of the axe's path. The blade buried itself an inch in the wood, but Carriedo yanked it up with ease, lifting the heavy blade once more.

"What do you want?" Arthur demanded, eyes burning as they squared off.

"Return what you took from me, Kirkland, and this ship will have at least one survivor."

Arthur's expression was cold, hard. "You'll just kill me anyway, Carriedo."

A smile that chilled Amelia's blood split Antonio's face. "Sì."

With that both pirates charged each other. Arthur dodged the first swing of the axe's heavy blade, aiming a slash at Antonio's side as he ducked passed him. The Spaniard pivoted at the last minute, bringing his axe back around in an arch that had Arthur springing backwards.

"I don't have the girl," Arthur snarled, lunging forward.

"Then tell me what you did with her."

"Why should I if you're going to kill me anyway?"

"I should have killed you years ago!" snarled Antonio, turning the path of his axe at the last minute.

Arthur, who had been making another pass with his sword, threw himself to the side. Rather than lose an arm, though, his left hand was badly cut. With a yell that was as much rage as pain, he surged forward, bracing the wounded hand on the axe's pole just long enough to land a good hit before rolling away. Antonio snarled as the gash opened up in his chest, but like Arthur he wasn't slowed down by the wound so much as egged on by it.

Amelia watched in horror as the brutal dance continued. For the most part they only seemed to land light nicks or cuts, but the looks of anger on their faces was borderline animalistic. Never in her life had Amelia seen two people who hated each other so much.

They're really gonna kill each other, she thought with a chill. I can't let them.

Amelia shoved through the last of the crowd, stumbling as she entered the ring that had formed around the two pirates. As she did, Arthur moved to the side, a roundhouse swing barely missing him, and darted forward faster than Amelia had ever seen him move. She did, however, see what the tip of his sword was aiming for.

"Stop!" she screamed, running forward.

Arthur didn't seem to hear her. It was too late to stop the blow anyway. Carriedo yelled as the blade pierced his arm, throwing him back into the mizzenmast. Arthur wrenched it out, the axe clattering to the deck, and drew his arm back to land the killing blow.

"Don't!" screamed Amelia, throwing herself forward. She wrapped both arms around Arthur's, weighting it down and making him stumble back a step.

"What are you doing?" he roared, shoving her away.

Amelia stumbled, but before she could answer Antonio stepped forward, grabbing the wrist of the hand Arthur gripped his sword with, and punched him. The first hit was directed at his jaw. The second was in his diaphragm. As he doubled over, his grip going slack, Antonio knocked his feet out from under him, and slammed the heel of his hand into his forehead. Arthur crashed to the deck, and in the few seconds he lay still Antonio braced a boot on his chest, pressing the tip of the sword to his throat.

"The girl you took from me," he said again, breath coming in pants. "What have you done with her?"

Amelia was about to move forward, but a dagger's blade slipped over her neck, pressing lightly against her throat. "Sorry, fräulein," said Gilbert.

"The only reason you are still breathing is because there's information I need," Carriedo was growling, eyes dark. "The girl you took from me. Where is she? My men searched the ship, she's not here. ¿Dónde está?"

He took some of his weight off Arthur's chest so the Brit could answer, at least. Arthur coughed, and rather than protest gasped, "New Madrid."

He looked like he was about to say more, but the weight returned full force. "Since when do you give in so easily?" hissed the Spaniard. "Do not lie to me, Kirkland."

"If he is, that makes two liars, Toni," said Gilbert, apparently deciding to speak up. He pushed both himself and Amelia forward, until they were mere feet away from the two captains.

Antonio's his eyes narrowed when he saw Amelia. "I don't know why you defended me, but you are probably going to regret it. Neither of us is worth saving, señorita." Turning back to Arthur, he said, "You are no better than me, yet you still took her."

Arthur opened his mouth, but all that came out was a choked noise as he fought to breathe, his good hand braced under Antonio's boot. Amelia glanced at his weapons belt, but none of his pistols or daggers remained. He used them all already, she thought with a gulp.

"Well, if you're not the only one still living, it looks like I get the pleasure of killing you now." He tossed the sword onto the deck next to Arthur, reaching for his axe.

"Wait!" shouted Amelia before he could do more than lift it from the deck.

Antonio ignored her, taking his foot of Arthur's chest. "Pick up your sword, Kirkland. For what it's worth."

Arthur dragged himself upright, face grim, eyes locked on Antonio as his good hand reached for his blade.

Amelia, terrified, screamed more than spoke her next words. "Fermati pomodoro bastardo!"

Antonio froze where he stood. For a moment he didn't move a muscle, but then he slowly turned to Amelia, narrowed eyes gone back to a normal state as he stared at her. In a low, dangerous voice he asked, "What did you just call me, señorita?"

Amelia took a deep breath, and sequenced her eyes shut. She knew Lovina had insisted she had to sound angry when she did it, but it was hard to sound angry while trying to carefully recite at the same time. "Sei un pomodoro bastardo, idiota! Mi devi ancora un barile di pomodori e le lezioni di spada! Il tuo gioco era stupido, ma mi è comunque piaciuto! Voglio stare con te pomodoro bastardo! Uccidi il tè bastardo o Amelia e non starò con te! Ti amo!"

Amelia let out a huge breath, slumping against Gilbert when she was done. Opening her eyes, she looked around to find Arthur with a bewildered look on his face. For a long minute no one spoke. Antonio held perfectly still, face blank.

After what felt far too long Amelia slowly opened her eyes, shuffling her feet nervously. "Uh, I said all that right, didn't I? I don't speak Italian but Lovina said that would make you listen. I didn't say anything wrong, did I?"

After a long minute Antonio asked in a low voice, "You really have no idea what you told me?"

Amelia shook her head as much as the dagger at her neck allowed. "No. Why? She wouldn't tell me what any of it meant in English. Did I not say it angry enough? I could try again."

Antonio studied her for a long minute, and then asked in a unrecognizable tone, "You are sure she is in New Madrid?"

Amelia perked up, nodding hurriedly. "Definitely! She's with my sister there, we dropped them both off. Fair ain't cheep, so they're probably still there."

Jerking his chin to the larger ship, Antonio ordered, "Have your men take her aboard, Gilbert."

"What are you doing? We told you where the girl was," protested Arthur, his voice furious as he got to his feet. One of the crewmen had grabbed his sword before he could get to it, leaving him unarmed, two more moving forward to restrain him. Despite this he looked ready to attack Antonio with his bare hands, axe or no axe.

"Sì, you did. If you speak the truth then the girl will be left in New Madrid, unharmed. She might have bad taste, but I take no pleasure in harming women," said Antonio, turning back to Arthur. "You are another story, Kirkland."

"Hey! I'll go with you, I'll help you find them!" protested Amelia as two crewmen started dragging her towards the smaller ship. "Leave him alone! He's already hurt!"

Antonio didn't seem to hear her, but Gilbert saw his eyes flick briefly in her direction. Once she was gone he noted coolly, "All I did was sink a few ships, steal back a little gold. Yet you've turned traitor, attacked me at every turn. You've sent spies, burned five of my ships, given orders that have left a hundred of my men dead, and nearly killed Francis. I do not seek you out, I do not go out of my way to make an enemy of you, despite all you've done."

Drawing a dagger from his belt, he walked slowly over to Arthur, face dark. "I was willing to continue keeping my distance, Kirkland. I still am. For the girl's sake I will leave you with your life. If she is telling the truth, you may find her waiting for you in New Madrid. If she is not, then you can find her in holy ground."

Gilbert wasn't the squeamish sort, he was too awesome for that. He was a pirate himself, after all, and had been known to relieve men of a few extremities. He just did it less often than Antonio. Even so, he had to turn away after the first scream.

¿Dónde está?- Where is she?

Fermati pomodoro bastardo! - stop it tomato bastard!

Sei un pomodoro bastardo, idiota!- you're a tomato bastard, idiot!

Mi devi ancora un barile di pomodori e le lezioni di spada!- you still owe me a barrel of tomatoes and sword lessons!

Il tuo gioco era stupido, ma mi è comunque piaciuto! - your game was stupid, but I still liked it!

Voglio stare con te pomodoro bastardo! - I want to stay with you, tomato bastard!

Uccidi il tè bastardo o Amelia e non starò con te!- Kill the tea bastard or Amelia and I won't stay with you!

Ti amo- I love you!

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