Sorry guys! Long time, no write. So, it's time for an excuse:

I've been busy!

(translation: Major writer's block)

Chapter Six

It was silent.

Well, except for the not-so-dainty clicks of Madeline's heels on the cobblestone. But the quiet gave her time to think. Thinking time is something she needed badly. She was usually as cold as ice. Hard as stone. Her emotions rarely spiked at any degree. But today was different.

What does he want? She asked herself. I haven't spoken to him in months. In fact, I heard he was dead… That would solve a lot of my problems.

Madeline cursed herself for having so many enemies. So many people that wanted to dance on her grave. But, of course, that was an occupational hazard. How does one expect to be a conning pirate without making a few hit lists?

This one time, this one man… it could easily be her end. Carlisle Farrington was not a man to mess with. And Madeline had killed his brother, Jonathan Farrington, and took his ship. It's safe to say that she has messed with him.

Madeline stopped in her tracks and reached into her stockings, pulling out the note that she had found under the door to her cabin that night after supper with the crew.

If Madeline Gibbs is not the name you were given, it would be a good idea to put this back down before you continue your reading. If your name is, in fact, Miss Madeline Gibbs, do read carefully.

The last time we were in contact, I decided to cut you a break. You were young and daft. You hadn't a clue who you were talking to. You knew not my power nor my authority on this island. But I have a great many friends here, my eyes, if you will. They see every bar fight, every gathering, every killing.

That is my purpose with contacting you now. You have been involved with all three, or so I have been told. Now, I must take action. To save, not only myself, but all of the unsuspecting gentlemen that can be subjected to your treachery.

There is a room above the King's Arm that is never occupied, filled only with crates of empty rum bottles. I expect to see you there tonight at precisely midnight. Bring no , of course, if you fail to show I could always send my men to your ship and show you exactly what the penalty for not doing what I say is.

I'll be expecting you,

Carlisle

She shook her head. Her death certainly awaited beyond those doors. It was masked by the smell of rum and the happy laughter of drunken pirates. She took a deep breath and walked in. The lights were dim, as usual, and the smell was pungent.

The stairs creaked as she slowly and shakily ascended them. Her hand gliding lightly over the railing, being sure that she wouldn't fall. This seemed silly to her, seeing that she would be dying soon enough regardless.

Time stood still as she stood at the doors that lead to the room where her doom surely stood. Now, Madeline was a phenomenal fighter. She could use her fists or swords or daggers or pistols. She even recalled a time that she used a stick and a table cloth. But Carlisle was hardly a fair player. If he honestly wanted her dead, he would have had little less than the King's troops waiting for her. One, two or even ten men she could handle, but she was only human.

She took a deep breath and patted the side of her leg, making certain that the sword she kept there was still, in fact, there. The doors opened. Her hands remained at her sides.

There stood Carlisle himself. He chuckled and 'tsk'ed, "Five minutes late, Miss Madeline. I was afraid you weren't going to show."

Madeline stood, frozen. "The trip from the Pearl to where we are currently standing was a few minutes more than I had originally planned." She said, keeping her voice like ice. She refused to show fear.

He nodded, "Well, It's a good thing you came at all. I was ready to send in my men. My men know exactly what to do." His eyes rested on her hand that hiddingly clutched her sword. How easy would it be to knob of his head while he stood there gloating?

"Where, may I ask, are your 'men' at the moment, Mr. Farrington?" She clutched the sword so tight that her knuckles were white. All fear had left her. She quickly went through attack strategies in her head while Carlisle watched her expressions, a smirk on his annoyingly beautiful face.

"In my blacksmith shop down the road." He said, cautiously. "But they could be here in a moments notice."

Madeline nodded and watched as the tables turned. Her fear moved to him. His authority and power in the situation moved to her. "That is interesting." Carlisle moved back one step and Madeline followed suit. "So you are all alone?" Her voice was just as cold as before, but now, there was a bit of teasing in there too.

Madeline felt a shove on her shoulders and she fell backwards. Carlisle quickly pulled his sword from his trousers and wielded it in front of her. She recovered, getting up from her position on the ground and wielding her weapon as well. Madeline's was a crude sword made of an iron handle and blade. His, on the complete other side of the spectrum, was a golden handled, silver bladed beauty.

Carlisle swung at her and Madeline blocked it with her sword. And on they went, swords clanking, each taking lunges and failing. Twice he had swiftly swiped towards her throat, in which she used the proximity of their bodies to swiftly punch him in the gut.

Her sword made it's way to his stomach and Carlisle, in turn, blocked it with a heavy laugh. "Did you honestly think that you would kill me? You couldn't kill a-"

Madeline left the bar quite shaken but with a smile on her face. Not only was she out of a lot of trouble, but she had acquired a new silver/gold sword. Her hands shook as she let her fingers slide over the cold metal.

The Black Pearl laid ahead, her new home. The home that was forced upon her by her father and his drunken captain. But of course, 'forced' was used rather strongly in this instance. She could always run. I couldn't be hard. She would need a ship, and with her new sword, that wouldn't be hard.

Without a second thought, she spun from her path to the Black Pearl where Jack and her father were waiting, and ran towards one of the taverns, mind set on finding herself a ship to leave this damned island.

Don't kill me! HAHAHA I feel bad for doing this to my dear Madeline but it must be done L if anyone here has read my other stories then you know that I enjoy lots of twists and turns in my stories. 3