Some would think it almost cruel at times, the way she does things. Of course, that was only because they hadn't seen how things used to work on the Flying Dutchman.
Captain Elizabeth Turner is not ashamed of what she wears or how she acts or the fact that she can fight. It has always seemed silly to her that most women would be. She cares very little about what they think. She has survived much more than any other woman could because she was willing to step outside the boundries of propriety; why should she care what anyone else thinks of her?
She learns early on, however, that it's not other woman she has to be worried about, not anymore. It's the men that cause her trouble. Some are too bold and quite brazen from the beginning; they are not hesitant in voicing their opinions about being given such an awful choice.
Do you fear death?
Better to die than serve under some sea whore pretending to be a captain.
Such remarks are met with a quick flash of steel as these men meet the wrong end of her blade. She has no sympathy for such pig-headed men, nor does she want to be seen as weak, kind though she usually is.
These incidents are few and far between, though. Most are smart enough keep such comments to themselves.
The real trouble comes when they decide to start directing their resentment at the only other female on board the ship. Marie, Elizabeth has learned, is a mere 16 years old. She had been a stowaway on the ship she was on; she was very lucky that they hadn't killed her the moment they found her. She was feisty, but young, and barely knew how to use the sword she carried. Elizabeth has grown very protective of her over the year she has been around.
The first time it happens, Marie is off in a corner on deck, practicing with her sword as Elizabeth has taught her.
"Not too bad, missy." One of the crewmen, a large beast of a man known only as Adams, approaches her. Two other crewmen are watching them from just across the deck.
"Thanks." She replies stiffly.
"No doubt the Captain taught you that?"
"Yes." She keeps her answers curt.
He snorts.
"Would you, perhaps, like to test your new skills against a real fighter?"
Marie knows she will most likely lose; he is twice her size and she is not a very good fighter, not at all. But she refuses to back down from a challenge.
She drops into a ready postion, sword held out in front of her.
"O-of course."
He comes at her so quickly that she hardly has time to react. He lands one blow after another, laughing in amusement as she franticly tries to fend him off. She scrambles backwards, stumbles, lands roughly on her back, and in her panic she does the only thing she can think to do.
"C-captain Turner!" She calls as loud as she can, hoping that the older woman will be kind enough to come save her from her stupid mistake.
It's the fear in the girls voice that sets her running out of her cabin as fast as she does. She looks across the deck to see Adams hovering over Marie's small frame with a nasty leer on his face.
Rage takes over Elizabeth, sudden and intense rage. She isn't used to feeling anger quite this strongly and before she knows it she is standing behind Adams, sword drawn, glaring as harshly as she is capable.
He can feel her presence and stiffens before spinning around to face her. She goes at him in much the same fashion that he went at Marie.
He stands even less of a chance against his Captain as Marie stood against him, and he knows it with the first lunge she gives.
Elizabeth backs him up to the side of the ship. He glances back quickly at the sea below them and his eyes widen in fear as he turns back to her. In one swift move she moves her sword, twisting it around his when he goes to block her, throwing it out of his hand.
He has never fought a man so fast and so swift with a blade, let alone a woman. She holds her sword up to his neck.
"You will not threaten her like that again. Understood?"
He only stares at her in shock.
"Understood?" She snaps, and she's pressing the tip of her sword ever so lightly against his neck now.
"A-aye Cap'n!" He stutters.
He has no idea of how sorely she is tempted to send him overboard.
She lowers her sword slowly.
"Good." She holds her sword straight up in front of her, examining it. "Three hours a day, I used to practice with this, against my husband. One of the best swordsmen most have ever seen. Keep that in mind next time you decide to threaten another of my crew."
He nods and scrambles to get away. She sheaths her sword and walks over to Marie, helping the girl to her feet.
"I'm fine. Thank you Captain."
"I couldn't very well have let him hurt you." She replies.
Marie is shaking, looking frightened. Elizabeth can't remember a time where Marie was frightened of her, except when she first came on board the ship.
Elizabeth turns without another word and heads back into her cabin. She enters it quickly, closes and locks the door, and turns around, collapsing to sit against it.
She stares at the floor, taking deep though unnecessary breathes, and wonders when exactly she became so arrogant. She'd been seriously tempted to kill the man. It had felt good, being able to so easily beat him.
The word pirate echoes through her mind, and for the first time in a long time Elizabeth Turner finds herself worrying about just what she's becoming.
"Will!" He hears Jade's melodious voice calling to him from just outside the shop where he's been working for the past hour. "Will, come quick!"
He drops his hammer and rushes out, worried at the urgence in her voice.
"What is it?" He asks, coming up behind Jade. She smiles over her shoulder at him.
"See for yourself."
He looks past her and his eyes widen when he sees his daughter, a month past her first birthday, slowly making her way towards him-standing upright on her two tiny legs.
"Emily! That's wonderful!" He gets down on one knee as his daughter takes one last awkward step before teetering and falling into his arms.
"Papa!" She exclaims her favorite word in her adorable baby squeal as he picks her up.
"I'm so proud of you, my girl!" He kisses her forhead and gently tickles her stomach and she squeals again in delight. Jade smiles broadly at his displays of affection.
"She's so lucky to have you as a father."
He looks up to her with a questioning look.
"You're just such a good man." She comes closer, looking down at the baby. "So loving. You don't often find a man willing to take such good care of his own child on his own, you know."
"Well, uhm, I think," he babbles a little, nervous because of how close she is, "that you give me a bit too much credit, Jade."
"Not at all, Will." She looks up to him and smiles again and then before he can react she places the breifest of kisses against his lips and turns to walk away.
"I'll see you tommorrow." She calls over her shoulder.
He stares after her in shock, frozen to the spot. Emily has quieted down now and lets out a little yawn as she snuggles closer to her father, laying her head on his shoulder.
He looks down at her.
"Oh, Emily. Just what am I to do with that?"
Updates will not always be this often, I can almost guarentee it. I've just been full of ideas for the past few days for no apparent reason.
Anyways, hope you enjoy. Review please. :)