Pirate's Life For Me....

Return Of Flint

  'This little shit is going down.' I mentally growled, drawing my sword like the man taunting me had wanted. Teach's crew was rather eager to see if the stories of my combat skills were true, and now that we were settled on the island, they were egging me to fight. Vane kept a close eye on me as I stepped forward, and I could feel the warm sand beneath my feet.

  There were other men wrestling on the beach or messing around with the women, and a circle began to form around the larger, dark-haired male and I. They were shouting, calling out, and verbally betting who would win. I mimicked Vane as I stood with my blade ready and wore a calm mask on my face so that my opponent couldn't possibly read me.

  The other man made the first move and swung his cutlass like an ax, bringing it down until it clashed against my sword. He was physically stronger, I could tell by simply looking, but I had better balance and I was faster. Shoving my arms up, I forced the pirate to stumble back before I spun on my heel and my blade hissed through the air. The tip caught the front of his shirt, slicing it wide open.

  The men went quiet for a moment as I let my opponent regain his composure, then they began to roar their approval as the other man lept at me. The pirate came at me harder than before, holding nothing back as he swung his sword so heavily. Each clash of our blades reverberated deep within my arms like it was shaking my very bones.

  Turning to avoid his blade swinging down once more, he instead snagged the cutlass on the back of my shirt, ripping it open and revealing the mass of black ink feathers.

  Oh, I was truly angry now.

  Snarling like an animal, I ripped my shirt further, tearing off the sleeves and much of the back to have complete and full mobility. A few of the crew wolf-whistled and hollered, but I ignored them as I tossed my sword to the side and drew two of my knives instead. Just as I stepped forward to finish this little quarrel, a deep voice broke through the sea of shouting men.

  "Deana," Vane called out. "pick that cutlass back up and sheathe those blades. You don't want to kill the poor lad."

  "I kinda actually do." But the look my captain gave me made me obey, albeit I was grumbling curses as I did so. I was better with knives, I was completely familiar with them, and they were comfortable within my hands, but the sword....

  I honestly hadn't started using that until I ended up on Nassau. It was heavier, harder to maneuver, and slower.

~

  Flint was alive. Not only alive, despite the word of his death, but here.

  "Nearly dismasted in a storm....a storm you chased after. Nearly starved to death in the doldrums. Nearly executed by them." Teach pointed to the men seated behind Captain Flint. "Either you are unkillable, friend, or way overdue."

  "One way or another, I am here, and there is much to discuss about all our futures." Flint replied.

  "What kind of future do you propose that to be?" Teach questioned.

  "I intend to gather forces and move to reclaim Nassau. The conquest is always weakest when the conqueror allows himself to believe that it is done. For Nassau, that point is now. Now, England may hold the island, but it still needs supplies brought in. It is still dependent upon trade. We will make that impossible for him." Flint sat rather proper in his chair, keeping eye contact with Teach.

  "We will harass his ships. we will plunder his supplies. We will force him to bleed capital and support and the goodwill of the men surrounding him until he is weak enough to challenge directly. Until we can bring the fleet to bear and retake the bay."