A Rouges Wife (Jack Dawkins x OC)

Chapter 5: Opposites

~Anya's Perspective~

Miserable, she sat around for days, hating herself for lying and hating the world for making her the way she was. And hating her family, but she always did that. She wasn't mad at Jack just disappointed. The Dodger was back. Fagin had informed her of this. 

Anya didn't want him to get into more trouble, she wanted what was best for him, not for him to get hanged or jailed again.

She layed on the couch staring at the ceiling when her cousin Fanny opened the curtains, making the sun shine brightly in her eyes. "You've been moping ever since Dr. Dawkins ruined our dinner party."

"Close them, Fanny." She said, her eyes closed from sitting in darkness. "And don't insult him." 

"Sorry," Fanny said, she sat next to her. "Look I made you something. A painting made with these very hands." It was a sight needless to say but Anya could care less. 

"Very nice, Fanny." 

Her Aunt Jane came into the room then. "Dr. Sneed is here for you." Fanny stood up expecting it to be for her. "Not for you. For your cousin. He wishes to take her shooting." She sat back down, looking sad. 

Anya sighed and stood up. "This is an endless world of stupid dinner parties, men boasting all night, and pretending, somehow, against all evidence they're cleverer than us." 

"They are." Fanny replied. "That is why they're in positions of power." 

"If you say so." Anya muttered, then left.

~

Sneed was shooting at bottles and hitting them every single time, Anya rolled her eyes, she mated this guy. He just wanted her money. Like every single potential suitor before him, all expect Jack. Because he didn't even know about it until recently. 

"Well done. Another bull's eye." She muttered. 

"One of my many gifts." He bragged. "Here, let me show you." 

Anya wasn't interested in being shown how to do something by a man. Although she was a good shot. "Oh, I'm afraid I'm not really interesting in shooting at these."

"Ah, none of that." Sneed said. "I'm a modern man who happens to believe shooting is an essential skill for women, too. Here." She took the gun from him and very quickly shot the bottle and he stood there, surprised like a stunned cat. And she walked away, feeling indifference. 

~

She had to find Jack, Sneed had challenged him to a duel, reason she knew this was because Fanny had mentioned it. She already yelled at Sneed and almost punched him, now she was going to yell at Jack. Anya thought Jack had completely lost it. Which wasn't entirely off. 

"You are an idiot!" She yelled, in his face. "Did you know that?" 

"At last! Someone who sees what I see." Fagin added. 

Tim and Fagin left the room, Anya then asked, without yelling. "What were you thinking?" 

"I am tired of being treated like some mangy dog." He replied, sword in hand. 

"You are not a mangy dog." She shouted. "And he is an idiot for treating you like one. Apologize and withdraw. Please." 

Jack had stepped closer to her. "And bow down to his arrogance? No. And I'm not going to kill him, I will barely scratch the pompous git. Don't worry I spent ten years in the Navy. I am a master with a sword." He winked at that last part. 

"Good. Because it is pistols, pistols at dawn." She said, her voice cracking. "And he is a master shot." Then she left before he could see her cry. 

~

Anya had offered to be Jack's second in the duel, she didn't wanna watch him die, but she'd rather be there for him than ignore him. Most people would say she cared too much for someone below her. She thought of it as caring for a friend, people who say he was below her were the people who were sexist and curel. 

They were walking to the place the duel was to take place. Jack turned to her as they walked and said. "However this turns out, I am most grateful to have known you." 

"And likewise, Dodge. Life won't be the same without you, you idiot." She replied. 

"Since when does a priest officiate a duel?" He whispered.

Before Anya could answer him they were already near the others, the priest, Sneed, and a rather ugly man who was wearing a nice suit with a horrible taste for colors. 

"Now, for God's sake, don't toy with him, go for the heart. No more shooting in the face. A lot of these toffs prefer an open casket. Ah! The Rottenford dueling pistol. Your favorite, isn't it?" She said sarcastically. Everyone ignored it. 

"Gentlemen, are you prepared to settle this amicably?" The priest asked. 

The ugly man whispered to Sneed. "Don't you dare." 

"Wonderful. Now, that being the case, seconds, ensure the weapons are loaded." Anya and the ugly man both checked them. And they were loaded. 

"Has, uh, Dr. Sneed made his funeral arrangements?" She asked him. 

The priest answered. "He didn't believe that was necessary." 

Anya rolled her eyes. "Really? Well, we can always talk about that afterwards." 

"You must take ten paces each, turn and fire on my signal." The priest explained. "All clear? Then let us proceed with the festive proceedings. Come." 

Jack and Sneed both walked away from the case that held the pistols, each having one in hand. Then they put there back together, cocking the guns. 

The priest started the countdown. "one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!" 

"Cease this immediately!" Someone shouted, it was the Governor, Anya's uncle and her two cousins Belle and Fanny. "I'm told, rather unsportingly, that this town cannot survive without it's two surgeons. Lower your weapons." The two did as they were ordered. "Now, the rules are very clear. In circumstances such as these, the seconds must assume their place." 

"What?" Jack shouted. 

"No this is not how I want to view a duel." The ugly man complained. 

"She's your niece, Governor, you wouldn't allow for your own family to die." Sneed spoke up.

"Well given the circumstances we shall allow it." 

"I'm from a good family dating back to 1256." The ugly man complained. 

"I revoke my allegations," Sneed said. 

"I apologize unreservedly." Jack told Sneed. 

"It's too late." The priest said.

"Honour must be served." The governor demanded. 

Sneed handed over his pistol, Anya just took it from Jack giving him a stiff nod. She'd have rather sacrificed herself than watch him die anyways. She couldn't find words to say to him so Anya said nothing.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!" 

Sneed dropped the ground, screaming in pain, clutching his leg, Fanny and Belle ran to him. Fanny looked more worried than Belle. Jack ran towards her and she dropped the pistol and they hugged each other, tightly. 

~Jack's Perspective~

Holding her the way he was, made him forget everything, even there statuses that divide them, but Anya never care about that. He didn't either but he couldn't let her give it all up like that. Despite their past and how their relationship used to be. But now there was a divide. 

Despite all of it. He still loved her.