POTC Book 4: Everything Has Changed

Chapter 18: Fight For The Fountain

I point my sword at Angelica and Jack smirks at her.  "The chalices if you please."

Angelica laughs shortly.  "Sorry, Jack, I told you.  I need years, and now, yours will do."

Jack is a fool if he still loves her.

Suddenly Jack throws the tear in the air and Angelica throws the sack back to Scrum as she tries to catch the tear.

Jack grabs their swords and points them at them.  "Ha ha!"  He glances at me before throwing the swords in the air.

"Scrum!"  Angelica tries to throw the tear to her servant, but Jack catches it instead.

I kick the sack out of Scrum's hand and the chalices land on the other side of the fountain.

Then, out of the corner of my eye I see Blackbeard break Barbossa's crutch and watch as he staggers backwards.

"I expected fate to put up more of a fight!"  Blackbeard taunts.

Barbossa hits him in the face with what's left of the crutch.

In the midst of everything, I smile.  That's the Hector I remember.

But then I see Blackbeard kick Barbossa's peg leg out from under him, causing him to fall flat on his back.  With a roar of rage I run down the slope and leap over my husband, landing between the two men with my sword in Blackbeard's face.  "Do!  Not!  Touch!  Him!"

Blackbeard actually takes a step back, shock registering on his face.

"Sylvia?"  I hear the surprise in Barbossa's voice.

Blckbeard quickly recovers and sneers down at Barbossa.  "Are you in the habit of hiding behind women?"

I slash at him, my blade biting into the thick leather of his coat.  "I fight beside my husband!"  I hiss.  "Not for him!"

Barbossa chuckles softly and Blackbeard glares at him.  "I will not have that smile on your face."

"Take a gander, Edward Teach."  Barbossa points behind Blackbeard.

I lower my sword and look into the fog as well.  It would appear that the Spanish have arrived.

Immediately, a British officer gets up on a rock and holds up the English flag.  "This land is hereby forever claimed in the glorious name of his Majesty, King Geor-"  Blood blossoms on the flag and the man falls face first into the water.

That's the English for you.  Gotta try and claim everything.

"Someone make a note of that man's bravery."  The Spaniard hands a smoking pistol to one of his men and looks around the cavern.  He sees that Jack has the chalices and starts to walk over to him.

Jack hands the chalices to Angelica and steps back.

The Spaniard holds out his hand to Angelica.  "Senorita, the chalices.  Por favor."

Angelica doesn't move so the Spaniard has his men grab her and then he takes the chalices.  He steps up on a piece of the stone floor and holds the cups above his head.  "Only God can grant eternal life, not this pagan water."  He drops the chalices and stomps on them, then throws them away.  "Men!  Destroy this profane temple!"

I have to stop myself from laughing at the look of befuddled outrage on Blackbeard's face.

"The fountain!"  The Quartermaster exclaims.  He and another of Blackbeard's officers run over to try and stop the Spanish.

Blackbeard walks slowly over to the Spaniard.

"Help me up."  Barbossa whispers.

I let him put his left arm around my shoulders, as his right is still holding his sword.