Episode Five: The Duel
"Lady Elizabeth!"
The girl woke with a start, feeling Jack wake up as well. "Mm?" Sneed was standing before them, fuming.
"I don't believe my eyes."
The two recently awoken looked at each other, both beet red. They didn't move. Elizabeth noticed how his hand rested around her waist.
He quickly removed it and helped her up.
"Bye, Jack." She murmured distractedly as she walked out.
————
When Elizabeth got home, she had a quick nap and then went into the family room, where Gaines and the Governor were conversing, while Jane and Belle read.
"No, it's not a riddle, darling. Let me speak to the engineers." Jane said while looking at her book.
"Engineers cannot fix evil." Gaines insisted.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes.
"Have you heard from your lovely wife lately, Captain Gaines? She still visiting relatives?"
Belle snorted and Jane glared at her middle daughter.
"yes, well, thank you, Captain Gaines."
Edmund smiled as he got an idea. "Oh, uh... Would a possible solution be to run the pipes from the centre of town into the harbour, where it will have no effect?"
The three women in the room shook their heads. "No."
Fanny cane into the family room, her face occupied with her signature grin. "The most exciting news. There is to be a duel in town."
Belle shook her head, flipping through a book. "Don't be silly, duels are illegal. Not necessarily. I rather think it might be over moi. It does eliminate one possible suitor, but what does one wear to a duel? Black is foreshadowing, but green?"
Elizabeth furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
Suitor?
"Who is involved?"
————
"Rainsford!" Elizabeth screeched as she chased him down the street.
"What?"
She caught up to him. "You cannot do this. This is as much my fault as his." Jack couldn't die. She needed him.
Sneed shook his head in faux sadness.
"The man has pushed me too far. We will settle it like gentlemen. One of us will. Pistols at dawn."
The strawberry blonde glared at him. "Then I flatly refuse to marry you. Enjoy your stupid nutmeg." She dumped the nutmeg he had gifted her on his head and stomped away.
"Elizabeth. Lady Elle. Please."
The only thing she did in response was stick up a finger.
————
"You idiot! You absolute dunderhead!" Elizabeth screamed as she walked into the operating room. Jack was going to duel an excellent gunman.
Fagin laughed. "At last! Someone who sees what I see."
She sighed and walked closer to her favorite doctor. "What were you thinking?"
The blonde shook his head. "I am tired of being treated like some mangy dog."
The Fox daughter's heart broke for him. "You are not a mangy dog. And he is an idiot for treating you like one. Apologise and withdraw. Please." She pleaded.
Jack scoffed. "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 the sword." He bragged dumbly. Elizabeth almost faceplamed. "Good. Because it is pistols, pistols at dawn. And he is a master shot." She strutted out of the hospital, leaving Jack frozen in realization.
"Oh."
————
Elizabeth never thought she would have to ask anything of Lucien Gaines. However, as of right now, he was her last hope.
"Gaines! Hello! I need you to arrest two men."
"Will these two do?" He joked before turning around. "On what charges, my lady?"
Elizabeth huffed. "On charges of planning to be utterly stupid and fight a duel."
"Who would be doing that?"
"Two young surgeons." She answered.
Gaines grinned in disbelief and Elizabeth knew she had made a mistake. "Really? So, Jack Dawkins is involved. I can only charge them if it goes ahead. Intention is not a crime, sadly. The benefit for me on such occasions is that after the duel, there's usually only one to arrest. I hear Sneed is a fine shot."
The Fox girl groaned and left, unnoticed by Gaines, who was arguing with two men about ambergris.
Wait. Ambergris.
The strawberry blonde smirked. She knew exactly what was going on.
————
When Eliza reached the wharf, Aputi, Flashbang, and Jack were rolling a barrel towards the door.
I knew it.
"What's in the barrel? Looks heavy." She smiled, getting the men's attention.
"It's food for the widows, my lady." Aputi bowed to her.
She cooed. "How very admirable of you all. And you, delivering it in person. Can one try a mouthful?"
Aputi shook his head sadly. "Their need is greater, my lady."
The Fox girl nodded. "I only ask because I heard Captain Gaines is currently heading towards the wharf to locate a missing barrel of something called... Was it ambergris? But I know you wouldn't be so utterly stupid as to risk everything for that. Captain Gaines will have no issue with good men engaged in a charitable cause. Hmm... Lobster bisque?"
She winked at them before walking away.
Jack watched as she strolled down the street, grinning knowingly.
That woman is bloody brilliant.
————
Elizabeth had done it. Sure it had taken all night, but she had convinced her father that both surgeons were invaluable and must live. Well, she defended Jack. She didn't care what happened to Sneed. Too many people depended on Dr Dawkins. She depended on him.
Now, the Governor and all three of his daughters stood on a rocky hill, overseeing the duel.
"Cease this immediately!" The Governor yelled. "I'm told, rather unsportingly," he glared at his middle daughter who cheekily smiled back. "that this town cannot survive without its two surgeons. Lower your weapons."
Belle and Elizabeth fist-bumped.
"Now, the rules are very clear. In circumstances such as these, the seconds must assume their place." He continued. The middle daughter cringed.
"What?" Fagin yelped.
Smales, who was Sneed's second, started vigorously shaking his head. "Hold up. Is that a thing? I don't think that's a thing."
Rainsford put his gun in the case. "No. This is madness."
Fanny shrugged, unbothered. "I don't think either is a suitable suitor."
"No. This is not how I want to view a duel." Belle insisted.
Fagin stepped forward, smiling at the Governor pleadingly. "What? No, in England, the second is usually thanked kindly for his time, and then, very often financially compensated for all the emotional stress. Everybody goes home happy. It's lovely."
The priest, who was officiating the duel, stepped forward as well.
"No. The Governor is right."
Edmund smiled proudly. "There we go."
The Honorable Smales kept refusing. "I'm from a good family, dating back to 1256."
Sneed and Jack still hated the idea. "I withdraw my allegation. Please, stop this." The former pleaded.
The latter spoke up. "I apologise. Unreservedly."
Governor Fox shook his head. "No. Too late."
Elizabeth turned to her father, not believing that he would rather send someone to their death rather than disband the duel. "Father, Stop this."
Said father only patted his middle daughter's head and shook his head. "Honor must be served."
As Fagin and Smales were pulled to their positions. "Dodge." Fagin nodded, saying a silent goodbye. Elizabeth covered her mouth in sadness.
The priest stepped back and began counting. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten! Fire!"
All three daughters scream, but when they look up, neither Smales nor Fagin had been shot. But Sneed had. "My Lord!" He screamed in pain.
The two eldest Fox children burst out laughing while the youngest let out a distressed scream.
"Sneedy!" The redheaded girl shouted, making the brunette and the strawberry blonde laugh even more.
————
After bidding her family goodbye, Elizabeth helped Jack get Sneed to the hospital. They put him in a wheelchair and rolled him through the halls.
"This one looks inoperable, Dr. Dawkins. He will need a cane if he survives." The navigator teased on his way out. Elizabeth beamed when she realized that the surgery had worked. They continued wheeling him into the room, and he was lifted onto the slab. The Professor came out, insisting that since one of his doctors needed treatment, he should be the one operating.
"What we have here, is a man injured in his quest for honour. He is also my Head Surgeon and will replace me in the future," Prof slurred. Elizabeth scowled. "For this reason, it requires the steadiest of hands, as I attempt the very dangerous procedure of amputating his leg, a foot above the knee. Now, if you'll just bite down on this. Tim..."
Elizabeth helped Hetty get everything laid out and then grabbed the ether, pouring some on a cloth. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sneed grab Jack's shirt.
"Help me."
The young surgeon scoffed. "Half an hour ago, you wanted to kill me. This does beg the question, 'What would you do in my position?'"
"I will give you your job back. I guarantee it. Just please, don't let him amputate." Sneed begged.
The blonde sighed. "Yes."
Elizabeth immediately sprang into action, getting her spiked cloth. She went up to the Professor with a kind smile. "Here, Prof, let me wipe your brow." She put the cloth to his mouth, and he passed out. The strawberry blonde nodded at Hetty, who promptly turned to address the crowd.
"Apologies, gentlemen, there will be no show today. As you can see, the professor is overcome with emotion." The crowd groaned. "Later today, we'll be amputating Spencer Shaw's arm, which will be more exciting. Come back for that."
Sneed groaned as Tim lugged McGregor's linp body out of the room. Jack turned to the wounded doctor with a wicked smile. "Now, I assume you will be maintaining your strong stance against anesthetic?"
"Give it to me, damn you." Rainsford growled.
Jack turned to Hetty. "Thank you, I won't need you on this one. You can tend to the professor."
Hetty went to protest but nodded and left.
With that, the young doctor turned to his patient again. "I'm sorry, I can't remember. Which leg am I cutting off again?" He asked innocently as Elizabeth put Sneed to sleep.
The latter groaned, "Dawkins..." he was out cold.
Elizabeth looked at Jack incredulously. "Surely, you're not removing his leg."
The blonde shook his head with a chuckle. "No. Just removing bullet, unfortunately."
Elizabeth slumped. "If it was me, I'd be shaving off his eyebrow."
Jack smiled thoughtfully and handed her the scalpel. "You make the first incision."
The strawberry blonde looked up at him. "Really?"
"You're ready, Ellie."
She hugged him across the table. "Thank you!" She squealed.
Jack laughed again and pulled back to look at her. Her perfect smile and her beautiful eyes. Her plump lips. He swallowed. "Elle..."
Before he could finish, she had kissed him.
————
(A/N): HEYO. this chapter was crap but thx for reading! Next one is coming out next week!
Don't be a silent reader!
Date: 3/6/24
Word Count: 1840