As they boarded the ship, the men looking more rugged than the last time I saw them, they held their swords up high and attacked. Still swordless and pistolless, I aimed to be careful of the slicing blades flying through the air.

I didn't sense blood-thirst. It didn't feel like they were out to kill us.

One of Don Gibert's crew spotted me, pushing away the pirate he was fighting. He came towards me. I raised my hands, a half-smile forming as I thought about an escape.

One that wouldn't label me a coward in their code. A code I never knew about until I was on this ship for a few days.

The curved sword sliced through the air, nearly skinning my arm. Doing my best, I tried to put distance between us. He had an advantage over me. Not only was he taller, but he also had a curved blade that could reach me easily.

The only way to avoid getting hit was moving closer. At least, than he'd have a harder time swinging it around.

As I avoid the knife he slipped into his hand, I recognized the tattoo on his arm. The beard on his face had made it difficult before, but I knew who he was with that tattoo. He was the second to Don Gibert. His first mate. The second-in-command.

Great, not only was I fighting a skilled fighter who'd sooner put my head on a spike, but it had to be the quartermaster. Could I never get a break?

Could there be no fighting pirates? No fighting saylors? No hangings or storms? I just wanted a nice and peaceful month where I could cherish the simple life of wealth.

Stepping back to avoid the small sharp blade, I bumped into someone behind me. As if it couldn't get any worse, Edgar continued towards me. Going with my gut, I stepped to the side, grabbed the person's arm and pushed him forward before he knew what was happening.

His footing was already off, a yelp escaping him as he hit Edgar, who pushed the man away like a rag doll. Can't say that I didn't try, even as the look on his face darkened.

Swords clashed against swords around us. The metal clinging like it had it's own song to sing.

Edgar was quicker than before, the distance closing. His timing was slightly as he swapped at my arm, distracting me from the real danger. I didn't see his hand before it wrapped around my throat like a steel cage.

Struggling, I kicked my foot out, feeling no shame as it connected. A pained expression appeared as he dropped me, his hand covering his balls. He should have known to never let his guard down during a fight.

"I'm going to fucking kill you."

A grin slipped onto my face as I stepped back. I believed that he would at least attempt to. His ragged posture screamed he would if he got his hands on me.

"I should be honored that you'd want to kill me, Edgar."

As he came at me again, with a new rage that anyone I would expect to have if they were kicked in the balls, I kept moving backwards. I kept a distance between us as I avoided the other pirates fighting, the ropes that could easily trip someone, and moved up the stairs that would take me to the helm. I needed more space to move around if it was him I was going against and I doubted there would be many up by the helm.

Over his shoulder, I could see everyone else was in just as furious fights, their swords clashing together. The sweat building as they fight with all their strength.

Who would be the winner at the end of the day?

Beckoning him to come at me, I stepped to the side, my hand grabbing the second knife on his waist. Knowing who my opponent was made it easier to know the more obvious weapons he carried. Still, this was the smaller of the blades he carried and would do nothing against his curved sword.

Blood raced through my veins, my heart pounding like a stampede. The blood lust in the air grew into a distraction, the waves changing as constantly as the mood around. Still, I did what I could to focus on the large, bearded man in front of me.

I tried blocking his attacks as best as I could. The grin, twisted and dark, appearing didn't do my nerves of water any good. He tossed his curved sword to the ground, twirling the knife in his hand.

I was going to die.

He came at me again, my eyes locked on the twirling knife. I should've known it wasn't the blade that I had to worry about, as his fist slammed into me. Knocking me back, into the railing. Water splashed against the ship below, spraying on me.

Spitting out the blood, I prepared myself for the next one. His advancement came once again, the knife coming at me this time. Just as I went to step to the side, he dropped it.

My eyes followed the blade before the air in me got knocked out. My lungs twisted painfully as the fist connected with my stomach. Gasping, tears burned my eyes as my knees almost gave in and the knife fell out of my grasp.

That hurt. Who would have guessed he'd drop the knife.

"Rachel!"

Jacob?

My knees gave in, digging into the white deck as I gasped for air. He shouldn't be up there. He should have been somewhere else. He was no match for Edgar.

I should have told him to stay below.

There wasn't time for me to tell him to leave as a foot slammed into my face. My world spun as I slammed into the ground. A pained cough escaped me, the taste of blood feeling my mouth as I raised a hand to block my face.

Winded and through blurry eyes, I saw Jacob standing there, frozen. I knew I needed to get up. I needed to do something about him.

Before I met him and William, I never worried about what happened when I smuggled someone onto a ship. Before, it never occured to me that they might have to face something like this. But before, it was barely ever kids that I helped, and when it was, they were never alone.

Searing pain met me as I was kicked again. This time in the stomach.

I curled into a ball, trying to push the pain down. A feeling of defeat filled me, but the fight wasn't over yet. Far from it.

I couldn't just lay there and do nothing. I needed to have time to think about what I've learned over the years. I couldn't die, yet.

Ringing filled my ears as I struggled to get my breathing under control. There had to be something I could do about this fight. There had to be a way.

Jacob's cry brought me back to my senses. The clinging of metal against metal still echoing through the air. Pirates were shouting and cursing as they fought.

No one else was giving up so easily.

"Hey, I'm not done with you," I growled out, watching as Jacob hit the railing next to the stairs. "Stop picking on the boy and let's end this."

Edgar turned back to me, before looking at Jacob, who looked winded. He was deciding between me and the boy, but it should have been clear. I was the one who would give him a better fight.

I, at least, could avoid a few of his hits. Well, at least I could have before. My world still felt like it was spinning as I stood there.

He came at me like before. The punches were stronger than the knife or sword he had been using. They were also faster, as he didn't have to worry about a fist getting stuck in the railing.

My arms went up, guarding my face as pain exploded in them. I was pushed back once more. I could see Jacob still in the same spot he was before. But something was different.

He was different.

I stepped into Edgar next swing, his fist hitting my side. Gasping, my hands fell onto his shoulders, my knee coming up. This time I brought it to his stomach, knowing that pulling the same dirty trick wouldn't get me any points.

It wasn't as strong as I would have liked, but it did the trick. My vision blurred for a second as a low, sharp ringing seemed to bounce through my skull.

The sound of a pistols high shrill sound sliced through the air. It was the first time anyone had used one during the scrimmage. I had thought it was odd at first.

Why had they put the pistols away when the pirate flag came into view?

I knew though, past everything in the atmosphere, that no one had been aiming to kill. Not even Edgar when he came at me all three times.

[WORD COUNT: 40,846]