Love At Sea: De La en Glässer

Swords and scars

"And what if I can prove to you that I am worthy, far better than a man is at his work?" Macmillan touched his feet to the solid wood. He stared down the lassy but her gaze did not break neither did she flinch away. "You can start by knotting this rope." He dropped the bundle in her hands and she took in a breath as the weight pushed her to the floor.

"How am I to do so?" Bernadette stared back at the man bewildered. Macmillan scoffed. She could not even handle the rope's weight then how was she to do the tedious work the men did above? "Be gone lassy no one wants the type of services you are offering. My men are able to last months without the soft folds of a woman. Having you aboard would be a temptation."

Bernadette stared at his board back as he retreated towards the steps that led to the forecastle deck. He had called her a woman of the night! She was not asking for such a job, all she needed was a safe heaven from the harshness of the weather on the streets. She knew she was putting herself at risk by joining a crew that had a great number of men but it was better than the work houses and the few pennies they gave. He stopped and then ever so slowly turned. "That is the last glove I have but as a true Englishman you know what that means."

Macmillan stared down the worn piece of fabric. It seemed loose in more places than the wholes apparent. "You challenge me to a dual?" He could not help but ask with a bit of surprise to his voice.

"A sword fight." She said a little too breathless. "If I am able to drop your sword then I am to be allowed on the ship." Bernadette thought. "And if you are able to tackle me to the ground then I may leave." By then the crew had already gathered, even an itchy Cockerell stood leaning against the many barrels of rum. A makeshift table had been allocated on the furthest side of the deck and bets had already been placed.

"And if I harm you?" He took close steps towards her. "I cannot guarantee I will spare you all injuries." Macmillan gripped a sword of a near by deckhand and stood his ground waiting for the lassy to approach first. She seemed quiet as she calculated her mode of attack. Then she came forward. The sword dropped to the ground with a loud clatter and a few men cried with joy.

"Always hold your sword in a tight grip and keep a good stance lassy." As much as he wanted her off, he could not help but correct her way of defence. She pulled two extra knives from the folds of her skirts and came for him. How he was able to doge one and even hit another was a trick Bernadette swore to learn.

The second knife dropped from her hand and she reached for a wooden paddle. She was able to block her face from the swiftness of the sword that came crushing down on her but that could not be the same for the wood, it broke into two. She used one half and moved to hit the man of muscle, he gripped her hand and pressed her to his chest. The thickness of his arm chocked her. Bernadette knew it was a lost battle and so she did the only thing she knew she could. She pressed on his toes with the heels of her boots then hit him in the stomach with the edge of her elbow. She was not planning on hurting him but that thought was as tempting as sinning on a Sunday morning. Maybe she had underestimated the man, maybe she should have chosen another condition such as first to injure the other wins. She looked around, all activity had been stopped and the eyes of men were on them. The captain stood on his full height and came for her. The rapid swing of his sharpened blade was no match for the battered broken wood in her two hands.

She moved from him afraid that if she stayed a little two close in proximity, she would get a deep hurtful scar. The sweat ticked down her forehead and the air was stale and not fresh as before. The lot of men cast more coins to the tables and rounds of ale went around. "Tired are you?" As much as she hated to admit it, she was already aching for a place to sit. She kept on feeling vibrations from her weak legs. Eager she looked around and to her surprise a sword bigger than what she could have ever carried in her life was handed to her. She tasted its weight, it was heavy and she knew at once she would have trouble holding it in one hand. "Always keep a tight grip lassy."