Falling Stars (CaptainSwan)

Chapter Six I Have Not Yet Begun To Fight

Emma Swan

He's alive. I close my eyes and sigh in relief when I feel a pulse. Why did he save me? Why did he do that? We've just met and he nearly died for me. He doesn't know me anymore. He doesn't remember caring for me. So why do this?

I stand up and turn to Blackbeard with a glare on my face. He cackles. "So, the Savior cares for a one handed pirate, who shouldn't even consider himself one."

I walk over to one of the crew members and hold out my hand. "Give me your sword," I say. The man stares at me in confusion for a moment until I thrust my hand out again, more persistently. "Give it!" Probably out of fear of my magic, the man hands me the sword and quickly backs away.

"At any time one who wishes to challenge the captain for the ship can. I want to challenge you," I say, pointing the sword at Blackbeard.

He scoffs. "You're not really challenging me for my ship?" When I nod, he looks outraged. "I'm not fighting a girl."

"Woman," I correct. "What? Are you afraid you'll lose?"

This just made him mad. "Fine, I will fight you if you wish, but don't expect to win. And no magic! If we're going to fight, it has to be fair."

"Fine with me," I say.

The crew watches anxiously as we start fighting. Now, I may not be the best there is, and my technique could use some work, but I've definitely come a long way since I first used a sword, which was battling Maleficent. But as good I am at sword fighting now, Blackbeard is good too. He always sees my moves coming. He blocks, and slashes at me. Luckily I can usually see his moves coming too.

As he slashes down, I jump out of the way and turn, slashing at him. He blocks it with his sword. Then he twirls his sword around mine and manages to slice me in the shoulder. I inhale, trying not to show any signs of pain.

I manage to slash him in the cheek. Instead of causing pain, he laughs, like it tickles him. This irritates me and I slash harder, trying to get in a good injury.

Anger can be good when it comes to a fight, but in this case, it lowers my guard for a split second and he slices me in the ribs. I fall to the ground and grab my side, not letting go of my sword.

"Are you ready to surrender?" Blackbeard asks with his cruel grin.

"Are you kidding me?" I say, struggling to stand up. "I have not yet begun to fight."

I start throwing moves at him as fast as my mind can process them. I ignore the pain as much as I can and continue trying to catch Blackbeard with his guard down.

I finally do. He looks over at his crew for a split second, and that's when I jab instead of slice. The sword goes through Blackbeard's stomach. His face turns to look at me with true astonishment written across it. He really expected me to die.

I kick him in the stomach and he falls off board, landing in the ocean with a giant splash. My brain hasn't processed what I've done until I look at the crew and realize they're now my crew. I think of the stories I read in Henry's storybook and try to remember what it was pirates would always say when they killed the previous captain.

The crew seems as shocked as I am. They stare in awe at the place their old captain used to be.

"I'm your captain now," I tell them. "And if you don't like it, you can walk the plank and follow your previous captain into the trenches below. As for those of you who stay, welcome aboard The Jolly Roger. You can call me Captain Swan."

The crew starts chanting, "Captain Swan! Captain Swan! Captain Swan!" It makes me smile in satisfaction. For the first time since I came to this dreadful land, I don't feel lost. I almost feel like I'm...home.