Lillian's Mercy: King slayer

Chapter 4

(Samuel p.o.v)

It had been weeks already since I had charged Johns with the task of teaching Lillian how to use a sword and she had improved greatly.

I took the helm so I could watch her lessons and as her confidence grew stronger we had switched her weapons.

She had begun with an old scimitar, then moved on to two long bladed daggers proving her prowess with both weapons. We had then taught her to fight and defend with nothing but her fists.

Now as I looked to the bow, she lifted her twin pistols and shot the corks off of two empty rum bottles that Johns had set up on a crate near the mast. She smiled triumphantly and twirled the pistols around her thumbs before placing them back in their holsters. The crew that stood safely behind her cheered and lifted her into the air.

I smiled to myself, proud of her advancements not only with her lessons, but with her crew.

They tossed her into the air over and over again in celebration of her skills.

As they placed her back down one of the crewmen, Billy, approached her. I narrowed my eyes as he placed his arm over her shoulder and smiled whilst whispering something to her.

I knew that I had no right to be jealous of him, but I couldn't help it. Since her arrival on The Maelstrom I found myself growing more and more attracted to her. They way she handled herself in her lessons and against the men when they drank too much and got a little too rowdy had proved her strength. They was she would persuade the men to stop their petty squabbling had proved her intelligence. Her small form proved to be more agile than my most experienced men, and coupled with her other traits this made her the best pirate on the ship.

My smile fell as I gazed out at sea. How long would it be before she decided that she wanted to return to her people? How long until she decided that a life amongst pirates was no longer enough for her?

I sighed. I had been experiencing these dark thoughts since the first week of her lessons. Her determination to prove her worth was strong. At first some of the men had laughed as Johns knocked her to the ground, but a well thrown dagger from her had intimidated them into silence.

My smile returned at the memory. She was quick and fierce when angered, a trait that I must admit suited her well.

I looked back down to the bow, but she was no longer there.

"Looking for someone?" Her smooth voice spoke from beside me.

I called out to johns to take over the helm and lead her to the rail that overlooked the main deck. "I'm about to call a gathering. I think its about time I choose a first-mate. Could you gather the men? I need their opinions on the matter."

"All of them?" She asked as her eyebrow shot up.

"Aye. All of them." I nodded.

"Aye aye Cap'n." She smirked and mock-saluted before jumping over The railing and landing quite gracefully on the deck below.

I had expected her to hurry off to find them, but never did I expect what came next.