When a maid of honor to the Queen is rescued by a handsome and contentious pirate, she has to spend three days aboard his ship before returning to court. But is three days time long enough to truly get to know someone? And is English court as diffic...
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The trio of men closed in on Harry and Celia, causing them to stand back to back. Prepared to strike, they waited for the enemies to make the first move, and they did. Sunlight glinted off of the silver weapons as they collided in the air, clanging and squeaking with each hit.
Celia struggled to keep up with the man that battled her, as she was running out of stamina. She quickly glanced over her shoulder to find that Harry was taking on two men. His arms moved with precision as he swung his weapon, easily confusing the two men before him and knocking a sword out of one of their grasps. This brief victory caught the man that Celia fought's eye, allowing her a small slot of time to attack. She plunged the sword into the man's chest, causing him to fall to his knees in agony.
Free of one threat, Celia spun around to face the other. The sword lay on the ground, up for grabs. Celia glanced up to the weaponless pirate and immediately lunged for the sword, then aiming both of the weapons at him. The Spaniard's eyes widened with surprise and fear.
"Ay Dios mio," he mumbled. "¿Tú eres una chica?" His words were soaked in disbelief as he quivered before Celia.
"Sí." She tossed the extra sword to Harry and stabbed the man fiercely.
As his lifeless body fell to the ground, Celia looked over to Harry, who held both swords to the man's neck. The Spaniard cowered with fear, mumbling what Celia thought to be a prayer. Her heart sank as she watched the life drain out of the man's body as fast as the blood that spilled from his fresh, gaping wounds. Harry took a rag from his pocket and wiped the blades clean of blood, glancing up at Celia who stared down at the bodies.
"You surprise me," he said.
Celia snapped her head in his direction, pulling herself away from any sorrowful thoughts. They were the enemies after all; her life was in danger. "Told you my knowledge goes further than just pirates."
"Who taught you Spanish?"
"That's what you're curious about? How I learned a language?" Celia smiled. "Not how I learned to sword fight?"
"I suppose that's something I'm curious about as well."
"I used to be close friends with a knight. He taught me all I know about sword fighting. As for the Spanish, I took it upon myself to learn the language in my spare time."
"Captain!"
Celia and Harry were so engrossed in their conversation that the silence aboard the ship had not registered. They turned their heads to the weather deck where the single voice had come from. At the bottom of the staircase stood a man with a smile on his face and blood seeping into his clothes.
"They have retreated!"
Celia looked at Harry to find a smile spreading across his face, reaching his glittering emerald eyes. The dimples in his cheeks were deep, and the lightness in his eyes was one that Celia had not seen before. He turned to her and stepped closer, their faces only inches apart.
