Heart of the Sea

Chapter 5 - Remembrances

(The lyrics to "Drunken Sailor" are not mine.)

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The duel was set for noon the next day. Lili was wearing a bandana around her forehead to keep her hair back, dressed in tight blue jeans, a white tanktop, and her boots. She drew her sword, grinning at her father. He was wearing a typical button-down shirt, black pants, and waistcoat.

He drew the sword David let him borrow. "Wot're you smiling about?"

"I've been looking forward to this."

He chuckled. "I'm sure." Their swords rang as they clashed twice, circling each other, observing each other's gait and attempting to find weaknesses as they threw test blows at one other. "Well, 're we gonna get down to it? Or are you afraid to hit a woman?" Lili challenged, wiggling her eyebrows, grin on her lips.

His eyebrow shot up. "Is that the way it's gonna be?"

"Oh-hohoh, tha's the way it's gonna be."

He lunged and she sidestepped easily, slapping the flat of her sword against his back. Then the duel really began. Killian still tested her, but he was impressed. She was damn good. The skill and ferocity of both fighters was evident as they parried and thrusted, each matching the other. They were clearly both masters, though Lili was a bit less refined. "Where'd you learn to fight?"

"From the best," she grinned, shoving him off with her sword.

"I know you didn't get all this from me." He didn't recognize a few of her positions and strikes.

"Well, I've had a few pointers here and there from others besides y'self." She blocked his slice and whipped out a dagger from her boot, grinning.

He chuckled. "You're a bloody pirate." Their blades crashed once more.

"I just want to win," she murmured through her grin.

He shoved off from their cross as they circled once more. She held the dagger loosely in her hand, very comfortable with its weight.

"Unfortunately love, the dagger in your hand means you have less support on your sword, which means your sword hand is weaker," he said as he brought down a blow, forcing her to hold her sword up.

"Actually, that's not entirely true," she said, crossing the dagger and sword blades so that his sword was caught between them. She brought her boot up and kicked him in the gut, sending him back, coughing. She darted after him, standing behind him and crossing her blades against his throat, bringing his head back to avoid them.

"You forget I don't have just one weapon," he muttered, his hook behind his back as he held the point to her belly.

"Then it looks like we are at a draw," she breathed. She uncrossed her weapons and sheathed them, coming around to his front as he sheathed his sword.

She held out her hand for him to shake. He took it, but she whirled, twisting his arms behind his back, forcing him to his knees. He grunted in pain at his twisted arms. "Why is it you keep f'getting about my hook?" he asked, pulling his wrist free of her grip.

She caught his hook, grinning. "Oh, I didn't f'get this time."

She twisted it and easily removed it from his brace.

She grinned, slipping the hook into her boot as they started to circle again.

"Really lass?"

She shrugged, that confident smirk still on her lips. "Getting tired, old man? Don't think you can beat me with just one hand?"