Norrington's Darling

Sao Feng

POV: Zuri Sparrow

Walking side by side with me behind them, my staff at the ready, Elizabeth and Barbossa spoke in low tones, discussing our plans. "Have you heard from Will?"

Barbossa barely spared me a glance. When Will had disappeared, Elizabeth had thrown a tangent. We could only hope the same would not happen again. "I trust young Turner to acquire the charts and you to remember your place in the presence of Captain Sao Feng."

Elizabeth's face deepened into a scowl. "Is he really that terrifying?"

"Terrifying? No," I interjected. "But cruel and coldhearted? Yes. He would rob you of dignity and cleanliness in just a glance."

Barbossa clucked his tongue at me, a reminder to keep my silence. "Remember, Zuri," he said in low tones under his breath, "that you are the silent warrior to Sao Feng. You speak little and you fight well. That is your job."

I hissed. "And you remember that I am Gwerrier of Malta."

Elizabeth cast me a glance. "Malta?"

My lips twisted into a slight smile. "I was born in Malta, unlike dear Jackie."

"Jackie?"

"Don't ask. And don't ever call him that—he'll slit your throat."

Barbossa cleared his throat as Elizabeth's eyebrows jumped into her hair. "Anyway. Sao Feng. He's much like myself, but absent my merciful nature and sense of fair play."

I snorted. "You mutinied against my brother. How exactly do you have a sense of fair play?"

"By doing said mutiny."

If I hadn't been holding my staff, I would have thrown up my hands in exasperation. As it was, I settled for smacking him in the back of the head with it.

We reached a door. Huang motioned for us to stop and we complied. I lazily leaned against a wooden post, letting the skirt slip again. Huang whipped around as his face reddened and I let a smile slip across my face, hoping it wasn't as forced as it looked.

Elizabeth gave me an appraising nod. I stared solemnly back.

Duty as it was, I still felt like I was betraying my James.

"Hoi." Huang stared at the door, waiting, the word lingering in the air. The door snapped open a moment later and the three of us followed our guide inside. "Weapons," Huang snapped at us, gesturing to the two guards on the side.

Sighing, I took off two of my daggers—rusty and mostly useless. But I refused to give up or reveal the dagger I'd tucked in my bodice—it had once been James's, a gift he'd given me many years ago when we saw each other so few times.

And no one tried to make me give up my staff. Not only was it well known I would slaughter anyone who dared, but the story I had spun—of an injury to my brain making it hard to walk without my staff as my balance was off—made my weapon a necessary tool.

Elizabeth stepped forward, only to find Huang's hand in her face. 

Tai Huang's eyes darted to myself and Barbossa. "You think because she is a woman we would not suspect her of treachery?"

Barbossa passed him a halfhearted smile. "Well, when you put it that way..."

Huang looked back at Elizabeth. "Remove, please."

Weapon after weapon came off Elizabeth. Barbossa and I stared at the floor and pretended not to notice just how many she tugged from her boots, waistband, and various other places I didn't catch.