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In the swirl of passion	By : Lywhn Category: M through R > Peter Pan > Het Views: 35043 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Peter Pan, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
- 20
Chapter 19 – A Matter of Life and Death

By way of ropes and the gangplank, Hook’s pirates stormed their own ship. Their battle cries sounded through the cool night-air and found an echo in the cliffs of Pirate’s Cove.
The attack took Blackbeard’s buccaneers by surprise. Too distracted by the last events on the bridge, drunk from their reveling, and shocked because of the sudden appearance of the supposedly imprisoned crew. Hook hastened to the rail, his clear sharp voice shouting orders to his men and joining the fight around him. Three of Teach’s men stepped in his way, but he flung them aside like toys. The captain of the Jolly Roger was full of a white hot rage that none of Blackbeard’s brutes could oppose. He knew this was his last chance to turn the helm of fate, and his memory of what he’d read in Wendy’s eyes gave him unexpected strength.
He broke through the line of foes like a berserker, his sword dancing with a life of its own. But Hook’s only goal now was Blackbeard – the traitor of all he respected. James could stand many things, but cowardice and bad form were anathema to him, and Teach had shown both. He saw Peter on the bridge, fighting off three of the hostiles, a golden ball at his side, distracting the buccaneers, yanking at their hair and clothes. He lost sight of the boy, fought his way aft, planning to rush the stairs up to the bridge. Then he realized that the battle had spread to BOTH ships. Dammit! This was exactly what he wanted to prevent. The scattered gun-powder on the Revenge was a further danger.
Disabling two more pirates, he finally reached the bridge, and found Blackbeard wasn’t there anymore. Instead, he found several fighting pairs. Hook cursed savagely. Teach’s ship was a veritable time bomb which could explode at any second. And the only chance to thwart this was to find the madman and render him powerless before he could lead his men to do something very stupid, like blowing up the sloop and killing them all. (He knew that this was a method used by certain captains throughout history to motivate their crews to victory. They attacked a ship and set their own on fire, so that they won everything or they lost everything. And Hook didn’t know if Blackbeard was extreme enough to choose this strategy this time as well.)
Stepping to the rail, he looked down at the main-deck and saw several of Teach’s pirates coming up from the cannon-decks. What, the devil did this mean? “Hook!” screamed a familiar voice above, and he found Peter soaring several feet over his head. “Blackbeard is on his way to the Revenge. I think he wants to disengage!”
James shook his head. “That’s not his style. I think he had something more devilish in mind. He knows that we could polish him off with one salvo.”
Peter blinked for a moment. “He gave the order to flood all the powder-barrels of your ship. Your cannons are useless.”
Hook let out a torrent of curses, realizing what the enemy had been doing below. He found his officers fighting savagely at the quarter- deck and cut-down forecastle as well as at the heads. “Smee, Jukes, Mullins, Albino, Cecco! To me!” he bellowed and felt a draft at his neck. Whirling around, he saw one of Blackbeard’s pirates, cutlass lifted, sinking dead at his feet, struck to the ground by Pan’s sword. For a moment, the mortal enemies looked at each other in a strange kind of comradeship, then James lifted his hook in a kind of salute, thanking the boy, who answered it with a wide grin.
Out of the corner of his eye, Hook saw the whole gang of Lost Boys who attacked Teach’s pirates as well, and the boys weren’t better or worse than his own men. Between them, James saw the golden shimmer of Tinker Bell, flying here and there to help the boys, or simply to show the enemy what strength lived in her kind. Yes, the universe had definitely turned upside down; this was the only explanation for this kind of support!
In the meantime, the men he’d summoned had reached their commander, waiting for his instructions. The captain knew exactly why Blackbeard tried to split the fight on both ships. An attacking crew was always in distress, if it could be split. So James had to turn the tables. His hard-won education and years of practice were now his advantage, and for a moment, he reviewed the strategies of the great warlords like Alexander, Caesar, Francis Drake and many more that he’d studied. Before his inner eye, he saw white walls, high colorful windows and dark desks full of young men and a name pushed into his mind: Eton.
Shaking off the short memory that scratched at his subconscious, he turned his attention back to his officers. With calm voice he gave new orders. Peter listened to Hook’s words very carefully and looked surprised at his foe. “This is … clever!” he gasped.
James threw him a strange glance. “Maybe you should consider surrender to me,” he grumbled. “I am in the mood to test other strategies, ones that would be quite a challenge for you.”
Peter only chuckled. “First defeat Blackbeard, and then we’ll see if you can win against me!” Hook mumbled something under his breath and watched his officers following his orders, while Smee and Jukes accompanied him.
Together with forty of his men, James boarded the Revenge, taking the hostile pirates there by surprise. Meanwhile the remaining members of his crew on the Jolly Roger backed off, as surrendering their now outnumbered position. Triumphantly Teach’s buccaneers pursued them, but their apparent victory was short-lived. As soon as the men around Hook had reached the Revenge, more than the half of them returned to the Jolly Roger and attacked from the rear. Catching their enemies in the pincers, they destroyed their lines.
Quickly, Hook’s men were the greater force. James plan had worked. But the commander of the Jolly Roger was still on the Revenge, the ship that was to be blown up, together with his men, while he was to watch it as his life ended with a rope around his neck.
Furiously, he struck two cutlasses aside, killed their owners and looked wildly around him. “TEACH!” he roared, cut another adversary to the ground. “EDWARD TEACH! Show yourself, you damn cowardly poltroon!”
“This time it’s really ye, Jas!” sounded the mocking voice behind his back and James whirled around. Blackbeard lifted himself from behind the rail, where he had hidden to wait until his enemies were aboard. With small eyes, he stood several meters away from Hook like a cat ready to jump.
Hook held his breath. Blackbeard wore the famous three weapon-sashes with his three pistols and he had wrapped two bullet-belts around his broad shoulders. But what alerted James the most were the three curved, slow-burning matches he had fixed beyond his tri-cornered-hat. He used this trick during a fierce fight – first to browbeat his adversary and second to motivate himself to the very end. To wear burning things close to the body – and especially close to his hair! – was nearly suicide, demonstrating his audacity and fearlessness, and scaring most of his foes away. James knew how serious this battle was.
And not only because of Blackbeard’s fighting-appearance. The Revenge was like a giant powder-barrel and the slow-burning matches were an additional danger to all of them. Teach could turn the sloop into a giant fire-ball in seconds. This would be a fight to the death, and Hook was determined to be the winner. In Blackbeard’s eyes glistened hate, and the insanity that had brought him into discredit even to the other pirate-captains. “Incredible how good this boy can imitate your voice,” he grinned evilly. “I’ll let him scream for mercy with yer voice, before I cut his throat or make him a head shorter!”
Hook straightened his shoulders, now feeling no pain in the heat of battle. “Aren’t you a bit too hasty? You have neither me nor Pan!”
Teach’s face turned into an ugly grimace. “That will change soon enough.” He lifted his right hand, revealing the sword – Hook’s sword. “Do ye recognizing it, Jas?” he asked scornful and grinning, as James’ eyes narrowed. “ ‘Tis really a beautiful weapon. And because it’s so familiar for you, you maybe die easier by it!”
Hook forced a smile and sneered: “Isn’t it a little bit too large for you? This sword is a weapon for a real man!”
Teach growled angrily and attacked. Hook parried and counter-attacked. Now was the hook, which was normally something of an impediment, a clear advantage. Before his injury James had been right-handed, and in his right arm resided the greater strength. The hook rushed at Blackbeard with such a pace that he had difficulty avoiding the murderous metal, while the blades of the both swords collided over and over again.
For several moments, both opponents exchanged wild attacks, then Teach jumped back and tore a dagger out of his belt, pressing James -- who had now lost his advantage -- with both weapons,. But his righteous fury made up for it. Even Peter Pan had earned respect from him – the boy was good at combat and he often showed good form – but for Blackbeard, Hook felt only loathing.
Teach’s dark face glistened with sweat which dripped from his hair, and he gasped for air. His large muscular body put him at a disadvantage when facing the speed of Hook. James had another advantage. He not only had set a high value on good form – deep inside he had always been an aesthete – but the hard training and the many fights with Peter had made him very quick, and had refined his style and step-technique.
Blackbeard suddenly realized that he couldn’t defeat his opponent as easily as he had thought, and attacked him with grim determination. Around them raged the battle, but the two captains ignored it. For a second James, meant to see Peter defeating two of Blackbeard’s crew, but he did not let himself be distracted by the presence of the boy.
“Not bad, Jas!” Teach wheezed. “I really ask meself how this little greenhorn in leaves was able to defeat you!”
Hook dared another sally and turned aside as he saw the point of his own sword rushing towards him. “I should thank the boy!” he called back. “He has given the world the gift of your end by my hook!”
Teach showed his teeth. “I almost thought that this lout had set you free.” He made a double sally that James parried as well. “Perhaps because you saved his girl – even if the poor lad didn’t know that you have seduced her away from him.” Anew he sneered mockingly: “So much fairness, so much honor and so much ‘good form’. Are you sure that you two aren’t related with each other?”
Hook attacked and pressed Blackbeard several steps back, before Teach renewed his own attack. Quick as a flash, James jumped backwards and gave way to his foe, whose strike only met air, causing him to stumble. A grim smile played around Hook’s mouth. “Your style leaves much to be desired. I don’t remember you being that clumsy.”
Teach roared with fury and struck by turns with the sword and the dagger, but every hit was parried by James. “Really, Edward! It isn’t my intention to brag of my school training. But for you, the several weeks in the navy obviously weren’t enough, seaman!”
Peter heard the words of the commanders and started to laugh. He knew that Hook wanted to provoke Blackbeard enough to make mistakes. But before he could watch them, he was attacked by several more adversaries and took the air, confusing them with his flying-abilities. Thus, he didn’t see Moleaux drawing near Hook, and suddenly springing at him.
Hook lost his balance and was tackled to the ground, but rolled quickly away. With an angry “Coward!” he kicked the legs away from the French helmsman, who also fell down. At the same moment he heard Blackbeard’s triumphant outcry, as he rushed at him. James attempted to roll away again; but only managed to roll a half turn before the heavy weight of Teach landed on his back. He tensed and tried to throw him off, but the massive buccaneer was too heavy. Brutally Teach pressed one knee in his back and held James’ right arm down on the ground with his other knee, while he let his dagger fall and caught Hook’s head by the hair. “Good or bad form doesn’t matter, me dear Jas – because I’ve won!”
Hook knew that he couldn’t reach Blackbeard with his sword in this position, let it go and tried to loosen the firm grip in his hair. Teach laughed shrilly and bent down to him. “You’ve lost, James!” he grunted, turning Hook around, taking care to hold his right arm with the dangerous hook down at the ground. “And while we are talking about schooling, me dear Jas, I think your teacher had made a mistake by using their cudgel too little on you, Milord!” He balled his free hand and struck his captive several times.
James, who had only one hand free to protect himself, lifted his arm in front of his face and tried to block the blows, but it didn’t help him very much. He literary saw stars and every noise around him changed into a distant rush, while he tasted blood. And then he suddenly felt the cold steel of a sharp blade at his throat. Teach’s triumphantly laughter rang in his ears. In this moment James felt the first fear returning since the battle had begun; really icy, mortal dread. His life hung by a thread, there was no doubt. Nevertheless he looked straight into the black eyes above him; refusing to show his enemy any weakness. For several seconds he thought of Wendy, who would wait for him in vain. ‘I am sorry, my love! Please forgive me!’ he sent a silent plea to his girl, then he narrowed his eyes and hissed: “What are you waiting for, wretched betrayer at the General Rules and our code!”
Teach laughed again. “The CODE, ye poor excuse for a pirate, doesn’t interested me. Your predilection for the good form and yer noble good breeding are a bigger handicap than your mutilation, Milord. But t’ere is no denying t’at you know how to die!”
It has been said that someone looking straight into the eyes of death sees his whole life flash before him. But not in James’ case. All he could see was the beautiful face with the blue-grey eyes and the tempting full lips of his love smiling warmly at him. And suddenly there was no more fear. He would die with the knowledge that someone cared for him.
Teach changed the position of his sword in preparation of the murder, and tensed as a lightly weight landed on his back. Two small hands gripped him, swept his hat down and pulled with surprisingly strength. Before he could react, he smelled the biting stink of burning skin or… HAIR! And then he felt the parching heat in his neck. With a scream he let go of James, fell aside and rolled about on the planks, trying desperately to extinguish the flames in his hair and beard. One of the slow-burning matches had fallen, together with his hat, to the ground, but Teach rolled over it in his attempt to put of the fire in his beard before it did any damage -- like igniting the gun-powder. But the other two matches had entangled in his oily hair and burnt parts of his hair and beard, which had him roaring in fury.
James used this last chance, rolled in the opposite direction and started to rise dizzily, as two small brown boots stepped into his visual field, and then Wendy’s worried face appeared in front of him as she bent down to him. “Are you all right?” she asked, pulling at him. “Hurry, before he recovers himself and…”
In that moment, she was dragged upwards by Moleaux, who had risen, and a dagger flashed before her chest. With a scream James was on his feet before anyone could blink an eye, with his hook he blocked the weapon that threatened his lover’s life, and struck with all his might at the face behind Wendy.
Quick-witted the girl let herself fall, and crawled away from the two fighting men. She saw Hook’s mighty sword almost within reach – exactly there where Blackbeard had let it fall – and retrieved it. She looked back at James (who had finished the Frenchman off with his hook) and threw the weapon with a “James! Here!” towards him.
With ease he caught the weapon, finally his again. Blackbeard had put out the flames in the meantime, and stood with half burnt-off beard and hair before them. His mad gaze found the girl. “YOU!” he roared and stormed forward, lifting his dagger. “I’ll tear you damn whore into pieces!”
Wendy jumped away and let her foot remain in his way. She felt as if a train had hit her, but the effect for him was worse. It seemed impossible, but Teach really tripped and fell flat on his face, hearing several of Hook’s men laughing and cheering at the girl. Wendy used her little chance and ran to Hook, who almost threw her behind him.
“Fly away!” he screamed at her, half infuriated, half worried. God damn it, why could she never listen to him?
“I … I can’t,” Wendy stammered back. “No happy thoughts!” She was too frightened to think of any happiness just right now.
James groaned in frustration. He had only wanted her safe! “As soon as the way is free, run back to the Jolly Roger and barricade yourself in my quarters! Do you hear me?” he barked, fearing for her life. He couldn’t wait for her answer, because Teach now stood up and attacked him with a hateful outcry, lifting a cutlass that Moleax had dropped. But Blackbeard’s raging fury didn’t bring him any advantage this time. Hook parried every attack, every sally and stroke back with a might that seemed to be impossible, considering his injuries and the beating he had received from Teach only a minute ago. But now he didn’t only fight for his own life, but for the girl’s as well.
Wendy crouched under the aft stairway and watched with wild beating heart the duel in front of her. Then her gaze searched for Peter and saw him near the bow fighting off five or six pirates by his own, supported only by Tinker Bell, who distracted the buccaneers again and again, until they ran into each other.
For a moment, Wendy had to suppress a giggle. To underestimate the little fairy was a mistake, something you only did once! Her gaze went back to the both opponents and suddenly she realized that the way back to the Jolly Roger was free. Creeping away from both commanders, she backed away, right to the makeshift gangplank. James saw it out of the corner of his eye, and felt relief washing over him. For once she obeyed – even if her interference had saved his life. Keeping Teach busy with several more attacks, he made sure that Blackbeard didn’t have a chance to follow her.
But of course, her flight hadn’t escaped Blackbeard’s notice. “Just run, pigeon!” he called. “I’ll get you as soon as I’ve sent your noble pirate-lord to hell!”
James pressed his lips together. “Can’t you say it a little bit louder, Edward? I think the inhabitants of Madagascar haven’t heard you clearly.”
Teach laughed evilly. “Don’t tell me that she didn’t know who and what you are!” Their swords clanged together, but again the one-handed captain was able to block it. “Can it be that your whole crew doesn’t know that their captain is a bloodsucker of the peer?”
“It doesn’t matter!” James retorted. “The past has no effect anymore and--”
A high-pitched scream froze Hook’s blood, and the next wicked laugh near them shocked him to the core: “Cap’n! Just look wot sweet booty I’ve got!” Jack Richards stood behind them, holding a terrified Wendy close to him and pressed a cutlass at her throat.
James paled, his stomach sank, while Blackbeard roared with laughter, stepping back from Hook. “Very good, Jack! I’ll give ye an extra share the next time!”
Wendy’s fearful gaze met the angry, frightened of James, and mouthed a silent ‘I am sorry’ in his direction. Teach’s sneering “Now we’ll see how dear she really is to you!” distracted him, and with cold fear he watched Blackbeard pull Wendy roughly to him by the neck, lifting the point of his own cutlass to her heart. “What now, James? Is she worth more than a ring?”
“WENDY!” Peter stopped next to Hook, looking with wide eyes shocked at his friend and realized the whole situation within an instant. “Let her go, you…” he screamed, but was hold back by Hook’s right arm, suddenly in his way.
“Don’t Peter!” he hissed. “That would be her death!” For a moment, the boy thought to protest, then he forced himself to calm down and remained at James’ side.
Blackbeard looked back and forth between the two and started to laugh again. “Isn’t it touching? Just look at you two. There are ye standing, harmonious, side by side, and throwing all your enmity over board – because of a wench!”
If Hook hadn’t been holding Peter back, the boy would have rushed at Blackbeard. “Stay back!” James whispered fiercely. “Teach only waits for us to make a mistake!”
Peter’s eyes shot daggers in the direction of Blackbeard, then his attention was drawn to his friend. “Don’t be afraid, Wendy!” he said firmly. “I’ll get you out of this!”
“Just listen!” Teach mocked. “Such great words fer a three-cheese-high churl!” Then he narrowed his eyes, growling dangerously: “You’ve mixed up my plans, boy. I don’t like somet’in’ like t’at!”
Peter straightened his shoulders, returning the threatening glare with flashing eyes. “And I don’t like it when grown-ups come to Neverland, attack my friends and interfere in our interests. This is my world and there is no room for you!” Tinker Bell appeared beside him and jingled silently, while he felt Hook’s implement touching his other shoulder in an almost calming gesture.
“Hold yourself back, Peter!” James murmured quietly, only for the boy to hear. “If you provoke him too much, he will kill Wendy instantly in return!” Then he raise his voice. “What you are up to, Edward? Do you want to use the girl-child as a shield?”
Teach smiled, ugly. “If necessary.” He nodded at him. “Lay down your weapon and surrender, James. Otherwise,” he lifted his cutlass to the girl’s throat, “I’ll be forced to send your sweetheart here directly to her Maker!”
Hook pressed his lips together absently noticed how all the smaller battles around them had ceased. Both pirate-crews looked at their commanders, unmoving. It was so quiet, you could hear the small waves slapping the sides of the ships. James felt Peter gripping his upper arm and didn’t need to look at him to know his fear and anger. He was in the same state as well.
He considered his options: he couldn’t surrender to Blackbeard -- it would mean all of their deaths. But if he didn’t, Wendy would be killed. On the other hand, it would possibly be more merciful for her, considering what Teach – and Richards, who looked leered at the girl – would do to her if James gave in. Damn it all to hell! He COULDN’T let her die! But he couldn’t doom his whole crew to their death as well. His jaws ground, and his eyes were no more than small slits as he gazed at his foe. There must be another option! What had Barbeque once told him? ‘There is always a way, you just have to see it.’ But which way was there for him and his beloved Wendy? How should he save them both from the mortal danger they were in?
“I’m not waiting any longer, James!” Teach snarled. “Strike your colors or –“ he wrapped his left arm around Wendy, pressed her to him and held the blade even harder at her throat, “she makes a new stain on the deck!”
Hook grew calm as he suddenly saw the only way that was left for him to save them all. “I was wrong yesterday, Edward,” he said with cool voice, stepping forward. “You have changed. A lot, I daresay.”
The shadow of a smile fell over Teach’s face. “I haven’t changed, Jas, but you have. In earlier times you would have fought for your ship.”
“This I am doing!”
“Then your birdie will be dead!” he snapped back, and Wendy released a gasp as she felt the sharp blade pressing her skin. It made Hook stop immediately, and she looked helplessly at him. She was stiff with fear. Even all these years ago aboard the Jolly Roger, as Hook had her in a similar situation, demanding from her the secret of flying, she hadn’t been as terrified as now. And Blackbeard’s closeness stopped her breath. As he rubbed one sweaty cheek at hers she went sick with loathing. He was rank with sweat, alcohol, cheap tobacco and smoke. But his parched beard especially smelled unspeakable. Teach laughed silently. “Just look at them, pigeon!” he murmured. “T’ere they stand, your dear pirate-lord and the flying boy with this insect on two legs. They’re mortal enemies, but despising their common history, they both fight for the same weak spot: You!” He brought his lips to her hear. “You’ve changed them, me beauty. The boy isn’t a real child anymore, but a fighter; and your lover is more the lord he once was than the pirate-captain who should fight for his ship!”
“Everyone changes. That’s how the world works!” Wendy gave back, finding her voice.
“And you have changed the most, Edward!” Hook called out, distracting Teach from the girl. “You are nothing more than a shadow of your former self!” Teach lifted his head and stared at him, but before he could reply, James continued: “This can’t be the famous Captain Blackbeard, feared throughout the Seven Seas, whose name is enough to frighten most people almost to death!” Murmurs were being heard from both crews, while Teach looked with dangerous gleaming eyes at him. “The Blackbeard who once captured his prizes in open battle, instead of making false calls on old comrades and taking his booty by night and fog and deceit, using tricks like an old hen! The Blackbeard I knew was proud of his victories, victories he deserved after dangerous battle! The Blackbeard I knew would not have avoided single-combat!” James’ voice sounded clear and strong over the decks of the two ships. “The Blackbeard I am speaking of, would not have hidden behind a girl’s skirt!”
The murmurs had turned into open spoken words of the Jolly Roger’s crew: “Shows him, Cap’n!” “Such a coward!” “And he wants to be a member of the fraternity?”
But the shouts of Blackbeard’s men were almost louder: “Don’t put up with this, Cap’n!” “Shoot down this cripple!” “The cap’n is no coward!”
James raised his voice, never releasing Teach with his eyes. “Your captain IS a coward!” he called back. “He even hasn’t courage enough to accept combat against a ‘cripple’. He rather searches for shelter behind the back of a young girl!” He clamped his sword into his hook and pointed full of disdain at a now red-faced Blackbeard. “You have become fat and old, Edward, too lazy to see a whole fight through! And because of this you lay hands on women, so that nobody recognized your true state!”
“Shut up!” Teach growled with a dangerous voice.
“I accuse you, Edward Teach, also known under the name Blackbeard! I accuse you by calling the General Laws of the pirate-community and of the rules of the fraternity you’ve also sworn loyalty to, to have broken the same rules and to have acted against the code! I accuse you of attempted robbery between captains on a par! I accuse you of denying another pirate the irrevocable right of suicide! And I accuse you of cowardice in battle!”
Blackbeard trembled in rage by now. “But here is nobody who will hear your accusations, Jas! We aren’t in Nassau!”
James took his sword back in his left hand. “And because of this I have the right to challenge you to a duel, Edward. And this is exactly what I demand of you. But if you are too cowardly to try me in a fight, then you must back off and hand over to me a part of your booty. May we say: your sloop and the half of your belongings?”
Teach could only stare at him and heard the shouts of his men: “Finish him off, Cap’n!” “This thin cripple ain’t a match for you!”
Blackbeard breathed heavily. “You cannot defeat me, Jas. You weren’t capable of it earlier and you will never be in future! If it hadn’t been for this little damned bitch, I would have killed you already.”
“Then you’re not afraid to fight, or are you?” Hook retorted coldly.
“Do you really want to die like this, James? Impaled on my sword like a sucking pig?” In Teach’s eyes lurked an outburst of pure insanity.
“Only one of us will survive. What is it, Edward? Afraid that I could be the one who have a sucking pig impaled on his sword in the end? Although, in your case you could speak of a paunch pig!”
Peter and Tinker Bell exchanged a quick glance with each other, while around them the two pirate-crews shouted insults to the both captains. The boy was surprised at what Hook had in mind. He wanted to duel with Blackbeard? Why? Blackbeard’s pirates were outnumbered by now, and if the crew of the Jolly Roger would fight against them, they would certainly be victorious. There was no doubt! Why did Hook risk anything now? Did he really try to save Wendy like this? And especially: WHY did he want to save Wendy?
The both captains stared at each other – forget-me-not-blue against black – and fought a kind of battle in doing so. Teach’s teeth ground together. If he didn’t take the challenge, then he would lose his face in front of his whole crew. So he had to fight. Without realizing he pressed Wendy even closer, whose ribs were ready to crack. It drew a gasp over her lips, and full of hatred, Blackbeard looked down on the young beauty in his arms. She pulled at his arm – without success, of course – and looked desperately between this damn flying boy and her lover back and forth. “You really must be special, pigeon. Jas risks his head for you!”
Wendy couldn’t breathe because of the iron grip around her middle, but nevertheless she lifted her head and looked with a mixture of fear and deep loathing up to the sweaty face above her. “He simply does what every good captain would do: Fight for his men and his ship!”
“And for you, sweet butt! You must be a very good lay! Maybe I’ll spare you for some days and test you myself!”
“Lay one hand on me, bastard, and I will scratch out your eyes!” she hissed, for a moment completely forgetting that she was in his control.
Blackbeard sneered. “Good to know! Then I’ll have to bind your hands before I take you!” Ignoring her again, he raised his voice. “Alright, Jas. If you truly want to fight me in a duel, then so be it!
James nodded and pointed to the middle of the main-deck. “I suggest the fight be there. The main-deck offers the most room!”
Teach nodded. “Right! And t’is time, none of your alliance will interfere. I mean this flying boy behind you, who took yer hand and who ye wanted to kill so badly – even if ye seem to have forgotten it!”
“This only concerns Pan and me!” Hook retorted sharply. Then he looked back at Peter, who wore a tense expression on his handsome face, and nodded after a short hesitation. James lifted a brow and drew his attention back at Blackbeard. “He will stay back!”
“Good!” Suddenly Blackbeard started to grin. “And to make the whole thing even more attractive, we should fix the prizes. If you win, then my men will retire and sail away. Richards?” he called and the lieutenant stepped beside him.
“Aye, Sir?”
“If I lose,“ most of his men started to laugh, “then take the Revenge and sail back to Carolina. As my second in command, you will command the Queen Anne’s Revenge. You can give back this sloop to Stede. He’s been my guest long enough!”
Richards nodded. “Aye, Sir.”
“If I should win,“ he drew his attention back to James as the crew of the Jolly Roger laughed in derision, “then your ship will be mine and,“ he looked at Peter, “this damn boy as well!”
For the slightest moment Peter jerked, while Tinker Bell pressed her tiny hands on her mouth. Disbelieving James glared at him and then back at Teach. “What has Pan--”
“He’d interfere!” Teach cut in and his flaming gaze was fixed on the boy who had proudly lifted his chin and had crossed his arms before his chest. “He turned my victory into ashes, attacked my men and killed several of them and – by the way –sliced my best weapon-sash. He will pay for all that.”
“Get in line, Blackbeard! Hook has previous rights on me!” Peter snapped.
“A dead man has no rights!” Teach growled. “What is, Jas. Do you agree?”
Hook threw a short gaze at Peter. “I can only speak for myself and…”
“I agree!” Peter said firmly and stepped beside his normally mortal enemy. “But only under the condition that you will let my friends go.”
Teach shrugged. “By all my means, I’ve no interests in these rats!”
James watched Peter very closely. “You give yourself completely into my hand – and perhaps into Blackbeard’s as well,” he whispered.
The boy took a deep breath. “Do I have another choice?”
“Don’t call them rats!” Wendy hissed, and drew Blackbeard’s attention back to her. It was incredible how different it sounded, if James called her brothers and friends ‘little rats’ or Teach. She realized now that James had never truly insulted them by calling them so, but that he simply had teased her with it.
“So there is only one thing left!” Blackbeard grinned and laid his chin on Wendy’s head, who closed her eyes, disgusted. “What will happen with our little pigeon here?”
“Let her go!” Hook answered icily. “Or do you really intend to hide behind her the whole time?”
Teach chuckled. “No, James. As you had a condition with Pan, I have a little pay-back with our beauty here!”
“She has done nothing to you!” Peter hissed and made a new step in the direction of Blackbeard, but again Hook held him back. Even Tink gripped his hair and spoke hastily in her fairy-language to him.
“She has burnt my pride. And she had cost me my victory over Hook! Every single thing is reason enough to send her straight to hell!” he snarled, furious, and shoved her roughly in the arms of his second. Wendy started to twist away, but Richards’ arms closed around her like steel. “She will remain as my pawn during our duel!” Blackbeard continued, fixing James and lifting his cutlass to Wendy’s throat again. “If none of your men nor any of the boys interfere, nothing will happen to her while we fight. If ye win, Richards will let her go!” He started to smile again. “If I win, she’ll die – after you’ve had her, Jack. Of course, I’ll keep my word!”
James took a sharp breath. Never would he allow THAT! The thought made him sick.
“What do ye say, James? Do we’ve a deal?” Teach asked, stroking Wendy’s hair, who turned her face away, before she looked at Hook. She saw his pale face, the hidden fear deep in his eyes and his awakening defiance.
“I believe in you!” she said quietly, knowing exactly what he needed to hear to have a chance against this stronger enemy. “I know that you will win and,“ she gazed straight up to Blackbeard, “will send this repulsive, fat jelly-fish to the devil!”
Teach stared at her. What had she dared to call him?
James felt a small pang of warmth rising in him. That was his girl – even in the most dangerous of situations, she was ready to fight, never giving up. “Don’t offend the animal, sweetie. It isn’t its fault that a human with an average intelligence made his appearance similar.” His men started to laugh, only the Lost Boys, her brothers and Peter remained silent. They all knew the danger Wendy was in.
John could only stare alternately at his sister and Hook. Of course, he realized that the pirate-captain tried desperately to save Wendy, but, like Peter, the eldest Darling-son asked himself the same question ‘Why?’. He saw the glances between the two of them; saw how hard Hook clutched his sword, and how pale he had turned. And he saw the looks his sister gave the one-handed buccaneer-commander: deep beneath the fear was faith and trust. He heard Blackbeard’s taunting, and as Teach said ‘your birdie’ he felt all blood draining from his face, knowing what this phrase meant. NO! It could not be! Wendy wouldn’t be THAT foolish! But too many things proved the opposite: her odd escapes from the Jolly Roger and the Black Castle; him kidnapping her three times without harming her; her reactions whenever the talk came up about the captain; her fear hours ago as she thought him about to die; her fierce defense of him; her attack of Blackbeard only minutes ago – shocked, John had watched the whole scene – and now Hook’s attempts to save her. And then John remembered her voice as she threw Hook’s sword to him: ‘James! Here!’ Damn it! This all could mean only one thing: The two of them were somehow close – and more than only ‘talking’. With a sinking feeling, he looked at his sister. He didn’t dare to think the word ‘lovers’, but that they had feelings for each other was more than obvious.
Nibs dug him at the upper arm. “We have to do something!” he whispered, careful not to be heard by the hostile pirates.
Slightly nodded, “I don’t trust Blackbeard. He has something evil in mind! Even if Hook wins, I have the feeling that Teach will go back on his word!”
Curley bit his lips. “Did you see how he fought with lit matches on his head? This crackpot really is mad! And if he has the chance of saving face AND destroying his enemy, then he’ll do exactly that!”
John took a deep breath. This was not the right time for thinking about the behavior of his sister – and her possible involvement with Hook – but for making plans in case Blackbeard double-crossed them. He waved to his brothers and cousin and walked slowly aft, away from the general interest that was settled at the middle of the main-deck, around the two opponents.
One filthy pirate barred their way, and because none of the boys knew him, they identified him as one of Blackbeard’s brutes. “Where d’ye t’ink ye goin’?” he snapped and reached for his pistol. It was one of the twins, who responded with shaky voice: “We can’t watch this. Please, sir, let us go to the rail, where we won’t have to watch the fight.”
Michael joined with a small voice. “Please! Your Captain has already said that we could go.”
The pirate gloated. “Fine friends ye are!” He made room for them. “Go, ye rats!” Snickering, he left them and the boys went to the rail.
Runner made a face: “Rats? Don’t these guys have any other insults? Maybe because they are rats as well!”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if there were rats here,” Jump-Jump grumbled and shuddered as he thought of the gnawers.
“You find rats on every ship!” Slightly said. “They run through every passage and down below they…”
“Hold on a minute!” Nibs cut him off and stared, lost in thought, on the night-black water of the sea. “Rats!” he whispered. He looked around him. “Maybe we should simply act like them – run through the ship. I think I know what Blackbeard had in mind – and how to put a spoke in his wheel. Listen…”
And while the both pirate-crews built a circle around the adversaries, Peter stood tensed beside Smee, never leaving Hook and Wendy out of his sight, and the captains gave last orders to their men, the Lost Boys and the two brothers listened breathlessly to the plan Nibs had made up.

TBC…
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In the swirl of passion