Guns & Swords

Chapter 2

Rachel P.O.V.

A duel? It's been so long since I've had a duel with someone other than Louis. I thought no sane man was capable of proposing of having a duel with me, the Pirate Queen, so his proposition had caught me off guard and by surprise. And he said that he's the general of Vefriece. Jacob had warned me about a strong general here. Well, he does look the part.

By observing the clean uniform he's wearing and several medals clipped on to his coat, then I have nothing to say that he isn't the general. I studied his features: dark brown hair slicked back to his scalp, dull hazel green eyes, and a handsome face. He's also young, probably around Jacob's age. I won't deny that he's handsome, but his looks aren't important to me. If he shows me that he's weak, then he'll just be some gorgeous face acting like some mighty general to boost his reputation.

I could feel everyone staring at the two of us. I recollected myself and looked at him as he kept his sword raised and pointing it at me. "Do you really want to challenge me?" I said in one of my nonchalant but also threatening ways. It was quite surprising to see him unwavering under my threat, unlike his comrades who had failed to do so to kill me.

I looked at the members of the monarchy behind him. The king and queen looked at him with astonishment, but their shocked expressions couldn't rival that of the young woman with wavy blonde locks, presumably the princess of this country, who looked at the young general with disbelief and bewilderment. After looking at the general for a while, the princess had immediately taken a step forward but was unsuccessful when the guard had blocked her with his body.

She still had that bewildered and panicked look on her face when her gaze solely locked onto the man in front of me. "What are you doing, Eduardo?"

"I'm protecting you like the general and fiancé I am." The general didn't dare look away from me. He was being cautious around me if I might attack him there and then. I wouldn't do something as lowly as sneak attacking someone, but I'll leave him to think about me whatever he wants to think about me. But it did pique my interest when I heard him call himself a fiancé to the princess; any fool knew they were engaged. They must engage out of the king's orders or for their own feelings for one another, but still, it didn't concern me to this point. If this man is trying to look good in front of his fiancée, he was doing a decent job at it. Well then, I better play my role as the main enemy here and get this over with.

"How touching to see two young people in love." I said in a haughty way. It seems to intimidate the young general as he stared at me in a menacing way. I decided to intimidate him more to see what he'll do next. "Are you having second thoughts on this duel? You could back away, nothing and no one will get hurt that way, well, except for your pride that is."

He continued pointing his sword at me but I saw him grip his sword tightly. "If I doubted into challenging you, I wouldn't have done so in the first place." I was intrigued. I hadn't passed someone with so strong a will like his. If I let this pass, I would be regretting it for my whole life. "...But in return, if I win, leave this place and never return." That was it. My amusement in this situation and duel has piqued its levels.

I could hear the complaints the members of my crew were shouting from behind me. I heard things such as "You will never defeat our captain.", "You'll only lose.", and "How dare someone like you dare challenge our captain". It was all too surreal to me that someone could actually think they could win after fighting with me.

I had incredible patience when it comes to it, but with those that piqued my interest, I had always lost it. To speed this more quickly, I turned my back to him and walked towards the center of the room. Everyone had stepped away from the center and they were all close to the walls. With a swift movement, I had reached for my sword on my left hip and pulled it out of its scabbard, smirking all the while.