Weakness

Chapter 9 Knifes Have Many Uses

"Her face just screamed try again I dare you."

Soon the broccoli was finished and she removed the pots from the fire lugging them into the cooking tent were she placed them on a counter she separated the strainer from the pot and removed the lid. She then dumped the broccoli on a clean piece of wood before finding a knife as she began to cut it into pieces. She was humming the tune she learned as a little girl. The same tune she'd sing to her sisters if they had nightmares. When she felt arms snake around her waist immediately making her go stiff. She heard a voice she didn't recognize whisper in her ear, "Hey Babe, I hope your on the menu because you look delicious." She spun the knife in her hands stabbing it into the broccoli cutting it perfectly in half.
"Remove your hands or the next thing I cut up will be you." She demanded making him jump back a little.
"A simple no I'm not interested would have sufficed." He stated raising his hands in the air in surrender. Making Ace look at him questioningly.
"The name's Chris." He said sticking out his hand. He wasn't bad looking strong like most of the boys here tall probably sixteen, seventeen. Blond hair that was buzz cut and calculating grey eyes. She ignored his hand going back to cutting up broccoli.
"Ace." She replied simply.
"Okay" He replied awkwardly, "Sorry if I came off a little strong. We don't get girls here often."
She rose an eyebrow at him, "Of course, just watch out I know girls who stab first and ask questions later." She replied nonchalantly letting a small smile grace her lips at his scarred expression.
He nodded his head, "Well I'll see you around right?"
"I'm sure." She replied simply not picking her head up as he left. As soon as the door closed she slipped her hand in her bag and pulled out a small device she plugged it into her left ear. It was magic and would help her hear him.
"Man, that girl's gonna be tough to lay." She heard Chris's voice state making her roll her eyes at the boys.
"Aww. Did Chris get rejected." A deeper voice said talking in a baby tone. She heard Chris huff in response.
"You try hitting on her!" He defended, "She threatened to stab me!!"
Ace laughed softly at this. She really did frighten him.
"Oh come on Man!" A third voice spoke up, "She's a girl they're all talk." This made Ace raise an eyebrow, she'll show him all talk, "They say they don't want it but they really do." He stated smugly, "You just weren't persistent." He finished. She was about ready to go out there and beat them up herself. If there's anything she hated more then women being treated like inferiors it was her being treated like that.
"Whatever." She heard Chris mumble and she toke the ear piece out putting it away. A little afraid if she listened to any more one of them would lose an appendage. It didn't take long for her to finish cutting the broccoli placing it back in the emptied pot and putting the lid on to keep it warm. She left the tent to tell Slightly she had finished.
She found the boy finishing his task which she know learned was cooking the meat.
"I've finished." She chimed softly from behind him making him look over at her smiling.
"Thanks, that was a big help." He replied over his shoulder as he placed the meat on the tray.
"Is there anything else I could do?" Ace questioned considerately.
"Ah yeah could you help me carry this into the dining tent?" He asked her she shook her head yes putting a tray in each hand balancing them perfectly before walking back the way she came. Slightly fallowed behind her a single tray in his arms and a bit amazed at her strength and balance. They were feeding twenty something boys. Those trays weren't light. She skillfully opened the door with her foot setting the trays down next to the broccoli.
"Thanks." Slightly said.
"No problem." She replied.
"So you scarred Pan earlier." Slightly said starting conversation as they placed the food out on a long table for a buffet style.
"I did?" She questioned furrowing her eyebrows.
"Yeah, something about leaving you somewhere on your own and then you disappeared." He explained making Ace laugh a little.
"I thought he just expected me to come back when I was done." She said smiling softly.
"Yeah, he thought you were kidnapped." Slightly said laughing lightly as well. This made Ace stop and think.
"So that ship I saw earlier an unfriendly." She asked.
"You saw a ship? Where?" He questioned nervously.
"Where Pan left me to get cleaned up. Before I entered the enclosed area I saw a ship a few miles off shore." She explained, "I planned to ask Pan next time I saw him, but I haven't seen him sense." She stated now they were done laying stuff out and were standing near the large table conversing.
"Yeah, pirates. Filthy pirates." Slightly said with venom lacing his voice.
"So Pirates bad got it." She replied smiling a little to lighten the mood.
"Yes, Ace if you ever come across one run, Alright, run back to camp." He said seriously.
"Slightly, I can take care of myself." She reassured.
"No, please, Ace, promise me." Slightly pleaded.
"Alright, if it means that much to you I'll come directly back to camp and tell either you or Pan if I ever see them again." She promised. Of course after she kicked their butts, but she's not going to tell Slightly that yet.
"Thank you. Speaking of Pan you should probably inform Pan about spoting the pirates so close to shore." Slightly told her. She nodded her head yes as slightly pushed her towards the door gently.
She exited the tent and scanned the area not seeing the green eyed demon. She did however spot Felix sitting on a log sharpening a knife. She approached the boy confidently.
"Do you know where Pan is?" She questioned doing away with formalities.
"Yes." Felix responded stoically. There was a short pause.
"Are you going to tell me?" She questioned raising an eyebrow at him.
"No." Felix responded nonchalantly.
"Because you don't want to or because he's busy?" She goaded. Felix looked up at her with an annoyed expression.
"It's not a good idea to annoy someone with a knife." He retorted making the scraping noise of the sharpener louder. She smirked in response.
"Perhaps you'd be more intimidating if you actually held the knife effectively." She responded nonchalantly. He looked up at her raising an eyebrow in question. She toke out the dagger Pan got her to demonstrate.
"Your holding your dagger like this." She said fisting the dagger and holding it perpendicular in her hand, "it's more effective if you hold the knife like this." She moved her wrist so it the knife was parallel to the ground  and placed her pointer finger over the top to steady it, "then move the sharpener and not the knife." He looked at her curiously.
"How do you know that?" He questioned skeptically.
"I pick things up." She stated shrugging putting her new dagger back in its sheathe, "Now, can you tell me where Pan is?" She questioned. Making Felix scoff.
"He's in his tent." He said pointing a finger towards a large tent it the center of camp.
"Thanks." She stated walking off aware of Felix's eyes on her until she disappeared behind the flap of Pan's tent.
As soon as she disappeared from his sight Felix flipped the knife around sharpening it properly, "nice going lost girl most people don't catch that." He mumbled under his breath chuckling softly. Pan was right she is different.