Sebastian Darke: Prince of Pirates (20 page)

The pirates simply didn't know which way to turn. Everywhere, they were throwing down their weapons and lifting their arms in surrender. But in the far corner of the main deck one battle still raged in earnest.

Sebastian was astonished to see a small figure, dressed in the flamboyant hat, waistcoat and boots of a sea captain. He was fighting like a wildcat, even though he was surrounded by armed men. He carried a sword that looked several sizes too big for him and was whirling it round in a deadly arc every time somebody attempted to step closer to him.

'Come on then!' he yelled. 'Who's next to feel the edge of my blade, eh? Who wants to be next to die?'

'Who on earth is that?' asked Sebastian, amazed.

'It's Captain Kid, of course,' said Jenna.

'But . . . he can't be the captain. He couldn't be any more than . . . fourteen summers old!'

'That's right. How do you suppose he got the name?'

'I . . . I assumed he was a grown man who was nicknamed Kid.'

'No. His father was Captain Jack Donovan, a very successful pirate. But he died a couple of years ago and the Kid took his place.' She smiled. 'It would seem we've both got something in common with him. Come on, let's sort him out. I've no wish to see such a plucky lad killed.' She led Sebastian through the ranks of surrendering pirates to where the Kid stood at bay, shouting defiance at the men who surrounded him.

'Well, come on!' he roared. 'Don't any of you want to fight me?'

'Throw down your weapons, Captain,' shouted Jenna. 'You are surrounded: you cannot hope to win.'

'Can too!' retorted Captain Kid.

'No, really, you haven't a hope.'

'Have so!' The captain stamped one tiny booted foot on the deck in a fit of anger. 'Come on, I'll take you all on, one by one.' He stepped towards the big dreadlocked sailor, Cassius. 'What about you? You want to try your luck?'

Cassius grinned but shook his head. 'I would rather fight someone my own size,' he said.

'So would I!' snapped the Kid. 'But there isn't anyone my size, is there?'

There was the sound of somebody clearing his throat and Cornelius stepped forward. 'What about me?' he suggested.

Captain Kid looked at Cornelius in amazement. 'But . . . you're tiny!' he exclaimed. 'You're even smaller than me. A midgeling!'

'Actually, I'm a Golmiran,' Cornelius assured him. 'And though I am small in stature, I do not much care for the term "midgeling". However, as you are still a child, I'll simply assume you know no better.' He took up a fighting stance and beckoned to the boy with the crook of one finger. 'Well, come on, Captain. Let's see what you're made of.'

'Cornelius, take it easy on him,' said Sebastian. 'He's just a boy.'

'Yes, I
had
noticed,' Cornelius assured him. 'And don't worry, I have no intention of—' He broke off in surprise as the Kid came running at him, his sword swinging furiously. Cornelius managed to block the first blow and push it aside, but an instant later, another came at him, then another and another, the blows falling with such dizzying speed that for a moment the arms of the two fighters were little more than blurs. They whirled up and down the deck, dealing blow and counter-blow, the blades striking sparks and neither opponent showing any dominance over the other.

'You're good,' observed Cornelius. 'But I'm better.'

'Says you!' retorted the Kid. 'Take that! And that!'

He started lashing out at Cornelius with renewed vigour, and Sebastian was amazed to notice that the Golmiran's confident smile had faded somewhat and that he was having to work really hard to parry the blows. Finally even his endurance seemed to be failing and he had to resort to sleight of hand. He performed a lightning-fast flick of the wrist and the Kid's sword went flying from his grip, the point of the blade thudding deep into the mizzen mast and then shuddering from the impact. The Kid stared in amazement at his empty hand as though he couldn't believe what had just happened.

'You . . .' he said. 'You . . .' Then he descended into what could only be described as a tantrum. 'It's not fair!' he cried, stamping around the deck in disgust. 'You cheated!'

'I certainly did not,' Cornelius told him. 'I used a perfectly acceptable manoeuvre to disarm you.'

'No way!' screamed the Kid. 'You're a big cheat!'

Cornelius gave him a rather puzzled smile. 'I can assure you, Captain, that I beat you fair and square,' he said. 'And I must now ask you formally to surrender your vessel to us.'

'Will not!' bellowed the Kid. 'Not going to surrender to a rotten cheat!'

Cornelius looked at Jenna in exasperation and shrugged his shoulders, as if asking her what he should do next. But she was prevented from offering her opinion by the arrival of a deputation from the
Marauder
. This comprised a tall, dour-looking man with a disapproving face and a haughty way of walking that suggested he thought he was pretty fantastic. This had to be Captain Trencherman, Sebastian told himself.

He was accompanied by what must have been his first mate, a big, powerful-looking man with a strangely flattened nose and a mouthful of yellowed, misshapen teeth. Trailing just behind them was a beautiful woman who Sebastian recognized only too well.

She stood there, smiling dangerously, her big yellow eyes regarding Sebastian as though she could see into the very heart of him.

It was Captain Trencherman who spoke first. 'Captain Swift,' he said. 'It would seem I am in your debt.' He had a cold, expressionless voice, which Sebastian disliked immediately but which seemed a perfect match for his slate-grey eyes and disapproving expression.

'Do not trouble yourself,' Jenna assured him, her voice polite but distant, making no attempt to hide her contempt for the man. 'I was merely following the Code of the Sea.'

'Well, lucky for us that you were so close at hand.'

'Hardly lucky, since you were quite obviously following us.'

Trencherman didn't answer this, but he did direct a nervous glance at Leonora, who stood there, saying nothing and staring intently at Sebastian. There was an uncomfortable silence, then Trencherman transferred his attention to the Kid.

'So the little whelp's luck has finally deserted him,' he said.

'I'm still big enough to give you a kicking!' retorted the Kid, raising his fists in a pugilistic stance. 'Come on, let's see you hit me, droopy drawers!'

'Impudent cub!' snarled Trencherman. 'Still, small as he is, he'll hang as readily as his crew.' He turned to shout over his shoulder. 'Fetch ropes – we'll string these sea rats up now!'

Sebastian was appalled by this decision. He took a step forward. 'You can't just hang him!' he protested. 'He's only a boy.'

Trencherman's steely eyes appraised Sebastian for a moment; he did not seem to like what they saw. 'Sir, I do not know who you are, but let me remind you that this "boy" has just done untold damage to my vessel . . . so much so that we are taking on water and will have to return to Ramalat for repairs.'

'Yes!' hissed Cornelius, raising a fist in a gesture of triumph.

Trencherman glared at him. 'This news seems to please you, little man.'

'Er . . . no, not at all,' Cornelius assured him. 'I was, er . . . just thinking about . . . a joke I heard yesterday.'

Trencherman sniffed. 'Whatever,' he said. 'I feel I am owed some token of revenge before I depart. And it would please me to see this so-called captain and his filthy crew hanging from the yardarms. After all, they came at me in an utterly unprovoked attack, obviously looking for plunder.'

'Unprovoked, my backside!' yelled the Kid. 'What about the four times you've attacked my ship? I suppose that doesn't count for anything.'

'You're a dirty little pirate,' retorted Trencherman. 'It's my right to attack you any time I see fit.'

'Oh yeah? Well, maybe I just wanted to show you how it feels. I lost three good men in your last attack. Blasted to bits by your cannons. And plunder didn't even come into it, mate. There's nothing on your poxy ship that I want. Just my revenge.'

'You see how he speaks to me?' roared Trencherman. 'Let's see how cocky he is with a noose around his neck!'

'You won't hang him while I still stand here,' Sebastian assured him. 'These men may be pirates but they deserve a proper trial before they are punished. It's not for the likes of you to dispense the law.'

Now Trencherman's eyes blazed with anger. 'You are impertinent, sir. I am a sea captain out of Ramalat, and on the high seas we
are
the law. What say you, Captain Swift? Is it not my right to give retribution where I see fit?'

Jenna smiled coldly. 'My apologies, Captain, but I agree with my friend, Mr Darke. It's not for us to be judge, jury and executioner. We'll keep these pirates under lock and key until we return to Ramalat, and only then will they be exposed to the full measure of the law.'