Chapter 32: Wendy

                                    

                                          
I stand ready, glaring down the pirate captain who has been challenging me. I look around the clearing, analyzing my options. I am not backing down. Not when I am so close. I notice that Hook has more than just her cutlass on her and I realize it might be just enough to give me a chance. Or at least time. What's it going to be? I think it's time to show her. 
"Why don't I show you?" I taunt, a crooked grin pulling at the corners of my mouth. 
I take a small running start before I literally leap into action, jumping towards her. She looks unimpressed and sidesteps me. I get flashbacks to our little spar on the deck of her ship. This time I need to keep a cool head. I adapt quickly and turn to swipe my leg, hoping to knock her off balance. This doesn't  have the desired affect. Instead of her being thrown off balance she jumps over my leg and raises an eyebrow at me. 
"Is that really the best you can do?" She matches my earlier taunting, though her tone is utterly unimpressed. 
I take a deep breath to focus myself. I have to be smart. Like she mentioned earlier, I am unarmed and she very clearly isn't. Maybe if she thinks I'm making a run for Tink she'll be thrown off. It's worth a shot at the very least. I smirk at her and glance at Tink. "Oh I don't know, I think maybe I can do a little better." 
I make a run for Tink. And my suspicions are confirmed. The Fae remains rooted to the spot, reminiscent of a statue. Hook hesitates in her reaction and I am able to get the upper hand. I turn at the last possible second away from Tink and  back towards Hook. I snatch up her dagger as I pass by her. I slide to a stop and she whirls around to face me. 
She looks me up and down, her eyes narrowing on seeing that I now hold her back up blade in my hand. "Well, you are full of surprises. But that's the last trick you are going to play." It's hard to tell if she is over confident or just very angry. Not that it matters much to me, both can be used to my favor. 
I test the weight of the blade in my hand and change my stance. She narrows her eyes at me and pulls her cutlass from its place at her belt. She gets into a ready stance. This is how it's going to be now. I know that I am no match for her. Even if she didn't have the distance advantage. But I can at least gain a little advantage and be able to better defend myself. I am not going to give up so easily. 
Hook doesn't give me the chance to attack first this time and I have to react quickly. She is just as quick as I remember, if not faster. I may have to abandon my hope for taking care of the door to the Fae realm. I can try though, right? I mean it would be a little pointless to come all this way for nothing, even if I don't really need it right now. I may not even need it at all. But still, I would hate to come all this way for nothing. That would just be infuriating. 
I keep up my guard and continue to defend myself the best I can against her advances. What would be the best way to take care of the door? I need Tink to open the door. And she does not strike me as the most cooperative person. Or Fae. In fact she doesn't seem that cooperative at all. I doubt she would even do what I want if I threatened one of the others, not that I am in any position to do that either. But if I thought it would give me an advantage I might consider it. But it's clear there is no point in even thinking of that as a possibility. 
I find myself stumbling with my attention divided, especially since I have a lot less experience than she does. I can't continue to fight like this. It will only end badly for me. I need to decide on a course of action and I need to do that quickly. I barely manage to block a blow from Hook and I jump back in surprise, my wrist stinging from the impact of our blades connecting. That's different from our duel on her ship. Could it be possible she was going easy on me then? And that she doesn't care about our difference in experience now? I can't swell on that. I have to decide what to do. And she is making it clear that I am very outmatched.
My decision is made. I back away from her carefully, continuing to defend myself. All I have to do now is stay just out of reach so I can make an exit. When I get to the edge of the clearing I do my best to push back against her persistent attacks to buy myself time to slip away. I should only need a second. I can manage to gain a second, right? Even with my limited knowledge and experience. I can do that. 
She seems to have caught on to what I am trying to do though, because she doesn't let up. If anything she pushes her pursuit even harder. In a serious lapse in judgement and a fit of frustration and rage I scream and kick out. This brings me closer into her reach but I land a hit to her chest and shove her violently away from me. Despite how poorly this action could've gone for me, it supplies me with an opening. 
I don't waste a second. I take my opportunity and turn and disappear into the trees. I have my eyes on a new target now, thanks to them. Skull Rock. And this time I will be better prepared for another confrontation with Hook.