WARNING: Mention of blood

"You scare me sometimes, Kiddo."

Virgil barely heard the words. A flash of gold had caught his eye through all the chaos.

A man in a masquerade mask was stood beside the wheel. He looked bemused, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword.

So, the Masked Prince finally decided to make an appearance, huh?

"Good for you," Virgil barely registered his own words. "Get Aaron. I've got a rendezvous with his royal Highness." Grabbing his sword, he ducked through the battle and left Patton behind.

Patton would be fine, he could handle himself.

Virgil pulled his musket out of his belt as he closed in on the Masked Prince. He bounded up the stairs two at a time and held the gun against the Prince's head.

There was a flash of silver and a searing pain along the back of Virgil's hand. The musket was knocked from his hand and when he stretched his hand out to retrieve it, he found it was cut in a neat slice.

He was bleeding.

Virgil bent to pick up his musket. Well, he couldn't take that approach. All the more fun.

"You know, I don't usually like my gentlemen on their knees until after we've had a dance." The voice surprised him. Smooth, Spanish. Strange.

Virgil looked up to find the point of a rapier at his throat. He grinned and raised his hands. The Prince allowed him to stand up.

"Care for a dance, then?" And Virgil's sword was in his other hand. He seemed to take the Prince by surprise - maybe he was used to an easy surrender - because his sword was sent spinning away.

The Masked Prince was closer but Virgil was faster. He ran over and grabbed the sword, all in one clean movement.

The Prince's mouth hung open in amazement. He was the picture of offence.

"You dare-"

"Dare what? Dare beat a prince at his own game?" Virgil laughed. "I dare indeed, Princey."

"This is hardly fair."

"If you want fair, fight a privateer," Virgil sneered. "Not a pirate."

The Prince made a grab for his sword. Virgil jumped down the stairs with a laugh.

"You want your sword, you'll need to catch me, Princey!" He cackled and kicked the door to the lower decks open.

The Prince jumped down and landed beside him with a thud. He looked angry now.

Virgil laughed and set off down the corridors. He wound his way through the bowels of the ship. He had no idea where he was going and he loved it.

Something caught the back of his foot and sent him tumbling to the ground. He tucked his head instinctively and rolled over once. He jumped to his feet and paused for the corridor to return to normal.

"You may not want a fair fight," the Prince had both his sword and Virgil's. Shit, "but I do. Can you catch?"

"You're going to give me my sword?" Virgil was incredulous. This guy was ridiculous.

As an answer, the Prince threw Virgil's sword to him. Virgil nearly didn't catch it in his surprise.

This guy was ridiculous.

"En guarde?"

Good. Lord.

"You pompous prick." Virgil laughed. He was going to kick this idiot's arse if it was the last thing he did.

He attacked the Prince. Drive this bastard into a wall, unmask him, battle over. Done, they could go home.

Only this bastard was really, really good at fighting. Annoyingly so.

Instead of gaining ground, Virgil quickly found himself losing it, getting pushed further and further back into a wall. The Masked Prince was deft with his moves, precise, quick. Aggravating.

"Where'd you go to school, Montanto?" Virgil asked after another failed jab.

"Oh, I've just picked this up," the Prince said with a smile. "I'm a fast learner, querido."

Virgil would have to ask Remus what that meant.

Virgil let out a breath in a small huff.

"Alright," he said. The Prince blocked another attack of his. He shifted his foot to the side slightly. Virgil blinked.

Tell?

Worth a shot.

Virgil went in for another attack. The Prince shifted his foot and blocked.

With the Lord as his saviour, Virgil might just win this!

"Alright," he repeated. "I wonder... could you learn this?"

He ducked to the side suddenly and kicked the Prince's foot out from under him. The Prince crashed to one knee. Virgil pressed the tip of his sword to the back of his neck.

"Thank you, Princey," he mocked, "for that most gracious and fair fight. Now, if you'll excuse me..." He pulled his sword up through the Prince's hair lightly and severed the knot tying his mask to his face. The Prince reached up but Virgil whisked the mask away before he could take it.

The Prince stayed on one knee, his head bowed. The one thing about 'gracious' people that Virgil actually liked. They always knew when they were beaten.

Virgil walked around the Prince to face him. He cupped a hand under his chin and lifted his head up.

Without the mask the Prince was actually somewhat handsome.

Not that Virgil paid attention to that.

"Well," he grinned, "I set my trap for a Prince and I got a pirate instead. How fitting."

The Prince's face curled into a snarl. "I-"

"Please, don't bore me." Virgil let go of the Prince' chin and patted his cheek. "But you can tell me your name, Princey."

"What's the point? You're going to kill me anyway."

"Kill you? No, never. Not yet, anyway." Virgil took out his gun and pointed it at the Prince's heart. "Up. Tell our crews that it's over. The negotiations can begin."

"Negotiations?"

My boy has arrived!
Bye,
Blaize