Chapter Two

Caught:

"MORGAN!! Morgan!!!"

Morgan went to jolt upright and hit her head on the wooden crate. She must have nodded off. She thought she heard-

"LET GO OF ME. MORGAN!" Claire screamed.

Claire- Morgan's stomach burned with dread. She tried to push the crate open. But something wasn't letting her out.

"Now, now girly. Why you screaming for?" She heard a man chuckle.

Morgan began to panic. She needed out now. She brought her knee up and felt it budge a little. She placed her forearm on the cover and pressed up.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" 

Morgan with all her strength flew her knees and arms into the lid and it came loose. She pushed the lid off the crate and nearly fell getting out as quickly as she did. Her blood boiled as she stared at the sight in front of her. Three grown man stood in a circle around Claire shoving her back and forth. They hadn't heard her. She glanced around an old lantern hung close to her. She grabbed it and raced quietly towards the closest man. With all her might she brought it hard and fast down on his head. Glass shattered around him as he hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. The two men froze staring at Morgan. The man holding Claire smirked. He passed her to his partner and snickered.

"Well, well,well; What do we have here? You want to play too Missy?" He said laughing, stepping towards her.

Morgan smiled as he got closer, grinning.  Morgan did not wait for him to make the first move. She quickly threw her elbow across his face adding more power to it by stepping into the blow. A crack echoed as he let out a yell. Blood instantly began pouring down his face. He held his nose collapsing to his knees. Morgan was now facing the man holding Claire.

"Let her go!" she growled.

The man was angry seeing his two friends on the ground. He shoved  Claire to the side and ran at Morgan. Morgan dropped to the ground as he came at her, throwing her legs at his running feet. Knocking his legs out from under him. He flew forward breaking the wooden crates. The man with the nose bled began to get up and Morgan delivered a kick to his back sending him forward. He landed on his face causing him to scream out in pain. 

Morgan rushed over to Claire. Hugging her tightly. The yells of the man had started to gather the rest of the crew. The men's looks varied from anger, confusion and curiosity. Morgan had her back to the wall of a ship. She stood defensively in front of Claire. Her eyes daring any man to step forward.

The men grew closer but didn't rush at her. Somewhere glancing behind them. Morgan followed their eyes and found a man watching them. She tried to make out his  features. She could see he had deep brown hair that tucked out under his hat. He was tall and held himself with authority. She wanted to say a smirk danced on his lips. He nodded and two men stepped forward out of the crowd.

Morgan clenched her fist trying to find a way out. Trying to have some plan.  She glanced around. There were too many men and they were cornered. She had only one option and it had been her only option for so long. Fight. She studies them as he slowly approaches her like she was a corner mouse.

" Now, now lassy we aren't gonna hurt ya. Just settle down." He said with a smirk.

Morgan narrowed her eyes at him. She saw off to the side he had a sword dangling loosely at his hip. She had spent many nights fencing with her father. She was good. If she could just get it. The man didn't seem too sturdy on his feet and the other approaching behind him looked unsure of the situation. She stood there waiting and the first man went lunging for her. she's quickly spun around him and now was in the middle of the two men. The man who was going for her now had a smile on his lip because she was in the middle of two of them, he thought she was screwed. He went to reach for her and she moved away from him. His friend who was more cautious reached out his hand but was very unsure. Almost as if he had never touched a woman. He just kept his hand out as if deciding what to do. The first man was behind her shuffling his feet; trying to figure out how to get a hold of her. He took a few steps toward Morgan. She smiled sweetly and grabbed the man's arm  who had been reaching out to her. He was shocked that  she touched him. He was very taken back by this and didn't grab hold of her but seemed frozen. The man shuffling behind growled and came at her. Morgan with all her strength pulled the man's arm hard forward as she stepped out of the way. The two men went smashing into each other, stumbled and fell over. They laid on top of each other in a giant heap. The men watching around them begin to laugh which has angered the first man. He was trying to finally get the shy man off of him.

Morgan was fast on her feet and seized her opportunity. She fumbled at the guy's waist trying to get his sword free. Pulling it free she backed up to the center of the room. Close by Claire had a small smile on her face as she watched.

Morgan stood her eyes running over the men now forming a circle around her.  She wasn't  sure what was going to happen but at least now she had a weapon. She's been waiting with her hand grasped firmly on the sword. The  tip of it pointed downwards towards the ship's desk. She looked up towards the top deck briefly as the man was watching. 

Two more men stepped forward this  time. They seem to be more sure of themselves. One smiled at her with hardly any teeth

"Say whatcha you're gonna do with a sword MISSY. Put it down and everything will be okay " He grinned coming towards her.

She firmed  up her stance and smiled politely pointing the tip of her sword at him. " I won't be doing that"

He ran his finger over the top of the blade and then pushed it off to the side. Laughing looking at the other men. He then went to grab Morgan. She moved quickly to the side slashing at his belt. His trousers fell to  his legs. His mouth hung open as he  stumbled trying to keep his balance. Morgan chuckled and lightly kicked him and he fell over. The men that had gathered around them began to laugh more. The second man took his chances when Morgan was distracted; grabbing her by her waist. As she was picked up she caught a glimpse of the man standing alone on the top decking watching. He must be the captain she thought. Before she could give any more thought to it her back connected with the man's chest. It took everything in her not to scream. Her injuries from the night before were  still on fire. Morgan threw her legs forward and brought them back as hard as she could. She connected with the man's groin. He instantly dropped her. He fell to the ground holding his groin moaning. Morgan caught her breath as a growl rumbled through the crowd from above. The captain slammed his fist into the railing growing frustrated with the situation.

"Let's wrap up this fun boys. She's  just a woman." yelled an older man from the crowd.

Morgan waited, gripping her sword tightly. The men in the crowd hesitated. They didn't want to make the captain more angry.

A much larger bulkier man with the sword stepped up. He lightly tapped her sword with his. She responded back by knocking him to the side with force. He raised his eyebrows at her and lunged. Morgan moved to the side striking him as she did. Blood trickled from a slash in his arm. This just angered him. He aggressively began swinging at her. She had to use both hands to block each blow.  She knew she couldn't match him strength wise and she didn't know how long she could keep doing it. She had to think of something. She was lighter and quicker on her feet than the men. She looked around and spotted a stack of large barrels.  If she could just get closer. If he fell into them she may be able to capture his sword.

She blocked each blow with her sword. They drew near the stack. It was time. She had to make him angry.  It's time. She blocked one of his strikes and then slashed his arm again. Another slice right below the one she had made previously on the same arm. He became frustrated and even more angry seeing more of his blood being spilled. He took up his sword and raced towards her. Somehow this is exactly what she wanted. Just when he was close enough; she spun out of the way and he toppled into the barrels. They fell in on him and he was stuck. 

The captain was now even angrier. She saw him take off his hat and ran his hand through  his hair. She smirked a little bit. She was about to ready herself for the next fighter when she noticed someone creeping towards  Claire. She motioned for Claire to move and she sunk further into  the corner she was in. Morgan bit her lip and she picked up her sword and harpooned it to the wall. This stopped the men from going forward. Morgan  began walking towards Claire when she was hit over the head with something. Morgan  began to waiver. Everything began to get fuzzy as she tried to push on to get to Claire. She fell to her knees just short of Claire and the world went black. 

The captain shook his head, sighing frustrated as he watched the scene below. He didn't have time for this. He ran his hand through his hair once more as he watched the fiery red head finally go down. It was definitely a cheap shot but at least that was over with for now.

"Get the little one something to eat and have her sit with Jack. Put the redhead in my cabin. Then get back to work and your stations!" He wasn't sure why he ordered to have her in his cabin; the words just kind of came out. He grumbled stomping his way back to the cabin.