'Course of Study' by Penknife (PG-13)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Title: Course of Study
Pairing: Elizabeth Swann/Will Turner, Hector Barbossa
Author on LJ: penknife
Author Website: Penknife to Paper
Why this must be read: One last rec for July. It's a long long way from the Caribbean to Sinagpore, and Elizabeth has a lot to learn about pirating.

...Will still practices swordplay for hours each day, although now he spends much of that time teaching Elizabeth, the two of them tracing solemn figures back and forth across the deck, pressing and retreating, their blades kissing and parting. Barbossa watches them one afternoon, leaning against the rail with a half-eaten apple in his hand, and Elizabeth finds that his skeptical expression stings.

"Ye dance pretty enough," Barbossa says in answer to her challenging glare. "Should serve ye well if ye can find a ballroom anywhere in these parts."

"I think I'll do well enough without one," Will says.

"I wasn't talking to you," Barbossa points out cooly.

Elizabeth looks up at him, raising her chin. "Would you care to give me a lesson?"

"Don't," Will tells her. She glances at him, waiting to see if he'll reach to take the sword from her hand. He doesn't, and she looks up at Barbossa again and nods...

penknife's work is always worth reading, and this example is exceptional, an exploration of some really fascinating character dynamics. It's a perfect gap-filler for the time between Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, the story of how Elizabeth moves from shocked realization of her true nature, to acceptance and mastery of it under Barbossa's mentorship.

Course of Study