I.
A Man's Needs

"And I thought I heard the old man say,
'Leave her Johnny, leave her!'"

Edward listened to others in the crew, their deep voices combining into something fairly pleasant to listen to. Some of the voices were accented, French, Spanish, English, Welsh and even some he couldn't even place. He knew the song, having joined in sometimes when his mood was good. For now he was too focused on the work he was doing and while he listened, he didn't join. Or he had been focused on his work, but the sound of footsteps approaching had him looking up. There before him stood the Captain of their ship, Edward Thatch.

"How do you find yourself, lad?" He asked. It had been around a month since he had joined Thatch's crew. Life had improved for him greatly since he had. The last captain he had served under had been terribly cruel and then there had been that one man who had only wanted to skin him while he were still alive. He hadn't even understood why the man hated him other than the man loved to hate.

"Very well, Captain Thatch" he said, straightening.

"We'll be coming into Nassau soon" he commented, looking out to the sea. They were still in open water. The only land to be seen were small, uncharted islanded that dotted the sea.

Right now, Thatch was very calm, but what Edward liked about him was the fact that he could be calm one moment and the next his temper could be raining down upon the enemy. He wore his heart on his sleeve and while he was strange, he was a accomplish captain.

"Will we? How soon?" Asked Edward, figuring that if Thatch had not wanted him to ask, he would have not put the statement out there.

"Tomorrow night probably. We're meeting Benjamin Hornigold there" He scratched at the fuzz on his face. He grew it out a little sometimes, but he tried to keep it shaved. The task bored him though, and he had admitted as much. Edward preferred to keep his face shaved though, finding it easier to manage.

"Your mentor?"

"Ah, I forget, you haven't met him yet, have you lad?" He slapped Edward on his back, giving him a grin. "It'll be an experience for you then. Ben's an old salt, but he's one of the damn best sailors on the seas. He had been loyal to our Good Queen Anne as well." There was a wistfulness in his voice. Thatch had taken pride in serving as a Privateer for Queen Anne, but now with the war over…well there no longer was a reason for Privateers. That was why they were going to meet Ben. To talk what to do next, over a few cups of rum that was.

"We can still say we're loyal to her. We haven't taken a ship yet" Edward gave him a small smile.

"There's to hopefulness, lad, but I fear that we might not be protected by our good Queen's crown much longer. Soon, we're going to be pirates in earnest." He walked away to sit on a crate. A man passed, with a bottle of rum in his hand and Thatch snatched it from him, taking a long drink. "I fear, we'll soon be hunted by the crown we once protected."

A few other men were listening now, looking at Edward. A few would be leaving them when they hit Nassau. A few others would be staying at Nassau to see how things went down. Edward would be staying with Thatch of course. It wasn't like he owed the man or anything, but he did enjoy learning from him. He had already taught him so much about sword fighting and navigating and other important things for a sailor to know.

Thatch looked up at the men around him, many who had paused to look at their captain. "So, with that thought in mind, how many of you are still staying?" His dark eyes cast over the crew and he tapped the nearly empty bottle on the crate gently as he waited. He let out a short chuckle. "It don't matter either way. No one is going for a swim if they speak out against me. Not anymore." He stood, setting the bottle on the crate. He paced now, his crew watching him with wary eyes. "I'd like to think we've become a great nation on this ship. Sure, some of you are a bit rough around the edges, but what sailor, ain't? A few of you, too many of you, will be leaving once we drop anchor and if anymore have come around to that ideal, I ask you be honest with yourself and with me. I've been your Captain for various amounts of time and I'd like to think that I've been fair. So do a kindness in return and if you see yourself setting sail on another ship, have the decency to tell me"

Edward felt a small smile twisting his lips, knowing that while Thatch was being honest in his words, he would allow anyone who wanted to walk to walk, he was also show his kind heart and that would keep many men who were thinking of leaving with him. The life of a Privateer – or pirate – was not long, ever. Best to keep as many men who already knew what they were doing as they could, it would make things so much easier in the long run.

Thatch walked away then, hands still on his hip, as if he were still in deep thought. Edward knew better though and he felt that same smile twisting his lips. Ah, Thatch was a mad man, but he was smarter than most could hope to ever be.

The next night, as promised, they docked in Nassau. This Edward's first trip the Pirate Republic as well and he couldn't help but gaze about in wonder. It was a wonderfully active community, filled with an assortment of people. He couldn't help but stare, feeling like a child. Thatch gave Edward a hard pat on the back, an amused smile touching his features.

"Welcome to Nassau, boy. Freedom for any who will work for it" Then he walked around him, down the ship and towards the boat he had to row them to shore. Edward went with Thatch, rowing the boat as quickly as he could. He was excited to walk upon the sand, to stand among the rowdy folks who called this place home. He was eager to call it home as well.

They were soon on shore and Thatch was showing him around. The place stunk, hell it stunk bad, but in a way, Edward saw it as the stench of freedom. The town was still forming, so it was a bit of a shanty town yet, but Edward loved it. He loved how rough it looked, he loved the glint in the eyes of the men, the saucy eyes of the women and there were several taverns, scattered throughout the place. Thatch directed him around each and every one, keeping him away from all of them, except one. When Edward saw it, just off of what might be called the town square, he knew it was the one Thatch was heading to. It was called the Old Avery and he could hear a woman crooning some melody from the deck above him.

As he came to the top of the stairs and looked about, it was already a crowded place, most tables already packed. There was one open yet, with only one man sitting alone with his rum. Edward knew that this dark haired man must be Thatch's mentor, Hornigold. Sure enough, Ed thundered that way and scooped the other male up in a crushing bear hug which the other attempted to return, but there was no way he could. Ed was just too tall and too emotional at the moment.

"If you ain't a sight for sore eyes, Ben!" Thatch said at last, sitting across from the man. "Bar wench! More drinks!"

"Well you don't do any good for my sore sides" Ben wheezed.

"Don't be such a puss sac!" But Thatch said that with a laugh and any insult in his words was lost. "This lad here is Edward Kenway, a young man who I've decided to take under my own flag."

"He looks like decent material. I'm Ben Hornigold. If old Thatch seems something in you, there must be some untapped genius somewhere in you" The man was dressed more like a solider than a sailor, Edward thought and while he had the same rough tongue of any sailor, he also had a sort of…smoothness to his words, as if he were trying to talk like a man of higher blood. Edward decided he wouldn't judge him on it though. This man was Edward Thatch's mentor.

"I don't know about genius" Edward said, taking his tankard of rum from the bar's server. "But I will say that I have learned a lot from him in just a month's time."

"Who did you serve under before being found by old Thatch?" Ben's question was friendly, but Edward could sense something underneath it, almost as if he were testing him. Edward gave him a shrug.

"Hardly matters, I'd say. The man's nothing but chum"

"Is that so?"

"Edward here is the only survivor of that particular battle." Thatch belched after he spoke and took a long drink of his rum. "None of the others were worth the trouble to save."

Ben nodded over his own drink and then slammed his hands down on the table. "So, what do you say we do about this treaty? We'll be out of work before the week is out" That wasn't true. They were already out of work. The moment that treaty was signed, their "jobs" as privateers had been called back. If they attacked any more ships, English or Spanish, they would be pirates. A quiet fell over the three and even some tables near them that had heard Ben's words.

"I'll tell ya what we do!" Thatch suddenly rumbled. People began to turn and listen to him. "I'll tell ye what we do! We take any damn ship we please now. Fuck the treaty! We still need to make our way in the world and what better way is there than to line our pockets with gold? Does the merchant care if it is Spanish gold or English gold? No. No! And neither do I!"

Men roared and stomped their feet, clapping their hands at Thatch's words and he grinned, knowing that his words had a effect on people. While they had no rulers on Nassau, from what Edward had heard, it was very clear that many would follow Thatch's orders. Even Ben was grinning, clearly proud of Thatch. He had a certain charisma about him, something that made you want to follow him. Something that made one want to listen to him. Or perhaps it was the fact that if any dare disrespect him, they might get cut from prick to sternum by his temper.

"Hear! Hear!" Edward raised his tankard. "Gold is gold and I plan on filling my pockets!"

He was happy to hear a ring of "Hear! Hears!" in return, as other men lifted their own tankards. Thatch gave him a grin and then the discussion turned inward, talking of plans to make gold, of ships to take and adjustments that would be needed to be made to their own ships. Their talk went on for some time and after another drink, Edward told them that he had other things to handle.

"Haha, a man has needs, is it?" Ben asked and Edward could only laugh.

"You could say that." He scratched at the scruff on his chin. "I've been at sea for some months and it would be nice to find some…hospitality, if you know what I mean.

"Go on lad" Ed waved him off. "Meet us back here in the morning"

With that Edward walked off to find some friendly ladies to keep him warm for the night. The first one he came upon was already busy trying to seduce another man. So he searched on until at last he found one who was unoccupied and looking bored.

She was fixing her lipstick, which was bright red, to make her more forcible. She had short, light hair, cut around her face. She, strangely, had some tattoos on her chest. He had not seen a-many whores who had tattoos. That was usually considered a man thing. Edward had two himself at the moment; a work of art on his back and one his lower left arm. He was considering more, but hadn't decided what he wanted yet.

"Hello beautiful." He greeted her, saddling closer to her. She flicked her eyes up to him and she smiled. He could tell she was a couple years older than him, by her face and yet that smile was saucy and she flicked some of her hair out of her face.

"And what could you want?" She spoke with a thick Irish accent and he raised an eyebrow, almost wanting to question how she ended up here in Nassau but instead he smiled wider.

"I think you know." He dug into his coin purse and showed her a few pieces of eight and her eyebrows shot up.

"I think I best show you a damn good time" Then she took his hand and began to lead him away. He followed behind her, also admiring her behind while he was at it. She was damn nice all around. She was a little small in the front, but what was he to care? Her short hair was tussled by the wind, putting the light brown strands away from her face, brushing them gently by her bare neck. His eyes followed the line down her neck to her shoulders and to what show of her chest.

"What's your name?" He asked her as they approached a building he knew was the brothel.

"Shouldn't I be asking what yours is?" She asked, amusements coloring her tone. She opened the door to the building where several men were pinning whores against the wall, hands wandering. The women didn't seem opposed to it though, their fingers wandering as well. "Rayna. You can call me Rayna"

"Rayna then. I'm Edward"

She made a sound to let him know she heard him, though she didn't reply, and stopped at a door and turned back to look at him. She didn't hesitate, pulling him close and kissing him hard. He returned it willingly. He felt her groping behind her for the door's knob. She must have found it because the door opened and they stumbled back into the room. He kicked the door shut behind them, not that he really cared. She fell back on the bed and then he finally looked up.

On the bed, was another whore. She was leaning back against the headboard, smoking, her dark eyebrow raised. She had black hair that lay on her shoulders and brown eyes. She tapped her fingers against the bed and he noted she too had a tattoo on her chest. A tiny thing, detailed and intricate. Rayna looked up at her and sat up a little, with a gentle sigh.

"Maura," She started. "I kind of have a client here so…"

"Oh." Her voice was bored, her bright red lips forming the word gently in a way that had Edward wondering if she might just stick around a little. "I suppose you want the bed then…" She sighed, as if that was so much trouble. She slid her feet to the end of the bed and stood up, fixing her red dress slightly.

"You could always stay and join us" Edward suggested, hopefully.

She glanced at him, her brows furrowing a little. "And you're so hopeful for that, ain't you?" Her accent was British and he wondered about her story too. "You can piss off"

"Maura!" Snapped Rayna. Edward just chuckled.

"I love the ones with sass" He commented. She narrowed her brown eyes and turned, her hair flaring out behind her, and stormed out of the room, slamming the door. "Ah well, maybe later then."

"Sorry about Maura…she's has such a temper. It's a wonder she gets any clients at all"

"Well let's not worry about her. I have needs…" Certain needs that were pressed against her at the moment. She smiled, a dark look in her light eyes.

"Of course you do"

Rayna was quite efficient at getting dressed afterwards, but Edward supposed one would be that way if they were employed in such a profession. He pulled his clothes back on at a much slower rate, thinking of the other woman who had been in here. While Rayna had been great…something told him he would have liked Maura too. He wondered what he rate was. He paid Rayna and was getting ready to leave when Maura breezed back into the room, as if she had just been waiting for him to be ready to leave.

"Well hello again, beautiful" He practically purred at her.

"Don't try that shite on me." She spat back. "It doesn't work"

"Does gold?"

"I charge more" She said simply.

"I'll pay you more then" Two in one night? That wasn't unheard of but depending on how much she charged, he might just go find a different whore or just pay Rayna for some more of her time. Rayna had already left the room though and he realized it after glancing around for her. Maura walked over to a vanity sitting in the corner and lifted up what Edward had to guess was her lipstick.

"Will you now?" Her voice was suddenly breathy and seductive. He looked at her a long moment, feeling a hunger stir within him. He watched her put the lipstick on and then move over to him, where he stood near the bed. He sat down on it and she leaned over him until he was laying on it and she was straddling him. He couldn't even think to ask for how much she was going to charge. He just wanted to have her…

He couldn't think of anything else to say to her. He just leaned up, taking a handful of her dark hair and kissing her hard. He ran his tongue across her lips and she moaned gently into his mouth but he felt a little…strange. Something was off. He nipped at her neck and along her collar bone and his stomach rolled. He leaned away from her and saw her looking down at him, a small smile on her lips. Her eyes seemed to shine with a dark amusement. A sudden thought struck him.

"What…did you…?" He started, trying to speak but his words were muddled and thick.

"See you on the other side, lad" Her fingers ran down the side of his face and he tried to focus on her blurring face. The world swam around him and then he blacked out.

A/N: Now as many of you could hopefully tell, this is completely AU. While there will be characters you know and love in it, some may not have the roles you're used to. I have plenty of ideas for this story and have been looking forward to writing it for a while. Also as a side note to those wondering, this story is starting off in mid-1713. Just for those that are wondering. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter.