Author's Note: These will be written in bold for anyone who enjoys skipping over the dreaded author's notes. This story will switch between Anne's perspective (1st person POV) to an omniscient narrator. This is just the first chapter, I have more written but I want to see how people feel about this. It will have aspects that are the same as the game, but I wanted to change it up and make the story line more representative of what I have read on different historical sites, as much of Anne and Mary's history is more interesting than the game made it sound. The game's timeline was also a little funky, so I plan to play around with that a bit.
This will be Anne Bonny telling the story of her trips sailing the West Indies with Jack, Edward, and Kidd all searching for the Observatory. I'm changing some things that I want changed because that's the great thing about FanFiction!
I had been working in the Old Avery Tavern for the majority of my life - when I wasn't disguised as a man or fighting aboard a ship - but most of the time, I enjoyed it. It had been over twenty years since I stepped foot aboard a boat, but I preferred the quiet life at this point. I experienced the excitement and danger that pirating had to offer – lived with the fortunes and losses, but that wasn't any kind of life for an old broad such as myself.
I looked around the bar that I had grown so accustomed to, the only unfamiliarity being the patrons scattered about. In my younger days, I knew the name of every sailor, pirate, and merchant that came stumbling through this tavern. Now, I was lucky if they gave me much notice at all. Nassau was a different island now – less of a symbol and more of a trashcan, but I couldn't bring herself to leave. This place was once a rendezvous for pirates of all kinds to come, rest up, and enjoy a bottle of rum before they left for their next prize. As I looked around, the only pirates I saw were washed up drunkards who couldn't tell the difference between the bow and the stern.
Normally, I paid no mind to my customers besides giving them a drink when their tankards grew empty, but the two men arguing at the bar peaked my interest. "I'm telling you, man, James Kidd – he took over an entire naval fort without being seen."
"That little pirates got nothing on Blackbeard! I hear he took out an entire fleet of Spanish ships alone without getting a scratch on him."
With my back to the two men, I smiled to myself. I couldn't count the number of over-exaggerated stories about my old friends that I'd heard in my lifetime, but those stories didn't matter. Sailors and soldiers could rewrite history all they wanted, but I knew the truth – and remembered it like it was yesterday.
Turning toward the gossiping men, I leaned on the bar, my bodice pressed firmly against the edge. "You men interested in pirates, are ye?"
The men tried to hide their smiles as they looked at each other incredulously. "What do you know 'bout pirates, lass?"
"She don't know more than the size a their cocks." The other man spit out, ignoring the bar maiden entirely.
It was rude and disgusting men such as these that made me want to find a quiet island to live on, just the birds and I living in solitude. If I did that, however, then I would miss some of this fun. With lightning-fast reflexes, I took the smartass' head and slammed him, facedown, into the solid wood bar.
The man screamed in protest, blood leaking from his nose and saturating her once-clean counter. With a hand still pressed against the back of his head, I moved my face close to his, whispering in his ear, "If I ever hear something so crude come out of your mouth again, I will kill you myself. D'ya understand?" I made sure my voice was stern, commanding, but eerily quiet at the same time.
Once I lifted my hand from his head, the man nodded quickly, his hands covering his nose, before running out of the bar. I turned toward the other man who was left sitting in shock, "Still up for a good pirate story?" I smiled sweetly, any traces of anger completely dissipated from my voice.
The man was still looking at me with a bit of fear in his eyes. It was obvious that he was contemplating whether to stay or leave before he nodded his head, saying, "What's yer name?"
Wiping at the blood stains adorning the bar, "Name's Anne Bonny, but that ain't so much important; this isn't a story about my life. I s'pose it all started when I met a man named Jack Rackham in this here tavern. Most people just knew him as Calico Jack back then…"
The year was 1719 and I was merely a girl back then…
Anne walked from table to table, checking on her customers and assuring their glasses were full of rum. She had obtained a job as a bar maiden a few months back of the Old Avery Tavern – a run down, tavern in the middle of Nassau. She appreciated the fact that she could spend so much of her time in the sun as the men enjoyed drinking on the deck.
There was one group of men that tended to be more rowdy than the rest. The noisiest of the bunch was a man by the name of Jack Rackham. As she was filling a few men's tankards, she was abruptly interrupted by the loud and obnoxious singing of Calico Jack from several tables away. She closed her eyes, lifting her hand to her face to cover herself in embarrassment.
"My beautiful, Anne! Come drink with me, you can be my lady!" Rackham belted in a sing-song fashion.
She attempted to just ignore the drunk, hoping he would get the hint and shut his mouth. She finished checking on all of the tables outside, aside from Rackham's – intentionally ignoring him, before slinking behind the bar, hiding of embarrassment.
Eventually, she had to move from her hiding place behind the counter and Calico seemed to always find his way back. He continued his flirtatious games while she tried to ignore him as best she could; most of his antics being childish and unamusing.
She assumed he was a poor sailor due to the fact that he spent most days in the Old Avery and when he did leave, it was never for more than a week at a time. And there was the obvious fact that he was a severe drunkard who couldn't walk a straight line to save his hide.
After dealing with his badgering for several months, Anne's skin grew thicker, yet her tolerance grew much, much thinner. "C'mon, me lady, don't'cha wanna come sleep on my ship, let her rock ya back and forth." Calico Jack smiled as he stood from his table, swaying while he walked toward Anne who was obviously unamused.
"The only thing I'm gonna be sleeping soundly on, is the fact that I'll never have to wake up next to the likes of you, Mr. Rackham." She snapped impatiently, doing her best to ignore the stubborn man.
"Ah, now that's no way to treat your," He paused to grab his stomach, letting it gurgle a minute before erupting in a long, disgusting burp. Smiling, he continued, "What was I saying?"
"You're a pig." Anne said curtly as she turned on her heel and walked away. Most days, Jack would leave it at that – he'd bother the young girl, tease her a little and imply he wanted to bed her right then and there, but this time was different. There was a look in the man's eyes that told Anne he wasn't going to leave her alone, no matter how many harsh insults or low jabs she sent his way.
Calico's voice got lower now, trying to speak quietly enough that only she would hear. "I'm not gonna ask again, Sweetheart. Now, how 'bout we make our way back to my ship…" Jack's voice was creepy at this point, and his grip strong as he took hold of Anne's arm. "Le's go, lass." He whispered in her ear causing an involuntary cringe to work its way down her spine.
"I've got work to do, Jack." She said as she tried to detach herself from his grip, to little avail. "Let go of me, damn it!" Anne's voice became louder, now more panicked about the situation as she realized Rackham wasn't playing. Most men continued drinking their brews and listening to the soothing music rather than start a fight with Calico Jack just cause he fancied a bar maid.
Anne was in a fright by this point. No man bothered to get off their asses and help her and she lacked the strength and conviction to scare Rackham away on her own. She knew that fighting him was out of the question; drunk or not, Jack still had more power than she could have wished to possess. The only hope she had of getting away from the pig was to run and hide.
Calico kept whispering sexual phrases in her ear as he pushed her in the direction of the docks, but she did her best to block him from her mind. The only thoughts zipping through her mind at the moment were how she was going to escape. His grip was still painfully tight on her arm and she knew she would have no chance to get away unless he loosened that grip for just a second. It was then that Rackham decided he wanted to sample his selection before he brought it back to his cabin. He slid his hands onto her hips, pressing his pelvis tightly against hers allowing her to feel his extremely-present manhood. Calico held her sickeningly close as he pressed his face to her neck, suckling at her soft skin. Trying to push away, Anne protested and squirmed hoping to be able to break loose of his grip.
At this point, tears were pouring down Anne's cheeks – she was trapped and there was nothing she could do about it, no one who could help her. In one last attempt to get away, she thrust her knee into the man's groin – unfortunately missing narrowly – yelling, "Help! Someone, ple-," She was cut off when Rackham slapped her across the face, knocking her straight to the ground.
"Shut the fuck up, you crazy bitch!" He bent over and said this aggressively in the sobbing woman's face, bits of spittle spurting from his lips. As he lifted his arm to send another blow her way, he was interrupted abruptly when he was tackled from above by a hooded man.
The mysterious man, his face still hidden, sent several sharp punches to Rackham's face until he left the man bleeding and unconscious on the ground. Anne quivered in fear, holding her knees to her chest, waiting for the man to reveal his face. Once he pulled the hood from his head, Anne felt a sense of relief wash over her. She didn't know the man personally, but she'd seen him in the tavern before – polite and quiet, always paid his tab and left a good tip.
The man walked over to Anne, holding out a hand to help the woman up. "You okay, darlin'?" He asked, gently brushing his fingers over her cheek where Rackham hit her.
Nodding, she answered, "Yes, I'll be fine, thanks to you, I reckon. What's your name, anyway? I've seen your face in the Old Avery now and again."
"Kenway. Edward Kenway. I assume you're the infamous Anne Bonny, am I right?" He asked, holding out his arm for her to intertwine hers with.
She smiled at his charm as she locked her elbow with his, "I'm the infamous Anne Bonny, am I? Looks like I've made quite the reputation for myself." They laughed in comfort as they walked back toward the heart of town.
They walked in silence for a while, enjoying the music lilting in the distance and the birds sounding overhead. Once they reached the town square, Edward spoke up, "I suppose I should ask where I'm taking you, as I'm sure you don't want to head back to the Old Avery."
She thought about it a moment, agreeing, "Aye, my home'll be as safe a place as any. This way." They continued to walk down the street while Anne asked, "So Edward, what brings you to Nassau?"
"What brings any pirate to Nassau?" The blonde man asked before answering his own question, "Gold, money, treasure."
The pair dodged a few loose dogs running wild in the street. "Aye, but looking for treasure and finding it are two different ideas entirely. What makes you think you're gonna find anything?"
He thought about this for a moment, pondering his answer, "Let's just say that I heard about this treasure from some powerful men – men that wouldn't spend time and resources looking for a prize that isn't real."
"Sounds dangerous." Anne said, letting his words sink in. What treasure was he looking for that had him talking in riddles? How could he be so sure it existed?
"Aye, and profitable, I wager."
"What, a couple thousand Reales?" She asked, attempting to lure more information out of him.
Edward began laughing at this point, "No, lass, not quite."
"You're really not going to tell me, are you?" She feigned be hurt by his secrecy, but really she was just incredibly curious. Anne was always a woman up for adventure, and this Edward Kenway had peaked her interests.
"Not likely." He smiled to himself, knowing that his silence was killing the woman inside. He could tell her about the Observatory and it wouldn't be a big deal, but he was having more fun torturing the poor girl. That, and every time he mentioned his elusive treasure, it usually caused people to laugh – and not with him, either.
After they finished the walk to Anne's house, she invited Edward inside. He made himself comfortable in her small abode, fortunate to be resting in a room not constantly being rocked by the current of the sea. She poured them each a large glass of rum, knowing that she'd need it after the night she just had.
"Thank you. What is your name, lass? I never caught it." Edward asked, taking a sip of his drink.
"Anne when their sober, a jilt when their sauced, but never a lady." She quipped as she tried to tidy up what little mess was scattered about her house.
Edward laughed, "You're a firecracker, that's for sure. How'd you get to Nassau? There's not a lot of women here who aren't working for a…simpler cause?" He tried to find the best way to phrase that most of the women of Nassau were prostitutes.
Putting a hand on her hip, Anne asked, surprised, "Are you asking why I'm not selling my body to the highest bidder, Mr. Kenway?"
"No, no! I'm just wondering how you got onto this island. Why'd you come here in the first place?" Edward stuttered trying to correct himself, finally calming down when a smile crept onto her face.
"Now that's a long story. You sure you're ready to hear it?" She asked, sitting in a chair across from the man.
"Aye," He answered, leaning back in his seat, getting comfortable. And so they talked for most of the night, drinking rum and sharing tales of their past. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that Edward deemed it best to head back to his ship and finish off his nights rest there. Still a little tipsy from his drinking with Anne a few hours earlier, Edward staggered most of the way back to his ship. It was still early enough that his captain would be asleep, which would allowed Kenway to slip below deck undetected. Unfortunately, his trip was cut short when he felt something solid hit him square in the back of the head, sending him straight to unconsciousness.
"And that was the first time I met the illustrious Captain Kenway, back when he was no more than another pirate; before the Templars and the Assassins, the Observatory and precursor temples. He was just an ordinary man back then, but his ambitions – they were anything from ordinary." I was talking to a few men now. The mention of Captain Kenway had a way of drawing in a crowd.
"So, is that it? You turn into Kenway's wife or somethin'?" One of the new arrivals asked, seemingly uninterested by her pirate story.
I laughed to myself, "No, not quite. Kenway was a close friend." I had to stop for a moment, remembering Edward fondly. He was selfish and conceited, often impulsive and childish, but he was loyal – through and through. "He was a good man." I started, only to be cut off by one of the drunks nearby.
"I heard he was a bloody asshole who cared only for himself." The man spat out, seemingly paying little attention to my tale.
I felt hurt by this comment, though I wasn't entirely sure why, it wasn't me that he was insulting. There was something about the way the man delivered the insult – so casual and confident, as if he knew the Captain himself. This was when I realized that I wasn't just telling another pirate story – this was something more. Edward Kenway could no longer lift himself from his chair and send a whirlwind punch in his own defense. James Kidd could no longer walk into the tavern, wielding words as one of his strongest weapons. The only chance these legends had of defending their honor was through what I could say for them. This is why I grabbed the dirty rag that was dangling from the edge of the counter and threw it over my shoulder as I concluded, "It's getting late, boys. Time to go home."
"What? You can't leave us with that! What happened?" One of the more interested men pleaded, hoping for more.
"I'm not much in the mood for story telling anymore. Come back tomorrow and you'll hear more." With this, I began going around to all of the tables, putting out the lanterns and candles that adorned them.
"Nice going, idiot, ya pissed her off!" One of the drunks said to the insulting man, along with a slap to the back of his head. I wasn't angry, just exhausted – physically exhausted, no, but mentally drained, yes. I thought it would be fun to recant the stories of my past, but so far, it just drudged up sad memories – memories I thought I'd buried for good.
Authors Note the Second: This was a short introduction, but I just wanted to give people a feel for the story. I will be introducing Kidd aka Read VERY shortly, as she is probably my favorite character. This is a Read/Kenway fic, so don't fret! And lastly, if you aren't all reading this on your cellular devices, then drop a review and let me know what you think! Or don't, it's really entirely up to you. :)