IV.
Hunting

Edward was thoroughly disgusted by the time they reached Kingston. His stomach felt sour with the annoyance, anger and injustice he felt. He couldn't stand Charles Vane. A blooming fucking bastard that one was. He was a nasty son of a bitch and he regretted sailing with him entirely. Thatch said he was an able captain and while that was true, he also had a terribly mean streak. His quarter master, Jack Rackham was…Well he was a damn drunk and Edward never thought he would think that of anyone with as much as he drank himself. Rackham spent three fourths of the journey drunk and the other part of it getting drunk.

But that wasn't what was making his stomach so sour. No, it was the fact that Charles Vane had killed innocent men and yes, laugh if you will, but Edward Kenway was no murderer. He killed to defend himself or because it was just job, no that did not make him a murderer. Not by his own books. He needed a way to fill his pockets and yes, that meant taking life. But he did not murder in cold blood. He would never do that.

See it all started when they spotted a ship in the distance, flying no colors. They assumed that it was another ship of privateers turned pirates such as them. Vane's ship flew a plain black flag as many of theirs did. They thought nothing of the ship until they noticed it had not changed course and seemed to be heading straight for them. Charles called him men to reel in the sails a bit, perhaps the captain had something to say to him. He was already cursing and bellowing – demanding it better be something good, lest he gut the captain like the pinprick he was. Edward assumed that Charles had something to drink at that point, only to be told by another sailor that Vane was always like that. He was always bellowing and cursing, like a mad dog of some sort.

Either way, the ship was coming up fast and showing no signs of slowing in the least. Then the boys in the nest above called that they had their cannons at the ready. Vane grabbed a telescope and cursed. He shouted profanities and orders in the same breath.

"Ready the cannons! Get the first fucking shot, you grog blossoms!" He bellowed at the top of his lungs. "Sails open, I want to be fucking moving right now" The sails snapped open, the men ran around like chickens, trying to hop to. Edward ran too. He had seen what Vane would do to a disobedient man already. The one was still laid up in his cot, unable to move his back was so torn up. He probably wouldn't move again for another two to three weeks and it had been nearly one already.

Well by the time they had their sails ready, by the time their cannons were ready, the other ship was ready too. Vane had his men fire first, battering the other ship. Usually, they wouldn't want to sink them, but Vane didn't give a shit. They were a threat, they needed to be taken care of. Men hit the deck as the other ship returned fire. Edward hated this. It had taken him a while to get to use to the fact that wood, tar and few other things were between him and the sea. Battles like these tended to ruin the wood and tar and other things. They could sink.

He could die.

But he didn't die. Not that day, no. They managed to get the other ship broken and Vane boarded them, found the captain and questioned him. Seemed they were pirates fallen on such hard times they were preying on other pirates. They all watched in silence as Vane paced the other ship's deck, the captain and the remaining men tied up before him.

"So, you've taken to others flying the colorless flag" He nodded to himself, his wild mane of black hair bobbing around him. "How does that sit with you lads?" He was asking them, his crew. None of them spoke, afraid to give the wrong answer.

"It's wrong!" someone called. Vane pointed into the crowd.

"Yes! Exactly!" He turned back to the captain and crouched down before him, tilting his head so he could look into the captain's eyes, hands on his legs. "It's WRONG" He bellowed the last word into the other's face. Edward was sure that the other captain had pissed himself by now. Vane stood again, "Why exactly is wrong, lads?"

"Because it's cowardly!" The same voice called. A few others, bolstered by this voice called 'yeah!'. Edward wished they'd shut up and not play Vane's game. He had a dangerous look in his eyes. A look that Edward did not favor, so he stood stiff and silent, wishing he were back with Thatch. Crazy as he was, Thatch was at least not outwardly cruel.

"Ah, is it lads? Is it? I think its quite with genius, but you are right. It is cowardly, it is wrong and he and his mutinous crew should be punished. Aye?" He was grinning at them and holding his arms out, as if waiting for their cheers. Most everyone cheered, yelling for punishment. Edward wanted to speak against it, knowing whatever was to follow was going to be horrid. He knew if he spoke against it, there was a heavy chance that he would suffer just as much though. Smartly, he kept his mouth shut.

"No, no, no…I will never pirate again, please…don't…don't hurt me" The Captain was whimpering.

"Hurt you?" Vane turned back, probably smiling. "Ah, I don't plan to hurt you. I plan to take revenge for the damage you did to my ship when you plotted to take her." The captain tried to stutter excuses but Vane shot him in the lower leg. His excuses turned to a scream of pain and Edward felt bile rise in his throat.

He had seen battle, he had seem what seemed like war. He had killed people, he had gutted them. He had seen people killed; he had watched them die before him. He was disgusted by this though. The man was tied up. This was torture.

"That was for ruining a perfectly good set of sails." Vane snarled. He put the gun away. He pulled out another and shot the same leg, only higher up and there was the sound of bones cracking and splintering. The man screamed again. "That's for…" and the game went on. They were all forced to stay and watch. Vane's crew cheered, knowing if they didn't, they would be punished as well. Edward faded to the back of the crowd so he wouldn't have to watch, but he could still hear.

Charles killed the captain, then sunk the ship with all the men tied below deck. He took no quarter. He gave no mercy and that was what gave Edward such a sour taste in his stomach. So he stormed through the streets of Kingston and found himself at a tavern. He sat, had a drink with the money he had earned from working on Vane's ship. That left him disgusted all over again, but at least he wasn't penniless.

He left the tavern feeling sour yet, but not so much so. Vane was busy doing whatever business he had in the town and he had promised to let Edward to his own. He felt like the women were really here. He just had to track those witches down and get his money back from them already. If they didn't have it, he'd…well he'd at least get revenge.

Not like Vane had gotten "revenge" on that captain, but he'd get revenge somehow. He wasn't heartless though and though these women were dangerous, they were still women. They couldn't be so bad. At least he didn't think so. He really only wanted his money or compensation.

So he walked through the town. He wanted to ask someone if they had seen the women, but their descriptions grew blurrier and blurrier in his mind. He felt like the drug that Maura had given him had blurred his mind somehow. Else it was the drink he had doing that. Either way, he wandered and he looked hoping to spot the women somehow. He searched and searched. He stopped for another drink at one point then searched some more. Sometimes he would sit and watch others go by, just hoping that he would see one or both of the women. He didn't.

Soon enough night fell and he gave up hope of finding the women that day. He had to try and find Vane now, see how long he was staying here in Kingston. If they weren't staying long, he might stay behind and sign onto another ship after he found them. Of course, he didn't know how long they were staying in this city so he might as well leave when Vane left. If he didn't find them tomorrow, he knew he might as well give up hope.

He was just walking onto the docks when he noticed a man asleep or maybe dead, leaning against some crates at the edge of the docks. He frowned at the man and kicked him with his foot. He groaned and rolled over a bit, his eyes flickered open.

"'Oy, is that you, Jack Rackham? Get your lazy arse up. Where the hell is Vane?" Edward kicked him again. Jack kicked back this time, cursing and sputtering.

"Up your arse, lad!" He groaned and flopped to the side once more, intent on sleeping off his drink. Edward leaned down and dragged the quartermaster to his feet, where he stumbled and cursed some more.

"Where. Is. Vane?" He snarled but movement caught his eye. He let go of Rackham who stumbled back against the crates. "Quiet you!" His hissed. He pulled the other man back down and peeked over the crate. He saw movement again, the sway of a skirt and finally a woman with dark hair entered his vision in full. She had been lurking behind a crate, watching a guard come by. She stood now and was examining the ships out in the water, her mouth seemed to be moving, she was mouthing words to herself.

Son of a bitch! She's planning on getting onto a ship and getting out of the town! He thought angrily. Jack was peering over the crate as well now, staring straight at who Edward thought –nay, he was sure it was – Maura. Maura, the bitch who had knocked him out and robbed him, though he knew now that Rayna had just been the bait.

"She's got a nice ass" Jack was leering.

"She's not as nice as she looks, Jack" He warned in a soft voice.

"I bet I could soften her up. I wouldn't mind her hospitality."

"Shut up Jack"

Edward crept out from the crate but too late. He saw two guards coming. He ducked down behind some more crates. The guards shooed Maura off the premises and watched her walk away. What they didn't see was Edward – and even Jack Rackham – following after her as silently as they could.


Mary glared bitterly at the docks. She had found two or three promising ships but without a clear look at them, without being able to stand and observe them a little longer, there was no way to tell which ship to take. In the morning some would already be gone. She cursed to herself and she stopped a moment in the empty street, her hands on her hips, feeling ill of temper. That was when she heard the scruff of footsteps behind her. That gave her pause and she turned.

There stood a man, glaring her down. She didn't have a clue who he might be. She looked at him for a long time. She thought she should know his face, it was a teasing memory on the edge of her mind. She turned completely to face him.

"Do I know you?"

"You should" The man replied. His voice stirred her memory. "You robbed me. In Nassau. I've come to get what you stole from me back"

"Sorry, lad. I don't have it" She began to back up. He advanced, keen on her tactic.

"Don't you run, Maura!" He snapped at her.

"Too late!" And she turned, running as fast as she could, despite her dress. She heard him running after her, cursing her for everything she was worth. She knew he was gaining on her and it didn't seem to matter what she did, he was right behind her, following straight after her, almost close enough to grab her. She made a sharp turn and slammed into the chest of another man. She backed up and Edward was right behind her. She turned to glare at him.

"You have no where to go" He told her.

"You can't hold me!" She spat at him.

"That's what you think" The other man behind her grabbed her arms and she jerked her left arm hard, hitting him in the gut. He went down and she drew her dagger and turned back to Edward. She held it out at him, ready to gut him and leave him on the street if she had to.

"Fucking bitch" The other was cursing.

"Put the knife down, lass" The first one said, overriding the others curses.

"Go to Hell" She snarled.

He drew a gun. She felt herself pale but she didn't drop her knife. Killing her wouldn't get his money back. Rhona had it with her, back at their safehouse. She wouldn't leave until they were getting ready to leave for sure. Mary didn't blame her and right now she was glade that the other woman had remained behind.

"Are you going to kill me, lad? Is that what you're going to do?" She jerked her knife at him and he jumped back, still wary of being gutted she could see. He held the advantage, but it was clear from his eyes that he rather not shoot her if he didn't have to. "You don't have the balls to do it."

She was trying to psyche him out, make him throw down his gun and just retreat like the worm he was. She doubted that he would just give up, but at least he could put down his gun and slink away to where ever it was that he came from. She felt her heart pounding with real fear though. One pull of that trigger and that was it for her life. She didn't want to die. She didn't want to die, but she might. Oh, she might.

"Don't i?" The man asked and then he pulled the trigger. She flinched, covering her face, as if that might stop the bullet. The gun clicked and there was no bang. The man smiled, as if he found something funny. "But I don't want to kill you. I want my money back"

Then suddenly someone hit her in the back of the head with something blunt, hard. She fell forward, her last sight being the smug man's boots right by her face.


A/N: Thanks to those who Favorite'd and Follow'd and Review'd this story once more. I'd love a few more reviews if I could though. Also, I am still looking for those Betas. If any of you have a Beta Profile, feel free to send it to me and I'll look it over. If you don't, that's fine and we can discuss things in a message as well. Anyway, thank you for reading and see you all next time!