It had been nearly a week since he first met his daughter, he had told her many stories of Nassau, Pirates, Treasure and most of all Mary Read. He has yet to tell her of their relationship and the fact that she will soon be a sister, fearing he may throw too much information at her at once. He's pulled from his thoughts when he hears her curious voice, "Father, did you always know how to sail a boat?"
"The Jackdaw is a ship, Jenny, not a boat."
"But did you always know?"
He sighs, "No, I learned when leaving Bristol." She pauses, "When you left mother." It had been more of a statement than a question, I pained him to hear the tone in her voice. What had Caroline told her? "Well I didn't leave. I didn't leave without saying goodbye that is, it was an arrangement you see, between your mother and me."
"She said you left her and she said you always talked about sailing a boat and always talked about making money in the new world." Jenny talked not even taking a breath of air between sentences.
"I did always want to sail a ship, that's true, but not for a lot, just to support us and take care of her and you."
She shakes her head, "Not me, mother said you didn't know about me and you only wrote her letters once a year and that she never knew where to find you."
Edward sighs, "That's all true and I'm sorry if I'd known earlier I'd might have come home. I hope that I would have." Edward is quiet and he decides to change the subject, "Would you like to meet the woman from the stories I tell you?" Jenny's face lights up, "You'd let me meet a pirate?" Edward laughs, "I'm going to let you in on a secret." He kneels down next to her and holds onto her shoulder gesturing towards his crew. "You're on a pirate ship Jenny, look around you, we are all pirates. But we're good pirates only stealing from the wealthy." She gasps, "You mean like Robin hood?" He laugh, "Not exactly." He stands back up straightening the wheel, his mind wandering to Mary wondering if she missed him. He had to catch Roberts quickly and get back to Great Inagua. He shouts and order to his crew quickening his pace, "I want wind on ever inch of sail!"
The Jackdaw finally makes its way to the small island of Principe, he turns to the small child grasping her by the shoulders, "Jenny I need you to stay in the Cabin, Adé here will keep you safe. I will be back shortly and I can introduce you to Miss Read." He gives her a small hug and quickly rises to his feet.
He jumps into the water swimming quickly to the island. He runs up the dirt path only to be surrounded by pirates, he jumps into a bush waiting for the perfect time to strike. That's it! He aims his pistol at a barrel of gun powder, the container explodes blowing the guards away with it. He runs up a fallen log and hops over the fence.
When he lands he looks around seeing corpses laying every which way on the ground, he turns around when he hears a pistol being cocked. "Roberts!"
"You sure a persistent one, what do you want with me anyway?" Roberts doesn't dare lower his pistol. Edward throws his arms up, "I only wish to share in the wealth of the observitory, I hear you know a lot about it." Roberts lowers his pistol, "Maybe I will trust you, but only if you prove your worth. Kill the Captains Burgess and Cockram, then maybe I will share my information." Roberts runs in the opposite direction, "If you see any of my crew send them my way."
Edward continues down the path killing guard after guard. Occasionally hearing something about a captive? Must be Roberts crew they are talking about. He makes his way to a small town a few houses here and there. He sees one of his targets quickly taking him out, all that's left is Cockram, who spins around shouting, "Come out of hiding Kenway, We have something precious of yours."
Edward stays seated where he is, one of the many pirates surrounding the area drags someone towards Cockram. He rips off the gag in her mouth and she cries. Edwards heart drops, "Jenny!" He shouts exposing his hiding spot, Cockrams grin widens as he points his pistol at the girl, "Don't come any closer, you don't want me to have to kill her!"
"Don't you dare hurt her!" Edward shouts.
"Or what? You'll kill me? Can't quite do that while surround by my men." Edward turns around seeing the threatening soldiers surround him. "I will surrender, just let the girl go!" Cockram laughs, "There is no bargaining, I will just take both of you! She's still very young, I can make a fine profit off of her! Men, arrest him!" The world goes black as the butt of a rifle finds its way to the back of Edwards head.
Edward is awoken to the sound of crying, looking around he only sees black, he shakes at his shackles earning him a stern kick to the side. He bends over letting out a sigh in pain, "Be quiet!" He hears another small cry and a slap. "Leave her alone you bastards! She's only a child!" Edward is kicked again in the side as he struggles with the chain. He settles down letting the tears run down his face.
After a while her hears silence and assumes that the soldiers have left, he pulls at the chains again, seems like someone didn't tighten these enough. He pulls on hand through but the other one is stuck. He quickly rips the fabric that was covering his face happy to see again. He looks down at his hands and frown, guess there's no way around this. He look away and bends his thumb painfully with his free hand, letting out a whimper when he hears the snap in his left hand. He pulls it free from the cuffs and twists his thumb back into place.
Looking down at his ankles he sees that those are also locked, he grabs onto the bar and smashes it a few times away from the chain happily ripping it from the floor. He hops up and runs towards the door way of the empty room. He hides behind a crate as a guard walks into the room, he jumps behind him twisting his head sharply breaking his neck. He picks up the guards sword and makes it to the next room stabbing a guard through the back of the neck. Clearing room after room he finally finds crying daughter, he quickly scoops her up and runs above deck collecting his weapons as he passes.
He peeks his head through the small door of the ship happy to be greeted by moon light, he looks around quickly seeing no one on deck and hops up, pulling Jenny up with him. He runs to the side and throws a small boat over board, he jumps in, Jenny in his arms and quickly paddles to freedom, she holds onto his chest tighly, "We aren't going to be eaten by sharks are we?" Edward chuckles, "Sharks are the least of our worries right now.
Dawn peaked over the water throwing hues of yellows and reds upon the water, Edward had been paddling for hours not slowing his pace in the slightlest, one wrong wave and both father and child lost forever. He finally makes it to a near by island stopping to catch his breath. He pulls the small boat up the shore and wake the sleeping child. "Father, where are we?"
"I'm not sure but we are safe for now, we're going to rest here for a bit and hopefully we will be able to make it back to my crew." She grabs onto her father's leg again and looks up to him, "Papa I don't want to see Miss Read anymore, pirates are scary." Edward chuckles and smoothes her hair with his hand. "She won't hurt you, even if she had to."
Edward was loosing hope he had seen several ships pass by but not a single one had stopped. He flops down on the sand frustrated, missing yet another schooner pass by. "Father, look what I found!" She brings him a small bottle with a note inside. He grabs it excitedly, this is just what he needed! Hopefully the reflection from the bottle would entice a ship to come investigate.
He uncorks the bottle pulling the paper out, "What is it father?"
"Looks like a treasure map, and I think the location it right there!" He points to a spot in the sand and Jenny excitedly hops up digging into the soft sand with her small hands. Edward stands to help her but stops when he sees a ship on the coast line, he quickly pulls out the bottle and shines it in the direction of the ship.
He let's out a cheer as he watches the ship change course directly to their small island. He helps Jenny finish digging the hole and pulls out the chest just as the ship stops infront of the island, his heart drops when he sees the templar flag at the top. One of the men get out of the boat and question the man. "What are you doing on this island?" The templar demanded.
Edward swollows the lump in his throat, he had never really been a good lier. "Well my ship was under attack and we were marooned on this island. My daughter Beth and I found this chest full of gold, you can have it if you take us to Havana!" Jenny gives her father a curious look and starts to say, "But father I'm Je-" Edward quickly cuts her off turning his head he winks at her, so that the men can't see. "Generous I know honey, these nice men are very generous."
The templar captain looks at the man strangely but eventually agrees, he orders one of the men to grab the chest and haul it aboard.
The ship pulls into port and Edward turn to the man great fully thanking him, he quickly hops off the ship with his daughter and runs to the assassin's bureau. Rhona is less than happy to see him, she crosses her arms angrily, "What do ya want Kenway?"
"We need a ride home." Edward asks hopefully, unaware of the anger the woman was holding back. "Do ya now, and what makes you think I'd help someone like you? And who is this child you have here?" Edward looks down at the sleeping child, "Can you keep a secret?" She nods towards him, "She's my daughter, I just found out about her."
Rhona's eyes soften, "Alright I'll help ya home, but only because a child as young as that shouldn't be in the danger of being marooned. Follow me." She brings them into the bureau and introduces Edward to a stocky man sitting at the bar, "Danny boy, can you take Captain Kenway back to his home for me?" The man stands clenching a large fist, "The same man who abandoned his child?" Gee news does travel fast, "Hey I didn't abandon her, I didn't even know of her!" Edward defends himself, the man faces towards Edward, "Posh, that's not what I heard, but lets get going, before I change my mind."
The voyage was quiet but luckily quick, what was he to tell Mary when they got back? "Oh by the way this is my seven year old daughter?" Finally the ship pulls into port, the crew lowers the gang plank and the two walk off, Jenny holding his hand. The young girl turns around waving to the ship, "Thank you sir!"
Edward walks with his daughter to the general store, buying himself a bit more time. "Father I want this one!" She points out a small doll with black hair, "She's like the one from the stories!" He laughs handing the shop owner a small pouch of gold, the two walk out of the shop and up the trail path to his manor.
"Father is this where we are going to live? This house is much bigger than the one at home." Edward is silent, too nervous for what is to come, he finally walks into the doors with Jenny. He searches room to room for Mary sighing in relief when she is no where to be found, she must be off with Anne.
"Who are you searching for father?" He pats her on the shoulder, "You'll find out soon enough."
