XII. Conflict

April 1718

"Oh bloody hell" Edward cursed to himself. He knew Adè was looking with a scowl at the wreckage leftover by the battle between The Queen Anne's Revenge and whatever ship Thatch had chosen to pick a fight with. Wreckage littered the waters, bodies floated on the waves, blue tinged with red. The sight of this reminded Edward of the failure that was to be had. He could not fail, he would not. To fail would mean that he would lose one of his closest friends. He couldn't stand the thought.

Mary stood on the other side of him, her brown eyes grim. She glanced towards him; her eyes lingering on his fingers, which were clenched so tightly on the wheel's pegs that that his knuckles were white. He knew that his Quartermaster and his friend were both worried about him and his only worry was on Thatch. He thought of Thatch when he died, the blood running off his face, the fear of his own mortality in his eyes…

"In a world without gold, we could have been heros!"

Heros indeed.

Would a hero turn his back on his friends? Leave them to die? Leave them to betray? Leave them to rot? No, Edward refused to think in any world, gold or not, would he have become a hero. Not the way he had once been. Not even now. He swallowed hard and he felt himself trembling with internal rage. He blamed himself so. He knew it was unhealthy but those he could blame, blame healthily, were very far out of his reach. He suddenly felt a hand on his elbow and he was drawn out of his own mind. He looked at Mary who was giving him a worried look, her brows all pinched.

"Are you okay?" She asked and she asked it slow, as if she were talking to someone who didn't quite understand her. Adè was giving him a funny look and he realized that Mary had probably asked him that a few times now. He forced his shoulders to relax and he forced a smile.

"I'm fine, just worried for Thatch. Damn this fog is thick, ain't it?" And like that the subject was changed. Adè went on about it but he saw Mary's eyes narrow. She wasn't dumb. She knew. She knew that something was wrong, that there was something he wasn't telling them. He didn't look at her. He said the reason he wasn't was because he had to look ahead, to watch the waters, but the truth was he was afraid. He was afraid if he met her eyes again she'd read what was wrong out of them.

Thatch was going to die. Soon. April wasn't a stone's throw from November. Edward remembered the date and he could guess the time. He had to find a way to keep the man from retiring. Perhaps they could save Nassau…

No, no…Too big of goals. He had to focus. The little things, save Thatch, save Ben, save Mary. Save whoever he could. He had to save who he could. Those who couldn't be saved…he tried. He would have to say he tried. He had to save Thatch though. He had to save Mary. He owed both of them so much. He had an awful feeling he would not be saving Ben, but Mary, but Thatch. They would not slip so easily between his fingers this time. He would not let them go so softly. They would stay with him, even if he had to rip them from fate's design.

"Ahoy, Captain! There's the Queen Anne's Revenge and she looks in a bad way!" Adè called out, pointing. He could see the crew on the shore, fighting for their lives.

"Take the wheel! I'm going ashore!"

"The crew will understand! Beat to quarters, lads! We're sailing into hell!" Adè grabbed the wheel, steadying it in his hands. "We'll circle, keep watch!" Edward didn't stop to reply, he was running towards the edge of the ship.

"Wait, Kenway, I'm comin' with you!" And when he dove into the water, he was not alone, Mary cutting into the water beside him. They swam and reached the shore at the same time, drawing their swords as soon as the water was at their hips.

"Did all your book-learning prepare you for a scuffle of this sort, Mister Bonnet?" He heard Thatch call and Edward felt his heart hammer. Bonnet. The good natured man who he had tried to assist in Havana. He had warned the man away from being a pirate, but for being such a gentleman he had a queer sense of adventure.

"Not in the least, sir, no!" The man called back, just barely dodging a sword swipe that would have left him without a leg. He balked and backed away, only to run into another man. They both went down in a tangle of legs and swords.

"For certain, there's more to be learned by doing than reading." Thatch roared, laughing his fool head off. "Remember that Mister Bonnet!"

"Thatch!" Edward cried. "You stirred up a nest of trouble!" He was sour with his mentor. He was. He let the look stay on his face, even as he cut down a man between him and Thatch. Kidd followed along with him, cutting down men as she went. Her sword was already slick with blood. Thatch turned to look at the two.

"In the services of a noble cause" He mock bowed and a man tried to take advantage of that. Thatch turned and opened up a new hole in his throat for his trouble. "I see you brought Kidd with you. Been too long since I lay eyes upon him"

"I've been busy." Mary replied, shoving her sword into a poor man's gut.

"Well, there is a galleon nearby, hopefully filled with medicines. You've heard of Nassau's troubles, eh Kidd? Let us crack these lobsters right quick and we'll catch up to her!" Edward didn't reply and nor did Kidd, for they focused on, as Thatch had put it, cracking the lobsters.

Edward glanced towards Stede and he was trying to parry with a man with four times his experience. "Oh God! Some aid here! Edward! Thatch! Please!" Bid the man and Edward sighed, turning towards his friend. He inserted his hidden blade into the man's throat and Bonnet fanned himself as if he were going to faint. He might. He was not cut out for this work.

"Easy, Bonnet. Keep your back to the sea!" Bonnet nodded and Edward turned back to the fray, though there wasn't much of one left. Kidd was kicking a dead body off her sword, Thatch was looking about for survivors. "You don't do nothing subtle, do ya, Thatch?" He snapped at the elder man, marching over towards him.

His mentor gave him a fierce grin. "Legends ain't born from mildness" And he would be a legend, that was for sure. Just then he saw a galleon sailing past their small island and Thatch cursed.

"Ge-Gentlemen!" Stede called, "I believe that would be our galleon!"

"Back to my ship, lads, quick as you please." Thatch was already running towards his ship. He and Kidd followed suit, Bonnet following behind. He thought about sending Mary back to his Jackdaw but he didn't want to force her. She was following because she wanted to or perhaps she wanted to see what happened next, what he had gone through.

He remembered her dying in his arms.

He saw her running beside him, her clothes flecked with blood.

The two images repelled each other and for a moment, Edward felt a little faint, like the memories were beginning to clash. The man he was then and the man he was now were not allowed to exist together. He was changing things. He was changing fate. It was not boding well for his mind. Was that the price he would pay?

He would gladly pay it. He'd pay it a hundred times over.

He forced himself to focus as he boarded Thatch's ship. He hurried to the helm and took it. "Call it out!" He yelled to Thatch. He noticed his voice was strained. Mary noticed too but he doubted anyone else did.

"Loose the mains! And head straight for that bloody ship! We'll have our medicines in little time at all!"

Edward did as he said, chasing down the damnable Man O'War. Thatch ordered all cannons focused on it and there was a deafening boom, so much louder than the Jackdaw's when its cannons fired. They seemed to fire in rows, one after another, noises and smoke piling upon themselves. They circled and fought, holes cut into both ships, but finally they broke the other, its main mast collapsing.

"We're short on powder, Captain!" A man called from the deck below. Thatch said some creative curses and Edward frowned at his friend and mentor.

"I'm seeing the devil you promised, Thatch" He said to the other man. It was clear that Thatch was seeing red, that he was ready to sink the other ship out of spite. He wished he could convince him that any other way was the right way. He saw Mary's eyes grow dark, but she did not comment.

"I'd have shown them my angel if they'd take quarter. No going back now. Ram the bastard! Send 'em to hell! We'll board them and find the captain and we'll end this!" Thatch snarled. Edward did as ordered, ramming the Queen Anne's Revenge into the other ship. Edward handed the wheel off to another and he, Mary, Thatch and others boarded.

Edward was trying to find the captain first, trying to end his life before Thatch got ahold of him, knowing he was in for a cruelty otherwise. He had a feeling that Mary was doing the same. Human decency was hard to hang onto when one was mad, or when one was used to getting their way. Pirates were used to getting their way and Thatch was also in a frightful temper. Never the best combination.

"You bloody fucking pirate!" He heard a man scream and Edward turned towards the noise. He saw Thatch towering over the captain who was on the ground with a knife in his knee. Mary met his eyes and they both hurried to either side of Thatch, ready to protect him if the ship's crew tried to rebel but as Edward looked around, there was no hope for that. Thatch's crew had swords and guns everywhere, most of the men of this ship were already on their knees. Edward looked at the malice in their eyes and he looked back at Thatch whose eyes were burning.

"I'm not a man accustomed to murder, captain. And if you'd take quarter…" He took his sword and suddenly shoved it into the man's chest. The man screamed in agony and Edward flinched, though he had done much worse to men. "you'd not be seeping now"

"Suck a muzzle, gobshite" Hissed the captain around his pain. "You'll be hanged and sun-dried, just as them that were in Boston"

"The King's called for a pardon!" roared Thatch, kneeling over the man. He ripped his sword out of his chest and stabbed him a few times in the neck. Soon the man stopped moving, but it seemed Thatch's anger was not so easily quelled. He threw the sword down and straightened, blood staining his coat.

"Captain" a voice interrupted them and had them all turning towards a man carrying a box. "We searched the hold. It's a middling take, but the medicine we found bears a Charles-Towne stamp"

Thatch, who had visibly calmed smiled and said "Thank you, Mr. Hands" He turned to Edward, probably expecting him to comment.

"What you've done is cruel, Thatch"

"No more than you Kenway. Don't think I haven't heard rumors of you and the men you've slayed." Thatch was tense. "I ignore them because you're a valued friend of mine…rare few I have these days…" Something in his voice let Edward think that he may have been thinking of Ben.

"Ed…" He pressed his lips together. "We can't resupply Nassau like this. We need to find a peaceful method" He changed the subject.

"There isn't a peaceful method, Kenway! It's a load of shite that Ben is trying to sell and I can't believe you're buying it" His voice became angry once more.

"Why don't we just go to Charles-Towne for the medicines we need?" It was Mary speaking. She was looking at Thatch when she spoke and Edward wanted to turn and scold her for suggesting it. Her eyes cut to him and he closed his mouth. What was she playing at? "If you'll have me, I'll accompany you and assist in any way I can"

"Alright." Thatch agreed. Edward was surprised. "Kenway, meet us in Charles-towne…One month from today. Get yourself prepared Kidd, we're leaving soon" And then he boarded his own ship. Edward watched as his men rounded up the prisoners. They'd be killed probably. Thatch had always been good about at least abandoning them on an island where there was a chance for them to survive. He had a feeling these men would receive no quarter though.

He turned to Mary. "What are you playing at?"

"Tell me what I need to avoid happening." She hissed back, keeping her voice low.

"There's nothing you can avoid now. You should have never spurred him into going into Charles-towne" He said simply. His heart sank. He saw the Jackdaw in the distance, heading this way. "There's nothing we can do now but hope that I can come up with another plan"

"Sorry, man" She sounded sincerely sorry. "I knew you were trying to change something but what…?" He looked at her and her mouth closed, her eyes pinched. She looked towards Thatch. "How cruel it is that you know our fates before we know them"

Edward looked towards Thatch. He saw him slap Bonnet on the back, laughing.

He saw him kneeled on the ground, blood pouring from wounds that covered his body.

His head swam. It hurt. He grabbed at it, as if trying to tear the overlying memories from his mind. He stumbled, he heard Mary call out to him. He felt the deck underneath him and he couldn't move his body. It felt heavy, he couldn't see anything but the clashing images and beyond that darkness. The images swam before his eyes and then Edward Kenway knew no more.

Edward wasn't sure where he was when he woke up. It took him a moment to realize he was in his quarters on his Jackdaw. He sat up slowly, his head swimming. There was a cup of water on the bed next to him and he wondered how he got here. He stood, slowly, feeling like his own memory was slipping through his fingers. Conflicting images once again showed in his brain. He realized, that despite everything, he had done things accordingly so far. Now he was fighting fate and it didn't like it.

It was fighting back.

He stumbled out of his room, feeling like he had a horrible hangover. Outside his room, he found Bonnet coming, with a tray of bread and cheese. What was Bonnet doing on his ship. Once he was spotted by the gentleman pirate, he saw him put the tray down on a table and hurry over to Edward's side.

"Edward…oh dear, you shouldn't be up. Don't you know you fainted?" He asked, holding onto Edward's arm, as if he needed to be steadied. Edward was grateful though. He did need to be steadied. He felt weak yet, recovering.

"I did? Where is…Thatch? Kidd?"

"They left. Told me to stay with you until you were well again. You should sit down, you look pale" Bonnet led him back to his room and he sat down on a chair. Bonnet sat on the edge of his bed, playing nervously with the edge of his sleeve. He didn't seem to know what to say or do. Edward sat in the chair again, regain his bearings.

"We need to go to Charles-Towne." He said at last.

"W-we? As in, both of us?" Squeaked Bonnet, looking startled.

"Of course. If you'll accompany me, I'd be glad to have you" He would, that was the truth. He would keep Bonnet from getting caught. He would be saving his life. He could work on turning him back to his wife and children while he was at it. A life of piracy did not fit this man. He needed to return to his wife, to his children, to be a proper father and husband.

But wasn't that hypocrisy on Edward's part?

He thought of Jennifer. He thought of Caroline. Then he thought Tessa and Haytham. His heart broke a little, knowing he would not see Caroline again, that he may never meet his daughter if they did divorce, that Tessa was probably a far off dream and Haytham may never be born. He had to keep going though. He had been given a second chance, a reason to hope, that things may improve for his friends and loved ones.

"We'll be leaving in the morning" Edward stood again, feeling much more steady. Bonnet stood as well, looking just as nervous as before.

"Are you sure? Blackbeard said I'm not much fit to work on a ship and that I might learn from my own" Edward frowned at this and reached out to clasp his friend's shoulder.

"You'll come with me. I'm more than happy to have you here and teach you a few things while I'm at it" He knew that his crew would not be happy with this. This was probably going to irritate them to have this man on the ship, unable to help with even the simplest of tasks. He would have to ask for peace though, for them to help him along. He could already see their disgruntled faces. He smiled a bit at the thought.

May 1718
Charles-Towne, South Carolina

As they approached, Edward saw the men that he was holding hostage. They were tired to his mast, upside down, sweating and whimpering for their lives. It was after dark and Charles-Towne was within sight. The one mad had bleeding cuts on his cheeks, the blood dripping down over his eyes. He was nearly sobbing, probably not from pain, but fear. At his side, holding the knife was Mary. She looked disinterested in his pain or fear but Edward could tell she was not happy from the way she stood. Thatch turned to see him and Bonnet approaching and fixed his face to a more neutral expression.

"Ahoy Edward, Stede"

"All of Charles-Towne can see this mess, Thatch. What the hell are you thinking?" He asked, gesturing to the men.

"That's the idea. Out of range, but well in sight." He smiled slightly but he seemed grim. Angry. Edward knew why of course and when he glanced at Mary he saw the temper flare in her eyes as well.

"Well, even with our methods…we've heard not a word from Charles-Towne" Mary said, her voice controlled. Thatch made a gruff sound, crossing his arms, seeming sour. "We sent a party ashore to barter with the governor a week ago."

"No noise since?" Edward asked, but he already knew the answer. "I'll handle it. Give me a day" Edward promised, turning away.

"Do you need assistance?" It was Mary asking.

"No, Kidd, I think can handle it." He told her simply. She narrowed her eyes a little but turned back to the hostages, her fingers playing with the small knife as if contemplating cutting another man up. He saw the next one in line struggle fearfully.

Finally he watched as she sighed and put the knife away. "It won't be no good to try and tempt their hand if Kenway is going to handle it…" He heard her say as he walked away.

"Leave 'em be then, Kidd. If Kenway fails…well…" It was clear from Thatch's voice that he didn't like the idea of him failing. Edward knew what he meant though. If Edward didn't come back from this, it meant he had probably been killed.

He had not died the first time and he knew he would not this time. He knew danger lay ahead and as he came back to explain to his crew what they would be doing he felt bad. He said he was going to think of his friends and crew first and yet here was the path, laid out as it had been. As he looked at Bonnet though he knew that was not true. It was not quite the same and couldn't be considered the same path.

He was going to do this right. The time was coming and he had to be ready. He didn't care if it drove him to madness.

Here's another chapter for everyone! Hope your holiday season has been wonderful. I think this will be the last update I get out this year. Can you believe I've been a member of this site for nearly a year? Maybe I should write more than Kiddway fics? haha. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Leave some reviews and we'll see you next chapter!