Edmund stared at me, his hand held against his chin as he thought. We were in his study surrounded by books, maps, papers, and little trinkets. It had been months since he returned home. He had written about problems with both pirate attacks-although very infrequent thanks to the EITC-and a deal becoming strained by the manufacturers wanting a higher cut of what was sold.

I had asked him something that would help settle my heart after the news of pirate attacks. Hopefully my request would not fall to deaf ears.

My lip twitched. Hopefully? Why would I think he would not listen? Why-

"You want to learn how to use a sword?" Edmund interrupted my thoughts.

I nodded, "Only to learn how to protect Joseph especially since I know you want to relocate to Port Royal within the year."

His eyebrow lifted and lips quirked in interest. "Now, how did you find out?"

I leaned forward to place a hand delicately on his desk, "Racheal tends to divulge information that her own husband divulges."

"Ah, Weatherby… Knew I couldn't trust him," Edmund laughed lightly.

I remained silent as Edmund finished laughing. He relaxed in his cushioned chair while I leaned in further. The mirth left his eyes then, "No, you cannot."

It felt like a cold bucket of water had fallen over on top of me. My cheeks reddened in embarrassment or shame or anger. Emotions swept over me in such a hurricane I couldn't tell them apart one from the next.

"No?" I questioned softly. My eyes watered with tears prickling in frustration and embarrassment from the prompt refusal. An anger like fire swelled in my chest. Fists tightening and teeth clenching made me vision begin to turn a light hue of red.

"No," Came his firm response.

"Why not?"

"It is not something for my wife. You could be hurt. You would be hurt."

"Not something for your wife? Is that not my own decision?"

Edmund bit his lip, caught in his own words. "I'm only trying to look after you, Mercy."

"By stopping me from learning how to protect myself and Joseph?"

"Why would you need to protect yourself and Joseph when you have me and the rest of the ship to care for you?"

"You won't be able to protect us the whole time, Edmund! There could be pirates that attack us! O-or even someone on your crew could be unreliable and hurt us!"

"The crew is hand picked by me! Are you doubting my capabilities?"

"Am I not allowed to doubt? These will be strangers! I have no clue who they are and how loyal they are to some obscure rich noble!"

"Loyal enough!" he snapped quickly, "I have sailed with these men several times and not a single time have we been in deadly circumstances that were not overcome!"

"Then it could be this time that something horrible happens!"

Edmund opened his mouth to say something more but closed it. His face was red from our argument and his bright green eyes dull from barely held fury. My husband waved his hand and settled into his chair, I hadn't even noticed when he stood. That did not stop me from continuing my pursuit. Anger clouded over reason as I stood over him.

"This conversation is over, Mercy."

"No it is not, Edmund. It is not over until I say it is."

"This is not a conversation anymore, then. It is purely one-sided and you refuse to listen to sense."

"Sense?" I sputtered before letting out a bitter chuckle. "You've not made any sense since we started talking. You are simply stating things that any standard English man would say to his lowly wife!"

"You are my wife and talking to me like this is unacceptable!" Edmund was standing now, steadily making his way to stand chest-to-chest. Towering over me by the slightest inch to intimidate me.

"I could very well say the same to you!"

Edmund was now in front of me. I saw his hand dart up. That monster flashed in my mind, his breath stinking of tobacco smoke. My mother cowering behind me who stood tall against our oppressor. My eyes opened when there was no pain, no harsh clap, no falling to the ground, no bruises blooming on pale skin. Edmund stood in front of me. His face still red, hand still held up, eyes wide in shock at what he was about to do.

"Leave," he muttered quietly.

I did not need to be told again.

Tears pricked at my eyes as I ran as fast as I could out of his study. My body darted past servants gracefully but tremors shook me violently all the same. It only took a moment for me to be standing in front of the old tree. My legs shook for a moment before I fell to my knees in the soft grass under that great tree. Tears slithered down my cheeks and sobs ripped through my throat.

What I thought was over had come back to ruin what I had. He was going to strike me. I had never escaped from cruel fate. I will never be strong enough to leave.

"Mama?" a small familiar voice called out.

I quickly rubbed the tears away, carefully placing a false smile on my lips and moving my skirt into a more neat circle around my legs. It vaguely reminded me of my mother, and I felt a disgust course through me. I never wanted to be like her, but here I was. Weak.

My small Joseph ran towards me. He wrapped his arms around me. His maid playmate was far off in the distance out of breath from running after him, but I could have cared less.

He smiled up at me innocently before eying my face and snuggling in for another hug. Tears welled up in my eyes again. I pushed them back again.

My mother never stood up for herself or me, but that doesn't mean I could not stand up for him. If I could not learn openly, I could learn secretly somehow. Someone would be willing to teach me and if not I'll teach myself.

I took my little Joseph into my arms. My little lullaby coming out of my throat to assure him I was fine and to comfort myself. The tiny words became stronger as I remembered other songs my mother taught me. Although she was weak in the face of my father; my mother did know how to comfort.

Rachel frowned at me when I finished my recalling of the events. My eyes were watery but I swallowed the feelings down. I needed to talk with her, she would help me with my troubles. Give a new perspective even.

"He was not wrong," She finally said after a moment of silence. "He was not right either."

My eyebrows furrowed, pressing for an explanation through my expression only. There was a light tap of the tea cup against its china plate when Rachel set it down.

"Refusing to help you learn to wield a sword is not wrong, not in the view of the other wealthy," she explained carefully. "I believe that if it is something you want to do he should not refuse it. I am sure there are a few women who know how to wield a sword."

"Exactly-"

"-however, you bringing in his capability to have a trustworthy crew is unreasonable and unacceptable. Turning his refusal to accept your idea into a reflection of yourself as a lowly wife was disgraceful, Mercy."

A blush spread across my cheeks. Anger was spreading in my chest but a small voice of wisdom told me not to let it burst. I nodded numbly.

Rachel's eyes turned soft. Her hand lifted to cup my cheek gently, "All will be fine. It is a mistake and you will learn from it."

I nodded quietly, finally letting the tears fall. They sneaked down my cheeks to Rachel's hand still on my cheek. Noticing the tears my friend rose from her chair and embraced me. I sobbed against her chest with her hand gently stroking my back.

It took a few more moments of her gently consoling me to finally gain my composure again. I heard two sets of feet bounding towards us and knew my time was up. Quickly swiping away my tears with a handkerchief, I saw Elizabeth with an all too familiar look of disgust. My son had a blush running across his freckled cheeks.

"Auntie, Joseph ate something weird again!"

"No I did not," he mumbled sheepishly.

I blinked slowly. My attention turned to Joseph. Rachel grinned in amusement and all the past tension drained away.

"Joseph, what did you eat?"

"Nothing," he mumbled.

"He ate a bug!" Elizabeth interjected.

Rachel laughed at the betrayed look Joseph gave Elizabeth. I could almost laugh myself but maintained my composure, "Joseph, does a proper young man eat bugs?"

He stared at the ground, "No, mama."

"Why did you eat a bug?"

He remained silent. Refusing to answer. I sighed quietly.

"Did it taste good at all?"

He glanced up confused before looking back at the floor and awkwardly shifting his feet. "No…"

"Then I believe that this is punishment enough. Do not do it again unless you want your father to know about it," He nodded before turning and leaving with Elizabeth and a maid.

I pressed my fingers to the bridge of my nose, "You are lucky to have a little girl."

Rachel laughed.

"Mama! Look what father gave me!" Joseph ran forward with his tiny hand held up.

I smiled but it could not reach my eyes, the memory of our fight left a bitter taste in my mouth but Rachel's wisdom sweetened it. My husband and I had not talked too much since that fight a month or two ago. He was away almost constantly and locked himself in his study when he was home.

"What is it, dear?"

His hand opened to reveal a glimmering gold medallion. A chill traveled down my spine at the sight of it. An ominously grinning skeleton was inlaid in the center with sharp triangles circled around it. I felt it stare through me despite its inanimate eyes.

"Father said it was pirate treasure! I can be a real pirate!"

"Oh no!" A grin reached my eyes. "Are you going to capture me?"

He seemed confused for a moment before grinning and trying to grab at me. I carefully avoided him and began to quickly walk around the room trying to escape from my son turned pirate. Joseph laughed giddily as he ran. The maids nearby smiled until he turned to chase after them. I laughed and opened the door as Joseph gave chase to us down the hallway.

A few of the servants darted out of our way as we raced down the hall. I picked up my skirts to prevent them from hindering my movements too much. We passed our butler who looked surprised for a moment before following after us. He matched pace with me as I swerved away from Joseph's outreached hand.

"My lady, Rachel Swann has arrived with her daughter," He spoke quietly in my ear. "They are in the foyer."

"The foyer?" I looked at him then turned my attention back to the halls. A smile creeped onto my face, swiftly turning down the hallway to head towards the foyer. I rounded the corner and quickly opened the door to the foyer to see a lovely sun and sky holding hands. Elizabeth was dressed daintily in her cute baby blue dress and her mother in a pale yellow gown.

I hid behind Rachel who was quite stunned to see me racing into the room. "Help me, a fearsome pirate is trying to kidnap me!"

Elizabeth smirked and began to join the chase with Joseph. The two children chased after Rachel and I through a couple rooms. The paintings and decor flying past in a blur of color and giggles. I turned to look at the children and then ran into a fairly solid object.

I stumbled back slightly only to see my husband towering above me. My eyes hardened, but the children's giggles still echoed as Elizabeth and Joseph grasped my wrists.

"Now, what is going on here?" Edmond asked gruffly. His eyes shifting from me to the little children now at my side. His brows furrowed, exaggerating a new wrinkle that had formed between them. I remained quiet.

Joseph smiled, "Yar! We have taken the treasure!"

Elizabeth echoed his "Yar!" and nodded enthusiastically. I looked back at Edmond. His tense eyes relaxed at the sight of their combined enthusiasm. A playful smirk that had been absent for too long now illuminated his face.

"Then I assume I will just have to give up," he shrugged playfully and began to walk away.

The two children seemed a touch sad but began dragging me away. Then, in a flurry of motion, I had been picked up by my waist and flung over Edmond's shoulder. A yelp escaped my throat and the children chased after us.

"This is not how you apologize," I grumbled to him.

He sighed, "I know but for now let the children play, Mercy dear."

"If I must," I jested with a dramatic huff of air. Out of the corner of my eye I saw his grin widen a little more. It still didn't feel quite right, but it was better than before.

Authors Note:

I did it late. Whoops. I forgot yesterday was a wednesday and I've been working on some art to make a new cover for this story. I did not really read over this chapter too well and I know I had trouble on it so any critique is welcomed :)

Coconutplums: I'm really happy to hear you like little Joseph. I tried really hard to get people to appeal to him and it is a good thing it was a success. The Swanns too. I just sort of threw out what I thought their dynamic would be considering how free willed Elizabeth is her mother must be the same to encourage such curiousty in the movies. As for a pairing... yes there is one. I decided not to put it in until later because spoilers.