Chapter 24. It is mine to divide it, and yours to obey.
"Oliver?" Sam's voice trembled when she looked back at him. Her face went blank in a matter of seconds. "You…, you can't be serious… Why didn't you tell us earlier? Edward?" She looked at the pirate's face with uncertainty.
Edward tugged her protectively into his chest, raised his eyebrows, and cast a questioning look at Oliver.
"Now this is a good deal of revelation, lieutenant," Edward said through his teeth; he was strangely calm. "I am impressed you kept that a secret for this long."
Sam let out a quick gasp. He tried to calm her, enlacing his fingers in her hair in a soothing gesture, and he placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head.
"That is fine, Sam. It is still the Admiral doing."
"Are you not mad at him, Edward?" Sam looked like she was still processing the information, but was visibly affected by it. He thought she might cry if he didn't control his emotions.
Before answering her, Edward studied Oliver's face carefully. Steel eyes didn't avoid his gaze, Oliver's chin raised and face exposed, open for him to read. He got to trust this man in the course of last months, and he still did. It didn't matter what he'd just heard.
"He 'is' the Navy, Sam. It was a matter of time before the past to catch up to us. I do not hold any grudge, lieutenant." He locked his eyes with Oliver's. "The question is, what will you do," Edward said, and hesitated, taking a long break before speaking again, "or, as a matter of fact, whether you will or no, what options do you have."
Oliver returned his gaze. He raked his fingers through his hair, and muscles of his jaw tensed almost imperceptibly. Before he spoke again, he reached for Sam's hand, covering her palm with his.
"I do not mean any harm, to you or anybody of your crew. You know this, right, Sam? I hope you can still trust me. Nothing has changed for me." He cast a long look at Sam, reached for her cheek, but stopped right before touching her. He turned to Edward. "Out of all choices I can make, following my father's orders seems to be the most reasonable path to go. I was accused once of deserting the Navy and by the turn of faith and both of you, we are where we are. It would not be wise to act with haste and take any actions openly hostile towards the Crown. I fear any orders regarding my father's affairs will not arrive before Rodgers. In fact, he is likely to carry them himself."
Sam's eyes welled up with tears.
"So, there's no chance you could… stay?" She went on softly, her eyes glistening, locked on his.
Edward shook his head, and Oliver bowed slightly in her direction.
"Not without risking the desertion and the mutiny accusations to be reopened again," he said, "And all things considered, with the new governor coming here, it will be safer for all of us, at least for now."
"I agree with your judgment. Rodgers will have more Navy power on his side, in no wise be it smart, nor raise his suspicion with the Intrepid acting rebellious before we fully assess his strength. And before the lieutenant could put his hands on the orders regarding the Admiral's crimes."
"When will you have to leave us, Oliver?" She asked in a shaky whisper.
"I believe it is a matter of months," Oliver said.
"We should part ways sooner than that," said Edward, firm resolve resounding in his voice, "and the 'Intrepid' should sail away from Nassau. When we go down to the tavern today, try not to call attention to yourself. We have to be wary of Vane. He knows more than he led us to believe. I will see what I can find."
"I wish things have been different," Oliver said. Edward had no doubt he truly meant it.
"You fancy her, don't ye, Edward?" said Vane, with a smirk dancing all over his lips. They stepped into the afterdeck of the 12-guns brigantine he'd just shown to Edward, and he leaned over the railing. Edward walked over to stand by his side, taking in the view of the shimmering water and the busy Nassau beach.
They both watched the fortifications in the distance. Vane hissed through his clenched teeth, "she is fookin' exactly what you need."
"Aye, she is beautiful," Edward said, and a glimmer of admiration blinked in his eyes as he half turned to cast a last look over tall masts of the brigantine. The deck rolled slowly under his feet as the ship's hull got grazed by the tidal waves. The brigantine was light, nimble, and clearly built to endure long periods of time at sea. Carrying 12 canons on her lower deck, 6 at each side, the balance, and mounting of the guns were exactly what it needed to be.
"So, Edward, what do ye say"? Do we have a deal? Ye and your crew join me and my men under my command, and we take and plunder four ships."
"I need a vote from my crew first," Edward said, shooting a quick, side look at Vane, "you remember how the Articles work? Not that I expect you to still follow the Code."
"And you still keep to all the etiquette?! After all that messy affair with Robert?!" Vane let out a psychotic laugh. "The men that stayed with you after Robert staged this mutiny love you and trust you. Whatever you will bring up for voting it will pass."
"Yet it is still up to vote, Charles. If we agree, we might be serving under you, for the conditions agreed, but you are not my nor my crew's captain, and you do not give me orders. We remain independent."
A dark shadow passed through Vane's face, and a demonic grimace curled his lips. He composed himself soon enough.
"Take time for voting, but do not haste too long. I've heard some other interested pirates are in town. And they have a ship."
"You talk about Robert's crew. Serve yourself if you please," Edward said with a nasal snort. He knew Vane hated Robert. There was no way now he'd tried to blackmail him with an alliance with a man that had stabbed him in the back. "I am more inclined to believe you need me for your crew to have some trust in you again. Being ruthless like both you and Robert are is a short-lived strategy. It takes loyalty to lead the men."
Vane threw his head back in the maniacal laughter.
"That is fookin' gracious, Edward," he said sharply, his eyes restless, vicious. "You have the 'audacity' to talk about loyalty. You are lucky I do not accuse you of straightforward treachery."
"That's crazy talk, Vane."
"'Crazy talk, Vane? Eh?'" He lowered his voice to a paranoid whisper and squinted his eyes. "Ye are fookin' thinking I am a fool. But I am not. You thought you could sail right into Nassau port with the Cochrane's son, on his Navy ship, damn it? Ye thought I didn't recognise the lad, but I don't forget faces of the pirate hunters. Neither their ships. Tell me, Edward, what you aim for, bringing a famous pirate hunter right into our home? Who's crazy now?"
An icy shiver travelled down Edward's spine. He'd expected Vane to be suspicious, but not that he'd actually recognise Oliver. There had to be, however, something Vane wanted. Otherwise, the three of them, or at least the latter, would have already been dead, making their way to the Davy Jones Locker. He'd known him for too long to be intimidated, and Vane's careless attitude towards the revelation hadn't been accidental.
"That Is not what you think, I will grant you honesty, given our history," he answered, coldly, eyeing Vane warily. "Matters of opportunity. I needed a ship after the Admiral blew up the Poseidon's Revenge to chase after him, and to make my way back to Nassau. Don't read too much into it."
"But you lied to me who he was. Is this all about this wench? She got you good, old friend." Vane let out a guttural bellow, and Edward's palm immediately went to the hilt of his weapon.
"Careful what you say about her," Edward said, and let the air through his clenched teeth with a hiss.
Vane's palm rested on Edward's arm.
"Easy, I don't mean no harm. The lassie is exquisite. I give you that, no offense, mate," Vane said, his voice calm, serious. "We are still brothers, aren't we? Make our deal work with your crew and I will let the lad live. He may prove useful, after all. That is the courtesy I will grant ye for the old times' sake. Now fookin' get off from this ship and don't come back unless you agree to my terms."
Edward's palm was still tightened at his sword, but he nodded and turned away, aware that Vane's eyes were burning holes in his back as he walked to the ship's trap.