I apologize for the wait.
Life is just hell right now.
I am truly sorry if this chapter isn't up to snuff, I will try with all my might to continue writing Liete's story with the skill it deserves!
Please let me know what you think, please.
Listen to The Runner and The Lover by Former Vandal for this chapter.
-g.
Edward leaned against the railing to the left of the ships wheel, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes watched the men around him repair and prepare the ship for a night of anchorage.
The Jackdaw would rest to the back of the island that Du Casse had taken refuge in for the night, allowing Kidd and his ship to catch up to them, and to allow Edward a full day to trek across the island landscape to take Julian by surprise.
He couldn't afford to storm the front, not only because of the possibility of being seen and then unable to stop Julian from sending word to the Templars of his existence, but because he was unwilling to gamble Liete's safety a second time.
With the adrenaline gone from her system, she'd excused herself from the deck where she had deigned to help the sailors around her in their chores to take a siesta in his quarters.
Julle had popped her head out for only a moment, to bark at Adewale in Jamaican slang, which had brought a light red tint to his dark skin. The quartermaster threw words in exchange, before stomping his way down to the cabin, disappearing inside for a moment before coming out with a chamber pot which he held as far away as his arms could go.
The fact that the mountain of a man had bothered to help the small servant woman who'd clearly been sick to her stomach with the day's events, had truly surprised Kenway.
Not that he knew everything there was about Ade, but he'd never known a man, a pirate, and a criminal, to take orders from a woman with no complaint.
He must be sick, Edward thought amused, ignoring the small voice in the back of his head that meant to remind him that Liete had ordered him away many times and he'd listened.
Adewale had returned the chamber pot to the woman, went into the hull of the ship, to return with a small jug of fresh water from their supplies.
Julle had accepted the offering with a surprised smile and a soft thank you. Ade, uncomfortable with the praise, bowed his head and hurried away from the door as she watched him with wide eyes.
Adewale had returned to helping patch the side of the Jackdaw with the spare wood they'd kept below, but not before he'd glanced to where Edward had been showing Liete how to collapse the various sails along the ship.
They'd met gazes for a moment, setting Ade off in a huff.
Only moments after had Liete excused herself to rest, leaving Edward to feel the brunt of the day's events leaving him suddenly exhausted.
It found him now leaning against the railing as the days light quickly disappeared beneath the horizon as lanterns flared to life along the ship, the chatter between the pirates now dead as they finished their respective chores.
A bellow from below let the men know that dinner was served, and like a herd each man rose and dropped what they were doing to make their way to the small trap door that lead down into the hull.
After a few minutes, the Jackdaw's deck was cleared except for two men, one who climbed up the netting to the crow's nest to keep a look out, and one began to stand watch at the haphazardly patched bow. Ready to call the crew back if the man in the crow's nest gave word.
Men's voices rose and fell from below, swallowed up easily in the dark expanse of the Caribbean.
Edward's own stomach gave a growl of hunger, but didn't bring the captain to move an inch. Salted pork as hard as rock didn't entice him, and since he knew that was what the cook meant to serve for the nights meal, Edward would pass. At least for now, he'd need the energy it would give tomorrow.
If he was hungry, Liete had to be as well.
That thought got him to move, as he made his way down to the door of his chambers.
Lanterns, more than he remembered were lite inside, creating a beacon esk feel to the windows as a soft conversation could barely be heard.
Edward too tired to hesitate, opened one of the double doors, stepping inside to find Julle and Liete seated cross legged on his bed, as the darker woman braided Liete's golden hair as she spoke in whispers.
For a moment, neither woman noticed his interruption, as Liete whom stared out of the windows into the pitch darkness gave a small laugh as Julle spoke.
"I don't wanta' kno' who tot 'dat was the right ting to bring up to yew."
Glancing at the main table on the right of his chambers, covered in maps and trinkets, Edward found a bowl of slop and slices of salted pork.
Flinching at the reality of life on the sea, Edward momentarily felt ashamed. Liete hadn't eaten since the night before when they'd feasted on freshly caught fish on the small island in victory, and even before then he was sure she'd eaten nothing but the finest foods. Tarts and sweets, with beef, chicken, freshly slaughtered without any spices to mask its rancidness.
This is what he offered her now, slop made up of other men's leftovers, and meat soaked in vinegar and salt hard even enough to use to patch small holes in the ship.
The feeling of shame washed over him, reminding him momentarily of Caroline's father who'd thrown him to the floor of his own home telling his daughter that Edward would amount to nothing. For all he'd done he still couldn't provide even the basic necessities for the women in his life.
Julle became aware of his presence first, immediately shutting her mouth and tapping her mistress on her back with her fingers in between the movements she made as she continued to braid Liete's hair.
Liete's head lilted demurely to the side, gracing Edward with a teasing smile motioning with her hands towards the platter of food, eyes calm and bright.
"I think I'll be fasting while aboard Master Kenway, your food has gone." Her tone was light and her words were clearly meant as a joke, but something within Edward snapped.
He took one look at the beautiful woman, who clearly felt the sudden shift as her eyes once more began to swirl, as she cocked her head her now vacant stare boring into him, and turned on his heel to return to the darkness of the vast ocean.
Edward had one damn thing to do, find the observatory. He would prove to everyone, every single fucking person on this damn forsaken ocean that he was a person of property… and no one would take him for a jest again.
"Seems to me, I've upset his majesty in some way."
Liete had fallen asleep with ease, paying no mind to Edward's late night fit. If he chose to be angry, that was his choice and she wouldn't bother herself with that stupidity.
She had felt at ease with the day after their brush with danger, and had taken the intuitive to learn what she could from the men around her about life on the sea.
A prisoner once more she may be, by choice and slaved by her own libido, there would be a time where she would be free to herself. She may be a pirate, a whore, a brute, a ghost story in this new life- which ever she became, Liete would need to be prepared.
She'd become overwhelmed at one point in her attempt to absorb the information of Edward's life onboard, so much so that she had to retreat to his quarters in an attempt to make sense of the new sensation.
Liete didn't understand how it happened in all honesty. She had been watching Edward pull at the ropes, wrapping the excess around his palm to his elbow, taking note that of the quick flick of his wrist as he worked. So enveloped in his movements, Liete began to motion her own hands in the same fashion.
Noticing her mimicking him, Edward had let out a laugh ringing with pleasure as he moved forward to grasp her arms, letting the rope unravel keeping hold of the very beginning bit to place it into her own hand.
"You'll be captain in no time." He quipped sweetly before motioning her to try to wrap the rope herself.
As he released her arms, Liete grinned up at the taller man locking eyes with him.
Her chest felt warm, and within a moment her fingers suddenly began to shake as she attempted to grip the rope to her palm.
When they'd been under attack, Liete had felt the numb anger that had been her everything in the time she'd been on Cat Island, dissipate completely. She'd never felt so free as her moment's in the small cache, watching a debris flew past her, missing her by a hair's breadth. Not even the moment she offered her life to Edward in their first moments.
It was different from that moment in that with the possibility of death… she wanted to be alive for the first time. She didn't want to die.
And in the moments Edward kindly encouraged her to take charge, the feelings that had influenced her decisions in leaving with him and taking him to bed, were like watered down rum to the swig of pure alcohol she was experiencing now.
Liete hastily excused herself and when she'd slipped inside her makeshift holding cell, she'd dissolved into a puddle of fabric and shaking limbs.
She didn't know how to handle these emotions, she'd never had the opportunity before her deportation, and now she was bare with her realization that she wanted to live her life.
Mad Liete was truly mad, unable to comprehend pure emotions, letting them instead eat her away from within.
Julle, whom had unfortunately been sick during the skirmish, had hastily stood from a large chair she'd been resting in and took a place besides Liete on the floor.
"Yu rass claat haad eaz!" The Jamaican slang was harsh on Liete's suddenly fragile psyche, and before Liete could stop herself she lashed out at Julle gripping the servant girl's throat in her palm.
Her words were cold as ice, and with each word her fingers tightened until Julle attempted to claw at Liete's fingers in panic.
"I'd keep your opinions to yourself."
As Julle fought against her grip, Liete regained control of her mind and her emotions. The wave of whatever it was she felt when with Edward passed as the familiar anger rushed her brain with a calming effect.
Julle's nails left puckering scratches against Liete's skin, and with one last clench Liete released the woman's throat stating matter of factly as she leaned against the closed double doors her visage once again calm and unemotional.
"Just a suggestion."
In a true show of courage, Julle sat still once she was released, only moving to hold her hand against her throat as she took quick gasping breaths.
The servant woman had been beaten several times, since she'd been a child, and it had only waned when she'd been given to Liete. Although Liete was insane, if she laid a hand on her it was a deeper warning to something else.
The first time the captain, or Liete's devil, came to take her by force he'd left her a bloody mess. When Julle had first come after he'd left Liete, and tried to clean the white woman up, Liete had fought Julle, punching out at her, making no other sound that soft whimpers from her own pain.
Julle didn't get hurt, and Liete had left no marks. She'd simply threw punches that were childlike in their pressure until she'd exhausted herself, slumping to the bed. No tears, no screaming. Just a cold look of despair.
Julle had come to realize that in these moments, when Liete lashed out, it was to counteract emotions that Liete simply couldn't handle internally. She needed to have something to fight, some way to feel in control when she couldn't do that for her own mind.
Even now with how tight Liete had held her throat, Julle had no real damage done, and had never been out of breath, having just felt the sensation of not receiving as much air as she commonly would bringing out a slight panic.
Bringing herself back down from her own fear and panic, Julle had released her throat and very gently placed her hands Liete's forearms, helping the woman to her feet.
"You neta' rest."
Liete had nodded hollowly, allowing Julle to guide her towards the bed where the servant woman had carefully gotten the woman ready for rest, combing out her tangled hair, washing her face, and cleaning her small scratches.
Liete eventually calmed and returned to a semi-platonic state, conversing with Julle welcoming like.
The morning had found them sleeping side by side, Liete having fallen asleep as Julle had braided her hair over and over, something that had always soothed her.
They'd gotten dressed quickly and when both women had emerged from within the captains chambers, they found two more ships anchored side by side to the Jackdaw, a plank stationed to connect each of them.
The crew having been awake hours before, had already readied the ship for the days sailing and were now lounging about.
As Liete strode out into the sun, still wearing the white underdress that Julle had tried to clean as best as she could, the two men closest to her instantaneously stood to attention, and greeted her with eyes still downcast.
"'Morning mum."
"G'morning Miss Liete."
She flashed them each a grin at their showmanship, before holding one hand up to shield her eyes, looking for the child dressed as her lover.
Sure enough she found him, as well as Teach, young master Kidd, and Adewale grouped together in what seemed a tense meeting near the wheel.
Julle motioned to Liete letting her know that she'd rather stay down on deck than accompany her into the lion's dens, which Liete nodded in agreement to instantly.
As Liete deliberately slow walked towards the staircase leading up, she was given a few more acknowledgements, and found that more of the crew attempted to look at her. She found it slightly irritating considering she'd rather have their fear than their admiration but basked in the attention none the less.
The moment Edward saw her come into view, hair pulled back by two braids on either side of her head keeping her long locks pushed behind her ears, his expression turned dark and his lips became a thin grim line.
The rest of the group took in Kenway's sudden change, and it was Teach who first looked around to find her making her way towards them, Kidd and Ade following suit quickly.
"Don't think I've seen anything better to start my day off lass." Teach's gruff words drew another acerbic grin from Liete who performed a perfect curtsy towards the group, her silver eyes lingering on Kidd who once again hid his eyes from her.
Edward couldn't stand the sight of Liete. She looked like an angel in the morning sun, the sea spray already curling her hair, her dress although with soot stains and small tears still pleated against her body becomingly.
He wanted nothing more than to go risk his life, than wait here and have her once more point out his short comings. The sooner her killed Julian Du Casse and was able to bring Liete to land the better. On land he could escape her infectious grip that even now wrapped around his chest and mind.
He had promised her freedom, and it was the last thing he wanted to give her now. Hell, he wasn't even free himself to do so. He'd give her everything she'd need and want, because he'd promised her, just as he promised Caroline, and god dammit he was going to keep his words.
All he knew now was he wasn't sure if he would return to Wales once all was said and done, or remain in whatever area Liete lingered…
Pushing past the group, Edward coldly shoulder past Liete, whose silver eyes danced in waves as she turned with his assault, to watch him practically run down the steps to hop onto the side of the Jackdaw bellowing for attention.
"Me' harties!"
Already having been staring after Liete had its benefits as the crew of the Jackdaw quickly shuffled closer to their captain as soon as he'd jumped to his perch.
Liete strode forward to rest her hip against the railing behind the wheel, watching him from above, as Teach followed behind Kenway taking a stand near the bottom of the stairs to watch.
"Gentlemen, as is custom among our kind, we do not plunge head long into folly on the orders of a single mad man, but act according to our own collective madness."
The crew gave a soft shout of hearty agreement, as Kidd passed Liete with a side glance still full of apprehension and fear before taking a seat on the stairs themselves.
Kenway held a hand up to quiet the crew, before grabbing a sword from a nearby sailor to continue his speech with fever.
"The object of our attention is a square rig galleon… and we want her for the advantage she'll bring Nassau."
The men glanced between themselves, excitement and fear hanging in the air like a disease. Liete felt her breath catch once more in her chest as she watched death command attention with little more than his presence. His hair was tied back behind his head once more, leaving his tanned face open as his eyes bored into each man with purpose.
"So I'll put it to the vote, all those in favor of storming this cove and taking this ship, stomp and shout aye!"
Most of the contingency gave their cheers whole heartedly while just a few remained quiet, of these Drew was included.
"Those who oppose whimper nay."
None spoke to Edward's jeer, and with his business concluded, Edward threw the sword in hand back to its owner before jumping to the deck.
Glancing at Liete, Edward again was swallowed by her emotionless eyes, tearing him apart behind his own eyes. Stomping hard on the wood, he strode angrily towards Teach and Kidd, growling at the two men with all the frustration he felt towards his situation with Liete.
"Never was the king's council so unified."
Kidd tapped the back of his legs with the back of his hand at his words, and as Edward made his way to the wheel of his ship, Ade barking orders to the crew to ready to sail closer to the straight rock face of the far side of the island.
Liete turned with his stride, until she faced the wheel directly and in turn Edward, who with one angry slam of his palms into the steering wheel, gave her a glare she'd seen only when she had insulted him in front of his crew.
"You may do as you like Liete, except stand there. Move."
Liete didn't move an inch, as she cocked her head to the side watching her lover with still dancing eyes. Edward tried to hold her gaze, but failed miserably as her gaze turned hot and wanton, instantly igniting his own drive.
She was like a drug, liquor warping his mind, until he was unsure of his own emotions.
As easy as she pleased, Liete moved from her perch in front of him to make her way to where Kidd still sat. As she passed the young sailor, Liete muttered the line from before that she'd clearly upset his majesty, before continuing forward intent on helping the crew unravel the sails to catch wind.
In a state of woolliness, Kenway steered his ship as close to the ruins and rock face of Du Casse's stronghold as he could get, before calling for dropped anchor.
With one last glance towards Liete, his soul screaming for absolution, Kenway vaulted over the edge of the Jackdaw with no words between any of his crew and him. He didn't need them.
What he needed was a cure for whatever fever Liete shrouded him in.
Liete watched as Edward swam quickly to the forgotten ruins, and began to scale the sheer rock face all by his lonesome, unsure if he'd make it back or not.
The space to her left was full of Drew who kept grabbing the rope she meant to work with, taking it upon himself to do the work she had wanted to do. Now the air to her right filled with Teach as he once again kept his hands tucked into his belt.
"I'd never leave to die without kissin' yur lips a dozen or so times. That there is a promise." His words were smooth, and with them Liete turned on her heel and before she walked away from the older gentleman, placed on hand on his right cheeks.
"You'd never leave to die." With her insult, Liete decided she would see Kenway longer from elevated area, and made her way to the wheel once more keeping a constant vigil on death.
Drew tapped the dark haired pirate on the shoulder after his girl had left them together. The shorter man looked up to Drew with an irritated look, before barking out.
"What is it ya' ol' lug?"
"Miss Liete don' like ya tew mush. Serry right now if I end up trowin' yew off da side of ta' ship if she ast me ta."
Edward Teach grinned beside himself, nearly positive that Liete wouldn't do such a thing, for all her bluster, he could feel something between them.
He clapped the giant man on the back grinning with all his teeth.
"Apology accepted."
Jamaican Slang
Yu rass claat haad eaz. - You are damn stubborn.