Hello all!

I am really really excited for the next chapter after this one, so please make sure you tune in for that!

Once more like it, love it, hate it, let me know what you think!

- g.

Listen to Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish for this chapter.

As the Jackdaw slid into the Nassau port for the first time in nearly a year, Edward Kenway's grip on the helm was knuckle white.

His souls felt ragged, and his mind having been expanded with the new knowledge of the Assassin's faction, and all the nearly impossible things he'd seen at the temple, was just as unkempt.

As they'd sailed from the Yucatan peninsula, leaving behind Kidd and his creed, his crew had unanimously chosen to return to Nassau. He'd suspected that after the bit of nonsense being captured by the Templars many men wished to return to the pirate held domain to find another captain.

Let them, he'd thought treacherously. It wouldn't have been the first, second or third instance of such an occurrence.

He'd done a damn right top job at keeping his mind off Liete and her jumping ship all the long journey to meet Kidd, capturing prize after prize along the waves filling his brig to the brim with gold and resources to improve his Jackdaw. But… as they'd began their journey home, brig full and waves empty, it had been impossible.

He'd received hear say from among his men and others from small shanty towns along the Caribbean of a woman, as pale as a ghost and vicious as a sea snake, whom had taken over the minds of Nassau. Whispers of her spells and beauty, of pirates paying respects to her for good winds and plunder, that Blackbeard himself was enthralled to the temptress. Some men along the coast of Jamaica had claimed they'd been there when the famed mad captain had pulled her from the sea, a siren giving the captain immortality in exchange for his soul and servitude. A whore at a port in Cuba loved to tell a story of mystery claiming she'd heard the woman singing and every man able to stand at full attention had wandered to the witch's home, entranced by her spell.

Within the span of five months, the damn tale of his pale siren had spread throughout the pirating community leaving Edward exasperated at each stop to resupply, finally forbidding talk of Liete along the Jackdaw in an attempt to keep his sanity.

As they'd drawn nearer to Nassau, reading the night sky putting them a day's journey away from the island, the crew had grown restless. Whispering amongst themselves in a trance, an excitement to see the woman they'd personally known that had now become a legend among them all.

As Kenway had brooded over the maps in his cabin, his clothes still ill-fitting and now filthy with months at sea, he'd listened with bated breath as his crew had begun to sing into the dark ocean a shanty they'd picked up in Cuba from the same whore that'd shared her stories at a makeshift tavern.

He hadn't been able to join in the men's songs for months along the open sea, and now as they drew closer to land, land where they'd stay for longer than a night, land which held the damn temptress he'd foolishly been played by he felt only anger wanting to burst from his lungs.

Kenway refused to lie to himself, which was his one saving grace, his one shred of sanity he still had left when it came to Liete.

He knew the moment he reached port on the 'morrow, he'd find her. He didn't even fathom how to start looking for her, but he would.

She'd dealt him a card that he simply couldn't leave alone. She'd waltzed into his brain, into his very being, and once she'd lifted them both as high as a mast in the sky, she'd let them drop to the deck with a crash.

He had to seek her out, whether he wanted to or not. This was about his damned pride, and even if it was only to shake the sense into her once more, he needed it.

It had crossed his mind several times to kidnap the lass, and ransom her off. It was what she deserved in his mind. It would hopefully show her exactly what it felt like to be the one used by another to further themselves.

Edward had felt like a damned whore, bedded and left. The only thing it lacked was the coin on the bedside.

So, as the Jackdaw dropped its anchor lined up to one of the many wooden platforms, only then did Kenway release the wheel, glaring at the early bustling town.

Adewale, finished bellowing instructions to the crew, turned to look at him with a hardened understanding.

"Yur' ganna find her here brada', that's for sure." Ade crossed his arms as unwashed bodies left the Jackdaw in droves, most heading for tavern tucked further into the wooden structures around them. He had watched as his captain in an attempt to keep himself distracted had distanced himself from his crew, placating himself and them with treasure and gold, but leaving the freedom of the waves feeling hallow.

"That is not a good thing Ade."

"From where I'm standin', it is." Slapping the younger man on the back, Ade left the Welsh man to his brooding, knowing he'd earned a pint and refused to wait one more moment dealing with the ridiculousness of Kenway.

As his quarter master drew away following the crew into civilization once more, Kenway let out a shallow breath, and slowly began to descend to the deck glancing about as those crew members who'd drawn the short stick finished folding away the sails and prepping the Jackdaw for its extended stay.

Strolling with the façade of a calm, Edward stepped foot on the planks of Nassau and felt a rush of breathlessness.

He wasn't prepared, even now after months of her haunting his thoughts, to face her.

What did he say first to a woman who'd left him after bringing him some of the most heightened moments of his life in the short time they'd been together?

Touching the glowing white sand of the shore, the warmth warming the leather of his boots grounded him for a moment.

He strode confidently now, sinking into the sand, covering his eyes for a moment against the bright sun, Kenway couldn't believe his damned luck.

Lumbering out from a shop holding a wicker basket, and a fishing pole, was the giant deserter of his crew, and Liete's lap dog.

It hit him like a ton of bricks to see the damn goofy looking simpleton lumbering into the mildly bustling dirt street, his back to him within moments.

Acting on pure instinct, Kenway took off at a run bounding across the sand, past the shop he'd just exited to use a small pile of empty crates to jump grasping on the edge of the wooden shops roof.

Hauling himself up with ease, his vision hyper focused on the lap dog painting his body a faint red as rage fueled Kenway once more blocking the rest of the area to a new dull grey. He remained crouched as he followed the man, who completely oblivious to the fact he'd attracted a predator, smiled and swung the basket he held without a care in the world.

Edward was careful with footing, the poor wood the shacks were made of thin and wet in the sea mist, his heart racing. The giant turned and weaved through a few streets before moving down a slope, bringing them closer to the large mansion overlooking the swamp of Nassau.

The thought of Liete residing in the damn mansion made Edward's blood absolutely boil. What in god's name did she leave for, to come here and reside in the same damn thing he'd offered her…

As his thoughts took a deep breath about to get into a true tirade of anger, they suddenly went quiet as the man he followed turned sharply into a truly rundown street to ascend a set of stairs of a very humble looking home.

The wooden home held a shackled door to the bottom area, and as the man stopped at the top of the stairs he rapped on the door twice before biting into an apple Edward hadn't noticed in his hand.

When Liete answered the door wearing a servants dress, Edward felt like he hadn't taken as deep a breath as he took in that moment since he'd fallen asleep next to her.

Her skin wasn't white any longer, a soft tan bringing freckles dark against her silver eyes, and when she smiled at the fool, Edward nearly lost his footing on the tree limb he had jumped to a few moments before.

Jesus, how had he lost her?

The giant shuffled into the home, handing the basket to Liete, and as the door closed on his vision of Liete, Edward sprung into action running along the sturdy branch to leap to another closer to the roofing of her home.

He slowly slid onto her roof, doing his best to make no noise at all, and flattened himself against the roof never mind the dirt and filth as he heard her soft steps, followed by the lugs pounding steps.

Just knowing she resided below him, healthy and whole, with humble means, brought a deep sense of relief and peace that Kenway hadn't expected.

He'd wanted and tried so hard to hate the woman below him, he had fooled himself these past months into thinking he didn't know why she'd left and as he lay against the filthy wooden roofing, listening to her open cabinets and move objects, he knew only one thing to be true.

Edward loved her.

At the very least, what he knew of love. Which was very little, but he knew that he didn't care for any of the suffering her actions had put him through these past months, and that spoke of what he believed love to be. Sacrificial.

He'd let her go again, lord, he was content to leave at this moment knowing she was safe and taken care of.

Lost in himself, he hardly registered as the big lug left once more saying something about water, but once he had he slowly lifted his body to move once more into the three limbs, looking down in the small window of the shanty's main room. He glimpsed her hands as she held a small rind of cheese, before she tucked it away in an area he couldn't see, whipping her hands on her apron before she drew away from the window.

Following by instinct and listening intently, Edward swung his body hastily through the branches, bringing him to a small room, and he couldn't help himself as he lowered his perch in the tree to be level with the window watching Liete, absolutely breathtaking, as she opened a trunk as the base of a feather tick bed.

God's, no wonder people believed her a siren. She had never looked more beautiful than with color to her skin and she'd even gained a bit of weight bringing her curves out even more and her cheeks no longer gaunt.

As he watched her rummage through the chest, Edward couldn't help but tear up as she suddenly held up a tunic like the one he'd fashioned for himself but he could tell even from his perch it was well tailored and with fine black dyed cotton.

There was no way in hell that was meant for anyone but him, and although the stories of men entranced by her and under her whim had thrown him in a rage. Hell the fact that people called her Thatch's had driven him up the wall, but he didn't believe for once second she'd replaced him now.

Her eyes swirled lazily as she stared off into space, holding the coat for a bit of time, tucking it back into the chest after several minutes.

As she withdrew from the room, Edward paused before following her once more.

What did he do now…

He had wanted nothing more than closure in this crusade, but now more than ever he couldn't leave her. Liete was damned stronger than him, because he hadn't even heard her speak yet, hadn't felt her against him, and he was content to sit in this damn tree until the end of time.

She'd left for a reason, and he had assumed long before what she'd been meaning to achieve, his assumption that he didn't need to talk to her about what her future held had been wrong.

He'd still clung to his anger, hating her for leaving him without any issue it seemed.

Now, well now, he'd seen with his own eyes that she'd not left him willingly. Liete had wanted him just as he'd needed her, but she wanted him on her own terms, without being forced to depend on him.

Lost in his thoughts for quite a bit of time, Edward was brought back to reality by the crash of metal inside the shanty, and without a thought flung himself to roll onto her roof, running across to near her front door, and just as he went to jump down and enter her home, the front door opened and Liete exited dripping water everywhere.

The giant had returned and stood near the bottom of the stairs, calling to his mistress and Edward stared open mouthed down at his woman, totally flabbergasted as to what happened in the span of time he took his eyes off her. He didn't even think to pull away out of sight as she watched her.

"Miss Liete, am I needin' to run fer the doc?"

Liete shook her head nonchalantly, reaching up to run her hands down her auburn hair, squeezing the tips drawing water out quickly. Before she could answer Drew, the man in question suddenly gave a whoop of excitement, spilling the bucket in his hands as he frantically began to wave, his eyes glued to something above her.

"Cap'n, I sure am glad ta' see yew!"

Edward flinched for a moment, having wanted to enter a much different way, before looking down once more to Liete.

Liete didn't need to look up to know that the man in question, who even at the thought of his presence had caused her to throw water over her own head, was standing on her roof.

Steeling herself, she held her breath as a flash of white, blue and leather found Edward Kenway's body jumping from his perch on her roof, to a lower tree limb to drop to the grass below, near the stair case of her home.

The moment he stood to his full height, locking eyes with her own, Liete felt herself falling into ocean eyes as he stood just as still as she as a soft warm breeze swept past them.

Drew on the other hand felt no such calm fall over him, as he continued to holler, dropping the fresh water he'd collected to thrust his arms in the air. Thatch stood from his seat in her modest home, looking over Liete's shoulder to find the younger pirate standing stoic his arms by his side and a sheepish look on his face.

"I believe you ta' be correct, Liete. No honorable men here." The quip came with a soft chuckle at the end from Thatch as he returned to the table within to collect his hat.

He'd nurtured the woman in front of him back from the brink of falling into a pit of insane despair, something that Kenway had fostered in the woman by his own childish actions, so as he collected himself and gently slid from behind Liete to descend the stairs amidst their staring contest Thatch felt a drop of sadness begin within himself at the prospect of Mad Liete returning in full force.

She deserved better than that, and he'd come to care for her enough to fear for her when it came to Kenway.

He didn't know how to handle delicate things with gentle hands, but it wasn't his place.

Thatch could only guide, he couldn't steer the ship for her.

Kenway pulled his eyes away from Liete for only a moment as his mentor, whom he'd cursed hundreds of times since their last meeting in Great Inagua, emerged from behind Liete heavily bearded and with a large plumaged hat.

The man gave him a look that told him everything he needed to know about his involvement with Liete, that he had simply taken a guardianship role in Liete's life, nothing more. Warry and with his ever present hardened resolve, Edward nodded to the older man, silently offering a truce and acceptance in the role he'd held in removing Liete from his are.

Thatch didn't return the gesture, although Kenway had expected as much, before the dark man clapped Drew on the shoulder squeezing him thickly tugging him to follow.

"Master Drew, join me fer a pint at the tavern, I'm buyin'" Drew, bringing his arms down from his continued celebration nodded vigorously waving to his mistress and his captain before following the man whose hand still remained on his shoulder.

"Bye Mis' Liete, ahoy Cap'n. Drew'll be right back!" As the two men pulled away, Kenway could finally return his gaze to Liete's, who hadn't looked away once.

"Master Kenway." Her voice, still as powerful as a crashing wave, shook.

As she said his name, Kenway broke out in a smile taking his first steps towards her stair case, he responded with a drawl of his welsh accent.

"Miss Beckford…"

Liete broke out in her own grin, and when Edward raised his leg to being ascending the steps to her home Liete held a hand up stopping his movements.

"Before you come closer, something I do not doubt will render both of us unable to think cohesively anytime soon, you need to know something."

"Whatever it is, I forgive you." Edward claimed the first few steps before Liete stamped her food, and held her hands up once more, flinging her fingers out in exasperation pinning him with a glare.

"Listen to me, dammit Kenway. Don't dismiss me once more, as you've now seen I won't tolerate it."

Stopping right away, Kenway raised his hands in a show of surrender, waiting patiently in the middle of the staircase, refusing to make Liete feel like he'd never listen to her again.

Liete composed herself, her flayed hand giving her confidence as she held herself together by a single thread.

"I left because I refuse to give up my freedom for some man's enterprise every again. I don't want what home or riches you can offer me. You can chase riches, I need nothing more than my own being."

"Noted, and accepted." Kenway needed no explanation, hell he would agree to anything, she didn't even need to tell him.

Liete glared at Kenway again, sighing softly, before lowering her hand, a smile slowly growing over her mouth making her eyes water slightly as she dazzled him once more with her dimples.

"You're welcome to enter, Master Kenway. We have a few things to discuss."