WARNING - there is smut ahead.

I will put a warning in case anyone would like to skip to the next spacer.

I can not wait for each and every chapter till the end. oh boy!

Listen to Where Are You Going by Jutes for this chapter

- G.

The sun was warming, but Liete had gone cold in a near instant.

This was not what she'd expected once she'd over taken the man, it was not what she wanted either.

Teach was her friend, someone she truly looked to for pleasant and calm devices. Not heated glances & touch.

His kiss was gentle, which was a surprise was coming from such a man as he, but it spoke volumes of his true nature all along. His palms were rough with days of rope handling and the like, and they scratched against her face as he cupped her cheek as one does a dove. He'd melded his lips to her own & held. It was nothing like Kenway.

Kenway's kiss made her feet stick to the ground, sent a shiver down her very insides, and her breath come up short as if she could not get enough of the air he supplied.

This was how it felt when she'd been a girl, and a servant boy had sneaked a kiss as she made her way through a narrow corridor to join her mother in handicrafts.

It had been a sweet gesture and innocent, but it had been childs play. Silly & amusing.

Thatch held still for a few moments more before slowly pulling his mouth from her own, opening his eyes to find her own wide open & quick silver swirling in rapid motions.

His hand remained to her cheek as he searched for anything that she may have felt from his risk.

He found none, just as the giant lug of a dog crested the hill to nearly collide with its charge looking up at him wth raised jowls.

"Thatch, I don't know what you meant to find, but It is not here." Her words were level, spoken with a softness he'd heard only when she'd spoken to Drew. It dripped of milk & honey, to sweeten a fool.

His chest fell slowly, as he still held her face letting the softness of her now tanned skin warm him before he meant to pull into the cold.

"You truly feel naught lass? Did I imagine it all?"

Smiling softly, Liete raised one hand to cover his unsure how to tread this new development. Her other hand slid to her stomach, how was she to handle this? She was used to men fearing her, wanting her, but not one of those being one she actually cared for.

Other than Kenway, her mind whispered.

"Not a bit did you Imagine."

Thatch sighed once more before finally pulling his hand away, one that Liete did not release from her own grip as she held his hand between them. She had no words, no clever quips to fill the void, & if she had something on the tip of her tounge she would have swallowed it. Now was not the time for such things. This was a sad moment, one she didn't want. Sorrow had no place in her, not now, she couldn't.

"I'm to meet with Hornigold & Ke…" Thatch couldn't bring himself to say the man's name just yet. He'd known it was foolish to take the step he had. He'd let his own frustration override his intelligence for a moment. It would not be the last time it'd happen. All he could do not was prepare for the duel he was sure Kenway was to issue him for it.

"Lass, I missed you. I'd not meant to ever let this come out. I'd never told you, just what you meant to me… Now is not the time. Never was the time.."

His intelligence shone through as he spoke to her as an equal before fading off, closing his mouth in an expression of disappointment. Giving her hand a squeeze, he pulled away from her grip lifting his hat to tuck onto his head tucking his hair back once more.

"I'll away for the time you are in Nassau, I think."

"I wish you wouldn't."

Her words tasted selfish even as she said them, but they'd been said all the same.

His eyes sparked with sadness, as turned from her wordlessly back towards the town.

This time, he did so alone.

Chasing after men never came to a pretty end, just as she'd expected.

Kenway grinned to himself as Anne, the new barmaid at Old Avery gave drunk Rackham a tounge lashing as the man gawped and fell from his seat.

He'd been waiting for Hornigold & Thatch to meet him there, and so had not taken a table but simply sat to a set of steps until they showed.

He'd finished with the calculations with Ade, and had stopped by to a proprietor in town to see who held sway over the home at the top of the hill near the swamp. He'd once been angry at the prospect that Liete had taken residence there but he saw now that with freedom, his woman would be fine living with him anywhere. At least he suspected it as such.

He'd come to find that a rather snotty pirate captain had claimed it as his own in the absence that Hornigold & Thatch had left when they'd gone off. It would be an easy coup, and one he would discuss with the men when they showed.

Hornigold had gone off and gotten himself demoted by Bellamy for his rule of not attacking any British navy in the time they'd last seen each other, and had slunk back to Nassau in the mean time after leaving them. Thatch, who had gone towards the America's had returned after many wins, claiming himself a large frigate along the way.

Now both had returned to find Nassau in much need, as they'd been the main two benefactors in the last months, and to have both of them missing as well as Kenway with none but Vane & Rackham to supply the town… well one would have better chances with the Spanish at that point.

"It's a bag of shight, do you hear me? It's a bag of bloody shight. It's a ruse to keep us soft until they attack Nassau." Speaking of Vane, his rough & grating voice rose above the music of the Tavern, compelling Edward to his feet. Looking over the side of the tavern, Kenway found Vane & the very men he waited for in deep discussion.

Hornigold looked to Vane with a calm annoyance, but Thatch on the other hand looked half out of his wits. The man was angry & agitated if he'd ever seen him, pacing away from the two other men fists clenched.

"Mark me-" Thatch surged closer, his eyes snapping at the man as he interrupted him with a growl.

"IT'S NO RUSE, VANE. I heard it straight from the mouth of a greasy Bermudian captain. There's a pardon, an offer for any pirate that wants it."

Edward moved to join the trio from atop, sighing with a small quirk to his lips. Vane & Thatch had bad blood from the moment they'd met. Thatch stood for a code, he shyed away from violence, although he'd built his reputation otherwise to dissuade others. But Kenway knew.

When Thatch had saved his life, shooting the son of a bitch Blaney to save Kenway's life, it had been out of principle. It was how Edward began his life as a pirate, his ship overtaken by the Dog's Bite & his fellow sailor had begged the captain to let him kill Kenway & join the pirate crew as they'd been easily overwhelmed by the pirate ship.

Thatch had instead ordered them to fist fight. Kenway easily had won, but the man had surged from his place on the floor bloodied and grasped for a pistol, aiming straight for Kenway's head. It'd been Thatch who'd shot first, and welcomed Edward into his crew.

He'd been with Thatch for a bit of time, & had only taken occupancy on the ship that'd brought him to Walpole out of a need of scenery change as you'd have it.

Vane on the other hand, was all violence, and very little substance. He'd rather a man bleed first, than hear a surrender.

"Ruse or no, I think it's plain the British may return to Nassau with arms no doubt." Hornigold interrupted the two quarreling men, ever the matter of fact man. Vane threw his hands up in annoyance as he turned from the men his face twisted in annoyance.

Striding away from the men, Vane didn't even bother to look at Kenway as he stomped past.

Drawing up to the two older men, Thatch held an expression of anger but if he didn't know better he'd think it was directed towards him. Not bothering to stand still, the captain made to walk past Kenway as Hornigold turned to follow Thatch who nearly mumbled to him.

"Walk with us Kenway, there's trouble brewin'."

Kenway immediately fell in steep behind his two friends. They'd been two constants in his career in the West Indies, and it peaked his interest that they'd sent for him to discuss some plan on an equal footing.

"In the absesence of any clear ideas, I say we lay low. No piracy and no violence. Do nothing to ruffle the kings feathers for now." As they walked, Kenway could not help but notice something he had not in his fast moving endevours that morning.

Many men and women lay about in absolute filth. Rats ran nearly under their feet as they strode through the pathways between shanties, this in the middle of the day..

"Preserving the king's plumage is no concern of mine, Ben." Edward really looked at Thatch then, unsure of what to make of the man. From all his time with him, he'd never seen him quite so on edge. Something was turning in his mind, something other than the question of Nassau. Whatever it was, Hornigold had little patience for it, as he snapped back to the man.

"It will be when he sends his soldiers to scrub this island clean of our residue. Look around you man, is this cesspool worth dying for?"

So, the older captain had taken into account the same thing Kenway had, although it was hard to miss as a man just to their right retched over the side of the shanties verandah.

"Aye, its OUR republic. OUR idea. A free land, for free men, remember? Maybe it is filthy to look at, but ain't it still an idea worth fighting for?" Thatch's words were tinged with a hopeful desperation, he still believed in the freedoms they chased. Edward remained silent as he followed alongside the two men, thinking on his own ideas of freedom.

Ben on the other hand, scoffed, and flung his hand out in annoyance.

"I can't be sure. For when I look on the fruits of our years of labor, all I see is sickness… idleness… Idiocy."

"So not a sunbeam of difference between here and London then eh?"

Edward had an off thought then, that this was what it may have been like to watch the titans and them greek gods fight from the story books, but at the same time, Edward believed in what Thatch said. Freedom was worth all costs.

"Thatch is right man, Taking a wide view, we aren't doing so bad out here. There's sun, rum & leisure as far as the eye can see."

Hornigold looked to him then, and gave another scoff with pursed lips. His eyes held a disgust that instantly troubled Edward. For a man who'd built this place, molded it into his own visage, to think of it now as beyond saving, was it not a reflection of the man?

"Aye, Nassau may look fine from a distance, but at it's core, there is a disease I can not stomach."

"Sickness can be cured, Ben. If only you have the right medicines."

"But a corpse, can not be reanimated!"

With his last words, Thatch turned sharply to confront Hornigold face to face, his words exasperated & fuming.

"I can't believe the shight I'm hearing drop from your lips. Why not take the pardon now, and be done with it?" Edward couldn't help but silently agree with the man. Ben's attitude was alarming at the very least but right now in this moment it was not the time. Nassau needed saving, they needed to be united, if anything came after him & Liete, he'd need their help & the republic strengthend to withstand the onslaught.

"Peace, both of you. We can satisfy both aims, if we work together. Find medicines to ease our burdens here, but in a way that don't attract the British."

Both men contemplated quietly but began to walk once more towards the shoreline now.

Edward followed as he gave them their time to think on his words.

"I'd wager the nearest doctor is sitting pretty in Havana, not a place I mean to go." Thatch spoke quieter now, a clear sign he was trying to come up with a solution rather than growl at them.

"The Spanish fleet that sunk two years back ought to have some medicine, all sealed up in glass vials!" Edward spoke suddenly as he thought of his & Ade's escape and the treasure that also potentially remained down in the wreckage.

"You'd need a diving bell to reach those depths."

"Aye, and with some coin and a few supplies, a diving bell won't be hard to come by." Edward felt excited for his own plan. He'd nary used a diving bell before, but he'd wager it was easier to come by than thought as he'd remembered seeing one with the mason some time ago near water's edge. He'd wager it still remained as most pirates would rather sink a ship than deal with the sharks of an already sunk wreck.

"This is a plan I can stand behind. Find medicines without stirring up trouble. Agreed Thatch?" Hornigold's words seemed sincere, but it would occur to Edward later that Ben never really held conviction the way Thatch had.

"Agreed, aye. I'll meet you near the wrecks as soon as you are able then Kenway." Hornigold nodded, satisfied with the compromise & broke away from the two men to wander off towards where he kept his own lodgings but not before throwing a bit of bile towards Thatch one last time.

"Remember thatch, keep your cannons corked."

With those words, Thatch's ire ramped right back up as he shouted over his should at the now disappearing pirate

"Piss off Ben!"

Thatch then glanced to him, growling as he came to a stop near the shore, looking out towards the waves.

"He acts as if he still holds some rule over the pirate captain's. Sam Bellamy saw a quick end to that, says Levasseur. To tell free men who they ought to hold their cannons for and not, he bought himself no favors among us." Kenway folded his arms over his chest as he looked towards his jackdaw, calculating how long it'd take to get the diving bell into the ship & rigging set for when they pulled it out.

They'd use the same rigging as they did for whaling he thought to himself.

"I think'll it'll be at most a week before we can set sail, how does that sound?" Thatch, also looking out to the water nodded slowly before he gruffily turned back towards the path they'd just come from.

"A week then."

As the week went by, Liete found herself every so often stopping to the Old Avery, to see if she'd find Thatch there.

As if just over her shoulder, she seemed to just miss him.

Her stops had not gone unnoticed, as the red headed barmaid had come up to her on the fourth day, and offered her a kip while she waited.

Sizing the women up, acknowledging the courage it had taken to even approach her, Liete had accepted.

Anne, she said her name was. She'd taken Liete's acceptance as an invitation, and spent the next hour rambling on. It occurred to Liete that the woman was lonely. Made clear as she spoke of her husband, James, whom worked at the plantation near the south of the town. He'd clearly done little to foster their relationship, and the women now took up a position as barmaid in an attempt at some human interaction as they'd left their homeland of Ireland.

She found that she liked to listen, as she quietly sipped at the mug of ale she'd offered. Sipping was all she could handle, as the sour liquid made her feel queasy more so than normal.

Upon the hour, Kenway had appeared & Anne had excused herself with a kind smile as she returned to her job that she'd left to its own devices. No patron complained, simply heading to the bar top to grab their own drinks for a time. They'd not dared interrupt the witch's conversation, least they be drawn in just as Anne had.

Kenway took a seat next to Liete, his legs on either side of the bench as he drew closer to bring her between them, his own breath showing tell tale signs of rum sampling.

"It seems you've become a tavern wench. I come to your home, a pirate come for the lady, and I find you drinking away." His words were full of mirth, and Liete leaned into his chest with a chuckle of her own as she pushed the still half full ale away from her.

"Soon, I'll be up there singing songs. Come take me away before I take up the barmaid profession & find myself a lover." His laugh was deep as Edward kissed her forehead, before motioning to Anne for a rum flip, although he'd doubt he'd get one as she said once before to him, where was she to find fresh eggs in this god forsaken town.

"Just a moment longer, as I want to talk to you." Edward secured one hand about her waist as he leaned into the table. He'd kept up the practice of wearing his full weaponry and leather armor over the black tunic she'd made for him. Two swords at his hips, two guns strapped to his chest, and two others behind his back on a belt. He even held a small pipe and two pouches full of bullets & darts.

It was as if he expected a small army at any moment to over take them.

"Well then Master Kenway, speak quickly. Before the drink fully takes hold of you."

"I mean to sail out tomorrow, Thatch and I are to dive for medicines off the coast of Florida. I'd thought the bell to take another three days if you remember me telling you, but it seems the mason here is more competent than I expected."

Briefly interrupted by Anne sliding the cup across the table to him, Edward smiled his thanks to the woman. She was pleasant, and had enough gumption to handle herself among the rascals of Nassau. He'd not given her much mind but Edward liked the girl.

"No plans on fighting to be had, would you like to join? I know you are settling in once more, and do not want to assume you'll accompany me." Taking a quick swig, Edward reached up tenderly putting his thumb on her chin to turn her face towards him, a quiver running down his back as her unmoving silver eyes looked at him slightly hooded.

"I'd like you to stay with me, so I can keep you safe."

"and my willingness to bed you has nothing to do with it?" Edward gave a full laugh from his belly then, kissing her silly as he kept his thumb to her chin raising her mouth to meet his own.

"How easy I am to read."

Liete relished the tightness that erupted into her stomach, heat erupting into her center, as he moved his hand down to wrap around the back of her neck before downing the drink he'd just ordered with ease before standing pulling her with him.

"Come then wench, " His eyes sparkled teasingly, and Liete let him lead her from the tavern towards the shanty.

Gerald followed behind, giving off one bark as the came upon the shanty, signaling his departure as he found himself a nice bit of ground near the tree to the right of the stairs leading up. He did not care for the steep steps into her home, and in a dog minds, once she moved up them, she was safe & he'd guard there.

Blissfully Drew was no where to be seen in the darkening wood home, but the darkness held no obstacle for them.

**Smut Ahead **

Edward, impatient, lifted Liete to the kitchen table pushing the chairs out of his way to slide between her legs as she wrapped her arms around his neck melting her lips into his own, opening her mouth to run her tongue along the bottom of his lips.

Since their first tryst aboard the Jackdaw, each time he'd found himself sinking deeper into her arms each time. The pleasure and calm she brought him as he nestled himself there, was unlike any he'd ever imagined. Caroline had been obliging & sweetly innocent with her touch. In a way, so had he as he'd hardly bedded a few women, unsure of what the fairer sex wanted. He knew what he wanted, hell he'd done it to himself. She'd sighed and blushed with each of his touches, even well into the first year of their marriage.

Liete was no blushing bride, as she nipped at his bottom lip before leaning back with a heated smile as she pulled at his armor and blades.

Shedding himself of his outer layer in moments, Liete had undone the buttons that held her outer dress to her body, now to the side as her cream chemise stopped at the very tops of her thighs. Edward's breath caught as her hips, thick and plump separated and it sent a jolt straight to his crotch.

Edward yanked his shirt from his back, and moved forward to fall to his knees.

Reaching forward to cup either side of Liete's butt in his hands, he scooted her forward until she was on the edge of the table and his face nearly nestled between her thighs.

Liete gave no gasp, no feigned innocence. His woman bit her lip lifted her legs to rest them on his shoulders & pinned him with look of hunger.

With no hesitation Edward pushed her chemise up, until it bared her to him, auburn curls already glistening for him.

The moment his tongue found her pearl, with one long stroke, she shuddered and crossed her legs behind his head barring him from moving anytime soon.

Chuckling to himself for only a moment, Edward swirled his tongue, one of his hands massaging her thigh, the other raising up to run a finger around where she grew slicker with his movements. She tasted like woman, musky and sweet.

As he slipped a finger within her, Liete tightened her legs even further as she moaned softly. It occurred to her for just a moment that it may be hard for him to breath, but as he continued to run his tongue along her, his finger curling to rub against the inside of the spot he worked at, she could care less.

He'll find a way to breath, her mind purred.

Liete had no shame when it came to what she wanted, and Edward was more than willing to give it to her.

Leaning hard on one of her hands behind her, she reached down to bury a hand in his hair yanking it from the thong that held it tied back, as her breath quickened.

Growling in excitement, Edward felt like a beggar who had been given a grand meal. The blood that pumped to his center was nearly painful and yet he could care less. To have her squirming above him, moaning and writhing was bliss.

As he added another finger to rub at her insides, Kenway reached with his other hand to rest on her slightly rounded stomach, her curves and thick skin driving him wild as he pressed into her pearl with fervor. He wanted her howling now.

AS he sped up his tongue, and his finger movements, Liete's grip increased as her eyes hooded her center beginning to tighten and tighten.

When she came, it was with a shivering moan and a clench of her legs as his hot breath was nearly unbearable on her as she convulsed under him.

As she came down from the high, she yanked at his hair once more pulling the man to his feet, capturing his glistening mouth.

She could feel that his stubble had given her whisker burn but she hardly cared as he hungrily explored her mouth with his tongue as she released his head to tear at the sash at his waist and draw string to his breeches.

Edward was delirious with the sensation of it all, and as Liete free'd him and angled him towards her center, it took less than a moment for him to thrust forward.

Moaning together as he lowered his head to capture one of her nipples into his mouth, Liete in turn dug her nails into his back as she rolled her hips to meet each of his thrusts. He was anything but gentle as the table scratched across the floor with each thrust barely heard above their moaning.

No, he'd never had this before Liete. Someone to meet him on his own field, equal. Caroline had looked to him like a caretaker, and it had put the complex into him, this need to provide. Liete was no girl, she wanted nothing more than to meet him half way. True, he had trouble knowing her true mind most days but moments like this were too pure to mistake.

The table hit against the shanty wall as their lovemaking had slid the hardwood across the floor. Paying it no mind, as his own release began to build within him, Edward met her eyes straight on as she held her body upright with one hand to the table and the other wrapped around his neck now gripping tight.

As she squeezed against his throat, arching her back, Edward lost all sense with the pleasure of it as he sunk his hands under her butt to slam into her once more filling her fully as he saw stars.

Visibly shaking as his legs turned to Jelly, Edward held her close to him as she laid a soft kiss to his shoulder as his hair now wet with sweat stuck to his neck.

Releasing the table to wrap both arms around the shaking man, Liete rested her head against his shoulder as he came down from his high.

She owned him too, she thought giddily, a thought from their first love making coming to mind, one where she'd been sure that he'd owned her now.

No, Thatch may have wanted her & he may have been her closest confidant, but in these moments with skin slick from lovemaking and warmth, no man could ever replace Kenway to her. His danger, his watchful calculating, he'd be the death of her.

As he made to pull away from her, Liete held a little tighter for a few more moments whispering more to herself then him.

"I can't control you… but I wish you'd never leave."