A/N: This chapter is not like the previous ones and will not happen again. This chapter is Mary's point of view, as we take a look at her journey from death to the windmill. This was the best way I could fill everyone in on what happened to her, rather than have her talking to Kenway about it. I understand this will not be liked by everyone and I am sorry in advance.
Thank you to everyone for your continued support, your feedback has been overwhelming to me and I am eternally grateful!
What's your favorite shanty? I think mine is Leave Her Johnny, Leave Her.
"What are you thinking of?" Mary looked over to the voice of her dear friend Anne, sitting up in the crow's nest of Rackham's boat. She held her knees to her chest, shaking her head with a slight smile.
"Nothing of importance," She mumbled, reaching over for her pipe and quickly lite it, taking a deep breath before blowing it out in rings, watching Anne reach up to touch them. "Someone."
"Oh? Was it that, oh what was his name, Ray?"
"Ray? The mate from the last port? No. I need to be leavin ya soon. Takin far too long to get to home."
"You know Jack, takes his time."
"Aye, takes his time drinken and letting his men do as they please."
"So stop changing the subject, be a girl for a moment won't you?" Anne giggled, leaning over and laid her head on Mary's shoulder as they watched out over the calm water. Mary just chuckled, leaning back against the mast and went back to her smoking.
"Gossip?"
"Yes of course. Your secrets are safe with me."
"I know that Anne, just a bit hard for me to talk 'bout. Worried 'bout Kenway is all. Been so long since I've seen him. No one's seen him in ages. Makes me think the worse."
"I'm sure he's just off finding gold somewhere, he won't go down without making sure the whole world knows…Mary? Mary what's wrong?" Mary shook her head, gently shoving Anne off and stood up, watching twenty boats of all sizes, but two of them were man of wars, headed straight at them flying the English flag. Her stomach dropped, reaching down and grabbed Anne, yanking her to her feet. "Get Rackham, tell 'em to get his men prepared to fight we won't be out sail'en this."
"Well I'll be damned, if it isn't Mary Read or should I call you James Kidd." A tall officer stood over her, reaching down and yanked her to her feet with a grin, reaching out to stoke her cheek. "Well if it isn't my lucky day. Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read. Three of the most infamous pirates to sail and yet so easy to be caught."
Mary snarled, trying to yank her hands from the rope that kept them bound behind her back. She could feel blood pouring down her face and her left side was aching as if she'd broken a rib. She looked over to Anne who was bleeding as well, kneeling on the floor with a passed out Rackahm. They'd lost, but she hadn't been so proud of her friend then in the past two hours. They two of them took down half the fleet, only stopping when they were finally boarded and a soldier managed to hold a sword to Anne's throat. "According to the ocean, we ain't so easy."
"Yes it is a bit red isn't it Ms. Read? To think two women could go against me and somehow have an impact. If I wasn't so repulsed by your smell I might kiss you." Listening to the sounds of the Navy laugh Mary leaned back, spitting right in his eye and groaned as a fist met her own, being thrown onto the deck and felt a hard kick to her back. She gasped in pain, listening to Anne scream for them to stop. "What you need is a good fuck. Throw the others in the brig, she stays tied to my mast."
"Stop!" Anne cried out, fighting against the man who lifted her up and kicked him, running to Mary only to be tackled by another soldier. "Mary!" Mary laid on the deck, becoming a black and blue mess as she looked over to Anne and nodded to her.
"M'fine Annie, get goin," Mary met Anne's eyes, giving her a smirk. "I'll be fine."
Two weeks ago she'd been captured and since then she'd spent her days tied to a mast and let off it to piss once a day. She laid back against it, trying to access her body for the hundredth time. Her bruises were faded and nothing hurt as much as her ribcage but she was sure it was from the ropes around her being tied to tight. Kingston was just over the horizon and the only comfort she took in the Jamaican Prison was that she hadn't bled in three months' time.
Her training had only prepared her so much she thought, and it surely wasn't preparing her for the next few months ahead. All pirates heard rumors of what they do to you in that prison and none had been to kind. Mary shivered, staring as she could begin to make out the windmill where she'd last worked with Kenway and showed him her secret. Where was he? It'd been so long since the pirate captain had been seen that she was certain he'd died.
"You look as if you're staring at a ghost Read," His voice caught her attention, looking over to the Captain she'd grown to hate with ever fiber in her being.
"Aye, ghost of a town it used to be."
"It's taken us a long time to get the heathen from it, but I'm sure Kingston will become a suitable home for a lady like yourself pirate wench."
Mary didn't respond to him, merely shook her head and looked up into the clear blue sky as a parrot flew over them. She wasn't even in her cell and the longing to be free was starting to creep on her. But Mary knew one thing, she had to stay strong. Anne would need her, as much as the fire head was feisty she had a weak heart that Mary would protect.
"Any last words before I take you in?"
"Come to me trial, don' want ya to miss it."
"I wouldn't miss watching you hang for all the gold the seas have to offer me."
"-until they are dead, dead, DEAD!"
Mary's eyes were staring at him, he was right there alive though a bit thinner than the last time she'd seen him. Kenway, just as beautiful as he'd always been sat there watching her sentencing. Shaking her head slightly to him she looked over past the judge to the captain who had walked her in personally and grinned, "WE'RE PREGNANT! YA HERE THAT?"
"CAN'T HANG A PREGANT LADY FAST NOW CAN YA?" Anne laughed, looking over to Mary with a grin on her face. Anne was so stupid Mary thought, she was betting on her brothers to come rescue her before she rotted in this building. It already stunk of death and Rackham was already being prepared to die that day which she was sure would lead to Anne eventually breaking down tonight. Everything else became a slight muttering to her, as she continued looking over to Kenway who was being escorted towards the opposite side of the prison as her and Anne were.
Their cells were dark, no windows or any sign of sunlight to be seen. She was untied and walked in, walking to the corner where some rags she was supposed to put on instead of her coat. They were thin, once white perhaps and loosely fit her body. The only thing she knew about them, is they would do nothing to keep her warm in the damp air here. As she handed over her coat she kissed it, and watched her clothing walk away with the guard who took to torch with him as well. No light, nothing proper to wear, and a bucket to shit in. "Anne?"
"Mary, Mary we're going to be okay right?"
"Course lass, we'll be fine. Here hold my hand," Mary sat with her back against the bars and reached over to Anne's side, taking the hand she felt and laced their fingers. "Ya afraid of the dark?"
"No, I think I can handle the dark."
"Then that's one of us. Sing for me Annie, please."
Her stomach was huge and her body felt so weak. As pain ripped through her once more Mary screamed, clutching Anne's hand through the bar. It had been 6 months she'd counted, guessed from the changing of the guards, and not one assassin had made contact with her. They had abandoned her, just like everyone else in her life. Mary was truly a broken women as she sobbed out another scream, her legs spread open as the pressure was becoming too much.
"Mary, please Mary you have to breathe. Mary come on now I think the doctor is finally coming!"
"Ya think he gives a shit 'bout some pirate bitch?" Mary snapped as she let go of Anne's hand and grabbed the bars behind her, leaning forward as another contraction shook her to the core. Her eyes stung from her own tears, gasping for breath that wouldn't come fast enough. "Jus' want it to end Annie."
"Don't talk like that, you'll be fine Mary. Birthing is painful but you're about to bring life into th-"
"Bring life to wha Anne? Some babe I could care less 'bout?"
"You don't mean that Mary."
Mary's scream ripped through their conversation, finally hearing the jingle of keys and a women's voice snapping that they should have gotten to her sooner. Mary looked over as an old lady, whose eyes seemed so wise reached over and touched her cheek.
"My name is Samantha, Mary. I'm going to help you deliver your babe. I know it hurts, done this three times myself. Now let me get your bottoms off. Richard leave the torch on the wall and leave, this is woman's work."
She had done nothing to earn this woman's kindness, yet that's all she received during her labor. With soothing words and Anne's own encouragement she finally heard the cries of a little babe and Mary for once in her life felt proud. Through her dizziness she chuckled, reaching out to take her from Samantha and held the baby to her chest, reaching over and gently stroked her cheek.
"It's a girl Mary, what will you name her?"
"Caroline," Mary whispered, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead when her bars were slammed open and suddenly Caroline was ripped from her arms. "N-No…" Mary's voice was hoarse as she called out, watching Samantha stand to grab the doctor's arm.
"Richard the babe needs her mother's milk."
"Mother dearest, this pirate wench will be dead before sunrise look at her. She's hot with fever and can't even lift her arms to take her babe back. Now come, leave Mary Read to rot in hell where she belongs."
Mary sat as their fighting soon left her hearing and what she was left with was silent darkness, the only sound she could hear was Anne's breathing. Reaching down she slowly sat up, as she worked on sliding her bottoms on, caring not that everything was still covered in her own blood.
"Mary…Mary you aren't dying are ya? We'll get your babe back Mary."
"Anne…thank you lass."
"N-No, SOMEONE HELP PLEASE! SHE NEEDS A BLANKET!" But Anne's sobs came to deaf ears as Mary sat in her corner and curled up, shivering as her fever began to take over.
His eyes were blue, just like the sea and sky she had grown to miss so much. He was fighting her, pushing her to walk one more step but no amount of his nagging was going to help her now. He had to change, he was so much more than a greedy ass. From the moment she met him and watched him learn how to enhance his own senses she knew she'd fallen into a longing she'd never felt before. Mary was hopelessly in love with Edward Kenway, a married man who only cared about himself. She smiled to him as she felt her cheek cupped and watched his lips move, watching as he faded into black. The air was so nice here she thought, as she struggled to look at him. "I'll be with ya Kenway, I will." And she would, she wouldn't ever leave his side as her vision turned into nothing.
"Su sueño es eterno, para siempre tan caliente"
"Ah Tabai dijo que vigilarla, la vemos"
"Ya han pasado dos meses, sólo duerme."
"Crees que si nos golpeó con un pez que había despertado?"
Mary stirred, her eyes fluttered open as she looked over to two old bickering Spanish women, one holding a large fish. Her eyes narrowed, watching as the lady lifted the fish up over her and Mary reached up, slapping it away from herself and listened to the lady scream.
"S-She wakes!"
"I can see, Mary Read my child, do you speak?"
"W-What?" Mary asked in confusion, falling back against the soft palm leaves she was laid against, looking up at the strange old ladies in confusion. She was supposed to be in Kingston rotting away in a cell with Anne beside her. She'd only closed her eyes for a moment, just until Kenway had woken her but she'd told him to fuck off right as well hadn't she? "Where am I?"
"Small things child, you are in Oranjestad."
"In wha'?"
"Island south of Jamaica, yet North of the big land."
"Where is Anne?"
"Who? What is she asking now Jul?"
"Anne was her friend, Ah Tabai sai-"
"Where is Ah Tabai?," Mary snapped, losing all patience she had and sat up, looking down only to see her tattoo and her eyes widened in horror, reaching for the wool blanket that had fallen to her waist. "And me clothes?"
"She can return to sleeping, she's a cunt," The toothless one snapped as the other lady, Juls was it, slapped her hard on the arm.
"You've been sleeping two months. We take care of you. Or three months…long journey here."
"Months!?" Mary's voice cracked as she stood, trying to take a step and fell into the arms of the women and groaned, her legs felt of jelly like she'd been at sea to long. "I 'ave to go. Me friends need help and I need to get to them."
"You need rest."
"Had plenty of tha' now haven't I?" Mary snapped feeling a hard slap to her right cheek and looked up as an assassin stood there, cloaked in a green she didn't recognize. "Who the fuck do ya think ye are?"
"Mary, sister, lay down like they ask," The assassin removed her cloak and pulled out a pipe, lighting it as Mary laid back against the bed of leaves and watched as the strange girl had the old women leave and pulled up a stool to sit beside her. "Ah Tabai sent me to you. When time has come you and I will sail to him."
"I want to see Anne and Edward, they're me frie-"
"They are dead."
"What?" Mary gasped, looking up in horror as the dark skinned women offered her a pipe and shook her head, sitting up and looked out towards the door of the hut. "What do you mean they're dead?"
"He says they die fighting, I'm sorry."
It took one year until the assassins on this island thought she would be fit for sailing, or rather it took one year for her to steal robes and get herself a little boat. She tied the robes closed over her binding, reaching up to tie her hair up with a piece of red ribbon until she could put on a black bandanna. She would return to the sea as a man, just as she'd first stepped into it. She had just began to push the boat out off the beach when the sound of feet in the sand startled her, turning to find the woman Ah Tabai had sent to her, Victoria.
"You can't leave."
"I can do as I please, I dunno what's going on but I ain't a slave to anyone. 'Specially not to a creed that taught me to be wise. If ya'd like to tell me what has 'appened then I won't go." Mary snapped to her before turning her back and began pushing the boat off into the ocean. There was a ship, looked to be a bit bigger than her own but it would do. A fishing boat would be fine and help her until she could take a proper ship to get back to Kingston.
"You know I can't let you leave."
"Ya can't stop me."
"No but I can join you. You've become a friend to me Mary, it's time I told you what's going on," Victoria leaned down and helped push the little boat out into the sea and jumped on it, watching as Mary began to put up the sail. "You deserve to know the truth, I haven't heard from him in a year since he sent me to you."
"Jaysus lass what were ya gona do then? Sit here and watch me drink?" Mary snapped to her, yanking hard on a rope to tie it tight. "Tell ya what, I get us a boat and head to Kingston, I have someone I promised to see and you tell me what is goin on."
"He came in holding you, muttering on about how you weren't cold of death yet but not breathing. The shaman said you had fallen into an eternal sleep that would be hard to wake and your fever needed breaking. Ah Tabai thought it best to send you to Aruba, far away from your pirate friends," Victoria lifted her bottle of rum, taking a sip before handing it to Mary as they sat on the deck of a schooner littered with corpses where only a few men actually lived to help clear it off.
"So I was dead?"
"No, you had fallen into a deep sleep pay attention Mary. But they did think you dead, your blond friend carried you out and gave you to Ah Tabai. We took care of you in Tulum, until your fever broke and I helped bring you to our little hideaway where he wanted you to remain until we received word to bring you to him. I don't know why, but I was to tell you your friends were dead when they aren't. I didn't ask questions I just obeyed."
Mary sat in silence, grabbing the bottle and downed as much as she could before ending up in a fit of coughing, leaning back against the wood with a sigh. "Why is he treaten me like some prisoner? I did nothin wrong. I need to find Kenway before he does something foolish. What of Anne and her babe? Is she alright?"
"Her babe is dead, and Kenway has become an assassin."
"Ha! You don' know anything do ya? Kenway wouldn't do that."
"But he has, for you Mary," Mary looked over as her hand was held and she sat in silence, looking up at the night sky with a smile on her face. "Ah Tabai said he gave him robes himself."
"You don' know Kenway do ya?"
"No, I don't. But you ask entirely too much about him than a friend would."
"Aye, but that's all he is. I don't want Ah Tabai to know m'back alright? I need you to go to where Kenway is, find him and Anne for me. Tell 'em to meet me in Kingston."
"I don't know where they are Mary, maybe you should come with me an-"
"No. I'll draw ya a map of where he lives, got himself a secret island probably all fixed up by now. Should be filled with whores an' big flashy golden statues of himself."
Every morning at seven sharp he left his home and went to market to buy breakfast: one roll and a pineapple. By nine the hospital became where he lived till the sunset where he left and stopped by the local brothel. He only ever slept with the blond whore and left in time to get home where his wife and three young children would greet him. An excuse was always told, usually him saving a life of a poor sailor, until he'd fuck his wife good and proper and sleep.
Mary was always there walking in the shadows, eating an apple or smoking a pipe by him. He took no notice to her, he wasn't one to care for others, to stuck up in his own head to look around but all the same he was wrong in one thing. There was a dark alley he took to get from the brothel to his home and it would be where Mary would have her way with him. Richard was a stupid prey, always so loud and traveling by himself. She grabbed a croissant by the market, watching him pick out a pathetic pineapple before leaving to the hospital. Her eyes quickly watched over the bay, no sign of the Jackdaw just like it had been the past few weeks. Surely Victoria would have found them by now, they were alive and she was going to see her friends again she just had to be patient.
Mary found her way to the hospital after him and climbed up on a tree, closing her eyes and had a little nap until she felt something hit her, no, pecking at her head. She reached up grabbing a pigeon and yanked the letter from its leg and gave it a bit of her bread before it flew off. As she scanned the letter a sigh of relief let her: Edward and Anne were coming, should be here any day now. Pocketing the damn thing she slid down and made her way to the brothel, picking out the blond whore and kissed the back of her hand.
"An hour of ya time lass?" She smiled, reaching up and pet the girls cheek softly.
"And what's your name handsome," The whore whispered, reaching over and pressed a kiss to Mary's lips before Mary could stop her.
"Ya can call me James, let's head to your room shall we?" Mary smiled to her, lacing their fingers and let the young girl lead her up and past other gazes staring at her. She'd only done this a few times, and truly hated it. There was nothing worse than a whore grabbing you through the trousers and then having to pay them off to shut their gob or worse. Though this one, Maddi she liked to be called, just sat down on the bed and spread her legs open for Mary to come lay between.
Leaning over her she cupped her face, kissing her plump lips and laid down as the feeling of thighs firmly wrapping around her hips took over. This was no good, she was hoping to talk a bit before having to cut to business but Maddi here was too good at her job and understood talking was not wanted by most men. "Maddi lass, I need to talk with ya just for a moment."
"Shh Jim, talking is so silly," Mary's eyes went wide as her hand was grabbed and found her fingers under Maddi's skirts and onto something that was entirely to wet. Her cheeks turned bright red, looking up into the others pretty green eyes and tried to pull away only to be grabbed again. "I really need to talk to ya lass."
"No you need to fuck me. You're the prettiest man that I've ever seen come to me right away. Have you been watching me James?"
"A bit, yes," Mary admitted, getting the response she was seeking. Yanking her hand free she reached into her waistband and laid a sachet of coins on top of Maddi's chest, sitting up and watched the young girl snatch it up, giving her an odd look. "When Mr. Richards comes to you tonight, you will make sure he's had so much fun he can hardly scream."
"Should he be drunk for you James? Or just make sure he has a good time," Maddi smiled, leaning over and pressed another kiss to Mary's lips.
"Just make sure his voice is hoarse, all I want from ya. Thank you lass."
"He's awful you know."
"Aye, I know."
And sure enough come the evening he was wondering outside, shirt barley on and Maddi waved him goodbye before shutting the door on him. Mary walked behind him, waiting until they were halfway in the alley before grabbing his head and slamming it against a stone building, shoving him to the ground and straddle his waist, a hand flew to his mouth as he groaned out. She leaned down, pressing her hidden blade to his throat. "Where do the babes go from the prison?"
"W-What? Are you insane?"
"The babes from the females, where are they."
"I don't know, I-I just sent them off-" His voice went silent as her blade pressed further unto his skin, a prickle of blood running down his throat.
"Wrong answer."
"Who are you?" He breathed out, and Mary happily showed him. She reached up and pulled her hair loose, throwing her bandanna on the ground and smiled as his face turned into a look of horror. "You're dead…I-I left you to die and-"
"That's right, Richard. You left me alone to die of a fever in that filthy cell. Now where is my babe?"
"Your…the pirate bitch's daughter is where she belongs. I personally sold her to a slaver in Havanna. If she's lived this long I'll be shocked." Mary's eyes narrowed in annoyance as she leaned over him, and pressed her blade through his throat, before yanking it out and wiped the blood off on his shirt.
The next morning the market was a buzz at the doctor's body being found in an alley as Mary reached over and grabbed an orange, inspecting it before handing the old man his coin. She was uncertain on when to get to Havanna but it would have to be soon, the only thing that came of shock to her was her daily lookout over the bay. As her eyes scanned the ships she dropped her fruit into the sand, staring as Edward Kenway and Anne Bonny walked off their ship together, looking around before pointing to the tavern.
They both looked beautiful, so healthy and alive that Mary couldn't help but stare. She walked over to them, staying behind enough to not be detected and walked into the tavern, buying a pint and sat across the room from them, allowing the pretty bar maid to sit with her as she cleaned mugs from last night. They thought her dead so long, how did she come about greeting them? It wasn't long till the split up and Mary chewed on her pipe, deciding it best to follow the hot head around, Anne wouldn't do anything stupid.
She was shocked to find Edward not only was better behaved, but he hadn't stopped by the brothel at all. He walked around all day, led them to the prison and soon to an old man who spat at his boots. Three times she'd nearly reached out and grabbed him to shake him of his stupidity. What kind of assassin let themselves be stalked? It wasn't until he climbed the lighthouse and screamed into the sky did she climb up it as well, landing a bit heavier than normal and watched as he rose coming at her with clenched fists.
She reached up, pulling down her hood and watched as he fell to her feet, "I missed ya to Kenway." Mary smiled, falling to her knees as well and held him close as he sobbed into her shoulder.