Thanks for all the support and I hope you enjoy! This feels very slow but don't worry things will speed up pretty soon. Let me know if you like the pacing.
The sun has long since disappeared from the sky, leaving the air a bit cooler than before. I've lost track of time; telling her about memories I have and small stories from childhood.
We've laughed, hers thick and husky like her voice. She looks so carefree and I'm almost proud I could put her in such a state of mind.
She is extremely alluring when she wants to be and terrifying the next. The conversation never breaks into awkward silence because every pause is filled with her merry laughter or blissful sigh.
Do I dare say she looks beautiful?
"We should head back to the manor," she states, taking my hand and pulling me up with her.
She brushes herself off and I do much the same. "My men are probably passed out by now. I'll almost feel bad for them when Ade gets ahold of them."
"He should give them worse than what I gave you," she scoffs.
I laugh under my breath and come to terms with what she was trying to tell me. I know she's disappointed. She'd like me to forget the observatory and take up with the assassins but I can't give up. I hope she understands that instead of taking it personally. I don't hold anything against her personally.
We walk to the manor and she stops at the threshold of the dining room. "Now that I've walked the lady home I shall take my leave," she says mockingly.
I stop her, not knowing what I want but not wanting her to go. "You can stay here for the night."
Her brow furrows and she looks offended. "Are you trying to-" I can read the disgust off her face. As if I would just treat having her as a minuscule thing.
"No, Jaysus, Kidd. I have spare rooms in the manor. You don't have to walk all the way back to the docks." She nods reluctantly and follows me inside.
I open the door to the room across the hall from mine. "You can have this one for the night or whenever your on the island if you'd like. I have no other use for it."
She looks surprised at the notion. "Thank you Kenway."
She walks inside and takes off her jacket, hanging it on the footboard. "Goodnight captain Read," I say playfully and turn to close the door.
"You too Kenway," she laughs.
I close the door and head to my room pulling off my robes, belts, and sashes after stepping through the door. The bed compresses under my weight and I find myself staring at the ceiling to keep my mind off my thoughts and onto sleeping.
I can't sleep. For whatever reason I feel like I could be doing something and that thought alone is enough to make me restless.
I wonder if Kidd's asleep. She probably is. Her hair most likely splayed across her pillow as she wears only a white shirt. I wonder what type of smalls she wears. Are they mens or does she wear those frilly ones that women often do?
I shouldn't be thinking about this. Especially not how nice she would look in something like that and definitely not that she would wear something like that in front of me.
If she didn't mean so much to me I could, would, walk out across the hall and... I don't know what I'd do. When it comes to women, I'm not in anyway inexperienced but with someone like her I don't know what I want. I'd be content with just holding her but the urge to do things more intimate are also prominent in my mind.
I shouldn't. She means too much. She's too disappointed in me and she deserves better. Whose to say that she isn't with one of those damn assassins?
That causes a faint throbbing in my chest. She's not mine to have.
That doesn't mean I can't think on it.
I stand and make my way across the hall before I right know what I'm going to say.
I knock on the door and hear a groan from the other side. I open it and step in, seeing easily through the dark.
She's propped up with a few pillows, the blanket pulled to her chest. Her eyes aren't blurry with sleep like I expected.
"Can't sleep, Mary?" I ask, leaning on the door casing, not wanting to enter her personal space.
"What happened to Captain Read?" she asks sarcastically. "And no, I can't."
"Can I come in?" I ask.
"I don't see why not."
I cross the room to the large bed she lays in and sit on the edge.
Only now does my state of undress come to mine but it's nothing she hasn't seen before. We went harpooning together once. I wondered why young James didn't take his shirt off. There was also the time I got ale spilled down the front of my robes at the tavern and took them off for night.
"Is something troubling you?" She questions, perceptive as ever.
"Just worrying of nothing I suppose. I thought your company would be better than staring at the ceiling or drinking myself to sleep."
"As long as I don't have to deal with you and your hangover I'll be fine."
There's a lull in conversation before I take up on a topic I'm surprised we haven't covered considering it's our livelihoods. "How has the sea been treating you? Any whiffs of mutiny," I joke.
"Well enough. The men are still up on the high of taking that man o war but have been a bit restless lately now that Nassau's gone. Some even still have family their," she seems saddened by her own words. You know a good captain when they are involved in the lives of their crews.
"Aye, it's been much the same with my men. A few left my crew in an attempt to find their loved ones."
Shee looks down that the blankets covering her. "I'm worried about Annie. I never did get to talk to her as promised."
"Annie's tough. Things will calm down in a few month and I'd be glad to sneak onto the island with you to see her."
She quirks up her eyebrow. "Are you looking for a reason to see me again?"
"I might be," I state, not looking up to meet her knowing gaze. I almost feel like she could read my mind sometimes. "You are one of the best friends I have out on these seas."
"I'm glad," she says, thinking hard on something.
Out of nowhere she hisses and pulls her knees to her chest, eyes closed in pain.
"Mary are okay?" I ask, panicked.
"Damned moon blood gives me cramps like hell," she hisses lowly and rolls to her side, still tucked into a ball.
"Is it always this bad?" I ask, not knowing what else to do. Caroline's never hurt this bad and to see Mary in pain is something I never wanted to see or ever thought I would.
"Aye, it feels like a knife to the belly." She rubs at her stomach, pressing and clutching, doing whatever she can to alleviate the pain.
I place my hand on her side, not knowing what else to do. I move closer and decide to be bold, gathering her into my arms and pulling her head to my chest.
She groans, and presses closer. "Being a woman is a pain in the arse."
I laugh quietly and place my palms to her shirt clothed stomach, rubbing small circles around her navel.
We stay like that as time seems to slip by. The pain seems to loosen it's grip on her but still doesn't pull away. We almost dose off but as soon my hands stop moving she says, "keep doing that. It helps." I can't tell her no.
She pushes off of me after minutes of holding each other (do I want to call it that?) and moves up the bed and get back under that blankets.
"I should be letting you get to sleep," I say softly.
She grabs my wrist and pulls me back down. "Kenway... You're staying here." She says it like I have no choice in the matter and this time I don't want one. I'll let her win.
I don't tease her as I take up the place beside her or when she rolls to face me and presses her belly my side. Nor does she tease when I wrap my arm around her to keep her close.
My heavy eyelids want to fall and so I let them. "Goodnight," I yawn but she's already asleep.
Mary wakes before I do and I find her sitting in the corner scribbling something on a small piece of parchment.
"Morning Kidd." I push the blankets down and stand, waking over to her. "What do you have there?"
"I'm sending word to Tulum that I'll be leaving at night fall."
"So soon? You only arrived yesterday." She seems to be in a rush to go.
"I have more important things to do than traipse around with you." Oh, so she feels guilty about spending time with me.
I know their distaste for me but she shouldn't have to worry about being around me or if they'll hear about it.
"Well if you're leaving tonight I'll do the same. Thatch isn't going to come back himself," I pat her shoulder and head to my room to change into my robes. "Are you feeling well?" I call from across the hall.
"Oh tosh I'm fine. Just forget about it," she yells back. "And... well... I want to thank you."
"Do you?" I tease.
"Fine. I take it back. You're just an arse."
I walk back in and smile at her furrowed brow and glare. "Your welcome," I say genuinely, noting her look of pleasant surprise. "It's the least I can do for a friend."
"Alas the image of you and Thatch doing just the same doesn't seem to fit," she says sarcastically.
"It seems you're special."
She puts down her paper and looks up, curious. "How am I special?"
"Where do I begin," I say feigning excitement and she smiles but rolls her eyes not to allude how much I know my teasing helps when she asks questions that should be answered delicately. "You're terrifying like Thatch but don't have to do the theatrics to achieve that. I still remember when you scared the piss out of that poor man just by looking at him," I laugh.
She shrugs but waits, knowing I'm avoiding giving a straight answer if her look is anything to show for that.
"You are also a well established captain and can put your pride away long enough to ask a friend for help."
"You didn't answer my question," she says with one eyebrow raised. "Something to hide?" She just seems genuinely curious, not a hint of a bitting tone.
"I'm not hiding anything but I can't say the same about you."
"I've done nothing of the sort," she says flatly and walks past me, out into the dining room. "I have a few things to take care of on my ship. I'll be there if you need me."
Then she walks off, clearly not wanting the answer if it means she also has to show her own cards but I think she knows. If only she knew the game was rigged.
I took my time to complete fleet operations and other pressing matters; making sure no one was getting too drunk before we set off, checking to see if everything is in order which it is thanks to Ade, and putting money into the construction of a general store.
Mary's ship is quiet as I make my way to it. Most of her men are spending their last few hours on land sleeping, knowing it will be a long journey to Tulum.
I climb the side but stop at the light sound to singing. The voice is soft but familiar carrying the tune to Captain Kidd.
I step over the edge slowly as to not interrupt the tune. Mary sits on a barrel, eyes casted down at one of her pistols as she cleans it with a piece of clean cloth.
Her voice is sweet but still accented with her lilt. It throws me for a loop. The feared pirate James Kidd can sometimes be found singing shanties to himself on his ship on a slow day. My heart swells in a weird way.
I listen to the whispered words that fall from her lips until the tune ends and she sighs. I walk up beside her a few moments after and she looks up at me.
"Pretty ironic that Captain Kidd would like to sing that song don't you think."
Her content visage is turned into a dark glare, sent nowhere but in my direction. "I... just leave me be you little shite," she growls.
"You have a very nice singing voice," I tease and sit on the railing across from her.
She doesn't stop glaring daggers. "I would think I wouldn't have to worry that someone would sneak up on me on my own ship. You're the only one stupid enough."
"How could a siren expect to sing and not attract men?"
She smiles in spite of herself but quickly wipes it away.
"You should sing more often. Just not in front of the crew but-"
"Who should I sing to then? You?" She smirks at that, pleased with the corner she's backed me into.
"Of course," I laugh, pretending to be completely serious. "Our feared captain could sing to me. No... serenade."
She laughs under her breath. "Sometimes I wonder what is going on in that thick head of yours," she teases and pats my arm.
She can't expect me to give this up, can she? "Why don't you sing again?"
Her brow furrows and her look unsure. "Really Kenway? You want to hear a song go to the tavern."
"But I want to listen to you sing."
"How about a deal? If you make it back in one piece I'll sing ya something nice."
"Just another reason to get Thatch quickly."
