Note: Hey! Hope you're enjoying all of this so far! It'd be nice if I could get a few more reviews and favorites and follows though. Just a suggestion. ;)
"I'll take no proposition from you," Annabelle hissed, jerking away from him.
The grizzled old man held her elbow steady, pulling her close to him. He smelled of tobacco, sweat, salt water, and she could just detect traces of rum.
"Tha's not a wise choice, m'dear," he said, raising his eyebrows in warning. "If yeh don' comply with me, I'll simply let m'boys 'ere go to town on your husband and kiddies. They're collateral. I don' need 'em."
She sucked in a sharp breath, and allowed the man to lead her out of the room and into Jacob's office, which had also been stripped of anything of material value. She could not put her family in jeopardy. She would not do anything that would cause them harm, she would die before even thinking of it.
The pirate sat behind Jacob's large desk, resting his elbows on it and leaning forward towards Annabelle, who stood stiffly, a hard glare in her blue eyes.
"Sit, darlin'," he gestured to the chair on the other side of the desk with a battle scarred hand.
Annabelle reluctantly obeyed, still looking coolly at the captain.
"Allow me to introduce meself," he leaned back in his chair, completely at ease. "My name is Captain Henry Teach."
Annabelle's eyes widened. Teach? As in the most infamous pirate of the time? As in Blackbeard? Annabelle opened her mouth to reply, but Teach cut her off before she could speak. It seemed he already knew what she was going to say.
"'Ol' Edward, or Blackbeard as yeh probably know 'im, was my little brother. Mangy lil bastard, 'e was. But it don' matter now, e's dead. Matter of fact, the man who killed 'im is somebody I believe yeh're familiar with." he said it business like, no personal feelings attached to the lost of his brother.
Annabelle was confused. Who did she know who was powerful or smart enough to kill Blackbeard? She thought hard for a moment. Then it came to her. Jack.
"What does he have to do with this?" Annabelle asked, her nervous heart hammering against her breast.
"Well, as I've 'eard-and believe me, I'm not the only one-he's fathered not one, but two of your children. The wife of the Commodore of Port Royal, involved with a pirate. Makes a mighty good bit o' gossip. And judging on the lil girl in tha' bedroom, I'd dare say they were true."
Annabelle looked down, ashamed. "I still don't understand what-"
Teach held up a hand, cutting her off again. "It's not him I'm interested in, dear Lady. It's his father. Captain Joseph Teague, pirate Lord of Madagascar."
Annabelle looked a little indifferently. "Forgive me, Captain, but I've not heard of this particular pirate. Not by name, anyway."
"Ah," Henry Teach chuckled, rubbing his silvery stubbled chin. "Lil Jackie an' 'is Dad never got along very well, no pirates really do, blood bound or not. Anyway, tha's not the point. Apparently, Teague's been keeping a bloody close eye on 'is boy, following' 'im, so to speak. He's not been up to much since tha' Turner woman was voted Pirate King-or Queen, whatever. But either way, I plan to use it to me advantage. I'm gonna use yeh as bait for the dear Captain Jack. When yeh get to Jack, I'll get to Teague. It's simple, really."
"That's all you want? Just this…Teague?" she asked apprehensively.
Teach nodded curtly, and held out his arms to her, as literally weighing the two options in front of her. Either accept the Captain's offer, and lead him to his desired goal, or watch her family die. It did seem rather simple, as he had said. She nodded quickly, and shook the man's wide calloused hand.
"Now, let's go see how your family's faring," he said, rising from Jacob's chair.
Annabelle rushed back to the bedroom where her family lay captive. Roisin was sitting on her knees, holding her mother's head in her lap. Mary was barely stirring, her face covered with blood, though it looked as though someone had attempted to clean her. Lily sat in the corner of the room closest to the closet, head in her lap. Joseph stood stiffly, very ready to fight. Jacob lay limply in the hands of the black man who held his arms in a very awkward and rather painful looking position. Annabelle approached her daughter, picking her up and cradling her. She then kneeled down next to Roisin, while Teach gathered his men outside the room. Jacob was dropped to the floor, and he lay coughing and gasping.
Mary lay very still, her chest moving lightly, as if it were painful to even breathe. Annabelle reached out and grasped the Irish woman's hand, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.
Mary turned her head very slowly, her light green eyes looking at her lovingly.
"Now," she choked out, and Annabelle could see a light stream of blood fall from the corner of her mouth. Roisin gently wiped it away. "Don't you cry now, Anna. There's nothin' to cry about. You too, Roisin. I'm just goin' home. Goin' home is all. It rather hurts, but it won't for long. I can hear Logan and Robert callin' my name. Do you hear it, Rosie? Do you hear your daddy?"
Roisin nodded slowly, tears water falling down her face. She looked at Annabelle pleadingly. Annabelle shook her head, tears streaming down her own face as well. There was nothing to be done. The one woman in her life that had really been a mother to her was dying, here on the floor, blood seeping from her body. She couldn't even imagine what Roisin was feeling. She could feel Lily crying against her as well. She held the dark girl tightly, hoping she could absorb the pain. Mary squeezed her hand with all the strength she could manage.
"You take care o' my girl now, you hear?" she said, her chest tightening with the effort of speaking. "Both my girls need to be safe." she reached up and cupped Annabelle's face softly before dropping her hand limply to the floor. Her eyes closed, fluttering softly, and her breathing slowed to a stop.
"No," Roisin whispered, her voice cracking. "No, Mumma, stop it. Mumma, come on, wake up. Please, please!" her voice was rising to a shout. "Mumma!"
Annabelle pulled the girl into her, holding her head to her chest.
"Shhh," she quieted. "Shhh, Roisin. It's alright." tears were falling steadily down her face as well, though her voice did not waver.
She looked up to see her son and husband crying as well. She felt as if her heart had split in two. It felt almost as it had when she stood watching Jack at the gallows. As it would have if he had died there. Henry Teach entered the room.
"It's time to go," he said gruffly, and a few of his men entered the room lifted her up from Mary's body. She held her daughter against her, unwilling to let her go.
"Let me take them with me," she said, her voice now beginning to quiver. "Please."
"Alrigh'" he said dismissively. A rusty haired man with a scar running down his cheek roughly grabbed Joseph and led him out of the room. Jacob lay where he was, his face contracted with pain.
"I want my husband," she said firmly.
Teach shook his head. "Yeh'll not be able to serve your purpose if he's with us."
"Please!" she pleaded. "I promise, he'll not affect my work."
Teach sighed exasperatedly. "Whatever."
And then they were led out of the room, away from their home, away from any love and safety they'd ever known.
