XXX.
A New Freedom

By the next day, Mary was in Nassau. She had gotten a ride from a fisher who had business there anyway. It had not been a pleasant voyage for her. A heavy grief was now holding a large part of her heart. She managed to stay strong, but she quickly fell into a drink when she got to Nassau. She took the Pardon of course, signing on as a Privateer, just in case she might feel like taking to the sea once more. She really doubted it. She spent a lot of time those first three days with Anne. She still flirted with Mary, but from what Mary had heard, she was having an affair with Jack Rackham. An interesting choice that one, but Mary wasn't one to judge.

She and Anne had a lot to talk about though. Anne always took the time to flirt in those talks and a few times Jack had gotten all riled up. He was protective of his "prize". While Mary didn't blame him; she certainly wouldn't have had anything to do with the man. He smelled of booze half the time and besides…Well she had to cut that thought short. It was a painful, thorny path and she didn't want to go down it.

It was the third day, Mary leaned up against the bar and Jack in his cup at a table nearby. He was watching Anne with a wandering eye and she was giving him the full benefit. Mary tapped her cup on the bar to get Anne's attention once again. Mary and Anne had been discussing sailing. Anne wished to get out of this town, but she knew no one who could take her. Her husband would never allow it. Jack snorted at that idea. He hated her husband and wanted her to divorce him, but it wasn't proper for a lady to divorce a man so the idea was quickly dropped.

"I don't know, Jim" She said, softly. "I haven't the faintest idea how to pilot a ship. That ain't work a woman does"

If only she knew…

"Tosh!" Mary scoffed. "I've seen a score of ladies who can reef a sail and spin a capstan" Of course Mary was one of them. Female captains and pirates were becoming more and more common though. Of course, most of them went under the guise of men. Men still weren't accepting of women as their equals after all.

"And would you teach me to fight? With a cutlass, like? And maybe handle a pistol?" Her voice was getting excited. She was clearly thrilled by the idea of living on the sea.

"All that and more. But you have to want it. And work for it. There's no stumbling into true success" She gave Anne a true smile which she returned. Uh oh. She didn't mean for it that way. Shit. Damn Anne and her flirty ways. Suddenly, Rackham was paying the upmost attention to them.

"'Oy! Lad! That's my lass you're making love to! You lay off or I'll cut ya!" Anne was backing up a little, her eyes shocked. Mary's eyes hardened. Alright, none of this. She wasn't going to get cut up just because she wanted to teach Anne a thing or two about the sea.

"Up your arse, Rackham" She spat at him, slamming her cup down. What did it even matter anymore? Why bother hiding it? She didn't care anymore. "Lad is the last thing you should be calling me"

"Oh! Oh, is that right, is it? Lad! LAD!" He was just pissing her off and she rushed at him, grabbing him by the collar before he could do anything to defend himself.

"Shut your bloody, fucking gob, man!" She hissed. Then she dropped him. "Anne, Rackham, come with me" Then she walked away. Rackham got up and already firm with a few drinks, stumbled after her, Anne helping to guide him. Just because she was ready to tell some others, didn't mean she was ready to let the whole of the West Indies know who she was.

"What's this all about Jim?" Anne asked as she led them to a house she knew to be safe.

"I have a secret and you two must keep it" She cautioned them.

"Oh? What is it, lad?" Rackham asked.

"Shut the hell up Rackham. Don't call me lad." She didn't bother masking her voice anymore. Both Anne and Rackham looked confused. "Is it so hard to understand?" She sighed and pulled up her shirt, unlacing her corset and pulling it off. She unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it down. Anne and Rackham both stared at her.

"Bucket of...shite" Rackham rubbed at his eyes. "Are those tits?! Are you telling me, the piss pot that's James Kidd ain't a man?"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you Rackham. I've had the wool over your eyes for years" She smiled smugly. Anne was still just staring and then suddenly she smiled.

"And that's why you're offering to teach me!" She said it in an excited gasp. "Ah…Wait, what's your name, lass? It can't be James"

Mary chuckled. "No…no it's not. My name is Mary Read and I ask you keep it a secret"

"Of course, Mary" She knew Anne would keep her mouth shut. Mary engaged her hidden blade and pressed it against Rackham's throat.

"You too, Calico"

"A-Aye, lass" She pulled the blade away and went about fixing herself once more.

Rackham stumbled off, mumbling to himself. Anne waited and then she and Mary began her training. Right away. And Anne promised to work for it and she did. In fact, she put most new Assassins to shame with her passion for learning the trade of fighting and sailing. Mary had to say she was extremely proud of the young woman. In the first day she was already learning to be a good shot and how to reload a pistol quickly yet properly. There was hope for her yet.

It had only been two week of trying to squeeze in as many lessons as she could, but they had yet to touch sailing. Mary figured they'd get to that soon enough. She'd take on a privateer job and take Anne with her she guessed. That was all until one day changed everything.

Anne and Mary were taking a break from her training. It was swordsplay they were working on that day. She was a natural. Really, Mary was surprised she hadn't tried such a thing sooner. Anne was sitting on Rackham's lap and Mary was trying to ignore the two because…Well it led her to think of a person she didn't want to think of. She wasn't feeling very well either. She had a bloody headache and she wasn't sure why. Due to all the practice with Anne, she hadn't been drinking lately. So, whatever it was, it was annoying her and making her moodier than normal. Things might have gone on as they were if Anne's husband didn't suddenly enter the scene. None of them saw him coming. One moment it was just the three of them at the Old Avery and then James Bonny was there.

Before anyone knew what was happening, he had thrown Anne to the ground and given Rackham a good punch right to his nose. Blood gushed over Jack's lips and he fell back cursing. Anne began screaming and grabbing onto her husband. Mary rushed in and separated the three.

"Stop! Stop!" She shouted above all of them. James Bonny pulled himself out of her grip and looked down at his wife.

"You little whore! After I brought you here to begin a new life! A good life!" He reached down and grabbed her, dragging her to her feet.

"Where are you taking me?" She was crying. Mary helped Jack to his feet and sat him in a chair.

"Stay here. I'll follow and find out what's going on" He nodded, pinching at his nose.

"Make sure they don't hurt her" She heard him say as she hurried away.

She followed at a distance, but it wasn't hard. Anne never gave up her shouting and fighting. A few times she broke away from her husband but at the third time he ordered some guards to tie her up. They did and they helped lead her to the manor – where the Governor himself resided. Rodgers himself was there today, outside talking to some guards. Mary hid in a tree just high enough to be safe, but low enough to listen.

"Mister Bonny, what is the meaning of this?" Rodgers asked. James tossed his wife to the ground where she landed and struggled to right herself.

"My wife is having an affair." He spat the words.

"Where is her paramour?"

"At the tavern, gushing blood like the pig he is!" James glared down at his wife. Anne glared up at him, her eyes baleful and unapologetic. "I want her punished." Rodgers nodded and thought about it.

"She'll need a fair punishment. To keep her in order, to keep her from acting out again" He paced, stroking his chin and thinking. "Fifty lashes. To be delivered tomorrow in front of the public"

"No!" Screamed Anne. Mary felt physically ill. To be lashed that many time in public. "No, no, no!"

Mary couldn't hear what else was said because she was already running back to the Old Avery. There she roused Rackham and led him back to the manor where Bonny and Rodgers were still speaking. Mary kept her head down and looked away from the Governor. She didn't want him to remember her as an Assassin. Mary was still on the ground, head bowed, shoulders shaking with fearful tears as they spilled over her cheeks.

"Oh and here he is. Come to accept your punishment as well?" Bonny asked as he saw Rackham, blood staining his shirt.

"No. I've come here to buy Anne. I'll pay for the divorce"

"I won't be bought like an animal, Jack!" Anne hissed up at her lover. Her face may have been pale and awash with tears, but her expression was terrifyingly angry.

"What will you have me do then Anne?" He asked, pleading with her. She looked away, clearly too upset to think clearly.

"Clear out you two. Mister Bonny, you can hold her here at the manor until her lashing tomorrow" Then Rodgers turned and walked inside. Bonny nodded and the two soldiers guided Anne into the manor. Bonny gave Rackham a smug smile as he walked by and gave Mary a glare. Mary guided Rackham away from the manor.

"What are we going to do?" Rackham moaned when they got far enough away. Mary crossed her arms. "'Oy, you're so smart. What do we do?"

"Go rouse a crew, mark your ship. Tonight, we'll break her out and we'll quit this queer place." She gave him a hard pat on the shoulder.

"That's what I'm talking about! Fuck the pardon, stuff it right up their arse!" He laughed and then smacked her shoulder. "I'll get the crew around. You see to freeing Anne. If she won't be bought, at least she can be stolen, right?"

"Don't let her hear that Rackham"

They agreed on a few more things, talking of specifics and then finally he went off to town and she scouted around the manor. It gave her a ping of longing, as she had been here with Edward last time. Now…Well it was years later anyway. She missed him something awful but she couldn't think of him now. Not with Anne in such danger. She scouted and planned a few entry points, focusing very hard on her plan. Jack would have the ship ready and they would sail out of the port before anyone knew what happened.

With her plan intact, all there was to wait for nightfall.

When night did come, Mary wasted no time. There were plenty of bushed to hide in around the property. She was going to do the simplest thing ever and go right in the back door. There were only two guards there at this time. They were waiting for the shift in guards that would be happening in an hour where complete darkness took hold of Nassau. She killed both men, hiding their bodies under the porch of the manor then stole into it.

Now she had to guess where they were holding Anne. She could think of two places, the first being the cellar. She knew there was one because the men in the manor ate like kings. Their food had to be stored somewhere. Sure enough, she found it off a kitchen and climbed down the stairs silently. There was no place to hold anyone there though, meaning Anne was in the one of the upstairs rooms.

So she creped along upstairs, alert for residents and guards, pressing her ear to each door. She was aware of every creak, every noise, because if she wasn't that was a sure way to get caught. She checked half a dozen doors before she heard a quiet sobbing from inside one. She pressed her ear harder against the wooden door. Yes! That was Anne!

The door was locked though…

She slipped one of her daggers between the door frame and the door and used it to pry it open. Inside Anne was watching the door with wide eyes. When she saw it was Mary she embraced her, sobbing harder. She silenced her friend and began to lead her out of the manor. Anne was no sneak and several times they were almost caught. They had to back track, hide in rooms but soon they were outside. They burst past the guards at the door and ran for their lives. There were shouts and gunshots and she knew Anne was scared out of her mind. She was so brave though, she kept running and didn't once look back to see if they were gaining.

They soon reached the beach and the two of the bent to push the small rowboat into the waves. The ship was waiting for them, bobbing in the port. Jack had kept up his end of the deal quite well. Mary rowed and Anne watched the shore for anyone with rifles aiming to shoot her in the back. One bullet flew by their rowboat but it didn't hit either of them, for which Mary was thankful for. Soon enough they were beside the ship that Jack had stolen. He pulled Anne up first and Mary climbed up after.

"Full sails lad! Let's take this gust and blow these fuckers with it!" Jack shouted. He had a helmsman already turning the wheel. Mary grinned and Anne laughed. They were getting away with it! They sailed out of Nassau with no problems, though they could see the British struggling to get their ships ready to deport at such short notice.

Mary saw some of the men looking at Anne in confusion. Most men wouldn't allow a woman onboard but Jack didn't seem bothered by the idea. He walked about the ship shouting orders at the men who were gawking and Mary went to Anne's side.

"I guess you're going to get a quite course in how to pilot a ship, Anne" She gave her a grin.

"I guess I am" But she could tell Anne was thrilled. She was finally free. Mary wished she could say the same.

A/N: Alright folks, figure I should tell you now that I'll be twisting the timeline of the game to suit my needs. Its okay, the game twists history's arm anyway so I figure if I twist it a little more, its no big deal. Its just a little twist, I promise. You probably won't even take note of it truthfully...Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Stay tuned!