As promissed here is chapter sixteen!
Havana, June 1st, 1721
The sun is warm on Mary's face, perhaps a little too warm. She rolls over in her unusually comfortable bed and suddenly her side is on fire, "Son-of-a-Motherfuckingcocksuckingshiteeatingbollacksloving whore."
"Mary!"
She cracks an eye open, Elizabeth has a hand on her hip looking highly unimpressed. "I thought I raised you better than that." Mary groans, trying to rise from the mattress but only succeeds in ripping her stitches. She lets loose another string of profanity as Elizabeth presses firmly down onto her side. "Anne I'm going to need some help in here!" Mary writhes on the bed, sure she's been maimed plenty of times in the past but that doesn't mean it gets any less painful.
Anne bursts into the room, suture kit in hand. "Mary, I'm coming don't worry!" She groans and kicks at Elizabeth, who's trying to pull the blanket away. "Will you just stop that already!" She succeeds in ripping the blanket off but Mary rolls over. "I'll be fine, just let me sleep." Mary just has never felt so comfortable before, it's like sleeping on a cloud or something.
Anne pokes at the bleeding wound and Mary nearly leaps to the ceiling. The redhead begins cutting the stitches away, "Mary, your lips are turning blue, don't tell me you'll be fine." She bites onto the pillow when the first stitch is pulled through. "Christ Annie! Can't you be more gentle?" Anne pulls the thread tight and Mary curses again. "Quit your squirming and maybe it wouldn't hurt so bad!"
Ten agonizing minutes later Anne ties the last stitch off and has Mary propped up with six pillows. The stabbing pain turns into a light throb and Mary finally gets a good look around. "Where are we?" Anne wraps Mary's side with fresh linen, "We're still in Havana." Mary tries to scramble from the bed but Anne pushes her back, "What in God's name are you doing Mary?! Do you want to tear your stitches again?"
Mary slaps her hand away, "Where's Sophia? Why is my mother here and not Sophia?" Anne thumps her on the head, "If you would just let us explain!" Mary sends her friend an angry look and rubs her scalp. Elizabeth renters the room, this time with a crying guest, Mary sighs and relaxes into the pillows, "Thank god." Sophia's face is bright red, looks like she's been crying for quite some time.
Elizabeth slips her into Mary's arms, "Sophia" She hums quietly and Sophia immediately stops crying. She rests her head against Mary's chest and Elizabeth smiles, "She's missed you." Sophia whimpers and looks up at her mother with those blue eyes. Mary's chest aches, she sighs and brushes a hand through her blonde hair, "I think she misses Edward." She bites her lip, "She always gets like this when he's away."
There's a knock at the door and a sheet is draped over Mary's shoulders. Ah Tabai enters with a scowl, "Mary, I am glad you are awake." She tries to rise from the bed but is quickly pushed back down. "Please rest, we need you to recover." Mary nods and pulls the sheet tighter around her shoulders, "Aye, Mentor, I understand. Now with Edward gone..." She wipes Sophia's nose with the blanket.
Sophia wouldn't remember her father in a few years, so perhaps this was for the best. They are assassins after all, death is always hovering just around the corner. She just wished that they had a little more time together... Mary was yelling at him more days than not to change his selfish ways and when he finally did... No! This was not her fault, she was not going to blame herself for Edward's death.
Ah Tabai takes a seat next to her bed, "Yes, I do not think he will be taking any contracts for quite some time." Mary stiffens, her eyes flick up, "What?" Ah Tabai shakes his head, "He is not in good shape." Mary sucks in a stale breath of air, "Edward died mentor." He was there with her, how could he forget? She knew he was nearing Sixty but he had never shown any signs of senility.
All sounds die around her while she focuses on his words, "His pulse was faint but he survived." Mary leans back into her pillows, this must be some sick joke. "Can I see him?" The look Ah Tabai and Anne share does not go unnoticed. Ah Tabai sighs and stands from his chair, "I think it's best if you rest."
Havana, June 17th, 1721
"Edward?" She peeks her head into one of the rooms, she shouldn't be walking around and she knows it. Over two weeks and she hadn't heard anything else, she had to find out for herself if he was truly alive or if this was some elaborate prank. The room was dim as the sun was barely up, but she could make out his silhouette. She holds her breath, waiting for that steady rise and fall of his chest. His breath comes out labored but she smiles, He's alive. She stumbles to his bedside as fast as her injury will allow and grasps his arm.
He lets loose and ungodly shout and Mary covers his mouth with her hand, whispering, "Edward I'm sorry, but you have to be quiet." He places a kiss to her palm and peels open a swollen eye, "Mary..." he smiles, revealing a missing incisor. Her breath catches in her throat, "Edward, thank God you're alive." His voice comes out in a raspy whisper, "I could say the same to you lass." She grabs onto his cheeks, silencing him with a desperate kiss. Their lips move with fervor, they were apart for far too long.
When did she become so reliant on him? She really doesn't care, she breaths in his all too familiar scent and breaks away, "I thought I lost you Edward." She crawls into bed with him and he grins, "You can't get rid of me that easily." She buries her head into his chest, tossing an arm around his waist. He rests his cheek against her head and she falls asleep to the steady thump of his heart.
Mary wakes to the sound of Anne's voice and she sounds pissed. Mary burrows her face further into his chest, if she's careful maybe Anne won't notice her and she won't be scolded. Anne stops talking and Mary pulls the sheet ever so slowly over her face, "Mary, I know you're awake." And the sheet is yanked back. Mary, throws her arms around Edward and squeezes her eyes shut.
"We told you to stay in bed." Anne has her arms crossed, foot tapping expectantly, her patience is wearing thin and Mary doesn't blame her. Who in their right mind would want to act as a nurse for either of them? Neither were good at listening and both were stubborn as mules. Mary cracks an eye open but Anne was still there, Guess there's no getting out of this one... She rolls onto her back, staring at a crack starting to form in the ceiling. Anne couldn't yell at her if she didn't look at her.
"You told me I could get out of bed after the week was up." Anne raises her eyebrows and shakes her finger, "Don't you be putting words in my mouth! I said the doctor will be here to check your wounds by the end of the week, then maybe you can get out of bed." Mary rolls her eyes and gestures vaguely, "I'm still in bed, does it matter where?" Anne sighs and turns back to whatever she was working on before. Mary didn't care, she just rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.
But that even back and forth was just so damn irritating and it finally has her asking, "What are you doing Annie?" She grins with a mischievous glint in her eye, "It's Edward's bath day. I guess you chose the best day to sneak in here." She plops a soapy rag into Mary's hand and exits the room. She stops in the doorway with a wink "He gets a bit handsy so I'm sure you won't mind." Mary glances once at the rag then furrows her brows at Edward's sleeping form. Handsy eh?
She squeezes the water over Edward's head and he shouts, wiping desperately at his eyes, "Jaysus Mary, what the hell was that for?!" She tosses the rag at his face, it slides down and lands in his lap, "Anne said you get handsy when people try and bathe you?" Edward shrugs, "It was one time and I was hallucinating!" She rolls out of the bed, wincing as the movement pulled on her stitches.
She picks up the rag and Edward hisses, her heart skips a beat. She rips the blanket off only to cock an eyebrow and shake her head. "Really?" He rubs the back of his neck and looks at her feet, "I can't help it with such a beautiful lady about to bathe me." She smiles and pulls on his hair tie, releasing his unruly mane. When was the last time he had a haircut? For Christ sake he looks like a vagabond!
She brushes his hair aside to study his bloodied and bruised face. "What's wrong?" He asks and she shakes her head and begins to massage the soap through his greasy hair. She scratches his scalp and he hums, "You're much better at that than Anne." She laughs and wipes down his face, "That's because Anne is only making sure you stay alive, I on the other hand have to make sure you look good." She winks at him and he scoffs, "You mean you've only ever cared about my looks? What about my personality?"
Mary stills her hands and stares him down, "What personality?" He rolls his eye and she smirks, scrubbing through his beard. "I think you're going to need a cut soon." His mouth drops open in a gasp, "Don't you think I have enough?" She whacks him gently on the head and laughs, "I mean a haircut you twat." He chuckles and they share a kiss, she trails the rag down from his chin to his bruised up chest.
Torres really did a number on him, her prison sentence looked like a breeze compared to this. She was violated, it was still very fresh in her mind, but she wasn't tortured. Well not to this extent, if she wasn't pregnant he wouldn't have been tortured. But then again if she wasn't pregnant they would have both been dead. She shake the pointless thoughts from her mind and focusing instead on Edward.
She runs her hand over a particular nasty purple bruise on his side and he jumps. She frowns, moving onto his shoulder, inspecting the deep gashes that littered the skin. She cleans them as painlessly as possible and moves down his abs. Colorful bruises cover his belly but she smiles, they're starting to fade to that ugly green, "You're healing Edward." He watches as her hands move past his groin and onto his thigh.
Nearly half done, she wrings the rag out in the bloodied water. She's probably going to have to replace this soon. He sighs and meets her gaze, "It doesn't feel like it." She shakes her head and pokes at a deep gash in his thigh. He grunts and her eyes flick up to his, "This isn't infected, that's good." His eyes are dark, he's in a lot of pain so she jokes, "I don't think we'll have to amputate." He chuckles and she rolls him onto his stomach. A loud gasp escapes her mouth.
She holds a hand to her mouth at the sight, "What? Mary, what's wrong?" She runs a finger down his spine and he jumps, "Fuck! What are you doing?!" Mary rips her hand away, "Your back..." He sucks in as much air as he can, "What's wrong with it? Jaysus that stings worse than my arm." Mary's heart drops and the only thing she can hear is his labored breath. Her face drains of all color and her pulse races, "Edward your arm is broken."
"Aye, I know that."
Mary's heart thunder loudly in her chest. Does he not understand how bad this is? She takes a step back, her knees feel weak, "Edward, if your back is broken you may never walk again." He's quiet as thoughts flood her mind, finally he replies with a soft, "Oh." The light in the room is too bright and she sucks in a breath of air. He will walk again, he's strong they both know it. Mary rubs the cloth gently over his skin and even that was too much, his throat was raw by the time she was through.
She rolls him back over and picks up the scissors. The room is quiet except for the occasional snip of the blades. Edward is tense, she can feel it. She combs through his hair, this is how he likes it right? She wishes he would say something because this silence is unbearable and she doesn't trust her voice. How will she care for him and Sophia while providing for her friends? It's now that she wishes she would have just retired, Edward wouldn't be like this all for the small sacrifice of having more children. What was she thinking?
"Would you leave me if I couldn't walk?" Mary frowns and lowers the scissors. "Why would you even think that?" He shrugs and she massages her temples, "You'd still be the same irritating pillock weather you had legs or not, if I haven't left you yet I don't think you have anything to worry over." He grins and she runs the comb through his beard, "Hmm..."
"What?" He asks as she taps the comb gently against her jaw, "I think I'm going to shave that mess off of your chin." His eyes widen, "You wouldn't dare!" She laughs, placing a kiss to his cheek, "I'm only joking, now calm down so I can trim it." She leans over and his eyes narrow in on her cleavage. When she leans back to admire her work she says, "There, all finished." He gives her a cheeky grin and nods towards his lap, "Not quite."
Havana, July 9th, 1721
The healing process was slow but the bruises on his face eventually disappeared and the deep gouges turned to little pink scars. He basically had no use of his legs and The doctor had confirmed that he would be lame. But Edward was a stubborn man and every morning Anne and Mary had to peel him up off the floor. This morning he had taken a particularly nasty fall but luckily only received a small nick to his forehead.
"Edward if you aren't careful you will break your arm again." She dabs at his cut and smooths a bit of ointment over top. "I'll be fine, now help me up." He tries to stand but she pushes him back into the bed, "No you need rest." She backs up but he yanks her back down, pulling her into a hard kiss. They shouldn't be doing this, not here and not with Edward so mangled. One wrong move and-
He runs his hands down her sides and the longer he kisses her the harder it is for her to pull away. He grabs at her tits and that's when she says enough is enough. She pulls away and folds his hands together, "Edward not now." He nibbles at her collarbone, "Why not? If I'm stuck in bed I want to be doing something." He pulls her into his lap, she can feel him through the thin linen. How long had it been? Long enough that she couldn't remember, she shakes her head. No she can't do this she needs to remain firm, but then again.. She grinds down softly, pulling a moan from the back of his throat.
He slips his hands under her shirt and this time she doesn't pull away. He rolls her nipple between his thumb and her breath catches in her throat, "Edward" and with a flick of his wrists she's shirtless. His eyes rake over her chest and she leans forward to nibble below his ear, "Fine, but you better keep your mouth shut." He nods eagerly and she pulls him into a kiss.
His tongue immediately darts out to explore the inside of her mouth and she pulls at the buttons of his shirt. Her hands roam his already sweaty chest and His hands squeezes her arse. She tucks her head into his shoulder and breathes in the heavy scent of medicine, reminding her just how gentle she must be. He sucks a dark bruise into her neck and she releases his cock. It's warm in her palm and she can't help herself when she runs a teasing hand over the tip.
It really has been a long time, he bucks once into her hand and she smirks. "Anxious ain't ya?" She twists her hand and the noise he makes has her grinding hard against him. She's not sure how much longer she can tease, his hand finds its way in her trousers. He traces his hand around her clit then run a finger over her slit. "I think you're about just as excited as me." He enters her with two fingers and she gasps. She rocks against his fingers but it's not enough.
Her pants are ripped down and she hovers over him. He bucks upward, delicious friction against her clit. She knows it will be difficult to hold herself back. She sinks down, releasing a groan from each of their throats. And when she raises herself up he grunts, "Jaysus Mary, pick up the pace!" She winks and places her hands to his chest rocking just enough- "I don't know Kenway, I'm quite enjoying myself here, besides, I'm doing you a favor."
His only response was to lean forward, pulling her nipple into his mouth and biting viciously. "Christ Edward, you're going to rip it off!" He swirls his tongue around an attempt to soothe the pain and she bites her lip. She gets the message. She rocks her hips a bit faster and he falls back into the pillows And when he brings his thumb to her clit- "Oh god, like that." She clings tightly around his neck, pleasure shooting straight to her core.
Her hips slow to a sloppy pace and it has him begging, "Mary please, go faster." She swirls her hips but she's so close. Her toes curl and he thrusts upwards as best he can with his limited mobility. She tucks her head into his neck, her breath hot against his ear. A loud moan leaves her throat and her body tightens before euphoria hits. He thrusts up into her and she's stiff, "Oh god Edward, harder!" She grunts and bites his shoulder.
His thrusts become erratic and she knows he's close. She slips off and pulls him into her mouth. His cock twitches and his breathing evens out. She folds herself against his chest and he smirks, "Weren't you the one who told me to keep quiet?" Mary buries her chin into his chest and mumbles, "Shut yer gob, Kenway.
Elizabeth flattens herself against the door, did she walk in on what she thinks she did? She hears a muffled moan from the other side of the door, yep. She walks away shaken, Anne darts over grabbing at the handle, "What's going on? Is Edward hurt?" Elizabeth tugs on her arm, "I wouldn't go in there if I were you." Anne furrows her brow, "And why not?" Elizabeth grins, "They're busy making me more grand babies."
Mary hears the voices from the other side of the door and leaps from the bed, pulling on her shirt just as the door flies open. Mary faces a seething Anne who stomps over and jabs Mary hard in the chest, "I decided not to bother you two because I thought you were doing something useful but you've just been fucking all day!?"
Mary's face turns a mild shade of red and her mouth falls open, "I-I" she fumbles for words all while Edward is cracking up on the bed. She smacks him in the back of the head, "Shut up Edward! You're like a child." Mary turns back to Anne who was now tapping her food impatiently on the ground, "It's nice to know your cock works, but we need to get your legs moving because I want to go home." They stare each other down until Mary eventually sighs and slings his arm over her shoulder.
She takes a step forward and they nearly fall to the floor, she looks up to her friend with the most pitiful look she could muster, "A little help please?" She rolls her eyes and grabs his other arm, dragging him to the living room. They get about halfway down the hallway before Anne yells at him, "Pick up your goddamn feet Edward!"
"I can't!" He whines and Anne snarls, "How will you ever get better if you don't try?" They come to a stop, Edward tries to take a step forward but he's slower than a turtle so the women drag him the rest of the way and tosses him on the couch. He lands hard and rubs his back. "Did you have to throw me?" Mary stretches her shoulders out and says with a smirk, "Sorry mate but you're heavy."
Anne plops down next to him and pokes his thigh, "Any feeling in these yet?" He massages the top, "Aye, it's painful though." She nods and touches a finger to his toes, "How about here?" He shakes his head and she frowns. A month and still nothing. Edward launches forward, gripping his calf tightly and shrieks in pain. Mary kneels beside him, massaging his calf, "What's wrong Edward?"
He groans and falls back into the couch as the pain begins to subside. His head luls to the side as he eventually passes out. Mary and Anne share a look of concern, that cannot be good.
Havana, July 17, 1721
"Ow! Mary stop! That hurts!" Mary releases his leg with a huff and he grabs her hand, placing a kiss to the palm, "I think it's no use, I'll simply become a vegetable." She rips her hand from his and picks up his leg, flexing his foot up painfully, he winces, "This is no laughing matter, the longer you wait the higher chance you will never regain feeling in your legs." She points his foot down and he cries out, "I'm being serious, Mary, I can't do it!"
She bends his leg at the knee and he holds in a grunt, "And just who do you think will be taking care of said vegetable?" She straightens his leg back out and he releases his breath. "Why you of course." He sends her a wink and she lifts his leg up with her brows raised. "So you expect me to take care of you, Sophia, and complete my assassin contracts all on my own?" He shakes his head and she repeats her previous actions, "You have Anne."
Mary places his leg in her lap, "Anne has long paid her dues taking care of Rackham and she has her own son to take care of." She massages the muscles on his calf and he bites his lip. She brushes a hand through his hair, pulling it away from his eyes. "How about we try standing today?" He shakes his head, "No, I don't want to." She cocks her eyebrow and pulls him to the edge of the bed.
"I don't know who you think you are but you are going to stand today." He hooks his arms around her neck and she pulls him to his feet. They stand like that for a moment, allowing Edward to balance himself. She loosens her grip slightly and he takes a step forward. His foot lands flat on the floor and she grins. "Look at that Edward!" He releases her neck and stands for the first time unassisted.
The door opens and seconds later he crumples to the floor. "Uh-oh" Sophia calls from Anne's arms. Edward curses and Mary helps him back onto the bed. Anne makes sets Sophia in Edward's lap and pulls Mary aside. Edward makes a silly face at Sophia and she squeals, clapping her hands. "Edward would you like to go out today?" He turns towards them, they look suspicious, "And how do you suppose we do that?"
Anne pulls a pair of crutches from behind her back, "We got these from the doctor." Sophia babbles to herself and pulls at his beard hairs, "Well Sophia," She looks up at him, "Shall we go out today?" She points at her mother and babbles away. Edward leans in close, "Is that so?" Sophia stops and he smiles at Mary, "She said no, she doesn't want to go out today." Mary huffs and tosses the crutches on the couch next to him. She pulls Sophia from his arms and gives her a stern look.
She points at Edward and grumbles, "Sophia tell Daddy to get off his lazy arse so we can go home!" Sophia points at her father and yells something unintelligible. He throws his arms up in defense, bowing his head. He picks up the crutches and pulls himself up. "Alright, that's all the encouragement I needed."
Eventually they made it to the beach, it was less than a few minutes walk but it took nearly an hour with Edward. He flops down on the bench and wipes the sweat from his brow. Mary fluffs up his hair, "I'm proud of you Edward." He gives her a weak smile and she joins Anne in building a small sandcastle. He laughs, Fearsome pirates, dangerous mothers, and they build innocent sandcastles.
His laughter drifts off and he glances into the bright caribbean waters. He sighs as a ship sails past, This must be how Mary felt after Sophia, now I understand. He watches the crew lower the sails and the ship gains momentum. The captain barks an order, the wind distorting the sound as it whips past and Edward takes a deep breath of determination.
He stands, ignoring the crutches, and lifts a shaky leg up. He places it back down, nearly tumbling over by the uneven terrain, but stops by flexing the muscles in his leg. He swings his other leg forward, You never realize how difficult walking is until you can't do it anymore. Sophia looks up and points at something, "What's that Sophia?" Mary's gaze follows her finger and she gasps, Anne's head pops up, "Wha-"
"Shh" Mary whispers as Edward takes another step forward, Sophia crawls towards him. Mary reaches for her but she's too fast, she hisses, "Sophia come back here." Sophia pushes herself up, throwing her little butt into the air and pushes herself up to a standing position. Anne gasps and Edward looks up, locking eyes with his daughter. He grins and holds his arms out to her, she takes a step forward and he follows soon after.
Sophia stumbles and falls but quickly picks herself back up. She grumbles something and Edward takes another step forward, Mary watches mouth agape. Sophia takes another step forward, both encouraging the other. They inch forward at nearly the same pace and when they finally reach Edward scoops her up. Sophia giggles, Mary and Anne both cheer loudly drawing attention from the people around them. Mary hops up and pulls them into a hug, "I'm so proud of you two." They share a kiss and Sophia squeals happily, giving her parents a slobbery wet kiss of her own.
Havana, August 1st, 1721
Edward was now able to walk assisted with a cane but his right leg had still been giving him trouble. Even though it was stiff and painful the doctor gave Edward his blessing to travel home. They gathered their things hours later and left before night fall. Mary currently was gripped into a tight hug and tries to peel herself from Rhona's grip. She tugs on her tear soaked shirt and Rhona wipes at her nose, "Oh Mary! I'm going to miss you and the little one so much!" Mary rolls her eyes, "You're welcome to visit anytime, we're only a day away."
Rhona brushes a tear away and squeezes Sophia gently on the cheek. Edward shuffles from the bureau taking slow and practiced steps, "What about me, will you miss me?" Rhona waves a hand at him, "Oh Posh Edward, I'm glad you won't be taking up anymore space. Now my brothers will have a place to relax." Edward places a hand to his chest, "That hurts lass!"
Rhona throws her arms around him in an embrace, "Now on that note, I'm glad you're going home Edward, you've made a lot of progress but you are still healing." she pulls away and furrows her brows, "Don't over do it." Edward grins, "Who me? Never..." and hooks arms with Mary, they head to the waiting Jackdaw and shove off.
Great Inagua, August 9th, 1721
The crew gave him weary looks and it made Edward feel uneasy. He hid in the captain's cabin until the Jackdaw was tied off. Mary waits by the rigging, Sophia in hand and grins at the amount of people waiting by the docks. The gangplank is lowered and when she sets her first foot onto the dock they cheer. Thatch is there leading the crowd and when she makes her way over he squeezes her into a crushing hug, "I thought you guys deserted me!" Mary grunts in response and her chest tightens.
"Eddy, set her down. She's turning purple!" She never been so happy to hear her mother's voice. Her feet land on the dock and she doubles over, trying to regain her breath. The crowd cheers and she looks up only to grin when she see's her mother and Thatch sharing a kiss. She laughs and helps Anne off the ship, "Where's Edward?" She sighs, shaking her head, "He's coming, I had to beg him to use his cane."
Mary purses her lips and watches as Edward shuffles out of the cabin. She gives him an encouraging smile not even faltering when the crowd gasps. They fall silent when Edward's feet land on the dock. Mary's chest tightens at the disappointment etched onto his features. He shuffles down the steps toward the manor, the crowd not daring to say a word, parts around him as he walks.
Once Edward is out of sight the crowd disperses, whispering to themselves. Thatch strides over to Mary, "I'd heard he was injured but I didn't know it was that bad." Mary shakes her head and pushes past him, "It was worse, I'll explain later."