After a moment, Edward smiled. "Yes, I suppose we will."
"Did you have any plan in mind for how to attack?" Herbert asked. "We only have two ships on our side, and they'll have three."
Edward stroked his beard. "I'll have to think on it some more. For now, we should head back to the ships and let the crew know the particulars of the day."
The crew were in agreement, and they headed back to the harbour to board the Fortune. They would need to head just northeast of Porto Bello to where Herbert had anchored the Queen Anne's Revenge.
Roberts rushed ahead to walk by Edward's side. He patted his friend on the back to get his attention. "Are you well, truly? You were quick to leave after learning whom we are attacking. I do not believe one among us is not aware of who that man is, and the trial you endured."
Edward gripped Roberts' shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Trust my words when I tell you I am well. I only want to see this business concluded, and, as you always say, to see justice done."
Roberts nodded. "He also has one of your crewmates, does he not?"
Edward's eyes hit the floor. "Yes, Samuel Bellamy. He may still be hiding aboard their ship under a false name, if he wasn't found out. John, God rest his soul"—and here Roberts repeated the chant with Edward—"and I paid the price to see his cover maintained."
"You were told of the letter he left behind, were you not?"
"Aye," Edward said. "He swore revenge on Kenneth Locke."
"I don't think I have to tell you that, seeing as Kenneth Locke seems to be very much alive, Sam may have failed."
Edward glanced off to the Fortune floating in the water under the light of the moon. "I am aware of the significance."
"I shall pray for his safety, but you should prepare yourself and your crew for the worst," Roberts said. "Come, let's return you to your ship."
The crews boarded longboats and returned to the Fortune. After the long process of raising the anchor, which was faster with Edward's men helping, they dropped the sails to leave Porto Bello's harbour.
As they travelled north and east along the coast, the moon was approaching its zenith and giving a faint glow to the surrounding sea and trees of the mainland. It didn't take long for them to reach the small islands just off the shore hiding the Queen Anne's Revenge.
As they came into the waters between the islands, Edward's crew who were still awake were all watching and waving, hooting and hollering across to their partners. The Fortune furled the sails, dropped the anchor, and after half an hour they were able to secure the ships together with rope and lower a gangplank.
Edward held his back straight to keep himself at full height as he marched across the gangplank. He maintained a stern expression as he set his gaze upon his borderline mutinous crew.
Jack stepped forward, a smile on his face despite the look Edward was giving everyone. "Captain, you're back. We weren't expecting you for a few days more."
"The situation in Bodden Town turned dire, so we had to leave," he said. "I must address the crew, please have any men sleeping woken up and bring them here."
Jack nodded. "Aye, Captain," he said before heading below deck.
"Herbert, Victor, join me on the quarterdeck."
Edward, Herbert, and Victoria all joined Edward on the quarterdeck, and waited for the crew to come to the weather deck. The tired men stumbled up to the deck, curious but exasperated. When they noticed the crewmates who'd returned, Roberts' ship, and then Edward on the quarterdeck, their tiredness faded away in an instant.
"Good evening, men," Edward said. "I have a few announcements to make regarding current affairs. Firstly, due to the scoundrel, Calico Jack, and his interference, the Boddens turned on us and caused the town to burn to the ground. Bodden Town… is no more."
Those words alone were enough to send a wave of disbelief through the weary crew, and Edward quickly lost control of the crowd. Most of the men causing a stir were those from the former town.
Edward raised his hands to try to calm the men. "I understand your doubt, but it is true. The only reason I am here today is thanks to the fire distracting the townsfolk. Our only home is now this ship."
The crew who had come from Bodden Town were overtaken by great melancholy in that moment, as well as concern over their family members still in Bodden Town. Many of them had their gazes downcast, and the other crewmates found them inconsolable.
"Do not despair, men," Edward shouted. "For those who hail from Bodden Town, I give you freedom to return there, and you will not have to follow the commandments to pay for your leave. However, for those of you who stay, I promise you we will be pursuing Calico Jack and will bring justice upon him. Calico Jack owes us for what he's done, and we owe it to the people of Bodden Town to return his violence back to him. Do not let your grief take away from your vengeance, for we cannot let him escape a pirate's justice."
Edward was able to bring back most of those crewmates who had been lost in their own thoughts. They looked up at him, this time with a fierceness in their eyes.
"What do you say, then? Do you want to leave, or do you want to kill the bastard who attacked and burned your town?"
The crew hollered in agreement with Edward, the fire in their eyes inspiring those around them into a frenzy.
Edward nodded. "Good, because we have new information on where one of Calico Jack's subordinates will be. We will send a clear message to Calico Jack that he can't make us run and cower." The crew yelled a resounding "Hear, hear" back to Edward. "It is a man some of you may know well. Kenneth Locke, Cache-Hand, who killed our previous quartermaster, John, and who still has one of our crewmates, Sam, hiding in his crew. And he is working with someone you, crew of the Fortune, know as well," he said, motioning to the other ship's men. "Walter Kennedy, the man who stole your ship and left you for dead is with Kenneth Locke. These two owe us a debt of justice, and they need to pay for what they've done. We will seek them out and destroy them as repayment."
Both crews now cheered for Edward.
"We wouldn't have been able to get this information if not for the help of a specific crewmate. One who has been with us since the beginning, and helping behind the scenes. You all know this crewmate as Victor, but Victor has been holding onto a secret which we will reveal to you now."
Edward looked at Victoria, and she did the same thing for the crew as she did for Herbert and Christina. She removed her cap, and then unbuttoned her jacket to show off her figure.
"Men, welcome Victoria into the crew."
After a moment of confusion, the crew caught on. Each of them were once again in a state of disbelief, with many whispering to their neighbours or pointing.
"Victoria, like our quartermaster, Herbert, was a former crewmate of Calico Jack's, and was a boon in finding his crew's whereabouts. I cannot say how she will dress aboard the ship any longer, but her clothes and her name should have no bearing on how you treat her."
Many in the crew nodded, but some showed visible signs of anger, though those were in the minority. Most seemed indifferent towards her being a woman, given that they had been working with two already.
"And, finally, the matter of you all voting to leave Bodden Town in its time of need, rather than staying to help," Edward said, his level tone taking on a hint of anger. "As I mentioned before, Bodden Town has burned to the ground due to what happened there. Had you all decided to stay, that could have been prevented. Lives and homes wouldn't have been destroyed, and we wouldn't have lost the safety that Bodden Town provided. You all are partially to blame for this happening, and owe a debt just as Calico Jack does."
Before Edward lost the crew again, and they began to object, he continued. "As such, all those who voted to leave Bodden Town in its hour of need will have their shares cut in half for the next haul. Afterwards, it will return to normal." Edward stared daggers at the crew, scanning the crowd and looking into each man's eyes.
The look seemed to quash any thoughts of going against the captain's decisio
n. It might have also helped that the punishment, while severe for the moment, was light when compared to how many ships they raided.
Edward glanced at Herbert, who had been watching the speech, waiting to hear his fate. "Also," he said, looking at the crew again, "Herbert, as he was the one who instigated the vote," Edward paused and took in a silent breath, "will have half shares for the next three hauls. His rank and authority as quartermaster on this ship is hereby stripped. He will still man the helm, and you are to follow his orders as before, but only orders in relation to steering and navigation. He is not permitted to propose or take part in a vote, he will no longer be in charge of supplies and provisions, and any man found conspiring with him will be guilty of mutiny and punished by death or marooning."
Edward could not hold back the crew's objections any longer. They felt the punishment for Herbert was too harsh, and loudly voiced their opinion. Edward was silent as their voices grew louder and louder still. He looked over at Herbert, who was glancing between Edward and the crew shouting their support for the wheelchair-bound man.
Herbert raised his hand. "Please, everyone, stop," he yelled. After a moment, and another call from Herbert, the crew silenced themselves. "I thank you for your protection, but the captain is right and just in his decision. We have wronged, myself most of all, and this is the price I pay. I pay it gladly if I can only achieve forgiveness for my actions, and you too should feel the same… Forget Bodden Town, forget Calico Jack, forget revenge. We owe this man our freedom, and we abandoned him in his time of need. He could have died because of us. I accept my punishment, as should you," he said with a small smile.
Edward was looking at Herbert, and when Herbert glanced over to him, he nodded.
The crew's anger subsided after Herbert's admission and acceptance of the punishment, but one question still remained: Who would be in charge of supplies, and who would represent the crew's wishes as their new quartermaster?
"I elect Anne Bonney as our new quartermaster," Edward said, pointing to his wife. "And with your vote, the position shall be secured."
Anne looked at Edward with her brow raised, and then she glanced at the crew. The crew had been wanting her as the first mate for some time, but she had declined it, despite still serving in some capacity since. The crew watched her as she climbed the steps to the quarterdeck while glancing at Herbert and Edward.
On the quarterdeck, Anne placed her hands on the railing. "I will accept the position of quartermaster, if you will have me. I promise to serve your interests, and if there are any decisions my husband makes which you do not agree with, I will knock some sense into him."
The crew chuckled at her comment, and many nodded and muttered words of agreement with the decision.
"All those in favour?" Edward asked the crowd.
All two hundred of the crew responded with a deafening "Aye."
"I welcome your new quartermaster," Edward said, lifting Anne's hand up in the air.
The crew, in the dead of night, shouted and cheered for their new electee, their morale high despite the lost shares and change. Anne, though at first reluctant, smiled happily to the crew who had just elected her, and soon appeared eager to take on a new experience on a pirate ship.
13. Parley Proposal
William stepped up to the weather deck for the first time in the week and some days they had been travelling for. The cool, fresh sea air was a welcome respite from the stale, sweaty interior of the Fortune.
It was early morning, the sun just peeking out on the horizon, half-blocked by the island east of them providing them cover. The glow of the rising sun washed over the ship, casting great shadows from the masts over the deck.
The Fortune was lashed to Queen Anne's Revenge, and the two seemed to be caught in a dance with the waves. Each ship rose and fell independently, but in near synchronous movements. The slight difference caused the wood to creak and groan more than usual from the ropes tying the ships together.
Few men were up this early, but those that were wished William good day and praised his good health. He could see men from both ships mingling on the two decks, relaxing before the inevitable labours of the day began. Some were sitting on the steps leading to the upper decks, others leaned against the railings, and some sat with their backs against the masts.
William crossed the gangplank, holding steady to the railing as he did so. Every movement caused a slight but sharp pain to run through his chest. Though his fever had broken some days before, his ribs were still healing. It would be several weeks yet before he was fully recovered, and longer if he didn't give himself proper rest.
"Good day, William," Jack called on the deck of the Queen Anne's Revenge. "It is good to see you returned to your home. Are you well?"
William nodded. "As well as fortune allows me to be, under the circumstances. Bones do not heal so easily, in my experience. How have you found it?"
Jack chuckled. "One time, in my tavern-hopping days, I was involved in a brawl of sorts, and my arm was broken. I was lucky the bone didn't pierce my skin, and I healed after two months, if I recall. It still aches during storms."
"I am not alone in my suffering for eternity then. That brings me small hope."
Jack waved his hand. "With a ripe young body such as yours, you'll be better in no time."
"Thank you, sir. I hope you are correct, as I hear whispers of a battle on the horizon."
Jack leaned against the port railing, his back to the Fortune. "Aye, that is true. We may head into a battle soon. I suppose you're not privy to all that has occurred here?"
William shook his head. "I have not had the luxury of my faculties of late."
Jack folded his arms. "Let me attempt to brief you. First, Herbert insulted me when I tried to dissuade him from voting to leave the captain. Then he stole the ship, managed to find out where one of Calico Jack's subordinates will be, and is no longer our quartermaster as punishment." Jack smiled at the last part.
"You seem happy over Herbert's misfortune," William said, more statement than question.
Jack raised his brow. "Misfortune? Misfortune is losing coin making a bad bet. Herbert deserved punishment for what he did. If not for Edward's mercy, and that the crew might riot, his action should have been considered mutiny." Jack's anger took hold of him for a moment, but he soon regained his composure, and glanced warily at the crew on deck. William supposed that there were still those who sided with Herbert, judging from Jack's expression.
William nodded and stroked his chin. "So you would have killed him for mutiny?"
Jack's eyes went wide. "No, no…" He let out a sigh. "I don't know what I would have done differently in Edward's position."
"Perhaps you are simply agitated by Herbert's insults prior to taking the ship?"
"By rights I am agitated. I was trying to convince him not to propose the vote or leave Edward behind, but he didn't listen."
"And?" William said, his brow raised.
"And…" Jack paused for a moment, searching for the words. "He compared his actions to what I did against George Rooke years ago, and brought up my drinking habits when I've not touched a drop of drink in quite some time."
"So, he compared his actions to your pulling a gun on George Rooke and turning to alcohol in your time of need, and this angered you?" Jack nodded. "Then, and please do not take offence to this, sir, would it be more appropriate to say that the reason you are upset is because his words were true?"
Jack's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, but after a moment he seemed to reflect on what William said. His lips made a line, and his gaze lowered to the sole of the deck, staying there for some time.
"You may be correct," he said after a few moments.
"Do not trouble yourself over the past, friend. You are not the same person you were then. Only worry about who you are now, and work to ensure you do not repeat past mistakes."
Jack nodded. "I struggle with it every day," he said. "I do suppose I should let go of my anger. Herbert ac
cepted his punishment with grace yesterday, and discouraged the crew from mutinying."
Before they could talk any further on the subject, Anne called to him.
William turned around and stepped to the side. "Princess, good day to you."
"And good day to you, but I'm not a princess any longer, as you'll recall."
William bowed his head a touch. "I will do my best to remember."
"A good day to you as well, Mr Christian," she said with a wave.
"How do you do, Mrs Thatch?" Jack asked.
"Better, now that we are home. If I may, sir, I wish to speak with William."
Jack waved his hand. "Certainly," he said as he lifted himself off the railing. He smacked William on the arm. "Good fortune to you, William, and thank you. You've given me a lot to think about."
Jack left Anne and William, and picked up one of his instruments nearby to play. After he left, Anne raised her brow. "What did you give him to think about?"
William shook his head. "A trifle, really. The man was angry with Herbert over some words he said regarding his past aboard the ship. I reminded him that only the present and one's current actions matter, not the past actions they regret."
Anne glanced over her shoulder at Jack, who was now playing a tune on his fiddle. "Sound advice from a friend," she said. "Perhaps you could assist me also?"
"Whatever could I help you with?" William asked.
"Did Jack mention to you about Herbert losing his position?" William nodded. "I was elected to replace him as quartermaster. Herbert will remain the ship's sailing master, but I will be in charge of the crew and supplies, and, of course, represent their wishes to the captain."
William couldn't help but flash a rare smile, as he felt overjoyed by her promotion. "That is excellent news, my la… Quartermaster," he said. "I suppose I answer to you now."
Anne smirked. "Yes, it strains credulity to believe you are up to the task of following my orders. The very thought of having to teach you proper chain of command causes my head to ache already."
Blackbeard's Justice (The Voyages of Queen Anne's Revenge Book 3) Page 16
