BLACKBEARD'S FAMILY
Book 4 of:
THE VOYAGES OF QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE
Jeremy McLean
Points of Sail Publishing P.O. Box 30083 Prospect Plaza Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 0H8, Canada
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without written permission from the author of this novel.
This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental… Or is it?
Copyright © 2019 Jeremy McLean
All rights reserved.
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1. Stabbed in the Heart Through the Back
"We should strike now. We know where he'll be, and it's the perfect chance to kill him without a huge battle." Herbert sat forward in his wheelchair, one arm leaning on the table in the Queen Anne's Revenge war room. His other hand was in front of him, palm open and motioning in supplication to his pirate brethren.
"Although I defended you in the past to be fair to everyone, Herbert, you must know you're biased in this decision." Anne, the Queen Anne's Revenge quartermaster, sat stoically, her posture perfect, arms resting on the chair. She had a slight investment in the outcome due to her own past with their enemy, Calico Jack, but her tone and muted expression painted things otherwise.
Herbert lowered his head, more in frustration than shame, and looked up at Anne from under furrowed brows. "My emotions may be compromised, but my faculties aren't. I'm not wrong."
William, his arms crossed as he too leaned forward in his chair, stared at the wooden boards of the ship as he said, "I am inclined to side with Herbert." William gave Anne a sidelong glance, then added, "My apologies, ma'am." He couldn't help but channel his former royal guard nature when speaking with Anne.
Anne's clenched jaw betrayed her annoyance at both of William's comments. She didn't enjoy being outnumbered but also didn't enjoy being reminded of her former royal status. "And what if the information we were given is incorrect, hmm? What if we head to Tortuga and his crew is there waiting for us?"
"Impossible," Victoria said, shaking her head. "My informant doesn't make mistakes, and he wouldn't betray us. Besides, Calico Jack frequently visits Los Huecos to check on his commander Silver Eyes before travelling to Tortuga. Then, after he's had his fill of his baser inclinations, he heads back to his base of operations in Nassau. I know this from my time on his crew."
"Also, ma chérie," Alexandre, the Queen Anne's Revenge surgeon, chimed in, "it should be noted that when on land, Calico Jack would not travel to all places with his entire crew. A covert assassination should prove effective, provided he doesn't know we are arrivant."
Anne sighed, her responsibility as quartermaster wavering against the mounting offensive from her crewmates. "I suppose you may be right. But," she said, turning her gaze to her husband, Edward Thatch, "what does the captain think?"
Edward's hands were clasped together in front of his face, his fingers entwined and his elbows resting on the table. He had listened to everything in silence, his eyes trained on a map in the middle of the table, but not focused on any of the shapes.
He eventually looked up at all the eyes staring back at him, suddenly aware of the entire room waiting for him to make the definitive decision. He unclasped his hands, leaned back, and stroked his long black beard.
Herbert spoke again. "If we let this opportunity slip away and do nothing, we will eventually come to regret it. This isn't like before. We'll do this together, and we'll do it right this time."
The others nodded in approval when Edward turned his gaze on them. All of them agreed with Hebert's declaration. Herbert met Edward's gaze, unwavering, letting Edward know that he wouldn't hesitate in following him into the unknown battle ahead.
"Set course for Tortuga."
…
"You found him?" Edward questioned the breathless crewmates. "You're sure it was Calico Jack?"
The crewmates both nodded at the same time. "No doubt, Captain. From what William told us 'bout his looks and the manner he carried himself, this was Calico Jack."
"How many were with him?" Herbert asked, wheeling himself over to the commotion.
The sky was darkening above Tortuga and the Queen Anne's Revenge. The crew had only just finished settling the ship at anchor a ways from the harbour. The three masts' sails had been furled, and the halyards secured to the vessel, and the crew was ready for the long night at rest.
"Far as we could tell, it was just him an' two others what came to the tavern. They entered after a time and were bein' served food and drinks just as we left."
"That means we don't have much time. How many were in the tavern?"
"Not more than twenty."
"Then we proceed as planned," Edward said as he turned towards Herbert. "Get your pistol ready, Herbert, we're ending this tonight."
Herbert couldn't help but smile, but his eyes soon misted, and he cast his eyes downward. He turned away from Edward. "Sorry, Captain," he said, his words catching in his throat.
Edward issued a few commands to the nearby crewmates to prepare the ship for departure and bring the crew up from below before coming back. Then he knelt next to Herbert.
"No need for that now," he said.
Herbert nodded as he wiped his eyes. "I know, Captain, I'm not sure what came over me. The deed's not even done yet."
Edward nodded. "True, but we both know that this is revenge years in the making. It may not bring your legs back, but if it can bring closure, it's no wonder one would be overcome by the magnitude of it."
Herbert looked up at Edward, his eyes still shining in the waning light as the wind of the sea blew against his short brown hair. "Tonight changes everything. Tomorrow will start a new life for me. You have my thanks, Edward. Without you, this wouldn't be possible."
"Not so. You made a choice to join a bunch of pirates under the condition that we help you in your vengeance." Edward placed his hand on Herbert's wheelchair. "You are the architect, I'm just the hired help."
Herbert and Edward both chuckled at that, but then Herbert shook his head in defiance. "No, you're family. And I've told you before that this family is my strength. It's the only reason I've gotten this far."
Edward's face warmed, embarrassed, but happy to have Herbert make such a declaration. "Let's kill Calico Jack then, shall we, brother?"
"Let's," Herbert said as he clasped Edward's forearm. Edward grabbed Herbert's forearm back and shook it to seal the informal bond of vengeance.
Christina, Herbert's sister, rushed up from below deck over to Herbert and Edward, with Anne trailing behind her. "We found him?" Christina asked expectantly. After a quick nod from Edward and Herbert, tears filled her widened eyes, and she fell to the deck on her knees next to Herbert. Her arms wrapped around him, and she shoved her face into his chest, her strawberry blond hair draping over him. Herbert's chest muffled her sobs.
Herbert wrapped his arms around his sister, and his tears came back at once. He consoled her, but knew that she was crying for the same reason he had; this was joy, and possibly relief.
After a moment, the other crewmates rushed up from the depths of the ship and began preparations to leave Tortuga at a moment's notice.
Christina regained her awareness with the noise of the many feet pounding against the weather deck. She got to her feet and wiped her tears away, a quick transition to the determined, anxious look of a woman ready for a fight.
The crewmates who had found Calico Jack returned with the men who were going to help with the plan. Ten men in al
l would help while Edward, Anne, and Herbert would carry out the other half of the plot.
"Do we all know our parts to play?" The crewmates nodded. "Then show us the way, men," Edward commanded.
"Captain," Christina said, stepping forward before they could leave. "I know that I'm supposed to stay here and prepare the ship for departure, but I wish to join you." She stood defiantly, her fingers balled into fists. "Please."
"Christina—" Herbert began, but Edward's hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Rest assured, you will have your chance to extract your pound of flesh from Calico Jack," Edward declared. "But we need you here. Without Herbert, you are our best helmsman."
Christina's gaze fell, and her fingers dug into her palms for a moment. Nassir, the negro shipwright, came over beside Christina and wrapped his massive arm around her, pulling her in close. She looked shocked at first, but when she gazed up at him, her features softened. They shared a bond of loss over the years aboard the ship, and it carried a weight that a captain's command simply could never hope to rival. Next, her wolf companion, Tala, nudged her fist with a whine. Christina looked down at her, opened her palm and scratched her friend on the nose.
When her gaze came back to meet Edward's, she wore a false smile and misted eyes. "I'll hold you to that promise," she said.
"Understood," Edward replied.
As the departing crew began boarding a longboat for shore, Edward stopped to talk with William, the boatswain in charge of the ship while Edward and Anne were away, and Jack, the musician.
"Keep the men in line and entertained," Edward said, leaning in with a soft voice. "Tensions are high, and we can't have any mistakes. Not tonight."
William gave a stiff salute, and Jack nodded. "Understood, Captain," William replied.
"I'll bring out the fiddle tonight," Jack added with a smile. "That should lighten the mood a touch."
Edward gave the two men a few more explicit orders about when to be ready, and whom in the crew to use at which stations, before turning around to join the others still boarding the longboat. Before he could disembark, another crewmate came up behind him and gave him a forceful slap on his back.
Edward let out a grunt as the stinging on his back coursed through his spine. He glared at the Mayan prince he knew to be behind him, and the prince smirked back at his captain.
"Pukuh, I thought you to be sleeping at this hour."
"I would not miss this," he replied. Pukuh's smile faded, and he gave a stern look. "Do not underestimate this man, Calico Jack. According to my father, when he was known as Benjamin Hornigold, he was a fearsome man to his enemies, and the years seem to have hardened him." Pukuh's light accent belied the harsh tone he employed.
"Not to worry, friend, we have our best opportunity here and now, and I wouldn't let my guard down during such a crucial time."
"You would not let your guard down? How was it I hit you on the back a moment before then?" He shot Edward an impetuous grin.
Edward shook his head. "I knew you were there, but it seemed like you could use a boost of confidence after losing your arm. Perhaps if you were in good form you would have been able to sneak up on me," Edward tried his best to add a fake tone of pity to his words, but he couldn't help but grin at his own jesting.
Pukuh playfully punched Edward in his arm before he exchanged another few words of encouragement for the battle to come.
The crew watched as their captain and the shore party entered the longboat and paddled to shore. They were mostly silent, imparting strength in solidarity for the task ahead. Everyone knew who their captain was about to face, and the weight of what it meant when they would come back with the enemy in hand.
Edward noticed Alexandre and Victoria on the quarterdeck, near the helm. When deciding who would be part of the team to face Calico Jack, Victoria had chosen to stay behind. By her demeanour, though she portrayed a mask of strength, Edward believed she didn't wish to confront Calico Jack, the man who had tortured her, again.
Though the torturer had been different, Edward knew the feeling well. It was that feeling which forced him to keep a flask in his pocket at all times.
The longboat docked at Tortuga's harbour, and from the sounds that met the crew's ears, it was the beginning of a night full of drunken revelry and debauchery. For Tortuga, it was a Thursday.
Edward commanded a few of the crew to find the men who had taken leave at the shore and bring them back to the ship. Thankfully, everyone was expecting to leave on short notice and agreed to stay close to the harbour, so he didn't expect there would be any issues finding the men.
The sound of pistols, battle cries, and lamentations, coupled with the occasional cracking of breaking glass, echoed across the dingy stone walkways the crew traversed on their way to the tavern where Calico Jack was waiting for them. The smell of hard liquor, ale, body odour, and piss wafted towards them, mixed with the scent of the ocean and nearby grass and tropical trees. Years of dilapidation and neglect meant that the smells simply compounded on top of one another, and the air was forever tainted by the musk of the pirates and rebels that inhabited the lawless island.
When they were three buildings away from the tavern, the crewmates who had found Calico Jack pointed out the tavern in which he was to be found. With a quick check of readiness, Edward continued towards the tavern.
"Hold, Captain," Herbert said, stopping at the back of the group. "I cannot enter the tavern. I shall wait around back."
Edward's jaw went slack for a moment. "Why?"
"I know I was but a child when I was on his ship, but there is no mistaking my condition. My wheelchair will stand out like a sore thumb, so it would be best if I remain outside not to disrupt the plan you have in mind."
Edward looked deep into Herbert's eyes and saw no sadness in them. He could only see the same determination as before staring back at him.
"Understood," Edward said. "You stay with him," he added, pointing to one of the crewmates. The crewmate nodded, and he and Herbert went around the back of the nearby buildings to where they would take Calico Jack before bringing him back to the ship.
The rest of the crew proceeded to the tavern, and gradually entered in groups. The last group consisted of the two crewmates who had found Calico Jack initially, and Edward and Anne.
The inside of the tavern smelled another level worse than the outside of Tortuga. With little ventilation, the foul odours concentrated in the confined space and permeated the walls and air of the establishment. The twenty or so patrons, now bolstered by the ten from Edward's crew, packed the quarters and made the space uncomfortably hot. It also didn't help that, although expected given the gravity of the situation, Edward felt tense and on edge.
"Where is he?" Anne asked, staying hidden behind Edward's large body until she could get a line of sight.
"In the corner on the left," one of the crewmates answered, being sound of mind enough not to point as he did.
Edward and Anne both tentatively glanced in that direction, only briefly catching a glimpse of Calico Jack and his mates.
Edward almost felt that he could sense the man's presence, as though his reputation weighed on the hot, stuffy air. Even so, he wasn't sure if it was merely nerves, so he asked, "Is that him, Anne?"
Anne's face scrunched pensively. "I cannot tell. There are too many people here."
"At worst, we point a pistol at another pirate. Let's find somewhere to sit."
Edward, Anne, and the two crewmates found a few empty chairs and a table to sit at, and shortly afterwards a husky woman brought them all pints of ale without their asking. She let them all know they would bring them food should they have the coin to pay, though not letting them know what the food was or how much it cost.
Edward took a few coins from his purse and tossed them her way. After a check of their quality, she nodded in approval and left to the back of the establishment.
Edward looked around at the other patrons. Many of them were men, some young and f
oolish, and some old grizzled seamen, but there were also a few women of the night, as well as a few middle-aged female bruisers who seemed to be sharing stories with the seamen. He noticed that he was growing accustomed to the smell, and it, like the noise surrounding them, faded into the background. But, as the sounds faded, his nerves finally caught up with him, and he suddenly felt ill.
Thoughts he wanted to keep buried crept into him, gnawing and itching. Not now. Please, not now, he begged, but he could already feel his skin go cold, and his hand trembled. His chest felt as though a cannon was sitting on top of it.
Edward swallowed and moved his hand into his breast pocket. The thick air now seemed an ocean of mud on his body. He thought all eyes were on him, and he was moving too slow, too unnaturally, to look normal. He forced against the mud, and it made his hands shake with the effort. The thought that his weakness was showing only made the trembling worse, and it took all his strength to twist off the cap of his flask. He brought the flask full of rum to his lips and took a long and deep drink from it.
The sharp and bitter harshness cut through his other pains like a blade through flesh, and he sighed in relief. The rum gave him no pleasure in its taste, only respite from the weight of the mud around him. This was his only way to control it, but the mud was hardening as each day passed and required more to wash it away as well.
Edward could feel Anne's gaze on him, and he glanced over at her. She had a look of concern on her face. He lifted the flask up in the air and did his best to grin as he said, "Liquid courage," but the grin felt hollow even to him. He took another deep drink from the flask.
The woman who had served them the ale returned with a few plates full of what appeared to be some sort of stew with meat in it and old bread. She didn't say another word to them and left to serve other people.
None of the crew even entertained the thought of trying the food, and so Edward leaned forward after pushing his plate aside. The others at his table followed suit.
Blackbeard's Family Page 1
