Edward took deep breaths of the gas and his pain subsided. He closed his eyes and felt just as Anne described. His pain and arm were not part of his body, like he was floating in the air.
While in that dreamlike state, Nathan fastened a sling around Edward's arm. "I must tell Alexandre about this," Edward noted between deep breaths. "But knowing Alexandre, he will probably blow it up somehow." Edward laughed uncontrollably.
Later, Edward received instructions on how to recreate the gas, Anne paid Nathan, and the group left for an inn Anne had reserved. A few men of the militia and townsfolk still stalked the quiet streets in the middle of the night, making walking out in the open tempting fate, so Anne guided them through side streets to reach to their destination.
"So, speaking of Alexandre, why didn't we go to him for help?" Edward asked.
"Alexandre is at Bodden Town, and said to pick him up when we are ready."
"Tch." That is something he would say.
Edward and his group reached the back entrance of the inn without being stopped or spotted. They entered through the kitchen where those slaving over a hot fire glanced up and greeted Anne like they were the best of friends and didn't bat an eye at the odd troupe behind her.
The wafting smells of roasting meat and potatoes enticed Edward, William, Charles, and Edmond, and reminded them of the great hunger built over the time of their imprisonment. Anne's beckoning and the noises from the dining hall pulled Edward from the food and further into the inn.
He was not prepared for what would happen when he walked through the swinging doors of the kitchen to the dining hall.
At first, the noise continued as normal. The crew of the Freedom were jovially laughing, talking, pinching the servers, eating and drinking to their fill. But one person turned to see who entered and his jaw dropped instantly.
"Captain!"
A hush drew like a wave over the inn and all eyes turned to the entrance of the kitchen. In utter silence, the crew processed the face before them.
"It's the Captain!" "Edward!" "Blackbeard!" "Captain Thatch!"
The gathering in the large inn rushed to Edward and pulled at him all at once. Hands tried to grab Edward, or his beard; others hugged him and patted him on the shoulder. Eventually he was lifted into the air and carried around on a few of the men's shoulders. Edward was passed a drink, and cheers were shouted all around. Some had tears in their eyes, others the widest of grins, and still others were in shock over the whole affair, as if witnessing some dream.
Anne leaned against the wall of the inn, watching the crew with a wide smile on her face.
"Reminds you of old times, eh?" Henry asked.
Anne chuckled. "Yes, but there is still work to be done." Edward's face was full of joy as he greeted his crewmates by name, hugging or shaking hands. "Perhaps we can wait until tomorrow." Anne pushed Henry playfully. "Let's have some fun, yes?"
The crew were in high spirits and the festivities continued well through the night. Drinking, games, stories, and reunions were exchanged with the captain they loved so. William was also a source of much talking and greetings from the crew. Through William's calm exterior, Anne believed she could see happiness deep in his eyes.
The roast and potatoes cooked in the kitchen was served, along with a house ale. The smell of the ale overpowered the food, and thankfully the sweat from the crew as well.
Edward was also able to reunite with Nassir's son, Ochi, and Herbert's sister, Christina. Both had grown since Edward last saw them.
Ochi, now fifteen, had experienced a growth spurt and was almost up to Edward's shoulder, which is to say between about five ten and six feet tall. He resembled his father too, becoming broad in shoulder and with strong arms.
Christina, now sixteen, had grown out her strawberry blond hair, which framed her face and made her more womanly than before. Her brother had taught her how to sail a ship over the past year.
Edward was also shocked and delighted to hear that Ochi and Christina were dating as well. They were young, and of different colour, but the bond they'd developed on the Freedom and the year afterwards was strong. They are happy together, and that is all that matters.
Despite their injuries, the fervour of the crew managed to keep Edward awake until the last. But, as with every good thing, the revelry ended.
The following morning, Edward awoke with a terrible aching in his head, and his arm was pulsing waves of pain with each beat of his heart. His eyes slowly opened to the room he must have chosen at some point through the night. Anne was also under the blankets of his bed, opening her eyes after a long night of raucous behaviour.
Edward's mouth was dry, so he smacked his tongue to bring back some moisture. "Did we…?"
"No, we did not," she replied, knowing his stream of thought. "For one thing, our clothes are still on." Anne pulled the blankets off them both, revealing their dirty, smelly clothes from the night before.
"Right." Edward examined the room, noting the bottles of rum and glasses scattered on the floor. "For the record, I would enjoy remembering our first time."
Anne smiled as she snuggled closer to Edward. "I concur."
"So, I noticed only half the crew are here. Was this all you were able to gather?" Edward asked, his eyes closed and his left arm wrapped around Anne's shoulders.
"The rest of the crew are at Portsmouth, ready for when we arrive, where the Freedom is docked."
"And Jack is with them?" Edward asked of the American musician aboard the Freedom.
Edward remembered the last time he saw Jack. A demon from Jack's past had showed up, Admiral of the White, George Rooke, and Jack tried to kill him for retribution over something, but failed.
Anne opened her eyes, a sad expression on her face. "Jack… is having some issues."
Edward opened his eyes this time, darkness filling his mind. "Where is he?"
"In town. Jack has been at a tavern at least as long as we have been here, perhaps longer. I tried to bring him back, but I cannot bring him out of his pity." Anne raised herself up. "I think only you would be able to help Jack recover at this point."
"You may be right." Jack, what happened? How could you fall so low?
Edward recalled a conversation he once had with Jack. The man had explained how he was an addict, and the one thing which had brought him out was his love for a woman, but he never disclosed what happened to her. Edward knew the incident involved George Rooke somehow.
Edward rose from the bed and stripped. A piping hot bath, complete with rose petals floating in it, had been drawn by phantoms from the inn staff, which Edward took immediate advantage of.
After Edward lowered himself in, Anne rose and gathered his clothes. She took off the golden sword and left the hat on a seat, but took the coat, tattered shirt, and ripped pantaloons with her.
"I'll give these away and buy you a new outfit. I shall be back."
"Oh! Wait!" Edward yelled. Anne backed up, clothes in hand. Edward rummaged through the pockets until he found the ever-important letter left by Benjamin Hornigold. Without that letter Edward would not be able to follow the clue to the next key for the ship. "Could you set that on the table? Also, first the carriages, then the weapons, then the inn, and now clothes? Where are you acquiring all this money?"
"Some was donated by the crew." Anne took the letter and grinned devilishly. "And, when I left the palace this time, I… collected my inheritance early, selling it to a few merchants here and there."
Edward laughed. "You truly are a pirate at heart."
"It is the company I keep, after all. Spoils the bunch and all that," Anne said before passionately kissing Edward and leaving the room.
Edward took his time cleaning himself and thinking over his next course of action. I want Jack with us again. He is a part of this crew and I'm sure he is equally missed by everyone else.
The hot bath was more than welcome after the stay in prison. Edward washed away the grime from a year past in the rosewater. By the end of h
is bath, the water was well past clear and it lost its sweet smell.
Anne returned with new clothes and Edward knew what he wanted to do about Jack.
The clothes were very similar to what Edward wore before: white tunic, baggy pantaloons, and black leather coat. After cleaning the tricorn hat, Edward once again wore an outfit befitting the captain of a ship.
After Edward dressed, he pocketed the letter from Benjamin Hornigold and went downstairs, allowing Anne to bathe and change. A few of the crew were in the dining hall and greeted him. They too were feeling the effects of the night before, and ordered food to break their fast. Ham, fried eggs, and sausage were brought to Edward along with a cup of coffee and another of water.
The black liquid, bitter in taste, also brought memories of Jack to Edward's mind, coffee being Jack's favourite drink after a night of excess. The crew stared at Edward as he gazed into his drink, knowing what he was thinking.
The crew ate in near silence until more people joined the dining hall. By mid-morning the whole crew was out and being fed, talking and playing games of cards. When Anne entered the hall, fresh and rejuvenated by the bath, Edward talked with her about his plans to see if they coincided with hers.
Anne's red hair, still wet from the bath, glistened in the sunlight along with her oceanic green eyes. Edward could lose himself in those eyes like the sea he loved so. "So how long do we have to retrieve the Freedom?"
"Two months. The British Navy will start using Freedom as a marine vessel once all the paperwork is cleared."
"And what kind of travel time can we expect with a group this large?"
"Near one and a half weeks for travel to Portsmouth. Less if we split up, and we should. We'll stand out too much with this many people."
"All right then. Will you travel with the crew to keep them in line and set things in motion?"
"I'm fine with that, but are you expecting Jack to be resistant?"
"I don't expect any issues with Jack re-joining us, but we'll need him sober by the time we enter Portsmouth."
"I will stay and help," Henry said, walking up behind Edward.
"I be stayin' too," Sam added, walking down the stairs.
Edward cocked an eyebrow. "Why do you want to stay, Sam?"
"I 'ave a feeling somethin' fun is gonna happen." Sam said with a smirk.
Anne turned to Edward, fear in her eyes. "I think we should stay with you."
Edward laughed. "Don't let Sam's nonsense scare you. Nothing bad will happen." As soon as Edward spoke the words, he felt a chill from head to toe. Suddenly, I have a bad feeling about this.
"I will trust in you three then. Will you tell the crew what's happening?" Anne asked.
Edward nodded and stepped onto a small elevated stage at the front of the inn. He laid out the plan to the crew, leaving out the parts about stealing Freedom and anything which could implicate them to the inn staff. The crew made their objections and Edward simply stated he would be late by a week or two at the most to allow Jack enough time to withdraw the alcohol from his system. With the decision made, Edward descended the stairs and the crew prepared for departure.
Henry smiled widely. "I see your skills in public speaking have improved, my young apprentice."
"What are you talking about?" Edward said, exasperated.
"You spoke to the crew as if you had been speaking in public forever. You even answered questions without a hint of your nervousness," Henry said, referring to Edward's previous apprehension with public speaking, and Henry's attempts at helping Edward overcome his fear.
"Of course. I long ago lost any anxiety with speaking to crowds."
Henry wiped away a fake tear. "The apprentice… becomes the master."
Edward sighed. "Let's recover Jack." He stopped short. "Wait, I forgot one thing."
Edward sought out Charles and Edmond in the dining hall. The old man and the child were sitting together, eating with the crew.
"So, old man, this is it. You have your freedom now, so what will you do?"
Charles, appearing much better than he did in the prison, scratched his balding head. "I suppose I could head to Southampton, I have family who can support me."
"I will arrange for some of my crew to help you travel. Would it be too much to ask you to take Edmond along with you?"
"What?" Edmond yelled, rising from his seat. "I want to go with you, Edward. I want to have freedom on the open sea too!"
Edward pitied the boy, because he understood Edmond's desire. "I'm sorry Edmond, but you cannot join us. Especially for those reasons. You need to find your own Freedom. Just because my Freedom is on the seas doesn't mean yours is. I want you to join Charles and learn from him and then, maybe in a few years if you still feel you want to join us, I will allow it."
Edmond pouted and sat back down. "Fine."
Edward patted the young man on the head, then said goodbye to Anne and instructed her to escort Charles and Edmond to Southampton.
Henry waited at the door of the inn while Edward spoke his goodbyes to Anne. He watched with an unconscious frown on his face as Edward and Anne kissed. Anne ruffled Edward's wavy black hair and handed him a coin purse before sending him on his way.
"Ready?" Henry asked as Edward approached.
"Yes. Do you know the way?"
"Follow me," Henry replied confidently.
The two trekked through the streets of Winchester with the sun shining down upon them, allowing them a better view than the night before. The morning dew was still filtering in from the forest and carried with it the smells of fresh cooking from the market. The aroma mixed sweetly in Edward's nose before he could sense smells natural to the town, like livestock, horses, mud and moisture.
On the long cobblestone road, many were going about their business, some with child, some alone, and others Edward noticed were carrying notebooks. When Edward pointed out the many young men in similar uniforms, Henry mentioned Winchester College. The college was a prominent boarding school for boys, and accounted for much of Winchester's growth.
Halfway to their destination, Sam came running after them, offended that Edward and Henry didn't wait. The three then travelled further into town. Beggars frequently approached Edward to see if he carried coin, drawn by his dress. Edward kept his hands in his pockets at all times to protect his money and the letter, arguably the more important of the two, from being taken. They arrived at their destination well before reaching the square with all those delightful smells.
Henry stopped in front of a lively tavern and the three entered together. Inside, the place was packed with people even at this hour. There was loud music being played from a piano, and the people inside were equally loud in their festivities. The delightful smells of the town immediately fled in the face of the smell of sweat and ale inside the tavern.
Lounging on a couch in the corner was Jack Christian. Edward remembered a gentle Jack, with pleasing features of short brown hair, light hazel eyes, and fair, clean-shaven skin. However, this Jack was growing thick stubble, dishevelled hair, and his eyes were sullen with bags underneath. His normally fair skin had turned to a deathly pallor due to the drink, despite the appearance of euphoria on his face.
Edward didn't want to stay any longer than he had to, so he walked straight over to the man. "Hello, Jack."
Jack moved his whole body to see who called him. He didn't stand up, but he grinned and extended his arms. "Captain! You, you're here to see me, my brother," Jack said, his American accent distinguishing him from the British locals.
"That's right, and we're here to take you someplace special. Up you go." Edward took hold of Jack's hand and pulled him up off the couch.
"Special?" Jack asked listlessly, glancing back to the table full of booze in confusion and want.
"Yes, very special. Henry, Sam, are you going to make my injured self carry Jack?" Edward inquired, spurring Henry and Sam to take Jack.
The drunks at the table—his "friends"—wanted Jack to stay, but Edward and
crew were able to tear Jack away after some coaxing. Some patrons and the barman eyed Edward and his companions suspiciously as they left.
Jack was carried out of the tavern and the four began the trek to Nathan the surgeon's house. Jack drifted in and out of awareness, asking questions of Edward a few times, but most were incoherent. The group elicited gaping from passersby as they walked down the main street.
When they reached the house, the door was quickly opened after Edward knocked. Nathan stood in the doorway. "Ah, I think I remember you. Patient of mine?"
Edward sighed. "Yes, we were here yesterday."
"What did I treat for you?"
Edward was dumbfounded, as the sling was still in plain view underneath the coat he wore. "Broken arm," he replied simply.
"Ah, yes, yes. Please, enter. Someone else need treating?" Nathan questioned, stepping aside to allow the group to enter.
Henry and Sam took Jack to the operating table and lay him down on it face up. "Our friend here is addicted to alcohol and God knows what else. We need him clean, and I understand the process can sometimes be rather… messy, without assistance."
"Well then, how interesting. I will see what I can do." Nathan used thick leather belts to secure Jack's chest, arms, and legs to the table.
"Are the straps really necessary?" Henry asked.
Sam laughed. "Have ye never seen an addict without the fix fer long? Jack old boy 'eres gonna be thrashin and screamin fer sustenance 'for long."
"I'm afraid your English-impaired friend is correct. Those symptoms are all part of the substances being removed from the system. There is not much we can do but provide comfort and ensure he does not die."
The door to Nathan's home opened loudly and three men stepped in. The man in the middle wore gentlemen's clothes of a puffy white neck tie, red blazer with gold buttons, a red long coat with gold trim to his knees, and pantaloons reaching below the kneecap with high socks. The two other men wore simpler clothes of white tunic and black vest, with long black pantaloons.
"What ails you gentlemen?" Nathan asked, approaching them.
"We 'eard some blokes was tryin' ta take away a man who owes me money, and I fancied seein' who had the gall," the man in the middle said. "The name's Thomas Blunes, and you must be the famous Blackbeard."
Blackbeard's Revenge (Voyages Of Queen Anne's Revenge Book 2) Page 6
