But EVERY day's... oh, never mind.

[jackdaws_master]

Some people, when they take harm from another ship's guns, grow angry and bitter and swear terrible vengeance upon everyone who ever sailed under that nation's flag.

They are not Edward. Time spent on vengeance is time spent not making money. Vengeance is for people who haven't got an Observatory to find.

"Bugger, this wasn't supposed to be here... well, small harm; if I could get something to wash out a few injuries with, and a proper drink for after, you'd find me grateful."

He figures he'll probably catch those Spaniards another day, and take his chances with them then.

Comments

[death_gone_mad]

A redhead wearing a long purple dress linen dress is at the bar. She is not at all fair skinned, though. She looks like she spends much of her time in the sun.

She sniffs, gives Edward a quick glance, then asks, "Seaman?"

She smells a bit like she has been at sea for a while too, but while she looks strong enough to be useful on a ship, her hands are unmarked by the usual calluses of a sailor. She does carry a well used knife at her hip, though.

[jackdaws_master]

"Aye, captain of the good ship Jackdaw," says Edward, dropping something of a bow in the woman's direction. He gives her a quick, thoughtful look as he comes up. "Just pulled into port on Great Inagua, after a fair while at sea."

[death_gone_mad]

"Greetings then captain," she says. "I have been out at sea for a while now too but I really doubt we are anywhere near any familiar ports."

"At least none familiar to any of my crew," she admits with a grin, before quaffing the remains of her beer. "Have you ever mistakenly sailed here?"

[jackdaws_master]

"Your-" Edward shakes his head, startled. "Well, there's a thing you don't see every day. Can't say I've heard of any woman sailors in the waters I'm usually found... but no, I've never come here by ship, only through the door. Is that what's fallen to you?"

(For his time, Edward's a progressive sort of fellow, as are a good many of his fellow brethren of the coast. Women who sail are more the sort of thing you hear about from stories of the China seas, not the Caribbean.)

[death_gone_mad]

"Well, the captain of our ship died some year ago, unfortunately. The crew thought I would be a good replacement."

"There are a fair deal of woman in seafaring crews where I am from, but I was the ship's sea witch, before the captain died, though. Some captains bring us along as good luck charms against bad weather and seamonsters. The captain was a smart man; most sea witches come from the islands but he brought me on board even though I was just a lass from a city far away from any sea port. Guess he was looking for an extra cannon rather than a good luck charm that day. Land witches, I suppose we can be called, are better for that sort of thing. I've been bringing the ship good luck against other ships that are unfriendly to us, but unfortunately, not so much luck against seamonsters. Strange luck with navigating too, I suppose, if we ended up here. Our ship is in that weird tropical inlet that leads into the lake, floating far enough away from the jetty incase tonight is the full moon or something ridiculous like that."

[jackdaws_master]

"I see," says Edward, and though he steps back a pace (as would any sane man in a self-declared witch's presence), he nods respectfully. "I have to say, there's not many who'd hire a known witch either, whether that witch be a man or a woman. Although I wouldn't put it past my friend Teach; he'd be just the sort to think it'd boost his reputation."

[death_gone_mad]

So, witches are bad luck.

Well, they can be, to those who cause their mood to sour. But that isn't what has raised one of her eyebrows. "Bill Teach?"

It has to be a coincidence. She has never heard of Great Inagua or its port.

[jackdaws_master]

"Edward," says Kenway, shaking his head. "Although the man seldom spells his surname the same way twice; he's also gone by Thatch and Tetch. Big, boisterous fellow, with a thick black beard few men can equal."

[death_gone_mad]

"Oh, good, he's most likely not the same man I have been hearing about. It would have been odd if you and I were sailing the same seas and knew the same Teach. Might have been embarrassing to admit I didn't know where Great Inagua is, too," she says with a laugh.

[will_scarlett]

Today Will had to be proper and Robin's squire, its not something he's comfortable with.

When he finds a door, he's already tugged off most of the livery, his sword still remains as he sits at the counter and turns to Edward, "Ye a rum or whiskey man?"

Edward's clothing reminds him a bit of Jack Sparrow's but then no one is quite like Jack.

[jackdaws_master]

"Rum for preference," says Edward, scarce looking up, "but I'll not turn away a decent whiskey. It doesn't do to get into the habit of being too choosy in port."

[will_scarlett]

"Thought ye might be a sailor. They've fine rum 'ere. I tend to go for whiskey meself."

[jackdaws_master]

Edward smiles. "My ship's been at sea a while now; I'd been hoping to see her repaired and improved a bit, but I found this place instead. Not that I've any problems with it, mind. Just- unexpected."

[will_scarlett]

"Oh aye, Milliways is good at that but she'll probably 'ave fresher food for ye. Where at sea are ye?"

His accent sounds familiar but Will knows how sailors travel.

[jackdaws_master]

"Just now, the port of Great Inagua," says Edward, "a bit to the north and east of Cuba. Where is it you call home, then?"

[will_scarlett]

"Nottingham, England, village o'Locksley but na one's e'er 'eard o'it so Nottingham's easier. Ye're down where the rum comes from, aye an pirates?"

He smiles and leans forward, ordering them both another jot of rum.

[jackdaws_master]

"A bit out of my range even when I was still on British soil, then," says Edward. "Swansea born, but Bristol raised. Aye, that'd be the place- I went to join a privateer crew some years back, when we were yet at war with Spain and France alike."

[will_scarlett]

"Privateer, that's the sort o'pirate that the crown likes? Dinna think there's aught like that for outlaws."

[jackdaws_master]

"Aye, King James was fond enough of us for a time," says Edward. "Cheaper by far to grant us a letter of marque and let us do the work we saw fit on the seas than to keep the 'gentlemen' of the Navy paid and trained, was how he saw it. I daresay we'd be at it yet, if it weren't for the war's ending. Now it's just piracy wherever you go, and no king's papers to save you."

[will_scarlett]

"Oh aye, tis rare for kings to care much for outlaws or pirates."

[jackdaws_master]

"True enough," says Edward. "The best a man can hope for is that his Majesty might deign to look the other way. I know one fellow flying the black flag who's made a point of never engaging any vessel flying England's colours for just that reason."

[will_scarlett]

"Aye an 'ope 'e's na chasin' after ye. 'e's on our side for now but after bein' an outlaw for many a year that takes gettin' used to."

[jackdaws_master]

"I pity you, friend," says Edward. "It's a hard thing for a man looking to make his way in the world to keep out from under the Crown's eye forever, when he's confined to the land. And harder still, I should imagine, to lose the habits that served you well in the lean times."

[will_scarlett]

"Oh aye, but me lord, Robin o'Locksley isna an outlaw anymore an 'e 'as his land back. There's work to be done an King Richard respects him, just still odd."

[jackdaws_master]

"Fair enough," says Edward. "I won't deny I've plans to go back to England someday, but I daresay I'd be less likely to be recognised there than a man in your shoes. If only because the Caribbean's a long way away and I don't intend to settle in a seaport town once I've got a proper fortune to my name."

[will_scarlett]

Will smiles over his drink, "Bein' recognized doesna matter that much, we're all known."

[jackdaws_master]

"True- but it gives a man time to set the impression that he's a respectable person of station in the minds of his neighbours, should that be his goal," Edward notes. "For a man in my position, anyway."

[will_scarlett]

"Oh aye, if that's what ye're goin' for then its a 'elp na bein' known."

[jackdaws_master]

Edward nods. "I won't say I've not been tempted to leave it all behind and take up with the locals permanently," he allows, "but I've a wife in England yet, for all that I don't hear from her even when I write to send word."

Which happens but once a year, but really, why go into the details?

[will_scarlett]

"Aye but England's 'ome. I know 'ow that is. Couldna imagine na livin' near Sherwood."