The Thrill Of You

Chapter 5

Stede's POV

Days later, we reach shore, boarding the dinghy into a cove not far off from the ship that I hid away not too long ago. Or now it had been some time, I did assure the upkeep to a personal acquaintance of mine to make sure it was in shape for a voyage out on the sea, after all, it was needed for an escape at first. "Where to first?" Ed asked, keeping his hair in the ponytail he had pulled it into hours ago.

I fixed my sleeves, the white now covered in dirt, but it probably would help me blend in for where we were headed. "Follow me, I know just where we can recruit a crew. What number of people are we looking for?" I asked, looking at Ed who took off his jacket to set it on his arm, a purple shirt underneath. I looked away, the color surprising me for whatever reason, settling on the fact that I had never seen such a vibrant yet wonderful color in something as simple as a shirt. "I think we should aim for about 10, the least we need is someone who cooks, ties knots, and knows how to mend wounds," Ed told me as he walked behind me.

Walking with our heads down, going down to the local bar as our destination. It wasn't the one uptown where posh folk ran about, where I was just avoiding, but one to be rumored to have criminals and rough men that sounded willing to be on the sea. "Split up, get out if someone recognizes you," Ed whispered, I nodded and took off in the other direction, finding two people who looked like they would certainly enjoy the rough life on the sea.

I sat at the table, getting the attention of the two men, the man that had been talking stopped as I did. "Hi, would either of you be interested in being recruited to be on my crew?" I asked, attempting to be confident as they both then looked at each other, the man with a beard nodding a bit when the other side-eyed me a bit. He looked back to me, nodding and standing up, extending a hand. "Oluwande, and this is Jim," He greeted, to which I smiled and shook his hand. "Good to have you. Any special skills?" I asked, seeing the man named Jim pull out a knife, jumping back a bit and becoming slightly weary of extending my hand in his direction.

"Jim here is mute, but good with knives, and I've been told I'm good at knots and teaching," The man named Oluwande told me, to which I nodded, Jim putting away the blade before fully sitting back down with his back against the wall behind him. "Well, welcome to The Revenge, I'll be sailing tonight after rallying a crew together," I explained, smiling as I stood and bowed a bit. "We can help, we know a few people that came with us from The Republic Of Pirates," Oluwande offered, to which I agreed, figuring that it would make it easier.

"How many?" I asked him, seeing him smile a bit before he sat down. "Three men, all of them great men. Buttons is a look out of sorts, also he'll fight if needed. He also talks to birds. The Swede is loyal and has many talents, and finds the crow's nest to be comfortable. And then Frenchie plays music, he's a very good musician if you want him," Oluwande listed, counting on his fingers, holding up the numbers as I contemplated the skills of the men. "Bring them all, they sound like good men," I excitedly told him, seeing both men stand and look at each other.

"Meet... Meet Ed, long black hair and beard with a purple shirt and leather on, by the docks when you've rallied your men and I'll meet you there," I told them, seeing them both nod as they left the bar to pursue these men that Oluwande spoke of. I smiled, finding five people already in one go, feeling that the rest would be a breeze. I ran to the other end of the bar to see Ed, a man walking away from him as I approached.

"How many have you got?" I asked, seeing him look to the man that left, facing his body toward me. "2 so far, the men's names are Roach and Wee John. One is a cook, butcher, wound mender, and kind of an unqualified doctor. The other can mend clothes, has brute strength, and is intimidating, to say the least, maybe a secret hustler," Ed told me, to which I smiled. We already have seven people on board, not quite guaranteed but so far. "How many you got?" He asked me, seemingly excited about his finds.

"I believe I've got five men, two that I talked to offered to rally three men that they had rode in with from the Republic Of Pirates," I started, seeing Ed's eyes widen and a little smile appear a bit, to which I smiled as well because I felt proud. "Oluwande is good with knots and teaching, Jim is good with knives, Frenchie is a damn good musician, Buttons is a fighter, a lookout as well and can talk to birds supposedly, and then The Swede is a multi-tool of sorts," I told him, seeing him nod as I explained the skills. He seemed proud, but even if he wasn't, I definitely was. In talking to two people, I managed to get five.

"Well, damn, mate. You're pretty good at this. It took me a weak to rally a crew before," Ed told me, though that seemed to be a truth with a good crew, we were just looking for some men who were willing to sail. "Okay, split up again, and then we go get the ship to the docks," Ed told me, going for a man that sat just 10 feet away that sat at the bar. I went to a booth that had a man sitting with a book and a beer, looking sort of out of place seeing as no one else had a book in the bar. "Can I help you?" He asked, shutting his book and looking skeptical. "Would you like to join my crew?" I asked, smiling a bit as I sat down across from him.

"What?" He asked, pulling his beer to his lips, taking a swig before pulling his lips into a tight line, swallowing the likely bitter drink before casting his gaze on me once more. "You obviously can read, you would be an asset," I explained simply, his look unwavering as he put his hand around the neck of the bottle. "What's your name?" The man asked, to which I sat up a little to lean in. "Stede," I told him, seeing him nod as he extended his hand. "Lucius Spriggs," He whispered, I took his hand and nodded, shaking his hand.

I gave him a smile, seeing a man in the corner of my eye that looked suspicious. Well, guess it was time to get out. "Follow me," I whispered, standing and walking out of the bar, seeing a man near Ed as I walked out, both of them walking to the door. I walked to the end of the walkway, Ed catching up with me and giving me a thumbs up. "Okay, the boat is hidden in a cove, just barely a ways from here," I told the group that I was taking to the ship, the rest I guess were going to meet at the dock. "Ed, go down to the docks, Oluwande will be looking for you with a man named Jim," I informed him, seeing him give a slight nod and head off to the docks that went along the shore that I started to walk along.

"Question," The new guy spoke up, to which I signaled the man to talk. "Was that really Blackbeard?" He asked, to which I shook my head. "His name is Ed," I told him, not sure as to what Ed himself was willing to disclose to someone new. I heard nothing else as I approached the cove, passing the dinghy that Ed and I rode in on. "Welcome to The Revenge," I told them, boarding my ship that I had been looking forward to sailing since being told that the construction had been finished. I went to the anchor and hoisted it up, the ship immediately moving back and being pulled from the deep mouth of the cove, being pulled by the waves.

I steered enough to be able to get to the docks, pulling the anchor down again. It's not as simple as explained, but in half an hour, I was able to put down the boarding plank, coming off of the ship to see Ed with the other men. "Is everyone accounted for?" I asked, looking over and seeing the sun was about an hour or two from setting. "Everyone is here, should we board now?" He asked, to which I nodded. Everyone came aboard, except for Ed.

As he was waiting for me to board, I looked at him, feeling my fists clench a bit. "Is it okay if I do something real quick while we're in my hometown?" I asked, seeing Ed frown a bit. "Just promise to come back, mate, I'll be here waiting with everyone," He told me, to which I nodded and ran off to the shore. I had to make sure no one would see me, covering my face as I ran. Running until I came to the familiar shed. Home.