Resurrection

Chapter 17: Lovers

"I think that one thing you all have in common is that you don't want to kill me." Saraghina says carefully, still restrained in Oluwande's arms. She briefly glances at Izzy, wriggling in pain on the floor, then up at Edward, stuck between three swords. "And I don't want to kill any of you . . . so if you all just drop your weapons near me, you'll know they'll be in a trusted place. Then we can all talk about it on the main deck over tea . . . or rum . . . or anything." Saraghina explains nervously.

"I hate to burst your bubble, dear, but that's usually not how these things work." Edward says to Saraghina, trying not to move his neck between the swords.

"Don't 'dear' her." Jim hisses into Edward's ear, pressing their sword more harshly against Edward's back. He grits in pain.

"Did you listen to a single thing she said before?" Edward grits in response.

"Hold on, hold on." Stede begins. "You know that's not true, Ed."

"Oh yeah? You're gonna tell me about being a pirate?" Edward responds roughly, feeling the kisses of the blades against his skin.

"Don't pretend like you don't remember how I ran my ship." Stede retorts. "I always encouraged my crew to talk about what was bothering them. It would help us avoid major misunderstandings . . . like this."

"Yeah, I remember how you ran your ship. And that's why you almost fucking died every other day." Edward snaps.

"Says the man surrounded by an angry mob." Stede replies, smug.

"I-I hate to interrupt this . . ." Lucius begins. "But maybe Saraghina is right? Maybe we can have this exact conversation without the threat of . . . death."

"Also, what about Mr. Hands?" Saraghina begins quietly, gazing down at Izzy, still moaning but wriggling slower. "I think someone should tend to him soon."

"Don't worry, darling." Edward begins, his words pointed at his crew. "Izzy'll be fine. A stab in the shoulder blade is nothing for us. Luckily they chose the worst possible person to inflict a fatal blow."

"OK, OK, I've heard enough of this. We're going with Saraghina's plan." Lucius begins. "I think we all have a lot to talk about, and we'll be able to make a lot more progress without weapons."

Everyone looks around each other, waiting for someone to drop their weapon. No one does at first.

"Lucius." Edward begins. "Take the pistol from my hand and lay it near Saraghina, barrel pointed away from her."

"Careful, Lucius." Pete interjects almost immediately.

Lucius walks towards Edward, mostly trusting him. However, there will always be a feeling of doubt between the two of them. Edward hands Lucius the gun, barrel pointed away from him. Then, he reaches carefully for his knife, and hands that to him, as well. Lucius secures the weapons, then drops them next to Saraghina as Oluwande lets go of her slowly.

"There. I'm unarmed." Edward says intensely. "Why don't you all drop your weapons and follow suit? I'll even put the fucking tea on."

" Chica . Mírame ." Jim begins, staring carefully at Saraghina. "¿ Estás segura ?" Jim asks Saraghina if she's sure.

" Completamente ." Saraghina responds definitively.

Jim sighs with uncertainty, eyes still locked on Saraghina's. They lower the sword from the small of Edward's back, then quietly approach her. They leave the sword next to her feet, then search her face. Her content, clean, strong expression is unbelievable to Jim, who spent their past few nights ruminating on how terrified and destroyed she must have been. When they look at her, they see the terrified girl on the deck that day, crying and begging to die instead of being brought to Blackbeard. Suddenly, Jim takes Saraghina in for a tight hug, similar to the one they gave her when they first met. Saraghina immediately hugs back just as tight.