The Blood In My Veins | Black Sails (Under Constructions)

The Living Dead | Part 1

In the distance I could hear Teach ask Charles what was wrong with me, with Charles reacting that I was stressed, tired and in pain. Nothing more, nothing less. Laughing to myself I kept my gaze onto the horizon not paying attention to them both anymore.

~~~

"Hey." I heard the broad man in the distance narrowing the gap between us. "You're doing okay?"

I decided to not pay attention to Charles now standing next to me and still glanced at the blue, calm ocean. I didn't answer him and let myself silently drown in my thoughts.

"I know you have troubles with understanding the change of mind, but that doesn't mean I'm turning into something I wasn't before. I respect Teach, but little one, I would never want to turn into his kind of behaviour or into him at all." He whispered and felt his piercing gaze on me. "I know how you feel about Nassau and this situation and I'm sorry...." I could hear him sigh in regret. "But Naida be honest, it wasn't just the reason I changed my mind that made you mad and you know that too. I know you better. If you're angry you'll only show it like this when it's too much and it's bottled up." I turned my head around to watch Charles as he took a step closer to hold my waist while I was sitting on the railing. I first wanted to push him away, but another part of me actually needed the comfort.

"I'm tired and...." I sighed under my breath. "I figured my body isn't capable of doing things I did before and that kinda frustrates me. I just want to spend more time with you and forget everything."

"M-huh."

He stepped closer, sliding his arms around me and hugged me from behind. I honestly had never thought he would do this in the public's eyes, but I think he couldn't care less at the moment as well. I slowly laid my head back and leaned against his shoulder as we watched the sun rise together. His way of thinking and my way of thinking was different, but I could respect that and embrace it as long as he could do the same and stay himself. Still staring at the sun, I suddenly felt Charles leaving short and small kisses in my neck and I chuckled softly while I felt his arms tighten around me.

"I talked to Teach." He spoke to me in a hushed tone.

"So what did he say?"

"After today we'll arrive at Ocracoke." I slightly turned my head around, well, as far as I could. as my eyes grew bigger. It was delightful to hear I finally didn't have to feel sick every time I tried to lay down and it meant Charles and I could sleep in one bed.

"Thank god."

"You should thank me for suggesting to take a faster route instead."

"Who said you're not a god? You're shaped like one after all."

"I could tell you the same." We both bursted into laughter as Charles helped me off of the railing and back onto the upper deck and in the distance I could see Teach smile at Charles who was busy laughing and tickling my body which I hated. I couldn't control my laughing and tried my best to push Charles away so he would stop. Sadly, I ended up with Charles winning and pulling me against him while I had my palms flat on his chest, us both smiling to each other while sharing a kiss.

~~~

Ocracoke

~~~

Sitting down onto the hot sand, sharpening my swords as I watched over the beach, I watched the waves crash against the small cliffs, foam forming afterwards. Men were for fun challenging and fighting each other while other men were messing around with the whores on the beautiful island.

Teach had left with another brown haired woman, it seemed like they already knew each other, and Charles was on the other side of the beach, sitting before a tent on a barrel while eyeing everything that happened, keeping me in his sight as well. I waved at him and he smiled back, his face expression immediately changing as he noticed Reuben walking his way. The red haired man tried to explain something while Charles in the meantime made his way to me.

"What's wrong?" I stood up, rubbing the sand from my pants.

"Flint." He walked past me like it was nothing and I quickly followed his footsteps to the waterline.

"Charles? Explanation?"

"He's alive."

I froze, standing still onto the unsteady and hot sand which made my boots warm up from the outside in as I tilted my head. I couldn't believe Flint had survived Hornigold, but Charles wouldn't lie about it. With every man on the coast we surveyed the sloop that arrived onto the shore of Ocracoke.

The first man who hopped out of it was Flint who helped the rest with the other two sloops to come  ashore before Flint and his men stepped our way.

"Jesus." The old man spoke before eyeing the alive man again. I was positioned slightly behind Charles and in my mind I started to cheer up horribly. "Welcome to Ocracoke."

~~~

"Nearly dismasted in a storm.... a storm you chased after. Nearly starved to death in the doldrums. Nearly executed by them." Teach looked at the men sitting behind Flint and stared back at him. "Either you are unkillable, friend, or way overdue."

"One way or another, I am here, and there is much to discuss about all our futures." Flint reacted annoyed, but secretly tired towards the older man on the other side of the table. I had taken my distance between them and sat around a fire with Charles' men. I was more comfortable with them. The men first had to get used to me being around their Captain, but eventually everyone started to adapt to the idea and even started to bring up conversations with me.

Either way I was lucky that they weren't that far away from the conversation so I could eavesdrop Flint and Teach with ease.

"What kind of future do you propose that to be?"

"I intend to gather forces and move to reclaim Nassau. The conquest is always weakest when the conqueror allows himself to believe that it is done. For Nassau, that point is now. Now, England may hold the island, but it still needs supplies brought in. It is still dependent upon trade. We will make that impossible for him." I didn't know Flint had these kind of manners while talking against another pirate, but he still seemed to have a little piece of his past in the way he behaved towards other people. "We will harass his ships. We will plunder his supplies. We will force him to bleed capital and support and the goodwill of the men surrounding him until he is weak enough to challenge directly. Until we can bring the fleet to bear and retake the bay." He explained while still keeping eye contact with Teach.

"You know, when I called Nassau home-...." I could feel an old habit of Teach coming up and already prepared for a new long story. "Most of the men on this beach weren't even men. I sailed with Ben Hornigold. I sailed with Sam Bellamy. I sailed with Henry Avery. Feuded with them, stole with them, questioned their motives, but we all knew what we were. Then a man arrives who would explain to us what we've been doing was wrong all those years, what Nassau ought to be, what he could make it if we would all just follow his lead. And here you are again asking to do the same."

"You let go before it's time." Flint had a hateful tone behind his voice and he shook his head.