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

Right Time, Right Place

"There is no 'your loss', 'his loss', 'my loss'. This is not an either/or proposition. We're all in this for our own reasons." I tilted my head, glancing at Flint. "You want your partner back. He wants victory, and even more now since Naida is taken, he wants his growing family back, I want to set my home aright. But we must hold the line and stand together. We must. There is simply no alternative."

~~~

"There's a rider approaching." Bones had opened the door with a stern face expression.

The only thing that still surprised me was the huge amount of respect he had towards me.

He had so much hatred towards me when we first met, but somehow that all had changed into admiration and politeness.

"Is it Featherstone's man?" Flint asked what we all were thinking and hoping and Anne bit her lip.

"It is. Here he comes." Bones inclined his head in confirmation and there was no need to be ready for any fight yet, however Bones suddenly looked very worried and pointed at an empty spot beside me on the right side, an empty spot where normally Naida would have been standing. "Wait, where is Naida? Shouldn't she be helping us?"

"They captured her."

Flint quickly answered, probably to keep my rage at bay, but even simply hearing that she was gone, stimulated all my emotions at once.

Anxiety, for what they would do to her if she wasn't dead already.

Anger, for them taking her instead of me.

Guilt, for my own mistake of agreeing with Flint's plan to take her with me.

And afraid of losing them both.

It all drove me insane.

My mind couldn't stop playing the bad scenarios before my eyes and I shook my head, hoping it would all be a dream. It wasn't though. Taking a deep breath I tried to lock it all up and tried to switch my attention to what was happening before me so that I would forget the bad thoughts.

However it didn't work for long.

Flint looked at me with understanding as I had already drifted off again and he patted me on my back so I would be back on Earth, nodding at me to assure I was really with them. Nodding back, I grabbed my musket and made my way outside.

~~~

(POV Naida Jones)

Shivering, I was laying down on the ground. I felt nauseous and dizzy and we got less food than the day before.... every time little less than first until we probably are given no food anymore.

Almost not being able to keep my eyes open anymore, I still tried and succeeded watching Jack giving a piece of his food to a rat. The last day he had shared his food with me as well so I would have a little more food and I appreciated it so much. I honestly had no idea why they diminished our rations, perhaps to see if I would escape for the sake of my health, but no matter what, I needed to keep myself here as long as they told me to if I wanted to stay alive. I couldn't keep my eyes open for any longer and finally closed them, hearing Jack mumbling to the rat who was eating from his ration.

"That's for you. Consider that your share. For the company. I suspect I'll be leaving shortly. Don't despair. Some other poor bastard'll take my place soon enough. I wish I could assure you that he would be as generous as I with his scraps. Either way, you mustn't settle for whatever refuse finds its way into this cell. There's a whole world out there that every so often rewards rewards ambition. Mark my words. Today the crumbs, tomorrow the loaf. Perhaps someday the whole damn boulangerie. You're welcome."

"Jesus, Jack, how long can you talk to a rat." I grunted, almost immediately regretting it. "Sorry. You kn-...."

"I know." He looked down and I weakly smiled back at him. Right after Jack forgave me, we heard the lock rattling and chains were thrown before Jack. In the corner of my eye I could see that the rat quickly had found shelter and Jack raised an eyebrow, not understanding what was going to happen next.

I swallowed as the man watched me with disgust and Jack straight away raised to his feet, frustration and confidence hearable in his voice.

"I will not struggle to come along.... if the governor treats Mrs. Jones, here next to me.... how a normal high ranked woman should be treated in Nassau, she's in expectation after all." My eyes grew wide.

Why the fuck would he risk his life just to set me free from this cell? He had a bigger chance, even though the governor was crazy enough to hurt me as well, to have his throat slit or even worse.... be hanged.

I shook my head at the reckless man to not talk any further and behind the guard was Woodes Rogers. The governor clenched his jaw and nodded to the other tall man who instantly stepped aside, making a way so his leader could get through.

"Release Captain Jones, but have guards following her. I don't want to lose her out of my sight."

"But Lord-...."

"We need Rackham, unharmed and calm." He confirmed and signalled at the once fashionable man. "Him spreading the tale of us holding her in this state captive could do us some damage."

"Oh, if that's so, I would like to add something to my wishes. She doesn't have to put her name on the offered pardon." Jack confidently stated.

"Anything else?" The governor asked, irritated and furious. It honestly looked like he could literally spew burning fire.

"No, that's all."

"Good."

The guard sighed before bending over, pulling me up from the ground onto my feet and I almost collapsed again. He didn't care though and had in the meantime freed me from the cold chains before pushing me outside. The bright light blinded me and Jack stepped outside of the prison as well, holding his hands before his eyes. Stretching my legs and having some movement felt good after sitting and laying down that much, but on the other hand I didn't have much energy to do so and I wasn't even in there as long as Jack had been. I couldn't imagine how he had felt all alone and I felt so bad about the fact he sort of saved me and I couldn't do anything in return because it would make his attempt to save me useless and he wouldn't want me to risk my life.

I was the lover of his friend after all.

My only hope went to Charles and the rest that they could find him on time and on the right path.

"May I say goodbye to Rackham for a second?"

The governor let out a long sigh before signing I was allowed to do so.

"Jack, listen." I spoke up softly so nobody could hear me as I embraced him. "Flint and the rest will do anything to help you. If you see Charles, tell him I and the child are fully safe, it would calm him down. I don't want him risking his life just to get in here.... I want him to focus on getting you out there before reinforcement comes." 

"I will."

"Good luck, Jack." I patted him on his back before letting go and there he went, away from me, leaving me all alone in a civilised world.