Chapter Text
The air was crisp as the Caribbean breeze wafted through the top deck of the revenge, tussling hair, and soothing sailors as it travelled on by; the morning light caressing the cheeks of those lucky enough to be at sea.
Blackbeard, tear-stained and draped in a red dressing gown, held a shaking cutlass to the throat of the visitor, “Who are you?” He grumbled, a darkness passing in his eyes that unsettled the crew.
“Messenger” She squeaked out.
It had been almost 3 days since Ed’s return, he practically haunted the ship and refused to let the vessel move in case Stede returned. The crew was trying to help, but Ed refused to tell them what happened and there was only so much bad poetry a person could endure without going feral.
“Messenger from who?” The cutlass edged closer to the poor girl's throat as Blackbeard descended on her.
“Bonnet”
Ed froze, as did all those on deck, and the sword fell from his grip. The girl took a deep, heaving breath as she was no longer being threatened and eventually looked up to the dread pirate, desperate to deliver the message and leave.
“Stede?” Ed looked to the girl hopefully, all eyes trailing the pair.
“Mary” She clarified, Ed’s eyes scrunched a little, lost in deep confusion. “I have a message for the crew of the revenge, and Blackbeard. As well as a letter for Edward Teach, should he be here.” The messenger spoke clearly to the assembled crew on the deck, “Is this everyone?”
After a brief look, there were mumbled agreements from the gathered crew, sitting or perching around the empty space, trying to find a place they could listen intently from.
Unfolding some parchment, the messenger began to read, “The crew of the revenge are cordially invit-”
“No, no, no” Izzy spat out as he stomped across the deck towards her, “If this is one of Bonnet’s stupid parties we will not be going.”
“Cordially invited to th-“ She tried again.
“I said we’re not going” Izzy was dangerously close now, the messenger gulped before looking down at the paper, reading ahead. “Bonnet abandoned us” Izzy continued, looking more at Ed than anyone else, “why should we go to one of his stupid parties, We’re pirates not fucking nobles…”
“Look, I don’t know what was going on between you all, but Stede requested you all specifically.” The messenger looked around at the assembled crew, at the haunted look on Blackbeard’s face as he stood next to the ship's scribe.
“Tell Bonnet to shove it up hi-
She did not get paid enough to deal with this guy, “He’s Dead.”
The sound seemed to echo through the ship, infecting every corner, killing any hope that it could all go back to the way it was.
“What?” It was feeble and devastating, and all Ed could manage as his world finally crumbled, he leant heavily on Lucius as the messenger turned to face the crew, sidestepping Izzy as she went.
Unfolding the parchment, she tried again, “The crew of the revenge are cordially invited, per the request of Mary Bonnet, widow, to the funeral of Stede Bonnet, beloved Husband, Father, and Gentleman of Barbados.”
“What happened?” Lucius cut through the silence, voice cracking, as he gave most of Ed’s weight to Black Pete.
“He was shot, I’m afraid. Though that’s not what they're saying in Barbados, they said it was a long-term illness. I was told to be perfectly frank with you all, however, as you were the only ones Stede actually wanted to come.”
“Who shot him?”
“He knew he was dying?”
Lucius and Ed spoke over each other as they searched for answers.
“When did he die?” Oluwande moved forward now, hat in his hands, looking to the messenger.
“He was shot about 3 days ago, some admiral of the British Navy shot him because apparently, Stede was responsible for killing his brother. I’m sorry… I’m not sure of the specific details. Ummmm,” she took a deep breath and continued, “he was shipped back to Barbados because the Navy couldn’t have a gentleman dying on their hands. The doctors couldn’t do anything so, yes, he knew he was dying. He and Mary planned the whole affair, the funeral, I mean. He wouldn’t stop speaking of you all, it's the happiest any of us had ever seen him.” A small smile passed over the messenger's face as she turned to look at Ed, “I am terribly sorry to bother your ship, Blackbeard, sir, but Stede asked for you, and the crew of the revenge to be there. Also, to take a part of him back to the sea for a burial. If you would be so kind to, that is, after the funeral on land.”
Eyes landed on Ed, but he couldn’t breathe. Hot, painful tears fell and there was nothing he could do to stop them… Stede. Stede his perfect, epitome of beauty, was gone. Stede, his fucking sun, had burnt out and left him in the dark. Stede, who must have been the air in his lungs, was gone and took with him everything left in this godforsaken world that was worth a damn.
Stede was gone, and Ed had heard the gunshot.
The night Ed left he’d heard the gunshot, seen the birds leave the forest, watched as guards ran for the treeline. He’d heard the gunshot and assumed it wasn’t important and so… he’d done nothing. He’d sat on the beach and waited for the love of his life like a coward, waited instead of running to the man he loved who was bleeding out on the forest floor.
Ed couldn’t breathe.
Lucius placed a hand on his shoulder, stabilising him. It was at that point, Ed realised he was on the floor. When had he hit the floor?
Frenchie, Wee John, Roach, and the Swede were hugging in the corner, holding each other as they settled with the news; tears bubbling and spilling over. Jim was suddenly next to Oluwande, brushing shoulders, When had Jim gotten back? Ivan and Fang were just holding hands, staring into the middle distance. Lucius was knelt next to Ed, Black Pete had a hand on his shoulder as the two of them cried, silent tears for a man who would never see them.
After gathering himself enough, Lucius turned back to the messenger, stood near the mast awkwardly as the crew mourned, he wiped his cheeks, “You said something about a letter?”
“Yes” she began to rummage through her pockets, eventually pulling out a manila-coloured letter, “Edward Teach… Stede wouldn’t stop talking about him in the last day. Said it was urgent this” she shook the letter a little, “got to him. You wouldn’t happen to know where he is, by any chance?”
Ed let out a huff of breath, of course, Stede would talk about him and never clue people in to the fact he was Blackbeard.
Lucius responded first, “We can get it to him”
The messenger gave a polite smile as she handed it over, “Thank you.”
“Whe-“
Ed took a deep breath.
“When is-“
Another deep breath.
“When is the funeral?”
He finally huffed it out, each word stinging as it left his mouth, the very concept burning him.
“2 days”
“Buttons” Ed looked to the helm, briefly stopped by the tears on the navigator's face as he hugged Olivia tightly.
“Yes Cap’n” Button’s turned to face him, red eyes mirrored in one another’s.
“Set a course for Barbados”
“On it, Cap’n” Wiping the tears from his cheeks, then wiping the tears from Olivia’s cheeks, Buttons began to call orders to the crew who slowly moved to follow the directions, though in a somewhat downbeat manner.
“You can follow us to the correct port” With that, the girl marched across the gangplank to the much smaller postal vessel which began preparing to turn in the water, finally leaving dead man’s cove.