Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Well that could have gone far, far worse. The fuckery was an absolute success and the crew was feeling great. Of course there had been a few casualties like Lucius’s finger, the mast, and Stede’s favorite turtleneck. Oh, and of course there was the whole getting stabbed business but aside from being stuck to the mast for a good two hours and needing Roach to patch him up, Stede couldn’t really complain.

    What had him reeling even more was his heart-to-heart with Ed. Granted, he was a little nervous when he’d heard that the pirate had planned on killing him but that was quickly overshadowed by worry when he’d seen just how shaken Ed had been. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to hold his friend and never let go. Which had surprised him. He’d always been a fan of physical affection, as long as the other person was okay with it, but it felt intrinsically different with Ed. He couldn’t put a finger on what precisely was different about it but it had been weighing heavily on his mind all throughout his time tacked to the mast. 

    But he didn’t have time to think about that now. He was still a captain and still had things to do…which were instantly put on hold when Ed came knocking on the door with a breakfast tray in hand.

    “Thought you’d want something a bit more low-key after last night. Especially getting run through like that.” He said, setting the tray on Stede’s desk.

    “How very thoughtful.” Stede beamed, tugging one of his silk robes onto his shoulders.

    Ed huffed, a slight roll to his eyes but a gentle smile on his lips nonetheless. “‘S also a, y’know, a thank you. For… earlier…”

    “Think nothing of it.” Stede said as he gave Ed’s shoulder an affectionate pat. 

    “No really. I…I can’t say how much I appreciate-”

    A frantic knock interrupted what Stede had anticipated to be a rather heartfelt conversation and this sudden interruption had the gentleman pirate suddenly feeling rather put out. Without even waiting for an answer, Lucius burst in and before Stede even had a chance to scold him for so rudely inserting himself into their moment, the very nervous knit to the young scribe’s brow instantly halted any kind of words from the captain.

    “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, boy.” Ed commented.

    “What’s going on?” Stede asked.

    “There’s a bit of a…situation in the cargo hold.”

* * * * *

    By the time Lucius had led Ed and Stede down to the hold, a small crowd had gathered, forming a wide berth around one of the far corners. There wasn’t too much over there, just a few crates of raw materials but the way the lantern light hit the corner, Stede could just make out a shadow moving on its own. Something was back there.

    “Came down here to put away the supplies from the fuckery and saw sommin’ behind that there crate.” Buttons informed.

    “Someone should go get Jim. They’re the best with a ranged weapon.” Ed suggested.

    “Frenchie’s already gone to get them.” Lucius piped.

    “Wait a moment, wait a moment.” Stede stepped in front of the group. “Why are we immediately deciding to have Jim kill whatever is back there?”

    “Because it’s probably dangerous.” Ed answered. “For all we know it could be a…”

    “A mountain wolf.” Buttons finished. Ed waved a hand at him in agreement, looking back at Stede.

    “How would a mountain wolf have gotten on a pirate ship? We’re nowhere near any mountains.” Stede asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. “If it is an animal, it’s likely a confused dog or fox that somehow snuck aboard when we last docked.

    “Or a stowaway.” Buttons added.

    “What’s this about a stowaway?” Jim’s voice sounded from the back of the group as they descended the creaky wooden steps, Frenchie following quickly behind.

    “We’re not sure what it is.” Stede informed with a sharp look towards the rest of his crew. “All we know is that there’s something back there. It could be an animal or a person, we’re not sure. But one thing is for certain, we shouldn’t just rush in without thinking this through.”

    Jim followed the little group’s gaze towards the shadowed corner and their eyes went wide. Ed pulled his gun from his belt. “Look, whatever that thing is, it isn’t welcome on the ship, why don’t I just-”

    “Don’t go back there!” Jim’s sudden outburst made everyone jump, including whatever it was behind the crates. Everyone turned and stared at the Spaniard who, despite their usual collected and nonchalant demeanor, was looking very nervous. “Captain’s right, we don’t know what’s back there.”

    Ed raised an eyebrow. “That’s rather out of character for you, Jim. You’re usually all for running head first into a fight.”

    Jim narrowed their eyes and hooked one of their hands onto their belt. “Yeah, when I know what I’m up against. I may un poco loco but I’m not completely insane.”

    Ed stepped a little closer. “There’s something you’re not telling us.” He challenged. 

    “You callin’ me a liar?” Jim snapped.

    “I dunno, are you telling the truth?”

    “Ed, Jim, there’s really no need for-”

    “You listen here, señor . If you think that-”

    “Stowaway!” Buttons shouted. Stede whirled around just in time to catch a glimpse of a face before it disappeared behind the crate once more. It was only a split second but Stede caught a very quick yet very potent flash of fear on the face before it was gone. The sudden shout and revelation of an unwelcome guest sent the small grow into frenzied shouts that the captain only caught small pieces of.

    “That’s a witch right there.” Frenchie quavered. “Or a demon. Or worse, a witch possessed by a demon.”

    “Whatever it is, it’s not welcome.” Ed grunted. “Jim, get your knife, I need someone to cover me.”

    “ Jódeme. Esto solo puede terminar mal .”

    “What did you say about my mother?!” Frenchie shrieked.

    “Nothing, tonto ! Learn some Spanish for fuck’s sake!”

    Within seconds, everyone was shouting, with the exception of Stede, who stood with his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. Normally, he’e be confident in his problem-solving and interpersonal skills but he’d never had his crew so divided before. Well, he had but it was usually about small things but never something like this. What was more, this wasn’t just a simple disagreement. If they weren’t careful, someone would get hurt and in nine out of the ten solutions playing in Stede’s mind, the one injured was the shadow behind the crate. He didn’t know who they were or what they wanted, for all he knew they were an assassin but by that logic, for all he knew this was all a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding that could very easily turn lethal.

    The captain glanced over his shoulder at the crates once more, catching another glimpse of the stowaway and the fear in their eyes. Wait a moment…he could only see half the face but he knew youth when he saw it. Whoever was back there was young, probably around Lucius’s age. 

    In the pandemonium, somebody had gotten a hand on one of Jim’s daggers and hurled it at the stowaway, who ducked into the shadows once more. Luckily, whoever threw it had very poor aim and the knife embedded itself into one of the larger crates, about three feet to the left of where the stowaway had been. At the sight of their pilfered dagger stuck in the crate, Jim began rattling off a string of furious Spanish at Frenchie, who must have been the one to throw it. Frenchie gave Jim a hearty shove and the Spaniard let out a low, angry growl.

    Stede had to do something before things got ugly. Not even bothering to collect himself or hype himself up, he strolled to the corner, planting himself in front of the stack of crates.

    “That’s enough!” He bellowed, an uncharacteristic firmness to his voice. At the sound of their usually soft-spoken captain speaking with such force, the crew went silent, turning to look at Stede. Oh dear, they were all staring, he hadn’t thought this far ahead. Think, think!

    The image of those frightened eyes flashed in his memory. He took a breath, steadying himself.

    “Stowaway or not, whoever is back there is all alone and probably scared out of their wits!” Was he mistaken or was that a tiny scoff from behind the crate? “We may be pirates but we’re not savage monsters.” The crew exchanged dubious looks. “Now put those weapons away. This instant.” There were a few murmurs before every knife and pistol was reluctantly tucked back into their sheathes…all but one. “Ed, that goes for you too.”

    “And what if they decide to attack?” Ed challenged.

    “Well we far outnumber them, don’t we? I’m sure any person with a sound mind wouldn’t try to attack when the odds are seven to one.” Jim snorted. “Okay, any unarmed person with a sound mind.” Stede amended, remembering that if they had enough knives, Jim likely could take down seven people on their own.

    “How do we know they’re unarmed?” Frenchie asked.

    “Well, we don’t. So I suppose we’ll have to take a gamble.”

    “Stede,” Ed took a few steps forward, setting a hand on the captain’s shoulder and lowering his voice, “you’re my friend and there’s a lot about you that I like. But that’s a really stupid fucking plan.”

    Stede rubbed his temple, noticing the beginnings of a headache coming on. “Fine. If it makes you feel safer. Jim, have a knife at the ready. Ed…” his voice trailed. As much as he lo…as much as he liked Edward, he also knew that he could be a little trigger happy sometimes and Stede was already struggling with having blood on his hands from someone he didn’t even like. He’d never forgive himself if he let an innocent person get hurt or killed on his watch. Ed looked squarely at him, waiting for him to finish his request. “Ed…give your gun to me.” He finally said after a moment of thought.

    Ed wasn’t the only one with a loot of utter shock on his face. “Y’sure, mate?” Ed asked, running his index finger over the barrel of his pistol. “You don’t really have the best aim and are you sure you’re up for-”

    “I know precisely what I’m doing, Ed. Now, your gun if you please.” Stede cut him off firmly. Ed shrugged and handed the pistol to his friend, taking a step back as the captain turned to face the corner again. “Alright, you. We know you’re back there and I must have you know that I’m armed. Now come out slowly.” After a moment, he added a quick, “Please,” which caused most of the crew, Ed included, to roll his eyes.

    At first there was nothing but after a few moments of tense silence, a nervous and reluctant exhale could be heard from the shadowy corner. Slowly, a trembling shadow stood from behind the larger crate and stepped out into the light.

    “Oh dear lord!” Stede gasped. He’d recognized that the stowaway was young but he hadn’t thought they were this young. The stowaway was a child. 

    Stede looked the scrawny girl from head to foot, tutting very quietly to himself. She was definitely younger than Lucius, she looked like she’d only just begun adolescence, thirteen was Stede’s best guess. In addition to being scrawny and looking very tired, she was also filthy; covered in dirt from head to foot and grimy with sweat. Her dark hair more resembled a feather duster caught in a windstorm, her bare feet were covered in blisters, and the thin garment she was wearing looked like it would last perhaps another week before it completely fell apart. The expression on her face was neutral but her eyes just barely gave her away.

    Had Stede seen those eyes before?

    As the girl revealed herself, a chorus of gasps and murmurs rippled through the small group. Lucius’s hands flew to his open mouth and Buttons looked more confused than anyone had ever seen him (it took a lot to baffle their…eccentric navigator).

    “ Mierda .” Jim muttered under their breath.

    “You’re just a fucking kid.” Frenchie observed.

    Ed looked like he was going to faint.

    The girl was trembling like mad but she refused to show any other outward signs of weakness, physical or mental. But it didn’t take a tactical genius to know what would happen to her if a fight did break out. The hold was silent for the better part of two minutes as the crew stared at the girl and she stared back, each waiting for the other to make a move. One could have heard a house fly sneeze and Stede could practically taste the tension in the air. 

    Finally, Stede broke the silence. “Please come with me, young lady.” He said, trying to keep his tone balanced between firm and gentle. The girl nervously stepped over to him, eyeing the rest of the crowd as Stede led her to the steps to the upper deck. “Ed, I’d like you to come as well.” Edward shoved his hands into his pockets and joined the two, leading the girl up the stairs as Stede addressed the remaining crew. “As for the rest of you, go on about your day. Edward and I will handle this and we do not wish to be disturbed until we’ve finished. If you interrupt us for something that isn’t an absolute emergency, I’ll…” he floundered for a moment before settling on, “I’ll be very cross with you.” The crew all exchanged glances of disbelief. “You have your orders, now off with you.” He finished before following Ed and the girl up the stairs.

    “Captain!” Jim called after him. He turned to face them and…was he mistaken or were they nervous? “What are you going to do to her?” They asked flatly.

    “We’re likely just going to talk to her. What happens next will depend entirely on what she has to say.” Jim narrowed their eyes and suddenly Stede was the one who was nervous. “But you don’t have to worry. The most probable outcome is that we’ll drop her at the next port with enough to get her back where she came from.” Jim’s glare didn’t become any less icy but they said nothing further. Stede decided that the best course of action was to high tail it to his quarters before he had the chance to find out what had prompted that particular reaction. As he stalked over the deck towards the door that led to the captains wing (which had been unofficially dubbed “the captain’s door”), he noticed that practically everyone who had witnessed what happened in the hold had rushed to tell anyone who’d been elsewhere and now he was certain the whole crew knew. Already he could see the gossip spreading around like wildfire. Well, he could deal with that once they figured out what to do about their little stowaway problem.

    When he reached his cabin, he found Ed and the girl in a quiet standoff. She was seated in front of Stede’s desk like a disobedient schoolboy in the headmaster’s office while Ed was leaning against the wall, watching her every move. Stede huffed, closing the door behind him and eyeing the forgotten breakfast tray as he sat down. He helped himself to a slice of toast with a bit of marmalade as he tried to think up some good questions. After all this was his first stowaway, he wanted to make sure he did things right.

    “Are you going to kill me?” The girl asked, her voice trying to sound confident. Well she had certainly beat him to the punch.

    “If you don’t cooperate, yeah we will.” Ed snapped.

    “Edward!” Stede scolded before looking back at the girl, who was now pale as salt. “No. We’re not going to kill you.” He assured. “We’re just going to ask you a few questions. Answer them honestly and you’ll be just fine. Are we agreed?” The girl nodded mutely, her eyes wandering to the tray. “Are you hungry, my girl?”

    “Stowaways don’t get food, Stede.” Edward muttered. Stede elected to ignore him and began spreading some of the sweet preserve on a roll.

    “What’s that orange stuff?” The girl asked warily.

    “We’re asking the questions here.”

    “Edward, that is quite enough.” Stede barked. “One more nasty comment toward our guest and I’ll make you wait with the rest of the crew.”

    “Guest? She’s a bloody stowaway.”

    “She’s also a child and you have no business being such an ass.” Ed looked from Stede to the girl, muttering under his breath and crossing his arms. “It’s called marmalade, dear. It’s quite tasty.” He informed as he passed her the roll. She gave it a look of suspicion and a quick sniff before taking a small bite. Her eyes went wide and she immediately wolfed down the rest of the roll, licking a bit of fallen marmalade from her thumb. Stede gave her a smile as he nudged the tray in her direction. “Take what you’d like.” He offered, watching as she took another roll. “Now, let’s start with your name.”

    “Isabella Noa.” Ed made a choking noise. “Is he alright?”

    “Fine.” Ed croaked. “Took a breath that was too wet.”

    Stede nudged the jug of water towards him and Ed silently poured himself a glass. “How old are you?”

    “Fourteen.” She answered quickly. 

Does anyone know you’re here?”

“No one at home. They don’t know where I am, they just know that I’m gone.”

“Did anyone on this ship know you were here?” Stede had his suspicions but he wanted to make sure. The girl looked nervous. “They won’t be in trouble. I’m simply curious.”

“You swear that they won’t be in trouble?” She whispered. 

“May I live a thousand years and never sail again.” He always loved lines like those from books and he was always looking for an excuse to use them. 

Isabella took a breath and cautiously said, “Jim discovered me in the hold about a week and three days ago.” Ah so he had been right. “But they didn’t spare me to directly disobey the captain.” She quickly added. “They just felt sorry for me.” 

“Their motive doesn’t matter.” Stede assured. “Why they spared you is their business. Either way they’re not in trouble.” The look on Ed’s face told her otherwise. “Where are you from?”

“Sligo.”

    “We’ve never docked in Ireland. How did you get on my ship?” He asked as he poured a second glass of water, passing it to the girl.

    “This isn’t the first ship I’ve stowed away on.” She explained as she cautiously accepted the water, taking a hesitant sip. “I was able to book passage from Ireland to England but it turns out I didn’t have the money to make it to the republic of pirates-”

    “The republic of pirates?” Stede interrupted. “What business does a young woman have in a place like that?”

    “I was told that’s where all pirate vessels end up sooner or later and I needed information. I was planning on hopefully working as a barmaid until I heard what I needed but nobody was hiring. It was just pure luck that I happened to meet someone with the intel I needed. Apparently this ship had been to the island about two or three weeks prior but they weren’t welcome back, so I had to track it down a different way. And it was just pure misfortune that I got mugged for everything I had on me while waiting for a ship to come in, which is another reason why I had to stow away. Nobody wanted a girl on their crew and I didn't have anything to offer for fare." Ah. That explained why she seemed to be in such a poor state. "I somehow managed to sneak onto a ship, hoping that maybe I’d find this one in a raid. But luck was on my side again because the ship I was on pulled into the same dock as you last week. 

    “So you were looking for my ship specifically?”

    “Yessir.”

    “Why?”

    Isabella looked at her hands folded in her lap. “A few reasons actually. But one of them is that I’m looking for my father.”

    Once again, a choking noise escaped Ed. “Your father?” He asked.

    “...yes. My mother told me that he was a pirate. I didn’t think I’d find him, the ocean is enormous after all but about three months ago I heard tell that he’d started crewing on a ship called The Revenge.”

    “Well it was quite fortuitous that you were able to find us. What’s your father’s name, I’ll call him in.”

    “Blackbeard.”

Chapter Text

There was a very uncomfortable silence for a good five minutes as Stede and Ed let the revelation sink in.

Ed, for his part, was just about ready to throw open the window and dive into the ocean. He’d known as soon as he’d set eyes on the girl but he still held out a foolish bit of hope that he was wrong. It was stupid that he ever thought otherwise, she was a dead ringer for Alessandra, with one stark difference. Alessandra’s eyes had been a deep emerald green, Isabella’s were a rich coffee brown…just like his.

Stede didn’t know how he felt. Ed had…Ed had a child? Of course it didn’t surprise him that a fearsome pirate like Blackbeard had his dalliances but he couldn’t deny the little drop of sorrow that settled in his chest. Ed’s past was Ed’s business, he tried to tell himself. If he wanted to talk about it, he’d do it in his own time. But damn it stung. He didn’t even know why it stung. It made no sense.

Right. Get it together, old boy. You have business to take care of.

He cleared his throat. “Well, Isabella, it just so happens-”

“That captain Bonnet and I need to discuss some things so you should probably give us some privacy.”

“What? Ed-”

Before he could finish, Ed had pulled Isabella from her chair and was leading her to the washroom. 

“In the meantime, you should probably get cleaned up. Spending so long in a dusty cargo hold makes you sweat like a motherfucker. There should be some warm water in the tureen, we’ll have some clothes for you when you’re done, okay see you in a bit.” And with that, he unceremoniously shoved a very confused Isabella through the door, pulling it closed behind her. Stede didn’t even get a chance to open his mouth before Ed had zipped over to the other side of the room. “I think we might have some clothes from our last raid, maybe a few might fit her. Why don’t you go look for some while I have a word with Buttons-”

“Slow down!” Stede interjected, just as confused as Isabella had been. “Why do you need to speak with Buttons?”

“Gonna have him set a course for Ireland.”

“We’re taking her home?”

“Yep.”

“But she only just found you. You don’t want to get to know your own daughter?”

Ed raked a hand through his hair. “It’s a lot more complicated than that.”

“Okay then, try to make me understand.”

“Well, it’s…she…I don’t fucking know.” He groaned, sinking down onto the sofa. 

“Did you even know she existed?”

“Sorta.”

“‘Sorta’? How does one sort of know they have a child?”

Ed let out a noise that was halfway between a frustrated grown and an exacerbated huff. “I knew that I knocked up her mum 14 years ago and we both agreed that a pirate ship was no place for a baby. So I brought her to Ireland, said goodbye, and that was the last I ever saw of her.

Stede quietly sat down next to his friend, setting a hand on his back. The unidentified sting in his chest became a little worse when he heard Ed talking about Isabellas mother but a different kind of pain replaced it when he heard the hurt in Ed’s voice and the fear and regret on his face. He may not have known Ed for very long and he may have been a very poor judge of character but he knew regret when he saw it. After all, he’d seen it in the mirror every day for years. But Ed’s regret seemed to be much more complicated than his own and it was masked by a layer of shame. Not by the existence of a bastard child, but something else that seemed far too layered and complex to put into words. 

The hand Stede had laid on Ed’s back began moving in small, rhythmic circles as Ed leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. For a moment he looked like he was going to be ill. 

“So her mother was on your crew then?” He asked gently. 

“Yeah.” Ed answered with a little smile, though the pain in his eyes didn’t go away. “Her name was Alessandra. She was great. One of the toughest pirates I’d met. Probably the closest thing I had to an actual friend…well aside from Izzy and Calico Jack.” Stede had no idea who the other man was but if he was anything like Izzy, then he was certain they wouldn’t get along. For some reason, hearing Ed speaking so highly of this woman brought the sting back. It made no bloody sense and it was starting to annoy him so he did his best to push it back into the far corner of his mind where it wouldn’t bother him. But he still found himself asking a question that his traitorous mind thought you as soon as he saw the sad smile on Ed’s face. 

“So you two were…close?”

“Yeah, you could say that. Not sure if I ever really loved her or was attracted to her but yeah we were close.” And just like that, the sting was gone. Maybe he was under too much stress. 

“So why are you so determined to have your daughter spend as little time with you as possible? If her mother was a friend of yours-“

“Do you really think Blackbeard would be a good father?” Ed muttered with a weak grin. Stede didn’t answer. “Even if I wasn’t Blackbeard, it’s not like I had a very good example of what a dad is supposed to be. My own dad was a prick and I’m probably just like him.”

Once again, Stede was at a loss for words. Lord knew that he had his own insecurities about being a father. As much as he tried to connect with his own children, when they weren’t playing pirates, Alma and Louis would hardly even look at him. There were times when he felt more like their weekend babysitter than their father. And he had to admit, he didn't exactly know how to be a good father. He knew he was a damn good playmate but he barely knew parenting from pig herding. But seeing how terrified Ed was made him want to cry. He didn’t want Ed to have to suffer but he also knew what it was like to have a father that wanted nothing to do with you. Isabella was at a turning point in her life; she was no longer a little girl but she wasn’t yet a woman either. If she’d come all this way just to learn that her father wanted to send her back home, it would destroy her. A wound like that at such a crucial turning point in her life would follow her for years. 

Stede let out a heavy sigh. “That does sound terrifying.” He murmured. “But you’ll never know unless you give yourself a chance.”

“You’d really be willing to throw the kid under the carriage like that?”

“Do you really think I’d stand idly by if I saw you being cruel to her?”

Ed chuckled. “Yeah you are pretty good at calling me out.”

A little smile came to stedes lips. “At least let her stay for a few weeks. She did come all this way just to meet you after all.”

A myriad of emotions passed through Ed’s deep brown eyes as he thoughtfully stroked his beard. Stede knew that this was a tall order to ask of Ed but it would already take them a few weeks to make it back to Europe so they might as well spend some time trying to get to know each other. 

“A few weeks. Just to see how things go.” Ed agreed. 

The smile on stedes face grew just a bit wider. There was something unknowingly gentle about the glimmer in Ed’s eyes. If Stede were anyone else on the crew, Ed likely would have said that he didn’t want his child around but that isn’t what he said to Stede. He told him that he was worried about being a bad father and as silly as it sounded, Stede took that as a good sign. It showed he cared. A warmth came to stedes chest as the thought entered his mind. 

“Well, she’s likely to be done in the washroom soon. Why don’t I put together a place for her to stay and find some clothes for her?” There was a cabin just down the hall that would be perfect. He’d originally meant for it to be a drawing room for Mary so she wouldn’t have to wander too far if she wanted a bit of time for herself but when she said she didn’t wish to go to sea with Stede, he decided to repurpose it as a first mate's cabin. Only he never actually got around to selecting a first mate. The closest one he considered to being his first mate was Buttons but he preferred to sleep under the moon so the room stayed empty. 

“What should I do in the meantime? Tell the crew?”

Stede thought for a moment. “I think it would be best if we told them together.” He said as he stood. “Why don’t I take care of the room and you get the clothes?”

“Yeah, erm. I’ll go do that.” Ed said. In truth, even though he’d agreed, he was still not fully on board with the idea of having the kid stay with them. Even if he didn’t treat her poorly, he still knew nothing about parenting. There were times when he would privately think of how things would be if he hadn’t chosen the life of a pirate. If he’d gotten married and settled down. Truthfully, he was never thrilled at the prospect of marrying a woman (the entire reason he’d slept with Alessandra in the first place was because he wasn’t sure if he was even attracted to women and he wanted an answer. She had been gracious enough to fuck him even though she knew he was only asking as an identity crisis but they had both been drunk and she took everything in stride. The answer to the “do I like women” question was a solid no) but he would sometimes imagine himself with children and a smile would drift across his face. It was stupid, just a fantasy but it would still make him smile. Only for the doubts to creep in. He wasn’t a family man. Even before he’d turned to pirating he’d never been a family man. He just wasn’t that kind of person. 

He knew nothing about this kid but he did know that she deserved to be well treated. He owed it to Alessandra. 

At the thought of his old friend, his heart began to ache. If Isabella had come all this way, it was likely without her mothers permission. But the Alessandra he knew, while reckless with herself, was sensible with the people she cared about. She would have never let her child go looking for him alone. Even if she had tried to sneak away, that woman was damn smart and the kid likely wouldn’t have gotten far. He didn’t want to think about it but it was very likely that she had passed away. The pang of sorrow grew more potent and he did his best to shove it down as he rooted through the chest of clothes that had been looted during the latest raid. 

Isabella was small for her age, something she’d definitely gotten from him. While she did have Alessandra’s face almost exactly, she didn’t share her mothers stature. That woman had been taller than him and she could kick anyone's ass in a heartbeat. Ed had been a late bloomer. He was decently toned now in the middle of his life but when he was a teenager, he’d been a twig. And that was being generous. 

After a bit of aimless rooting around, he settled in an ensemble that seemed small enough to fit her but he also grabbed a belt for good measure in case he was mistaken. On his way back to the captains cabin, he passed Stede in the hall, a set of fresh bed linnets and a quilt spilling over his arms. Ed did his best to offer a smile that spoke of confidence but once again, his friend saw right through him. The cheerful expression faded away and was replaced with one of gentle sympathy, the same one he’d had on his face during their conversation last night.

Before meeting The Gentleman Pirate, he’d have taken a look like that as condescending or he would have assumed that Stede thought he was weak. But Stede wasn’t like that. He didn’t comply to what was usually the norm for pirates, especially when it came to what made someone “weak” and whenever his friend looked at him like that, he didn’t feel like Blackbeard. He just felt like Ed. And honestly, he kinda preferred it that way. If anybody else on the crew, both stedes and his own, had dared to look at him like that, he would have sent a blade through their eye. But whenever Stede looked at him like that, it made him feel…safe. Like he was worth a damn. 

“I know this is unfamiliar territory but I’m still glad you agreed.” He said gently. 

Ed shrugged, hoping that Stede wouldn’t notice that he felt like he was going to barf at any second. “Well, y’know. Y’made a fair point and all. ‘Sides, you’re the captain.”

“Still, that wasn’t an easy decision.” He struggled with the sheets for a moment before setting a warm hand on Ed’s shoulder and how that gentle palm made him melt sometimes. “We’ll take things as they come. Play it by ear.”

“Yeah. Sounds like a plan.”

Stede smiled at him again, patting his shoulder before walking away once more. The man truly did baffle him. Never did he think he would meet a pirate captain who would not only treat a stowaway as a valued guest but also do the work of setting up their lodging with his own hands rather than ordering someone else to do it. In all honesty he shouldn’t have been surprised, stedes every action was a testament of how unorthodox (and bloody insane) he was. But every time his kindness or optimism made an appearance, Ed was always caught off guard in the best way. 

Shit was he blushing? No it was just the shock of such an eventful morning getting to him. 

He shook his head, steadying himself before wandering back to the captain's cabin.

Chapter Text

If you had asked Isabella Noa what the outcome would be when she inevitably got caught, this would have been her absolute last guess. She did suspect that she’d be up to her neck in water but she expected to be drowning in it not bathing. The first time she was discovered, she thought it was all over but was pleasantly surprised when Jim spared her. She suspected it was because they noticed she was half Spanish and felt a bit of kinship towards her. Or maybe they just felt sorry for her. Either way, she figured it was just luck if the draw and she assumed that the next time she was discovered, she wouldn’t be as fortunate. Only for that assumption to be turned on its head as well. Of course she was grateful that she wasn’t shot or run through when the strange Scottish man had found her and she honestly thought her ears were failing when she heard the captain telling his crew to stand down. When he asked to speak with her alone in his cabin, however, her fears returned with a vengeance, especially when he asked that Ed character to come with them. She may not have known him long but she could already tell that he didn’t like her. She didn’t think that she was about to be killed, not right away at least, but she was terrified that they had some rather unsavory plans for her. 

A shudder worked through her, sending tiny ripples through the bath water. Brigid had warned her that sneaking onto a pirate ship ran the heavy risk of…that. But she’d been pleasantly surprised (and relieved) by just how gentle captain…Bonnie was it? Bonnet. She’d been surprised by Captain Bonnets kindness and patience. Ed of course still made her nervous. She’d expected the death threats and nastiness but the way he stared at her…another shudder jolted through her. 

A knock on the door brought her back to reality. “Er, it’s Ed.” Oh. Great. “I, I uh got some clothes for ya. Just gonna leave them by the door out here.” Silence. “Okay cool.” There was silence once again before the creak of wood and thudding footsteps grew softer and softer. Well she’d been in the bath long enough, she was as clean as she was going to get. 

The plug was pulled and the water slowly drained through a long tube that went into the wall. From the sound of splashing outside, she gathered that her bath water had just been dumped into the ocean. Whoever built this ship had really known what they were doing. Isabella wasn’t even interested in carpentry and she was impressed. 

She grabbed a towel, quickly drying herself off before wrapping it around her body. Luckily nobody was around when she cracked the door open to grab the clothes that had been left. Well, since she was little, she’d had a knack for going unnoticed but it was hard to ignore the only girl (that she could tell) on a pirate ship. Especially a naked one. 

The clothes that had been picked for her weren’t noble garments by any stretch of the imagination but they were still nicer than almost anything she’d worn. She made quick work of dressing and slowly opened the door to the hallway, nervously making her way back to the captains cabin. If she was being honest, she was not expecting a pirate ship to be this pretty. It was smaller than most of the naval ships she’d seen but far far nicer than the other ships she’d snuck onto. Fitting, Captain Bonnet seemed like he was upper class so it made sense that he’d opt for a finer ship. 

As she slowly crept into the cabin once more, she looked around at all the lovely things filling the room. Not just one but two chandeliers hung from the ceiling and on one wall was a beautiful library. A wistful sigh floated from her lips as she looked across the shelves at the fine bound leather and glimmering titles. 

“Book lover as well?” A voice behind her sounded, nearly scaring her out of her skin. She whirled around to see Ed sprawled on a lavish sofa, smoking a pipe. 

“Er, uh. No. Well, I mean yes. Kinda. I do like stories but erm…” a bit of advice that Marian had given her was too try and pretend to be smarter than she actually was so people wouldn’t try to mess with her. Pretending she was tougher than she was, while a noble effort, was laughable and she’d be pounded to dust in seconds so intelligence it was. If she were honest she was the easiest target in practically all her circles. She was a scrawny, illiterate nobody, the only thing that would turn someone off from trying to jump her was that she was dirt poor.  Nobody would want to mug her because aside from the knife that jim had given her, she had nothing. Well now that she was a bit cleaner and had some nicer clothes, that assumption would likely change. Even if she was poor as a rat, she was still a woman, a young one at that, and she had nobody. A very easy target for robbers or murderers or…another tremble shook her. 

Ed raised an eyebrow at her. Shit! He saw that! He was gonna know she was weak and attack or- “Y’alright?”

….this crew was continuing to baffle her. 

“Yeah. Yeah I’m fine. Just a bit chilly.” She said. “Where, erm, where’s the captain?”

“Setting up a room for ya. He’ll be back in a bit.” He glanced to the empty spot on the couch next to him. “Wanna sit down?”

As sore as her feet were and as comfy as the couch looked, Isabella didn’t want to get too close to Ed. She didn’t think he was going to try anything untoward but she could tell he didn’t like her. After all, every time he looked at her, he got this strange look on his face. His eyes would get dark, almost sad, and his mouth would narrow into a thin line and…well she couldn’t put into words the kind of vibe that she got from him but she gathered it wasn’t good. Not to mention the fact that he was so willing to kill her if she didn’t cooperate. Then again, she knew what she was signing up for the moment she snuck aboard. 

“Are you really going to kill me?” She asked before she could stop herself. Stupid, stupid, stupid. 

Ed raised a shocked eyebrow before chuckling. “You don’t dance around the point do you?” She pursed her lips, waiting for an answer. “No. I’m not gonna kill you. I make a point not to kill kids…unless they’re like, a really bad kid.” His attempt at humor did not make her laugh. “I wasn’t sure if you meant to harm anyone on the ship and I like to turn up the intimidation if I think someone is a threat to my crew.”

Isabella looked down at herself. He seriously didn’t think that she could have posed any kind of threat did he? “And what kind of harm do you think a 14-year-old girl can do?” She challenged. Damn she was just digging the grave deeper and deeper wasn’t she?

Much to her surprise, Ed chuckled again, though she didn’t completely miss the nerves tugging at the corner of his eyes. “You’d be surprised. I had my first kill when I was close to your age.”

“You say that like it’s supposed to make me feel better.”

This time Ed didn’t chuckle. He gave her a very quizzical look and the warniess seemed to have disappeared or at least lessened. The sad glimmer, however, stayed in his eyes. In fact it had only gotten stronger. “You, ahem, you said you were lookin for your dad, eh?” Isabella nodded slowly. “What’s your plan for when you find him?”

Isabella opened her mouth to say something but she couldn’t find the right words. “Well…it’s like…I want…I don’t know if I’m being honest.” She huffed. “I guess I just wanted to meet him out of morbid curiousity. Mum didn’t tell me a lot about him but the little she did say really intrigued me. I guess I just wanted to see if they were true.”

“Oh?” Ed leaned forward, setting his elbows in his knees and intertwining his fingers. “What did she say about him? Aside from him being the famous Blackbeard?”

Isabella thought for a little, an unreadable sadness coming to her eyes. “She said that he was an absolute beast with a cutlass. That he was a hardass but he had a great sense of humor. That he was wicked smart. Oh, and that he tended to be a lot harsher than he actually was.”

Normally, Ed would have denied being anything but an outright monster but to his own surprise, he just laughed. “Damn. Alessandra really could see through anyone.” It slipped out before he could stop himself. 

Isabella snapped her head up, looking at Ed dead on, alarm in her eyes. “How do you know my mothers name?” She demanded. 

Shit. “Er…lucky guess?” It sounded just as pathetic as he thought it was. 

“You knew my mother didn’t you?” Ed was silent. “Who are you? And I want the truth.”

Ed sighed. There was no getting around this was there? He’d backed himself into a corner in an attempt to delay the very problem he was now facing head-on. Oh well. If she didn’t find out from him, she’d find out from someone else. Might as well get it out of the way now. 

Without a word, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of faded parchment. He unfolded it, still saying nothing, and handed it to the girl. A puzzled look came to her face as she looked from him to the paper in her hands. A drawing? Wait a moment, that was his face. Why did he have a drawing of himself in his pocket? There was writing above and below the picture but she couldn’t read any of it. She tried to decipher the words but aside from the outrageously high number (55,000) she couldn’t figure out what this all was about. 

“It’s a wanted poster.” Ed clarified. She looked from the poster to Ed to the poster once again. 

“That’s a pretty steep price there.” She observed. “Must’ve done something really bad.” 

“More like several bad things that built up over time. I have heard tell that I’m a beast with a cutlass after all.”

At first the particular wording didn’t reach Isabella but slowly the lamp flickered to life inside her mind. He didn’t…he wasn’t saying that…

“You’re my father?”

“It would appear that way.”

Both were silent for what was probably only a minute and a half tops but felt more like an hour. So he’d finally said it. Why did he still feel sick? He was motherfucking Blackbeard! He’d faced while ships of men trying to kill him, survived storms that had sent hundreds to their watery graves, evaded death itself more times than anyone could shake a pistol at. Why was this what shook him the most? He should have dove out the window when he had the chance. He glanced at Isabella, at his child, and a painful squeeze came to his chest. The fear she was trying to keep hidden was still there but it was hiding behind a wall of disbelief and pain. Fuck. He’d already hurt her just by being himself. He really was a shit dad wasn’t he?

Isabella, for her part, was utterly frozen. Ed was her father. The man who acted like he wanted nothing to do with her was her father. Had he known? He must have. He spoke about her mother like he knew her well and everyone she’d ever met told her that she looked exactly like her mother. The only thing she hadn’t gotten from her was her eye color. And she could very clearly see the same shade of rich brown reflected in Ed’s eyes that she saw in the mirror every morning. He had to have known. It was impossible not to know. It certainly explained why he was acting so uncomfortable around her. After all, a mistake from a past life shows up in the present, who wouldn’t want to distance themself?A bitterness wormed its way into her mouth and down her throat and her fingers prickled like they were being stuck with a thousand sewing pins. 

He was looking at her. Fuck. Shit! Don’t look at me! Keep it together Isa, keep it together. 

Ed recognized the look in her eyes. He should say something. But what the fuck was he supposed to say? “Sorry I was a no-show for fourteen years and that I essentially lied to your face until you called me out on my bullshit”? Yeah that wouldn’t go over well. 

The silence hung over them like a fog as both prayed that something would happen to either kill them or take their attention away from each other. Anything to just get this awkwardness to end!

Thankfully both got their wish when Stede came jauntily swaggering back into the cabin, banishing practically all the tension from the room. The two let out twin sighs of relief as the oblivious captain sat down on the sofa next to Ed. “Well you’re all set up. It’s just down the hall, second door on the right. I do hope you’re comfortable but let me know if anything needs to be changed.”

Isabella let a relaxed smile cross her lips, doing her best to keep the absolute mess that was currently spinning around in her mind a secret. Stede was clearly fooled but Ed saw right through her. It would have fooled anyone who didn’t know him or Alessandra but he saw it clear as day. 

“Thank you. I really appreciate you letting me stay like this Captain Bonnet.”

“It’s no trouble at all. And please just call me Stede.”

Ed chuckled. Ever the gentleman that one. 

“So how long am I allowed to stay?“ the girl asked, a slight hint of timidness at the edge of her voice. 

“Well that depends on if you want to go back home or not.”

Isabella glanced at Ed before looking back to Stede. “Well I was thinking best case scenario is that I’d stay for a little, long enough to get to know my father but…” she looked at Ed once again before looking at the floor. Her voice failed her before she could say “he doesn’t want me around”. 

Damn it why did she have to look at him like that? It just made him feel worse. Well, he was all she had and he wasn’t exactly acting thrilled to see her. But was having Blackbeard as a father really better than nothing?

Stede looked between the two and something clicked, his eyes going wide. “Oh good! You’ve figured it out without me needing to tell you.” He hoped being cheerful or optimistic would lift the mood a little but his attempt failed spectacularly. Both Ed and Isabella looked like they wanted to disappear. Goodness what had happened while he was gone? Okay, diplomacy. That was the best way to handle things. 

“Isabella,” he stood from the sofa, taking a few steps so he was in front of her and set a hand on her shoulder, “you’re welcome to stay as long as you wish. I know a pirate ship isn’t exactly the place for a young woman but if you’d like to stay, you’ll be welcome.”

“Stede, I dunno if the crew is gonna be super on board with that.” Ed muttered. 

“Well if they’d like to complain, they can make their comments to my face. I am the captain after all, they answer to me.” Isabella looked between the two, a flash of nervous disbelief on her face. Just ordering the crew to leave her be might not be enough to prevent trouble. He needed something airtight. 

Without a word, he zipped over to the desk, slipping a sheet of parchment from one of the drawers. The sound of a pen furiously scratching out neatly written words filled the otherwise quiet cabin. Isabella and Ed both exchanged a glance as Stede finished whatever he was writing and held a stick of sealing wax over the candle on his desk. He grabbed the stamp bearing his family coat of arms and dropped the melted wax down onto it. This might have been absolutely moot because pirates didn’t bow to any kind of official symbol or law but it might have been enough to buy them some time until the crew got used to her. Or until he thought of something better. Whichever came first. 

With the ink dry and the wax set, Stede rolled it up and tied it with a ribbon, tucking it into one of the drawers in his desk. With that taken care of, he sauntered back over to the sofa, plopping himself down next to a baffled Ed. Isabella was likewise completely lost as to what just happened. 

“Isabella Noa, as of this moment until you choose to leave this ship and return to Ireland, you are now officially the ward of The Gentleman Pirate.”

The girl’s eyes went wide at this announcement. He was really willing to take her on like that? After knowing her for just over an hour? The subtle happiness in her chest was quickly poisoned by the earlier revelation. He was most likely doing this because Ed didn’t want to admit out loud that she was his. Made sense. Stede seemed more like a family man. Besides it wasn’t a very good image for a pirate like Blackbeard to have a bastard brat running around. 

“So are we not gonna tell the crew about…” Ed waved vaguely between himself and Isabella. Oh great, he couldn’t even say it out loud. 

“That’s not my decision.” Stede explained. “If you two wish to tell them, more power to you.”

Ed looked at Isabella, expecting her opinion on the matter. The prickle of anxiety settled over her skin once again before her memory caught up to her. Right, what was that Marian told her to say? Oh yes. “I have no opinion either way. Do what you think is best.” Truthfully, she didn’t care if they told the crew. If she had thought it would make her less of a target for harassment then maybe she would want to but things could go either way no matter what they did; if they knew who her father was, they would think of her as a weakness to get to Blackbeard ( ‘Jokes on them .’ Isabella thought bitterly. ‘He doesn’t give a damn about me, it’s bloody obvious ’). On the flip side, if they didn’t know who her father was, they’d see she had no real value or use and would go right for the attack. Those were both bad outcomes. But there was also a possibility that they’d know not to mess with her because they’d assume that her father cared about her. Not to mention Jim had already made it clear that they were willing to stick their neck out for her so she possibly had at least had one ally, even if nobody knew she was Blackbeard's daughter. Things really could go either way.  There was quiet once again before Isabella quietly murmured, “You’re really going to let me stay?”

Stede gave her a warm, reassuring smile. “Of course my girl. Naturally you’d need to help out around the ship, everyone has to do their part after all. But I won’t give you anything that’s too heavy of a task.”

“I’m a pretty hard worker. I’ll do whatever job you give me.” Best to agree with whatever they asked of her if she wanted to continue breathing. 

Ed glanced towards the door, his brow knit in thought. “Crew’s probably startin’ to get antsy.” He suspected. 

“Yes we have been in here for a rather long time.” Stede agreed. “They’re likely anxious to know what’s happening.” With a quick drum of fingers against the sofa arm, Stede breezily stood and strolled to the door. “Shall we then?”

Ed stood and walked to the door as well, looking back at Isabella. “Y’ comin’ kid?”

“You want me to?” She asked, utterly puzzled. She figured they’d just tell the crew and out her to work quietly without raising any kind of fuss. 

“Well you’ll have to meet the rest of the crew eventually. No time like the present.” Stede chirped, though Isabella noticed a thin sliver of nerves in his smile. “That and Jim is likely to skewer me if they don’t see you alive and well after this little conversation.”

A shy laugh wandered its way out of her before she could stop it. So she had been right about Jim being an ally. Suddenly she didn’t feel quite so nervous. 

Right then. If not now when?

Steeling her already frayed nerves, Isabella followed the two out the door.

Chapter Text

“They’ve been in there for a while.” Oluwande observed. 

“She’s definitely done for.” Pete hypothesized. “Blackbeard never lets stowaways on his ship. Last time I saw him with a stowaway, he made him eat his own ear, skinned the son of a bitch, and shot what was left of him from one of the cannons.”

“Give it a rest already.” Frenchie growled. “The captain wouldn’t let something like that happen.”

“Well it probably isn’t going to be something violent.” Pete went on despite the many protests from the crew. “He’ll probably just slit her throat or bash her head in. Something painless.”

Olu raised an eyebrow, giving Pete a sidelong glance. “You and I have very different opinions on what makes something ‘painless’.”

“All I’m saying is that the kid’s a goner.” Pete defended. “He’s definitely going to kill her. She might already be dead.”

“That’s not gonna happen.” Jim said, speaking for the first time during the entire conversation. 

“Just you wait.” Pete challenged. “Blackbeard never ever lets stowaways live.”

“Well I got news for you, pendejo . This isn’t Blackbeard's ship.” They stood from the crate they’d been sitting on, tucking their whetstone into their pocket. “Stede may be a complete idiota but he’s still the captain. This is still his ship. And I can guarantee that he’s not gonna want to kill a goddamn kid.” He wouldn’t if he knew what was good for him. 

Pete sulked back to his spot, grumbling to himself before picking up his whittling once again. Jim gave him a narrow eyed glare before they went back to sharpening their knife. 

As much as they didn’t want to admit it, they were worried about Isabella. If anyone else had stowed away, they wouldn't have cared. But she was fourteen for Christ's sake. At first they'd had the same opinion as Oluwande but the three of them had been in there for over an hour. They sighed. No news was good news. If they wanted her dead, they’d have killed her a while ago. Nobody mulled it over for that long, they just do it and move on. So they decided to see it as a good thing that it was taking such a long time. 

“Maybe someone should go in and check on them.” Lucius suggested, fiddling with the hem of his jacket. He’d started the hour quietly sketching before that had drifted towards nervous doodling before he’d dropped the book altogether in favor of pacing endlessly up and down the deck. He wasn’t even that invested in whoever this random girl was, he just didn’t like being kept in the dark. 

“They did say they didn’t want to be disturbed.” Oluwande reminded. 

“Captain said they wanted no interruptions for the hour. It’s been an hour and a half.” Lucius replied. 

“Oh come on you know he wasn’t being literal.” Olu groaned. 

“Well what if they are killing her in there?” 

“And what exactly do you plan on doing if they are?” Ivan added with a chuckle. 

Lucius went pale at the thought of walking in on Blackbeard brutally murdering a teenager. “N-nothing at all.” He said. “But you can’t tell me you aren’t at least a little curious.”

“Okay everyone just needs to calm down.” Oluwande interjected. “We’re all curious but for right now-“ before he could finish his thought, the knob on the captains door started to turn and the entire crew went dead quiet. Slowly, the door swung open and Blackbeard stepped into the light. 

“So-“

“Did you kill her?” Pete cut him off. 

Blackbeard stayed quiet as Stede followed him out onto the deck. “Lucius gather the-“ Stedes voice caught in his throat when he saw that the entire crew, including Ed’s men, had assembled around the captains door. “…crew. Ahem, well glad to see you’re all here because Ed and I have an announcement.” He looked over his shoulder at the empty doorway. “You’re alright, come on out.”

Slowly, a figure stepped out into the sunlight. 

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.” Pete groaned. Jim let out a sigh of relief when they saw she was unharmed. They were also glad to see they let her bathe and given her some new clothes because she had been filthy even by pirate standards. The girl cautiously stepped out from the captains quarters and took her place next to Stede, who set a protective hand on her shoulder. 

“This is Isabella.” He announced. “I've agreed to take her on as part of the crew and as my official ward. So I expect you all to-“

“Oh no. Fuck no. I did not agree to this.” Pete snapped. 

“Now hear me out Pete-“

“No. Absolutely not. This isn’t a fucking boarding school, it’s a goddamn pirate ship. I’m fine with having Jim here but this is where I draw the line.”

Jim dragged their dagger along the whetstone, drawing out a scream from the metal against the rock. “Choose your next words very carefully.” They warned. 

Pete put his hands up in defense. “I’m not saying you being here is a bad thing. You’re great. You’re one of the best guys we’ve got here and you’re not even a guy.” Jim’s fingers curled around their dagger and their eyes narrowed. “You know what I mean…” Pete decided to end that thought before it had even begun to keep himself from rambling right into his own grave. He looked back at Stede. “I’ve tolerated a lot of stupid things on this ship but I’m not going to crew with a little fucking girl.”

Ed stepped forward, crossing his arms. “And if someone were to tell you that my kid you’re talking about?” He said darkly. 

Any and all color immediately drained from Pete’s face. “Y-your…you mean she…you’re not serious…”

“I am.” He leaned down so he was practically nose to nose with Pete (“Is he gonna kiss him?” Jim could hear Wee John muttering) “D’you have a problem with that?”

“N-no sir. Not at all Blackbeard, sir. No problem whatsoever. Absolutely problem free.”

“Good.” Blackbeard straightened up again and looked at the rest of the crew. “Any of you lot have a problem with that?” Jim was certain they could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed the question. “Good. If that changes, feel free to tell me right to my face.”

Everyone on the crew went stiff. Blackbeard, from what they’d seen, could be a fair and easygoing guy but he was also a fucking madman. Nobody wanted to end up on his bad side, otherwise they’d end up on the wrong end of his sword. Now that was a place that nobody wanted to be. They all collectively knew that the only one who stood even a remote chance against him was probably Jim. Even then it would be a close fight. It was in that moment that the entire crew agreed that coexisting with a fourteen-year-old was far more preferable to pissing off Blackbeard. 

Ed glanced at the crew before taking his place next to Stede again. He didn’t do anything else, didn’t say anything else, didn’t even move while Stede continued. Yet even though he wasn’t touching her, Isabella still sensed an odd protectiveness from him. Out of all the shocked faces among the crew, hers was the most gobsmacked. 

He’d…he’d just admitted to being her father? Out loud? In front of people? No no. There had to be some kind of angle, he couldn’t even say it out loud when they were one on one or when it was just them and Stede. Why was it so easy for him to say it now? It had to be a trick. She couldn’t think of any other possibility. Yet for some reason, she wanted to believe he was being genuine. It was stupid but she wanted it so much to be true. 

She let out a heavy sigh, doing her best to expel those foolish thoughts with every breath. 

Stede cleared his throat once again. “Well, glad that’s settled. I expect you all to be welcoming to our newest crewman and there will be hell to pay if I hear otherwise.” Yeah sure. Like that was gonna do anything. Isabella may have only known Stede for little over an hour but she could already tell that he was about as dangerous as a newborn deer. “Alright then, as you were.” 

The crew shuffled off to take care of whatever duties they had as Stede clapped Isabella’s shoulder once more. 

“Welcome to The Revenge , my dear.”

Isabella looked around at the ragtag crew. This would take some getting used to.