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Israel revels in the chaos spreading across the deck. The raid against the merchant he'd pointed out to Captain Hornigold was going splendidly. It was just difficult enough that no one was paying attention to the boys - men, now, with younger boys scrambling for the powder while Israel, Jack, Sam and Edward fought with swords and knives and - yes, there was Jack punching one of the Dutch across the temple - fists.
Israel catches Jack's eye as soon as the Dutch merchant goes down, unconscious or dead, it doesn't matter. He was going to end up in the water soon, anyway. Shark fodder. Jack grins, all teeth and spleen. He's just healed from the last beating he took on Captain Hornigold's orders - another one that Israel orchestrated, but to Jack and the others it had seemed like it was for nothing at all.
Israel was tired of pulling the strings to get here, and couldn't wait to relax. Soon, he promises, as Jack finds old Benjamin fighting back to back with . . . oh, this is even better than anticipated. Jack makes it look like Hornigold was about to attack Sam, instead of defending the younger pirate.
The timing is perfect, the raid over just as Jack shouts above the fray, "Why are your trying to take out, Sam, capt'n?"
Now, they're pirates, not one of them is any more loyal to the other than they have to be for the next haul, the next bit of gold or their next meal, but everyone on the ship has a soft spot for Sam.
Israel can almost see the eyes of the crew moving between Jack, Sam, and Ben.
Edward, of course, bolstered on the adrenaline of the fight, and given a small push by Israel himself, literally leaps over a railing to join the tableau. "Now what's this, then?" he asks, voice deceptively soft. "Surely our captain wouldn't want to hurt the best of us?"
Jack defers to Edward, "Saw him in the middle of the raid, Blackbeard. Had his knife out and everything."
Hornigold makes his mistake, now. He doesn't order everyone to stand down and go back to the raid. He doesn't take advantage of Jack's momentary distraction. He doesn't even appeal to Sam, his supposed victim.
No, Hornigold looks up at Edward (and when had Edward gotten taller than their captain? - Ah, Israel can see now, he's wearing a higher heeled boot than usual. Good choice) and starts blustering. "Now Blackbeard, I was defending Sam, as he was defending me. I wouldn't hurt a hair on his head."
Israel can't help his grin of triumph. Hornigold practically handed the ship to Edward with that.
"Hmmm." Edward responds, looking at Jack, knife still carefully held to Ben's throat, then at Sam, shaken by the accusation, but watching Ed - Blackbeard - worshipfully.
"Seems to me." Edward speaks, leaning into the captain's space, "that you've made a lot of accusations against Jack's honor recently." he drums his fingers against his pants - black so they wouldn't show if he was injured.
Israel watches, like the rest of the crew, to see how this will play out. He's not close enough to direct, Neptune curse it. He just has to trust the groundwork he's laid will be enough.
"And." continues Edward, cocking his head to the side, curiously, like a bird, "A lot of accusations against my honor, as well." He reaches out and grabs the front of Ben's shirt, pulling him up and towards him, so they're now eye to eye, Ben's toes brushing the deck just enough to keep him from chocking.
"So, why are you trying to get rid of us young ones, captain? Afraid?"
"C'mon, Edward. You're first mate. Can't show favoritism."
Edward raises an eyebrow, and gestures imperiously to Jack. Jack hands over a coil of rope, as though they'd rehearsed it. In a move Israel doesn't think he could replicate even if he tried a million times, Edward - Blackbeard - drops the captain, spins him around, and binds his hands behind him.
"Iz!" he calls out blindly, "Take a handful you trust and finish the raid. Keep the survivors trussed up and the ships together. I've got a plan."
Israel nods, and, with a cheerfully dangerous smile, responds, "Aye" pause so everyone's listening, "Captain Blackbeard."
Edward doesn't look for him, keeping his eye on his hostage as he directs him to the mast. "Sam. It was your life he was threatening. Tie the dog to the mast. Tight now, don't need him falling during his punishment." he echoed the same command that Hornigold had used on too many of the men surrounding them.
Benjamin finds his voice again, "So, mutiny is it?"
"So many words that start with M, aren't there, Ben." Edward's voice is cool. Israel can only
barely hear it. "Mutiny. Murder. Maroon."
Jack is watching avidly from Edward's side. "I like some that start with F, m'self. False accusations. Flogging. Fear."
Edward nods as Sam steps back, "Like that, sir?"
"Thank you, Sam. Jack, care to do the honors? Your back's felt his whip almost as much as mine over the years. With about as much reason, I'd wager."
Israel's never been fond of watching punishments happen, so he turns to finish directing the raid. He can hear the snap of the whip, and soon, the screams of the man on the mast. He counts 39 before it's stopped, and he relaxes, just a little.
There's a splash and a strangled moan from the Marianne just before he brings their men back over. Edward looks at the piles of loot, and nods to Sam, "Quartermaster, split this. Make sure the former captain gets his share to take to his new ship. If his new crewmates choose to let him live, he might as well have something to start over with."
Benjamin begs, "Edward, no. The Dutch . . . Kill me quick."
Edward squats down next to the man laid out on the deck, and whispers something to him, and Benjamin's face goes over pale, then stony. "Jack, help the man over to his new crew. Iz, with me."
Israel follows his new captain to his new captain's quarters, and finds that he is well pleased with how things turned out. And if the look on Edward's face is haunted, well, Israel's job now is to make sure no one else sees it.
Above all, loyalty to his captain. So long as his captain stays useful to him.