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I found your message in a bottle deep down at the bottom of the ocean
Ed had been fishing for a while now. Too long if he was asked. Not that any one did, but yeah, way too long for his tastes. Well, it had seemed like a good idea at that moment…
Alas, every single day was the same thing! They fished the fish, they ate the fish, they smelled like fish… yeah, you get the gist! The whole ship reeked of fish, rotting fish to be more exact. And whatever it was the rest of the fishermen were on never minding the smells? Ed could not get on board with. The horrid odours making him nauseous if he inhaled too deeply. And holding ones breath could only be done for so long!
So, Ed had started doing his own little things, keeping him off the deck, busy even. Those of diving trips. Taking to the coast, the near by shores whenever they were close enough. Steering his small dingy towards the turquoise waters towards land. The former pirate spending his time by the waters edge swimming and diving whenever possible. Anything really to avoid being around the smelly fishing boat and her crew! As it wasn’t like they were fishing too hard anyway. More like a… guess hobby for the lot? As they were never selling any of the catch for some reason.
It had been a while since Ed had left Stede and his friends, his family behind. The crew of the Revenge. Ed would have also been lying of he was asked, again, not that he was, whether he missed them all. Because Ed really did even if his former life as he knew it was something Ed had wanted to leave behind. The pirating part at least. Blackbeard to be more exact. Not the others, and not Stede. Certainly never Stede.
Alas Stede, was on another path momentarily. Becoming the proper pirate Captain of the Revenge. Killing people and all that needed stuff.
Oh well…
It was a lovely day once again. Nothing to blame the weather gods for that much was sure. The sun shining across the bluest of skies. The cool waters perfectly warm and inviting to the skin. And Ed was more than ready to dive into the deep calming waters. Seeing the bottom from where he was sitting in his dingy. The fishies there enjoying their mundane lives… not that Ed was about to disturb them. Not much anyway.
Ridding himself of the clothing he was now used to wearing, the plain beige, the poor look as Swede had commented on. Ed took several deep breaths before diving in, butt naked! Then again, Ed was alone and besides nothing wrong with showing some skin every now and again as his looked totally fine! Not his own words, but yeah, Ed certainly did, look good!
Ed was already below the surface, taking long strokes as he swam there not really having an aim or a goal where to as such. But then, suddenly, something shiny beneath caught his eyes. Something stuck on the ocean floor.
It only took a few well placed strokes to reach the shiny thing. Touching the object, Ed quickly realised it was a bottle of some kind. Oh well, people never ceased to annoy him, all those people throwing their garbage into the sea like nothing mattered to them. To hell with them all! Destroying the most gorgeous body of ever created on Earth!
But then, Ed saw something else as the bottle came to a clear view. There was something stuck inside of it. Something… he immediately recognised. A piece of paper!
Ed felt his heart picking up faster pace as he reached for the bottle ever so gently so not to break it. Ed managed to get it lose and then swam quickly back to the surface and climbed to the small boat.
As there was something Ed dared to hope he had found. Even if the odds were… well, astronomical to say the least.
Ed placed the find carefully on the boards of the dingy. Scared it would break. But it looked solid. The paper inside neatly folded. Ed felt his heart beating even faster now if possible. And after a while, after his skin had dried in the sunshine Ed picked the bottle up again. And with trembling hands, popped off the cork and dug up the paper.
Ed was holding his breath as he unfolded the note found inside. The beautiful cursive lettering filling the page. What Ed saw there, what he read there, he could not believe his eyes nor his luck!
“My dearest darling Ed…
(The words he had read making a choking noise inside of Ed’s throat)
…I hope this letter finds you (if it ever will) well.
I am finally reunited with my crew, the lot of us trying to make our way back to the Revenge.
I am hoping I will find you there, safe and sound and, well… not so mad at me.
That is my only wish. To find you again, Ed.
The only reason I set sail on the very, very small boat I stole.
I know you may not ever forgive me for betraying you… and I can understand that.
But I only hope we can move on, together. If as nothing else, then at least, as friends.
Because I was so so very wrong for leaving you.
And I do regret that every single day passing, the fact that I am not with you.
Know that I love you and well… see you soon I guess…
Yours, in everything,
Stede”
Ed re-read the letter three times to be sure. This was from Stede, his Stede. And what was written in it. Well, guess they had talked about it upon their reunion already having happened. Not at length but yeah. something of it. The hurt, the pain before they had jumped into bed together. And then, Ed telling Stede it had all been a mistake… their night spent together and Ed leaving…
Oh well…
The mistake however, becoming the one now Ed had made, leaving Stede. Regretting his decision like Stede clearly had done. After all, hadn’t he written these letters to Ed every single day when they were apart?
Ed stared at the paper still. Turning back to the fishing boat in the distance. His mind becoming clearer the more he thought about it. The decision he should make right now. The only decision possible?
Dressing himself quickly enough, Ed took to the oars and started rowing his small dingy towards a new location. And the destination?
Stede, but of course! As where else could Ed go after such a heartfelt message received?