Assassin of the Black Flag(open)

Samuel "Snakefang" Donnelly

Rage of fire sprang up into his chest. He should ttake her back home to Inagua, but he knew she wouldn't go. But he had to try. "Do you want to go back home?" he asked softly, referring to Inagua. She needed to be tended to and he didn't think he could tend to her here. "Or at least to my ship to tend your wounds." He kept his voice quiet, as till afraid she'd shatter if he spoke to loud.

"He must be someone close to her heart for her to finally speak without persuasion."
"He is, Mentor." Kidd and the others were yet to hear of the engagement, so they had no idea as to how much Samuel could affect her. Kidd and Ah Tabai took shelter from the unforgiving rain under a sheet of canvas that Kidd had managed to secure to the remains of the once grand Shay house.

"Xenakis, come take a seat" Kidd said when he spied the Greek sauntering up the path.

"I am home" Elizabeth breathed as she looked at the graves before her, "But as you can see, it is no longer of good use." Elizabeth looked into Samuel's eyes, and forced herself to her feet like a ghost rising from the grave. She grabbed the arrows wedged in her back, and pulled one of them out. The second arrow seemed to have anchored itself in bone, so she decided it was best left untouched. "I think it would be better to go back to the Soul Wave" Elizabeth said quietly as she clutched the tricorn hat, and Thatch's old coat.

Samuel "Snakefang" Donney

Sam nodded slowly and gently gripped her wrist as he helped her stand. Then he looked to the others. "You are more than welcome to join us on my ship, Kidd...Master." he said the 'master' bit to Ah Tabai, as he was not his mentor. His mentor had been killed long ago. "How does my stew sound, Liz?" he asked as he led her to his ship.

Damian, pulling into the dock of Ingua in a ship he bought, The Maybelle, a miniature frigate, two chests on deck, he had a smile. "Oi, lads! Jobs well done! The brig didn't stand a chance!" He was given loud cheers and claps, after all, he did kill more than half of their crew single handedly.
"Jerk lied... took Eighteen days..." he thought.
He picked up the large chests, one atop a arm, he took them to the house.
"Can't wait for Sam to see this..."

"Thank you, my love" Elizabeth said weakly when Samuel had helped her stand, "That would be wonderful." She hadn't eaten anything for a long time, sleep had escaped her for longer than four days, and her countless injuries had left her weak. Even though her body was weak, she still walked alongside Samuel.

Elizabeth's friends back at Inagua were as silent as the grave. The news of Thatch's passing had taken its toll on them, so they stayed at the tavern where they drank to his memory as they awaited news concerning Elizabeth's condition.

Nikos felt his hood grow heavier with the onset of rain and looked up with a grim sort of humour as the proofing allowed most of the drops to sluice off.

"Weather matches the mood," he sounded weary and it was a tone some of the assassins of Tulum had heard before if they had caught the Greek in a bout of melancholy. But he took the offered seat and rested his arms upon his thighs; locking his hands together.

"He's not ours to mourn so closely," he spoke now as an assassin of his rank rather than himself, "that is the unfortunate burden of one to whom he was as close as a father. The Order must look ahead..."

He wrung his hands, the words not feeling his own. "There are adepts on Inagua, young and promising both of them..."

He didn't look between Tabai and Kidd, knowing that they were listening to words that caught the Greek in their own world.

"This isn't their world. Pirates and demons. But they will be caught in the crossfire regardless as she burns through Hell and back to seek her vengeance."

Sam carefully guided her to his ship and then onto its deck. Then he led her inside his cabin and helped her onto the bed that was there. "Let me see your wounds, love. Go ahead and take your robes off if you can." Samuel got into his sack that he'd taken out last time he'd healed her, taking care to busy himself while she got ready for his treatment. After he tended to her, he'd go and fix her some stew. It appeared that they all needed it.

"Tiago, Elizabeth's apprentice, cannot return to Tulum. There's a reason why he is under Elizabeth's care."
"Aye. The lad's parents were Templars who died amongst countless others at Havana as they defended Donnelly and Elizabeth. After everything that Ikan did to Elizabeth because her father was a former Templar, we thought it best that the boy trains with her. I wouldn't suggest we try take either of those boys away from her, she almost tore up Inagua when one was taken." Kidd thought of how Elizabeth had searched for Josh when he was taken, she had never seen her in such a state before. The way Elizabeth had reacted was much the same as a jaguar defending its cubs.

"Not much left of them anyway" Elizabeth groaned as she cut herself loose from her shredded robes. There were wounds covering most of her torso and arms, most were minor scratches but there was still a fair amount of more serious injuries. "I told you I'm not easy to kill" Elizabeth chuckled quietly as she leant forward and buried her head in her arms. "How bad is my back? Aside from that stuck arrow, how bad is it?"

Samuel "Snakefang" Donnelly

He examined her back for a moment and winced. "Bad enough," he answered, pouring a cleaning liquid into a bowl and soaking a cloth in it for a while before he rung it out and placed it on her back, cleaning out most of the wounds. Then he let it sit there while he snapped the larger portion of the arrow and then grabbed a tool from the table. Then he grabbed the arrowhead with the tool and slowly and carefully began to wiggle it until it was loose enough for him to pop it free. "Sorry, love. I know it had to hurt but it needed to come out." Sam laid the tool and the arrowhead aside. Then he grabbed the cloth, resoaked it and rung it out again before he laid it over top of the wound where the arrow had buried itself. Then he began to mix something. It smelt of lemon grass and ginseng with something else mixed in. He handed her a cup as soon as it was finished. "Drink this. It'll aid your natural healing and dull the pain." Then he returned to cleaning her wounds and sanitizing them before he began to bandage them in clean bandages.

Elizabeth could usually handle pain quite well, and she didn't have any sensation left in her back due to the years of floggings, but she definitely felt the pain caused by the arrow as Samuel finally managed to pry it out. Elizabeth thanked Samuel for the drink, and sat in silence for the duration of the the treatment. She would occasionally glance over at the old coat, the hat, or her torn robes. Eventually she decided to close her eyes, if she couldn't sleep, then the least she could do, was rest her eyes.

Samuel "Snakefang" Donnelly

"I'm going to go make that stew now, Liz. Rest here for a bit." Sam placed a soft kiss on her forehead and left, nodding to the other two Assassins. "Kidd. Come with me. I need to tell you something." Sam then disappeared below deck and entered the kitchen. He gathered the ingredients he needed for the stew and began working his magic, tasting it ever so often to tell him what he was missing.

"Her mind is grieved, you really believe that those apprentices will be safe from her enemies when she makes them theirs just by happenstance?"

Nikos brought his hands to his face and rubbed; feeling the cold of the rain on his hands. This was a difficult situation and he pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling his old scar.

"Lift my responsibilities from Tulum then Tabai," the Greek finally spoke, "if they cannot be brought to more skilled experience than allow it to come to them."

He canted his head to the Mayan mentor, "give them a Master to watch over them in the meantime. Give them me."

Elizabeth waited until Sam had left before she curled up on the bed. For now, she was just a mere fraction of the demon she once was. But she knew it wouldn't be too long before she regained her fire, and her spirit. God have mercy on the Templars and the Royal Navy when she did.

"You may only train with Tiago. Josh is not Elizabeth's apprentice, so I can't hand him to you" Ah Tabai explained as he watched Kidd run after Samuel.

"Aye, Donnelly? What was it you wanted to tell me" Kidd asked as he joined Samuel in the galley.

Samuel "Snakefang" Donnelly

"One of two things. Who the hell is that guy who wants to take over Tiago's training? That boy belongs to Liz and that man has no right to take over. And two, I asked Liz to marry me." he felt venom rise up into his chest. He'd have to speak with that Ah Tabai man after he gave Liz her stew. Liz lived for Tiago and there was no way she'd let that Greek bastard take over the boy's training.

“Nay, you need not ‘hand’ them to me my dear Mayan,” he clapped Tabai on the shoulder, “you know how well me and responsibility get on.”

Tabai did not need to be reminded of a particular drunk incident on Tulum in which the majority of Nikos' apprentices for that day were involved.

The Greek, having spoken in hush enough terms, watched Kidd disappear with the man he knew as Donnelly from listening alone. “I need only to be given the time in which to aid them and their fledgling mentors.”

Nikos had cursed Ikan before and the two had come to blows over ideology more than once before, but cutting off possibilities because of his archaic attitude never helped anyone, least of all their current situation. He rolled his tongue in his cheek and his thoughts turned to Elizabeth and how she never seemed to be able to catch any kind of break as of late.

Maybe a break Nikos would gladly arrange would be that of Ikan's neck. The old fool.

He heard an aggravated tone from nearby. Unmistakably male, so not ‘Kidd’, as she liked to call herself.

“I think it would spare a row if anything, someone seems a little ‘put out’.”

(Since Damian is basically doing nothing, I'm gonna share this -
There's a Mattress company at my city called "Sofa King." They're a small company, and sell mattresses and couches at a low price. Their slogan is - wait for it - "Our prices are Sofa King low.". Say  "Sofa King Low" out loud to your self.)

(Haha. That is Sofa King funny.)

"What?!" Kidd seemed rather taken aback by what Samuel had told him. "When did this happen? What did she say?"

Elizabeth realised that she hadn't treated the wound in her leg yet, so she treated it while she was still alone. She shrugged on the old black coat and donned the old tricorn hat before she curled up on the bed again, and returned to her sobbing. It was the second time she had lost a father, and she was a wreck.

"I understand what you are saying, Xenakis, but I think we should see how Elizabeth handles herself when we arrive at the Inagua." A smile crept onto Ah Tabai's face as he thought of Elizabeth. "Read says that Elizabeth's actions to the apprentices she cares for, are closer to those of a mother than those of a Mentor." If one hadn't seen it, or heard it, they would never believe that Ah Tabai had laughed. "Even Assassins know not to get between a mother and child, or a woman and a child. To do so would mean certain death or, if Elizabeth is involved, dismemberment. So I suggest we keep them close to her."

Tiago had been shooting foul looks at Kenway since he found out about the incident. Since none of the others were there, Johnson was looking after the boys, and trained them in the art of swordsmanship as he had done with Elizabeth before her parents were murdered.

"That boy's almost as bad as Elizabeth" Kenway moaned as he joined Damian. "I thought I would finally introduce myself. Name's Edward Kenway" he explained as he offered his hand to Damian.

Samuel "Snakefang" Donnelly

Sam made himself busy with pouring some bowls of stew and handing two off to Kidd for himself and Ah Tabai. Then he set about pouring two more bowls for him and Elizabeth. "A week and a half ago, before she left Inagua," he answered, gripping both bowls in hand before he started back up on deck though he remained to look at Kidd. "She said yes and I gave her a ring I had bought. Should be on her still, if not on her hand then probably stashed somewhere else. Come on."

Sam proceeded back to his cabin and laid his bowl down before be touched Liz with a gentle hand. "Liz, I brought you some stew." he whispered to her softly. "It'll make you feel better." Though he could only hope this was true.

"Thank you, love" Elizabeth said quietly as she took the bowl from Samuel, her ring making a faint noise as it collided with the bowl. Elizabeth smiled as she looked down at the ring, and for a moment she forgot her troubles. She sat in silence as she ate the stew, savouring every bit of it. After living on nothing but rum for a while, even a piece of tack sounds delightful.

Kidd handed one of the bowls of stew to Ah Tabai, a sly smile gracing his face.
"What has you in such high spirits, my child?"
"It's Elizabeth, Mentor."
"What of her?"
"She is to be married" Kidd whispered into his Mentor's ear. Ah Tabai almost choked on his stew when he heard the news. "Not a word."

"We can go home whenever you are ready. I've done all I've wanted" Elizabeth said once she had finished her stew.

Samuel "Snakefang" Donnelly

Sam also seemed to smile at the ring that adorned her hand. Who knew such happiness could come with such high prices? With a soft sigh, he finished his stew and placed the bowl down, collecting hers as well. "Then let's get you home right away. The others are welcome to sail with us, if they wish to rest up a bit." He took the bowls below deck and then called some orders for the men to get the ship ready to,sail back home to Inagua. Then he looked at the others, especially Kidd and Ah Tabai. "You're more than welcome to sail with us."

"Well I'll be coming with."
"As shall I" Ah Tabai said as he rose from his seat, "I wish to see how young Da Silva's training is progressing. Should we come under attack, I will fight in Elizabeth's place."
"There'll be no need for that, Master" Elizabeth said as she emerged from Samuel's quarters.
"Lizzie, you can't."
"I can, and I will. I'm not going to lose anymore than I already have." Ah Tabai gave Elizabeth a look of approval.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from one of my best students. I suppose it is also that fabled Shay blood. Proud, stubborn, violent, yet you place honour above all else."
"Thank you, Master" Elizabeth replied with a small bow before she perched herself on the railing, holding onto the rigging for stability. "Let's go home" Elizabeth said warmly as she looked out over the ocean.

Shaking Kenway's hand, Damian said, "Wouldn't happen to know when Sam'll be back? Just got back from Scotland with all sorts of items." He let go of Edward's hand, and popped open a chest. Inside, were Scottish Broad swords, unique flintlocks, and even some miniature paintings. Damian still had no clue who made them for his family, or why, even.

Samuel "Snakefang" Donnelly

He gave a smile and nodded his head. Then he looked up at Jackson and shouted the order. "Take us home lads!" Sam then joined Liz and laid a gentle hand on her back, being careful not to hurt her.

“Trust me,” he spoke in hushed tones and rose to follow the others; keeping close company with Tabai, “I have no intention of getting between the tigress and her cubs. I’d rather keep my helping hand attached to my arm.”

At the Donnelly Captain’s blatant distaste for him, Nikos felt like riding home with them just out of barefaced spite, but alas he’d come on The Trident and would leave on it – following close behind with its formidable man o’ war bulk bristling with canon, shot and steel like teeth in the maw of a shark.

Anyone fancying to attack their ‘convoy’ would find themselves dead in the water.

Upon the news of Thatch’s death, the crew of The Trident fired an 18 cannon salute into the open water and raised their cutlasses to the sky before resuming their duties – Nikos at the helm and steering them back to the cove.

Great Inagua

"To be honest, I don't know when he'll be back. It all depends on how quickly he is able to find her, and how long it takes him to calm her down." He knew he wouldn't hear the end of it from Elizabeth, so he had been preparing for the inevitable verbal abuse since he arrived back at the Inagua.

The Soul Wave

Elizabeth kept her eyes fixed on the water for the better part of the voyage. Every time they passed a ship, her hand moved to her golden flintlocks as if she were preparing for another battle. Ah Tabai kept to himself, occasionally indulging in a conversation with Kidd, or checking on Elizabeth.

"Are you ever going to sleep?"
"Not until we get home, Mary" Elizabeth said quietly as she looked over the ocean, "Not until we're all safe."