May the Father of Understanding Guide Us (Open)

The Commodore felt the hands of the pirate grab him, and as he was thrown overboard with her, he realised just what he'd gotten himself into; a woman in a full suit of armour, clinging onto him like he was the only thing who'd keep her from drowning. He tried to speak, but in that moment, as the water enveloped them, he looked at Elizabeth and for the first time saw what everyone else must've seen; the hair of the woman like a great net of tentacles, her fury and pain, her utter, terrifying persona.

The Commodore grabbed her hands, trying to pull her away. He felt them sinking faster and faster, as their combined weight carried them down.

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

Elizabeth glared at the Commodore, and let out an evil grin as they sank. "I welcome death" Elizabeth mouthed. Having truly lost everything, her words were true. She knew what waited for her on the other side, that her parents, friends, and child were all waiting for her. She felt a sort of peace wash over her, and she watched the Commodore, waiting for the life to leave his eyes. Elizabeth tightened her grip on the Commodore's hand as she tried to inflict as much pain as she could before he died.

Roger tried to hold back any need to show the pain he felt as she gripped his hand, and he felt the bones in his palm breaking slowly. He stared into her eyes, and read her lips, and then began to smile. Would he die here? Certainly. Would he achieve his lifes goal? Not exactly. Would he be proud of what he'd done? Definitely. He knew Daniel would be able to lead the battle, even if not to perfect victory.

Good was all he mouthed back.

Morgana O'Reilly

"Oh shit!" Morgana handed Devin to one of the pirates, and leapt overboard. She swam down to Elizabeth and the Commodore, grabbed Elizabeth just as the Master Assassin closed her eyes, and dragged her to the surface where the Benjamin was floating.

"Breath, you bitch" Morgana roared as she tried to resuscitate Elizabeth. Elizabeth coughed up some water and gasped for breath as she shot up. "Thank God."

The Commodore swore, like, actually swore into the water, as he saw Morgana come down. Seeing her drag the unconscious Elizabeth away didn't make him feel easy, but it gave him the break he needed. He burst to the side, and swam straight up, holding his breath only as long as he could. By the time he broke the surface, he already had water in his lungs.

Ropes were thrown down to him and he grabbed on, climbing and being pulled up before rolling onto the deck, collapsing and coughing, his head hurting and throbbing, his entire body sore. He looked up at the sailors by him, as two checked him for wounds and three others fought off pirates.

"I can fight... Get me a sword, I can fight!"

Stodd got to his feet, staggering, but looking around to see the state of the crew. The pirates had certainly proven effective, but outnumbered and outgunned, they simply hadn't held up. Rifles went off and axes lopped through peoples chests, as the battle onboard rivalled the size of the one on the seas. To his surprise, and a little bit of shock, he saw the young blue coated Captain onboard, battling a pair of pirates before finally making it to his Commodore.

"What're you... the battle..."

"Roger you blasted fool! You need to get to the cabin! I can handle this; the pirate fleet was punctured by the Stalwort and it's team, they're in shambles! You just need to stay safe!"

Roger grabbed his friend by the arm, pulling him over and groaning angrily, looking at him and panting. The two stared into each others eyes, as Roger felt the Assassins symbol on his bracer - a hidden blade.

"If I died now, Daniel... I'd die glad, knowing that... bitch... wont be doing too well..."

Daniel frowned and, after grabbing two guards nearby, battled their way to the captains cabin beneath the quarterdeck. Roger walked in and slumped into the nearest chair, as two guards sat inside with him, busting the glass on the doors and firing out, after barricading it shut. The Commodore closed his eyes, coughing up water still. His hand was broken, his cheek was busted, and his lungs were filled with water. Still, he smiled.

"Get these pirates off the Queen's Night! We push them into their beloved ocean! Let them embrace the kraken and its gifts! They want to serve a devil?! Then they can serve her in hell!!"

The call of pride echoed over the ship, and then all across the British fleet, as the crews of the remaining ships rallied together, to end this battle.

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

Elizabeth stormed off to her quarters, the same quarters where she used to lie with Hornigold, and prepared for what could be considered the stupidest thing she would ever do in her life. Elizabeth removed her armour, changed into her Assassin robes, and put on the blue coat that Hornigold had given her.
"Christ! I can't believe I'm doing this" Elizabeth groaned as she grabbed the old corncob pipe that once belonged to Hornigold, and some Spanish gold. She drew her hood, and pulled on the fabric mask that obscured the bottom half of her face.

"Don't shoot" Elizabeth shouted as she landed on the deck, followed by five Assassins. "I wish to talk to the Commodore, that is all I want." Elizabeth pushed her way past the soldiers; the small group of Assassins guarded her while a fifth Assassin helped her walk.

Elizabeth knocked on the door of the Commodore's quarters, and let herself, and her entourage, in. Elizabeth looked at the Commodore as he sat in his chair, and hung her head.
"Are you alright" Elizabeth asked calmly as the group of Assassins surrounded her. "And before you try to kill me... I wish to let you know that I am here for a parley. A parley proper with the pipes of peace, if need be." The Templar cross embedded in the Assassin emblem on her blood-red belt was clear for all to see, especially since the red belt stood out on her black robes. Her father's Templar ring shone in the light, and the red trims of both her robes, and Hornigold's coat seemed to take on a brighter hue in the light.

Daniel was gritting his teeth as the pirate and her private retinue marched across the deck, moving past the mingled corpses of pirates and soldiers, as the crew began to mop up the last of the invaders, either disarming them or holding them at blade end. He didn't like what she was doing.

He followed her into the cabin, and locked the door behind him, with a group of some fifteen British soldiers standing guard outside. The room was quite full now - he, Roger, two British guards, and the Assassins gave little wiggle room.


"I'm fine. I'm not the half-drowned bullet sponge."

Roger sat up, holding back a cough and clearing his throat, looking up at the Assassins from his seat, one hand on the desk, the other on the gun set on the table. His guards were already aiming straight for the Assassins; they weren't taking any risks here.

"Parley? What are you expecting, Elizabeth? A Royal pardon? This is a battle. A battle of, and to, the death. Royal Navy ships now burn on the waters, and soldiers of the British Empire lay dead on the decks of both pirate and British ships. You struck a Commodore of the Royal Navy. You had intent to kill. How do you intend to parlay with me?"

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh when the Commodore called her a "Half-drowned bullet sponge". It was a genuine laugh of happiness, not the laughs the Commodore had usually heard coming from the pirate demon. "Come now, Commodore Stodd... We are going to sit down and talk, even if I have to nail you to that chair" Elizabeth chuckled. "I struck you because I let my emotions get the better of me. If you were a woman, you would understand" Elizabeth said with a hint of sorrow in her voice as she held her stomach in a loving and pained manner. "You may have heard a few things about me, but let me tell you something hardly anyone knows about me." One of the Assassins handed Elizabeth a small, bloodstained chest. "You see, I don't always kill Templars. In fact, I've even freed some of them. Remember that man with the ocelot from our first battle? Well he is one of the Templars I freed. My father was the infamous Templar Grand Master of the Irish rite, Edwin Shay, a traitor, aye, but still one of you." Elizabeth opened the chest, and revealed its contents to the Commodore; a large variety of medicines and medical equipment filled the chest. "At least allow me to see to your wounds?"

Roger certainly wasn't sure, but he was at least a little at ease by some of her words. He sat up and held out a hand - the broken one. He frowned as he moved his fingers, watching the bones move around inside it.

"Seems rather fitting, in it's own way; you fixing the very wounds you brought about. I suppose that's just how things tend to work out."

Daniel was far from at ease. His blade was out, he was just waiting for it. He knew how Assassins operated, and he had as much trust for them as he did for Templars. There was a reason he preferred to operate without support from the Order. He watched the pirate and the Commodore, and frowned as he looked out the window behind him at the two armies. They were exchanging foods and medicines, to heal the wounded. Whatever result they'd come to, at least people weren't dying.

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

"I suppose you're right" Elizabeth chuckled as she cautiously approached the Commodore. The group of Assassins had their hands on their weapons. "Enough. Stand down." The Assassins removed their hands from their weapons, but still kept a close eye on everyone in the room. Elizabeth set about resetting the bones in the Commodore's hand. "I do find this rather... Strange, to say the least. You know. Treating the man who almost killed me, twice. Not to mention your Assassin friend over there" Elizabeth said as she nodded to Daniel.

Once Elizabeth had finished tending to the Commodore's hand, she cleaned out the wound on his face, grabbed a needle and thread, and began to stitch it closed.


Ah Tabai

Ah Tabai had already freed Kenway from his gibbet cage, but his mind was elsewhere so he completely forgot about Vane.

When he saw how weak Mary Read was, he couldn't bring himself to do anything. Thankfully, Kenway was the one to take Read, so Ah Tabai took Bonny back to a boat where he waited for Kenway and Read.

His heart shattered when he saw Kenway emerge from the prison, with Read lying dead in his arms. One of his "daughters" was dead, while the other was still fighting for her life, back at Inagua.
"Captain Kenway. I need you to get them to safety." With that, Ah Tabai raced off to find Mary's daughter.

"Brother Damian" Ah Tabai said sadly as he arrived back at the ship, carrying a small bundle in his arms. "Please... Your fiancé, could she..." Ah Tabai looked down at the sleeping child, and a lump formed in his throat. He didn't know what to do, so he just sat on the deck, and stared at the child. "We must find Elizabeth." He looked at Read's body, and finally burst out crying.

(Should the whole 'To Suffer without Death' part happen, but not be acted out - like, have it of happened while the fight went on?)

(Sure. If you want to RP it, that's fine with me)

(Nooo... I Read [Get it? Hehe imsorry.] the edited part and I imagined Ah Tabai crying... then black men crying... ah - long stort short, black men crying makes me cry. So now I'm laying in my bed in barley any clothes crying at six in the morning.)

Damian patted Ah Tabai on the back, and said, "Truly sorry, I am... Somethin' my 'nan told me, was that, if a loved one dies... remember the good times you've had, remember the laughs that were shared, not the time they died. Remember them." He straightened back up, and turned to his fiancé, and said, "Arabella - look after the child, for now. Get below decks, and... care to it, I would guess." He flashed a grin before she shut the door, and said, "It'll be training for the future." Damian went back to the wheel, and said, "Alright, lads - Set sail! Keep the cannons down - for all we know, Elizabeth might've already won!" And ao, they were off - going back the way they came,

Ah Tabai

Ah Tabai watched as Arabella disappeared with Read's child. He just sat there quietly, holding Read's body as the tears streamed down his face. He could hear Bonny's anguished screams from below deck, and the shouts of the female Assassins that were helping her. Yet there he sat, as still as a sandbar. He was still worried about Elizabeth. Was she alright? Was she still alive? How would she react to Read's death, especially since the two loved each other like sisters?

"It certainly is strange, but you're not the one trusting your maintenance to someone who committed the injuries themselves."

He sighed, as he felt the wear of the battle upon him. He winced, but did his best to hide the pain he felt as she reset his hand. When she was done he curled it into a fist, feeling the normality begin to return to his hand. He took a long sigh, glad to feel better again. As she began to deal with his split cheek, he nodded curtly, and ushered Daniel forward.

"Go on, Elizabeth. I'm sure you have your goals and deals to make in this. I'm certainly not against a parley, at least not yet. We'll see how the next few minutes fare."

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

"True, yet here I am, treating the wounds of the man who tortured me, and took my child from me. If I wanted to kill you right now,  Commodore, you'd be dead." Elizabeth stood before the Commodore with her hood drawn, and the black fabric mask obscuring the better part of her face.
"I know I'm a wanted woman, and the chances of me leaving this battle, never mind this room, are slim to none. I suppose I should have seen this coming, after everything I've done." Elizabeth placed a corncob pipe on the Commodore's desk, along with some Spanish gold. "For a proper parley, and it will help with the pain." Elizabeth was probably insane for treating the Commodore's wounds, especially after everything he had done to her. "I know that you are going to kill me, so I have come to discuss the terms of my death. As you know, I am a pirate, and a very successful one at that, so I wish to die a pirate's death. Death by hanging. However, I have three conditions. One, Thatch's head is to be delivered to the Old Avery at Nassau. Two, my people are to be left alone for a month, for the sake of mourning. Three, my husband is to be left alone for the rest of his life. He will not be pursued by the British ever again." Elizabeth hung her head as she thought of her husband. "If I am to leave this place, alive, then let me know what I must do." Elizabeth leaned over Stodd, and cupped her hand around his ear. "I will even betray my Brotherhood, and join the Templars if that is what must be done" Elizabeth whispered into the Commodore's ear before she returned to her place amongst the Assassins. "Not a word. Do not think I am weak or cowardly for what I just said. It is merely a suggestion. At least then I will be able to ensure the safety of my husband."

The Commodore hated it, but in the end, for all the hate he harboured for Elizabeth, for all the things he wanted to see done to her, he couldn't deny the honour she held. She had a bloodlust, as all people did, and a keen desire for vengeance and justice for her goals, but she had honour for those she cared for. He realised it a while ago. He couldn't deny it, not now.

"As far as I am concerned, your husband could come and live in London with me. Be he pirate or not, he is a man who suffers for that which he surely does not have control over. I have given him pain without need for it, I'm sure. That's not fair on any person. I can give you my word I will never chase him down, and the word that any men under my command will not. But you must understand that, if he is to commit crime in the eyes of the crown, it will be out of my control."

Stodd leant forward, grabbing the pipe and admiring it. He pulled some fine tobacco from his desk and then a small match, lighting the herb and letting the sensation ease him. He sat up straight, and looked to the Assassins pirate in the eyes, through the darkness of her hood. Bringing her to Port Royal was his goal; the fate of any others was not something he concerned himself with. But he had to address it.

"I am sorry to say the same goes for your people. Should they cause a stir, they will be caught, they will be convicted, and they will be hung. If they and your husband are wise, and lay low, they may go their entire lives without ever having to see me or anyone of my branch ever again. I can hope that is what they get. But..."

Stodd scratched his chin gently, through his small goatee. He had to think about Thatch's head quite a bit. He had no authority over it, or even over the area it was now in; Hampton, Virginia. It was there to intimidate. He just didn't know.

"I can speak to people I know. Admirals, Governors, Templars. I'll see about getting Thatch's head to you... Assuming his head isn't anything more than a skull at this point."

Daniel stormed to the desk, looking down at the Commodore. He was about to say something he'd regret, but not before Roger stood and held his hand out, telling the man to keep his mouth shut. The two glared at each other, before Stodd looked to Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth Shay, Demon, Satan, Wife, Pirate, Assassin. As Commodore of the Royal Navy of the British Empire and its Colonies, I hereby sentence you to death by hanging. You shall be taken the brig, and transported to Port Royal, where you will await your fate."

The Commodore walked over to her, and put a hand on her shoulder. He looked into her eyes, and almost smiled.

"For what it's worth, I expected this to end differently."

(Oh my God. I'm literally writing this with tears in my eyes eyes.)

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

Elizabeth hung her head as a lump formed in her throat, and she had to fight back the tears. "Thank you, Commodore Stodd. It would seem you are a man of more honour than I had originally thought." Elizabeth turned to the Assassins, and handed a letter to one of them, "See to it that this gets to Sam. Tell him... Tell him I'm sorry, and I love him."
"Yes, Mistress Donnelly." The Assassins bowed to Elizabeth, and left the Commodore's quarters. Elizabeth turned to the Commodore, held her head high, and lowered her hood.
"One last thing, before you have me sent to the brig. Do you think word of my execution will reach the rest of the ports before the day? It would be nice to see a friendly face or two before I leave this world, and I know my execution is the only way I will be able to see my husband for the last time. I did the same for Rackham's execution, and his smile upon seeing a friendly face in his final moments, it was the purest smile I have ever seen."

As the Schooner pulled closer to where Damian was sure where the fight was, he grinned to see that the cannons had stopped firing. "Good, good..." he said quietly. As the Schooner pulled within close enough range, Damian handed the wheel over back to the captain, climbed the front mast, which was barley tall as half a brig's, and yelled, "Where is Elizabeth?! We've returned, and..." He choked up on the words, and said, "...And we bear bad news!"

The small group of Assassins that had stood beside Elizabeth, boarded the schooner. They all looked terribly depressed.
"Mistress Donnelly... She... She sacrificed herself. She had a parley with the Commodore, and turned herself in. Her sacrifice is not for naught. The Commodore agreed that our people would be left alone for an entire month, longer if we don't cause a stir. Thatch's head shall be returned to Nassau, and Master Donnelly would be free of pursuers, so long as he does not commit any crimes. The price, Elizabeth has been sentenced to death by hanging. She asked for a pirate's death." Ah Tabai seemed to enter a catatonic state when he heard of Elizabeth's fate. He had now lost both of his "daughters". Ah Tabai firmly held Read's corpse against him, and the tears began to flow once again.

"The news will spread, I'm certain. I remember being told pirates found their way all around the seas when the great pirates were given their fates, be they trialed and executed, or died in battle. Pirates apparently made a few trips to Ocracoke Island after Thatch's demise, and many soon-to-be pirates witnessed the executions of Kidd for themselves. I'd be shocked if, after the stops we'll have to make on the way back to Port Royal, word of your own fate doesn't reach the other side of the ocean before your trial."

The Commodore spoke every word honestly; a pirate, an Assassin, a Templar, and a person of many ties like her would not die without the eyes of many upon her. He was certain of that. He looked to Daniel and frowned, ushering the man out with a single hand. The Assassin stormed out, slamming the door shut behind him.

"As much as I'd like to make use of this time for pleasantries, many men and women wait outside to know what becomes of this battle. I think it's best we address the outcome now. People need to get home, ships need to get repairs, and medicine needs to be used. Should you tell them, or should I?"

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

"I was there when he died, you know. Stayed at his side until the bitter end while Kenway ran off with his tail between his legs. To make things worse, they tied me up, forced me to watch as they chopped off his head and nailed it to the Jane, all before using me as a target for them to practice their archery. But you'd rather not hear my stories." Elizabeth stood in thought for a moment, and lowered the fabric mask. Her wounds left exposed for all to see. "You should tell them. I have no more glory to gain, so I'll let you have this victory. Besides, I'd rather not admit my shame to my family." Elizabeth held her head high as the tears finally escape her eyes, and she held the pendant that her husband had given her. "Allow me to say my farewell to the pirates, and the Assassins. I know I won't get to say anything at my execution, so allow me to speak my heart now."

At the news of Elizabeth soon-to-be-hanged, Damian'ss frown deepened. He seemed a bit furious, but held it in. "I swear... If I can kill the Commodore, and shoot the rope around Elizabeth... Yes, yes... I can... Maybe, I can..." He started rambling ideas, starting to be mpre and more incoherent - something about gunpowder, about launching it, causing a distraction... or, possibly even firing cannons closest to where the commodore was... Maybe, maybe... Damian was now completely rambling now - some words understandable, some not.

[Oh my god. I just realised, slang is slang for "Shortened Language." Shortened Language. How did I not realise this.]

Ah Tabai and Morgana O'Reilly

"No, no. It- It can't be true. Elizabeth... Mary... No!"
"Mentor..." The Assassins sat beside their Mentor, and shared his grief.
"Why?"
"She did it for love, Mentor. She did it for Samuel. For all of us." Ah Tabai looked up to Damian, and hung his head. He didn't know what to do.
"And she did it in grief" Morgana added as she joined the group.
"Grief?"
"Aye. She was pregnant when she was shot. Lost the child..." Morgana turned to face Damian, "That's why we took so long in the bathroom when we removed the bullet... She was having a miscarriage." Morgana sat on the railing, and looked to the HMS Queen's Night. "What are we going to do? We can't just let this happen."

Damian, finished rambling, gained a grin. Not a friendly grin - a mad grin. A grin, that belonged to a madman whoms sole purpose was one - Destruction. He broke into a small laughter - a very mad one, perhaps. When he finished, he said, still grinning, "Oh, I know the perfect way... I need 50 small barrels of gunpowder, five catapults... and ten of our best marksmen. No - Eleven. We need the extra for the rope. Yes, yes... it will work just fine... juuuuust fine... We'll also need five more Assassins... ones with great training in killing without detection... Yes, yes..." Damian was planning one of the maddest things he had came up with - Or, as many, many people would call it...