May the Father of Understanding Guide Us (Open)

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

"No need for rights to be read, Commodore. I know that bastard up there doesn't give a rat's arse about any of us, then again, I never believed in him." Elizabeth packed the pipe again, and lit it. The stench of the smoke seemed to fill her cell, and she closed her eyes as the pain seemed to fade away. "So if, by some miracle, I join the Templars, and escape my fate at the gallows... I won't have to hunt Assassins, will I?" There was a sense of fear in her voice, fear that she might have to kill those she once called brother, fear that she might die at the end of a blade because of her betrayal. But mostly, her voice was filled with regret. She

Ah Tabai

"She... What... Why?" Ah Tabai dropped his spear in shock. "Our Elizabeth might join our enemy?!" Ah Tabai couldn't believe what he was hearing. One of his star students might join the Templars.
"Look, we all know Elizabeth. If she is fixing to join the Templars, she must have a plan, and a damned good reason" one Assassin said as he stepped forward.
"Mister England, how good of you to join us."
"Aye. Look, Elizabeth is like a caged animal right now. Backed into a corner with no way out. If there's one thing I know, it's that Elizabeth puts her family and honour before all else. Remember, she hates the Templars more than the rest of us. So let us see what our young Mistress does." Tiago came around the corner, dragging the corpse of a British soldier behind him, and dumped the corpse in a pile of hay.
"That's probably five so far, but I'm going to have to..." Tiago eyed Daniel cautiously before he whispered something to Ah Tabai, and raced off.
"Elizabeth has always remained loyal to the Assassins, even if a few beat her and flayed her. I have faith in her, Captain" Ah Tabai said as he grabbed his spear, and left for the gallows with the rest of the Assassins.

Daniel sighed, rubbing his head softly, as the Assassins made way out of the bureau. He'd been in the Order long enough to know they were heading for the fort, and in that moment he had to decide; help his friend and partner convert an Assassin to the Templars, or let the one person he most cared for die, likely along with a number of other Assassins and innocent men. It was almost a no brainer. He turned and rushed out of the bureau, moving with swiftness.

"Ah Tabai! You cannot do this! You will only bring tragedy to the Assassins! Even if you succeed, countless of the Order will die trying to get in there! It is more defended then it has ever been! Isn't it more important that Elizabeth is alive, not that she is an Assassin? If you get there and they manage to hold you off, the Commodore will have no hope of keeping her safe. She will be hung without question. You'd sentence her to death!"

---

Roger looked around the room, frowning as he did so. It was a mixture of the larger, heavier guards, and the officers that often patrolled with them. An extremely capable group. He could see in their movements where their allegiance lay. Many of them were simple British soldiers, but more of them bore the weight and the movements of Templars. The rite had sent men to watch him.

"If by some miracle I can convince them to let you in, you will be safe. I cannot say any more than that right now. I fear we're not in a safe location here."

His voice was low, and he was weary, as he held his back up against the bars. It was then, as a man walked right by him, and stared into his soul, that he heard footsteps. Someone was running to him, and he hoped it was the right person. They were quiet, as they handed him a letter. It bore twin symbols - the Union Jack, and hidden beneath it, a wax stamp of the Templar cross.

"The Father of Understanding guides us well, it seems."

He split the seal, and began to read.

Ah Tabai

"We are not heading to the fort, Whitehorn, we're going off to rest, and think things through. I am well aware of the security in the prison. No doubt it has increased due not only to the recent escape, but the fact that the Demon dwells within." Ah Tabai sat on a crate, and held his head. "Elizabeth is doomed either way. She either dies at the gallows like so many of her friends, or she dies at our hands. The second being an option I would rather avoid." Tiago went off to the brothel to gather information, and find some more men to kill.

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

Elizabeth looked over the Commodore's shoulder, and silently read the letter.
"Watched and guided entirely by you? Sounds fair enough. Just a small problem, the Navy doesn't allow women on their ships. So, there's that. But I beg of you, Commodore, do not make me hunt Assassins. My husband is an Assassin, and I do not want to kill him! Otherwise, well, you can march me up to the gallows right now, and be done with it." Elizabeth leaned against the cell wall, and examined the letter that Tiago had given her. There was a black spot beneath the seal, and it sent a shiver down her spine. While a black spot was a promise of death between pirates, it was a sign that someone had died in the Assassin Brotherhood. Elizabeth slid the letter beneath the bars, allowing it to rest at the Commodore's side. "Please, tell me who has died, I can't bring myself to read it."

Damian was making last minute preperations - grabbing an extra  bag of bullets, making sure the gunpowder was filled to the brim, making sure his armor was perfectly one. He had a chestplate he purchased was shined and buffed, tight enough to stay on for months on end. He also shined and cleaned the helmet the best he could, before he put it on. "Time to save 'Lizabeth, and kill all the bastards..." He exited the room, and donned on a special pair of robes - the pirate Robes Elizabeth gave him a year ago or so.

(Random Fact:The only reason why an American Presidency lasted 8 years was because after George Washington was president of 8 years, he essentialy just went "I'm tired. I want to go home now." And that's it. He just left. Nothing signed - he was just tired.)

Morgana O'Reilly

Morgana had been preparing for the inevitable battle that would occur the following day, and she was now in the process of sharpening her claymore. She noticed some shifty looking Assassins mucking about by a ship she hadn't seen before. They seemed to scatter when they saw an Assassin in shark-grey robes emerge from the captain's quarters. One of the Assassins lingered for a while, almost as if they were targeting the Assassin with the shark-grey robes.

"Damian, who is the Assassin that wears shark-grey robes with sort of seaweed-green trims" Morgana asked as she joined Damian. "He seemed to be wearing a pendant similar to Elizabeth's?"

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

Elizabeth watched as an odd looking rat scurried into her cell, and sat at her feet. Curious, Elizabeth picked up the rat. A small scroll was attached to the rat's belly. Elizabeth removed the scroll, and the rat raced off. She unrolled the tiny scroll, and smiled as she read it.
"I'll take that execution, Commodore. But have someone ready for a switch, just incase." Elizabeth quickly hid the message, and returned to her pipe.

Damian had kneeled down and took out his rifle when Morgana asked him the question. "Shark-grey robes? Pendant like 'Liz's?" He asked, making sure the rifle was loaded and ready. "Somethin' 'long the lines of, ah... Daniel Whitewhore or something? Not so sure..." He took his sword out of the sheath, and laid it beside him. "Well, anywho.. somethin' I know 'bout 'im... he's been seen communicatin' with Templars..." It still felt weird talking about Templars in such a matter - despite not being in the order for a few years, it still felt like treachery to speak so un-kindly of Templars.

The Commodore read the message slowly, sighing as he recognised the name of the decently esteemed pirate. She wasn't a captain, as far as he knew, but still a skilled fighter. He let out a low sigh, as he folded it back up and put it back in the cell.

"Mary Read."

He looked back out at the people around them, and then sighed, as he began a patrol; the cell stayed in his view, and he ensured that the pirate within was also in his sight. He had one of the larger men wait at the gate of the cell, watching the pirate within the entire time. After a while, he returned to the cell, and had the guard move on. That was when she spoke again.

"Elizabeth, that sounds eerily like something you'd say if you knew Assassins were here to help you. Either you are executed, or you are not. There is no messing about in between. If you wish to live, you simply come with me when the time comes, and no one in the fort says a word. If you wish to be executed, you are escorted to the gallows, and you are executed. It's very simple."

He looked at her now, stern. His voice and manner of speaking had returned to what it was back when they'd been truer enemies, as he now expected and almost feared some typically convoluted Assassins plot.

---

Daniel simply sat, rubbing his head. He thought for a while on what Ah Tabai had said, and then racked his mind for everything he knew of Roger, and all possible hints or ties he'd shown of his bond with the Templar Order.

"Roger doesn't like Assassins. He fights them and kills them if he has the chance, but he's no hunter. I do not expect him to make Elizabeth into some private killer. If anything, she's going to be disguised and made out to be his wife, or something. Chances are he'll sail to Portugal and drop her off, and tell her not to return to any lands monitored by the Royal Navy. Might not be a bad idea, really."

It was certainly the influence of knowing a Templar making him think, as he realised that in this moment, all he needed to do was stand and pull out his gun to have the head of the Assassins in the Caribbean at his mercy.

"I think I need a break from the navy for a while..."

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

Elizabeth looked at the Commodore before she hung her head. She remembered how her husband had to shoot his own brother because he was a Templar, and his brother almost killed his apprentice.
"Then I choose death, Commodore. I will not put my husband through the shame of losing another loved one to the Templar Order." She knew that some of her former Mentor's men still hated her, especially after she had killed him. If they killed her husband, that would be the final push that would drive her into the arms of the Templars. "There's a reason why I said that, Commodore. My husband will be present at my execution tomorrow. I have enemies within the Brotherhood, and they will most likely try to kill my husband in order to inflict pain upon me. If they do kill him, I would gladly join the Templars, just for the sake of killing those bastards."

Ah Tabai

"Elizabeth will not be so quick to leave her husband. She would sooner die than lose him. She once killed six of our finest Assassins when they threatened to kill him. I fear that if he dies, Elizabeth may very well join the Templars, and kill us all." Ah Tabai drew his hood further over his face, and thought about Elizabeth and Samuel. He was worried that Elizabeth might actually die, but he was even more worried that she would turn to the Templars if her husband were to die.

Morgana O'Reilly

Morgana stroked her chin in thought.
"No, that bastard is still speaking with Ah Tabai. Besides, he normally wears the British Royal Navy uniform. This man isn't Royal Navy, a pirate most likely. I think his brig's name was the Soul Wave? He wouldn't happen to be Liz's husband, would he?" Tiago had left the group at some point, and made his way to the Soul Wave.

The Commodore thought for a moment. He scratched his head beneath his hat, thinking, looking around the block. The Templar agents were watching rather intently, but many others were simply playing games, chatting, not even paying attention. He saw a group gambling - chances were it was something to do with Elizabeth. Sailors liked to bet on things like how long it'd take a hanging pirates neck to break. It alleviated the stress and dehumanised the acts of the piracy movement as a whole. But he didn't have time for it now.

"Everyone. Give miss Shay and I ten minutes of privacy, if you will. I have something I need to say without the ears of others listening in."

Most simply shrugged and made their way out, but some gave him glares - they knew he was talking to them. He watched and waited, heard the door lock, and then waited a little bit longer, before looking down at the one once called 'Demon', now simply called prisoner.

"I want you to listen to me. I want you to think on everything I say in this moment. I have no intention on saying it again."

Stodd moved out into the open area of the block, looking at the other empty cells. Some weren't; some had the remains, or the soon-to-be remains of other pirates, drunk or insane, or starved. They couldn't understand him at this point. They didn't even know where they were.

"I wanted to say this to you when we were out of here. I am certain we are still being listened to, but it needs to be said now. I do not want you dead any longer, I thought that much obvious. I have made contact and used every favour I had to convince the Royal Navy, the Governance, and the Templars to spare you. As far as I am concerned, dead or not, my victory has been had. I will be admired and I will likely be given council with other officers. The Navy, and I, do not care whether you live or die anymore. Your crew, though promised safety, will be tracked until the time comes they can be arrested. They will be offered their final choice; pardons, or executions. The navy doesn't see any use for you anymore. The Templars, too, are only accepting you out of what I have said. No one has any care for whether you live or die. I am doing this for you. You are more use to this world alive than dead, and you know that. I know that. Your husband, your friends, they all know it."

He walked around the block, looking into the cells as he did so.

"I fear what may come of this, but I have no intention of remaining with the Templars after all of this. This war between our factions, it gets in the way of things I deem far more important. I have no intention of joining the Assassins, but I am certainly done being another branch of the Templar vine. I know full well there are both Templars and Assassins on my ship, many came when I had it bought. They all want to end me, some with blades, some with words. With you on my ship, I can rout the Templar agents, and I can hopefully ensure the Assassins leave me be. You will be on my ship, and you will be under my protection. And, I will be under yours. We will have enemies. But after all of this is said and done, I will be free of this entire ordeal, and you will, hopefully, be safe to live. The Navy will forget you existed; you will be free to operate as an Assassin. I am doing this, all of this, I am putting my career and my life on the line, because I know that without you, whatever balance of power is left in this region with Thatch and the others gone, will finally be gone. I do not want that. No one wants that."

Only a few minutes after his speech, the guards came back in. Some were eating, some were still playing cards. Others returned to staring at the Commodore and his prisoner. Roger noted that nearly half of the Templar agents were gone, likely to relay their experiences back to their masters. He looked at the pirate in her cage, and nodded.

"I am not going to let you hurt anyone, and I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. Do you understand me?"

---

"Why not, I don't know, avoid threatening to kill him then? Or is this problem to do with some less-than-friendly bunch that share my sentiments on the pirates in the Order?"

Daniel genuinely didn't know what Ah Tabai was worrying about. He'd been on the open ocean for much of the Assassins ordeals, so he'd been left greatly out of the loop.

Ah Tabai

"We would never threaten to kill her husband. I was the one to marry them. These Assassins hate Elizabeth simply because of who her father was." Ah Tabai looked up at Daniel, and shook his head. "Since you do not know much about Elizabeth, allow me to tell you her story.
Elizabeth was born to Mistress Amanda Kruger, an Assassin, and Grand Master Edwin Shay, an Irishman. When she was seven, she watched as Torres himself murdered her parents. She grew up in the swamps of Nassau, hunted for food and money, and she was almost raped by a gang of twelve men. She stole her first ship at the age of fifteen, and came to Tulum. She was trained by brother Ikan, but he had other plans. He and a few of the others would tie her up, beat her, and flay her until the skin fell from her back. They were the ones who first called her 'Demon', because they always saw her as a Templar. She killed Ikan a few years ago, after he had joined the Templars. But many still remain loyal to Ikan, and they do everything in their power to see her suffer. When they made an attempt on her husband's life, she killed as many of them as she could."  Ah Tabai looked at the dirt beneath him, smiled. "All that girl has known is death, loss, and suffering. It was only natural for her to viciously defend the only people she holds dear."

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

"So I'm the linchpin in this situation? The sole person who can keep the powers of the Carribean in balance? I will join you on your ship, and help out when my assistance is required, just as long as I am left to my own in the brig with some weapons to defend myself. A few essentials will also be necessary, naturally. How long will this arrangement last? I have my own natural desires, and certain duties to my husband." Elizabeth looked at the Commodore, and sat in thought for a few moments. "Look, I don't take kindly to people who look down on men like you and Whitehorn, or women with similar desires. I wouldn't mind taking a few of them out, or teaching them a good lesson. You see, us pirates embrace our desires. All of them" Elizabeth said quietly, yet loud enough for only the Commodore to hear. "I appreciate this. I hope you know that."

"Hold on, I don't understand. Why did Torres kill a Grand Master? I'm surprised he even was able to. He still would've been, what, fifty at the time? I can't imagine Elizabeth is much over twenty. Was it some Romeo and Juliet fiasco?"

Daniel genuinely didn't understand. So much of Elizabeth's life and story confused him. It made him wonder how he'd missed it all for so long. He certainly didn't agree with her methods, and it seemed like she'd been asking for an issue like the current one for a long time, but he still wanted to know the means that led to these ends.

---

Roger simply looked at her. He nodded. He knew she appreciated it. Though he hated the fact, he was starting to like her quite a bit. A strong woman, a proud woman, a woman who stood for and died for what she thought was right.

"If you want to be down in the pits with the rats and the mould, I suppose it's fine. I do have a rather special room on my ship, made for... well, made for someone I loved long ago, and whomever I hoped to love in the future. I'd see it only as a waste for you to be in some rusted old cage as that place lay empty. But, to each their own, I suppose."

The Commodore went back to waiting, sighing and rubbing his head. He'd seen guards walk out, likely the Templars, to tell the others that Elizabeth had chosen to live. When they came back, they'd be ready to move, as long as the decoy was ready.

Ah Tabai

"Mister Shay was the Grand Master of the Irish rite, before miss O'Reilly, and her father before her. Nobody ever figured out how he ended up here, let alone how he ended up working for Torres. Shay was tasked with trading slaves, only, he would free the slaves instead of delivering them to wherever they were meant to be taken. Mistress Kruger took the contract to kill Shay, but when she found out what he was really doing, she spared his life. They fell in love, Shay left the order, and the two were married. About a year later, young Elizabeth was born. Torres was outraged when he eventually found out what Shay had done with the slaves; claimed Shay cost him a fortune. She still has dreams about that night, Elizabeth. That's how Read and Hornigold got their scars."

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

"While your offer sounds wonderful, I'm afraid I must decline, Commodore. I don't particularly like the rats and mould, but the idea of men having their way with me..." A shiver ran down her spine, and Elizabeth seemed to enter a catatonic state as she recalled the events that happened over the years. "Well, I do have a way to deal with the rats, and I have a few brews to deal with the mould. All I need is the chest from my frigate. Then I'll be all set to go." Elizabeth lowered her hood, and ran her fingers through her oily hair. Since her capture, she hadn't been able to wash her hair, and she was almost sick to her stomach because of it "I can't believe I'm doing this, but if it ensures the survival of my husband, and my friends, well then it's something I have to do."

Daniel didn't really know well what to say. It seemed that, with or without her, the Assassins were as an Order going to be struggling to maintain themselves. If she was being hunted by her own kin, surely it could only be disruptive to the efforts of the organisation. He didn't say this, of course; Ah Tabai had likely had enough of this sort of thing already.

Instead, the Captain stood, and made his way back into the market of the port. He ran his hand through his hair, thinking on. He looked at his wrist, at the bracer with the symbol of the Assassins upon it. He flicked his wrist, and let the blade come out. He flicked back, and took a deep breath.

"Perhaps I should pay the fort a visit."

---

The Commodore shrugged, and returned his walking. He respected her decision, and understood all too well the things men deprived of pleasure could do. Or men spoiled on it, in some cases. Of course, he thought there no place less safe than a brig, and no place safer than a room next to his own, but, it wasn't worth going into. He needed to get her chest, and then a ship to bring with them. On most occasions he'd keep her in his sight, on his ship. But when the time came that she needed a break, he'd let her command her own ship. He'd still be on it, but he'd let her command her own ship.

He went to the nearest group of guards, and handed them a small coins purse. He looked them over and sighed; strong, certainly. Smart? Not so much.

"You three. I need you to go to the Tiger Shark, it should be in the port. There will be a chest there, likely in the captains cabin. I need it transported to my ship. Do that, come back, and I'll give you each another bag of coins."

The men nodded and made their way off to the port, as the Commodore ran a hand through his hair, holding his hat in his hand. Getting hold of a brand new ship... That was going to be a little harder. He'd more than spent all his connections on this deal, and most of his money and favours with the Queen's Night. Chances were they'd need to steal one. Perhaps a short sail to Cuba, and a little confrontation with the Spanish could get them said ship. He walked back to the bars, and looked down at Elizabeth.

"You hold no qualms to Spanish ships, I hope."

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

Elizabeth watched as the Commodore sent some men to her ship to collect her chest. She would have loved to have taken her iguana, Altaïr, with her for company, but vegetation was scarce on a ship, so he would most likely starve.
"I have no problem with Spanish ships Commodore. I've actually been fixing to steal a Galleon known as the Liberator, my father's ship. 'Course, Torres took her and her crew after he killed my parents, and burned down my house. If you set me loose at a port where any ship is docked, I can take it in under an hour, by myself. Even a man o' war or a Galleon" Elizabeth said rather proudly. She had taken her first ship while it was docked at Nassau. Killed the original crew, by herself, under the cover of night. But now that she had some experience in taking ships, she could even steal a ship in broad daylight. "Why do you ask, Commodore? Is the crown looking for privateers again?"


One of the guards that returned with the others looked eerily familiar. Dawson, one of Elizabeth's men, had taken it upon himself to hide amongst the British. He was wearing a British uniform; Elizabeth's crew always kept British uniforms, and the British flag, at the ready for when they made their way back to Nassau.
"Found this creature in her quarters. It refused to remove itself from the chest, and the Beast bit me when I tried to remove it by force. Then the blasted thing decided to perch itself on me. Mind getting this beast off of me" Dawson said as he eyed Altaïr cautiously. Altaïr sat proudly on Dawson's shoulder.
"Come along, Altaïr." Upon hearing Elizabeth call his name, the iguana leapt off of Dawson's shoulder, and raced over to Elizabeth. "I think I'll take that room now, Commodore" Elizabeth chuckled as the iguana tried to make his way under Elizabeth's robes like he had done as a hatchling. "Altaïr needs his light. As does the plant."

The Commodore had been pleased, when Elizabeth said she'd take the room. Part of him was glad to know she'd be safe, but part of him was also glad to know she would be under his watch. He took a deep sigh, as time went by finally. It was quiet. The iguana was with Elizabeth, and the guards were on patrol. It took some time before anything interesting occurred, as two guards entered the block and made way over to the Commodore, speaking to him quietly. As they spoke he looked over to Elizabeth's cell, and nodded to the guards a few times, before making way to it, and with his keys, opened up the gate.

"Your replacement is being escorted to the gallows. The Governor is even in attendance. He wishes very much to see your end, it seems. I'm going to take you out in an outfit I had prepared, in the case that you'd see reason. It's a formal dress, as well as a hat. It should well enough hide you when I escort you out. If we're questioned, you're a widow coming to see the remains of your lover down here. I'm sure you're smart enough to think of anything else that might come up."

Two guards let as another walked into the cage, to offer help to the pirate if she needed it. Almost instantly the guards returned, holding in their hands a large blue gown, with a hat with an oriental feather. It was almost like it was designed to be a disguise; only her face would be exposed, and even that would be able to hide behind the hat.

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

Elizabeth looked at the dress, and let out a sigh. She hated dresses with a passion; anything that she couldn't run in, Elizabeth hated.
"If you insist" Elizabeth said with a sigh. "A moment of privacy, if you wouldn't mind." Elizabeth's words were directed solely to the guards.

Once the guards had taken their leave, Elizabeth removed her robes, and changed into the dress. The scars on her back were exposed for quite some time as Elizabeth fought her way into the dress. It was clear that she had lost most of the flesh during her beatings and flayings.

"So this is it? This is how I cheat death?" Elizabeth grabbed her things, put on the hat, and carefully hid Altaïr beneath all the layers of her dress. "I'm ready when you are, Commodore" Elizabeth said as she looked at her wedding ring, and tilted her hat to hide her tears. Her husband was there, and she wouldn't even be able to let him know that she will live, that it wasn't her at the gallows.

"This is how you cheat the British Royal Navy, it's Empire, the colonies in the West Indies, everyone. This is no official pardon, remember that."

The Commodore held out a hand for the woman, watching as guards began to patrol the prison proper, himself taking a rather deep breath. He didn't know Elizabeth, so every moment he saw of her or the like he learnt more about her. The scars on her back, the massive gashes, they told him more than he'd wanted to know in an instant. Life of a Pirate indeed.

He had little fears of this operation; British troops could be pushed aside easily enough, and any ne'er do wells would be dealt with by him and his companion. But he knew Assassins were here, and he knew Templars were here, and he knew had no trust with either. There was a good chance the likes of Daniel, Morgana, and any of Elizabeth's friends had found there way here not long ago. He'd need to move her quickly to the ship, and then set off to Cuba. If Torres had taken a galleon, it'd be there he'd find clues to its whereabouts. And, ironically, it'd be there he and his 'partner' would be safest from the British, though perhaps not the other parties.

"Come with me, miss Johannesburg. I'm sorry to have had you see this."

As they walked through the doors into the upper blocks, Roger was quick to turn the act on. They'd only need to keep it up till they were out of range of the fort, and that wouldn't take too long. He hoped.

(Johannesburg?! I almost had a heart attack!)

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

Elizabeth made sure to keep an eye on all the usual Assassin hiding places. She started to think as she walked. If she was still going to have to join the Templars, she would need to come up with something else to wear. Not the dress, nor her robes. Elizabeth looked down at the coat Hornigold had given her quite some time ago, and smiled as she came up with an idea. She was known as the Demon, or Satan. Now she would carry a new name, however, names were earned. Elizabeth thought of the various names that she might be called by Assassin, British, Pirate, and Templar alike. Deserter? Possibly. Traitor? Definitely!

A cold washed over her when she saw a familiar face in the crowd.
"S- Sam... My love..." Elizabeth said softly as she looked upon her husband's face. She had so much she wanted to say, but she noticed something that made her blood boil. A group of Ikan's men were approaching Samuel from the rear.

"Run, Sam" Elizabeth roared, but it was too late. Ikan's men had shot Samuel; the bullet ripped through his chest. In a fit of unbridled rage, Elizabeth tore away from the Commodore, and raced to her husband's side. "Sam, I- I'm so sorry..." Elizabeth cried as she held Samuel in her arms, and desperately tried to stop the bleeding. The tears flowed furiously from her eyes as she looked into Samuel's eyes. "Please don't leave me. I need you."

Elizabeth gently laid down her husband, and wiped the tears from her eyes. She calmly drew the Donnelly family sword from its sheath, and pulled the pistol from its holster. "We'll meet again, love. I promise" Elizabeth sobbed before she planted a gentle kiss on Samuel's lips. She made sure that the pistol was loaded, and ran off to kill her husband's murderers.

"C- Commodore... Do you think we could stop at Great Inagua on the way" Elizabeth asked shakily as she arrived on the deck, holding her husband's body in her arms. "If there is still any way for me to join the Templars, please, tell me!" Elizabeth was covered in dried blood, and tears streamed down her face. "This should be enough to prove my loyalty to you" Elizabeth said coldly as she dropped an Assassin's head on the deck. She stood before the Commodore as an emotional wreck, tears streaming from her eyes, and her whole body shaking from her crying.

The whole thing had gone to Hell and back. As soon as she'd seen her husband there, she was distracted. And when the gunshots went off, Roger knew the plan was botched. She ran off and he had to move quick; Assassins weren't too friendly to either of them, but certainly not he. He'd managed to make it back to the village, and as his men ran to the ship to set off, he was caught off guard.

"Where's your new playing card, Commodore? Dropped it on the way here and left it in the dust like the others?"

Roger spun quick, drawing his blade, and staring at the man in the bright blue coat. He frowned, silent, as he held his sword out long, ready to strike if he had to. He was too close now, and if Daniel had broken under the weight of the situation, Roger would have no qualms putting him down.

"I saw what happened back there. A few men shot up that wenches lover, and that'll all it took to drive her mad. Do you think that, when you're on that ship, when you try to do to her what you did to me, do you think she'll remember the dead baby you gave her? Think about it. You'd be safer under the ocean."

Roger frowned, ignoring the words of his friend. The two walked around each other slowly, as Daniel attempted to make his now-foe tick. He'd tried it before, in numerous sparring sessions. Never had it worked. Roger wasn't entirely sane, that was for sure, but he was far from an instrument to be played. He watched the eyes of the Brit hard, and waited. Daniel's right foot faced out. Roger moved, and struck, his blade cutting at the Captains hand, sending his sword into the dust.

Daniel moved in fast, his blade to the Commodore's neck. Roger snarled, staring Daniel in the eyes, fury cast over his face. He still bore the scars of the run in with Elizabeth, which now seemed so long ago. The London born man took a deep breath, thinking of what to say. The Scot beat him to it.

"You'll hunt me, but you'll never kill me. I'm not your enemy. You know full well my death would have you cast from the Navy; killing the man who brought down Elizabeth Shay, one of few men to claim a place in the downfall of piracy itself. That'll see you courtmartialed. Certainly, in your Order, you'll be honoured. But they'll never trust you properly. You'll always be the navy boy, the friend of the Commodore who doomed the Demon. You need to go back, for a while, and think, Daniel."

The British Assassins huffed, frowned, and let out a roar of anger as he flicked his wrist back, and let the blade burst through the air by Roger's neck, resting on his shoulder. Daniel tossed the Commodore to the ground and growled as he made his way out of the village, confused now, and angry with himself. Roger watched him leave and stood, brushing himself down and making way to the man-of-war. His crew was rushing about, readying to leave.

Roger took his coat off, setting it down on his desk. He had to think. He had to, just...

"'scuse me Com'dore, but, the pira'e Elizabeff Shay is down at port. Looks like she's 'eadin' 'ere."

Roger groaned and straightened up, setting down his hat and making his way outside to the deck, shocked to see the pirate covered in blood, carrying the body of a man in her arms; the same man she'd fought for. Her husband. He was even more shocked, as was his crew, when a disembodied head was dropped to the deck, still with its white hood on. An Assassin, executed, by another Assassin. Lord only knows how many others she'd put down on the way here.

"Weigh anchor! Trim the sail! We're heading for Inagua!"

The crew broke into work, soldiers setting down their weapons and working on the ships sails and ropes, as the helmsman tore the ship from the port, and the HMS Queen's Night began its trip north. Roger took Elizabeth to the cabin deck beneath the quarterdeck, escorting her to her room. He locked the door behind them and rubbed his face, looking at her and the cadaver in her hands.

"Elizabeth... This..."

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

Elizabeth sat in the corner near her chest, still hugging the body as if her husband were just sleeping. She had failed the both of them. Elizabeth seemed to have entered a trance as the loss was just too great for her. First her unborn child, then Mary Read, and now, her husband. She was a broken woman.
"It- It's all my fault. He..." Elizabeth burst out crying as she buried her face in her husband's robes. "No... Sam... I- I'm so sorry..." The once proud Demon had been reduced to nothing short of a sobbing wreck. "What is it, Commodore" Elizabeth asked as she looked up at the Commodore. Her eyes were red, her chest heaving as sobs wracked her body, and her voice was thick with pain.

Ah Tabai

Ah Tabai looked at the bodies of three Assassins, and hung his head.
"So it has come to this?" Ah Tabai made his way to the Maybelle, hoping that the Butchers, and Tiago had escaped the Demon's wrath. He didn't see Elizabeth's face, but he knew it was her by how she fought like some creature from hell.

"Keep your guard up. We have a new enemy. One who knows our secrets, one who will not hesitate to kill." Ah Tabai sat on the railing, and looked over the town. He was still trying to wrap his head around what had happened. He had feared the day Elizabeth would join forces with the Templars, and now that he knew what had driven her into the arms of the Templars, he knew she would be twice as violent than ever before, utterly ruthless, and her thirst for blood would be insatiable. "Captain Butcher, it would be wise for you to stay close to your fiancé. I suggest you keep a weapon on you at all times."

The Commodore walked over to the young pirate, not sure what to do. He wanted to take away the mans corpse, and have it taken care of; cleaned, prepared, for when they arrived in Inagua. But he knew not to try and pry the dead from those they loved. He got down to her level, looking in her eyes.

"Elizabeth. Blaming yourself wont do you or anyone else any good. I'm not going to lecture you, but you need rest. And, I think you need to... space yourself, from him. I can have him cleaned, made ready for when we dock. You can't just sit here cradling him."

Consoling a hurt person wasn't something the Commodore was best at. His crew and soldiers served him because he was smart and skilled, not because he was kind. He scratched his head and sighed again, wishing there was something he could say.

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

Elizabeth looked down at her husband's corpse, and sighed. She still couldn't believe what had just happened. She looked up at the Commodore with an expression just as emotionless as the iguana slinking along the floor.
"It's quite alright, Commodore. I rarely sleep, and I have buried everyone I have ever held dear, save for Read." Elizabeth opened the rather large chest, and pulled a bottle of rum from its depths. "I think it only right that I continue my tradition, and do this by myself..." Elizabeth nursed the bottle of rum before she finally stood up, removed some items from her chest, and set her husband's corpse on the bed. "Would you mind if I had some time alone? To prepare him for his burial?" The pain would never leave, but hopefully it would dull over time. At least the crying had stopped.


Morgana O'Reilly

"So what are we going to do now" Morgana asked as she paced along the deck of the Maybelle. She was worried about what was going to happen to them. She wasn't quite sure what was happening anymore. All she knew, was that something was terribly wrong.

As Damian worryingly paced about the back area of his ship, he thought of what might happen. If Elizabeth was a Templar, basically, would it have to result in him killing her, or her killing him? Or will both die, or neither? God, he had hoped it was all just a trick - a ruse, tricking the Templars and the Royal Navy. Upon Morgana's advice, he quickly gave Arabella a sword he owned from a few years back - since Damian's family name were wealthy, and, practically nobles, he had her trained in the art of Fencing and Disarming by a expert. Boy, that cost a ton of pounds. Somewhat literately, you could say. She at least knew how to Disarm an opponent, and how to stab at correct areas - in their fencing, they had to stab - more of a poke - at the softer and more vulnerable spots as usual. That led to a very... embarrassing... moment in training, where she poked him down below. With the sword. Let's just say he lay on the couch for a few minutes - more like a couple hours.

{Also - Another random fact: Remember the Mirror of the Erised? It's a Mirror. Mirror of the Erised - Desire eht fo rorriM. Erised is Desire backwards.}

The Commodore did as he thought best. He left her to the room, locking the door behind him and sighing softly, rubbing his head. He looked at the soldiers and sailors and men running around the deck, and then at the two either side of the doors.

"No one comes in. That's your sole duty."

He made way over his ship, inspecting everything. Even a few seconds shaved off of their speed could make all the difference. A frigate could catch up to them quite easily, and it only needed to be one Assassin filled frigate to cause problems. He inspected the ropes, the sails, everything he could, he did. It all seemed fine, for now. A few hours later he made way to his room, intending to write a letter to the Templar office in Cuba. One of his men blocked him at the door, holding a paper package, with a letter on it. He said it was from the Governor. Roger took it and headed in, setting it down on the table.

The Commodore pulled it the letter first, and looked at it for a while. The seal of the Lord High Admiral, the anchor with a two looped rope, was on the wax. The Admiralty. Roger broke the seal and unfolded the letter, reading it slowly. By the time he was done he had to collapse into his seat. It wasn't what he'd expected and withe everything else, it just lead to more emotional confusion.

He didn't need to write anything. He got up and made way to the chest by the door, where he'd spotted a package wrapped in paper. He tore it open and held up the long blue and gold coat, far more decorative than his own. He had to admit, it'd be a nice replacement for his own now thoroughly damaged one. He'd been wearing his old captains coat since then.

Walking up to the helmsman, the newly appointed Admiral Roger Stodd looked over the ship and crew. His new position had surprised almost no one; he'd been in the eyes of the Navy Board for some time now, and his only reason for being held back had been his attitude. To quote the letter, 'the capture and role in the execution of pyrate captain Elizabeth Shay' had proved to be the thing most needed on his list of achievements. It seemed the navy was quite content with the diminishing role of pirates in the open waters, and his hand in that was finally being recognised.

"Congratulations, Admiral. T's been a while coming. I suppose you're going to make use of this next chance you get? Considering the men who flocked to you earlier, I imagine now you'll be leading fleets all across the ocean now, fighting off anyone coming near the king or kingdom."

Roger smiled and nodded, almost forgetting what the woman below his feet was going through. He took a long deep breath of the cool crisp air, smiling again. The Admiral of the Royal Navy, of the HMS Queen's Night. He'd heard men talk of him, too, giving him a title after he'd brought down Elizabeth. He liked it; after all, he'd thought of it. The Archangel.

(Fire-water: something of a primitive steroid and energy drink that Elizabeth has been taking for many years to help her in fights when she has been awake for longer than one day.
Horsemen: An Extremely powerful hallucinogen of Elizabeth's own design. Causes user to experience visions of an unholy nature. Drives men to insanity. Often causes burning of flesh, extreme pain, internal bleeding, or death.)
(Dawson is still dressed as an officer of the British Royal Navy)

Elizabeth "Demon/Satan" Shay

After Elizabeth had taken care of her husband's remains, she sat quietly in her room, thinking of everything that had happened. After an hour or so, Elizabeth became self-destructive. She had ingested one of the brews of her own design - a hallucinogen - and was now suffering through the effects of the poison. She constantly switched between anger, pain, and fits of hysterical laughter.

Being hyped up on a dangerous combination of Fire-water and Horsemen, Elizabeth broke her way out of her room.

At some point, Elizabeth managed to find her way topside where she wandered around, talking to people that weren't there. She had lost all sensation, and what little sanity she had left. She was truly insane.
"Captain, let's get you back to your quarters" Dawson whispered as he tried to restrain Elizabeth.
"Lay off me, mate" Elizabeth growled as she slapped the pirate in disguise before she took a swig of rum.
"It's not safe up here, captain." Elizabeth drew her sword, and allowed the tip of the blade to rest against Dawson's neck. Elizabeth seemed to argue with people that were no longer alive. She was arguing with Read and Thatch.

"Admiral, what should we do about her" Dawson asked as he pointed to Elizabeth. She was sitting on the top gallant of the mainmast, shouting profanities to the heavens before she let out an earsplitting screech. "We need to find an outlet for that Siren before she kills us all." Dawson removed his hands from his ears once Elizabeth had finished with her screeching.


Morgana O'Reilly

"So... If Elizabeth escaped, and she is a Templar... Does that mean we're going to have to kill her" Morgana asked nervously. Tiago was guarding Read's baby, but he was still crying at the loss of his Mentor. Elizabeth was like a mother to him, and he had lost her.

(I'm sorry. Everytime I hear "Admiral", I think of Admiral Ackbar from Star Wars. )