Blackbeard's Justice (The Voyages of Queen Anne's Revenge Book 3)

by Jeremy McLean

  After a moment of silence, there was a rap at the door. Edward called to enter, and a crewmate walked in.

  "Captain, we was able to open Locke's chest."

  Edward leaned forward, a slight twinge of a grin tugging at his cheeks. "And…?"

  "The coins're fake, sir. Not real gold."

  Edward shook his head as he chuckled. "Of course they are," he muttered. "You've checked all the coins?"

  The crewmate nodded. "What should we do with them, Captain?"

  Edward looked away in thought for a moment, and then touched the golden cutlass at his side. "Bring it here to my room. It will serve as a reminder of a battle well fought."

  Herbert raised his glass as the crewmate left the room. Edward picked his up again and the two clinked them together again. Herbert drank the rest of his, and set the cup down again without refilling it.

  "I should be heading back. I have to make sure Christina hasn't led us astray."

  "I'm sure it's fine, but there's no harm in being diligent." Edward topped off his glass with a grin and then put the stopper back in the bottle before handing it back to Herbert.

  Herbert began turning himself around, but stopped. "I suppose that reminds me. Where exactly should we be heading now?"

  "Hmm," Edward said, stroking his beard. "That's a good question. The first order of business should be resupplying, so bring us to the nearest port. Perhaps you can send in Victoria on your way up? I'll ask her if she knows anyone who can tell us where our next target is."

  "Aye, Captain."

  As Herbert was heading towards the door of the cabin, it opened and Anne stepped inside. She held the door open for him, and the two exchanged greetings before Herbert left.

  Anne walked over and sat down in front of the table across from Edward. Her long red curls bounced and swayed as she moved, but were stifled slightly by the cap she wore. She let out a sigh and removed the cap from her head.

  "Difficult morning, Quartermaster?"

  "Not so, husband, but without their captain present the crew are harder to control."

  "You managed to bring them in line, I trust?"

  Anne nodded. "After a time." She sat up and rested her arms on the chair. "So, are you feeling better after some sleep?"

  "I am well now that Herbert brought me this," Edward replied with a smirk as he lifted his cup before taking another drink.

  Anne frowned. "Can you talk with me, Edward?" she said, and then leaned forward and placed her hand on his. Her face shifted to a sad look of concern. "You were unable to sleep yesterday, and over-drank to the point of intoxication before returning to bed."

  Edward put the glass down and held his wife's hand. "There is no need for concern. The battle was exciting, and I needed the drink to settle my nerves."

  Anne squeezed his hand. "You know you can talk with me about anything, yes?"

  Anne's concern bled into her voice, and it pained Edward to the core. She was calling out to him to open up, but he couldn't bear to dwell on the thoughts in his head even for a moment. He needed to move forward and forget about the man who haunted his dreams still.

  Edward forced a smile. "I know," he replied and then kissed his wife's hand. "You are too good for me."

  Anne grinned. "That's correct. Should you ever need a reminder, I will be here."

  Edward chuckled, but before he could respond there was another knock at the door. "Enter," he said.

  The door swung open and a crewmate walked in with the chest cradled between his hands as he leaned back for extra support. "Where do ya want it, Captain?"

  Edward pointed to the side of the room, near the back where he could see it from the table where he was sitting. "Over here should do," he said.

  Anne was watching the crewmate over her shoulder as he brought the chest inside. "Why do you wish to keep that chest?"

  "It may not have real gold coins, but it will serve as a nice trophy."

  Anne nodded, still watching the crewmate as he set the chest down. "I should return to the weather deck before the ship falls apart. Will you be joining us sometime today, Captain?" she asked with a smirk.

  Edward grinned along with her. "I'll join you shortly. I called for Herbert to send Victoria in so that we may set our course to find someone who may know where we can find the next of Calico Jack's men."

  "Good. I know the men are eager to find their next quarry." Anne got up from her seat. "Don't be long, Captain. The men are also eager to congratulate you on your victory."

  "I'll be sure not to disappoint."

  Anne and the other crewmate left the cabin, and Edward was alone. With no other distractions, the noises from outside made their way into his cabin—the rush of water surging and slapping against the ship, the shouts and laughter of men working and enjoying themselves, and the subtle noise of sails moving and rope scraping against wood and iron.

  Edward stared at the chest of false gold coins as the noise took over his thoughts. The chest was broken in several places, the bands of iron scraped and bent, the wood chipped and split, and had one large cut coming from the back halfway through the top. He recalled the fight, and how he had made that cut on the chest. Dried blood covered most of the chest in dark splotches, remnants of Edward's final ruining of its former master.

  This is all that's left of you. You're dead and gone, and no one cares about you. You can't touch anyone where you are now. No one will remember your name or your legacy.

  Edward took a deep breath in and held it for a moment before letting it out. For a moment, there was peace in his mind.

  You'll remember, a voice called in Edward's head, shattering his peace.

  He tightened his grip around the cup and drank the rest of its contents in one filling gulp. This time, the scotch stung as it went down his throat. The smokiness of the aged alcohol overpowered everything else and burned his insides.

  The door to his cabin opened abruptly and Victoria walked in. Behind her, Alexandre followed. They both walked up to the table and sat down in the nearby chairs.

  "What did you wish to speak to me about, Captain?"

  "Welcome, and a good day to you as well, Victoria."

  Victoria sighed, showing her distaste for Edward's jesting, and leaned her head on her hand. Alexandre carried his usual indifference in his sullen eyes, but a grin on his face.

  Edward leaned back and let out a different kind of sigh. "I wanted to know if you had any more contacts who may aid us in our search Calico Jack's other allies."

  Victoria sat up and looked away in thought for a moment. "There may be a man in Jamaica who could help us, although as with my acquaintance in Porto Bello, he will not provide information without something in return."

  Edward waved his hand. "That shouldn't be an issue."

  "Do you wish me to inform Herbert?" Victoria asked.

  "No, no… Not necessary. I'll be heading up shortly. My thanks for the information."

  Victoria nodded, then rose from her seat and headed to the door of the cabin. Alexandre stayed seated. Victoria seemed to have known Alexandre was going to stay, and she closed the door on her way out.

  Edward raised his brow. "Something you wished to discuss with me, Alexandre?"

  "Oui. I am concerned with your mental state. I wish to know how you are feeling now that you've killed Mr Locke."

  Edward chuckled and scratched his brow. "Why does everyone insist on asking me how I'm feeling? I'm well, thank you for asking," he said, though he felt exasperated rather than appreciative.

  Alexandre leaned forward in his chair, rested his elbows on his knees, and locked his fingers in front of his mouth. "Oh, is that so?" he said, long and drawn out.

  Edward sat up straight at Alexandre's penetrating gaze. "Yes," he replied firmly.

  "I've noticed you… what is the word… breaking down over the last year."

  Edward's mouth was a line, and he clenched his jaw, annoyed by the Frenchman's oddness. "Oh, is that so?" he mimicked.

  "Yes, e
ver since you shot your old friend, Henry."

  Edward's heart skipped, and his stomach turned. His face felt hot, and a lump stuck to the back of his throat. His whole body tensed up, and his vision blurred around the edges.

  "What are you talking about?" Edward forced out past the lump.

  "There is no need to put on such airs. I care not what you've done, and would never tell another. That would ruin the game. I am, as I've said several times, an observer."

  Edward gripped the edge of his chair's arm so hard it was in danger of breaking off. "How did you know? I've told no one."

  Alexandre scoffed. "It is not so hard to know to one watching you. You leave to chase after Henry when he seeks to leave the crew, and when you return you are smelling of gunpowder and disappear into the stern cabin. The crew were too busy manning the ship in a storm to worry about you, and hours later you emerge, but without mention of why you shot your pistol… it is not difficile to make the connection, mon Capitaine."

  Though there was no cause for it, Edward felt as though his privacy had been violated. His anger overwhelmed him, and his blood boiled in his veins.

  "You have continued to spiral since that time, and events have not aided in your récupération. I can—"

  "Get out," Edward seethed.

  Alexandre paused for a moment, and stared at Edward with a curious expression on his face, as if he was confused by Edward's anger.

  "Get out before I rip your throat open with my bare hands."

  Alexandre continued to stare at Edward for a moment, and then he rose from his seat. "By your leave, mon Capitaine," he murmured.

  Edward sat stock still in his seat as waves of anger pulsed through him on lines across his forehead. The faces of all the crew and friends dead at his hands and others' flashed in his mind, and wouldn't stop. On some level, Edward felt good that those faces were haunting him. Like the chest they would serve as reminders, both good and bad.

  …

  One hour later

  Edward stepped up to the weather deck, and the crew all around greeted him warmly. They congratulated him on yesterday's battle, and the ultimate fate of Kenneth Locke. He returned the compliments and congratulations in kind to the men who'd joined him and those who'd stayed behind and protected the ship.

  He noticed William, Pukuh, and Victoria all working diligently with the other men on the rigging of the sails or cleaning the weather deck. Nassir was also off at the end of the bow, fixing planks which had been broken during the last battle. Alexandre was there as well, checking up on the injured.

  He made his way up to the quarterdeck overseeing the rest of the ship. Hebert was at the helm, watching the skies and sea with his keen eyes. Anne and Christina were nearby, playing with Tala.

  The day was half over, but there was plenty of sun left, and the wind was strong. The smell of the sea rejuvenated Edward and brought clarity to his thoughts.

  "Captain," Herbert said, tipping his cap with one hand as he held to the wheel with the other. "Do you have our heading?"

  "I will in a moment," he replied as he stepped up to the quarterdeck railing. "Men, hop to it. We must discuss where next to sail."

  The crew stopped what they were doing and gathered close to the quarterdeck to listen to what Edward had to say. Once everyone on the main deck was present, Edward nodded.

  "First off, I want to tell you how proud I am of all of you. It is thanks to your efforts that we made it through the last battle." The crew hooted their own thanks to him, and proudly patted each other on the backs. "We fought against five ships, and we won!" Another, louder shout from the crew. "We fought against a galleon, and won!" Again the crew yelled their approval.

  "Our resident one-armed savage, Pukuh," Edward said, gesturing to his friend with a smirk on his face, "once said to me that I was the storm that other men feared." The men patted Pukuh on the back and he grinned. "But that was untrue… You are the storm," he said, now pointing in a wave across the crew. "You are the crew that other men fear, and will continue to fear. The crew of the Queen Anne's Revenge will soon be known across the Old World and the New."

  The crew rallied and hollered and stomped their feet together, shaking the deck. Their faces beamed with pride as they looked at their captain.

  "To make our names known, what say we continue our revenge against Calico Jack, the man who burned our town to the ground? The man who thinks we're weak. The man who thinks he can survive the storm."

  The crew gave a resounding roar of approval to Edward.

  "We will destroy all those who stand against us." The crew shouted another yes. "All those who think they're better than us." The crew yelled louder still. "All those who turn their backs on us," Edward said, looking at Alexandre as he did so. Edward was sure that the significance wasn't lost on him.

  "We are the storm!" he roared with his fist raised. The crew repeated the saying, also raising their fists in the air. "Now get back to work, you ugly bastards."

  The crew burst out laughing before they returned to their duties aboard the ship.

  "Herbert," Edward called. "We're heading north-east, to Jamaica."

  Herbert smiled widely. "Aye, Captain," he replied.

  Anne came up beside Edward and looked up at him with a smile on her face. He returned the smile and gave her a kiss. The two of them gazed at the bow of the ship towards the bright horizon ahead of them, wondering where their next adventure would take them.

  For a moment, Edward was at peace. His body and mind calmed by the sun, sea, ship, and woman he loved. But a certain red stain on the weather deck caught his eye, and, in a different way, he became the storm once again.

  THE END

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  About The Author

  I was born in N.B. Canada and I'm in my twenties. I enjoy downtime with a fantasy novel, role playing game, or television drama, and some scotch.

  I started writing after a long time of trying to find myself and what I wanted to do with my life. I've always had an active imagination, and love to create stories and entertain people. When looking into careers I was drawn to video game design, but, just before I started school, I found that the people that work in programming don't have much say in story. Because of that, I decided it wasn't for me.

  After I found that I enjoyed writing a friend of mine challenged me to participate in a writing competition. It was during this competition that I started what would become Blackbeard's Freedom. I felt confident that others would enjoy Blackbeard's Freedom, and the subsequent series, so I decided to share it with the world. After Amazon made things so easy to self-publish, I knew that this was the route that I wanted to take. Now I've found my passion in life, and all I hope for is that people enjoy what I write.

  It would help me immensely if you could share this novel with your friends via Twitter or Facebook and leave a review on Amazon by clicking this link:Blackbeard's Justice Review Page

  Be a pirate! Steal a free e-book and audiobook copy of the novella Bartholomew Roberts' Faith, the first book in the Pirate Priest Series. Click here to claim your booty!

  Table of Contents

  BLACKBEARD'S JUSTICE 1. I'm Coming For Him

  2. (In)Justice

  3. Scars

  4. Trapped

  5. Snare

  6. Lure

  7. Bodden Town's End

  8. Influence

  9. How to Measure a Man

  10. Panama City

  11. Sterling Promise

  12. Debt of Justice

  13. Parley Proposal

  14. Negotiations

  15. Turnabout

  16. Mementos
of Weakness

  17. A Personal Decision

  18. Proverbs 16:18

  19. Formations

  20. Drowning

  21. The Storm

  About the Author