Passing Ships | Our flag means death

The storm

The sun had barely broken above the horizon and all was still and quiet aboard the Revenge as a man dressed in turqoise tip-toed over to the dinghy at the side of the ship, throwing some belongings and food in. He took one last sorrowful glance at his beloved ship before stepping off for what might be the last time. As he rowed away his eyes filled with tears which spilled down his cheeks but he simply blinked them away and kept going, never stopping. This was for the best was all he kept telling himself.

---

Ed did not think anything unusual had happened when he woke up in an empty bed, but when Lucius himself asked him where Stede was his anxiety grew by just a fraction. He rushed to check the secret wardrobe before searching the rest of the ship, his concern growing with every Stede-less room. Finally back on the deck he scrambled to the railing, denial and anger contorting his expression when he realised the worst scenario he feared had come to be true. Stede wouldn't really take the dinghy and leave... would he? There must be a fantastical and strange explanation for his departure and he'd come back later to tell them all. Ed trusted that he wouldn't leave without even saying goodbye or why, he knew that eccentric bastard would come back.

So he waited, an eye always on the surrounding sea as he went about the daily chores. When he sat for his lunch he ate on the crows nest of the ship to get a better view of any incoming boats. When the sun set and everyone disappeared below deck, he stayed behind, sat on the lookout platform and stared out into the dark, still hopeful for his return.

He ended up sleeping up there and in the morning went back to watching the horizon like a lost dog. The crew grew concerned for both Ed and the missing Stede but thought best to not disturb Ed's vigil, allowing him to just get it out of his system and occasionally casting sympathetic glances to him.

Ed spent another day and night sat up on the crows nest watching and by the third day Izzy decided to take matter into his own hands. He sat next to Ed on the lookout and hesitantly touched his shoulder.

"Look, captain, I don't know how you can be so sentimental for that fool but he's gone. I don't think he's coming back. Maybe he realised how dangerous the pirating lifestyle can be when you were both caught and he ran with a tail between his legs." Izzy stated in his usual manner of fact way, standing up and extending a gloved hand, "I don't know the reason but its time you stop acting like a gargoyle and move on with your life"

Ed was silent for a moment, still just staring out to sea with a harrowed expression, before taking Izzy's hand and following back down to the deck. He did not return any of the crew's greetings as he solemnly dragged his feet to the captain's cabin and slammed the door behind him.

Another three days passed as Ed remained holed up in his room, only leaving in the dead of night draped in Stede's old robe to lean on the railings like some sort of ghost. Izzy would visit the room throughout the day and leave looking like a shellshocked veteran of war. This evening Ed was doing his usual stoic watch as he leaned on the railings at the back of the ship when Lucius, who decided to try his hand at a pep talk, approached him.

"I know you two liked each other a lot but.... you can't wallow forever. I mean, this pity party is even messier than the one Captain had when you ran off with Calico Jack. I don't know what happened or why he left but you can't just wither away because you miss your boyfriend. What would Stede say if he saw you in this sorry state" Lucius' voice trailed off when he noticed Ed pull a piece of red fabric from his pocket and let it flutter on the wind and out to sea.

"ah yes, getting rid of reminders of him is always a good first step to getting over any heartbreak" he assured before suddenly gasping as he was grabbed by his collar and thrown overboard, only capturing a glimpse of a furious face obscured by dark hair as he fell.