Creature of the Seven Seas

So Close, Yet so Far

Everyone thinks they know the truth. That Stede abandoned Ed and it was his heartbreak, grief and anger that made him Blackbeard again. However, that's not exactly what happened. You see, no one knows the truth about what happened that day, because no one has heard Stede's side of the tale. So, let's go back shall we, and see for ourselves what happened.

Stede promised to meet Ed and have some cool new names for them so that they could start over again. Stede didn't know that the last thing Ed would say to him would be 'Get some Sleep'. Next thing Stede knew was waking up to Chauncey holding a gun to his face and taking them outside. Due to fear Stede wasn't exactly taking in anything Chauncey was saying, it kind of felt like it would go in long enough for Stede to respond and then leave his mind. However, one sentence not only caught Stede's attention enough for the words to stick and be remembered, but to cause Stede true fear.

"Stede Bonnet...is not a human" Chauncey was clearly drunk and not thinking all to clearly, but that one sentence shook Stede to his core. Was it true? Did he know, and if so how did he find out? "You're a monster." He continued. This caused so many memories to flood Stede's mind. Memories of so many different people, and he could hear each and ever one of their voices.

Should be locked up.

Dangerous.

The voices were already getting very loud and overbearing, all starting to blend together like they where speaking over each other, chanting all these words.

Plagued.

Sick.

Cured.

Then they all started chanting the same thing over and over.

Monster. Monster. Monster.

Growing so loud he could barely recognise his surroundings anymore. It was like all his other senses were being effecting by the chanting. He could feel the vibration of their shouts, see their scared screaming faces, taste the venom and terror in their voices, smell all their individual scents which all commonly shared the distinct aroma of fear, hear nothing but their voices. Then one voice suddenly came above all the shouting and screaming despise the voice itself being quiet but no less impactful.

"Will..." Stede opens his eyes, not realising he even had them shut or when that happened and suddenly everything was gone but this one clear memory of Mary not long after their second child was born and she had discovered Stede's truth. No longer was Chauncey pointing a gun at him in the woods. He was at home, with Mary sat across from him, hunched over to make herself seem small, tears in her eyes, shaking ever so slightly but clearly trying not to, and was utterly broken. "Will they be like you?"

Despite the lack of context, Stede knew exactly what she was trying to ask. He looked at their children's rooms, grateful they were fast asleep so that they wouldn't hear this conversation. "No. They would have shown signs by now if they where."

Mary seemed to be absorbing his answer. It felt like forever had gone by before she spoke again. "Is there a cure?"

Stede was honestly a little taken aback, not really expecting that question but understanding her fear. "Mary..." he started gently "they're truly not-"

"Is there a CURE?!" She snapped before he could finish his sentence.

Stede's eyes welled up with tears "...No." at the confrontation, Mary cried. Stede sat with her for a moment, not sure what to do as it was clear she didn't what him to touch her right now, if her flinching whenever he moved was anything to go by. "They truly don't have it. The signs would have been there from birth if they had. They're not..." Stede considered his wording for a moment before continuing "They're not sick" he decided on.