He's a She (Assassins Creed 4)

He's a Good Man

A/N

No school next week *happy clam dance*

Guess what that means- More updates! Which means more Elizabeth and James and Edward and Adewale and the Jackdaw and I guess Nathaniel too >:)

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James sat across from Elizabeth on the deck of the Jackdaw, the sound of waves crashing in the distance. He studied her face closely, a simple knife in his hand as he sat sharpening it slowly- all the while staring at her meticulously, waiting direly for her to muster a word. Elizabeth just sat, equally quiet as her brown locks blew in the wind. They were finally on their way back to Nassau after a long and tedious day. Her pale hands were folded in her lap and her hurt ankle propped on a small crate held aboard the Jackdaw.

'We'll get that fixed up as soon as we hit Nassau.' Edward had told her earlier- and now Elizabeth longed for the blonde pirates presence, just to pull her from this awfully awkward silence that James and her were experiencing. 

The continuous 'swoosh' of James metal blade on metal was the only sound that played in the wind- minus the slow lapping of waves on wood. Elizabeth watched him as he slid his blade against the small metal block, a single booted foot propped on the crate as he went about business.

She grew uncomfortable very quickly, it was like sitting in a room with your silent mother- knowing that you did something wrong but she insisted on torturing you by not speaking a word. 

Eventually she started to fidget with the fabric of her blouse, it was dirtied and stained with droplets of Nathaniel's blood but she didn't know what else to do. She could sense James look at her momentarily, eyeing her with brown eyes as he continued in his mechanical motions. Elizabeth didn't dare to meet his eye contact, instead she adverted her eyes down, continuing to fidget with her blouse.

James Kidd looked back down at his blade, it grew sharper every time he drove it over his metal block, the metallic hiss sounding rather familiar to his ears. He waited patiently for the silence to drive Elizabeth mad.

Her hands shot from her blouse and up to her head as she tried to flattened the tangled hairs as best as possible- she couldn't wait to arrive home and run a brush through her matted hair. Elizabeth still neglected to look up at James, even though the silence was thoroughly killing her.

The unrelenting scraping of metal on metal eventually drove her crazy.

'Out with it,' she tried not to snap as she fixated her green eyes on him.

The shrill sound halted quickly, blade stuck in the air mid stroke. Kidd's eyes flicked upward, staring hard into Elizabeth's.

'What happened in Kingston?' his accent was rather distinct- which meant he was feeling rather peckish.

Elizabeth's gaze fell to the ground, twiddling her thumbs as she set her hands on her lap. She tapped her one foot idly.

James suppressed a sigh, placing the knife and metal block besides him. He placed his both feet on the ground, hitting the timber wood with a soft thud. He leaned forward intently, elbows poised on knees. Elizabeth felt uncomfortable with answering as she fidgeted, so she found a way around it.

'In Kingston?' Elizabeth reaffirmed. 'Well, we arrived- and then I was quickly left alone while you and Edward scurried off to fulfill your duties.' Elizabeth met his gaze quickly, then it drifted over to the ocean behind him.

James stared at her with a hard eye, his face conveying a sense of distaste.

'That's not what I meant, lass,' he hissed.

'I know that's not what you meant!' Elizabeth rebutted- her words almost overlapping his.

James and Elizabeth both became silent again, exchanging uncomfortable looks.

James pulled his lips back into a thin line, continuing to stare at Elizabeth.

'So what happened?' he spoke again, his words escaping calmly.

Elizabeth stayed silent for several moments- not wanting to looks at James face.

'It doesn't matter,' Elizabeth whispered, continuing to not look at the young man seated across from her.

'Doesn't matter?!' Kidd rose his voice, creeping closer to Elizabeth. 'Explain to me-' James lurched forward, grasping Elizabeth's chin and directing her gaze upward. He emphasized the growing bruises on the girls neck. 'How this doesn't matter!'

She grasped his wrist, shoving him away from her.

'I don' know!' Elizabeth exclaimed. 'It just doesn't!'

James Kidd took a seat again, staring absently at Elizabeth's face  He looked perturbed as he knotted his hands together in front of his face.

'Does that satisfy you?' Elizabeth took it a step forward.

He shook his head quickly.

'No, lass. It really doesn't.' his accent had flared up- indicating his anger.

'Why should I tell you anyway? You're just a pirate that I crossed paths with yesterday.'

'Perhaps so,' James explained. 'But-'

'For all I know you're just waiting for the next opportunity to get laid.' Elizabeth snarled. 'Is that why you keep prying into my life?! Why do you even care!'

James eyes widened in shock and disbelief as he stared at Elizabeth, marveling at the words that had even dared to escape her lips. He jumped onto his feet quickly, looking down on her.

'I care because believe it or not- I'm actually a good lad!' James strode a few feet before turning to looks back at Elizabeth. 'But you wouldn't know, now would you lass? Because all you ever do is surround yerself with useless heaps of flesh who call themselves men! You don't know the difference between a good and bad man!'

Elizabeth rose to her feet quickly and as best as she could with her bum ankle. She wavered uncomfortably as her ankle screamed at her but she was too upset to even care.

'Oh, really! Explain to me James Kidd, what is the difference between a good and bad man! Because I don't see one- they always want something. Whether it be woman, rum, money, fame- they're all pigs!' Elizabeth was preparing herself to storm off- to get away from James Kidd.

'A bad man, Elizabeth, is a man who does this to such an innocent lass like yeself!' He looked directly at the bruises on her neck and at her crushed ankle. 'And a good man is the one who wants to bleed the bad man dry because of it.' With that James turned on his heel quickly- leaving a stunned Elizabeth behind on the damp deck of the Jackdaw.

A dozen thoughts reeled in her head as she watched him storm away, his red bandana end blowing in the wind as his leather boots hit the deck.

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I almost forgot James was a woman- so I'm here to remind all you lovely clams of that fact.

Ugh, I can't wait till it's revealed in my story- Mary really is a charming lass:)

I really ship Mary/Elizabeth- just saying;)