Despite being a man nearing middle age, Edward acted as if he were still a mere boy many times. A boy excited over a new toy–a boy excited over the idea of venturing out for the first time to do things a man would do with his father, like fish or hunt.
“Oh threaten me once, threaten me twice–Mary…” He chuckled, knowing very well that every threat to unman him ( for he had heard far too many through the time their friendship had been ) was about as empty as a bottle of rum left to a rowdy crew. Edward said nothing more until he was sure she was on board his child of a vessel, and wasn’t about to run off and away. Finally, he released her, cleared his throat, and began to pace, an awful habit he’d picked up through some time spent away from her. “Listen. Just listen!”
Leaping before her, he outstretched an arm. “Just imagine. A whole port–no–an entire trading company to ourselves.” Blue hues narrowing, mouth twisting into a sinister grin, he moved closer to her, gently cupping her cheek. “This excitement is a mere beginning. Mary, our names will go down in history. Just think of the riches that could be obtained, and the things that could be done with those riches.”
There was no longer a look of excitement in the captain’s eyes, but one of dreaminess and wonder. Edward truly believed that they were powerful enough–just the two of them alone–to conquer and perform such a feat. “But that is not all.” It wasn’t. Initially on his mind was a grand secret he’d been itching to share with her of all others. Without a sound, he drew a wrinkled map from his pocket, lay it out before her and pointed. “There. Curious, lad?”
being released should have brought HAPPINESS but instead, it brought a curl of her upper lip; displeased with the outcome - though it was quickly wiped from her features ( & hopefully unseen by him ) as she watched him rattle on with one of those insane pipe dreams of his, & yet he spoke of it with such a compelling nature ; she knew she'd go along with it even before his hand had settled on her cheek.
the feeling of scarred, calloused & weathered flesh against her cheek should not be as comforting as it was - gaze meeting his; the thought, oh, the thought of having her name written alongside his in history books years from now; tales of none but the pair of them -- why, it brought butterflies to her stomach.
her tongue flicked out to quickly wet her lips before she bothered to speak a word, ' edward.. ' her tone was quiet, hand came up, well on it's way to place on his before she caught herself & dropped it back to her side.
& then curiosity struck, fast as a cobra & a map was spread out - the thought of an ADVENTURE drawing back those butterflies. she breathed out, almost amazed & she knew she should say no. & yet all she could do? was shift a little closer to him, hand moving to place on his shoulder.
' if ye make me regre' this, 'm gonna be cross wit'ya; kenway. -' hand dropping from his shoulder, coming up to scratch at her nose. ' aye, m' with y', edward. lets do it. y' bloody well got me curious. oi! y'better let me stay in the cap'n's quarters, ' a brow lifted, lips turning in a smirk. ' 'less y' wan' yer crew t'know there's a WOMAN aboard, i need m' privacy.' & then her nose lifted, almost smug in her reasoning as she moved away from him. ' when should we set out? '
-- the one thing she wasn't all that keen on? was any amount of alone time with him; despite how safe she felt around him - it scared her; how she just wanted to curl up against him, how she could look at him & find herself thinking of HAPPINESS -- true happiness, a life where she had children & lived in this beautiful little house somewhere down the road with her husband & she no longer introduced herself as mary read, but instead; mary read-kenway.. or just mary kenway.
this was going to be trouble.