April 20th 1720

"Mary Read and Anne Bonny," the judge tells the crowd of our crimes. Scanning the faces on the front row of seats no one dares hold my eye contact, I scan the faces again and think I recognize no one until I spot him. Edward Kenway sits shackled between two guards. His eyes don't leave Anne, I guess I knew this is how it would be. "You will be hung by the neck until dead, dead, dead" he looks distraught, struggling against his captors to try and save Anne.

"We're pregnant" I shout and for once his eyes leave Anne and fall to me, I never did get to tell him. One drunken night I would never be able to forget.

"Wh-wh-what did they say" the judge bumbles trying to keep some order.

"They plead their bellies m'lord" the guard next to him looks just as thrown off as the crowd does.

"Fine, you shall remain imprisoned until otherwise" Anne retorts with a joke about being knocked up the second time they'll come for her. The judge doesn't take kindly to it and orders the guards to lead us to our cells, my last view of Edward is him being marched away as well.

"Did Rackham know?" I question Anne. Our cells sit side by side, in the joining wall 3 bricks are missing. She looks through with a mixture of fear and sadness

"I told him, aye" a stray tear slips down her cheek "whether he knew or forgot thanks to drink, I suppose I'll never know" it's odd thinking that we both sit knowing our children will never know their fathers and their fathers will never know they had children. Anne puts her hand in the gap and I place mine over hers as a sign of solidarity that we will fight together till the end. All around us the wails of woman call out, some for justice some for children who have been ripped from their arms. I want to join them to allow all of my anger out but somehow I stop myself, the guards can't be allowed to see my weakness.

January 1st 1720

"Happy New Year Anne, Mary" Edward holds his bottle of rum in a toast, we chinked bottles and sit by him. Immediately Anne's attention goes to Jack Rackham whose slumped over the table across the bar, I hope she doesn't leave me here with Kenway he's nothing but a thorn in my side, sadly she does just that and sidles over to rouse the captain. All of the men who drink at The Old Avery are sweet on Anne but only the lucky ones get their way, I guess Kenway wishes he was one of them the way he stares after her like a pup whose mother has wandered off.

"Cheer up, they won't be long" I joke but it doesn't amuse him "You've got a face like a slapped arse, you running out of rum?" a smile tickles his lips but I leave him to it, sod him if he thinks I'm putting in all of the effort.

"So Mary hows James been recently?" I left my alter ego in Tulum knowing I would be safe among friends and those who feared me.

"Aye he's good, I heard he was searching for buried treasure" Kenway laughs this time

"Kidd you've got to be one of the bravest women I know, not many would swap so frequently between genders" the drink makes him confident, more cocky than confident actually "What one do you prefer, the life of a … Lady or the life of a lad free to do what he wishes"

That's an odd question to be asked, I suppose all of my life I have been used to having to act like a lad that I never questioned what I would be like now had I had the choice to act feminine "I like the life of a female, no bounds and plenty more perks" I flirt, that got his attention I felt a thrill of having this power. To make men silent by simply uttering words, it gave me a buzz.

"Oh aye, and what might those perks be?" he leaned over so he was more than halfway across the table in between us.

"Well, you find men fall over their feet to do anything for you. For example" I turned to a young lad behind the bar and winked at him within seconds he headed straight to us and plonked down two fresh bottles of rum "You find a simple wink can have the strongest men under your control" his mouth hung open like a goldfish and if I had wanted him to, he would have done almost anything I had asked. Taking a swig from my bottle I raised it to his "To control and freedom aye Edward"

"Control and freedom"

A few hours and a few drinks for the worst we find ourselves wound up on the beach around a bonfire, the waves crashing against the sand and apart from the crackle of the fire it is oddly silent.

"How did the sea get you, Mary?" Edward looks at me and although I felt in control earlier I feel that control almost slipping, his gaze affects me in a way I've never felt before.

"My brother died at a young age. All I can remember is my mother cutting my hair short and dressing me in his clothes, I took his job so that my mother and I could keep the house. So when they confused me for a lad and enrolled me to work on the ships I suppose I never looked back once. The freedom of sailing gave me all the opportunities I never thought I would get" he looks back shocked, I suppose he assumed I had ran away and disguised myself as a lad to get onto the ships. That's the only downside of being a woman, the superstitious men who won't have you on their ships when in reality the only bad luck I bring is to the ship I'm hunting.

"Wow, didn't that put you off the sea? Being forced to work upon it?"

"No, without that I would have never seen the workings of a ship. In that sense I'm thankful to my mother for all those years ago"

"What about you Kenway, how did you become a captain?" I've heard stories but want to know how he'll portray his life of piracy

"I suppose greed in a sense, I thought what I had wasn't good enough. I wanted more, I wanted endless riches and to make a name for myself. I guess I got that, I just lost so much to get here" now it's my turn to be shocked, the great Edward Kenway captain of The Jackdaw sounds almost like a broken man "But that's nothing rum can't fix" he swigs on his bottle until its empty and starts on the last one, offering it to me I accept and we sit there two friends who have lost so much to be here.

Completely inebriated no one thinks to stoke the fire and within a few minutes it has reduced to embers "damn it, how are we gonna keep warm now" I curse at the flickering ashes

"I have a good idea" retorts Edward, by now he's completely pissed and I'm not far behind him

"Aye, and what's that then Kenway" that rush of power comes over me and I know that if he tries anything I won't stop him, not unless I want him to that is.

"Well, I thought we might be able to share some body heat" he attempts a wink but due to the copious amounts of alcohol he's consumed it turns out to be more of a blink, saving him the effort I cover the small distance between us I put my lips next to his ear and whisper

"And how do you propose we do that Captain" I hear him swallow and know that I've got him right under my control. I start slowing sucking on his ear lobe until a feral growl rips out of his throat, I then gently position myself so I'm hovering over him, my legs either side. Trailing the kisses down his neck I remove every item of clothing I come across until I'm left with just his shorts, slowly untying them I notice his hands bunch in the sand. I stop to look up and notice an animal look in his eyes, with one swift movement I remove my lower clothing and lower myself onto him. Immediately he hands shoot to my hips gripping them tighter I take this as a sign and slowly start to rise and fall on him, his hands move from my hips removing my corset and blouse as quickly as he can freeing my breasts. I start going quicker the look on his face telling me I have him right where I want him, I feel him getting close and a few seconds later his face confirms it. Hiding his face in my shoulder I feel him nibbling me trying to regain some control so I whisper "Edward" his response comes in the form of him crying my name as we climax together. We fall back onto the sand in a tangled mess and stay that way for a while until we roll over and sleep.

I wake to find Edward wrapped around me from behind and I'm grateful that I'm the first to wake, slowly I free myself from his grip and dress myself, glad that no one was around to see us. I wonder whether to leave a note or just leave him here to wake and have the night as a blur, in the end I opt just to leave him and make my way to the docks where my ship is waiting for me

July 15th 1720

Every day it seems either a woman leaves a cell for the gallows or a child leaves in the arms of the guards, I feel huge and it fills me with dread that it could be me soon. Anne sits by our community hole as we've nicknamed it, she's smaller than me probably by a couple of months we tell each other every twinge that we feel or every time we've been ill. I count myself lucky in the sense that after the first few months my sickness stopped, sadly the same can't be said for Anne although this worked out for us because it means a couple of guards pass her extra food every so often, stupidly she always shares it with me even if I tell her not to.

The news of Rackham's execution made it around the prison quickly and it affected Anne more than she would like to admit. We were glad that the night guards come into the cell block to relieve the guards, night is the best time because the guards that do work just sit and either gamble or sleep. Although tonight seems different there are only four guards when usually there are eight alone sat in our section, I make Anne aware and she agrees its rather odd.

That's when I spot him, at first I don't know who it is just a man in the shadows until he runs to the guards with their backs to him and thrusts to swords through their chests. Edward is quickly joined by Ah Tabai, who quickly searches the bodies and finds the set of keys. Within minutes the doors to our cells are opened it's only then I see how bad Kenway looks, his skin is covered in sunburn and blisters, not to mention the dried patch of blood on his shirt. He helps Anne up and Ah Tabai comes to my side, but Anne is weaker from her illness and the weight of her on Edwards skin proves too much. The assassin in one swift movement shifts from my side and picks her up in his arms, leaving me to walk with Kenway.

As we leave the prison block he instructs us to stick to the shadows to prevent detection and to wait if necessary, I kept as low as I could although in my condition that was easier said than done. Eventually, after what felt like ages, we reached the beach where a rowing boat was waiting in the waves. Ah Tabai rows us out to sea and we drift for a while until a brig is in our sights, a signal from us means they sail by picking us up. as soon as we are aboard we set sail for Tulum.

August 1st 1720

I was woken before the sun had risen by Anne writhing in agony, panic washed over me this was way too early! Anne's wails had already woken everyone but my shouts were the reason they ran to our hut, the look on everyone's faces confirmed what I had originally thought so I gripped my friend and tried to help her the best I could.

After a long labour Anne gave birth to a son he was so small and still that he looked like he was just sleeping, it broke my heart to see her sobbing nothing anyone said could console her. After a while of sitting there, she looked drained and somehow older.

"Does he have a name?" I'm scared that maybe its too soon to ask, but maybe burying him will help.

"I suppose I never thought of a name for him, I guess if it had gone well I would have called him Jack" I loop my arms around her.

"How about we find a place for him? Where do you think he would like it best?" she looks out to the ocean and I get what she means immediately "I'll ask Ah Tabai if he'll take us out to sea shall I?" she nods and tears up again, I leave her to cry for a bit and go to find the Assassin.

When I do finally find him he's talking to Edward, I pick up on their conversation before I reach them.

"I'm just saying that I have a lot of unused rooms in the manor, maybe they should stay with me and have full access to the doctor on the Island" Edward originally mentioned us going to Great Inagua with him but Ah Tabai thought the journey would be too long with us all being so weak, now a comfortable bed sounds like the best thing out there "What's your thoughts, Mary,?" I'm surprised he cares what I think.

"I think a change of scenery would do Anne some good, go somewhere that memories can't haunt her" Ah Tabai nods in encouragement.

"I'll sort you out passage to Inagua and wish you well, you know where we are should you ever need us"

August 2nd 1720

We set sail at dawn just me, Anne and Edward. Anne sits alone in the captain's cabin not talking to anyone. We had buried Jack not long after we set sail and I could see it had affected her in ways I couldn't understand. Afterward she had said she wanted some quiet so I respected her wishes and gave her some space, that's how I find myself standing at the front of the ship staring out to sea. The wind blowing through my hair feels nice, I suppose its the same wind I always feel but it's so much better on a ship. I thought I was by myself until I hear Edward clear his throat.

"I'm surprised you aren't at the helm Kenway" I smirk turning my attention back to the waves.

"Aye, I was going to stay up there until I saw you stood here alone" the statement shocks me but not as much as his next line does "So Rackham fathered Anne's child but where's your lover?" I fumble around for an answer and almost tell him the truth, but somehow I think back to how in the court his eyes were for Anne only and realize that he can't have remembered.

"Some drunk, never seen him since" Anne knows, one particularly bad night in prison I let everything out, she promised she wouldn't tell anyone and that if I wanted anyone to know that it would come directly from me. I don't know how we would be if he knew that in 2 or less months he would be a father. The answer must have been satisfactory because he doesn't bring it up again.

After a rough 12 hours of sailing we reach the island, although I love the sea the waves played havoc with my balance and I've never been so happy to see dry land. When I'm off the ship I'm amazed at how the Island has changed, what used to be a group of drunken pirates is now a small town with people walking between shops and taverns. The crew head to the beach and its good to think some things never change.

"This way" Edward starts walking up the road through the middle of the town as we follow I realise the Island has expanded, torches light the way but its not the dark that would make me lost its all the stores with different items for sale. We turn left off the main street and through a quieter road lined by houses, towards the end of the road stands a stone arch, I remember helping Edward capture the Island. The Manor looks rejuvenated as well, the walls have been painted and the gardens tidier. I don't tell Kenway, it would only make his head bigger. He leads us through the doors and shows us two rooms downstairs.

"I thought it would be easier for you both if you were on the ground floor" yet again he surprises me with how much he has thought this through, stairs feel like my enemy now I'm not as agile as I was and Anne moves much slower since she gave birth.

August 21st 1720

The rooms in the manor get so warm that I find myself going outside and walking to find shade and a breeze. Most of the time I head away from the town I can't deal with that many people around me, pregnancy has made me cranky and I find myself wanting to hit people over the smallest of incidents. I get odd looks from people living here, I guess a heavily pregnant woman wearing a large blouse and shorts isn't a day to day sight for them.

Today I decided to sit on the far beach on the island the sea is warm but not hot, it clears the sweat from my skin so I sit in the shallow waves for a while. I make sure I head back before dark I would hate to be shouted at again, anyone would have thought I was defenceless the way Kenway had sent a party out to search for me.

The baby has become much more active since being here I'm guessing that's due to the fact I have access to more food than I did in jail, it's weird to think that back then I used to tell Anne everything and now I barely see her unless she passes me to get to the tavern. At first the movements feel unnatural and foreign, but maybe I've softened in my age I now regularly find myself talking to him, telling him what I can see and what he will soon see. I keep having the same dream every night, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed baby sits in my arms the spitting image of his father I go to hand him to Edward but he turns and leaves with Anne. It was this dream that made me realise there was no hiding it from him, I had to tell him, I just hadn't dared to do so yet.

I stay on the beach for about an hour before heading back, before I reach town I can hear Anne shouting again, in fact she's shouting so loud I can hear her before I see her, she's drunk again and what she's shouting about makes no sense at all. I hurry as much as I can and get there in time to see Edward and another man carrying Anne up towards the house.

"Ah there she is, my best friend Mary" slurs Anne "Fat good she's been, barely seen her" I know its the drink talking but it still hurts, I always say that people say what they mean when they don't know the consequences.

"Come on Anne lets get you back and get you lying down" Edward tries to bargain with her but its no use

"Why, what have I said wrong now?" he rolls his eyes and tries to walk further with here but she wriggles free "You don't know what she's like" whatever that means

"Come on this isn't you, this is the rum talking" he attempts to regain her arm but she holds them closer to herself and steps back

"Well you don't do you, I mean she's having your child and hasn't even told you yet. Jesus, I don't know if she was ever gonna tell you!" Shit! The look he gives me when he realises what she has said sends both chill and fear through me, I look down looking for an answer but come up with nothing, turning on my heal I waddle as quickly as I can to the manor grateful that I can't hear anyone following me. I reach my room and shut the doors, struggling to comprehend what just happened I stare at the handles for a while, the full weight of the situation not fully settling in

After a while I move from the doors and sit on the bed, the events finally start to cloud me at once and I feel my pulse raise in a panic, not long after the tears start to fall.

After the sun has set I hear footsteps entering the manor, listening closer I can tell that there is more than one. Someone stands just outside my door, their shadow blocking the light and then finally it shrinks as they move away and run up the stairs. I roll over and try to ignore the crashing sounds from upstairs, this is what I had initially feared and its all my fault.

August 24th 1720

The past few days have been terrible, I haven't dared to leave my room and Edward has continued to smash up anything he can reach. Luckily enough for me, the windows are rather large and if the wind is right they let the breeze into my room. Bravely or rather cowardly I decided that today I will leave my room, whether I see him or not. My pulse betrays me again and my palms start to sweat.

I stand by my doors for ages talking myself into what I'll say if I see him, I needn't have worried because when I get into the hallway I'm the only one there. I head straight out the manor and into the streets not daring to look up at the rooms on the top floor, I turn right at the end of the road into the jungles and straight to the beach.

Halfway through the jungle it starts raining complimenting how I'm feeling right about now, however the rain is such a welcome break from how hot its been recently that I start smiling to myself about how ridiculous this whole situation that I've caused is.

The beach is empty as usual, so I pick a spot under some palms and stretch out.

"What do you reckon to this mess I've caused aye?" I've started calling him William after my supposed father, although whether that's his name will have to wait for the big day. I feel like its a boy he's stubborn, can't sit still for long and a pain in my side all traits he shares with his father and I realise just like myself. I struggle to sleep most nights because as soon as I get comfortable he decides that he would like to turn over, I'm so tired that the patch of sand I'm lying on feels comfortable, so much so that I feel myself drifting off.

William stirring is the only reason I wake, my eyes struggle to adjust and I realise its because the sun has almost fully set. Slowly sitting up I realise how late it must be. My stomach growls and I realise I haven't eaten anything since this morning, spotting the light from the town I set off quickly waddling back in search of some food. I wish I had found food, instead near to the edge of the jungle something hungry leaps at me from the trees. I curl up as small as I can and hope to god its quick or that someone finds me. I don't have to wait long until I hear something else crashing through the shrubs, another panther no doubt. I clutch my stomach hoping to reduce any damage caused, that's when I feel a spray of warm liquid hit me followed by a pained yowl. The attack stops although I stay down just in case, when I do look up I'm surprised to see Anne stood over the carcass of the beast her sword covered in blood.

"Jesus Mary what were you thinking?" the severity of what could have happened sets in and I start to feel weak. Now close to fainting Anne grabs me and shouts hoping that someone can hear her. Luckily for us, two men that I recognise as crew from one of the ships rush to our aid and help us back to the Manor. My wounds aren't that bad but you wouldn't be able to tell how minor they are from the amount of blood that covers my clothes. God knows what it must have looked like to people in the streets; me covered in bloody slashes, clutching at my bump, being half dragged half helped to the manor whilst Anne follows behind a bloody sword in her hand.

As soon as I reach the manor I'm put on my bed and the doctor is called, the last thing I remember is the doors to my room opening and that's when I blacked out.

August 25th 1720

Yet again I'm awoken by William "You couldn't have waited till the morning could you?" I mutter and roll over, however, the voice that responds means that sleep is now not an option.

"That's exactly what I was planning" I freeze up unsure, I sit up slowly but as quickly as my arms can lift me, the damage to my arms now hidden due to them being covered in bandages "So, where do we start?" he's sat in a chair next to my bed a serious yet hurt look masks his face "How about why you didn't tell me?"

"I suppose I remembered you had a wife! Or had you forgot that?" its harsh I know but its true, almost wanting to take the words back I stubbornly stick to my guns.

"You obviously chose to forget it, or this wouldn't have happened" motioning towards myself, his words cut like a knife and I can't see a way out of this argument without one of us saying something we won't come to regret "I don't know why I bother, I really can't be done with this. Just forget I even bothered"

"I suppose like you forgot this happened in the first place" this is getting us nowhere but I don't want to back down but I need out of here, I try to get off the bed but wriggling across the bed is near impossible when you're angry and heavily pregnant! I do get off eventually and start to waddle out the manor. Footsteps follow me but he doesn't say anything. "I have nothing more to say Edward, just leave me alone and forget this ever happened! I won't bother you with this" I point to my bump and he looks like I've slapped him round the face, but thankfully he stops following me. My hormones threaten to make me crumble, but I shake them off and stalk towards the ships moored in the harbour.

The harbour master looks shocked that I need a ship to get off the island, yet he still finds me passage by the end of the day. Its as we are leaving that I spot him heading to the tavern, he catches me watching him, it's only when we are out to sea that he breaks eye contact.

13th September 1720

I'm back in Tulum and have been for over a week, when I returned I spotted a familiar face ashore. Adewale the jackdaws quartermaster stands waiting for me.

"He best not have sent you Ade!" I shout to him, both scared and furious that he might have.

"Why would he have?" this confuses me further "I have left my days of a quartermaster behind me, Ah Tabai extended the offer to myself as well as to Edward. I suppose the words meant something to me" I'd always thought that Ah Tabai was chasing the wrong man on the Jackdaw and I'm glad to see the right one now being given the chance. What am I thinking?! I always thought they were both perfect for the creed, I guess one saw it more than the other.

However, since returning I have realised how dangerous this Island is, the Templars know our location thanks to Edwards betrayal all those years ago. Now almost twice every month rogue crews set about trying to attack us, I feel useless every time just hiding out of sight and hoping they don't find me. Today is no different, me hidden amongst shrubs whilst everyone else is stuck in battle.

September 30th 1720

It's nearly unbearable now, all I do is sit around waiting for the day William decides to make his appearance. Its been over a month since I've seen Edward, although he has been to the island I have made sure to miss him every time. Anne came to see me one of the visits, she pleaded with me to come back with her and I almost accepted but only because I was relatively more comfortable there. I draw another line signifying days in my tally on the sand and go back to lazing around.

October 12th 1720

I sat on my own unable to put up with anyone today when the pains started, I thought people over exaggerated how much it hurt but that's where I was wrong. I'm grateful for the fact that when I shout that people come running immediately and I'm taken straight to our healer on the island.

The rest feels like a blur of shouting and agony, it's not till the next day after the sun has risen that she is finally born. His eyes stare out of a beautiful dark-haired baby girl, they are so curious flitting left and right with every movement. I can't help but watch her she's the most precious thing I have ever seen, already more important to me than my own life.

October 17th 1720

As I suspected someone had been watching me because 4 days after she was born, he turned up. As usual, I managed to avoid him for most of the day and found a quiet spot to sit hidden watching my daughters every move and that's how he found us. Sat in the shade I first heard the footsteps but dismissed them as anyone until they stop behind me, her eyes flit over my shoulders no doubt studying his face.

"Would you have told me?" I hear him crouch down to get a better look at his daughter

"No, I suppose I knew you would find out" I scoop her up and stand facing him

"Do they have a name?" his informants didn't know much then

"She is called Charlotte" as if on cue she lets out a wail and I try desperately to calm her, this isn't how I hoped he'd see me with her, I start walking away from him to our hut "shush darling" I try rocking her but it doesn't work, cursing inwardly that he's affected another female and wondering why now she couldn't be calmed.

"Let me try" I swirl to find him stood in the door, not wanting to raise my voice I hand her over making sure he's holding her right. It looks like her brow furrows surveying this stranger who is now captivated by her, he looks awkward but somehow also a natural "You know she'd be safer back on Inagua" the whole time he never looks away from her

"Aye I suppose she would be, but she is much too young to travel!" I know that she needs to be inside especially coming up to winter, Edward's manor has everything she needs and the shore is protected by the bay "She can travel home in a month" that's when he looks away from her. I realised I called his manor home and it was for a few months, apart from my ship its the longest I've ever settled. With a curt nod he stares down at his daughter and plants a kiss on her forehead, he hands her to me and walks out leaving me confused.