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 Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2022 4:33 pm
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Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2022 4:34 pm
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Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2022 4:38 pm
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 10:30 am
 I'm a little irritated with the printer right now. I thought I had specifically made sure it only printed the one particular page but no it decided to print the entire thing. Ended up catching on what was going on half way through... but still... so much paper wasted as a result. Ugh. stressed I mean, we'll still use it as scrap paper but still.
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 10:32 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 10:34 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 10:37 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 10:43 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 10:47 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 10:50 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 10:52 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 11:12 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 11:54 am
"So... um... what are you writing?" asked Lucius, watching her write in a journal on the table after consulting the spread out map.
"Hmm?" she asked, as if coming back to present time from being lost in her thoughts. She looked up at him after finishing her writing. "Oh, um... it's a log of sorts. Part log, part journal."
"Oh, I did something similar for my captain."
"For Edward?" asked Almina, straightening up.
"Well, not exactly," he replied. "I mean he did come into the picture when he came aboard our ship. But no, I recorded the adventures of my captain, Stede Bonnet."
"Ah, the Gentleman Pirate, am I right?"
"Yes."
She smiled before shifting to grab a journal from a bookshelf behind the desk. Unlike the one she had been writing in, this one was worn and clearly had been used. Bits of paper and other items stuck out throughout it.
"You might like to see this then," Almina said, holding it out to him.
Lucius hesitated before getting up and walking over to take it. He casually flipped through it taking in what words and images his gaze caught on to before closing it back up and looking up at her.
"Are you sure?" asked Lucius. "A bit personal, don't you think?"
"There are some personal moments shared, yes," she replied. "But I'm not embarrassed to have others look it. It's the whole reason why I've been writing these journals. I hope for them to be a piece of history that others will be able to look back on. To become in awed by the adventures that took place on the seas, by the relations encountered by pirates everyone has become so well versed in but not really knowing who the true figures are behind the legendary images presented in other so-called biographical books."
She lowered herself into her chair and gazed at him for a moment longer.
"I also think it might help you understand Edward better. And find out why I might be the key to reuniting everyone who has been scattered across the seas because of... well, whatever has happened."
"You really think you can fix it? What if it can't be fixed?"
"This is Edward we're talking about," she replied, leaning forward. "Someone has gotten into his head and made him think he needs to do these things. I am going to get the bottom of it."
"But why you?" asked Lucius.
"Read," she replied, smiling again as she nodded towards the journal. "The answers lie in there."
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 1:14 pm
"The Revenge crew has been settled in the mess hall, captain," stated the crew member spotting their captain.
"How are they doing?" she asked, not hiding her concern.
"A bit worn out from their journey especially from the lack of food but otherwise seems good," they replied. "Strange group though."
"Did... did you say the Revenge?" piped up Lucius from behind Almina.
"Ah, that's right," said Almina, turning around to face him. "It appears we picked up your mates. I'm about to go see them if you want to tag along."
The corner of her mouth rose into an amused smile seeing him practically bursting with excitement but failing at his attempt to appear indifferent before her as he nodded.
"Come along then," she said, turning down the hallway past the crew member.
"Strange group indeed," commented the crew member before leaving to return to their station up on the deck.
After a moment of walking down the hallway, Almina finally brought Lucius to a halt by bringing her arm out in front of him. She turned to face him.
"I'm going to go talk to them first before I have you come in. I do want to see what information I can gather from them about Edward before they get distracted by being reunited with you," she said. "I don't care what you tell them from what you've read about me and Edward in those journals. But I do ask that you refrain from saying that I'm his wife. I would like to do that personally. Is that understood?"
"Yes," replied Lucius, nodding and swallowing nervously.
"At ease, my dear," she said, flashing a warm smile at him. "I told you I would reunite you with your friends. And look at this, I'm doing exactly that."
She patted him on the shoulder before turning to enter the mess hall. Almina paused a moment taking in the eccentric group that looked up at her from their meals before settling into the chair at the head of the table by the door.
"Oh, hello," said one of them.
"I hope you are enjoying the food," she said.
"A bit bland but sure," replied another one of them.
"Roach," reprimanded the first one who spoke up. He turned back to her and said, "What he means to say is we are quite thankful to have received such a warm welcome. I take you are the captain?"
"I am," replied Almina.
"Fab," he replied, smiling. "I am Stede. And this is my humble crew."
"A crew without a ship."
Stede's smile faltered. "Yes. Well... a slight mishap. Misunderstanding, I'm sure."
"I was told you sailed with Blackbeard," said Almina.
The rest of the crew paused in their eating to look at her more directly; she could see the same hint of broken trust in their faces as she had seen in Lucius. After a moment, they turned their attention over to their captain to see how he responded to her inquiry.
"Yes," replied Stede. "We've been through a few adventures together."
Almina glanced around at all of them before turning her attention back to Stede. "You must have made quite the impression to have crossed paths with Blackbeard and come out alive."
"Well, most of us, anyway," said one of the crew members.
"Don't say that, Pete!" exclaimed another crew member. "You don't know for sure he's dead."
"What's this then?" asked Almina, though she had a feeling she knew the answer.
"We are still missing a few of our crew. Some are afraid they may have met their end if they remained aboard the ship with Ed," said Stede. "Which I don't fully understand why they would think that. After all we've been through, it just doesn't seem like him."
"No. No, it doesn't," agreed Almina, under her breath, letting her gaze drift down to the table.
"Sorry, what was that?" asked Stede.
"Enough of this," said Almina, before turning in her chair. "Lucy, if you would be a dear and come say hello. I think we've played enough games."
The crew looked at her with confusion before turning their attention to the doorway where she had been looking. After a moment, Lucius stuck his head out into the doorway.
"Um... hi," said Lucius.
"Babe!" exclaimed the crew member who had made the defeated statement earlier.
"Lucius!" added the other crew members, several jumping up in surprise.
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 1:27 pm
Almina's eyes danced merrily watching the group share hugs and delighted exchanges of having Lucius reunited with them. She then turned to see that Stede had remained in his chair, though was watching with warm eyes.
"I hope this reunion will be one of many for you," she said.
Stede looked down at her, flashed a faint smile, and then sighed in response, "I hope so to."
"Lucius isn't the only one you're still missing from your crew, is he?"
"No, we still have two more still unaccounted for - Frenchie and Jim."
"I promise I will help you find out what happened to them."
"That's awfully nice," said Stede. "I wouldn't want to impose on you further than what we have already done."
"It's no trouble," replied Almina, standing up. "I've been meaning to catch up with Edward for awhile now. You just gave me the perfect opportunity of actually doing it." She chuckled before continuing, "I'll let you all have some time to catch up on. It seems a lot has transpired since you last were all together."
Lucius turned to look at her as she passed by and disappeared back into the hallway.
"Babe, can we trust her?" asked Pete.
"What? You mean the captain?" asked Lucius, turning to look at him and seeing everyone nod in response. "Oh, yeah! She's cool."
"She seems to know Ed," spoke up Stede. "Has she ever mentioned how she knows him?"
"Oh, that," said Lucius. "Well... uh... it's a bit complicated... but basically she's sailed with him and such."
"Did they part on good times?" asked Stede.
"Or was she blindsided like he did with us?" asked Wee John.
"They left on good terms," said Lucius. "She's quite surprised by hearing about what he's done to all of us. She has a feeling he wasn't doing it on his own terms but was forced to do it by someone."
"Forced by someone?" asked Stede, surprised. "Who?"
"Who do we know among Blackbeard's crew that hasn't been too fond of us?" said Oluwande.
"I thought we got along fairly well with everyone," said Stede. "Well, I suppose there is Izzy. You think he's behind this?"
"Hard to say," said Lucius. "She hasn't specifically said who she suspects but she is quite set in her stance that this isn't normal Blackbeard behavior. Or I guess we should say Edward. She seems to make that distinction quite clear - that Edward and Blackbeard are two separate people."
"That doesn't make any sense," said Pete. "They're the same person."
"Except not always," said Lucius. His eyes widened as he realized he may have said something he shouldn't have. "But enough about him. What about the rest of you? What happened since we last saw each other? Especially you!" He turned to give Stede an accusing look. "How could you just leave him hanging like that? He likes you. Or did."
"Trust me, it wasn't my intention," replied Stede.
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