Princess Celestia of Equestria smiled at her little ponies as they went about the preparations for the wedding of Shining Armor and her niece Princess Cadence. The Unicorns and Pegasi were hustling as fast as they could with the decorations, not heeding the princess’s words when she told them to NOT rush as the grand day was three days away. Rushing caused mistakes, and mistakes meant more time in the correction of them. The wedding was going to be enormous, unlike… Celestia’s smile faltered, the memories of the millennia past rushed to her mind. Water wanted to gather in her eye as she recalled her wedding, it wasn’t as huge and she didn’t want it to be. The one she married hated posh ceremony almost as much as she did. The water had gathered in her eye as she swiftly retreated to the comforts of her room.
There her private thoughts held full reign over her as a sob came out of her throat and exited her mouth. The memory of him was too painful, it would have been one thing if he’d died of old age, happy and content, but no. Her love had been taken from her, not only him but their child. More sobs broke out as her friends that had died years before the death of her husband entered her mind. All were rough, most were kind, considering the environment. The sobs and tears continued until the princess heard a knock at the door. The voice of her sister reached her ears.
“Sister, art thou feeling unwell? What is the matter?”
Celestia composed herself slightly as she opened the door to see her sister. Luna whom had a concerned look on her face.
“I-It’s nothing Luna,” she lied.
Luna narrowed her eyes and accused, “You lie sister, please tell us. We can possibly help if we can.”
The white alicorn thought for a moment, on the one hoof she could let it all out, or most of it. Or she could hold all of the memories inside, she decided on the former.
“Please come in sister,” She said as the sun princess bade her sister into the room.
The mistress of the night entered and stood opposite of Celestia as the white alicorn sat on a few pillows and motioned for Luna to do the same on a pile across from her.
The younger sister sat and asked, “Sister, what is troubling thou? It causes us great distress seeing you like this.”
Celestia swallowed her spit as she voiced her thoughts, “I don’t know where to begin.”
Luna’s head cocked to the side slightly as she mimicked the way her “Modern” councilor asked her to begin their sessions, “Perhaps at the beginning dear Celestia.”
The mare sighed, “Well, it all started after your banishment…”
Flashback
The spells flash of light subsided, the day was literally saved. Celestia of Equestria breathed shakily as she lowered herself to the ground and let the elements drop. A pained cry erupted from her, she regretted banishing her sister. Her cries echoed throughout the halls of the now ruined castle as she placed her hooves on top of her head. She stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity only for a comforting hoof being placed on her shoulder. Celestia looked up to see Star swirl the bearded. The elder looking stallion had a pained look in his eye.
“I should have never resorted to them Starswirl,” She spoke with a pained sob at the end.
“Your highness, I’m so sorry. Truly I am, but it was for the good of all Equestria.,” He said in a sad tone.
Starswirl had served her father in the last days of his rule and he’d serve her. Celestia briefly thought about lashing out at him for the 'fears of the many' remark, but knew he wouldn’t have deserved it.
‘Just like Luna,’ she thought bitterly at herself. Before she said, “I-I need to leave.”
Starswirl, who had turned to leave her be spun around and asked, “What? You’re Highness, where would you go?”
The princess breathed shakily and answered, “I don’t know, but please Starswirl don’t tell anypony. I can’t rule, father was wrong I’m not ready. I need to leave Equestria.”
“Running away from your destiny won’t solve anything, and what would you have me do when ponies ask for you Princess?” he asked, weighing the possibility of denying the regal offspring of his beloved king her request. He’d swore to King Deus that he’d make sure to take care of his children. The elderly pony kicked himself for failing one and now it looked like he was going to fail completely.
“Tell them I’m going to step down,” she answered in haste.
“Princess please think on this for a time, don’t make rash action,” he tried to calm her down. Celestia shook some more and tried to ease her ragged breathing.
She calmed a little too fast for Starswirls liking and nodded before retreating to her private chambers leaving Starswirl to pick up the elements and place them back into their proper place.
Celestia paced in her room, she was still distraught over what she’d done. Then an idea came to her, she’d not only leave Equestria she’d leave her world. The regal sister knew the spell and charged up her horn to use it only to stop when she recalled her father’s words after she’d discovered a hidden spell in a book that was locked away by her father when she was young.
“Celestia, now you know there is a world beyond ours. You are to never use this spell, the world beyond is cold, brutal, and dark. There are those that would burn you alive if they found out what you were,” he warned in a stern voice.
She didn’t obey his command and instead read her father’s forgotten journals. She had discovered that this world was inhabited by things called humans. From the way her father had described them they seemed like hairless apes, but were smarter. Celestia came back to herself and charged up her spell as Starswirl burst into the room at the pull of energy. Celestia’s world turned white, then she opened her eyes to discover she was in a grassy plain.
Weeks and months went by and soon she’d learned to blend in among the populace with the help of a kind family who took her in, the ‘people’ as they referred to themselves were Irish. She’d been renamed as she faked having amnesia, something that they’d not fully understood. The Princess of the day had been named Anne Bonny. She took a job at a bar serving drinks, and experiencing what the nobles referred to as the work of ‘common rabble’. It was often frustrating, getting drinks spilled on her and having to be nice to all those that entered the bar. That was until the wars started between the empires of England, the neighboring country, and Spain. The bars were now empty with the male’s going to fight. She was out of a job a week after, while she had drink making skills she had no means of income. In the end she decided to go the ‘West Indies.’ At the behest of the family and start a life there.
Now she stood by what was called a ‘frigate’ one of the types of ships that would transport her and a number of men to the new land. As she stepped on the ramp a running sailor bumped into her. Celestia would have used her magic in any other situation but remembered that danger and was about to fall into the ocean only to be grabbed by a hand that pulled her upright. Celestia turned and smiled at the blonde man who saved her from drowning as she didn’t know how to swim.
“You alright lass?” asked the man who smiled at her.
Celestia felt a blush on her cheeks and nodded gratefully before saying, “Yes, I’m alright sir. Thank you.”
The blonde man was going to continue the conversation but was interrupted by another man talking to him, “Oi, Kenway, stop with your yapping and give me a hand with this thing will ye?”
Both pairs of eyes looked at a scowling man who looked annoyed that the one now known as Kenway dropped a large box to save her.
Kenway, as he was called muttered an apology and picked up the other end to the crate as he said, “Sorry Thatch, couldn’t let her fall.”
“Ye always got to be the damned hero, nicely done,” the man replied, his voice suddenly became light and happy at the end of the sentence.
Twenty minutes later Celestia was placed with other families in the hold when she spotted the two below deck. They were talking with the ship captain, captain Hornigold.
“You two are going to be learning from me from now on, now once morning hits the two of ye are going to scrub the cannons clean. And if ye can’t do that right I’ll make ye clean out the pens for recompense,” Hornigold said as he berated the two for dropping the crate on deck.
Both men looked between each other as Celestia came up to them.
She overheard Thatch as he whispered to Kenway, “Don’t look now, but troubles coming.”
Kenway nudged him with his elbow, making Thatch laugh teasingly.
Celestia looked at them and said, “Thank you for earlier.”
The blonde man smiled and replied, “Don’t mention it, just look out where you’re standing next time.”
Celestia smiled and outstretched her hand then introduced herself, “I’m C-Anne Bonny, what’re your names?”
Thatch answered as Kenway shook her hand gently, “The name be Edward Thatch, and my lovesick friend here would be Edward Kenway. Just call us by last name, no need for confusion. Enough o’ that going around.”
Celestia smiled and went back to her meager room as the ship sailed away from Ireland.
Flashback end
Luna gaped at her sister as she finished her tale. Celestia had regretted sending her away so much that she sent herself away?
Luna’s eyes brimmed with tears as she hugged her sister the two disconnected and the night princess asked, “What happened next?”
Celestia allowed a sad look to make its way onto her face, “Well, the war got so bad that more and more privateers were sent over. And what happens when the wars end and the privateers are left with nothing but hatred for the countries they fought for? They go looking for a fight then another and so on. Eventually things got so bad that they had entire armadas created to wipe out the privateers who turned into pirates.”
Luna was about to ask her sister to elaborate about what happened to the two of the humans she’d met only for Princess Cadence to knock on the door and request that her aunts go out to look for the flowers for the wedding. The trip to the Canterlot florists was tiring, many ponies bowing to Celestia. Due to her experience in Nassau she disliked it when they bowed to her. Once there she looked at the roses and smiled at the memory of putting them in her hair, Edward liked it when she did that. The princess of the day smiled at the memory of Jennifer trying to do the same, or when she and Edward played a joke on Thatch when she did the same to his hair. The theatrical pirate had a hard time trying to get them out that day.
Edward Thatch was in her opinion a character, when he turned to piracy she was dismayed and even called him a bully when he made a royal navy officer cry. She learned later that the officer had ripped up a letter that Edward wrote and was going to send to his wife. Thatch was very protective of the man, almost like an uncle figure. She took the insult back and apologized when she learned the truth. Luckily Thatch was a forgiving person and had threw in a few extra coins for the running away of a customer. Celestia came back to herself as they paid for the roses that Cadence had chosen.
‘We’ll leave the flower placement for tomorrow morning,’ she thought as the trio went back to the castle.
Once there Celestia sat within the Castle dining hall. She sighed sadly as today was the day she returned.
“Gwine,” she called out to her wine expert that she hired, the mare was in front of her in about ten seconds.
“Yes your highness, what can I do for you?” she asked even though she knew the answer.
“Could you get me a bottle of rum please?” Celestia asked with a small smile.
The mare nodded and dashed off. Celestia watched as she did so. Not many knew that she drank rum, or anything aside from tea. She chuckled slightly as Edward would have found it odd if a little creepy of how she was perceived. Sure, she was adored and was considered the most powerful being in Equestria. And had used her experience of what she’d seen nobles do in the Caribbean as what she would never do to her little ponies, but that didn’t make her a goddess. Luna entered when Gwine brought her the rum with an extra glass, just in case. Celestia smiled at Luna who eyed the bottle of rum with a raised eyebrow. The elder Princess raised the bottle with her magic and poured the contents into the two glasses. Luna took a sniff of the liquid and the strong smell made her jerk her head back, but she lifted the glass as Celestia did.
“Here’s a health to good company,” Celestia said before she downed the glass.
The princess savored the burning of alcohol as it made its way to her stomach. Luna however was coughing.
“How canst thou drink such a fiery liquid?” she asked in between coughs.
“In the West Indies you learn pretty quickly that fresh water is hard to come by, so I made due,” Celestia answered with a small smile.
“Sister, if it doesn’t vex you… please continue your story,” the princess of the night asked as a glass of water was placed in front of her.
Celestia remained seated as she told more of her tale.
Flashback: Three Years after the three met
Celestia aka Anne Bonny wiped the tables down as her patrons gathered for drinks at the tables around her. Edward and Thatch, who were accompanied by Hornigold had taken their seats at a table a few down from her. They had ordered three rum flips and were patiently waiting, they were the only ones who were patient in regards to when their drinks would arrive. The British officer at the other end of the establishment wasn’t.
“Oi, what’s the damn hold up with mi’ drink?” he snarled as he got into her face.
“It’ll be out shortly, now if you would please sit-” she didn’t get the chance to finish her sentence as the brute back handed her.
The cheek stung as she stumbled back, Celestia would have fallen over if it wasn’t for the arm of Edward Kenway stretching out and stopping the hard landing. The princess looked to the men who all stood up and cocked their pistols then pointed them at the man.
A dark look went over Edward’s face as he spoke, “I was once told that the navy’s full of ‘Gentlemen’. I didn’t know that gentlemen hit fair lass’s for fun.”
The officer watched them shakily as Edward stood and approached with the fury of a lion stalking its prey. The blonde man now stood a few feet from the officer with his pistol aimed for his heart.
“Now, why don’t you apologize to Miss Bonny?” he asked in a way that told the man that the inquiry would only be requested once.
“I-I’m sorry ma’am. Please sir have mercy!” the worm pleaded.
Edward motioned for him to leave as he shouted, “Get outta here ye posh git.”
The officer turned tail and ran as fast as he could away from the pirates as the rest of the bar applauded. Edward returned to his seat and pulled out ten pieces of gold then placed them into her hand as he muttered an apology for running away a customer.
“Thank you gents,” she said before delivering their drinks.
“Ain’t nobody messes with Anne Bonny, Ye got that?” Thatch shouted to the other British soldiers who nodded their heads rapidly, Hornigold and Mary Reed, who was disguised as a man named James Kidd, agreed silently behind him.
When the three men were finished with their drinks Thatch called out to her, “Miss Bonny, would ye like to learn how to handle a blade? With drunks and debt collectors round here you’d find it’d be useful.”
She raised her eyebrow and asked, “Who would teach me Thatch, you? You’re always gone with Hornigold here.”
“Edward has yet to acquire a ship, lad’s has also yet to reach captaincy. He’s got enough time on his hands,” Thatch answered as he slapped Kenway on the back.
Celestia looked at the blonde who nodded and replied, “Very well, I accept.”
This got all of them talking excitedly amongst themselves, as Edward checked over his letter to Caroline.
Flashback end
“Dear sister, you learned to wield swords?” asked Luna who sat in awe of the continuation of her story.
Celestia nodded and replied, “Yes, turns out that Edward Kenway was a great teacher. He taught me how to shoot pistols as well.”
Luna changed the subject to food, “Celly, what did you do for food? I shall not imagine what the humans would’ve eaten if they waged war often.”
Celestia leaned back in her chair and answered, “Humans are omnivorous, meaning they eat both meat and vegetation. Luckily for me the West Indies was ripe with fruits and apples. Have you ever wondered why I never eat apples as often as you do? After over ten years of every fruit imaginable plus apples you’d get sick of them.”
Luna nodded in understanding and asked, “What happened after that?”
Celestia then told her sister that both Thatch and Edward acquired ships, naming them the Queen Anne’s Revenge, and Jackdaw respectively.
Across Canterlot
Shining Armor sat down at a bar in front of a blonde Pegasus who poured him a pint of hard cider. The stallion was nervous about the wedding, and was about ready to spill his guts to the blonde haired Pegasus known by all the patrons as “Flash Rogue”.
“What if I’m not good enough or that I don’t make her happy?” the unicorn asked as fear laced in his voice.
The Pegasus gave him an incredulous look and went around the bar before sitting beside the guardsman. He spoke in an odd accent as he placed a wing on Shining’s shoulder, “Lad, she wouldn’t have said yes if you didn’t make her happy. As for being good enough, Lord knows that none of us are. That’s why God made mares so that we have somepony to deflate our egos. You’re going to be fine.”
Shining chuckled before he swayed in his seat making Flash go around the bar and say in his ‘official’ barkeeper voice, “Cutting you off, sorry mate.”
The Unicorn gave Flash a grin before he asked, “Remember when I got drunk after duty the first time I came here?”
The Pegasus smiled and answered, “Aye, it was a night.”
Flashback
Shining Armor was puking in the restroom stall for what seemed like an eternity, his friends left him there with the bill. The good news was he’d gotten the day off tomorrow, the bad news was the impending hangover. Flash had just finished locking up and was adamant about making sure that the private got home safely. The Pegasus hailed a cab with his wing to let the guard save face, it had taken them twenty minutes to reach Shining’s house and when they did he knocked on the door. A white unicorn mare answered it and saw her son.
“Oh, by Celestia Shining,” The mare said as she helped guide her son in.
Flash spoke to her, “Afraid he’s had one to many lass, I couldn’t let him go home alone.”
Shining’s mother smiled and said, “Thank you mister?”
The Pegasus put on a lopsided grin and answered, “Flash Rogue at your service lass, and who might you be?”
The mare blushed at the accent but answered as her husband came into the room, “My name’s Twilight Velvet, and this is my husband Nightlight. Nightlight, this stallion just brought back Shining from a night with his ‘friends’.”
Nightlight groaned as this was the third time they’d done this to his son, “Thank you mister Rogue, would you like to join us for a coffee, seeing as you have a trip back?”
The Pegasus smiled and nodded in the affirmative, soon the three were sitting by a fireplace. Twilight Velvet hated awkward silences so she made conversation.
“So, Mr. Rogue, I imagine that bartending is quite the business. Were you always a bartender?” she asked noticing his cutie mark, it was two swords crossing downwards.
Flash smiled and replied, “No, I was a sailor for a while, a privateer to be precise.”
Nightlight’s eyebrows shot up as he asked, “Really? Never figured the Pegasi liked the water.”
The remark made his wife elbow him before smiling apologetically and saying, “Sorry about that, so if I may ask have you ran into any pirates? I’m a writer you see, and have been trying to write a book on them for years. But there is little knowledge to their workings.”
Flash chuckled before he said, “Well with luck I’ve tangled with a few before I decided to retire. But nopony you’ve ever heard of I’m afraid.”
Twilight smiled before she asked, “Maybe you could tell us about your adventures sometime, and it would give me inspiration for my book.”
Flash Rogue smiled and replied before he left out of the front door, “Perhaps one day I’ll tell you. Thanks for the coffee, I’d best be going. Have a goodnight.”
Flashback end
Flash smiled at the memory before he said, “By God you had the worst hangover the next day. Came in here to pay the tab with an icepack on your noggin, funniest thing I’ve seen thus far.”
Shining winced as he was given a glass of water, his mother had chewed him out like she would a recruit when she was a drill instructor for the guard. His father tried to give him a homemade hangover cure but one look from his mother and that plan crashed and burned.
The Unicorn then asked, “Flash, I’ve been meaning to ask you. What does your cutie mark stand for?”
The Pegasus sighed and answered, “Lad, I don’t like telling the story of my special talent. But since you’re like a son to me I’ll tell ye the short version. When I was younger I was married to a sweet lass. You see we were dirt poor living in a shack that’s walls didn’t block the wind. One day I got word of a privateering job but my wife’s father deemed me unfit for life on sea, even threatened to disown her if I took the job. The father’s money was the main source of income and I wanted to make more money than I made working on the farm that I toiled on. The wife told me to enlist in the navy but I had already talked with sailors, turns out the captains of ships got six hundred for every coin I’d earn. So when I made the decision to go and be a privateer my then wife was estranged from me. It was the biggest mess I’d ever created, in the end after ten years at sea I discovered that she’d died while I had earned my cutie mark. She left me a daughter whom I raised and after a while I’d gotten married again, I even had a son. The rest I’ll tell you later since you’ve got to get back to the castle.”
Shining was shook out of his awe at the stallion’s story. He looked at the clock before teleporting out of the bar. Flash was now dealing with a shattered glass as the wake of the teleportation spell had knocked if off the counter. He sighed and started cleaning up the bar while noting that Shining Armor had left him a wedding invitation. Flash Rogue aka Edward Kenway smiled at his fortune, and soon he’d be back with his love, hopefully this time she was sober.
The Pegasus smiled as he signaled the band, even though Shining was no longer in the building he would still honor his friend.
The bar went silent as he spoke, “Alright lads and lass’s I think it high time we give a song for our friend Shining Armor. The lads getting married I a couple ‘o days.”
The bar was filled with applause and Flash started singing with the band playing behind him, “Kind friends and companions, come join me in Rhyme. Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine. Come lift up your voices, all grief to refrain. For we may or might never all meet here again.”
The rest of the bar joined him and sang, “Here’s a health to the company and one to my lass. Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass. Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain. For we may or might never all meet here again.”
Edward took the lead again as the rest quieted, “Here’s a health to the dear lass that I love so well. For her style and her beauty, sure none can excel. There’s a smile on her countenance as she sits on my knee. There’s no Colt in this wide world as happy as me.”
The patrons started to sing again, “Here’s a health to the company and one to my lass. Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass. Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain. For we may or might never all meet here again.”
Edward sang again once the chorus was finished, “Our ship lies at anchor, she’s ready to dock. I wish her safe landing without any shock. If ever I should meet you by land or by sea. I will always remember your kindness to me.”
The final chorus went up as soon as the words left his muzzle, “Here’s a health to good company and one to my lass. Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass. Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain. For we may or might never all meet here again.”
The song ended as applause took its place, all of the ponies at the bar laughed and smiled in delight. The Pirate turned Assassin turned Pony smiled as all of his guests were having a grand time, just as he liked it.
Back at the castle
Shining Armor had laid out his defense plan to princess Celestia as she resumed court. That had gone on for ten minutes, she could swear that the captain had been slightly buzzed but didn’t comment about it.
So long as he didn’t say anything out of the ordinary, after court was adjourned she had pulled him aside and asked, “Shining have you been drinking?”
The captain’s serious look faltered for a bit before he nodded, there was no point in lying to his ruler.
Celestia sighed and asked, “Why?”
Shining rubbed the back of his head, “Wedding jitters, please forgive me highness. It won’t happen again.”
Celestia gave him a stern look and replied, “Be sure that it doesn’t, and you’re forgiven.”
The captain went back to his room to pull himself together, along the way he cursed himself for not using Starswirl the bearded’s “Sober” spell that did exactly as it said.
Celestia took a few minutes to get back to her room as Luna guarded the night, she draped herself in a nightgown and wondered to the balcony. Her memory went to the foal free press as she realized that if anypony would see her in a nightgown and take a picture it would be the chocolate cake incident all over again. She smiled as Edward would have gotten a kick out of trying to think of ways that the paparazzi got to her before gathering all of the inappropriate pictures of his wife and burning them.
Then her thoughts turned to her student, Twilight Sparkle was like a daughter to her. Sure her student was overdramatic when it came to her. She chuckled as Twilight constantly thought that the slightest mistake would send her to magic kindergarten, or banishment to the moon. The princess found it humorous that one of the brightest unicorns would think that she’d do such a thing to anypony, well maybe to Jack Rackham who made advances on her, but not to Twilight. Celestia was sure that Edward would have adored Twilight as much as she adored Jennifer his daughter.
With the thought of her husband in mind she went to bed, as she laid her head on her pillow she remembered what happened when Edward Thatch AKA Blackbeard died. She had relocated to Edward’s hideout in the Great Inagua after Nassau fell and she had caught Edward as he tried to drown his sorrows in rum.
Flashback
Edward Kenway had a drink in his hand as there was a knock on his door. Celestia entered without waiting for him to answer. She saw the anguished look on his face then the bottle in his hand and rushed to him.
“Edward, what happened? Where’s Thatch?” she questioned, concerned as she’d never seen him in such a state.
Edward answered with a drunken cry, “He-He’s gone Anne. The British attacked without warning.”
He babbled unintelligibly after that as the red haired woman hugged him.
“Edward, it'll be alright. Thatch wouldn’t want this for you. Give me the bottle and I’ll make you some tea,” She said and gently took the rum from him.
A few minutes later Edward had explained exactly what happened. Thatch retired but the British still attacked with their mortars and killed many innocents in the process. He and Thatch escaped the destruction on the Jackdaw before they boarded a man ‘o war and Thatch went down during the fighting. Edward was put to bed soon after telling the story, as for Celestia she shook with anguish as the ‘gentlemen’ of the navy didn’t give ‘Blackbeard’ so much as a trial.
Flashback end
No one deserved that fate, to die without a trial. Thatch had seemed like an evil man but that was a trick, a show for the masses to avoid a fight, as Thatch hated taking lives. Before that day he explained the reason why he became a privateer was to get away from government corruption after living in England for so long. When Celestia finally returned she put the parliament on notice that if she got even a hint of corruption she’d dissolve it permanently. The Princess was irrevocably shaped by what the human’s taught her, and in her opinion it was for the best. Soon after Celestia was fast asleep and she dreamt of a life in which Edward Kenway was ruling by her side and both Jennifer and Haytham were living happily with their parents.
Author's Note
The tavern song "Here's a health to the company" is a traditional Irish song, I do not own the rights to it. The lyrics in this variation minus the word 'Colt' is owned by Ubisoft all rights go to them.
Edward Kenway, or Flash Rogue as he was known stood still as he was searched by the royal guard. The security was getting stricter by the day due to an unknown threat against Canterlot. Not that he really minded, seeing as how a wedding was going to take place, but in his gut he knew that even the strictest of defenses could be beat. He was going to the market to get some eggs for his rum flips, at each end of it were guards.
"Again we apologize for the inconvenience sir," the guard who had searched him said after he'd finished with his job.
"Not a problem, you're just doing your job," Edward replied evenly then joked "But I'll remember this and up the prices on your drinks later."
The soldiers chuckled at the jest. Most guards frequented his establishment, he'd made certain that they'd get a place to relax after standing in one place for hours on end. But, when he first came to Equestria after he died Edward didn't trust the soldiers until he read the equestrian law on the strict anti-abuse laws for law enforcement. He admitted that Celestia did a fine job ruling her kingdom, if it was a little... odd at times. Edward went up to a stall that sold the items he was looking for, it was ran by an older mare who smiled as she saw him.
"Oh, mister Rogue, just in time. The guards are hardly letting anypony move around as quickly," she said to him as Edward smiled at her.
"Ahoy, Miss Carton. Indeed, the guards are surely at watch. Won't be surprised if all of the fuss is for nothing, but in the meantime I suppose it'll be alright. So long as they're not breaking down doors," he replied as the mare used her magic to place the container of eggs into the saddlebag that he was carrying.
"You take care Flash," she called after him as he placed the twenty bits on her counter and trotted away.
Edward called back, "Aye, and you do the same."
The Pegasus got back to the bar and put his groceries in the fridge before he got drinks ready for the lunar night guards. They preferred coffee, for the life of him Edward couldn't understand what it was about coffee that attracted the bat winged ponies, but they liked the stuff after their shifts. Edward liked having them around as they both tipped well and were really respectful. It must have been from the way that most ponies treated them, like some kind of thing to be stared at. The Pegasus paid this no mind and treated them as well as he would anypony. One year ago when a fight broke out between a posh unicorn and one of the guard he'd broke it up and sent the racist packing. The guards stared at him like he had gained a second head, apparently they'd been chased out of establishments by irate ponies who wouldn't eat next to 'monsters'.
'Shite Ade is this what you had to go through?' he'd thought sadly, but perked up when the initial small group brought in their friends and occasionally their wives or husbands.
Lightbreeze, one of the first guards to frequent his place walked through the door, she was the Captain of the Lunar guard and took her job in stride. The pony reached the bar as Edward placed her coffee in front of the mare. Lightbreeze smiled and drank the foul tasting liquid before Edward spoke.
"So Lightbreeze, how're the kids? at home with their father?" he asked with a smile.
The captain sighed tiredly before replying, "Yeah, Fang is getting big and Swift is just about to start school. Thanks for the coffee Flash, have a nice day."
Lightbreeze placed three bits down on the counter and left for home. Edward smiled at her retreating form, she was quite the mother as he'd met her foals and her husband before he'd told the fillies about his time as a sailor, just as he'd done with both Jenny and Haytham. Lightbreeze and her family were good, upright ponies always being thankful for things in life. Edward turned around and made more mugs of coffee as more of the night crew entered. He went around and served the ponies their drinks, after they left he around to each table an wiping them down. He got to the last one before a ball went through one of his windows.
If he was still back in Nassau he'd react angrily but since it was a couple of children he'd let it slide. Two colts who were responsible for the mess came over and collected the ball as they muttered that they were sorry.
"It be alright lads, just watch were you're throwing that thing," he said as a unicorn repair pony from next door came over and fixed his window.
Edward paid for the repair and was going to return to his bar, but he felt a shiver run down his spine. A pony humming filled his ear, it sounded like "Down among the dead" a song that he heard in the West Indies, from both taverns and... Edward spun around and concentrated, the world around him went dark and ponies were shades of white, while the guards were shades of blue. there was no red or gold to be found so he went back into the bar.
With Princess Celestia
Celestia was in the Royal bathhouse with Luna who was begging her to continue her story.
"Please sister, we must know what happened next. We are wanting to know what became of this rogue that captured your heart," she said and applied the 'Wuna' eyes.
Celestia sighed and thought on it before deciding to continue.
Flashback
Celestia sat underneath a palm tree as she stared at the setting sun, it had been four months since she and the now deceased Mary had been thrown into prison for being involved with piracy. at the trial both she and her dear friend claimed to be pregnant, mary truly was she'd used an illusion spell on herself. Sadly, when Edward who was also in prison broke them out Mary was suffering from childbirth complications. She then soon after died in Edwards arms as they made their way out. The blonde man himself came up to her slowly and sat down beside her.
"Edward..." she mumbled sadly as she thought of her friends that had passed from this world.
"I'm sorry for your loss Anne," he mumbled ashamedly
Celestia was hit in a wave of self hate, "Maybe this is Gods way of telling me that I'm not fit to be anything. Cursing, drinking, and fighting as I do."
Instead of agreeing with her Edward decided to build up her spirit, "You are a fighter aye. In prison I heard stories of the great Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Taking on the kings navy together, just the pair of you."
Celestia nodded and said, "It's all true, we would have won that day had Jack and his lads weren't passed out from drink. Edward, everyone's gone aren't they? Mary, Jack, Thatch and all the rest. I miss them so, rough as they were. Do you feel it to? All empty inside?"
Edward answered her question and said, "I do. Devil curse me, I do."
With that the two clasped their hands with each others and sat there for a while. Celestia wanted to tell him so badly of her true origins, she thought about it for a moment before speaking to him again.
Flashback end
Luna held a hoof to her mouth and asked, "Sister thou told him of thy true place of birth?"
Celestia nodded and replied as the exited the bath, "Yes I did sister. He reacted with skepticism but soon changed his tune after I performed a few spells. Then he offered me the position of being his quartermaster. Then after he told me what he was trying to become."
Luna, whom didn't know nautical terms simply asked, "What is this quartermaster, and what was he trying to become?"
Celestia chuckled and answered, "He offered the position of second in command aboard his ship. and he was trying to join a group known as the assassins."
"He was trying to become worse than a pirate? Dear Celestia haw canst thou love a professional murderer?" Luna said shocked and offended.
Celestia turned to face her sister and spoke to defend Edward, "He was going against a group that was Tartarus bent on world domination. The Assassins stood for justice, freedom and peace in all things. Their enemies, the Templars were cruel without even a glimmer of goodness in them, they were self righteous and vile. I'm proud of my husband for standing up to those tyrants."
Celestia realized that she had hurt Luna, who wasn't there to see it for herself, "Luna, please forgive me. when it comes to Edward I get emotional. Please sister forgive me for yelling."
Luna forgave her only sister and asked simply, "Sister, What happened to Edward? Why isn't he here with us as he should be?"
Celestia looked down sadly before answering such a painful question. Even now it was hard to tell the story of what happened, and when she looked back on it she should have kept Haytham away from Renigald Birch and the rest of the Templars.
Flashback December 1735
After dealing with Torres, and meeting Jennifer at the docks the pair now trio left for England where they made a good living. a few months later, with the approval of Jennifer they married. After which Celestia bore Edward a son, Haytham. But tonight Celestia held Edwards hand as the latter had a sword in his chest.
"Celestia, ye know I'm done for. Take the children and go," he rasped as his blood pooled on the floor.
"No Edward... please don't go, please don't leave me alone," she whimpered sadly as she saw the life start to fade from his eyes.
"Celestia, thank you for never giving up on me. For being kind to a man not worth your time, I'll see you again my lovely quartermaster," and with those final words uttered Edward Kenway died as he held his loves hand.
Flashback end
Celestia let a tear roll down her face as she hugged her sister. Out of all the things that happened to the man she didn't think anything could kill him, a foolish thought she knew but the man had an air of invincibility around him.
"I stayed a few more days after that night it appeared that Haytham was under the control of the Templars and a bitter Jennifer renounced me as her mother so I finally returned," Celestia elaborated then even further explained what she'd done when she'd returned "After I came back Starswirl was elderly and dying. Luckily our little ponies embraced me with open arms. the anti-brutality law and right to trial by jury was added to the law, I didn't want a repeat of the west indies."
"Celestia, I'm so sorry about what happened to Edward. Verily I am," Luna said as she hugged her sister again.
"Oh, you would have loved him Luna, he always had a way of making me smile. Goodness, one day he decided to get me this nice silver necklace, we'd just gone to the theatre to." she said as she remembered how Edward showered her with love and affection.
There was a knock at the door and a Guard said, "Princess's, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza would like to start the wedding rehearsal in two hours."
Celestia opened the door and smiled at the sergeant outside before she spoke, "Very well Sergeant Cross, please inform her that I shall be there."
The soldier saluted and left the two sisters to go about their business. Celestia walked to the tower where her telescope was located to wait out the next hour and a half before sundown.
With Twilight Sparkle
Twilight was gathering evidence against Cadence, ever since she got there the day before her old foal sitter wasn't acting like she normally would. Where she had been kind, she was now rude. Twilight briefly considered that she was being over protective but squashed that thought before she turned a corner and bumped into a pony. Twilight let out a 'oof' sound as she was knocked on her flank.
"Sorry about that, wasn't paying attention to where I was going." she said before she opened her eyes to find a tan earth pony glaring daggers at her.
Twilight got a good look at him, he was tall and a bit disheveled with a short black mane and a short beard on his face.
He spoke with a growl, "Watch were you're going lout!"
Twilight, afraid for her life nodded and galloped off as the stallions green eyes followed her. She made it to the castle and opened the doors.
A hush immediately followed as she spoke to her brother, "I will not stand next to her, and neither should you."
Shining Armor turned to his fiancé and said, "I'm sorry I have no idea why she's acting like this."
Cadence huffed in annoyance and replied, "Maybe we should just ignore her."
At this point Twilight's frustration boiled over before she shouted, "You have to listen to me!"
Fluttershy, seeing her friends angry look went over to her and asked, "Are you alright?"
Twilight nodded and answered, "I'm fine."
Applejack went up next to Twilight and asked sharply, "Ya'll sure about that?"
Twilight's annoyance got worse and she used her magic to levitate the farmers hat and push her away with it before she accused, "I've got something to say, She's evil."
At this Twilight's audience gasped and muttered between themselves as Twilight elaborated "She has been horrible to my friends," Twilight teleported behind the couple and resumed speaking, "She's obviously done something to her brides maids, and if that wasn't enough I saw her put a spell on my brother that made his eyes go all crazy."
While she ranted Twilight backed Cadence into a corner, the pink alicorn's eyes watered and instead of a confession like she'd hoped the princess cried, "Why are you doing this to me?"
Cadence jumped out from her position and ran down the hall whilst tears streamed down her face, Twilight took this as if she'd won and twice proclaimed that Cadence was evil. The mare trotted back into the room to the astounded looks of her friends and the angered look of her brother. She bumped into him and gazed up at his look, while it was nothing compared to the earth pony from earlier it was still a fierce glare.
"Would you like to know why my eyes were 'crazy'? Because ever since I started to perform my protection spell I've been getting terrible migraines. she hasn't been casting spells on me, she's been healing me. And she decided to replace her brides maids because they only wanted to get close to royalty. And if she hasn't been on her best behavior with your friends it's because with me being so busy she's had to make all of the decisions for the wedding," Shining explained agitatedly before rounding on his younger sister.
Twilight tried to defend herself but her brother cut her off, "She's been really stressed out because it's really important to her that our big day be perfect. Something that obviously wasn't important to you,"
He continued despite his sister's glare before he nearly fell over s a migraine tore through his head. Shining breathed calmly as he dealt with the pain, before resuming his speaking, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and comfort my bride. And you can forget about being my best mare, in fact if I were you I wouldn't show up to the wedding at all."
With that he walked out of the room, Twilight sat on the ground sadly as her friends stared at her before Applejack spoke up, "C'mon ya'll let's go check on the princess," the five mares left Celestia and her student alone in the room.
Soon Twilight felt Celestia's shadow over her as the alicorn spoke, "You have a lot of thinking to do."
Twilight didn't stay in the room for long and was soon walking down a street to Flash Rogue's bar, Shining had taken her there when she turned twenty one and the bar owner ensured that she was eased into drinking. She walked into the establishment and saw that the bar was vacant save for the Pegasus that owned the place.
Edward saw Twilight enter the bar with a heartbroken look on her face, she sat down right in front of him.
Edward gained a concerned look and asked, "Are ye alright lass? Wait, shouldn't you be at the wedding reception?"
Twilight put her forelegs on the bar and placed her head on top of them before answering, "Yeah I was but I ruined it."
Edward raised an eyebrow then asked, "How'd ye do that?"
"Well, my brothers bride is my old foal sitter, I was excited about seeing her again but when I did she wasn't the mare that I knew. I did our greeting when I saw her again but she didn't react to it. Then later she was being bossy and rude. I made a fool of my self in accusing her of trying to control Shining, when it turned out that all she was doing was healing his migraines," she explained and expected for the normally cordial Pegasus to kick her out.
Edward gaped at her and tried to sort all of the information out, "So, let me get this straight. Princess Cadence was being rude to your friends, casting something on Shining that you didn't recognize, and she didn't recognize your greeting between each other?"
Twilight nodded before Edward said, "Then in my opinion you're correct to be suspicious, but you handled the situation wrong. instead of running headlong into a fight, ye should've gone one on one with your brother."
Twilight gained an understanding look before she whispered, "Doesn't matter now. Can I get a rum flip?"
Edward smiled at her before shaking his head, "Nope, ye aren't getting hammered on my watch. If ye want to drop anchor here for the night and clear your head then go back to the castle early tomorrow that's fine, if not that's alright as well."
"I'd rather stay here than deal with anypony, and thanks for not serving me," she said with a small smile.
"C'mon lass I'll show ye to your room," Edward said before they went to the basement, it was filled with casks of liquor.
Edward opened a door to reveal a hammock attached to the walls with a cabinet below it. Twilight gazed at the room and turned to the Pegasus as he kept the door open and went back upstairs to close up shop. Now alone Twilight felt the gravity of the situation on her, in her self loathing she charged up her horn and shot a blast at the wall. Twilight meant to only use a small percentage but the wall broke and scattered stone into a tunnel, where a familiar alicorn lay. In a second the Pegasus that was sheltering her for the night burst into the door and saw what happened.
"The hell happened here Twilight?" he asked angrily before he noted that Princess Cadence was lying in the cave.
Twilight was a foot away from the princess, Edward saw this and put the unconscious and disheveled mare over him and got her inside as Twilight followed him up stairs. Once Edward had her upstairs he cleared his dining room table and set her on it. The Pegasus then checked her pulse.
"She has a pulse, and she's breathing. Twilight, get me a bucket of cold water," he said and directed Twilight who did as instructed.
The unicorn came back to the room with the bucket and on Edwards order she poured it on her. In seconds the pink Alicorn woke up.
"Wh-Where am I?" she asked in a dizzy tone as she sat up.
Twilight was getting ready to question her before Cadence turned to her and asked "Twilight? You have to help me, the other me is an imposter."
The alicorn was going to get off of the table when she questioned "Who's this Twilight?"
The Pegasus bowed and answered for himself, "Flash Rogue at your service lass, erm your majesty. Ye want to tell us what happened to get you into the caves under Canterlot?"
Cadence, the real Cadence explained what had happened a week prior, she was kidnaped by the changeling queen. She was in the process of trying to find her way out of the tunnels when twilight blasted a hole through the stone.
"We've got to do something," Twilight said before she made a move to head out the door.
Edward lifted a wing to stop her and said "Lass, that be what the queen wants for you to do, charge in again. Now we'll rest up for the night before going to the wedding and stopping this madness."
"What do you mean we?" Twilight asked as she looked at the Pegasus.
"Lass, I might not be the most intimidating pony but I am well versed in toppling those who think themselves better than everypony else. We'll let the princess get freshened up then eat supper, after the two of ye will take my room. Do we have an agreement?" he said and got the two mares to nod.
Soon after Cadence had showered she, Twilight, and Edward were sitting around the dining room table. The Pegasus served bread and sliced baked potatoes.
Cadence started conversation, "So mister Rogue, Shining tells me that you were a sailor."
Edward replied after taking a bite from his potato, "Aye, I was. A privateer for a while, good money that is if you have the stomach for that work. Even tangled with pirates and got marooned once."
Twilight got excited as thoughts of swashbuckling pirates came to mind before she asked, "You were marooned? How did you escape? Wait you flew off didn't you?"
Edward shook his head and sighed, "Well it were me and a friend who got marooned. We stayed there for four months, I made it off intact but my friend, he wasn't so fortunate."
Twilight looked down and mumbled an apology to which Edward waved her off. After Cadence helped Edward clean up the two mares were in bed while Edward set his alarm clock then slept in a hammock that he'd set up in his bar.
With Fake Cadence
Queen Chrysalis stared at the changeling before her, he had a crazed look in his eye as they conversed.
"And what if this plans o' yours fails? I want that Welsher's head on a pike for what 'e did to me," he growled out as he stepped into her face.
Chrysalis retorted with a silky smooth voice, it showed how annoyed she was, "My dear, you will have your revenge, in the meantime I will go forward as planned and continue to steal Shining Armors love. But I do have a question for you, what makes you hate him so? What's going on in that dastardly head of yours Captain?"
The changeling growled as he circled the first monarch he indorsed, like a shark circling his prey. He spoke in the same tone as before, "It were his fault I'm here now. It were his fault that mi' mind was so clouded. The path I've walked has been darker than I've ever dreamed of, but my purpose is bright. The gallows may have ended the man Charles Vane, but the changeling Charles Vane is more focused and deadlier than ever, the welsher will rue the day he left me in prison to die."
Charles Vane stopped circling and now it was Chrysalis who circled him. Her tail went sensually under his chin as she purred, "My dear Charles, we'll both get what we want. You'll get the pony's life, while I get the offspring I've wanted. All you have to do is make sure that the coast of our kingdom is protected. besides even if I do fail we get to commence with plan B."
"Just make sure that you get enough food, I can't defend our coast on an empty stomach," he growled back then teleported away, leaving the changeling queen alone.
The next morning
The next morning came as usual, the sun rose as Edward Kenway changed into his best, well for him. He wore his assassin robes and a Spanish cloak. The assassin pony opened a box to find his hidden blades, they were just as deadly as when he last used them. They were kept sharp and clean, just in case he ever needed them. It was suffice to say that he needed them now, thus he put them on. Both mares raised their eyebrows as him as he stepped out the door to head to the wedding. Cadence who had used a spell to disguise herself walked down the street with her former charge and the Pegasus. They were about halfway there when Edward stopped in the middle of the street and looked up. Wedding horns blared before the two mares noticed him.
"Flash, let's go," Cadence said with Twilight standing behind her.
Edward glanced at the princess before he reached into his pocket and handed her the wedding invitation as he spoke, "I'll catch you up, get to the wedding. Hurry!"
The two mares looked where he did moments before and saw a large number of dark spots outside of the force field. Candence took the ticket before both she and Twilight made a break for it towards the castle. Edward meanwhile took off his cloak and flew up to the roof of a diner and prepared himself. Miss Carton was in her house next door with a group of ponies who were frightened about the things outside. She saw the younger looking Pegasus as he stared at the things with a fierce air about him.
She called out to the pony, "Flash, get indoors it's not safe."
"Don't mind me Miss Carton, be sure to keep the doors locked. We're about to have a pest problem," he responded with a fierce smirk before he whispered to himself, "Lord make me fast and accurate."
With the real Cadence
Princess Celestia entered the room where the wedding was taking place. Twilight went ahead of her and burst through the doors, much to the chagrin of all present.
"Stop!" she shouted, making her friends facehoof .
The imposter made an angry face and said, "Ugh, why does she have to be so possessive... Why does she have to ruin my special day?"
Cadence had enough and entered the room as she proclaimed, "Because it's not your special day it's mine!"
The entire room exploded with gasps as she did this, the imposter gained a look of surprise and exclaimed, "What? How did you escape the tunnels?"
Cadence then explained how Twilight blasted her out, and that she'd been taken care of by the bar tender Flash Rogue. Celestia raised an eyebrow at the name as it had been a nickname that Edward had given Stede Bonnet once upon a time.
Queen Chrysalis giggled from under her disguise and said, "It doesn't mater now because it's to late."
Applejack was confused and she made it known, "Ah don't understand, how can there be two of 'em?"
Cadence pointed her hoof at the imposter and said "She's a changeling, a being that takes the form of somepony you love and gains power be feeding off your love for them."
Chrysalis was now really angry, her plan had fallen apart. The jig was up so she charged up her horn and created a circle of green fire around her, this revealed her true form.
The queen, now in her grotesque true form laughed menacingly and said, "Right you are princess, and as queen of the changelings it is my job to find food for my subjects. Equestria has more love than any place on earth, my fellow changeling will be able to devour so much of it and we'll gain more power than we've ever dreamed of."
Cadence retorted angrily "They'll never get through Shining Armor's spell!"
Chrysalis chuckled darkly and responded with a question to Shining, "Oh I doubt that, isn't that right dear?"
The possessed captain nodded and the queen turned back to the princess as Cadence tried to reach him, "No, no, no, you don't want to go back to the cave now do you? Ever since I took your place I've been feeding off of his love for you every moment he grows weaker, the more my subjects batter the shield."
With Edward
Edward watched as crack after crack was made in the barrier, the changelings had thrown themselves at it as hard as they could. The assassin crouched down and readied himself to meet them, those foul creatures that dared to try and conquer his love's home. The shield shattered and Edward launched himself skywards and used the two hidden blades to skewer two changelings. One that was behind the two threw himself into Edward and send him downwards, but Edward was prepared for this and flipped backwards. He then used the changeling as a stepping stone and launched himself at a bug that was heading for the ground, Edward stabbed his right blade into it's heart then turned and sliced another's neck open. A changeling slammed Edwards body into the side of the building but had forgotten the blades on his forelegs and was stabbed in the neck by an angry blonde pony. Edward saw the castle where six ponies were trying to get through the changelings, he pushed off of the building and flew straight into the fray. Twilight, who had been sent to gather the elements of harmony saw Edward crash into the pack of Changelings.
"Flash!" she cried as he was being attacked from all angles.
Edward caught Twilight Sparkle out of the corner of his eye and shouted at her, "Go, go now, I'll keep these corkers busy!"
The mare and her friends went around him and the pack of changelings, it was then Edward realized that he was where the reception was going to be, it was complete with wine bottles... Edward smiled and used his right hind leg to kick a bottle directly into the face of a changeling that was behind him. Two decided to attack him at the same time Edward simply jumped and let the two slam into each other. The assassin spun around as he did it and was distracted by a pony who looked familiar, almost like Charles Vane. He didn't see the attack from behind and was knocked out then dragged to the castle. He came to in the castle as Twilight melted a green glob of goop that kept Cadence's hooves rooted to the spot. With that done the princess went over to her fiancé and embraced him, and like that the spell over the stallion was broken.
"Your spell! Perform the spell!" Edward heard Twilight urge.
Shining Armor tried but all his horn did was spark then sputter, the stallion groaned, "It's no use I don't have the strength to repel them."
"My love will give you strength," she proclaimed and magic was charged up from her horn.
The surge of magical energy was going to send all of the bugs packing but at the last second Chrysalis teleported near Twilight then grabbed her. Edward's eyes widened and moved to free her when the blast from the spell went out just as the Queen teleported again.
"No!" he shouted as all of the changelings had been repelled.
Shining who had opened his eyes to see that his sister was no longer in the room questioned the Pegasus, "Flash where's my sister?"
Edward shook his head but caught a glimpse of a paper floated away in the distance via the wind, Flash was quick to grab it and he frowned deeply when he read it.
"Devil sink me, I can't believe he's here!" he shouted as he dropped and went to head out the door before Twilight's friends stopped him.
"Now hold on there sugar cube, where do ya'll think your going?" Applejack said as Edward gained an annoyed look.
"I'm going to get Twilight Sparkle back from the clutches of a psychotic madpony!" He shouted and was about to push past him before he heard Celestia's voice.
"You there, stop," Edward froze and sighed as he stood still and waited for Celestia to command him, "Turn around."
Edward took a calming breath as he expected to be slapped. He turned and saw Celestia put a hoof to her mouth in shock.
The princess saw the scar on his right cheek and eye and gasped before whispering, as if when she spoke some cruel illusion would be broken.
"E-Edward?"
Despite his sense of urgency Edward smiled and replied "Hello Anne."
Much to the confusion of everypony there the princess galloped and tackled the Pegasus to the ground.
"Edward Kenway it is you! It is you!" she shouted in glee.
"Celestia, please, as much as I'd like to make up for lost time we have a problem," he said in a sad tone as he motioned to the note.
Celestia frowned and used her magic to levitate the note. It read:
Dear Princess Celestia,
If you are receiving this that means that Chrysalis has failed but has taken your student. If you ever want to see her alive again you'll lower the defenses of Equestria and allow us, the Changelings, to occupy the country. In addition I want that lout Edward Kenway to meet me on the sea for one final showdown. you have one week to decide your answer.
Signed Charles Vane
Celestia dropped the note with panic in her eyes and yelled at a guard "Get me Admiral Ironclad, now!"
Author's Note
So, Charles Vane's in Equestria. Next chapter will feature perhaps the most legendary pirate, Blackbeard. thanks for the views, thumbs up, and favs.
