#I even had notes of a party Francis and Ned join their ships to on sea where they play violins together singing about murder.

[crimson-phantom-designs]

Um...

Well I have been writing a series of notes for a potential Francis in OFMD universe(Eb is in this universe too but it is after they separated leaving Francis extremely bitter about it and bent more toward his brutality. A parallel to Blackbeard post Stede). I didn't mean to do anything with all this but I have a story where Francis met Ned Low in a one shot just to see what happened and they... hit it off really well which suprised me. (More on Francis end, Ned was a flustered mess just excited to meet someone with similar taste in music and... other facinations...)

Then I read this...

Fuck. The real Ned Low had a friend named Francis and they were close for awhile. Now I have to do something with these notes eventually- shit, its hauntingly accurate.

Did I mention Francis signature is setting ships on fire with its crew held aboard? What similar to Ned's blend of music and torment, Francis plays a violin in exchange of his pianoforte to the screams off it as the ship sinks...

I'm not sure I will write it entirely(I have too many AUs dammit!) but the idea keeps returning to me. I have set art ideas for it but I can share a short plotline that started from a one shot in my drafts where Francis and Ned meet while on dock one night at the Republic of pirates. Ned is drawn to the beautiful music of a violin along the pier coming from a beautiful ship. A tune so well played and unfamiliar in quality normally found around pirates. Ned grabs his violin and rushes flustered to join this stranger which he is welcomes to and they continue the song. They play well and even share a conversation, all where it leads to why Francis is there having to clean up what his crew could not. He's looking for someone as Ned remarks the same thing. Ned goes pale; however, as he discovers its the same man as a wanted poster is thrown at his feet to see its Blackbeard. Same man but different reasons that intertwine, Ned for revenge of his record being broken and Francis for his 30 freight ships under his corsair contract Blackbeard seiged in order to break it. Francis is also looking for Stede Bonnet, someone Ned doesn't recognize or really care to but he obliges for the assistance in tracking Ed down.

Then months later, as the story direction is changed for this, Francis finds Stede adrift in his dingy lost at sea and rescues him- or so Stede thinks...

Against Stede's ruse of a fake name, Francis on approach, knows exactly who Stede really is; however, alike how when he met Ned low, Francis is using Stede just as much as he is using Ned to find the Revenge. Ned, who Francis treats much like a pet ironically, happily goes along with whatever Francis tells him because he feels he weilds more influence than he truly does in this arrangement, all whilst Francis picks at Stede's mind to pull information about himself, his ship, everything that fascinates him about this odd bird at sea. What Francis uses all his skills at his disposal to retrieve, including his knowledge of mixing custom pharmaceuticals blends to fit his needs from his days as a refined surgeon.

When he's not using concoctions, Francis, being a man masterful at manipulation, one seethingly charming and well cultured from his wonderous explorations that streched far beyond his days permanently at sea, works like a charm on Stede. Stede who is immediently drawn to that comfort zone of aristocraic behavior while being more so put at ease with how kind and generous Francis is to him. Since Stede was rescued, Francis has provided him the nice cloths he longed for and treats him to fine dining, whatever Stede wants essentially... except to leave. Not that Francis has openly stopped him, more an alluded persuasion if Stede gets restless; "Why would you want to muck it out there isolated and all alone? You could run into anyone out there... Someone that could seriously hurt you if you crossed them... Just think what could have happened had I not found you first barely clinging to your dear sweet life... There's alot of dangerous men out there..."

While Stede truly believe Francis is trying to help him reunite with his crew, Stede isn't completely daft. He is wary and picks up somerhijgs not quite right as he tries to be careful what he shares, at least about Ed. He's mainly worried where all this generosity could lead and remains guarded but polite because... he's also despirate with no other options. He pacifies Francis as much as he can for now yet Stede doesn't realize just what he's gotten himself into and with who... What will all come to a head when Francis meets back up with Ned one night to celebrate their crews reunion with own twisted version of Calypso's birthday that make Francis intentions become abit more clear to Stede when the ruse is dropped completely.

Meanwhile with Ned back, Ned sees all this and knows the plan, but he's too jealous and spiteful by how Francis fawns over Stede. How Francis always keeping Stese so close. Ned wanted that to be him. Them... Ned has finally found someone who 'understands him' and will be damned if some minor rich boy playing pirate takes that from him while Stede would love to actively assure him how incorrect he is and how badly he wants to leave.

While all this happening, Ed learns what is going on and who Stede has been seen with as they have monitored the ship from the security of distance in night travels. What, thanks to Izzy, who knows all too well what the dread Black King Osman is capable of, knows just how much danger Stede is in. Ed now sets his bitter resentment from Stede leaving him aside and sails to London. He is heavily outmatched in means to attack Francis on his own, but with a well placed raid along the Thames River, he plans to level that playing field with a counteraction of his own capture.

#I have too many AUs #I even had notes of a party Francis and Ned join their ships to on sea where they play violins together singing about murder. #All while their crew dance and get wasted. A twisred version of Calypso's birthday celebration. #I really want to draw that #ofmd #oc francis osman #scroogeposting #scroogeverse #our flag means death #Here be dragons verse