In What We Hide

@tidefated continued from [x]

The question sounded like the kind of thing a man didn’t want an answer to – either because he already knew his thoughts on the matter, or he intended to make a point through the inquiry itself. For that reason, Charles maintained a steady silence in its wake, which proved to be the proper course as William carried on. 

He was a strange sort of man, and it was at times like these Charles found himself reminded as to why he had taken interest enough in him to begin with, to have Rackham run him through the duties expected of a man aboard the Ranger. 

Although the other man captained Fancy and was no longer technically quartermaster to Ranger, the two ships operated in perfect tandem together, resulting in their crews tending to share space and resources often enough that come hiring rounds, Charles and Jack would head out together, their respective quartermasters minding the men as they set to work hiring for a combined crew. 

William was a man who at times appeared too soft for this life, and at others – such as this moment – where he seemed to lack anything resembling fear as he challenged Charles on what appeared to be some sort of philosophical level. There were contradictions to the man that were beyond fascinating, but as it was Charles could tell the rhetoric had reached an end, and sought an answer in its wake. 

“If these ideas are a comfort to you, then I see no reason why you should not keep them,” Charles was not a man for philosophical arguments – a man’s beliefs were his own, and it was not for other men to sway them unless it held some sort of personal benefit to do so. Manipulating a man through his philosophies was the sort of intellectual warfare that set people apart from others – Charles himself had met many masters of the craft – but it was not his strong suit, so he did not partake unless he felt it absolutely necessary to achieving his own ends. 

“I do wonder what you hope to accomplish by sharing them.” Was William perhaps attempting to manipulate Charles into revealing some better side of himself – or was the man working to delude himself into an idea of who Charles Vane was, and seeking to shroud himself with false comforts to escape the reality of him?