~This is an idea that I had a little while back but only remembered it recently. Some of my pirate lingo might not be up there, but I'm trying. This is a mix from the movie Hook, and the cartoon Peter Pan by Disney. I don't own any of it, or any of the original characters. I only own any not recognizable as original characters.
Ever wondered why there was woman on the ship? Why were they so heavily caked in make up? What if they got pregnant from another pirate? What happened to that child? This is explained below.
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Darkness. That's all there was in this confounded hole, darkness. It's washed away some by the flicker of the candles, spread sparsely around the room. In this hole of darkness, there were children, boys and girls. All pale from lack of sunlight, all different ages, and all were told always one thing. Never trust Peter Pan. This was told to them by the pirates of course. These were not the ordinary lost boys from Peter Pan's hide out or girls from another world. They were the sad result of the whores that lived on the pirate ship who engaged in messy deeds with the pirates. Unlike the lost children, on the pirate ship these children grew up, from birth to adulthood.
One woman was designated to take care of all the babies, while the boys would be trained for combat, sometimes out of the hole, while the girls would settle down below, helping with the younger ones until the pirates thought them ready to join the whores above, on the last of all judgment of Captain Hook. Then they would be dressed in the low cut revealing dresses, powder their hair, and cake their faces eager to please. When a woman was no longer pleasing to the pirates, and Captain Hook or Smee noticed, she was done away with.
The day for the older girls always started out the same. Change the babies diapers, feed them, then lastly they could eat whatever leftovers for themselves. The only adult woman there, Mary Bell, rarely spoke. She was put down here, when a pirate grew upset at her, the reason she won't tell and smashed her face with his fist. Now unappealing, she was taking care of the small ones, until they were to be taken up top. After changing the last baby, Amie sighed and brushed her forehead with the back of her hand. Another day older, to another day sooner out of this hole. Blandly eating the pasty meal of oats and milk, Amie and the others shielded their eyes as the door was opened letting in some pirates. Quietly they looked over the group, before grabbing the arms of a few boys and some girls. A pirate stepped in front of Amie grinning at her with missing teeth. Maybe this was the day, she would go up, see the sun and…
"Not that one, Marscon," His partner smacked Marscon on the back of the head. "She ain't old enough 'et." Amie frown at the pirates as they grabbed another girl then left. Not old enough! This burned Amie's insides. Most girls were taken when they were barely sixteen, Amie was now nineteen almost twenty. She knew her age alone, because that's one thing Mary Bell did for them, was write down when they were brought down into the hole. The mothers and fathers to each child was unknown, no one recorded the births or ever claimed any. Always they were told, Captain Hook is everyone's father, there is no mother. Storming over to Mary Bell, the woman, looking now well into her forties, gave the girl a smile.
"Don be too upset about not bein taken up," Mary Bell quietly said. "The things that wait up there arn' worth going up for."
"But I'm tired of being down here," Amie sighed. "I'm tired of having skinny arms, and being so pale. I want color like, Brent had when they started to take him up for training."
"But Brent be long gone now, up top wit the others," Mary Bell said.
"Yes, they took him out of here when he was fifteen, when I should have followed shortly after turning fifteen myself in a bit," Amie said. "That was seven years ago." Mary Bell put an arm around Amie and hugged her slightly. She normally didn't allow herself to get close to the children, it hurt her too much when they started to take them when Mary Bell was first put below. But when Amie wasn't taken like the other girls, Mary Bell opened up a little giving Amie a place in her heart that normally would have remained empty. Knowing the terror the girls up top went through, she would keep Amie down as long as she could, not telling anyone Amie's age for if they found out, Captain Hook would be down here personally to take her and question Mary Bell for not saying anything.
It wasn't until a week later that the pirates came down again. Amie stood up and Mary Bell watched, trembling knowing what the girl was going to do. Once again Amie was looked at then passes by, but no girls were taken today, only one boy. Turning to leave, Amie followed the pirates who noticed when they were ready to close the door.
"Where, ya goin missy?" Amie didn't know this one's name but stood up to her full height of five foot two.
"Up top," Amie insisted. The pirates only laughed.
"As much as we'd enjoy your company the Captain wouldn't allow it," the pirate raked his eyes over Amie then added in an after thought. "Maybe in the next year ye can come up when you're more developed." Amie looked down at her small frame. Their clothing of loose shirt and shirt all but hid her chest from view. Close observation most would assume like the pirate, she's only starting to reach womanhood when she had indeed surpasses it a few years back.
"I'm as developed as I'll ever get," Amie challenged. "I'll be twenty two soon." The pirates raised a doubtful brow reading a retort until Smee pushed his way through.
"What is this now, Captain will have your heads if you don't hurry up," Smee scolded. "Captain wants all the eligible young men trained for the next confrontation with Peter Pan." Amie gasped hearing the notorious name, letting Smee notice her for the first time. "Go sit back down girlie," Smee shooed. "You're not old enough."
"She says she be Twenty two," the pirate Amie yelled at interrupted. Smee turned a doubtful on Amie.
"What's your name girlie?" Smee asked.
"Amie, and I'll be twenty two in two months," She said now starting to feel a litter nervous. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Smee shot a look at Mary Bell who busied herself with a crying toddler.
"Stay in front Amie," Smee said. "I'll return with the Captain to settle this." The last part was said to Mary Bell who flinched even though she wasn't looking. One the men were gone, Amie couldn't hold in the whoop of joy that she was holding in. No more being in the dark, no more grundgy food, now there'll be girls her age, and sunlight, that's what Amie longed for. A muffled sob took Amie's attention from her bliss, and nearly broke her heart seeing it come from Mary Bell.
"Why are you so upset?" Amie asked going over and putting an arm around the woman. The toddler in her arms wriggled out and ran to play, his previous peril forgotten at the moment.
"Because I am loosing you to those filth above," Mary Bell said. "There are some things I should tell you about the top side, I should have tell you before and you wouldn't have been so eager to go." Mary Bell began her gruesome tale, quietly so none of the other children would hear. First Amie's mouth dropped open then as Mary Bell continued, the room started to sway, Amie thinking she would faint.
"So men do…" Amie paused not even being able to say it. "Oh what have I gotten myself into?"
"Maybe the Captain will take you in his quarters, away from the others who can be so cruel," Mary Bell said, wiping off the last of her tears. The creak of the hole opening startled them both, and they watched as the ever famous Captain Hook stepped inside.
"Better go, Amie, or ye be punished," Mary Bell said. Slowly Amie got to her feet, which trembled as she walked to where Captain Hook was, with Smee behind him. Seeing her he looked her over then motioned to her.
"Come here, lass." Amie walked to him looking up into his face. "Follow me to my cabin." Then he turned to climb out. Smee told Amie to follow and as she climbed into the sun, her world was blinded. Covering her face, she closed her eyes, the brightness being too much for her. The sound of the Captains boot could be heard as he walked off, but Amie was helpless to follow. As some one grabbed her elbow she flinched.
"It's alright girlie," came Smee's voice. "I'll help you follow the Captain. I know you'll have trouble seein for a bit but by the end of day, you'll be able to make your own way around." Amie let Smee guide her, into a room where the light was a little dimmer and Amie could open her eyes with out pain.
"Now strip and tell me your age," Captain Hook sat in a chair leaning back casually. Embarrassed, Amie hesitated irritating the Captain. "Now girl before I do it for you and you have to clothes to put back on," he bellowed. Amie stripped off her garments and stood there, looking anywhere but at the Captain. When he said no word for a few minutes, she looked to him seeing him write something on paper.
"Get dressed," The Captain said without looking at her. "Smee take her to the womans house, they'll take care of her."
"Aye, sir," Smee said taking her arm once she was dressed. The light wasn't as bad this time and Amie savored the warmth on her skin. All too soon they were inside again, and Amie saw woman recognizing a few.
"Here's a new one for ye," Smee said then left. Amie covered her arms looking around, at the woman faces caked in makeup.
"Come dear, I'll take care of you." One woman came forward taking Amie's arm and leading her to the back.