A young girl cries as she watches the people she cares about be slaughtered before her eyes. "Oceana. Oceana, look at me." Oceana turns and looks up as a man kneels before her. He's bleeding and looks exhausted. "It's not safe for you here, my precious pearl."
"Papa, I'm scared." The young girl whispers.
"There's no need to be scared, my precious pearl. Remember what I told you?" The girl's hand raises to run over her necklace. A pendant rests on the necklace, a pearl rests on the necklace with another pearl hanging off it, the chain is a fine and strong silver. It had been her mother's and now hers.
"It was made from mermaids and have the power to protect the wearer." The little girl says, causing the man to smile.
"Yes, my precious pearl, the necklace will protect you when I can not. No matter what, never take it off and never stop believing because nonbelievers-"
"Nonbelievers get killed for the necklace only protect believers." She whispers.
"Yes, my pearl."
"Papa, I'm not scared of dying." She tells him. "I'm scared of losing you. I already lost mama."
"Listen to me, my precious pearl, I will not repeat myself. From sea to sea, from sunrise to sunset, from life to death I will search for you and we will be together once more, my precious pearl, Oceana." He promises her. "But right now you must go and hide. No one can ever know you are the daughter of pirates or your life will be in danger and not even the power of the pearls will save you. You understand me?"
"Yes, papa."
"Go. I will find you when it is safe."
"I love you." She hugs him and he hugs her back, tears filling his eyes.
"I love you too, my precious pearl. Go now." He says as he helps her onto the raft.
"What if I don't find land or another group of pirates find me?"
"Do not worry, my precious pearl, we are only a few miles from land. The English will pick you up. Go now." He pushes the raft and he watches as his daughter sails away from the ships fighting with one another. He swallows back his emotions before going back to the fight, not knowing whether he will live or die or ever find his daughter again.
Oceana sails across the water, her heart heavy and her brown eyes watery. She keeps her knees against her chest, her dress ragged and torn from the battle, her skin is covered in powder from the guns and dirt from being on the ship for so long without a proper bath. Her black curls rest down her back as she rests her chin on her knees.
"Drink up, me hearties, yo ho
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot
Drink up, me hearties, yo ho
Yo ho, yo ho
A pirate's life for me
We extort, we pilfer, we filch and sack
Drink up, me hearties, yo ho." Oceana sings under her breath as she hears the sound of men shouting. She lifts her head and sees that she is close to land. A group of soldiers waits on the beach, waiting for her.
The soldiers brought her to the governor where he gave a good warm meal, a hot bath, and a clean dress. Now, the two of them sit in the dining room talking. "What is your name darling?" He asks gently.
"Oceana Ba- Oceana Pearl." She catches herself. "I'm Oceana Pearl." She tells him.
"What happened to you?"
"I was sailing with my parents. My father was a fisherman and we were out collecting fish to sell when the pirates came. They slaughtered my parents and our crew. I only got away because my father put me on the raft and distracted the pirates long enough for me to drift away. He told me I wasn't far from land. Said I'd be safe and that I would be picked up by the British." She tells him, playing with her necklace.
"Did he give you that?" He asks, motioning to the necklace. The little girl nods with a smile.
"He said mermaids made it and that they cast a spell on it to keep the wearer safe as long as the wearer continues to believe in the power."
"Your daddy sounds like a good man." The girl gave a strong nod.
"He is." She agrees. "He said he'll come for me when it's safe. No matter what he'll come for me." The man gave her a look of pity and sadness, a look she despised. She knew that look. It was the look adults gave you when they think you are too naive and innocent to understand what is really happening. She knows the chances of him being dead are strong, but she also knows that if he does live then he will find her again.
"Well, until he does so, how would you like to be my daughter's handmaiden, you will be kept safe living with us." Living with a man such as him would be dangerous, her being the daughter of a pirate, but it also could be the safest place for her. He believes her story and she knows that he will protect her. If she stays with him then she'll never see the gallows.
"Okay. What's your name, sir?" She asks.
"Weatherby Swann." He tells her. "But you can just call me, Mr. Swann." She nods in understanding.
"Okay, Mr. Swann, sir." This will be her home until her father comes for her. It won't be long before she sees black sails in the distance. She will be home with her father soon enough.