Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything in the Pirates of the Caribbean Fandom though I would like it if Jack Sparrow (distant yell) sigh... Captain Jack Sparrow were mine. I do own Arabella and Selena and Arabella's ship and any other characters I might introduce.
Chapter 1 Of Greeting Passengers and Storms
The passengers, all except the children, who were looking excited, nervously carried their luggage aboard the old sailing ship as a young woman stood at the top of the gangplank, with a monkey perched on her shoulder, grinning at them.
"Ahoy there!" she greeted them. "My name is Arabella and I will be your captain for this voyage. You will be learning what life was like on a 16th century pirate ship with a few added comforts of the 21st century like electricity, a gas stove, sheets, pillows, comforters, and running water."
"Um, we won't actually have to dress in period clothes, will we?" one of the women asked nervously.
"Not if you don't want to Ma'am," Arabella said grinning. "But for those of you that would like to we have a fine selection of period clothes that you can chose from. But I'm gonna warn you women to stay away from the corsets. They are quite uncomfortable and most of the dresses we have can be worn without a corset. Now if you will follow me I'll show you to your cabins."
As she turned to lead the group down to the different cabins a little girl tugged on her sleeve. "Yes little one?" Arabella asked smiling down at the child.
"What's the monkey's name Captain?" the little girl asked.
"His name is Barbossa and he is a Capuchin," Arabella explained. "Now if there aren't any more questions we'll get you settled."
As the group headed down to the cabins Barbossa jumped off Arabella's shoulder and scampered off toward the captain's cabin. Arabella chuckled knowing Barbossa was getting a snack from her cabin. After getting the passengers settled Arabella went back on deck to oversee the launch of her ship.
***********
Two weeks later Arabella was drawn away from her maps by a yell.
"Get 'er down from there!" Arabella's first mate, Dorian Gray, bellowed at the crew who stood frozen on the deck.
"Oh for the love of God," Arabella muttered as she grabbed onto the rigging and scrambled up to where the little girl was perched in the crows nest.
"What are you doing up here missy?" she asked annoyed.
"I just wanted to see what the view was like," the little girl said shrugging.
"Well you've seen the view," Arabella growled. " Now come down."
"I can't," the little girl whispered staring at the floor.
"And why not?" the captain asked quirking an eyebrow at the little girl.
"I don't know how to climb down from here," the child muttered. Sighing Arabella kneeled down and motioned for the child to climb onto her back, which the little girl quickly did.
"Hold tight now," Arabella said as she grabbed a rope (A/N: its called a line in nautical terms).
"What are you going to do?" the little girl asked. Arabella grinned as she jumped over the edge of the crow's nest causing the little girl to shout in alarm. Upon reaching the deck the little girl's mother swooped down on her daughter shrieking about how dangerous that stunt was. Arabella rolled her eyes at Dorian who grinned back at her.
"Ma'am relax," Arabella said interrupting the woman's tirade. "Your daughter is safe and sound. And I would like to suggest that you try to keep a better eye on her."
The mother sputtered at the pertinence of the young captain to order her about like she was part of the ship's crew.
"Well I never!" the woman huffed disgusted. "If you think that Selena needs someone to keep a better eye on her then why don't you do it?" Selena's mother looked at Arabella in triumph, as she was certain that the young captain wouldn't do it. Ignoring the woman Arabella knelt in front of Selena and studied her quietly.
"Is that your name? Selena?" Arabella asked softly. Selena nodded nervously not meeting the young captain's hazel eyes.
"How would you like to learn how to sail a ship?" Arabella asked grinning as Selena's eyes lit up.
"May I mommy?" Selena asked her mother, who was taken aback at Arabella's willingness to look after the little girl, nodded mutely. Smirking Arabella stood up and gently took Selena's hand as she walked toward the helm where they relieved Arabella's first mate.
"Mr. Gray," Arabella said as she and Selena approached him. "Selena and I will take your place now."
"Aye Cap'n," Dorian said as he saluted his captain before leaving the helm to Arabella and Selena.
"And really bad eggs," Arabella muttered as she took out her compass and studied it as she steered the ship through the clear waters of the Caribbean ocean. "Drink up me hearties yo ho!" Selena giggled as Arabella smirked down at the little girl.
"So what does the wheel do?" Selena asked pointing at the helm.
"The wheel is called the helm and somebody has to stand here to steer the ship because this wheel controls the rudder and the tiller," Arabella explained to the little girl as she kept an eye on the sky, which was quickly darkening. "Mr. Gray!" The first mate's head popped up from the hatch.
"Aye Cap'n!" he answered.
"Tell the crew to get their lifelines on and get the passengers below decks," Arabella shouted. "I think a storm is brewin'."
"Aye Cap'n!" Dorian saluted smartly before shepherding the passengers that were on deck back to their cabins while shouting at the crew to secure their lifelines. Arabella turned to the small girl at her side and studied her.
"Selena, you can either go below decks where it's safe and wait out the storm or you can stay out here and weather the storm with the crew and myself. It's your choice," the captain told the little girl who grinned up at her.
"I'm staying out here," Selena said causing Arabella to shake her head in amusement before tying a lifeline tightly around Selena's waist and tying another one around her own.
***********
Two hours later the storm hit with a fury.
"Mr. Gray!" Arabella roared over the wind and rain. "Tell the crew to drop canvas!"
"Aye Cap'n!" Dorian bellowed back before relaying the order to the crew who hastily did what was ordered. Suddenly there was a loud cracking noise as the one of masts split in two and crashed down on the deck splintering wood and terrifying the crew.
"Get that mast off the deck!" Arabella bellowed as she fought with the wheel trying to keep her ship on course. "Selena! Grab hold of my belt and hang on tight!" Coughing and pushing her wet hair out of her face Selena grabbed Arabella's belt and hung on for dear life as the crew fought to get the mast over the side of the ship. Just then Dorian raced up the stairs leading to the quarterdeck in a panic.
"The crew is gettin' spooked Cap'n!" he bellowed at Arabella who was still fighting the wheel and trying to hold onto Selena at the same time.
"Bloody hell," Arabella muttered pissed. Suddenly Selena tugged on her coat sleeve.
"Captain!" Selena shouted over the wind. "Would a song calm the crew?" Arabella stared at the little girl in amazement before grinning.
"Mr. Gray!" Arabella bellowed to her first mate. "Tell the crew to sing Hoist the Colours!" Dorian stared at his captain startled his mouth hanging open.
"Are ye mad! That's the Brethren Court's call to arms!" he bellowed back at Arabella.
"I know!" Arabella roared as she pulled Selena between the wheel and her body. "And the crew knows it better than A Pirate's Life! Besides it will keep up moral!" Dorian stared at his captain a bit longer before he wheeled around and shouted at the crew to sing Hoist the Colours.
"What's Hoist the Colours about?" Selena shouted over the wind and driving rain at Arabella.
"Once we're quit of this storm I'll tell you!" Arabella shouted back before she joined her voice with the song.
"The king and his men stole the queen from her bed and bound her in her Bones. The seas be ours and by the powers where we will, we'll roam. Yo, ho, all hands, hoist the colors high. Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die. Yo, ho, haul together, hoist the colors high. Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die. Some men have died and some are alive and others sail on the sea-with the keys to the cage… and the Devil to pay we lay to Fiddler's Green! The bell has been raised from it's watery grave… Do you hear it's sepulchral tone? We are a call to all, pay head the squall and turn your sail toward home!"
Suddenly a crewman spotted something rather dangerous to the ship.
"Maelstrom!" somebody yelled just as another crewman staggered out of the hold and tried to run toward the quarterdeck.
"Cap'n!" he bellowed. "She's breaking up!" This news threw the crew into a frenzy.
"Mr. Gray! Get all the passengers off the ship!" Arabella roared at Dorian.
"Aye, aye, Cap'n!" Dorian bellowed as he turned to the crew. "Prepare the lifeboats! Break out the life jackets! Get the passengers off the ship! She's going' down!" The crew scrambled to obey as Arabella turned toward Selena.
"Selena!" the young captain yelled. "You are going to have to go with the other passengers and get to safety!"
"What about you!" Selena yelled back.
"A good captain goes down with the ship!" Arabella bellowed at the little girl. "Sing you dogs!"
"No! I'm staying with you!" Selena yelled throwing her arms around Arabella's waist. Arabella sighed as the crew once again took up Hoist the Colours.
"Yo, ho, all hands, hoist the colors high. Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die. Yo, ho, haul together, hoist the colors high. Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die."
As the crew finished Hoist the Colours the Maid Marian split in the middle spilling crew, passengers, luggage, cargo, and livestock into the stormy sea. The screams of terrified crew, passengers, and livestock mingled together into one large roar making Selena bury her face in Arabella's shirt and her hold on Arabella's waist tightened. A sudden cracking sound made Arabella look up in fright and gape as a yardarm hurtled straight toward them. Suddenly a strong force pushed Arabella and Selena out of the way and into the churning sea. Startled Arabella accidentally let go of Selena as she fell toward the ocean. Holding her breath Arabella clawed her way toward the surface. Breaking the surface Arabella greedily sucked air feeling lighter than ever.
"Captain!" a little girl's voice called through the stormy air.
"Selena!" Arabella screamed swimming toward the little girl. She saw the little girl start to sink under the water and dove after her. Grabbing her under the arms Arabella hauled Selena up to the surface and hoisted the little girl onto a piece of debris from the ship where Selena promptly coughed up water causing the little girl to cry.
"Shh," Arabella soothed. "Shh."
"I want my mommy," Selena whimpered as she clung to Arabella.
"I'm sorry Selena," Arabella whispered into Selena's hair. "But your mother is gone."
Selena cried herself to sleep as Arabella held her up above the water. After a while Arabella started to doze off. Startled she jerked awake and remained like that for several hours before falling asleep as well.