Yasss a review! :D thank you! And as requested, the next chapter! Please continue to leave reviews! I love reading them! ~Neverland Lily
The seemingly everlasting night did not halt for the incessant screeching of the winged sea rats begging for scraps of food. What an unusual sound! These noises caused Nyana to stir from her slumber. Creaking floor boards could also be heard, which finally woke the sleeping child up. She slowly pushed herself up, and rubbed her drowsy eyes. It was clear she wasn't going to get much sleep this night. She put her hands in her lap, her legs now crossed. The icy color of her eyes peered around the room. Goods everywhere! Tools, clothing, nets, wooden boards, all kinds of items. However, she did notice something that was not around. "Daddy?" The young girl called out, in a sleepy voice, yawning shortly after her call.
"Oh my my my my, she's finally up she is!" A dopey voice rang, a small laugh followed afterwards. Nyana's night suddenly got better. Her eyes widened, and a smile formed upon her lips. "Uncle Smee!" She giggled, standing up and running up to him, her white button up night gown flowing behind her as she ran.
She stopped right in front of him, giggling, her hands behind her back ever so politely, standing up straight like a proper young girl. "Ello!" He chuckled in his goofy laugh, continuing, "Yur' father dropped you here ta' gather some people together" he finished, chuckling. Nodding with a smile, Nyana gave Smee a great big hug, her arms trying to stretch around his plump belly. He hugged her back, a goofy lovable smile on his face.
Once Nyana pulled from the hug, she spoke. "He must be going to get my mother!" She giggled, an adorably childish grin upon her face. That's when the jolly old man's smile slowly turned into a frown, his eyes upon the small girl, who was completely oblivious to the situation at hand. Smee had been informed of this from Mr. Newport. However, what he did not know was that Nyana had no clue what happened. "Oh dear, oh dear..." Smee spoke softly, slowly taking off his black cap and twisting it around in his hands, a heartbroken glaze to his eyes. The young girl raised her dark eyebrow. "Uncle Smee? What's wrong?" Nyana's smile now faded, a small frown taking its place. "He's going to get my mummy isn't he?" She asked, Smee setting his cap down on the nearest table, and following that, he picked up the young girl, and set her on the table next to his hat. He was still frowning. Just staring at her. He couldn't find the words. She just started straight back at him, her icy blue eyes filled with wonder. He just couldn't tell her...
As if right on cue, the door opened, and in walked her father, wearing a red suit with gold trim. His black work suit long gone. Her father sure looked different.. His black boots thumped across the wooden floor, towards his daughter, Smee backing away. "Back again so soon, James?" Smee spoke, after clearing his throat.
James nodded, picking up his daughter off the table and setting her feet upon the wooden floorboards. Nyana's pitch black bangs fell in front of her face, so she pushed them up, looking up at her father. "Daddy, why are you dressed like that?"
James looked down at his daughter, that same cold look in his eyes, sending a chill down Nyana's spine. "We're headed off to a voyage, my daughter," he paused, looking back up at Smee, his gold eyes growing colder by the second. "While we board look after my child" he demanded, Smee nodding, and Nyana's eyes widening slightly. "But I wanna come with you.." She spoke softly, gently grabbing onto his red and gold trimmed suit. James looked to his daughter, then spoke, in a fatherly demanding voice. "You will behave for Mr. Smee, am I clear?" James raised an eyebrow, seeing the surprised look in her eyes. Nyana slowly let go off his jacket, folding her hands behind her back, and looking down at her feet with a small frown. "Yes father.."
Smee watched this whole scene with a frown. The poor dear..
As quickly as he came, James left with the slam of a door, Smee walking over and taking Nyana's small hand in his large one. "Come along my dear, we have a ship to board" Smee spoke, trying to perk her up from her stern father. At this, Nyana's eyes widened even more. This was the first time she caught the word 'ship'. "You mean we're going to seas?" She smiled suddenly. This brought her mind off everything. Being a four year old, there was only so much she could focus on at once. "Yes indeed!" Smee laughed, trying to fake it as best he could. Not that he didn't want to set sail, just for the unfortunate young girl who would have to endure life without a mother. "Let's go!" She giggled, pulling on his hand. She led him out the door, he leaving the door open. What was the use? He would never come back. But wait!
"Oh!" Smee paused, stopping in his path. The aging man let go of the small girls hand, and walked quickly back inside, leaving Nyana standing outside the door, on the dirt path right outside the port. Not even a minute had passed when Smee came out, one of his hands behind his back. Nyana cocked her head to the side, wondering what he had. After closing the door behind him. He pulled out his other hand From behind his back. What he was holding made Nyana's face light up. "Arlie!" She giggled, grabbing onto the stuffed bear and hugging it tightly in her arms and closing her eyes, a large smile upon her face. Smee let out a chuckle, gently taking her free hand and leading her across the dirt path to the port.
Nyana stared at all the massive vessels with wide, curious eyes, her bear in her arm. Her white nightgown clearly visible in the dark of early early morning. The sun had not yet greeted the people of London. As Smee walked with the young girl, they got many looks from the sailors and workers on the port. A young girl was not common in these parts. To a four year old, these rugged men were intimidating. At the very end of the docks, there was a huge ship, the cherry red wood that crafted it made it stand out from all the others. Many large, burly men were boarding the ship. Including one short one, about Nyana's height.
As Nyana was watching them board, a large man with short black hair and a blue shirt came by, to converse with the first mate. "G'day Mr. Smee" he greeted, with a jolly grin. Nyana slowly let go of Smee's hand, to walk about with Arlie. This was surely a strange place. As she was beginning to walk off, she was halted by Smee, who called out to her. "Now Nyana, don't wander too far!" He told her, then continued to talk to the large, but seemingly friendly man.
After she nodded, she walked over by the shops. There was a material shop, a bar, and a blacksmith all lined up with one another, and many other shops to her left. However, before she could go anywhere else, Arlie was taken right out from her arm. She gasped, and turned around to see a boy just a few inches taller than her with long blonde hair. He laughed mockingly, holding the bear above her, where she couldn't reach. She jumped to get it, but alas, he held it to high.
"Hey gimme Arlie back!" She demanded, giving one last jump for the bear. The boy just laughed, and pushed her down. She fell to the ground on her bum with a small thud. She made an irritated face, but before she could get back up, another boy with black hair pushed the blonde boy away, taking the stuffed bear in the process. The two boys looked to be the same age. Nyana quickly got up, her face softening, now looking up to the boy with black hair. He gave an annoyed look to the blonde boy, who was looking at him crossly. "Achillian! Why do you always have to ruin my fun?" He yelled, crossing his arms across his blue waistcoat. The dark haired boy then answered in a annoyed tone. "Because your idea of fun is picking on girls younger than you, Damon!" He answered, looking back to the little girl, now with a kind grin. "I'm sorry.. Damon is a hot head.." He chuckled softly, giving the girl back her stuffed bear. She peered into his eyes. They were as grey as the fog itself. Her lips slowly formed a smile as she took back her bear, then hugged it, now reunited with Arlie. "Thank you" she thanked politely, until the blonde boy shoved Achillian, as if to provoke him to fight. Nyana quickly backed up, knowing this wouldn't end well. Achillian quickly shoved him back, then that was followed by Damon tackling his opponent. While they were wrestling, Nyana quickly ran to Smee once again, who had just finished his conversation. She quickly took his hand, the other holding Arlie tightly. Smee chuckled, speaking to her. "And where have you been?" She gave him an innocent smile, then took her hand away from his, and pointed to the wrestling boys being pulled away from one another by their mothers. This made Smee laugh a jolly one, making Nyana look up at him. "Got the boys fighting over you already, eh Ms. Newport?" He laughed, this causing Nyana to make a disgusted face. "Ewww!"
After Smee finished laughing, he took Nyana's hand and boarded the ship with her. Many rugged men gave Nyana strange looks as they entered the main deck. All was silent, all eyes on her.. Then suddenly, a laugh! "What a joke! A child upon the Jolly Roger!" A very very large pirate laughed, walking up to the young girl, taking her by the back of her nightgown and lifting her up with one hand. Smee then began to speak quickly to the man as Nyana struggled around in his grasp, her teddy bear in hand. "N-N-Now see here! Put her down this instant!... Please" he finished off with a skittish smile. Nyana had never heard him stutter like that before.. How strange!
"This is no place for little snot nose children!" He told Nyana, however, before he could do anything more, she began to scream. "Daddy!" She screamed in her high pitched voice, which startled the man, causing him to drop her. That only made him angry. After shaking off the ringing in his ear, he began to lean down. "Why you little-!" He was immediately stopped when he heard the voice of authority. "Mr Gutt!" The voice interrupted, walking out an office, slamming the door behind him. Nyana recognized the voice immediately. "Daddy!" She cried out, running to him with her bear. When she finally reached him, she hugged his leg, he gently patting her on the head. No one could believe their eyes, despite Smee. "Why.. The Cap'n's gone soft!" One man claimed, not truly believing his eyes. The Newport father kept a calm, straight face. However, he reached into his coat, and flashed a pistol at the man who spoke the remark, which Nyana saw him do. At this, her eyes got as wide as a deer in the headlights. "What was that, Mr. Plankly?" The rhetorical question spoken by the Captain made Plankly shake his head. "I said uh.. The Captain just coughed!" He let out a nervous laugh, then Captain Newport put away his pistol, rolling his eyes.
"Mr. Smee take Nyana to her new cabin" he commanded, Smee putting a hand to his head, as is saluting. "Aye Aye, Cap'n Newport!" He accepted, walking to Nyana and gently taking her hand and walking across the deck as James started giving orders to the crew to set sail. Still wide eyed, Nyana followed Smee to the cabin across from her father's on the main deck.
Once they reached it, Smee opened the door with the golden handle for the girl, then showed her in. Once she was safely inside, Smee closed the door, he on the other side of the door. It was common sailor curtesy to not enter the Captain's daughter's cabin unless invited.
Now inside, Nyana took a good look around. Cherrywood walls, floors and ceiling. A wardrobe, a very large bed with red and black sheets, a bear skin rug, a mirror, and a giant window in the back of the room with curtains. A rather big room for a child, but she wasn't at all complaining. However, something was missing...
She then realized.. Quickly, she opened the door back up, Smee only a few feet away. "Uncle Smee?" She called to him, her door wide open. The plump man walked over to her, and spoke. "Yes?"
A small frown was upon her face, a look that did not suit her well. "Where's my mummy?" She asked softly, still frightened from earlier. Smee then gently patted her head, and spoke back to her. "I will go ask your father" he answered, walking off rather quickly, slowly shutting the door, so she was once again safely inside by herself. Of course Smee was not going to answer this question, because he did not have the heart. This was something to discuss between her and her father, indeed.
James was giving orders, his cold eyes now set in stone. He was on the top deck in the front of the ship. Small drops of rain began to greet the wooden planks of the ship once again, as the first mate walked up the steps of the ship to reach the Captain. "Cap'n?" He spoke, trying to get James's attention. "What is it Smee?" He grumbled, not taking his eyes off the ship mates, who were steering the ship off into the horizon. "W-Well Cap'n.." Smee took off his hat and began to fiddle with it, out of nervousness. "You see..-" Smee was interrupted by James. "Spit it out Smee!" He snapped, making Smee blurt out the words, "Nyana is asking where her mother is!" He gasped, then covered his mouth, not meaning it to come out so quickly.
Nyana, still in her new cabin, pressed her ear against the door to listen to any voices she heard, or any footsteps, hoping it to be her mothers.
"Her mother?" James sneered, the very thought of her being brutally murdered made him furious. "Her mother?!" He yelled, turning to Smee, who jumped slightly at his anger. "Her mother?! Her mother is never coming back! She's dead!" James raged, storming off, the rain getting heavier.
Once this rang through Nyana's ears, her eyes widened, stepping away from the door. "Mummy's not coming back?" She whimpered, her eyes glossing up quickly. "Mummy?" She whispered as the first tear fell down her cheek. "No... No.." She whimpered, her voice slowly raising. Suddenly, tears began to flow from her eyes. "Mummy!" She screamed, now bawling. Thunder roared, only making the girl cry more if that was even possible. "Come back!" She cried, locking her door and running to the corner of her cabin.
There was a large knock at the door, a pounding fist. "N-Nyana let me in please!" Smee pleaded, turning the handle to no avail. She wanted to be alone. "I want my mummy!" She sobbed, hugging Arlie in her arms, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The storm that night did not let up, nor did Nyana's weeping. This made even some sailors feel sorry for her.. To live without a mother.. What a life.