A/N I inserted a little excerpt from the previous chapter to add some better flow between the two chaps.
1010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010
"I'm sorry to burden you with this question, especially with you in this condition and at a time like this," I apologized ahead of time, "but what do I need to know about my father?"
I could've sworn her heart skipped a beat.
"And I want the truth," I said in a lower tone, warning her not to lie to me…again, if that be the case.
"The truth?" she asked, making sure she heard me correctly. I nodded as she gulped.
"Vickie, may you leave us alone for a little bit?" Mother asked in a fake cheery tone. Miss Brownley, or 'Vickie' as Mum calls her, nodded and left the room.
After a sigh, Mum told me, "Your father was born and partially raised in England. When I was no older than twelve, your grandfather, Weatherby Swann, became governor of a British colony here in the Caribbean. So, we had to move there. It was on the trip when I was looking over the ocean and noticed a raft or debris of some sort in the water. Curious as I was, I leaned over the railing a bit and noticed something was on the piece of wood; a boy. It turns out the boy ends up being your father. Once we arrived to our destination, we went our separate ways, me learning how to be a proper young lady as I was the governor's daughter, and your father became the local blacksmith's apprentice as he was a commoner, but a quite handsome one at that." Mum smiled a bit, probably remembering that time in her life.
"One night, our town was attacked by pirates, and I happened to have something they wanted, something they were searching for for a long time." Queer. What could my mother possibly have that they would want?
Mum continues, "As it turns out, it was actually your father's, and long story short, we broke the curse and lived happily ever after back at the colony." Then the smile was wiped off her face after a moment, then she corrected herself, "Well, almost. It wasn't so happy for some. I was due to wed some other man, the commodore at the time, but after the whole pirates ordeal, I realized that it was truly your father that loved me, and me loving him. So, I ended up marrying your father, the local blacksmith, for true love and not some high-ranking officer for my father's and then-fiancée's conveniences."
"And then what?" I ask, knowing there's more to the story.
"Well, before I knew it, it was our wedding day, and your father was late. I remember wondering what was taking him so long. After a while, the guests decided to take shelter as it was beginning to rain and all. I just sat there on the ground, thinking of all the ways my day, if not life, could get any worse. But it did. I looked back and saw a huge crowd forming, and just as I was about to run up and investigate what was going on, I saw your father….in shackles."
I gasped, "What did he do?" I never thought of my father to be one causing trouble.
"Your father helped set free a man convicted of piracy-"
"Sooooo…in other words, my father helped set free a pirate?" I asked.
"Yes," said Mum, "even though he was pardoned for the act-"
"Why?" I interrupted again, being the curious one I am.
Mum smiled, "Because he rescued me, someone of importance that the whole Royal Navy was searching for, while doing so. Now may I finish?" I nod my head.
"As I was saying," she continued, "I was arrested as well. I fainted right before the hanging of that pirate-"
Mum was interrupted not by me, but by her coughs, reminding me of her condition. "Before the hanging of the pirate, I fainted. Just because I did so and gave your father a chance to set free the pirate again, I was convicted of setting free the pirate as well."
"So what then?"
"Your father made a deal with Lord Cutler Beckett-" Wait. Lord Cutler Beckett? Isn't he that one man who wanted to get rid of piracy and sent all of those convicted of associating with piracy in one way or another to the gallows? Uh-oh. I think I know what's going to happen next…. "to retrieve something. But to get it, your father had to find the pirate that got all of us in trouble in the first place."
"That's pretty screwy," I said.
"Yeah, now looking at it, it was pretty screwy," laughed Mum, only to be followed by another set of coughs.
"Long story short, I was able to escape from prison and find your father. I don't know what deal your father made with the pirate but it involved a chest….the Dead Man's Chest. I managed to find the pirate your father was looking for, only to find out your father was sent to go find a key onboard a ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman. The pirate and I went and searched for the chest the key went to, only to be reunited with your father on the island I found the chest on. However, the captain of the Dutchman, Davy Jones, found out about the key being stolen, so he sent the Kraken to come get us, primarily our little pirate friend."
"What's his name?" I asked, getting annoyed that my mother won't say the pirate's name.
"Oh, let's just call him Jack, okay?"
I nodded as she coughed, and Mum resumes with her story, "There was no way to escape the Kraken, so I shackled Jack to the ship, only to let him be eaten by the Kraken."
"So then your troubles with Jack were gone?" I asked. Mum shook her head. What? How could the troubles not have ended if the one who caused them in the first place was dead?
"The pirates have a Brethren Court, which consists of a king and nine Pirate Lords. Jack was one of the Pirate Lords. The sea goddess Calypso was bound to human form by the doings of her lover and the pirates of the 1st Brethren Court. One of the Pirate Lords, Captain Hector Barbossa-" Barbossa? That ugly pirate captain that kidnapped me? The one I read about in the books at school in London? Best not to say anything, or else Mum will get mad and I want to know how she knows him- "wanted to release Calypso from her human bonds. In order to do this, you needed all Nine Pieces of Eight, and each Pirate Lord had one. But we needed them all, and Jack was a Pirate Lord-"
"So you needed to get Jack back," I finished. Mum cocked her head to the side, wondering how I knew that. "Lucky guess," I said before she got even more suspicious about my knowledge, "but how could you do that if he was dead?"
"The Kraken sends those it eats to Davy Jones's Locker, which is located in the Land of the Dead. Fortunately for us, there was another way of getting there without being killed. So, we went and found the maps that lead to World's End, and retrieved Jack so we could free Calypso."
Mum began to cough again. As soon as she was done, I asked her, "But why did they need to free Calypso?"
Mum sighed, "There was a battle bound to happen sooner or later, so Barbossa wanted to free Calypso in hopes of her helping us win the battle."
"Did you win?"
"After several obstacles and challenges, yes, we won. The pirates won."
"Soooo…you and father ended up being pirates?" I asked, hoping it didn't come out wrong.
"I guess you could say so, but after that battle, we decided to tone it down a bit, especially since I was expecting Liam soon after the battle."
Makes sense I thought. But there were some things still bothering me:
"Mum, why is the age gap between Liam and me so great? How come I've never met father? How much longer until I finally do get to meet him?"
I know I shouldn't have asked her all those things at once, but they sort of….popped out. All Mum did was stare at me. She's probably thinking you stupid for asking such things, especially if your father's deceased. But wait a minute, my father isn't dead. Liam said so! Only one way to find out:
"Mum, is father…dead?" I nervously asked.
Mum coughed and answered, "Yes and no."
"'Yes and no'? What do you mean 'yes and no'?! It's one or the other, Mum! He's either dead or living-"
"Or in between!" yelled Mum, her face red with fury. She had another one of her coughing fits again, perhaps this one a little worse than the previous ones. I ran to the table by the fireplace and grabbed a glass of water and handed it to her. Once Mum calmed down, she explained, "The captain of the Dutchman can only step on land once every ten years to be with those he loves. The Dutchman also sails between both worlds, the one of the dead and the one of the living. The crew, including the captain, have died at sea, but are not quite ready to move on, so until then, they are neither dead nor alive."
My ears could not believe what they just heard. "Are you saying…what I think you're saying? That…" my voice faded away, thinking the unthinkable, if that's even possible. No, he can't be. He can't be a part of some ghost ship! He just simply can't!
"Yes," answered Mum, "your father is a part of the Flying Dutchman, doing his duties that need to be done there." Her eyes were starting to get watery as she said this, and she began to have coughing fits, ones that included blood.
Vickie barged through the doors with herbal remedies in hand and anything else Mum might need to feel better. I backed away, not wanting to be in Vickie's way.
"There, there, Misses Rivers," said Vickie in a calm, hushed tone. "You'll be alright."
Mum motioned for me to go over to her. I obeyed, but slowly.
"Andrea," she said. Uh-oh. She used my full name. This has to be serious. "I need you to go find your brother and tell him to come back."
"But-"
"I know it's dangerous business, especially out on the seas of the Caribbean, but I have faith in you, Andrea. You're mature for your age and you're trustworthy and honest. I trust you to do this, honey, or else I wouldn't have mentioned it in the first place."
"But you're sick, Mum. With consumption-"
"I know that, Andie," interrupted Mum, getting annoyed with me. "Which is why I need you to search for your brother, not here where you can contract the sickness as well."
"But I don't care if I get consumption! Not if it was done while trying to help you get better! Besides. you need me, Mother! You need me here,with you, not out on the seas!"
"Andrea, I'll be fine," Mum said in her comforting motherly tone. "Besides, I have Vickie here to help me. She's going to have her sister, Gabrielle, come and help out, too."
"But-"
"No 'but's, Andrea," said mother, now seeming to be more serious. "I am your mother and do as I say. You are needed on the seas, searching for your brother."
"But I want to help you," I whined, hoping that would convince my mother to let me stay. I love being adventurous and I take adventures as soon as there's one available, but if it means abandoning my sick mother by herself with no one but a maid or two, then I'm not going to take it.
"You will be helping me by finding your brother and letting him know of my condition and telling him to come home," she said, "where both of you will be able to help take care of me."
I had nothing to say. There was nothing to say. I was at a loss of words. "Do not worry, my sweet child," said Mum, patting my cheek, "I will be fine." After a moment of silence, she put down her hand, pointed to the door. "Now go, Andrea."
"But-"
"GO!" she said. She began to have another coughing fit as I stood up to leave. As I approached the door, I turned around. She had calmed down, and I said, "Bye, Mother. I love you." I almost came to tears seeing her the way she was, knowing I am to leave her.
"I love you to," said Mum. "Now go!"
I reluctantly left the room and ran into my bedroom. Even though it was night, I decided to pack and leave anyway. The sooner I leave, the sooner I'll get back I thought. I changed into the dark red shirt and the other "adventure" clothes Mum washed the day I arrived here. I reached underneath my bed and grabbed the two swords I found at Port Royal. I grabbed the painting of my parents and some of the letters from Port Royal, as well. The letters would give me something to do shall I be bored, and the painting to remind me f why I'm out on the seas. Before I forgot, I grabbed my sketchbook and a few pencils. After that, I made my way out the door into the night, beginning my long awaited adventure that's worth telling.
However, as soon as I reached the path that leads to the town of Shipwreck, I felt something hit my head. I don't know what happened. I guess I was knocked-out, but the next thing I knew, I felt swaying motions below me. Then it hit me; I must be on a ship. Before I get up on my feet, I see two familiar faces staring back at me in a way that gave me the creeps.
"Hello, Poppet," greeted a somewhat deep, raspy voice.
"Don't cha mean 'Poppet Junior'?" asked another voice, somewhat deep, but not so raspy.
Uh-oh I thought. I'm screwed.
1010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010
Uh, yeah, I'm screwed just as much as Andie is. I've been trying to sleep for a little over an hour now, and I just can't. What's worse is that I have school tomorrow and wake up at 6:30! If my parents caught me like this, finishing the last few paragraphs of this chap right here in bed at almost 10:30 pm, you would never know how this story would end (that's the safe way to put it). I guess I better go before I'm even more screwed!
-Nikki-
PS You know what to do! ;P