The Birth of the Shark Tooth [Pirates of the Caribbean Fanfic]

Chapter 12: The Story of Janette's Father

I was in the captain's cabin, lying on the bed together with my captain, with my head placed onto his chest. We had become really close after our fight on the Flying Dutchman. We often talked when we had free time and told each other our past adventures.

After he disclosed that dreadful information to me of how he had decided to use my help to kill the beastly shark, I needed to find out all the details about this particular legend, in order to be ready (you might ask that, if I didn't like the idea why I agreed on it. The thing is, I had no right to refuse - Blood Rain was my captain. He would probably make me walk the plank if he found out I denied to follow his orders. And then, there was my strong desire to become a famous pirate and better search for my father).

Thus, now I was with Blood Rain, and my first question, as always, concerned the shark matter:

"So, why do you need exactly a girl to do the job? Won't men be a better fit for killing beasts?"

It was quite surprising, actually - why the heck would pirates who hated to have women on board make those same women kill beasts in order to get the most precious treasure of the seas?

"Calypso, the sea, is a woman - a female nature, the nature of Yin," he smiled (Yin was the name for the feminine nature in Chinese beliefs), "so she would accept only a woman as the direct inheritor of her treasure. She would only permit a woman to kill her offspring - the Megalodon. The shark beast is impossible for any man to kill, for it needs the creature like Calypso to slay it. Calypso was the one who created it, and so the one like her must be its slayer. Creatures similar to Calypso - the sea - are women and not men. Water is the element of Yin, not Yang. So, a girl is necessary to kill the shark. But it can be no ordinary girl. It must be a girl like Calypso - sometimes calm, at other times wrathful; turbulent, yet soft; thunderous, yet kind; loving and caring, yet ruthless; motherly, yet powerful and independent. Such a woman is hard to find. One who can fight yet is soft, one who can consent to her beloved's requests, yet seeks for justice and equality. A woman who demands a man's heart, soul and devotion, and gives the same in return."

"And... you think I'm such a woman?"

I was eager to find out the answer - I did have a thing for him, to be honest. I truly wanted to know what he thought of me.

"If I didn't feel you were such, I would never offer you to become a part of my crew in the first place. Then, if I didn't get assured you were such a woman, I would never tell you to kill the shark... and, of course, I would not have chosen you."

"Hmm... Well, that does say a lot." I blushed and looked away.

"Sure it does, Hua Mulan..."

He grinned and caressed me on my black dreadlocked hair. I chuckled. We went silent for some minutes, happy enough to get to spend time together. But then, he broke the silence:

"Anyway, I've always wondered - who is your father? What is his name? Maybe, I can help you find him? After entrusting you with such a difficult task as killing the sea monster, I want to somehow return the favour."

"Well... I'd gladly tell you, but I don't really know his name. Mother never told me."

"Hmm, I understand..." he sighed. "Anyway, how did they meet?"

"Mom and dad? - Well, it is quite a beautiful story. Mother worked in an inn near the harbour back home. Since it was near the harbour, many sailors frequented it and spent time there. Even the naval soldiers got to stop at that inn to have a drink, from time to time.

"Working as waitresses in such inns where many filthy sailors drank and quarrelled was a hard time for us women. Mother often had to bear with offensive remarks from men. Sometimes they would even go so far as to hit the waitresses, and the innkeeper didn't even care. The soldiers were no different - they too used to beat the waitresses and often rape them, for when such a low-level man gets drunk, all he can think about is self-pleasure.

"But my mother was a brave and fierce woman. She didn't cope with the 'rules' established by men as if a woman had to obey a man's wishes. She did not let anyone insult her dignity, so she was often getting beaten by those filthy men. Still, she never gave up, and fought back.

"One day, when some filthy soldiers were quarrelling amongst themselves and spotted my mother whose beauty pleased them beyond measure, they grabbed her and wanted to rape her, but my mom fought with all the strength she had. She hit them and yelled to let her go. The soldiers got angrier and began beating her. But just as they struck the first blow on her face, which enraged her even more, all of them heard a deep, playful, yet serious voice of a man:

"Aye, cannot defeat men of the sea so ye pickin' on a woman?"

"My mother and the incensed soldiers saw a middle-aged man grinning at them. My mother got stupefied, for it was the very first time she saw a man stand up for her. She instantly fell for him, as she could see in his blazing eyes how courageous and kind-hearted he should be.

"The soldiers got so mad that they were going to dash at him all at once, with their swords. He too, drew out a sword and parried all of their attacks, then rushed forward, clutched my mom's hand and ran out of the inn at a full speed. He led my mother to a good hiding-place and the soldiers were unable to find them.

"When they sighed with relief as they were finally safe, my mother glanced at his wrist and noticed the letter 'P' carved on it.

"You... You're a pirate!" she whispered with fear, for everyone, including my mother, knew very well pirates were very dangerous men, roaming the seas and committing various crimes even on the land, which included raping innocent women.

"Aye," he replied rather coldly as if it was not a big surprise for him to turn out a pirate.

"Why... did you save me?" my mother inquired. She would never expect a pirate to save her from drunken soldiers.

"My bein' a pirate does not prevent me from standing up for a lady, aye?"

"A lady?" my mother blinked - it was the first time she, a black woman and a mere waitress, was being called a lady.

"Aye. A woman who fights for her honour, is a lady, is she not?"

"My mother was still astonished. She asked him what his name was. After hearing it, she disclosed her own - Vivienne Moreau, - and told him:

"I have never seen a man stand up for me in my time of difficulty, and call me a lady. Everyone would scold me, ever since my childhood, for not giving in to men and fighting for my pride and freedom. They said I dreamed too big and that a low-class woman like me could never have any pride, and could never be free. I could never imagine the one to agree with me on this matter, would be a pirate."

"Not all pirates are the same, as are not all people," he answered, "I am a pirate because, like you, I love freedom. The only place where I can be free, is me ship, in the sea."

"So, they understood they had common ideas about life, and my mother offered him her love. He warned her he could not stay long on the land for his heart belonged to the sea, but she answered that she did not ask of him to give her his heart in return, but only requested for him to accept hers for eternity. So, he did, and they spent time together. Later, when he declared it was his time to reunite with his ship and the sea again, my mother let him go. Nine months later, she gave birth to me."

Blood Rain watched me, greatly moved by this romantic story. He smiled:

"Your father was truly a great man, aye."

"Yes, he was," I chuckled, "just like you."

He grinned, and then softly pressed his lips to mine.