A Tale That Never Was

Several days went by with the Jolly Roger spared any storms or bad weather. The ocean was relatively calm and peaceful and Captain Hook made good progress. During the journey Selvina had tried several times to learn of his relationship with Peter Pan but an intense glare was the only answer she ever received. Discouraged and frustrated she had decided to give up on it, at least for now. Meanwhile, she and Red developed a greater friendship. The former taught the latter how to dress nicely and told her of the fairy tales she had grown up with while the latter attempted to teach the former how to use crossbows and defend herself, both with mixed results. Sinbad and sometimes Captain Hook helped as well. Jack mostly sat back and laughed. His relationship with Selvina had grown as well but she still thought of him as crude and disgusting most of the time.

With supplies beginning to run low, mostly because of Bigbad’s great appetite, Captain Hook had set a northerly course to an island simply known as Kenmard. It had no king and only one city but it was sometimes frequented by seafarers and would have the supplies he needed. The nearer they were to the island the colder the air became and within the span of a few hours where there had been blue sky, fluffy white clouds, and a warm sun there was now a pall of grey and a light snowfall. The water became choppy and whitecaps surrounded the ship in every direction. Jolly Roger bobbed up and down in great dips and rises as waves smashed into the hull. Her bow sliced through them all the same and Captain Hook guided her toward a faint light in the distance. The snowfall limited their view but the light was still visible through it and was steadily growing larger.

“Lighthouse of Kenmard!” Captain Hook shouted over the crashing waves. “We’ll get there yet, lasses!”

Selvina’s face was green as she gripped the balustrade with white knuckles. She handled calm waters well but these were anything but. Icy spray splashed over her face and body and she was chilled to the bone. Red had taken Bigbad in the cargo hold where she would stay with him. Selvina had declined her offer to go with her, telling her that she would be fine, but was now regretting every moment. She wanted to go belowdecks more than anything but the boards were slippery and the wind had picked up, threatening to throw her off the ship if she lost her footing. She looked up at the crow’s nest where Jack stood with a lantern in his hand, flashing his hand over it in a series of specific sequences. She didn’t know what they meant but whenever he made them Captain Hook would call out an order or move the ship in a different direction. She assumed it was some sort of code and though she could find the young man incredibly intolerable she marvelled at his bravery. If he fell off his precarious perch he would certainly die yet he was up there acting as if there was no storm around him at all.

The snow began to fall in great sheets and soon nearly all vision was lost. The lighthouse’s glow was barely perceptible and yet Captain Hook, Sinbad, Jack, and the rest of Jolly Roger’s crew continued to operate without any pauses or hesitations. It was as if they were of a single mind and Jolly Roger was a living thing moving with its own purpose.

Selvina shuddered violently and tried to curl her fingers but couldn’t feel them. Her toes had lost all feeling many minutes ago and her entire body trembled uncontrollably. She could feel her grip loosening on the balustrade and with every buck and bob the ship went through the threat of letting go increased. Her breath came out in clouds and her eyelashes stuck together. Like icy teeth the cold pinched the skin on her cheeks, forehead, and nose and her mind began to wander. Warmth suddenly began to envelop her and her fingers lost their grip on the balustrade. A flash of red swept over her vision and she felt herself dragged along the wet boards. Her world spun in a blur as cold wind whipped against her flesh. Moments later the air became stuffy and warm and a rush of relief flowed through her body.

“You dumb girl,” she heard a familiar voice say to her. “You don’t have to prove anything to me, Selvina. I know you’re strong but standing out in a storm like that is just stupid.”

Selvina slowly blinked her eyes open as the ice on her lashes melted and saw brown all around, save for a great light full of heat and comfort to her right and a figure of red on her left. She turned her head to the figure. “Red? Is that you?”

“Yes! Had I not grabbed you in time you’d be dead, Selvina. What were you thinking staying out there?”

Memories and sense returned to Selvina’s mind and she rubbed her eyes. “I wasn’t thinking… But how was I supposed to know it would get that bad?”

“You should know that storms here are sometimes not natural.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I’ve heard sailors talk about Kenmard and how it’s been cursed for a long time. I don’t remember the details of how the curse happened, but the city is stuck in a perpetual winter and the waters around it are always treacherous.”

“Had I known that before, I wouldn’t have stayed on the deck…”

“I’m sorry, I should have told you… I was just worried about Bigbad and how he’d behave in a storm like this.”

“How is he?”

Red smiled and patted something behind her. Selvina propped herself up on her elbows and noticed that Red was leaning back against a large, black shape. Bigbad was stretched out on the floor and sleeping soundly, the wild movements of the ship not appearing to bother him in the least.

“At least he’s taking it well,” Selvina remarked with a small smile.

Red nodded and began petting the wolf’s head. “He’s doing much better than I ever thought he would. I think he’s handling this better than the both of us.”

“Oh, I know that! I puked up my lunch a long time ago. I’m hungry but I don’t want to eat anything during this storm.”

“We should reach the port soon so then we can get on solid ground again and find something to eat.”

Selvina shuddered as warmth began to overpower the cold still lingering in her bones. She rubbed her arms and glanced to the right, where a fire burned brightly in an iron fireplace. She wondered what a fireplace would be doing on a wooden ship but as she rubbed her arms again she quickly realized the reason. She was experiencing it.

It was a few minutes later when the ship stopped bobbing violently. Not long after that Sinbad shouted to anyone belowdecks that Jolly Roger was docked and moored and it was safe to come out. The large grate over the opening to the cargo hold was dragged aside, allowing grey light to fill the lower decks, and Bigbad leapt up onto the main deck as Selvina and Red climbed up the ladder. The wolf yawned and stretched and walked around the main deck, occasionally sniffing some of the crewmen and sometimes getting a scratch or a pet in return. Red eventually called him over and helped to calm him. After some nuzzling and scratching behind the ear the large wolf lay down and placed his head on his extended forelegs. With a smack of his lips he closed his eyes.

Selvina was gazing out at the city spreading out before her. It was massive and wide and she could see some amazing structures full of colour and curves jutting up near the middle of it. Snow covered the roofs like a shielding blanket and turned the ground white. It was beautiful in a way but the hundreds of trails of smoke rising from many of the buildings gave it a gritty feel. She didn’t remember ever reading about an island called Kenmard but she did remember that there had been many fairy tales she hadn’t read.

“Here,” Red said as she draped a fur coat over Selvina’s shoulders. She was dressed in one as well and only her red hood revealed her true self. “Like it?”

The blonde slipped her arms into the heavy cloak, hugged it tightly, and nodded. “My mother would freak out if she ever saw me wearing real fur but it is really warm. Thank you.”

“Selvina,” Captain Hook said with Sinbad, Jack and a few crewmen standing behind him. “You and Red should stay on the ship. We’re just gathering supplies and sailing back out to warmer waters as soon as we can. We won’t be here for long.”

Selvina pouted. “What? But I wanted to explore this place a little bit.”

“I can keep her safe,” Red said, folding back her cloak to reveal her crossbows. “We won’t go too far.”

Captain Hook shrugged. “Do as you wish. We’ll be back here in two hours. Keep an eye on the clock tower near the lighthouse.” He pointed at it and then signaled his men to follow him. “Don’t make us wait or the deal is off, Selvina. You’ll have to find someone else to take you home.”

Selvina nodded, slightly disturbed at the captain’s blunt statement. She had thought that their growing friendship would mean her deal would never be broken but she had clearly guessed wrong. There was a chance he was simply bluffing but she didn’t want to find out. She watched the men walk down the plank to the pier and make their way toward the city before glancing at Red. “What about Bigbad? The people here might be afraid of him.”

Red looked over at her faithful companion and walked up to him. He was still laying down on the ground, his head on his legs, but his ear twisted in her direction as she approached. She rubbed his shoulder gently. “Selvina and I are going for a little walk. You have to stay here, though, ok? We’ll be back soon.”

Bigbad yawned and groaned but never opened his eyes. Red gave his thick neck a hug and then took a step back. Looking at Selvina, she said, “He’ll be fine. Now let’s go!”

The two young women hurried down the plank, across the dockyard, and slowed down once they were on a busy street. Men and women in fur coats and fur hats walked past them, ignoring them completely. Horse-drawn carriages with skis instead of wheels skimmed down the street, owning the road. Selvina eyed the people and setting and compared it to the pictures and videos she had seen of Russia. She didn’t know enough about Russia to gauge if she was even comparing it accurately but that’s what the city and its people reminded her of.

A tall man rudely shoved her aside and she backed into an elderly woman who smacked her leg with her cane. “I’m sorry!” she cried out, her eyes wide, as she tried to avoid any more conflicts. Unfortunately another man shouldered her aside and she fell to her knees. The people around her shook their heads and looked at her with narrowed eyes and upraised chins. She must look foreign to them, she assumed. She had yet to see anyone with blonde hair. Everyone’s hair was dark and most had dark eyes as well but she did see a few blue or grey ones.

Red helped her to her feet, pulled her off the road, and into an alley. “These people are all bastards! I wonder why they’re so rude.”

“How long have they had this curse of winter?” Selvina asked as she brushed the snow off her dress. Her cloak covered most of it but the hem still flapped about in the wind.

“I don’t know, probably a few years I think.”

“A few years of just snow and wind? Well no wonder these people are so grumpy. I’d have gone insane. Why don’t they just leave?”

“Did you not remember the ocean around this island? The waters around Kenmard aren’t for novice captains so not just anyone can navigate them. Only the most skilled captains ever dare to come here for supplies.”

“How do you know so much?”

Red shrugged. “Like I’ve told you before, I hung around the Tortug docks a lot.”

“Excuse me?” a hoarse but quiet voice suddenly said.

The girls, both startled by it, turned around to set their eyes on a young girl. She looked a few years younger than they were and was standing barefoot in the snow in the middle of the alley with nothing more than a few shredded rags for clothes. In her trembling hands she held a small, wooden box with a few matches inside. She grabbed one match and lifted it up, the small stick shaking violently. “W-would you like to buy a match?”

Selvina looked at her face and felt her heart squeeze. It was tight and gaunt and there were dark bags under her grey eyes. There was youth and energy in the shining orbs but her body far too thin to ever be considered healthy. She walked up to the girl and lowered her hand, dropping the match back in the box. “No, we don’t need matches, but you need food. Where are your parents?”

“My…my parents…are gone. I’m alone. Are…are you sure you don’t need a match? I’ll only charge a single copper for one.”

Red looked inside her box and offered her a small smile. “You don’t seem to have many left. Why don’t you go buy yourself some food with the money you made selling the other ones?”

The young woman looked down at the ground and held the box close to her chest. “I…I don’t have any money.”

“Where did all the other matches go?”

“I used them…”

Selvina and Red exchanged worried glances. Selvina put a hand on the girl’s shoulder, wincing internally at how bony it felt. “You used them to keep you warm at night?”

The girl shook her head. “No. They don’t give off much heat… but I can see things in the flames, wonderful things. I know how it sounds but they comfort me. I don’t have many matches left, though. Will you please buy one?”

Selvina’s eyes widened at the girl’s words. “These things you see in the flames…what are they?”

The girl seemed taken aback. “You believe me?”

Selvina nodded. “Yes, I do. Do you see yourself with food and warmth and joy?”

She nodded, her disheveled dark hair bouncing. “Yes! I see large tables of food and golden light and a hot fireplace. Sometimes I even see my mother… The images feel so real but even though I know they aren’t I like to see them…”

Red nudged Selvina and whispered, “What fairy tale is she from?”

“The Little Match Girl,” Selvina whispered back. “We can’t leave her here.”

“What?” Red asked, raising an eyebrow. “She’s not our problem, Selvina, and Captain Hook probably wouldn’t like her on board. He said everyone needs to serve a purpose and…well, look at her…”

“I never said we had to take her on the ship but she needs help because, exactly that, look at her!”

The girl watched the two bicker and remained quiet. She trembled every so often but didn’t move away.

Red shook her head. “I don’t know, Selvina. I have very little money on me and I doubt Captain Hook is going to spare any coin to give her some food, especially after buying a bunch of supplies.”

Selvina sighed sadly. She remembered the tale of The Little Match Girl and how the ending had affected her young self after hearing it. Her mother had told her that it was a happy ending because she got reunited with her grandmother but Selvina had cried nonetheless. She couldn’t let that happen to her now that she had a chance to do something about it. Gathering strength in her determination to do what was right she frowned and said, “We’re taking her with us, Red. I don’t care what Captain Hook or Sinbad or anyone says. She needs help.”

“I…I’m fine,” the girl said before sneezing, as if her own body was betraying her statement. “I don’t want to be any trouble…” She turned and started to walk away but Selvina reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

“No!” she said, glaring at Red intently.

Red shook her head and spread her arms in defeat. “I really don’t think Captain Hook is going to want her on the ship… You can try, I guess…”

Selvina walked up to the girl and offered her a warm smile. “I’ll get you somewhere safe. The people here on this island don’t seem to care for anyone but themselves but I promise you that I’ll find someone who will watch over you.”

The girl looked up at Selvina with wide eyes. She blinked once. “Why? Why do you care about me?”

“Because I want to help. Don’t you want to live somewhere where you can be happy?”

“I do! I want that more than anything…”

“Well then, come along with me! I’ll take you to the ship while Red gets us some food.”

“I’m doing what?” Red asked questioningly.

Selvina frowned at her and repeated, “You’re going to get us food.”

Red narrowed her blue eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “What’s going on, Selvina? I find it odd that you all of a sudden want to help some stranger. If you were in a helping mood I could have shown you many homeless people in Tortug. I bet you there are many here too.”

Selvina leaned toward Red and whispered, “Because I know what happens to her! I can’t just walk by and not do something. I need to help her.”

Red fixed her eyes on Selvina’s. “Why?”

“Her story kept me up at night for weeks when I first heard it. My mother told me stories with happy endings up until hers and I’ll never be able to live with myself knowing that right now I can help change her ending.”

“What happens?”

“She dies, Red! I can’t let her die!”

Red’s eyes enlarged in shock momentarily and she glanced at the girl and then back at Selvina. With a deep sigh she nodded. “All right, I’ll go find some food and hope that what few coppers I have can pay for it…”

“Thank you,” Selvina said sincerely. She looked at the girl and offered her a hand. She took it and Selvina shivered as her cold fingers clenched her warm ones. They made it back to the street and headed to the docks, the girl helping Selvina when she couldn’t remember the way.

“Are a guardian angel?” the girl asked after several minutes of silence.

“Me?” Selvina asked with a chuckle. “No, I’m no one special. I just want to help you, that’s all.”

“No one’s ever wanted to help me before…”

“Well I’m not them.”

They made their way down the dock to find Captain Hook with Jack and several of his crewmen hauling crates of supplies up the plank and onto the ship. Wooden cranes attached to the dock helped bring in the heaver items. He was guiding one of the cranes when Selvina approached and with a glance at her, and a raised eyebrow at the girl, he called for a halt.

“Who is this, Selvina?” he asked her, his eyes narrowing as if he already guessed her intent.

“I didn’t get her name but she’s coming with us.”

Captain Hook put his gloves hands on his hips and titled his chin upward, staring at Selvina down the ridge of his nose. “Last time I checked it was I who was captain of the Jolly Roger. What makes you think I would let you bring a stranger on my deck without question? We have enough mouths to feed already, especially with Bigbad onboard.” He eyed the girl up and down and slightly curled the edge of his lip. “What can she do to help, anyways? You also still haven’t begun cooking yet, like you said you would.”

Selvina felt a rush of cold guilt flow through her body. “I’ll start cooking if you let her come with us.”

“That was never part of the deal, Selvina, and you know it. Red has helped wherever she could and Bigbad might eat a lot but he’s done his share of work too. You, other than showing Red how to dress pretty and telling her stories, haven’t done much at all.”

“Captain,” Jack said, turning around from tying a rope around one of the crates. He glanced at Selvina, offering her an encouraging smile. “She’ll do anything you ask of her. As a matter of fact, she’ll start cooking tonight. Just let her bring the girl with us. You can see for yourself that she could use some help.”

“And what makes you think that I’m the one who should be responsible for that, Jack?”

Selvina took a step toward the captain while the girl stared at her toes and said nothing. “I’ll take care of her, captain! You don’t have to do anything. I just want to find a better place for her than here. She won’t be a bother, I promise.”

“I don’t need you to promise me, Selvina.” Captain Hook eyed the thin girl with steady eyes. “I need her to tell me that. For all I know she’s nothing more than a thief.”

Selvina didn’t like how unfair Captain Hook was being. He was making too much of a fuss for nothing. “Where is she going to go if she steals something? Captain, you’re being unreasonable.”

“I have every right to refuse passengers on my ship, Selvina. If you want me to refuse you as well then keep it up!”

“I won’t steal anything,” the girl suddenly said in her quiet voice. It silenced everyone and Captain Hook gazed at her with his piercing, icy eyes. “This nice girl said that I’d find help here and that she’d take me somewhere where I can be happy… I don’t want to make people angry… I…I can go back to selling matches if you think that’s best, Mister captain…sir…”

Captain Hook took a deep breath and his features softened. He glanced to the side, as if in thought, and after several minutes of consideration, nodded once. “Fine then. You can come, but don’t get in the way and do as you are told or your journey will be short. What are we supposed to call you, anyway?”

The girl’s face brightened she smiled happily, practically dancing on her toes. “Cindy! My name is Cindy.”