Discover Top Posts Tagged with #annie ghosts

On Stormy Seas

Set in my Second Chances AU, after Sea Wenches.

They'd picked up many a straggler on their voyages throughout the ages. Strangers from lives far and wide, eager for a sail with a genuine pirate from the days of wild, open seas. Often times, they had been families with children of their own, some even Lyssie's age. Sometimes she'd made friends, but they'd never lasted long. The tourist trips would end and she'd be waving them off again at the pier before they pulled up the anchor to be off exploring again.

At first, she's unsure quite how to behave among these two new girls aboard the ship. They both appeared far younger than her and yet she knew they were meant to be older. One, at least, she had met and got to know.

Amy appears very much the same as her teenage self. Quiet, a tad morbid, a rather ghostly maiden, except now smaller than Elysabeth. Was the change merely physical? But there is a spark of excitement in those eyes as she runs her pale hand across the edge of the deck and looks up to see the sails unravel.

"Be it like your grandsire's, Amy?" Lyssie asks, deciding maybe it's best to act like nothing has changed. Don't talk down to her like she's now older and superior.

The other girl snorts; "Nah! Thith ith weal uh...old thcool." She pats one of the giant masts, crafted from the finest oak; "Ith awethome."

Lyssie smiles, sensing that's a compliment.

"Bet your granddad's was one of these fancy new steam ships, ey lass?" William grinned as he passed, working for them to set off. He gave Humphrey another slap on the back; "Coulda used some of that in our day! 'Magine capturin' clouds to make a fine creature like this ship move on the waves!"

"You think that's bad, try getting your head around electricity." Humphrey smiled, giving his daughter a wink. Clearly he was getting a bit more used to William's boisterous nature.

A high pitched laugh drew their attention to the bow.

"Hey Ames! Look at me!" The other young girl had hoisted herself up to the very edge, gripping one of the ropes as she threw one of her arms out wide; "I'm the King of the World! Woo! Get it? Hehehe."

"Silver, be careful! Your mum will have my guts for garters if you fall overboard!" Humphrey warned.

Elysabeth blinked; "What she mean by king? Would she not be a queen?"

Amy shook her head.

"Ith a movie weferewenth." She explained.

"I do nots know what that is."

"Don't worry. Ith boowing until the end anyway." The girl in the red nightdress ran to join her friend, Elysabeth following close behind.

Despite many years on the high seas, other peoples excitement at being on a pirate ship always infected her with the same joy as if it were her first time too, though she'd been a lot more nervous when William had taken her in, never having even seen so much as a beach in her existence Before.

"Anchors up and away we go, me hearties!" The captain boomed from the tiller.

"Did he really just say 'me hearties'?" Silver grinned at Lyssie.

"He only does that for show." She said with a fond shake of her braids.

Their tether to the surface pulled in, the ship began to set off back into the water. Silver and Amy exchanged excited glances. Lyssie scanned the sails, just to make sure there nothing was amiss.

Seemed to be all good. She should probably redo the stitches on one of the patches she used to fix the upper topsail, but they'd hold for now. The ship was as much her baby as Will's at this point.

"Woah! Thith ith badath!" Amy gasped in wonder as she leaned over to take a good look at the figurehead on the front of the ship.

A woman with a great fish tail, like a mermaid, except with with a terrifying face containing furious red eyes, snakes for hair and a forked tongue.

"Hehe, that be Medusa. Will said t'were on his same ship when he were alive." Lyssie explained; "Helped scare off Kings ships from darin' to take back their gold."

"Not gonna lie...kinda wan' her on my bedroom door. Or thomthin' thimular." Amy mused, reaching to pat one of the snakes on the carving's head.

"Sure, give your poor daddy a heart attack when he comes to kiss you goodnight." Silver joked.

All three girls laughed. Lyssie felt a rush of excitement and comradarie, the age of her companions making little difference for a moment, whether they be older or younger.

Amy turned to check on her father, seeing that he was stood with William who was giving him a run down of how to steer the ship and set the sails to catch the best wind. Humphrey's eyes looked from the wheel to check on his daughter and give her a wave.

"Don't lean over too far, Poppet!" He calls to her.

"Yeth, Humphfwee!" Amy said with a dramatic roll of her eyes.

Lyssie tilted her head; "Does thou not call him 'Papa'?"

"Only in private!" Silver smirked.

"Thut up!" Amy gently swatted her friend, her cheeks burning as scarlet as her dress; "Anyway...you donth call William 'dad'."

"No, I calls him Cap'n, mostly." She said with a shrug; "Not 'cause he tells me too. Just feels...proper. Me bein' his First Mate and all. His crew entire, most of the time."

"I sometimes wonder if I should call Annie 'mum'." Silver thought aloud, watching the water darken as they moved further out from the shore; "I mean...she is my stepmum, and she's been so nice to me...Or maybe she could be Ma....IS THAT A WHALE?!"

Elysabeth reached into her satchel to retrieve her telescope, unfolding it to peer out at the waves.

"Aye, t'is a Humpback!" She clarifies, "Cap'n! We got whales over port-side! William can bring us in a little closer, but don't wanna get too near 'less we startle them."

Silver let out a squeal, little fingers to her lips as she bounced on her feet.

"I've never seen a whale in real life! When I was a kid, I always wanted to see them in shows until I found out how cruel those places are." She said, leaning over as best as she could.

The ship turned left a little, passing by what seemed to be two beautiful, gigantic whales. When one broke through the surface, its grey skin shimmering against the sunshine, the girls let out a gasp of wonder.

"Can we get closer? Would they let us pet them?" Silver asked.

"Not the best idea, lass. Not unless ye fancy spendin' a getaway in their belly. Trust me, had a brief stay once, I wouldn't recommend it." William made a grimace, wrinkling his nose.

Lyssie rolled her eyes. That was one of many stories he liked to tell and, like a lot of them, she filed it into the "most likely did not happen" category.

Humphrey moved forward and placed his hands on Amy's waist, giving her a boost up so that she could get a better use of the creatures as they passed. Lyssie saw Silver struggling to cling to the deck and tried to lift her up a bit, but she wasn't exactly much taller herself.

"Cor, thou art a plump little miss, aren't thee."

"Am not!" The kid pouted.

"I wouldnts blame thee. I's tasted Annie's pastries, I'd be all roly poly too if I were their daughter!" She teased, unable to resist the urge to tickle the girl a bit.

Praise Jesus, Silver took no offense, giggling too and accepting the aid to get a better peek.

"Oh dear. Starfish, I need ya to tighten the Cunningham." William called over; "Got some dark clouds rolling in."

"Yes, Cap'n. Sorry, Miss. Silver." Lyssie plopped the girl down and quickly ran across deck to tighten one of the ropes on the main sail.

The sunshine that had been with them most of the day began to dim, the wind picking up stronger and with a bitter cold kick. Humphrey tucked Amy beneath his cloak.

"Uhh, what's happening?"

"Storm approaching! Ye might wanna all hang on tight. Or, if ya legs are made o' jelly, feel free to head below deck!" William warned, seemingly having a battle with the tiller as he tried to steer the ship.

"Are we going back?" Piped up Amy, the two girls both looking disappointed. They'd only been on the water a few minutes.

"Depends if I can....Ah, blast it! Nope, she don't wanna turn. Looks like we're gotta go through her!"

"Through....Through the storm?!" Humphrey blinked; "C-can't we just...go around it?"

"Not without going over the whales and believe me, friend, we'd stand a far better chance making it through one piece against the wrath of Zeus himself! Lyssie - gonna need ya to make sure the hatches all be battened down!"

"On it." Elysabeth regretted not changing into her sailor's garb the moment they'd climbed aboard, it was so much easier to dash around in a tunic and britches compared to her favorite dress.

As the winds grew stronger, they moved faster against the rising waves, their guests having to hold on tight to whatever they could reach to avoid sliding down whenever the ship reared up.

"Haha, oh this is so cool!" Silver chirped. "It's like a ride at Alton Towers!"

"Well I'm glad you're liking it, kiddo. Poppet, shall we go below deck? Maybe find the kitchen William told me about." Humphrey looked down at his daughter bundled under the thick red folds.

"Noo, Thilver'th right, thith ith fun!"

"Ah, that's the spirit! I knew I could see the makings of two fine pirates in you lasses!" William cheered, spinning the wheel.

As she climbed the main mast to fix another rope, Lyssie merely smirked to herself. There was rarely a soul William met who he didn't try to convince to become one of them. Not that they ever got up to any real pirating or crime at all.

Humphrey gulped, clearly wanting to be tucked up dry and warm, perhaps with a good bottle of ale.

"Still....we said to Annie that we would only go around the reef. I can't even see land anymore..." He said, fearfully, looking towards the stern end of the ship.

"Ah, worry not, Humphrey, man! We'll 'ave you and the wee ones back on dry land in a few hours at most!"

Three Days Later

Mary's seventeenth century cloak clashed with the poka dot sixties dress she wore underneath. She hadn't quite got the grasp of adapting to modern fashion. Either that or 'coats' with sleeves still felt somewhat alien to her. She knotted the tie about her neck and scanned the kitchen for her boots.

"My love, what ye be planning to do now?" Annie asked from the doorway.

"What it looks like?! I is gonna go down to that beach and try n' find us a boat. 'Opefully with a kind sailor who shall take pity on me." She fretted, leaning down to check under the table; "Failings that, I wills have to try my hands at....making one meself."

"You know nothing of sailing, Mary! Neither do I!" Annie reminded her. "And you be afraid of water."

Mary clicked her neck, clenching her jaw.

"Don't matter. Will do whatever it takes to find my little'en." She grumbled to herself; "I care nots if I end up 'avin to swim the entire seven seas, I'll find her, I will!"

The frantic mother stomped her foot on the ground. Nearby, sat before the front door, Jess the labradoodle flinched at the noise.

"Where be my damned bootses?!" Mary yelled, hours upon hours of worrying now primed to explode.

Annie quickly rubbed Jess's ears before she opened the cupboard under the stairs. She retrieved Mary's wellies and tossed them to her.

"I still think we should give it one more day. I spoke to Godric, he said this be common for William and Lys. They say they be back in a day, then they show up in a month! But they always come back." Annie carefully approached her wife.

Mary scoffed; "I shan't survives a month more of this, Annie!"

"You would, love, as we cannots die again here." Annie said, a hint of a smile; "I is just meaning I'm sure they're safe. William knows what he's doing, Lyssie is a sensible girl, and Humphrey's with them too!"

"You nots be calmin' my nerves much." Her wife tutted, stuffing her feet into the sturdy boots, usually used to long treks through the woods and over the fields in early Spring when the ground is extra muddy.

Her heart pangs at the memory of her and Silver hiking up to check on the pregnant ewes, usually finding one ready to birth a newborn lamb. She'd taught Silver how to help bring it into the world, how to clean and tend to mum and baby. How life could still be created in this Next Layer was another miracle.

The image of the cheeky teenager she'd fallen in love with flickered to that of the little girl in glasses, covered in poorly applied hair dye. Tiny. Vulnerable. It would be one thing if it was just nineteen year old Silver out missing on a boat with a bunch of their friends. But a six year old?!

She needed her back here. Safe and sound and tucked up in bed. Now!

Jess let out a sharp woof, the first one she's made since Annie brought her back without her owner near. She'd been sat waiting for Silver for nearly all the time since, save for when they roamed the nearby fields in case they arrived on foot. The dog sits up straight, ears erect, tail wagging.

"What is it, girl? Someone coming?" Annie moved to the front door and opened it without even peering through the window.

Jess immediately ran outside.

"Oh thank Christ." Annie sighed, "Mary, come quick!"

She didn't dare to get her hopes up. Not until she saw her with her own eyes, even though she could already hear that high pitched voice happily greet her dog.

"Silver?! SILVER!" Mary jogged to the entryway of their cottage.

"Mummy!"

A little pair of arms wrapped themselves immediately around her skirt. Mary felt herself deflate as the weight of the last three days vanished instantly.

She let out a cry and knelt down to hug her daughter tight against her chest.

"Oh there you are! My darling, my precious girl!" Mary wept, one hand pawing her hair, cringing as she felt the damp, matted texture; "Where in Suckings Off Lands have ye been all this time?! I been so worried!"

"Hehehe, I was fine, Mummy! I was on a boat!"

"Ship, lass!" Came a familiar booming voice.

Silver nodded; "Ship! Sorry, Captain Will, hehe."

Mary frowned as she looked up in time to see William, Elysabeth, Humphrey and Amy enter in. Humphrey looked completely exhausted, as if the man had ran across the world and back, his hair all messed and his shirt loosened. His regressed daughter didn't look much better, swaying on her tired legs, hungry for her bed.

Pulling back from the hug, Mary examined her daughter. The same dress that she'd seen her off with the morning they'd disappeared. But her short hair was now a great black mess. No scars or cuts or bruises...she seemed all in one piece...and yet...

"Look at the state of your barnet, little'en! And yours, young Amy, ye look a proper state, the pair of thee!"

"Ah, that will be my fault. Sea winds not be the kindest to fair maidens hairs." Will apologised.

Lyssie shrugged; "I did offer them head coverings and hats I had but it wasn't 'their style'." She explained, with a pointed nod towards the tired Amy.

"Sorry we were gone longer than planned. Had to take some uhh...detours." Humphrey said, clearing his throat.

"William let Dad thteer for a bit. But Dad dunno which way Thtarboard ith." Amy smirked.

"Just say left, for God's sake!"

"No, thatth Port!"

Mary watched as they all began laughing some more. Even Annie seemed to find it all amusing. Silver's dog padded happily around them, sniffing at William's boots and earning another scratch on her head.

"Three days. Ye have been gone without so much as a by your leave, for THREE DAYS!"

Mary's exclamation quietened the room.

"Blimey...Was it that long? Woah, we barely slept. There always seemed to be something going on." Humphrey blinked.

"Ah, time slips away so easy when you're in the oceans arms." Said William.

"It was so much fun though, Mummy!" Silver gushed, gripping Mary's hand; "We saw whales! And dolphins and mermaids! And then - and then - we sailed through this giant rock with this really tall cavern where it went super dark but these special glowing plants lit up and it was so so pretty! A-and then, on the way back, we got caught in another storm and the whole ship nearly capsized! Like WOOSH!"

"Oh noes!" Mary's hands flew up to her mouth; "Y-your boat went on its side?!"

"Yeah! And I got flung over and tried to grab to something but I slipped and then, and then, when I was in the water and it was sooo scary, Lyssie jumped over while hanging into one of the ropes, and she grabbed me and pulled me back up! She was AMAZING! Like a super hero!"

The young Saxon girl blushed, tucking one of her braids behind her ears.

"Not the first time I's had to save one gone overboard." She shrugged. William scoffed and gave her a cheeky poke between her shoulder blades.

Overboard?! In the water...?!

Her little girl had fallen into the water?!

"Sounds like an adventure! Bit sad I didn't join you all now. Humphrey, you made it back too?" Annie grinned.

The Tudor nodded; "More or less...Nah, I'll be honest...It were definitely...thrilling. Mad, but....unforgettable."

"You wiked it!" Amy smiled at her father.

He stroked her head; "Lemmie get a proper sleep and I'll give you my verdict tomorrow, Poppet."

"How dares you."

All eyes turned on Mary, whose hands were placed firmly on Silver's shoulders.

"How dares you take my little girl on a journey so dangerous! Where she coulds have been lost in them great waters for aeons with nought but whales ready to swallow her whole!" She gritted her teeth and glared at William and Humphrey.

"Mummy, it weren't like that." Silver whispered.

"Yeah, honest, Mary. We only planned to let the girls have a quick sail and out of nowhere it turned into...well, that." Humphrey tried to explain.

"It not be planned, Miss. Mary." Lyssie tried to defend. "T'was a mere twist of fate. And weather."

"Tush and flops!" Mary dismissed, standing up straight, placing herself in front of Silver; "I heards the two of ye often disappear for weeks if not months! You can be careless with your own unlives but not when there be children in thy care!"

"Mummy, nothing bad happened! I'm fine!" Silver attempted.

"Yes! Because SHE saved you!" Mary pointed her finger at Elysabeth; "Meanwhiles I bet the great pirate just stood and laughed while my baby dids barely avoid drowning!"

It didn't matter if it wouldn't have killed her. Drowning...the experience alone is worse than death. The struggle, the slow suffocation, the feeling of being smothered as your body sinks deeper beyond your control...

That horror. Except without end. Without the relief of dying....

"My love, please calm down. There be no harm done." Annie tried to sooth.

"Mary, I get that you're upset, I'd have probably have been the same if I hadn't gone." Said Humphrey.

"You shouldn't have let them go! Neither of you! Why did you trust HIM?!"

This time her finger pointed straight at William. The pirate raised his hands up, backing away slightly.

"Ey, ey now, I meant no harm! I only wished to help bring a smile to the young maidens faces - which I did, didn't I, lasses?"

Both Amy and Silver nodded, not that it did much to temper Mary's mood.

"It matters not what fun they had, it not be worth puttin' two little girls at risk on open seas!" She seethed. "I could have lost my daughter AGAIN thanks to yous carelesneeses!"

Annie winced, not saying anything. As harsh as she was being, her wife's reaction was perfectly understandable. Her time being seperated from Silver after she moved on had been unbearable as it was. Never mind the trauma she still had from having lost her first daughter....

Hands still raised, Will's eyes softened as he tried to appeal for Mary's forgiveness.

"Come now, dearest Mary. The last thing I would ever do is knowingly put thy sweet girl in danger." He pledged, "Ye forget, I have a kid of my own-."

"She be Robin's little'en, not yours!"

Elysabeth's jaw dropped. Several others gasped.

William didn't respond.

"Mary..." Annie stared in disbelief that her kind and timid wife would say such a thing. But she also knew how sharp her claws could be when she dared to swipe them.

The pirate looked towards Lyssie, who seemed to be wanting to speak but her lips moved without words passing. William hanged his head.

"My apologies. I...I'll head back to the ship." He nodded, rather formally, giving a quick bow before turning to leave without any goodbyes.

Lys followed after, trying to reach out to him, "William..."

Once they'd gone out the door, Silver turned on her mother, brow crinkled in anger.

"Why did you have to be HORRIBLE?! You ruined everything!" She screamed up at her before running out to the corridor.

Mary gasped, appalled; "You....Yous get to your room this instants, young lady!"

"I'M ALREADY THERE!" Silver shouted back before slamming the door.

Annie caught her breath. She looked to her wife as Mary turned and went towards the sink, hiding her face from the others.

Meanwhile, Humphrey looked to see that Amy had vanished. Or, rather, cocooned herself within his cloak. He carefully unraveled her, seeing she had her hands clasped over her ears

"Poppet? You okay?" He whispered.

Amy shook her head; "Don't wike it. Can we go home?"

"Think that's the best thing that's been said all night. C'mon." He lifted her up into his arms, letting her hold onto his neck and bury her face beneath his chin.

"Really am glad you're all back safe. We both is." Annie stated; "Thanks for taking care of Silv."

"She didn't need much. She's a capable girl, even pint sized. Besides...it were a lot of fun. Honest." He admitted, loud enough for Mary to hear as she angrily scrubbed the dishes.

Annie wished the Bones' goodnight before closing the door. Jess had followed Silver into her bedroom.

Their cottage which had been bustling with faces and voices for a few minutes was now back to being quiet. A bit too quiet for the Guppy house.

Annie didn't chide Mary for her words, despite clearly meant to wound. Perhaps a touch of revenge for putting her through the past three days. It wasn't fair but...she knew Mary. Whenever she felt she had to be cruel for whatever reason, no one felt more pain from it than her.

And so, she merely approached her carefully, then wrapped her arms around Mary's middle, leaning against her.

"T'is okay, my love. She's home. She's safe."

Mary then burst into tears.

#mary guppy #second chances au #annie ghosts #humphrey bone #amy bone #silver guppy #oc: elysabeth #william the pirate