Fifteen months later.
The Jolly Roger landed on the village docks with an ominous creak. From the ship exited a woman with a long, sharp sword strapped to her waist. She wore a black leather jacket. Her face was covered by the pirate hat that she wore.
People immediately stared at the unknown ship and the red headed woman that exited it. Hushed voices spread throughout the docks. Some people cowered before her. Others simply stared in awe.
The woman entered a tavern, where many people, including three navy officers, were drinking. Without a word, the woman took out a pistol, and pointed it at the barkeep. She then threw a duffel bag onto the table. The barkeep started filling it up with money, while the people surrounding her tried to get the attention of the navy officers.
In less than five seconds, the three officers were holding out their swords, all of their tips pointed at the woman. "What do we have here?" swaggered the most boastful out of the three. "A wench, playing pirate?"
Quicker than the speed of light, the woman kicked the sword out of the navy officer's hand, and pointed her pistol at the man. The woman opened her mouth, and spoke. "Kneel," she said quietly. The officer didn't budge. His pride was much too big for him to kneel to a thief, much less a woman thief.
BANG. The navy officer fell on the floor, dead.
Out of the two officers remaining, the younger one advanced with his sword. The woman placed her pistol on the table, and drew her own sword.
Three clangs of metal. A swish of a blade. The navy officer crumpled onto the floor.
"Who are you?" the remaining officer said, not daring to attack.
The woman took off her hat. "A girl who has finally returned home," she spoke, ending the officer's life.
Then the woman left the tavern, not even bothering to steal any money.
She stepped back onto the boat. "Well, love? Was I right?" Hook said, leaning back on a chair, with his legs on top of the woman's table.
Ariel didn't reply. Then, out of nowhere, rage over took her. With a yell, she dragged her sword across the walls, and started pounding on the window. With an ear piecing crash, the glass shattered, leaving Ariel's hands all bloody.
Panting, Ariel sat down on the floor, her body shaking due to the flood of tears coming out of her eyes.
"Will this help?" Hook asked, holding out two bottles of rum. Ariel took it, and drained the entire bottle in less than a minute. "He's gone," she said, yanking at her silky red hair. "He's really gone."
Him. Eric. Rumours had reached the pirates of the Jolly Roger that the prince had been assassinated by his own guards, who had been acting under the orders of the soon to be queen- the sea witch, Ursula. Ariel didn't knwo why she was in hysterics right now. They hadn't exactly been in love.
Truthfully, Ariel believed the reason she was crying was because of the fact that Ursula had landed the final blow. Eric had been the last thing Ursula could take away from her, and the sea witch had done just that. This murder had symbolized the final conquer. Ursula had won.
Ariel and Hook had become really good friends during the past year. Ariel was sure Hook would give her the ring if she asked for it. At the very least, Hook would be willing to use it on Ursula by himself. But that wasn't what Ariel wanted anymore. The ring would ensure a short, painless death for Ursula. Ariel didn't like that. She wanted Ursula to suffer. She wanted her whole army to suffer. Ariel wanted revenge.
"And you shall have it," Hook said. Ariel looked at him. "Revenge, I mean," he spoke. "That's what you're thinking about, isn't it, love? We've spent the entire year hunting down the people who were responsible for Elena's death. I think now, it's time we avenge your prince's death, too."
Ariel smiled, and touched the golden shell necklace wrapped around her neck. It held the breath of Athena, Ariel's mother. With it, Ariel had been able to speak again, though she didn't talk often. During the past fifteen months, Ariel had built up a reputation as the Silent Lady of the Sea- a skillful pirate with flowing red hair, who stole and pillaged mercilessly, always leaving each village she destroyed without a trace, without a sound.
Her eyes glinted. "Let's show that sea witch what the undead pirates of Neverland can do," Ariel said to Hook, as she drained the last bottle of rum.