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Our tale starts on April 9th 1732 when a beautiful young British woman gave birth to a bouncing beautiful little girl. For the first few months the woman raised the babe on her own that was till finally Jack came home once again to see his lover. It was then that they both agreed to name their girl, Sisten Ann Arrow. Jack always seemed to be out at sea and hardly home with his love and child and people always talked though Mary never let it get her down. She loved her daughter even if some of what people said could have been true. There was a family however that lived next door that adored Mary and her baby and took it that they could help the young mother raise Sisten. This family was the Hollingberrys who also had a son, Conrad Hollingberry.


Laughing I ran after my good friend Conrad “Give her back!” he took off with my dolly. He was teasing me on how she looked like a pirate girl. I didn’t mind, for some reason I was always drawn to the sea maybe it was because my dad always told me stories about pirates.
“Where did you get this foul looking thing? What if I showed the king your pirate” he held it over my head.
“My Daddy gave her to me! Now give Ann Bonny back!” I cried and jumped for her to no avail of course. Conrad was five years my senior.
“You named it? After a filthy pirate no doubt” Conrad teased me
This caused me to pout, so I crossed my arms glaring up at him. “Ann Bonny is not a filthy pirate Conrad! She was one of the greatest female pirates to sail the sea.” Course he always had a comeback to anything I said, he seen me as a child always just because I was so much younger than him.
“She doesn’t look so great to me. Only good pirate is a swinging one” at this he made a noose with his fingers and held her higher up above my head.
“Give her back!” I admit my anger had set in but I wanted my doll so I gave him a good kick to his shin, a place I always hit when he made me mad. And down the older boy went like I knew he would, as he did so I snatched up my doll and ran for my house. “Momma Momma! Conrad was making fun of me for my dolly again” I wailed though I soon stopped in my tracks as there was a man in our door way.
This man was tall, lean and smelled like the sea; his face was covered in hair which was why it took me only moments grasp who he was, though when he smiled I knew, “Daddy!” Dropping Ann I raced to the arms of my dad. Jack Arrow, one of the finest men I will ever know.
“There’s my girl, you have gotten so big” he scooped me up chuckling.
“Do you have any more stories to tell me daddy?” I loved his stories of Pirates and the ocean, places he had seen and people he had met in his travels as a merchant.
“I just got home and you already want a story? Maybe tonight my dear. Now why did you drop Ann in the dirt? You don’t want to prove Conrad that he was right about her being filthy do you?” giggling I shook my head. My daddy was one of a kind in my eyes, most dads ignored their daughters but not mine to him I was the best thing ever. Well besides my mommy. With me in his arms daddy scooped up my dolly to hand her to me. “Evening Conrad” My dad never seemed to be fond of Conrad or anyone for that matter, always watching where he went which I never really understood.
Inside we were greeted by my mommy, one of the prettiest women ever. Her hair was the deepest of brown that fell down her back in lose curls. A face of an angel I often heard my dad say, and I had to agree my mom was one of the prettiest ladies I had ever seen. As they kissed I hid my face in my doll giggling at them. “My Mary, I think it is time. Tonight, would be best.”
My mommy pulled away with a look of shock. “Tonight? But Jack are you sure she is ready?” there was concern in her eyes as she looked at me as I peeped over my doll.
I was not sure what they were talking about, what was I not ready for? From what I knew I was an Arrow! “What is it daddy? Time for what?” I asked bouncing up and down in his strong arms.
Smiling over at my mom and then back at me “Sisten, how would you like to come see what I do? Come on my ship?” I bounced even more; mommy never liked me near ships so this was amazing that daddy was finally asking me to go with him.
“I love to daddy! Please momma can we go. Please please! Ann wants to see the waters again.” At this I held up Ann and made her nod. This of course got a laugh from my father. “Daddy, can Conrad come sail with us?”
Dad sighed before he spoke up “No Sisten, Conrad cannot sail with us. We will be leaving forever” my smile faded, but Conrad was my best friend.
“Why not? We promised to be friends forever daddy” I held my doll to me once again as I felt torn between my family and my friend.
“It’s just how it works, maybe one day you will see him again. After all the world is small” He tried to explain it and set me down on the ground. “Go on and say goodbye to Conrad, love. Be back her soon as we will leave once the sun turns off its light” he smiled and roughed up my hair.
Nodding I skipped out of our home and over to the next house. I went up to their door and knocked waiting for someone to answer.
“Sisten dear, come on in” His mom let me in and pointed me to his room “Conrad is in their sweet heart.” His mom was always so nice to me, more than his father was.
“Thank you Mrs.Hollingberry.” Going up the stairs I went to knock on his door.
“Who is it” was the growl I got as a reply.
“Conrad! Open up, I got something to tell you” He knew very well I had issues opening up his door. It was thick and heavy, that and I couldn’t reach the doorknob, yet.
“Go away Sisten! I don’t want to deal with your annoying self right now” This made me mad didn’t he know I was leaving?
“No! Open up!” I tried to order him to do so, even stomped my foot. But no reply, just silence, he always did that thinking I was stupid enough to think he wasn’t there “Fine! Bye!” turning on my heels I went back down the stairs and left.

Later that night mommy dressed me all in black and told me that when we leave to be very quiet. Daddy said it was going to like a hidden seek. England was looking for us so we had to be quiet or she would find us and the game would be over. This made me giggle “What does She look like daddy?” I asked with more laughter.
“She wears red, white and blue. Just cover your eyes and she won’t see you okay?” with this he handed me to my mom and then Ann. I even asked mommy to dress Ann in her black dress so she could play too. “Eric is here with the buggy, come on.” With Ann up over my eyes I hid in my mom’s neck that was till I dropped her. “Mommy! Ann, Ann went overboard” I cried and kicked.
“Sisten be quiet.” This was an order from my mom which was law but it was Ann!
“But my dolly!” I continued to cry as we got into the buggy though the adults just ignored me. As we started to go I looked out the window of our buggy and watched Ann fade away. Before she was completely out of sight I watched Conrad pick her up and look around for something. I assume it was me.
As we rode through the dark, my sobs were muffled by my mommy’s dress as I went on about how we should go back to get her. My sobbing did nothing of that sort it just put me asleep for the rest of the night.

After what felt like only a few moments of sleep my daddy was waking me up saying we were there. “Come on Sisten, wanna come see Daddy’s ship?” He asked smiling offering his arms out to me. Sniffling some I went to him letting him scoop me up. I missed my Ann but as soon as lead me to the docks I just about forgot about my dolly.
“Wow Daddy! A real ship!” I yelled bouncing in his arms making him laugh. “What’s her name!” He had never told me the name of the ship he sailed on, no matter how many times I had asked but this time He finally told me!
“El Diablo” he said slyling watching me as I gasped. That was the name of one of the pirate ships in his stories.
“Daddy, you stole another ships name!” I was appalled that my own dad did this; he always seemed to talk of pirates so highly.
“No Sisten, I didn’t. You remember Dancer, the captain of that ship?” of course I did so I nodded wondering what he was getting at. “Well I am Dancer. Jack ‘Dancer’ Arrow, and this be the real El Diablo. Your daddy be a pirate”
My dad was Dancer? At this my eyes went so wide and then back at the ship, an evil smile on my face “That means all those things Dancer did, you really did them. And ALL those stories were real? Of Blackbeard, Jack Sparrow, Eric Cobham, Flaco, Barbossa” I was bouncing by the time I got to my idol’s name “And And Ann Bonney!” I squealed as he nodded at me trying not to laugh too hard at the darling that was me.
“Yes Sisten they are all real, In fact do you remember that island I told you about?”
How could I not know of that island, it was the one Dancer and Cobham founded. Both of them used it as an escape for people that wanted to run from England. This England person really must have been a bad person. “Of course I do daddy, Viridia. The secret Island that hides from the world. Is it real too?!” his laughter was all I needed as convincing that it was and that was where we were going. I might only be five but I know my dad and his stories well.
“Yes Princess, it does. That is where we are going to be living for now on; your mom, you and me, together.” All three of us together was one of the best things he had ever told me, many times I had wished for a day that he wouldn’t have to leave for so long and it was here. As I hugged him he walked aboard the Diablo barking out all sorts of orders I hardly understood.
“Daddy, can I get down now?” I asked him as I spotted someone else on the ship, someone small like me. Without a word he put me down and went to go talk to some men with my mom on his arm, it was clear they were introducing themselves. I didn’t want to be around the adults so I went in search of the small person I had seen. Finally I found her she was up on deck watching the shores as if she was lost. “Hey Sailor, what ya be doing watching land for?” I asked the blonde little girl. She seemed about my age as well.
“I miss my mommy” The blonde girl said not even care to look my way.
“Where is your mommy?” I asked
“She is back at home, Father said she didn’t want to come”
I felt bad for her, if I had lost my mommy in such a way I fear my heart would die. “Well I can share my mommy with you.” I knew it wasn’t the same but I was sure the girl wouldn’t mind. I placed my hand on hers and smiled at her. “I’m Sisten. Jack is my daddy and the woman next to him is my mommy” I tried to point them out but she seemed rather taken with the land. Did she not want to be at sea? “What’s your name?”
“Xana. Xana Cobham.”
She finally looked at me and it was then I seen she was crying still. I felt sorry for her so I embraced her in a hug. “Xana, you know I always wanted a sister. Will you give my mommy a chance?” she did nod but didn’t seem to be so enthused about it So I took her hand and lead her up to my mom. “Mommy, Mommy” I repeated over and over again tugging on the skirt of her dress till she finally looked at me. “Can I have a sister? Xana has no mommy ne more.”
My mom looked over at the young blonde child and knelt down to our level smiling. “Come here, both of you” Mom said that before she embraced us both in a big warm hug, though I let Xana in first as she needed the hug more than I did. “Welcome to the family Xana” I watched as Xana hugged my mom so tightly, how long had she been without her mom? Well now she had a new mommy and I so I hoped all would be good from that moment on.
Part 2-Viridia
Over the weeks spent on the ship to get to Viridia Xana and I became inseparable. We really were the best of friends, or as we liked to say Sisters. Though she had her daddy, Mr. Eric Cobham, who she seemed to grow more to like when she spent time with him, and Well I had my daddy. Sailing was so much fun, we raced in the ropes of the ship and spent hours talking about our lives back on land up on the foretop. ‘Land ho!’ One of the men called up from the crow’s nest, holding Xana’s hand I raced to the bow of the ship to see it. Viridia. It was beautiful.
“Look Xana! There it is! Viridia the pirate island our daddies built together. Isn’t it pretty” I asked smiling as I was so excited to finally see my bedtime stories come more to life right before my eyes. First I found out my daddy was a pirate, second I learned this place existed, and now I get to share it with my new sister.
“Wow, our dad’s built all of this?” Xana asked me.
“Your dad has yet to tell you the story of Viridia?” I was shocked that was one story my dad love to tell, maybe Eric was more humble then my dad. Xana shook her head no. I looked back at the island and shrugged we were still far out enough that I had time to share our dad’s story. Neptune knows I heard it enough to tell it to someone else. In order to tell the story right I pointed up to the foretop that way we would be out of the sailor men’s way.
“Alright, my daddy said it started back before we were even born! In 1725 back when England was at her meanest.” Man England seemed to be really old if she was still hurting people now a days. “Our dads were sailing a horrible storm. They needed a place to set anchor and out of now where an island appear as if it rose out of the water just for them! Quick as they could they got the ship to shore and pulled the Diablo up so not to lose her in the storm.” I had to pause as I was not sure what all happened till after the storm passed. “Well after the storm they all left the ship to see where they had landed, expecting it to be England. But nobody lived on the island only birds and bunch of trees bearing fruit. The Navigator, William, tried to get coordinates on it but the compass was going crazy as if it wasn’t even there. This is what sparked the plan, the plan to make the island an escape for people from England herself” at this I had to giggle some “Use it as their hiding spot from her! So they all set sail once again to see if they could make ways to find the island once again, which they did obviously. Anyways after they went back to England they gathered up friends and family that wanted to escape England and took them to the island where they started up a town of their own, Shima. I am not sure why it’s named Viridia but it seems to have stuck, I think it has to do something with hidden island. And that’s the story I know of Viridia.” By now I had my legs crossed in front of me beaming, I couldn’t have been more proud of our dad’s.
“Wow” was all Xana really had to say as she looked out at our destination. She was quite for what seemed like forever to me “Does that make this ours too?”
I nodded happily but soon we were called down to deck by mom till I could say much else. “Girls get down here! You have to get your dresses on” this made us both laugh, since day two he have not worn our dresses but ship boy cloths as the dresses made it hard to have fun on the ship. We even got some chuckles from the crew including our fathers, they could tell we were daughters of the sea already. “Yes momma!” we said together as we made our own way down, Xana wasn’t comfortable like I was when it came getting down. She used the rope to slide down while I jumped down like I seen my daddy do many times. I had learned how to catch myself without getting hurt but Dad caught me anyways.
“Sisten, everytime you do that you take a year off our lives, now go listen to your mom” He told me chuckling, he knew where I learned it from. Hey I was an Arrow, if he could do it I could too.
“Daddy, I could have made it just fine” was my comeback as he placed me back on the deck letting me run over to join Xana and my mom. She took our hands to lead us down to our cabin to help us change, after all we were still only five. These were not our normal royal dresses like we wore when he left home. They were flashier with deep purples and reds; colors of Viridia. To top off our dresses mom placed our hats, which our daddies have given us our first night together, on our heads.
“Come on girls, time to go see our new home.”
As our mom and daddies made it down the gang plank the towns people cheered and whistled. I was scared because my mom didn’t walk with us, though she held her head up. “Welcome home” it was silent but it was my way of knowing that we were really there. “ready?” I heard Xana ask me with a smile I gave her hand a squeeze as I nodded. My stomach was too knotted to really speak. We walked down the plank to the dock, eyes straight on mom. Or well mine where. She watched us with pride, though our dad’s held more pride in their eyes as they watched us make our way to them. This was the real start of my life, the start of a story the world has yet to even know till now.