Chapter Text
Yelena looks ahead. A girl with brown hair? She calls out her name. A name so distant and unbecoming. A friend so far and short lived. A time, brainwashed to live.
Flash, bang, dead.
Screaming, her name?
Run.
RUN.
Gun, bang, swig, drink, listen, drink, Natasha, regret, betrayal, regret, drink, remember, drink, feel, drink, remem-
“Head starboard! Ready swords, guns, cannons dammit!” A strong voice was heard in the background. Her white strands at the front of her scarred face stand out from the rest of the crew. The White Death. Yes, Yelena remembered where she was, the present. She can’t remember at a time like this she resolves to herself.
Yelena runs to the right of the ship, dozens of men ready to board with their swords at the ready. She sighs to herself as she leaps from the ship. The massive leap over boats and water shocks the other ships crew members, leaving them stunned enough for Yelena to dive in and sweep a few off their feet. Some men crash to the ground, Yelena then grabs her sword, slashing their throats. She pulls out her flintlock pistol firing it at the nearest crew member near her. She looks at the battlefield, gauging what to do next. She looks forward to the steering wheel of the ship, controlled by one lonely crew member.
“Henry just surrender you brute-” The White Death yells, but is promptly interrupted by the captain at the port of his ship. The arguing continues as Yelena runs toward the steering wheel, leaving a wake of death behind her. She dual wields her pistol and sword at her side, cutting the Achilles of every man that stood in the way to her assigned goal. She arrived at the steering wheel. The man took out his sword and attacked her with heavy force, forcing her into a defensive position. She takes a massive step back, but comes back charging into his left which he narrowly catches. Their swords clink and clank like music, her steps dancing. Yelena takes a dive at his throat, unexpected to him, and slices him straight through. She pulls out her sword, causing blood to splatter everywhere. Covering her entire body with a smell of blood. The man falls to the ground coughing, holding onto what is even left of his throat.
Yelena takes hold of the steering wheel, and swings the steering wheel to a steep right, causing the ship's crew members to fall to their feet. Yelena's crew laughed as they bombarded the ship and easily took over the crew members. Yelena looked at the sight, her trail of death, then back at her. Valentina.
Valentina chuckles, and looks back up at Yelena. “Well what can I say, job well done? Mission accomplished?” She remarks with a chuckle. “Well, thank you, you can go back to the ship with the other shitheads. I have other business to attend to, Mel!” A young, lightly brown skinned woman appears. She ushers to Valentina as they walk ahead to Henry, the other ship's captain. Yelena does not care at this point for such pleasantries of pirate territories, treasures, and threats of such. She gets through life by doing what she has been trained to do. Doing all she has known.
In the barracks Yelena lies in her bed. Her small flame beside her; although dim, gives enough light to read the book in front of her. The cover reads, “Natasha’s.” Yelena reads the pages of the text, for days, rereading every word. She tries to give herself solace, reading the pages of her once sister. Yelena gets pulled into the words, whispering to herself in her strange accent, “December 29th, 1672. I have an idea for Yelena’s birthday. I feel her looking as I write in this book. She is a curious girl. Next port I will get her a pen and book for her to jot down her own thoughts. Hopefully that will stop her incessant staring.” Yelena lets out a once in a blue moon chuckle. Her smile turns melancholy. She never got the present, did she?
Yelena feels…lost
“Is this what life is supposed to be?” She questions herself. She looks through the diary, reading over Natasha's life, filled with fights, love, happiness, and a strive that Yelena admired. She closed the diary. Her lips come to a close near the flame, and blows out air causing smoke to fill her bunk. She closes her eyes as she decides she needs to lend a visit to someone at the next port.
The OXE ship slowly halts at the port as they resupply for their next journey. Valentina’s voice overpowering everyone in the vicinity. Cargo, carry, cargo, carry. A mundane process at these ports; however, once this process is finished with, it allows the members to travel however they like for the next 2 days or so. Valentina was not as much of a monster as the seas thought she was. Yelena saw right through it though, it was quite manipulative. Allowing such freedom, a reminder that she still has them on a tight leash. Yelena rolled her eyes as she saw Valentina was making her way over.
“Yelena, do you have other plans for the rest of the time on port?” Valentina asked, her head as per usual held high. This question meant Valentina wanted something for her to do. Yelena fought hard to suppress her groan that was boiling within her.
“No, I don’t,” Yelena heaved. Valentina was a wise woman. She knows how to utilize her weapons to her full advantage, and is meticulous with each action she takes. Each action she takes has purpose. In everyone's eyes she truly was a force to be reckoned with. The White Death was a curious name for her, named for her front white strands. No one knows where she got them from, what caused them. Yelena didn't care to know, she knew not to question her anyways.
This made Valentina grin, “Well perfect, tonight I need you to head out and get a book from the nearest, well bookstore. It’s quite easy to find, just say you’re picking up my order,” Valentina promptly left. At this point she knew Yelena already memorized her instructions. Yelena was like a perfect dog to her, it was humiliating to Yelena, yet she had no choice, but to follow. This life was all Yelena had known, she couldn’t leave. Yelena clenched her hand tightly, hurting. She remembers again. Yelena throws the cargo harshly to the ship. She trots off, knowing what she had to do.
The sun had set, night engulfing the sky. The bright stars shone brightly, 6 in particular were striking the attention of Yelena. She looks ahead and upheavals her cape over her head, shortly after she quietly leaves the ship. She blends in with the crowd. She meanders around the port, still lively. Sneaking past the hundreds of people walking around. Soon enough she stumbles upon a tavern. the lights shone brightly and the large placard at the top read, "Alexei's Tavern." Upon entrance inside loud music, splashing drinks, and darts enshroud her. She knew that such pleasures were that man's favorite. Yelena looks around her and sees another exit in the far back, she heads right over and opens the door. It leads to a set of stairs on the outside of the house. She walks up the creaky stairs carefully and reaches the door at the top. She bangs the door, waiting anxiously. She was…anxious? Her confusion was shortly cut off when the door swung open.
“Yelena???” the bearded tall man stares at Yelena in shock. “Hello dad,” Yelena responds, coming into the house. Her father rushes around picking up beers and hands her one.
“Hah! Please, please drink. It has been forever since I’ve seen you I mean-how have you been, what has happened?” Her dad looks at her heartily. Yelena feels her heart warm up.
“Well I mean the same old out on sea, killing enemy pirates, conquering territories,”
“Great great!” He responds after taking a swig, the weird accent that is similar to hers making her feel even more at ease. She sits on his couch and takes a sip of the beer. The all too familiar taste slides down her throat. She remembers why she is here. She sets the beer down.
“Dad?” her father sits next to her on the couch. “Yes?” he responds, same old willingness to hear her question.
“What made you feel happiness in life?” The question catches him off guard. He looks off, distant. He then looks back at her.
“I was happiest…back in my glory days as a pirate,” He laughs heartily, filling the room. “Back when I was known as The Red Guardian. When I was fulfilling adventure-taking risks- now that, that is what brought me happiness,” His laughter waned, he looked mournfully into his beer, taking a sip. Yelena processes what he said. She looks around, then back at him. She takes a sad sip, remembering the time she had on his ship as a little girl. Her dad, free, and nearly unstoppable. Suddenly her father gets up, he brings out a tiny sword. The sword made Yelena blush in embarrassment, forcing her to run over and grab the sword.
“Dadddd!” She yells out, making him laugh. “What? Oh geez, you used to love that sword. I remember your first battle on the ship with it. You were-” Yelena cuts him off as quickly as she could. “SHHHHH, no. It is just-embarrassing,” she looks down at the tiny sword which used to fit her tiny hand, the teddy bear charm still attached to the end. She takes it and puts it back on the podium she found it on. Proudly sitting high.
Yelena looks towards the door. It’s getting late. “Thank you dad, I have to leave now,” just as she was about to leave she was stopped by a tender voice. “Yelena…I missed you,” her fathers voice rang through her head. She missed it too. “I missed you too…dad,” she opens the door and heads down the stairs into the tavern.
She feels like she has more answers that were needed. She heads out of the tavern and heads to the bookstore. She finds the bookstore quite quickly and heads inside. There she finds a burly tan man with tattoos reading a tiny book. She walks forward, but is ground shakingly stopped by a tall man. She crashes to the ground, a voice of about a 33ish year old man could be heard. She sizes him up, about 6’0 and has longer brown hair, with a shaven beard.
“Oh I’m sorry,” the man reaches out with a surprising metal arm, Yelena grabs it firmly, standing on guard around this man. “Thank you,” she says quietly as she walks up to the bookstore owner.
“I’m here to pick up an order for ‘Valentina.’” The bookstore owner raises his brows and quickly grabs a wrapped book, clearly in good shape. “‘Er you go ma’am. Co’me again” Yelena grabs the book and walks off. The man with the metal arms looks at her suspiciously, causing Yelena to lower her hood further, and walk off as quickly as she could. She didn't have a particularly good feeling about him.
On the ship Yelena walks toward the familiar silhouette of Valentina. Upon hearing Yelena's steps she turns around.
“Perfect timinggg. This is just, ” she takes the book from Yelena's hands. “What I needed. Now shoo. I have to read.” Valentina waves her hand dismissing Yelena as she turns around and walks away. Yelena rolls her eyes and walks back to her quarters, tired.
“Happiness…” Yelena whispers to herself as she walks to her quarters. She sighs and climbs bed. The diary she holds dearly kept on her chest, like a stuffed animal one would hold for better sleep. She smiles thinking of her interaction with her father and soundly falls asleep. For the first time. In a long, long while.
The sunrise immerses the sea, bringing a sense of calm to Yelena. Easing her mind for what she is about to do. She looks off at Valentina’s group, various pirates discussing…pirate things. Yelena walks up to Valentina. “Valentina,” she calls out. Valentina looks over irritated, but once she sees it’s Yelena she calms herself. She walks over with a groan.
“What is it, what do you want?” She asks, clearly irritated. Yelena breathes in, “I would like to depart from the OXE, do something on my own,” Yelena finally spits out. Valentina looks surprised at first, but that surprise quickly switches to a keen smile.
“Ok,” OK!?!?!?!? Yelena was caught off guard by how quickly Valentina said yes. She was so struck she didn’t even notice Valentina grabbing a map from a compartment near the starboard of the ship. She comes back and spreads it open, pointing at the depicted island's coastline.
“If you wanna get your adventure started, start here at Isle of Fortune. Great? Just take a lifeboat at the port boardwalk and you’ll be good. Alright now go,” Valentina as per usual dismisses Yelena and heads back to the heated discussion with the group of pirates she was originally with.
Yelena looks at the map of the island. Her eyes lit up, she couldn’t comprehend how easy that was. She runs downstairs and grabs her things, putting them in her satchel. She stuffs the map into her little pocket at the side of her belt. Yelena can’t even comprehend how this is happening. She jumps off the ship with a clean landing, ushering over to the nearest lifeboat. The step to the lifeboat felt so big, yet was so small. This step was a gateway to a new life. Where she can get away. Away from the bad, get the happiness she has deserved. She breathed deeply.
Step
The wooden lifeboat rocks with each movement she takes. She secured her satchel by her side. Yelena looks at the port as she brings forward her foot. Her foot pushes against the boardwalk. Swish. A swish into a new beginning. A swish into a life of the unknown.
It has been hours upon hours. Yelena has no idea when she is gonna get to the island. “Oh my god, how long is this shit gonna take??” She groans to herself, however she continues to row, determined through her boredom. She hums, a song so distant in the past. She remembers .
“Yelena!” shot
“You’re gonna to make a great pirate” dead
Run RUN
“My wonderful daughter” Where ARE you???
SNAP
Yelena remembers where she is. She looks up, unsure of how much time has passed since earlier, but she does know a vicious storm is about to approach. Dark clouds enshroud the blue sky. She quickly holds onto her stuff as she prepares for what’s to come.
Rain drops fall gently onto her yellow blonde hair.
BOOM…Rumble…
She hears the thunder in the background, the dark clouds lighting up in various spots in the sky. She rows, and rows through this. She feels the water beneath her dart up, to heights she has never seen.
GRRRWAHHHHHH
The ear piercing screech causes Yelena to cover her ears. “What the FUCK, was that” Yelena questions as she looks around. Right in front of her very eyes she sees a massive green serpent rise from the water. Its red eyes look straight to Yelena as it dives head first into the water, barely missing her. The splash from the behemoth of a serpent causes her boat to jump high into the sky, causing Yelena to shoot up free falling into the water “FUCKKKKK,” She shouts just before she slashes into the water.
Pitch black begins to engulf her entire being...