Captain Black Shadow

by Janina Franck

  “We won.” Skip smiled as Griffin came closer. Griffin stared at him, barely believing his eyes.

  “But how? I don’t understand. I mean, you helped me, just like that, back on the Crow… How could you just wipe out an entire city? So many innocent lives… That ship before as well…”

  Griffin choked. His whole body was shaking, and he felt like crying or punching something. Skip observed him quietly. Then Balthasar put a hand on Griffin’s shoulder.

  “Ye seem to misunderstand how we op’rate. We dun kill ind’scriminately. Lives are precious and the Marine takes ’nough of those without the help of pirates.” He leaned against the railing.

  “Look, we all have our reasons for being here,” Skip added. “It’s not like we like killing. But it’s something we have to do, sometimes. We’re all fighting for something, as drastic as it might look at times. And besides, it’s not like we just attack random people. We always know exactly who we’re fighting.”

  “Wait, what?” Griffin frowned.

  “Ye know the legends ‘bout Black Shadow?” Balthasar asked. “Not our captain, but the original?” Griffin nodded. He was anything but calm, yet he forced himself to sit on the floor and listen.

  “His ability to see the taintedness of people’s souls passes through Selene’s fam’ly. Thing is, because o’that, she could nev’r kill someone pure. At a battle at sea, she can tell if they’re innocent or not before the attack even begins, an’ she gives us the information beforehand. In a big place like Port Garrilya, that ain’t possible. So instead, we immobilize everyone we come across, an’ only kill when dat’s the only way. And our targets o’course. In this case, dat was the Coinbaron, his circle of nobles, and the soldiers he employed.”

  Griffin tried to process this information.

  “So, all these people…”

  “We spread panic,” Skip explained. “There are a few injured people, but more or less everyone who wasn’t supposed to die lived. Although we did come across a couple of corrupt gentlemen, who we took out. They were using the chaos to take advantage of some girls.” He shrugged.

  There had been so much fire… So many screams…

  “But what about the cannonballs?”

  “Strategically fired into the castle and abandoned buildings. The Klabautermann has amazing aim.”

  Only now some other information trickled into Griffin’s consciousness.

  “Wait, so Black Shadow, the real Black Shadow, the legendary cloudcaptain and pirate, is Selene’s ancestor?”

  Balthasar shrugged. “Who could say?”

  Skip tapped Griffin’s shoulder. He was wide awake instantly, just like Aestiva by his side. Griffin hadn’t noticed himself drifting off to sleep, but it must be his turn for guard duty. Someone had spread a blanket over him. Skip gave him a nod and returned under deck. As Griffin got up, a light drizzle began. There was almost no wind and the sea lay calm. Griffin liked the rain. It always reassured him, made him feel alive. Before, whenever he’d been depressed, he’d loved to go for a walk by himself in the rain. It had always helped him to find himself. With a content but melancholic feeling, Griffin regarded the ship. Although he had only been on the Bat a short time, he felt at home.

  “Home is where the heart forgets,” he mumbled. Suddenly, he remembered Garillya. The sight of flames engulfing the city, the screams he imagined hearing, the tremors of the cannon fire. He flinched at the thought of it, but now with Balthasar’s and Skip’s words in mind, he wasn’t as horrified as he had been before. Was it true? Had he given his heart to the pirates who had earlier in the night attacked a sleeping city? Had they made him forget about his past, about his family, about his escape plans?

  He leaned down to Aestiva and patted her head. Then his eyes moved through the night again, coming to rest on a shape at the prow of the ship. It was standing against the railing looking out to the sea. As Griffin stepped closer, he recognized Selene. She didn’t move when he stepped next to her. She was holding a picture of an imposing man and a young woman, both smiling. The picture was worn, and one could only suspect what the two people had once looked like. Selene’s hands held on to it so tightly that it almost seemed like the veins would pop out.

  Griffin wondered who the two in the picture were. Wait, was he seeing right? Were those tears in Selene’s eyes? No, probably just the rain. Someone as unapproachable and as strong as Selene surely wouldn’t burst into tears because of a picture.

  After an eternity of Griffin standing next to her without saying anything, Selene turned to him.

  “What do you want to know?” she asked. It was a question, but it didn’t sound like one. Her voice was calm, without any signs of sadness.

  Griffin only hesitated a short moment. “Why did you attack the Coinbaron?”

  Selene sighed. “Because we’re pirates. I thought you understood that by now.”

  Griffin shook his head.

  “No, there was a different reason. I’m sure of it.”

  Selene gave him one of her unreadable looks. After a while, she began. “You’re smart. There is another reason. Two.”

  She looked down at the picture, letting silence engulf them for a moment. Griffin wasn’t sure what to say, or whether to speak at all, so he stayed quiet. Eventually, Selene sighed again.

  “He had a map we needed. Also…” She took a deep breath. “Also, he had my parents on his conscience. He had to pay for that in kind.”

  Her voice still betrayed no emotion. Griffin shuddered while Aestiva rubbed her head comfortingly against Selene’s leg.

  Without further hesitation, Griffin stepped closer and put his arms around Selene. She jerked away from him at first, beginning to say something, but Griffin didn’t let go. After a moment, she dropped all resistance and leaned into the hug, burying her face in his shoulder. She began to shake and breathe in sharp bursts. Griffin held her tightly. Suddenly, she seemed like the little girl she ought to be and not like a stone-cold pirate. Instinctively, he felt affection for her. He hugged her tighter. He wanted to protect her to keep her safe from all evil in the world.

  Hold on… was that really Selene he was thinking about? Selene, the pirate who knew no mercy and without hesitation led attacks on so many people? What was going on with him? Countless thoughts of this nature raced through his mind, but he chose to ignore them all. Right now, he saw nothing more in Selene than a girl in need of comfort.

  Aestiva destroyed the moment with her loud meowing. Selene jerked up and pushed Griffin off her, taking several steps backward. Griffin couldn’t tell what she was thinking or feeling. It was as though the invisible wall around her emotions had reappeared. She gave an exasperated sigh and gazed back at the darkness of the sea.

  Aestiva jumped nimbly on the railing and from there onto Griffin’s shoulder, as if she wanted to claim him for herself. She mewled assertively. Griffin stroked her neck and then turned away to walk around the ship so Selene could have some time to herself.

  She grabbed his arm and locked eyes with him.

  “Speak of this and die,” she growled, her fiery gaze burning into his soul. She turned away again.

  He was taken aback by the sudden threat, but as he turned to leave, he thought that her words seemed to have less conviction than usual. He had barely taken half a dozen steps when the wind carried one more whispered word to his ears.

  “Thanks.”

  Nothing else. But he appreciated it.

  Lost in thought, the boy wandered the ship. The next time he came to the prow Selene was gone. Griffin stood in the place Selene had been. The darkness lay around him like a black cloak. The stars and the moons were hidden by clouds, and the ship usually had no lights on at night.

  Was the murder of her parents the reason that Selene had become a pirate? In any case, Griffin now knew that the current Black Shadow wasn’t her father. Perhaps he was her uncle or someone who had adopted her. When would he meet him? Did he even want to meet hi
m? Griffin decided to ask Skip, or Ryo if he was feeling better, about their captain.

  Aestiva licked his ear and brought him back to reality. How long had he been standing like this? At the horizon he could see the first signs of the oncoming morning. Time to wake Ayalon for his shift.

  “I’m out,” Griffin declared.

  He was playing cards with Skip and Ryo – who was bandaged and by now grinning again. Aestiva watched. Everyone on board was cheerful. It was as if the attack the other night had never happened.

  Over the last few days, Griffin had repaired most of the damage to ship and sail with Maco’s help and could now spend some time amusing himself.

  The work had kept him occupied so far, but playing cards – or shuffling them – wasn’t quite as effective a distraction, and his mind wandered back to the conversation he’d had with Skip and Balthasar, and questions formed in his mind by the dozen.

  “What’s up buddy?” Ryo asked. Griffin was taken aback and felt a bit exposed.

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  The colossus roared with laughter. “Mate, I’m not stupid. You can tell from a hundred leagues away that something’s going on in that head of yours!”

  Absent-mindedly, Griffin stroked Aestiva, who had once again taken her place on his shoulder.

  “You’re right. There is something that won’t leave my mind,” he eventually admitted.

  Skip patted his back. “Let’s hope it isn’t our Selene or you might have a problem!” He smirked.

  Uneasy, Griffin smiled back. He decided not to tell his friends about the incident during his guard shift.

  “No,” he said instead. “I just wondered when I’ll actually get to meet the captain. You know, Black Shadow. I mean, I’ve been on board for several weeks, but he hasn’t shown up once.”

  Ryo and Skip shared a look that Griffin could not read and burst into laughter. They almost collapsed over each other. Griffin stood next to them, grinning insecurely. He felt a bit lost. And a bit stupid.

  “What is it?” he asked when it seemed the two men had calmed down. But instead of answering, he just added more fuel to the laughter.

  With a blank expression, he watched them. He had no idea how he should act.

  After a while, Skip grinned, wheezing.

  “How do you imagine your legendary captain?”

  Uncertainly, Griffin repeated the description his mother had given him when he’d been younger.

  “Tall, muscular, scarred, authoritarian, cruel and with two different colored eyes.”

  This time, Skip really did collapse laughing and Ryo on top of him. Both rolled around the floor like two young boys.

  “Tall!” Skip gasped.

  “Muscular and scarred!” Ryo guffawed.

  Ayalon looked curiously over to them from the other side of the room.

  Slowly but surely, Griffin grew annoyed.

  “I’m sorry I asked!”

  He rose briskly to storm off, but Skip held him back.

  “We’re gonna bring you to the captain, then you’ll see for yourself.”

  Ryo and Skip shared a funny look again and led Griffin to the library. As usual, Balthasar and Selene stood in the back, leaning over a map. Griffin turned to his friends.

  “Balthasar?” he breathed incredulously.

  With stony expressions, the two men pulled Griffin out of the library, closed the door and began to giggle again.

  “You still don’t get it, do you?” panted Skip.

  “But Balthasar… him… How can someone like him….?”

  Zero appeared in his human form behind them and said with big eyes, “Don’t tell me he doesn’t know yet!”

  Ryo grinned. “Oh, he does.” he smirked. “He just found out that Balthasar is our captain.”

  Even Griffin couldn’t miss the sarcasm in that sentence.

  “Well, if not Balthasar… Then who?” he asked.

  Together, the four men returned to deck.

  Zero sighed. “Think.”

  Griffin’s eyes widened. “No!” he whispered. “That’s impossible!”

  “I think he got it!” Skip cheered.

  “But, but–”

  “No buts,” interrupted Ryo. “It’s true.”

  “But… Selene? She’s a girl!”

  Zero nodded, smiling while leaving them. “Yes, and like a daughter to us all.”

  Yes, Griffin thought. It all fits. Her cruelty, why she decides things… Everything!

  Suddenly everything fell into place – why the “captain” never appeared to any meals or attacks. Griffin had just presumed he didn’t like to be among people and that Selene was bringing him all he needed and acted as his herald.

  Ryo patted Griffin on the shoulder.

  “Come on, time to make dinner. But I think we can tell you the story behind our version of Black Shadow while you do that.”

  Once they got to the galley, Ryo set himself up in a chair to talk while Skip gave Griffin a hand with the cooking.

  “You know the Black Shadow from the legends, right?” Ryo began with a question. Griffin nodded, focusing his gaze on the carrots he was about to peel and chop.

  “Well, Selene only took on that name when we got the Bat. Before that, we lived on Karim’s ship, the Dove. She was as white as the Bat is black, but she wasn’t nearly as infamous. Karim was our captain back then. He’s Selene’s father, you know.”

  Ryo paused for a moment to reflect on his next words. Only the sound of Griffin’s knife on the chopping board could be heard.

  “He wasn’t always a pirate. He had his reasons, but we all have those. I guess we don’t often talk about them, though.” Ryo chuckled, but then he sighed and continued in a calm voice.

  “He took us all in when we were drifting around on self-destructive paths, without homes.”

  “Or saved us from captivity,” Skip interjected quietly. Griffin looked up at him, but Skip’s bangs had fallen across his face as he leaned over the dough he was separating into little balls, obscuring his expression.

  “He sounds like a great man,” Griffin found himself saying.

  Ryo nodded and smiled.

  “He was. Like Selene, he could see the innocence and good in others and would never harm them. He saved us and gave us a choice: We could start a new life on an island far away from where we were running or accompany him on his travels and become part of his crew.”

  Griffin listened in silence, his thoughts jumbled and taking in each and every one of Ryo’s words. He began to peel onions.

  “Then he met Celeste,” Ryo continued. “She was a serving slave on a merchant ship, but she wasn’t a criminal. She was as beautiful as she was pure and when Karim met her, he gave her the same choice he gave all of us. I’d only been with him for a short time then. I didn’t really understand how it worked yet and I couldn’t understand why she chose to stay on board, but she did.”

  “Must have been love at first sight,” Skip commented, but Ryo laughed.

  “I doubt that! She was constantly criticizing him and they argued just about every day. But then the fighting stopped, and they were more in love than I’ve ever seen. Soon enough, Celeste got pregnant and Selene was born.”

  “So she’s really lived all her life as a pirate?” Griffin asked, looking up and trying to blink away the burning sensation in his eyes.

  Ryo nodded.

  “I guess we kinda raised her. We’ve been teaching her all we know since before she could walk. Fighting, navigation, sailing, you name it. Celeste didn’t seem to mind, and sometimes she even joined in. I think it was when Selene was about five years old, she was in her first fight. She was good, that girl.”

  “That was when she found Maco and me,” Skip reminisced, but his voice didn’t sound cheerful. “Though she really didn’t want to take me.”

  Ryo burst into laughter.

  “I remember that! She wanted to leave you on an
uninhabited island far away from her! But you guys were a real package deal, huh?”

  Skip shrugged. “Can you blame us?”

  “S’ppose not. She definitely doesn’t regret having either one of you here,” Ryo said, much calmer. Then he sighed. “It was a good life for our princess. She had a big family who loved her, a friend to play with and no worries. I don’t think she really understood that being a pirate wasn’t just normal.”

  Ryo paused again, and Griffin wiped away the burning tears that were blurring his vision before continuing to chop the onions. The tears kept coming.

  “Then, about seven or eight years ago, the Dove was attacked by a ship from Garillya. The Coinbaron was on board and found Selene. She was still only a little girl and he managed to corner her. He was about to kill her when her parents jumped in. Karim told him he was willing to face justice, in exchange for his daughter’s life. The Coinbaron agreed, but instead of taking Karim and Celeste captive, he struck them down when they turned their backs on him to check if Selene was alright.”

  Griffin pushed the onions aside and picked up a potato, mechanically peeling away at it. Ryo’s voice seemed distant as he recalled the painful memory.

  “Both of them died right in front of her eyes. He took off then, taking their bodies with him to show the Emperor. He left those of us who were still alive and said he was being gracious and would give us a second chance to live. Pure mockery. He left the ship a wreck and set it on fire from a distance. We would all have died in the flames if it hadn’t been for Selene. Despite what had only just happened, she took charge and somehow got all of us to the safety of a nearby island. None of us knew what to do. The baron had killed so many of our comrades, but us – a mere handful of men – they left with a little girl. We would’ve fallen apart if Selene hadn’t been there.”

  Ryo sighed once more and his voice grew soft and proud.

  “She’s grown so much. She’s been leading us since that day, that girl, and we’ve followed. We built the Bat, and she took on the name Black Shadow from the legend. I think she just liked the old stories, but it helped to frighten our enemies. She’s been craving vengeance for all these years, and I can’t say I blame her.”