Vanessa [A Poor Unfortunate Soul]

28. Christmas in Neverland

Jakob dipped to the floor and back up again, pulling on ropes to hoist glittering lights along the bird's eye posts. 

"Its lookin' good boys!" He called.

"What's it like having long hair?" Jane asked and flipped Vanessa's long pale braid over her left shoulder before standing, hands-on-hips next to her.

She wore her usual pirate garb, but with an oddly placed Santa hat on her head. While Vanessa wore a simple lavender sun dress, with her braided hair she resembled a certain queen.

"Hmmm?" Vanessa asked shaking her head.

"Nevermind." Jane said swatting at the air.

"Jane, Vanessa" Anders said with a hiccup, and approached the two girls. 

"He knows my name?" Vanessa asked surprised that Jakob would share such details with his most trusted advisor.

"There be no secrets on this ship." Jane said proudly.

"Have you two made out your lists to ol' Saint Nickolas?" He asked and took a swig of his morning whiskey.

"Not yet Anders." Jane said.

"Well I'll tell ya', I wish for a day where our captain doesn't nearly die." He said and patted Vanessa on the back. "His father would kill me, and I'll tell ya' that one for free."

Vanessa cracked a smile at him. Jane remained poised. She took her job as first mate probably too seriously.

"Killian!" Anders called before realizing his mistake. "Shit." He let the backwash dribble out from his lips and tried again. "Jakob!"

"What is it?" Jakob asked and scurried over.

His slightly larger white shirt billowed in the wind, as did his hair as the air danced with it. His leather pants however, wouldn't billow due to tightness.

"Did ya' write yer' list yet?" He asked, snapping his fingers.

"Not yet." He laughed.

"Yeah well stop dying and maybe ya' would." Anders said and shuffled away.

Jakob blew hair out of his eye in a huff."

Well I can tell ya' what I'd like." Jane interjected. "A new sword, incase Nadia decides to show her face round here again."

"I don't believe she would." Jakob said, brushing her off.

"You don't believe alot of things." Jane scoffed. "Especially when I say them."

"That's not true." Jakob said with a laugh. "I believe in God."

"I never said he wasn't real." She said.

That was the 'be-all end-all' topic. God. Or Gods as some claimed. Far too many differing opinions of where we came from and where we might go to choose just one. Just her family alone, if one could call it that. The blood Vanessa was tied to had differing opinions, that much was obvious.

Gaston. The father she loved and missed with every heartbeat, he was a Catholic. In every sense of the harsh word, God fearing, worshiped age old customs of men and women. 

Her brothers each one had their own beliefs and opinions. All at least recognized and respected religion in their own way though. Sandra however, Joshua's wife and Vanessa's sister-in-law, was a born and raised believer. Not that she'd ever put a label on it.

Similarly to Belle, the outcast of their village and inventor's daughter, again seemed to believe or at the very least respect the belief in a higher power and here-after. Never claimed to be anything other than what she was. She did research and read about any and all religion she could. Fascinated by the written word. Vanessa missed Belle like she were family, even though they didn't share blood or any form of family relation for that matter. The woman practically raised her, gifting her with the morals and wisdom of a strong woman.