Chapter 1

A huge whale-like ship was sailing closer and closer to the Red Line. A man was standing on the ship's figurehead looking out to the horizon. He was very tall, muscular, and had a strong jaw. Right above that jaw was a white crescent formed beard along with long blond hair.

The ship belonged to the great pirate - Edward Newgate. "Pops, where are we going again?" a teenager with blond hair asked curiously. The captain didn't look at him, and sadly the boy was met with silence.

Little did he know that their pops' mind were elsewhere, or rather on someone else.

His eyes were focusing on a landmass that was yet to come.

A bit further ahead was a small tropical island with trees so big the forest appeared dark. Fruits so sweet and rich with flavors. The animals were so strong and beautiful that they appeared majestic.

They were nothing less than the pride of the island.

Watching them closely under one of the trees was a small girl. She had beautiful, tanned skin, black curly hair with blond ombre, and her gorgeous green eyes were admiring them. She had a sketchbook with some wood underneath it to draw them along with her home.

It was hard to believe a 6-years old girl had that much talent.

What was this girl's name, you ask? - Oriana

The little girl's eyes switched between the paper and the animals, but it wasn't long before she was done. She was especially happy with the result.

Ori-chan as the villagers called her, a nickname she hated, ran towards the house. She wanted to show her mother her artwork, but she stopped when she saw the ocean view next to their house.

She slowly walked towards the coast. Even after living there her whole life, it never ceased to amaze her. She only grew more curious as to what was on the other end of it. Oriana was about to step into the water, "Not so close sweetie!" her mother yelled from their house.

Oriana looked back just to nod before turning back to the water. Her small feet touched the cold sea and took a couple more steps before closing her eyes. She took a deep breath in and out again then she opened her eyes to see how the sun reflected its light at the ocean.

It was just so beautiful.

The girl smiled to herself and went over to sit by a tree at the beginning of the forest. Oriana brought her knees closer to her chest to get a better view as she draw the ocean.

She started drawing the water with a pencil, then she noticed that sky at the horizon wasn't blue like the rest. It had this white-ish color, a little further up was this really light blue before the normal 'darker' blue came.

Oriana wondered 'Was it like that everywhere else, too?'

Her mother came up behind her, "It's good, Oriana" she praised, "Mama, what's out there?" the little girl pointed at the sea, "There's a lot of islands" her mother answered and sat next to her daughter.

"Like this one?" Oriana asked curiously, "There can be an island like this one, but I've seen an island where it never gets dark". The girl looked at her mother with disbelief, "Mama when the sun goes down is it time for bed. If it never gets dark how do people sleep?" she asked childishly.

"People can sleep when the sun is up" her mother giggled. Oriana had trouble believing but since her mother saw it, she would, "What else did you see" she asked, "There's a really big red wall called the Red Line that goes all around the world".

Oriana's jaw fell to the ground, "Where is that?!" she screamed, "A couple of days from here if you take a ship". The girl's smile grew, "Please can we see it, mama, can we?" she begged excitedly. "One day when you get older, you can see it for yourself" her mother encouraged.

'What was the rest of the world like' The girl thought.

She looked at her mother, "Mama I want to go out to sea and draw the world" Oriana declared. "You're just like your father" her mother chuckled, "Father? What's that?" she looked confused. "A father is a man that loves and protects his family" she smiled fondly.

"Where's my father, mama?"

Her mother moved towards her daughter and held her closer, "Your father is out there sailing the world as a pirate" she pointed at the water. "My father is a… pirate?" Oriana asked with fear in her voice which surprised her mother, "What's wrong?".

The villagers used to talk about how bad the pirates were, how they would kill and steal from people.

"Is my father bad?" she asked, "Oriana, your father is the best man I've ever met. Once you meet him, you'll see. Don't believe everything people tell you," The woman held her daughter firmly. "Alright, mama" she nodded her head.

The two sat like that for a few moments. Her mother kissed her head as she let go and left to cook their dinner.

-x-

The captain of the Whitebeard pirates hasn't moved from the spot at the ship for hours. The only difference was that he was laying down, looking up in the sky, "Pops, we'll be at the island in the morning" a big guy wearing armor informed.

Whitebeard got up and just looked at the sea. Something small could be seen far away. He smiled lovingly and his crew was starting to wonder what was so special about that island, "Does pops have a family there or something" a crewmate asked before they whispered among themselves.

"Maybe he got a secret lover and a child there" someone else stated and they all started laughing, without knowing how their idea wasn't so crazy, "Yeah, right. Anyways we'll soon find out".

The great pirate didn't give them any mind and focused on his reunite with his other family, 'Wait just a little longer, Kat'.

-x-

The mother and daughter were going to eat by the water, admiring the sun as it was slowly setting.

Everything was perfect.

"Oriana, I forgot something inside. I'll be right back," her mother told her. The girl just nodded and started making her own plate. By that, she managed to put some food on the table but mostly ended on the banket they were going to sit on.

She heard footsteps approaching, and assumed it was her mother but soon she heard a deep voice, "I didn't know she had a daughter" a man laughed.

Oriana quickly got up and turned to him. He was a scary-looking tall man that slowly walked towards her, "W-who… are y-you" her voice was shaking. The man enjoyed her fear because his smile only widen.

She ran away, surprised by the way her body moved. Oriana ran into the forest, hoping to outrun him, but the space between them was getting smaller. It wasn't long till the man grabbed her at the back of the shirt.

He took a knife out of his belt and the girl was shaking. She put her hands in the front face when the man was about to strike her for some kind of protection. Yet, the blow didn't touch her. She felt someone pushing her away and the girl landed on the ground.

Oriana looked to see what had happened and she saw her mother. The woman kicked him away and he hit a tree hard. "Are you hurt, Oria" her mother rushed to her and searched her body for injuries. When she found none, she sighed in relief.

Oriana saw her mother side was bleeding, "Mama you're hurt!" the older woman smiled, "This is nothing sweetie. It's just grazed me" she reassured

Her mother, Kat looked in the direction of the village and Oriana knew she was going to leave, "No mama. Don't leave me alone" the girl begged. But Kat's mind was already made up, "I'm going to see what's going on. Stay hidden till I come back".

She could still see her daughter's fear, "Oriana I can't leave if you're not safe. Where's my brave and strong girl?" Kat gave her a small smile. Those words gave the girl the strength to nod, "Okay, mama. I'll stay" she said hesitantly.

"That's my girl" her mother gave her a kiss on the forehead before running in the direction of the village. Oriana didn't waste any time and climbed one of the trees she used to play in. The leaves gave her the perfect cover.

Oriana was still waiting for her mother to return. The sun was close to setting. She wasn't sure how long time had passed, but it felt like hours. Her worries were only growing by the seconds and soon she started to think the worst.

What if her mother lost?

What if her mother was dead?

That thought only terrified her greatly. What was she supposed to do without her mother? She didn't have anyone else. She'd only learned today that she has a father. Why hasn't she met him before?

Would he even want her? What if he didn't, what would she do then? "I want my mama" she whispered to herself.

Oriana must have been more tired than she thought because soon she drifted into sleep.

-x-

When she woke up it wasn't completely dark yet. Oriana heard someone close to their house, but soon a familiar voice called out to her, "Oriana! Where are you?" her mother's voice. The girl was so happy, "Mama" she quickly climbed down and ran towards her mother.

Kat flinched when her daughter embraced her, but the girl didn't notice, "I was so scared!" she cried into her mother's shoulder, "I know baby, I know" she whispered sweetly and held her close.

The two sat like that for five minutes, "What happened, mama" Oriana finally asked, "It was just some bad people. Don't worry about them".

Oriana just hugged her mother even tighter, "I want to be strong like you mama, and beat up bad people that attack us". Kat giggled and groaned in pain, the girl finally realized her mother's pain, "You're hurt, mama," she stepped away.

Kat used her every bit of strength to stand on her feet. She took her daughter's hand and guided them toward a tree, "Let's stay out here Oriana. Under the stars" Her mother let her sit on her lap as she held her close. "Your father's name is Edward Newgate," she said with so much love.

Oriana listened to her mother's heartbeat, "Can you tell me about my father" she asked, "Alright, he's strong, fearless and the captain of the whitebeard pirate. He would do anything for the people he loves" she answered.

"Can I meet him?" Oriana asked excitedly, "I'll say you'll meet him very soon" Kat smiled and started humming a lullaby.

-x-

The morning was quickly approaching and so was The Moby Dick. Whitebeard barely slept throughout the night after having this bad feeling. In the beginning, he just thought it might be because of enemies about to attack, but he would soon find out it was something else entirely.

They were only 10minutes away from the island and could be seen so much clearly now. The pirates didn't want to disturb the villagers, so they stopped closer to the side of the island. Everything was going well until "Mama!" a scream was heard not so far away.

Whitebeard quickly jumped down the ship and hurry in the direction of the voice, hoping it wasn't about 'them'.

It didn't take long to find where the scream came from. Then he felt his heart slowly break, Kat was on the ground with blood all over her body with a small girl crying on her. Whitebeard approached the two and the love of his life faced him, "I knew you would come, Newgate" she said lovingly.

The pirate rushed to her side and fell to his knees, "Who did this to you!" clear anger in his voice, "It was the bad people" a low voice answered hesitantly, and Whitebeard looked down to see the small girl from before.

She looked so much like Kat, and there was no doubt in his mind that this was their daughter. "Please can you help my mama?" Oriana asked desperately without looking at him. "Yeah, I will " he reassured.

Whitebeard turned to the woman, "I'll take you to the ship" and carefully started to lift her.

"It's no use Newgate. This is it for me" she smiled sadly, "No, refuse to accept it" it took him every bit of will, not to yell. "It's alright my love. Just take Oriana with you" Kat rubbed his cheek with her thumb. "I'll take care of you both-!"

"Oriana come meet your daddy" she interrupted, extending her hand to her daughter, "Daddy?" the girl questioned, "It's another word for father" the older woman giggled before breaking into coughing. "Mama!"

"Listen to me, Oriana. From now on you're going to live with your daddy and see the world I told you about" Kat hugged her daughter, "You're coming too, right? There's maybe a doctor that can help you!" the girl cried, "A doctor can't help me, baby. I'm going to go away for a long time".

The girl shook her head, "No!" she screamed, "It's alright, baby. This is not goodbye. One day we'll meet again, and we'll be together forever" her mother rubbed her back, "Do you promise" she surprised even herself, "I promise".

Kat looked at Whitebeard and extended her hand to him as well. He got closer and embraced her, "I wish we could travel the world as we've always dreamt about" she started. The great pirate didn't say anything and just held her closer while tears gathered in his eyes.

She patted his cheek so he would at least look at her. "Like I said to Oriana this is not goodbye. Our story differently won't end here," she said and once he looked, he kissed her passionately. "I love you," she said between kisses. "You're the only woman I'll ever love!"

Kat smirked for a second before looking at their daughter, "She's the only exception I'll accept" the great pirate chuckled, "Take care of her for me. Make her happy" she whispered to him, "I will. I promise" he said as his heart went into pieces.

"Good, cause if not I'll come back to haunt you" she joked but meant it. "I don't doubt that" he smiled for a second. She smiled and closed her eyes as her heartbeat slowed down and soon there was no beat left.

Oriana, who was listing to her breathing started to panic when she heard none, "Mama" she shook her mother, "Mama!" she clapped her mother's cheek. "Mama!" her heart was slowly breaking, and tears fall from her eyes.

When reality finally hit her, she put her face in her mother's lap hoping she would comfort her as always, but nothing came.

The pirate captain felt this unimaginable pain in his chest. The woman he loved with all his heart and the mother of his child was lying dead on his lap. Whitebeard couldn't describe what exactly he was feeling, but it was a mix between guilt, regret, grief, and self-blame.

It was unbearable, but he refused to let it consume him. Not when his daughter needed him.

"Hey treasure, are you hurt?" he asked concerned. The girl looked at him for the first time with her beautiful puffy red eyes, "Let me help you and your mother" the captain tried to say without her noticing his sadness.

"You can't help mama anymore. I'm all alone now" she sobbed. It hurt his heart to hear how broken she sounded, "Listen to me Oriana. You're not alone. You have me and my crew" he said without hesitation.

"Mama said a father protects his family. So why didn't you protect mama?" the girl cried. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect her. But I promise I'll always protect you. Please come with me" he laid out his big hand for her to take.

Oriana looked into his eyes and could clearly see his sincerity. She felt like she could trust him, her father, to keep his word. Then without a second thought, she took his hand and her father lifted her up. She saw how his face brighten a bit.

For a moment it felt like everything was alright. That was until his daughter's eyes fell to the one, they both loved, "I'll take care of her" Whitebeard said, and the girl was clinging onto him as she sobbed.

By the time someone found them, the girl had cried herself to sleep. Whitebeard turned around to see Marco, he walked over to him and gave the teenager his treasure, "Take her back to the ship and stay with her till I come back" the captain ordered.

"Pops, who is she?" Marco hesitantly asked, "She's my daughter who just lost her mother. Take her and do not let her out of your sight" Whitebeard commanded. The young blond looked to the side saw the body of a woman laying on the ground.

He looked up at the captain and saw his pain. Marco understood and nodded before taking the girl back to the ship.

Whitebeard could now focus completely on Kat. He took her up in his arms and held her, "How could I let this happen. I didn't become so strong just to be powerless now" tears were starting to fall again.

He pulled away to see her face and removed a stain of hair to see it more clearly. "I should never have left you behind".

Whitebeard suddenly felt a strong wind and could almost hear Kat's voice scolding him. The wind danced around them for a few seconds before going in the direction of the ship. He laid her down and went behind the house and started to dig a hole. He laid her in the hole and started burring her.

"You always loved the ocean view," he said sadly. The great pirate was barely holding on and if it weren't for his daughter, his spirit might have been broken. "I promise you, Kat. I will love and protect her till my dying breath".

The captain looked at the grave one last time before going back to the ship. He went up to the deck where he saw Marco holding Oriana when a strong wind surrounded the two, 'Looks like she just got your powers, Kat'.

Whitebeard was soon surrounded by his crew, "You have a daughter, pops?!" they yelled shocked.