Hooked

Chapter Thirty

... Smee ...

I started to have dreams that were so detailed, I thought that they were really happening. I was hallucinating as well. I was practically insane.

It doesn't help that the Queen still doesn't give me food and water until every late second or third day. My previous guard never returned, so I had no way of keeping track of the days.

It seemed like I had been inside of the castle for about three months (relatively speaking). But it couldn't have been. Surely someone would rescue me before three months pass. Unless they all got captured as well.

I shouldn't give myself false hope. The only person that cared about me was sweet Madeline, and now she was dead. She was held captive by the Queen, and the Queen killed her for stealing a roll from a dinner table. She was gone.

I wept, knowing that if she could never come to save me, no one would. Cap'n was never fond of me. Cap'n could care less about any of his crew. And now that Madeline is dead...

I suddenly realized that such a thing could only mean that Cap'n had no purpose in life once more. Just like before he had kidnapped Madeline. Now all he would want to do is either sail, go back to the Land of Wealth (the only place in Neverland where time passes), or attack every castle in the Land of Lost Boys. He has to get his mind off of her death somehow.

And if he attacks every castle, then he will end up finding me. And surely he would rescue me.

I wiped my face with my hands and looked up, seeing the Red Queen before me, looking down at me with pity.

"You are freed from the dungeon," she said with distaste as she unlocked my cell door. "But only on two conditions."

My heart lifted, and I sleepily nodded, hoping to be freed at last. But why would she free me? Maybe Hook came and threatened her. Maybe he made her free me.

She crossed her arms, "You must be my servant, and you must do as I say, when I say."

My stomach dropped. Of course. She needed new servants in her castle, now that she killed her latest one - Madeline. And servants don't come every day.

"Is... Is this a hallucination?" I hoped out loud.

"No. Now come along. Hurry up."

She watched as I weakly stood, off balance and rickety.

"What is your name?"

The question caught me off guard. I had to think for a while longer than I should've. I should know this. It was a simple question.

"Well?" She said as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"Sm-Smithsonian is my name."

"Well," she clucked her tongue, "I haven't got all day, Smithsonian."

I looked up at her with disgust. I was obviously in pain. "I am too weak."

"Well if it's food you want, then you have to wait just like the others - until the dinner bell has been rung. And dinner is upstairs, so I suggest that you toughen up and make your way there now."

"Yes, madame," I said quietly, defeated.

With that, she left quickly, deciding that I was taking too long.

I took a few steps, but fell, my legs buckling beneath me.

When I finally made it up the stairs, a memory crossed my mind of a girl not too much older than Madeline.

...

Her blonde hair was in a bun, and her face was flushed. She had obviously been crying before I reached her house.

"Are you..." I looked at the long list on the clipboard in front of me. "Miss Cinderella?"

She wiped her face with the back of her hand and said, "Erm... Yes."

"The prince... thinks that you might've lost something a while back. Do you remember going to a ball?"

She nodded, her lip quivering.

I pulled out the glass slipper, and her eyes lit up. She took it from my hands and asked, "How did you find it?"

"The prince said that he swore he met his true love that night. And she left this glass slipper on the steps when she left in a hurry. It must've been pretty important, if she left the prince to dance alone."

She blushed sheepishly, "It was. I was actually... late for something very important. And because of it, someone close to me left. Forever."

I scowled in concern. "Forever? I don't think I quite understand."

She looked outside, and said in a hushed tone, "Come in."

That was when I learned how open she was about telling her past. She told me how her guardian took her under her wing when her parents died. But in more than one way. She was a fairy. One day Cinderella asked for a favor from her - to help her become charming and fancy for one night, so that she may make a good impression for the prince. But she didn't tell Cinderella until after she cast her spell that if she didn't return by midnight, then her powers would run out, and she would die.

The fairy just wanted her to be happy for once in her life. Cinderella was a servant for her step-mother ever since her father died. But Cinderella was a minute late.

"I regret ever going," she cried.

"No," I said, patting her back. "Don't. What happened was the fault of magic. Every magic comes with a price. You didn't know."

"But I did after she gave me everything I wanted for the night. I was one minute late. One. If I had left one minute earlier I would still live with her. Now I'm back working as a servant for my awful step-mother."

"Well... look on the bright side. You met the love of your life."

She looked up at me sadly.

"You are in love with him, aren't you?"

She shrugged, "She's dead because of magic. I just want to stay away from it. And any remembrances of it."

"But... he loves you. The slipper belongs to you. He will be crushed."

"There's no other way to get away from magic."

My eyes widened with excitement, "Yes there is."

She raised an eyebrow, "How?"

"You and the prince can escape to a land where magic doesn't exist. You will be happy there. You may end up forgetting all about your life here, but that is the only set back. You and the prince will live happily ever after."

"...Are you sure that he would be okay with that?"

"Yes. He would go anywhere with you. I've seen the difference in him, madame. He is head over heels."

Her eyes brightened, and she gave me a large hug.

In the morning, she found herself in a castle in England, not knowing anything about her past, assuming that she was born in England as a princess and married a prince. It took work to make her believe that she grew up as a normal kid. Fortunately enough, it all ended up successful.

...

I sighed, throwing a towel over my shoulder. Things would get better. They always do, in one way or another.

They always do.

...

Next update soon!

~ StarrySkies7