Set Your Sails...to Neverland || Peter Pan, OUAT

Chapter 11 - The Curse

The idiot nods and does as so with no questions asked, and as he walks past, I easily lift the keys from his belt. Snow joins me, eyes and smile wide at the keys dangling from my finger. I take the keys, unlocking the barred door, and as soon as the cell is open, Snow wakes Red. The girl stirs, takes a few moments to gather her thoughts, Snow telling her what's happening in our time crunch. Red forces herself to get going, hurrying to her feet and out the door.

"Thank you!" Red exclaims. "One more day and..."

"We know, Red. Don't thank me, thank Davina," Snow says.

"You're welcome. Now let's get going, we won't have long and I have a map to collect, we can hug and celebrate later," I urge, wary of the guard. God these people like to take their time.

Everyone agrees and Snow takes us to a room not far from the dungeons. It's filled with all kinds of objects - from jewels to paintings, to chairs and tables and mirrors, to books and silverware and other ornaments. I look around and see the map hung up on the wall. It's bigger than other maps, the parchment in pristine condition with variously labelled outlines of realms and their borders across it.

"There," I say and everyone looks to the wall.

"And how do you suggest we get it down?" One of the Lost Boys asks.

"Don't you worry about that."

I jump on to the oak chest in front of me and walk across the next few pieces of furniture before I come face-to-face with the map, seeing that the outlines glitter gold ever so slightly. I run my sword underneath the map, cutting through the adhesive attaching the corners to the wall, catching it before it falls and rolling it up so it fits in the pocket on the inside of my cloak. As soon as I do so, the bell of the palace rings out, echoing through the halls. Time to go. I leap across the furniture, jumping to the ground and taking off through the doors. We run through the palace - both groups successful, but we're stopped by guards on our way.

"Go!" I yell at Snow, stopping in my tracks.

"What about you?" She yells back, moving backwards.

"I'll be fine, I promise!" I shout, and she nods hesitantly before running off with the others.

I draw my sword, holding my ground as the guards gain on us. I fight for a while, the odds looking as if I'll be getting free, much to their dismay. Seconds before I'm about to slam my elbow into the face of one the guards, my arm paralysed in place. I turn my head - the Evil Queen.

"So you're the cause of all the disruption in my palace? I have to say, well done for getting this far," she says, walking up to me as the rest of my body as she paralyses the rest of it. "Bring her to my room," she orders before disappearing in a swirl of purple smoke.

I'm dragged through the palace with my hands shackled behind my back until we reach an open room that overlooks the forest and mountains. A large mirror by the balcony, another at a dressing table and a smaller circular one framed in entwined, silver vines in the corner. Her guards push me with enough force that I fall on to my knees.

"I would welcome you, but it's apparent that you've already done that," she says coldly. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't have to tell you anything, this isn't a court trial," I reply. She begins to raise her hand, in a position I recognise, "There isn't any point in choking me either, that won't make me any more compliant. Not to mention that I won't actually be able to speak if you strangle me," I reason, and she stops.

She lowers her hand and walks around me, studying me. "You're smart, which is a nice change from my usual prisoners," she compliments.

"I try," I say as I rise from my knees to my feet.

"You seem almost too smart to break into a palace like this...what could you possibly want from me?" She asks.

"It's not like I chose to do this. I was...what's the word?...Employed, I suppose."

"By who?"

"You probably won't know of him," I taunt slightly, deliberately trying to keep her talking.

"Try me."

I sigh, "Peter Pan."

She laughs, "Who? That sounds like a child!"

"He is...sort of...but you shouldn't underestimate him..."

"Why?" She asks, suddenly interested.

So I explain his ways to her, and surprisingly, she listens. By the end, she seems surprised, and maybe even a little bit horrified, but also mildly amused.

"Kidnapping children? How...manly," the Queen mocks, and I stifle my laugh. "Well, I can't just let you go," she says and sighs, "You broke in, but without intent to hurt me..." she thinks for a second, "...take her to the dungeons - two weeks and then release her."

"What? No! I can't! I have...a time restriction! Eleven days at least! Please!" I beg.

"Two. Weeks." She repeats.

The guards take me by my elbows, pulling me backwards. I try to stay on my feet, stumbling as I try to fight them off. "No! Please! No!" I yell, as they drag me out of her chambers and I'm thrown into a cell.

- - -

Ten days...eight days...six days...four days...two days...one day. I have one day until Pan's set time for me is up. I've tried escaping but everything I do - fails. I'm stuck, and Pan's shadow will be coming to collect me. The Lost Boys have probably already returned, somehow. Snow and her friends are long gone. Once again, it's only me. Alone. I'm waiting for the clock to strike midnight on the last day, when the Queen comes and delivers a message to each and every prisoner.

"I hope none of you down here get nauseated when you travel, because today, we're on our way to a new land...where there are no happy endings. Not that it makes any difference to you."

I jump and run to the bars. "You can't do that! I can't. I have to get back to Neverland! At least let me go!" I yell frantically.

She slowly walks up to me and leans in with a twisted smirk on her face, and a slightly crazed look in her eye, "If I can't have a happy ending, no one can. The best part - no one will remember who they are!" She whispers into my face and then laughs as she walks away.

"No! No! No!" I shout repeatedly, hitting the bars in hope that they would move. "Let me out! Let me out of here!"

Eventually, I sink down against the metal poles and hug my knees, suddenly desperate for Pan to send his Shadow before this curse arrives - any place is better than somewhere that has no happy endings.

~ Snow and Charming

"We have to rescue her!" Snow yells.

"You are literally about to give birth to our child, Snow! You can't go and I won't. How do we know that she hasn't escaped and left the Enchanted Forest already?" Charming answers.

"Because I'm pretty sure we would have run into her while we escaped!" Snow shouts angrily.

Charming sighs, "We have to stay put. Snow, you're going to have our baby and Regina is about to cast the curse. We can't go, I'm sorry."

"I promised her we would be there whenever she needed us..." Snow says quietly.

~ Davina

I watch the thick, purple smoke flash and roll over the forest through the tiny, barred window in my cell. It's so close to the Palace, and the Shadow isn't here yet. I'm a goner. Pan won't be seeing me and he won't be getting his bloody map any time soon - unless he can get me out of the new land. I look at my clock - ten seconds - and I look at the smoke, and it's just outside the Palace. I walk to the main bars to try and create some kind of distance - no matter how small, and count.

Seven...six...five...

I turn and see Pan's Shadow, soaring down the dungeon corridor. The smoke creeps into my cell after engulfing the landscape outside and begins to crawl and swirl over and around my feet. I reach out for the Shadow's hand. I look at the clock...

Three...two...one...