Once Upon a Time: Ever After High (Book 10)

Ch.36 Change of heart

After getting Piper, everyone left Echo Cave as Piper turned to everyone.

"Thank you all so much" he told them in relief.

"No problem" Elena replied "But now that you're here, we need your help to get our friends back."

"Of course" he promised.

"And we need to get rid of yer clone" Jane added with a frown "He may have the same face as ye, but he's a blood demon."

"I know" he agreed with a sigh "But I don't know how to get rid of him."

"Actually-" Mira spoke up with an idea "Maybe there is a way."

"What do you mean?" David asked.

"I think I know someone who may be able to help, but we have to go back to shore."

"Okay you and dad can go do whatever you need to do" Elena suggested "The rest of us will keep looking."

They nodded in agreement as they headed off.

"Alright everyone let's keep moving" Elena ordered as they all went the other direction.

But as they were doing so, Aidan turned to his siblings who he knew felt disappointed at him.

"Hey guys-" he started to say, but they just ignored him as they walked away from him.

Even after telling the truth, Aidan still felt guilty for not telling before, and now his siblings weren't even talking to him.

"Just wait a bit" Chase advised him "And then talk things out with them."

Aidan gave a sigh as they continued to hike through the woods.

"Piper" Jane spoke up as they stopped "What I said in the cave-".

"It's okay" he assured "I'm glad you told me. Like you said, I know we started off on the wrong foot, but we got a fresh start, and I'm glad we did."

"It's just-" she sighed "I didn't think ye were able to survive Blackbeard."

"I didn't think so either, but I had some friends who helped me escape, and because of that, who knows what Blackbeard could of done to them as punishment."

"Well, I'm just glad you're okay. Because ye got a lot of explaining to do."

"I know" he sighed as they went back to following the group.

(Flashback) After hanging with Marissa, Jane left the tavern and started to head back to her ship while continuing to admire the town, feeling glad that she made a new pirate friend. But she was lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear a hoodie guy running from behind as he accidentally knocked into her sending them both down.

"Oy!" Jane exclaimed with frustration "Watch it!"

But the guy didn't say anything as he avoided eye contact and quickly got up and run off as if he was in a rush. Jane gave a groan as she stood up and brushed herself off, only to then spot something on the ground that caught her eye. It was a small burlap sack, most likely the guy left behind from the guy, she picked it up, feeling how light it was as if there wasn't even anything inside. But she then felt a hard object as she opened the sack and dumped the content into her palm to find that it was a ring with a large diamond in the center. Thinking it was a wedding ring, Jane looked ahead to see if she could spot the guy, but no luck, he was gone.

"Jane" she turned to see Marissa coming towards her "That was some bump."

"Yeah some lad must of been in a hurry that he wasn't watching where he was going and dropped this."

She showed her the ring as Marissa's eyes widen.

"Bloody hell" she gasped as she took the ring and examined it "This is mine."

"What?" Jane questioned surprised.

"It's a ring I found on one of my voyages, and I have a pretty good idea on who tried to steal it."

The pirates made their way to an inn where they went inside and saw a young attractive guy with his shoulder length hair tide back in a low ponytail having a dilemma with an older man.

"Sir I swear I had it with me-" he explained in a nervous tone "But if you can just please give me more time-".

"There is no more time!" the man argued "You have until tomorrow to pay your respects, or this inn is gonna burn to the ground, and that's final."

And with that he stormed pass Jane and Marissa and out the inn.

"What are you doing here Marissa?" the guy suddenly asked them as he turned to Jane "And who's this?"

"Jane Hook" Jane introduced herself "The one ye bumped into. Ye seem to be in a quite a dilemma."

"I am" he sighed sadly "My family's inn is low on taxes, and if I don't pay the man by tomorrow, they're gonna burn this place down."

"Yikes" she bit her lips with a cringe.

"Then I suppose that explains why ye tried to steal this?" Marissa put in while holding up her ring as his eyes widen "Ye wanted to use me ring to pay yer taxes eh? Well when ye steal from a pirate, they always find out, and it never ends well."

"Look I'm sorry-" he apologized nervously "But I need money to save my family's inn, if I don't we'll be living on the streets."

"Well that should teach ye a lesson, always pay yer taxes. Isn't it better to live under a roof than in thee rain?"

And with that she walked out the inn, leaving the guy full of sorrow as he rubbed his face with frustration. As she watched him, Jane suddenly got a feeling in her guts that made her feel, well, sorry for him. And she couldn't stand seeing him like that when she got an idea.

"Oy" she called as he turned to her.

She pulled one of her silver rings off and tossed it to him as he caught it.

"That should save yer inn" she explained.

"What?" he questioned surprised.

"It's real silver, it should be enough to pay that scurvy dog."

"But- why are you helping me?"

"I don't usually do these kinds of things, but over these couple of days I've had a change of heart. But I can turn back whenever I need to, so I recommend ye thank me now before I change me mind."

"Right" he agreed "Thank you Miss Hook."

"Whatever" she shoved it off before heading out.