Chillin Like A Villain-A Descendants Fanfic

Part 19

"Part of me wanted to cry and another part was cursing the first for feeling that way, for being weak. But looking back I wish I had let the pain out instead of bottling it in. Instead I let it fog my mind when I could have gotten it off my chest and moved on sooner. . . . if you need to let it out I'm here for you Harry. If you're afraid I'll think you're weak, don't be. Nothing can change how strong you are in my eyes, or Uma's or your crew. You're not alone, Harry."

For a long time he didn't say anything and eventually Camilla moved to leave. But then his free hand covered her hand on his shoulder and she sat back down. He pulled her hand off him and brought it to his lips giving her knuckles a soft kiss. She knew it was the closest thing to 'thank you' she'd get. She got comfortable and rested her head on his bare shoulder. Another long silence passed before he said anything.

"Ye called me Harry." he softly pointed out and she realized it was the first time she'd said his name, not called him Hook or Captain. She only smiled into his arm.

  TWO WEEKS LATER

Harry hadn't parted with his father's hook since the Captain's demise. Smee and the rest of Hook's crew had re-docked the Jolly Roger at Pirate's Bay where it stayed as empty as a ghost ship. Without her Captain the vessel only stood as a reminder for everything they'd lost. Without a ship or a crew Uma had offered Harry the position of First Mate on her crew aboard the Lost Revenge. After deliberating on it for days he accepted and moved into an empty cabin she had. He'd already been using it as a home away from home but now it became his officially. When Camilla wasn't at Hell Hall, which was most of the time now, she shared the room with him. She'd noticed how attached Harry had become with the hook, when he wasn't holding it he had it within arms reach and he never let it out of his sight. Camilla tried to help him as best she could. Sometimes he'd be so full of rage it was better to keep him away from the crew, other times he'd be so racked with guilt that he wouldn't come out of his room for the entire day and Camilla would have to poke her head out to order a deckhand to bring them a meal.

Today however, she hadn't been able to easily read the mood Harry was in. He left his father's hook on his beside table as he got dressed for the day and Camilla had the strangest urge to reach out and touch it. The hook of the great Captain James Hook was one of the greatest symbols of power in all the fairytales. Though having no magical qualities it was a symbol that struck fear into the hearts of the bravest men. Camilla clenched her hand in a fist to restrain herself as she turned back to Harry.

Her heart skipped a beat when she realized he was only half dressed and she had a full view of his muscular torso. Her girlish trance was broken when she noticed a few small scars across his chest and his ribs.  She stood from the bed and walked over to him, he paused and let her run her fingertips across the thin lines, then he smirked proudly.

"Anyone who ever left a mark on me always ended up much worse." 

There was a long pause before Camilla looked up at him.

"Will you teach me how to fight?"

- - ROTTEN TO THE CORE - - 

"Don't look at my sword Camilla, look at my eyes. Remember a man's intent is in his eyes." Harry instructed her from across the quarterdeck where they were practicing. She'd been doing well for only three days in but she still had a long way to go before she'd ever win a fight. But that wasn't why she was losing this fight to Harry. She couldn't look in his eyes and fight him, she couldn't look at him and picture an enemy, she couldn't bring herself to imagine striking him down. She swung at him again and he dodged her strike, easily pushed her blade away with his, grabbed her hand and spun her until her back was pressed against his chest and he'd used his strength to pin her with her own sword, his leather glove protecting his hand as he held the blade directly. He gave a high-pitched laugh of amusement.

"Yeh can't look at me like yer enemy can ye?" Damn, she thought. He'd seen through her mask – he'd been getting quite good at that she'd noticed. She hated that she couldn't fool him anymore, but another small part of her always jumped with joy inside her chest at the fact that he was getting to know her so well. He let go and she pulled away from him turning back around to face him.

"Let's just go again." she said resuming their starting position, but Harry didn't join her, instead he turned and looked across the ship.

"Gil!" he shouted and the son of Gaston immediately climbed down from his place in the crow's nest and joined them.

"What's up?" he asked with his usual clueless smile. Harry turned to look at Camilla with a dangerous look in his black lined eyes that made her knees almost buckle.

"Camilla needs a new fighting partner." He said with a wicked smirk and glint in his eye.

"Sweet." Gil said brightening, drawing his sword and moving to stand across from her. Harry shot his arm out and grabbed Gil's shoulder stopping him mid-way.

"But if ye leave a single mark on her I'll –"

"Okay, okay." Gil said with wide eyes not letting Harry finish growling his threat. Then he shook out his arms and took his stance across from Camilla. She had more confidence as she looked at Gil and pictured fighting an enemy. He had a spark in his eyes –much unlike Harry's – it was the spark of someone raised by a hunter. Someone who lived for the thrill of the fight and the kill. He had a wide smile on his face and Camilla returned it with a smirk of her own while Harry stood back leaning against the rail with his arms crossed smirking as well, he knew this would get interesting quick. Gil swung and Camilla dodged then blocked his next swing with her blade. When their swords collided and he began to push her back with his strength she used her foot to kick him back. He looked shocked for a moment then smiled at her. It wasn't a smirk, it was a real smile with no hint of wickedness, it was more like. . . pride. He came at her again and again and again, each time she dodged or struck back. Once she'd even swung her sword and if Gil hadn't jumped back in time he would have ended up with a nasty gash on his face. Camilla was doing much better against Gil than she had been against Harry. She was able to take all of Harry's advice and apply it to her fight with Gil. However, as the fight went on Camilla began to tire but Gil's stamina kept him going until he had swung so many times in fast repetition that he'd backed Camilla against the rail. In a slick move he disarmed her and had the tip of his sword at her throat in the next second.

"Did you even have to try?" she asked upset with herself. She had to know if Gil had had to put in any effort to beat her, or had their fight been child's play for him? She had given it her all and now she feared that even her best might not be good enough. Gil smiled again the same friendly smile.

"Actually, I did." He said taking his weapon away from her neck. Then he held out his hand and she paused before taking it, he shook it once.

"Good fight." He told her still smiling before he turned to Harry and nodded before he left. Camilla looked to Harry, he was still leaning against the opposite rail and he smirked and nodded at her, his eyes shining with amusement. She'd impressed him and she felt pride rise in her core. Then she turned back to watch Gil as he joked around with the crew and she realized that for the first time in a long time she understood what it was like to have a brother again.