"Claudine? What are you wearing?"
Claudine smirked as she stood in front of Strat, Shayla, Locklyn, Audrey, and Freddy. Normally Locklyn was on first aid duty but Claudine had to assume that since she and Morgan left them a week ago, Freddy needed all hands on deck for face offs.
"Well I believe they're called clothes Strat," Claudine told him with a smirk. Normally Henry would have waited until the girls were trained up more on swords before having them go out on a face off but Claudine had been determined to prove her loyalty to the Rats.
Besides, it may have only been a week since she left the Haven but she was no slouch in training with a sword; Morgan and Brooke having given her lessons whenever she and Morgan visited Brooke's safe house. Plus she still had her daggers if push came to shove.
"No not that! Why do you look like a Rat?" Strat demanded as Freddy just continued to glare in shock.
Morgan shook her head. "Do...do they not see who we're standing with?"
"I guess being oblivious really is a trait the Angels share," Claudine said with a smirk.
"I'll show you oblivious you little traitor!" Freddy growled and pulled out one of his black handled daggers. In a blink of an eye, Claudine had her purple handled dagger in her hand.
"Don't even think about it Fred! Or should I say Freddy?" Claudine snarled. "We both know which one of us has the better aim—after all you hit Mal and she still lived to tell the tale, or so the Rats tell me! Knowing how you feel about her, I would have thought you'd have aimed to kill."
Audrey scoffed. "I'm not surprised Mal has you under her little spell. That seems to be a specialty of hers, spelling people."
"I'm sure it has escaped your noticed but Mal's not here," Claudine told her, tossing her dagger up and down in an almost similar manner as Freddy had back at Evie's castle. "Neither is Uma. However, you are."
"...where's Brooke?" Locklyn growled. "We haven't seen her since you two took off."
"Not that it's any of your business but she's exactly where she's supposed to be Locklyn," Claudine snapped back.
"I'm her cousin! Where she is is my business!"
"You stopped being her cousin the minute you allowed Freddy within one league of Brooke! No wonder your sisters stopped talking to you!"
"He's the leader of the Angels. He can—."
"Oh Gods, the one brain cell in your head must be in pain from rattling around in all that empty space," Morgan shook her head.
The other Rats on the face off team smirked in amusement as the Angels glared at them.
"There's only one God, Morgan," Shayla spat.
"Tell that to Lord Hades then," Morgan smirked. "We all believed that there were multiple Gods when we were with the Rats. Before Freddy got his claws into us at least."
"Enough of this," Freddy spat. "Claudine, if you're going to be a traitor, then you deserve everything a traitor gets. Audrey, get her."
"With pleasure," Audrey smirked and Claudine's eyes widened as Audrey threw one of her purple handled daggers. The daggers she had left in the Haven. The only reason Claudine and Morgan had daggers of their own to wield right then and there was because the Rats had a fairly large collection of their daggers.
Mainly because they'd come back in a Rat but it wasn't like the Rats were going to be returning the daggers later.
"Think you might need to work on her aim," Jake scoffed as the dagger went far right and ended up clattering on the ground.
"Yeah, not much of an Angel. You guys will just become more of the jokes than you were before," Jade said with a smirk. "Claudine, show 'em just what they lost by letting you walk out of the Haven."
Claudine didn't hesitate and let her dagger fly. It hit her target—she could see it was lodged in Freddy's side.
"You're...going to pay...for that," Freddy growled, gritting his teeth against the pain Claudine was sure he was in. After all, he normally didn't attend face offs; he was never at risk of getting a dagger lodged in him.
And yet, despite everything, Claudine couldn't aim to kill. He was still her brother, they had grown up together. They shared blood. She would not be the one to commit fratricide.
"You're not even...worth the Frollo...name," Freddy spat.
"Hmm, guess that's a good thing I'm not going by Frollo anymore, big brother," Claudine taunted. "It's Claudine Rose now."
"How dare you! That's my last name you little thief!" Audrey shrieked.
"First off, I think they heard you back in Boreadon. Second of all, people can have the same last name Brat," Claudine said with a smirk and Freddy's eyes widened as he glanced at Audrey. "Oh don't worry Freddy, unless our father somehow had a relationship with Aurora before winding up on the Isle, you didn't have a fling with an unknown sister."
"Oh? And...why did...you pick 'Rose'...then? Was it...pretty?"
"Hearing you say the word 'pretty' is wrong," Claudine told him. "And no. It was my mother's ship's name. But this has grown tiresome. Morgan, you wanna make 'em match?"
"With pleasure," Morgan grinned as she pulled out her own orange handled daggers.
"Morgan?" Shayla scoffed as Locklyn and Strat snickered. "She's got worse aim than Audrey!"
"And yet I hit Zevon," Morgan reminded them. "If I can hit Zevon, then I can certainly hit Audrey!"
With that, Morgan let her dagger fly and grinned as it found its way lodged into Audrey's side. Not high enough to pierce a lung or do any damage but low enough that it would make it hard to go on face offs for a while.
"Let's get them out of here!" Strat ordered. "This isn't over Rats!"
"I think it is Strat!" Jade called and smirked at their retreating forms. The Rats walked back to the ship, congratulating Morgan and Claudine on their hits. Claudine, though, couldn't help but smile as she heard the familiar sound of steel on steel.
They hadn't let Henry come with; as acting Captain of the Lost Revenge and the Warf Rats, he'd have been a prime target for one of the Angels to aim for. He hadn't exactly been thrilled with that decision but they all knew that they couldn't lose a captain. Not with Harriet across the bridge with Mal and Uma.
"Ah you see? I knew you'd find something to do while we were out. And why am I not surprised that it's sparring?"
Henry grinned and looked over at her, still keeping up the spar much to Ryan's astonishment. "Ry asked me to spar with him, I couldn't say no."
"Good," Claudine smiled back at him as Brooke hurried over to her and Morgan.
"How'd it go?"
"As I thought, he spat some dribble about how we were all traitors, what he'd do if he got his hands on us, that I was dead to him, blah blah blah," Claudine said, rolling her eyes. "Well actually it was more just Morgan and me. Oddly enough Locklyn was the one asking about Brooke."
Brooke smiled slightly but shook her head. "She doesn't care about me...I don't think she ever did."
"Well you don't have to worry about her duckling," Jade said as she walked up. "That 'princess' needs to work on her aim. She tried to hit Claudine—."
"What?!" Henry growled as he finished up the spar with Ryan.
"She missed, dagger went far to the right," Claudine said, going over to him. "See? No wounds, no blood. Freddy's going to be training Audrey for a long time. The last time he personally trained someone on daggers was me and we were kids."
"Why even have her in the gang if she's got such bad aim?" Morgan asked. "The way he's acting, giving her your rank, putting up with her horrible aim to the extent that he's sending her off on face offs without training, you'd think he was having feelings for her or something..."
"Freddy? Care about someone other than himself?" Nick scoffed and then flushed as he realized who he was talking to. "Oh, no offense Claudine."
"None taken Nick," Claudine told him.
"But Nick's right," Jake nodded. "Freddy caring about someone in the romantic sense or at all really is as likely as Henry not being good at sparring."
Henry frowned as he sheathed his sword. "Guys, hold on a minute. Let's consider the fact that Morgan might be right."
"Henry, it's Freddy we're talking about. If he had feelings for anyone, we'd all know about it through the Isle gossip chain," Sammy said.
"True but just think about it. He gives her the second in command position when she's supposed to be a 'Boreadon Princess'. He'd know she'd be 'useless' in a face off. Plus if memory serves, he hasn't had any flings since he's come back has he?"
"Well...no now that I think about it," Claudine said. "But I just thought that it was because he was still recovering from getting turned into a dragon chew toy. But now that you mention it, he did spend a lot of time looking out toward Boreadon before the Brat got here..."
"You see how Morgan could be right then?" Henry asked.
Claudine nodded and bit her lip. "Yeah...in an odd way, the idea of Freddy having feelings for the Brat makes it a little easier to stomach the idea that he has a kid in Boreadon."
Henry pulled her into his arms and held her close before looking at the rest of the crew. "Regardless of what Freddy thinks, she's clearly of some value to him. Meaning we're going to have to watch our step around her."
"Freddy won't risk her," Dustin shook his head. "If she really can't hit the broad side of a barn, he'd know we'd get the upper hand in a second."
"She was only there because the Angels were on their way back from Curl Up and Dye," Jade added. "Plus they were showing her the boundary points. They just mistakenly thought our territory was theirs."
"Still, I'd rather us not be caught unawares," Henry told them. "Not with Freddy."
Even if most of the crew was right and Freddy would drop the Brat in a month, as Captain Henry had to consider every possibility. The safety of the crew mattered before anything else and he couldn't just overlook a potential threat. If Freddy truly did have feelings for the Brat and they hurt her in anyway...well it was a risk he couldn't afford to take.
He sighed and shook his head. "Anyway, who's up for training?"
"You just sparred, Henry," Claudine said.
"For five minutes. I can train with you," he said with a small smile before kissing the top of her head.
"Alright if you really feel up for it," Claudine teased as they walked off. The rest of the day was spent training or sneaking off to the Captain's Quarters when they thought the crew wasn't looking and cuddling. Just because they could.
However, like all good things, it had to soon come to an end that night. The crew was milling around the deck when they heard footsteps on the gangplank.
"Who's there?" Henry growled, grabbing his sword just as Claudine grabbed one of her daggers.
"Steady there Henry, it's me," Harry's thick, Scottish accented voice called out. "And Jay and Captain Phoebus."
"You brought someone from Auradon here?"
"Mal wants Claudine," Jay said and Henry's heart dropped. "She said it's not safe for her with Freddy back here."
"Freddy's been back for nine months, you're only just coming to the Isle now?" Henry exclaimed.
"You honestly trust Audrey to not try to..."
"I hate the fact that you've got a good point," Henry sighed and Claudine shook her head.
"No, no way. I'm not leaving the Isle, I'm not leaving the crew," she exclaimed. "Not after everything you all have done for me, for Morgan and Brooke! Henry, I promised you I wasn't going to leave the Isle without you and I'm sticking to that!"
Henry shook his head and held her close, rubbing her back having sheathed his sword upon hearing it was Harry and Jay and not a threat. "I love you, I love you so much. But you need to go. Please. This is for your safety, you know Freddy will be out for your blood since you stuck him with your dagger today."
"Morgan stuck Audrey and she's not being sent to Boreadon! She and Brooke defected from the Angels too! Why is it just me? I'm not going! Not without you!"
"We'll look out for Brooke the same way we look out for Ryan and you know Morgan's safe with us. You are Freddy's sister. He'll be wanting you dead more than the others." Henry said softly. "Claudine I love you. If something...if something happened to you it would kill me. As much as it breaks my heart to know this has to happen, I'd...I'd rather you not be here and not see you for a while than face the thought of never seeing you again."
Claudine sighed as she looked into his blue eyes, eyes that were begging her to go. "Henry, I love you too. But what if something happened to you while I'm in Boreadon? Do you really think I'd be happy that something happened to you and I couldn't be there to stop it?"
"Nothing is going to happen to me. I've been dealing with Freddy since I can remember."
"And I've been dealing with Freddy my whole life."
"Exactly. He's not going to take this stab in the back lightly meaning you need to be as far away from him as possible. You need to go with Harry and Jay."
Claudine sighed, tears prickling in the corner of her eyes as she realized he was right. "Come with me. You know he'll be coming after you too and that way we can both be in Boreadon together. Just like we always dreamed would happen."
Henry bit his lip. "I...I can't Claudine. I need to be here. I can't put the fear of the Gods into a certain someone if I'm across the bridge. And I need to know you're safe."
Even if the price for that is breaking my heart...
Claudine sighed and kissed his cheek. "I'll miss you."
"It won't be long, I promise," Henry said as he lightly kissed her lips before wiping the tears from her cheek. "Please don't cry..."
"I can't help it. The idea of being away from you, with Freddy at large...Henry what if you got hurt? You'd be in pain and I wouldn't be able to help!"
"Sweetheart, nothing will happen, I promise."
"Did...did Henry just call Claudine sweetheart?" Jay muttered to Harry.
"Jay, he just kissed her. The girls are going to freak out when they realize Henry Kersey has a girlfriend," Harry muttered back before sighing. "Henry. Mate. We can't stay."
"Here," Jade said as she walked up and tossed Harry a duffle bag. "I started packing it when I heard it was you guys. I figured you be here for her."
"Thanks Jade," Jay nodded. "She'll be safe. I promise. Mal and Ben, they won't let anything happen to Claudine."
"And neither will we," Harry nodded. "Ms. Frollo—."
"Rose."
"Pardon?"
"I go by Claudine Rose now," Claudine said as Brooke walked up and handed Claudine a.a cat? Okay then. "It...it was my mother's ship's name."
Harry blinked. "Okay so we're just going to ignore the fact that your mother was my dad's old girlfriend. CJ will be happy though, she'll get another sister out of this."
"Oh cheer up Harry, you'll get your brother at some point," Jay teased.
"I'll trade you," Claudine offered.
"If I ever take you up on that, I've clearly gone mad and need you to smack me," Harry said.
Henry sighed. "Go on Claudine. We'll be together again before you know it."
Claudine nodded and gently kissed his cheek again before following Harry and Jay back down the gangplank, though not before whispering something to Morgan. Henry watched them leave until he couldn't see them through the pipe anymore.
If any of the crew could see the tears in Henry's eyes, they didn't comment on it. Ryan walked up as Henry leaned over the railing, the same way Ryan had all those months ago when CJ left the Isle. The brunet squeezed Henry's shoulder. "I get it mate. You remember how I was when CJ left..."
"Thanks mate," Henry said softly, giving him a small smile.
"She'll be okay Henry," Derek said, walking up to Henry's other side.
"I know," Henry sighed but still looked out to the horizon, toward the barrier. Please...don't let anyone steal your heart while I'm not there...I promise...I won't let anyone steal mine...
While there was a part of him that knew such a thought was selfish and that Claudine deserved more than what he could give, he couldn't help it. He loved her, just like he knew she loved him, but if she found someone who could provide for her physically...he wouldn't hold her to anything, no matter how much it would hurt. She deserved her happiness.
"We've got Angel wings to clip," he muttered to the others.
"Sounds like a plan," Derek nodded. "Um...what is the plan?"
"Kick the Angels' ass."
"That goes without saying but I'm talking more details?"
Henry's eyes flashed in anger as he glared at Derek. "Kick Angel ass, I don't know how to be more clearer than that!"
"Okay, maybe we not go out right now?" Nick suggested. "Henry, Captain, I think you're a bit too emotional. I mean, it's understandable of course but if we go in there swords blazing, we're going to do what they always do. Lose."
"Henry, I...I just promised Claudine I'd make sure you didn't get hurt and I don't think she'd be happy to hear I broke it the minute she left," Morgan said.
"What am I supposed to do Morgan? I finally got the chance to be with Claudine without the fear of either crew finding out and now because of Freddy and his cult, she's across the bridge!"
"I know, I know," Morgan said gently. "And I'm not saying you can't go out and 'kick Angel ass' but it can't be tonight. You need to sleep and sort your emotions and be able to think clearly."
"Yeah I'd rather kick Angel ass," Henry muttered as he ran a hand through his hair. If he actually let his emotions out, he likely wouldn't be able to do anything for the rest of the night. He was the Captain...he couldn't stay in bed sobbing his eyes out. He needed to be there for the crew.
"Henry...mate...it's okay to miss her," Ryan said, his voice soft.
"Yeah mate, you're allowed to have feelings," Derek said gently. "You don't have to be this stoic captain."
"Don't you remember the way I was when CJ left?" Ryan asked.
"Guys, I...I can't. I'm the Captain," Henry whispered.
"Oh so Captains can't have feelings? I think Mal, Uma, and Harriet would disagree there," Derek told him.
"I didn't say that, but when we've got Angels plotting in the shadows you don't need me falling apart."
"Mate, that is what you made me and Ryan first mate for," Derek said gently. "Plus we've got Sammy if we really need help. Go be a guys, cry, scream, hack the straw out of a practice dummy, whatever you need. But do not go after the Angels. Not by yourself. You're good but you're not five on one good."
"Take it from someone who knows," Dustin muttered with a nod.
Henry sighed. "Guys, I...if I start, I might not stop."
"That's fine. We don't expect you to be a robot. Like we said, you've got first mates for a reason."
"Come on," Sammy said as she walked over and gently rested a hand on Henry's back, leading him toward the Captain's quarters. "I felt the same way when Harriet went to Auradon. It's okay, no one's judging. We just want to make sure you're okay."
She led him over to the mattress as Henry bit his lip, trying to keep the tears at bay.
"It's okay, let it out Henry," she told him but Henry just wiped away the tears that were threatening to fall.
"Sammy...I...I can't..."
"It's just us Henry. No one will judge you, you're safe on the ship. Let it out, you'll go mad if you don't."
Henry bit his lip again as tears began to leak out of his eyes. Sammy rubbed his back the same way she would her little brothers. She understood, really she did. It didn't take long before Henry had his head buried in a pillow to muffle the sound of his sobbing.
And in a limo heading to Auradon, Claudine stared out the window with silent tears streaming down her face as she pet the cat sitting on her lap; longing for the day that she'd be able to be reunited with Henry.
She could only hope it would be soon. She prayed it would be soon.