"Triumph is often nearest when defeat seems inescapable."
- B.C Forbes
LIL'S POV:
"What in all of Neverland do you mean by 'a boy who stayed exactly how he was, unsure of himself and how his emotions buzzed'?" Peter yelled, stomping closer to the Fates, "Is that supposed to me? Is this some kind of twisted joke?"
I could hardly wrap my head around it either. The bizarre rhyming scheme that the Fates spoke in made the entire thing a bit difficult to comprehend. But mostly what I got from it was that Queen Madelyn was telling the truth. There's some prophecy written about me, and it's going to happen because it's part of my destiny. I mean, at least that's what these women said... I think.
I just still don't understand. Why me? Why not any other girl in the entire bloody world? Out of every person in the planet, well... my planet, it's me. I'm the one with this inescapable and extremely dangerous destiny. And to make matters even better, apparently everyone on this island knows about it. So that means one of two things. One: they'll help me fulfil what I'm supposed to do, and encourage me to do it. Or two: they'll try to stop me.
I'm pulled out of my state of shock when I see Peter being tossed to the back of the room by a tree root that is somehow hovering in the air. My eyes follow him across the room as I watch him hit the ground with a loud thump.
I gasp, my feet momentarily frozen in place, but immediately take action and run over to him.
"Peter!" I say, almost a whisper, as I bend down and put a hand under his head.
His eyes open, filled with a ferocity I'd never seen in them. And like before, I could have sworn there was a red hue to them.
Grudgingly, he lifted his head, using his back to propel himself up and putting one hand to the back of his skull. He gritted his teeth as he looked at the Fates.
My hand had moved to his mid-back, covered in pieces of dirt and scratched from the impact.
He looks at me, pain behind those fierce eyes, "I'm alright."
I turn to the Fates, with just as much anger as I know Peter has. The middle woman has her hand extended, palm facing us, and the tree root is hovering below it. As she puts her hand back at her side, the root slithers into the ground.
"Don't make us cut the thread too soon boy, for if we do she'll be alone. But try that again and we will do it, you'll fall to the ground as hard as stone."
An obvious threat, no doubt because Peter got too hasty and rushed at them.
How terrifying to think that all these women had to do was cut a thread, and someone died. We, could die.
But, wait...
"I thought he was a part of my destiny. If you kill him, what then?" I shout at them from across the room.
" 'Tis true that we write destinies,
but not all are followed how we arrange. 'Tis true that you need him to complete your journey, but fate can be cruel and destinies changed."
"So you can change destinies? Rewrite them?" I exclaim, a sudden idea coming to mind, "Change mine then! Don't make me the Kulethe."
The Fates each shake their heads, "Yours is a destiny, written long before others. Before the first mortals walked on Earth, and long before your own Mother's. It cannot be changed, it cannot be tweaked.
For you will make Neverland how it was intended to be."
I move my hand from Peter's back and run it through my own knotted hair, giving an exasperated laugh, "You can change other people's destinies but not mine? Great. That's just typical me. Exactly my luck."
"Luck has nothing to do with it, Luck does not exist. Anything you recieve or not, is simply one of our gifts."
I lean forward and put my head in my lap. This is too much. I came to Neverland because I wanted to get away from all the drama and problems of Ireland, and now that's exactly what I'm being told is in my future. It's not fair. But if I say that aloud, I'm sure the Fates will have plenty to say about 'fairness'.
I then feel a gentle hand on my shoulder, "Lilith. Listen, if what these... Fates," - Peter sounds a little uncomfortable with the word-, "Say is true, then you won't be doing it alone. People will be there to help you. In particular, me. And we both know I'm the best at everything."
I smile, and lift my head to look at him. The ferocity is gone from his face, and all that's left is sincere kindness.
I put my hand, smothered in dirt now that I see it, over his.
"Thank you." I say.
He smiles too, a lopsided one, "On the bright side, looks like we'll be together non stop now. Since we're a team, or so the Fates say."
His tone is a bit awkward, and I understand why. The Fates described Peter as a boy who was 'unsure of himself and how his emotions buzzed'. Emotions meaning... us? What happened between us? Maybe he hasn't forgotten about what happened, as he otherwise pretends he has. I know I certainly haven't. I never expected Peter to be the kind of person who has any emotion other than happiness. All he ever does is run around and have a good time. I'm sure he even has good dreams. So, why would his emotions be buzzing... if not for me?
But now, am I being too self-centered? Why would Peter even think about me for a moment. He doesn't like me as anything more than a friend, if that. He's made that completely obvious.
Unless he's hiding something.... but there I go again with assumptions.
Peter's softly babbling on about something when a lightbulb goes off in my mind.
"Peter, wait. I just thought of something."
He looks concerned, "What?"
"We've gone all this time believing that these Fates are real," I turn my head and eye them suspiciously, "But how do we know they're who they say they are? How do we know this isn't some illusion or something?"
"Well as far as I know, and I know a lot about Neverland, there are no trees with rooms actually in them, and no people living in those rooms." He shrugs.
Still eyeing the "Fates", I stand up and take a cautious step closer to them, examining their resolute features.
"You have your doubts of us, not sure what to believe. But come look with your own eyes, into a peak at your destiny."
The woman on the left extends her hand, and this time faces it palm down. She bends her wrinkly knuckles so that it looks like her hand is scraping something out of the ground, and as she does the dirt beneath her begins to rumble. A loud crack is heard as a tree root shoots out of the brown dirt, and heads straight for me. I take a step back, not wanting to be struck by it, when it stops a few paces in front of me.
It doesn't look like an ordinary root. It's got the texture of a tree root, that much is true, but the color is never the same for too long. Very lightly, different colors fluctuate along the length of the root, as if showing some type of unknown pattern.
I glance over at Peter who is now standing, also looking at the strange root.
"I think," Peter begins, a bit unsure of himself, "I think they want you to touch it."
"Touch it? But why?" I ask, not understating what he means.
He shrugs, eyes fixated on it, "I don't know. But, I think you should."
The one Fate woman is in the same position. Hand out, knuckles bent, and glaring at me with dead eyes. I look to her for a sign of direction, but she stays frozen.
Slowly, I take small steps toward the root. As I get closer, I feel the root radiating some type of heat. A warmth that draws me to it. The flickering colors of the root begin to take shape, showing flashes of people... things. I want to look back at Peter, to ask him if he's seeing what I'm seeing, because this is unbelievable - but I'm too mesmerized by the root.
I'm standing directly in front of it now. It reaches my chest - the flashing images racing before my eyes, but I can't make out what they are. They're just blurs. My hand moves up to the root. As it gets nearer I hear a soft, high-pitched whine in my head. And as my fingers close around the root, I feel the heat turn into an all out fire -- and the whining noise turns into a scream.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Peter and I step out of the tree-door and hear it close softly behind us. There's a soft hiss as the door seals itself, and when the two of us turn to look at the sealed tree, it's gone.
Nothing stands in it's place except for a wide clearing of trees.
I turn, crossing my arms over my chest and begin walking. I have no clue where I'm walking, I just am.
"Hey!" Peter runs to catch up with me.
I don't answer. I keep my head down and arms crossed.
"Hey!" He shouts again, this time yanking on my arm to stop me, "You gonna tell me what happened back there? One minute you were walking toward the root, and the next you vanished. Then you show up out of thin air, and walk all mindlessly out of the room."
I don't deny what he says. He continues, "Where did you go? What'd you see?"
I shudder, a chill rising up my spine at the recent memory. I wrap my arms tighter around myself as I see the images floating in my mind again.
"They were telling the truth. That's all you need to know."
I begin walking again. I have to walk. I have to get these godforsaken pictures out of my head. I feel like my mind is going to explode - the pressure between my eyes is at a level of intensity that makes me want to faint. And yet my legs move, as if to carry me away from the thoughts that terrify me.
I hear Peter's footsteps catching up to me, "No, Lilith! You can't just leave me clueless like this!"
He grabs my shoulders and forces me to look at him, "You disappeared. You touched that tree root and you vanished."
As I look at Peter I notice that he's blurry, even so close to me. All around him I see those images swimming around - taunting me.
I squeeze my eyes shut, biting my lip and willing them to go away.
"Lilith," He says more calmly, "Tell me what happened."
I open my eyes and stare up at him. The blur is gone, and the swimming images as well. It's just him. Just his perfect, rosy face. His beautiful, button nose and deep blue eyes. I reach a hand up, rubbing my thumb across his sharp cheek bone - but as I move it away, I see a trail of blood in it's place. I look at my thumb and see it's a sickly, green color streaked with Peter's crimson blood. Looking back at his face, I see a deep, gushing wound in his cheek streaming a thick, steamy blood. His face is pale and his eyes beg me for death.
I shake my head, removing myself from his cold embrace and stepping away.
"No." I breathe.
He takes a forced step toward me, his usual blond hair now stained with blood.
"No!" I shout, collapsing to the floor.
I bury my face in my hands and pound at my skull.
"Go away!" I yell at the fearful images that dance behind my closed eyelids, "Leave me alone!"
Two hands touch either side of my face and lift it away from my hands. I keep my eyes shut, not wanting to see anything.
"Open your eyes, Lilith." Peter says.
I shake my head, lip trembling but tears refusing to come, "No. I can't... I can't bear to look at you."
The ghostly image of a bleeding Peter races across my mind again, making me want to beat at my skull again. I try to raise my hand but Peter's are wrapped tightly around them, not allowing me to move.
"I'm normal, Lilith. Open your eyes and see. It's just me." He whispers, trying to make me more comfortable.
Do I risk it? Do I open my eyes and behold the heartstopping sight that I know will be before my eyes? Or do I leave them closed, and suffer this agony in darkness.
Slowing my rapid heart rate, I open my eyes. Ready to bolt at the first sign of my misery, but finding only a normal looking Peter crouched in front of me.
"Shhhh," He hushes me, pushing hair away from my eyes, "It's just me, see?"
The sun shines from behind him, illuminating his figure and making him look almost otherworldly.
"I-It's really you?" I ask, my teeth chattering as I run my fingers across his rough shoulder strap.
He nods, "It's me."
I breathe a sigh of relief and throw myself into his arms. He's unsuspecting of it, but catches me nonetheless.
"Oh, Peter. I've seen things. Horrible things. Things I should not have seen. I-I can't make them go away. I see them... everywhere. They move around the real world, just... just taunting me with what's to come. I-It's the future... b-before it happens. It's what's to come. And I... I-I know it all."
My body trembles as I yet again see the haunting images in my mind, "I can't make them go away. Even when I close my eyes, they're there. They're waiting for me. They force me to watch. The same horrible things... happening over and over again. I-I can't make them go away. And what's even worse... is that I can't tell what's real and what's not. Everything is just... mashed together in my brain and I... I..."
"It's alright," Peter soothes me, "It's not real."
"But Peter," I shake my head, "It is real. The images... the events... they happen. In one world or another... in this life time or the next... they happen. They all happen."
I close my eyes and see the gruesome events happen again and again before my eyes. The fates of everyone I know unfolding before me over and over. And each time... their blood is on my hands.
I move my hand from behind Peter and pound on my skull, trying to force them to stop.
"WHY WON'T YOU GO AWAY! IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" I scream.
Peter tears my hand away and scoops me up into his arms,
"We need to get you back to Alina. She'll know what to do."
I feel him lift off the ground, but I'm too distracted by seeing Alina in my mind. She's dying. Being crushed by someone's boot. Her bright light dimming under the thick soled shoe - and when the foot moves away, I see that it's my own boot that killed her. I killed her.
"NO!" I yell at myself, squeezing my eyes so tightly that I see stars.
Next thing I realize, I'm being lied down in a bed. There are voices around me - shouting, rushing, panicking. I hear footsteps running in and out, something hard scraping on another. I feel small gusts of wind as people move about my side.
But the only thing on my mind is what the Fates showed me. What... I did. All the unspeakable things I did. All those people... all those lives... Gone. Taken. And all because of me. Their blood on my hands, staining my very soul, and forever haunting my mind.
It's punishment, that's what this is. That's why the Fates showed it all to me. Because I didn't believe them, so they showed me my future.
My destiny.
I'm a murderer. A killer. Everything is my fault. I'm a failure. I could have prevented everything if only I... if only I...
Suddenly, I feel a cool liquid pouring down my throat. It's smooth as it trickles down my tongue, but when the scent hits my nose I spring up, coughing. The liquid is absolutely the most rancid thing I've had the un-pleasure of swallowing. After that, I feel a burst of coolness spread through my head. Entering through my temples and moving through my whole head.
I cough so violently that I can barely breathe. But after the fit stops, I feel different.
My head feels... lighter. All the awful thoughts are gone. They've disappeared. All that's left are the thoughts of my own - not the horrible images the Fates showed me.
I force my eyes open, and at first all I see is a swarm of bright colors and tilting objects, but eventually the world evens out, and I can see clearly.
I'm in one of the bedrooms at the tree house. Correction: I'm in Peter's bedroom. I recognize the view from the bed because of the first day I woke up here. The treasure chest overflowing with gold and gems, the bucket of weapons, the dimly lit candles. It's a comforting realization.
I hear a jingle and suddenly Alina flies into my line of vision.
"How are you feeling?" She softly asks.
My heart swells seeing her on my knees. I just want to wrap her in my arms and hug her until she can't breathe. Instead, a large grin develops on my face,
"I'm better." I manage to say, a rasp to my voice that catches me off guard. My hand goes up to my throat and I rub it thoroughly.
"It's from your coughing," Alina adds, "I thought for sure you'd cough out your vocal chords, but luckily they're just a bit scratched."
I nod, "I don't care. I'm just so glad it's gone - the images. A bit of a sore throat and disgusting potion is nothing compared to what I felt. By the way, what did you do to me?"
"I mixed up a tincture that I learned back in Royalty Academy. It's your version of 'school'. A class we took was potions, and we learned one on how to settle on uneasy mind. A bit of magic here and a sprinkle of medicine there, and you're all better."
As Alina said that I coughed again, a lighter one than before.
She gave me a sympathetic look, "Well, almost all better."
"No matter," I shook my head, "Thank you."
"Lilith," Alina said as she hovered carefully in front of me, "How did you get like that? Peter wouldn't say anything. All he told me was that you needed help, and then he left because he couldn't watch you like that."
"Peter and I stumbled upon the Fates deep in the forest. They were inside of this big tree... the Tree of Life. We went inside and they told us about this prophesy about me. About my destiny. I didn't believe them so they tried to prove it to me. This... this root came out of the ground and when I touched it... I saw things."
I paused, taking a deep breath,
"It showed me things I shouldn't have seen. No one should see them. They were terrifying. And when we left I just... I couldn't get them out of my head. It was like they were permanently attached to my very train of thought, tainting everything I saw. Changing what was really there. I couldn't make them go away. I just kept seeing the faces... I kept seeing..."
There was a knock at the door. When I looked over, Peted poked his head through the door.
He smiled, seeing me awake and no longer babbling, "You're better."
I nodded, "Thanks to you."
Alina made an offended noise, "I suppose I did nothing."
"You helped a little." Peter chuckled, opening the door and stepping inside.
I looked back at Alina, "No. You did a lot. Thank you. Without your help, I would have probably gotten myself into deep trouble."
Alina floated up at put a small hand on my cheek, "I'm always here for you, Lil. I'll always protect you."
My heart nearly burst at her kindness.
"And I for you." Was all I could say back.
She gave me a small wink before flying towards the door and leaving Peter and I alone.
I shifted on the bed, draping my legs and worn-out dress over the side to dangle in the air. I folded my hands across my lap and coughed again.
"Hi." Peter said.
"Hi." I replied, looking up at him.
"You're feeling better? No more... visions?"
I scoffed, "They weren't visions so much as... alternate endings. But yes, they've subsided."
In all honesty, they were completely gone. I could recall the memories if I wanted to but there were no more involuntary movies playing in my mind.
Peter sat down next to me on the bed and mimicked my posture.
We sat like that for a minute, in silence. Neither speaking a word and yet feeling utterly comfortable.
Finally Peter broke the silence, "What'd they do to you? The Fates. Were they telling the truth?"
"They were." I sighed, remembering the events but not allowing them to overwhelm me, "They showed me my destiny. And therefore the fate of everyone who's around me. I disappeared from that room because when I touched the root, I touched my own thread. My literal destiny, woven by the Fates. It brought me into the future and showed me things. Not everything, not the decisions I'll have to make or how I got there... just the consequences."
"And those consequences," Peter added, "They were... bad."
I nodded, shuddering a little, "They were terrible, Peter. All I saw was death and destruction. Blood and bodies and... and it was all because of me."
Peter shook his head and turned to me, "But when you were all... not yourself.... you said that they were just possibilities. You said that they didn't definitely happen."
"In this world or an alternative universe, the events will happen. The Fates were sure to tell me that. They told me that the events could change based on the choices I make. But they would give me no guidance on what those choices would be."
Peter plucked a leaf absent mindedly from his tunic, "But nothing is definite."
"Nothing is definite." I repeated.
"But that should make you happy! That means what you saw was only half true!"
I brought a hand across my forehead and faced Peter, "Don't you see? That only makes me even more terrified! Knowing that any decision I make could lead to that... one wrong move and someone I care about could die. I'd rather just not know at all. It'd save me this torture."
Another silence. Peter contemplated something hard as I stared at him. Seeing him so healthy and full of life was a sight I swore I'd never take for granted. Not after seeing everything that I did.
"There's no getting away from it then. You're the Kulethe."
"I'm the Kulethe." I reiterated.
It felt strange to finally admit it, but after today's events I could deny it no longer. I am the Kulethe.
"And that also means... we're a team." Peter shyly said.
"I suppose." I said. I hadn't really given more thought to it, but now I remembered.
"Peter," I began, "The Fates said you had buzzing emotions. Emotions about... what?"
He cast his head down. He looked almost embarrassed. I saw him scrunch his nose and rub the back of his neck. He gave a soft chuckle and looked back at me, his cheeks a hue of pink.
"A lot of stuff." He replied.
I could feel something growing between us. Something drawing me to him. I leaned a little closer, wanting to be know what he meant,
"Like what?"
He stared into my eyes and leaned forward a little more, playing along, "I shouldn't say, because if I do, something will happen. But after today, after what did happen, I don't think I'm so afraid any more."
The distnace between us was a mere inch. The calming aura that I felt pulsating from his body made me want to curl up beside him. It was the one steady thing I'd felt in this day of madness.
I leaned forward and put my lips close to his ear.
"Tell me." I whispered, wanting to keep this conversation entirely between us and away from prying ears.
The energy between us sparked like fireworks. Like that night in the forest, right before Peter pulled away. Except this time, when Peter gazed into my eyes, he put a hand on my cheek and leaned in.
No stopping it this time. The connection was too powerful to break.
There was a scramble of voices outside the door and in a matter of seconds it was flung open.
Peter and I immediately separated, staring at the door. I was so embarrassed I wanted to crawl under the covers and melt away.
Someone almost caught Peter and I kissing!
Wait. We almost kissed! Again!
By all the stars in the sky, I am going to actually strangle the person who interrupted this. Peter was about to kiss me.
I stood up, a bit flustered, and straightened out my dress.
"You know," I began, "I understand that customs are different here but where I come from it's polite to knock before you--"
I stopped short. The person in the door way looked back at me with frantic eyes. Wide, staring eyes that I immediately recognized.
"Jonathan."
A/N: My lovely readers!!!! I cant even express how sorry I am about not posting! I've been so busy that I completely forgot!
But I really hope you like this chapter! I'm thrilled with the way it came out, and I hope you all enjoyed it too!
Please please let me know what you thought about it??
And here's a surprise!
IT'S CONTEST TIME!
Rules are the same as last time!
Find a quote that you like and either message it to me or post it in the comments. Make sure you explain why you like it! The winner will get to pick a name for an upcoming (female) character :)
Deadline is 5/17/2015. Ill be sending the winner a message on that day!
Good Luck my lovelies ♡♡
Please don't forget to comment thoughts / hit that vote button ☆