As my heavy eyelids began to pull themselves open, I heard the familiar sounds of birds nesting in the trees, and the only thing I smelled was foresty pine. When my eyes were fully open they were met with wooden bars a few inches in front of me. My surroundings set in and I realized I was in a cage. I attempted to sit up by pushing on the bottom of this small box, but I found this task to be difficult. I looked down and saw violet and blue scales looking back at me instead of legs.
WHY DO I HAVE MY TAIL AND NOT MY LEGS?! My thoughts screamed. I frantically brought my fingers to my ears and felt that I was missing my earrings. I pushed myself up into a sitting position, calmed myself down and looked around the outside of the cage as best I could. All I saw was forest, no signs of people. 'Might as well get comfortable, I'm probably going to be here a while'
After 15 about minutes of sitting I remembered the note that sat in the pocket of my cloak that I had discovered on Hook's ship. I reached in my cloak and pulled out the small piece of parchment that was damaged and smudged yet still somehow readable.
TO, THE CREW OF THE JOLLY ROGER
FROM, MARIAN
I just wanted to thank the Captain of the ship for taking my most generous offer. (Your payment will be waiting for you when you return) I just truly could not STAND being around such a monster everyday of my life. She was a disgusting reminder of what creatures live in our world as well as other realms. I'm so glad Lilith will be dealt with, and I'm sure that the mermaids will do the best that anyone can. Creatures like her do not deserve to walk the land with us. (p.s. don't forget to take her earrings and a few scales as trophies)
As my eyes scanned over the last sentence my tears were already staining the page and fully ruining the letters that stood. I had let every wall that I had down for her, and she only reminded me of why I built them in the first place. In that moment every wonderful memory I had with her flashed through my brain like a play in a theater. It was all fake. She hated me.
I quietly sobbed and held my face in my hands with the letter sitting in my lap being soaked by my river of tears. I viciously ripped the paper to shreds but couldn't hold my stance for more than 2 seconds before I broke down again.
After 30 minutes of crying, my eyes were sore and my throat was dry, but the tears had come to a stop. I felt more angry than sad now, but the heavy feeling still lingered inside of me. I leaned my head against the bars and closed my eyes when I heard footsteps approaching my cage.
I decided to continue my 'asleep' act to see if I could figure out who it was. The footsteps were heavy and sounded like leather shoes. They approached the cage and a familiar English accent came into play. "I know you're not asleep, so don't bother with that darling." I had already given up the act but I kept my eyes closed and I let out a very obviously frustrated sigh. I heard him chuckle and I just knew that the smirk he wore so well was pressed across his face.
"Stubborn, are we? Well I'd like you to know that if you answer my very few questions then I might just let you out." His footsteps grew closer "as long as you're willing to behave of course." I didn't move a muscle and simply replied "Then I guess I'm not getting out anytime soon." I shrugged. I opened my eye just enough for him not to notice, but I couldn't miss the priceless look of anger and frustration on his face.
"Fine then" he spoke up as I slowly opened my eyes and gave him the most infuriatingly innocent look. "You don't want to come out?! Fine! Stay in there for the rest of eternity, I couldn't care less! But.." he grabbed my face from a gap in between the bars making me let out a small cry of pain and held my jaw with such strength, forcing me to look up at him. "you will answer my questions, or I'll just have to have my shadow rip yours into oblivion, and I can tell you right now, it's not pleasant."
He finally let go of my jaw and I immediately felt the hand print forming on my face. I gasped for air not realizing I had been holding my breath, and he spoke up again. "Question number one, what's your name." I looked him in the eyes and silently stared at him for 2 minutes straight. He clenched his jaw and balled up his fists, squeezing them until his knuckles were ghostly white.
"I'm surprised you haven't tried to break out yet," he said in a surprisingly calm tone "though it wouldn't do you any good, I've enchanted your little prison to withstand any kind of damage." I shoot him an icy glare and replied "why would I try to break out if I have no legs to walk on?" I spat. He pretended to look puzzled for a moment. "Oh, that reminds me!"
He paused and reached into a pouch hanging from his belt. "You must be looking for these, am I right?" He pulled out my mothers earrings and the sight of them made me scramble to the front of the cage and try to snatch them through the bars. "Give them back." I said in a low, demanding voice. He let out a small chuckle and replied "I don't think you're exactly in the position to be making demands now, are you princess?"
I stared at the earrings, nervous as to what he planned to do with them. "Ah, that leads me to my next question." He dangled them in front of the bars and snatched them out of my grasp when I tried to reach for them. "What do they do?" He asked. "Answer my questions, and you MIGHT get them back." I turned my head downward slightly and finally thought 'what have I got to lose at this point' so I prepared to tell him the complicated story. "Well I hope you've got time!" I said getting myself in a comfortable sitting position. "Oh please, we're in Neverland! We quite literally have forever!"
I rolled my eyes and explained to him how my earrings work and also the fact that I was the last known siren in the realms, which took a good 30 minutes In itself. "Oh yeah, I'm Lilith by the way. Lilith Seagrave." He looked at me confused. "Hmm, I didn't actually think you'd tell me your name of all things." I felt a lump form in my throat, but I swallowed it just in time. "Like I said, I have nothing to lose. Not anymore..."
Our eyes met, and the stone cold looks he had been giving me for hours on end suddenly disappeared. His eyes were no longer full of darkness and rage, but sympathy and almost love. They faded into a beautiful forest green and I almost saw a spark of light in them, before the dark, black pupils returned. I'll be honest, I've never really been into nice guys that much. Maybe that's why I find this murderous stranger attractive. He's got darkness, the addictive kind.
He looked up at me cleared his throat and straightened his posture before asking yet another question. "So, how come you are the last siren alive. What makes you so special?" I laughed at his slightly offensive comment for some reason, it's probably just a weird coping mechanism. "Ok, rude!" He gave me a glare and I put my hands up in surrender. "Fine I'll answer," I gave him the most smug look I could and answered. "I'm Lilith Seagrave. The Siren Queen of the seven seas. When the pirates war went down I was sheltered and they never found me. I guess it was just luck."
He smirked and chuckled when I mentioned the fact that I was a Queen. I rolled my eyes and pointed to my earrings that rested in his balled up fist. "So, can I have my legs back now?" I snapped, and when he looked up at me without moving his head, I gave the most infuriatingly innocent smile. He looked me in the eyes and crossed his arms making my smile drop into a frown. He smirked and said "only if you promise to behave. Because if I give you your legs, then I'll also have to let you out before you break through my favorite cage."
I scrunched up my nose in confusion but dropped my face and rolled my eyes AGAIN. (I really like doing that.) "Fine. It's not like there's anywhere I can really go anyways." He extended his fist into the cage through the bars and dropped my earrings watching them clatter on the wood. I scrambled to pick them up and put them back in, longing for the feeling of legs again. I finally got the right one in and my scales faded away down my legs, until every last fin was gone. My dress and shoes were restored with the legs and I ran my hands down them to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
Pan walked up to the cage and waved his hand over the lock making a 'click' sound. He pulled it open and extended a hand. I grimaced at the thought of our hands touching but at the same time, I wouldn't really be complaining if we made skin to skin contact. I decided to be stubborn and ignored the help, climbing my way out of the bamboo prison.
When my feet hit the ground and I finally brushed myself off, I looked to my right and saw Pan eying me. I gave him a what-the-hell-are-you-gonna-do-about-it? Look in response. He rolled his eyes and smirked only a little bit before turning to me once again and pointing to a space behind me. I saw smoke and light coming from the noise that was of boys yelling and screaming. I pushed through the bushes and saw a campsite with a large fire in the center, surrounded by log benches.
"Welcome to Neverland Lilith"