xxi. oh dear, how silly are you...
━ ❝ to think... ❞
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warning! semi-short chapter!
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HENRY WAS TRYING his best to be sneaky but failing. Felix refrained from rolling his eyes as he led the boy to where Wendy would be waiting soon enough. It was just too obvious that he was following him. Perhaps it was because he was trained to know but still, the Mills could be more discrete about it. But no, he stepped on a twig instead. The second in command rolled his eyes that time and turned around before brushing it off and walking away. Of course, Henry followed after him like a predator stalking its prey. Just not as stealthy.
Meanwhile, Pan was undoing the chains to the other cage where a young girl with dirty clothes and messy hair sat with her eyes wide with fear. Arabella stood with him, watching with narrowed eyes. This was his plan? A girl? A certain fire ignited in her veins.
"Am I... am I free?" the young girl questioned with hope in her tone though there was definitely some doubt laced in it. She almost laughed at the innocence in her voice. The mother couldn't help but wonder why her husband and kept a female in a cage for so long. Did they have a past together? For sure they did. What type of past though?
Pan smirked. "Not yet, Wendy." He held out his hand and Wendy grabbed it, letting him pull her out of the cage. "But that doesn't mean you can't come out and play." Arabella and Wendy made eye contact and Arabella glared at her. She wasn't usually the jealous type. However, with all of these worries of losing her love again, she was extremely cautious. The former princess didn't like the way Wendy look at her husband.
Wendy smiled at her innocently and Arabella continued to glare, knowing fairly well it was just for show in front of the leader. Pan saw her glare and then looked at Wendy. "Wendy give us a minute." The girl instantly did as she was told, making her scoff with disbelief, rolling her eyes.
"There's no need to be jealous, love," he sighed once she was gone.
Looking back at him, Arabella gave him a look, throwing one hand in the girl's direction she had headed. "Did you not see the look in her eyes?" Another scoff. "Ridiculous."
Pan smirked and put his hands on her hips. "Don't be jealous. Cause I married you, not Wendy. She's just a part of the plan."
Arabella still looked enraged. "Well too bad, 'cause I'm jealous." Her accent flowed into her every word due to her anger. It happened and every time he adored it. Because it reminded him of one of many reasons why he loved her.
He smirked even more and kissed her hard. Only a few seconds passed before she kissed him back, cupping the back of his neck to draw him closer. She was kissing him back just as hard, gripping his hair. They broke apart and he grinned. "Don't be jealous. But I might have to get you angry more often."
She was confused, her head tilting to the side before she smiled once she realized she had spoken with her accent. "Whatever. Just if she tries anything—"
"I'll make sure to crush her heart."
Arabella smiled and pecked his lips. "Good." Her hands slowly went down his chest, making her chuckle slightly at the look on his face. Pan's eyes darkened and he kissed her once more before he gave her a wink, walking away to tell Wendy what she needed to do. The brunette turned around to watch him leave. She then brought her finger to her lips, smiling. She loved him more than words. And she was enjoying his confidence since it was an issue before. If only she knew what was going to happen soon.
———
Felix was still walking in the woods, Henry following after. He was reaching the location so he knew that it was time. There was a bag in his hands and once he turned the corner he dropped it, continuing on as if he didn't notice. He could hear Henry running for the bag but he kept walking because he wasn't meant to stick around.
So the Mills boy was alone in the jungle. He grabbed the bag and looked up to see a ladder. Then a cough followed, making his eyebrows furrow. Henry put the bag on his shoulders before approaching the means of entering the little tree house and climbing up it. Wendy laid in a small bed, feigning sickness as she coughed. The boy stopped at the foot of the bed, seeing her there. "Who are you?"
"You're not supposed to be here," Wendy told him quietly, knowing fairly well that Pan was listening from the balcony that was covered by a thin sheet hanging from the ceiling. She tried so hard not to just glance over.
Henry nodded. "I know. I thought Pan might be keeping my family here." Then he shook his head at the silly thought. "Why are you so far away from the camp?"
"I'm... I'm sick, and he's afraid someone might catch it," she lied, looking down at the blanket she was covered with. In a flash, Pan had fixed her clothes to be clean and her hair to be nice and neat. Because she had to be convincing in the fact that he had taken good care of her.
"Who are you?"
"My name's Wendy."
Henry's eyes widened "Wendy Darling?" She nodded and Henry sat on the bed, putting the bag on his lap. He shouldn't have expected anything else really. This was Neverland after all which meant Tinkerbell too but he hadn't met her yet. "I'm Henry. W... what's wrong?"
She looked away from him for a second, gathering her thoughts before speaking, looking back at him. "It's the island, Henry. Its power is fading. I've been here a long time, but... well... for some reason, it's affecting me more than the others." That's the best explanation she could ake up considering Pan had given her none. All he said was to convince the boy that the only way to save magic was to trust the immortal leader. "You look like him," she blurted suddenly.
"Like who?"
"Your father."
Pan was smirking on the other side of the sheet. Wendy continued with her act, practically feeling it being seared into her brain. Henry was surprised, his mouth open a bit before he replied, "You knew my father?"
The memories of Baelfire sacrificing himself for the Darling siblings was one she'd never forget. "We were friends." She smiled a bit before it fell. "A long time ago, when he was just a little bit older than you. He saved my brothers from danger. He would do anything for my family." She forced another cough, seeing that he was convinced.
"Are you gonna be okay?" Henry questioned, looking concerned for her.
She nodded, covering her mouth. "You should go." He offered to help but she quickly declined it. "Just please, I don't want you to catch what I have. Pan is already doing everything that he can. But the magic here... I fear it is not enough." He insisted that there was a way, she cut him off again. "Please go, before you, too, become ill."
Henry slowly nodded. "I'll come back for you. I promise." He put the bag on the bed and traveled back to the ladder where he went down it, leaving the girl behind. Pan entered the room right after, making Wendy sigh slightly, sitting up.
"Well done. I couldn't have played the part better myself," Pan complimented fakely, smirking wide. He put his hands on the railing at the foot of the bed. "Oh, and that bit about dear old dad. Excellent job."
"I don't like lying to him," Wendy admitted, her eyes shining with regret.
Pan didn't care and just shrugged, rolling his eyes. "Don't think of it as lying. Think of it as... providing motivation." When she asked what the motivation was for, he narrowed his eyes. "Doing what needs to be done, for all of us. See, Henry has the heart of the truest believer. And I need to control that belief." This was what he hadn't told Arabella. Because she would never trust him or love him is she knew what he had to do.
"What do you need him to believe in?" Wendy asked.
"Me." She looked down, knowing what would happen to the sweet boy. "Now back to your cage."
———
Pan went back to camp and saw Arabella watching all of the boys mess around. She was smiling as Jordan was being chased by Curly, Slightly following behind, growling like a bear. The mother laughed at the sight and then felt arms capture her waist. A sigh escaped her lips, not looking over because she knew who it was. "Did she try anything?"
He smirked. "No, darling. I told you if she did that I'd rip her heart out."
She nodded. "Hm."
There was something off, making him frown, and so he moved to stand in front of her. "What's wrong?"
Arabella bit her lip and then sighed. "I did some thinking today and... what if Alistair or his father kidnapped me and put a spell on me so I wouldn't remember anything that happened to me."
Pan looked thoughtful, remembering the two well enough to know how Alistair had made him kiss his feet once. He felt the back of his neck flush with his anger, clenching his teeth. "I will find the person who kidnapped you Aria, I promise. And they will pay."
The brunette didn't say anything for a moment, moving forward to hug him. Pan didn't reciproate the affection at first, looking around to see if the boys were watching before hugging her back, kissing the top of her head.
"I don't want to lose you," she whispered from his shoulder as tears filled her eyes.
He rubbed her back. "You won't. Everything will be fine." He would make sure that everything would be perfect, nothing would go wrong. Arabella would feel at home here, without having to worry about the heroes striking because he planned for the StoryBrooke gang to be gone soon enough. Everything would be as it should be in Neverland.
Oh Peter, how silly are you to think that it would end there?
———
Henry walked back to camp after wandering for a while in his thoughts. Wendy was dying and it was up to him to save her. Thinking about it made him nervous because someone's life was in his hands. The entire island was in his hands. If he didn't do something, the girl he just met would pay the price. Of course, that is what he thought. Right before he entered camp, he hears Pan's voice speak up from nearby. "Why so glum, chum?"
The Mills boy turned around and saw Pan as he got up from his spot that he was sitting at by the tree. Arabella had eventually left to go give the boys their dinner, giving him plenty of time to get the truest believer on his side from his trip to see Wendy.
"You said you weren't keeping any secrets. But you lied. I found Wendy," Henry revealed.
Pan pulled a fake look of pleading. "Henry, I can explain."
"She's dying, isn't she?"
He looked around them before licking his lips, sighing sadly, looking back at him. "I'm afraid she is. Like much of the island, because the magic here is slipping away. I would've told you, but... I didn't want you to have that weight on your shoulders, knowing that a young girl's life depends on you." Saying the lies aloud made him want to smirk when he could tell that the cogs were working in the boy's head.
"So I'm the only one who can save magic?" Pan nodded. "How do I do it?"
Finally. He could taste the freedom on his lips, the tip of his tongue, in his bones. This was it. This was his happy ending taking shape once and for all. Arabella would still love him because he could easily lie and say that Henry wasn't strong enough. Surely she would believe him, not blaming him for it because it wasn't his fault. But he felt guilty for keeping a secret. However, he told himself that it was for her own good.
"The question isn't how, Henry. It's where. Follow me." Pan led Henry into the woods and led him to a rocky area that overlooked a bit of the ocean surrounding the island. A huge rock sat in the middle of the ocean and Henry looked at it while Pan stood behind him. "See that?"
"Is that skull rock?" Henry questioned, having a feeling like it was though he did ask.
Pan let himself smirk since Henry couldn't see him from where he stood. "Yes. Inside is where our salvation awaits... a salvation that only the heart of the truest believer can bring." More like his salvation. He couldn't help but feel so excited. This was it, this was it.
"Me?"
"That's right, Henry. But I won't lie to you. It won't be easy. It will require heroism and sacrifice. The only question is, are you up to the task?"
Henry thought for a moment, gazing at the rock that would hold a memory he would never forget: the moment where tried to be a hero and failed. Surely his family would be proud of him. He'd be just like them! Saving others, doing things for the betterment of innocent people. "Yes."
Pan smirked from behind him with a shocked expression, yet he was thoroughly amused. He wasn't going to fail Arabella. She would be happy, free, not a single care in the world after he got that heart. They would rule this realm together with the lost boys.
Oh Peter, how silly are you to think that it would be that easy?
———
Wendy sat in her cage, her head hanging low when she heard a rustle. Arabella emerged from the forest and approached her cage. The boys were too busy eating their food to notice her slipping away into the shadows.
"You're the girl from earlier," Wendy observed.
"Indeed I am," Arabella responded, a dark smirk taking over her face. She didn't even know why all of a sudden she was imagining crushing the girl's heart herself. Just thinking about Pan doing it made her upset because she wanted to do it. She wanted to see the dust in her fingers as the light left Wendy's eyes. The mother bent down in front of the girl's cage and glared at her. "You keep your hands off of Peter. He's mine, not yours."
Wendy glared right back, dropping her act because there was no point in keeping it. "He wouldn't love a nasty thing like you," she fired back.
Arabella smirked at the comment. "Well, I don't see him making out with you. And I most certainly don't see a ring on your finger." She chuckled at Wendy's shocked face, looking down at the former princess's hand to indeed see a ring. Arabella tilted her head, smirking even more before she became serious. "Keep your hands off what's not yours." Then she pushed her body backward, flicking her hand so Wendy got a cut on her cut. "That's your warning." She turned on her heel and walked away, feeling the darkness run through her veins.
Oh Peter, how silly are you to think that she was ever innocent?
———
This chapter was so much fun to write! I love getting a chance to show you guys dark Arabella. But I would love to hear why you guys think that Arabella is having these moments where she acts, well... evil. Because there is a reason that will be revealed later on! So do not expect this to be the last time she goes dark! Anyway, have a great day/night guys :)
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