As the sun set below the horizon line and the stars came out to play, the lanterns were lit and the pirates held court on the deck of the Jolly Roger. With the day's work done, this was their time to play. Once more properly dressed, Mia stepped outside the cabin to take in the cool night air. Mr. Shaye was sitting on a barrel playing his accordion as he began to belt out a little shanty. Mia couldn't resist stealing a seat on the barrel beside him and taking the opportunity to do a quick sketch of the swashbuckling musician.
The ocean was calm and serene. The breeze ruffled Mia's hair. As she lifted her head to it, her eyes met Hook's across the ship and she smiled at him. As the tempo quickened, Bill Jukes appeared at her side, offering her a short little bow.
"Would you care to dance, Miss Baxter?"
Mia flushed embarrassedly. "I, um, I don't really know how."
Bill smiled. "That's all right. I'll teach you. Come!"
Reluctantly, Mia set her sketchbook aside and followed the cabin boy to the center of the deck. It wasn't a slow dance like at prom. No moshing involved, either. And pirates certainly didn't twerk. This was a sort of jig-like dance, something Mia had seen pirates do in old swashbuckling films, with a lot of footwork involved.
Bill was patient with her and a good teacher, and soon enough Mia was getting the hang of it. She hiked up her skirt and matched his feet, step for step. Then they were linking arms and skipping one way, and then the next. Suddenly, she was passed off to the quartermaster, Mr. Starkey, and then even old Mr. Smee, who in spite of his usual silliness, was actually quite a good dancer. As Mia spun and twirled across the deck, her long auburn hair ruffled prettily in the breeze and her feminine laughter carried across the ship, a delightful sound which was not often heard aboard the Jolly Roger.
It was a pleasant night. In fact, it may well have been the most delightful night aboard the ship in years. The crew's morale was skyrocketing. And it was all because of the girl... the girl whom Hook could not take his eyes off of. Mia may well be the best thing to happen aboard the Jolly Roger in a very long time, and the best thing to happen to him, personally.
Hook did not mind his men taking turns dancing with the girl. They wouldn't try anything untoward. Not under his watchful eye. In fact, watching Mia having such a good time with the crew brought a smile to his face. If she was beginning to enjoy herself here, then perhaps there truly was a future for her aboard his ship, with his crew... and with him.
Hook descended the quarterdeck, crossing the main deck in the midst of his crew's merry-making. As the lively dancing came to an end, Mia was passed off, right into the embrace of their captain. Hook's gaze flicked to the pirate playing the accordion.
"Slow the tempo, Mr. Shaye."
"Aye, sir!"
The accordion slowed to a melody of a different nature as Hook led Mia to the center of the deck for a slow, graceful, waltz. He danced in the smooth, elegant manner that only a man of good breeding can accomplish, reminding Mia that he was more than just a simple pirate. Of course, this only made Mia all the more self-conscious.
"I'm not very good," she said apologetically, gazing at her feet so as not to get tripped up.
"That, my dear, is why you let me lead. If you can work your feet around those fast-paced jigs, I'm sure you can ease into a more intimate dance." As though to emphasize this, his left hand moved to the small of her back.
Blushing, Mia's hand curled around the base of his hook as she followed his lead. "But with this sort of dance, there's a bit more pressure to perform, don't you think?"
Hook chuckled softly. "The only pressure you should feel, dear, is this one."
His hand pressed more firmly against her back, pulling her closer so that she could feel the pressure of their bodies against one another as they swayed gently to the music. Hot shivers ran down Mia's spine at the placement of his hand. Oh, she had it bad if this was all it took.
The crew had gone silent. The only sound to be heard was Hook and Mia's booted feet clopping delicately across the deck and the gentle lapping of the waves against the hull of the ship as they were serenaded by Mr. Shaye's accordion. A canopy of stars hung in the velvet black sky above them, and Mia couldn't help thinking just how romantic this was. Lyrics from a song, not-so-long forgotten, entered her head.
I know you
I walked with you once upon a dream
I know you
The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam
This dance wasn't too dissimilar to the sort she'd seen or imagined between a fairytale prince and princess. But instead, Mia discovered that her prince was a debonair, roguish captain of the high seas. And yet, the dance... it was all the same. The sorts of things little girls' dreams are made of.
As the melody came to an end, Hook lowered her into a graceful dip. And it was there he held her, as they gazed into one another's eyes. If there was ever any pressure to perform, Mia felt it most keenly now. Her hand moved to the back of his head, her fingers entangling themselves in his raven hair as she pulled his face to hers and kissed him with a passion that had been building ever since their escape from Isla Tesoro. She could no longer deny her feelings. And though she still could not speak them, she could at least show them. Like this.
At first, Hook seemed surprised by her actions. But he was quick to reciprocate. Hook pulled Mia out of the dip and lifted her off her feet, spinning her around as he kissed her with a triumphant fire. The sounds of the crew were muffled in Mia's ears, as all she could hear was the beating of her heart, which, to her, was not so unlike the sound of waves pounding against a rocky shore.
Hook set her back on her feet. As their lips parted for breath, their foreheads met and they gazed deeply into one another's eyes. It was truly a blissful moment. Never had they felt more connected... and then the ruckus began.
A chorus of 'Ooohs' resounded across the deck, accompanied by laughter and applause, cheers and cat-calls. One pirate shouted, "I bleedin' knew it! I told ya'! Now pay up, Jukes!"
Hook spun towards them without releasing Mia, resulting in him placing her in an awkward headlock. "BELAY THAT NONSENSE, YOU SCURVY BILGERATS!"
"Hook!" grumbled Mia, yanking her head out from under his arm.
"Oh. Sorry, dear. It's a reflex."
Mia glared irritably at him; her hair tousled. Hook tilted his head back and laughed. Then he ruffled her hair and placed his hat atop her head.
"As you were," he said to his crew, and they took up their nightly revelry once more. "Come," he said, offering his arm to Mia.
Mia tilted his hat further back on her head so she could see beyond its wide brim. Then she took his arm and allowed him to lead her across the deck away from the rumpus. He led her to the quarter deck and took a seat on the stairs, pulling her into his lap.
"Mia..." he said softly.
"James," she said, blushing.
"Are you happy here?"
Mia gave it some deliberation. "Yes," she said slowly. "But..."
"But you miss your family... and your friends," he finished for her.
"Aye."
Hook sighed. "Perhaps... Perhaps something can be done about that."
Mia turned her head to look at him, her expression one of disbelief.
"I still cannot sail near Cerenopia," he said, shaking his head. "It would surely be the death of me. But perhaps I could still find a way to get you there safely."
"Do you really mean that?" asked Mia.
"If that is what you wish," he said softly, his gaze straying from hers.
Mia had the strong suspicion that it hurt him to offer this, and she loved him all the more for it. She kissed him on the cheek.
"Thank you, James."
The corner of his mouth lifted in a half-smile. He was pleased to make her happy, but hated the idea of letting her leave. Nevertheless, he would do what he must... for his Mia.
"Understand, however, that this will take some planning. It is not something that can happen overnight. It could still be a long time before I'm able to work something out. And I'm not just saying that because I don't want you to leave," he quickly added.
"I know," she said solemnly. "Otherwise you wouldn't have offered."
"There's a lot of planning to be done. Precautions to be taken. But I promise you, I'll do everything in my power to get you home."
"Thank you," she said again, earnestly. "You don't know what this means to me."
Home! She was going home! Back to her father and dragon, back to her friends, back to safety, away from the Dark Ones and the possibility of discovery. Away from...
"James," she said, frowning. "If I go back... will I ever see you again?"
Hook took a long, slow breath. Then, he directed her gaze to the stars. "Look at them, Mia. Aren't they beautiful tonight? Must be the clearest night I've seen in quite a while." He pointed directly above them. "That's Ozstar. The north star."
"Oh," said Mia. "Sort of like Polaris."
"Polaris?" asked Hook furrowing his brow. "I'm afraid I don't know that one."
Shit. I shouldn't have said that.
She'd fallen into such complacency with Hook that she'd nearly forgotten that she must exercise caution in the things she said; things that would reveal she was from Earth.
"Oh, it was just... just something I heard once," she said, trying to sound dismissive. "I don't remember where. It's probably wrong. So, what about the others?"
Hook's finger moved to the right. "That one there is Mik's star. It's always the brightest. Then there's Taran's Sword, which wayfingers use to guide them at sea," he said, pointing to a constellation at the upper right of the firmament, which indeed looked like a sword pointing downwards. "Then the Buccaneer's Hat," he said, pointing to a tricorn-shaped constellation, "which leads the way to Isla Tesoro, the scallywag's safe harbor."
"Cool," said Mia, admiringly.
She waited; waited for him to tell her how to use them all to find him again. But he never did. It was then she realized that he had no secrets, no special techniques on how she could find him. He had only been trying to distract her, distract them both, from the one sorrow shared between the two of them - that when she returned to Cerenopia, there was a high likelihood that they'd not see one another again.
Unless Mia could somehow find Neverland on her own, which was unlikely, then James Hook would be forever lost to her. And what had she expected, really? They were on different sides of an ideological war. He with the bad guys, she with the good guys. It wasn't like they could just visit each other, even if they did know how to find one another.
Mia rose to her feet. "I'm tired," she said tremulously. "I think I'll go to bed."
"Mia..."
But she spoke not another word as she placed his hat back upon his head and hurried into the cabin. Hook sighed as he gazed up at the stars again, watching as a dark, inky black cloud moved across the sky, slowly blotting them out. The wind picked up and the waves began to rock the ship a little more forcefully.
"Rough waters tonight, Cap'n," said Cecco from the helm. "Storm's a brewin'."
Hook joined him at the helm. "It's her," he said in an undertone. "She's coming."
Cecco's eyes widened. "The Sea W-"
But Hook quickly signaled him to be silent.
"W-What should we do, Cap'n?"
"Keep her steady," said Hook, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "And keep a weather eye. She will come tonight, if I'm not mistaken. But there is no reason to fear. My associates will not harm us, so long as we do nothing to cross them."
"A-Aye, sir."
"In the meantime," said Hook, lowering his voice to a whisper, "Spread the word... Should you encounter the Sea Witch, speak nothing of Miss Baxter. Any man who breathes a word of that girl's presence aboard my ship will soon find it will be his last."
Cecco nodded his understanding. Taking a deep breath, Hook turned towards his cabin, hesitating just outside the door. He closed his eyes and drew in another breath. Then, he opened the door.
Mia sat at the back of the cabin in front of the expansive window overlooking the sea from the stern, but she was not admiring the view. Instead, she was curled up with her knees drawn to her chest and her face buried in them. As Hook entered, Mia glanced up. Her eyes were red and she quickly wiped away the incriminating tears from her cheeks. Wordlessly, Hook took off his coat and hat and walked towards her.
"This isn't..." Mia stammered. "I-I wasn't-"
Hook took her into his arms and kissed her. His kiss was rough, passionate, and longing. And when he lifted her off her feet and carried her to his bed, she made no protest.
~~~
They lay side by side in the bed, Hook's arm around her and Mia with her head resting on his shoulder as she read aloud to him by the dim light of the gently swinging lanterns.
"In their eyes, the stowaway situation had been resolved. When Captain Callaway returned, the girl was gone, and in her place Callaway's pockets jingled with the gold coins from her sale. He divvied the prize up among the crew, who marveled that the girl had fetched such a handsome price. But the captain was not alone upon his return. He was accompanied by a young boy - small, slender, and feminine in appearance, but otherwise able-bodied. According to the captain, this was to be their new cabin boy.
"Cabin boys often suffered the abuse of their superiors, but the captain was particularly protective of this one. He claimed it was the son of his long-lost and recently deceased sister, and that the boy had nowhere else to go. The crew wouldn't dare cross their formidable captain, and so they treated the boy well, often with claims of, 'We'll make you into a real man, yet,' which always seemed to bring a look of nervousness to the boy's soft features.
"But from henceforth, the captain began making strange requests. Namely, that the boy, his alleged nephew, was not to sleep below decks with the crew. Instead, he kept the young man in his cabin at night. Rumors began to spread like wildfire upon the ship. The crew did not care for the way Captain Callaway mollycoddled the boy. It was said by most that the captain had gone 'soft.' These rumors did not go unnoticed by the captain. It seemed his secret was at risk of being discovered. And if it was, there may well be a mutiny, in which case it would seem the only way to settle the problem and save his own skin was by offering Laura up as collateral to his crew."
Mia let out a yawn. Her words were becoming slower and slurred. Hook gently took the book from her, holding it in his one good hand as he finished the page aloud himself.
"That night, watching the girl, whom he'd disguised as a boy in the interest of her own safety, sleep soundly in his bed, Rowan Callaway realized that he loved her. He could not allow anything to happen to her. But protecting her meant giving up his entire way of life, not to mention the risk of being tracked down and punished, perhaps even killed, for his treachery..."
He trailed off as Mia rolled onto her side, resting her head upon his bare chest.
"Don't worry," she yawned. "I'm still listening. Besides... I already know... how it ends."
Smiling softly, Hook finished the last paragraph.
"Nevertheless, love triumphed over all. And so, the following night, just before dawn, Captain Callaway took his beloved Laura and slipped silently away into one of the longboats. As they rowed off into the rising dawn, Laura smiled at Rowan, knowing that she had found her man and that her love had changed him... for the better."
Slowly, he closed the notebook.
"My dear, that story was positively..."
He glanced at her, seeing that she'd fallen asleep. Gently, he lifted a tendril of wayward hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear.
"Beautiful."
Pressing a kiss to Mia's forehead, Hook pulled her into his arms and settled down for sleep.
~~~
Never was there a more contented pair.
But that was all to end.
It happened in the dead of night, trailing into early morning. The stars still shone faintly in an inky black sky when Hook awoke to a thump on deck. It was such a subtle noise, one most people would sleep through, and Mia was no exception. She lay serenely at his side, the coverlet pulled up to her bosom, and his shirt sliding off one of her shoulders. Hook, however, was so accustomed to the sounds of his ship, that the instant something unusual happened, he knew. It was like a bug alighting upon his flesh, as though the Jolly Roger were somehow a part of him; an extension of himself. The sound was soon followed by a soft cry, which was abruptly silenced. Mia slept on, unaware of the peculiarity, but not Hook.
Carefully, Hook extracted himself from Mia and re-dressed in just his pants, boots, and coat. He reattached his hook and tucked a loaded pistol into his belt. Mia stirred briefly, but did not awaken. Silently, Hook left the sleeping girl to investigate the sound, fearing what he already knew he'd find.
He stepped out onto the deck. Then, he saw her. The moonlight shone on her shimmering silver hair which cascaded past her shoulders and spilled across her heaving bosom. Her pale, corpulent body descended into what, at first glance, appeared to be an inky black dress, but upon closer inspection, ended in eight writhing appendages. And it was one such appendage that had wrapped itself around Bill Jukes' waist, pinning his arms to his sides as he struggled helplessly.
So, she'd finally caught up to him. Gently, quietly, Hook closed the door to the cabin. Though, in his attempt at stealth, the door didn't quite shut all the way.
"Now tell me, for I won't ask again," said the Sea Witch in a husky voice. "Where is that delicious captain of yours?"
Hook stepped away from the cabin as he addressed the unwelcome visitor. "Kindly do me the favor of releasing my cabin boy from your tendrils, madam. Obviously, what you seek stands before you now."
Ursula's head swiveled at the sound of his voice, her long silver hair flying prettily about a plump but no less attractive face. Her bright red lips spread across her lavender skin in a wide smile.
"James Hook... darling..."
She released Bill at once, sending him plummeting hard to the deck. With a strangled cry, he scooted backwards on his bottom before turning and running below decks like hell itself were after him.
"I do apologize for that, but he was being so terribly disagreeable." Ursula approached the captain, her slithering appendages making popping and slapping sounds as she came to him across the deck. "Besides," she said silkily as her tentacles encircled Hook and drew him towards her so that he was face to face with her. "You know it's you I'd like to have in my tendrils." One such tendril reached up and slowly caressed his cheek with the smooth side.
Hook visibly winced, unsuccessfully suppressing a shudder of revulsion "I'm... sure... you would." He pushed her tentacle away from his face, doing his best to regain his composure. "I'd had forewarnings of your coming, Ursula. Just what is it that you want so badly from me that you had to seek me out in person? You could have just contacted me through your accursed eels, couldn't you?"
Ursula waved a hand dismissively. "Eel to parrot communication is so horribly dull, James. Besides, you're always keeping those damn parrots covered up."
Hook crossed his arms. "I suppose I'm not particularly fond of being spied on. Silly notion, I know," he added sarcastically.
Meanwhile, back in the cabin, Mia sat up in bed. She'd awoken when Hook rose from the bed, armed himself, and stepped out on deck. Worried, Mia tip-toed barefoot across the cabin, wearing one of Hook's shirts. It hung to her thighs. The perfect nightshirt, but still not something she wanted to go capering around in. So instead, she went to the door and peered out through the crack. It took every ounce of restraint she possessed to keep from screaming at what she saw.
On the deck of the Jolly Roger stood a writhing mass of tentacles gradually tapering upwards into the body of a woman. Despite the slight differences in appearance between the octo-woman's film counterpart and real life, Mia nonetheless recognized this person for who she was. Ursula, the Sea Witch. There was no mistake. What other half-woman, half-octopuses could there be?
Although she shared a sort of corpulence with her Disney animated counterpart, the real Ursula was not unattractive. She possessed a round but pretty face, and her eyes were like turquoise pools. Her hair was much longer, and more silver than white. It almost seemed to have a shimmery quality to it. And yet, for all her attractiveness up top, she was no less frightening to behold on the whole. And she had Hook wrapped in her tentacles!
Mia's hand tightened on the doorknob. She wasn't sure what she could do, but she must do something to save him! But she hesitated at the sound of their voices. Hook was speaking to Ursula as though she was not to be feared, but simply an uninvited and somewhat annoying guest. Ursula, however, seemed rather fond of him. Hook pushed one of her probing tentacles away from his face, but Ursula seemed unfazed as her tendrils slipped past his coat, sliding sinuously across his bare torso.
Hook had no knowledge of Mia's prying eyes. At the moment, there was no one more claiming of his attention than the Sea Witch. He could feel her slimy, sticky 'arms' caressing his bare skin, which incidentally felt like it wanted to crawl right off his bones. No, Ursula was hardly an unattractive face... but for Hook, that's where it ended. He tried his best to maintain a serious disposition, despite feeling rather sea-sick.
"Besides," said Ursula with a wistful sigh. "I really wanted to pay you a... personal... visit. After all, it's been so long," she cooed, drawing him closer to her as she seductively trailed a long-nailed finger down his chest.
"Not quite long enough, I assure you," Hook replied stiffly.
Ursula frowned and withdrew her tentacles. "That's right," she said. "You always did prefer my other form, didn't you, James?"
With a snap of her fingers, the Sea Witch transformed into a full-bodied woman with long, dark hair and an inky black dress with purple ruffles at the hem. Two long, sexy legs sprouted from below the dress, clad in a pair of black slippers. Once more, Mia found herself biting back a cry of surprise. She supposed she shouldn't be shocked by anything at this point. After all, this was not so unlike the form Ursula had taken in the Disney movie to seduce Prince Eric as a way to foil Ariel's attempts to win his love.
Mia could tell by the look on Hook's face and the sweep of his eyes over Ursula's new body that he very much appreciated this slinky, sexier form, though he remained stoic as though he didn't wish to give too much away.
"It is admittedly preferable," he said stiffly.
"Sadly, I'm unable to maintain this form for very long," Ursula sighed in a slightly different sounding voice. "Ever since my brother cursed me with this wretched body that revolts you so, I find that my powers of transformation are quite limited. But rest assured, when I have claimed my rightful place as Queen of Atlantica, I will have my true body back, and you will be unable to resist me." She linked her arms around his neck and twirled a lock of his hair around her finger.
Mia's hand tightened on the door handle, her teeth clenching.
"I don't doubt it," said Hook with a teasing smirk. "Though I don't suppose you're any closer to accomplishing your goals?"
Ursula scowled and stepped away from him. "Don't patronize me, James," she said in a voice which sounded more like the one which belonged to her cephalopodic form. "Besides... that day may be coming sooner than you think."
"What do you mean? Does this have anything to do with why you're here? For what purpose have you sought me out, so desperate that you would sink other ships and kill so many men just to find me?"
Ursula lifted an eyebrow. "You speak as though I've committed some sort of atrocity. Sinking ships, killing sailors... What's it to you? Have you developed such a weak constitution - you, Captain Hook, who would have a holocaust of children? The mistress would be so displeased." She folded her arms and smiled a wicked smile. "It is on our Dark Mistress' business that I come to you. Have you not heard the latest bit of gossip?"
Hook opened his mouth to speak, but she swiftly cut him off.
"Of course not," she scoffed. "You're always the last to know these things, docked at that infernally shifting island of yours." Ursula leaned towards him and spoke conspiratorially. "A girl from the other side has come to Dizgaia."
Mia froze, suppressing a frightened gasp. Ursula was talking about her!
Hook's expression was one of surprise. "The other side? They've brought another one?"
"Yes," drawled Ursula with a knowing gleam in her eyes. "Not since Walter Elias Disney has such a thing happened."
Hook's eyes narrowed in a glare. "Ah yes... the man who made us look as fools through his preposterous children's films." He shook his head. Sir Walter Disney was not the subject at hand. "When did this happen? Do we know anything about this girl?"
Ursula let out a laugh. "Oh ho ho! Do we know anything about her? Oh, this is just too juicy!"
She took a seat on the edge of bulwarks, slinging her arm through the rigging. In this position, her dress rose up high on her hip, showing off a tantalizing amount of thigh which Hook's eyes were helplessly drawn to. If Ursula had probed and propositioned him in this form to begin with, then...
Hook pushed that thought quickly from his mind. Regardless of her form, Ursula was still Ursula. It didn't matter what form she took. And besides, he didn't need another woman. There was but one that held his interest. One currently tucked away in his cabin, one that would surely face this woman's wrath were she to know of their romance. Oh, he hoped that she still slept. Hook stepped to the side, trying to position himself in a way that would direct Ursula's attention away from the cabin.
"Do you remember that nasty bit of business between the Dark Mistress and Blair Mercurial, shortly after the birth of his daughter?"
Mia brought her fist to her mouth. Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no...
"How could I forget? It's the one event that set us back years. But what does that have to do with this?"
Ursula grinned. She always loved a juicy bit of gossip. "In that case, you may well remember the tragic story of how his wife left him to return to Earth, taking their infant daughter with her. Any of this ring a bell?"
Now Mia was chewing nervously on her knuckles. This was dangerous. She was in grave danger here! If only there was some way to stop it! But she didn't dare reveal herself. All she could do was stand and watch through the crack in the cabin door as the train wreck unfolded before her.
At first, Hook's face seemed to express befuddlement. But then, his expression changed as he pieced it together, his eyes widening in shock. "No... The daughter? Mercurial's spawn has come home, has she?"
"That's right!" Ursula cackled. "The Dreamfinder's own daughter has come home to roost. The Mistress and her top sorcerers have been watching her progress on the other side for many years now. Eighteen Earth years have gone by since she left. Daddy's little girl is all grown up now."
"Dash it all!" cursed Hook. "No one has kept me informed on anything of late! How did this happen? Has anyone seen her? Or does anyone know where she might be?"
Ursula shrugged. "Where else? Cerenopia. Some weeks ago now, the Dark Mistress sent her best hunter to Earth to collect her, but she evaded capture with the help of some buffoon from the Imagination Institute. He brought her here from the other side, and rumor has it that her spark is brighter than ever. The Dark Mistress wants her. She's put out the order to all her subordinates to find and capture Miandra Mercurial and bring her to Bald Mountain."
Mia felt the blood drain from her face. Her knees buckled and her body threatened to swoon on the spot. It was only by sheer will power alone that she stayed steady on her feet, but she was positively atremble.
Would Hook figure out that she was none other than the very girl of whom Ursula spoke? Would he piece it together? The names Miandra and Mia were similar. And Mia had told him she was from Cerenopia, just as Ursula had said. But surely many people could be from Cerenopia. And she'd given Hook the name of her adopted father; Baxter, her legal name. But would this be enough?
Hook's gaze began to drift away from Ursula as she spoke of the events surrounding Miandra Mercurial's return, making a mental note of the way Ursula described the girl. Cerenopia... Her spark brighter than ever... Eighteen Earth years...
However, it was the girl's name which began to stick with him like a fly to honey.
Miandra... Miandra... Mi...a...
Hook's eyes widened and his face grew ever so slightly paler. It was difficult for an observer to truly gauge Hook's expression, but for the slightest of moments, his eyes flicked towards the cabin. However, his gaze quickly returned to Ursula as he adopted a more stoic expression.
"So, we have a true mission then. Though, if the Dark Mistress wants her so badly, why hasn't anyone attempted to make a move toward Cerenopia? That's likely where she would be, correct?"
Ursula shook her head. "If it were only that simple, James. Cerenopia is heavily fortified these days. Ever since the attack on the Mercurial family several years ago, in fact. Protective enchantments have been placed around the kingdom. It would take great cunning, skill, and vast magical ability to attempt something of the sort."
"I'm well aware," said Hook. "I was merely pointing out what a lost cause it is to target the Dreamfinder's daughter, if she is safely tucked away within Cerenopia's borders."
"That's just it, James," said Ursula with a wicked gleam in her eyes. "We have something working in our favor." She leaned towards him again. "Rumor has it the Mercurial girl has gone missing from Cerenopia. The sister princesses have put out an official order for her rescue, wherever she may be. They've been trying to keep it hush-hush, no doubt so such news would not reach The Mistress. But something like that, the daughter of the Dreamfinder... it isn't easy to keep secret. It's become an international situation."
Hook arched an eyebrow as he considered this news. Mercurial's daughter... Gone missing? Or perhaps taken? Taken by someone who could easily bypass those magical boundaries? And now it explained the Rosebriaran naval ship he'd encountered and subsequently decimated. At the time, he'd found it very peculiar that they were beyond their normal range of travel. Now it occurred to him... They must have been searching for the girl!
"Of course," said Ursula, "No one knows exactly where she is. But if she's truly beyond Cerenopia's boundaries, then she's vulnerable. The Dark Mistress says the girl is terribly naïve about a lot of things in this world. All she knows is what's been presented to her as 'fairytales' on Earth through Disney's legacy. Otherwise, her knowledge of the true ways of this world is limited to whatever her father may have told her." Ursula's ruby red lips spread into a wicked grin. "She should be an easy capture."
Now Mia was positively whittling away at her knuckles. There was a warm, coppery taste in her mouth. She glanced down at her hand and realized her teeth had broken skin, drawing blood from her knuckles.
Hook closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before looking at Ursula once more. "That is certainly a factor that works to our advantage, Ursula, dear. Perhaps we may gain the upper hand yet..."
Mia waited with baited breath for his next words, certain they would be, 'For I have her in my cabin.'
"...once someone finds the girl, of course. And I shall certainly keep my eyes peeled."
Mia breathed a sigh of relief. But she wasn't entirely out of the woods yet. A dangerous amount of information had been shared. Hook may not have proof that she was Miandra Mercurial, but he also didn't have any proof that she wasn't. Either way, the conversation appeared to be wrapping up, and she mustn't be caught spying. Mia silently stepped away from the door and scurried across the room, throwing herself back into bed and doing her best to arrange the covers as close to the way they'd been before, and assuming her previous position.
Meanwhile, out on deck, Ursula hopped down from the bulwarks. "See that you do, James. You may be the last to know these things, but don't allow that to be an excuse for disappointing Maleficent." The human Ursula trailed a long, dainty finger down the side of his cheek. "After all, I'd hate for anything terrible to befall you."
Hook's eyes narrowed. He needn't be reminded of the consequences of such a failure. Oftentimes, he wondered if the fact he was so often out of the loop and forgotten was the one thing keeping him safe from Maleficent's wrath for not yet having conquered Neverland after all this time.
Ursula wrapped her arms around him once more. Before Hook could say or do anything to dissuade her, she pressed her lips firmly against his. Hook's eyes were wide, shocked by this most recent brazen behavior. But... at least she was in her human form. And, really, when in this form, Ursula was single-handedly one of the most beautiful women he'd ever laid eyes on. He was willing to bet that her during her days as a mermaid, before King Triton punished her for her crimes and vanity with an accursed appearance, she was just as lovely. Maybe even more so.
Whether it was simply because he was a man and she a beautiful woman, or whether, perhaps, it was a bit of witchcraft or her natural powers of seduction at work, Hook found himself helpless to resist her advances. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her more firmly against him as his lips crashed hungrily against hers in return. It was the sweetest, most succulent kiss he'd shared with a woman. He couldn't help succumbing to it... at least until he felt those creeping appendages climbing up along his body.
Hook's eyes snapped open as he tore his lips away from hers, spitting and sputtering from the salty kiss that she'd laid on him. He glared furiously at her.
"Brimstone and gall! Blast you, witch!"
The Sea Witch, in all her tentacled glory, released him with a mischievous smile. "So long, lover boy!" she called in a husky cackle. With that, she bounded over the bulwarks and disappeared into the murky black depths below.
Hook grit his teeth and spat one last time before wiping his mouth for good measure. With a deep breath, he returned to his cabin.
Mia heard the door creak open. He was back. She tried to regulate her breathing, doing her best to feign sleep. With her back to him, all she could detect was the sound of him discarding his weapons and the thumping of his clothes and boots to the floor, followed by the clunk of his hook being set on the bedside table. That had to be a good sign, right? If he thought she was the one they were looking for, surely he'd use them against her now. Nonetheless, it took all Mia's strength to keep from trembling as he climbed back into bed beside her, slinging his abbreviated arm over her body. It was then she noticed something on his person that she'd never noticed before.
On his remaining forearm just above where it ended was a scar. No, not a scar. A brand. A brand shaped like the letter 'M.' It seemed even before tangling with Peter Pan, this arm was destined to be marred. For a moment, she starred at the brand before she realized she was holding her breath. Mia quickly resumed her regular breathing, hoping he hadn't noticed.
Did Hook think she might be the one? Did it cross his mind at all? And if he knew she was Miandra Mercurial, the Dreamfinder's daughter, would he truly act on it? After all they'd been through together and what they meant to one another, might he not protect her rather than hand her over?
Mia hoped the answer was yes, but that brand on his arm was an all-too familiar reminder of who he served. Not to mention, even if he was ignorant as to who Mia was, with the sort of people he allied himself with, it may only be a matter of time before Ursula or someone else discovered her and revealed to him exactly who she was before whisking her away to Maleficent.
She recalled Ursula's words on deck.
The Dark Mistress wants her. She's put out the order to all her subordinates to find and capture Miandra Mercurial and bring her to Bald Mountain.
This time, Mia could not help the tremors which seized her body, and all she could do to protect herself from suspicion was to try to pass it off as a nightmare.
Hook laid beside Mia, keeping her bound to him with his stunted appendage. He didn't say a word. He did nothing. He just seemed to go back to sleep without any sign that he was troubled. But what Mia couldn't see was that his eyes remained opened for quite a long time. Occasionally, he'd gaze down at her. Other times, he simply gazed past her. When her tremors began, he pulled her into a more secure embrace, one which seemed to offer the warmest, sweetest protection.
Hook knew not what caused her tremors. Perhaps a chill of the night air cutting in when he'd opened the door. Perhaps another unpleasant dream. Either way, he held her in his arms, letting her know he was there.
Mia let out a sigh of relief. If Hook suspected her of being the Dreamfinder's daughter, surely he would not embrace her so protectively. Feeling reassured, Mia rolled over and snuggled closer to him. Convinced of her safety, she allowed sleep to claim her once more.