"Y/n wait up!" Mal catches up to me as I reach for the limo door.
"I'm sorry Mal. I don't know what happened. Everything got screwed up so fast," I hurriedly apologize while I jiggle the door handle but it didn't budge. And the driver is watching the announcement with the handful of Auradon assistants we brought over.
"Hey stop. Wait," Mal grabs my arms. "You don't need to apologize."
"Yes I do. I ruined this big moment for all of you. Ben and you worked so hard on it. It was supposed to be perfect. Let Ben know I'm sorry."
"How cares about Ben right now? I'm worried about you," Mal says.
"I'll be fine," I try to brush her off, but her grip only tightens.
"But you're not right now. I get it. I really do. The pressure of being in the public's eye is hard," Mal looks me in the eye.
"Yeah but you weren't raised up around this. I should be used to it. You had a reason to feel overwhelmed," I mumble.
"No, it can be too much for anyone. Ben is just really good at this kind of stuff," Mal tries to help.
"Yeah the golden child," I mutter. "He probably needs your support right now. You should get back. I'm fine I promise."
Mal conflictingly glances back at where the crowd is a few buildings away. "But..."
"Really I'll be fine," I gently pull her fingers off me and give her a push.
"We'll talk later. I promise. I will send some guards over. You shouldn't be alone around here," she waves at me and jogs back.
I watch her leave and sit myself onto a crumbling piece of concrete to wait.
"For once she's right ya know. Wouldn't want the big bad wolf to steal a little doll like you now would we?" An insane laugh ripples from the shadows.
I feel the hairs rise on the back of my neck. "Who's there?"
"Wouldn't we all like to know? Who am I? Who are you? Why are we here?" The voice muses. I could hear an accent buried underneath.
I concluded that I wasn't going to get any answers so I stood up and crossed my arms. "If you won't answer me, you could at least show yourself so I can decide for myself who you are."
"If you so insist Princess," A boy about my age jaunts into the light.
He is wearing a cut-off sleeved, red leather jacket that flows to his knees. A shredded white hoodie is underneath. They look as if they were put on just to show off all his muscles. His arms are ripped and I see abs through the holes of the hoodie. Probably an intimidation tactic, but I couldn't help admiring them. He has on dirty, worn-out black pants with matching boots. Rings and fingerless gloves are on his hands. What really drew my eye, though, was the pirate hat shielding the top of his face, a belt holding a sheath for his sword, and a menacing hook gripped in his left hand. I grow suspicious as I think of the guy that was watching us from the top of the roof earlier.
"Like what you see, love?" A crooked smile reveals perfect, white teeth.
"As if. I'm not into the cocky type," I lift my chin up.
"What a shame. I was kind of liking your damsel in distress look. The pink really ties it all together," he laughs again but it isn't as creepy as before. It's almost like he's teasing me.
"This damsel can handle herself."
"Are you sure about that? Because the girl I just saw on stage couldn't. Did you throw up afterward?"
My temper rises up. "Is there some reason you are bothering me?"
He seems to take a minute to think about his reply. "I wanted to offer you some choices."
"How kind of you."
"Where you're from princes save you all the time, but I'm afraid Mal was right about the Isle being the place where you wouldn't want to be alone. No one could save you here. So I offer two choices for you, yeah? ; follow me or we can go kicking and screaming," he threatens.
"And why would I want to go anywhere with you?" I arch an eyebrow.
"Ouch and here I thought I was handsome and charming enough to sweep anyone off their feet," he places a hand over where his heart is.
"How would I think you were handsome if I can't even see your face?" I play along.
"Touché," he whips his hat off with a flourish and bows deeply. When he rises back up, I feel like I have been punched in the gut. Bright blue eyes teasingly look back intl mine. "How about now?"
I remember who I'm dealing with and compose myself. "Still changes nothing."
But it really changes everything.
"I would love to stand here all day to sway your opinion, but you still have not chosen. If everything goes to plan, you most likely will see your friends again," he tries to persuade me.
"You're really willing to drag me away from here? Threaten my life?" I question him.
"Why not?" His smile is gone. Something tells me he is serious. I'm finally starting to see what everyone warned me about on this wretched island.
"Prick," I hiss at him.
"Time is ticking, love. Guards should be here any minute. They'll be easy to take out but why waste my precious time when I could just walk away with the treasure?" He lifts a hand towards me.
I check behind me, and sure enough, I see two guards in their royal blue and yellow uniforms walking towards the limo. I will probably regret this later, but I grab the stranger's hand.
"This doesn't change anything. I just don't want an innocent to get hurt," I declare.
Plus the fact that I might get some answers as to why I have been dreaming of this hot but extremely rude pirate would be great. I think to myself.
"At least you were smart enough to realize that they wouldn't have won that battle. But whatever helps your conscious," he shrugs and leads me into the dark from where he had emerged just a few seconds ago.
The sounds of the guards searching for me echoes into the shadows. I glance back but the pirate tugs me further away into the darkness. His hand feels rough in mine but warm against the damp air. He winds us around so many twists and turns that I eventually get lost. While we run, he drags his hook across the walls. It screeches quietly, creating an eerie setting. At one point we slow down, at what I assume is his place, but find out it's a shortcut. He slides one of the building's windows open and motions for me enter.
"You want me to climb through that?" I give him a look.
"Would you quiet down? Yes I do. We gotta keep moving," he hisses.
"Why are we whispering? Everyone on this stupid island is at the announcement," I hiss back.
"That's what they want you to think. Come on," he reaches out for me as if to pick me up.
I slide out of his grasp but still feel where his fingers were sitting on my wasit. "Fine. I guess we are doing this. I can handle myself though."
I brush past him and hoist myself up as gracefully as I can in a dress. I slide through and drop down onto the concrete floor. I'm growing tired of the concrete slabs everywhere. Couldn't they at least decorate a bit? It couldn't be that hard. I turn back around to watch the pirate pull himself up easily. His eyes glow like a cat in the dark.
"Come on this way," he snatches my hand back up and leads me through the space. I can't see anything but he seems to know exactly where we are going. As my eyes adjust, shapes all around us start to appear. I don't realize what they are until I trip over one. A head rolls across the floor.
A scream builds up in me as my eyes finish adjusting to see that the room is full of puppets. They are scattered along tables, chairs, and on the floor. They vary in size from several little finger puppets to one the size of me sitting in the corner. It's slumped against the wall, but I swear it blinks at me.
My companion claps his hand my mouth. "Do you want us dead? I said to be quiet."
Satisfied that I won't make a noise, he removes his hand. He gives me a pointed look and carries on.
"What is this place?" I try to be as quiet as I can.
"Mangiafuoco's."
"Who?"
"You know Pinnochio?"
"Yeah sure."
He chuckles darkly. "Well this is his puppet master's workshop. He doesn't get out much. An old shut in. That doesn't mean he has lost his touch though. They say his arms are as thick as a tree trunks. His is so ugly that he can cause fear with a single look."
I shudder and scoot closer to the pirate. "Then why are we here?"
"We still have to get to our destination. Who cares about some old dude anyway? It's nothin' I can't handle. Maybe if you weren't so loud, I won't have to deal with him."
"Right. It's always my fault," I roll eyes but he can't see it.
"It's not your fault you weren't raised the proper way," he chuckles again. "You Auradon kids and wasting time on looks."
"I can do stuff," I defend myself.
"Like what? Balance a book on your head? You guys have that kind of stuff in Auradon right?" I hear the smile in his voice. I can't deny it though. There is a class just for posture and balance.
"Whatever. I can..." I think for a minute. "I can fence."
He turns around to look at me and I bump into his chest. "You can fence? Nice try, love."
"No it's true. Jay has been teaching me," I trail off as I remember my friends. I start to regret leaving. I think about how upset they will be when they realize that I am missing. Little do they know that I am trapped in some creepy shut in's workshop. I wouldn't be able to get out of the maze of buildings even if I wanted to so I might as well see what this mystery dude wants. Maybe it's just about money. If this dude works his cards right, Ben would be willing to pay a very high ransom.
"Jay can't even teach a monkey. What an amateur," Harry scoffs.
"Hey! He can too! How dare you criticize him? You don't even know him!" I snap.
"Would you shut up?!" He cries back but it's too late. A deep, rumbling groan shakes the walls. "Great. This is your fault!"
He drags me across the rather large room.
"WHO IS IN MY HOME?!" A deep Italian voice yells.
"Crap. Crap. Crap," I pick it up and match paces with the pirate.
"Just so ya know, I do know Jay. Along with your other darling friends," he drawls as we reach the door and enter a hallway. Deep, shuddering footsteps come from a room a couple doors down. The pirate pulls us in the opposite direction.
"Are we arguing about this right now?" I ask in surprise.
"Gotta pass the time somehow," he winks at me.
I shake my head in disbelief but still feel the need to defend Jay. "Alright. How do you know him then?"
He raises his voice to be heard over a door being ripped off its hinges. "I know everyone on the Isle! Including the people that decide to ditch us!"
"So you and Jay hung out?!" The footsteps get louder as the puppeteer follows us down the hall. I don't look back just in case the pirate was telling the truth, and I will freeze in fear so I focus on our conversation instead.
"Not exactly! More like bad acquaintances! Go up!" We reach a stair case and he pushes me to go first. I take the stairs two at a time.
"COME BACK MY FRIENDS! WE CAN HAVE FUN!" The voice makes my ears ring. It reverberates up the staircase and plaster falls like snowflakes around us. I make a mistake and glance down. Meaty, wrinkled hands cling to the banister. I can see tattoos crawling up the owner's arm.
"No don't stop! We are almost there! He won't be able to follow us where we are going. He's too big," The pirate is a flight of stairs ahead of me and waves me up to join him. I reach the top to find another hallway where a ladder leads to the roof. The pirate climbs up, opens the hatch, and scrambles through. I start to follow but I loose my balance by another shuddering shout.
"I AM ALMOST THERE MY PUPPETS!" I look to see a bald, shiny head poking over the stairs as the puppeteer starts to reach our floor.
"I'm not getting any younger Princess," I look back up the ladder to see the pirate swinging his legs with a wild look in his eyes.
I scramble back up and climb. He slides back out of the hole and reaches his hand out to me. Just I'm about to grab it, another hand wraps itself around my skirt.
"OH NO YOU DON'T!" My captor cries up to me. I struggle and try to reach the pirate. He leans down farther. Our fingers slip across each other as I'm pulled down by another tug. I gather up all my strength and leap from the ladder towards his hand. At first, I panic as the puppeteer takes the chance to drag me down, but the pirate lets go of his hook and reaches down with both hands. He snatches my wrists and pulls with all his strength. A horrible tearing sound occurs but I feel the pressure release as my skirt is freed.
"Pull me up! Pull me up!" I cry.
"Working...on...it..." he grunts through his teeth.
Once he gets me up far enough, I crawl out of the hole, and we run. He flings himself across the building's roof to another. Without hesitating, I follow after him. I land on my feet but stagger back down onto my butt.
A hysterical laugh explodes from my mouth. The pirate glances at me.
"What's so funny?" He asks but can't help smirking.
"Look at my dress!" Another peel of laughter comes out of me. The side of my skirt has been ripped off and it now has a rough looking slit running up my thigh.
"Now your starting to blend in with the Isle," he pulls me up. "Let's keep moving."
We hop across two more buildings, and I can't but notice that he keeps glancing at me. Specifically my very exposed leg.
"Alright we're here," he announces.
I look around at the place that has been the cause of my crazy adventure. On the middle of the roof, boards lean against each other to create a small little hut. A tarp is laying on top to create a make shift roof. An old leather couch sits within it. What really catches my eye though was the view. I was on one of the highest buildings around and could see for miles. Looking down, I was right acrosd the stage where I had attempted my speech. That feels like it happened years ago. There were still small groups milling around, but it looked like everything was over with. The assistants are dismantling the stage. I hope Ben isn't too worried. Behind the stage and all the buildings is a clear view of Auradon. It shines under the sky like a second sun.
"Wow," I whisper.
"That's not where the real view is," the pirate spins me around and leads me to the other edge. "This is the best part."
The sea spreads out endlessly around us. If Auradon is a sun, then the sea is a sapphire. It sparkles and shimmers like the barrier but much more alive. This isn't man made like the barrier. This exudes Mother Nature's raw magic. It was dangerous and beautiful at the same time. Waves crashed against the island violently, but further out fish and a school of dolphins jump around.
"You're right," I agree with him.
"I know," he looks at it for a few more seconds before turning away. Was that longing I saw in his eyes?
He snaps his fingers in my face which interrupts the mood. "Back to business."
Suddenly I remember I'm on an island full of villians, alone with one of their own, and high up in the sky. This would be the perfect time to kill me if he really wanted to. No one is around, and it could gain some control for the villians if they killed the King's sister.
I take a deep breath. "Alright let's get it over with."