Chapter 42
Celia had wandered off while the others had been crying over Harry. She was curious as to what else the Evil Queen was keeping in her castle besides poison apples. Celia was always playing an angle, always looking for a means to become greater, badder and being in the home of one of the greatest villains of all time was not an opportunity she was about to pass up. Eventually, she'd wandered lower into the queen's dungeons and found the old potion chamber where she'd turned herself into a hag to trick Snow White and where once upon a time she'd brewed her poison apples. At one end of the potion room part of the wall was covered in a blue tarp and she couldn't fight off the urge to go over and tear it down. When she did she was amazed, it was the magic mirror. She thought Evie had taken it with her to Auradon but upon closer inspection she saw a small piece in the bottom right curve had been removed, a piece that would be able to fit into your hand. The queen had only given her daughter a part of the mirror the rest had been down here the whole time. Celia walked up to it and saw her reflection, she wondered if that tiny bit of magic that had gotten in after the Royal Coronation had been enough to make the mirror work. She saw along the frame words carved in a text that not many knew, it was the language her dad had taught her, the one he used to contact his friends on the other side.
"The age can be wicked to those who walk alone." She read, "When I look into the mirror I see myself as I wish to become."
Then she looked at the reflective surface and saw a small shimmer of magic as she woke the being within and she smirked.
"What wouldst thou know? She who summons me?" the voice in the mirror said.
"Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the most powerful of them all?"
Then the mirror came to life and showed her a bright blue light. She saw a cave with the words 'Get Lost' written above the locked door. She saw the key and where it was hidden on the Isle and she saw the bright blue ember and flaming cerulean hair. She smirked knowing that was the score of the century, if she could find a way to work for the baddest of the bad then her reputation as the best wouldn't be far away.
"Celia?" she heard and the mirror went blank again as she turned away and saw Freddie and Uma enter the room. They looked around knowing the significance of the place as well as she did before they saw her.
"Hey guys." She said casually not wanting them to know what she'd been up to, "Think this will help us find Camilla?" she asked pointing over her shoulder at the mirror.
"Way to go Celia." Freddie said bringing her arm over her shoulders with a smile as Uma walked up to the mirror.
"Mirror mirror before my eyes. Show me where Camilla De Vil lies." She said and the mirror rippled showing them the location of their friend.
- - ROTTEN TO THE CORE - -
They had brought Harry back to the Lost Revenge so he could rest and regain his strength. They all knew when they went after Camilla there'd be no way Harry would stay behind and if he was going to come he needed all the rest he could get. He was sitting up on the edge of his bed with CJ sitting beside him and Harriet standing on his other side. The girls were trying to convince him to lie down and get some rest but he kept shaking his head saying he'd gotten enough sleep while under that curse and he couldn't let Camilla keep suffering under the same torture for another minute. Meanwhile, Uma was back at her desk in the captain's quarters with the Facilier sisters, Gil and Diego De Vil. They were all looking at a map of the Isle while they planned the best attack, Uma had filled them in on what the magic mirror had shown her and said Camilla was being held in Madame Medusa's boathouse in the swamps of the Isle which were conveniently on the opposite side furthest away from Pirate's Bay and Goblin Wharf. They all could see the genius behind each move Cruella had made, she put both Harry and Camilla under the same spell so neither one could wake the other, she'd teamed up with other big name villains and now she'd stashed her daughter in what seemed to be the perfect location on the side of the Isle furthest from her friends and in a swamp full of crocodiles.
As they were working out a plan the door to Uma's room burst open and Harry came stumbling in with his sisters behind him. Uma stood from her chair with a look of concern on her face as she took in Harry's tired looking appearance.
"Harry you're supposed to be resting." She scolded in her usual commanding tone knowing that she'd ordered him to do so as his captain and he was breaking a rule she'd laid out.
"He wouldn't." Harriet replied, "We tried everything."
"I can't sit around while Camilla's still in danger." Harry snapped leaning on one of the rods of Uma's four poster bed.
"Yeah. . . about that –" Gil began but then shut up when he saw the look Uma was giving him but by this point it was too late all three of the Hook's curiosity had been peaked and they'd have to explain why they all thought none of them should come on this rescue mission.
"Camilla's being held at Madame Medusa's." Uma began knowing this was going to turn into an argument, "She probably has Camilla guarded by her pet crocodiles not to mention the other crocs swimming around the bayou."
Harriet crossed her arms and CJ stuffed her hands in her pockets as Harry toyed with his hook. They all knew what the others were thinking, Hooks and crocodiles didn't mix and after losing their father to Tick Tock just seeing one of the beasts might be too much for them and compromise their plans and cost them more than just Camilla. No one seemed to know how to tell any of the Hook children this mainly because they were all worried they'd be insulted and carve into them with their swords. Finally, after a long moment where no one talked Uma took a deep breath and spoke to her first mate.
"Harry you care about Camilla. And we have to do everything to make sure this plan to get her back works –"
"I'm not sittin' here while ye go after her yerselves." He said through clenched teeth, his free hand turning into a fist.
"Harry –" Uma tried again.
"Maybe we should bring them." all eyes turned to Diego who was leaning on the window behind Uma. He looked around the room at everyone before he continued, "We're going to need all the help we can get and no one is going to fight harder for my cousin than Harry." The others thought over what he was saying, "As for Harriet and CJ. . . I've seen plenty of villains use their pain to fuel their fighting, sure they might freeze up like their dad used to, but they also might prove to be our best fighters in this."
Uma took a deep breath before turning to Freddie and Celia, "You two. Your cards say anything?"
Freddie took her deck and walked to Uma's desk sitting across from the fish girl, she shuffled her cards before passing the stack to the captain.
"Now you." She said and Uma began to shuffle them as she did one fell from the deck and when she went to retrieve it Freddie shouted, "Leave it!"
Uma retracted her hand as Freddie leaned over in her chair and slowly flipped the card over. "The scale." She read, "But it's turned. . . facing you."
"So what does that mean?" Uma asked looking at the card that was sitting on the floor.
"Odds are for you not against you." Celia spoke up, "If it was turned the other way. . . " she trailed off looking like she wanted to shudder. Uma looked at the card a moment more before she looked up to Harriet.
"Get whatever you need for a fight." She said and the pirate smirked. "Harry!" she called getting his attention, "If you look like you're about to feed the fish I'm turning you around and sending you back." He opened his mouth to argue, "That's an order from your captain." She reminded him and he closed his mouth.
"CJ." Harriet spoke up, "Why don't you and Harry go back to his room and get your stuff?" she suggested and CJ nodded heading for the door and Harriet approached her brother. When she spoke to him she talked soft enough so none of the others would hear. "Can I trust yeh not to pick a fight with her?"
"If the runt behaves herself." Harry replied just as quietly but this time Harriet could see he didn't mean the harsh words and his tone certainly wasn't as sharp as it used to be.
"Yer a good big brother." She said and he turned to her shocked by the words, "Yeh even saved CJ from Cruella's wrath even though she drives yeh mad."
Harry rolled his eyes, "Oh stow it Harriet, I was just keepin ta the code."
She scoffed and smirked, "Sure yeh were." She said before giving him a pat on the shoulder which he didn't even try to shrug off before he turned and left with CJ who was waiting by the open door.
When the two siblings made it back to Harry's room they immediately went for their weapons and their belts. CJ was strapping hers to her waist while Harry sharpened his sword while he sat on the bed. He kept looking to his baby sister thinking back to how she'd been the one to wake him from that dreadful curse. They had always argued like cats and dogs but when it came down to it they'd do anything to protect each other like family should. He felt bad that CJ hadn't had the chance to spend more time with their father like he and Harriet had, he thought as he looked down at the red jacket he wore and thought of the one Harriet had that was so similar. Then he looked to the hook in his hand knowing that CJ didn't have a reminder of their father, Harriet had the ship, he had dad's hook and CJ. . . well she helped Smee run the Inlet Shop but other than that. . .
"Hey runt." He called over to her and she looked up at him once she'd gotten her belt on with her daggers in their sheaths. He stood up and pulled off the jacket stepping forward and draping it over her shoulders. CJ's eyes widened as she worked her arms into it then looked up at her brother.
"Yeh've earned this, yeh did good today." he complimented her, something that was rare enough for the Isle and rarer for him. "And Da. . . he'd be proud."
CJ looked down at the red coat on her, it was a little big but she pulled it off well. She looked like she was on the verge of tears but restrained herself but she didn't hold back enough and lunged forward and hugged him. He was shocked at first and stumbled back a little before he chuckled and brought one arm around her.
"Thanks fer saving me runt." He said and she held him tighter.
"I was afraid you would never wake up." She admitted in a small voice knowing villains never liked admitting when they were afraid.
"Hey I'm fine." He reassured her pulling out of the hug to look her in the eye, "And we're all gonna go kill some crocs now right?"
A wicked smile spread on her face as she nodded, then the door opened and Harriet stepped in. Both of them took a step back so she wouldn't see their soft moment but when she saw the red jacket on CJ she still smirked at them and when she opened her mouth to say something both CJ and Harry stopped her.
"Don't start."
"Don't start."