Back in Storybrooke Daughter of Captain Hook Book 4

The Vengeful Girl and the Storybook Prince

Iris crossed off another spot on her map of where Xavier could be. She sighed, irritated. "Iris, I'm back,"  Bea walked into the cabin. "No luck?"  Bea asked. Iris shook her head. "I'm sorry," Bea said. "I...just..."  Iris sighed. "Iris, we'll find him. Don't worry. He's probably just lost deeper in the woods than we thought,"  "What if he's dead?"  Iris asked. "Hey, he's not dead. He couldn't be. Right?" Bea asked. Iris sighed. "Come on, let's go find him. Together,"  Bea said, taking Iris's hand. Iris smiled. As they walked to the woods, Iris found herself lost in memories.  

One year ago...                                                                                                                                                                       Iris was looking for Beatrice Jones for revenge. She had lost her eye to her after they had fallen in love. Iris had searched realm after realm, but still no luck. This time she was in Camelot. Iris was in the forest, searching when she heard a howl. Wolves, she thought. Iris started running. She could hear the wolves following her. Iris ran faster. Her foot got caught on a tree root. "No!" Iris said. She suddenly found herself surrounded. Iris grabbed her hammer and started smashing the tree root, but only found her foot getting more stuck. A wolf pounced. Iris kicked it with her free leg. "Hey! Girl!"  Iris saw a boy around her age racing over, his sword drawn. He attacked a wolf. The others wolves started attacking him. Iris managed to pull her leg out of the roots and helped him. The wolves ran away. "You saved my life," Iris said. "As you to me," the boy said. "To who do I owe the thanks?" "Iris. Iris Deville,"  Iris said, brushing herself off. "Now goodbye,"  "Hey, wait. Don't I get a thank you?"  the boy asked. "Do you? I could've handled myself," "Really? Because what I just saw, you were stuck in a tree root, surrounded by a pack of wolves before I rescued you,"  "Rescued me? I'm not some damsel in distress,"  Iris said, starting to walk.  The boy walked with her. "Well...should I walk you back to your house?"  Iris stopped. "So you're a storybook prince aren't you?"  Iris asked. "I'm just doing what my father taught me," the boy said, shrugging. "And who's your father?" Iris asked. "King Arthur,"  the boy said. "Of course,"  Iris said. "Well, this is probably the last time you ever see me, so, goodbye,"  Iris started walking again. She could hear the boy call, "I'm Xavier!"  

"Maybe Xavier's by the docks,"  Bea said. "He hates water,"  Iris said. "Oh, right..."  Bea said. Iris sighed. "Hey! Kids!"  Iris and Bea turned. There were two men. "Hello,"  Bea said, putting her hand on her sword. Iris looked at Bea. They both knew who these two were. Part of Barnicle's crew. Iris reached for her hammer. "Who killed him?"  a pirate asked. "Excuse me?"  Bea asked. "When we got trapped in this sick land, we discovered our captain's body. Stabbed right in the middle of the stomach,"  a pirate said. Bea covered her mouth. Iris knew this was to hide a smile. "And it smelled like he was rotting, so it wasn't recent,"  the other pirate said. "Who do you suppose did it?"  Iris asked. Both pirates pointed to Bea. "Me? I mean, I hate the guy but if we had to sword fight, I think my head would be missing..."  both pirates drew their swords. "Well we have to blame someone for our captain's death,"  one pirate said. Bea drew her sword. Iris drew her hammer. "Run,"  Bea said. "Running,"  Iris said, as both of them burst into sprints. 

Iris walked down the docks of Camelot. She saw a captain. "Sir?"  Iris asked. "I'm looking for a girl named Beatrice Jones,"  "Brown hair, hazel eyes, a couple of burn marks on the face. about so high?"  the captain asked. Iris was taken aback. "Yes...that's a perfect description of her,"  she said. "I've been trying to kill that girl for months. Burned my stomach so deep you can see my appendix,"  the captain started to raise his shirt to show Iris, but she shook her head. "No need for pictures. Where did you see her last?"  "The North Shore, by the Enchanted Forest,"  Iris paid the captain for his information and started to walk off. "If you ever want to join my crew, look for Captain Barnicle!"  he called. "I'll consider it!"  Iris called back. "Hey, Iris!"  Iris turned. "Prince Xavier. Didn't expect you to be so far away from the castle. Save any more damsels?"  Iris said. "Um..."  "Don't answer that!"  Iris called, walking away. 

Iris and Bea had finally outrun the pirates. Bea was laughing and panting at the same time. "You think this is funny?"  Iris asked. "No...no, sorry...it's just..."  Bea suddenly inhaled sharply. "Do you smell that?"  she asked. Iris sniffed the air. "It smells like..."  "Rot,"  Bea finished. The girls exchanged glances, then started running towards the smell. "Do you think it's Barnicle?"  Bea asked. "Maybe, or..."  Iris stopped in her tracks and gasped. Bea did the same. "It's...it's..."  "Xavier,"  the girls ran towards him. There he was. Dead. A sword wound right in the middle of his stomach. A smirk was frozen on his face. "Xavier? Xavier! Xavier!"  Iris wept. "Oh, my God..."  Bea said, tears slowly starting to stream down her cheeks. "Who would do this?"  Iris asked. "I dunno..." Bea muttered. Iris sobbed. "Iris...we will find who did this. Xavier was an amazing person...I just..."  Bea was cut off by shouting. The pirates were back. "Did you do this?"  Bea demanded. "That kid? Never seen him before,"  a pirate said. "But you'll be right next to him shortly,"  Bea drew her sword. "Just try, sardine breath," Bea said. The pirates started to walk towards them. Iris took out her hammer. Both pirates seemed to be headed for Bea. Iris snuck up from behind them. She bashed her hammer against one of the pirate's heads. He crumpled and fell to the ground. The other pirate turned his head. "Hey!"  he said. Bea whacked his back with the flat of her blade. He yelped. "Now go," Bea said. "I want someone to pay for Barnicle's death and it will be you,"  the pirate said. Iris whacked his thigh with her hammer. She could hear the bone snap. He howled in pain. Bea stabbed his side, not hard enough to kill, but hard enough to cause an extreme amount of pain. "Have enough?"  Bea asked. "No,"  the pirate hissed. He shoved his sword into Bea's leg. "BEA!"  Iris screamed. She pounded the pirate's ribs. The pirate swung his sword at Iris, but she ducked. Iris grabbed Bea's sword and shoved it into the pirate's stomach. The pirate looked shocked. "Don't hurt my loved ones,"  Iris hissed, twisting the sword. The pirate grunted and fell to the ground. "Bea, are you alright?"  "I-I can't feel my...leg,"  Bea said. Iris put pressure on the leg. "Umm..."  Iris ripped the pirate's jacket and wrapped it around Bea's leg. "Can you walk?"  Iris asked. Bea shook her head. "Okay..." Iris hated doing this. "HELP!!!!"  She screamed. "Iris...go...get help,"  Bea muttered. "Are you mad? There could be more of those filthy pirates in these woods looking for revenge,"  Iris said. "Well, no one's going to find us out here..."  Bea muttered. Iris could tell she was losing consciousness. "Oh...Bea...stay..."  Bea passed out. "Awake,"  Iris finished with a sigh.

Iris was preparing for the next realm. "You're hard to find,"  Iris turned around and rolled her eyes. "You're hard to lose, prince Xavier,"  Iris muttered. "You're leaving?"  Xavier asked. "Yes...but I suppose I might return,"  Iris said, looking at Camelot. It was a beautiful place. "If you ever do, know there is an extra room in the palace,"  Xavier said. Iris smiled. "I'll remember that," she said. She took out a magic bean and threw it to the ground. "Farewell Iris Deville,"  Xavier said as she jumped through. 

"Girls!"  Iris looked up. It was dark outside and Bea was still asleep. Hook ran up to them. "what happened here?"  Hook asked. His eyes landed on Bea. "Bea! Is she..?"  "Alive, but a nasty cut. That brute stabbed through her entire leg,"  Iris said. "Well, let's go back to the ship, okay?"  Hook asked, picking Bea up and putting her over his shoulder. Iris nodded.She turned to Xavier and whispered, "Farewell Xavier of Camelot,"