Peter's Lily (Sequel to Pan's Tiger)

Chapter 25: Don't mess with Pan

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Betrayal clung to my shoulders like a physical pain. I had to love him. I couldn't betray anything without loving it. And now, by betraying me, I was also betraying myself.

Wordlessly, we travelled across the ship and stopped as we reached the deck. My limbs were instantly tied together by the other pirates.

I panted heavily, my nerves getting the better of me. I was convinced that my limited magic would be disabled if this went wrong; my magic never worked when I was so afraid.

Then a pirate gave a signal and Charlie and a few more pirates swarmed around me. They began to force me, half-dragging-half-carrying me up the rigging. I struggled with all my might, screaming and yelling for Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. As I didn't struggle hard enough to be problematic, they managed to force me along one of the beams leading out to sea.

Marching along the deck, my dark brown hair flowing behind me like a black river, I maintain my dignity by holding my head high like my family did. There was nothing I could do but accept my fate, even if it is the most inhumane and indecent thing I have ever done.

I take one, two, three shuffling steps forwards, counting each one as a worthy, but seemingly useless, distraction.

I try to keep in the tears that threaten to roll down my cheeks, but failed. Taking a deep breath, I felt like I was wrapping an old, dusty necklace around my neck, letting it enclose the doors and abandon the thousands of breaths that are locked in my lungs. I guess I'll go the same way my mother did; murdered by Peter Pan. I will be slaughtered by the person I once loved.

Holding my breath, I tried not to look downwards at the roaring water, stirring slightly because of my fear.

I knew what I has to do: pretend to be scared. Pretend to be afraid. Pretend to hate him. I just had to go to any extremes to call upon Pan and allow Henry's family to rescue Neal in order to save Henry. As Pan put it, moves and counter-moves.

Every step along the beam was agonising for me. Whatever courage I had gathered had disintegrated to dread and I wondered when I would meet my fate altogether. My heart was thumping and pounding in my chest, sweat licking my skin. The icy chill of fear bit me twice as hard as before as the reality of that event had sunk in.

Then all of the pirates stopped abruptly and began to gently tie more ropes around me and onto an anchor. I screamed in terror, muffled by the hand clamped over my mouth. I followed the ropes attached to the anchor, that my limbs and torso were now tightly attached to. In horror, I noticed that the anchor was attached to a system of pulleys that enabled pirates from the decking to gently lower me towards the water and then let me go, do that I would drown. There was no escape now.

Immediately after my realisation, I began to struggle even harder on my ropes and on the men, pushing the men around to try and force them off the edge of the beam, but nothing seemed to work.

The pirates laughed and began to walk away from me, satisfied the ropes held fast. I tried to turn around and follow them, but the anchor was too heavy to lift and the ropes prevented me from having any movement.

Soon Captain Hook was the only pirate remaining on the beam of wood, smiling down at me as if it was an achievement that an entire crew of men overcame a single, adolescent girl. 'It seems it was a lot easier to make you do what I wanted in the end, Lily.'

'I will not be the bait for however you want to hurt or kill the Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. Let me go this instant.' I demanded sternly, stamping my foot and pretending to be outraged that he would do this to me.

Something glinted in the corner of my eye and suddenly a sharp blade was pressed against my throat once again. Hook smirked down at me evilly, causing me to gulp hard at the pressure of the blade. 'Oh, I think you will be the bait, Princess Lily.' He taunted.

'Let me go!' I said frantically, tears welling in my eyes and threatening to fall. 'Untie me now!' I demanded again, gritting my teeth together and glaring at him.

Captain Hook raised a dark eyebrow menacingly at me. 'I don't think I will.' He placed his hand on the small of my waist and pulled me towards him, the sword dropping from around my neck as his eyes scanned across my face. Then, his breath suffocating me, his mouth moved to my ear as he whispered, 'Ready, Princess Lily?'

Before I could reply, all of a sudden Captain Hook used all of his strength and pushed. I couldn't stay upright and struggled with all of my strength, but I toppled and fell sideways. Screaming louder than ever before, I felt my body being tugged and I was left hovering about twenty metres above the surface of the ocean.

My eyes looked downwards to see all of the pirates, except Hook, who was still climbing down the rigging, holding the ropes. The Lost Boys couldn't kill them, or I would die, but if they fought Captain Hook and endangered his life, the pirates could easily loosen their grasp on me and I would fall to my death.

I was their leverage.

I was their insurance.

'Peter Pan!' A loud, gruff shout came from below me. I peered down, rather awkwardly as I couldn't use my neck because the ropes were so tight, to see Hook looking out into the clouds.

'Let me go!' I shrieked, pretending to try as hard as possible to avoid the confrontation between Hook and Pan. I couldn't stand it if he was hurt.

'PAN! I know you are out there! DO YOU SEE PRINCESS LILY, DO YOU? How does it feel to know that your foolish actions have caused her so much pain? How does it feel to know that Princess Lily's life now rests entirely in your hands. TURN YOURSELF IN, PAN, OR SHE WILL DIE! Let the boy go and your Lost Girl will be returned to you!'

I knew what I has to do: pretend to be scared. Pretend to be afraid. Pretend to hate him. I just had to go to any extremes to call upon Pan and allow Henry's family to rescue Neal in order to save Henry. As Pan put it, moves and counter-moves.

'Come at me, you coward. Throw your weapons on me, on me! Tiger Lily was not able to take such hostile actions against you!' Came a shout from above the pirates. I screamed when I realised the voice belonged to Peter Pan.

He was there to rescue me, to save my life, but I betrayed him. The irony from Pan's point of view. He was willing to risk his life to save mine and yet I betrayed him, which sickened me. It was like I was gathering the wood and cheered while I watched him burn.

Pan was reckless. Pan was brave. Pan was insanely, recklessly brave. Maybe I loved him for it because it was these characteristics that would save his life. Maybe wasn't such a bad thing. Maybe a little reckless bravery may end up saving my life.

I could hear voices and cheers coming from the beach as people clambered into boats, sailing away from the shore with an unusual mixture of excitement and fury. The Lost Boys were coming, an army of children, like a stampede of wild animals.

All the Lost Boys were furious, as well as excited (which they always were before battle), which meant that something was angering them. They were angered that the Pirates had kidnapped me. This means that they weren't here for Pan, they were here to rescue me because they cared about me.

Suddenly I grasped what was happening- they were all trying to save me.

I never thought I was worth saving.

'Leave Peter!' I yelped as loud as possible, my eyes scanning the clouds and the vague direction his voice came from. 'They want you dead.'

Peter Pan ignored me and shouted once more, 'I am here, release her and I will turn myself in!'

Peter Pan was powerful.

Peter Pan was unstoppable.

And now, Peter Pan was turning himself in for me.