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

Chapter 18: Finding Freedom by Finding Courage

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Thanks for reading. Sorry about the wait, I have important exams to prepare for so this may be a frequent problem!
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Annabelle_the_reader
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Pan chuckled humourlessly, moving towards me slowly and carefully, as if I was a petrified deer, yet he would feast on my fear tonight. 'Nobody leaves Neverland without my permission, without my knowing, Tiger Lily, and that includes Baelfire.'

'Why didn't you stop us?' I questioned anxiously, my eyebrows knitting together. He didn't reply, which meant that the answer was obvious. And it was, because Pan could have easily stopped us if he wanted to, which means that he didn't want to. 'You wanted him to escape?'

'That's right.' He agreed, but I needed more than that and sent him a quizzical look, inviting him to explain what he meant more. 'I made a mistake bringing him to Neverland, something which I rarely do. I could feel you were happier in Neverland, happier with me, but the magic to find the owner of the Heart of the Truest Believer was not there. Therefore, Henry hadn't been born. Henry couldn't be born if Baelfire was in Neverland because Henry is Baelfire's son. I needed Baelfire to escape and all I had to do was wait long enough for it to not appear to the Lost Boys that I made a mistake.'

My jaw dropped and all I could say was 'Oh.'

'Indeed,' Pan mocked.

'Are you not angry with me?' I asked nervously biting my lip as I watched him before me, acting all proud and high and mighty, knowing that even when I am disobeying him, he is manipulating me.

'Naturally.' Pan agreed. 'In fact, I am furious. Not only did you help Baelfire escape, but you disobeyed me and then lied to me.'

'Will you punish me?' I mumbled nervously, anxiously shifting from foot to foot.

'Normally I'd put traitors in the cages, but today I'll make an exception... Considering the circumstances,' Just as he was about to leave me there, shocked and bewildered, he added, 'See, Tiger? I do have a heart.'

It sickened me. First Pan built the camp for the Lost Boys, the team, then he built the cage for the traitors.

'I-I can't breathe!' I hissed and decided I had to leave and go for a walk to clear my head.

I spun around sharply and headed for the woods, the only place I can truly feel free and relaxed, like Peter Pan couldn't find me and couldn't hurt me there.

'Where are you going?' Peter grabbed my arm, without my even knowing he was near me and back from talking with Felix, his fingernails digging into my skin and almost oozing blood from beneath my flesh. I wince, but don't snap back.

'Practicing.' I replied honestly and briefly, tugging my hand away and walking confidently towards my bow and quiver from a hollow log, mostly to demonstrate what I was about to do. In truth, my encounter with Hook and the knowledge of my son had left me a little shaken up and I just wanted to take a walk alone, but now I felt like I had to shoot at least something.

'Ok, but be careful, because of what happened with the mountain lion, don't get lost and-' Peter Pan called after me sternly, his eyes not meeting mine as he turned back towards camp.

'And stay close to camp.' I finished for him, rolling my eyes at how annoyingly protective and controlling Peter Pan could be. Inside of the forest, all of the animals roam freely. 'I'm already lost, aren't I? A Lost Girl?' I laughed.