Starlight

19

Despite the cage being on the ground, it still hadn't been opened. But at least there wasn't the uneasy feeling of swinging anymore. There was an odd silence which filled the small clearing. Aoife by now was still standing cloak hood up, staring into the cage. All that was really visible was her mouth, which was still pulled into a smile. "What do you want?" She asked seriously. Her tone had gone from comical to deadly serious in a fraction of a second that it was a little worrying.

"You heard what Emma said, yes?"

"I'm not deaf!" She laughed, a cynical sound which had the others wincing as her mouth pulled into a line.

"We need your help." He said, Hook wasn't surprised he was yet again the only one she was listening to.

"Oh," Aoife purred and tapped the cage wall. She slowly walked around it still running her finger over the branches and twigs which made up the walls. "Oh, oh, oh I bet you do."

"Will you help us?" Emma asked taking over from Hook.

Aoife burst out laughing. "No!" She wrapped her arms around her ribs. "I don't want to die! I mean, yes, yes I did, I really did, but I don't want to get killed by Peter or his freak of a Shadow friend." Aoife shook her head sadly. "Really, I am sorry." She said trying to sound serious, she failed because she kept giggling.

Hook looked at her seriously, "Aoife, let us out."

Aoife whined and shook her head. "I don't think I want to."

"Since when did you keep people hostage?"

Aoife flinched. "Hostage? Hm. Fine, be free." And as easy as that, she reached up and opened the door. The cage would be opened only by her. It was an enchanted cage which she had stolen from an old Lost Boy camp.

As soon as Regina was free of course she went for Aoife. The cloaked woman found herself flung sharply back against a tree by a hard hitting gust of wind. Instead of being scared, Aoife laughed. "You think this is funny?"

"Hysterical!" Aoife fell to the floor as Regina was pulled back by David and Mary Margaret. The group huddled and conversed with each other about the problem of trusting someone who was more than a little unhinged. "Insane?" Aoife piped up, she had snuck close enough to eavesdrop. "No, no, don't mistake my behaviour for insanity! You'd be the same if everyone you knew and cared for left you. Right, Killian? You know this feeling too well, right?"

"Hook, what did you do?" Emma asked awkwardly while looking up at the pirate beside her. Emma was not at all surprised he had a hand in how this poor woman was behaving or, however she may be.

"What did you do?" Aoife tilted her head to the side. "You let them take him. Then you left-"

"It wasn't like that." Hook narrowed his eyes, trying in vain to explain what had happened.

Aoife shook her head. "Oh, does that make coping better?" She whispered, she guessed whatever made him sleep better at night. "Hm, you see, I last saw you so many years ago. You promised me a way out, I believed you. I go to collect the rest of my things, and you're sailing away, and Baelfire...poor confused Baelfire is being dragged away." Shaking her head slowly she backed away. "I let you go. Go do what it is you have to do." She turned away and jumped up to stand on a fallen tree, its fall had knocked over several smaller trees which were now covered in vines.

"Will you not help us at all?" Mary Margaret the voice of reason piped up and stepped forwards.

Aoife turned and crouched down to look at her. "Why would I do that? I am quite frankly tired of helping people. It doesn't do well on my heart."

Mary Margaret nodded slowly, she shifted her weight. "If we gave you our word, would you help us?"

"Depends."

"What if we gave you our word to take you away?"

"I want to believe that. I dearly do, but I can't because you're keeping company with a damn pirate! The world's greatest liars apart from mermaids!" Aoife's tone started off so calm only to end angrily. "Do you know what it is like to be in the land of make believe only to have your belief taken from you? It is so hard, and so painful to try, and I mean try to believe in things, but there is nothing in Neverland to believe in anymore!" She stood up and jumped down. "Promising an old promise from years ago is just stupid. You can't promise me that, because the likelihood of you all dying is high."

"Never took you for a defeatist." Hook voiced.

"I'll give you defeatist in a minute!" Aoife shouted, Hook smirked, a small part of the old Aoife shined through there.

"Just saying." He shrugged.

"Shut up, you idiot." Aoife muttered, Mary Margaret looked at her with a small smile. Aoife huffed and crossed her arms.

"You know what I think?" She asked.

"Do I look psychic?" Aoife quipped back.

"I think you're scared," Mary Margaret smiled lightly again. "You've been on your own for so long, and you've clearly suffered a hardship thanks to Hook," at this Hook did voice something only to get a look shot at him by David. "Henry needs our help, and we need your help, will you help us?"

Aoife childishly kicked at the leaves below her feet. "I don't know."

"What isn't there to know?" Regina walked over. "Either you help us, or you get out of our way."

"You don't want to go in that direction." Aoife pointed over her shoulder. "Mermaids. I'm sure you've all had your fair share, no? Trust me, you've not had fair share until they're trying to rip your heart out! What great times, scared you say? I am terrified, but fear makes you strong, no?" Aoife smiled to Mary Margaret, who despite looking confused nodded slowly. "I don't want to help you because I don't want to get left behind or betrayed again," she whispered honestly, sounding the most sane she had sounded for this brief moment of knowing her. "If Peter has Henry, he'll try his hardest to make him join his side. You have to pray you get to Henry before that time, because trust me...he won't want to leave Peter's side, and you don't want that." Everyone nodded slowly registering the seriousness in her words. Aoife reached up and pushed the hood of her cloak down. Smiling she pushed her ribbon braided hair over her shoulder. "I will help you, even if we all end up dying painfully and slowly, I will help you. You have my word, may you hold me to it."

——

(Edited: 21/August/2020)