Neverland, Wiser Than Us All

If It Is A Dream, Then It's A Very Good Dream

He came the next night, as promised.
Peter had spent all day obsessing over every moment that he had spent with Wendy from the moment his feet hit the shores of Neverland, until he flew to meet her the following night. He was exhausted and tired all day. So much so that the boys began to worry. They teased him at first, but he was too busy staring into the sky and smiling to himself, or working fiercely on whatever he was doing and muttering in frustration.
Needless to say they were all confused. They just left Peter to it, and went about their normal play and routines, but the whole of Neverland seemed to be perturbed and distracted. Nothing felt right. The oldest boys eventually brought Pan a late lunch, as he hadn't eaten all day, and told him he should call it a night. That he would feel better in the morning.
Peter hardly heard what they were saying, but he stumbled off into the woods, eating his food as he walked. He fell asleep somewhere, but nobody could have told you where. Sleeping until moments before the sunset.
As soon as he was awake he was off to the pool in a hurry. Halfway there, however, he realized that had neither bathed nor changed his clothes in almost three days. He groaned in frustration, changing course and sprinting off towards the treehouses.
He climbed the ladder and was into the treehouses before most people could blink. The ruckus of boys "settling" in for bed stilled, as he charged into the room. Everything was quiet, Peter's eyes dashing around with an unsettling focus. Peter's oldest boy, Trell, piping up to say, "Everything alright, boss?"
Peter looked at them as if seeing them for the first time. He sighed, giving him a somewhat sheepish grin. "Everything's alright, I'm just..." He walked in and kissed his youngest 5 on their heads. "I'm busy tonight, but I'll be back in the morning."
"A new boy, Peter?" One of the middle boys piped up.
"...Something like that." Then he bid them goodnight and was off to the next treehouse to gather fresh clothes before the rest of the boys could gather their thoughts. The oldest boys looked at each other, but then shrugged their shoulders in true Neverland fashion.
Peter grabbed clothes, not really sure which ones they were, and hopped in and out of the river in less than five minutes. Taking extra care to scrub his face and hair and rinse his mouth. His clothes were on, and he was running again towards the pool. His old wardrobe cast off and lying in a heap next to the river.
Hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath, he waited at the edge of the pool. Waiting for some sign that Wendy was finished for the day and in her room.
Wendy must have been just as eager to see if he would come, because she retired much earlier than she had the night before. Peter grinned as he saw her trying to do some embroidery, but standing and walking to the window every couple moments. Scarcely daring to hope that she was waiting for him.
Little Bell flew tight circles around his head, and Peter was off before she was quite finished. Leaving her trailing behind.
It was much later than Peter would have liked when he was high above the castle. Floating there he was suddenly nervous. He ran his hand through his hair and turned to look at his star. "Wish me luck." He said to his old friend. Then he turned and flew to Wendy's window.
Wendy must have heard the tinkling of Little Bell as she was at the window to meet them. She grinned at the pair as they came to float in front of her. "You came!" Wendy almost fell out the window as she threw her arms around the astonished Peter. He recovered quickly and hugged her less tightly than she hugged him.
Little Bell bobbed noisily in front of her face, waiting for her hello as well. She loosened her grip and Peter helped her firmly plant her feet inside the window again. Wendy curtsied, "And hello to you, Little Bell. Of course I would never forget." Little Bell bobbed happily, and Wendy grinned widely at them both.
Catching Peter's eye as he smiled, somewhat proud of himself for the greeting he had received, Wendy blushed slightly, but couldn't stop herself from smiling. "Well, come in, you two. You'll catch your death out there." She grabbed Peter Pan's hand and helped him through the window. Pulling an extra chair to the table, cleaning off the sewing as she did so.
Peter hadn't yet said anything, and was scrambling in his mind for something – anything – to say. Luckily Wendy spoke again, saving him. She kept her eyes on the dress she was folding, her voice even, but obviously struggling with something. "I didn't... I didn't think you were real." She looked up and her eyes met his. The girl smiled wryly, "I was sure you were just some fantastic reaction to the lack of sleep." She laughed once. "But...here you are."
Wendy set the dress down by the corner of her bed, and stood again, meeting Pan's eyes. Her smile was very soft as she said, "If it is a dream, then it is a very good dream." Peter smiled just as softly back, and Wendy looked down and blushed.
"Are you hungry?" The girl's tone was entirely different from a moment before. "I grabbed a pair of uneaten muffins from the breakfast table. Just in case you did decide to show up." The girl winked at him, and Peter's knees went a little weak. She pulled out one of the two chairs now at the table, and motioned for him to come take her place behind it.
He did so and she nodded at him. She moved until she was in front of the chair and directed kindly, "You push it in while I am seated." Peter's eyes widened, but he did as he was told. "Now you may take your seat." Peter sat obediently and only mildly fumbled. "I take it they don't teach dinner table manners in Neverland." Pan looked up, ready to defend himself, but saw in her look that she was teasing.
The Prince of Neverland had yet to say anything. Wendy waited for a moment, then rolled her eyes. "Shall we eat?" The girl reached under the table and brought out a basket. She laid a napkin before each of them, and on top of that laid a beautiful looking blueberry muffin. Again, Wendy waited for Peter Pan to say anything, but when nothing was immediately forthcoming, she smiled at him again. This dissipated all his feelings of awkwardness, and his stomach turned to jelly. "After you." She motioned to the muffin. Peter had finally thought of something to say when there were footsteps on the stairs below.
"Quick! Out the window!" Wendy hissed at him. She started to clean up their table in a rush, and Peter was out the window with only a second glance back.
Floating below the windowsill, he heard the trap door open.
"Wendy, Wendy, Wendy. How fortunate to catch you before you fell asleep..." Peter's fists clenched as he recognized the voice of the greasy, conniving, Duke from the day before, "...And all alone at that." He heard the door shut with a snap.
Peter decided that he couldn't just leave Wendy defenseless in there, and flew to a crack in the ceiling to watch the proceedings more closely.
The Duke took a couple measured steps toward her, Wendy took a couple measured steps back, and Peter tensed.
"Your grace, I wasn't aware you were a guest tonight. Allow me to prepare a room..." The duke cut her off midsentence with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"You know, Wendy, you are a beautiful girl." The man gave her a predatory up and down, "I may be twice your age, but you'll find that I can make up for it in other ways." Another step towards the girl. Wendy tried to retreat, but she ran into the edge of the table stopping her in her tracks. He took yet another step forward and flicked his tongue over his rotting teeth. There was barely a foot between them, Wendy pressing as hard as she could against the back of the table. The Duke leaned until one hand was resting on the table beside Wendy.
"I'm only going to make this offer once, girl. So listen carefully. And I would think very VERY hard about your answer and all of its consequences before answering. Do you understand?" Wendy sucked in her breath at the barely veiled threat and nodded. "Good." The odious man straightened.
"Be my wife, Wendy." The girl's eyes went wide and her hand came to her now open mouth. Peter shook his head in shock. "You will be a duchess. Free of these chains. You won't have to work another day in your life. As long as you belong to me and only me. My wishes are your wishes, and you come when you are summoned. Understand?" Wendy didn't move. Nobody moved for a breathless moment.
"If you refuse, you will long for the gentle routine here at home. For I will speak to the princess, and bring down all the wrath my station possesses, and you will become less than nothing." The man's eyes glinted and he smiled a twisted grin at the terrified girl in front of him.
Peter had seen enough. No one would make his Wendy afraid. Not so long as he could help it. With his anger, a cold wind started to swirl around him. He pushed it through the ceiling and the window and it whipped around the room with surprising force. The older man flinched and put up his arms in defense.