The Old King ~OUAT Panfiction (Book 3)

Veiled Truths

As Anne stood there, frigid with shock, Pan pushed through the circle of boys. His eyes widened, before his jaw clenched and he gestured the boys to back up. "Everyone, make room!!" He demanded. Anne's eyes enlarged and her breathing intensified. Then, she felt a hand wrap around her bicep and pull her out of the circle. "Let me go!" She exclaimed, resisting and yanked herself free, meeting Preston's concerned grey eyes. At first, she was surprised to see him again. What did he want with her now?

"This wasn't your fault, alright?" He vowed. "Even if you hadn't shot the arrow, someone else would have and the apple would have been poisoned anyway."

"Of course it was my fault," she scoffed, stomach sinking and her eyes filled with tears.

"No, Anne, listen to me!" Preston persisted, grabbing her shoulders. She angrily shoved him away.

"I said let go of me!" Then, she bolted off into the jungle, tearing through the leaves of bushes. Preston cursed and ran after her.

"Wait! Come back!!" He cried. She only increased her speed, zipping across a small field of long grass and back into the jungle on the other side. Preston slowed to a stop, watching her disappear through the settling fog of the morning, breathing raggedly and sighing, doubtfully. He was startled by another boy emerging from the trees and he shot around. Sawyer halted beside him, panting. His eyes hung after the girl, more so curiously than anxious for her return. "That girl is messed up, you know."

~ ~ ~

Anne's face rested in her hands as she held her knees to her chest, back pressed against a tree. Her mind was swirling with questions, questions of how the poor boy died and what had happened last night. It certainly looked like he had eaten the apple she punctured with her arrow, but why? Why would the boy be so reckless and ignorant? He might have been little, but he was old enough to know what was dangerous and what wasn't. Surely, Pan had informed all of them of the poison upon their arrival. Had this boy been tricked?

Last night was still a blur. Anne could only recall sensations, smells, and tastes. One minute, she was hanging on Dominique. Next, she was against a tree with Pan boring his dark eyes into hers. Then, she woke up and she was naked and Pan was just getting dressed. The lost girl couldn't help but feel embarrassed with herself. Pan had seen her, all of her and had done things to her body that she couldn't quite disagree with. And now, now she wanted to know every detail.

Her brain registered that she was being watched and she lifted her head. It was her fifteen year old apparition, gazing into her eyes. "Look what you've done to us," she spat. "He won't be pleased with me."

The real Anne quickly became addled and shook her head. "What are you talking about? Why are you here?!" She stood up to size up her figment and the small fifteen year old joined, backing away.

"You should have covered our tracks better, you murdered that boy and you just ran like a coward."

"I didn't murder him! He ate the apple on his own!" Seventeen year old Anne shouted. "I don't need this right now, would you just go away?!"

"He's going to punish me for your own reckless actions!" Her figment exclaimed, terror translating through her gaze for the first time.

The real Anne threw her hands up in the air. "I didn't do anything!! Go away!! You're not even real, you're just in my head," she scoffed, turning and beginning to walk off.

"He's coming for me, Anne," her voice warned. "And it's only a matter of time before he comes for you too."

Then, the real Anne whipped around and her figment was gone. This time, she was left wary and questioning even more than before. Suddenly, she realized that there was more to this piece of her imagination than she previously thought.