Elizabeth of the Lily

The Cruelty of Fate

Lost Boy Rule: Don't fall in love. That is a weakness you can't afford.

The forest of Neverland echoed with the anguished cries of the Faeries. The smell of blood and terror tainted the morning mist.

On the Wayward Path ran a spry old woman carrying a precious bundle. She knew the path well and did not hesitate when it tried to woo her off course. Time was of the essence and if she didn't get her granddaughter to Peter before the Crocodile clock began to ring the hour, the child would no longer be shielded by her magic and enemies would come.

She reached the hideout and began to knock on the old tree desperately hoping he was, for once in his life, home. A boy sleepily popped his head out of a hollow and stupidly asked, "What are you doing here? Its not even dawn yet."

"Curly, I must talk to Peter right away. It is a matter of life and death." The rhythm of her voice belied her age and the grave dignity of her tone galvanized the boy into action. With a clumsy salute he popped back into the hole.

The woman began to pace nervously but soon a rustle in the tree tops and the joyful sound of a flute announced the apparition that she awaited.

"Good Morning Chief Tiger Lily of the Wind People!" came the cheery voice. The speaker floated into view and landed with a soft thud on the ground before the old woman. The boy, really young man, had an impish grin and a tousle of gold hair with undertones of red and impossibly green eyes. But that grin faded at the look on his old ally's face.

"Rising Dawn and King Melior were attacked and slaughtered this morning. It was Simwe. He betrayed them. Simwe didn't even wait to know if he had become an uncle to a boy or a girl." Her eyes glistened with unshed tears and the bitterness in her voice was like a poison.

Peter Pan, for that was the boy,  reached out a comforting hand to his old friend but stopped as he noticed what she was carrying for the first time. The baby gurgled, sleeping as only a new baby can. His mouth fell open in wonder.

Peter felt his whole world shift as he looked at the child. She glowed as only faeries can, but her essence was entirely different and new. A few important facts clicked into place for Peter. 1) She would and could restore the power imbalance in their land 2) she was in terrible danger and needed protecting. 3) With the loss of her parents, she had, through no fault of her own, become a lost girl. Peter blinked and was stunned at this revelation. Tiger Lily was out of patience and opened her mouth to continue her plea.

Peter cut her off with an astonished,
"Is this She?" the last syllable with abject reverence. Tiger Lily was taken aback by how moved he was over the child, and she tearily nodded and croaked out

"Elizabeth of the Lily, after me." She shook her old head then as if to refocus and lifted her strange blue eyes to Peter Pan's green ones. "She is not safe here, Peter. I need you to take her to the other world. The world of Wendy, of your lost boys, and there find her a home to hide in until I can make it safe for her to return."

Peter eyes flashed his worry, "You'll have to work quickly. Time moves more swiftly there. A day here is a month there. That does not give us much time."

Tiger Lily stroked the child's head and gave her one last soft kiss and whispered words of a different sort of spell. The features of the child changed, the faerie glow faded, her blonde fuzz of downy hair darkened, but her indefinite eyes remained the same. Then Tiger Lily gravely handed the baby over to Peter. "So be it. Simwe has created an unstable situation leaving room for Hook to..."

"I know. Curses!" Peter stomped his foot, "If I do this, I demand one thing in return. This you must promise me!"  He demanded it with such ferocity. Tiger Lily nodded her head ready to agree to anything. She could hear the ticking begin to echo as the Crocodile Clock approached the hour