Flying

Chapter 33: Good Form

"So, what's your plan for getting the boys home?"

Throwing down my blanket, I lay on my back and gaze up at the stars. Peter picks his way through the slumbering boys and sits on his heels next to me.

"Well?"

"Can this not wait until morning?" I groan. "I'm exhausted."

Peter pokes me in the shoulder. "Come on, lovey."

"Don't call me that," I snap.

"Sorry, I thought my brother used to..."

"The plan," I cut him off, "is for all of us to go to sleep right now."

Heaving a loud sigh, Peter sinks back. He leans back against a fallen log and pulls out a wooden pan flute. Inhaling deeply, he starts to blow into the instrument. Before the first note can play, I snatch the flute away and toss it into the woods.

"Hey!" Peter protests. "That's mine!"

"Then you better go get it."

Closing my eyes, I wrap the blanket tightly around my body. I can feel Peter glaring at me, but I ignore him with a yawn.

"I don't understand why you won't talk to me," he whines.

"Really?" I keep my eyes shut. "You have no idea why I might not like you at all? You don't think it might have to do with invading my island? Or forcing me to take a needless trip to England and duel in a cage fight? Or abandoning me to your brother and letting me be thrown into the brig? Or poisoning me with a sleeping spell in a flower? Or kidnapping and beating me?"

"To be fair, I didn't beat you; that was Nibs. And I had given orders to my men to keep you occupied in several cage fights, but not to harm you. Wind and I wanted to come back to Neverland without you, so we wouldn't be forced to hurt you. The sleeping spell wasn't poisonous, and you needed some rest anyway. And I knew my brother wasn't going to hurt you when I left you with him."

Looking up at Peter, I raise a skeptical eyebrow. "You thought that a pirate wasn't going to hurt me?"

Peter shrugs. "James may be a pirate, but he still holds to his ridiculous code. It wouldn't be good form to hurt you."

"And what about you?" I raise myself up on my elbows. "What code do you hold to?"

"Me." Peter shoots an impish grin at me and jumps into a ridiculous pose with his hands on his hips and legs spread apart.

"Why did I even bother asking?" I moan.

"And you, Jimmy?" Peter drops down next to me, sitting cross-legged. "What's your code?"

"As if I would ever tell you," I scoff.

"Then at least tell me what the bloody plan is." Peter nudges me with his elbow.

"Will you let me sleep then?" I demand.

"I'll consider it."

Frustrated, I exhale loudly. This is exactly why I like to be on my own. By myself. Alone. Without any annoying boys who won't stop asking questions. Without any psychopathic girls who keep trying to kill me. Without any pirates who continue to invade my thoughts.

"Fine. Do you still have the fey dust that you stole on your first day here?"

Peter's eyes widen in surprise. "How did you...?"

"Please, Peter. I'm not an idiot." I roll my eyes. "I knew you stole it from the moment you betrayed me. I saw the glitter in your hair, remember? Your explanation of the mermaids was utterly ridiculous. Now where is it?"

Reluctantly, Peter reaches into his shirt and pulls out a small pouch. He opens it slightly to show me the glittering dust. "It's here. I was hoping to be able to use it on my brother, but there was no way to throw it on him and all of his men."

"Well, we will use it to send your boys home."

"But they won't survive when they make it home," Peter protests. "They need the pixie powder to function."

"I'll take care of them," I respond briskly. "Much better than you have, that's for certain."

"If you use the fey dust on them, how will you get rid of my brother and Merlin?" Peter asks.

"I'll figure it out," I reply. "The tree is still available."

"How did you know that tree was there?"

"Merlin brought it years ago." I lean back and gaze up at the sky. "I had no idea it was there. He had placed it there on his first visit as a precaution."

"I suppose it could contain Merlin, but what will you do with my brother?"

Turning my head, I raise an eyebrow at Peter. "Why do you care?"

"He is still my brother," Peter says defensively. "I don't want him to die."

"Unless you kill him," I quip.

Peter shrugs. "I wasn't going to kill him. I knew he could take the pain. Plus he was asking for it by choosing that ridiculous outfit. I have no idea why he's wearing such old fashioned clothing."

I start to respond, but then snap my mouth shut. I know Hook's period clothing was a disguise to fit in when he traveled back to locate the timepiece. However, I don't want to give Peter any more information in case he is still plotting against me. It would be foolish to let him know my original time era and what land I come from.

"Do you know why he selected such ridiculous clothes?"

"I don't spend my valuable time conversing with your brother about his wardrobe choice." I raise a hand before Peter can start talking again. "I only agreed to answer one question. Now shut up or I'll make you."

Grumbling under his breath, Peter stalks off towards Wind's tent. With a relieved sigh, I lay back down. The stars shimmer in the deep black sky. I can see Ventaris and Ithylwild shining softly. I wonder if Hook is watching the sailor star on his ship right now. Squeezing my eyes closed, I force him out of my mind and drift slowly into sleep.

Lovely to see you, mates!

So excited to announce that Flying was selected as the Fantasy Genre Runner Up in the Earnesty Writers Awards! I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but time has simply been against me. On the bright side, I'll be filming a short film on Friday and have just been cast in a TV series at my school. Cross your fingers for me! I'll be speaking Mandarin for the first time ever!

Fun Fact:

Pixies are mythical creatures that are considered to be particularly concentrated around Devon and Cornwall. There are many different versions and legends of pixies. Some used to believe that pixies were the souls of un-baptised children. The earliest published version of the story of the three little pigs actually had pixies in the place of the swine.

We begin the journey next week! And don't fret! We haven't seen the last of Captain James Hook!

Ever yours,

Commodore Caroline