Her Name Wasn't Wendy

Carving Out the Truth

He woke up to crying. His eyes still shut, made him wonder who was crying. They were quite sobs, as if the person who was crying was trying to hold it in but ends up making noise anyway.

He opened his eyes to the wooden ceiling of his cabin. He breathed in the fading sent of Zemira one more time before he turned his head to see who was crying. He saw no one. He sat up slowly. It was still dark outside, it must have been early morning. He could only make out the vague outline of the table from the minimal light coming through the windows of his cabin. He looked around and saw no one. He assumed that he couldn't see whoever it was because of the table. He slid from his bed and rounded the corner of the table to see a small form just under the window. Whoever it was was shaking under the quiet sobs.

He came closer and saw long brown hair covering the person's face. It was Zemira. His heart melted. She came back? She came to him? Why was she crying? He thought that he would make whoever made her cry pay for every tear she had cried. He wouldn't let anything happen to his girl. He was surprised at the possession he felt over her but he regretted none of it. He sank down next to her under the windows. He put his arm around her, she gave a surprised gasp at his touch. She then continued to cry but she then turned into him, crying into his shoulder. This was the moment he remembered that he wasn't wearing a shirt. They changed positions slightly and he ended up holding her in his lap, her shoulder against his chest and her head bowed and pressed against his forearm. He held her while she cried for a long time. He was content just to hold her.

He realized she was wearing his trench coat that had reassumed it's old size. It was huge on her, it was hung on her shoulders and made it seem less awkward with him being shirtless. It was such a difference from the day before, she had been the captain of his ship challenging him to a fight, now she was curled in his arms crying. What had happened? She seemed so breakable.

He stroked her hair lovingly and remained silent. She shook in his arms, his arm was moist from her tears. His heart was racing from her touch, he had longed for it, but not when she was distraught. After another good thirty minutes of tears she finally stopped and silently leaned against him. Her hair tickled his neck. He let some silence pass before he spoke.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked. she was silent. Many minutes passed before she spoke, her voice was riddled with the sound after someone cried.

"Why are you not wearing a shirt?" Her tone serious. He chuckled.

"Well when I sleep I just wear trousers," he said laughing softly.

"That's weird," she said, which installed more laughter in him. He felt her smile. It wasn't like it mattered all that much anyway, he wasn't touching any of her skin anymore, and she had his coat on. Silence Consumed them again before she continued. "I made a mistake coming here." His heart stopped.

"What do you mean?" all joking had left his tone.

"You deserve the truth, before. . ." Her voice drifted off and then she continued. "I lived in the Enchanted Forest, with my mother who was ill with something that I couldn't cure. But I was approached by a man there, because of my special gift."

"Your magic?"

"Yes, sort of, see I am one of a very few born across the realms that can control power, I can use someone's power to do my bidding," she explained, "anyway, he told me that he could cure her if I killed someone." her tears started up again but she continued in her tale. "I was very skilled in agility and swordsmanship because my father, before he passed, was a teacher of it and he taught me many different styles of fighting so I could well defend myself. Anyway I was capable of doing this and after I rationed it out and more training I agreed to this man and his terms. He came back to me and gave me a hand mirror, telling me that I was to go to another realm and find. . .a man and kill him, then report back to him through the mirror. he taught me a spell so that I could use it as a communication to him. After he explained a great deal about a special day that he could send me through to NeverLand and then bring me back out, he sent me through."

"Who was it?" he asked, "who was the target?" she moved out of his grasp and sat beside him, then she met his eyes.

"Peter Pan."