Hooked

Chapter Thirty Six

... Hook ...

"Why are we even trying to get to the shore?" Ryder asked, cutting down a few vines in his way.

We had decided to drastically change our course of direction last night after a small dispute between us. I wanted to go to the shore, and Ryder wanted to keep on the route we were taking - towards Wonderland.

"Because that is where my ship is, and I would like to go looting," I explained with a slight scowl, stepping over a large moss-covered root.

"Is that the only reason?" He said, looking back towards where I stood.

I was caught off guard by his question. "Yes," I lied.

"Come on now, James..."

I cut him off, "It's Killian."

He stopped and turned towards me, a questioning look on his face. "Why the sudden name change?" He said, sweat running down his face. He swiped his forehead with his sleeve.

"It's actually my middle name. James Killian Jones. Killian was my grandfather's name."

He waited for me to go on. "That doesn't quite explain why you would rather me call you Killian."

"Let's just say that I am turning a new leaf, and I want to start over."

He raised his eyebrows and continued hacking away while still trying to hold a conversation with me. "Anyway... Killian... I've known you the past two days. I've learned many things about you in those 48 hours, one of which is when you're lying. Now, tell me the real reason why you want to go to shore."

"I don't have a choice." I said, defeated.

"You're going to have to give me more than that, Killian."

"I have to get away from this island - the Land of the Lost Boys. I met someone I care for. She's on this island as we speak. I lost her, and she's not coming back. I was going to go to Wonderland to get a crew member of mine that she rather enjoyed the company of. But it's simply no use. She won't return to me. So I have to leave her behind. Before I go mad."

"I understand your heartbreak, but..."

I smiled and said harshly, "But that's just the thing. You don't. I change around her. I am someone that I don't even recognize whenever she smiles at me. I don't know if it's good or bad because of my distorted view on things. I just want to get away from it."

"But I do understand. I've had my fair share of heartbreaks. Most of the heartbreaks were given to the maidens by yours truly, but..." he paused and smiled jokingly.

I rolled my eyes. "Let's just keep walking."

"No. You know you might be making a large mistake if you leave her behind."

I made a 'tsk' sound with my tongue and gave a resounding, "Fine. Let's set up camp here." I sat against a tree, folding my hands in front of me.

He sat at the tree across from me. "Let me tell you of the mistake I made. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there will be more to come, but..." He looked at my unamused face and cleared his throat. "I met a lovely girl in the Land of Wealth. Her name was Aurora. We grew up together and easily became close friends. She quickly became my first love by the time we were both fifteen. I thought of telling her so, but it never felt like it was the right time. So I decided to tell her on her sixteenth birthday. As a birthday gift of sorts. But on her sixteenth birthday she fell into a deep sleep, never to awaken."

I waited for him to go on. "And?"

"That's it. She never awoke."

"Does anyone know how to awaken her? Or why she fell into the sleep?"

"If anyone does, nobody told me."

"Well... That is quite a sad story, but you still don't know what I've been through."

He shook his head, scowling. "There's just no way to get to someone like you."

I ignored his statement, too tired to get in another fight with him, although my cursed form protested, hungry for a fight.

"Fine, we'll go through with your plan. We'll get to your ship - what is your ship's name again?"

"...Jolly Roger."

"We'll get to the Jolly Roger, and then go looting. But I think you should rethink this. Regret is the worst enemy here in Neverland, Killian. I wouldn't want you to add another regret to your long list."

... Smee ...

A siren blared, forcing each of my senses on alert. I heard a groan to my left. My mind scattered, trying to take in my surroundings as Tom's head was placed into my view.

"Get up, you slug!" He yelled, pulling me up by the arm.

"What's going on?" I slurred.

He gave an incredulous look, and said, exasperated, "We are going to war."

My eyes widened. I completely forgot. The whole other day was a blur. It passed by too slowly. "Wh-where do we go?

He flopped his hands to his side and said, completely overdone, "I don't know! They just told us to be ready, beside our beds!"

I yelled over the siren, "Define 'ready'."

"Just put your servant clothes on, I guess."

I turned and rummaged through my drawers just as the door opened, light pooling into the room.

"Come along, housemaids!" A guard yelled to us as two others laughed heartily at his joke and lifted us to our feet. They rushed us down a few halls and through some doors, side by side. In our nightwear.

"Who are we fighting?" I asked the group of guards leading us through every twist and turn in the castle.

"We're fighting a ship on the shore. We need as many men as possible." The guard in front of us answered.

"Who? Who's on shore?" I said, slight panic striking me.

"The infamous Jolly Roger," he said with a slightly mischievous smile.

I mulled the new information over in my head, and thought of my possible tactics to get away from the war to come and reunite with my shipmates.

I could sneak away in the middle of the night and try to get to Hook before the soldiers did... But I wondered how far I would make it until the guards keeping watch at nightwould notice.

I could also just make my way through the battle and to the ship. I could just stay put in there until the battle died down. But I know that I should fight with my Captain at all times, right at his side. That was how I was taught. It didn't seem right to just wait comfortably in the ship while all of my friends - my family, of sorts - fought just outside for the Jolly Roger.

I would just have to wait for the right time to decide.

...

Here's a lil *very short* update for my lovely readers!

I will make the next chapter a lot longer for you guys. You all are amazing.

~StarrySkies7