Finding Pan | OUAT Fan-fiction

10: Blurred Lines

 "Aurora," Elle gasped, "Are you okay?"

Elle looked at her surroundings she woke up in. She realized they were in the same prison back in haven. All the teenager could remember was being dragged off by some zombie people sent by Cora to steal the compass. 

"Speaking of the devil," Elle muttered glaring at the witch herself who was holding a plate of food. 

"I thought you might be hungry," Cora said placing a tray of food on the floor before them. 

"Don't eat it," Elle warned, "She could have poisoned it."

She fought against the bindings around her arms and let out a frustrated sigh. 

"I hope you enjoy stew," Cora said ignoring Elle. 

"I enjoy anything that masks the bitter aftertaste of poison," Aurora answered. 

"Oh, plucky," Cora said to the princess, "I like that."

Elle rolled her eyes. the evil was coming off of Regina's mother in waves. 

"You might as well go. I'm not gonna tell you anything," Aurora stated. 

"Oh, I know," Cora said. 

"That's alright, you have nothing to tell. You weren't my target."

"The compass-sad you lost it?" Aurora asked. 

"I suppose, but now I have something to trade for."

"They'll never trade me for that," Aurora told Cora. 

Mulan would, Elle thought. 

"Something on your mind?" Cora asked turning her attention to the pirate's daughter. 

"Nothing of your concern," Elle said through gritted teeth.

"Very well," Cora said, "You might be more valuable than you know."

"To who? They just met me and they're trying to get back to their families." Aurora said, "Do you really think they'll sacrifice that for a stranger."

Elle flinched at the thought. Aurora came off as a spoiled princess, but behind that, she was a decent human being. 

"Your newfound companions? You may not know them, but I do," Cora said, "Snow and her daughter just can't help themselves. No matter the personal stakes, they won't let an innocent die."

"We shall see," Aurora answered. 

"So, uh, tell me, Cora, why am I here?" Elle asked. 

She gestured to Aurora and Cora leaning back against the prison wall, "This seems like a conversation between the two of you. I don't see a reason as to why I am here."

"You, my dear, are leverage against a certain pirate," Cora told her with a wicked grin, "Once he finds out your whereabouts, he'll come back to me."

"He would never endanger himself like that," Elle snapped back.

"You don't know your father at all then," Cora laughed. 

She looked back to Aurora resuming their conversation, "And what stakes do you have in their cause, princess?"

Aurora was silent, "It's not as though you'd travel back with them. Oh, what a sweet misguided notion."

"Don't listen to a word she says," Elle told Aurora and was silenced by Cora's magic. 

"Now now, this is a conversation between the two of us," Cora narrowed her eyes at Elle.

Elle gasped for breath and was thrown into a wall. She was breathing heavily on the ground and Cora continued to speak to Aurora.