The Fairy and Her Captain - Chapter 10

The pirate captain didn’t dare move from his spot, afraid to disturb the fae from her slumber. His eyes stayed locked on her and his fingers played absently with her hair, running his hand through her golden locks. A long absent memory rose to the surface of his mind. One that he thought escaped him.

The memory took place aboard the Jolly Roger in his quarters. He was sitting on his bed, reading a book after a long day of sailing. Milah sauntered in and laid down on the bed, setting her head in his lap. He set the book down on the bed open-faced to keep his place. He played with her jet-black hair, running his fingers through it like he had been doing with Hazel in this moment.

The memory was a pleasant one and his mind drifted away from that memory back onto Hazel. Something drew him to her in a deep way. Like an unspoken connection that had yet to be explored. He cared for her and wanted to protect her. No matter how many times she was kidnapped to get to him for feelings that the assailant thought was between them.

Looking at her like this did make him question if he one day he could move on from his first love.

Her brows scrunched together as her eyes opened up slowly. She brought her hand up to rub her eye with her knuckle, easing herself into an upright position.

Killian was brought out of his own thoughts upon feeling the weight lifting off his lap. “Hazel…you’re up! How are you fairing?” He asked gingerly, his soft gaze meeting hers when she turned to face him. A caring look washed over his features, similar to the one he had after rescuing her from Black Beard when he was patching her up.

“I feel…great…” The fae answered slowly, her brows furrowing together. She looked around their surroundings and noted the waterfall and the spring within reaching distance. “I should…be dead… What happened?” She vividly remembered being poisoned by her own dagger and here she was…alive. She saw what it had done to the others and remembered Killian’s explanation of the poison. There was no way that she could have survived being infected by it.

“What did you do?” She questioned, meeting his gaze with a serious look in her eyes.

“I saved your life.” Killian replied, a heavy sigh leaving his lips. “I made you drink the waters from this spring. It is the only cure for the dreamshade poison.”

The fae’s eyes darted over to the spring next to her, studying it. If this poison was as deadly as Killian made it sound earlier, what would the price be for such a cure. She turned her head back to Killian. “And what is the price for such a cure?”

Killian’s heart sank and his eyes fell to the rock floor. “…You…,” He started hesitantly. “You can’t leave Neverland. …Ever…less you wish to perish the moment the water’s magic fades.” He couldn’t meet her gaze, afraid of how she could react to being stuck on another island yet again after all the time she had spent exploring and traveling on the Jolly Roger.

Hazel’s eyes widened, locking on Killian as she listened to his answer. The horror of being trapped on another island made her blood run ice cold. The horror of having to survive this island for the rest of her life while fighting Pan and his Lost Boys, alone terrified her. Anger slowly boiled in her veins, warming her up.

“You forced me to drink the water?! You should have given me the choice! I would have much rather died than be cursed to stay on Neverland for the rest of my life until Pan or the Lost Boys kill me the moment you leave with the remainder of the crew on the Jolly Roger!” Hazel called out angrily, rising to her feet.

Killian stood up after her and felt his own anger begin to rise. “I made that choice to save your life! And I know that you would have done the same for me if the situation was reversed!” He replied boisterously. “I saved your life countless times now! From Pixie Hollow, from Black Beard, and this wretched poison that took my brother’s life!”

A harsh silence washed over them. They stared into each other's eyes, their anger and frustration palatable.

The fae finally broke the stare when she stared at the ground, her anger and frustration fading from her body upon a realization. She should be grateful for him saving her life, yet again. Time and time again, he continued to save her life without wanting anything in return besides her being his scout.

Killian stared intensely at the fae, his anger not diminishing for a moment. “What?” He questioned harshly. “So now you’re feeling bad for what you’ve said? I–”

Hazel snapped her head to him and met his gaze straight, walking up to him. She grabbed onto the fabric of his coat and pulled him close. “No! I won’t feel bad for what I’ve said! I’m frustrated! You expect me to just sit idly by and take your verbal abuse? I’m not saying sorry for what I’ve said!”

Killian could anticipate a few reactions from the fae, but this one wasn’t quite it. He hadn’t expected her to stand up to him like this, calling him out outright. He narrowed his eyes down at her, grabbing onto her wrist. He pulled her hand to the side and pressed his hook upwards against her chest. “Are you sure about that?” He raised his brow, awaiting an answer as he pressed the point of his hook into her.

Hazel winced softly, but kept her eyes right on him. “I didn’t know that a captain had to use fear to get his mates to listen to them. …I’m sorry about your brother, truly, I am. But I refuse to let you walk all over me and let you do whatever you want without expecting consequences. I will call you out whether you like it or not.”

His grip tightened on her wrist, his jaw clenched as he listened to every word she said. A lull fell over them and after a few moments, he let her wrist go and shoved her away. He turned his back to her and stormed off without a word.

Hazel closed her eyes and dropped her head, placing her hand on her chest and letting out the breath she held onto. Her heart beat fast with the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Her hands shook as she breathed slowly to gain her composure.

Killian trudged aimlessly through the vast forest in hopes of cooling off from the argument with the fae. The entire fight ran through his mind and her words played a number of times over. They stung if he were being honest.

He admired his brother for his captaining ability. He didn’t have to use fear to make his subordinates listen to him without question. Meanwhile, Killian had to get Hazel to join his crew in the first place in a sense. He threatened to kill one of her own and she made the offer to join his crew, he accepted it. He just threatened her to get her to stand down.

“Having relationship trouble, are we Hook?” Pan remarked with a slight chuckle, walking out of the shadows into the path of the pirate captain.

He merely walked past the boy, not answering him. “Don’t test me, boy. I’m not playing your bloody games today.” He stated plainly, avoiding looking back at Pan.

“So it is relationship trouble.” A small smirk curled on the corners of Pan’s lips. “That’s rough. …You used the spring water to heal her and I’m guessing that she didn’t appreciate it. I don’t blame her. I would be pretty mad too if I was cursed to stay on an island again…never to travel the sea again.” He smugly said, wanting to get a rise out of the captain.

“Enough!” He snapped, unsheathing his sword and turned on his heels. He closed the distance between them quickly with his longer steps, pressing the sword to Pan’s chest.

Pan raised his brow. “Seems I’ve struck a nerve.” His gaze trailed down to the pouch at his waist and with a few small movements, the silver dagger slithered out. It hovered in the air as he looked back up at the pirate captain.

As the boy moved his fingers to kill the captain, the dagger didn’t budge. “What the hell? Why isn’t it working?” Upon closer inspection, there was a faint golden yellow glow around the dagger’s handle.

Killian looked to the dagger and saw the thing struggling for some sort of control from the looks of it. He searched around for the source of the golden magic, for Hazel.

She was standing on a branch in the tree behind him. Her hand outstretched and glowed bright. Faint whispers of pixie dust trailed from her to the dagger. “Sorry. I’m not going to let you use the same dirty trick you used on me on my captain, Pan.” She challenged. “And that dagger belongs to me.”

Small particles of green and golden magic fought inside the dagger for dominance. The resulting inner struggle brought an outward strain on the boy and fae. The battle for control lasted for what felt like forever until the dagger shined bright with the golden yellow magic of Hazel’s pixie dust.

With one swift movement of her hand towards her chest, the dagger flew without hesitation to her and she held onto it tight. She jumped down from the tree and walked up to Pan, fearlessness in her blue eyes. “Leave now.” She commanded. “We’re done playing games with kids. Let the adults speak.” She pressed the edge of the blade to Pan’s chest, her glare like death.

“’Right. But I’ll be back. I’m not done having my fun yet.” Pan backed away and disappeared into the forest, flying into the air in a green cloud.

“Thank you…Hazel.” Killian spoke a few moments after they were alone. He chuckled softly as he put his sword back in its sheath. “Seems like I’m not the only one doing the saving.”

Hazel turned around to face Killian. A soft smile curled on her lips. “You’re my captain. No matter what quarrels we may have…no matter how many times you save me…I’ll always come and save you right back, Killian.”