The Fairy and Her Captain - Chapter 8

The sun rose over the horizon, highlighting the tops of the vast forest. The smell of the morning dew just settling in the air. The sunrise was one of those sights that the fae could never tire of no matter what. To be fair there were many sights that Hazel enjoyed admiring, but the sunrise always meant a new day...a new adventure...regardless of where she was.

The only thing tearing her gaze away from the sunrise was the heaviness of her eyelids threatening sleep. But she had to stay awake to protect the crew from the Lost Boys and Pan. She had to keep watch over the cave if one of them were to wander off on their own. She couldn't allow herself to sleep for a moment.

Her blue eyes closed as a yawn escaped her and brought a hand to her mouth, covering it with the back of her palm. She let out a gentle sigh and brought her hand down to her lap. Her mind filled with a haze and the delicious grip of sleep was getting more and more desirable by the second.

The time between her blinking got longer and her eyelids weighed heavier by the minute. Her breathing steadied into a slow smooth rhythm. The muscles in her body relaxed and the grip on her sword loosened just so. Her head drooped down to her chest and her eyes closed, falling victim to the sleep that threatened her so heavily.

Four of the Lost Boys waited patiently for the moment where the fae would be at her most vulnerable...the moment when she would finally pass out. When that very moment came, they scampered up to the tree stump and each boy took a limb to carry, distributing the weight of the female between them. They rushed off as quickly as they could with the fae in their arms to their camp. Once there, they tied her up and leaned her up against a tree, watching over her to make certain that she wouldn't try to make an escape the moment she woke.

Killian woke up groggily as the sun hit his eyelids from the opening of the cave. He blinked a few times before using his thumb and middle finger to rub his eyes. He took a few brief moments to compose himself before getting to his feet. He walked out of the cave and stretched his stiff muscles. He turned around to have a small chat with the fae before taking over the watch while she got some rest.

His eyes widened seeing that she was gone. His mind raced with thoughts of what could have happened as he rushed up onto the hilltop, searching the area to see if she was possibly in her fairy form admiring the horizon as he had known her to do. He found no trace of her and didn't see her in her fairy form. "...Pan and those bloody Lost Boys of his..." He muttered under his breath.

All of his ramped thoughts turned to one...getting her back from the clutches of Pan and his merry little band of boys. Who knows what they could do to her or what Pan ordered them to do to her. Anger and determination flooded his veins causing him to clench his fist.

He ran down the hill back to the entrance of the cave just as Mr. Smee was waking up. "Where are you off to, Captain?" He asked, practically feeling his heightened energy oozing off of him.

"To get Hazel back. Stay here with the others, Mr. Smee. That's an order." Those were the last words he spoke to his first mate before disappearing in the forest in a sprint. He drew his sword, readying himself for anything that was to get in his way.

Killian's heart beat faster in his chest as he quickened his pace to a run. His eyes darted, sweeping from side to side in hopes of finding any hint of the fae and her whereabouts. His mind wandered again. Why her? What would they do to her? They wouldn't kill her, would they?

Pan chuckled as he flew down from the skies, watching the pirate's reaction. He could feel the gears turning in his mind. It was quite humorous actually. "What's with the rush, pirate? Looking for someone?" He called out, landing behind the pirate. His brow raised gently in mock curiosity while a knowing smirk curled on his lips.

Killian turned on his heels to face the boy and took a few steps forward to close the distance between them. His ocean blue eyes took on a deadly glare, sharp and laser-focused on Pan. "Yes, actually. I believe that you know where she is." He sheathed through a clenched jaw, pressing the point of his blade ever so slightly against Pan's pale skin.

Pan held up his hands in defense, eying the sword and the pirate who held it. He matched Killian's glare, tilting his head to the side. "Careful, Hook...there is no telling what my Lost Boys will do to your fae lover if you kill me." He remarked coldly, unphased by the sharp blade pressing against his skin...threatening to draw blood.

Killian's breath hitched at the words 'fae lover' coming from Pan's lips. His brows stitched together for a moment. A hint of hesitation shook his body, keeping him from carrying out an attack against the boy and lowered his sword just a hair from his throat.

That reaction didn't go unnoticed by Pan. He lowered his hands to cross his arms in front of his chest. His brow raising for a moment and an amused chuckle left him. "It was rather easy to take her, you know. You made it effortless with not relieving her from her nightly watch for three days while joining you, and what little crew you have left, to give your fallen ranks the burial they deserved during the day." He paused to let his words sink in.

His gaze fell to the ground by Pan's feet as a wave of guilt washed over him. It hadn't crossed his mind that Hazel was tired. She was so full of energy and never complained about exhaustion. She simply carried on like she did.

"I bet your brother would never let this happen to his most...favored scout. He would certainly take it upon himself to relieve his scout personally." Pan continued, shaking his head in fake disappointment. "If only he could see you now because quite frankly...you will never live up to half the captain he was."

Killian's gaze shot up from the ground and straight into Pan's eyes at the deliberate remark about his brother. With a flick of his wrist the end of his blade was pressed against the boy's chin. The glare in his eyes was as sharp as his sword. "You're going to regret testing me." He took a step forward, swinging the sword purposefully with a newfound fire in him.

Pan flew into the air just enough to avoid the attack and returned to the ground. He took a few steps back as a barrage of attacks from the pirate captain. "Seems like I've hit a nerve. Don't like being compared to your brother. ...How fascinating." A playful smirk danced across his lips while he continued to dodge the emotion-driven reckless attacks from Killian.

"Seems like you haven't learned a thing since our last meeting. I suggest that you heed my words if you want your precious scout to live."

Killian halted his attacks for a moment to hear what he had to say. He lowered his sword to his side. "What say you, boy?"

"Good." The boy remarked, nodding his head slightly. "Guess you aren't as dense as I was to believe." He shifted his weight and a devious smile crossed his lips, lightly biting his bottom lip. "Now," His brow quirked upwards as he closed the distance between them and whispered into Killian's ear. "You have until sundown to rescue your fairy before my Lost Boys poison your precious Hazel with the same poison that took your brother's life." He took two steps back and turned his back to the pirate, walking to the trees. "I suggest that you find her before I get to her. There is no telling what I'll do to her."

Pan nodded to the shadowy figure that emerged from the shadow of the trees, taking the dagger in its hand. "Especially," He turned to look at Killian, holding out the dagger from him to see. "If I have this in my possession...How wonderfully ironic it will be to kill her with her own dagger." A dark chuckle erupted from his throat as he disappeared into the forest.

Without Pan even mentioning who the dagger belonged, Killian knew. The intricate design of the ocean waves on the hilt of the small silver dagger was all he needed to see. Him having the fae's dagger meant that his Lost Boys had Hazel and that he truly intended to kill the fae at sundown. That he intended to kill her with her own dagger, poisoned unbeknownst to her with the same poison that took Liam from him.

Knowing Pan's plan and how he intended to enact it enraged a fire within. A fierce determination mixed with his code was a deadly force to be reckoned with and wasn't to be trifled. He sheathed his sword and his eyes fixated on the path in front of him.

He could never allow himself to have yet another fallen rank on this mission. The one that they forced upon them and have Hazel of all people killed needlessly for Pan's game to stave off boredom. After everything that the fae had been through previous to this, she stuck with him. It was his time to do the same for her.

He glanced up at the sky and saw that the sun was falling just beyond its peak. Without a second thought, Killian ran into the depths of the forest with a newfound determination. He knew what Pan intended for Hazel and he simply couldn't allow that to happen.

He uttered a simple promise, a vow, "I will save you Hazel...I refuse to have you follow the same fate as my brother. Hold on a little longer." He trudged deeper and deeper into the depths of the forest.

His heart pounded hard against his chest and his lungs ached, but his stubbornness far trumped any exhaustion he felt. As he took a path, he marked the trees with his hook that allowed him to know where he had been. Little did he know that the magical properties of Neverland kept the trees and everything on it quite youthful, taking away the marks.

Killian had to give into exhaustion, hearing his heart pounding in his ears. He leaned against a tree and scratched his hook along the length of it, watching the bark chip away and fall to the ground. His eyes fixed on the mark while he caught his breath.

His eyes widened when he saw the mark he carved into the side begin to stitch together like it was never there. Dread made his blood run cold as he realized that he had been running in near circles around the island without making little if any headway towards rescuing Hazel. A deep frown set in on his lips. He slid his back against the tree and lowered himself to the ground. He ran his fingers through his hair and rubbed his face, scratching at his beard.

He leaned his head against the tree and looked up to the sky. The sun was nearly setting. He was almost out of time. Pan was going to win. He was going to get his way. This was exactly what he wanted.

His fist clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned stark white. The anger boiled in him and he let out all out with one punch against the ground. "I failed you Hazel...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...." Anger replaced sadness as tears welled in his eyes. "I failed you..." Killian hardly broke down and cried and wasn't known for such acts. In this moment, however, he tears turned into sobs and his body shook.

That was when a purple light shined from inside his pouch at his side. He only saw it when he went to wipe the tears from his eyes and his brow quirked gently. He sniffled and cleared his throat, stuffing his hand into the pouch to find the origin of the violet light.

He dug out a ring on a necklace chain. It had a simple silver band and a circular purple stone that was shining bright. This ring was the very one that his brother had given to him. He claimed that if he had this ring, that it would always bring him home safe. His eyes widened the moment he realized what that meant. Hazel was his home and Liam's ring would show him the way to her.

The pirate captain composed himself and stood up tall. Taller than he had been before. He wrapped his fingers around the necklace and whispered, "Thank you brother..." He opened his hand and looped the chain around his wrist with his hook. He spun on his heels and held out his wrist, seeing where the light shone the brightest. He ran in that direction and kept going as fast as he could.

"I'm coming...Hazel...I promise you...Just a little longer..."