Examining the board, the eight-year-old girl beamed as she found her next move. She took the black rook and used it to capture the white knight.
"Brilliant! I didn't see that one coming."
She looked up at her father who was obviously proud of her. "I want to be as good as you."
"I'll tell you what, Alice: you will be even better."
It was a usual afternoon. Hook was playing chess with his daughter, and the two of them were so happy to be together that anyone seeing them would not guess one of them was trapped. But the truth was that the little girl could not get out. The pirate had tried his best to make the room at the top of the tower feel like home, but it was not enough to make him forget that it was still a prison. Most of the time, though, he was able to ignore that fact, because he was with his daughter and she was all he needed; his most precious treasure.
"Can you read a story to me?" she asked when the chess game was over.
"Which story do you want me to read? Or, do you want to read?"
"No, I prefer when you read."
Standing in front of the bookcase, her finger trailed over the spines of the books until she made her choice and brought out one of them. Looking through the pages, she stopped when she found the tale she wanted to hear.
"This story." She handed him the book, making sure he didn't lose the page, and settled in his lap.
"Babbitty Rabbitty and her cackling stump," Hook read the title. "It's been a while since we've read that one!"
"Papa, can you put your arm-"
Alice did not need to finish her sentence, as her father placed his arm around her exactly as she wanted.
"Comfortable enough?"
"Yes. You can read."
Hook complied and read the tale to a little girl who was hanging on to his every word, visibly captivated. When he reached the end of the story, she kept thoughtfully staring at the page. He playfully shook his legs and her face instantly lit up.
"I like this story," she commented before taking the book from him and going to put it back on the shelf.
She stood there, in front of the bookcase, and gave him a mischievous look. It was only when he saw the piece of metal in her hand and glanced at his wrist that he noticed she had taken from him more than the book.
"My hook!"
His daughter giggled. "It's mine, now!"
She ran across the room and jumped to stand on top of the bed. Facing him, she held the hook in front of her.
"I am Alice, the new captain of the whole ocean."
"What a fine new captain!" Hook said, instantly playing her game. "The whole ocean is very lucky."
"Aye! Now, the captain would like to know what's to eat for dinner."
Amused, he tried his best to keep a straight face. "The captain has a choice between meatloaf and… Meatloaf?"
She made a face. "It cannot be called a choice if there is only one option."
Failing at repressing a smile, he whispered, "What would you like to eat?"
She was also whispering when she asked, "Can we have pie?"
He glanced at the kitchen, wondering if they had what was needed for that, and smiled. His voice was back to normal when he said, "The captain has a choice between meatloaf and pie."
"Much better! The captain would love some pie."
"The captain will have what she desires."
"Good!"
"Can I have my hook, now?" he whispered.
"No."
She beamed and jumped off the bed before storming past him. He ran after her and she laughed out loud, running around the kitchen island in an attempt to escape him. She squealed when he caught her and lifted her up to place her over his shoulder.
"Spin around!" she requested.
She held out her arms when he did as he was asked, and sounds of laughter filled the room.
"Faster!"
"Faster?"
"Yes!"
Again, he complied, spinning around at an increased speed.
"Papa, you can stop now. Put me down."
Back on her feet, she staggered across the room under her amused father's eye, and giggled when she let herself fall on the bed.
"Here's your hook."
"Finally!"
"You look all weird," she laughed.
"Well, thank you very much."
"It looks like your face is moving. Everything is. I see waves everywhere."
"That's what happens when you spin around too much," he smirked while taking the piece of metal back.
"It's not too much. It's funny when it feels like that." Her attention was caught by a little white furry ball that came out from under the bed. "Roger!"
Roger was the rabbit that Hook had found on his way back to the tower, one day, lying on the side of the path with a broken leg. Alice had been delighted to take care of the creature that she had named after her father's ship. Since then, the rabbit had healed and become her loyal companion.
"Alice?" Hook called while he was cooking, and handed her a carrot. "For Roger."
"Thank you!"
Cooking was one of the skills he had acquired in the past years; something he had needed to learn to take care of his daughter. When the pie was ready, they had dinner together.
Stargazing was their next activity. They liked to place the armchair in front of a window and settle there, Alice sitting in his lap. Over the seasons, the sky was changing as the stars were moving, and Hook had taught his daughter everything he knew about them. Identifying the constellations while being on the lookout for shooting stars had become one of her favorite pastimes. On this evening, she was unusually quiet, stargazing in silence. He had already noticed how thoughtful she looked during dinner.
"Alice? Is everything alright?"
She nodded and kept her eyes on the sky when she asked, "Can you sing the song?"
"Of course."
Since he didn't manage to know more about how she was feeling, he simply tightened his embrace and started to sing softly a part of the first lullaby he had ever sung to her.
"She stepped away from me
And she moved through the fair
And fondly I watched her
Move here and move there
And she went her way homeward
With one star awake
As the swans in the evening
Move over the lake."
He paused, examining his daughter who turned to him, still thoughtful.
"Papa? Do you think one day I'll get out of this tower?"
The words were painful to hear. This was something they never talked about. He had told his daughter that a witch had trapped her in the tower, making it impossible for her to get out. He had also told her that he would find a way to break the curse but, in the meantime, he was doing his best to ignore the fact that they were deprived of their freedom, and to pretend they were fine. For years, he had focused on being the best father he could be, giving her everything he could. But that was not enough; her question was a painful reminder there was something he could not give her: the life she deserved, one spent outside these walls.
Alice was still gazing at him, waiting for an answer.
"One day, you'll see the world with your own eyes, I promise you that."
"Really?" Her face lit up with joy. "Will we set sail on a ship?"
Again, her question felt like a stab.
"That'd be nice," he answered evasively.
Concealing his feelings, he looked up at the stars. He could vow to her that she would eventually see the world with her own eyes, but what she did not know was that it would be without him, because the only way for her to get out was for him to stay inside. Unless he miraculously found another solution, they would never be together outside the tower.
"You know, one day, you will be all grown up; a beautiful, strong, smart, independent woman. You won't need me anymore. You will live your own adventure."
"But I don't want to be without you!"
A hint of panic tinted her words, and all he felt like doing was to tell her the words she wanted to hear.
"Then, we'll be together. I will find a way."
Alice shifted position to wrap her arms around his neck, and rested her head on his shoulder. "Can you sing again? The song of the moon."
The song she was referring to was another lullaby he remembered from his childhood; a long-forgotten song that he had recalled when she had asked him to teach her more songs.
He did not need to be asked twice, and sang to her again.
"I see the moon, the moon sees me
Shining through the branches of the old oak tree
Oh, let the light that shines on me
Shine on the one I love.
Over the mountain, over the sea,
Back where my heart is longing to be
Oh, let the light that shines on me
Shine on the one I love.
I hear the lark, the lark hears me
Singing from the branches of the old oak tree
Oh, let the lark that sings to me
Sing to the one I love.
Over the mountains, over the sea
Back where my heart is longing to be
Oh, let the lark that sings to me
Sing to the one I love."
By the time he got to the end of the lullaby, the little girl was asleep in his arms. Slowly, trying not to make any abrupt gesture, he got up and put her to bed. He tucked her in and softly kissed her forehead.
"Roger?"
"He's right here," Hook said as he spotted the little furry ball cross the bed and curl up against her.
"'Night, Papa," she whispered sleepily.
"Good night, treasure. I'll be back tomorrow."
"I know. I love you."
"I love you more."
She smiled before turning over. Sitting on the bed, he watched her for a few minutes, gathering the courage to leave her for the night and go where he had to be.
They were used to this: to have everything they needed, he had to make a living. When he was a new father, his first idea had been gambling; at night, he would go to the closest tavern and play cards. It worked for a few weeks, until the night when he lost everything. On this night, wallowing in self-pity and calling everything into question, he was still contemplating his empty stein when the owner came to talk to him. Everyone else had left or returned to their rooms. Hook briefly mentioned being a single father to the owner who had identified him as a loyal customer, and who happened to be willing to help him: he offered him a job. That was how he started to work at the Snuggly Duckling. Night shifts were allowing him to be with his daughter all day, and leave her only when she was sleeping. That was also when he stopped drinking; the stein of rum he had been staring at on this night happened to be his last.
Hook was absent-mindedly serving customers, thinking of his daughter's words and his inability to give her the life he wanted for her. He actually had a plan to set her free, already, but she didn't know anything about it because he was hoping to find a better solution before it would be time. Theoretically, leaving the tower was something she could do already, whenever he – someone in her bloodline – was inside to take her place, but because there was nobody outside that he trusted enough to take care of her, he would not let her try until he would be sure she was able to climb back up, or to face whatever she would encounter outside. He wanted to wait for her to be old enough to face the world alone, but also knew that she would be unable to live her life as long as he would be around, because she would keep coming back for him. That was the part of the plan he wanted to keep secret. He had been living for centuries and, despite the curse, his best years had been the last ones, with his daughter; offering her her freedom and knowing she had her whole life ahead of her would be a happy ending. He had seen the work of dreamshade, it seemed like his best option. Alice would have to go through the heartbreak of losing him, but he believed she would be strong enough to get over it; it was the only way for her to be free.
This plan was the only one he had been able to come up with, and he hated it. Clenching his jaw, he grabbed a bottle of rum. He had not touched a drop for years, but he remembered the feeling of peacefulness it could provide, and was longing for it. Ready to give in to temptation, he opened it, but did not move and stared at it instead. He thought of his daughter, and closed the bottle before pushing it away; for her, he had to be stronger than that. He had to keep fighting, to keep looking for a better solution, and to believe that he would find another way. He had to keep hoping that, one day, they would sail together on a ship; that they would be together outside the tower, just like these parents and their children that he was seeing sometimes and envied greatly.
The pirate was aware that he was unlikely to find out how to break the curse anytime soon, but he had to start looking somewhere, and what he was certain of was that no answer was to be found at the tavern. There was someone he knew, someone he had not seen in years, who might be able to help. All the customers had left; the last hours of his shift were always quiet. His role was then to keep the place safe and be there in case any of the guests needed anything, but they usually didn't. He had something more important than playing the housekeeper to attend to, and his daughter would have time to worry before he would have time to go back to her if he spent two more hours at the tavern. He left a note and went to the backyard where his white horse was waiting.
After almost an hour spent riding through the forest, Hook finally reached the cottage. He knocked on the door, and knocked again when there was no response. At last, he heard some noise inside, and the Apprentice appeared on the doorstep.
"Killian," he welcomed, making the pirate cringe as nobody but the old man had called him that in a very long time. "What a pleasant, and early, surprise! After last time, I wasn't sure you'd ever show up at my door again."
Hook knew what he was referring to, because he remembered perfectly how, arriving full of hope, he had left disappointed. He had been unfairly rude to the old man who had not had the answers he had expected to get from him, but he was not one to apologize, and this had happened years earlier, anyway.
"I need your help," the pirate said, walking past the man to enter the cottage. "You would have come to me if you had found any solution, so I gather you haven't found anything new since last time?"
"Nothing new, sorry."
"That's what I expected," Hook said but didn't move.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Perhaps."
The Apprentice invited him to seat down at the table. The pirate's quest for a way to lift the spell cast on his daughter had led him to the old man five years earlier. He was the only one Hook had told about Alice, sharing with him the whole tale. Since he had not provided him with any solution or even any trail, he had left and never returned.
"Yesterday, my daughter asked me if she'd ever get out of the tower. She usually never talks about it but, last night, she did. The happiness I could see when I told her she would see the world with her own eyes, one day…" He trailed off, thinking about her.
"Killian, I wish I could help, but I cannot break the curse keeping-"
"I know you can't," the pirate interrupted. "But, look, I have a daughter who has pirate's blood running through her veins; she wants to see the world, and pictures in books aren't enough anymore. So, I was wondering if you had something more powerful to show her the world, while waiting for the day when she's old enough to see it with her own eyes."
"Something like… Magic?" The pirate remained silent and the Apprentice went on. "I thought you didn't want to use magic, except if it was to break the curse?"
"You once told me magic could be good. Light magic or something. Anyway, I'd do anything for my daughter. I'm willing to use magic if it can make her happy."
"I may have something. Wait here."
Hook raised an inquiring eyebrow when the old man came back with a dreamcatcher. "What am I supposed to do with that?"
"Show your daughter the world through your memories. It's not a simple dreamcatcher, it's magical. Think of a memory and it will appear."
"But I don't have magic."
"You don't need to. Magic is in the object, you don't need any to use it on yourself."
The Apprentice showed him one of his own memories from the past day; a walk through the forest. Then, he handed the dreamcatcher to the pirate and let him try. Hook thought of his morning ride. A moving picture of his white horse appeared, and he could even hear the sound of the hooves hitting the ground. Thinking of all the possible memories he could share with his daughter, he realized the potential of the object.
"Thank you!"
Soon, he was back on his horse. He made one stop to buy something for breakfast, then headed straight back to the tower, impatient to be see his daughter again.
Though he hated the tower, it was always a delight to find himself at its foot, because it meant that the climb was the last step separating him from Alice. After years spent climbing it almost every day, he knew perfectly well where to find grips for his hand, his hook and his feet.
At last, he reached the window sill and entered the room.
"Papa!"
"My girl!"
Alice ran into his open arms and jumped, helping him to scoop her up.
"Good morning," she said while hugging him.
"Good morning."
Moments like this one could make him forget everything about the curse, all of his concern about the future, and how exhausted he was. Every morning, it was the same; he was so delighted to be reunited with his daughter that all the negative feelings from the night were always giving way to happiness.
"I have something for you," he announced.
"What is it?"
"Something for breakfast."
"Orange marmalade cookies?" Her smile brightened when he nodded. "Thank you! I love you!"
"Well," he chuckled. "I sure hope that's not just for the cookies."
"Of course not!" She giggled and got out of his arms, focusing her attention on his satchel.
"I have something else."
"Really? What is it?"
"You'll see. Here are the cookies." He handed her a bag of some of her favorite handmade cookies; from time to time, on the way back from the tavern, he would make a detour to stop at Granny's, which never failed to delight his daughter. "And that's the other thing."
"A dreamcatcher?" she asked, recognizing the object.
"It's more than that. It's magic."
"Magic?" Fascinated, her gaze shifted between her father and the dreamcatcher. "What does it do?"
"Come here, I'll show you." They settled in the armchair like they had in the past evening, with Alice sitting in his lap. "Just watch, I think you're going to like it."
Holding the dreamcatcher in front of them, Hook thought about a sunny day spent aboard the Jolly Roger, standing at the railing and gazing at the horizon. Alice gasped when it turned golden and the ocean appeared and waves could be heard crashing against the hull.
"With this, I can show you my memories. I know it's not as good as being out there, but I gathered it'd be better than pictures in books. All the places I've been, I can show them to you."
"Papa, it's amazing!"
"Do you like it?"
"Yes! You told me about the ocean and how waves were rolling on its surface, but I couldn't imagine how it truly was. It's beautiful. Can you show me again?"
The ocean appeared again. Hook was fighting against sleep, keeping his eyes open just so that he could see the look of wonder on his daughter's face while she watched the ocean.
"Why is the ocean so loud?" she asked without taking her eyes off the dreamcatcher.
"That's an interesting question. I'd say what you can hear is the ship breaking the waves as it moves forward." He kept pondering on it. "Waves are loud when they meet the shore, too. Do you want to see another memory?"
The next scene depicted a deserted shingle with the ocean stretching up to the horizon.
"What were you doing there? Why weren't you on the ship?"
"Because Papa liked to wander away from the crew, sometimes. Look at how the next wave is coming. Whoosh! And it goes, taking with it some of the pebbles."
He mimicked the sound and his daughter giggled.
"How are there still pebbles if the waves take them into the ocean?"
"The next waves bring them back."
"Oh." She watched the waves come and go, mesmerized.
Hook kept thinking about this moment on the shingle to make the memory linger on the dreamcatcher, and closed his eyes.
"Papa?" Alice called, lightly scratching his jaw. "You should go to bed. Normally, you're already sleeping at this time."
"I can stay awake a bit longer."
"You're tired, you need to sleep. We can watch memories this afternoon."
"Alright."
"We didn't eat the cookies. Do you want one before you sleep?"
"No, thanks, treasure. I had one on the way. They're all for you."
"I'm not sure I'll eat them all. I'll keep you some! Now, go to bed."
"Aye, little captain!" he answered, amused by her tone.
Once he was ready to sleep, she climbed on the bed and sat next to him. Softly, she started to sing.
"Over the mountain, over the sea,
Back where my heart is longing to be
Oh, let the light that shines on me
Shine on the one I love."
Her kissing his cheek was the last thing he remembered before falling asleep.
When he woke up in the early afternoon, his daughter was lying by his side, reading a book.
"Hello, Papa!" she said without taking her eyes off the page.
"What are you reading?"
Silently, she showed him the cover.
"Again?" he asked. "Perhaps it's time for me to get you some new books."
"But this one's my favorite!"
She shifted closer, then rolled, making her father chuckle as she landed on his back. Lying back on top of him, she kept reading while he enjoyed a few more minutes of rest. When she finished reading her chapter, she closed her book and turned around.
"Papa? Now that you're awake, can we watch more of your memories?"
"If that's what you want to do now, sure!"
Beaming, she gave him some space so that he could get up. He sat up on the edge of the bed and, when he stood up, his daughter clung to him, giggling as she found herself riding on his back.
"Where are we going?" he asked playfully.
"This way!"
Alice indicated him the direction and he gladly followed. He ended up walking around the room and going round the kitchen island three times.
"Put me down here," she said, pointing the desk.
She sat down and handed him the comb, letting him do her hair. This was a daily routine, so he knew exactly what to do. He detangled the blonde hair, then took a strand at the front, twisted it, brought it to the back of her head and clipped it on, before repeating the steps with a strand on the other side.
"Here you go!"
"Good!" she said while looking at her reflection into the mirror. "Your turn, now!"
"You're the one doing my hair, today?"
"Aye."
Comb in hand, she stood up on the chair. They both knew it was not needed, but from time to time it happened, and since it amused her, he let her. Always eager to imitate her father, she had enjoyed doing his hair since her youngest age, and it had taken her some time before understanding that he could take care of it himself. At least, she was now old enough not to put him in awkward situations with some strange hairstyles.
"Why are you laughing?" Alice asked.
"Memories. I'm quite sure I've told you this story before, but I don't know if you remember. Years ago, you loved to put my hair in bunches. And you were always so proud of your work that I would keep it this way all day, and would undo it only before going to the tavern."
"But one day you forgot," she completed, remembering the story.
"Exactly," he chuckled. "I forgot and went to the tavern with my hair in bunches, and the owner teased me about it for weeks."
She shrugged, visibly amused. "I thought you looked cute. But you don't have to worry, now, your hair looks as good as when you do it."
"Well, consider me relieved!"
"Papa? You ready?"
He did not need to ask to know what she had in mind. He nodded and she jumped off the chair into his arms.
"Can we watch memories?"
Sitting next to each other on the edge of the bed, Hook was holding the dreamcatcher in front of them again.
"Actually, I'm not going to show you the ocean," he said. "I have something even better."
"What is it?"
"Look."
The dreamcatcher turned gold and an image of a baby in his arms appeared.
"Who's that?" she asked.
"It's you."
"Me?"
"Yes. The first time I sang to you. Listen."
The lullaby was coming out of the object.
"The song," she said, recognizing it.
The singing voice faded out, and they heard the words that had followed.
"Well, I suppose I should call you something. I have only ever known one person good enough to pass on their name. My mother. Yeah. She tried to stay with me as long as she could, and I vow to do the same for you. Alice."
"I had met you just hours earlier, and I already knew that, from that day on, you would be my whole life."
"I was so small," she commented, fascinated by the memory. "I was the same size as your arm."
She took his left arm and placed her hands on each end of it.
"I was that small," she said while judging the distance between her hands.
"Aye. You know, one day, a very long time ago, I was that small too."
"Can you show me?" she asked excitedly.
"Ha, I would if I could, but I don't remember being a baby. But… There's something else I can show you."
A new image appeared on the dreamcatcher. A four-year-old dark-haired boy was gazing at his reflection into a mirror. An equally dark-haired woman was rearranging the shirt collar of a taller boy who was standing next to him. Then, the woman turned to the little boy, knelt down to lace his shoes, and scooped him up.
"My beautiful boys," said the woman who was now carrying with one arm the youngest boy, and holding the other's hand.
The youngest one kept gazing at the mirror while he hugged his mother. The three of them looked happy.
The image froze as Hook kept thinking about this view. Instinctively, he pulled his daughter closer to him. Watching the memory playing out on the dreamcatcher had been more emotional than he had expected, partly because his childhood was not something he often gave much thought, but mostly because it was the first time in centuries that he was seeing his mother again.
"Is this you?" Alice asked, pointing the youngest boy.
"Aye. And this is my brother, your uncle Liam," he said, indicating the taller boy. "And this is my mother, your grandmother Alice."
The little girl had already heard about her uncle and her grandmother because Hook had told her stories about them. Seeing them for the first time, she did not take her eyes off the dreamcatcher.
"When I'm as tall as you, will I look like her?"
"Perhaps."
She examined a blonde strand of her hair. "Does that mean my hair's color is going to change?"
"It doesn't have to change. I'll tell you what, treasure; you have the same name as her, and you will probably look like her in some ways, may it be your blue eyes or your kindness, but you will still be you, the one and only Alice, amazing daughter of Captain Hook."
"I want to look like her, she's beautiful."
"Don't worry, this runs in the family," he said with a crooked smile.
"I really like watching memories."
Gazing at the dreamcatcher, she looked thoughtful.
"Papa? Last night, when I asked if I would get out of the tower, I didn't want to make you sad."
"You didn't."
"I think I did. That's why you brought this," she said, indicating the dreamcatcher. "But it's okay. It's okay if I don't get out of the tower. I have everything I need here. I have you."
Hook brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers.
"You're the best thing that has happened to me, you know that, right?" he asked and she smiled. "There's no way you could ever make me sad. Even if we're in this tower for now. I'm happy as long as I'm with you."
"Me too, Papa."
He pulled his daughter into a hug, feeling lucky to have her.
"So, what do you want to do, now?"
She looked up at him. "Play chess?"
"Alright. Set the board!"