Peter sat on the branch above his cage, eating an apple with another hanging at his side. It was perched right in front of the cage, just close enough for the person inside to reach it. But said visitor would not take it. The girl, Wendy that is, sat as far away from the apple as she could, refusing not to eat it.
Peter both hated and loved these moments. He wouldn't bring her food often, instead sending one of the lost boys since she didn't hate him. If he brought the food he doubted she would still be alive considering how little she would eat the food he gave her. Sometimes she seemed convinced that it was made of pure poison.
Wendy edged into the corner of her cage, making it sway slightly. Pan snickered and swung the apple on the string closer to her. It bumped the cage, making her jump and try to get as far away from it as possible. "You need to eat Wendy lady," Peter jeered from above. "You'll starve to death if you don't." through the branches he caught the angry glare that she was sending his way. Even though she meant it to bug him, it always cheered him on. Showed that his little bird still had a fire in her eyes. Reminded him of when he had tried to teach her to fight.
Only to find out someone had already taught her.
When he remembered that he banged the apple against the cage even harder, making her gasp a little in fright. She hardly even spoke to him anymore. It was Baelfire's fault. If he hadn't found her first, she might have not known how evil Peter was, and possibly joined him. Peter could have tricked her with his charming words, deceived her into working for him willingly. Now she knew what he really was behind that charming smile of his. And she would never work with him. So like always, she would simply glare at him, not even spare a word. No matter how much he would speak, what he would do, what he did to her, she would never so much as smile at him. Never.
But today, he thought he might have a fighting chance. Only a few nights ago Neal had been hanging right next to her, swaying side to side like her. Balefire may not have waken up, but she had been. He doubted she recognized him since he was older, but she had to know that something must be happening to have had another person in the cages. Not to mention all the lost boys running around a lot more, far more excited than they had been in years. Though Peter wasn't completely thrilled about having to put Neal next to Wendy, he at least had the hope she would ask who it was. Then again, he sometimes thought that she had forgotten how to speak. That would explain why she didn't even scream when he had found some of the lost boys using her cage for target practice. But that couldn't be, since he sometimes heard her singing. Never to him though. This was his chance though, to get her to speak. He decided that if he was ever going to get her to talk, he would have to start.
"So how did you like the company last night?" like always, she didn't answer. Unlike normal, she turned to look at where the previous cage had been swinging yesterday. Peter could almost feel her curiosity vibrating through the branches. "It was an adult. And there are more of them." This time she looked up to stare at him with her mouth hanging open. He was sure she was going to speak then, but she caught herself and turned away from him, closing her mouth tight. Shoot, Peter clenched his fist on the apple. He was so close. Just a little bit more, and he might get there. "Bae's father is here as well. Did you know that?" below him the cage rattled a bit when Wendy had tried to stand up, but she was too big for the cage and fell down again. Almost there, he could feel it. "Not only that, but a prince and a princess. Not to mention the evil queen and a saviour. Just like from your stories, isn't it?" Wendy didn't respond, and he silently berated himself. He could do better than that. "There's a boy here as well. A new one." A small w like sound sneaked its way out, but she didn't finish to say the 'what'. Almost there, only a step away. "He's a nice chap, probably a few years younger than you now. And the mothers here, did I mention that?" Wendy's eyes were sparkling, from excitement or wonder he couldn't tell. He was never able to tell when it came to Wendy anymore. He used to…but not anymore. "He will make a good lost boy. That is, when we get rid of the mother just like we did yours."
That stung her, he knew it. But he didn't care, he didn't care if she hated him, if her one true dream was to kill him. As long as she spoke to him, addressed him again, he couldn't care less about what she felt or what she said. Jumping down, he landed on top of the cage, causing it to spin around and sway side to side faster than It was meant to. Possibly it was going to break, and Wendy lay down on the bottom, both to be in a safe position if it landed with a crash, and to get as far away from Pan as she could. Peter leaned down as far as he could into the top of the cage, his face only a few inches away from the tip. "Your remember don't you? Those parents that you said goodbye to all those years ago? What happened to your father after all these years do you think? The old man is probably dead now, along with your mother." He could see tears beginning to form in her eyes, and she pulled herself into a corner far away from him, pulling herself into a ball, hiding her face in her knees. That wasn't part of his plan. He had to make her mad, or else she wouldn't speak. "Your poor little brothers have even grown up though, but only just a little. I made sure that they were young enough to do what I asked." Her hands flew up to her ears as she tried to shut Peter away, turn him off from her mind. Peter wouldn't let her though, and spoke even louder. "That's right. Your brothers aren't free either. They have to do whatever I ask, for the rest of their lives. Happy Wendy? This is what your great little adventure has done to them! Proud of yourself?" tears formed in Wendy's eyes. They grew big and began pouring down her cheeks, glowing in the light of the moon. Deep in his heart, down where a little bit of his humanity was still alive, he started to hurt. But the rest of it shrunk it down in his desperation, just to hear her voice.
"Can't you hear me? Do you even care? You still care about your family don't you? Or did you lose your heart in this cage of yours? ANSWER ME WENDY!" his voice made her shake down to her toes. Not a sound could be heard, nothing but the rustling of leaves in the wind. Peter's heart pounded in his chest, waiting. Had he said enough? Would she say something? Maybe adding that last part had reminded her to keep quiet.
Wendy's chest hurt. Inside she could feel her heart breaking into even smaller pieces than it had been in before. Losing her parents was one thing, but her brothers was an entirely different one. At least her parents were at peace, hopefully in heaven smiling down on them. But her brothers were still alive, having to do whatever Peter asked, living the rest of there lives in captivity just like her. How could Peter do this? How could anyone do this? Slowly, she looked up to face him. His dark eyes stared down at her expectantly. She didn't want to say anything. But after all this time, she knew she had to say something. She would go insane if she didn't. Even so, she wouldn't let him feel any satisfaction though. The only words that she would say wouldn't be kind. So she thought hard. Tried to think of the only thing that could potentially hurt him. Only one thing came to mind.
"is he here?" her voice was croaky and hoarse, since the only time she spoke was to sing lullaby's to some of the youngest lost boys and speak to a few of the nice ones. Peter's voice though lit up and he opened his mouth in surprise. The gesture made her angry, seeing how happy he seemed to be at her pain. Quickly he rushed to answer,
"W-who?" With her next words she had did it. Succeeded in angering the most powerful person she had ever met. Maybe that wasn't the right thing to do, but she didn't regret it as she looked up at him with angry eyes, not backing down
"Bae." A stronger boy than you, were the words unspoken. But even though she didn't say it, Peter knew. He knew about how much Wendy had cared about him, even leaving her family to try to rescue him. She cared about her adopted brother, no, her family so much…much more than she had ever cared about Peter.
His mouth opened and closed, clenching together angrily. Finally he jumped off of the cage, and flew next to it. First he didn't look at her, and she wondered if it really was worth it. But when he turned back to her she saw the fire in his eyes. A fire that was too dark to be admirable. It was just too dangerous to get close to. To her horror, he answered. And it was one that she would have never seen coming.
"Yes. Your precious Bae is here." Wendy stared at Peter in shock. She looked so surprised and shocked, as if she hadn't been expecting him to actually answer. There was no way he would leave it like that though. Thinking that she had just won, that she had just gained something. "He is here, that brother of yours. And you know what? He's not here for you." Her hopeful look fell and started to break. The sight gave him slight satisfaction. "He's here looking for that boy, helping out his new friends. His new family, one that doesn't include you!" that may not have been completely true, but it didn't matter. Wendy didn't know did she? "That oh so great magical boy has forgotten all about you! He's not coming to save you and he doesn't care about you anymore! You will never see him again!" with that he dropped to the ground. Above he heard the sound of her crying silently, trying to hide the sound with her now dirty nightgown. But Peter could still hear it.
Even though that was what he wanted to hear, wanting to hear her voice, it stung in his heart. Originally he thought he wouldn't care what she said, even if it was her crying. But now he took it back. It really did matter. He wanted her to tell him a story. One where the hero saved the kingdom, and defeated all his enemies. Not one where he saved the princess though. Never one like that. Because if she did, he knew that she would be thinking of herself as the princess. Someone else as the prince. And him as the dragon.
hey, so this is my first story. it's not very good, but I wanted to try it. I don't own once upon a time though that would be really cool if I did. hope you liked it!