Author's Note: Thank you so much for all of the follows and reviews! I am very excited to present the next chapter of Off To Neverland. I hope you will all enjoy and leave some more marvelous reviews!
The noises from above suddenly awoke her from her peaceful slumber. Hoist the sail! She heard a crewmember say. Aye! Another replied. Her eyes opened unwillingly and were still drowsy from her deep slumber. How long had she slept? Sitting up in the bed, she rolled her head and stretched while listening to the loud yelling and clomping of the shoes from the deck above.
Remembering that she was no long in her palace, she glanced around to familiarize herself with the surroundings. She needed to make sure that what had really happened the day before was real. Waking up here only showed that it was. She felt around the bed with her hands. The bed had been surprisingly more comfortable that she'd expected. It was not much different from the one in her palace; however, it was clearly smaller.
She looked down at what she was wearing. The whiteness of the puffed shirt made her smirk. It was probably the lightest colored thing she had ever worn in years. It had felt rather comfortable and roomy as she slept. It was nothing like those tight and breathless nightgowns she used to wear. Why she ever wore them, she couldn't recall. Comfort was not her priority as the Queen. Being presentable to the kingdom, even when asleep was her aim. But, truly, how well had that worked out for her? She may have looked presentable, but her nice clothes would never make them love her.
She gave a long exhale before standing. Feeling a sudden urge of dizziness, she sat back on the bed realizing that she was still on a moving ship. The rocking made her unsteady as she tried to stand again, this time, bracing herself on the little table beside the bed. She turned around to remake the bed by pulling up the sheets and blankets neatly. She wondered with a smile on her face if maybe this was the right decision; maybe today would be a good day. However, the smile faded as she came to realization that something in the room was missing.
She glanced to where she had left it the night before, but it was not there. Maybe she had kicked it off of the bed in the middle of the night. She walked to the other side of the bed and checked on the floor; it was not there either. She began to check the drawers and compartments, but there was nothing. Anger began to ensue as she became more and more aggravated. "Where the hell is it?" She mumbled to herself while looking through the chest at the foot of the bed. It was not there either.
She looked up at the ceiling as she heard the distinct and rhythmic steps of his feet. His steps sounded confident and sturdier, like he had accomplished something. She knew he had something to do with this. Grabbing the woolen blanket that she had been clutching throughout the night and wrapping it around her body to cover up, she marched up the stairs and onto the deck.
"Hook!" She yelled with rage. "Where the hell is it?" She marched up the steps to the stern of the ship where the Captain steered with pride, accompanied by his first mate Mr. Smee. The crew stared at the woman, wrapped in the woolen blanket. It made them whisper as she swiftly approached the Captain. They dared not speak too loud so as not to be heard and forced to walk the plank. But, it did seem rather strange.
"So glad you could dress for the occasion, your Majesty." The Captain smirked as she approached him with furious eyes.
"Don't you start playing games with me, pirate. Now, where is it?" She glared viciously.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you are referring to, love." He glanced back out on the horizon and turned the wheel two notches towards port.
"My gown." Her voice deepened with impatience.
"What about it, love?" He enjoyed playing this game with her. Testing her patience was almost becoming a pastime for him, especially now that she didn't know how to use magic in Neverland. He had nothing to fear from her.
"Where the hell is it?" She yelled.
"I'm afraid I don't know."
"You're lying."
"How is it that you have nothing else to wear?" The pirate asked becoming annoyed with the woman.
"It's not like I had time to pack a bag when you asked me to come along with you." She said agitated as well.
"Well I'm afraid that's not my problem, love."
"Don't test me, pirate. I know you or someone from your crew took it. I'm sick of this little game you're playing with me."
Mr. Smee watched attentively as the two bickered back and forth. He wondered whether or not to intervene. He quietly began to raise his voice. "Perhaps, I could offer a solution."
"No!" The Captain and Queen replied sternly in unison.
The first mate bowed his head in silence and remained invisible as they continued. It was not usual of him to act this way, but this woman made him undoubtedly nervous. He continued to ask his Captain why he had brought her along. She was no assistance to the crew in any way. It was more likely that she would be a distraction with the strong demanding presence that she gave off. However, the Captain was still in charge and, though he was allowed to protest, his words could only try to persuade the Captain, not make the decision.
The woman returned her gaze upon the pirate captain, "Give it back to me or else-"
"Or else what?" He smiled, intrigued by her attempt at a threat.
"God! If I could kill you right now, I would!" She gritted her teeth and turned to look away from him in aggravation.
He laughed, "And what's stopping you, love?" He glanced at her as she turned away.
She shrugged her shoulders and wondered. What was truly stopping her from killing him? She could have killed him many times before, even without magic. Perhaps… she thought. "Because you are still of use to me, Captain." She turned and smirked deviously.
"What an honor…" He replied smugly. "So what are you to do to me if I do not return your precious gown, my lady?"
With a glare and a forming smirk, she replied, "Make you suffer."
"And how do you plan to do that?" He raised his brow in a curious yet unbelieving manner.
Gracefully stepping down the steps with her bare feet, she glanced back at him. "Oh, I have my ways, Captain." With a smile and a glare with cunning brown eyes, she suddenly dropped the woolen blanket wrapped around her body and exposed herself wearing nothing but the Captain's white shirt. If that wouldn't ruin his reputation as Captain, what would? She walked down the steps seductively; receiving countless whistles and hollers from the rather hungry-eyed crew aboard the ship. She moved around the ship casually and soon sat at the bow with her legs crossed just to watch the men at work and obviously to get a good look at the Captain's reaction.
As time passed, more and more of the Captain's men would drift away from the alluring spell she was putting on them. They would approach her asking if she needed things, asking questions, or just staring at her. He and Mr. Smee watched this. Hook's eyes never left that woman; they were filled with both anger and yet a hint of tension between them. She was winning this round of the game.
Mr. Smee glanced to Hook. "Captain, what is with you two?"
"What are you referring to, Mr. Smee?" He continued to stare at her furiously while his hand clutched the wheel tightly.
Mr. Smee looked over and the woman surrounded by the crew and then back at the Captain. With his brow raised, he replied, "I think you know very well, Captain."
"Mr. Smee, stop wasting my time and just say it." He was becoming agitated.
Mr. Smee swallowed with a bit of hesitation. "Are you not sleeping with her Majesty?"
"Are you daft, mate?" Hook glared at him with astonishment.
"Why else would you ask her to come here with the crew? How else do you constantly bear with this?" He gestured referring to the entirety of the crew now surrounding the Queen and serving her every want and need. The first mate looked back to Hook and continued, "It also doesn't help much for your reputation that she is prancing around in nothing but one of your nightshirts, Captain."
"Let me assure you, Mr. Smee, in no possible uncertainty, that I am or ever will have relations with that woman. She is the last bloody woman I would ever imagine tolerating, never mind having a relation with. She is nothing more than an infuriating, wicked, devious, beautiful woman."
"Beautiful, Captain?" Smee noticed the sudden slip in the Captain's words.
Hook quickly thought of another word. A bit flustered, he replied, "Unbearable, Mr. Smee. I said unbearable. Your hearing must be fading."
With a roll of his eyes, the man replied, "My hearing is perfectly fine, Captain. I know what I heard."
"You know nothing, Mr. Smee." Hook said with aggravation. "Now get back to work before I throw you to the mermaids."
The man bowed his head. "Aye, Captain." In his mind, he knew he was right. Why else would the Captain have sent him away? He knew that Hook would realize it eventually, but his stubborn nature would delay it.
0-0-0
Angered at how she was hypnotizing his crew, Hook marched down from the stern and finally pushed through the crowed of men around her. "Get back to work, mates! This isn't a bloody brothel!" He looked the Queen up and down where she sat. "Well, by the way you're dressed… it might be."
With a wicked glare from the remark, she replied. "I told you that I had my ways, Hook. Don't ever underestimate me."
With a sudden aggravation, he grabbed her by the arm and led her down below. "I don't know what the hell your bloody problem is Regina, but I've had enough. This is my ship and my crew."
"Well then you might want to keep a tighter leash around here, because they don't seem to listen to you, dear." She commented snidely followed by a giggle.
"I'm not the problem here, love. You are." He said as he roughly tossed her into his bedchamber and slammed the door shut.
"Oh, getting rough now. Are we?" She said with intrigue and a playful expression. Hook did not smirk; he was far too angered to find this amusing. "What is wrong, Captain? Mad because you aren't winning now?" She said with a babying voice to humiliate him.
The Captain hesitated to do it, but nevertheless he felt he had to. He walked up to the chest at the end of the bed and opened it. He suddenly tossed an old brown dress at the woman. "Wear that." Was all he demanded.
"What the hell is this?" She asked holding it up to her. It didn't seem so bad. Clearly, it wasn't her gown, but it wasn't like she'd be wearing a potato sack either. It was pleasant enough with its leather vest and cotton skirt. It reminded her of the things she would wear when she was younger.
The Captain opened the door and turned back to glance at her as she held it up to her figure. He couldn't help but cringe at the hurtful memory. He answered, "It belonged to someone a long time ago."
"Who?" She asked intrigued.
"That is not important. She has been long gone for some time." He turned and shut the door. He no longer seemed angered; rather, he was more sorrowful and hurt as he left.
As she slipped out of the Captain's comfortable nightshirt and put on the underdress, Regina began to think about the man's reaction. It didn't seem like him to not fight back. Perhaps… she wondered… maybe she had brought something quite personal up from his past. The real question was… would he ever have the nerve to tell her? It wasn't like the two would soon hop out of their initial stubborn characters and blurt out the sorrows of their pasts. Yet, it seemed to be all she thought about; all that she wanted to know, but also something that she knew she couldn't find out if they continued with those mind games of constant sarcasm. Those games were ways to communicate without showing that emotion or vulnerability within them. But how long could that truly last? How long would they want it to last?
She tied the laces of the vest in the front and slid on a pair of narrow boots. It was strange how it all fit her perfectly. She brushed the wrinkles out of the skirt before returning to the deck more presentable than before. She heard no whistles from the crew nor hollers a she stepped back up towards the stern where the Captain was standing.
She stood before him with her hands upon her hips. "Well, Captain, do I look more presentable for you now?" She asked with attitude.
Her deep voice made him turn his head to look at her. He could only glance for a moment before turning away. How she appeared was far too similar. It may have been years ago, but still it hurt him to see this other woman now wearing her clothes. "It's fine, love." He replied monotonously.
"You haven't even looked at me." She tilted her head slightly in annoyance.
"And for good reason. I said you look fine. What should it matter anyhow? Neverland is not a place you should care about keeping your looks. There is no need to impress anyone here, love."
Regina glared at him. "There is something else you're not telling me. These garments. Whom did they belong to?" The Captain refused to answer her. She watched his stubborn expression as he turned the wheel and sighed. "Captain?" She asked again a bit louder.
His first mate, Mr. Smee turned to her and replied, "They belonged to his past love."
"Smee." Hook warned in a deep tone.
"Her name was Milah." He continued. As the man continued to explain the story of the Captain's true love many years ago, Regina couldn't help but stare not at the man who had been talking, but the man who it affected most. She watched as he tried to hold himself together as Smee described how she had died. Regina could tell in his expression that this hurt him every time he'd think about it, but hearing it made it all the more painful. She watched his grip tighten upon the notch of the wheel as the man told her how Rumplestiltskin tied the Captain down and forced him to watch as he ripped out her heart and crushed it in front of him.
"Mr. Smee!" He yelled. The little man jumped as was scorned. He said nothing, knowing that he had gone to far. "I suggest you make yourself scarce."
"Aye, Captain." The man did not hesitate to scurry away, leaving the Captain and woman standing alone with no words.
Regina had figured it out; she had learned about a piece of his past. Granted, now he would probably never tell her anything. He would only become more stubborn and rude. Before she could reply with any sort of comment, whether snide or calming, the Captain, without even looking at her, swiftly disappeared into the bunk where his study was held. Though she felt it would be interesting to follow him and watch his reaction, something held her back. She knew that feeling, that feeling of being reminded of a hurtful past. It almost made her shiver to think. This was not something she would want to be reminded of. So, though she did enjoy making these games, this was the one time when she would back down and leave the Captain be.
