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Yeah, here you go. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: As you already know… not mine.
Friends along the way.
The forest was dark and still. The heavy snow crunched beneath her boots and her breath clouded before her eyes.
Lily shivered and gritted her teeth to keep them form chattering. She couldn't be heard or her whole plan would fail. An owl hooted somewhere above her and Lily breathed in to calm herself.
The warm fire flickered on the beach and the figures slowly went to sleep. The camp Lily had been watching since noon fell silent. But the girl kept waiting. And waiting.
And then loud snores started to fill the beach and Lily smiled. Some of the animals fidgeted at the new sound and a couple of owls flew away. That was her chance.
Really slowly and keeping close to the ground the young girl made her way to the sleeping settlement. «Idiots!» she scoffed internally. «Not even keeping watch.»
Her steeps were completely soundless while she approached the bundle of ropes near one of the biggest figures. She crouched and searched in the satchel as quickly as she possibly could until her fingers closed over a small pouch. She grinned and took it out. There were some coins, enough to get her a couple weeks on a small inn in the coast-side and Lily breathed in relief, getting out her own pouch.
Just as she was closing the satchel with the now empty pouch inside, she heard someone clearing her throat and the telling crack of a bow tensing.
Lily gulped and turned slowly. The black haired woman she'd been watching all day was looking at her with a raised eyebrow and an arrow pointed straight at her heart.
"Now, why don't you put that where you found it?" she said.
Lily knew better than to play the innocent. So she jumped over the woman, who hesitated long enough for Lily to knock the bow out of her hands and take off running towards the forest.
Lily heard the woman curse and her footsteps following behind her. The girl frowned; she was quick, but she had nothing against a full grown person. She hoped the darkness and the trees could help her hide.
The woman's breathing was closer than Lily would like, so she pushed her legs to go faster, ducking beneath branches and jumping over logs and roots. Her heart beat fast in her chest and fire ran through her veins, making her head seem clearer.
And then she felt arms around her waist and both females fell to the ground. Lily landed over some rocks that scrapped her skin and made her wince, but before she could return to her feet the woman turned her around, straddled her legs and immobilized her arms.
"I think you and I should have a little talk, don't you agree?"
X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X
The handle moved another inch and Tayler frowned.
"You've been staring at that clock for two days," Paige whispered. "Stop it. Someone fixed it and that's it. Get over it!"
"But who would want to fix the clock? It's been that way since… since forever. And my father said he didn't do it and he's the only one who can."
Paige rolled her eyes. "We don't have anything better to worry about than the mystery of the clock which fixed itself," she scoffed at Tayler confused face. "The history exam?"
"Oh, shit!"
Paige facepalmed. "Please, tell me you didn't forget."
The bus turned and the clock tower disappeared from their views. "It's in the last hour of the day, right?"
Paige sighed. "Yes, it is."
Tayler searched in her bag until she found her textbook. "Alright, so I have time to study something."
"What would you do without me?" Paige asked rhetorically.
Tayler pouted dramatically. "Die," she grinned. "And fail everything."
"Well I don't think everything… I'm sure you'd pass gym."
Both girls erupted in giggles which blended with the chaos in the rest of the bus. Tayler opened the book in both of their laps and their heads dropped together while they searched for the correct unit.
"Do you think Finn has studied for this exam?" Tayler wondered out loud.
Paige groaned. "I hope so. I can't handle the both of you at the same time."
Tayler snorted. "We're not so bad, aren't we?" she asked with wide, innocent eyes. The I'm-an-angel-please-how-could-I-do-whathever-you-are-accusing-me-of-doing-which-I-have-totally-done-but-I-don't-want-you-to-know face, as Paige liked to call.
"Well… you're funny."
"Gee, thanks! That makes me feel so much better about myself."
"You already have a big head, Ty, there's no need to make it any bigger."
X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X
Lily grimaced. "This can't be a comfortable way to have a talk in any way."
The woman smiled. "It's not, but I know you'll just run if I let you go," her eyes seemed to meet Lily's face for the first time and she frowned. "How old are you?"
"That's a difficult question to answer."
The woman's nails dug into Lily's wrists. "Well, make it easy, then."
"I'm eight," give or take two hundred years.
The hands around her arms loosened a little. "Why were you trying to steal from us?"
"Because I needed money?" Lily answered, confused.
The woman scoffed. "I mean, what do you need the money for?"
Lily frowned. "Why do you care? If you let me go I'll give you your money back and we can part ways as unlikely friends."
"Tell me what you needed the money for and I'll consider that," the woman hissed, although there wasn't as much venom.
Lily sighed. "I wanted the money to go to the coast and search for my father. Will you let me go now? You're heavy and my legs are falling asleep."
The woman considered while Lily wriggled around, trying to escape. "Any costal town in particular?"
Was this woman ever going to let her go? "Oh, for the love of-! If I had known this was going to happen I would have let you get me with the arrow!"
The lady's eyes narrowed. "That is a problem easily fixed. Now, which costal town?"
Lily suddenly felt suspicious. "Why? Are you travelling to one of the seaside villages? Because if that's the case then I'm going to the mountains. I do not want to be your travelling companion."
The woman huffed. "You think it sits right with me to let an eight-year-old wander alone lost and with no money?" Her fiery eyes stared into Lily's. "I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do. So, tell me which is you destination," she ordered.
Lily deflated. "I don't know. I lost my father some time ago and I don't know where he could be. But he's a p-sailor, so I know he's bound to be around the coast. That's the only thing I can do to find him," she felt a lump knotting on her throat and took a deep breath.
"Why doesn't he come for you?" the woman asked bemused.
Lily smiled dryly. "Because he believes me dead."
X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X
The sand felt cold beneath her feet and Tayler smiled. There wasn't a better feeling in the world than a soft breeze, the smell of the sea and the crashing of waves.
Tayler's eyes searched the beach, already feeling a lot more relaxed, and found Henry in his playground castle. She started walking towards him, a sudden idea in her mind.
"Hi, Henry!" she smiled when close enough to be heard.
Henry returned the smile. It wasn't the first time Tayler approached him before surfing. They had some kind of a ritual, where Henry could entertain himself watching her play tricks with her surfboard and he let her leave her towel and clothes in the castle to keep them away from sand.
"How did you do today in the exam?" she asked resting her surfboard against one of the towers and climbing up the stairs. "I totally forgot we had that exam and Paige had to help me the hours before," she propped herself up to sit next to Henry with her feet dangling over the ground. "But I think it went good. How about you?"
Henry shrugged, covering his book with his hands. "Not too bad, either. My mom made me study the days before."
Tayler huffed. "Boy, that must suck."
"You can say that again," Henry muttered.
The girl smiled and nudged his side. "So, it's not that I don't enjoy our little talks, but I actually had something to say."
Henry frowned but his heart beat a bit faster. "Yeah?"
Tayler nodded. "Paige, Finn and I are going out Wednesday evening-night and we thought you'd like to come?"
"Wednesday night? What's on Wednesday?"
Tayler looked at him incredulously. "It's Halloween, you dimwit! Trick-or-treating? Costumes? You know… Halloween?"
Henry blushed. "I know what Halloween is; I just forgot what day it was. And you want me to come?"
Tayler nodded. "Yeah, it'll be cool. Afterwards we're having a sleepover at my house but I know your mom is not gonna let you come."
Henry nodded sadly. "You're right. I'm not even sure if she'll let me go with you, guys."
Tayler frowned. "You have to try! You can't miss all the fun! When was the last time you celebrated Halloween?"
"When was yours?" he retorted.
Tayler blinked, confused. "I-I'm not quite sure… Well, that doesn't matter. You just ask her. Appeal her inner kid."
Henry snorted and they both smiled. "But I don't have a costume."
Tayler smiled brightly. "Oh, don't worry about that. After school we're all going to Paige house to get dressed up. She has tons of things, I'm sure we'll find something for you. We're going as pirate zombies."
"Like in Pirates of the Caribbean?"
"Exactly!" she clapped once. "So, you ask her tonight and tell her tomorrow what she says. Insist if she says no!" she jumped off the castle. "Bye! Gotta catch some waves!" the girl grabbed her surfboard. "Nice talking to you!" she started running towards the water. "Keep an eye on my things, will you?"
Henry watched her jump into the seemingly cold water and give a cry of surprise. Her form started to wane as she paddled into the ocean.
Emma cleared her throat, making him jump, startled, and blush from head to toe. "Emma, hi!"
Emma tried to hide her smirk, unsuccessfully. "A friend of yours?"
Henry averted her eyes while she sat next to him. "Kinda. We just talk… sometimes… She's Marco's adoptive daughter."
Both shared a charged look at the world adoptive and Emma tried to lighten the mood. "Huh. She's Graham's niece, isn't she? I saw her my first day here. I guess that's where she gets the accent from. Anyway, did you try to lay out your moves on her?" she nudged him softly.
Henry blushed beetroot. "Emma! We're just- We're not even really friends!"
"You sure?" she smiled. "Okay, then. What was that all about?"
"She invited me to go out with her friends next Wednesday night," Henry explained.
"That's great… Wait, what's on Wednesday?"
Nobody could deny him she was his mother.
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At last the woman stood up, letting Lily take a deep, deep breath.
"Say, I give you back the money or…?"
The woman bit her lip. "You return me my money and we'll figure out something from here."
Lily sighed but threw her the pouch full of the stolen coins. The woman recovered them and gave the small bag back to Lily.
The girl frowned at its weight. "There's still something in there."
"Yes, there is," the lady said simply.
"Oh!" Lily was at a loss for words.
A hand entered the young pirate's vision and she interpreted the woman wanted to help her to get to her feet.
"Come on," the lady said after Lily had finished brushing all the leaves and dirt off her hair and clothes. "You're coming to the camp with me."
"Do I have my say in this?" Lily sighed tiredly.
The woman started her march to the campsite. "No. Let's go."
Lily stood planted firmly on her spot. "I don't really trust you right now, you know?"
The woman turned, grabbed her by the arm and started dragging her through the trees. "I am the one who shouldn't trust you. And you don't have a choice in this either way."
"I'd gathered as much," she grumbled.
"You talk really weird for an eight year old."
Lily stiffened. "I guess you could say I'm pretty grown up."
The woman smiled at her, cheekily. "I'd gathered as much," she parroted. "I'm Snow White, by the way."
"That's a weird name."
Snow White rolled her eyes. "This is the part when you say your name back."
"Hey… Snow White… aren't you the one in the posters all around? You're a bandit, too. Did you also steal those coins? Now that would be embarrassing."
"Yes, yes, I'm a bandit, an outlaw. It would be a little hypocrite of you to judge me for this."
"Who says I'm judging you?" Lily asked with a raise of her eyebrow.
"It just seemed like it," Snow White muttered.
Lily seized the chance. "Say, you wouldn't happen to have seen a girl around here. Blondish hair, brown eyes, kind of cheeky?"
Snow shook her head. "I just woke yesterday from… well, a long nap let's say," she turned to look at her, interested. "Why? A friend of yours?"
"You could say she is my sister?"
Snow White raised her eyebrows. "Could say? I don't think I ever met a kid as cryptic as you."
Lily smirked. "It's all part of my charm."
A heavy silence fell over them. The only sounds were her footsteps and heavy breathing. Lily started to shiver, not truly equipped to that kind of weather, and Snow White quickened the pace.
Lily felt oddly touched.
"You can call me Tiger Lily."
Snow White took her time to answer. "Now that's a weird name."
.
.
The fire and the blanket helped Lily get her normal body temperature back. Snow White even gave her some leftover rabbit to fill her empty stomach.
"What brought you here?" Lily asked curiously.
Snow White made a face. "The Evil Queen."
Lily blinked. "Who?"
The woman turned her wide, surprised eyes at her. "The Evil Queen? Regina? She has this whole land terrorized. Where have you been all these last years?"
"I'm not from around here," Lily said simply. "So… The Evil Queen? She's a bad monarch? Why don't you rebel or something?"
Snow White seemed offended. "Well, we are going to. It's just not that easy. We can't just go over to m-her castle and take it back."
"Why not? I think that's easy."
Snow White huffed. "She has magic. Dark magic."
Lily rolled her eyes. "I don't think her magic is powerful enough to stop a whole realm which is at her throat. And if she's as bad as you say I guess there's a lot of people who will gladly join a restitution mission."
"If they haven't rebelled now I doubt they will," the woman sighed. "And that's my people, too. This kingdom was my father's, but when he died it passed on to my step-mother, Regina, and I had to run away to the woods," she whispered. "I can't let them die just for following me."
Lily brightened. "But that's great! The people will follow you because they will see you as a way to get back the reins of their lives. Then -BAM!- you strike with everything you've got and you recover your rightful throne."
"That does sound like a great plan, Snow," said the man sleeping on the other side of the fire.
Lily gave a squeak and fell down the log she was sitting on. The man sat on his coat which served him as a bed with an apologetic smile.
"I don't really think recruiting the people is a good idea," said Snow White.
"If they don't fight for their own kingdom, who will?" the man asked patriotically.
Lily waved at him. "I'm Tiger Lily."
"Prince James," he answered not even raising an eyebrow at her name.
Lily nodded. "I think Prince James is right. But, well, you won't know until you try it."
"I guess so?" the woman didn't seem very convinced. "We'll accompany you some of the way to the coast and we'll give you money. You'll find your father," she promised. "And your sister," she added with an afterthought.
"I hope so."
X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X
"I'm so sorry about this," Henry said mournfully as they trudged down the lane to the white door. "She thinks I'm trying to trick her and I'm really with Emma and not you, guys."
Finn smiled. "Well, as long as she has candy…" he shook his pumpkin bag half-full of sweets.
Henry rang the doorbell and they all waited. The house owner was at the front, while the other three fidgeted some steps behind.
The door opened suddenly and the Mayor let out a squeak of surprise at the sight of her bloodied, zombified, pirate son.
Henry grinned. "Hi, Mom. Trick or treat?"
Regina seemed surprised at seeing the other kids behind Henry, so Finn and Tayler waved, to Paige chagrin. The Mayor rolled her eyes and, surprisingly, searched behind the door for a bag full of sweets.
"Who are you supposed to be?" Regina frowned while putting the candy in the baskets of the eager kids. "Captain Hook?" she asked with a sarcastic tone.
Tayler jumped on her toes. "Oh! I call being Captain Hook!"
Finn scowled. "But Captain Hook's a boy."
Tayler puffed her chest. "But I'm the Captain of this little crew. So that makes me Captain Hook," she looked around. "Paige can be Wendy and you, Henry, can be Peter Pan."
Henry smiled. "Cool. I guess that makes us enemies, then."
Finn crossed his arms, the pumpkin bag dangling perilously. "And what about me?"
Tayler smirked. "You can be Tinkerbell."
Finn pouted. "Hey!"
"Do you prefer Smee?" Henry asked wrinkling his nose in disgust.
"The crocodile!" exclaimed Paige.
Regina rolled her eyes. "Don't you have other people to go bother?"
"Tick, tock, tick, tock," Finn chanted turning on his feet to continue their march.
"I want you home before midnight!" Regina called out for her son.
"Okay, Mom," Henry said without turning and giving the other three kids an exasperated look.
.
.
They were having a blast. And the haul of candy they managed to get wasn't bad, either. In the streets they could see a lot of different creatures, although mostly it was kids or little kids with their parents.
"Oh, hey!" Henry exclaimed suddenly. "That's my mo- Emma's car!"
Tayler bounced on the spot. "Oh, oh! Let's give her a scare!"
"You shouldn't have had so many sugar," Paige commented.
Tayler pouted. "But I love sugar."
Henry sprawled over Emma's window with a dramatic groan and clutching at the fake-wound on his stomach. He turned his eyes to his amused and perplexed mother reading the newspaper behind the wheel and pressed a hand against the window.
"Braaaiiins," he moaned.
Emma laughed and got out the car. "Hey, kid! That's a pretty cool costume you got there. It even seems real."
Henry grinned. "Paige's mother gave us the makeover."
Finn, Paige and Tayler smiled like innocent angels when Emma's eyes turned to them. "Hey, Miss Swan," they chorused.
Emma's mouth twitched. "How are you doing?"
Paige's eyes twinkled with a sudden idea. "Miss Emma, would you mind taking a photo of us with your phone so I could send it to my mom. I think she'd like that."
"Oh! I'd have to call my dad, too. It's nearly midnight," Tayler mused. "He's really worried about Heidi's first party, so I don't think I should give him more reasons for a panic attack."
Emma nodded hiding a smile. "Of course," she got out her phone from her pocket. "Say 'brains'."
Paige was smiling, unaware of Tayler's finger faking two bunnies ears behind her head. Tayler and Finn made faces, sticking out their tongues and Finn crossing his eyes. Last of all Henry was held in a chokehold by Finn and had a big smile on his face.
Emma couldn't help but smile sweetly at the photo and gave her phone to Paige. Henry bounced to her and started talking excitedly, relating the events of the night while his mother listened thoughtfully.
Paige sent her mother the picture and her eyes lingered on the sweet scene of mother and son chatting animatedly. She took some pictures of it under Tayler's knowing look. Paige passed the phone to her friend so she could make her call.
They didn't say a word.
Neither did Emma some hours later when she discovered the new pictures on her phone, a big smile suddenly overcoming her face.
.
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.
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Yep, Lily is Tiger Lily. But I bet you all were expecting that, I mean: she's Captain Hook's daughter so she has something to do with Neverland, her name is Lily and her cursed one is Tayler which kind of sounds like Tiger (yeah, I wasn't exactly subtle).
You must be wondering… how did Lily become Tiger Lily? What happened? Why does Killian think she's dead? Who the hell is Heidi?
Don't worry, you'll have more Killian next chapter.
Tell me what you thought,
MW.
