Evelyn awoke early the next morning. She stared at the Captain until he began to stir. She then quickly pretended that she was still sleeping. He got out of bed and wandered around his room, gathering various clothing items. Evelyn studied him through her barely open eyes. She felt scandalous intruding on his half nakedness, for he was only wearing breeches.
"I know that you're awake," he suddenly told her. He turned to face her. "Your breathing has changed," he smiled.
Now that she was found out, she sat up and openly stared at him, still studying his chest and hookless arm. "You have a lot of scars," she commented.
"I have a lot of enemies," he smiled at her, slipping on his harness that held his hook in place. "Once I'm finished dressing, I'll have a maid heat some water and draw you a bath."
"You have maids on your pirate ship?" she asked doubtfully.
"That I do. They are married to some of my pirates," he informed her.
"Oh. I thought pirates just pillaged and such. It never occurred to me that a pirate would get married!" she confessed.
"Pirates have been known to fall in love. And who I am to stop them? As long as they are loyal to me, I do not care what they do with their personal lives."
"What about you?" she asked, now getting nervous. "Have you ever fallen in love?"
He paused, staring at her. "No," he simply said. "I believe that love is for fools. It makes men weak and women stupid."
"How can you say that?!" she asked, shocked, though she knew better than to be shocked. This was a ruthless killing pirate she was talking to.
"Have you ever been in love? I know you're not in love with the man who claims you! Do you know what it's really like?" Hook challenged.
"No," she said quietly. "But I hear that it's wonderful," she told him, defiantly.
He chuckled. "See? It does make women stupid." He sheathed his sword. "I'm going to have a woman named Mariette come see to you. Don't give her a hard time, and don't try to escape, or the consequences will be severe," he warned her in a tone of voice that sent a chill down Evelyn's spine. With that said, he was out the door.
She heard the click of him locking her in, and after that she was up like a flash, opening windows to look out at the sea and to see how far she was from land. Could I swim back? she wondered.
Evelyn went through his drawers looking for a weapon- a knife, a letter opener, a paper clip, anything!- that she could use if she had to. When she heard the click of the lock in the door, she quickly- and quietly- shut the trunk she was digging through, jumped back onto the couch.
A woman who looked about ten years older than her entered the room with two other women, who looked slightlycloser in age to Evelyn, behind her. They each had two buckets of steaming water.
"You must be Evelyn," the first woman said kindly. She put her buckets down and turned to shut and lock the door behind her. "I'm Mariette," she introduced, turning back to Evelyn. "This is Alice and Sophie. We are here to get you anything you need."
"What about freedom?" Evelyn asked hopefully, standing up.
"Except that," Mariette told her, smiling. "Shall we get you cleaned up?"
They ladies led Evelyn to a back room that had a tub, a standing mirror, two chairs, and a changing screen. They poured the water into the tub, and Evelyn watched the steam rise into the air.
"Give Alice and Sophie your garments and we will have them washed. They will bring you up some clean clothes for you to wear until yours are dry."
Evelyn shyly removed her clothing, handing them over to the ladies, and stepped into the warm tub. Mariette nodded to the ladies, and they swept quickly out the door.
"Do you need any help?" Mariette inquired.
"I think I can manage on my own," Evelyn told her.
Mariette took a seat in one of the chairs. "I'm sure he wouldn't want me telling you this, but the Captain can be a nice man. As long as you're loyal to him. And don't cause him any trouble."
"He took me against my will! I don't think, somehow, that being loyal to him will be easy or my biggest issue concerning him," Evelyn told her, spitefully.
"Maybe he took you for your own protection. Have you thought of that?" Mariette questioned. "It's not safe, you know, for a pretty young lady to be wandering around that island."
"Children do. Why would it be any different for me?" she challenged.
"Because they are children. There are other pirates in Neverland besides the men on the Jolly Roger. Other pirates that are not as kind with young women as the Captain is, if you understand my meaning," Mariette told her, in all seriousness. "You are lucky that it was the Captain who took you and not one of his many enemies."
"Lucky!" Evelyn scoffed.
"You would be shackled in a dungeon, raped, or dead by now! You should be thankful," Mariette scolded her.
"I would be more thankful for a little freedom. At least to wander around the ship. To not be trapped in this room all day!"
"Honestly, I don't know what the Captain's plans are for you, but I do know that freedom has to be earned. And so far you have done nothing to earn it!"
The women heard the door's lock click.
"Just bring her garments in here and put them on the chair. She should be finished with her bath soon, " Mariette called.
"It's your Captain," he announced from the main room.
Evelyn, panicking, sat up quickly and grabbed her towel to cover her body.
Mariette calmed her, then left to see what the Captain needed. She returned within a few minutes with a nice white summer dress.
"It seems," she began, "that your wishes have been answered. The Captain would like for you to put this on and join him on deck."
Evelyn stepped out of the tub and dried off with a new towel. She quickly changed into some under garments, Mariette helping her with her corset, and the new dress. She also slipped into the provided pair of flat, soft leather shoes. Mariette then helped her pin her wet hair up into a bun, revealing her neck.
"I feel naked. This dress is so thin," she commented self-consciously.
"It's hot out there, my dear," Mariette informed her. "Now behave yourself! You will get to spend more time outside."
Evelyn took a deep breath and walked out of the door. She joined the Captain, and they walked to the side of the ship.
"You look very pretty," he complimented, taking in her form and appreciating the view of her bare neck.
"Thank you," she responded politely. "And thank you for letting me out, even if you are attached to my side." She looked into his blue eyes- beautiful eyes, she had to admit- and she felt the butterflies in her stomach return.
"l don't mind being attached to your side," Hook shamelessly flirted, deciding to try a new method to get information from the girl... lady.
Evelyn blushed. Hook felt his plan was working. "Mermaids," she began, taking the attention off of her. "Are there really mermaids?" she asked, slightly leaning over the side of the ship as to search for them in the water.
"Yes..." he answered, gently pulling her from the side, "but they are very dangerous. They would surely drown you the first opportunity thst got!"
"Oh, I thought they were supposed to be beautiful creatures with lovely voices," she said, clearly disappointed.
"That's you, my dear!" Hook continued his flirting, but was sincere in his comment. Again Evelyn blushed, as he continued his praises, "You must sing for us this evening. After dinner. It would be such an enriching experience for my men, who rarely experience any culture or artistic expression."
"I have never really sang for a bunch of strange men before! I mean, not strange, just men I don't know..." Evelyn began rambling due to her nervousness.
Hook took her hand and gently placed a kiss upon it. "Please sing for me?" he asked, doing his best smoldering stare into her eyes. He could almost feel her will melting. "And my men, of course," he added for good measure.
A small smile formed on her lips as she thought the silliness of her reply, but she said it anyway, "If the Captain demands it..." She returned his stare with one of her own: bright greens eyes looking up through dark lashes.
Hook had to be careful to remember who was controlling this game... "The Captain respectfully requests," he smiled. She was Hooked.
"I will sing for you," Evelyn began her bargain, "but I would like to explore more of the island... you could take me?"
"I think not," he laughed. "I do admire your effort, but I will not be taking you off of this ship until you provide me with the information I seek."
"I guess we will be stuck on this ship for quite a while..." she replied.
"No matter to me. I can think of plenty of ways to pass the time," he countered.
The war of wills had begun.