Queenie licked her lips with worry, glancing at the clock on the bedside table. She let out a small huff of disbelief and rolled her eyes. One hour. One hour since she'd last seen Harry and already she was feeling that awful withdrawal of not being near him. It was absolutely ridiculous, especially considering the argument they'd had which had almost ended up with her drowning. Her fingers twitched, her heel lightly clicking as her right foot bounced. She was sure to be scolded by the blue-haired princess if she kept it up, but she couldn't help it.
After leaving Uma and Harry to discuss whatever it was they talked about when she wasn't around, Queenie had wandered off to find her old friend. It was a rarity to find Evie in Auradon since she enjoyed being in Cinderellasberg so much, and though Queenie had no idea why Evie wanted to speak with her she wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to see how she was. Evie had been a wonderful friend on the Isle, especially when Jay first brought Queenie to the Core Four, and Queenie would always remember that kindness.
"So," Evie spoke, breaking the silence they'd fallen into once Queenie stepped up onto the podium. "Do you have a date for the Union Day dance?" She asked, winding the long measuring tape around Queenie's waist.
"Nope." Queenie replied simply. In truth, she'd completely forgotten about the Union Day dance. The day itself had never held any meaning to her back on the Isle, but people seemed to take it quite seriously in Auradon. "I wasn't even gonna go." She admitted.
"Why not?" Evie gasped, a hand placed to her chest in utter surprise. It was a little overdramatic, in Queenie's opinion, though she'd never say it out loud. "The chance to dress like a real princess is too good to pass up, Q'. You may even find your prince charming." Evie smiled, her brows bouncing suggestively.
"I seriously doubt that." Queenie laughed, though she was far from amused. The very thought of going to a dance filled her with anxiety, and the thought of having to go with someone even more so. Everyone in the school would be attending, most with dates, and the last thing the young princess needed was their glances of pity. "What about you? Who are you going with?" She inquired, hoping to sway the subject away from herself.
"Doug, obviously." Evie jested, moving to measure from Queenie's waist to her feet. "I haven't been back in a while so it'll be nice to dance and have fun with my friends." She added with a shrug.
"Is that why you're back? To see everyone?" Queenie wondered.
Evie shook her head. "Sort of. The girls in Auradon Prep pay good money to have their dresses made, and since my line took off they're all just jumping at the chance to have an original made. I'm measuring each girl individually and creating the dresses to their specifics." She explained.
"Looks like your dream's finally taking off, huh?" Queenie sighed wistfully. Her friend had really hit the jackpot when she came to Auradon, her fantasies becoming reality. And though Queenie was proud of Evie for working so hard and getting everything she wanted, she couldn't help but feel a little bitter about it all. Evie had everything she could ever want. A doting boyfriend, friends that she could turn to in her time of need, and she was being paid to do the thing she loved most. Then there was Queenie. The girl who still had no idea what she wanted from life or from Auradon, the girl who'd had her memories tampered with and hidden away from her, and the girl who could only pine after one man in particular who, for the most part, wanted to 'hook' her.
"They are. But I didn't come here to talk about me. What about you? How're you doing?" Evie asked, scribbling down notes with each measurement she took.
'I'm trying to get along with someone who scares the shit out of me and makes me melt into a puddle at the same time. I'm trying to get my memories back, which someone took from me, and I'm learning sword-fighting.' Was what Queenie really wanted to say. But she couldn't. That lingering thought in the back of her mind that anyone could be an enemy still remained and, until she figured out exactly what was going on with her, she couldn't tell Evie. That urge was there, to open her mouth and blurt out every worry she had to the blue-haired princess, but she forced it back. "I'm doing okay." She settled on saying. "I mean I'm not doing as well as you, of course, but I think I'm doing alright."
Evie stood straight, the measuring tape thrown around her neck as she held a pen in one hand. Her dark-brown eyes flickered across Queenie's face, her ruby-red lips pursed. "Really?" She muttered with a small frown, and Queenie furrowed her brows.
"Really." Queenie lied with a forced, reassuring smile. A part of her screamed to just tell the girl what was going on, but she ignored her. Evie didn't need to hear her troubles.
"If you're sure." Evie stressed. "I might not be around as much but I'll try and help you if I can."
"E-Evie, are you okay?" Queenie asked warily. Back on the Isle she wouldn't have given it a second though, shrugging it off as Evie being her usual motherly self, but something was different this time. Evie seemed, just a little, worried for her.
"I'm fine." Evie giggled, though Queenie could see otherwise. She swore that just for a second she saw a small, glistening tear in the corner of her friends eye. "Anyway, what colours would you like your dress to be. Do you want it long, short, lace, silk; All your decision." The former VK exclaimed, crossing her arms.
"Uh," Queenie rolled her eyes about as she thought. "Something short, that's all I'll ask for, with a high neck-line. You're the master here and I trust you with everything else." She said, stepping down from the podium.
"Got it." Evie said with a thumbs-up, scribbling into her notebook once again.
"Right, I have some stuff to do so I guess I'll see you around?" Queenie asked as she reached for her backpack.
"Actually Q' I was going to ask you to stick around for a bit, we haven't seen each other in a while and I could use a little break." Evie said, and Queenie shuffled her feet.
"I don't know E', I have a lot of homework to do and-"
"Jay told me to talk to you."
Queenie stopped and gaped. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and dropped her backpack to the floor, her former thoughts long forgotten. She'd fully planned on starting her homework, with everything going on for her nowadays she'd been slacking slightly, but she'd also intended to go and find Uma. She hadn't had the chance to talk to her since 'training' began and she really had to know if the girl had gotten anywhere in a search for a remedy to Queenie's predicament. It was only fair, Queenie was doing her best to get to know Harry better despite his asshole personality and she needed to know if Uma was fulfilling her end of the deal.
The young princess took a breath and sat down. She hadn't spoken to Jay in days, though she had been avoiding him. Clearly he knew it too if he was sending Evie in to find out what was going on.
"Look, I don't know why you're avoiding him or even what's going on with you two, but you have to stop. He's worried about you, Q'. That's all." Evie assured the smaller princess, coming forward to sit down beside her.
"Nothing's going on. I mean, yeah, I've been avoiding him but I didn't mean to push him away. That's the last thing I want." Queenie said, gnawing at her bottom lip.
"Well then tell me what's going on with you, maybe I can help you explain it to Jay. If you don't want me to tell him then I won't. Anything you say to me stays between us, okay?" Evie offered gently, carefully grasping Queenie's hand in her own.
Queenie turned her head and stared at Evie, her mind frantic with debate. She could tell her everything, how she, Harry and Uma were searching for a way to get her memories back. How Uma had told her to start sword-training with Harry as a way for them to get to know each other better. Everything. However, the more she thought the worse her suspicions became. She and Evie were close, but none were closer than the Core Four. Even on the Isle, weeks after joining them, Queenie still felt like an outsider, like she'd never be one of them. Chances were if Jay was keeping something from her, then so was Evie. She couldn't tell her everything, but she had to say something.
"I-I've been hanging out with Uma and her crew." Queenie finally spoke, swallowing hard. "Jay told me to stay away from Harry on the first day they came, said you guys had some beef with him back on the Isle. Thing is, Uma's been a really good friend and I don't want to stay away. They're nice people, I really like spending time with them. But Jay would never approve."
Evie released a breath of relief, her once tense form relaxing. "That's all?" She laughed, and Queenie nodded. "Q', Jay won't be mad at you. He might be a little disappointed but he'd never do anything to risk your happiness." Evie stated, lightly shaking her head.
"I know. He's just done so much for me, y'know? I don't want him to think I'm abandoning him in some way." Queenie pressed, the little white lie leaving a bitter taste on her tongue. If things were simpler she'd happily blurt her every emotion to the princess, but they weren't. "I'm fine, really. He doesn't have to check up on me all the time. Tell him that, will you? I don't think I can do it myself. He'll handle it better from you."
"Of course, I promise I'll let him know." Evie said with a large smile.
"Thank you, E'. I really do have some stuff to do, though. Do you mind?" Queenie said as she gestured towards the door.
Evie shook her head. "No, go ahead." She muttered, and they both stood, Queenie moving to leave while Evie strolled back towards her desk. "Q'." She said suddenly, and Queenie paused.
"Hmm?" She wondered, her hand practically gripping the door. A few small steps and she was out of Evie's room and away from the guilt, away from the screaming in her head to just tell all of her secrets.
"It's just that, right? Nothing else is bothering you?" Evie asked.
'Tell her. Tell her.' A small whisper chanted in the young princess's mind. "Not a thing." She said with a strained, small smile.
~...~...~
Fairy Godmother shuffled straighter in her chair, her lips pursed as she waited for the other Council members to arrive. She clasped her hands together above the large, circular and wooden table, staring at the file between her arms. Or, to be more precise, Queenie's file. The thing that held every dark secret hidden in the young girl's mind, the very things Fairy Godmother had tried so desperately to conceal from the little one in an attempt to heal her tormented soul.
The Fairy sighed nervously and glanced at the ten chairs organized neatly around the table. She had absolutely no idea how it would go. The only reason she even spoke to the King and Queen about holding such a meeting was because of her discussions with Jay. The young man was concerned for the safety of his friend and he had every right to be, but he also had to think about the safety of Auradon, and what consequences they'd have to face should she restore Queenie's memories. Truthfully, the Fairy had every intention of swaying the council's minds against the idea. Queenie was a bright student, working hard in her classes and spending time with her friends when she wasn't in class. The re-placement of her memories could very well disrupt that entire routine. And with Harry Hook's sudden and unexpected appearance in Auradon she had absolutely no idea how things would turn out. It was too great a risk, and it was one Fairy Godmother was not too eager to witness.
Council Meetings were always held when it came to the health and safety of Auradon Children, especially when it came to the discussion of where they would reside. If one thought a certain student was being unusually drawn towards a darker path, their file would be looked over by each member and dissected thoroughly. If they were voted too unpredictable in their actions then they would, much to the councils despair, be taken to the Isle of the Lost. Never had one of their own Auradon-Born children been sent to the Isle, just as Isle-Born children had never been reviewed to come to Auradon before King Ben's rule. Things were changing in their world, and they had to be firmer than ever.
A slight creaking echoed through the room and Fairy Godmother stood. She watched silently as King Adam and Queen Belle entered, dropping into a practiced curtsy once they were near.
"Fairy Godmother." The King greeted with a small smile.
"Your highnesses." The Fairy replied, though she was unable to even summon a slight twitch of the lips under such circumstances.
"I see we're the first to arrive." Queen Belle noted, settling down into the chair her husband had so graciously pulled out for her.
"Uh, yes, I was waiting for you both before I summoned the others." Fairy Godmother explained, moving back down and into her own chair. She perched at the very edge of her seat, quickly sweeping away any loose strands of brown hair, ensuring her style was perfect. She wouldn't deny that she was a little anxious about today's meeting, but she knew she had to tuck it away for the time being. "Right, shall we begin." She said with a pitched giggle, raising her wand into the air. She flicked twice, to the two chairs on the opposite side of the table, and in a beautiful flash of icy-blue smoke their guests appeared.
The first to make her presence known was the White Queen, Ruler over Wonderland and Queenie's Aunt. Fairy Godmother let her chocolate-brown eyes take in the intimidating woman's form, her cheeks reddening at the sight. The Fairy didn't rule over any Kingdom nor land, however she did have her own thoughts and opinions on one should present themselves when attempting to make an impression. The White Queen was beautiful and since time moved slower in Wonderland she hadn't quite aged as much as the rest of them, so while she should have been older she didn't appear to be a day over twenty-five at least. Her hair was golden, flowing down to her waist in tamed waves. Her pale skin was unwrinkled and completely blemish free, her form covered by a long, white and lace dress. Fairy Godmother found it entirely inappropriate. The Fairy had been the one to set a certain dress-code in Auradon that even the adults seemed to follow, and she'd expected as much from other Kingdoms. The White Queen's dress hardly fitted that code, but the Fairy held back her thoughts on the matter. For now anyway.
The second, and last, council member to appear was Peter Pan. The discussion on Queenie's mind didn't effect Neverland in any way but Harry's sudden and unexpected decision to come to Auradon may have been worth mentioning to the man. He was Fairy Godmother's least favourite member of their usually large council. Unlike Auradon and Wonderland, time halted completely in Neverland, so while he was also as old as the rest he had made the decision to remain in his youth. A decision the Fairy Godmother thought selfish and utterly thoughtless. Sometimes he surprised them with his words, reminding them that he was only fourteen in his physical aspects, and that his mind was just as matured as theirs. The Fairy's irritation towards him was based mostly on how he acted during most of their meetings; Like a bored, irresponsible teenager. Even now he blew puffs of air through his lips, his arms folded and legs crossed rudely on top of the well-polished table. His manners were still lacking, it seemed.
"Welcome." King Adam greeted them with a small nod of the head.
"There are only two of us. Why?" The White Queen inquired gently, taking note of the other empty chairs.
"This meeting only involves the two of you." Fairy Godmother replied, removing the pencil from her ear and twiddling it between her fingers. "We're here to discuss Queenie and..." Fairy Godmother let out a breath of hesitance, her gaze flickering towards the boy staring back at her. "Harry Hook." She finished.
"Harry Hook?" The red-haired youngster repeated, and Fairy Godmother nodded. "Son of Captain Hook? You let the son of my enemy into Auradon and didn't think to tell me?!" He bellowed, his face flushed with overwhelming fury.
"He hasn't been here long." Belle assured, her always-soothing voice taming the boy's temperamental nature. "A little over a week, at the most. We're letting you know now, that's what matters."
"Why are we together if the matter is about two, separate young people? Couldn't this have been done through a letter?" The White Queen asked, her hands neatly folded in her lap.
"Because these specific students have somewhat of a history together, and should things go in a certain direction today it could mean the worst for both your worlds." The Fairy said grimly, frowning at the folder in front of her.
"Why are we here, Fairy Godmother?" Belle asked curiously, her own eyes quickly glancing towards the file.
"Jay has asked me to re-consider the removal of Queenie's memories. He's brought some worrying information to my office and I decided it was too important to push aside." Fairy Godmother explained, the pencil between her fingers moving at a faster pace.
"What information?" Pan demanded, his impatience quickly coming through.
"When we first held this meeting, we knew only what Jay had told us, and we made a very big decision regarding Queenie on only these facts. Since her arrival I've seen into her mind, I've seen things no normal human being could stand to witness, and while I know we've made the right decision he has begged me to consider restoring the little one's memories. Queenie and Mr. Hook were very...close, on the Isle of the Lost. Too close, in my opinion. He was much like his father, vicious and manipulative, ruling that place with fear." The Fairy said loudly.
"What did you expect?" Pan scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Were you expecting a well-mannered man wanting only good for the people around him? If so, you're stupider than I ever took you for."
"Enough. Letters were given to every child on the Isle at my son's demand, they were all given a chance. If they come here and they do not work with our rules in place then they return to the Isle. So far this young man has done nothing wrong." King Adam said firmly, his eyes narrowed with warning.
"And what of my niece?" The White Queen wondered.
"Queenie was a tormented little thing. She was badly hurt, abused to the brink of death. Even by her own mother." Fairy Godmother found the strength to admit.
"Yet she lived." The White Queen pointed out with raised brows. "She's a survivor, and that doesn't make her a threat."
"Not on her own, she isn't." Fairy Godmother muttered quietly, swallowing her nerves. She had to be strong if she wanted it to go in her favour. "Mr. Hook found her and took her in, cleaned her wounds and fed her, gave her a place to sleep until she was strong enough to go back to her home. But please keep in mind that he didn't do this out of kindness. He used this against Queenie for the duration of her time on the Isle, attempted to twist and bend her mind just as his was. He wanted her to be like him. His attempts were futile. Queenie remained the same. She was kind, she kept to herself and turned away from any and all confrontation."
"Then why are we here?" The White Queen asked. "If this young man couldn't force my niece to follow in his footsteps then why is this a concern?"
Fairy Godmother took a deep breath. "You should know that while Queenie is a lovely, hard-working girl you should also know that loyalty means everything to her. Especially with Harry. The things that young man did to her and she still stayed by his side, never straying too far from where he was. If he asks something of Queenie then she will do it." She told them, her gaze then falling to the dreaded file before her. "I made this after delving into Queenie's mind. Everything she's seen, heard or done on that Isle is in here. Every single atrocity she's committed, the majority under Harry Hook's influence. Until he falls out of place we can't send him back to the Isle, Ben would be very angry if he knew we did such a thing without cause. What we can do is judge whether or not giving Queenie back her memories of Mr. Hook is the best decision."
"May I see this file?" The White Queen asked, her face hardened to the point where it was completely unreadable. Fairy Godmother didn't know what was going on inside the woman's head, and was very reluctant to hand over file without further reason.
"Of course." King Adam spoke, reaching for the folder. Fairy Godmother watched with a slightly gaped mouth as he slid it across the table, pursing her lips as it reached the White Queen's fingers.
"Thank you." She said with a nod, the corners of her lips twitching with a small, satisfied smirk at the Fairy's apprehensive and irritated gaze. Her long fingers flipped through the pages until eventually they stopped, her blue orbs scanning the written words with a frown.
"Well, what does it say?!" Pan rushed, leaning forward in his seat eagerly.
"Oh, my little niece." The White Queen sighed sadly, her eyes brimming with tears. "She shouldn't have been made to go through any of this. Say what you will but that man would have been killed no matter what." She said, her once-gentle tone replaced with that of slight aggression. "She shouldn't have even been put on that Isle." She continued, her eyes flashing with a bright white light.
"What happened?" King Adam demanded, his open hand lightly slamming against the table. He then mustered a quick apology towards his wife, her smaller fingers grasping at his own. He forgot himself sometimes, but he couldn't help it. The tension was overbearing and he couldn't stand it.
"With the aid of Mr. Hook, she murdered a man unable to defend himself. Slit his throat." Fairy Godmother spoke up, the images she'd drawn from Queenie's mind flashing vividly in her own. It had been a gruesome sight to witness, and had rooted itself firmly into her brain since. The thought of taking a life was completely outrageous and so, so evil that she couldn't even stand to consider doing something so horrible.
"A defenceless man?" The White Queen said with disbelief. "Under my sisters orders he and another guard beat my niece until she couldn't move, left her for dead in a filthy tunnel like a piece of garbage. In my Kingdom we would have taken his head." She seethed.
"With all due respect, we are not in your Kingdom. This is Auradon and we do not condone any violence, especially murder." The Fairy fired, unable to withhold her thoughts on such a subject.
"This is why we simply loathe you Auradon-Born. You think everything is black and white when really there are a hundred shades between. Many of your so-called heroes have killed in self-defence, and you've doomed most to the Isle for stupid things. You're not all as innocent as you claim to be." The White Queen remarked boldly.
"What is the worst-case scenario in this? What is the worst thing that could happen by restoring her memories?" Belle inquired, slightly ruffled by the Queen's remarks and lack of respect for their ways.
"Jay has been keeping an eye on Queenie, but I know she's been pushing him away. Mr. Hook's arrival has stirred something up in the little one, the darker side of her mind is awake now. I've seen her temper, how unpredictable it can be. If we give her back her memories she could very well turn against us, use the power of her mothers pendant to wage war on our Kingdoms. From what I've seen she does not handle betrayal well, and I fully believe that she will count our helping her as a betrayal. With Harry's help they could both disrupt the balance we have here. I don't doubt that Harry holds the same resentment as his father, he could even come to Neverland." The Fairy said pointedly. "Our students could be hurt, or worse. We have to think of the safety of everyone."
"And what about Harry? Is he alone a threat to Neverland?" Pan asked, and the Fairy shook her head.
"I don't believe he's a threat to you on his own. He doesn't have a ship, or a crew of his own. He isn't even a Captain himself. But he has a power over Queenie and his manipulation along with her power, should she use it, could mean very bad things for all of us."
A tense silence fell over the room then, and King Adam was the first to break it. "So, we have to take a vote." He sighed, rubbing at his forehead stressfully.
"Couldn't we just keep them apart?" Belle suggested, a slight plead in her voice. "Instead of tampering with a young woman's mind, no matter how necessary, wouldn't it just be easier to send this Mr. Hook back to the Isle? You said yourself Fairy Godmother that she is a lovely, well-mannered little thing who has many friends. She wouldn't turn on them because of him, would she?" She pressed, almost begging the Fairy to side with Queenie in this conversation.
"Yes." It was the White Queen who answered. All eyes turned to her though she didn't look at them. It appeared that while they were discussing the best way to deal with their predicament she was reading Queenie's file. "You don't think it's true, do you?" She questioned the Fairy, who fidgeted nervously in her seat, her gaze dropping at the Queen's probing stare.
"No." Fairy Godmother admitted. "It's obsession, reliance on another person if anything. There's no way she-"
"It's possible." The White Queen interrupted, tilting her head slightly. "It's highly possible that two children raised in an abusive and aggressive surrounding found it with each other. It's quite clear they spent a lot of time together, maybe my niece saw something in him that no one else thought to look for. I don't deny that he's a ruthless being, but how could we expect anything less from the son of Captain Hook? He may very well have come all this way to Auradon just to find her. Love is a very powerful thing, we all know that, and it is not limited to only those who do good. If you're wrong and she does love him, she'll throw everything away. And if he also loves her then this a dangerous game we're playing."
"How could anyone love such a person? He hit her, attempted to kill her on numerous occasions, even mutilated her for his own benefit. That's not love, your highness, that's dominance." Fairy Godmother exclaimed, tapping her fingers with utter frustration.
"What on earth do you think love is? It isn't always beautiful, filled with happy endings and magical kisses. It's unrelenting passion, overwhelming jealousy and can bring the strongest warriors to their knees if used in the wrong manner. If they're spending time together as we speak then throwing him away on the Isle is a ridiculous decision. If you do that and restore her memories then she will find a way to break that barrier, and she'll find him again. You've only yourselves to blame, I told you to let her be, let her decide if she really wanted to stay in Auradon or not and you didn't listen. You went and messed with her mind until she fitted into your perfect world and then let her go. These are the consequences, and now you'll have to face them." The White Queen finished her speech with a light shrug, as if their decisions after this meant absolutely nothing to her.
"We have to make a decision now, and we have to be certain it's the right one. All those in favour of restoring Queenie's memories?" Fairy Godmother wondered, her eyes visibly brightening at the sight of no hands being raised. "Those against the idea?" Her own hand raised, along with King Adam, Queen Belle and Pan. The White Queen didn't raise her hand once. "Then the decision's been made. Queenie will remain as she is. Thank you for coming." She picked up her wand and flicked it in Peter Pan's direction, sending him back to his Neverland home in a poof of smoke.
"I'm surprised you didn't vote, your highness." Belle said to the White Queen, shrinking slightly back into her seat.
"There really was no point. I know how you Auradon-Born look at us, judge us on how we do things in Wonderland. But I can confidently say that we haven't had an uprising yet, when you have had two attempts made on your Kingdom." The woman pointed out, her lips stretching into a smile.
"May I remind you that both were calmed in a gentle manner. We did not have to use force to do it." Fairy Godmother countered proudly.
"If I remember it correctly none of you had any say in those moments, your children did. The younger generation are much brighter than their elders, it seems. They're changing things for the better and you must move with the times. All those grudges and your old-fashioned ways are going to clash with their lives eventually, and that will be an interesting sight to behold." She laughed, seemingly amused at the very thought of it all. "If my darling Queenie regains her memories between now and the Union Day dance I would like to be notified." She requested.
"I'm very sorry, your highness, but I will do no such thing." Fairy Godmother said as she shook her head.
"Oh, I wasn't talking about you." The White Queen objected, her eyes shining with something akin to mischief. "I'm surprised you hadn't thought of this yourself. If Harry is here for Queenie, then he knows by now that she doesn't know who he is. You should keep a closer eye on your students, Fairy Godmother, there's no telling what they'll find out if left alone too long." And with that, the Queen disappeared, returning to her own world with her own magic, leaving nothing but shimmering dust and a looming worry in her place.
~...~...~
Uma released a loud, agitated groan and leaned her head back. Her days duties had been fulfilled, and she really should have been having a nice, relaxing shower. But she wasn't. Instead the VK was faced with the impatience of her first-mate, and the bad-news her crew members had for her, bringing only more stress and turmoil to her already frantic life.
"What do you mean you can't find it?" She demanded, staring hard at Gaston's son with as much anger as her eyes would allow.
"We didn't find anything!" He replied, arms thrown out to the side. "We looked everywhere. Ransacked the whole room and we didn't find anything." He assured her, gesturing to his down-cast crew, all three fidgeting and nervous at the fact they'd let down their Captain.
"If ye didn' fin' anythin' in their room then where would it be?" Harry asked, toying with his hook.
"Unless," Uma wondered, twirling the ends of her braids as she walked about the room in deep thought.
"Unless?" Harry pressed with slight disinterest, as if the entire topic held no appeal to him whatsoever.
"There are only two other places it could be. He used to be a thief, guys, and no respectable thief would think to keep something so important in a place so obvious. First option is his locker, so we need to get into that ASAP." Uma said to her crew. "Bonnie, you're the best at lock-picking, go when everyone's asleep, take Jonas with you just in case you run into any trouble, Desiree will stay in your room in case anyone comes snooping. Got it?" The members nodded in understanding and she gave a small nod towards the door. "Go, I'm done with you three." They left the room then, leaving only her, Harry and Gil.
"What's the second place?" Harry inquired from his stretched-out place above her bed, twirling one of his many rings around his finger.
"I didn't think anything of it, but Jay's been walking around with his backpack on all damn day." Uma explained, letting out a small huff as she perched at the edge of Ava's well-made bed.
"An' yer point is?" Harry sighed.
Uma furrowed her brows, staring at her first-mate as if he was an idiot. "He's carrying it around with him. If they don't find anything then that's the only other place it could be, which makes this so much harder." She muttered, pressing her tongue into the inside of her cheek. Uma hadn't quite expected everything to be so difficult, but it seemed she'd clearly underestimated this situation. The higher-ups weren't too eager for Queenie to get her head back together, and it meant they'd have to work harder than ever now, especially if Jay was keeping this mystery object on him at all times.
"Then we fin' a way ta get it from him. He can' train with the bloody thing on." Harry pointed out, rolling his eyes.
"If it's Jay, then chances are he'll try." Uma fired. "Until we can figure out what to do I need you to keep your princess under control. Just make sure she knows we're helping her, I don't want her running off and trying to find it herself."
"Aww," Harry chuckled with a small, mocking pout. "Do ye like the little one?" Uma sat straight and stared in his direction, her pursed lips and agitated expression daring him to mess with her. "Oh alright," Harry relented, albeit with slight reluctance.
"Thank you." Uma said with sarcasm, leaning back onto her hands.
"Speakin' of little ones, where's yer little mermaid?" Harry asked, and Uma closed her eyes in an attempt to relax.
"Leave Ava out of this, Harry." She warned, the day's activities finally taking its toll on her body.
"I'm serious Captain." The first-mate continued, moving up to glance at the clock on the bedside table. "It's gone six, don' she usually come back aroun' now?"
Uma opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. Harry was right. Classes finished around three, but Ava always took an afternoon swim around Auradon pier to cool off at the end of the day. She really should have been back by now. "It's really six o'clock?" She asked loudly, tilting her head down to see her friend.
"Aye." Harry confirmed, nodding his head. He frowned as he watched his Captain look towards the window, her eyes darting towards nothing in particular. She was worried. "When did ye las' see her?" He asked, pushing himself up until he was seated.
"Last night, before we went to sleep." Uma declared, bowing her head as she muttered quieted words to herself. "Damn it." She groaned, quickly jumping to her feet. "We have to find Queenie. Something's wrong."
"Woah, wait a minute Captain." Harry rushed, moving to stop the smaller girl in her tracks. "Why d'ye think somethin' is wrong?"
"Ava's life is a routine, okay? She does the same thing all the time, no matter what. I just-" Uma paused quickly, looking up at her best friend with hesitation and slight apprehensiveness, like she was worried to tell him what she was thinking. It was a first. "I just know."
Harry licked his lips and nodded, taking note of how serious Uma's eyes were in that moment. She was asking him to understand, begging to be more precise. And what Uma was saying without using her voice at all reached his ears loud and clear. It was the same thing he'd had once Queenie left the Isle, that irritating and unrelenting feeling of something being out of place. "Okay, we'll go get Queenie."
AN
Hello readers! Okay, so I know there wasn't much going on in this chapter but at the same time, there was. I'm actually happier with this chapter than the one before, because that chapter felt more like a filler than anything else. Anyway, things are moving faster and the Uma/Ava pairing will have a bigger part in the next chapter, so please stick around for that.
Anyway, I haven't posted much in this AN because I'm not quite sure what to say. Please leave a review to let me know you thought of it though, and big thank you to all who've reviewed, followed and favourited. You guys are awesome!
Please forgive me for any typos, they'll be removed once I've properly re-read through. Thanks!
