Chapter Eleven: A Secret World
"Wendy?" Peter called desperately, zipping around above the churning sea. An unsettled feeling reached his heart and nearly choked him as he realized Wendy was nowhere to be found.
"No, no, NO!" He shouted furiously, "This cannot be happening!" Slowly, the anger dissipated, replaced by sadness, and Peter sank to the boulder where he last saw Wendy. The rain became colder and colder and turned into sleet that covered every inch of him.
Despite the roaring waves, Peter could just make out a faint clicking and whispering sound. He knew they were approaching but he ignored them, consumed with grief.
One by one, slime covered mermaids surrounded his rock, shivering from the constant weather changes. Their jaws were defined sharply and their mouths were full of razor sharp teeth.
"Peter," They sang seductively, "It's awfully cold out here. Won't you cheer up?" Peter was the only one who could understand the mermaids you see, and so they often spoke to him in an affectionate way. Peter only snatched his hand away, causing flickers of lightning to flash throughout the clouds.
"Are you upset about that girl?" They cooed, willing to do anything to stop the frigid air.
Immediately, Peter's ears flicked and they had his attention.
"We only wanted to show her our secrets…" The mermaids spoke as if they had done nothing wrong.
In the quickest of movements, Peter's hand was fit snugly around the neck of one of the mermaids who had spoken. A chorus of hissing sounded around him as each creature rushed to protect their sister. However, Peter would not relent.
"What did you do with her?" He seethed, his fingers curling dangerously.
Through strained breaths, the mermaid managed to let a smile crawl onto her face. In between gasps she got out, "We can take you to her, if you'd like."
Hesitation coursed through Peter. His mouth became unnaturally dry at the thought of Wendy in the mermaid's hands, given their reputation of wanting to drown people.
"Where is she?"
"Down there." The mermaid pointed down towards the water.
"I can't breathe underwater." Peter replied pointedly. Around him, giggles aroused simultaneously.
"Don't worry, you'll be fine." They whispered, a persuasive tone catching in their voices. Their slime covered hands wrapped dangerously around Peter's arms and hands and in a jerking movement, they plunged him deep into the water.
…
Wendy's eyelids fluttered like delicate little butterflies as she awoke. A gasp escaped her mouth and she was struggling for air, water pressing all around her. Her arms flailed and a confused feeling swept through her chest.
She was breathing. Water.
She was breathing in water. She wasn't drowning.
"Fascinating." She whispered in awe, taking a moment to survey her location. Wendy sat on a small bed that was made from a hollowed out clam. It was the biggest clam she had ever seen. The room had a huge opening that was meant to serve as a window but upon closer inspection had no glass covering it. The space was decorated just as any mermaids should've been. Including squid lamps and jellyfish chandeliers.
"It is so like a dream." Wendy said to herself. Through the door of seaweed hangings came a small figure with a long tale and beautiful flowing hair.
"Ah, you've awakened, Ms. Darling." She smiled warmly at Wendy, swimming closer and placing a gentle hand on Wendy's forehead. "We were very worried, but it seems that you have recovered quite well."
Wendy could not conceal the befuddled look on her face.
"But-"
The mermaid cut her off before she could speak. "The queen has requested to meet you. Right this way." In a swish of bubbles, the mermaid turned and swam out the door. Wendy followed her down a series of hallways, letting her mind wander as she pursued the mermaid.
The mermaids are being extremely friendly. She thought. Maybe it's a trap, or maybe they plan to kill me soon. Maybe I should try and make a break for it. With another look at the mermaid's tail, she doubted she would make it five feet.
Finally, her thoughts were ceased as two very grand doors came into view. Two guards hovered in front of them. They were mermen that had ghostly stares painted onto their faces. The mermaid that had come into her room exchanged a few quick words with them and then the doors were being opened, revealing the grandest hall she had ever seen. The ceiling looked as if it would never end and the walls were decorated with thousands of golden glittering shells. In the very center, sitting on hundreds of steps was a glorious throne decked with conch shells of every size. And sitting in it was the most beautiful mermaid Wendy had ever laid eyes on. Wendy was wonderstruck and she stared aimlessly at the queen.
The mermaid next to Wendy cleared her throat and inclined her neck.
Sense filtered back into Wendy's brain and she mumbled, "Oh, yes." As she curtsied delicately for the queen.
The queen only smiled curiously as she rose from her seat gracefully and started to descend the stairs. For a while, all that could be heard was the swish of her tail which filled Wendy's ears with sound.
Once in front of Wendy, she spoke in a soft voice that filled Wendy's heart with warmth. "Wendy Darling. I've heard much about you my dear. I am Queen Clarissa."
Wendy flashed a nervous smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you, your highness. I hope you've only heard the good things."
"But of course. You are the girl whom is being constantly brought to Neverland by Peter. You are quite a popular object of conversation in this palace" The queen lifted her eyebrows and smirked.
Wendy allowed a shaky laugh to leave her lips. "Yes it seems I am not so popular in the good way."
"Don't mind them, they all have an unnatural interest in Peter. Now I'm sure you have lots of questions." The queen pulled Wendy in the direction of a small sofa in the far corner of the hall.
"Just, just a few." Wendy replied cautiously. She wasn't quite sure if some of her questions would be considered rude. "I suppose the first one would be how on earth it is possible that I am breathing? Shouldn't I have drowned?"
The queen laughed whole heartedly, letting the laugh reach her eyes. "Humans can be so naïve."
Wendy's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.
The queen continued, "The mermaid lagoon has always given humans the ability to breathe underwater. In fact the whole Neverland Sea has that ability. They've always just been too afraid or naïve to give it a shot. Humans sometimes lack imagination. This also leads into your next question which I'm sure will be 'Why didn't the mermaids drown me?' Am I right?" She looked at Wendy expectantly. Wendy allowed herself to nod curtly.
"We mermaids have never had the intention of drowning anyone. Above water our voices are incomprehensible to humans. We are always trying to get them to come down here because we get lonely often. Sometimes our actions come off as wanting to drown you but really we're just trying to show you our world."
Wendy was caught extremely off guard by the queen's response. Realizing how much it made sense, but something still tugged at the corners of her mind.
"But," She began, "If Peter can understand the mermaids, then how did he not know about this?"
The queen tilted her head. "You're quite perceptive, dear. Yes you would think that Mr. Pan would know all about this by now. But as you and I both know, he is very self-absorbed and often doesn't hear anything the mermaids say to him or just chooses to ignore them. He's much more interested in his own adventures." Wendy nodded again. It made sense
"Would you like some tea?" Fascinated by the idea of liquids underwater, Wendy replied by saying, "Oh yes please!" One of the queen's servants approached with a tray just as the doors to the great hall burst open.
"Where is she?" A familiar voice shouted out. Warmth spread to Wendy's heart after recognizing it.
Wendy whipped her head around and locked eyes with a blond haired boy.
"Peter!" The guards from before wordlessly swarmed him with the hopes of restraining him.
"Leave the boy!" The queen commanded. Hesitantly the two bowed and left Peter alone.
"Mr. Pan. What a pleasure to finally meet you." The queen introduced herself.
"Just give me Wendy and no one will get hurt, Lady." Peter barked back, drawing his knife.
"Peter, they weren't trying to hurt me!" And just like that, Wendy was relaying her story and what the queen had told her. Slowly, Peter let his knife slide back into its holding place, but he still did not let his defenses drop.
"Well you've had your visit, now me and Wendy will be going." His hand enclosed Wendy's pulling her forward.
"I should tell you that I have information that may be of interest to you."
Peter stopped abruptly. "What type of information?"
The queen smirked. "I know of Hook's location."
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