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Chapter twelve: The Ash Princess

A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. -Colin Powell

Pan had laid the girl on his bed. He had stared at her unconscious face until his eyes burned and the sky was black. He then tied her wrists together with rope and also her ankles. She didn't make a sound or a movement. She was a statue, vulnerable to him. Her head was lolled to the side, dark mane scattered around the feather pillow. A frown tugged at her brows as she swam in her dreams. Peter sat back on a chair and waited for the sun to peak through the horizon, for the birds to start chirping and for the girl to wake.

First, she simply opened her dark eyes. Then, she whimpered and tested the ropes around her wrists. They wouldn't fail for Pan knew how to tie a knot that even the brightest of brains couldn't untie. Suddenly, with a loud gasp, she sat up in bed, dark orbs meeting the ones of Peter. Her face went blank, unreadable. She flushed, so pale she could blend into the clouds. A beat passed between the pair, Pan still as stone and Cheri shocked to the bone. Slowly, her knees glided up towards her chest and her arms wrapped around her calves. However, she never took her eyes off the dark pits of madness that served as Peter's. The boy sneered and lowered his upper body, elbows on knees and hands hanging in the void. He chortled darkly, showing his teeth the the brunette, who clenched her jaw. "Good morning, sweetness," he drawled, left brow quirking seductively. Cheri remained silent, anger clear on her flushed features. That amused Pan. "You see," he started, licking the tip of his superior set of teeth. "Everyone who breaks my rules get a punishment. It would be unfair to the others, who've broken rules and been punished for it, to see that I favorite you by not punishing you. They would think I'm not serious."

The girl didn't move or blink or even seem to breathe for that matter. But when she spoke, her voice came from the lowest parts of hell. "What did they do to you?" she asked. "Steal your favorite doll?" Pan huffed, annoyed and also amused that his little fiery toy was coming back to life. Looking at her all pale and mute made him think of a speaking doll that lost power and just flopped dead.

"Literally speaking, girls are the ones with dolls, not boys," he went along with her game, chuckling to himself. The girl didn't react to his rhetorical comment.

"You're just a boy," she said, words soft and brushing off her lips like wind. Pan quirked a brow and straightened, hands on his thighs.

"I'm young, yes, given that," he answered, frown slowly knitting his brows together. Slowly, the mask fell. His lovely, happy and sarcastic expressions and features changed to madness and peeved. "But I'm more than just a boy. And I'd be willing to show you anytime, sweetheart." His voice was rough and dark, coming from his deepest madness and insanity. He hated when they said he was just a boy. Peter Pan wasn't just a boy. He'd done things no man could imagine doing. He'd been with more young women than any man has. And he could do things that no man could ever do. He was a demon, but he wasn't a boy.

"I bet I've got more balls than you ever will, Peter Pan," she spat, lips curling into a snarl as she glared at him from under her brows. Surprisingly, even for him, her little insult mused him. He chuckled, keeping his frown, and got to his feet.

"And what makes you say that?" he drawled, quirking his brows sarcastically as he began floating her way. His eyes landed on hers and she felt like her orbs were burning with how much madness Peter's eyes were swimming in.

"Because you use magic to get what you want," she snarled. "You surround yourself with bodyguards and you prey on the weak. You trick people into believing they belong with you with that stupid pan flute of yours. Everything you do is cowardly, Peter. Have you ever done anything yourself? Wait, let me think... No," her last words came out slow and dark. "Because you're nothing but a coward."

Peter stared at her, expressionless. She knew she hit a nerve with what she'd said, but she wasn't sure of his reaction. Peter Pan was two-faced. He could either guffaw and tell her she was wrong by proving verbal points. Or he could burst into a fireball of madness that would surely come crashing down on her. She hoped it wasn't the latter. However, Pan's face morphed into catastrophe as he clenched his fists and growled. In a blink, he was over her, pinning her down with his breathtaking weight. His heavy thighs blocked her own from moving and his hands pinned her wrists to the bed. His demon face was inches away from hers and she stared into the dark pits of his blue eyes. The color was dark, and swirling, like it was alive. It was like clouds of blue swirling around a charcoal pupil. As much as it was fascinating, it was terrifying. Looking into those eyes was like looking death straight in the face. "I am not a coward!" he roared, growl rising deep from within his chest. He breathed against her mouth, but she didn't breathe back. Her breath was caught in her throat. He cocked his head ever the slightest. "Look who's being quiet now," he drawled darkly.

Suddenly, he straightened, sitting on her thighs. His legs straddled her waist as he continued to stare daggers at the brunette who lay with her hands now at her sides. Slowly, with a frown furrowing his brows, Pan took the hem of the girl's shirt and started to ride it up. Her eyes shot open, but she stayed frozen. Her breath came out rapid and rasped, chest heaving pleasantly up and down for the boy. A dark, maniacal chuckle brushed off his lips as he gripped the cloth between his fingers, clenched his hands and ripped the blue tee from the girl's chest. She whimpered and wriggled, but her efforts were in vain. His right hand went for his knife, and slowly he took it out of it's sheath. It glistened in the dim lighting, glowing menacingly. Although the brunette thought he would rape her, Pan got off her and stood. He passed the knife under the ropes at the girl's feet and cut them loose. Still with a frown and a snarl, the boy sheathed his weapon. He took a hold of the girl's messy, sand filled mane and clenched his fist in her hair. "Come with me," he growled. He yanked the brunette up on her feet and walked to the door with his hand still in her hair.

Coming down from Pan's hut, the boy threw the brunette on the muddy ground. Her bound hands did little to stop her fall and she landed face first in the dirt, some getting in her mouth. She coughed and propped up on one elbow. As she looked up, all the boys in camp were staring at her. She suddenly realized why Pan had ripped off her shirt; to expose her. She wouldn't fight back if he menaced to strip her naked in front of a crowd of boys. "Boys!" he shouted, marching up beside the girl. His booted feet appeared in front of her face and, as she looked up, he gave her a sneer and licked his lips. "Mother needs to be shown what happens to traitors!" he roared. The crowd of boys hooted and whooped, throwing their fists in the air or waving the threatening arsenal. "Bring me the traitor!" he finally ordered, voice booming over the compound. Cheri stopped breathing, heart beating ferociously against her breast bone, when two boys brought in a beaten down teenager.

They dragged him to where Peter stood and Cheri sat. They dropped his pitiful body onto the dirt, some of the mud splashing around him. He moaned and groaned, turning on his side with a grimace on his face. He was roughly fourteen, with a dirty, muddy white blouse and dark pants. His hair was brown, curly and thick, covering his bruised and bloody face. Cheri whimpered silently for him, wishing she could save him. But knowing Pan, she'd probably get a boot to the face if she tried. "Cody!" Pan chanted as he walked to where Felix stood, a crossbow under his arm. The blonde boy glared at the brunette, who was staring at the wounded boy. "Do you know why you are being punished today?" a hint of amusement and facetiousness marked Peter's voice as a maniacal smile spread on his lips. He grabbed the crossbow from Felix and walked right back to where Cheri lay.

"Yes," Cody groaned in pain, hands going for his ribs, where bloody gashes tore the blouse and the skin most probably. Pan chuckled.

"And why's that?" he sneered, crouching down with the crossbow dangerously close to the boy. Cheri breathed in and out rapidly, eyes wide and fear gnawing at her insides. The crossbow was a bad sign. Cody sighed a groan.

"I tried to-" he was interrupted by his own coughing, blood spluttering out of his mouth and leaking in little rivers down his chin. He stopped and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He breathed in harshly and proceeded. "I tried to leave Neverland," he finished, brown eyes begging Pan for mercy. But the boy was merciless.

"Pan, what have you done?" the girl whispered, words slipping off her tongue without her permission. Peter turned to her slowly, menacing glow in his angered eyes.

"Why are you speaking?" he demanded harshly, shoving the crossbow roughly in the girl's face. She flinched away, eyes dropping from the weapon.

"I said; what have you done?" she repeated, ignoring his previous question. Pan dismissed her, rolling his eyes apathetically. He returned the bow to the boy's face.

"Now, as I was saying," he growled, shooting a glare at the girl. "Wanting to leave Neverland is the biggest treason, my boy," he drawled. Felix nodded, slowly walking his way to stand beside Pan. "And you have been here long enough to know what the consequence of that treason is, right?" he cocked the crossbow and leaned the tip of the arrow onto the boy's temple. Cheri gasped silently, covering her mouth as tears brimmed her eyes. Pan ignored her.

"Yes," the boy winced feeling the arrow against his skin. Pan pressed harder until blood poured from the boy's temple and dripped to the ground.

"Yes," he hissed, sneer on his face. Cheri recalled the day when she went to the stream and found Tinkerbell. She'd said Pan killed a boy savagely, and when Peter appeared, his only defense to why he'd killed that boy was because he wanted to leave Neverland. So the price of leaving Neverland was death. Cheri's eyes went round with fear as Pan chortled evilly and got to his feet. He looked down at both the brunette people and pointed the crossbow at the boy. "Now, Cody, any last words?" he mused.

"Pan," Cheri murmured, eyes still stuck on the bleeding boy. His eyes met hers for a split second, and she was certain she had looked fear and desperation in the face. Cody groaned, trying to use his arms as leverage to get him up, but he was too weak.

Peter ignored the girl and readied the weapon. He shot a look at Felix and gestured his head to the brunette. "Make sure she doesn't interfere," he grumbled, steadying the crossbow at eye level and leveling his shoulders for support. Felix trudge to the girl, crouched down and gripped her biceps from behind. She let him, too numb and fear struck to fight back. He pulled her elbows together behind her back and stayed there, forcing her to watch the horror that was about to take place.

Much to her horror, Pan put his index on the trigger and sneered. "Watch this, sweetness," he drawled before pressing on the trigger. The arrow went flying, hitting it's intended target in the temple, piercing through the other. Blood and brains spluttered to the ground in a bloody mess, littering the mud around the small group. Wind gushed by and the smell of blood invaded the still air, as the brunette watched in horror, the blonde boy looked in wonder and the demon smiled in victory.

Then, she screamed.

Pan watched as she thrashed in Felix's arms, the latter having no difficulty holding her back. Cheri screamed and yelled, thick tears of anger, fear and nostalgia flowing down her flushed cheeks. Her eyes were wide and dark, like abysses that held a monster ready to lurch out at Pan. Her mouth opened and spat insults at the boy, but he just stood with a smug look on his features. He watched her break and shudder, scream and cry. Her arms tried to break free from Felix, but it only ended in giving her bruises in the shape of fingers.

Peter smirked, watching the girl crack into a million pieces of herself. If you break someone, then you can fix them the way you want them to be. Pan walked over to the gasping and heaving girl, head down with her hair caging her face. He took her chin between his fingers gently, slowly twisting her head so she would be forced to look in his eyes. With a sneer, he watched the dark orbs of the brunette meet his. They were full of anger and fear, sadness and destruction. He leaned in so his breath fanned her mouth and smirked wider. He gave her a chaste and claiming kiss on the lips, before pulling back and pointing at the dead body of Cody. "Is this the work of a coward to you?" he whispered, looking at the girl from under his brows. She shuddered and removed her gaze from Pan's, dropping it to the mud in which she was kneeling in.

Peter stood and ordered Felix to get the girl on her feet. Obeying, the blonde boy handed Cheri over to his leader, who gripped her bicep and tugged her to the side of his body. He turned so the pair faced the crowd of silent boys, who all looked famished and animalistic. "Boys!" Peter roared, hint of laughter in his voice. He passed his tongue on his teeth, hiss passing through his lips as he looked at his boys. "Tonight we celebrate the crowning of our princess! Of your princess!" and like an flock of angry birds, the boys cawed, whooped and hooted their joy, bouncing and jumping around savagely. Cheri sighed, numbly closing her eyes and wishing this whole nightmare would end.

Cheri sat on Peter's bed, hands still linked by rope and topless. Her red and swollen eyes stared at the floor while Pan walked back into his hut. He chortled and threw a white fabric to the girl. Numbly, she held it up in her hands. The tissue was like silk, slipping through her fingers like water. It was a white tunic dress, reaching mid thigh with a beaded hem and a subtle dip of cleavage with white thin ropes each side of the collar. At the waist, ropes hung, used to tightened the tunic to show the waist line. Cheri sighed and looked up at a smiling Peter. "Where it," he chortled. Cheri sighed and got to her feet, reaching her hands out to Peter.

"Untie me," she said, hint of a challenged in her voice. She didn't really care anymore, too numbed out. Peter had destroyed her, turned her to dust and ash. All she wanted to do at that moment was curl up in a ball and never wake up again. He advanced, slowly unsheathing his knife. He held it in front of his face and let the silver blade shine in the dim lighting.

"With pleasure," he mused, slowly sliding the knife along the ropes until they broke free. Cheri nodded and padded to the bathroom, ignoring the electricity coursing through her veins due to the brief contact she had with Peter.

In the bathroom, she made sure to close the curtain completely and turn her back to the entrance. Slowly, she stripped down to her undergarments and slid into the silky tunic. It was revealing, arriving mid thigh and showing off her legs. Up top, the dress showed her from shoulder to hands and the fabric was opened a bit at the chest. She had to admit Peter's taste in dresses was quite good. She laced up her boots again, which covered her legs up to right under her knees. She felt like she was floating in that tunic.

She walked out of the bathroom and sat back down on the bed, ignoring Peter, who stared at her from his perch on the chair. Her fingers played with the ropes at the waist until the boy walked to her, gently grabbed her by the arms and hoisted her up. She avoided his eyes as his hands took the ropes and tightened them around her waist, tying them in a perfect loop. He let his fingers rest on her waist, grazing with his fingertips. The fabric was so thin and light, the brunette felt like his touch burned right through it and onto her skin. He huffed and moved his hands to her mane, passing his fingers through the thick curls as he brushed it back. "Turn," he ordered. Cheri obeyed, body feeling like water. "You see Cheri," he started as he combed his fingers in her hair, brushing it over her back. "In Neverland, if you really believe, you can make anything appear," and to prove his point, he deposed something light onto the brunette's head. She frowned.

"What's that?" she croaked. He pressed his burning hands on her shoulders and leaned into her, face mere inches from hers. His breath fanned her face for a second before he pressed a delicate kiss on her cheek.

"It's your crown, princess," he answered, voice low and husky. He pushed her to where a small mirror hung on the wall, cracked in the corners.

Cheri saw herself, or mostly the image of a girl that looked like herself. Her face was impossibly pale, dark circles underlining her pitch black orbs. Her plump lips were cracked and pale, inferior one cut with dried blood dotting it. Her messy hair had been combed back by Pan's fingers and rested wavy around her shoulders. And on her head sat a crown of pale pink and white flowers with thorns holding them together. The thorns were thin and harmless, beautifully woven through the assortment of unknown flowers. They smelled divine, their scent wafting from her hair and tickling her nostrils. "Don't you look like a princess now?" Pan murmured in her ear seductively, hands still on her shoulders as his breath fanned her neck. He kissed it lightly, leaving a wet spot on the skin.

Truthfully, she did look like a princess. The princess of misery. True princesses shone with excitement, beauty and didn't look like ash.

Cheri stared at her charcoal eyes and named herself in her head. I'm not just a princess. I'm the ash princess.

Pan huffed against her neck and straightened. "The boys await you, milady," he mused, taking her hand in his and entwining his fingers with hers. She didn't resist, too weak and numb to fight back. They walked out onto the porch and Pan brought her to the edge and placed her hands on the bamboo serving as the leverage ramp. "Boys!" Peter roared, getting the attention of the boys. He smiled darkly.

All boys landed their eyes on the ash princess standing with a smug look on her face. Her chin was dipped and she refused to look anyone in the eye. A fire blazed in the center, roaring and flames licking the dark air of the camp. "Bow to your princess, gentlemen," Pan ordered, watching satisfyingly as all the boys with their ragged cloaks went on one knee and bowed their heads. Cheri breathed in heavily and turned her glare to Pan, who was too busy watching his boys bowing. "Let the celebration begin!" he laughed. The boys got up and started running around, grabbing any instrument or sticks.

The celebration for the ash princess began.

Pan led the girl down, still holding her hand, and guided her to where Felix stood, leaning against a tree. Cheri looked him in the eye with a reproachable expression. He ignored it with a shrug. "Felix, how do you find your princess?" Pan mused, gesturing to the girl in the white tunic.

"She looks nice," he answered in his dark and low voice. Pan smiled satisfyingly.

"The tunic was my idea," he laughed, staring at the said tunic with hungry eyes. "The crown too."

"It's a great choice, Pan," Felix nodded, looking Cheri up and down prudently. Music started up from behind them, slow and heavy with drums. The boys were impatient to party and Pan felt it.

"Excuse us, Felix, but I'll be taking our princess for a dance," Pan smirked, hand gripping the girl's as he started to lead her away. "You'll get your turn with her after!" Pan added as he dragged the numb girl with him.

The night sky didn't give off any light. The only source of light was the roaring fire and the torches spread here and there. Peter stood beside the fire and snaked his arms around the girl's waist. Electric volts erupted through her body, but she fought them as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She knew she shouldn't fight back, so she went to his rhythm as he started dancing. He swung them around, almost formerly, sneer always plastered on his face. "How are you finding your celebration so far, princess?" he drawled, hands boldly snaking to her hips. She shuddered internally.

"It's nice," she mumbled politely, giving him a snappy smile. He nodded and huffed.

"This doesn't please you?" he asked, frown furrowing his brows. The music changed, more primal and animalistic. The drums became so loud they pumped inside the girl's chest. She shook her head slowly.

"It's nice," she repeated, still avoiding the gaze of the devil. Her voice was snappy, but polite. Pan rolled his eyes.

"I know this isn't all the royalty you'd like, milady, but this is Neverland," he looked for her eyes but she darted her gaze away. Anything but his eyes. They were frightening.

"Peter, I said it was nice," she grunted, a bit annoyed by his insisting. He chortled.

"Then tell it to your face, princess," he mused, sighing. He continued to swing her around, dancing to the rhythm of the drums and flutes. Although Peter wasn't playing his magical flute, the boys still seemed to be in some trance, moving like animals and dancing like there was no tomorrow. Peter noticed the girl was looking at the Lost Boys, intrigue in her features. "They're dancing for you tonight, not me," he whispered. Cheri suddenly understood the reason why Pan wasn't playing his flute. The party wasn't for him, that she knew. But he always found a way to make it about him, since he was so selfish. However, that night, it was really all about the ash princess.

"I would like to go sit now," Cheri muttered, throat raw and aching. "I don't feel well."

"Take this," Pan let go of her hip and opened his palm in front of her face. A small, bright pink pill in the form of an oval sat in the hollow of his hand. Something in the middle of it pulsed, like it had a heartbeat. That thing was alive.

Cheri shook her head, attempting to step back, but the boy held her tightly. "N-no, I'm not taking it," she babbled.

"Take it," he insisted. "It'll make you feel better, I swear," his eyes went a bit concerned as he frowned and looked down at the girl.

"And why should I trust your word, Peter Pan?" she spat angrily. He quirked a brow.

"I may not be the most well behaved boy on the island," he drawled. "But I always keep my promises." He eyed the girl, who battled her options.

"You swear this isn't some kind of Neverland date rape drug?" she asked, rising her eyebrows as she met his gaze for half a second. He frowned.

"Date rape drug?" he questioned. "What kind of magic do you people have in your realm?" his question was rhetorical, but Cheri still answered it.

"Yeah, a drug that guys use on girls so they can get their way with them," she mumbled, taking the pulsing pink pill between her index and thumb. Pan nodded and watched her intently. She hesitated. What if he was lying? What if she would go all numb and weak, too drugged to fight back against whatever Pan had planned for her? But the feeling in her stomach, like she'd vomit, was too uncomfortable. "I'll kill you if this makes me regret taking it," she grumbled, before swinging her head back and popping the pill in her mouth.

At first, she felt a pulse on her tongue as it slowly melted with her saliva. Then, as it slid down her throat, it warmed up every internal organ to a point where they all felt alive. She could feel her stomach, her heart, her liver and her lungs, all throbbing inside her. Then the warmth invaded her brain, and just like that, she felt good. A smile erupted on her face as the world swirled with bright colors and warm feelings. Pan laughed when she started jumping in his arms, eager to move. He swung her around, hands sliding on her body as she laughed and twirled around in joy. Her laugh became an assistant to the drums and flutes. Her arms came up beside her head and she enjoyed the dancing, smiling, laughing, giggling and chuckling. All with the boy behind her, arms wrapped around her waist, bold hands feeling her out. But she didn't care. She felt so good. The world tipped and swirled with faces and different laughter, beating with drums and floating with the flutes.

When the darkness was clouding her vision and her members were numb, she felt the warmth of the fire leave her skin. Pan's cool hands guided her up stairs, but she was too drunk with laughter and joy to put one foot in front of the other. Peter picked her up bridal style, which made her laugh even harder, stomach clenching painfully. "C'mon, princess," he purred in her ear. "Time for bed," he chortled when the girl snorted and begged like a child does to his mother.

He lay her on his bed and settled beside her. Then, he lay her on top of him. Her legs straddled his waist and she settled her head on his firm chest. Peter took the crown off and stroked her hair soothingly. She continued to giggle until her warmth took over her body and she felt heavy and tired. "Good night, princess," the devil whispered in her ear.

She smiled and accepted the darkness.

Song for this chapter: These Four Walls by Little Mix... Listen to the lyrics, they really describe her situation in this chapter :)

See ya next one dearies ;)