Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I just wanted to let you all know how thankful I am for all of you, for all the support you've given me and this story and the encouragement to continue writing. Writing is by far my biggest joy in life and seeing all of you following and reviewing, favoriting and PM-ing really tells me I'm doing something right and not just wasting my time. So thank you for being there and giving me the motivation to continue what I love. Have a wonderful holiday, and to people who don't celebrate Thanksgiving, well, happy Thursday I guess. Thanks again, from the bottom of my heart.
- fandom, writer, 2012
Chapter 54
Camilla stayed up in the crows nest until the sun had set. The Isle might be a dirty, run down, disgusting place to live but there were still small things about it that were beautiful and from way up in the crows nest the sunset was definitely one of those things.
She'd gone to Harry's quarters after night had fallen and the decks were nearly silent, just the occasional crew member lingering around. Uma was nowhere in sight, she probably went back to the chip shop with Gil. When she found Harry he was by his window looking out at the sea, she wondered if he was thinking about his dream of sailing the seven seas and how once Mal closed the barrier for good any chance of that dream coming true would be gone. She slowly walked up behind him not wanting to startle him and when she made it to his side and sat beside him he wrapped an arm over her shoulders.
"I'm sorry." Harry said not taking his eyes from the sea. Camilla's head turned to him in shock, since when did villains apologize? Especially Harry Hook? Then he took a deep breath and turned to her, "I know yeh wanted it ta work out with yer brother."
She took his hand and looked down at their fingers as she played with his. Then she gave a shrug but didn't look up. "It just feels bittersweet." She admitted, "We finally sorted everything out. . . and now we'll never see each other again."
Harry watched her playing with their fingers, intertwining them then slipping his through hers then intertwining them again. He bit his lip before he said anything. "I shouldn't have told 'em ye died." He said quietly and his statement made her pause and look up at him. "I was bitter. I wanted him ta hurt. I thought maybe then he'd know what it felt like for ya when ye came back to the Isle and felt alone."
"You didn't have to do that." She replied softly, "I can fight my own battles."
He sighed, "I know. But I still remember how yeh looked, when I came through yer window and found ya crying. I know deep in ya you wanted to forgive him, he's family and all. But I didn't want ya to forgive him, he hadn't earned it."
"And now?"
He sighed again, "When we were leaving the cottage and the truth came out, I thought he would ask you to stay with him. I was. . ." he paused and swallowed making his Adam's apple bob, "I was scared Camilla. I've never been scared before." He admitted, "Even when you were bleeding to death I had so much adrenaline in me and was so bent on finding a way to save yeh there wasn't room in me to be scared, and after I just felt broken til the moment ya woke up. But when I thought, for a moment yeh might pick yer kin and stay in Auradon, it made me feel even colder then the day me Da died."
She stared at him for a moment trying to take in everything he was saying. She had always guessed Harry's emotions, he wasn't afraid to show them to her and she could always tell what he felt by the look in his eyes. But for him to admit all his feelings out loud, admitting every time he'd felt weak, it showed how much he trusted her, that he knew she wouldn't turn and use his feelings against him.
"So that was my brother's redeemable moment to you?" she asked understanding what he was trying to explain. "When he told me to come back to the Isle with you. When he gave up something that would make him happy because I couldn't be happy without you and our life here."
Harry looked away his eyes cast down at the wooden frame of the window as he used his nail to dig into the wood. "I always thought he was so selfish. Staying in Auradon instead of by your side. Running when you needed help just to take King Ben back to safety. But that, what he did. . . yer brother doesn't like me and he still told you to leave him to come with me. Even I wouldn't be strong enough to do that."
She smiled and brought her arm to his shoulder and he looked up at her from under the dark hair covering his eyes. "You'll never have to." She said before leaning in and giving him a kiss.
- -ROTTEN TO THE CORE - -
The following morning Camilla went to Harry's closet, half of it now housed her pirate clothes. She put on a white pirate dress, the wide top collar exposed her shoulders and collarbones while the bottom was higher in the front and lower in the back. The front ended at her knees while the back was several inches longer but not long enough to touch the floor. Over it she put on a corset belt that was the same worn red leather like Harry's old jacket had been. The laces were black and the material went from her ribs to her hips. She had on black boots like Uma's that went up to her knee and she had parted her hair on the side again so the black covered both sides of her head and she'd curled it so it fell in beach waves, one side twisting together with the white hair underneath. She had red leather gloves that were fingerless on her thumb, pointer and middle fingers but no material covered her ring or pinkie fingers. The gloves went down past her wrists a bit and on the side of her wrist very small on the leather was a logo that mixed Harry's with the De Vil sigil she used to wear. One hook made an X with one dog bone and each were half black and half white. She'd also grabbed some scrap red leather fabric and made a headband that she rested past her bangs so they still framed her face nicely. She tied it at the nape of her neck and let the extra fabric hang over her shoulder.
Once she was dressed she went to the chip shop to get something for breakfast and found the rest of the crew there except Uma. Gil was wearing a simple brown sleeveless vest that was buttoned all the way up and had gold patches over his shoulders. His matching brown pants had slashed tears in them and he wore his usual belts around his waist and one across his chest. He also had his usual yellow gloves and had pulled all his hair back into a ponytail. He was at the bar with Harry who had a similar vest to Gil's that didn't have sleeves and its color was slightly more burgundy-ish. It had a zipper that went up the side and he had an old traditional white sailor's shirt with an old fashioned collar and the white fabric covered his neck and the space where the vest opened at the top. The vest also had the same coattails his blacker vest had had but not a high collar. His pants were a patchwork of different fabrics and he had his usual boots and gloves on too. Camilla joined them both at the bar finding them watching the television.
On TV they were broadcasting Mal and Ben's engagement party, Camilla's heart clenched with sadness when she saw her brother and she hated the idea that this was the only way she'd see him once they closed the barrier for good. Everyone applauded as Ben and Mal walked up to the balcony and addressed the crowd.
"Lady Mal and I would like to thank you for celebrating our engagement with us today." Ben said, "I couldn't be prouder, or happier to call you my queen. So, raise your glasses to our future Queen of Auradon."
"To our Queen of Auradon." The crowd saluted raising their glasses filled with pink punch.
"Speech your specialness." Carlos said.
"Speech O fancy one." Jay added joking along. The crowd laughed at their antics and so did Mal before she fell quiet and the smile slid from her face.
"I can't." she said and the crowd gasped, even the ones watching in the chip shop. "I can't be Queen of Auradon."
Ben pulled her aside and the pair exchanged some words but none of them were caught by the microphones and cameras until Mal turned back to the crowd and explained.
"We made a decision, to close the barrier forever. . . and it was my idea, but it's wrong. I've learned. . . that you can't live in fear. Because it doesn't actually protect you from anything. You never know where the bad is going to come from. And you never know where the heroes are going to come from either – without Uma and her pirates. . . Auradon would be gone. And without Hades – my father –"
Another gasp went through the crowd and Camilla saw several jaws drop though part of her still wanted to slap herself for not figuring it out sooner. Who else would Maleficent ever find something in common with? Who would she ever turn to after everything had been ripped away – someone who'd lost just as much as she had. Someone who had had just as much power stripped from him.
" – Audrey would be gone." Mal continued, "We are all capable of good and bad, no matter which side of the barrier we come from. And that's why I can't be queen of just Auradon, I have to be queen of the Isle too, and it's time that we take the barrier down forever."
"We can't do that." The Beast said stepping forward.
"It's up to us dad." Ben told him before he turned to the crowd, "I choose to be a king who moves forward, it's time for forgiveness, it's time for new beginnings. The barrier will come down."
"YES!" Carlos shouted, "Whooo hooo hooo!"
Camilla laughed at her brother as something warm filled her chest and Harry grabbed her arm as she and the rest of the crew ran to find Uma. They ran through the alleys until they found their captain by the Broken Bridge.
"Uma! Uma!" Harry called as they rushed to her, "They –"
"I know, I know, I saw." She said smiling. Then suddenly the barrier around them shined with a golden light before it dissolved and vanished around them. The end of the Broken Bridge repaired itself and joined all the way across the sea to where it connected to Auradon's shores.
"My plan." Uma said smiling looking at the bridge and villains began to gather around them. Harry took Camilla's hand and smiled at her before kissing her knuckles. Uma rushed to the balcony where not long ago Mal, Evie, Carlos and Jay had stood while they selected the next VK's to go to Auradon. Now Uma leaned on the rail as she looked across the new ivory stone bridge.
"We're gonna put it in mo-oh-otion." She sang, "Break down what keeps us apart." She said as Harry, Gil, Celia and Camilla went up the steps and stood behind her.
"No more, no divison, we down. New team got the vision unite –"
"Unite, So we stand now we livin', marchin' in the light one, two, one, two like, I see you. . . you see me, . . . imperfect, perfectly, face to face we can see clearly our similarities like. Day and night. . . wrong or right. . . We come together for a good time."
"We're gonna break this down." They sang joining her at the rail Camilla by Harry's side, "We're gonna rock the town, everyone all around, let's be whoever like this, stronger together like this."
They all headed down the stairs following Uma's lead, "Believing in second chances." She sang happily.
"And we're all starting today." Celia carried on.
"Marching on in a new land. . . " Harry continued as he took Camilla's hand again and they headed for the bridge.
"Our world's a better, a better place. . .Welcome the additional love, unity new beginning for us, harmony that's a mission marching. . . In the light one, two, one two like." They went on together crossing the bridge, the other villains behind them. She noticed Harriet and CJ Hook among them, along with her cousin Diego and Freddie Facilier. "I see you, you see me. Imperfect, perfectly, face to face we can see clearly our similarities like, day and night, wrong or right, we come together for a good time."
Camilla smiled when she and Harry stood across from her brother who smiled back at her, "We're gonna break this down. We're gonna rock the town, everyone all around, just be whoever like this, stronger together like this. We reunited like this."
They ran to the Auradon side of the bridge and stopped before King Ben and his people, "Bringing it, bringing it, bri-bri-bringing it down. Bringing it, bringing it, bri-bri-bringing it down. Bringing it, bringing it, bri-bri-bringing it down. Bringing it, bringing it, bri-bri-bringing it down."
Mal and the others ran back to their partners in the Auradon crowd and all bowed to them. Then Uma chuckled and jumped in the air with her fist high and shouted with joy before running forward and giving Mal a quick hug as they all joined in, kids of villains and heroes. Camilla was by Harry's side as they danced and laughed with the others, even her best moments on the Isle couldn't compare to this as Carlos and Jane danced next to them.
"We're gonna break this down. We're gonna rock the town, everyone all around, just be whoever like this, stronger together like this. We reunited like this. We're gonna break this down. We're gonna rock the town, everyone all around, just be whoever like this, stronger together like this. We reunited like this. Bringing it, bringing it, bri-bri-bringing it down!"
Then more villains joined them with a paper mache purple dragon they held making it look like the creature was dancing too. Mal smiled as they surrounded her as Harry, Camilla and Uma hung back with Evie and Doug.
"You know, Mal really came through." Uma said.
"She always does." Evie agreed.
"And she's definitely taken?" Diego asked coming up behind them resting an elbow on Camilla's shoulder, "Definitely?"
"Definitely." Evie said.
"Evie's taken too." Doug added when he saw Diego's eyes turn to the bluenette.
"Hey! What's my name?" Uma asked and Diego turned to her as she elbowed him.
"Uma." He said before leaning in but Uma shoved him back and walked away leaving the others there laughing. Camilla noticed Carlos and Jane not far from them so she headed their way. When Carlos saw her he grinned ear to ear and gave her a hug which she returned just as happily.
"Aw, I love seeing family reunions." Jane said watching them as they pulled apart. Then they saw Jane turn and they saw Mal was embracing Hades welcoming him to Auradon. "Like Mal and her dad, look how happy she is."
"Yeah." Camilla said watching the father and daughter, "And speaking of father's. . . "she trailed off turning to Carlos, "Want me to introduce you to ours?"
He turned to her with wide eyes, "You know who our dad is?"
She rested her hands on her hips and shrugged, "I figured it out, I figured out Evie's dad too – the Huntsman. But with our mom it was easy since she only ever associated with men - besides Horace and Jasper - when she needed someone trustworthy to bring her the finest furs for her coats. I eliminated some of the obvious no's and eventually found him." she said playing with her nails like it was no big deal.
"So who –"
"He was a big name in the fashion industry just like mom used to be, Jean-Pierre Le Pelt."
Then Jane grabbed Carlos' arm as her eyes widened in fright like she'd just thought of something terrifying.
"Carlos, I'm actually really nervous to meet your mom."
"You're nervous?" Dude asked walking over to them, "Their mom's Cruella De Vil! I'm petrified!"
"Let's hope she doesn't want to be a vet." Carlos said turning to Camilla and both of them shared frightened looks as Camilla shook her head. As they looked to the bridge they saw Harry, Uma and Gil still dancing with the crew around them. He must have felt them staring because Harry then turned to them, when Camilla smiled at him he smiled back and made his way over. Camilla brought one hand to his shoulder while Harry's hand rested on her waist and he kissed her cheek.
"So. . ." Jane began, "He's really your true love?"
Camilla hummed smiling at Harry, "Well speaking from experience Harry, the De Vil kids are the best true loves to have." Jane told him before smiling at Carlos and Harry turned to Camilla still grinning.
"She's not just a De Vil." He said reminding Camilla of the supporting words he'd given her after her fallout with her mother, "She's a pirate."
Harry smirked before she leaned in and kissed him.
- -ROTTEN TO THE CORE - -
When the party started to calm down Mal snuck away and took her crew with her. Camilla wasn't sure if she'd be welcome but Carlos took her hand, gave her an encouraging smile and brought her along. They stood at the end of the new bridge and looked out at the Isle.
"Do you ever miss them?" Evie asked.
"Yeah." Jay said.
"Do you think that they miss us?" Mal asked.
"Yeah, course." Carlos said turning to Camilla, "In their own way." He squeezed her hand reassuringly, "And you still have to introduce me to dad." He said and she smiled knowing she had at least one parent who would be happy to see her. Maybe in time things would heal between her and her mother, after all, stranger things had happened.
"Cuz we're rotten." Mal said holding out her hand.
"To the core."
"To the core."
"To the core."
"To the core." They all chanted putting their hands in.
"Hey." Carlos said, "Last one over the bridge –"
"Is a rotten apple!"
"Is a rotten apple!"
"Is a rotten apple!"
"Is a rotten apple!" they shouted before taking off racing across the smooth stone laughing together just like that day they'd been causing mischief together on the Isle laughing together as they were now.
THE END
AN: I just couldn't end this without answering the question of who Carlos and Camilla's father is. So I slid it in here as best I could. I hope you all enjoyed this story! It's also now on Wattpad too (with different cover art) and I'm planning on entering it for the 2020 wattys, so be sure to check it out there and show it some love! Thanks again for all the support guys, it's been a great two and a half years!
"break it down" wardrobe and hairstyle for Camilla – white pirate dress, the top looked like Jane's shirt from earlier with a neckline that exposed your shoulders and had flowy sleeves to her elbows. But from the bodice down the rest was pure pirate and ended just above her knee in the front but was a little longer in the back. Over the dress she wore a corset halter vest that was the same burgundy/ maroon as her gift from Harry and matched her boots which were tall and similar to the ones Uma had on. She still wore a pair of red gloves but these had no finger holes except for her thumb and covered just to her knuckles. Her hair was different too, she's parted it on the side, the black side which covered most of her white hair though some strands still peeked through. The black hair that fell over the white was braided and wrapped around her head until it became part of one strand of the simple three plait braid that fell over her shoulder. Her bangs were left out of the style and were parted to frame her face along with the shorted layers that curled slightly around her jaw and she had a thin burgundy/ maroon headband on.