Hey! Sorry for the loooooong wait! This is part 10 of the Lost Girls! Hope you enjoy! This chapter is in both Charlotte and Lily's P.O.V. It's a while after Lily gets to the Home Underground. Lily is in training to be a Lost Girl. I only own Lily, Charlotte, Lily's mother and father and Charlotte's mother. ~
Liz
Charlotte's P.O.V
As I stared out at the wide horizon, I thought of my mother. I usually didn't like to think of her, but it was my first time alone since Lily came to the Island. I had been chasing her around for weeks now. I smiled to myself. She was a curious girl and I was beginning to like her. Plus, she had lost her mother like me.
"Oh mother! Why did you get on the ship? Why?" I said. Tears were in my eyes and I wanted to let go of her. I touched my heart. Underneath my shirt was a locket. A heart shaped locket that my mother gave to me. Engraved was, Charlotte, happy birthday. I love you- Your mother, Ella.
I clutched it and the tears that wouldn't come before, now did. I had written it all down in my journal. However, my journal had been long since filled out, so, I'd burned it. But, I had re-read that day so many times, I'd practically had it memorized. I remembered that day. The day she died.
***Flashback***
October 17
"Charlotte!" mama called to me. Her voice was clear and strong.
"Yes?" I said. I walked down from my cabin to hers.
I found her standing in front of a large mirror. She was wearing a long, powder blue robe that held on to her slender frame. Her long, light brown hair was tied into a bun at the back of her head. She twirled around.
"How do I look?" she asked.
I stared at her in awe. "You look lovely." I said, quietly.
She smiled. "Thank you dear."
Suddenly, we heard father burst in. "Ella! Charlotte! We have to leave! There's a new crew here! They're going to attack at dawn. They'll kill us!"
Mama was laughing. "Don't be so silly, James. I'll save us. They can't be THAT bad. And Charlotte will be my right arm." She smiled and winked at me.
"No, mama! I can't! It's far too dangerous! You and I… we-we'll be killed!"
"Oh, no we won't! We'll merely sneak up on them and kill them while they sleep." She spoke as though this settled the matter.
And it did. When my mother made up her mind, it wasn't to be argued with.
That night, I didn't sleep. I remembered how I lost my older sister. She was killed as well. I was only about two but I barely remembered her. She had been twelve. My parents and I refused to speak of her.
Mama had taught her to be FAR too brave. Mama was going to die! This was a suicidal mission!
At dawn, Mama and I set out. We crept onto the ship and killed about five or six men each.
Or so we thought. One of them, who we thought was dead, opened his eyes. He was mortally wounded; however, he had enough strength in him to cry, "ATTACKERS!" Mama stabbed him, but not quick enough. Soon, forty or fifty pirates surrounded us. Mama drew her sword and killed several. I stood beside her, not wanting to leave her. I killed some, but soon, they were too much. While she was fighting one, another snuck up behind her. He drew his sword…
"MAMA!" I cried. He plunged his sword deep into her back.
Then, Papa appeared. He and our men helped in slaying the rest of the crew.
Mama kept on fighting. She staggered and swayed, but she helped. Not until all were killed did she fall.
"Mama…" I said. Papa and I dropped down beside her. He cradled her in his arms. "Mama, don't leave. Please. We need you." I murmured.
She took several long, deep breaths and said "Don't worry, me loves. I'll keep watching you."
"Mama…"
"Charlotte, James, I love you… don't worry." And then, she laid her fair head down in papa's arms. I knew she was dead.
After Mama died, Papa and I tried to live like we did when she was alive. But, there would always be an empty place in my heart where she used to be. Papa was a shell. My mother had been his life and love and no one would ever fill that. I know it seems strange, but in a way, mama's death made me stronger. My heart had hardened. My head had hardened. My soul had hardened.
All this I thought of as a laid my head back on a tree. But, the empty space in my heart had been filled somewhat. Peter had filled it. I shook my head. Peter loved Lily. He told me. But, I was his best friend. He loved me. As a friend. I remembered the day that we met.
***Flashback***
"Arrrrg! TIE THE REDSKIN TO THE ROCK!" I watched in horror as papa ordered he men to tie poor Tiger Lily to Marooner's Rock.
"No, papa, NO!" I cried as I grabbed his arm! "Don't hurt her, please! She's not bad, I swear!" Tears flowed freely down my cheeks. "Don't hurt her!" He knocked my to the ground.
"You stay out of this!" He snarled. "Mullens… you take care of her."
A big, fat pirate came over to me. "Gladly, captain." He said and cracked his knuckles. I screamed in my head. I could see the tide rising. Before long, Tiger Lily would be no more than a memory. I had to help her.
Reaching out, I slammed into the fat pirate and kicked him in the leg, trying to escape. As I ran to Tiger Lily, the man grabbed me. "Heh heh, cap'n, she tried to escape." He wheezed.
My father looked at me and smiled, but it was an evil smile. "Drown her." He said. WHAT! This was not my father! My father loved me! He wouldn't let anything hurt me! So, now, he was telling someone to kill me!
"Alright…" he said. With an evil grin, he began twisting me into a strange position. I couldn't move. Then, he pushed my head underwater and held me there. After a while, my lungs were on fire. I tried to inhale, but all I got was a mouthful of water. I had thought that maybe I was close enough to the surface that I could breathe, but I wasn't. I could feel the life slowly draining from me. My last thoughts would have been of my mother, when, suddenly the pirate was off and arms encircled my waist. I could feel myself being lifted out of the water. Strong arms held me. I opened my eyes. A boy held me.
He was clad all in green and he had red hair. I could see that the most of the pirates were dead and then I saw my father. His right hand was hacked off and bleeding. Near by was a crocodile, following him. I smiled at the boy, for now I felt no sympathy for my father.
Then, the boy began to fly. I tightened my grip around his neck. For a while, neither of us spoke. Then, I thought of Tiger Lily. "Where is she?" I asked.
The boy looked at me. "Who?"
"The redskin. Tiger Lily."
"Oh. She's fine. I saved her, too."
"Oh. Thank you."
"For what?"
"Saving me, of course."
"Oh. That. You're welcome…"
"Charlotte. Who are you?"
"Peter Pan."
We grew to like each other. Peter was wonderful and invited me to live with him. And, as I grew to know him, I realized I loved him. He was kind and brave and, once you overlooked his bad side, was a very good person.
I heard Lily's voice behind me. She walked over and sat next to me. "Hey." I said.
"Peter wants to talk to you." She said. She smiled. "He said it was important."
"Oh. Alright then, by." I got up and walked to the Home Underground.
***Lily's P.O.V***
I sat and watched Charlotte walk away. I didn't know what Peter wanted her for, but it seemed important. I leaned against a tree and thought about my mother. I remembered the fire, against my will. It haunted my dreams. I saw it, clear as crystal. My mother's screams, my cries, the flames, the heat…
"Now, Lily, don't be so stubborn! Just be, nice to her!"
"But, mama! She is rude!" I said. My cousin, Leila, was coming to visit. She was much richer than we were, and she always rubbed that in my face. And I hated her for that. She was coming in a week and staying for a month.
The night before they arrived, my mother and, father and I sat around a roaring fire. I sat, savoring the last few hours I had before she arrived. We left for bed, not putting the fire out. It was winter and damn cold. I had at least five blankets on. I fell asleep, dreaming about Leila and what kind of torture she would bring.
I was awakened by a strange cry. As the sleep slowly drained away, I realized it was my mother. I also noticed that the cold night air was… warm. Hot, to be exact. I looked at my door. It was half cracked and I could see a reddish light. I thought of the only thing it could be. Fire. Without thinking, I kicked my window and scrambled out. I crawled down a tree that was near my window and out onto the streets. I didn't think just ran. Fear pushed me. I ran away from my house; just ran on, trying not to look back. The only thing I felt was fear. Our home was burnt down, my parents were gone and I was all alone. I ran all the way across London, to my Aunt Dorothy's mansion. I didn't, and I still don't, know what had happened to my mother and father. I assumed they were dead, but I looked for them forever.