SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN
Disclaimer: If you recognise it, it's probably not mine. Don't bother sueing me, I'm broke anyway. *grin* Eleanor and Lynn, however, are mine. You're welcome to use either of them if it takes your fancy, but please let me know. I'd like to see what they get up to.
Author's Note: Just a short one... I wanted to tell the bit that follows from Lynn's perspective, since it got hopelessly confused when I tried to tell it from the Captain's.
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Chapter 3: The Captain
James Hook, Captain of the Jolly Roger , was intrigued. As they headed back to the ship, he remained silent as he puzzled over the strange young woman on his arm. She hadn't seemed to be afraid of him, in spite of the fact that she must have seen his execution of one of the crew for disobedience. She had answered him truthfully, and occasionally saucily, and met his gaze with confidence. Up until he asked her why she came to Neverland, anyway. He had been sure, at first, that she was simply flattering him by naming him as the reason, but her obvious discomfort as she explained her actions forced him to believe that she was telling the truth.
So there was a book written about those days, was there? He smiled bitterly. Wendy had turned on him at the end, so it was unlikely that he was portrayed in the most flattering light – if such a light even existed. Yet Eolynn had liked to read about him so much that she wanted to meet him. What did that say about him? For that matter, what did that say about her?
Eolynn. He glanced down at her and found her looking around them with curious interest. She was a strange creature, and no mistake: tiny – she didn't even reach his shoulder – but with the curves that said she was definitely a young woman and not a girl. He wondered how old she really was. The sister was likely to be nine or ten, since that seemed to be the usual age that Pan brought back these days. How many years were likely to be between them?
A glimpse of flesh from her torn gown distracted his mind from the question and he smothered a chuckle. He had noticed the blush creep into her cheeks when she realised all his men were staring at her, but he admired the way she had resolutely ignored them. It didn't look like an accidental rip, rather that the little wench had purposely slit it. But why? She didn't seem to be playing the harlot. He considered her a moment longer. A brisk stride – had she cut it to prevent it tripping her as she explored the jungle? That suggested a very practical mind, rather than one entirely filled with fluff.
They had reached the edge of the trees now, and he paused to give her a moment to take in the sight of his ship anchored in the bay below them. Gratifyingly rewarded with a gasp of excitement, he led them down to the water's edge where the ship's boat awaited. He helped her on board and climbed in beside her, then sat back as his men rowed them out to the ship. "You've been very quiet, little one," he said softly, leaning to speak directly into her ear and realising that that nickname seemed to rolling off his tongue far too easily. It was fitting, however.
She jumped slightly and smiled up at him. The smile had a definite impish quality to it, an impression borne out by her reply: "So have you, Captain."
"I know it's probably terrible bad form, but I must admit I've been wondering about your age." A gamble perhaps, but one that seemed to pay off as she gave an amused chuckle.
"Shall I put you out of your misery, then? I turned nineteen last month." Nineteen. Older than he'd expected, younger than he'd secretly hoped. Her first statement gave him pause, however. Could she really put him out of his misery? For he had been miserable, and that for a longer time than he cared to contemplate. He craved intelligent companionship, not the scum who served him. What if he convinced her to stay with him? So far she had proved quite the most intriguing inhabitant of this cursed island that he had ever met.
They reached the ship and he politely averted his gaze while she climbed the rope ladder thrown down to them, ordering the rest of the men in the boat to do the same. He caught the smile she gave him from the corner of his eye before she began her ascent. He followed her then, leaving his men to secure the boat before making their own way up.
Eolynn was standing on the deck looking around with as much interest as she was receiving, so he stood and watched her for a moment. She's pretty, he decided. Very pretty. But so young... much too young to have any interest in an old man. He grimaced in rueful acknowledgement of that fact before smoothing his expression and striding over to stand beside her. She smiled up at him as he rested his good hand on her shoulder, and for the first time he noticed that her eyes were the colour of a storm-tossed sea. Was it an omen? And if so, was it a good one? He pushed the thought from his mind.
"Men," he announced, his voice carrying across the deck, "I would like you all to join me in welcoming Eolynn! She will be our guest here, and I want to see all of you treating her with the same respect you would show me!" There was a mutter of agreement, and several shouts of greeting, but he had known that they would follow his lead. Sycophants, every last one of them. Far more rewarding was the way Eolynn raised her hand to his and gave it a squeeze of acknowledgement.
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Many thanks to my kind reviewers:
wordwiz8121 - Ah, don't fret too much. The movie inspired this, but so far I don't think there's been much that was specific to the movie here (except maybe my mental image of the place, and of the wonderful portrayal of Hook). There may be a flying scene later which alludes directly to the movie, but I'll try and make it easy to understand for people who haven't seen it. :)
Laura - Thanks, I'm doing my best to keep her from sliding that way. I think she'd put up I fight if I tried though. *grin* And thanks for taking the trouble to open a fic that you thought would have a Mary Sue, too.
Yuki Asao - Me too. And there's going to be plenty more detail to come, I promise.
PeachDreamer - Oh, so do I. Like Lynn, he was always my favourite character. Then I saw Jason Isaacs' wonderful portrayal, and now I just love him even more. That's kinda why I wrote this... I wanted to see him find some happiness. :)