Chapter 6: A Change in the Wind
Wendy sat at the scrubbed wooden table, furiously writing while the children played with Amanda. She couldn't believe this was happening. Peter sat across from Wendy, playing his pipes, as if nothing was wrong. After a few notes, Wendy slammed her pencil down in frustration.
Peter looked up at her.
"Why isn't she in her cage?" She demanded.
"She did good, Wendy. Besides, now that we have her, we can spend more time alone."
"We don't need her, Peter. Tink could always watch the children."
"Wendy, relax…"
"I don't trust her." She said.
"What's there to trust? I'm right here."
"She's Babes McGee!"
"She was Babes McGee."
"She tried to kill you!"
Peter threw his pipes down. "Don't you think I know that? I never forget!" He got up and stormed out of the hollow.
It was like Wendy didn't trust him anymore! He flew blindly through the forest, going to the only place that could ease his mind.
He never told anyone, not even Tink that visiting the fairies was one of his favorite things to do. He was pretty sure Wendy knew that, but now it didn't matter. He went down to the infamous tree, and waited for them. He didn't know where they came from, but this was where they would always find him. A few minutes later, he saw tiny little lights emerging from the trees around him, and soon he stared into the small faces of a man and woman. The king and queen. Peter got up, and bowed, and they did in return.
"Is there a problem, Peter?" the King asked.
Peter shook his head. "I--- I don't know."
The Queen raised her eyebrows.
"A while ago, we found an old friend of Hook's, Babes McGee passed out at mermaid lagoon. I want to know if… if…"
"If Hook is still alive," the king nodded, "Yes, I thought so…"
"Not only that," Peter said. "It's not like I'm afraid!" He yelled defensively.
"We know," The queen reassured him.
"What else?" The king inquired.
"I want to know if danger's coming."
The king and queen exchanged glances.
"This is not like you, Peter," The queen said. "Where is the care-free boy who welcomed it?"
"I still am a boy!" Peter argued. "And I shall duel anyone who says otherwise!"
The queen smiled. "Ah yes, there he is."
"It's just… Wendy. She thinks she knows more than I about Neverland! About who to trust!"
"And what do you think?" The queen asked.
"There will always be danger, and I will always stop it!" He roared.
"About Hook," The king said, and they both turned to him. "There may or may not come a time when another wishes to resurrect him. But that can only come about with your death. However, I cannot say whether or not another soul will arise in Hook's place."
Peter was silent. And then, "Is it Amanda?"
"You know we cannot tell you."
Peter grimly nodded. It was one of the many riddles of Neverland. These fairies were peculiar critters. They were born from the soul of the eternal youth, and if they told Peter what exactly was to come, then slowly his imagination would begin to falter, and he would stop dreaming all together. And then, just as if it never existed, Neverland would be gone, lost to children in fairytales.
"I don't want it to be Amanda," He said. "It can't be. I can't be wrong!"
"We must leave you now, Peter," The king said. "Good luck."
They exchanged bows, and all at once, the small lights filtered back into the trees.
When Peter returned to the hollow, he found Wendy leaning against the wall, her arms folded, looking cross as she watched Amanda tell more stories of when she was a pirate on Hook's ship. Peter walked up behind her and put his hands gingerly on her shoulders, ready to get out of the way if she was to deal him a blow because of their argument. But she just turned to him in a low voice, "They don't pay attention that much when I tell them stories."
Peter observed the children. They all saw bright eyed and bushy tailed, hanging on Amanda's every word.
"They just heard your stories many times," Peter said.
"That didn't bother them before."
Peter took her hand and lead her out of the hollow. Pretty soon they were lying underneath the stars.
"I talked with the fairies," He told her. "They said we have nothing to fear about Amanda," He lied.
She got up. "I have to start dinner," She said, and raced back into the hollow.
Peter followed her. "Wendy!"
"What do you want me to say, you were right?" She roared, nearly clobbering him in the head with a pan.
"No! I just want you to stop worrying!"
"How can I when a murderer sleeps under our roof?"
"I never said she was sleeping in here tonight!"
"Tonight! So what, tomorrow she can?"
Their fighting became so loud, that some of the children stuck their heads into the kitchen.
Amanda stood in the threshold. "I don't want to cause any problems,"
"Too late," Wendy growled.
Peter took Wendy's arm and lead her away. "What? You want me to let her go?"
"Yes! Yes, that's exactly what I want!"
"Well I can't do that!"
"Why not, Peter? Some revenge thing?"
"Do you really take me for a fool, Wendy?" Peter spat. "I let her go so she can go off and do who knows what? It's better for me to have her where I can watch her!"
"Like leaving her alone with the children and…"
Arrow cleared his throat, "When you two are done fighting, the pot on the stove is burning."
"The stew!" Wendy yelled, and rushed over to it. But it was too late. It was scorched. "Well, that's that. Children, you have to go back out and catch dinner."
"Allow me," Amanda said, butting Wendy out of the way.
Wendy grabbed the pot away. "Like I'd ever give you the opportunity to do us harm."
"Wendy," Peter said, and folded his arms.
"Fine," Wendy said, and threw the pot back to her. "But she eats first."
"I used to cook all the time on the ship," She said, adding spices and stirring frantically. "There. Dinner is served."
They all sat around the small wooden table, eating hungrily. Even Wendy had to admit, it was pretty good.
"This is even better than Miss Wendy's," Petal said, and the other children agreed.
"I wish she could cook every night," Blue said, and the children agreed with that too.
Wendy felt tears well in her eyes.
"Miss Amanda, will you tell us another story before bed?" Ben asked.
"Sure thing," Amanda said.
Wendy excused herself from the table. She couldn't bare it. She went and lie in her bed.
Soon, Peter walked over to her. "Wendy, are you awake?"
"Yes," She replied. "I'm sorry, did I fall asleep? I have to put the children into bed…"
"Uh, you just rest. Amanda's doing it."
Wendy scrambled out of bed, and watched Amanda lovingly putting her children to bed. Her children!
"Miss Amanda, can you sleep on the floor until we fall asleep?" Dirt asked.
"Peter, if you love me at all, you won't allow that." Wendy whispered to him.
Peter walked into the children's room. "Goodnight," He said to them, and grabbed Amanda's arm. "Back into your cage."
"Oh, very well," Amanda said nonchalantly. She grinned at Wendy on the way out.
Wendy didn't like that grin. She had a feeling soon Amanda would have more to smile about.