Chapter 6 - A matter of hugs, lullabies and spiders!

"And the Elf Queen gazed up with her sheer white eyes and whispered, 'Be gone from the place,' and with that the pirate king was gone, and would never return. She sat fully upright and looked over at the trembling Michael, tremble Night good boy. He was worried if she too would banish him for fraternizing with the enemy, but she just smiled and took from around her long pale neck a long silver chain with a small silver key handing from it. She placed it around his dirty neck and then she faded away into the place between sleep and awake, you know where you can remember dreams. And Michael became the keeper of the island and the protector of the elves, even though they are perfectly capable of looking after themselves. The end," Some how I had found myself telling the lost boys the story of the boy, the elf and the pirate king. Under severe persuasion from Peter I had reluctantly decided that the boys could help me act it out. Naturally I was the elf queen, graceful and pure with Peter as my king, Night was the boy Michael; Whisper was the pirate king with his band of scallywags consisting of the twins and Curly. Lo and Iggy were native roughens of the island and Talky and Pyro were gentle elves with a fierce aim. Overall we did in fact have a wonderful time acting out my tale – well the boys seemed to enjoy it but I could see now in their cheeky eyes that I was time for rest, however they weren't prepared to go to bed without a fight.

"Tell us another story mother," said Candy with a yawn.

"Yes please," said Nob and Bob in unison.

"Oh no, no boys, it is far too late. Why it must be after twelve o'clock –at night! No, it is time for bed boys," I said sitting on my chair crossing my arms. Peter walked over and hovered in the air beside me.

"Your mother is right boys, time for bed," a chorus of whines came from all the boys, but Peter put his hand up to silence them. I had a thought.

"Perhaps you would be more willing to go to bed if I sing you a lullaby?" I said looking at Peter, he smiled.

"Oh a perfect idea Wendy!" his face then turned quizzical, "What is a lullaby?" all the boys nodded in agreement.

"Well a lullaby is; a lullaby is..." I couldn't find the way to put it, a new it was a song that mothers sung to their children before the slept, or to help the child get to sleep but for some reason my voice didn't want to form the words all that came out was a warm sounding note.

The night has come, time for bed,

Time to rest you little head

Come here now, time for dreams;

Time to sleep.

Slumber land awaits you now,

Dreams so fine,

So don't waster time!

Floating away to fairy domains;

Time for sleep

Come here now

Make haste make haste!

You know there is not time to waste!

Time for mothers to sought your thoughts

Good from bad

Whilst you sleep!

The night has come, and morns not far

Dreams awaiting you there!

Now hurry now,

Don't wake at dawn!

Just sleep my sweet.

It was a lullaby my mother sang me when I was a small child, my eyes stung at the thought of her sweet voice. But as I looked around I saw that the song had indeed affected the boys. They all seemed droopy and tired, even Peter. I smiled and looked around at all of them; Talky was sleeping happily on the tatty rug. I studied him for a moment, his small round face smiling and his body rising and falling in a steady movement. I looked around and Peter was shaking himself awake and looked at me.

"So that was a lullaby!" he said all drowsy and smiling.

"Well, it is meant to send children to sleep at night – so off to bed with the lot of you!" I said standing up shooing them away. Pyro carefully scooped Talky up in his strong arms and headed towards one of the tunnels. I stood and watch the boys sway over to the tunnels and out of sight all who was left in to large common room was me and Peter. He stretched up with a large yawn like a great big dog and came over so that our faces almost touched; I was feeling a little uncomfortable. I tried to think of something to say, "Thank you so much for the thimble," I had found some rope and threaded it through now it hung on my neck. He gave me a queer look and took a step back from me.

"I didn't give you a thimble," he looked at me and tilted his head. Then I strained my memory, stories of my Aunt's adventures in Neverland started to flood back. A thimble, for a kiss! I smiled, such a silly boy.

"I meant thank you for the kiss," he smiled at me again. But I felt bad – I needed to give him a kiss now too. But what to give as a kiss? I looked around; maybe I would find something tomorrow it was far too late tonight. I walked closer and wrapped my arm around him lightly and said goodnight, he stood still.

"What was that?" he asked looking at me as I drew away.

"A hug Peter, a hug," I laughed looking at his boyish face, "Peter haven't you ever received a hug before?" I asked he shook his head solemnly. "Really?" I was quite astonished at his movement, in front of me stood this 14 perhaps 15 year old boy who had never been given a hug before.

"Never Wendy, but I suspect that is it a good thing," he said standing with his hands on his hips. I folded my arms across my small chest and looked at him shaking my head.

"That is absolutely correct Peter, hugs are the best things in the world," I said laughing.

"No they aren't, thimbles are," he said triumphantly. As I yawned I decided that it was far too late to argue on such a trivial matter as thimbles and hugs.

"Perhaps you are right. However I am going to bed. And you should too!" I exclaimed pointing a finger at him. I turned around to go up my little tunnel. I turned back as I reached it and looked at the strange boy, "Goodnight Peter," I heard him call goodnight after me too, it is so nice to get an answer.

As I started to fall into a deep, pleasant sleep I wondered what had happened to the small fairy Tinkerbell. I hadn't heard her little bells most of the night and began to worry. I had questioned Peter about it after dinner and he reassured me that she was probably off with her own fairy friends, I was still a little worried. When I woke in the crystal morning however I was greeted by the pleasant tinkling of bells coming from somewhere around me, I suspected it was coming from the hollow in the ground which comforted my fears. I slowly opened my eyes and looked around there were small streams of light coming into my tree trunk. I looked around at the small room, it was indeed pleasant. "Very homely" I muttered.

As my feet touched the soft wood I had the sudden urge to go to the window; well the hole in the tree trunk. I could here the joyful laughs of a group of boys come from below me; it made me smile, it was all real. For a moment as I slept I wondered if everything of the past night was indeed real, now I knew it was. The ten of them, the ten boys were running around with real swords in their hands barley missing each other as they played. I soon became quite concerned what happened if someone got cut? I would be the one to blame, seeing as I was their mother.

"Boys! Boys stop that at once you will hurt yourself!" I yelled from my small window halfway up the tree trunk; they hadn't heard me. As I went to call again I felt something crawl over my bare foot. I slowly let my eyes wander down not wanting to see what was there. Thinking of all the possible creatures that could be crawling over my foot I prepared for a scream that soon came out. I giant hairy black spider was making its way over my white foot. I screamed again it seemed to jump back and scampered away from me. My scream must have gotten the attention of the boys for I no longer heard the laughter and clashing over swords from below. In my shock I had fallen back on the ground, trembling. Peter had flown into my small tree and now knelt down beside me whilst I was still looking in the direction the spider had run off in. I looked up at his warm eyes, "There was a spider...and...and it was crawling over my foot," I said trembling; I truly feared spiders he just laughed.

"You can't be afraid of spiders Wendy. Otherwise they will really haunt you. If you are nice to the Neverland spiders they will tell you secrets and will never ever harm you," he said smiling taking my arm and pulling me up, "That is one of the things about Never land that you will have to learn about," he added in a matter-of-factly tone.

"But they are spiders Peter, spiders," I said with a shiver, he gave a chuckle.

"They are no worse then mermaids, and are just as helpful too," he said letting me go. I crossed my arms.

"I must say though I am still not very fond of them," I said pouting. He just laughed again and tugged my arm.

"Come, time for breakfast!" he said as he went first down the bumpy slide and I soon followed. It was quite painful to tell the truth, but I didn't dare complain after the ordeal with the spiders. He lead me once again to the table and with a manner that would only suit a gentleman he pulled out my chair and tucked it in again then flew down the end of the table and sat opposite me. It was just us in the messy hollow; well it wasn't as messy as it was the night before – but still messy! I could hear the boys beginning to slide down into the hollow carrying fruit of all sought for breakfast. I was about to get up and help prepare breakfast but they were already serving it. As they sat down the all looked at me with their gleaming faces – they all looked so happy! If only life was always like this.

"Good morning mother!" They all chimed and started to pile fruit on their plates. I saw Tinkerbell fluttering around telling them what to do just like the night before, before she disappeared. She threw me a disapproving look – I think she was jealous of me but I didn't dwell on it. I turned away and the dark eyed Pyro who was sitting next to me started up a little conversation – it was nice to have someone my age.

"Good morning Wendy! I trust you slept well," he said starting to put some fruit on my plate – such a gentleman!

"Oh it was wonderful thank you, and how was yours?" I said taking my plate off him gently and starting to place some of the sweet tasting fruit in my mouth. He leant on one of his elbows and looked at me smiling.

"Fabulous – I have the most comfortable bed out of anyone, save Peter of course," I giggled, but he probably was right.

"Do you know what we will be doing today? I would dearly love to have an adventure today," I said bouncing in my seat slightly. But Pyro shook his head.

"No, Peter said that we have to take you into the pirate town today," Pirate town! That is just the adventure I need, I thought. "You can't live in the forest with the garments you are wearing now, you would ruin them!" he did have a point.

"Well going into the pirate town seems like enough of an adventure to me!" I said taking a bite of the succulent apple that was on my plate. Pyro laughed.

"Well pirate towns are dodgy places, you'll need to be careful," he said looking at me seriously.

"But I have ten great warriors to protect me, why worry?" I said light heartedly.

"Well only Peter and I will be coming in with you, the others are too young – even though they have been into the town before," he said taking at bight of some bright pink fruit spraying juice all over me we both laughed.

"Well I will clean this up and then I think we should go. Does that sound good to you Peter?" I said calling down the table. Peter looked up food dribbling from his mouth, he had been talking and eating with Lo, Pyro and I laughed.