The lightening strikes and Wendy is frightened. She does not know what will happen, if Peter has been hurt, or if he will even remember her. She has her sword at the ready, but prefers to stay hidden behind the stone that is her shelter and wait for whatever signal she may get.
And thus, as the thunder rumbles and the waves crash below, Wendy hears the clatter of boots upon stone steps. An iron door creaks open and a rifle is loaded.
Hook, antihero of her adventures, has come because she could not stay quiet.
-
Hook heard the cry, and did not recognize it as the boy's voice. For the first time, in a very, very long time, he does believe he's heard the tone of a woman.
Lady or no, however, he knows the voice cried Peter's name. If Peter is up here, he will kill him now. There is the sound of a sword scraping against rock, clang, almost tinny.
Alone and armed, lighting flaring before his eyes, he steps forward meaningfully.
-
Wendy never did like storms.
But she does like comfort, and there some to be found in the knowledge that her repeated tales of adventure and piracy have some truth in them. For Hook's eyes, she notices, are even bluer than she has claimed previously.
And they are suddenly much closer to her than before.
-
Metal hook raised, Hook creeps towards the pile of boulders and lunges - finding nothing. His eyes scan the area and- whist now, was that a gasp, a quick inhaled breath?
The night air is thick and heavy with rain, reflecting green from the increasingly stormy sky. But there, Hook has seen a bit of unexplained white.
He goes to investigate.
-
Wendy cannot help but stare, in small peeps, through the crack in the rock. Hook is tall (but not too tall) and if he were not a villain he could be called heroically tragic in appearance.
How different the story would have been, Wendy thinks, if Pan were the villain and Hook the challenger. Caught up in her musings, she barely notices that the sound of hard leather on stone has subsided.
It is only then that she sees the shadow in front of her.
-
Hook is surprised, of all the things he thought to find, this is the strangest. A lady, indeed - but not one of age. Almost a pity.
She looks up at him with wide, gentle eyes, lips parted to reveal one of those poorly-hidden kisses that he remembered his own mother to have had. Surprised, frightened, the girl does not speak.
So Hook begins.
-
"So, pet," says the pirate as Wendy thinks she really ought to be quivering instead of staring, "Was it you who called for Pan?"
Wendy does not know what to say. As she looks into Hook's eyes, she can see in her mind how the bright blue turns an evil shade of red.
Unwillingly, she nods.
-
"I see," Hook murmurs, looking down at the little girl. She appears to be dressed in her nightdress, a dirty sort of thing around which is wrapped a belt of leaves.
He wonders why she is here, alone. Certainly she knew Pan, for she had called his name. Perhaps Pan has tired of her, and left her to the cold of the Black Castle. The lightening flashes in the distance, and the girl flinches at the subsequent thunder.
Hook realizes that she must be afraid of storms.
-
Wendy defiantly meets the curious gaze of the pirate, steeling herself against the next crash of thunder.
She is prepared for the worst possible scenario, and her sword has never left her hand. Wendy knows that she cannot win in a fight against Hook, but if it comes to it, she will do her best, and die valiantly.
Oh, what a story this will be, she thinks, as his eyes narrow.
-
The altogether too rhythmical lapping of the waves is what jerks Hook out of his thoughts. Whatever the case may be, it is clear that this dirty little girl is no threat, and he need not bother with her any longer.
His manners remind him that, dirty or not, a lady must be treated accordingly. So Hook offers a sweeping bow, and begins to walk away.
He feels the girl's gaze on his back, and ignores it.
-
Wendy stands and waits until Hook's footsteps are but a faint echo in the distance. Then she grasps her sword, swallowing past the curious lump lodged in her throat, and begins to creep towards the stairs.
She is sure that she will feel safer once she is at Peter's side.
Peter, Wendy cries, look out!
Hook does not bother to look, this time.