Sophia's Story
A Disney crossover by talking2myself
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any recognizable Disney characters. All original characters are my own creations.
CHAPTER 40. Sha-Women
A pile of maps tumbled out of the chest as Will lifted the lid. He scowled and searched through the old charts before he found the one he was looking for. He lifted out the worn parchment and spread it across the table. "Alright," he said. "Leota mentioned the mountain from where the lights touch the ground. Do we know roughly where that is?"
The little group had arrived back at the port and had filed on board the Black Pearl. They sat around a table in one of the ship's staterooms.
"Oh here," Jack said distractedly. He pointed at a spot on the map located in the far corner of the wild lands. "Haven't been there myself, but I've heard it's a descent place for hunting."
"Since when do you hunt?" Will asked skeptically.
"I don't," Jack said. "That's why I've never been there."
Will shook his head before returning his attention to the map. "It will take us some time to get there. Are you sure you want to go through with this, Sophia?"
Sophia sighed and flopped into a chair, her voluminous skirts puffing around her. "It seems like our best hope."
"Oh sure, we'll just pop by and ask the mystical spirits to sing us a tune," Jack said. "Hope they're musically inclined."
"I know it's not a good idea," Sophia said. "But unless ANOTHER smart-talking cynic drops from the sky into Wonderland, we don't have very many good options."
Jack actually jumped and looked around anxiously as though he expected the magic of the world to deliver up Kelsey or someone similar on call. After a few moments, he let out a sigh of relief. "I could have a word with Hallie if you like," Jack suggested. "She's an awful lot like…"
"No!" Will interrupted definitively.
Sophia looked to Will, "Who on earth is Hallie…?"
"Don't ask," Will groaned running his hands through his hair.
"Hmmph," Jack sniffed indignantly. "At least there's fewer people trying to kill us this time."
"Fewer?" Will asked, giving Jack a skeptical look. Jack looked slightly guilty. "Are people STILL trying to kill us?" Will demanded.
"No, not you," Jack said cryptically. Will groaned and pressed a hand to his head. "Anyway," Jack said with a shrug. "It might take us a while to get there, but if the mouse would be so gracious as to lend us a breeze or a wave when needed we should be able to make good time."
"You betcha, I can!" Mickey said spiritedly. If anyone seemed eager for this misguided adventure, it was the little mouse. He acted as though this was some grand vacation. Of course, maybe any time away from his grouchy master was a good time.
"Very well then," Sophia said. "We'll leave in the morning."
"I'm c-c-coming with," Jackie said eagerly.
"Me too!" Arthur added.
"Of course, you're n-n-not," Jackie said immediately.
"What?" Arthur asked in surprise.
"D-d-darling," Jackie cried. "You're a king! You have a c-c-country to manage. You can't just up and g-g-go off with no one to m-m-mind things."
"But… but…" Arthur stammered.
"I'll b-b-be fine," Jackie reassured him. "There's no d-d-danger this time." Sophia wasn't sure if she would go that far, but it seemed like a poor time to mention that. "B-b-besides," Jackie added brightly. "I'll b-b-be with my g-g-godmother and M-M-Merlin will protect me too."
"Merlin is going too?" Arthur asked anxiously.
"Well, you see my boy," Merlin began sheepishly. "This is really a matter of Circle business. I do feel a duty to offer any assistance I can." Arthur looked pale. "Look at it as a time to test your wings," Merlin said.
"Hmmph," Mim scoffed. "I was there the last time you tested your wings. That didn't end well."
Both Sophia and Merlin elbowed Mim so sharply the little witch nearly toppled over. "You'll do just fine, Arthur," Sophia insisted. "Jackie informs me that you are a wise and just king."
"Well… I guess if you say so," Arthur said with a weak smile. Jackie beamed and leaned over to give him a peck on the cheek. Sophia sighed as she watched them. It seemed like so many people in the Kingdom were born with someone destined to be their soulmate. Jackie and Arthur seemed perfectly awkward for each other. Will and Elizabeth had spent most of their lives in love. Alice and Rob had had an instant rapport. Giselle and Robert seemed to have fallen into a comfortable and happy home. Even Kelsey seemed to have some strange fellow back at home who had managed to worm his way into her heart. Back in the days of her youth, Granny had used to tell her and Giselle, "There's a lid for every pot." Giselle embraced the idea full heartedly. Sophia would usually respond that she was a "sauce pan" not a pot." Grandma would usually chuckle and say that she might be surprised someday.
So far, Sophia had not been surprised. Admittedly, her opportunities for meeting anyone had been pretty slim so far, but as she looked at all the happy couples in her life she couldn't help but wonder what it must be like to have someone who was always by your side and believed that you were capable of walking on water.
"Well, what about you," Sophia asked turning to Mim. "Are you coming too?"
"Me?" Mim asked in surprise before clearing her throat. Sophia couldn't help but notice that for a brief moment, Mim's eyes had lit up at the thought of being included. She cleared her throat imperiously. "Well, I suppose I have to don't I? Like Merlin said, it is a matter of duty to the Circle."
"Right…" Sophia said, suppressing a smirk. "Of course." She turned towards Merlin and Mim. "While we're in the area," she said. "Is there other sorcerers we could pay a visit."
Merlin and Mim exchanged glances. "Tanana?" Merlin suggested.
"Does she count?" Mim shrugged.
"Her people seem to hold her in very high regard," Merlin pointed out.
"Who is Tanana?" Sophia asked.
"She is the local shaman of one the local Inuk tribes," Merlin explained.
"Does she have any magical abilities?" Sophia asked.
"Well… in a manner of speaking," Merlin said. "She serves as the liaison between the spirits and the tribe."
"She seems like a good person to have on our side seeing as we need to make a good impression on the spirits," Jack pointed out. "Maybe she can persuade them to do a little number?"
"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Mim asked, a smug smile spreading across her face.
"I don't think so," Merlin said suddenly stiff.
"Oh I think you know who I'm talking about," Mim said. Sophia didn't like how self-satisfied Mim looked. She couldn't help but be a bit concerned.
"Who else?" Sophia asked.
"Innoko," Mim said simply.
"Who is Innoko?" Sophia asked.
"She is the shaman for another tribe," Merlin said quickly.
"She actually prefers the term, Sha-woman," Mim pointed out.
"Okay, I'll bite," Sophia sighed. "Why does Merlin hate her?"
"I don't hate the insufferable woman," Merlin retorted.
"Not a particularly convincing argument," Sophia pointed out. "You certainly don't like her. Why?"
Mim cleared her throat daintily. "Innoko is of the belief that women are the only capable sorceresses in this world and that the word "wise" and "man" don't belong in the same sentence."
"She's also pushy, bossy, and generally unpleasant!" Merlin grumbled before shooting Mim a glare. "It's no wonder you two got a long so well." He returned his attention to Sophia. "Tanana is available ally, but there's really no sense in recruiting Innoko."
"Pushy, bossy, and generally unpleasant." Sophia repeated. "Those words just described Yen Sid and we're still trying to get him on our side."
"Also describes Kelsey as well," Mim added triumphantly.
Merlin muttered something under his breath. "Well, both you and Innoko are going to need to work out a few things," Sophia said. "We want the Circle to reflect the Kingdom and if they have gifts to offer then the both should be presented the opportunity to join. Besides," Sophia added. "I have a feeling we're going to need all the help we can get."