Author's Note – *Waves* Happy weekend everyone! We've reached the calm before the storm in the story now. Hope everyone is enjoying the ride. I can't wait for you to see what's coming! I've just finished writing the rough draft for the final chapter, so depending on how I separate things, it looks like we may end up at 34 chapters, and if I'm inspired and people want it, I usually like to do an epilogue, too.
As always, let me know you're still out there reading!
"Harry, you're gonna be late for class."
Warm arms wrapped around Melody and a drowsy voice grumbled an incoherent reply against her back. She blinked her eyes open, trying to clear the fog of sleep.
Realizing where she was with a start, she sat up Harry's bed. She'd hoped to be gone before Jay or Gil woke up, but obviously, she'd slept much better than she thought she would.
"Mel?" Gil was staring at her from across the room, having paused in the middle of lacing up his boots. "What are you doing here?"
She made sure the quilt was covering her legs and ran a hand through her mussed hair in a hopeless attempt to smooth it. This was the part of staying the night with Harry she was not looking forward to.
Jay was shaking his head from where he sat at his desk. "That is a question I do not need to know the answer to."
Harry stretched lazily, yawning so loud it was halfway ridiculous. "What time is it, mate?"
"Ten thirty," Jay answered.
"I've already missed me first class. No sense rushin' now." Harry pulled her back down beside him, curling a strong arm around her until he'd positioned her right where the angles of their bodies seemed made to fit together. "Five more minutes, lass."
She thought about protesting, but he was so warm and five more minutes did sound really nice. Besides, it was too late now to avoid any embarrassment, might as well just wait until his roommates cleared out.
"Well?" Jay asked. "How did it go last night?"
"Went off without a hitch," Gil said. "At least on our part."
"Had to use the clock," Harry said, mumbling his response into her hair. "And Melody had to slice up poor Leon, but besides that, it went as expected."
"With the pixie dust, you should have beat us home since we had to drive with Lonnie," Gil said, "What took you guys so long?"
Jay stared at Gil with raised brows before leaning in and giving him a 'you really can't figure that one out on your own' stare.
"Ooooh," Gil responded, shaking his head. "Right."
Melody had the urge to burrow under Harry's quilt and never come back out.
There was a knock at the door.
Great. This was getting better all the time and she still hadn't even managed to get fully dressed.
"Harry, I really should go," she said, trying to squirm out of his grasp. But he wasn't having any of it, his arms were locked tight and she was going nowhere fast.
Jay opened the door and Melody peeked up from under the covers to find Uma and Jane in the doorway.
Oh seas, why? Who was next, the King and Queen of Auradon?
"We have a problem," Uma announced as she strode into the middle of the room.
Uma did a quick double take at she and Harry, but she hid her surprise well under a thick layer of sarcasm. "You two might want to put some pants on for this," she said.
Jane was obviously trying to hide her shock at finding Melody in Harry's bed, too. Melody hadn't had much of a chance to fill Jane in about the escalation in their physical relationship since their sword fighting date on the beach. And finding her pants-less in bed with him was probably not the best way to tell her.
But a few slow eyeblinks was all it took for Jane to collect herself. "Mal just called," Jane said. "The Trident is gone."
That had both she and Harry sitting up.
"When. Just now?" Harry asked, his voice going up an octave.
Jane nodded. "About an hour or so ago."
"I thought they were going to put it under extra security!" Melody began to feel panic spread over her body like a thousand tiny pinpricks across her skin.
"They did," Jane said.
Melody gestured for Harry to toss her the pair of leggings she'd slung over his desk and she wiggled them on under the blankets. Harry of course stood right up in his underwear and sauntered over to his dresser, sliding on a pair of clean breeches without ever missing a beat in the conversation.
"Did they see Sparrow do it?" Harry asked.
"Nothing shows up on the security footage at all," Jane said. "It's like the trident walked out the door on its own."
"Like it was done by a ghost," Melody said, that tingly panic now settling in the pit of her stomach.
Because she knew what Sparrow would come for next.
Her.
If he had two of Triton's sapphires, it would only be a matter of time...
"We should go away," Harry said, coming back to sit on his bed next to her. "Use the pixie dust and go hide yeh somewhere he cannae find yeh."
"Yeah, so he has plenty of time to figure out what kind of magic those two sapphires can produce together?" she asked. "I don't think so. This shouldn't change the plan. We need to get that sword back."
"You really want to risk facing him now that he has the sword and the Trident?" Harry asked, looking a little pale.
"We have the pixie dust," Melody said. "I could pretend to surrender and fly overboard once I swiped the sword or trident."
But as soon as the words had left her mouth, the plan suddenly felt weak. Harry grabbed her hand and was rubbing her knuckles with the pad of his thumb as he stared at the wall. They all went silent, thinking.
Maybe Harry was right. Now that Sparrow had control of the trident, too there was really no point in going to the Jolly Roger. What was one more ship when Sparrow controlled the sea and the sky and could sink an entire fleet with one command?
"I agree with Melody. This shouldn't change the plan," Uma said, looking very smug with her hands on her hips. "Because we also have something we didn't have before. I've been on my mother's good side lately. She promised to show me something tonight that we can use to protect the Revenge."
"What is it?" Gil asked, wide-eyed.
"A shield spell of sorts, that works on ships. Protects against bad weather, enemy crew, direct magic, it shields against all of it," she said.
"And if we had two ships, we could shield both?" Melody asked.
"Yes," Uma said, fingering her nautilus necklace.
Harry looked to Uma. "How close are yeh to findin' a crew for the Jolly Roger when we raise her?"
"Getting there," Uma said, crossing the room and sitting down on top of Harry's desk. "We'll be ready by next weekend. Some of incoming crew need to finish out their work assignments for the month. They'll be free to join up on the first, which would be on Saturday."
That was the day after the Hallow's Eve Masquerade Ball and the beginning of their weeklong fall break from classes. She only hoped they could wait until then.
"We should go check out the Jolly Roger before then," Harry said, glancing at Melody. "Use a bit more pixie dust, make sure the ship's where we think it is and there winnae be trouble once we get The Lost Revenge there with the crew."
"Couldn't you just fly the entire crew there with Pixie dust and save some time?" Jane asked.
"There isnae enough for that many men," Harry said. "Besides, most of 'em dinnae have happy thoughts strong enough to get 'em all the way to Neverland on pixie dust power. We'd lose half of 'em in the ocean that way. Nae to mention all the rations and other supplies we'd need to bring with us to make the voyage back."
"Okay, so we'll set sail Saturday after Hallow's Eve and raise the Jolly Roger. Then we'll take one ship so I can 'surrender' the locket to him?" She put up finger quotes around he word surrender. "Maybe we hide the other ship nearby in case something goes wrong?"
"What if Sparrow gets to us before we can raise the Jolly Roger?" Gil asked.
"We'll have to keep a better eye on him. I've got a few friends scouting for me," Melody said, thinking of Sid the seabass and Florian the blue shark. "But I'll tell them to widen their search, get the entire bay involved."
"With my necklace and your locket the score is tied – two magical items for Sparrow to two magical necklaces for us," Uma said. "If you can swipe either the sword or the trident, we'll have the advantage."
Harry crossed his arms over his chest.
"Don't give me that look," Uma said. "Mel will be fine. Pixie dust, fake locket, mermaid skills, an entire ocean of fish, and a defensive shield over the ships. And if she manages to take just one of those items – sword or trident - and brings it back, this will all be over."
Melody grabbed Harry's arm and leaned her head against his shoulder. "We did well enough last night," she reminded him.
Harry's tense arm relaxed some, but he was obviously still worried by the way he'd resumed rubbing his thumb nervously over the back of her hand as he held it. "And for now?"
"We just pretend there isn't a madman out there trying to steal away your girlfriend, Harry," Gil said, smiling.
Harry gave him a deflating glare.
"I'm going to talk to my mother tonight," Uma said. "I'm sure there's something we can do to protect her with our combined magic."
Jay was talking next, trying to condense their plan into Gil-sized bits. "Okay. Uma will work on some defensive magic and Harry and Melody will scope out the Jolly Roger. The rest of us will earn as much money as we can to buy supplies and hire crew, and then we'll be sailing soon for Neverland. And we will all be on our guard to make sure Sparrow doesn't try anything."
"Mal is sending the Auradon Navy down right now, so we'll have lookouts who can warn us if anyone gets too close to the University," Jane said. "So, we should also remember to focus on trying not to fail our classes in the meantime." Jane saved a very pointed look for Melody.
"Alright, alright. We'll make sure to get to oceanography today," Melody said. "Since we're going to the Jolly Roger soon, we may as well do some researching for our project, too."
Melody went back to her room, showered, changed, and got to class in just enough time to slide into her seat and shoot Harry a smile.
He was back to his old look today, freshly shadowed eyes and a sleeveless black coat which showed off his arms. Fingerless gloves, rings, leather bands, belts, and straps from every pocket and seam. She wasn't sure what she expected after he'd thrown his hook into the sea, but she was glad he didn't change his look too much. The eyeliner was starting to grow on her.
The only thing different, was that he had no hook to twist and turn in his hands as he processed the lecture, so he was learning a new trick. Trying to spin his pen around his thumb and catch it. He kept dropping it, over and over, garnering a few stares from the blonde girl in front of him.
Melody shook her head and tried her best to focus. Luckily, her Aunt Attina made lecture incredibly interesting, and Melody followed most of the discussion on the geology of the sea floor, but late in the hour she found herself wondering about Sparrow. Could his ghost crew have been the ones to slip into the museum, even with maximum security and simply carry out the Trident unseen? What other powers would he have now with two magical items. Was she really safe just sitting here in class?
When lecture let out, she and Harry and Jane stood outside talking about the project outline due after their weeklong break. Jane seemed concerned about the fact that she and Harry hadn't done much work on it, while Melody had trouble seeing the point, when she might not even survive long enough to turn it in.
"Hey Melody." She looked up to find Wesley Darling smiling at her, giving his usual friendly little wave. His blonde curls were spilling out of the bottom of his tourney cap and he was clutching their statistics book in front of his chest.
He gave her roommate a smile and a nod, "Hi Jane."
For Harry, he forced a tense head nod.
"Hi Wesley, what's up?" Melody said.
"Did you get my text last night?" he asked.
Harry's head whipped around to glare at Wesley and she didn't miss the way his hand tightened into a fist at his side.
"No, I'm sorry," she said. "My phone died and I haven't had a chance to charge it."
Wesley's shoulders relaxed a bit and he took a step closer. "I didn't know if you still wanted to go over the statistics homework due tomorrow."
Ugh. She'd forgotten about that assignment completely which means she could definitely use his assistance.
"Yes, I need all the help I can get."
"Nae, she doesnae need yer help."
She and Harry answered at the same time and poor Wesley was now looking back and forth between them with a very uncomfortable grimace on his face.
Melody jabbed an elbow into Harry's ribs. "Don't mind him, his manners are horrible," she said to Wesley, apologizing with her best princess smile as Harry gripped his injured side.
"I'll be free around four o'clock," she said. "Does that work?"
Just then, Carlos approached from around the corner of the building and joined them, with Dude following at his heels. "Hey guys! What are we talking about?"
"Planning a homework extravaganza," Melody answered. "This is Wesley, he's in my statistics class. Wesley, meet Carlos."
With introductions out of the way, she wondered what had Carlos so excited. "Why what's up with you?"
"Just talked to Lonnie and Tarah, they're planning a drive to Cinderella's Closet tomorrow and want to know if we want to make an excursion out of it," he said to Jane. "The shop is running low on all of your 'masquerade ball gowns, suits, and accessories'." His tone was a mimic of the ad they always saw running on the cafeteria televisions. "So, the girls want to go soon."
"That sounds fun," Jane said, snuggling into Carlos' side. "Might be nice to get away and forget about everything for a while."
Meanwhile, Harry was a wall of ice to her right side. Queen Elsa had nothing on his frosty glare. And had he really just taken a dagger from his pocket and started twisting it through his fingers? Oh seas. When he flicked the blade overhand around his wrist in a double spin, she had to suppress an eye roll. He was not subtle.
Wesley shifted where he stood before turning to Melody. "Are you going? I mean, to the ball?" Kudos to Wesley for somehow maintaining a conversation as Harry continued to leer at him and spin his knife.
And was she going to the ball? Come to think of it, they'd never actually talked about it. They'd been much more concerned with their plan to stop Sparrow. Harry had never asked, and they'd just been so busy…
"Aye," Harry snapped, the dagger falling still in his grip. "She is."
Melody clenched her teeth, biting back another acerbic comment she had ready on her tongue.
"Oh," Wesley said, his voice trailing off awkwardly, "Well I'll see you at four for that homework," he said giving Harry a wary eye. "Want to meet in the dorm common room. First floor?"
"Sounds good. Thanks again, Wesley," she said.
"Anytime." Then Wesley spun and walked down the path leading back to the dorms. She was half surprised he didn't turn and run by the way Harry had treated him.
When he was out of earshot, Melody pulled Harry aside, dragging him by the arm away from their friends so she could let him have it, in private. "What was that all about Harry?!"
"Did yeh see the way he looked at yeh? I cannae stand here and let him rake yeh over with his eyes in such a way." He turned to look over his shoulder, glaring in the direction Wesley had come from. "And he was goin' to ask yeh to the masquerade!"
"The way his eyes raked over me? You mean did I see the polite smile he gave us? Yes! Did I see how brutish and possessive you were? Yes. Yes I did!" And she stripped the dagger from Harry's hand, shot him a warning glare, and shoved it back into its sheath in his jacket. "And as for the dance, it's not like anyone else has asked me!"
"Man, you two are more up and down than a frog on a pogo stick." Dude had apparently sat down next to them and was scratching at his ear with his hind leg.
"Don't be nosy, Dude," she warned. "Shoo." And she scooted the little dog back over to where Carlos stood with Jane along the path.
Now that Melody had had a moment to breathe, she tried to see the interaction from Harry's point of view. Harry who had just opened up to her last night about some major trauma and who had a serious problem trusting people. Both things he'd openly discussed with her last night.
He was just reacting out of fear. And she needed to come at him from that angle.
"Harry," she said. "You know I'm not interested in Wesley like that. I've just been getting his help with some of the homework assignments. I was so worried about you when that homework was assigned that I hardly heard anything the teacher said that day."
Harry blinked.
Then he turned to her and blinked again as he continued to process what she was saying.
"Instead of lashing out, you need to talk to me," she said. "I have the right to make friends with whoever I choose."
Then she leaned into him, and it was all the encouragement he needed to wrap his arm around her. With that contact, his tense muscles relaxed against her. His brows softened and he exhaled a long breath. "I'm sorry, lass. I didnae mean to upset yeh, and of course I want yeh to have friends."
"Thank you," she said, grabbing for his hand. His expression was still thoughtful as she towed him back over to where their friends were standing with concerned looks on their faces.
Carlos glanced between the two of them as they approached, and seeing their hands laced together, he raised his brows. "Wow," he said. "You guys just worked that out in like thirty seconds."
And Melody let out the breath she'd been holding. She really was starting to understand Harry better. This little interaction had been proof of that. A few weeks ago, this would have definitely escalated into a full-blown argument. But now she could understand where some of his outbursts were coming from and she was learning to empathize. And he was really trying, apologizing quickly and listening to what she was telling him.
"The other thing I was going to tell you but Wesley was here," Carlos began, "was that Queen Mal has sent a few squads in from the Auradon army. To guard against Sparrow. They'll be arriving this afternoon."
Jane's eyes brightened as she looked to Melody. "That's great news, right Mel? Navy and army. Hopefully you won't have to worry so much. And you guys can start on your project."
She forced a smile, admitting to herself that at least the Auradon military was better than nothing. "I'm glad they're trying something."
But somehow she knew it wouldn't be enough. Because the Auradonian army and navy couldn't go after Sparrow. Not really. Not when he had the entire might of the sea at his command. No, the only way to get close to Sparrow was to make him think they were bringing him something they needed. And that something was Melody and her locket.
Dude glanced around to the four humans. "Alright, who else is ready to go shopping? Think there's a treat in it for me?" He cocked his head and looked at Carlos expectantly.
"It's not until tomorrow Dude," Jane reminded before turning to Melody. "Will you guys be joining us?"
Harry twirled suddenly, his long coat making a wide arc in the air before he mimed removing an invisible hat and dipping low into a bow in front of Melody. His head was still tipped low, when he looked up at her with that teasing grin. "Princess Melody, would yeh do me the honor of accompanyin' me to the masquerade ball on Friday?"
And just like that, any trace of anger left over was washed away. Because how could she be mad when he was just so frustratingly adorable?
"Of course I will," she said. But that didn't stop her from chastising him just a tiny bit. "Thank you very much for asking."
Then he spun her around once, clasped her hand in his and pressed his other behind her shoulder, before leading her around the path a few times in a very impressive waltz.
"You can dance," she said, stating the obvious as he pulled her closer than was normally appropriate for a box step between partners.
"Remember that flair for the dramatic that runs in the family?" he said. "I learned when I was a wee lad."
She followed his lead, swaying in step, following the familiar pattern she'd been taught by countless court tutors over the years. But with Harry's strong hand on her back and those shocking blue eyes locking onto her, the dance suddenly became much more… enjoyable than she remembered. She leaned closer, the pressure and sway of his body against hers flooding her mind with thoughts of last night, of how it felt to have those hands everywhere. The memory had her ears and cheeks burning.
"So…" Jane was saying loudly from somewhere over her shoulder, reminding Melody that she and Harry were not the only two people in existence. "I take it that means you two will be joining us for a shopping adventure?"
"I'd like to come," she said, her voice a little uneven as she put some space between them. "Harry?"
"Alright," he said. "I'll come along." But he had a strained expression on his face, that worry line between his brows making a brief appearance.
"Great, lets meet at our room after dinner tomorrow, and we'll all go together." Jane let her eyes linger on Melody for a bit.
"Okay you two, we'll see you later at R.O.A.R. practice," Carlos said.
Because today, Jane had decided, would be for catching up on homework. And Harry had a shift at the pub tonight.
Their friends waved and turned down the path together with Dude trotting behind. Once Carlos and Jane had gone, she and Harry started down the path to the dorms.
"If you don't want to go shopping with us, you don't have to," Melody said, glancing at him. "I saw the face you made. And I get it, shopping is kind of dull."
"It's nae that, its…" he said, hesitating. "It's that I dinnae have any money for it is all. I'm puttin' all of me extra into hirin' a crew."
Of course. Melody wanted to slap her hand over her face. She'd been so clueless.
"Maybe we can just rent you something," she said, grabbing for his hand as they continued down the sidewalk. "My parents would definitely spring for my date to have something nice to wear for the night."
"Nae." He stopped walking and shook his head. "Nae. I'll figure summat out, but I dinnae want yeh to ask them."
There was his pride again. But she understood and didn't press him on it.
"Okay," she said, tugging on his hand to get him walking again. "Because I am really looking forward to it. I just wish we knew what Sparrow was up to. I can't imagine going to a dance with him still on the loose."
"Least they're takin' the threat seriously now," he said. "I'm meetin' with Uma after me shift at the pub. I'll have her talk to Mal again, see if they can spare any more men. Maybe some extra navy to post along the border of the bay."
"I guess that will help, but I'm just ready to do this already. What if we just snuck onto the ship the two of us, use the pixie dust and steal the sword or trident ourselves?"
"Too many ifs. What if one of us gets caught? Then there's nae place to go, nae one to help us out on the open sea, and nae protective magic from Uma," he said. "Uma's powerful, lass. A sea witch is a good ally to have in a fight at sea. And the Jolly Roger has weapons we could use if we can get her in workin' order. We should stick together."
"I just have a bad feeling," she admitted.
A breeze rustled through the trees, swirling fallen leaves at their feet and Harry stopped walking again. A dark lock of hair fell over his forehead as he leaned closer, his gaze burning his message into her. "I will nae let anything happen to yeh, Melody."
And she believed him then, that he would fight for her. That he would do most anything to keep her safe.
Harry's loyalty and courage wasn't the problem, though. She'd seen what that sword arm was capable of just yesterday, and she knew he would fight for her now. The issue was, none of that would matter when it came down to the combined might of her grandfather's sapphires.
But she buried her own fears then, for him, and brushed a hand across his forehead, combing her fingers softly through his windblown hair.
"I know you won't," she said, and she almost believed it.
