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Uma shook off her exhaustion as she stalked the streets of the market for the millionth time. Harry and Gil, never far from her side, walked behind her looking tired and sullen. Uma scanned the area intently, frightening those who dared wander around at night.
She grumbled as she crossed her arms, "I swear this place gets worse by the minute."
"What do ya mean, captain?" Harry asked her with a cheeky grin, "we are at the brink of paradise!"
"I mean," she glared at him, "this place insults me; I can't stand that brat's rule any longer."
"Aren't you the one who told us to be patient?" Gil asked bluntly, earning him a death glare from Uma.
"Patience does not mean we sit around and do nothing," she told him, "to make matters worse we let Mal get away as well."
"To be fair you were absolutely hammered." Gil spoke out of line once again, getting himself a swift punch in the gut.
"Would you get over that already?" Uma spoke with frustration, "I wasn't even that drunk."
Harry and Gil both looked at each other, knowing not to speak but also knowing the full truth about Uma's behavior.
"If I may, captain, I don't see why the Dragon Queen has anything to do with our plan." Harry questioned cautiously, not wanting the same treatment as his partner.
"She is important because she is our majesty's weakest link," she explained, "most think Evie has forgotten all her feelings for that fairy but I know better. I know she'd gladly give up her crown before letting anything happen to Mal."
Harry's eyes quirked up with mischief, "I suppose yer right, captain, you are very inquisitive!"
"That I am, Harry, and that's why letting Mal get away was such a set back!" She hit him over the head with her hand like a scolding mother.
"Bloody hell, you sure are in a testy mood lately." He rubbed the back of his skull.
"Do you not remember what the queen did to us, to our crew?" Uma stepped up to him, "I will not stop until I get my revenge, not until Evie is begging down at my feet for forgiveness. She killed members of our crew and I won't let that stand."
Harry glanced up to see a hunchback man with a cowl held tightly against his head in the shadowed streets listening in on their conversation.
"Captain." He motioned to the man and Uma quickly whirls around to see the now frightened man in the street.
Uma let out a deep sigh and rubbed her head, "you know, I really wish you hadn't heard that, old man."
He said nothing, only frozen by fear.
She spoke up once more, "Gil, take care of this."
"Righty-o, Captain." Gil said and approached the man, a hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Meet us back at the shop after you're done here," Uma ordered, "I need a drink."
"Is that wise, captain?" Harry piped up as he followed after her, heading towards the fish shop.
Gil turned back to look at the man, a small eager smile dancing on his lips as his fingers tapped on the hilt of his sword.
"Right then, old man," Gil spoke, "how do you want to go about this?"
Uma and Harry walked out of earshot as they sauntered back to Ursula's shop. Harry walked with his hands behind his head.
"Ah, smell that air, Uma, it's the heavenly smell of the sea." Harry inhaled deeply.
"That's the stench of rot, Harry, you're mental." Uma folded her arms due to the chill in the air.
"Whatdaya say we get back to the shop 'n have a 'lil fun before Gil gets back," Harry draped his arm over her shoulder, "it has been a while."
"I don't have time for your foolishness," Uma shoved his arm off herself, "I have work to do."
"Oh come on!" Harry whined, "since yer brain's been filled with that revenge crap you haven't wanted to do anything with me. Not even when yer drunk out of yer mind!"
"Oh grow up, Harry, there's more to life than sex and booze!" She huffed.
"Just one kiss, my sweet Uma, that's all I ask." He dramatically got down on one knee with his hands out pleading.
"You're pathetic," she sneered, "you think you can get any girl to bend to your will just by..." she trailed off in thought.
"What is it, Captain?"
"Oh, my..." Uma mumbled and put a hand on her chin, "yes that could work."
"What could work?"
"Harry Hook, I love you." she smiled with glee as she went over and pulled him into a kiss.
"What did I do?" He asked her.
"You're the key to everything, my darling," she held onto his neck, "you're going to bend Evie to my will."
"What? What are you on about?" He stood up, pushing Uma off of him in the process.
"You and Evie," the devious smirk on her face only grew, "you're going to seduce Evie."
"What?" He was baffled, "and I'm mental? Uma, you can't be serious."
"Think about it, Harry, if you cozy up with our dear queen that'll give me the opportunity I need to take the throne."
"No, no way, this is bloody insane." Harry spoke sternly.
"C'mon, Harry, you're not scared are you?" She taunted.
He frowned, "That's not gonna work, forget it, someone else will have to do it."
"Whatever happened to: I'll do anything for you Uma, or I am your humble servant, Uma?" She questioned while mocking his voice, "if you do this for me, I'll let you do anything you want with me."
That's what made Harry perk up with intrigue, a devious smile appeared on his face, "anything?"
"After business hours, of course." She told him.
He thought for a moment, rubbing his chin with his hook, humming a bit as he thought.
"Alright then, Captain, you have persuaded me," he smiled, "but only if you uphold your end of the bargain right now."
"Wouldn't have it any other way." She pulled him into a swift kiss. He ran his hook along her jawline, scratching the surface of his skin, and pulled her in tighter by the waist.
Uma removed the hat from his head and held it as he roughly kissed her. She smiled wickedly through the kiss, her scheme already taking effect.
When morning came, it was hard to tell. The clouds were still too thick to see light through and the sun was only just rising in the very early hours of the morning. One of the most notable things about the Queen's Castle, is that the Queen's chambers faces east, where the sun rises. It is the only place on the Isle one can see the first light of the day. Though for Evie, it was an indication that her time with Mal was coming to a close.
She woke up alone in her bed and assumed Mal had fled in the middle of the night while she slept. When her vision adjusted she saw Mal's signature leather jacket draped over a chair, and soon Mal came into vision, leaning against a wall in the shadows.
"Mal, what—"
"Impressive trick you pulled on me but it won't happen again." She said sternly.
Evie rubbed her eyes, still enveloped by sleep, she sat up on her elbows and looked across the room at her enemy.
"What—what are you talking about?" she mumbled.
"Your little plan to seduce me into submission," she spoke with venom in her voice, "it won't work. You're out of your mind if you think I'll fall for you again."
"Mal, it's not like that." Evie was still too tired to bring on a full fight.
"Like hell it isn't," Mal sneered, "I know how you really feel, you don't care for me, and you never have."
"That isn't true—"
"Ha! Isn't true?"
"Please keep your voice down."
"No," she snarled, "you don't control me. I'm not one of your mindless subjects or foolish allies."
Mal began to gather her belongs that were scattered across the room for the previous night's engagements. She was about to grab her jacket before Evie got to it first. She picked it up and examined it. Evie had made that jacket for Mal once, a very long time ago, she was surprised that Mal still kept it and even still wore it. The dragon wings were one of Mal's most prominent symbols when she was in reign, they were designed by Evie when they were kids. Evie then held it out for Mal to take.
"I did care for you, Mal, don't ever think I didn't." Evie told her.
Mal let out a low growl, "Then why did you do it?"
She snatched the jacket from her hands and put it on as she rushed over to the balcony. Evie watched her go, a sorrow filling her body.
"It was so difficult, Mal, the hardest thing I have ever done." Evie told her in desperation.
Mal hopped onto the railing and zipped up her jacket, "You don't have to lie to me anymore, Evie, I see through them."
With that remark, Mal leaped from the balcony and latched onto a tree. She began to climb down to an Isle that wasn't even awake yet. Evie sighed heavily, placing a hand on her heart and quickly turned to exit her room as she pulled on her nearest robe. She made her way down hallways of servants and guards, and all the way down to Carlos' room. She entered the room without knocking and without announcement to see Carlos sitting at his workbench with a smile on his face.
"Excellent performance, Evie." He spoke with mischief.
Evie closed the door behind her with shaken hands. As she went further into the room she saw Jay was in there as well, looking more guilty than a criminal on trial.
"Did you plant the tracker?" He asked.
She nods, "yes, Mal has no idea."
Jay comforted her by putting a hand on her shoulder, "Thanks, your majesty."
"It was nothing," she suppressed her emotions, "it was really all too easy."
"Well with your expert seduction skills, it was easy enough." Carlos said as he fiddled with some switches on his machine.
"Were you two seriously listening in the whole time?" Evie questioned.
"No," Jay said with assurance, "I made him turn it off until the morning came."
"To which I say, it's nothing we haven't heard before," Carlos rebutted, still occupied with his devices, "it's not like you two used to hide anything."
"I could have gone without hearing that, thanks." Evie told him and he only shrugged.
"What's important is: the plan worked." Jay said.
"Yeah," Carlos tapped on one of the many screens in the room and suddenly it switched on showing a bunch of nonsense colorful pixels, "now we can see her wherever she goes."
"Where's she now?" Jay asks.
"She's heading north, which makes sense because that's where Bargain Castle is," Carlos explained, "funny, she's taking the same route around the Isle we took as kids."
"Well there's no better way." Jay told him.
"Not to Bargain Castle," Carlos said, "at this time it's much better to go through the marketplace or over the rooftops. Going that route is actually more dangerous than usual because of the shadow gangs."
"Maybe she's just not worried about that?" Jay suggested.
Evie's eyes then widen with realization, "or maybe she's not going to Bargain Castle."
Both Carlos and Jay look at her.
"What do you mean?" Carlos asked.
"She's going to our old hideout," she said, "no wonder we couldn't find her at the castle, she's been working from the hideout since the night of the ball."
"Jay, contact our allies around that area." Carlos ordered.
"No," Evie said, both of them stopped in their tracks, "she knows who our allies are, she was at the ball, we can't arose any suspicion. She already suspects me more than we can handle. We should wait, wait for the right moment to strike. Good thing is we know that area pretty damn well."
Carlos nods, "good idea, Evie, I'll stay here and watch over her."
"We wait for your command, your majesty." Jay said to her.
Evie nods, still shaken by her encounter with Mal, all she wanted to do at that moment was be alone. Though she had council meetings all day, she had no time to sulk.
"I must go get ready for our guests, will I see you both there?" Evie asked them.
"I'm pretty busy today." Carlos said absently.
"I'll be there, your majesty, don't worry." Jay said with a dashing smile.
"Well then," Evie said, "I suppose you are dismissed."
Both of the lieutenants nod and watch as she leaves the room. Evie hastily moves towards her room, trying desperately not to think about Mal, and failing. It brought her back the time before she betrayed Mal, before she became queen. A time she did not want to return to. Upon getting to her room she fell against the door and slide down until she touched the ground. Like all the times before, the harsh light of day shines on the cold realities of the night before. Evie could not dwell on her feelings, that is what the weak does, and she will not allow Mal to win. Though she still loves Mal more than anything, she won't let her love interrupt her plans. Afterall, love is for the weak.