Hey guys I'm back with chapter two! Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Window to the Past

One hundred fifty years earlier…

"Veeen."

She gave a 'tt'. "Screw off Peter. I'm still mad at you."

"For what?" he laughed. "Winning at The Game?"

She looked away. She always lost The Game. Their hide and seek. He always found her or she could never find him. One time she spent an entire year looking for him. A year real time anyway. Neverland time seemed to pass much faster than real time did.

"Shall we play another game?" he asked. She turned her nose up. "Come now, how about we explore." She still didn't answer. "Come on Ven…mermaids? Have you seen them yet?"

She looked at him from the corner of her eye. He grinned. He knew he had her. But she wasn't going to give in quite that easy.

"I can cast a water spell," he said. "Breath under water and see their kingdom." She still didn't answer. "I'll even take you to meet Princess Ursula, I bet you two will like each other."

She bit her lip. Mermaids were the most mysterious creatures of her knowledge, even more so than dragons.

"Maybe we'll even spot a mer-fae…"

That cinched it.

"When do we go?"

Peter grinned, knowing he'd won (again) but she was too excited to care. "Right now."

True to his word (for once) Peter brought Ven below the ocean, after casting a water-affinity spell of course. It was different to see the ocean from so far below, and to be able to breath in it at that! She'd only ever swam in it for a minute or so at a time, Peter hadn't yet taught her any water spells as she was still working on perfecting her teleportation.

It was breathtaking to behold with colorful coral reefs and immense beds of seaweed of every shape and color. The water was crystal clear, she could see just as well in the water as she could above it.

But the rest of the ocean had nothing on the mer-city of Trilicia.

When the city first came into view she gasped in shock. It was stunning. There were spiraling towers of polished quartz and granite streets that were inlayed with pearls. Gold trimmed the tips of the buildings and the palace…the palace was massive, gorgeous in every way. The spirals were edged with gold and had words engraved in them. Mer swam this way and that, seemingly unaware of the intruders' presence.

"I placed an enchantment on us," Peter said. "To them we look like any other mer."

"How interesting," she remarked, looking down at her legs. The mer saw a tail while she only saw legs.

"Follow me," Peter said, swimming ahead. They swam down and entered into the crowds of mer that swam this way and that.

"Are we going to the palace?" she asked hopefully.

He nodded, smiling genuinely. "I've met Princess Ursula, she's very beautiful and her voice is like no other."

"You've heard her sing?" she asked curiously.

"Yup. No human can resist her allure," he said.

"And you're not really human," she muttered. He glanced at her quizzically.

"I hope you're not to troubled about losing your humanity Ven," he said. "You live in Neverland long enough and you become something entirely different."

She looked away. She had no desire to lose her human side, but then again, having seen the worst of humanity it wouldn't be too terrible.

"Here we are." She looked over Peter's shoulder into the entrance of the palace. The interior was just as stunning as the exterior. The walls were made of soft cream colored coral and gold shells of every shape and size that she couldn't tell if they were painted or not. The ceiling was painted over with a mural depicting a majestic merman with a deep green tail, black hair and stormy grey eyes seated on an enormous throne, to his right was a gorgeous mermaid with long silver hair that hovered around her and eyes that appeared to be like spun gold, her tail was almost blindingly white. The merman had a gold crown on his head with rising peeks inlayed with red diamonds, the mermaid likewise had a tiara of silver inlayed with blue diamonds.

"What's the story behind that?" she asked.

Peter looked up at the mural. "The one on the right is Queen Mira and the left is King Poseidon. Queen Mira is of the Wrayan merfolk, a separate race from the Amphytrites, which is Poseidon's race. The two races were at war for a long time, but the marriage of the two ended the war and now the merfolk have lived in fear for over two hundred years. Ursula is their daughter."

She stared in awe. "Amazing."

"Oh look, there's Princess Ursula," Peter said, nodding towards the floor of the palace.

A green tailed mermaid was swimming towards the doors, her dark hair rippling behind her. She looked mostly like her father, but her eyes were the same brilliant gold as her mother's.

"Ursula!" Peter called, swimming down, Ven following behind closely.

The Princess stopped and looked up. "Oh! Hello Peter."

Peter took Ursula's hand and planted a kiss on the back of it, sending a strange twinge through Ven's heart though she didn't know why.

"What brings the king of Neverland to the Mer Kingdom?" Ursula asked.

"A new resident of Neverland wished to meet you," he replied, taking her hand and pulling her forward.

Ursula nodded. "Oh yes! Rumors have been circulating for a while about the sorceress of Neverland. I'm Ursula, it's a pleasure to meet you."

She shook Ursula's hand. "My name is Ven, and the pleasure is mine."

"Are you two staying long?" Ursula asked.

Peter shook his head. "Just a visit, I was trying to pull Ven from a bad mood."

She rolled her eyes. "He kept beating me at the game we were playing."

Ursula laughed. "I see. Well I'm just about to head to the library if you'd like to come too."

"That would be wonderful," Ven said, though she had no idea how you could have a library under the sea. "So how do you know Ursula?" she asked Peter as they swam on behind said princess.

"I'm known by many as the 'king' of Neverland and to many more as the demon of Neverland. Though I daresay the last part of the is a tad bit more accurate for someone else," Peter replied. She glanced at him, surprised with how easy it was for him to cast such a loose reference to the demon that confined him. "I first met Ursula a few decades ago whilst I was exploring the great expanses of the deep blue sea, she had escaped the castle and was also exploring."

She nodded in understanding. "I see."

"Here we are," Ursula said, pulling open a large, gilded door to reveal coral shelves stacked high with tablets of stone. So that was how they had a library under the ocean.

"Amazing," she murmured in awe. It was at least a hundred feet high and had a circumference of over too hundred feet. "What are the writings of?"

Ursula shrugged. "Many things. The history of the mer, stories, fairy tales, records, you name it, we've got it."

"Incredible. May I read one?" she asked.

Ursula nodded. "Certainly." She plucked a tablet form one of the lower shelves and handed it to Ven. "This is one of my favorite stories, the Legend of Cryos."

She eagerly took the tablet in her hands, then frowned in disappointment. It was in a language completely foreign to her. The lettering was flowing and loose, almost like the calligraphy she'd found on various expensive books she'd stolen back in London, but much more fancy.

"I can't read it," she said, embarrassed and upset. Then Peter suddenly plucked the tablet from her hands. "Hey-"

"I'll read it to you," he said. She blinked, shocked. "Don't take it personally, I just like the sound of my own voice," he said, though he didn't meet her eyes.

She raised an eyebrow. "I see. Very well then, read away King of Neverland."

He cleared his throat. "Once upon a time in the land of Trayga there lived an mer prince named Cryos…"

There was no doubt in her mind, Peter had the most beautiful, melodious, perfect story telling voice ever heard in the history of any world. Ven was completely enraptured by the way he artfully told the story of the mer prince and his battle with the Kraken.

Ven had a special place in her heart for books and stories, and had listened in on many story tellings but Peter blew them all out of the water. He added life to the words in a way she hadn't known was possible that she was both disappointed and glad when he was finished. Disappointed because it was over and glad because she was afraid she would fall in love with his voice.

Even once he was done she had no words on her tongue, she was still lost in the lines of the story he wove so artfully.

"That was…beautiful," Ursula said, breaking her from her trance-like state.

"Y-yes it was," she said, cursing the stutter in her voice.

"Thank you thank you," Peter said, bowing. He looked up and winked knowingly at her. She reddened and looked away.

"Ursula!" The sudden call made all three of them start. Ursula swam up.

"Oh dear, that's my father, you should go," she said.

Peter grabbed her hand. "See ya later Ursula!"

"Goodbye! It was lovely meeting you Ven!"

"It was nice to meet you too," she said as Peter pulled her up and out of the window, back into the open sea.

"So shall we return home?" Peter asked.

She nodded, still slightly lost in thought in the aftermath of the story. "Peter?"

"Yes?"

"Is that story real?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, even I'm not that old. I've heard legends of the Kraken though," he replied.

"How interesting," she mused.

Just as they broke the surface of the water and she inhaled her first breath of real air in quite a while, there was the clash of lightning and thunder overhead and the sea began to roil.

"What happened?!" she asked, having to shout to make herself heard above the storm. "It was clear a second ago!"

"Those are the seas of Neverland!" Peter called back. "Never predictable! We've got to get back to the mer kingdom and-LOOK OUT!" Her eyes snapped up just in time to see a massive wave bearing down on them, then Peter suddenly threw himself over her and the wave came down with an ear-splitting crash.

Peter came to slowly, opening his eyes just a crack. The first thing that registered was a delicious smell coming from somewhere. The second was that he was lying on a bed of leaves and woven fabric. The third was that there was someone else moving around near him. He sensed that someone approaching, then he snapped too, grabbing the hand that hovered over his face.

But the face he was met with bore no threat, it was only Ven. But her mismatched eyes were wide in surprise and almost…fear. He quickly let go.

"Sorry."

She stared at him a moment, then slowly reached down to retrieve a cloth that had fallen from his head to the bedding.

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" he replied in confusion.

She gave him a look that clearly said 'are you serious?'. "Last night, you got hit by the full force of that wave. You…you protected me."

The events of the previous day came rushing back. He felt blood rush to his face.

"Not you-"

"Right, just my heart," she cut in, her eyes darkening as she turned away. "How could I forget. I'm the only one who can prevent your 'inevitable death'."

He impulsively leaned forward, reaching out. "You're wr…" he trailed off, realizing he'd said the words aloud. Ven looked at him quizzically, questions hovering in her eyes. He pulled back his hand and ran it through his hair, clearing his throat. "You're right."

She turned, flipping her hair airily. "Oh, and you're welcome for getting you back here and treating your wounds. That wave left more than a few bruises."

"I would have been fine," he sniffed.

She snorted. "Whatever your majesty. If you're as perfectly fine as you claim go ahead and skiddaddle on out."

He appeared in front of her, smirking. "Who said I was perfectly fine?"

She glared at him. "Move."

"Come on Ven, that tongue of yours dull?" he teased.

She brushed past him to the table next to the fireplace. She deposited the cloth in the bowl atop the table and lifted a rough-looking teapot from the fire.

"Tea?" he questioned.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "I am British."

"You were," he corrected.

"Tt." Ven poured a cup of tea for herself, then a second one. "Take it if the great King of Neverland isn't too sophisticated for a cuppa."

He watched as she passed him without so much as a glance. "Oh come now Ven don't be like that. What's got you so upset?"

She turned on him, tapping her cup impatiently. "Oh nothing, just the demon in front of me that refuses to address a single problem of meaning," she spat venomously.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Argh! Forget it. Get out Pan. You protected me, I saved you, we're even." She turned away.

He grabbed her arm. "Wait V-"

"Don't touch me!" she snapped, knocking his hand away. "Just leave me alone. I'm done playing your Game today."

He backed away, schooling his expression. "Then we'll continue our game later Ven."

He teleported away, appearing back in his pixie forest. He sat against the tree and let his head fall back against the trunk.

"I'm such an idiot," he murmured, closing his eyes.

"Right, just my heart. How could I forget. I'm the only one who can prevent your 'inevitable death'."

"You're wrong..."

There you have it! Please review! I read every single one and I really really like them please please review!