"Gil, you need to talk to Uma," Harry said one night not long after the Rotten Four left.
"Why, Harry?" he asked.
"She needs to be included in whatever you and Lady Snow are planning. You know those four will be back. They won't stay, and you need more help with your plans concerning the Isle."
"Uma will probably kill me for keeping my heritage a secret, then she will murder me because I kept the fact I'm royalty from her."
Harry snorted. "Doubt it. She'll probably make you the captain of the damn ship. You've got more people skills and in commanding people than she does, because of yer mum."
"Probably right. She needs to be in the loop. If Uma finds out on the day Mama and I destroy the barriers and I don't set sail with the rest of the crew." Gil headed towards the wharf, with Harry tagging along not far behind him. "Uma's wrath is something I would rather not be on the wrong side of."
Harry snorted. Gil was more powerful than Uma with a sword and crossbow. If the two were compared with Gil's powers, Uma was truly a shrimp where Gil was a god.
"Why is me angry funny to you, Harry?" Uma demanded from the two boys. Both screamed, and turned to face her.
"It isn't when it is me! Just when it's Gil," Harry laughed.
"Shut up, Harry," Gil hissed.
"What did you do this time, Gil?" Uma sighed.
"Nothing, but we do need to talk, Uma," Gil explained. It needed to be done. Harry had a point, and he could not wait any longer.
"Then talk, Gil. I've got things to do," Uma said.
"Like what?" Harry asked. He was ignored, and Uma motioned for her first and second mates to follow her.
"Um, here is really not a good place. Can you meet Harry and me at the White Witch's garden after your shift?"
She stopped. "The White Witch? Are you freaking suicidal?"
"No, and I need you to please trust me on this, Uma," Gil pleaded. "It is more important than you can even begin to imagine."
Uma studied her second mate very carefully. "This better be worth my time, Gil, or you'll be scrubbing the deck until we have to re-stain it."
"Oh it's worth it, Captain," Harry grinned. Gil glared at him.
"I understand, Captain," Gil replied.
"Good, now I believe you two have things to do on this ship? Get to it!" she barked. Uma watched her two best friends hurry off to the ship. Normally, they'd be a bit more reluctant. Whatever it was must have been bigger than she'd initially thought. Harry and Gil normally avoided the forest across the Isle like the plague. It made her wonder why they chose there, of all places, to have this discussion.
She made the trek up to the White Witch's territory after her mother let her shift end. The forest was far from the wharf rat's territory, and risky. It crossed through three different gangs' territories, and the danger was even higher in all of them since the Rotten Four left. Gang wars had broken out everywhere, and no one was winning or backing down as of yet. Most kids let Uma pass on her way, and a few ran with a well met glare. She was feared, but all it took was some high strung kid, and she could be toast.
Harry met her a quarter of a mile into the forest. He looked a bit tense, but it was a normal trait for him when he was in uncomfortable situations.
"Gil chickened out, didn't he?" Uma assumed. It didn't surprise her the quiet boy was nowhere in sight. Harry continued up the path, not really answering her. Gil had his moments where he was beyond ruthless, but other times when he vanished if it was too scary for him.
"Not quite," he finally answered. Harry stopped in front of the door to the White Witch's warehouse, and knocked a solid knock on the door.
"Harry, what are you doing?" she exclaimed quietly. Her eyes widened and she started to choke him.
"Relax, the witch isn't even home," Harry said.
The door swung open. Gil was standing on the other side, decked out in light blues and whites. His hair was down and not covered in that silly bandana he favored, and he wore long fancy blue and white leather trench coat over his formal clothes. It was something she had never seen him in before, and Uma was confused as to why he was even there in the first place. She did notice, however, Gil's gloves which he wore regardless of weather or heat, were absent from him hands.
"Come in. Mama's not home, but she doesn't want the furniture to melt," Gil said, waving the two into the warehouse.
"You're mum's not home? I thought she would be today," Harry replied. Uma wasn't sure why he was acting so relaxed. Harry was always on edge around Uma's mother.
Wait. Gil's mother is the White Witch?
"Nah. She's having tea with Grimhilde and Lady Tremaine. Both are sucking up to her after their, uh, misunderstanding," Gil said. "Aunt Anna also mentioned in her last letter that self-confinement was not the best idea especially after the way the time ended."
"Gil. Explanation. Now," Uma's words were cold. Gil's stare was even colder. He flicked his wrist, and Uma's feet were encased with ice, securing her to the floor.
"I am in control here, Uma. You do not make demands of me," Gil stated. Harry snorted, he couldn't ever get over serious Gil. "Don't push your luck, Harry. I could kill you in seconds if I decide you are untrustworthy, got it?"
"Yes Gillian."
"Then we are all on the same page," Gil said. He snapped his fingers, and freed Uma from her spot. Uma didn't move. How had Gil done that? Why was she just learning that he had magic?
"You have magic on the Isle?" Uma asked in awe.
"Not quite. Genetic abilities. I cannot access my magic, or feel it. The only time I did was when magic managed to leak through the barrier. I nearly destroyed the warehouse."
"Gil, what aren't you telling me?" Uma could read her boys better than they even realized. She knew that Gil was not telling her something.
"My mom is the White Witch. It is what she is known as here. She isn't a villain, though. She is a prisoner of war," Gil said. He dragged Harry into his room, with Uma following closely behind.
"I didn't know Auradon kept prisoners of war on the Isle," Uma said. Gil closed his eyes.
"Most don't, and it is mainly because all the war prisoners take on different personas to protect themselves. The White Witch, some friends of Rapunzel that were taken from her country under false pretenses, and the bankers from New Orleans, not one of them are evil, but misunderstood prisoners of war."
"Your mother was wrongfully imprisoned?" Uma asked, extremely surprised by this turn of events. She couldn't fathom innocents being on the Isle, and now she is learning that there are many more than she would have ever thought.
Gil grabbed a box wrapped in brown paper from the shelf. He undid the tweed bow and pulled the paper gently away from the box.
"My mother was taken as a prisoner of war because the Auradonian government believed her to be a villain, without any proof," Gil breathed. He turned back to his friends who had taken over sitting on his bed.
"Could've fooled me, Gil. She nearly killed me once," Harry shivered.
"My mother was a very important figure in Arendelle." Gil opened the box and turned it to Harry and Uma. Both of sets of eyes near popped out of their skulls. "This is a gift from my Aunt for my ninth birthday. In my native country it is tradition for royals to receive their first symbol of nobility."
"Your mother is a princess?" Uma demanded. She could not believe her ears. It was not true.
"No. My mother is a Queen. Queen Elsa of Arendelle. I am the crown prince. The next in line for the throne."
"Crown prince!" she shrieked. "You are a fucking prince? Queen Elsa is on the Isle?"
"Yes, Uma. I believe that is what I just said." Uma gently took the box from her second mate. She traced the jewels in the pure white and blue crown.
"Why are you telling me this?" she asked softly.
"I need your help, Uma. We have a plan to get us off the Isle, but we need your help incase those rotten four return. We need the wand, and we believe they are plotting to steal it and bring it back."
"Everyone needs the wand, Gil. It isn't anything new," Uma spat.
"Give him a chance," Harry snapped. He'd been growing impatient with the entire conversation.
"If the barrier falters, Mama and I can break it down entirely. Our magic and ice is unbreakable. The barrier can close around it, but the ice when reinforced with magic is stronger than diamonds. Nothing can penetrate it. It will keep it slightly open. If there is just enough of a disturbance we can destroy the rest of the barrier. The wand can create that destruction."
"You need my help getting the wand and manipulating Mal?"
"And a full pardon, plus immunity and citizenship in your country of choice between Arendelle, DunBroch and Corona," Gil said flippantly. Like the price he was. "If you agree, of course. Otherwise, you can act as if this evening never happened."
Uma was silent for a few moments. Then she took Gil's crown from the box. She turned to him and placed the crown of diamonds on his head. She fell to one knee. "I swear my loyalty to you, my prince, and to Arendelle for the kindness it has already given me." She rose and kissed his forehead. "You are my second mate. Someone I consider family. You and Harry are my brothers. Did you expect anything less?"
Gil grinned the biggest grin she had ever seen him display. He pulled her into a hug.
"Thank you," he whispered into her hair. "I've been afraid to tell you. I thought you'd be mad at me because I have been lying to you for seven years."
She pulled away. "Oh, I'm beyond mad at you and Harry. I thought you trusted me enough to tell me these things!"
"It was a need to know basis, luv," Harry drawled.
"And the fact that you and Gil are sleeping together was also a need to know basis, Harry?" Uma turned on her first mate. She had figured it out after seeing how comfortable Harry had made himself on Gil's bed.
"How did you?" both began.
"You just told me, and the amount of Harry's stuff in your room gave it away as well," Uma said and rolled her eyes. "I now understand why you two share a cabin."
The boys grinned.
"I guess I can say this then. You look very handsome and sexy in that crown and lord attire of yours, Gillian," Harry smiled, and sauntered up to Gil.
"Wonderful. I have two in love bastards as first mates. I expect to see you both on deck bright and early tomorrow. Don't have too much fun."
She turned to leave.
"Uma! Mama want to meet you. Will you come to dinner tomorrow?"
"Sure. I would be honored to meet your mother."
Gil beamed. Uma left as soon as she heard Harry slam his door shut.