The trio made their way to Ursula's fish and ships in pleasant silence. They reach the dinner and Uma pushed open the ranch styled doors. Harry
left his sword in the barrel at the check-up point, at the entrance. As for the kid, she seems to contemplate cautiously her new surroundings.
They meet Gill on his way out – two seemingly heavy plastic bags in his hands. The sea witch appreciated his work with a sharp nob. Harry gives
him a loud pat on his shoulder and he's out of the establishment.
Ursula's daughter discarded her cumbersome jacket on the counter. She throws some stray braids over her shoulder and invites the blond to sit
with a shake of her arm.
"Make yourself comfortable, I'll bring you somethin' to eat."
The captain heads towards the kitchen.
She does as she's instructed. Mandy walks to one of the high chair. But she struggles to keep her balance on the seat. The girl starts to slip out of
her chair, her fingers gripping the edges of the counter.
But a swiftly movement prevents her to hit the ground. She looks up to the hard features of the Captain's right hand.
"Careful there."
He's holding her still by the waist and redirects her to face the counter. He retrieves his hook from his pant's loops, before putting it on the table.
The boy takes a chair beside her.
Mandy gives him a sidelong glance. She notes his leather overcoat missing. Only a hooded tank top covers his body. Well, barely. Since its
essentially just shreds. What's his name again? The twelve years old inquires inwardly.
He caught her staring and she averts her eyes hurriedly. So hurriedly in fact, her eyes almost roll right off her face. Her head spins and Mandy
almost missed the broad grin carved on his face. The pirate turns his body to face her, resting his head on the palm of his hand.
"What's ye name again, lass? I didn't catch it."
"Mandy", she responds, scraping the shabby wood.
He acknowledges her name with a low hum. Mandy raises hazel orbs from the wood to give him an inquisitive glance.
"What about you?" She questioned, the high pitch of her voice wobbling.
"Harry. Uh, Hook. Harry Hook."
She was just about to inform him that "it's just Mandy" for her. But Uma – her crew chants her name all too often for her to forget it – comes
back to them. Two plates in hands.
She places one plate in front of her. Fried clams and French fries faces her. The rumble of her stomach causes her cheeks to burst in
embarrassment. Uma chuckles and with a ruffle of hair invites her to take a bite. Mandy doesn't need to be asked twice.
Uma passes his plate to Harry. He digs in his fries and she ops on a chair to cross the other side of the counter. She reached the button of the tv
to turn it on. The slight buzz on the screen fills the silence of the room.
The sea witch fills her hands with all that is out of place: mostly steins and bowls that fell out of their shelf. She grabs a rag to scrap at the
remains of food left on the screen.
Suddenly, periwinkle hair and emerald eyes form under her cloth. Uma let her hand fall to her side. She takes a step back to absorb all Mal's
Auradon's aura. Concentrated in the way she talked – so courteous and smooth. The way she stands – shoulders not hunching, chin high, chest
forward. Pride in the Lady's court smile.
And usually resentment and rage would combust in her insides.
The events of cotillion had her thinking. She spent six months pinning their miserable states of life on Mal. And why is that? Because she
portrayed her as a traitor. In turning her back on evil, she'd forgotten all that were remaining on this godforsaken island.
However, was it really up to her? To alter whatever destiny that were chosen for them?
Maleficient's daughter wasn't even the Lady's court at the time. So, even if she – hypothetically speaking – did want to act, the decision doesn't
fall on her. Even now, as she's the... What? Fiancé, Bride? Whatever. Uma knows that she does not have the power to make this decision – the
place, god damn it. Only the influence to make it happen.
And frankly, Uma likes to think that the only influence she got to have is under the sheets.
The sea witch can't help but let escape a sneer from under her mask of concentration.
So yeah. What Uma did comprehend is that she's directing all her bitterness at the wrong person.
Rightfully so, ain't that right?
Her eyebrows knitted in the center of her forehead. Misty browns look up from the rag she was holding to the smile of the Lady of the court,
addressed to the reporters. She heard a faint growl in the distance as she turns off the tv.
Uma tosses the cloth on the table, before she goes up on a chair. She rises on top of it and passes over the blank space between the counter and
the seat.
The wood cracks under her heels and Harry looks up from his food to give her a simper. His captain takes a place beside him on the counter. She
rests her boots on the chair and leans back, blowing some lost braid out of her face. Her lips part to let out a deep sigh and her shoulders slump.
"Ye not eating anithin'?"
"Already munched on some fish cake, I'm not that hungry", she finished, waving his worry off.
He pushes his tray in her direction. She gives him a glare.
"Ya know I hate French fries."
"What about clams, eh?" He responds, a sly grin stretching his lips.
He knows she adores them, the bastard. She snarls at him, but still extends a hand towards his plate. She chews on the food and his lips curls on
some more fries.
Hook cleans off the oil on his lips with the back of his gloved hand. He turns his attention to the empress at his side.
"Did ye thought about a way to put a roof over our new comrades' head?"
"I did", she breathes, twisting a braid between her fingers. "I was thinking of abandoned premises. We could just reorganize 'em, what do you
think?"
"That could work."
Harry's seemed ready to articulate his next thoughts, when he steals a glance towards the kid. Who was hunching over her plate to hear
anything.
He leans closer to Uma and she responds by lowering her head. He proceeds to whisper:
"Just hoping we won't run into the owner, or worse, a new occupant. Ye know better than I do that these homes are abandoned because of what
happens to their owner."
"I know."
Her features steeled. She heard from her Ma – because she was a slut for drama – that the latest one was the Queen of Hearts. Her daughter ran
out of home. Leaving the queen all by herself – her husband long gone, weary of her narcissistic tendencies and her craving for control. It was
more that she could bare – no one to give me attention? Put my head in a noose! pestered Ursula. Quite literally.
"We'll have to be cautious", Uma adds.
She catches the sharp nob Harry gives her, before the cook appeared out of the kitchen. The sea witch's daughter leaves her spot on the counter.
The woman greats her with a smile.
"I'm off", she affirms when Uma is close enough to hear her.
The teen acknowledged her with a nod of her head. There's a moment of silent, when the browns she'd seen less dull just stares off in the
distance. Her lips part to inquire about her well-being, but the words dies on her lips.
"There's an empty place in your building!" Uma exclaimed out of the blue.
"What? Well, there is but what for?"
A glint of pure hope breaks out from under the veil of dullness.
"Harry and I are trying to find a safe home for some orphans we took in earlier in the day."
The chef's lost look melts away to reveal a broad smile. She settles her hands upon Uma's shoulders, beaming at her. And Uma feels the warmth
of her palms pooling in her insides. She'd always stiffened when feeling that way. Sure, she's used to her first mate's proximity. However, Lottie's
warmth was different. It lodges in her abdomen, loosen up the tension in her shoulders and breaks apart all her hard countenance. She can't
decide between hating it – because Uma just feels so open – or cherishing the state of tranquility it brought her.
"I would love to help you find them a place to stay. I think the apartment was deserted. It's in a descent state, so there wouldn't be much to do.
Apart from bringing over all that they'll need to feel comfortable."
Her exclamation brings back Uma from her reverie.
"Oh, uh, yeah, great. Then I'll just have to send my crew hunting for some necessities."
She thinks this could work. She'll have Jonas, Gonzo – not Desiree or Bonnie, she got other plans for them – pilfer the market for some blankets
and pillows. She wonders if they'll be able to sneak out of the bazar some mattresses. Uma will have to sort through all that tomorrow.
"That's a plan. I can also help reorganizing the apartment. It'll definitely need some sweeping."
"Right", Uma agrees.
The teen graces her with a gentle curve of her lips. She appeared so serene and levelheaded that Lottie doubted the girl's identity. Was it really
the same Uma who declared to eradicate her enemy through mollusks thrown on screen?
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. We'll figure out the rest."
"That works for me."
Lottie passes through the doors and she follows her with her eyes, hands on hips. God, what was she even doing on this fucking dump? A sigh
passed through her lips and she went back to join her two guests.
Just as they pushed away their dinner plates, empty.