AN: Sorry for not updating for awhile. It's been years since my last update on this story! Hopefully you'll like it. Read and Review please :)
I can feel the sea breeze rushing through my face. I can hear the calm cascade of the waters beneath me. I slowly opened my eyes and I was awed by the beauty of the sun setting in front of me. The sky was painted with orange, violets and blue. The water of the sea is sparkling due to the light of the sun. The view was absolutely perfect.
I looked down upon myself. I am in my younger form. This place seemed familiar! I turned my head behind me; I was in a ship! I haven't been in a ship since... since... when? I took a step and looked around the ship. I feel as if this was a distant memory. I was familiar with this ship, but how?
As I continued to walk through the vessel, at a distance I saw a boy standing near the edge of the ship. I walked slowly to him, I wasn't trying to be discreet but he seemed to be motionless.
"Hello?" I said softly, I can feel a lump in my throat that made me find difficulty in speaking.
The boy slowly turned to me, a smile playing on his face. He was handsome. He has those golden locks, soft ocean blue eyes and a dimple on his left cheek. He reminded me of those princes printed on the cover of the children's books.
My heart jumped the moment I saw him smiling at me. Why do I feel affectionate all of a sudden? Why do I feel a connection with him?
"Wendy" he said softly, his soothing voice rang to my ears and I swear I can feel a shiver up my spine.
"How do you-?" I tried to speak, by my mouth doesn't seem to open so that I could speak. Instead, I could feel my lips tug into a smile. Why doesn't my body move as I wanted it to be?
"Promise me, Wendy. Don't forget about me" he said, his eyes looked down on his feet. Why would he say that to me? What is he to me?
"Always remember that I will be there for you. I will protect you, may it be the rain. I won't forget you, Wendy"
I was confused. There are many questions I wanted to ask, but my body can't seem to speak of it. Who is he? Where am I? When my body was supposed to speak back to him, everything turned black.
My eyes fluttered open. I quickly sat up and took a deep breath. It was the same dream again. I have been having weird dreams lately. I rubbed my eyes and yawned loudly; before I realized our nurse barged through my door.
"Wake up, Lady Wendy! You will be late for your meeting with your aunt Millicent!" she said loudly as she skidded to the window. She forcefully opened the rose curtains and I squinted lightly as the beam of sunlight went inside the room.
"Can't you just give me a few more minutes?" I took my blanket and plopped down on my bed once more, wrapping myself in the cloth. The nurse doesn't seem to take no as an answer. She snatched up my blankets forcefully. I groaned loudly, I swear that my body doesn't seem to like the idea of going out of bed at this moment.
"Wendy Moira Angela Darling, do you have any idea how difficult it is to wake you up each morning?! You are a grown up lady and I was expecting you to act like one!"
"But Nana, the meeting will be in exactly 10 o' clock, I still got lots of time" I said groggily as I slowly sat up once more.
"There is no time to lose. Your mother gave me direct order to groom you this morning"
"Groom me?"
"Yes, and by that you will have to wear your best dress and put on some expensive perfume. It would take time to do that. I wouldn't want to disappoint your parents" The nurse said as she was setting aside clothes and books that were scattered on the floor.
"What is this for?" I asked, not liking where this conversation is going.
"Who knows? It seems like your father has planned something for you" the nurse said nonchalantly as I lazily stood up from my bed. I tried to wipe the sleep off my eyes, but it really wasn't working.
The nurse looked at me. A trace of disgust can be seen through the expression on her face as she scrutinized me once more.
"What?" I twisted a lock of my light brown hair between my fingers, averting her gaze.
"You need lots of work, Lady Darling" she said simply as she approached me. I scratched the back of my head before the nurse pushed me into the washroom.
Other maids helped in washing me. I feel like I'm such an incapable pup that can't even wash herself. After my bath I was forced to try on different dresses. It was really tiring; they make you wear clothes that aren't even beautiful and when worn it only makes you look ridiculous. In the end, I was able to settle down with something more decent and simple than the others. The dress was a simple light blue dress that fits perfectly with me. A gold necklace with small sapphire stones adorning it was worn around my neck. And a light blue ribbon was tied in my hair.
"Don't move too much, Wendy." The nurse reprimanded me as she is about to apply a lipstick on my lips.
"Can you just please spare me with the lipstick?" I begged
"No, this is the last step, Wendy. Bear with it"
In the end, she won. And now I was about to get out of the room when my brothers intercepted me in the lobby. Michael had an amused smile on his face while John doesn't seem to be amused at all.
"Well, look at what my sister has become! What happened to you? You look like a man stuck in a woman's clothing!" Michael teased as he played with my hair. I playfully swatted his hand away and snatched his hat from his hands.
"Oh shut up. You are just lucky you don't have to wear something ridiculous. Perhaps wearing this hat would make me a lot prettier in your eyes?" I said as I placed his hat on my head.
"Oh please, sister dear. Whatever you wear won't make you any prettier. Even a dress made of straws won't make you beautiful" Michael said and skilfully dodged a playful slap I was about to give him. If I'm going to describe Michael, he doesn't seem to change at all. He may have grown into a man but he seems to still have a heart of a young boy.
"That's enough, Michael. Quit acting like a child" John spat as he snatched the hat off my head and threw it at Michael. John was a different matter. He grew up as a serious man just like father. It's as if he never became a child to begin with.
"Aww... Don't be such a sourpuss, John" Michael grinned and John rolled his eyes at his younger brother.
"Michael's right, John. You have to loosen up sometimes. You are just so serious"
"Pardon me for having such proper etiquettes unlike this poor excuse of a brother of mine here-"
"What did you call me?" Michael exclaimed but John disregarded him
"- I do not think that you, my dear sister, is in the right position to tell me of what I am supposed to do. I am a grown man and I have set my priorities. You should act as a grown up woman as well, sister."
I only have to smile at my brother's way of speaking. He is just as lot like father in any angle I can think of. In a way, he really has a point. I really am supposed to act like a lady, and as an older sister to the both of them. And seeing this scenario of ours make me think that John looks more like the eldest child than I am.
"I know, I got your point, John" I said simply
"You know, this is exactly the main reason why you still don't have a girlfriend up until now!" Michael spat at his brother before receiving a smack at the back of his head.
"Lady Darling, your transportation is ready" the driver called out.
"I have some meeting to attend to. Say, where are my other brothers?" I asked before taking my leave
"Ah, they are busy. They'll be home soon, Wendy" John replied. I nodded and took my leave.
"Hey! Bring home some Turkish Delights for me, Wendy!" Michael yelled
"I won't forget it!" I yelled back.
xXxXxXxXx
"What are you talking about?!" I shouted, standing from the couch. All of their eyes were glued at me, even the maids are.
"Wendy, calm down and sit back on the couch" George Darling, my father, said calmly.
"But father! I can't go on with this!" I shouted once more. If you are wondering what's happening here and I was freaking out, it's simple. I am in for a marriage. An arranged marriage! Now that explains the reason why I am groomed earlier. Of course, that's what I have been prepared for all these years!
"Wendy, please" Mary Darling, my mother, begged. I tried to look away from her, before looking at my father once more.
"This is just unbelievable! You are just going to give away from a man I barely even know?!" I screamed pointing at the man who silently sat on the couch while drinking his tea. If you are wondering who this man I'm supposed to marry is, his name is Matthew Hayes, a banker who is the son of father's boss.
"Pardon her behaviour, Mr. Hayes. She's just shocked that's all. She'll get over this, I assure you" Aunt Millicent said to Matthew.
"Oh, it's alright. I understand." He said politely with a smile on his face. That smile made me feel like I'm going to burst then and there. How can he smile when I'm obviously furious at him?!
"Oh no, you absolutely have no idea what I'm feeling right now!" I blurted out, though he doesn't look offended at all. He just has that smile on his face.
"Wendy! Stop this nonsense! You are a woman and this is what you are destined to do!" Father finally stood up and went face to face with me. Now he's just as angry as I am, probably because I'm humiliating all of us with my behaviour. I don't mind at all.
"It's just unfair! Why can't I live a life wherein you cannot dictate me of what I'm supposed to do?!" I snapped back at him, tear forming in my eyes
"All you ever did was to turn me into someone I never wanted to be! You never understood me! And now you are going to sell me into some rich bastard-" I felt my cheek go numb when father landed a slap on my cheek. I was stunned; I never expected that he is capable of doing that. All of them stood up; Matthew, Aunt Millicent, mother, even the servants stopped and stared at the both of us.
I saw realization and fear in my father's face.
"I-I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to-" he stuttered, but I can no longer stand to stay in there. Mother took father in her arms and looked at me pleadingly. It's as if she already knew that I was about to run away, she wanted me to stay.
I can no longer bear the tension rising in the room. I quickly ran to door.
"Wendy!" I heard my mom scream, but I never stopped. As soon as I got out of the house, I continued to run. It was raining hard. The sky was covered with gray clouds and the streets were gloomier than ever. I can feel judging glances from the people around me. It's not normal for them to see a woman wearing expensive clothing to run around in the streets without anything to cover her from the rain.
My eyes kept shedding tears as I ran aimlessly. I just wanted to go away from them. Away from the life I've known right now. I stopped running and sat like a homeless cat in a dark alleyway, soaked in the rain. I buried my face in my hands. Why can things happen the way they are in fairy tales? Why did I have to go through this? If I knew this would happen, I would've wished everyday in my life that I never grew up. I should've wished I lived in a place where I will never grow up.
Every drop of cold rain felt like a knife piercing through my skin. I never yearned for security like this my whole life. I was hopeless. I was confused. Should I return home, or should I run away forever?
It was then I felt no drop of rain fell on me. Yet I can still hear the falling of rain. What happened? I looked up and saw a man standing over me; his coat covered me from the rain. He was smiling down on me. His smile made my heart race. His curly blonde locks were now soaked because of the rain and his soft ocean blue eyes were looking straight at me.
"Don't worry. I'm here. I will protect you from the rain" he said softly