Epilogue

There was a small army of people standing on the docks that day. Lost boys, lost girls, united in one common cause. Farewell.

Killian had always said that the Jolly Roger was enchanted, but Evie never really understood until now, exactly why that was. But when they'd placed his body alongside the deceased lost ones, the ship's sails had unfurled on their own, and the minute they'd cast the ship off from the dock, she had sailed her captain out to sea.

"Pan," Evie murmured quietly, refusing to let tears fall from her eyes. And with one hand in hers, he let the other glow a brilliant red before the ship erupted into flames, burning away the remnants of the amazing man who once sailed these seas.

And gradually the lost girls went home, and the lost boys went back to their inn. But there were kind waves, perhaps even some kind words. Maybe after all this, they were on the same side after all.

When it was just Pan, Felix, Emma with Ash, and Evie, that was when Evie finally broke the silence.

"Highmark and the Evil Queen will pay for this."

Pan looked at the anger in her eyes pitifully. Revenge. She wanted revenge.

"Evie…"

"You want a kingdom don't you, Pan," She turned to him fully. "You want this kingdom don't you…"

"I did…" Not after these events. Not when there was so much grief woven through their people.

"Take mine."

"What?!" His eyes widened in shock. He'd never even considered…

"After my parents died, Regina took over my kingdom. She doesn't use it, save for taxing the people more than they can afford. It's guarded, but with magic, you should be able to do it. Provided you can get it back, it's yours."

"You would give it to me?" Pan's eyes were widening. She would give him a kingdom.

"Yes." Evie said without thought. If it would protect this place… If she could control Highmark…and surely, surely Pan wasn't as bad as he seemed. Maybe she could stop warring with herself. Maybe she could give herself over to loving him as he could her.

And Evie glanced at Emma, her figure hunched over and lost in grief as she clutched Ash to her.

"Emma," Evie murmured, trying to break her from her trance, "Emma, will you help us?"

"Why?" Emma said distantly, Ash looked up at Emma curiously, unable to figure out why everyone was crying. "My kingdom's no longer in danger from him," she eyed Pan disinterestedly.

"But this isn't about him, sister," Evie said softly, "This is about me."

Emma looked up at Evie then, her eyes shining. In that moment, she looked seven years old again. Like the girl who would run through the halls of Evie's palace in the summer holidays – the girl who would pick the Night Orchids from their stalks.

Well, at least that what she would have looked like if her eyes weren't so filled with grief that she could barely compose sentences.

"You want it back," Emma whispered. "You want your home back."

"I do," Evie said with concern, "But…if you wanted to go back…to David and Snow…"

Emma was staring longingly out to sea; her green eyes reflecting the blue. And in those depths there were many things she wished she could forget, but things she knew – someone she knew – she didn't want to forget.

"They aren't my home," she breathed, tears escaping her eyes. She turned to Pan and Evie as Emma held Ash close to her. They were standing there, waiting for her to make her final decision. Her shoulders back and her head tall, Emma faced them firmly with a strength that she could fake until she learnt it once again.

"Okay then," Emma said, stepping away from the shoreline. She had to get out of there before she broke down once again. "Let's go take back the Citadel of Stars."

And as the four of them resolved their journey, Pan held tightly to the note in his hand. It was a note that had been posted under his door the morning after he knew he felt something for Evie, so close, it had rocked him to the core. Written in the neat cursive of a dead man, the words were imprinted behind his eyes.

Be a better man for her, Pan. She deserves it.

The story continues in:

Paperchains

26.2.14