AN: Hello, all! I just wanted to say how incredibly happy I am that some of you have taken the time to go and vote for my story on Inkitt! I can't believe I've got people like you in my life. Some of you have reviewed on here asking how to vote, and I wish I could upload a url for you guys to just click on and vote, but this site wont let me do anything like that!)): so, I think you can just go to Inkitt's website (I literally can't even type it; just google inkitt ) and click on the contest portion, and then click on the fandom portion. My story is the same title as this one (Mad World) but my username is different on that site (it's bagel_princess) so watch out for that and dont let it confuse you! Voting will be up until the 21st of October, and then they will decide the winners. I really don't have that much confidence on winning (I'm like 8th place right now), but I'd like to give it the ol' college try haha. Again, thank you all for being your lovely radiant selves. Here's another chapter! Enjoy!
I wander the halls frantically, searching for anyone that can possibly help me.
Finally, as I round a corner and find myself in the entrance of the House, I see, with a shock, Peter. He is talking to Daphne, who wears a charismatic smile on her face as she talks to her father-in-law. There are two guards behind him, who notice me before the other two.
"Halt!" one of them yells.
I slow only slightly. It isn't until one of the men raises a gun to me that I actually come to a complete stop. "Please," I say, "he's really hurt."
Peter notices the blood on my hands before the others. "Cassius?" he asks, looking alarmed.
I shake my head. "Julius," I say. "They're in your office."
Peter's face has gone white, but his face gives away no emotion. He jerks his head at the two guards and they jog off, toward where I had just come from.
"What happened?" Peter asked, following the guards, not giving me warning to keep up with him.
I quicken my pace to match his. His steps are sure, confident. I trip over the hem of my gown and say, "He stabbed Julius. As a warning." I'm not sure how much I am allowed to give away to Peter, since I'm pretty sure the twins have agreed to overthrow the House without his permission.
We make it to his back office, Daphne only a second behind us, and Peter opens the hidden door. "How did he gain access to my office?" he asks.
Cassius looks up from where he is kneeling at Julius' side, his eyes wide. The guards are there, looking at the wound, discussing how best to move his body to a better working space. "Is he even worth the medical equipment?" one of them muses.
Oh, god, they might let him die.
"Yes," Peter, Cassius, and I all snap at the same time. Alarmed, I look at Peter, surprised that he'd even answered. Cassius looks just as perplexed, looking to his father for an explanation.
"He is useful, for now," Peter continues, "absolutely vital for this mission. We need him alive. Take him to the medical ward."
The guards listen, lifting Julius' now limp body and carrying it from the room. My bloodstained hands flutter uselessly, not knowing what to do.
"You should have been more careful," Cassius says, eyes hard.
Peter waves a hand airily and rolls his eyes. "We were as careful as-"
"As careful as you want to be," Cassius interrupts, "is not careful enough."
"Do not ever presume to speak to me like that again." Peter's eyes are hard now, too.
A moment of silence passes, then, "Did you get what you needed?"
Peter considers. "Mostly. It turns out that James is in cohorts with the Enchantress; she's the one who's telling him what to do."
"So what do I need to do?" Cassius says at the same time that I say, "Who's James?"
Peter's eyes gloss over me, like they would a dead animal. "I need you to go to her, convince her that our side is the one to be on. The pirates are fighting a losing battle and I think she knows it more than anyone."
Cassius nods once. "As soon as Julius is able, we-"
"No," Peter says. "You must go now."
Cassius is on his feet the next instant, facing his father. "She wont listen if it's just me," he says, "she despises the Royals; it's probably why she sided with the Pirates in the first place. She needs to see that the Lost Boys are on our side as well."
"So take one of them."
"I'll go," I volunteer.
They both look at me this time, surprised that I have said something.
"Who better than The Woman in White, Julius' right hand?" I ask. "That should be enough to convince her."
"Absolutely not," Cassius says. "It's Julius or no one."
"It's someone or this whole mission has failed," Peter says.
"I'll take Bud," he says, "he runs the Tavern."
"He also doesn't know anything that's going on," I argue.
"Neither do you," Cassius snaps.
"I've been there for every interaction that you, Julius, and Maxim have had," I say, though I'm not sure if it's true or not. "I'd say I know more than you're trying to let on."
"Enough," Peter says, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "The both of you will leave tomorrow morning; expect to arrive at her Island in two weeks' time. Do not," he continues, nailing Cassius with a glance as soon as he's opened his mouth to argue, "speak on this any further. This is final." With that, he leaves the room.
Leaving Daphne, Cassius, and I alone.
Cassius crosses the room and takes Daphne's hands. "I wont be gone long," he promises her. "Back before you know it."
Daphne smiles, though the gesture is half hearted. She nods and says, "I love you."
I look away as they embrace.
He now turns to me. "Get some rest while you can," he says emotionlessly. "This is going to be a rough journey." With that, he leaves the room.
Before following, Daphne turns to me and says, "I forgive you, you know," before leaving as well.
Before I go I want to give a super super shout out to Camille JA, who wrote the sweetest little review on my inkitt story and who also has a rad Peter Pan one-shot on fanfiction. I also want to thank little ashyangel, who also told me that she voted for my inkitt competition piece as well! I just looked through her stuff and her avengers fanfics are pretty great! Go check these ladies out! Thank you again guys!