A/N: Hey Team!
So, I've been writing loads. Need to get a job, but still haven't. Meh. What is life?
#rewatchingfirst7episodesofseason3 #robbiekayseyebrows #melts
Anywho, here's the next chapter! Thank you so much for the reviews! (LOVE THEM AS ALWAYS) And my dear followers and favourites. Thank you!
Enjoy! xx
Contract
Ella waited until Hook had left before she walked into the camp. Pan greeted her with open arms that she stayed two feet away from at all times. He wasn't put off at all, merely enquiring, "What news do you have for me? Hook came through with his part, now I want yours."
"You know about Liam," she began and Pan nodded, "Of course."
"And his lover?" Ella hesitantly asked, knowing she didn't have a name to back that up with, but Pan did, "Milah."
"What about his father?"
Pan's eyes shot up to hers at that point, glinting as a small smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "Now we're getting somewhere."
He walked over to a log and sat on the floor, leaning back against the wood easily. He motioned for Ella too to take a seat, but she remained standing up, arms crossed and guarded.
"I'm not in the mood Ella," Pan sighed, "Take a seat."
Ella's legs folded beneath her, not exactly relaxing her into a sitting position, but at least bringing her to the ground and Pan's eye level.
"So what's the story with his father?"
"He killed him," Ella answered, "And he didn't exactly seem remorseful about it."
Pan seemed to ponder her words for a moment before inquiring, "He didn't see you did he? That could've been why he held back –"
"No," Ella said positively. Even if he had, it was after he let out the secret not before.
"Well, you haven't exactly been the stealthiest weapon about, have you E?" Pan shrugged. "Maybe it's time to take you out of the field – "
"No!" she said quickly, her eyes widening in fear at the prospect of resigning her weapons. What would she be without them? Pan smiled darkly as she said urgently, "From now on I'll be a thief in the night. Undetectable. You won't even see me."
"Of course I'll see you," Pan replied, staring her down as he stood up. "You do what I say."
Ella was unable to move as Pan stood over her. She looked up at his silhouette, tapping her fingers fretfully on her knee as he continued.
"It's been a long time since we went over our agreement Ella," Pan said, beginning to walk around her in a close circle. She found herself staring at the ground more than him, moving the dirt into patterns on the ground as his voice fell over her.
"You remain here to do my will," he began, and she nodded shortly.
"You do not fight me. You do not attack me. You do not question me."
Those in fact, were physical impossibilities for Ella. She'd never known exactly why, but it seemed like Pan's magic made the contract so binding that she couldn't fight him. Thing was, Pan didn't invoke the contract a whole lot. She was lucky in that manner she supposed. Over time she'd just gone about doing what Pan wanted without him having to order.
She'd stabbed him pretty badly once and that was kind of the reason why they were in this predicament . That was nine years ago. After learning of her abilities he'd found more uses for her than what he'd intended. And now her refutes just came verbally. She didn't want to be his meek little toy.
"And the terms still remain the same if –"
"You challenge me?" Pan said, pulling Ella to her feet by her forearm. He looked into her glowing purple eyes and muttered carefully with a small smile, "I know exactly where your friends are on the other side."
And Ella had no idea whether Pan was telling the truth or not but she had no other choice than to believe him.
"Walk with me," he ordered, purposefully invoking his magic just so she knew his power's hold on her. She fell into step beside him, breathing evenly and ignoring the tension that built between the two of them. "So we need to find out more about Hook's father," Pan said, looking out onto the path ahead of them. "I don't believe we're going to find answers around here."
"Why don't you just send a lost boy?" Ella asked, knowing that he was merely hanging her freedom before and she was reacting like a cat pawing at string.
"That would be about as effective as sending you Ella," Pan said, almost laughing. "I'm not just letting you all run away. No, I do still have connections. It'll just take a little more effort than normal."
"And here I was thinking that you ran this island on belief not effort," Ella sighed as they walked out along the cliff path.
"Well maybe if someone would start believing in me," Pan replied, raising his eyebrows at her.
"Start giving me a reason to," she replied spitefully.
The two of them reached the end of the path to Ella's cave which Pan looked at with a hint of disgust, "You know you don't have to live up here. There's plenty of room-"
"No thanks," Ella said extremely quickly, knowing exactly where that sentence was going. At that moment Pan turned around to face her, blocking out her view of the island. Instead, her eyes were met with murky green materials that she turned away from, not wanting to meet his gaze.
Pan touched her chin, drawing her gaze back to his as he looked at her knowingly, "You can't keep running forever Ella. One day soon, you'll come to me."
Ella had a snide remark to give back to him, but the reminder of their contract still hung eerily close in her mind. And faces flashed behind her closed eyes as she thought of the people she was protecting.
And defeated, pulling herself from his touch, she murmured, "Yes Pan."
He seemed satisfied and took one last look at Ella before he walked back down the path towards his camp. She walked forward to the edge of the cliff and stood there momentarily. She wondered what it would be like beyond the horizon – to go home.
This cliff was a sanctuary for her. It was strange, considering when she had first come to Neverland, this cliff had been the site of numerous escape attempts…in any way possible. Until Pan ordered her not to try again. She couldn't leave Neverland now – not in any way.
And lost in her thoughts, Ella didn't hear the footsteps creeping up behind her. In the moments before she breathed in the red poppy dust around her, she could have sworn she saw the glinting of silver from the corner of her eye.
But a moment later, Ella was asleep.