Remy's POV:
I pretended to be cool, calm, collected, and forgiving. When Raybha explained why I hadn't been told yet, I wasn't listening, but I caught parts here and there. And when I heard 'figure it out for yourself' I completely tuned out. Peter looked calm, but looked everywhere but my eyes. Guilt.
When we got back to camp, Raybha told me that my new position as a Breaker would be resumed the next day. But, as Peter walked away as quick as he could without running, I turned to Raybha.
"Can we do it tonight? Please?"
Raybha shook her head and simply said "Fresh sunlight. Tomorrow."
And with that she swept off, bottles clinking, back to her tent. I stared after her in awe, wondering how she kept her cool all the time.
As I walked back to my tent, I couldn't help noticing a lot of eyes on me. The camp was unusually busy and chatty, and my hands were clutching the sword protectively. I realised the reality of the situation I was about to get myself into hadn't fully sunken in yet. But, as I retreated into a thankfully empty tent, lay the sword under my bed, crawled into the bed and threw the covers over my head, it dawned on me.
Aaya.
Curly.
Tootles.
Raybha.
The tribe.
Maybe even Peter, would all forget me. They would never remember me. They would go on living, as though this had never happened. To have Hook forget me was somewhat unimportant, because honestly, I really couldn't bring myself to care about him.
The air under the covers was hot and getting warmer. I came up for air only to be greeted by a shadow outside my tent.
"Knock, knock."
Tadhg.
Oh God no. I didn't need this, not right now. I needed to think about what I was going to do, attempt to prepare myself. Do something that would make all the future heartbreak even a little worthwhile.
But before I even knew it I was up and standing, hands automatically smoothing my hair.
"Come in."
The person I had sometimes – most of the time – thought about walked in with a slight smile on his face. I tried to return it, but I was too distracted.
"Hey."
I fidgeted. "Hey."
He looked at the flaps behind him.
"What's up?" I asked quickly.
"I –"
"Remy? Can we come in?"
Another voice. I wanted the ground to swallow me up.
"Yeah, sure."
Unsurprisingly Peter stepped in, pulling Sean along with him. Sean. I felt so much happier seeing him. It seemed like so long since I had some time with my best friend. And when we smiled at each other, I could tell he was thinking the exact same thing.
Peter, however, was a different matter.
"Hey, Alex," he said, rather friendly. I was shocked, because number one : I thought Peter didn't even like him, and number two : I forgot that Tadhg had another more used name. I wondered if I should stop with the Tadhg thing.
"Well, Peter," Tadhg said, friendlier than ever. I noticed Sean was tense when they spoke. Obviously. He had only been discussing this situation and my lovelife with Curly a little before.
For a short moment an awkward silence fell over us like a thick fog. I felt like I was going to crack.
"Did you need something, Peter?" I asked, trying to mask my impatience.
"Oh. Yeah. The Chief wants to see you."
"Me?" I asked incredulously. "Why?" Then I felt stupid. Why would the Chief, the leader of the tribe that I was attempting to save from extinction, need me?
"He never said." I noticed Peter looked tense too. Sean still looked a bit worried.
"I don't get it."
Without a word, Sean reached out and drew back one of the tent flaps.
"Oh," I said.
Every single head of the tribe looked in my direction. They were all standing in a group, facing away from the tent. The Chief stood in front of them, with Aaya. I gulped. This didn't look good at all. My eyes must've given me away because Tadhg took my arm politely and pulled me out of the tent as gently as he could. The tribe parted like the red sea, but I wasn't feeling very Holy. I wanted to be sick.
So that's what Tadhg wanted me for. I couldn't help feeling just a tiny bit disappointed.
But for a moment I forgot where I was and remembered the first time I had spoken to the tribe, after Curly had found me lost and taken me to them. How things had changed. How lives had changed.
How things would be forgotten.
As soon as Tadhg let go of my arm I snapped out of it, realising he had left me beside the Chief and disappeared back into the crowd. It was a small crowd, but I was already sweating. Whatever this was, I could only register one thought : all of these faces would soon forget me.
Then the Chief started to speak, and the whole tribe was fixated on him. Aaya, on his right, translated for me and the lads.
"Today," said Aaya, who spoke loudly so she wouldn't be overshadowed by the Chief's booming voice, "a message was found in the camp. It was found at the tent of Remy Kingsley."
What?
I realised that was me, that a message had been left for me. At my tent. Probably pinned to the flaps. No wonder everyone had been staring at me.
"It had not been seen until a while ago," Aaya stated. I had probably passed it out this morning, when I was too full of curiosity to notice it. But what I did notice then and there, was that Aaya was looking terrified. The Chief looked grim. I felt fear seeping in my veins, creeping into my mind, suffocating my train of thought. This was bad.
"The message," Aaya continued, a little shaky, "was signed by James Hook."
My hands clenched into fists. This was very bad.
"And it –" Aaya stopped for a breather " – declared war on the Indian Tribe."
The faces in the crowd were filled with sorrow, tears, hopelessness. But most of all, they were filled with anger.
My whole body was radiating anger. My fists were shaking.
The Chief had pulled out a long and worn dirty old piece of paper, and unrolled it. He spoke, taking a long quote from it, and almost the entire tribe gasped at every few words. My desperate eyes found all of the lads in one little huddle. Jamie, Aaron, Jason and Eddie were looking at the Chief. Tadhg was looking at Aaya, waiting for her translation. Peter was looking at me. And it was clear he already knew what Aaya was about to say.
"I, Captain James Hook, of Neverland, declare war on the Indian Tribe for their two heinous crimes that threaten the peace of our world. The first crime : Harbouring a criminal. The second crime : Assisting a criminal in their activities. Both crimes refer to the criminal in question, Remy Kingsley."
The lads were yelling in anger, groaning and shaking their heads.
I simply stood there. I wasn't angry anymore. I was sorting through Hook's words in my head, trying to figure out his real plan. None of this would really be any use to him. Not unless there was something else behind it.
And, as it turned out, there was.
The Chief wasn't done yet, and Aaya followed in English.
"But, I have a proposal. If the Indian tribe hand over Remy Kingsley, this matter will be forgotten, the criminal will face the outcome of their crimes and we shall be at peace. I would suggest you contemplate wisely. The criminal must be delivered to the beach where a boat will be waiting. You have three hours to make a decision."
And the camp erupted into chaos.
A/N : Much Summer. Such Busy. Very sorry.
By the way, if you're wondering how to pronounce Tadhg, think of it as 'tiger' but drop the 'r'. Sorry, I should have explained sooner. Hope everyone is having a great Summer! Until next time! X R&R!