Chapter 25: The Blind, Beautiful Princess
PETER PAN'S POV
Peter Pan worked to keep his face blank and his mouth hard as he watched the head of white hair eventually disappear into the forest, its faint light going with it. The forest looked so much darker as he dismissed the Lost Boys into it, even though it was still morning.
"Back to our games, boys," he tried to snicker, but his voice cracked and he cursed himself mentally. They didn't move for a second, and Peter threw a burning glare at them. They scattered instantly, noisily. Peter didn't care, he couldn't focus on them, only on the burning in his chest. Oh, he was angry. So, so angry. The trees started to sway and the distant booms of thunder rose up, but Peter shoved it down at the feel of Felix's hand heavy on his shoulder.
Peter shook it off and growled at him, but the taller boy interrupted. "Let's go kill some pirates," he suggested, voice full of as much anger as Peter's body. It was thickly laced with other emotions too, but Peter ignored it in favor of his suggestion. He needed to expel this energy somehow, and what better way than scaring and fighting some filthy, obnoxious grown-ups?
Gathering the Boys, Felix just behind his right shoulder, Peter sauntered down to the shore and watched the ship, lips twisting into a smirk at the faint sounds of groaning. Half opening the invisible, magical dome that kept them trapped, Peter allowed the pirates to escape the ship and the tortures he'd set on them. They caught on within ten minutes, and many rowboats were headed straight for the Boys. The Lost Boys knew the drill: let them get onto land, then ambush them from the trees they were perched in.
Peter chuckled at the pirates' yells of surprise, they really should know the routine by now. No matter, their stupidity just made the game easier to win. Almost too easy, Peter thought, as he watched the battle from his casual stance in a tree. Jones himself was there, and he glanced up and met Peter's eyes. The man growled, already ordering retreat, which Peter returned with a mischievous grin and wiggle of his fingers.
Well, that was over way too soon. Peter jumped down and appeared in front of Jones, giving the man a second to react and raise his sword. Peter met it mid-swing with his dagger, and relished in the clang and vibration up his arm.
"I'll give you a chance in this game, Jones. No magic," Peter snickered, and Jones scoffed.
"Like you'd ever play fair," the grown-up snarled as his arms became a flurry, hook and sword managing to get a few shallow cuts on Peter but nothing else. Peter grinned darkly, letting the anger flow from his chest to his hands but keeping the magic down. He fought spurred on emotion, almost worse than with magic. And Jones noticed.
The pirate had his hook around the back of Peter's neck and his sword pressed to the front, panting and grinning manically. "Look at that, little lad's nothing without his magic." Then he arched an eyebrow, yanking Peter closer and making a shallow cut with his sword at the base of Peter's neck. "You're always eager, but why so angry?"
Peter bared his teeth and kicked the pirate's jewels—the important ones. Jones gasped and stumbled, giving Peter the inches he needed to slip out of his hold. "Your men are already running, better go along now if you want to catch a boat in time," Peter reminded him, nodding at the rowboats being hastily pushed into the deep water. Lost Boys formed a line behind the pirates, pressuring and taunting and lashing at the men as they tried to run.
Jones ran to them, but turned back when he was knee-deep in the water. He held one boat with his hooked hand, shoved a Lost Boy off with the other, and smirked widely at Peter. "I know that anger, I've experienced it. Where's your girl, lad?" He jumped onto the boat and chuckled as Peter growled, face twisting into a sneer. Screw no magic. He lit the front of the boat on fire and walked away, not even caring to enjoy the men scampering to put it out.
"Boys!" he barked, and they turned their backs on the poor men and gathered in a circle around Peter. He shoved Harry and Michael aside as he strode out of the circle, not caring to talk. He was still angry, but the fighting had helped. Stepping over bodies of grown-up men, he grinned humorlessly. Killing had helped too. He heard Felix's voice as he stepped in to talk to the boys, lead them back to camp and celebrate.
A few months later, and everything was back to normal. She'd never even been there, and it made Peter happy. But the Boys were starting to lose their edges, and Peter was loathe to let that ever happen. If you wanted to stay here, with a family and young and free and away from the people who had neglected or abused you, you had to earn it. Peter had threatened many of the Boys against crying, as he'd heard a few do occasionally. The next one, he swore, he'd chop into pieces and feed him to the mermaids. He'd never liked it when they cried, and he couldn't remember them doing it so often since…whatever, even Felix and tightened his jaw when Peter came around.
"Too long, you have to be quicker to aim than that if you ever want to survive against the pirates, Slightly," he instructed, voice terse, the small boy with spiky, dark brown hair. The boy flinched away, and nodded quickly, not meeting Peter's gaze or speaking. Peter arched an eyebrow. New recruits tended to be softer, but he wasn't that scary—not with them anyway.
He opened his mouth, but felt another spike of magic at the lagoon the mermaids usually hung around, halfway across the island. He grit his teeth and clenched his hands into fists, knuckles white. Stupid girl. Mermaids were nice enough and great to look at, but the beings considered human flesh and blood a delicacy, and will drown and eat anyone who comes close enough. At least they were neutral, so Peter didn't have to worry about them harassing him. He just ordered his Boys to keep away, or be careful.
She, however, either still didn't get the message after months or was just trying to tempt fate. Her magical aura was always present in the back of Peter's mind, like all beings in Neverland, and seemed to stay around there. Well, it was outside their territory, so she wasn't breaking any rules. At least once a day, he'd feel her go right down to the waterline, and stay there for a long time. He felt the mermaids close to her, too, almost on top of her it seemed. But the spikes of magic were occasional, which made Peter grudgingly curious.
Peter shook his head, she wasn't his concern and whatever trouble the stupid child got herself into was her fault. Out of the corner of his eye, a tall, lanky boy with his hood low over his face sauntered into the camp, staff across the back of his shoulders. Peter turned to him and called across the camp.
"Felix," the boy stopped in his tracks and tilted his hooded head towards Peter, but didn't say anything or remove his head. The only movement he made was his fingers, which danced along his staff, clenching and unclenching in his curiosity. A few Lost Boys over their shoulders and from under cloaks, trying to be discreet, at the two who stood feet away from each other. "Where'd you just come from?"
"Fairies were acting up," came the easy, low voice and light shrug of cloaked shoulders. Peter just nodded curtly and went back to inspecting the training Boys. When he'd gotten to the end of one row, a hand came down on his shoulder and the fingers pushed into his skin. Peter was almost startled, but Felix was the only one who could sneak up on him like that. Well, without using magic. If someone magical were to transport and appear behind him, then he'd be startled. He turned to face the taller boy, wrenching his shoulder from his grip.
"Pan," he started, and Peter could just barely see the bottom half of his face, jaw tight and lips in a line. But Peter knew that tone.
"If this is not important, as in about the Lost Boys or pirates, anything you say will have little interest to me," Peter said, voice cold. Felix's lips twisted, but he sighed.
"Actually, the sun is starting to set. I was going to get some Boys started on dinner, and I wanted to tell the bedtime story tonight," he said, voice light but body stiff. Peter just huffed and nodded. A bedtime story would have to go tonight, it was either that or Peter play his pipes. He hadn't played them in months. Every time he picked them up, the memory of her face, how calm and happy she'd looked leaning next to him while he played, assaulted his mind.
Felix took Daniel and Robert from the group of training Boys and the three headed to the largest fire pit.
Leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, Peter loosely surveyed the Lost Boys preparing dinner or taking care of themselves somehow. Peter didn't really care. He focused his mind on the pirate ship, still in the cursed bubble Peter had trapped them in, and he grinned as he lit the sails on fire. It was a harmless fire, it wasn't actually damaging the sails—oh, Peter did not want them stuck here because of something like that—but the pirates' fear and confusion was highly amusing.
Soon enough, the Lost Boys were scraping the last bits of food from their bowls, using fingers and knives alike, when Felix stood up on his log. The Boys immediately quieted and looked up at him, even Peter was interested. He didn't show it, sitting across the fire and hunching slightly in his seat across the fire from Felix.
"A long time ago, in the Enchanted Forest, there lived a beautiful, blind princess," he began, his quiet voice sounding omniscient and the firelight flickering across his hooded face. "She was hated by all the people in her kingdom, and shunned. Even her parents kept her locked away in her room most of the time. But—"
"Why would a princess be hated? She's pretty," Michael piped up, confused. Felix gave a tiny smirk, and Peter saw the glint of his grey eyes moving.
"It is odd, isn't it?" Felix mused, before continuing. "She was hated because she was feared. You see, boys, this princess was born with a special curse, given to her by a—"
"Rumplestiltskin!" Harry yelled, raising his fist and growling in fantasy attack. Felix chuckled lightly as Daniel smacked him upside the head.
"Quiet, ya silly, ya makin' a fool a' yaself. Shoutin' 'n' interruptin' Felix," he whispered loudly. Peter just rolled his eyes at the kid. The Dark One…that reminded Peter, he hadn't heard or seen anything of the imp since he'd chased the princess of the cliffs…. Harry sat and there was a distinct red tinge on his ears.
Felix looked around before continuing. "She could see many things, all things except what was in front of her. She could see the future, the past, a person's feelings, everything her parents and everyone else couldn't see. And that's why they were afraid of her, because she said things—exposed things—about people that they didn't know, or didn't want to know.
"This made the princess very sad, because she only wanted to help people. If she could see futures, she could see solutions to their problems, who they would love, things they could avoid. But they didn't listen out of fear. So, she spent most of her time in her room, which made most people and her parents very happy. But since she was blind, she couldn't do many activities, like read or draw. Instead, she told herself stories she made up, and even taught herself piano and listened to herself as she played and sang. But she was all alone, almost no one would ever talk to her. She entertained herself in her mind, and often wondered at why people were always judging her by her appearance and abilities, and mourned how no one would truly speak to her." Peter grit his teeth as he glanced around at the boys, and his gaze accidentally landed on Felix's. His grey eyes locked in Peter's brown ones, the taller boy's face seemingly blank but his eyes hard. Then, he glanced away and continued his story.
"One day, a young, lone traveler wandered into the kingdom. He was from a small village and had walked a very long way, miles and miles. He was poor, and dressed in raggedy clothing, and no one knew who he was. One old woman called to him as he wandered the streets and took him into her home. She wasn't very rich, but she said he looked like her son who had died in war many years ago. She gave the traveler, who was barely more than a boy, new clothes and food, and insisted that he accompany her on her visit to the castle. She was old and needed help walking, she insisted, and the boy was curious enough so he went along.
"At the castle, the king and queen were kind but a bit wary of the stranger. He hadn't even told the old woman his name. So, they called for their daughter, the blind princess, so that she would be able to tell them of him. She was so happy at being summoned, since it was rare, but also curious.
"She saw the boy's past, and it was far too long. He seemed to have always been a boy, always traveling. She didn't say this too anyone though, instead just said the same story she saw him tell the old woman, that he was from a small village far away in the forest. Then, she looked into his heart, and it made her confused. Because his heart was a mix of both light and dark, he had done good things and bad. Again, she just said he was an innocent boy with a modest, normal past. Her parents were pleased, and remarked that he did not flinch away when the princess spoke. They invited him to stay the night at the castle, and he accepted, while the old woman wished him luck and went on her way."
"Why wasn't the boy scared?" Michael spoke again. Peter was used to it, the younger ones often interrupted. He glanced at the three new recruits. Curly and Slightly had twin expressions of rapt attention and awe. Right, they knew Felix beforehand, sort of. They'd only been in Neverland for a week, they were still in awe of the blonde legend. Bae, however, was facing the fire and hunched over like Peter. He was paying close attention, and he liked the story, his face was soft and his eyes kept flicking to Felix.
"The boy wasn't scared because, as the princess, had seen, he possessed quite a bit of magic himself. He was immortal, and had looked the same age for close to a century. But there was another reason he wasn't scared, and in fact was happy to stay the night." Felix paused, looking at each boy in turn to build suspense. His lips were in a small but clear smirk, and his grey eyes seemed to dance in the light. Peter arched an eyebrow, before catching himself and looking away again. "From the moment the boy first laid eyes on her, he thought she was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. No, he didn't love her, that's not how love works. And when she spoke, even though it was words she couldn't possibly know, the boy was caught up in her quiet, sweet voice.
"The boy stayed for dinner, talking with many of the castle occupants, but he was the most interested in the princess. She wasn't at the table, much to his dismay, so he excused himself early, saying he had to be off early the next morning. He found her room and pushed it open, as she had gone up by herself and no one bothered to lock the door anymore.
She sat, playing the piano and singing, not reacting as he quietly stepped into the room. The boy just stood against the wall, happy to listen to her music and impressed that she was able to play despite her blindness. She stopped after a few minutes.
"'I know you're there,' she said, chuckling lightly. The boy couldn't stop the small grin at her voice, and at being caught. 'You are quite mischievous, with the most interesting past. Will you tell me some?' she asked, turning on the bench to where she though the door was. He stepped to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, angling her slightly so she faced him properly, and he knelt in front of her.
"'I'd rather hear about you, actually,' he said gently. She hesitated, but told him about her curse. At the end, he said he didn't think it was a curse, but a gift. That's how the two spent the night: sitting in her room and trading stories and opinions. Neither got a wink of sleep.
"As the sun rose, the princess hesitated in the middle of asking the boy about one of his tales. A vision flashed in her mind, of the boy's future. It was long, so very long, so she hadn't been able to see it before. But now, she saw small pieces, and she saw a girl in them. A beautiful girl, with light hair and eyes as blue as the oceans he'd walked along. In the vision, he was holding the girl and whispering to her, and the princess realized the girl was her. She immediately smiled with happiness, she had a chance at a future outside of being locked away and hated, and with this wonderful boy. Visions kept flashing but she didn't focus on them.
"The boy, however, was the one to trigger these sudden visions. The future is decided by decisions, realizations, feelings, you all know. Right?" Felix arched an eyebrow, making sure the Boys understood and they nodded, even little Harry. "Well, the boy had realized something. He was falling in love with the princess, and he wanted to stay.
"But this was terrible, the boy thought. He spent his immortal life traveling, having adventures and playing tricks and causing mischief. That was the life he loved, what every boy loved, and it was no life for a princess. Long before this, when he had first gained his immortality, he had sworn never to give that life up. In his long life, he'd met people who tried to convince him to give it up, and he never had, always keeping his magic within a tight fist. He found himself considering giving up that life, all for a girl he'd just met.
"But, still, this was not the biggest reason he left her the next morning." Felix paused as there was a gasp from his captive audience. Peter stifled a chuckle, who knew a group of 10-15 year old boys would be so caught up in a love story. He hated this love story, and scowled when Felix met his gaze again.
"Why'd he leave her?" Michael urged, eyes wide.
"Because the Dark One would come back 'n' kill him!" Harry yelled.
"No, stupid, he can't die," Slightly rolled his eyes at the kid.
The Boys chaotically shouted out theories of the cause for the boy's leaving the beautiful princess. Peter said nothing, but thought that perhaps the princess was evil in some way. She had to be, no one could be so wonderful and pretty and perfect without something wrong with them. He wondered what she could've done in the span of one night, though.
Amidst the cacophony of Boys, Felix spoke the answer, so quiet Peter almost missed it. "He was afraid."
"What?" Peter couldn't stop himself from blurting. Felix had specifically said he wasn't afraid of her, he had to tell the story right! Felix smirked at him, seeming victorious. Peter arched an eyebrow, having no idea what the apparent game was. There wasn't one, only Peter Pan made the games. The Boys quieted immediately.
"Not for her power, but for the things she made him feel and think. He loved her, and the boy was scared of love because he had never felt it. Sure, he thought he knew what it was from seeing other couples, but he was too ignorant to realize that observing an emotion and feeling it are two very different things. He thought love would make him give up his power and immortality, as he was thinking of doing for her. He thought it meant breaking all his vows, making himself ordinary and vulnerable.
"So, he ran away, wearing the expression of fear the kingdom knew so well. When the princess later asked her parents what had happened to him, they told her what they saw: he had fled in fear. It broke the princess' heart. It surprised her a bit, she didn't think anyone's fear of her could hurt her anymore, she'd grown up alone and shunned. But the boy had been kind to her, talked to her, given her hope. Then, he'd fled and taken it all with him."
As a whole, the Boys looked sad. Harry's lip even trembled, before he snuck a glance at Peter and bit on it to keep it steady. Felix's voice had taken on a more somber, heavier tone, getting into the story. The storyteller couldn't possibly be upset at his own story.
"The boy came back though, right?" Bae spoke up for the first time all day. Felix looked down at him and shrugged, Peter couldn't see his face at this angle.
"Well, to be honest, I don't know the ending of this story," Felix admitted.
"How? It's your story," Devin asked, sounding a bit agitated.
"The way I see it, there are two possible endings," Felix explained.
"One, the boy gets far away but realizes his mistake, as well as a solution. The princess, of course, was magical because of her curse. He didn't have to give up his immortality, he could make her just as immortal and they could be free and together for eternity. He knew he would always love her, and he hastened back to the castle. He had to sneak in this time, and he scaled the walls and climbed in her window. Of course, she was there and knew he was coming. But even knowing he was coming, and was there, she was still heartbroken. She didn't play piano, she just sat underneath her window. The boy apologized, and told her he loved her, and they shared true love's kiss." A few of the younger boys had gaging noises at that, Peter rolled his eyes, but Felix shut them up with an annoyed glance. "She refused, saying he was only back because he could make her immortal. In that moment, the boy realized something: immortality didn't matter. He didn't want to live forever without her, knowing he had broken her heart and knowing she would eventually die. The boy could never see her dead, see her anything other than happy and healthy and with him. So, with the kiss, the magic made her immortal and they ran away from her castle. And forever, to this day, the boy and his blind, beautiful princess wander through all the realms having adventures and loving each other."
The Boys smiled, Daniel and Curly actually clapped. Even Bae gave a small smile, and Peter saw Felix's lips twist. It wasn't quite a smile or grimace, like he wasn't sure.
"Or there I the other ending, far more likely. The boy was sad, but he kept living his immortal life. He knew something was wrong: his adventures weren't as fun, he didn't get as much satisfaction out of winning, and he dreamt of a lonely, sweet princess every time he slept. But he never went back, and he never acknowledged what was so obvious. The princess lived her life alone as ever, but now her heart was fully broken. She slept under her window every night, just in case he came back. Her parents adopted a son to be king, and he kept her locked away just as they had. Don't worry, she did not live until she was very old, she was too sad and lonely. She died one night, lying under her window like she always did. Up until the night her mortal life ended, she thought of the boy every day, she remembered and kept her love for him, and her hope that he would return. As she sank into the blackness of death, her last thought was that she hoped he was happy. Not in a bitter way, but in a hopeful way. She loved him so much that she never tried to find him and force him back, she let him go, and she hoped the best for him."
This time Peter looked around, the Boys were grim. Daniel had his head bowed, and Harry and Michael were chewing harshly on their lips. Bae looked devastated. Felix's jaw was tight, his hood had fallen back a bit so Peter could see his hard eyes. Peter swallowed, feeling a lump in his throat, and shifted uncomfortably under the blonde's gaze. It didn't need to be a glare, the blank look was far worse.
"Alright, you've had your story. Time for bed, the lot of you," Peter spoke up, placing one hand on his abdomen as he had to force the air out. The Boys quietly walked off to their tents and bedrolls, only exchanging murmured 'good night's and keeping their heads down. Peter sighed. Great, he was probably going to have to snap at a few to shut it with the tears tonight. Damn Felix just had to tell a sad story.
He scowled at Felix halfheartedly before turning to his own tent. Peter bit back a groan when he felt a hand on his sleeve, again. He looked back, ready to curse Felix halfway to Snow White's castle, but halted. No one was there. A tugging on his sleeve came again, and Peter looked down.
"Harry, go to bed. What is it, where's Daniel?" Peter furrowed his eyebrows and looked around, seeing Daniel's tent flap partially open.
"I have a question," the kid said quietly, hesitantly. Something in his voice made Peter's heart do something odd, and he bent his knees to look the boy in the face. Harry's eyes were focused intently on the ground between their feet, his voice so small Peter had to strain to hear it even though he was barely a foot away. "Did the boy ever fall in love with anyone else?"
Peter opened his mouth, but no air was in his lungs. Did someone fall in love again? Why did Peter care, anyway. "It's Felix's story," he settled, voice thicker than he meant it to be. "Ask him." He shook the boy, a bit harshly, off of him and nodded in the direction of Felix, who was putting out the fire. Peter was sure he was watching them form under that damn hood.
As Harry took a step away, Peter spoke up again but he didn't know why. "But, I don't think he did." Harry just nodded and a small smile snuck onto his cheeks, and Peter fisted his hand to stop himself from rubbing the back of his neck. The little Lost Boy half-skipped to Felix. Felix had to completely kneel to face the kid.
"Pan says it's your story, so you'd know, if, if the boy ever fell in love with anyone else?" Harry asked, small voice a bit stronger now. Felix smirked ever so slightly.
"What did Peter say, other than that it's my story?" he asked calmly. He looked up and met Peter's eyes, arching an eyebrow and his smirk growing.
"He doesn't think so," Harry responded simply. Felix just nodded.
"Then he's probably right," the smirk turned into a small smile, but the grey eyes seemed sad. Peter shook it off and walked into his tent. Flopping gracelessly onto his cot, he tried desperately to get all thoughts of beautiful princesses and curses and love out of his head, instead focusing on the magic of the island. At night, it was so peaceful, all the magic just pulsing faintly, steadily, as the island seemed to sleep too.