Because while the Lost Boys were alright with her. Other beings on the island were anything, but happy at her.
"It's beautiful out here." Artemis said, turning to Curly as she scraped at the bark of the tree gently removing the bits that they needed. Curly smiled at her, from his end of the tree. "It is."
They were at the east end of Neverland in the thick forest gather plants and bark. Most of these made good medicine, tea and other foods (not to mention potions and poisons).
It was also one of the few things that would be considered a 'chore' in Neverland. But no one really complained about this.
The forest of this end of the island was beautiful. Thick green trees, colourful flowers sprouting on every corner, the gentle quiet hum of the bees, the smells of the fresh salty air mixing with the smells of the flowers and honey.
It was truly a site to behold.
"I could stay here forever." she mumbled, watching a butterfly land on one of the flowers not the least bit bothered by them. They weren't even trying to be quiet, in fact just from across her Marcel and Jordan were wrestling each other.
Curly chuckled, gazing up around them. "I wouldn't."
"What?" Artemis cried, leaning against the tree. "How could you not want to stay here forever?"
Curly looked up at her, his blue eyes glittering in the bright morning sun. "You know what they say about beautiful places don't you?"
Artemis shook her head.
"They say the most beautiful places are always the most dangerous."
"Come on, Curls. How could this place be dangerous?" Curly shrugged his shoulders, getting up brushing some dirt of his loose brown shirt. "You never know what's out here, Artemis." he said, patting her shoulder gently. "Remember, it's Neverland."
Despite Curly's warning, which she took to heart. (She did!) Artemis couldn't help, but feel unnaturally drawn to the place, coming there almost every day.
She never really did much. Just sitting and thinking. It was peaceful and quite there. And while she had started to adore the fun-loving company of the Lost Boy's, they could be a little draining. Not to mention she and Pan hadn't spoken much since the Tinkerbell meeting.
Not that it bothered her.
It didn't.
Well…maybe a little….
She found it odd how much she wanted to slap him and hug him at the same time. Maybe she'd been away from home for too long.
Shutting her eyes she allowed the sounds of natural to rush though her, when another new unfamiliar noise rang out. It didn't sound like words, but it definitely wasn't the wind.
Curly's warning rang out in the back of her mind.
But her curiously had gotten the better of her and for some reason she really wanted to go there…to them…
OooooooooAaaaaaaaaaaaaaEeeeOAaaaaa
OoooooAaaaaaaaaaaaEUuuuuuuuuuAaaaaa
UuuuuuuuuuuAaaaaaaaaOooooooooooooooo
IiiiiiAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaOoooooooooAaaaaa
OuuuuuuuuuAaaaaaaaUaaaaaUuuuuuuuuuu
EeeeeAaaaaaIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiAaaaaaaaaaaaa
OuuuuAaaaaaOUaaaaaeeuuoooaee
The splashing of water, the crunching of sand and pebbles under her under her boots; briefly snapped her out of her daze.
She was on a tall rock overlooking a secluded little lagoon, the beach just a little way below her. A rush of warm wind flew by her ear, the salty smell of the sea waking up her sense.
She could see a lot from here. Skull Rock, Captain Killian Jones (who the Lost Boy's nicknamed Hook)'s ship sailing far from the island, but close enough that she could still the pirate flag flickering in the wind.
She was so occupied she wouldn't have seen it, if she hadn't heard the splash.
They were…beautiful.
Their eyes large and brightly coloured. Hues and shades of Purples and Yellows, Oranges and Pinks; so many colours were in those eyes that they alone could take her breath away.
Their hair was the same; all of it long and flowing, brightly coloured in shades that matched their eyes.
They had scales for skin, of all different shades ranging from a tinted a pale green to a deep oranges and purples. They seemed to glow in the sun. They had pointed ears, kinda like an elf's or a fairy's.
"Mermaids." Artemis whispered, staring at them.
She couldn't look away.
They were all gathered in a group, sitting on the rocks surrounded by deep water. They were talking a language that she couldn't understand. As they brushed their hair, gazing into mirrors and giggling at each other.
There scales and jewel glittering in the strong sun, as they showed off necklaces and intricate combs to each other.
Suddenly there laughter stopped.
And they all turned.
Looking right at her.
For a split second she thought they were all going to swim away. Disappear under the still sea.
They didn't.
They smiled. One of mermaid on the rock, waving her over towards them.
She didn't know why…but she followed….
She heard the stories of Mermaids and Sirens of the oceans. How they were manipulative and powerful with the abilities to sink ships and talk to the ocean.
One tale told of them capturing a pirate ship, sinking it and them rising it again using their magic to create ghost pirates that would exact there revenge on all those who wronged them.
She had heard them all.
But sitting there on the rocks with them was quite something else.
"You have such gorgeous hair, Artemis." said Anyaa; the mermaid who waved her over. She was gorgeous, with thick luscious pink hair, and pale pink tale, that would occasionally slap against the warm rocks.
Flipping her long hair back, pulling out a shiny whalebone comb out of it. Anyaa placed a hand lightly on her shoulder, beginning to gently stroke her hair.
Artemis leaned back into the embrace.
OooooAaaaaaaaaaaaUaaaaauuuuuuuuuu
EeeeeeeeeeeAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaOoooooooooooooo
EeeeeeeeeUuuuuuuuuuIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
UeeeeeeeeeeeeeAaaaaaaaaaaaaOoooooooooooo
They were singing all of them, there mystical haunting tune ringing in her ears. She never heard anything so beautiful…
EeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeUuuuuuuuuuuuuuA
OoooooooooIiiiiiiiiAaaaaaaaaaaa
EeeeeeeeeeeeAaaaaaaaaUuaua
Artemis was completely at bliss; so much so; she didn't feel the mermaid rip out a fist full of her hair.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
UAaaaaaaaaaaaa
Uaaaaaaaaaaa
She feel herself being lowered to the lowest rock….
AaaaaaaaaaaUaaaaaEeeeeeeeeeee\
She didn't feel her boots and jacket being pulled off, or the mermaids poke at her toes and hiss….
Uuuuuuuuuuuuuu
Aaaaaaaaaaaa
Eeeee
Iiiii
She didn't feel there lightly webbed hands, lift her up or the cold water against her skin…
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
She couldn't feel anything.
Just emptiness, all her worries and fears…everything was gone….
Just peace.
Nothing mattered…not to her…
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
The mermaid glanced at each other, before back at Artemis who was only staying afloat due to Oolaa who was holding her up.
Anyaa smiled her sharp teeth glittering the dying sun, making them look almost red.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
The sky was blood red and the ocean orange when the mermaids drowned the archer.
Till next time…