Chapter Seventy Nine
A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to either Disney or the Greek Myths!
Hey guys, hope you're all doing well! Hard to believe it's August already, it's amazing how the time flies! You know what else is amazing? That we're 21 chapters away from 100!
When I first started this fic, I had no idea it'd get to be so long and I'm so thankful for all of you who've stayed on to this point! :D
Lauriverfanboy1: Yep! This Hook's from Small Twists of Fate! I'd definitely recommend checking it out and taking a peek if you want :D
Heroesweardogtags209: I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter!
Marcus Emrys: Freddie accepts your apology and I chuckled at the image of Freddy getting kicked where the sun don't shine. And I share your pain about writer's block! :D
hptwilightfive-0girl: So glad you liked it!
SnowWhite45: Yep Good Hook! I have to admit it was brought on by a review over in Small Twists that just wouldn't get out of my head :D Oh yeah James isn't exactly going to like what's coming up!
Katt Kiki: Yep, a nice version of Hook!
danifan3000: Who knows, Gil might show up or he might not!
Flaresouth: I think Uma and Mal will keep Harry from killing Gil if he shows up lol
Isabelly Silva Sousa: I'm so glad you liked it! :D
AmethystDragon14: Yay! Yeah, both Mals needed that talk for certain! And of course Estelle is family! Lol I can definitely see that happening! Yeah Harry might not like it now but this might be a good thing for him, having a decent version of his father there!
CrystalKaouri: Oh yeah, it's definitely a good idea that Leah's still locked up but Freddy's just around the corner now!
twilightgirl587: I'll see what I can do about that! Yeah something tells me they would win that lawsuit for certain with Zeus being the God of Law :D And yeah I brought in Small Twists of Fate Hook, I know, sneaky but I wanted to :D And yep, you're remembering it correctly! Harry gets CJ off the Isle!
JaclynnM: Oh you're not wrong there! And I'm glad you enjoyed it!
jedblack1997: Glad you enjoyed the chapter!
Bluebird: Yeah things are definitely going to get interesting from now on!
smc: Glad you enjoyed the chapter!
OceanBlueSeaEyes: Oh yeah, James is going to go on a roller coster of emotions through the reading!
Gig18: I don't think I could do that to Harry. Plus I think everyone in the room would kill Bad Hook lol
61394: I'm just full of surprises :D
goldenheart: Glad you enjoyed it!
Lord of the A.U. FanFiction: Anything's possible!
IWantColouredRain: Glad you're enjoying the story!
ReaderFreak5000: Oh thank you so much! No need to apologize, I'm glad you liked it! Yeah I think getting to see that there's a good version of his father will help Harry out a lot, ngl. And I enjoyed writing them shielding Harry :D Hope you enjoy the next chapter!
zara: So glad you're enjoying the story! :D
Hope you guys enjoy the chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
Rose sighed as she grabbed the scroll she was going to read. She wasn't going to lie, having any version of Captain Hook in the same room as her was more than a little freaky.
Freddy scowled as he paced the floor of the Haven.
"Ugh, why did the scroll have to start with him?" Ruby asked.
How in the world had his half-sister not gotten Henry in bed yet?
"…I'm sorry, what?" James exclaimed.
Claudine shook her head. "Oh right, I forgot about his plot to have me break Henry's vow of not having a fling."
"But…but you're three!"
"…Clearly not," Harry muttered, keeping his voice low as to avoid being overheard.
What was the point of having feminine wiles if they weren't going to entice men?
James shook his head. "I'm not hearing this, I am not hearing this…"
"Oh God, I feel sorry for the other me," Claudine said with a small chuckle. "Hopefully she'll still wind up meeting Henry."
It wasn't as if she wasn't entirely unattractive either, at least from an Isle point of view.
"Gee, thanks Fred," Claudine scoffed and shook her head.
She was no Boreadon girl but Evil Queen's daughter was truly the only Boreadon girl of the Isle. And now she was in Boreadon.
"Where Evie belongs," Emma said firmly, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Are you even trying?" Freddy snarled as he continued to pace. "Anyone else would have gotten the job done by now!"
"Anyone else would have forced themselves on Henry and that's not something I would ever do," Claudine said firmly.
"Believe it or not, convincing a guy to drop a long held belief is not the easiest thing in the world," Claudine snarked as she sat on one of the mattresses that laid in the main room of the Haven.
Uma shook her head. "That's certainly true," she muttered as she glanced toward Harry. After all, nothing I do can get through to him and his insistence that he's worthless, she thought.
"Bah! Every guy's the same," Freddy shook his head. Well, except for him but then again that was obvious.
"Huh, for once Freddy's right. He's not a guy, he's a demon," Harriet muttered.
"Pretty sure that's an insult to demons," Sammy pointed out.
The others though were weak, their heads easily clouded with thoughts of lust.
"If there was any doubt in my mind that was Frollo's son, that just removed it," Phoebus muttered, shaking his head.
"Either you're not trying or Henry's more of a lost soul than we thought. Then again, he's close enough to Dustin so that's not outside the realm of possibilities."
"As you can all see, I'm not on Dustin's team," Henry said, shaking his head before giving Claudine a small smile.
"A father could wish," James muttered under his breath.
"You do know that just because Dustin enjoys the company of men, that doesn't mean everyone he comes into contact with will then end up enjoying the company of men," Claudine said dryly.
"Yeah because if that was true then Malinda wouldn't be with Benji since she'd be on Dustin's team, being one of his captains," Harriet said.
"If that was the case, then you wouldn't look twice at any of the girls on the Isle considering you led the four Angels who jumped Dustin last year."
Uma, Harry, Jay and Mal all burst out laughing.
"Oh wouldn't that be irony!" Jay said, shaking his head.
"If he's going to sin, then we're going to teach him the cost of sinning."
"And you'd know all about sins wouldn't you?" Harriet scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"Four on one though?
"Technically it was three on one not that it makes it any better," Henry shook his head. "Morgan was the lookout..and she never warned Freddy we were coming."
And all you did was get the Rats and the pirates more on our backs than they already were. You know their motto—Ruthless yet Loyal. After all, it's spray painted all over their territory."
"No better way to remind Freddy who's territory he stumbled into," Mal said with a small smirk.
"Dustin hasn't sinned since we taught him that lesson has he?" Freddy pointed out, ignoring Claudine's quip about that Godforsaken motto.
"More like he just got better at keeping his flings in Rat territory," Jay said, shaking his head.
It truly was spray painted all over the Rats' territory, and that'd be the first thing he removed once he got that territory for himself.
"Good luck with that," Henry said, growing slightly at the thought of Freddy ever stepping foot in their territory.
Claudine shook her head. From what Henry told her, Dustin just learned to hide it better or keep it on the ship considering Henry had walked in on his crew mate and Jace Baddun in the act of...let's just say they were in the throws of having relations.
"Under fifteens still present!" Uma barked.
"We really didn't need to know that," Rose muttered.
The only reason Henry had told her was because he knew she knew about Dustin's jumping and the context of it. The rest of the crew of course knew about the jumping but they all thought that it was in relation to Dustin being a Rat instead of the gender of the company he kept.
Claudine sighed. "Dustin being a Rat just added another layer to Fred's decision to jump Dustin," she said softly.
"You honestly think Henry would just let me get him into bed after only a few months?" Claudine asked with a sigh. "I'm still working on getting him to trust me, Fred. He's not an idiot after all. To meet up with me alone, as a captain of the Rats…"
"I second what my scroll self is saying," Claudine said.
"Have you at least gotten him so dazed he can't think?"
She already does that, I just need to look at her, Henry thought.
"...I'm not having this conversation with you," Claudine sighed as she stood up.
"I'd rather you not be having the conversation at all," James muttered.
"Fred, I'm trying. Just accept that. But Henry's slow moving in terms of a fling. Everyone on the Isle knows that too. You'll just have to be patient."
"If by slow moving you mean glacial…then yes, he's slow moving," Uma nodded. "But we can appreciate him being slow moving because it means he stands up for what he believes in."
"I don't have to be anything when Henry's what stands in my way of me getting off the Isle!" Freddy growled.
"I mean that's probably not true but I'll wear that title with pride," Henry said with a slight smirk.
"Henry and the rest of the Rats," Claudine added. "You really think luring the Captain away would prevent the rest of the crew from stopping you leave the Isle? They're too loyal to Mal and Uma, not to mention Harry would probably come back and hook them all if they let you slip past them."
"You guys have earned true loyalty from your crew," Claudine said, looking over at Mal, Uma, Jay, and Harry.
"Helps that we know we can trust them," Uma said, shooting Henry a small smile.
"And you're not wrong about me hooking them if they let Freddy escape either," Harry muttered.
Freddy smirked. "There's a rumor that the food deliveries might be a bit better considering that old Boreadon harridan was sent here and then consumed by the hyenas...and I may have been talking to a young Rat in training...she seemed to be very attached to Ryan of all people."
Henry stiffened and glared at the scroll in Rose's hands. "Keep your twisted mind away from Ryan, Freddy! Or anyone my little brother talks to!"
"Um…the scroll didn't say his last name was Kersey…" Rose said softly.
"Family doesn't have to be blood on the Isle," Jay told her.
"You know as well as I that Mal and Uma have a rule for their crew, considering how many of the Angels used to be Rats," Claudine said firmly."Ryan's fourteen, he wouldn't have a fling. Even if Mal and Uma are across the bridge, he's Henry's best ally along side Derek."
"You got that right!" Henry nodded.
Not to mention the fact that everyone knows he has feelings for CJ, she thought.
CJ snorted. "Yeah right. Ryan's my best mate, nothing more nothing less. Besides the Isle doesn't do 'feelings'."
After all, he almost skewered you last year when you made that comment about not being able to wait to play with her pirate booty and teach her what a real man was like.
"Wait, he said what?" Milah and James barked at the same time.
Hera looked over at Milah. "Weren't you here when we covered that the first time? I think it was during one of the many breaks?"
"Doesn't matter," Milah growled. "I'm going to find a way to possess Freddy and kill him for even thinking of such a thing!"
"Don't worry love, possession won't be necessary as I'll have already sent him to you," James said, his eyes narrowed as he glared at the scroll.
"He does know that Freddy and Milah likely wouldn't be on the same level right?" Posideon whispered to Hades.
"Hush," Hades whispered back as he kept an eye on Harry. He knew James had a reason to be angry this time but still. Hades didn't want his kid, blood or not, to be traumatized again.
I honestly didn't know who'd kill you first, Harry or Ryan.
"I'd say it was about fifty-fifty," Henry said.
That had been one of the rare times she had challenged him in front of the other Angels.
"I should have done it more if what the scrolls have said are accurate," Claudine muttered, shaking her head.
Freddy had been eighteen at that point, and CJ had been thirteen.
"Thanks for that reminder," Rachel muttered as James' hand curled into a fist that was so tight his knuckles turned white.
Then again...Freddy never really cared the age of the girls he had his flings with. Most of the girls were ready and willing, considering they were coming to him for food rather than actually having a relationship.
"Those poor girls…" Esmeralda said, her voice soft as she shook her head. "At least this doesn't have to be their life now. We'll fix the food supply going to the Isle…"
The Angels were the second ranked gang on the Isle after all. The pirates/Warf Rats were the highest ranked and had the easiest time getting the food with their ability to go to Lord Hades' restaurant or Ursula's Chip Shoppe whenever they wanted but they were more likely to actually just give the girls the food rather than have the fling.
Henry nodded. "We're not going to prey on desperate people," he said.
"Hold on..." Claudine said slowly, looking over at Freddy. "How old's the girl?"
Part of her didn't want to know but considering what her brother was like, it was almost a necessary evil that she find out.
"As much as I don't want to know…you're right to ask," Harriet muttered.
Especially if she was truly a 'Rat in training' as Freddy had said.
Malinda sighed softly I'm so sorry Kristy, she thought. At least this time you'll be able to live a full life…and Ryan won't have the heartbreak of losing a sibling.
"Old enough to do what I have planned," Freddy said simply. "And that's all you need to know. But hopefully there'll be a larger crowd with the next food delivery. A larger crowd'll keep those Rats busy so they won't notice someone slip onto the barge."
"Anyone else uncomfortable with the fact that Freddy didn't answer the question there?" Ruby asked.
"Yep," Evan nodded.
"You don't think the people who work on the barge won't notice?" Claudine asked, trying to not think about exactly what her brother had planned.
"Considering I'm sure the people who work the barge are lucky to still have their jobs after they were found to be complicit in delaying the food, I should hope they would notice," Akiho said.
People died every month because of the rush to get edible food and now he was trying to make that crowd bigger? Almost…almost as if he was trying to guarantee a mad house.
"That sounds like it's exactly what he's trying to do," Hades said, glaring at the scroll.
It was certainly an interesting plan but not one she necessarily felt comfortable with. There was so much death on the Isle already, it didn't make sense to add to it.
"Another reason you would make a great Rat," Malinda said, giving Claudine a small smile.
"Get Henry dazed and the people on the barge won't matter," Freddy told her, rolling his eyes. "Stop being such a Boreadon girl about this. After all, they probably won't even notice I'm there until we're far enough away from the Isle for them to do anything."
Claudine rolled her eyes. "Again, Fred, you're forgetting that Henry is not the only Rat that patrols the docks!"
Claudine sighed but nodded. She made her way out of the room and out of the Haven, heading over to Dragon Hall. Hopefully Henry would be there, not because she wanted to daze him but because she just wanted to have his company.
I always like having his company, Claudine thought with a small smile.
After all, being around someone sane is preferable to being around my brother, she thought with an inward sigh.
"I think we all agree with you there," Sammy nodded. "And hey, there's a chance Freddy's not your brother after all!"
"Also, can Henry be considered sane?" Harriet asked.
"Hey!"
Though let's be honest, his fling with Brooke
The room seemed to explode from the outburst that came from Harriet, Uma, and Mal leaping to their feet.
"He. Did. What?!" Harriet snarled.
"That is it. Pause the reading, he's getting fed to the hyenas now!" Uma stated as she looked around for an exit.
"Um…I'm not defending him in the slightest but…since Brooke is still with your crew now doesn't that mean he hasn't done this yet?" Ruby asked.
"Doesn't matter, Brooke's a child," Mal snarled, her eyes flashing bright green. "I don't care that she's a teenager, she's under fifteen! Freddy dies now!"
"Aye cap'n!" Harry nodded, joining Uma in searching for a way out of the Fates' lair while Henry seemed to almost turn into a wild being with how he was growling.
"Brooke's…Brooke's around my age," CJ whispered, her eyes growing wide at what Freddy's comment truly meant as she finally understood it.
Hades sighed and walked over to sit his daughter back down. "As much as I understand your blood lust, the Fates have their reasons," he said as Posideon and Milah did the same thing for Uma and Harriet.
and the comment he made to CJ makes it harder and harder to call him my brother. Though thankfully Morgan helped me get Brooke to safety and set up in a safe house after the first day of her fling.
Claudine sighed as Henry rubbed her back gently.
"Honestly Claudine, no one would blame you if you did disown him," Sammy told her, doing the same thing Henry was doing but with Harriet.
Honestly she didn't think she would ever be thankful for Shayla or Locklyn's pursuit to be the first girl to have a second fling with Freddy but that pursuit was extremely helpful.
"You…you meant to tell me that Locklyn didn't…that she allowed…Brooke's her cousin! How sick is she?!" Uma exclaimed.
"Good thing Fish for Brain's isn't here, he'd hate hearing this," Harry muttered softly.
After all, he had been distracted from his attentions toward Brooke and then had forgotten all about them. The younger girl only needed to show up for the gang meetings and then keep herself out of Freddy's line of sight.
"Why not just send her back to the Rats?" Ashaki asked.
Claudine sighed. "If I could, I'm sure my scroll self would. But…the Rats are majority guys…and with that trauma…"
"Freddy dies," Harriet growled. "I don't care how but he dies."
As for CJ...well even with Harry being in Auradon, Harriet was as protective as a Cerberus and wasn't going to let Freddy get within one league of her sister. Never mind the rest of the crew.
"He'll be dead if he even looks at my sister! Let alone takes one step toward her!" Harriet growled.
"Easy cap'n, easy," Sammy said gently. "We know you'd turn Freddy into a shish-kabab with your sword but you're freaking out my brothers."
Plus, CJ was a Hook. She'd have a sword in Freddy's gut faster than he could say 'codfish' if he tried to force her to do anything she didn't want.
"You got that right!" CJ nodded.
That's if any of the crew allowed Freddy to even touch CJ or any of the other girls in the crew.
Harry nodded. "They'll know what'll happen if they do," he said, his voice low.
"Henry?" Claudine called out, keeping her voice down as she entered the bell tower of Dragon Hall. "Are you there?"
"Why keep your voice down? It's not like the bells could tell anyone," Evan said.
"No, but they could cause her voice to echo and carry," Rowyn told her little brother.
"I'm here," Henry's voice called out from the shadows. "Sorry, I heard someone coming and I didn't know if it was you or Facilier. Figured it'd be too awkward if Facilier found me here so I hid."
Tiana nodded softly. Even though Facilier seemed as though he'd turned over a new leaf, at least parenting wise, she still knew the same lessons that every New Orleanian had: don't mess with the Shadow Man and he won't mess with you.
"Well you don't have to hide anymore," Claudine told him, unable to hide the amusement that was in her voice.
"You have to admit it's kinda funny," Harry said chuckling. "Henry's one of the best swords we have and the first thing he decides to do is hide from a potential fight?"
Henry chuckled and shook his head as he stepped out of the shadows and walked over to her. "What'd Freddy do now?"
"What makes you think my brother's in anyway involved?"
"Sounds like it would be a safe guess," Rowyn said, shaking her head.
"You've been coming here more and more and more often than not it's after a confrontation with Freddy," Henry told her. "Let me guess, he's upset that you haven't taken me into bed yet?"
Uma shook her head. "It sounds so wrong hearing Henry say something like that," she said.
"I don't know why he's so determined to take you out of the picture when there's the rest of the crew," Claudine sighed.
"Like father, like son I'm guessing," Phoebus muttered under his breath. Both Frollos had shown an unhealthy trend toward obsession after all.
"I'm the captain while Mal and Uma are over in Boreadon," Henry shrugged.
"You're not the only Captain though, Henry," Harriet said.
"As insane as your brother is, it makes sense. You take out the leader, the rest of the crew would hypothetically become a floundering ship. Now there's no guarantee of that especially since Derek and Ryan are my first mates."
"You have two First Mates?" Uma asked. "Or will have?"
"Sounds like it," Henry nodded.
"You made a fourteen year old one of your first mates?"
Harry snorted. "Good way to keep Ryan out of trouble. Or did you miss the part where he snuck into a face off?"
"With Mal and Uma's rule that none of the under fifteens can partake in face offs or scouting runs, it makes sense," Henry told her. "Derek can be with me in a face off while Ryan handles what needs to happen on ship."
"Huh…that's actually not a bad idea," Mal said. "It'll give the under fifteens who're pushing the limit some extra responsibilities while at the same time ensuring their safety without making them feel like a child."
He sighed and sat down on the mattress that was pressed up against the wall.
"Your shoulder bothering you?" Claudine asked, her voice soft as she sat down next to him.
Ben frowned slightly. Why…why would Henry's shoulder be bothering him? Did something happen during one of the other scrolls while their focus had been on Auradon?
Henry shook his head. "I was just thinking about the last face off."
Mal and Uma looked at each other. They knew that couldn't be good.
Claudine bit her lip, knowing what he was talking about. It had been a couple of years since the last time their two groups had faced off. It had been unfortunate that it had been right after Shayla's brother had been crushed by the mob at the food barge so her want for blood had increased.
"Oh no, the poor dear," Snow White said, her voice soft.
"Um, mom? Kinda rooting for the enemy there," Emma said.
Snow White shook her head. "Even if someone is against you, you can still afford them a bit of kindness and empathy, Emma."
She hadn't been particularly close to Casper but at the same time, she hadn't been thrilled that the Rats had allowed her brother to become hyena chow instead of allowing them the chance to bury him.
Henry sighed. "The alliance with the hyenas is that we can get any kid under twelve out of there along with any of our allies if they're at the barge," he said. "Casper was a: not our ally and b: over twelve. If we'd gotten him out of there and the hyenas found out we went against the alliance…"
"Scar found out the hard way why you don't go against a deal with the hyenas or try to betray them," Mal said.
Claudine had just fired off her dagger into Henry's shoulder when she heard Morgan exclaim that Shayla had managed to get one of the Rats in the stomach.
"Oh my Gods," Melody gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. She knew the Isle wasn't perfect, far from it in fact from what they read. But to have something like that happen…?
At first she thought it was an intimidation attempt but then her blood went cold as she saw one of the younger Rats lying on the ground—a dagger standing tall and proud in the center of his stomach.
All the VKs looked at each other, even Evie, Dizzy, Celia, and the Smee twins. While they might have been younger or even outside of the crew in Evie's case, they all knew that a dagger to the gut was never a good thing.
Especially with them lacking a medical system.
Derek had been the one to take over, considering Henry had been hit. Though Claudine often tried to aim for the shoulder or another non-lethal area to hit if she had to let one of her daggers fly. It was common to hear the phrase 'damn it Claudine' be uttered in a face off.
"Pretty sure almost all of the Face Off team owes their lives in some way to you," Henry murmured into Claudine's ear, trying not to melt because of the look James was giving him.
Claudine didn't care. She could win a face off without taking a life, especially a life of one of the younger ones. A belief that Freddy, Locklyn, and Shayla did not agree with considering Shayla had been rewarded to fourth in line for leading the Angels after that gut shot.
"He promoted her? After she killed someone?" Phil Jr. asked in shock.
"What about Freddy would imply he wouldn't?" Harry asked, his voice dangerously low as the memory of the Face Off came flooding back.
"Thinking about Rick?" Claudine asked softly, gently rubbing Henry's back.
"Yeah," Henry nodded and then sighed. "He'd just turned sixteen, he was fairly excited about joining us. Had he more experience in dealing with Shayla, he would have been able to stay out of her range...but we should have paid more attention."
Gasps filled the room as the AKs' eyes went wide and the VKs lowered their heads slightly out of respect but also so no one could see the sadness in their eyes.
"Did he suffer?"
Henry shook his head. "We got him to Uma and Mal, and Uma gave him a stab to the chest. Harriet had offered to do it but…"
Harry walked over and sat next to Uma, wrapping his arm around her in comfort.
"You should have never had to do that," Hades said, shaking his head.
Yeah…definitely going to add therapy for all the VKs, Ben thought, lightly biting his lip.
"But Uma was captain," Claudine whispered. Despite the fact that she wasn't part of the crew, she knew how the Rats and how the pirates worked better than any other Angel.
"Everything I know just makes me respect you guys more," Claudine said, her voice soft.
Henry never told her anything important but honestly, Claudine enjoyed that.
And that's just one of the reasons why I love you, Henry thought as he gave Claudine a small smile.
The stories about Ryan and CJ getting into a four hour sparring match or Henry walking in on Dustin and his latest fling meant more to her than any secret plans Henry's crew might be making.
"Who won? The sparring match I mean?" James asked, looking at CJ.
CJ grinned. "I did!"
"Ah way to go lassie," James said with a smile.
Even if she knew her brother would rather know about the plans than the mundane.
"Yeah well Freddy doesn't have a soul so it makes sense why he wouldn't care about the stories," CJ muttered.
"He wants you to do something doesn't he?" Henry's voice broke through the silence and Claudine looked over at him. "Freddy I mean. You can tell me."
"Wait…I thought she already told you?" Neal asked.
Claudine sighed. "He...he wants me to make you so dazed you can't think straight."
"That won't be too hard," Henry muttered softly, hoping beyond hope Claudine didn't hear it.
"Figures," Henry shook his head. "Why is he so obsessed with getting you to break my no fling policy?"
"Because it's Freddy and stuff like that's always on his little gremlin mind," Harry muttered, glaring at the scroll.
"Search me," Claudine shrugged. "He did say though that there was a possibility you were a deeper sinner than he thought because I hadn't been able to take you to bed. Because of how close you are with Dustin."
"You could have told him that you know that's not the case considering Henry's seemingly willing to meet with you," Robin said.
Henry scoffed. "First of all, of course he'd have a problem with Dustin. I know he's your brother but with that attitude, he belongs in Boreadon."
"Not all of us think like that," Belle said, shaking her head.
"I know," Claudine nodded. "But you know it's a danger, the idea of him being over on the other side of the bridge."
"Good thing it's just an idea because it'll never happen," Uma said firmly.
"I know," Henry sighed. "But even so, there's nothing wrong with Dustin. I mean, yeah he's a prat and doesn't think before he speaks meaning some of the younger crew members know a bit too much about his trists and flings—."
"That's an accurate description," Jay nodded.
"Didn't Mal and Uma punish him for that?"
"Sure did," Uma and Mal nodded.
"Strung him up the mast in his underwear," Henry nodded. "Pretty sure he had that wedgie for a week."
The younger kids couldn't help but giggle at that while Uma and Mal shook their heads in fond exasperation.
Claudine couldn't help the small giggle that escaped her lips at that. Sure it was wildly immature but this was the Isle, where death and darkness reigned supreme. If you couldn't find something to laugh at, you'd lose your mind.
Harriet, Henry, and Jay all nodded.
"Exactly," Henry said softly.
"Anyway, I'm not on Dustin's team," Henry said. "That doesn't mean I won't skewer anyone who tries to hurt him though."
"So…would you say you might not be on Dustin's team but you're in his crew?" Hadie asked with a small grin.
Henry nodded. "I think that's a perfect summation, Hadie."
"You don't have to tell me," Claudine nodded. "I know your motto. I think it's a better motto than the one the Angels have."
"Let me guess...'Freddy's always right'?"
"Wouldn't surprise me if it was," Hadie said, rolling his eyes.
"You'd be close. It's 'Enim spectans deus' or 'God is Watching'."
"Eh that's basically the same thing considering Freddy considers himself to be God," Jay scoffed.
"Why is it in Latin?"
"Because it's Freddy. Why else?" Uma shook her head.
"Who knows? Maybe it was a way for Fred to feel like he was better than Mal and Uma," Claudine shook her head and then paused. "How'd you know it was Latin?"
"Probably picked it up wandering round the Isle from some of the sea slugs Frollo converted," Harry said with a small shrug.
"Your dad tried converting mine a few years back, started trying to teach him Latin so that he could read the Bible. It didn't work, mainly because Lord Hades told Hook that if any more of his crew took up with Frollo that the deal would be off. At least, that's what Harriet told me."
James scowled slightly. "I thought I stopped that from happening back before Harriet was born," he muttered.
"Maybe you did but not this timeline's you," Milah told him.
Claudine smiled softly and rested her head on Henry's shoulder. "You think our parents wish we'd give them grandkids?"
Claudine snorted. "I don't know why I even asked since the answer is a clear no on my side."
"Well considering neither one of our parents know we're together…"
"You know what I mean."
"My donor doesn't acknowledge I exist, why would he care if I had kids?" Henry muttered with a small sigh.
"Yeah…yeah I do. My dad? Not in the slightest," Henry sighed.
"I have to agree with that," Claudine nodded. "My father probably would want me to be married before I turned to sin. Of course, in that case, it wouldn't be sin. Never mind the fact that Fred does it all the time without being married and dad doesn't bat an eye."
"Plus marriage isn't exactly done on the Isle," Claudine whispered, biting her lip since she wouldn't mind having Henry's kids. And clearly he would have them in the future if what Benji said was true.
"Actually…I wouldn't mind having a few lads or lasses from you all…when you're like thirty of course," James spoke up.
"Does your father even know about Freddy's activities?" Henry asked. "Your dad's got to be about as old as Yzma, how's he still alive?"
"Let's not question that," Harriet said. "Otherwise we start questioning how Yzma's able to have kids being older than time itself."
"Don't you know the rule Henry? It's the good who die young, even on the Isle where no one's good," Claudine sighed.
Not true…Harry thought as he glanced over to his mom. The only reason mom was on the Isle to begin with was because she was married to the Captain.
"I honestly thought my dad would try partnering up with that Auradon royal they sent us. After all, they had a lot in common."
"Yeah, let's not provide those images if you'd please!" Phil Jr. said, looking like he wanted to cover his ears right then and there.
"Let's not talk about that," Henry said softly, gently brushing some of Claudine's hair out of her eyes. "My crew thinks I'm off on a scouting run but I've been making those longer and longer so we should have some time before anyone truly questions I'm gone."
Malinda chuckled. "I actually think it was around this time that Derek and Ryan tried following you but got lost," she said.
"…They followed me?" Henry exclaimed.
"And got lost," Malinda reiterated.
"Didn't we cover this before?" Mal asked. "I feel like we've covered this before."
Henry shook his head, still stunned by the revelation. "Clearly I need to work with those two on tracking if they can't even follow me properly."
"How good of an actor are you?" Claudine whispered. "Fred'll know if you don't go back to the ship dazed even if you don't run into him. The Isle's only so big after all."
"Clearly he's not the best actor considering his reaction when the two of you showed up," Emir said, shaking his head.
Henry nodded and grew silent for a bit. Claudine didn't know what could be running through his head but she hated the fact that he even had to consider breaking his pact he'd made.
"Hey…it's not your fault," Henry said, gently rubbing Claudine's back as he whispered in her ear. "And if I'm going to break it for anyone…it's going to be you."
It wasn't uncommon for girls to make a pact to never have kids, especially considering how the food situation was growing up on the Isle. No one wanted to put an innocent child through that, especially with the risk that they wouldn't be able to be there to defend them.
All of the VK girls sighed softly.
"Hence why nearly all the girls in the crew have vowed they're never having kids," Uma said.
But boys normally didn't care about that. All they wanted was an escape from the gloom from the Isle. Besides, they didn't run the risk of pregnancy.
"Too bad. If guys had pacts like that, it would make it easier for the girls of the Isle," Ashaki pointed out.
Henry was different though. All of the Isle knew about his vow to never have a fling...though no one really knew the reasoning behind it.
"And they don't need to know unless Henry feels comfortable enough to tell them," Claudine said.
Claudine figured that the only people who truly knew were Mal and Uma, considering they were his captains.
Uma shook her head. "We're not going to force Henry to tell us his reasons if he's not comfortable saying them," she said.
Besides, Henry normally did nothing but train and spend time with her. Claudine wouldn't be surprised if his crew gave an intervention at some point.
"Oh Gods help us, if that turns out to be necessary in the scrolls…" Sammy sighed.
That could only help you though. If Fred heard about that, he'd think the Rats were experiencing infighting or something. Might get him off your case about how slow going you're being with getting Henry to bed.
"…So the scroll-crew giving Henry an intervention would help him in more ways than one," Harry said.
"I don't need an intervention though!" Henry exclaimed.
"Uh huh," the other VKs who were in his crew deadpanned.
Still…it wouldn't make sense not to do something while he was here.
Slowly, she placed her lips on the base of his neck; gently kissing him in the spot she knew drove him wild.
Henry and Claudine both flushed a bright red as Rose read that.
"Sorry," Claudine muttered.
"It's not like you knew this would be written down," Henry told her."
Hey, a little bit of truth never hurt anyone and at least she knew of a way to make Henry dazed without forcing him to give up something he held near and dear to him.
"Ah plausible deniability," Hadie said. "Smart."
"How do you know about that?" Mal asked.
"Celia."
"How does she know about that?" Uma asked.
"Freddie," Celia said with a small shrug.
Claudine would never ask him to make that choice.
"I know," Henry said, kissing her head softly.
"Claudine..." Henry mewled, shivers running down his spine.
Henry flushed once more and buried his face in Claudine's hair. "I'm not here, I can't hear this," he muttered.
"Too bad Dustin's not here," Harry chuckled.
"You mean good thing he's not here because he'd never shut up about this," Harriet corrected her brother.
"I just figured...might as well report to Fred that I managed to get you somewhat dazed right?" Claudine told him, looking up with a small smile. "We won't go further than what you're comfortable with though."
Claudine smiled softly as she gently squeezed Henry's hand reassuringly. "I stand by that," she said softly.
Henry gave her a small smile and then gasped in pleasure as Claudine returned to trailing kisses up and down his neck. It was amazing how gentle and yet how...how forceful she was. It was like she knew what she wanted but wanted to make sure he wanted it too.
Claudine flushed. "Um…could we maybe read this bit a bit faster? Get it done please?"
"I second that," James muttered.
And I do, he thought as they slowly laid down on the mattress.
Claudine smiled softly and reached up to kiss Henry's cheek. Well as best she could with his face still buried in her hair.
Claudine's the only girl I want to do this with. But every time I can't help but think if this is a fling or not...after all I can't be open with the fact that I'm with her even though Freddy's ordered her to get me to bed. If any of the crew found out I was with an Angel, let alone the second in command they'd mutiny for sure! Never mind what Uma and Mal would do to me! I'm pretty sure I'd find myself on the business end of Harry's hook in a heartbeat!
Mal shook her head. "Like we said when you two first arrived, the crew won't mutiny. At best they'll just rib you for taking so long."
Henry may have been older than the captains, the first mate, and Jay but he didn't care one bit that they were in command. Probably helped Uma and Mal were Godlings and Harry was the son of Captain Hook.
"Plus they're good Captains," Henry said, slowly lifting his head. "I'd follow them anywhere."
When they were first starting out, and Uma had declared herself the captain at age seven, Henry went along with it because he didn't want any trouble for his father.
More like I didn't want to lose the start of what would become the only family I knew, Henry thought.
If Harry wanted to, he could go to Hook with complaints about him and then Hook would take it out on his men.
Harry snorted. "Yeah and if I wanted to get the snot beat out of me, I'd go talk to the Captain too," he muttered; his low voice causing James to wince.
Men that included Henry's father after all.
Father might be too generous of a word for him, Henry thought.
My dad may have been a fling having, non support providing bastard to my mother but he's...he's still my dad. Family's everything to a pirate after all.
The pirate kids nodded slowly, not sure if they should make a comment based on the dark look on Henry's face.
"You're thinking again," Claudine said softly, looking down at him.
"And that's a dangerous pastime, you know," Sammy said with a small smile.
"Sorry," Henry told her, giving her a small smile. "I know it's a dangerous past time, at least it is according to Gaston. I just...I can't get it out of my head if this is a fling or not."
"You never have to apologize to me," Claudine said, gently kissing Henry's cheek once more.
Claudine couldn't help but give him a small sad smile at that. "I promise you Henry, it's not. But if you want, we can stop."
"And that's the difference," Sammy whispered. "If it was a fling and/or meaningless, all either of you would care about would be getting what you wanted for the other and not their comfort."
Henry sighed. "You can't convince Freddy you managed to daze me if we stop now."
"...I've got an idea. Take off your shirt."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"I second that!" James exclaimed.
"Take off your shirt," Claudine repeated and Henry stared at her in shock. "Oh honestly! The Isle's not that big after all. What do you think would happen if say you were seen coming out of Dragon Hall with a wrinkled shirt on?"
"That Henry slept in his shirt," Harry said. "It's not like we have irons or anything after all."
"That I wore a wrinkled shirt...oh. Oh! That's honestly really clever."
"I'm lost," Evan said, tilting his head.
"Thank Gods," Rachel muttered under her breath. Yes she knew her brother would have to grow up but at least he didn't know everything she knew.
"Hey, my brother may be a bed obsessed hypocrite but he sometimes has good ideas. I just happen to have more of them," Claudine smirked as she helped Henry sit up and gently pulled off his shirt.
"I'm sorry but when has Freddy ever had a good idea?" Mal asked.
"When he made Claudine his second in command," Malinda pointed out.
"…Drat you've got a point there."
Her fingers brushed over the numerous scars all around his shoulder; it was amazing he even had use of it after all the times he'd been hit with a dagger.
If they had a hospital system, he likely wouldn't be scarred at all, Ben thought with a small frown.
"Does it hurt?"
Claudine looked over at Henry and bit her lip slightly. "Does it?"
"Sometimes," he told her, his voice soft. "But not right now. Never when I'm with you. You could never hurt me Claudine."
"Except for the fact that I'm pretty sure I'm the one who gave you those scars," Claudine said softly.
"I'd rather walk away from a Face Off scarred than not be able to walk away from it at all," Henry told her, holding her close.
She couldn't help but give him a gentle smile at that as she leaned down and softly pressed her lips to the scars, trying to convey all she felt without saying the words out loud.
Slightly sad smiles could be seen on the faces of everyone around the room. Yes, even Audrey.
Even though they were both VKs, Audrey could appreciate the romantic nature of the two of them. It was almost like Romeo and Juliet in a way.
Henry wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him, understanding the message she'd been trying to get across to him.
The Henry who was present for the reading did the same thing, giving Claudine a silent 'I love you'.
"You know Fred's going to figure out we're faking this at some point right?"
"That would require him to care about someone other than himself or his ego," Hadie said, rolling his eyes.
"As long as your brother thinks we're going along with his plan, we're safe. I've got the Rats training as much as they possibly can now in case there's a fight. Nick and Jake need to work on their footwork anyway."
Jay chuckled. "You always say that Henry."
"Cause it's true," Henry shook his head.
"Well I mean, they can't all be in the top five in a list of swordsmen," she teased.
"You can if you train long enough," Harry and Henry said at the same time."
Henry rolled his eyes but a small smile formed on his lips at that. Claudine couldn't help but wonder if that list had been remade since Harry, Uma, Mal, and Jay had gone to Auradon.
"It's possible," Mal shrugged.
"How're Gaston's girls?"
"You asking for Locklyn and Brooke's sake or are you legitimately curious?"
"...both?"
The VKs sighed, hoping things hadn't gotten worse for the LeGume girls.
Henry sighed. "We're providing what aid we can but I know Gene and Gillian have already had to go to Zevon for a 'fling for food'. It's a good thing Gil's off the Isle, knowing that would break his heart."
James sighed. "So it seems as though Gaston's the same in this timeline as well. If he's going to have kids, he should acknowledge them. Regardless of their gender."
Claudine nodded and rested her head on Henry's chest. Gaston had been notorious for having flings with any woman he wanted, well any lower ranked woman he wanted.
Beast rolled his eyes. "Of course, he probably couldn't stomach the idea of a woman being a higher rank than him," he muttered.
There was no way the Evil Queen or Maleficent would have lowered themselves to have an evening with him.
"Mother might…if Gaston was a Prince," Evie said. "I know he was titled before he was sent to the Isle but he wasn't a Prince like Hans was."
The Bimbettes were his fling of choice though as they worshiped him and stroked his ego every chance they got.
Belle sighed and shook her head. "What else is new?"
If a fling produced Gaston a son, all the better for him really. He got a night of fun and a strapping young lad who would pass down the LeGume name.
"And yet, despite the constant flings, he only has three sons," Mal said. "I honestly think he's given up at this point."
However, if the fling resulted in a daughter...the poor girl would be lucky to have a 'G' name never mind actually have their father acknowledge them. They'd have to scramble to get whatever food they could…any way they could get it.
"Piper, Locklyn, and Lacey are the only LeGume girls who don't have a 'G' name," Uma said.
Belle sighed. "I'm assuming Paulette is Piper's mother?"
"Yeah," Mal nodded. "Paulette had Piper, Gillian, Gale, and Gene. Laurette lucked out with the Gaston twins so the only other LeGume kid she had to carry was Lacey, and Claudette had Gil, Gia, Glenn, and Georgia."
"…That's only eleven though," Rapunzel said, her voice soft.
"Madam Medusa had Locklyn," Jay said.
I never thought I'd be lucky enough to have my father actually acknowledge I was his daughter, Claudine thought. Then again, my mother didn't exactly give him a choice what with dying in childbirth and all. Sometimes though, I wonder...after all my mother had been a fancy of Hook's before he met Milah according to scuttlebutt. What would it be like? To have siblings that didn't make you ashamed to call yourself their sister?
Claudine sighed softly as she glanced over at the Hooks.
"What's wrong?" Henry asked, hearing the sigh.
"…Is it wrong to be jealous of yourself?" Claudine whispered. "That somewhere there's a version of you that doesn't have to wonder those things?"
"Not at all," Henry told her.
She sighed softly and curled deeper into Henry's embrace. She only got so much time with him before they had to leave their little bubble and go back to a reality where they had to hate each other to survive.
"That's so sad," Abby whispered. "But also…it's quite romantic."
Mal would have gotten Henry off the Isle in a heartbeat if he asked but Claudine knew he wouldn't. Not when there were younger kids who needed it more. He'd never forgive himself if he took a spot from the Smee twins...or CJ...or Ryan.
"There's enough spots for all of you," Ben said. "Everyone should get the chance to live in Auradon."
If he did ask, it would probably be for her. But Claudine would never ask him to do that. Because she would never take a spot from a younger VK and...because she didn't want to be without him.
"And you never will be," Henry whispered.
She was his, no matter what. And she knew he was her's.
"And you always will be," Henry said softly.
Rose sighed. "That's the end of the scroll. Who wants to read next?"
"I'll read," Jane said, softly raising her hand.
"Okay," Rose nodded.