Hi, my dear readers!

I'm so, so sorry for the long delay, but just like I informed you last chapter, my dear beta reader was very busy with a few private things and had no time to edit my writing. But now, finally, I can present you the next chapter. And – boy – will there be action.

I hope, you will enjoy it.

Love

Yours Lywhn / Starflight

Chapter 23 – A Fight to Win

The moment the last gleam of light from the unicorn vanished into the woods, a shaken Dalton Ashford crawled out from under the bush. That had been close! Good God, unicorns seemed to be as dangerous as the tales revealed. If he thought of the story of The Valiant Little Tailor… Groaning, he got to his feet; grimacing as his backside fully remembered the encounter with the beast's rear hoofs. Mortified and furious, he looked about as Wendy and Hook's footfalls disappeared in the distance. The two had used the opportunity to flee. His own intended, the refined Miss Darling, preferred a criminal! She had thrown a handful of dirt in his face and run away with that … that villainous malefactor! NO! This cannot be allowed! He wasn't someone to be trifled with. He and that milquetoast George Darling had come to an agreement, and the viscount would hold the entire Darling-family to it! All of them, including their rebellious daughter!

"That miserable bastard, I'll get him for that!" Alister snarled, staunching the blood on his injured hand where the bullet had grazed him. Jackson, whose face still showed the angry red spots from the stinging nettles, pulled out a handkerchief and bandaged the other's hand. Wickham, Russell and Fulsom had finally freed themselves from the collapsed tent and ran past Ashford; Morton limped. Fulsom stopped at the edge of the forest, looking disgusted. Why racing with the others after this hellcat? He didn't even have a weapon, au contraire to the two hunters who raised their rifles and fired after the fleeing pair.

"STOP!" Dalton shouted. "You could hit my bride!"

"Don't worry, we know who we're aiming at," Russell snarled and followed Wickham, who ignored his bleeding earlobe and bruised leg to trail their quarry. Behind them, Alister and Jackson took up their weapons, too, and ran after the other two hunters. Anders' pain from touching the unicorn was receding and, groaning, he regained his feet with Hutchings' help.

"That miserable beast!" he growled. "If I see it again, I'll have its horn for this!"

"Y' can't shoot a unicorn!" the professor protested. "They're 'oly. And, by the way, it be your own fault tha' ye touched it! Anyone knows tha' only virgins can touch a unicorn and not-"

"Stow your speeches!" Anders snapped, grabbed up his his colt and followed the others, a worried Ashford at his side. More shots were heard.

"HOLD YOUR FIRE!" the viscount yelled but was ignored.

*** PP ***

Hook and Wendy pelted down the hill. Headlong they ran through bushes and high ferns, the sounds of gunfire and the hiss of bullets chasing them forward. Hook ran swiftly, steadily, terrified for Wendy. What if one of these ugly buggers hit her? The thought increased his recklessness.

The girl did her best to keep up. 'They're shooting at us!' Wendy thought, heart racing, skirt gathered in one hand and Hook's hand in the other. 'They're really SHOOTING at us!'

'Where are Smee and the others?' he wondered while zig zagging through the forest. 'Dammit, don't they realize what's going on here?' They'd all been hunted at other times – and now he vividly remembered being chased by the English soldiers after returning home to Portsmouth. During his current career, he and his men had had their share of fleeing: from the Royal Navy, from the soldiers of the West Indian Trading Company, from other pirates and uniformed men, but this was different. The men who were after them were trained marksmen, making their predicament even more perilous.

Wendy forced herself to take longer strides, trailing vines catching at her legs. The Grim Reaper in the guise of these few men was following hard at their heels. The hunters were experienced in crossing forested areas and they could read their quarry's course. Wendy was aware that she herself wasn't threatened by them, but James' life was at stake. And that made her run faster than she ever had so that she could keep pace with him, despite his longer legs.

More shots rang out, pushing them both to their limits as they avoided tree trunks, jumped over roots and stones, batted low branches aside and broke through bushes. Wendy had always been good in school sports and fencing, badminton and riding came to her advantage now. And Hook was remarkably fit, but both were unable to put any distance between themselves and their eager pursuers.

She was gasping for breath, and James felt the sweat running down his back. Their sides hurt, and as Wendy stumbled for the first time, James was able to catch her, but he knew that she couldn't maintain the killing pace for much longer, and as they approached a few high ferns and dense flowering bushes, he pointed to them and quickly flung Wendy underneath, following her immediately. In the gold-pink-orange light of the setting sun he met her large, fearful eyes and instinctively he wrapped his arms around her in a protective manner, as she pressed herself against him, gasping for air as soundlessly as possible. There was nothing he could do at that moment. Being helpless made him furious. He could have re-loaded his pistol, but for what purpose? One bullet against all of theirs? No, if he killed one of them, the others would shoot him, no doubt. And he did not want to die, now that he had something to live for. Yet he had to do something – anything … He ducked down as far as possible, making them nearly invisible, each attempting to catch their breath silently.

He heard the approaching footfalls of the hunters, heard them shouting instructions to one another, heard the viscount ordering them not to shoot for 'Miss Darling is with the bastard.' Hook bared his teeth in a soundless snarl. If they caught them both, he was done for – and what would become of the girl? He felt her trembling as she buried her face at his chest.

A shout rang out! "Mr. Smee, Mr. Mason, to the right! Akeele, Mullins, Herbs, downhill! Bollard, Lin, with me! We'll catch them now! Mr. Alfons, take Miss Darling aside and stay with her!"

They heard the hunters halt. "Did you hear that?" one of them said softly.

"That's more to the left and up the hill! Damn, how did we miss them making a turn?"

And the Danish accent: "Quick, after them now – and use the bushes as cover. They may have old pistols but the bullets are no less deadly than ours!"

"Two of you with me so that we can get Wendy away from him!" That was Ashford.

"Milord, you can 'get' your bitch later," the Danish man snapped. "First we have to take out those thieving scoundrels!" The voices lessened with the distance as the men hastened toward the left and back uphill.

"MR. SMEE, FOLLOW MY ORDERS!" Hook's voice boomed once again through the air – but the real captain hadn't said a word since he and Wendy had run from the clearing.

Still panting, James shook his head with a rueful grin, realizing who this 'ghost-voice' was up the hill. "Pan," he mouthed, feeling both amused and grateful. "Clever little devil! Amazing how well he can imitate my voice."

Despite her fear, Wendy had to smile. Typical Peter! Somehow he always seemed to come in the nick of time. Aurora beckoned to them, pointing them down the hill. Peeking carefully through the flowers, Hook saw that the hunters were running back up the hill again, putting distance between them, him and Wendy. He unfolded himself in the small space below the flowers for a better view. There was movement on the strip of beach – a few of his men. Offering Wendy his hand again, he helped her to her feet and made for the beach. To his right he heard others approaching: Smee, Akeele, Bollard and Lin. And they all had their flintlock pistols or cutlasses drawn.

"Come," he murmured in the girl's ear, and darted toward them, pulling Wendy with him. Aurora followed.

"Cap'n," Smee called in relief, but quickly closed his mouth as Hook made a sharp gesture with his metal claw.

"Silence, all of you!" James whispered fiercely.

Bollard stared at him, and quietly stuttered, "B-b-b-but Sir… ye sounded like yer bein' up t'ere!" He pointed up the hill.

The captain smiled grimly. "That was Pan imitating me. Sometimes the boy's talents are a blessing." Mullins, Mason, Herbs and Alfons reached them, nodding in agreement. That was a trick they had fallen for often enough. Hook glanced in the direction where the intruders had vanished, thinking fast. "Our opponents are eight and they are armed with pistols and rifles. We're ten – nine, when Smee takes Wendy down to the boats. We outnumber them and we have the surprise on our side. Smee, take Miss Darling to safety. The others come with me. We have work to do."

Wendy, understanding what he intended, put her hand on his arm. "Captain, don't," she said with a low, urgent voice. "You don't know what you're up against. Every gun of theirs has six, eight or more bullets. They do not need to reload." She had the men's attention. "And the range of the bullets is two or three times further than those of your pistols," she added. "They could kill you all in a brief volley of bullets before you even got off your first shot."

"Six, eight or more wit'out reloadin'?" Akeele asked disbelieving. She nodded vigorously.

"Two or t'ree times th' range?" Smee was not certain if he'd understood the girl correctly.

Hook looked in Wendy's eyes and saw only fear for him. It felt like clear like spring water that she was concerned for him. And it warmed him, despite his tension. "So, you're saying we won't stand a chance against them?" he asked quietly.

"Sword against sword, you would certainly win, but not when they use their guns. You will be killed as soon as you are in range." Her voice trembled slightly; her face was pale. She was terrified that he would decide to attack the strangers and get hurt. Or killed.

"This new century has brought more than improvements in travel and communication, eh?" he guessed. Wendy nodded again, looking pleadingly at him. He took a deep breath. "Alright," he growled. "Against new weapons we might have no chance. I don't like it, but in this case, we should be rational." He glanced at the others. "Back to the longboats, before these fools realize they've fallen for one of Pan's tricks."

As if agreed long ago, Wendy fell in step beside him; her hand again in his. They descended quickly to the beach, his men forming a half circle of protection behind him and the girl.

*** PP ***

Peter had followed the unicorn, first to the east and then northward. As he neared the hill above the beach, he heard the unicorn's angry neighing. Then shouts, followed by a shot. He knew the sound of Hook's pistol. So, the captain was there! Then voices got even louder and the boy flew faster, assuming that Wendy was in danger, and that stupid pirate, too. By our Lady! He was afraid for Wendy, and even a tad worried about that long-legged miserable grownup. Then more shots echoed, and Peter heard different orders.

Tink jangled hectically beside him and pointed downwards. There under them on the ground were two tents – one collapsed, one upright. And there were more strangers and those Peter already met. And six of them with guns took off after the fleeing Hook and Wendy.

In the blink of an eye, Peter took on the role of the Defender of Neverland. He knew he had to do something to help his lady friend and the man who once had been his enemy, but what? The invaders had guns, even more dangerous than swords. He saw his friends get a head start, taking advantage of the cover the ferns and bushes offered, but not far enough to put off their pursuers. Landing in the crown of a tall tree, he hid in the branches, took a deep breath and pressed his voice into a familiar low timbre. Shouting deceptive orders, he watched the strangers change their direction, away from the two fleeing persons and back up the hill.

Grinning, Peter followed them and imitated Hook again, this time with a thundering voice that sent the intruders on a wild goose chase. Grinning triumphantly, the boy took to the air again, shot over the treetops and found Hook and Wendy with the crew members, heading toward the beach; taking advantage of the respite he, Peter, had gained for them. Yet he knew that he wouldn't be able to trick the strangers for long, so he followed them in the air, using the trees for cover. This would allow him to observe them further, to warn Wendy, the captain and the pirates as soon as the game was over.

*** PP ***

Jackson cursed quietly. "This can't be! They have to be here somewhere!"

"Be careful. These villains could be lying in wait for us nearby and we're their targets for some training-shots," Alister muttered.

Alister had his weapon ready and listened closely to his surroundings, but except for his comrades' footsteps and the quiet curses and their own exchanges there were no other sounds. He pressed his lips into a thin line and tried to ignore the pulsing pain in his hand. Jackson's handkerchief had stopped the bleeding, more or less, but it still hurt like mad.

Suddenly the dark voice rang out from farther uphill. "Mr. Mullins, Mr. Mason, I said draw your pistols sharp, not your cutlasses!"

Wickham, pistol in his right hand, left pressing a handkerchief against the bleeding earlobe, stopped dead in his tracks. "Hell and damnation, that's the bloody pirate's voice, but we see no tracks and hear nothing from his men. Something isn't right here!"

Russell grimaced. "I agree. We're being deceived!"

"Yet it is his voice," Ashford stated, who held his own pistol and tried not to think of his aching hips – or his injured pride.

Reuben Jackson went past him and looked down the hill from where they had come – only to curse vehemently. And loudly. As Dalton rebuked him with a "Mr. Jackson, chasten your mouth!" the hunter glared at him.

"Look down there, Milord! You'll see where the bastard really is – and your 'bride'!" He pointed towards the beach.

The other five pushed past the greenery, and, flabbergasted, they saw the pirates manning two longboats. The captain was easily recognized as he lifted someone in a light blue dress and lowered her into one of the boats. Then he bent to help his men push the vessel into the sea.

"I don't believe it," Dalton whispered. "That … that bloody cripple tricked us! But how?" He glanced over his shoulder in the direction they'd last heard the captain's voice. How was it possible that 'Hook' had thrown his voice all the way up the hill, when in truth he was down at the beach?

The wind carried a reckless chuckle towards him and the others – the sniggering of a boy. And the scales slipped from Ashford's eyes. "Peter Pan," he whispered.

"We met him on our way here," Anders growled. "And if I get my hands on him—"

"He … It was him," Dalton continued, ignoring the bad grammar, as if he hadn't heard the Dane, and palmed his forehead in frustration. "I'm an idiot. Wendy wrote in her first book how the boy imitated the captain's voice and freed them." His look wandered up into the trees. "We didn't hear Hook this time, but the boy!"

"Impressive," Russell groused. "He really sounded like the captain."

The chuckle from above turned into full laughter, then a triumphant crow, followed by a reckless "Oh, the cleverness of me!" They saw what might have been a shadow waggling its thumbs in its ears, then the boy vanished between the treetops.

"He made fools of us all," Anders hissed, letting his rifle sink. "I swear, when I get this rascal in my hands he gets the thrashing of his life!"

"Better to figure out how to get her back before she gets to the ship! Otherwise there'll be no way to take her back with us to England," Wickham moaned.

"There is only one way," Einar Anders snapped. "Eliminate those pirates!" He began to run toward the beach, the others following. Behind them, a few sharp tones were played on a flute. Dalton would have bet his last shirt that this was a warning for Shalford and his men …

*** PP ***

Hook, Wendy and the pirates had reached the beach without being seen by Ashford and the others. The two longboats lay nearby partially on the sand, and without being ordered, the crew who had remained with the vessels quickly began to shove them back into the waves. They all knew it was only a question of moments until the others caught onto the trick, and the men from the Mainland would be after their captain and the girl again. Reaching the water, James simply lifted Wendy in his arms to prevent her from getting too wet.

"I … I can walk," the girl panted, and even if Hook was out of breath, too, he had to grin.

"Aye, you can. But I won't let you catch a cold."

"Hey, I'm not that delicate," she retorted, gratefully wrapping her arms around his neck, delighting in the feeling of his sweat and the long curls. She was tempted to lean her head against his, but she knew that she had to be alert to their surroundings until they were aboard the Jolly Roger.

Hook placed her on the middle thwart of the longboat, loosened his shoulder sash and threw it into the vessel together with his long sword, then put his shoulder to the gunwale to aid his men to launch the dinghy, getting wet almost to the hip, filling his boots with seawater. He heard furious shouts from the hill and knew that Ashford and his goons had figured out that they had been tricked. Splashing water over the side, he climbed into the vessel and sat down on the thwart behind Wendy, while the other men also clambered aboard. Smee wheezed and tried to scramble into the boat, too, but without success. Before he could lose the ground beneath his feet, Hook gripped the Irishman's belt and hauled him aboard. Akeele's long arm shot out and helped him. With a thud and a violent swaying of the boat, Smee landed between two of the thwarts, while more water plashed into the vessel.

"T'ank-ye, Cap'n," he panted.

Before Hook could answer, a few shrill whistles echoed from the woods towards them – Pan's flute. The captain had heard those tones often enough to recognize them as the boy's alert signal. The next moment shots echoed through the air. "DOWN EVERYONE!" Hook shouted, pushing Wendy into the sloshing water on the bottom, and followed them.

"Thass quite enough!" Akeele growled, lifted his own rifle and fired back. Mason, Mullins, Lin, Bollard, Alfons and Herb followed his example, while the others began to row the two boats toward the Jolly Roger.

Wendy had ducked and pressed her hands over her ears. Fearfully she looked sidewards at James, who fingered for his pistol to reload it. Good God, he didn't want to fight back, wouldn't he? What, if he was hit or…

The other buccaneers began to reload their guns, too, while a new volley opened against them. "Damn, t'ey're already at t'e beach!" Mullin's shout sounded from the other longboat towards them.

"ALL DOWN!" Hook yelled again and not a moment too soon, as new burst of gunfire raced over the waves, hitting the water and three times the boats. One of the men, who was rowing one of the four oars per boat, cried out as he was hit in the upper arm.

"Tom, come down here, I'll look at yer arm," Smee called.

Hook cursed under his breath, and took the vacant place at the oar himself. Lin, Herbs and Mason had the three other oars and together they rowed as strongly as they could, while the other men tried to cover them by firing at the men at the beach. They had to gain a greater distance between themselves and the shore, or they would be sitting ducks…

More shots rang out and the bullets hit the water and again the boats' hulls, yet all the pirates ducked to avoid injuries. From the other boat, another curse, followed by "Damn landlubbers!"

Hook looked over. "Mason! Are you hurt?"

"Jus' grazed, Cap'n, nuttin' serious!" came the answer.

Wendy's heart pounded in her throat. She heard Dalton's voice coming over the water together with the echoes of more shots. "Aim more carefully! You hit that girl and you're fired! She gets hurt, no one gets paid!"

In the light of the setting sun, Wendy's terrified gaze darted to Hook, who pulled strongly the oars – and was in the center of the line of fire. He would surely be killed! They were barely a stone's throw away from the beach, and too far yet from the Jolly Roger.

NO. That will not happen! Before she could talk herself out of it, Wendy did the bravest, most coldblooded, most terrifying thing she'd done so far in her life. She rose up from the bottom of the boat, despite its swaying, placed herself firmly in front of James, and spread her arms, facing the beach. "STOP SHOOTING, DALTON!" she cried across the water, then saw the shocked expressions on the hunters' faces.

"Miss Wendy!" Smee gasped and reached.

"ARE YOU INSANE!" the captain roared behind her, but Hook couldn't reach her. So he rowed harder.

She stood as steadily as possible, ignoring the reprimands around her. "I won't let him kill you!" she replied. "I won't stay on the bottom of the boat, so ROW."

Hook's face was flushed with anger and fear for her, then he and the others were startled as behind them explosions ripped apart the evening air…

*** PP ***

"Aim more carefully," Ashford snapped at his companions as their feet met the sand. "Woe to you and all of your descendants if you hit the girl!"

"Your girl is on the bottom of the boat," Wickham hissed, "and I aim for that cursed pirate!"

Anders, still pale and sweaty from the aftershock after touching the unicorn, smiled grimly as he saw Hook sitting at one of the oars and aimed his colt directly at his chest. But before he could squeeze off the killing shot, something impossible happened. The slim figure in the blue dress rose from the bottom of the boat, and spread herself before their guns, arms out to her sides. Her longboat had moved in front of the other. "No!" he whispered, lowering his gun. Then he turned the gun away, cursing wildly. "Your girl is completely mad!" he growled. "She shields that damn criminal!"

Dalton shouted, "Stop firing! Everyone!" The noise of the guns ceased as they all looked amazed, disbelieving, at the figure of the girl impossibly protecting the men around her. Ashford was truly gobsmacked that Wendy would risk all to protect that bastard. How far had the girl's fascination with that villain already progressed?

Then Alister's cry distracted him and the others for a moment. "Sweet Lord, LOOK!" He pointed towards the ship and following his gaze, Dalton and his companions felt a bolt of shock. The cannon hatches in the ship's hull were opening and the last light of the setting sun gleamed on the black muzzles of the emerging weapons.

"No!" Russell swallowed hard, who realized what was going on. "They won't shoot at us with … with cannons, will they?"

"We're attacking their captain," Jackson said matter-of-factly, turning and leaving the beach. "Of course they will, so RUN!" His suggestion was drowned out by the Jolly Roger's cannons. Sand sprayed up where the cannonballs pounded and bounced across the beach and knocked down a tree moments later – uncomfortably close but not close enough to hit the men. A shot across the bow, so to speak.

Ashford and the hunters turned and raced towards the woods and up the hill. Another burst of cannon fire resounded, echoing over the waves and across the mountains moments later, as the weapons on the gun deck spit their deadly fire.

*** PP ***

Aboard the Jolly Roger, Billy Jukes straightened, while the cannon repositioned after the blowback. "Closer tha' time! Ye almost got 'em," Cookson called towards him, and the first gunman of the ship grinned broadly.

"Aye! Runnin' like rabbits, ain't they!" he shouted back in glee.

"Shoot at our cap'n, ye damn landlubbers – not as long as we got gunpowder!" Whibbles growled; his one eye gleaming with triumph while the last bit of daylight lit his black eye-patch.

Jukes examined the two longboats through the telescope. Clearly he could see Hook, who had just pulled the girl to a sitting position on one of the thwarts. Now the captain sat at one of the oars and rowed together with the others. They'd all seen how "tha' vixen" put herself in front of the pirates, shielding them from their enemies. He briefly wondered if he should ask if wedding bells were in their future, but quickly put the question aside. A joke like that might be the last one he ever attempted, good gunner or not. Then the face of Smee appeared, aiding Tom Lally. "Turley, Scourie, Albino, Robb, get ready t' haul th' boats aboard," Billy ordered. "We've a lady visitor."

"Of course, a wildcat who uses her wiles t' protect our cap'n!" Whibbles laughed and the others joined him. No one had doubted that their captain would return with the pretty storyteller.

"What d' y' think 'e's tellin' 'er now?" asked the Oriental.

"Twould be a discussion worth lissenin' to!" Albino nodded. "Luv t' be a fly on tha' wall."

They all nodded and laughed, knowing that their captain was indeed truly in love with the sweet wild girl, even though denying it, and that it was only a question until the fire found release.

Cookson rolled his eyes and shook his head, appalled that Hook was insane enough to get involved with that hellcat – but then, the ship's cook had seen this coming, just like the others. If anybody aboard dared to speak the truth, he would confirm that those two had become, indeed, inseparable …

*** PP ***

The moment the Jolly Roger's cannons thundered their deadly message through the early evening, Hook knew the tables were turned. A sigh of relief escaped him, for Wendy suddenly sat down again, as if her knees would not support her anymore, and her hands clapped over her ears. He smiled. The new weapons might be quicker and offer more shots per load, but they stood no chance against their 32-pound cannons – especially when someone as gifted as Billy Jukes handled them. They'd only missed their enemies by handbreadth, and he could hear Juke's celebrating across the water.

James strongly pulled on the oar, the blade of his metal claw leaving traces in the shaft. He knew he could count on his crew. Though he often called them 'dogs', just like those creatures, they were loyal to the core and defended him with everything they had. Like now. As the second shot ripped through the air followed by cheers, Hook glanced back at the beach. Ashford and the others had taken to their heels and pelted through the sand until their figures vanished into the woods. Well, the range of fire was indeed crucial for winning a fight like this one and modern weapons or not, cannons were stronger than handguns, no matter the technology.

"Once again the old saying turns out to be true," James commented quietly, "He who laughs last, laughs best." He kept a wary eye on Wendy, visibly trembling on the thwart. Smee aided Lally, who cursed at the pain, but shut up with the glare from his captain.

"GOOD SPEED, GENTLEMEN!" Hook shouted; encouraging both boats' crews. "ROW TO SEAWARD 'ROUND THE JOLLY ROGER, SO WE CAN BOARD HER IN PEACE!"

Then he looked carefully at Wendy, who was 'white as a sheet' beneath her tan. What courage this girl possessed! James couldn't help himself, he was proud of her. He actually admired her. "Are you alright?" he asked gruffly.

"Oh, splendorous," she replied wryly; the sarcasm her way of dealing with terror. "A frantic flight from hired goons shooting at us … just another happy day in Neverland!" She closed her eyes, realization of possible consequences now making themselves obvious to her.

The men around her grinned, while Smee gave her a gaze full of sympathy. Only Hook lifted both brows. "Maybe it taught you never to trust a rascal."

Wendy looked back at him, appreciating the gloriously manly sight, then blessed him with a quirky smile. "No chance – after all, I have come to trust you."

That earned her laughter from the men aboard. James narrowed his eyes. "I'm no 'rascal', I'm -"

"- the dreaded Scourge of the Seven Seas, I know," she nodded, then smirked.

James shook his head, resisting the smile struggling to get out. 'Wait until we get to my quarters, Red-Handed Jill.'

*** PP *** PP ***

Still stunned by his intended's disgraceful behavior, Ashford and the others returned to the camp – if you could call one functional tent a camp. Hutchings hadn't joined their chase; instead, he and Fulsom had attempted to raise the collapsed second tent again – without success. Setting up a canvas tent with no prior experience was complicated (especially when your hands are all thumbs) and, of course, one of the support lines had been bitten through. But at least they had set up the camp chairs and the table again. As the viscount and the others returned (complaining, frustrated, limping and bruised) Archibald stuck his thumbs in his vest pockets and observed that "Your 'unt dinna exactly go as planned, it seems."

"Did you hear the cannon-fire?" Einar Anders grunted. "Our pistols and rifles were useless. We just didn't feel like dying today."

"Same as th' captain," the professor nodded. "O' course 'is crew would defend 'im." He looked at Ashford. "I 'ad only a brief glimpse o' the man, but I think m' first assumption is correct," he stated bluntly. "'E is the one in the portrait in your library, only matured into a man."

Daltons let himself fall into one of the camp chairs and gave Hutchings a baleful glance. "It seems so," he said sourly. He was still astounded by Wendy's behavior. How could she defend that scoundrel? How could she put herself in danger to keep him safe, risking her life for him? She had to realize that she could have been killed, and for whom? For a throat-cutting murderer who had no problem with pillaging and plundering! This was no romantic hero from a novel, dammit, but life and death! Hook – Shalford? – was no misunderstood protagonist fighting for liberty and the damsel in distress. The captain was a dangerous criminal, nothing more or less!

"Well," Archibald began to count on his fingers, "'e wears the clothing from that era, he had a flintlock pistol, the sword was definitely from th' same era – one like an officer of the Royal Navy got when bein' promoted to a 'igher rank. Did y' no say that the youngest son of the family you inherited your estate from was in the Royal Navy?" As the viscount nodded bitterly, the professor smiled. "There you 'ave your next proof. This Cap'n 'Ook and the Marquess' youngest son are one an' the same."

"And he knew your name," Russell pointed out, while beating the sand out of his clothes and hair. "He spoke your name like a curse. I agree with the professor concerning this pirate's identity. He's the last survivor of these Show … something."

"Shalford," Dalton reminded him, crossing his arms. He was furious that this son of a traitor had bested him. And he was outraged that Wendy had taken that criminal's side and gone with him. She had to be crazy to choose this pirate over him – crazy, or bewitched by these cursed Faes! "Dammit, what we do now? Wendy has gone to the ship and is unreachable to us. And all because of that boy."

"May I speak, Milord?" Einar asked and ignored Dalton's mumbled "Only if you must." Clearing his throat the Dane continued, "We all saw the girl accompany the pirate of her own free will. We saw her shield him with her body, protecting him and preventing me from shooting him. I had a clear shot. He would be a corpse now if she hadn't placed herself in front of him. My advice: forget her and concentrate on the dragons."

Dalton stared at him and shook his head. "No! I … I … I gave her parents my word of honor. And, by the way, I'm an Ashford, and Ashfords don't quit. And when a Shalford is involved taking what belongs to me? Wendy Darling will be my bride, and if it means that I have to send Shalford – or Hook, or whatever he calls himself now – to hell, so be it!"

"Kinda makes you wonder why he fancies this dragon lady," Fulsom murmured beneath his breath. Hutchings snorted in quiet agreement, then covered it up with a cough.

"If we concentrate on the dragons, we may be successful in our task. But if you try to 'free' the girl, you will not only face the entire crew of pirates, but possibly the Indians and, of course, that flying boy and his whole flock of fairytale friends," Wickham pointed out.

"A risk I'm willing to take. I will not lose against a two-hundred-year-old cripple – a Shalford no less," Dalton growled. He glanced at Einar, who was still pale and sweaty, massaging his hand and arm. "You met this Peter Pan, right?"

Einar glowered darkly towards the sea. "Yes, we did. He charged us after we exchanged a few words." He pointed at his jaw. "Here he kicked me with both feet – his full weight, right out of the air. He pushed Reuben into a field of stinging nettles and Alister was hurled against a trunk. Everything happened so fast, we had barely time to react." He glared at Hutchings. "Only our professor here came out of it without a bruise."

"There is difference between talkin' and talkin', Mr. Anders. The way you spoke to 'im was verrry agrrressive."

"Godammit, this is a boy we're dealing with!" Anders exploded. "A feral, impertinent, badly behaved little boy who thinks he can order grownups around, then attacks them when something doesn't go according to his liking. Think you that I will ask a child for permission to do something? The next time I see him I'll show him what adults do with delinquent children!"

Ashford pursed his lips and watched him. Until now, he hadn't spoken with anybody about Lunette's request to bring the boy to England. It was one thing to 'rescue' a young woman and her younger brothers, and to hunt for a monster like a dragon. But kidnapping a child was a completely different agenda. Yet, it seemed, he might have an ally in the Dane. He would speak with Einar alone when the others were sleeping.

But for now, "We have to find a way to get Wendy off the ship. And we have to settle details concerning our second task." He took a deep breath. "Were you successful concerning the dragons?" he addressed Einar.

"Yes, we found the valley where they're nesting, and…" He stopped, as the viscount lifted a hand. Then he saw a leaf dancing on one of the bushes, with no breeze about. He knew who was eavesdropping now: certainly a few of the Indians. He and Ashford exchanged a glance.

Dalton pursed his lips; knowing that they were being spied on by the Natives. Well, they mustn't learn about the real intentions of him and his companions – or of the plans they had to make. Hesitating for a moment, Dalton got an idea. He was well educated, just like the professor and Einar. But you couldn't say that about the Indians. With a hidden smile he glanced at his companion. "Parles-tu français?" he asked, and got surprised looks.

"Mais… oui," Archibald answered, puzzled. Einar only nodded, as did the others. Alister and Jackson been in Africa for many safaris, and there both languages – English and French – were used. Even if Russell, Alister and Jackson didn't speak French well, at least they could understand most of it, and that would do. Fulsom just looked confused, but he could be briefed the next day.

Leaning back on his camp chair, Dalton said in French, "We will use this language. Neither the Indians nor the boy will understand what we say."

The others grinned and nodded.

TBC…

Well, was that action to your liking? Not only the purchase, Wendy protecting Hook for once (even if it was really a daring thing she did), but also Peter showing up using his old tricks to help his 'lady-friend' and the man he somehow has learned to like (even if he would rather bit off his tongue than admitting it). Ashford got the first impression of what lays ahead for him and the others if he dares to threat Hook (or Peter), but – be sure – he declines the challenge. Yet he is damn clever, using a language of which he knew Neverland's habitants don't speak so that he can make plans with his goons how to proceed from here on. And, believe me, the next day will be harsh on everyone…

In the next chapter Wendy gets an ear full for what she did. Not only from James but also for Peter. The two for once agree on something – after all they share the same worry for a certain wildcat (smile). Then you'll learn what happens to Wendy little friends and there will be a short hot and sweet scene, too.

I hope, you liked the new chapter and once again sorry for the long delay. I'm positive that the next chapter will come sooner. Like always I ask you to leave some feedback. I would really appreciate it to get some comments / reviews, you know (smile).

Have a nice rest of the week,

Love

Yours Lywhn / Starflight