Chapter Four
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! So for this chapter, I'm going to put a pause on the individual reviews because there seems to be some recurring questions that I want to cover. Don't worry, I'll be going back to individual reviews next chapter.
Yes, Eric and Ariel are High King and Queen rather than Beast and Belle. Why? Because in this world, Eric beat Beast in the election to become King (and if Kenny Ortega had used any other word, I wouldn't have a problem with it but he used 'elected' and therefore I have issues).
I've noticed some comments saying that this story's a bit repetitive as well because we're starting on the status of the Isle just like my other stories (with the exception of the Watch and Learn series). Yes we're starting on the Isle—the characters I like are on the Isle and as well there might people who haven't read my other works. Just because I'm playing in my AU like a sandbox does not mean that just because I change one thing that it's magically going to change.
Finally, this fic is 70 chapters long and we're on chapter four. Please give it a chance to grow before saying it's repetitive.
Thank you all so much for your continued support and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
"Cap'n?"
"Come in Smee," Hook sighed as he leaned back in his chair. They were in the captain's quarters of The Jolly Rodger and yet he couldn't help but be on edge. Milah was getting closer and closer to giving birth, Frollo was out there somewhere, and of course they were all still on this blasted Isle.
"Cap'n, I…I have to ask…are we making a mistake?" Smee asked as he closed the door to the quarters. "We're risking a lot that Frollo will believe Mollie. And if he doesn't, if…if he realizes we lied to him…"
"I know Smee," Hook said with a small sigh. The thing about Frollo was the fact that he truly did not care about collateral damage or if anyone else got hurt. Normally the pirate captain wouldn't have turned away from a fight. It was one of the few piratey things he could do ever since he was chucked on this Isle.
But the difference was, while Hook might have gone after the Lost Boys when they were all in Neverland, he wouldn't have gone after someone who was a non-combatant so to speak.
And yes, he was aware that the Darling children never raised arms against him but they sided with Pan.
"But what choice do we have Smee?" Hook asked, looking at his First Mate and pulling himself out of his thoughts. "Milah's so close to her due date and you've got your young one to worry about too. Not to mention…Jessica would have wanted her daughter to be raised by pirates."
"But…wasn't Frollo's lad also part pirate?"
"And if you want to give Frollo a golden invitation to come after us, I welcome you to steal that lad from Frollo," Hook told Smee. "We're in the clear because Frollo never saw the lass. If I were a betting man, I'd bet my hook that he probably believed Mollie."
Frollo had actually visited The Rose maybe a week after Milah and Mollie had set up their rooms in the Underworld. Mollie had even gone back over to the Smee home to get Sammy's crib since the crib Hades' imps had set up was being used by Jessica.
Thank Poseidon for the fact that Auradon was providing baby supplies, Hook thought. Otherwise I'm not sure what would have been used for cribs. There's a notable difference between Smee's lass' crib and the one we're using though…
Hook could have slapped himself when he realized what the difference was—Jessica's crib was metal while Sammy's felt more wooden. But it wasn't wood—yet looked like it.
He shook his head as he realized he'd gotten completely off course. He'd been thinking about Frollo and veered down the rabbit hole toward baby cribs. Then again, with Milah probably days away from giving birth it was probably understandable why he was so distracted.
But anyway, Frollo had come round to The Rose—having probably been informed by one of his disciples no doubt. Thankfully he'd 'visited' when Hook was over, cementing the alliance The Jolly Rodger had with the new captain of The Rose.
Let's just say it'd felt good tossing Frollo out on his arse, even if Hook knew it had probably been a bad idea.
He was already Frollo's enemy and for that moment at least, there was no way Hook would be betrayed. Hades hated Frollo probably about as much as he hated the Dragon after all.
Surprise, surprise Frollo, going around calling Lord Hades a false God turned out to get you a powerful enemy, Hook thought.
"Captain?"
"Oh…apologies Smee, I guess I got lost in thought," Hook sighed. "As for whether or not we're doing the right thing? This is the Isle. There is no right thing…but we've already given Frollo a chance to put a target on our backs. And while I don't flee from a fight, I know Frollo won't turn down the chance to hurt anyone who stands in his way."
Smee nodded. Everyone knew the story about how he ordered Phoebus to burn a house down with a family still inside. Everyone, not even the little babe, was spared and had it not been for Phoebus defying orders that family would have died.
There was a reason why, out of all the heroes in Auradon, Phoebus and his wife were the ones that the pirates had a small soft spot for. They had a code themselves after all and while their code were more like suggestions than rules, they could admire anyone who stuck to their own code.
And clearly preventing harm to innocents was one of Phoebus' codes. Probably how he escaped going on the Isle despite leading an uprising against Frollo. After all, Beast had been pardoned of his kidnapping and holding Belle hostage, just as Aladdin and Flynn, or Eugene as he was called now, had been pardoned of their thievery before their ascension into royal life.
I think I've spent too much time watching the Auradon New Network, Smee thought. Though in all honesty, Flynn's thievery would have been more likely to get him on the Isle than Aladdin's would have if they weren't pardoned. Eric's not so blind that he'd lump stealing to eat in with stealing the royal crown of the missing princess.
Truthfully, there were times that Smee had to wonder what life on the Isle would be like if there had been a different High King and Queen. The food was provided frequently, though there was never enough for everyone.
Granted, Maleficent often scooped up as much as she could so the stampedes were less on Auradon and more on her.
"Smee?"
"Yes cap'n?"
Hook sighed. "Tell me honestly Smee. Is the crew looking to mutiny again? I know they were close to it when we were in Neverland and now…"
"There's been no talk that I've heard cap'n," Smee said. "Especially now that the crew knows that you've allied with Lord Hades. The crew's not the brightest, if you don't mind my saying so cap'n, but they know it's important to not get on the wrong side of Lord Hades."
Hook looked at Smee. "You mean it Smee? After all, The Rose had members deflect to Frollo, and Jessica had some of the most loyal crew around if your wife is any indication."
"Well…actually…"
"Smee…"
"Mr. Starkey left," Smee said, his knees shaking somewhat. "Apparently Frollo put the fear of Hell in him and he said that he didn't want to be with such filthy sinners anymore."
"What?!"
"I…I…"
Hook shook his head and barged out of the quarters, his face steaming red. Bad enough that Frollo might actually be the biological father of his daughter but now Frollo was going after his crew?
"Listen up you scurvy dogs! Crew meeting, now! Captain's orders!"
"Yes cap'n!"
Nice to know I've still got it, Hook thought as his crew scurried to him. "Now I hear tell that Frollo's been talking up that precious bible of his around here. Even ensnared Mr. Starkey is that right?"
"Yes…cap'n," Bones nodded, his face going pale as Hook's hook glinted in the rare bit of sun that managed to shine through the cloud cover of the barrier.
"Is there anyone else who shares Mr. Starkey's new fanaticism?"
The crew grew silent and almost seemed afraid to look at one another. It wasn't until a crew member raised his hand that anyone moved after what felt like an eternity but was more likely five minutes.
Hook looked over at the crew member—for the life of him, he couldn't remember his name but Hook knew he was the man the crew had used to try to lure in the Lost Boys and the Darling boys.
They almost had them too. Until Wendy stopped them that is.
"Well now…" Hook said as he walked up to the man. "You think you're with a bunch of sinners do you? That we're all going to Hell and that Frollo's got the right of it?"
"Well…"
Hook's hook poked its way through the crew member's shirt and he lifted the man off the ground. "Then you can go and see Frollo's precious Hellfire yourself for all I care! Tell that blasted crocodile he's got a meal coming!"
Before the crew member could react, Hook threw him overboard and he couldn't help but smirk as he heard the splash.
"Anyone else agree with Frollo?" Hook asked, turning back to his crew and ignoring the sounds of the blasted crocodile and its spawn.
"No cap'n!"
"That's what I thought," Hook smirked. Meanwhile, back in the Underworld, Mollie and Milah were in the middle of a conversation of their own.
"I…I have to say Captainess, you're taking this very well," Mollie said softly as she brought some food for Milah, Sammy cooing in a makeshift playpen and Jessica was napping in her crib. With how close she was to reaching nine months of pregnancy and the fact that it was getting painful to stand, Milah had taken to resting on her bed whenever she got the chance.
Of course she never did it around the crew, or around Hook. She didn't want to give him reason to worry.
"What? Being sent to hide in the Underworld?" Milah asked, wincing slightly as a sharp pain ran up her back.
Mollie nodded. "You know…far be it for me to speak against your husband but…no one could fault you if you were a little upset…I know you didn't expect to be told that your child wouldn't be your husband's first child after all…"
"I know Mollie," Milah said, shifting slightly to get more comfortable. "And I'm not saying that it didn't shock or rattle me but I can't fault James for having partners before me. Am I upset? Maybe slightly but only because James has to go through such lengths to keep me and his children safe. I may be a bit fickle but I'm not so heartless that I would cast blame on a child. A child who didn't even ask to be born and is now motherless because she was…she needs a mother…and I can be that, whether she's James' or Frollo's, it makes no difference to the fact that she's also mine. Blood doesn't make up a crew."
"That is true Captainess," Mollie said as she set down the bowl on an end table and went over to pick up Sammy. "I just…I wish our children wouldn't have to live in fear."
Milah sighed. "I wish that too Mollie but the last thing I want is for our children to become potential targets for Frollo or his ilk. You know as well as I do that Frollo doesn't see anyone as off limits."
"What if we wrote to Auradon?" Mollie asked. "We've partnered with Lord Hades so what's stopping us from doing something else impossible? I'm sure Ariel would take our children, at least temporarily until the threat from Frollo—."
"We're pirates," Milah snapped as another wave of pain ran up her back. "You know that there's one group of humans that Ariel agrees with her family's old beliefs regarding us."
After all, Triton may have grown to love humans through his son-in-law but he would never forgive pirates for killing his wife and leaving his seven daughters without a mother.
"I'm not sending my daughter to live in a world where she'll be made to feel less than just because they were born to pirates," Milah added. "She should feel pride in her heritage and not shame! If I sent Jessica to live in Auradon, it'd be no better than sending her to live with Frollo!"
"That's not true Captainess," Mollie said, surprising herself with the slight note of firmness in her voice. "You know as well as I that Pirate King Turner managed to find life in Auradon. If she could do that, she could raise Jessica and Sammy and your little one if Ariel and Eric granted our petition."
Milah sighed. "You're right Mollie. I…I shouldn't have snapped at you."
"It's alright," Mollie told her. "You're under a lot of stress and pregnancy is never easy anyway. It probably doesn't help to add the potential of a war on the Isle looming over you."
"…more like a delivery's looming over me."
"Beg pardon?"
Milah looked at Mollie and there was genuine fear in the Captainess' eyes. "Mollie…I think the baby's coming!"
"What? Now?"
"No, a week from now…what do you think?!" Milah snapped and then groaned as a contraction hit. "You need…to get James…"
Mollie shook her head. "I'm not leaving you in this state Captainess. I…I delivered my captain's baby, I can help you with your delivery."
"Mollie…you're the only one…here who can safely get to…the ship to tell James…"
"Um excuse me?"
Mollie and Milah looked toward the doorway where they saw a small, purple imp standing there.
"Pain? Can we help you?" Mollie asked.
"Actually he already has," Hades said as he walked into the room. "I've sent Panic to get either Lady Tremaine or one of her daughters. I know Mollie's got experience with delivery but they've got a decent sized medical kit. They shouldn't need it but let's not eliminate any possibilities."
"And…how has Pain helped us?" Milah asked, reaching up to clutch her pillow as hard as she could.
"He got me," Hades said. He may have told himself that he didn't care about the Hooks or the Smees, that he was just allowing them sanctuary to get back at Frollo but he wasn't so heartless that he'd take away a pregnant woman's comfort. "No one in your territory will mess with me. I can have Hook and Smee back here faster than you can say 'Release the Titans and take over Mt. Olympus'."
"I'm…pretty sure…there's no way you could get back that fast," Milah said, panting slightly as she slumped against her pillow as the contraction passed.
Hades shrugged, not even concerned about the lack of title. "Watch me."
He turned on his heel and headed out, pausing to look at Pain. "Do not do anything that you'll regret. I'll be right back."
"Yes your Lordship!"
Hades nodded and strode out of the Underworld. He had a pirate to collect.
