Wicked World

Uma was on deck to meet Una when she got to their ship. News travelled fast on the Isle, especially when it had to do with the Rotten Four, so it came as no surprise when Uma dragged Una to the captain's cabin and had her recite the exact words of the deal Mal had made with Maleficent. Una's hand was a blur as she wrote down every word and handed the paper over to her sister so fast that it was warm.

"Freedom and a kingdom," Uma sighed once she finished reading. "And all you have to do is help the Rotten Bores steal a magic wand?"

Una nodded.

Uma laughed. "Oh, this is going to be great. Remember to read over the contract before you sign."

Of course she would. Una was a lot of bad things, but she wasn't stupid. Ursula was the queen of contracts. All her daughters knew their way around twisted words, empty promises, and loopholes. Contracts on the Isle tended to be full of both unless you were able to spot them and negotiate.

Uma dug another piece of paper out of her desk. "Send Gil in here after you leave. I need him to run a message."

"Dad/ Dr. Facilier," Una signed with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah," Uma said. She mimicked Una's sign, tipping an imaginary top hat. "Maybe I can see if he and Mama Mors will let me borrow Freddie while you're gone. I really wish Gil hadn't inherited your father's brains."

Una shrugged. What could they expect from a son of Gaston who was raised by Gaston? At least he wasn't thick-headed and bloodthirsty. They'd spend more time mopping up blood than they already did with Harry and Una.

Gil was below decks playing cards with Ratlines and Jones, so it was easy for Una to shoo him towards the captain's cabin at the stern of the ship. Then she didn't have far to go before she reached the cabin that she'd shared with Harry for the last year. It wasn't a large space, maybe five feet wide and twelve feet long if she was being generous, and she was almost never generous so it was more like four feet by ten feet. But it was theirs, the drawings on the walls and drops of blood on the floor proved it. Harry was out collecting payments for this week, so for now she had the room to herself. She closed the door behind her and started searching for the black canvas backpack that she knew was somewhere in their tiny closet. She used it for school when she actually bothered to go.

Once her backpack was found and emptied of homework that was a week overdue, Una took out the clothing that was hers and laid it out on the bed built into the wall opposite the door. Her second pairs of socks and underwear went straight into the bag, followed by her black leather pirate jacket and a red t-shirt that had been sliced to ribbons at the waist during a sword fight with one of Harriet's crewmembers. She held up a black shirt that was more holes than fabric and threw it back into the closet. That belonged to Harry.

The next things she had to pack took longer to find. She hadn't used them for more than five months, so it took her a while to remember that the rags that she used to soak up the blood on the rare occasion that she had her period were at the back of the drawer under the bed where they kept extra knives. They all went into her bag, even the ones that were washed to nearly nothing. Some girls only had old paper or dried grass and leaves tied up in a single rag for when they had their period. Una and the other girls on the Lost Revenge were lucky that their gang was big enough that they could collect and trade for what they needed (the bodies they sometimes disposed of helped with that). A lot of the boys also went through clothes quickly, so they could get rags from that when sewing them back together became impossible.

With everything that belonged just to her packed, Una turned to the desk, specifically the shelf of books above it, and tried to figure out what Harry wouldn't mind her taking with her. The books on ships and sailing and pirates were staying of course; they were Harry's favourites. Una went past them and touched the spine of a book right below the rope that was strung in front of the books to stop them from falling off the self. Maybe this one? It was a history book written by someone from Arendelle that only had a few water spots on the front cover. Una liked the pictures in it. It was banned in Auradon though, so maybe not.

The next book was a copy of The Jungle Book which also didn't have much damage, just a torn cover and wrinkled, lightly stained pages that were probably from something that had been spilled on it. That was their book. It was staying with Harry.

After a few minutes, Una decided on a paperback sci-fi novel that was missing its front cover and all of chapter five. She was adding it to her bag when the door burst open. She reached for a knife as she turned around but froze when the tip of a sword kissed her throat.

"Not quick enough, love." Harry grinned and sheathed his sword. Una responded with a simple middle finger. Harry laughed.

"Early," Una signed.

Harry shrugged. "I heard the news so I decided to hurry back."

That was easy to believe. Maleficent had negotiated with them in the middle of the bazaar after all. News hung out in the open like that spread across the Isle like wildfire. The witches on the other side of the island probably already knew that the Rotten Four and Uma's little sister were going to Auradon to steal Fairy Godmother's wand.

"Ran into a Stabbington on the way," Harry said. "He was in good bit of pain, so I put him out of his misery."

A slow smile crept across Una's face. She bounced on her toes and gave Harry a kiss.

"Definitely your handiwork then." Harry returned her smile. "Thought so. What'd he do?"

Una held her right hand out with her palm facing down, pinched all her fingers together and brought her hand across her body like she was moving something she'd picked up.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Stole from us?"

Una nodded.

Harry made a growling sound. "Shoulda made it last longer."

Una shrugged. The boy was already dead. No point wasting time on should haves. She kissed Harry again, slowly this time, and felt him relax.

"I am going to miss you." Harry wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "We've got enough time to make sure you won't forget me, haven't we?"

There wasn't any need for Una to sign her reply.

Gil knocked on the door while they were lying next to each other and contemplating getting out of bed. It had to be Gil because the only other person who would come to their cabin while the door was closed was Uma, and she'd have come right in since it was her ship. If he'd been a few minutes earlier or later they wouldn't have heard the knock, but as it was, Harry sighed and pulled on his pants before opening the door. Una picked up a knife from the floor and sat up so she could see around him.

"What?" Harry demanded.

"Uma wants me to tell you and Una to stop screwing and get up here," Gil said carefully. "And she said that while we were on deck, so she must want you on deck."

Harry sighed. "We'll be there in a minute." He closed the door and turned to Una. "Sometimes I really worry about him. Then I remember that him and Jay killed Shan Yu and..."

"You worry more," Una finished. Her brother, her twin, was easily led (the idea that he was optimistic and trusting wasn't one she entertained; there wasn't room for that on the Isle). She felt a sick twist in her stomach at the thought that she would be leaving him and thanked all the loa and sea goddesses that Uma and Harry would still be here to protect him.

Una and Harry got dressed quickly. Keeping Uma waiting was not a wise thing to do, even Gil knew that. Uma was standing on the starboard side of the deck, glaring at something on the docks. She spared Una and Harry a glace and made a gesture that wasn't any sign but clearly meant "get over here right now!"

"Well, well," Harry said. "Hello, Thief."

"Pirate," Jay said. "You still got both hands?"

Uma stopped glaring and rolled her eyes. "Enough, boys. You can play later. Jay, speak."

"Bark," Jay said with a smirk. He cleared his throat and quickly became all business. "I'm here to negotiate a new territory agreement."

Uma raised an eyebrow. "Are you?"

Jay raised his arm to show them the crown drawn on his wrist with a scribble inside that was Mal's signature. "I speak with her voice."

Uma nodded. "Come aboard and we'll negotiate in private. Harry and Una will be present."

Jay walked up the gangplank without hesitation. As Mal's representative, he had as much protection as any gang leader invited to negotiations. Harry and Una flanked him when he set foot on the ship and they followed Uma aft to the quarterdeck, which was the highest place on the ship with a floor other than the crow's nest. They would be fair enough away from land that they'd be difficult to overhear. Harry leaned against the ship's wheel and toyed with his hook while Una stood next to her sister.

"I assume this has to do with your entire gang being shipped off to Auradon," Uma said.

"You assume correctly." Jay pursed his lips. "Mal wants you to watch our territory while we're gone. In return, you get to keep the profits from protection."

"What about your trade?" Uma asked. The biggest earner for the Rotten Four was the clothing and makeup that passed thought their territory, though their control over machinery and non-magic induced music was nothing to sneeze at.

"Dizzy, Anthony and Diego have that," Jay said. "If you want to work together, that's your call."

Uma clicked her tongue. "Tempting. Say we let the Tremaines and the de Vil keep your trade for themselves. Bigger territory means more patrols, more work, and we're not going to magically get more people to do it. We'd be going out of our way for you. The protection money's a start, but once we're all off this island it won't do us much good. What can you give us that we'll get to keep?"

"A kingdom," Jay said. "Whichever one you want and we won't have any claim on it."

"And all four of you will just happily stick to the Moors?" Uma scoffed. "Like I'll believe that." Una had to agree with her. Mal would be beyond pleased to get the Moors, but practically everyone on the Isle knew that the Evil Queen had trained Evie to get a prince and a castle, both of which the Moors was lacking. Jay and Carlos were city people. They didn't even like to go into the meagre forest on the island (though that also had to do with the Scarfaces making their base there). They would hate living in the Moors.

Jay smirked and lowered his voice. "Who said we'd only have the one kingdom?"

Harry stood up straight and stared. Una's eyes widened. Jay couldn't be implying what it sounded like he was implying, could he?

"You're joking," Uma said.

Djinn lightning flashed in Jay's eyes. "I'm really not."

A slow smile crept across Uma's face. "Then we have a deal."

Secret 2

Most Isle kids would kill their parents if they got the chance. Others seek to depose them; killing would come afterwards.