A Royal on Skull Island Ch. 04

It has been a week since the Sky Ship set sail and everyone is on edge. Being tired with the food and water low does that. But Raven is still determined to find her lost friend.

It's the witchling's turn at the helm with her boyfriend, Dexter beside her. Maddie is currently up in the Crow's Nest with a telescope and Darling is upfront of the ship looking at a picture of her and Apple they took the day she told Apple her true feelings.

Everyone else has huddled together near the center of the deck.

"I don't like this," Cerise voices her concern. "Raven is part of my pack. That goes a long way. To betray her like this? I might as well chew my own leg off."

Briar adds, "Apple's my Best Friend Forever After. I don't like this either. None of use do," the Sleeping Beauty then eyes her fairy tale villain. "Except maybe Faybelle."

"Actually, I would rather not return empty handed. As it would have been less likely to get detention. But I'm tired of my daily ration getting smaller and smaller."

Daring looks up at Raven and his brother, then glances over at his sister. "Can't we at least talk to her first. This is technically a mutiny."

Kitty laughs. "It was a mutiny when you stuffed the real captain in a chest." The Charming looks down at his feet.

The Red Riding Hood sighs. "I already tried talking to her once. Why do you think she's at the helm more often? She's so set on finding Apple that she'd rather risk falling asleep at the wheel than risk one of use turning the ship around," Cerise worriedly looks up at her friend who started to doze off, only to be awoken by her Prince Charming.

"Are you absolutely sure this is the best course of action?" Daring looks around them. A hand is placed on his shoulder, and he turns to his girlfriend, Rosabella.

"We don't have a choice, Daring," the Beauty looks down. "I hate the idea of deceiving anyone. But rations are so low that if we don't turn back now, we won't have enough for the trip home. Sometimes, what's wrong and right are blurred," she places a hand over her heart. "You have to choose what feels right."

With a heavy sigh, Daring concedes. "Alright. But the others have to be distracted."

Kitty smiles, "I'll take care of Maddie," the Cheshire vanishes from her spot and reappears next to the Hatter. "Hey, Maddie. Think you can teach me how to flutterwack?"

Maddie's eyes gleam. "I've waited my whole life for someone to ask me that."

Briar turns to Daring. "Now you're the second-best swordsman here. No offence."

Daring replies. "None taken."

"So, you, Hunter, and Allister should go with Ashlynn, Rosabella, and Bunny incase they can't keep her calm."

The eldest Charming looks back at his sister. "Very well," he leaves with them to approach Darling.

The Sleeping Beauty sighs and looks over at Dark Fairy. "Faybelle—"

The fairy examines her nails. "You need my magic to keep Raven's in check," she then glares at her fairy tale heroine. "Few things are more dangerous than an angry magic user."

"Right! And Cerise—"

"I know," the Hooded girl sadly glances up at Raven. "I'm to try and talk Raven down. If that doesn't work, then I'm to keep Dexter busy."

"Okay then," Briar starts her way up to the helm. "Let's get this over with."

The three make their way up to Raven and Dexter.

Dexter looks out into the distance. "Huh?" he takes out his MirrorPad.

With a yawn, Raven asks, "What…is it?"

"There's a storm," he points a head of them. "But there should be nothing," the Prince turns the screen to his girlfriend showing nothing but water. "This is a live feed of this area and look," Dexter zooms in. "Here's our boat but there's nothing up ahead."

"So then," the witchling turns back to the dark clouds. "What's that?"

With a sigh, Dexter looks from the clouds and to her. "R-Raven, we should probably go around."

The VK takes out the compass that's pointing towards the storm clouds. The compass then projects the map with the blinking apple icon. "This says that Apple's there and who knows how far it goes. The shortest way to her is through."

Dexter nods in understanding.

"Hey, Raven!" Cerise calls out as she, Briar, and Faybelle approach them. "Why don't you take a break and let someone else handle it for a while?"

Raven smiles and was about to take the offer. But notices the Riding Hood refusing to make eye contact. She then glances at the Sleeping Beauty and Dark Fairy standing behind Cerise.

The witchling's smile fades. "I'm good."

"Raven," Cerise reaches for the helm. "Please."

Raven's hands start glowing and so does her eyes as she glares at her friend. "I said, I'm good!" she is then blasted by magic.

"We tried it your way," Faybelle walks ahead of Briar and Cerise. "Now, we do it my way," her wings flutter as magic gathers in her hands. Dexter steps between the two magic users with sword drawn. "Sorry, Lover Boy. I'm not your opponent." The prince is grabbed by his wrists and thrown away. "She is."

Cerise steps up to the Charming. "Sorry, Dexter," her eyes gain a golden tint to them. "It's for the best." Dexter gulps.

The ship starts turning as Briar takes the wheel. She is then blasted by a sleep spell from Raven who is quickly uses magic to reset the boat before putting up a barrier as Faybelle fires more magic.

The rocking of the ship does not go unnoticed. Darling turns away from Ashlynn, Bunny, and Rosabella. "What?" she then notices the skirmish going on at the wheel. "Raven!" the youngest Charming goes to run to her friend's rescue. Only to have her brother, Hunter, and Allister standing in her way. The Wonderlander has his hands ready to draw the blade strapped to his waist and Hunter's grip tightens around his axe.

Daring looks sadly upon Darling. "I am truly sorry, dear Sister," he tells her. The prince was the only one of the three not prepared to use his weapon.

"What are you doing?" Darling draws her sword and Hunter and Allister does the same. "Three on one? This isn't a fair fight, Daring."

The brother sighs. "You're right, Darling. It isn't fair. In truth, and it pains me to admit this," he finally unsheathes his sword. "We'd be lucky to slow you down."

Maddie looks over the look out. "What the Jabberwock is going on down there?" at the sight of her friends fighting among themselves, the hatter jumps over the edge. About halfway down, something grabs on to her and she's suddenly back up in the Crows Nest. "Huh?" she turns to see a grinning Kitty. Maddie then jumps back over the edge. Kitty just vanishes and then reappears with Maddie. The Hatter pushes her away. "You tricked me? And you dare invoke the flutterwack to do so? That's it!" she crosses her arms. "You're uninvited to my un-birthday party."

Kitty shrugs. "I'll wait until the next one." She watches as Maddie jumps again and the Cheshire disappears with a smile.

Bunny looks at the battle before them. She knows that they need to turn back, the Rabbit girl just wishes that they could avoid the violence. She, Ashlynn, and Rosabella flinch as Hunter got kicked in an unfavorable place as Darling is fighting harder than usual. But they know that the youngest Charming is still holding back.

The Wonderlander then jumps at the sound of thunder as she turns into a rabbit and instinctively hops into the nearest set of arms. Ashlynn does her best to calm her down.

The Sky Ship starts entering the storm and the dark clouds begin to loom over them.

Kitty has just reappeared back in the Crows Nest. "You do realize that I can do this all day?"

Maddie just lets out a huff as she turns back around, ready for another jump.

The Cheshire rolls her eyes and smiles, planning on meeting her fellow Wonderlander halfway down. But quickly notices something's wrong. "Maddie, wait!" Just as the Hatter goes over the edge, Kitty jumps after her as both fall to the deck with the Hatter landing on top of the Cheshire.

"Ow!" Maddie rubs her head. "Not as fun as falling down a rabbit hole," she then looks at the Cheshire. "Kitty?" no response. "Kitty!"

Just as Raven and Faybelle both ready a spell, their magic fades away as the clouds cast over them.

"What the?" Raven stares at her hands before being tackled by the Dark Fairy.

Briar lets out a groan as she wakes up and sees that everyone's still fighting. Either she woke up earlier than the princess usually does, or this battle has gone on for a while. The Sleeping Beauty shakes her head and makes hast to the helm.

Just as Briar begins to turn the wheel, a sword is jabbed through it in a position to keep it from turning. The Beauty turns, expecting to see Darling or even Dexter at the end of the blade. But she is shocked by who is there. "Daring? What are you doing?"

The eldest Charming shakes his head. "I'm not sure. But…" he then looks over at Rosabella. "…it feels right." His girlfriend did not show any emotion.

Everyone's attention is brought to a crying Maddie. "Kitty!"

Rosabella and Ashlynn, with the latter still holding Bunny runs up to them, and the former kneeling next to them. "What happened?" the Beauty asks while examining the Cheshire.

"We, we fell," the Hatter points up. "But she didn't vanish. Why didn't she vanish?"

"She's alive," Rosabella announces. "But she hit her head. Might even have a concussion and by the looks of the swelling in her leg," she looks down at the Cheshire's shin. "it might be broken. Ashlynn, Bunny! I need you to hold her down while I attempt to reset it." The Cinderella and Blanc get into position as the Beauty goes to attempts to fix Kitty's leg.

Ashlynn looks across from her and notices something about the Wonderlander assisting them. "Uh, Bunny? You should probably turn back for this."

Bunny's ears lower themselves, "I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I mean that I just can't change," the rabbit feels a hand resting on her back. Looking up, Bunny sees Allister sadly looking down at her. This doesn't make her feel any better.

"Its not just her," Raven announces as she holds her hand up. "My magic's not working. I'm willing to bet Faybelle's doesn't either." As a response to the witch, the fairy nods and holds her hand up. For a brief moment, there was a spark. But nothing more.

Dexter then nudges the Hatter. "Hey, uh, Maddie. May I barrow your telescope?"

Maddie is happy to help, so she removes her tiny hat where she keeps her things. But as soon as her hand enters the hat, it meets the bottom. "Whaaaat?" she tries reaching into her hat again, only to get the same results and then looks up. "I-I-I can't."

Hunter walks up to hand out his own telescope. "Here."

"Thanks," the Charming accepts it as he gives the sadden Hatter a wearily glance before using the tool. "Hey! I see land!"

Raven was quick to snatch the eyeglass to get a peek herself. "That's it! Apple must be there." Just then, the boat jerks as it descends from the sky. "What's going on!?"

Daring was quick to get back to helm and tried removing his sword. After a couple of tugs, he shouts, "It's stuck!" just as the ship hits the water.

Waves clash into its sides, rocking it back and forth as the storm intensifies.

End