#ruthlessviii

Listen, James, you know I’m not supposed to be talking to you. And, if I’m being honest, I’m not all that sure that I really want to, since you and Father still cannot seem to at least acknowledge mine and my husband’s relationship, Wendy started, growing rather impatient with the way her brother was stalling. Just tell me what you need to tell me, then I’ll go back to the boys and you will go back to Father’s ship. 

James sucked in a breath. Really, all this time, and Pan still had her wrapped around his finger. So, he crossed his arms. 

Really, Wendy? You’re still letting Pan control you? I think Father and I had a right to try and stop your relationship with him. 

James... Wendy warned. 

He threw his hands up in surrender. 

Alright, alright! Did you know Blackbeard’s back? 

Wendy’s eyes widened. Peter’s back straightened and his hands tightened into fists around the leaves he was holding apart slightly. 

Wha-what? 

Oh...you didn’t know. 

Does this look like the face of someone in the know? He’s back? 

James nodded. 

He visited Father in his cabin. It seemed as though he was trying to rile him up - probably to manipulate him into doing what he wanted. Though to do what, I’m not entirely sure. 

Wendy heaved a sigh. 

What did he say to him? 

Wendy, you know Father doesn’t like me spilling about his conver-

James! This is important. Please!

Peter’s ears twitched. He was unsure of what to make of the sound of his queen pleading with a filthy pirate. 

Blackbeard tried persuading Father that one of the Lost Boys was your biological son with Pan, James admitted. 

Wendy started trembling as her hand flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp. 

Wendy? James asked, concerned by the sudden change in her state. 

As she slowly lowered her hand, Wendy asked her brother: 

Who did he say was mine, James? 

Does it matter? the boy asked, completely lost. But, the deadly glare Wendy gave him quickly made him shrug off his confusion and answer her. I think he said his name was...Rufio...

At that, her big brown eyes widened, realisation dawning on her. Peter’s expression mirrored hers almost perfectly from behind the leaves. Blackbeard...the murderer in Rufio’s dream was Blackbeard! 

Peter was snapped out of his thoughts when Wendy stated: 

I have to go. 

With that, she spun on her heels, ready to dart back into the jungle to find her king. Before she completely submerged into the green foliage, she looked over her shoulder to call out to her brother: 

Whatever you do, make sure Father doesn’t fall for it!

As she disappeared, James’ brow furrowed before he shrugged, deciding he would do as his sister asked. He knew that look in her eyes well enough to know when something big was going on and doing what she requested would determine the outcome. Shrugging, he turned on his heels and headed back to the Jolly Roger, mind swirling with unanswered questions that his sister hadn’t seemed to have the time to answer.   

Meanwhile, once he saw Wendy was heading back in the direction of the jungle, Peter pushed up off the ground, soaring up into the air. He considered making it look like he’d accidentally bumped into her, but instead, he allowed his queen to believe no one had heard her conversation with her brother, allowed her to run back to Camp, while he headed for Skull Rock, aiming to talk to the Shadow.  

Ideally, Wendy knew, she should have headed back to Camp - with the boys waiting for her. But, she couldn’t. Not right now. Not when she was shaken up from the news her brother, well, half-brother had told her. No, there was only one person she could go to, talk to about it until she’d calmed down enough to face the boys without them suspecting anything. She didn’t want them to worry too soon. She was the one girl whom she shared everything with, a girl who’d stuck with her through thick and thin, given her advice when she needed it, shared laughs with, a girl who was, by definition, her best friend. Tink, the wingless fairy. 

On the way to her friend’s home, Wendy began to think. She remembered the stories her father had once told her - back when they were closer, when their relationship was stronger - about his former captain, the awful things he did to others, the things he’d done to his own wife. Wendy’s mother. Although she’d never met him, Wendy had been given a rather vivid image of the most feared pirate to ever set sail from her father. She’d been told that, while his eyes were an icy blue, they held nothing but blackness - the colour of his soul, of his heart. He was the first pirate to practise necromancy at such extreme levels, to use it for controlling his ship. At a young age, the man’s face was weatherbeaten and his hair had already started to fade from black to a dark silver. Why? It was the price of exerting such strong, dark magic so often. 

The Queen Anne’s Revenge, his ship, itself sounded intimidating without knowing who her captain was. It was bigger than Killian’s ship by far; it wasn’t a frigate, it was a galleon. The largest ship a captain could possess. The entirety of it was black - even the sails - with a strip of red running through the middle of the whole length of it. 

Now, Wendy had been told such a dreadful pirate was in Neverland and wanting to wage war on its king and his queen. Though why, Wendy wasn’t sure. She wanted to believe that he couldn’t possibly know that his wife’s child whom she’d had with another of his crewmen still lived and breathed, but she wasn’t sure. From what she’d heard about him, he was among the least predictable of pirates, so she knew she couldn’t be certain that he didn’t know of her. But, maybe it wasn’t just revenge against her. That was highly likely. Perhaps he wanted revenge against Peter as well. Though why, Wendy wasn’t sure. Her king had never mentioned the pirate before. She supposed she’d have to put her foot down and speak to Peter about him, demand that if he did have a past with Blackbeard, he tell her about it. 

Eventually, the girl came to Tink’s treehouse. Cupping her hands around her mouth, Wendy called up and waited for a few minutes. Not a moment later, the fair-haired fairy poked her head through one of the windows and looked down. 

What’s wrong? she asked. 

I need to talk to you, Wendy replied. Can I come up? 

Sure. 

Once Wendy had climbed up, the pair took a seat in two of Tink’s chairs to talk. 

So, what’s wrong? the fairy asked again. 

Wendy started explaining her meeting with James and what he’d told her. She then expressed her thoughts and concerns. Especially about Rufio. She didn’t even know how Blackbeard could have known so much about Neverland. However, she noted how Tink’s expression shifted slightly when she mentioned about Peter possibly having a past with Blakcbeard before she quickly covered it back up. But, she wouldn’t call her out on it until Tink had contributed her thoughts. 

So what you’re saying is that Blackbeard was Rufio’s killer in his nightmare. Blackbeard wants to use him to get to you and Pan and he’s using Hook as his puppet. 

Tink, Wendy warned, hating whenever someone referred to her father as ‘Hook’ or ‘Captain Hook’ because of what the Dark One had done to his hand. 

Tink rolled her eyes. 

Sorry. 

She shook herself, taking them back to their previous conversation. 

Anyway...Blackbeard’s using Hoo...Killian as his puppet for something you can’t figure out. And you think he is doing this to wage war against you and Pan in some act of vengeance. That’s what you’re saying? 

Wendy nodded. 

Tink sighed heavily. 

As much as I want to disagree with you and offer you some sort of comfort, I’m going to have to agree with you on this one. It certainly does make sense. Maybe you should talk to Pan, find out if all of this is somehow connected to some sort of past he has with Blackbeard. 

Maybe you could help me there...

In that moment, Tink looked like a rabbit who’d realised she’d just been caught by her stalking predator. 

What? 

Come on, Tink. From that look you gave me when I mentioned the possibility, I think you know something about it. 

Tink gulped and looked down at her lap. 

It’s not my story to tell...

Please, Tink, Wendy pleaded. 

Tink returned her bright-green-eyed gaze to her friend and shook her head. 

I’m sorry, Wendy, but as much as I want to tell you, it’s really Pan’s place to tell you what happened. Besides, no one in Neverland knows the full story except him. He’s the right person to go to. 

But what if he refuses...

I’m sure he won’t. As much as I dislike him, I know he cares for Rufio and when it concerns his safety, he won’t hold back, Tink assured her. 

Wendy sighed in defeat. 

All right, I’ll talk to Peter. 

Meanwhile, back at Skull Rock, Peter had summoned the Shadow, wanting answers. Indeed, the Shadow confirmed his fears. Blackbeard, the pirate all pirates feared, a man of the shadows, a dead man, had risen from the depths of the Underworld and was out for revenge. Not just on Pan - oh no, that would be too easy. He wanted revenge on Wendy, and he already knew a way to get to them, a way to strike at their hearts. 

Stunned, Peter backed out of the cave in a manner that was so unusual, unlike, out of character for him; green eyes wide, he staggered back until he was out of the cave. He just couldn’t believe it. His queen, his wife, his love...Rufio...his family was in danger. All because of an old enemy. 

As he turned on his heels and took off into the sky, soaring into the air, he shook himself. No, Blackbeard would not get to him that easily. His eyes darkened at the threat the pirate posed to his family. What he couldn’t understand, what the Shadow failed to tell him, was exactly why Blackbeard wanted revenge on Wendy as well. He guessed he’d have to talk to her about it. Then, they would plan their next course of action. He would not let Blackbeard take away what was his.   

While Peter was flying back to Camp, and Wendy awaited his return, Rufio made his trek through the jungle, pushing away large overgrown leaves, stepping over logs and snapping stray twigs, old fallen leaves crunching underfoot. More dried dirt jumped away from Rufio’s boots as he strode further through the jungle. Why was he alone? Why was he so far from Camp? He was meeting his dear, close ‘friend’, Tiger Lily. He didn’t think he time was right to tell Peter and Wendy. He wasn’t even sure how he would when the time was right. How could he, when he was encouraged to see Tiger Lily as an aunt - nothing more? He couldn’t tell any of the Lost Boys either - not when all except Felix were after Pan’s favour. 

Eventually, Rufio came to the clearing where Tiger Lily had instructed hint o meet her. It wasn’t close to her village, and it wasn’t close to Camp. It was the last place anyone would think to find them. He waited at the centre of the clearing until finally, he heard another set of footsteps. His ears pricked up and he strained his eyes forward. There, appearing from under the shade of the trees, was Tiger Lily.  They walked towards each other and embraced with compassion. 

Little did they know, as they broke apart and practised their combat, archery and target skills, a boy with brown hair and silvery eyes was watching from under the shade of the trees where Rufio had previously emerged from.   And he was long gone before either of them had the chance to sense his presence. 

However, Rufio did get the feeling of being watched. So, he glanced over his shoulder, eyes narrowed, trained on the place where he’d emerged from, with suspicion.  Tiger Lily turned her attention away from the bullseye Rufio had carved with his dagger on the tree in the middle of the clearing when they first met there, lowered her bow and approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder.  Rufio snapped his head back to face her. 

Rufio, what’s wrong? 

Rufio glanced back behind him, then back at her. 

Never mind. Just a funny feeling. Now...where were we? 

Little did he know, that in returning their attention to the target after finishing their small combat, he’d missed his chance of stopping the intruder from spilling the truth to the people he least wanted to know about his relationship with the Native princess.