Darling Ellie

Chapter 12

Elaine

I helped Daniel to slip out Pan's window so that no one would see us emerge together. I dressed in my normal outfit again using a golden ribbon to tie up my hair. I left my bow in my room deciding that while a sword could be useful, a bow would be too cumbersome. I walked into the dinner hall, serving myself a bread roll, a piece of fruit and a few slices of dried meat. Daniel was sat down already with an empty seat beside him, laughing at something Stephen had said to him.

I walked over, "Is this seat taken?"

Daniel looked up,

"All yours." He replied to me.

"Hey Stephen." I waved.

"Hey Elaine, did we sleep in this morning?" He asked, one eyebrow raised.

"No Pan to bother me? You bet I slept in." I laughed quietly.

Stephen chuckled, "Good on you."

I ate my lunch talking to the boys. It was the first meal I had here where I enjoyed the conversations. I didn't have to worry about Pan's questions or his scheming intentions. At the same time while I loved being around Daniel and getting to know him, I had the strangest notion that I missed Pan. It started out that day as an easily dismissible feeling in my chest but when I looked at mine and Pan's seats, sat empty...it was at that point I realised I might miss him. He was horrible, and controlling, and a villain. A villain I had known for a matter of days. A terrible boy who'd kissed me and I liked it. I still missed him.

Not today, I thought to myself. Today is about Daniel. I finished my lunch and for the first time cleared away my own plate. Without Pan here they wouldn't just disappear. Daniel and I were the only ones heading to the training field, once we knew we were out of sight Daniel held my hand, twirling me under his arm. I had quickly returned to the cabin to grab my bow and my daggers, though once we arrived in the field, I realised I didn't need to bring my own weaponry. The vast space was split into different areas, each designed for a different skill. With the equipment to match. We started at the archery field. I was better than Daniel but we both knew Archery was my strong suit. We spent almost an hour firing arrow after arrow. Discussing our lives and what our future could look like in Neverland. Together.

"Once Pan returns from this business trip I'll try to put as much distance between us as possible. I think after a few weeks he should become less strict with me. The shiny new toy will become less interesting. Then we can think about having a public relationship."

"That seems fair, give Pan some time to come to terms with the fact that he's not the first choice in your life." I laughed and agreed with Daniel, but I felt like a traitor talking about Pan like this.

I really did need to distance myself from him. We moved to the sword area where Daniel was certainly more skilled. He taught me some new tricks, but I could never beat him.

"Daniel if your better at swords craft than archery how is it you always come back with the best hunt?" Remembering what the boys had said the other night.

"For exactly that reason." Daniel grinned, my look of confusion made it clear that he should continue.

"See all the other boys use archery when hunting, that, or traps for small animals. They use bows because they can't get close enough to kill the animals with a sword or a dagger. It doesn't matter if they're good marksmen or not they use bows. I have a bit of a secret which gives me the edge over the other boys. I can go completely undetected. Silent. I get close to whatever I'm hunting sword drawn and I kill them that way. There are only a few boys who have caught deer or stags in the time I've been here. Me or the bowmen, Roy, Eugene and Jonny."

"Wow, so you can sneak up on anyone?"

"I could probably sneak up on Pan if I wanted to."

"Really? Let's see then."

"Sneak up on Pan? But he's gone."

"No silly, me." I laughed.

Daniel smiled,

"In the words of our infamous leader...Let's play."

I secured a blindfold over Daniel's eyes and took five minutes to hide. We had travelled a little way into the forest where the foliage was dense with only small and occasional clearings. I had chosen a spot by a large tree completely surrounded in a circle of thick trees and tall bushes. I couldn't see out. Daniel also wanted to show off his tracking skills, so I indulged him by hiding. Hanging from the tree were fruits which I had seen some of the boys eat at breakfast, so I decided to collect a few and enjoy the sweet taste while I was waiting. I listened intently but the only unnatural sound I could hear was my occasional, near-silent, chewing, and quiet breathing. I tried to think about Daniel and my training and finding ways to enjoy my life in Neverland, but Pan kept wandering back into my thoughts. I thought about the smoothness of his voice, the way he moved when he played his pipe, the way he ran his fingers through his hair and the way his muscles moved when he did. The way he made me feel safe and yet scared me at the same time. There in the forest it was like I could see him moving through the trees. A few times I had to stop myself from calling out his name, he felt so real. I was beginning to think Daniel would never appear, choosing to lose myself in the thoughts of Pan. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply whispering his name.

"Pan." When I opened my eyes, he was there, lent against a tree opposite me.

I gasped.

"Are you actually here?" He said nothing.

"Pan, are you really here?" Still, he was silent.

"Please just tell me where you went, I need to know where you are...if...if you're safe." He only smirked at me.

Now I knew how he felt when I wouldn't talk to him.

"Please we need you...I need you Peter." He slunk towards me pulling those two strands from my braid that he seemed to love.

He leaned in close.

"I'll be home soon." He whispered, I could hear the smirk in his voice.

Suddenly he disappeared like smoke, blown in the wind. I stayed silent for a moment, before lifting my hands up and feeling the strands of hair hanging around my face. Could he have been real? I didn't ask myself anymore questions, I stood still, and I listened. Suddenly I felt the cold sting of steel at my throat. I gasped and Daniel whispered in my ear,

"Found you." I laughed as he came around the tree his sword still close to my neck.

He lowered it slowly, his face smug, one eyebrow raised. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, you win." I curled a finger indicating for him to come closer.

As soon as he was in reach, I grabbed him by the collar, sweeping his feet out from under him. I lay on top of him on the forest floor, loving his look of complete confusion. I pressed my lips softly against his, before standing up again. I gave him my hand to help him up. Once he was standing, he grabbed my waist and pressed me against a tree, my hands found their way back up to his collar. He pressed his lips hard against mine. In that moment, my thoughts of Pan were pushed into the background. All I could feel was the passion slowly growing between the two of us, between Daniel and me. Could it be love though? I didn't think it was. Love doesn't happen so instantaneously. Love doesn't just happen without great enough cause. And if it did, I was sure it would feel different. Like a pull to be with someone. An emptiness without them. A sudden connection you couldn't quite explain.

Does that mean I love Pan? I thought to myself. No, I don't love Pan. I can't after what he's done.

Asmuch as I tried to focus on Daniel all I could think about was Pan.