Darling Ellie

Chapter 30

Elaine

The next few days passed almost normally. As normal as can be for Neverland. I trained with Joseph often. I sat with Pan for dinners, and he took me out on quiet walks and some training sessions.

It felt, in a strange way, like dating or courting, which I suppose it was. Every day I felt the pull towards him grow stronger, like the pull I felt in my chest when I first arrived. My heart was beginning to heal, and who better to mend it than the boy who broke it. What better way to pay for the pain he bought me.

For the first few days he seemed apprehensive to talk to me, like he would make a mistake. Scared I would use that knife. I could imagine it, slicing his throat as easily as if it were paper. Something about the way he looked at me with questioning in his eyes excited me, he couldn't predict my next move. But I'd had enough of his shy little act.

I suggested a walk to the cliffs overlooking skull rock. Once we were far enough from camp so as not to be heard I bit the bullet and was frank with him.

"You're scared."

"Scared? Of what?" He scoffed, but I could tell he was worried.

"You're scared to talk to me. Scared to say the wrong thing. I didn't fall in love with a coward, especially a coward of his own feelings. I fell in love with the adventurous, charismatic, and slightly infuriating Peter Pan. Is he still there or am I wasting my time?" I kept walking knowing he had stopped.

"Slightly infuriating?"

"You made me so mad sometimes." I laughed turning back to him, "But that made me want you even more."

I turned and started walking again. I heard Peter run up to me and grab my wrist gently. He spun me towards his chest.

"I don't want you to see me as a coward."

"Then talk to me." I softly moved a strand of hair away from his face.

"Forget about this." I pulled the dagger out of the loop in my belt and placed it softly in his grasp. "I'm sorry, just please talk to me."

He sighed heavily, "There's this curse. It was difficult to translate but we were able to figure it out. The love of a life, a soul mate through time. Delicate and fair she is grace and beauty. She is Pan's weakness. She is his undoing."

The curse sounded odd, but it had been translated so I didn't think much of it.

"I rule Neverland, I have the lost boys. I'm free and yet for the longest time I've been dreading this curse coming to pass. So, I used magic to find her location, I planned to make her fall in love with me. Then I planned to kill her. My heart was cold and harsh, I didn't think I was capable of love. Then I met you and my heart seemed to soften. I decided that once I found her, I would be open to the possibility of falling in love with her or at least caring for her and then I would protect her always. Peter Pan never fails, but that spell did fail. Maybe it was part of the curse that she had to come to me," he paused, "I couldn't go to her."

"Alice wasn't the right person. In some realms I'm notorious you see, she was part of a group determined to kill me. She tried and she failed but the curse is still coming, I know it is."

I looked up at him my eyes soft, he looked off into the distance. I could feel the regret and the fear emanating from him.

"Can I see the curse?"

"What?"

"Can I see it? If you say it's translated, then maybe there's something you're missing." He looked down at me.

Realising I was serious, that I wanted to help, he nodded and lead me back to camp. I could tell he was excited at the chance that there could be something about the curse that could play his fate out differently.

He ran ahead, spotting Felix. I kept walking expecting him to come back this way. Suddenly there was a hand over my mouth, and I was being dragged back into the forest.

My mind reeled as I flayed my arms around, attempting to deter my attacker. I attempted to dig in my heels but whoever grabbed me was too strong.

I hadn't heard anyone approach me and that's when it clicked. I bit the hand over my mouth and Daniel let me go momentarily.

"Peter!" I screamed running back towards camp. "Peter!"

Everything went black.

###

The room was dark, the packed earth floor cold and hard beneath me. Ropes bit into my skin like snakes, rubbing my wrists raw. I tried to free myself, but it was no use. I was petrified. I felt tears on my skin...blood on my skin. I had begun crying in my fear and a cut in my scalp had dripped blood down the side of my face.

"Did you really think you would go unpunished, for what you did to me." Daniel asked slowly, emerging from the dark.

"What? Daniel this is insane. Why are you doing this?"

"You escaped."

"Yes, just like you told me to."

"I said leave if he hurts you yes, but I also said that I would be there to protect you. You didn't even tell me you were leaving. You didn't have to go. You were supposed to stay with me."

"He did hurt me Daniel, he broke my heart. I had to leave. I told you I would if I couldn't coexist with him."

"I was there to pick up the pieces. To rebuild you how I wanted. To love you."

"I don't love you!"

"You will, you have to."

"No! Daniel, just let me go please. I won't tell Pan I promise, just let me go."

"I can't believe you've gone back to him. After everything he's done." He growled.

"I loved him!" I shouted. "I still love him. He made a mistake, everyone makes mistakes. I forgive people for their mistakes, I'll forgive you."

"I would never hurt you."

"You are hurting me!" Daniel struck me hard across the face sending me sprawling across the ground.

Unable to catch myself I lay sprawled across the ground, bound hands pinned beneath me. My sobs were like dry heaves, the contents of my stomach threatening to rise up my throat.

"I'm protecting you!" He roared. "And we'll stay in this cave until I can save you from him. Until I can save you from yourself."

"I am stronger than you will ever be." I spat.

Daniel became enraged. He beat me over and over. I begged him to stop, to let me go. But he couldn't hear me over his own anger. I was knocked to the side, more blood spilling onto the ground. I screamed in pain and anguish. Over and over, I screamed. My voice becoming horse. His hand clamped firmly around my throat. Lips pressed firmly against mine.

"You're mine. You will always be mine." I tried to speak but couldn't get enough air.

Daniel hit me again and again, I was screaming, crying, choking. Suddenly he stopped,

"You're mine and everyone will know it." I heard the ripping of fabric, the cold air hit my bare stomach as Daniel's strong hands ripped my dress straight up the front. I tried to push him away, but it was no use, I felt as though every ounce of strength had been drained away. He dragged his hands down my body, I felt his hands moving up my bare thighs higher and higher...that's when I remembered my dream. The memories erupting to the surface, I remembered how badly this would end.