Reflection of Perfection | NaNoWriMo 2016 ( severe editing)

2 2 : l o s t · a n d · f o u n d

Evelyn: 

I felt a hint of dismay strike my chest when the gates of Omia into view. I had began to grow on the three pirates that had accompanied me, and was a little sad to see them go. However, throughout the trip in the desert, I couldn't shake off the feeling that someone had been watching me for a good leg of the trip. Whether it was Paris or Amber, I just hoped that none would harm my companions. 

That thought deeply perturbed me, but I had no intentions to give in to my fears. With my head held up high, I followed Smee into a tavern near the docks. The other two had gone off to their ship to bring back the goods they had acquired in the border city of Subosa and see their peers and friends.

Before we entered, I stopped, "Are you sure he's in there?" I asked quietly. Smee chuckled, "What now, girlie? Getting cold feet or somethin'?" I shook my head and pushed the rather heavy door open, making sure my hood was secure.

I wouldn't gamble the possibility of a bounty hunter half drunk or rock sober here. Somehow, my eyes automatically went to the table at the far end, where a hooded man drank silently from his mug. "That him?" I murmured to Smee, hoping that he had heard me over the hoots and catcalls of the tavern.

"Definitely. I can tell by the way he broods." Smee replied his gaze going to a half dressed waitress behind the bar. I sighed, "It was nice knowing you, Smee," before I went in the direction of the table the man was at.

He didn't look up from his mug as I sat across from him, and the shadows too nicely concealed his features for me to figure out if Smee was right.

"James Hook?" I asked quietly, my fingers grazing the dagger I kept at my belt.

At last he looked up, and I looked into his now dull blue eyes. He simply said, "I'm not interested."

I leaned forward, as if telling him a secret, "Oh, but I think you will. Especially because it regards Ella."

His eyes snapped up to me, "I don't have anything to do with her. Leave me alone."

"So you can drink yourself to death? Oh get a hold of yourself," I scoffed, playing with the dagger I now held under the table.

The captain smirked coldly, "What is it that you want? Money? Refuge? An adventure?"

I sat up straight, and slid across the scarred table a sealed envelope, "Ella's love letter. For you. You really should read it."

Without giving the letter the barest of glances, the captain took a long swig of whatever was in the mug, "Who are you, exactly?"

"Her stepsister of course. Evelyn Tremaine, wanted girl, at your service," I mused to myself, without a hint of nonchalance.

He finally made eye contact with me, "I have no more ties to Ella. She's with another man now. I respect that."

Maybe he did, but he clearly very much so loved her.

"She sent me across the continent to send you this message, to clarify things you do not understand, Hook. At least give her a chance to explain," I answered softly.

"She's married to a- to a lunatic that rules the Summer Realm, lady, I do not intend to fight something I know I will lose," Hook snarled, his youthful face tight with sorrow and regret, "she is even with child."

"How do you know it's not yours?" I asked quietly, and somehow, over the roars and curses thrown around in the tavern, he heard me.

Hook lifted his hollow eyes up at me, "How much do you know about us?"

"A good deal. But all she wanted- wants, is you." I tried to reason with the man broken by love.

"Well, too late for her now. I'll be sailing out to Neverland in a few hours, and the chances are, I will never see Ella again, even if I wanted too." James Hook quietly told me, and pulled down his hood. 

As soon as I saw his face, my breath hitched. His dirty blond hair was messed up from the hood, his once piercing ice blue eyes were dull. He had a sharp nose and high cheekbones, and his gentle lips were pulled down into a scowl. But that wasn't why I froze. 

I breathed quietly, "Jem." The boy I had once danced with on the night of the Lunar Ball, my first kiss, my other best friend, and the prankster that teamed up with me against my brother.... before I ran. I was looking at one of the High Princes of the Spring Realm. 

His face reflected surprise and than caution, "Who are you?" He breathed out, his face controlled in fury. 

I took the edges of the hood and pushed it back enough so that the dim tavern lights caught my eye, making it sparkle. Enough, so he could see my face. "I guess I wasn't the only one who ran," I whispered, as if it were a groundbreaking discovery. 

"Val." Jem gasped in disbelief, "Val, is that you?" 

"The one and only." 

~

"I don't get it- how can you be alive? Everyone thought you were dead- your dad, your brother, even Perese." Jem muttered, still in a state of shock. 

"What happened doesn't matter. How did you get yourself stuck in a place like this, so far from....your Realm?" I easily diverted the question, the way I always did to a question I didn't want to answer. 

Jem looked at the reflection in his mug, "I ran too. Spring was never my home. Remember, remember Poppy?" 

"Your sister. What of her?" I asked, worry creeping into my soul. 

"S-she was executed. By my two b-brothers, Hans and Andres. They were more than willing to, especially because they were weaklings, and liked eliminating competition like a coward," Jem quietly muttered, "And without Poppy, without Mama, I had nothing left for me. So, I left." 

I looked down at his hands to see Ella's letter clenched tightly between his fingers, "What about Ella?" 

Jem smiled softly, a smile that did not belong in this loud and wild tavern, "I was passing through Luminous, you know, with my Merry Men, long before I ventured out to sea. Actually, I was passing through Luminous to get to Omia, where we desired to go, because of some legend of a treasure. And passing through the woods of the capital city, my men and I encountered a beautiful girl." 

At this, his voice turned soft as he described my step sister, "Ella stepped out of the shadows and asked calmly, despite all of us looking rugged and wielding weapons, 'What are you doing here? ' At that, I had retorted, 'We are merely passing through, to the port city of Omia.

"'Omia?' Ella mused, 'In the middle of the night? You best take your chances with an inn. The creatures in this forest is definitely more barbaric and ugly than the creatures of the inn.' I had let out a low laugh and replied, 'Fair enough.' And that was how I met Ella. Maybe I was an idiot to fall for a witty dreamer, but, I can't say I regret it." James said at last, looking down at the letter. 

I saw his hesitation, and his questions, "Read it, please. I traveled far to get you this- at least read the damn paper. Please?" 

Jem hesitated only for a second before he broke the seal, took out the paper, and began to read the letter in the dim lighting of the tavern. 

two days in and already lagging behind on my goal for Camp NaNo - oh why does 30,000 words have to be so far from 0? (btw, going to post this a few days later because I actually finished this chapter before 21)

How'd you like Jem so far? (to no one ever >.<)