The Warrior of Neverland

Origin

She was getting used to the feeling of hot tears on her cheeks. It was the way she fell asleep. It was the way she woke up. But she forced herself to stop crying before exiting her tent. Her people couldn't see her like this- they needed someone to give them hope.

Is it a lie to give them hope when I have none? she thought. She sighed, pulling on her moccasins. It was still dark outside, but she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. Her braids were a mess, she realized as she caught a glance of her herself in the looking glass. She didn't want to take the time to redo them, but as a chief she knew it would be best to be presentable.

She'd just untangled the last of her braids and was grabbing her brush when the light of a fairy bobbed through her tent flap and flew in front of her face. Tigerlily inhaled in surprise and drew back to look at them more clearly. It was the Fairy Queen.

"Your majesty," Tigerlily said, nodding her head in deference.

The Queen didn't greet her back but jumped straight into what she had to say. "I haven't told you everything. There's more to the prophecy than what I said."

Tigerlily's eyes widened.

"The most shrouded secret of Neverland is at the heart of the prophecy, and for generations only the wisest of the Neverland council have even known about it. It is our duty to keep it safe, and keep it secret."

"What are you talking about?"

"The prophecy is translated from the oldest nymph language, and some of the words have been... twisted." The Queen was twisting her hands together, and Tigerlily's heart raced to see her showing any sign of worry. "It has been translated to say the daughter of Neverland, but the word is actually saeya. Which is more closely meaning heir or successor."

Tigerlily furrowed her brow. "Heir or successor of... of what?"

The Queen rose a few inches in the air. "That's the secret. Follow me."

***

Tigerlily's feet pounded against the ground as she followed the darting light of the Fairy Queen through the dark forest. Every nerve was on fire, and her arm stung with pain from the cut. She ignored it and pushed forward, scrambling up the mossy hillside after the Queen, splashing through the Bubbling Creek, carefully picking her way through the center of the delicate Pixie Hollow.

The Queen stopped at the back of the Hollow, where the rock face of War Mountain rose, delicate moss and flowers creeping up several yards before giving way to jagged stone. She halted abruptly and turned to Tigerlily. Her expression was grave.

"Neverland is magical," she began. "The pixie dust tree sources all magic on the island, but there is one magic that is unlike the rest. Generations ago, a battle was fought on the periphery of a decaying land. The battle was ended when the leader of one army thrust his sword into the ground, and the land split in two." She looked up at War Mountain reverently. "One side crumbled into nothingness and disappeared, but the other... the other drifted on the open seas, carrying the last of the army." Tigerlily's eyes were locked on the Queen's face as she paused, the glitter of fairy dust sparkling around her. "All hope may have been lost, but chance was on their side. A scouting group of fairies found the land and the army, and they rooted the land deep into the ocean floor. They grew forests and flowers, and the army laid down their weapons, indebted to the fairies." The Queen looked tenderly at Tigerlily. "They promised to never return to their old ways, and thus named their island Neverland."

The gears in Tigerlily's head were turning. "Neverland?" she gasped. "But the army..."

"It wasn't until countless generations later that a young boy made home on the island, and time was forgotten. The army had ceased to be an army, but their tribe never left the island."

"My tribe," she breathed. "Pan..." She felt her heart swell with warmth, sadness, and responsibility all at the same time. She looked up at the Queen. "But why is this a secret?"

"Because the sword that split Neverland from the world is still here." The Queen pointed up to the peak of War Mountain. "And whoever wields it in battle will be declared the saeya of Neverland, and complete the prophecy."

Her heart pounded against itself, and this time it wasn't from fear or exhaustion.

"You think...." her voice was little more than a whisper. "You think I'm the saeya?"

The Queen nodded once. She swept her hand up at the peak of the mountain. The tip was blazing with the first rays of sunlight. "Go," she heartened. "The prophecy awaits."

Tigerlily jumped towards the rock face, ready to climb until her hands bled, but she froze. She looked back at the Queen, floating calmly in the air.

"What if it's not me?"

The Queen said nothing at first. Then she looked down and took a breath. "Then someone else will be."

"What if it's her?"

The Queen didn't need Tigerlily to explain. She knew she meant this Wendy girl. She flew forward, placing a small, reassuring hand on Tigerlily's shoulder. "Then you must be willing to honor the prophecy."

A bead of fear sat in Tigerlily's stomach. "And... what if it's me?"

A small smile played at the Fairy Queen's mouth. She flew back and gestured for Tigerlily to begin climbing. Tigerlily took a deep breath, turning her attention to the rocks, and tensed her arms. It would be a long climb. She raised one hand, then another, and her feet left the flat ground, finding holes in the cliff to grip.

"Tigerlily." She paused and looked back at the Queen. "Do not forget the magic of Neverland. It is strong."

She swallowed hard and kept climbing. She knew the Queen was right- the magic of Neverland was very strong. But was that a good thing or bad thing?