Weakness

Chapter 12 Trust is a Delicate Thing

"So what your saying is that I can't fight simply because I'm a girl!"

Ace woke up the next morning with the sun high in the sky and realized to her amazement it was noon. She had never slept so long nor so peacefully. She jumped out of bed changing her clothes before walking into the campsite to her absolute amazement she was the first one up. She knew yesterday was a celebration, and she now realized that the sun was rising when she went to bed. She smiled at last nights memmories of dancing all night. She walked over to the fire tending to the coals and placing more logs on, starting it back up with the flint and steel she kept in her satchel. Starting a fire was second nature to her as she's done it many times before so she let her mind wander as she tended to the flames. Her stomach rumbled reminding her she hasn't eaten scence supper. She poked around before she found the deer carcasses the boys had killed last night for dinner. They were hanging from a tree by their feet and had ice blocks inside them to keep the carcasses cold so the hide wouldn't rot. She removed the ice in one and found what she was looking for, the tenderloin. The best part of the deer, but easy to miss if you don't know what your looking for. She smirked removing the tenderloin from the other three carcasses as well before replacing the ice. She toke her bounty back to the kitchen hut. She serveyed the small hut to find a sink. It was actually quit an ingenious design. She walked over to it turning the water on washing the meat then her hands. She put it on the wooden island in the center before cutting it into little pieces. She went snooping and found a couple dozen eggs that Rufio had reserved for breakfast. She toke out the eggs to her little fire she set up the pan and filled it with the tenderloin pieces. She started a smaller fire close by to keep the food warm when she was done cooking it.
Soon the smell of cooking meat filled the camp. She cooked the eggs in the grease the meat made getting some of the seasoning on the eggs as well. She decided just to scramble the eggs in the end. It wasn't long before the food was done.

Pan woke to the smell of food. Rufio was up early he thought as he rolled out of bed magicing his clothes on then walking out of his tent. What he didn't expect was to see a certain red head cooking over a fire humming to herself absentmindedly. He saw not far from her on a smaller fire keeping warm was the venicine that woke him. He went to take a piece only to receive a slap with the wooden spatula she was using to stir the eggs.
"Ow!" He stated glaring at her. Ace just let a small smile play on her face.
"Good morning." She said cheerily ignoring Pan's glare. Her happy voice made Pan have a confused look.
"Someone's in a good mode." Pan mumbled under his breathe. Making Ace roll her eyes in response.
"Yes, I am. So enjoy it because it doesn't happen often." She sassed him, "so what's the plan for today?" She asked curiously.
"Chores, training, getting back into the routine of things and seeing where you fit in." Pan responded distantly as he was thinking of a clever way to take a piece of meat without her noticing.
"Well breakfast is done. You may have a plate." She said motioning her hand towards the food, "I can tell by your face your dieing to have one." She said smirking at him. He glared playfully back before shoving a piece of meat in his mouth.
"Wow, Ace this is good. Like really good." He complimented.
"Best part of the deer." She stated absently as she fixed herself a plate before setting it on the large table for the boys. Pan watched as she woke the little boys first letting them eat before calling out the rest. Pan chuckled at how good she was with them. Ace had only been here a couple of days, but she already fit in nicely. When everyone had eaten Pan announced that everyone was to go train. Ace returned to her quarters she strapped her sword to her back placed ten different daggers on her person than put a cloak on her shoulders placing her lost girl knife on her hip. She braided her head into a single braid before stepping out of the tent to join the boys in training. Honestly she was quite excited to see what these boys could do. She was about to join them when Pan stopped her holding her arm, "Ace could you help me with something?" She looked up at him a bit confused.
"I suppose." She responded curiously.
"Slightly needs more healing herbs. I was hoping you could fetch them while the boys trained." She furrowed her eyebrows.
"And when will I train?" She questioned simply. This made a smile break out on Pan's face.
"Ace, you won't." He responded chuckling gently, "your a girl. Don't worry about that. The boys can handle the fighting your needed here." She rose an eyebrow at him if only he knew who exactly he was talking to.
"So what your saying is that I can't fight simply because I'm a girl!" Ace said raising her voice a bit. The two had drawn a bit of a crowd.
"Ace I'm saying you don't have to fight." Pan responded raising his voice as well, "besides girls aren't nearly as good at fighting as boys."
"You sexist, egotistical..." she raised her voice louder. Before Pan even registered what he was doing his hand was flying through the air only to be caught inches from her face by his wrist. Ace looked at the hand she had caught on instinct before looking back into Pan's face shocked and hurt. Pan looked disbelievingly at the hand she was still holding.
"You were going to hit me." Her voice was a deadly calm and the pain laced in it made a knot form in Pan's stomach.
"You yelled at me." Pan defended, but it came out weak.
"I'll go talk to slightly about the herbs." she said not looking him in the eye anger coursed through her as she walked away clenching and unclenching her fists so she didn't run back to Pan and sock him in the nose. How dare he! Then again why does it surprise her. Why wouldn't he be like her father? Aren't all Kings. She used to believe all men were like that till she met a few that changed her mind. Still that's what she gets for letting her guard down. Most men are just as bad as her father some are just good at hiding it.

She found Slightly in the medical tent going through things and making a list. "Is that the stuff I need to get?" She asked from the door making her presence known.
"Ah yeah." He said handing her the list, "Are you sure you know what your looking for?" She scanned the list before responding.
"Quite." She smiled at him gently as he handed her a small basket, "see you at Dinner." She responded before turning on her heel and walking into the jungle.
The trip was uneventful to say the least which bored her out of her mind. She got everything on Slightly's list and was even able to refill some of the herbs she had run out of in her satchel. Although the one thing she couldn't find was a Begonia flower. A tea from this flower can Clense the body of toxins and has a very strong magical potency that can be used in undoing and healing spells. She'd have to ask Slightly if they had any of it on the Island. Her supply was running low. Plus it was her favorite flower. She returned to camp to see the boys weren't back yet. She looked at the sun and judged it was probably about 3 o'clock she had about two hours till the boys came back. She dropped off the basket in the medical tent before going into her own she strapped the bow and a quiver of arrows to her back then placed her hood on deciding to go exploring. She stood at the edge of camp and decided to walk in the opposite direction of the training area. She kept in that same direction realizing it was the one she took when she ran from Pan her first night here. She came upon the old camp fire she used laughing at the memory. It was then that she had decided to trust Peter Pan. "Idiot." She mumbled to her self.
She continued to walk checking the sun to see it hadn't changed too much. She was going at a pretty fast pace so she guessed she'd probably made it about ten miles from camp, and it was probably around 4. She kept walking till she heard the sound of waves. She ran towards the sound and found herself on a sandy strip of beach.
She laughed in joy as the sun warmed her face. It had been so long sense she was able to enjoy a beach. She took off her boots and cloak digging her toes into the sand and letting her hair out of her braid. The wind coming off the ocean blew it back gently. The warm sun and sand mixed with the cool wind and water made her feel at peace. She took off her weapons putting her satchel on the ground then removed her pants leaving herself in the green dress that was about knee length with thigh high slits on both legs. She rolled up her three quarter length sleeves. Leaving her belt and dagger hanging around her waist. She looked at her cuff hesitantly before deciding to leave it on. She then toke off for the water she went in till it was about waist deep before diving beneath the waves. She came up a few feet away wiping the water from her face. The salt water felt good against her skin and she entertained herself by playing in the waves. She only stayed in the water for a half hour knowing she'd have to run back to camp if she wanted to beat the boys back. Ten mile run isn't bad, not at all.
She got out of the water and layed and let the sun dry her. Before slipping her pants, weapons, satchel, and cloak back on her person. She spared one last glance at the water only to see a ship about five miles from shore. Straight out. She ran towards the tree hiding in the canopy of green so as not to be spotted. She hoped it would just pass, but it soon became abundantly clear it was heading straight to shore.

Author's Note:
Cliff Hanger!! Sorry, but you'll just have to wait. Thanks for reading.
-Becca