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Chapter Fifteen

Gwendolyn

Present Day

I t had been rather easy to make my way through the royal chambers and into Peter’s room, even though I’d never been inside his room before.

The lightness I felt within the castle walls was nearly absent at knowing Peter was not within them.

I passed through the breezy hallways, and nodded to a few courtiers as I made my way past the open hallways to the private royal chambers.

I checked a few other doors before I found his room, but I was in such a hurry I was not at all nervous checking.

When I found his room, the light blue bedding and walls, with the desk covered in books, fit him.

I opened up a drawer from his desk and gasped .

There, sitting on a pillow, was a silver crown, decorated with pearls.

He had it crafted for me? I traced the pearls and pulled the crown out to examine its exquisite design.

That’s when I saw something further back in the drawer—another silver crown, matching the one in my hand, only it was not studded with pearls.

I laughed with tears dripping down my cheeks at the crown.

I touched the common rocks in his crown and loved Peter even more.

He had not left me. It was not his choice.

I made my way over to the books to find that they were all on a single topic: Pixies.

I never knew the kingdom had so many books on that topic, but they did look to be quite old.

He had notes and papers all over his desk.

What had he been doing with all this information?

He had saved us from the pixies, why was he researching the topic?

“What are you doing?” That’s when Michael found me.

I turned from the books. “Looking over the books here.”

“Messy, isn’t he?” Michael chuckled.

I brought my attention back to his desk. There were other books on oaths, vows, and promises. Then one on deals. My heartbeat sped faster. In his quick writing, he had written: “ Debts must be paid—they cannot be spoken of until after they are fulfilled. ”

“What is this?”

I turned to see Michael picking up a book that was on the floor closest to the window. I walked to him, putting out my hands to take it from him.

I knew that book; it was one of our favorites. The page that had been left open had my name on it.

Gwen, I love you , and it was written in Peter’s familiar writing.

“Michael!” I said, my heart racing. It was hard to catch my breath. I traced the words with my fingertips.

“What is that?” He came to stand directly behind me as I looked over the page.

“Does Peter owe a debt?” Michael asked, walking to Peter’s desk, looking over the papers there.

I walked to the window, clutching the book with the note to my chest. Touching the windowsill, hoping for answers, I spotted something.

There were just a few small specs of glitter that looked like sand, but in the light, I could see the golden hue to it.

I pressed my finger against the grains. They stuck to my finger, and I placed them into my palm.

“This is pixie dust, Michael. He was taken. Pixies took him,” I said, looking at him in earnest.

“We should probably tell Prince Dominick.”

We made our way to the door, but a soldier opened Peter’s door before we could.

“What are you doing here?” he shouted, his sword pointed at Michael and me.

“Nothing, just looking for Prince Peter,” Michael said .

“No one is to be in his room; he is missing,” the guard grunted out.

“We were looking for clues,” I breathed.

“Or you were removing evidence—”

“No, she would never. This is Lady Gwendolyn Darling. The prince and she were betrothed.”

“We are still betrothed,” I mumbled.

“No matter. I will take you to the queen,” the guard said with a hand on his sword.

“But we are only trying to help,” I said as he pointed for us to walk before him.

“You will feel like a fool as soon as we see the queen. You must be new here; Gwendolyn is always with the prince.”

“No talking,” he demanded.

We plodded down the halls until we reached the throne room. The doors were opened, and we were harshly pushed into the room by the guard.

“These two were in the prince’s room.”

Michael and I stood still, looking upon the queen, who was speaking to Prince Dominick and Princess Meria.

“Gwendolyn!” Meria shouted, as she ran to me and then embraced me. “We will find him.” She then looked at my brother with a nod.

“Why are you treating Lady Gwendolyn Darling and Lord Michael Darling like criminals?” Dominick nearly shouted .

“They were not given admittance to the prince’s room, and that is where I found them.”

“No matter, leave. Lady Darling is and never will be a threat.” The queen waved off the soldier. Her face was sorrowful as she turned to her eldest son. “Could it be Captain Veeto? Could he have come and taken him?”

“I have no idea,” Dominick began. “I hoped that Veeto had died.”

“Your Highnesses,” I said with a curtsy, “I think I know. Peter left a clue for me.” I opened up the book and held it up.

Dominick took it from me and read it over.

“Did Peter make a deal with the pixies?” he asked.

“I fear the answer to that is yes . After seeing all the books in his room and reading his notes, I believe he made a deal. Perhaps, that was how I was able to leave Pixie Isle with all the stolen children. It did seem too easy. They wanted me there, and then Peter came, and they just let us all go. It makes sense that they got something in return. I feel like a fool for never suspecting anything,” I said.

It was all my fault. He did it for me. I clenched my fist at my side.

I tried to remain calm and collected before the royals, yet I wanted to cry and drown in my guilt and sorrow.

“Peter would do anything for you, Gwendolyn,” the queen said with a smile. I looked up to her. Her face changed as our eyes met. Her smile turned even softer as if telling me that it was not my fault. But how could it not be my fault? He went to Pixie Isle to save me.

“I am sorry; this is all my fault, Your Highness.”

“If he did, indeed, make a deal, it is honorable. But we do not know for certain, Gwendolyn.”

“I found pixie dust–which is solid confirmation,” I said, holding back tears.

The queen nodded. “I am proud that he saved you, and we only need to make sure he is not kept there forever. We do have a wedding coming up,” the queen said kindly.

“So, as much as I wish it were not true, I do believe the pixies took him. I must save him,” I whispered in heart wrenching pain.

“He would make a deal and then not tell anyone. That is just like him,” Dominick said with a groan.

“To be fair, one cannot speak of a pixie deal once it has been struck until after it is fulfilled. He couldn’t tell any of us,” I expressed.

It explained so much, including why he had been busier than usual, looking for a way out of a deal, no doubt.

“Well, I am sure I would make the same deal if it would save Meria,” Dominick said, looking fondly at his new wife.

“As an honorable prince should,” said the queen.

“Or a man madly in love with a mermaid.” Dominick said, winking at Meria.

Dominick, while incredibly different from his brother—being more pirate than prince—still reminded me of Peter from time to time.

Peter would also wink at me, causing me to blush, and then he would grin.

How I missed him. How sad I was that he had not been able to share his burden with me; for all that time, he had been alone in it.

“This is all my fault,” I said again, tears streaming down my face. I could no longer hold back.

“No, it is not,” Michael said beside me. I never knew Michael to be so kind, but I was grateful for his presence.

“It is not,” Meria also assured.

“We must find him,” Dominick said.

“But if he made a deal, can it be broken? Plus, his curse,” the queen added. “Although, I am not sure, but I think, maybe, he has already broken his curse.” the queen said softly, looking at me with hope in her eyes. As far as I knew he was still cursed.

“It is not broken until he has a visit from Ancient Draken,” Dominick said, looking from the queen, over to me. “Has that happened?”

“He never told me his curse was broken,” I said.

“Well, I am sure he would have told you; he would be so happy to have his curse broken. I have only noticed that he has had no desire to leave, only a desire to see his beloved betrothed, daily,” the queen said.

Her eyes were so soft. I was happy that Peter had grown up with such a sweet mother.

I envied that, but I was happy for him; she had been all he had for so long .

“I am sure he would have told you. He could not speak of the debt. Peter loves you, and he would not keep information about his curse breaking from you, Gwendolyn,” Meria said, patting my back.

I appreciated her kindness and comfort. “Thank you, Meria,” I said softly, wiping at my tears.

Michael handed me a handkerchief, and I cleaned my face.

“We will set sail right away. I need to get some more supplies, but we will head to Pixie Isle,” Dominick said, looking at Meria for confirmation. He was a fine sailor; he had been to Pixie Isle once, and he could do it again.

I looked at Michael as he stepped up with a bow.

“I will come, too.”

I was surprised. Michael had not hated Peter, but he wasn’t the most supportive brother.

There was a pounding at the door. Everyone turned to see a man running toward us. The guards let him pass, but I was startled, stepping back until I saw who it was.

“Captain William?” the queen questioned, addressing him.

“I apologize for my hasty arrival,” he said, out of breath, bending to give a formal bow. He turned to Dominick and did the same. Once he stood to his full height, he smiled at me.

“Lady Darling.” He nodded.

“Captain.” I curtsied .

“Why are you here?” Dominick asked William.

“Ah, my best mate is gone, and I want to help find him. I knew something was going on, but—”

“Pixies stole him, and we are headed back to Pixie Isle,” Dominick said.

“I am coming,” William answered—not asking, but telling.

“You are welcome to come; the more help, the better,” Dominick said.

“Good,” he nodded with a sigh.

William was a noble, and Peter’s best friend. I had only seen him a few times about the castle.

“Alright, we have things to prepare, then.” Dominick walked past me, moving to the door. “Thank you,” he said with a nod, his long dark hair falling into his face. His golden hoop earring on his left ear, making him appear more pirate than prince, which was the case.

“I will come, too. I must—”

The queen held up her hand. “I do not want you hurt, Gwendolyn.”

“I will not be hurt, I assure you, my queen.”

“She may be needed,” Meria said, stepping up to my side. “Please, my queen, let her come.”

“If you think she will be safe—”

“I will protect her with my life,” Dominick began.

“I will, too!” William called out.

“Alright, then, please be careful,” the queen said.

“We will leave right away. See you as soon as we return,” Dominick said.

The queen looked at us with a sad smile. “Please, bring the prince back to us. Be safe.”

Then, one by one, we left the throne room, each with determination in our steps.

“I hate ships,” Michael said beside me. I turned to look at him, his spectacles resting on the tip of his nose as he used the side of his jacket to wipe away the sea spray.

At least, during that time traveling to Pixie Isle, I would remember it. It had been unsettling, waking up somewhere with no knowledge of how I got there.

“Well, I love ships,” I said, leaning against the railing. Yes, I loved anything that would bring me closer to Peter. I needed to see him, to know he was safe.

“Are you okay, Gwendolyn?”

I turned to see Meria, walking up to me.

She was wearing a loose-fitting dress that exposed the bottom half of her legs above her ankle, and her feet were bare.

I tried not to let it shock me. I knew that Meria was a mermaid.

She could breathe underwater and swim impossibly fast and dive to depths no human could ever travel.

But her state of undress always caused me a little discomfort.

I gulped, pulled my shoulders back, and smiled anyway.

“I am–I am very grateful to be here, heading to him, to rescue him.”

“I really thought he had worked everything out with the pixies,” Meria said, her long, wavy, light hair moving with the sea breeze.

“Yes, so had I, but pixies are sneaky little creatures.”

I remembered when I first saw Peter after I had been captured.

The realization that he had come for me made my heart swell back then, and even just thinking about it at that moment, it caused a flutter.

The pixies had brought me out to see Peter from behind the waterfall at the lagoon, leaving the children behind.

Those poor children. They had been living in such awful conditions.

They had sweetly called me “Mother” as that’s what the pixies had called me, but when I first saw a particular set of eyes—I realized what had happened to the lost children of Walden; they were stolen by the pixies.

I had sweet memories helping them wash up for their suppers and gathering around me as I told stories from memory. I wasn’t their mother, but I tried to be one for them while we were all held captive to the pixies’ whims.

I would never forget when I stood there, behind that waterfall and was pushed forward by the pixies onto the bank of the lagoon.

I was struck with immense joy at seeing Peter there.

Not only had he come to save me, but together, we could also save the children.

I’d never been more grateful and happy in my life than when I saw his handsome face.

He came to save me.

I will, now, save him.