"Under the moonlight-we dance like lovers do."

-----------------------------

Had it not been for the sudden thump that caused a sharp pain directly to her head, Gaeul would have not waken up.

Gaeul takes in her surroundings. A room, dimly lit with two candles on each sides of the room, heaps and heaps of straw bundled up at the corner and laid out underneath her. It smelled moist, and almost of mold; but it was understandable as the room appeared to be old, with rust visibly prominent onto the handles of the door, and the small window which was lined up with narrow, metal bars. She senses something not quite right with the room, as it looked almost as familiar as a cell would in the medieval times; struggling to move her arm after being supposedly unconscious for a period of time, until what followed was the jangle of chains, and that lifting her arm seemed to be a more difficult task than usual and-

Oh.

Gaeul realized she had been chained to one of the metal bars inside of the room. Clearly, this was a dungeon indeed.

Another thump ensued; making Gaeul jump and land right on her bottom, harder than the thump that woke her up from her sleep. She wonders the location she was at, the state she was in, and takes in her surroundings once again, trying to see if there was any way out. When she finally realized that there was none, Gaeul slumped back against the mount of straw, sighing. How could have this happened to her?

The last thing she remembered was the man with a hook grinning down at her, and then it was pitch black. Pressing her temples to think harder, Gaeul remembered some bits and pieces of being lifted up and away; perhaps one of those bits and pieces having Minghao's voice in them, and then she remembers the pain that came along from being thrown into the room and-

Where was Minghao?

"Are you awake, child?"

Gaeul's head whipped up to trace the voice.

"Right next to you, kid. But you probably can't see me."

Gaeul turns to her left, inching closer to the wall. She grunts when she realizes there was something tugging on her right foot; and it was the fact that her leg was chained to the wall as well. She stretched and scooted closer to the wall, finding a small crack between the wooden door; and peered into it. On the other side was the white beard of a man, looking scruffy and old, and traces of age lined against his skin. When he sees Gaeul, his eyes lit up into a smile; and those eyes were an extremely familiar sight; ones where she has seen countless times that followed with the string of familiar laughter back when they would joke around in the kitchen.

"You..." Gaeul trailes off, slightly doubtful but also couldn't find any reason to think that she was wrong. "You're Minghao's father?"

The man laughs heartily, "Sure am. Quite sharp aren't ya."

"Both of you look like each other. Or - I mean - he looks exactly like you."

"Bakes just like me too, kid," The man, now revealed as Minghao's father; the one whom Gaeul only knew from her friend's stories, where he was forced to work with Hook. "I take it you are a good friend of his?"

"Acquaintances. Friends, well - maybe." Gaeul remembers Minghao telling her not to trail him, or follow him so that she wouldn't got into the mess that was his life. But now that she did, was that enough to consider her a friend?

"Do you know where Minghao is?" Gaeul asks, obliviously. The man laughs heartily once again, except that there was barely any humor to it.

"I wouldn't be here if I knew, kid. It's been a long time since I've seen him anyway." The man sighs, looking up from where he sat.

Gaeul quirks her eyebrow, "I take it that you've been here for long?"

"Quite a while. Longer than you'd expect. Long enough to not know what my son looks like now - I'm sure he's all grown up into the young man I'd wish him to be."

Gaeul felt a pang in her chest at his words. She couldn't imagine how much he missed Minghao right now if the last time he saw him was when he was still a child. She couldn't imagine the longing of a parent towards their son, and to not be able to do anything about it. Locked in a cell for years, grappling onto only the memories of Minghao, which was the only thing he has left. It was probably what kept him going, even in this state of living.

Gaeul was about to open her mouth again to speak when she was interrupted by the faint sound of bells. Dainty and faint, almost magical; as they jingled closer and closer to where she sat. She craned her neck forward and squinted towards the small, squared window lined up with metal bars at the door. There was a small light illuminating the walls outside the door; though faint, almost like it belonged to one of a firefly, but it was visible enough to see even if it was miniscule. Gaeul felt an inkling of hope rise inside her, but convinced herself to pushed that thought down because it couldn't be, right? It just couldn't.

"Hey - over here!"

The voice was one that belonged to someone she was familiar with, lined with the sound of jingling bells, or what the stars would sound like if they twinkled. Gaeul felt a smile crack through her lips, eyes widening at the sight of none other than the pixie she had been introduced to once.

"Seungkwan!" Gaeul beamed, not being able to hide the relief in her voice.

"I need to make this quick, it's not safe here." Seungkwan whispers, surprisingly loud enough for Gaeul to hear even in his tiny, pixie form. His skin radiated a yellow glow, golden just like the pixie dust she was familiar with, and his tiny, translucent wings shimmered blue. "I'm here to help you, don't you worry. Now listen. Hook may bring both of you up to the deck soon, for God knows what. He might want some insight onto the prince. He might even tell you to work for him before setting you free, now that he's gotten some info on who you are."

Gaeul raises her eyebrow in confusion, "What do you mean he knows who I am?"

"Let's just say that your friend gave away the fact that he knows you, judging by how shocked he was to see you being hauled by Hook's men onto the ship."

Gaeul's heart dropped. Minghao was on the ship too?

"Whatever Hook tells you to do, you follow. I will be there to help, trust me. I'll do anything I can to get you out of here." Seungkwan says through gritted teeth, determination lining his words. Gaeul nods weakly, though not as hopeful as she thought she had to be. As much as she would like to trust the pixie, it would be the safest decision to not keep her hopes up and stay alert at all times, even when she has someone familiar behind her back.

Seungkwan nods, "I'll get going now, and I'll be back for you, I promise." He swiftly flies away, and Gaeul can no longer hear the sound of the dainty jingle of bells.

+++

Seungkwan had been right. Hook had ordered for Gaeul to be hauled up onto the deck, where all of his crew members were present. There was no signs of escaping; especially not when two burly men were right behind her, linking their arms with hers as she was chained and cuffed, both her arms and feet. The other crew members were lined up on the ship, their eyes falling onto Gaeul's small figure, and taking interest onto the new face on board.

"It's time to greet the new young lady on board, boys!" Hook shouts, gaining the attention of his other crewmates. He grins, almost devil-like with his yellow teeth baring right at her. "Introduce yourself, girl."

Gaeul glowers right at him, with no response. Hook's smile faded when he realized she was not going to answer.

"Answer me, girl, before you regret it."

"I'll answer you if you let the old man go first."

The captain looked taken aback for a split second, then throws his head back so hard followed with the most joyful laughter she has heard in her life. The other crewmates followed, roaring and roaring with laughter following their captain, as if hat Gaeul said had been the funniest joeks they've heard in month- no, years. Hook wiped away the tears from his eyes with the metal he had as his hand, then steps closer to Gaeul, tipping her chin up so that they were looking at each other, eye to eye.

"You naive girl. You really think giving away your name would be worthy of information, enough to let him go?" Hook burst into fits of laughter, still finding her words funny as if he just heard it for the first time. It died down quickly, however, followed with a hardened glare. "Tell me while I'm still asking nicely. Your name."

"You won't get anything from me."

"I said, answer me."

Gaeul spat right at his face.

That caused some havoc, as Gaeul soon heard the unsheathing of swords, way too many of them - their pointed blades glimmering under the moonlight. In fact, some of them were already pointed right at her face, at the tip of her nose, right in front of her neck. Gaeul swallowed, admittedly taken aback to what she had caused, but trying to prove that she was not afraid; she kept her face void of any emotion.

"It seems we've got a fiesty one here." Hook sighed, as he dumped the handkerchief Smee had handed to him right back into his hands. Hook stormed right up towards Gaeul, making a gesture so that everyone kept their swords, to which they did. While that was a relief, Gaeul knew that whatever was going to happen next was not something that she should be looking forward to.

She just spat right at the face of the most vicious pirate known to man, both in the works of fiction and in Neverland. The pirate who had not just lost one eye, but also his own arm, trying to wrestle his way out of being eaten by a giant croc. And well - to say that he is alive and back in this business, more vicious than ever, tells a lot about how much evil he has become over those events.

"You need to play your cards right, my dear. This is not the place for you to act all wise on me. You are outnumbered, and you are nothing but a mere petite little creature; all tied up like this." Hook picks up his hat that was held by one of his men, and places it neatly on the top of his head, brushing his hair away from his shoulders in the process. "Fine. Your name is not important anyway. Tell me what you do in the castle."

"I work in the kitchen," Gaeul finally says, through gritted teeth after a period of silence. Perhaps that information would not harm anybody if she gave it away. Hook smiled, pleased at her cooperation. "Now that wasn't too hard to answer, was it?"

"Next question," he muses, kneeling down so that both he and Gaeul were eye-level with each other. "When is the Prince's coronation day?"

Gaeul tightens both her lips into a straight line.

"I don't know."

Hook raises an eyebrow.

"That's ridiculous - you work in the castle. The kitchen, moreover. Surely you know."

"I swear, I don't know." Gaeul shot back, annoyed and angry. Hook shoots her a look, as if he did not appreciate the tone she used in her voice, then hums as if nothing had happened, as if he had a brilliant idea in mind. He stands up, turns away and makes a gesture with his arm. "Bring him in."

And there he was. All tied up from chest to toe with the thickest rope Gaeul had seen in her entire life; it would probably be heavy to even carry it, what more being tied with it. Two men followed, bundles and bundles of the same rope in hand, and at the end another man ensued, grunting as he carried a massive sized anchor. And the boy tied with said rope - being pushed about to walk forward, now receiving a push slightly harder than before that caused him to lose balance and topple over, rolling, to the end of the ship with a sharp thud against his head - was none other than Minghao himself.

Gaeul wished she didn't react that way, she promised herself that she wouldn't, but her eyes filled to the brim with tears fast enough that she couldn't control them to not spill. "Minghao!" She whipped her head towards Hook, who now had a knowing look on his face, as if he knew that this would happen.

"Now that your friend's here, I assume you're smart enough to know when to answer?" Hook lets out a hearty laugh, hat tipping over his head as he did so. "if you don't want him to get hurt, that is."

"Let him go," Gaeul pleads, half angrily, as she alternately looks towards Minghao and back at Hook. "let him go, and take me instead."

Hook whistles, "I'm afraid I cannot do that, my dear. He has been all used up by us throughout these years and well - he has proven to be useful, except that he isn't anymore - now that he wants to protect you." Hook rolls his eyes and makes a gesture with his hooked hand, waving dismissively. "All that jazz about friendship, blah blah blah, disgusting, and sickening. He is worth discarding. You, on the other hand, still have potential to serve for me."

Gaeul felt her head throbbing with heat and anger. She could not believe that this man had the audacity to treat Minghao like a used toy, like a discarded item. She could not believe that this was how he spoke of Minghao when she knew the risks he faced when he had to work for Hook secretly. She knew how lonely he had been in the kitchen, all used to working alone, nobody daring to approach him after discovering that he was the son of a pirate, and now working for Hook. The rumors around him were indeed, much to bear, and yet he had put up with all of that gossip from the people in the palace for all these years - with the sole reason being the fact that he did not want Hook to harm his father.

"Let him go!" Gaeul screamed, unable to control her emotions. At least, she was trying. She was trying her best, and she really meant it. She would take a bullet for him any day if it meant he would be set free and be able to live with his father, opening a tiny bakery in town just like how he dreamed of. She would be willing to walk the plank instead of him, if it meant that his father could be happy and see his son the way he is now.

The man who carried the bundle of ropes dropped them to the floor and yanked Minghao up from where he fell. It seemed that he was still struggling to gain consciousness, eyes half lidded and stumbling multiple times before the man held him firm against his body. Minghao blinked several times, shook his head then lifted his head, just in time to make eye contact with Gaeul. His eyes slowly popped out of his sockets as he whispered, "...Gaeul?"

"We are not done yet, young lady. Answer now, if you want your friend safe." Hook grabs her collar with the sharp end of her hook, lifting her up.

"I don't know." Gaeul replies through gritted teeth. "I don't know, okay! How many times do I have to tell you this!"

Hook raises his eyebrow, and turns around, giving the man holding Minghao a knowing look. The burly man nods, and yanks Minghao and up onto the plank. Gaeul screams in panic.

"Two more chances, if you think lying would be a wise idea, darling." Hook blows on the end of his metal hand as if dust had collected there. Gaeul turns to look at Minghao, who also had the same panicked look on his face; even if she knew that he was trying his best to hide it. Even if she knew that he would be willing to say that walking the plank would be a no big deal at all, for as long as she was safe.

"Please, I'm sorry, I- I really don't know the date. I really don't know when he's being crowned - I swear," Gaeul pleaded with all that she had left, which was not much - to be very honest. She had genuinely no idea when Junhui would be crowned. Not after the entire fiasco that had happened at the palace. Not after, well, this.

She hears two loud creaks from the far end of the ship, and realizes that it was the sound of Minghao being pushed further to the end of the plank. Hook looks at her questioningly.

"You'll know what happens if you don't answer this one," Hook says, grinning. "You can say goodbye to your poor little friend, if you still think lying is a wise id-"

"Fine! Three days from now!"

That made Hook take interest in her. He raises an eyebrow questioningly, tapping his chin.

"And how would I know if you were telling me the truth?"

Gaeul cursed him in her mind. What was the point in you asking me then, asshole?

Well the thing is, Gaeul knew it was a lie. She wasn't even sure when Junhui was crowned prince, and she made up a date to buy time to think of something. Judging by how he's asking her, Gaeul assumes that they were asking her about the date genuinely because they wanted info, and not because they wanted to put her at a test to see if she was lying or not.

"Like you mentioned! I work in the kitchen," Gaeul huffs, blowing her hair out of her eyes. "I've been preparing for the ceremony for a week. And I was just about to get some rest - until well, mannerless men who don't know how to treat women came to take me."

Hook laughs, "Manners do not apply to only women, my dear. My apologies," He takes off his hat knowingly and bowed out of courtesy, although Gaeul doubt it was barely out of genuine courtesy. "I haven't even introduced myself to you, perhaps you are right about that manners part. I am Hook, captain of the Jolly Roger. Thank you for your cooperation, now perhaps we could finally treat that friend of yours with more - hospitality, yes?"

Hook snaps his fingers, and the burly man who held Minghao dragged him back onto the ship and hurled him to the ground. Minghao groaned at the obvious pain it had caused.

"Now, let's see. Now that we know you work in the kitchen, I've got just the right task for you," Hook grins, rubbing the blunt edge of his hook with his other hand. "Perhaps you might need to listen sweetly, otherwise you'll know what happens to you if you choose not to follow - or if you choose to tell this to anyone."

Gaeul shakes her head, "I promise."

Hook smiles, satisfied, "Wise choice, my dear. Now, we'll give you this vial with very precious liquid - be very careful with it, it took me months to smuggle this from the humans - and while you prep for the coronation drinks I want you to pour some of them into the mixt-"

"Captain!" Smee comes running, loud as ever, flailing his arms clumsily. Barely anyone had noticed his disappearance from when he handed Hook the napkin to wipe his face. Smee huffs and puffs, holding out a golden piece of paper out to the captain, for which the captain snatched without an ounce of appreciation. His eyes hastily scanned the writing on the paper, widening as they went lower, and lower.

"The coronation, it seems," Smee finally says after catching his breath, "The prince will be crowned as King in two weeks."

The golden paper, scrunched into a ball and tossed onto the floor, hitting Gaeul's knee. She did not dare to look up at him, cursing the awful timing Smee had chosen, cursing and cursing herself for not having a better idea to buy time.

"Tie her up," Hook orders, darkness and anger lacing his voice. "And walk her to the edge of the plank; since that's what she wants."

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AHH i hope there are still people who look forward to this book. I'll try to finish this in one go, I promise!

- Cee