With the morning sun peaking over the horizon, bleeding it's first ray's light into the shared bed chambers of Jafar and Maleficent, the early-morning birds began their song, still tucked away and nestled safely within the trees far below, still too early to go out and fetch their breakfast. A gentle breeze soon picked up, pushing aside the transparent, silk curtain that proved to be the only divider between the castle and balcony, sweeping in and cascading over Jafar's dark skin, his body acting as a sort of unintentional barrier, keeping Maleficent's own body shielded from the morning breeze. His body was wrapped around hers like a tight mold, laying on his side with everything from his stomach down pressed so intimately into her backside it was hard to tell where Jafar ended and Maleficent began merely by touch. The Serpent King had his torso propped up on the bed, using his elbow to keep him stable as his opposite hand found occupation in quietly brushing his fingers through her dark, long locks, finding different ways to mind the curved, auburn horns that protruded from her crown.

Moments passed, perhaps even hours, in a comfortable, quiet silence. Unmoving. Merely soaking up every moment of each others physical contact. And in that reverent silence, Jafar could even hear their hearts growing closer to one another.

Finally, Jafar broke the still silence by bending down his neck, brushing his lips against her prominent cheekbone in a soft, delicate kiss. As he drew away, though only slightly, he dragged the tip of his nose across her skin to keep that physical contact. They both seemed to crave from the other. Even in silence.

"Tell me about Freya Beauchamp."

She was comfortable; content… held fast against the warmth of his body, within his ever gentle and loving embrace- she could want, need, nor ask for anything more. The sweet feeling of his lips lightly brushing against her cheekbone caused her dark eyes to slowly flutter open, allowing the light of the morning to finally grace her vision, forcing her to take a few moments to adjust herself to the change before the corners of her lips turned up in a small though understanding smile. She knew that the day to speak about her past had been coming closer, ever since she had first told him about the fact that she wasn’t the true Maleficent; he was extremely curious, she couldn’t blame him for that, and now that they were engaged to be wed, he had a right to know anything and everything that he wished to know about her… even if the thought of discussing it so openly with someone caused her stomach to flutter wildly with butterflies.

“..you wish for me to tell you about Freya Beauchamp- it was such a long time ago; to the point that there is much about my past that even I have not thought about in years, my love…” Unbothered to move her body from the position that she was in, she took only a few moments to gather both herself and her thoughts before she eventually turned her head, her ever dark brown orbs softening as she let her gaze meet with his own, “..however, for you I am nothing more than an open book, awaiting to read… whatever it is that you desire to know, anything at all my love, I will answer you with full honesty; so please, ask what it is that is on your mind.”

Having pulled his head back when he felt Freya turning her head to look at him, he allowed their eyes to connect for a moment in silence, letting the weight of her words settle within both of them before he once more reached forward and tenderly kissed the corner of her mouth.

"Anything. Everything. I want to know it all. Your parents, your childhood... how you came to be here, in this realm..." Jafar paused, his dark eyes glancing away from her own for a moment to land on the beautiful set of horns on her head, before looking back to her just as quickly as though he were caught doing something he shouldn't be. "...how you came to be my Dark Queen." he added, his voice changing to a softer, lower tone, almost afraid to even ask.

Unable to help the light red blush that crossed over her cheeks as she watched his eyes flick away from her own for just a few moments before returning, she turned her head away from him, once again allowing her dark eyes to linger upon the silken sheets that they were both comfortably lain over- he wanted to know so much about her… about her parents, her childhood… her horns… She had always been exceedingly self-conscious about the beautiful auburn horns she had been gifted; ever since the first moment that they had protruded from her temple, she had been taken aback by the strong and sudden physical change that had been forced upon her body, “I-… it is quite a long story, my love… truly…”

Pausing for a few moments as she delved back into the recesses of her mind for the first time in what felt like forever, she spared herself but a moment to think on the conversation that was about to be had between the both of them before she turned her head, her full attention once more lifting so that she was focusing on him; her eyes seeming to search his for something before, finally, she continued by speaking softly the answers that he sought, “..my parents; they were… I do not even know how to begin to describe them… I grew up closest to my father; he was like my best friend, he understood me for who I was, but more importantly, he knew how to control me… my mother was a drunkard and a waste of time and space; I was to blame for this. Unlike my father, she could not handle me, and so in turn she sought to pills and the bottom alcohol bottles for the answers to all of her problems. I do see that I was not always the best child in the world; I know that, I am not blind to my past- I drove dear old mother to the edge of her limits, and then one day, I pushed my luck too far…”

Lowering her gaze slowly away from his own so that she was instead staring at her shoulder for only a few moments before it once more returned to the sheets, her lower lip quivered lightly as the very memories that she spoke about seemed to play behind her eyes in time with her words, “..I pardoned myself from supper early so that I could bathe; I had not even realized that she had followed me into the room… it was that very lapse of judgement that almost had me killed. She tried to drown me; to rid the world of the root of all her problems… however my father came home, and in her haste she ran out to meet with him; she was in hysterics and pleaded with him to listen to her, and eventually he just gave in, and agreed that she was right. I was terrified; the one person I thought truly loved me had just admitted that they would be better off if I was no longer alive. I took my chance when they were both distracted with one another, and I ran… I ran as far and as fast as I could…”

Shutting her eyes tightly as the memories being drug up soon started to become all too much for her, she pressed herself further back into his body, the hand she had once resting lightly upon the sheets now tightening around the silk as her breathing picked up causing her heart to beat ever quickly in the confines of her chest, “..eventually I fell into the park; I had nowhere to go, but that was when I heard it… when I heard her voice… calling to me by name, and after a while, my curiosity just got the better of me and I followed my ears to the source. It was a looking glass- to be precise, it was that looking glass that rests against the wall… I still do not understand it completely, however I saw her, calling out to me and I stepped through it as though it were nothing more than some sort of doorway… it led me into this world, and once I arrived, Maleficent took me under her wing and began my training- she was dying, and her remaining days were left molding me into the perfect Queen in her eyes, so that one day I would be able to take her place. Her last breath was spent by gifting me the remainder of her power; however it was far too much along with my own, and to accommodate for the sudden surge, my body changed… The day she passed on, I was granted the horns you see before you… the day she died, I took on her name…”

Pausing for only a moment so that she could attempt to calm her heart, she turned her head once again, her lips parted ever so slightly as her gaze once more met with his, “..the day that she died, I became my mistress…”

The hand that had found occupation of running through her long, dark locks had shifted, sliding down to instead be placed upon her bare shoulder, following the length of her arm until his fingers found hers tightening upon the sheets and interlaced them together - a silent gesture that all was well and she needn't be afraid any longer. Drowning your own child was... unthinkable. Though he had never been given the chance to properly become a father, he knew that if fate had been different, if he had been given that chance, no matter how unruly he or she became, he knew that trying to drown them was not something he would have been able to bring himself to do. Truly her mother was a wicked woman, and her father... agreeing with the cause, he was no better.

Jafar felt a small surge of anger starting to fuel his blood at her words towards her parents, though he dare not let it show. He kept his face of normalcy, rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand in a soothing gesture, finally brushing his lips against the soft flesh of her shoulder in a delicate kiss once she finished, his eyes looking over towards the mirror she had spoken of in high interest, though he tried to push his lingering thoughts to the back of his head for the moment.

"You became her." Jafar repeated out loud, thinking over the new source of information in his mind. Truly, it made the most sense out of everything Jafar had ever learned about her. He was silent for a moment before he shifted, withdrawing his hand from hers and sitting up just a fraction more by adjusting his resting elbow on the bed and let his fingers trace the curved, outer bend of one of her horns, all the way up to the point where he then changed direction and started a single stroke back downwards. "I happen to think that they are beautiful - quite befitting for the most radiant woman in all the lands." he said quietly, now keeping his eyes on the horn he was giving his gentle attention to, the fear of being caught looking now gone completely.

She couldn’t help the gentle red tinge that crossed over her cheeks the very moment that his loving words fell from his lips- where she had always held slight self-conscious feelings about the extremely drastic change in her appearance, he thought the change to her body to be beautiful… he thought her to be beautiful; even going so far as to call her the most radiant in all of the lands. Twisting her body ever so slightly over the silken sheets of the bed so that she was instead laying upon her back, she brought her arm up from where it had been resting, the palm of her hand lightly pressing against his flesh as she softly caressed his cheek; her thumb brushing ever so sweetly back and forth over the skin just under his eye as she continued to gaze up into the eyes of the man that she loved.

“..what you believe of me, means everything to me Jafar… and if that is how you see me; then truly it makes my heart sing to hear such sweet words from your lips, my love…”

Jafar's dark eyes lightened a few shades as he looked down at her, a tightly-pressed, closed-lipped smile spreading over his features as he returned her look of adoration.

"Then I shall speak my mind more often, for my thoughts on you will have you blushing for years to come." As if to make his point, his hand lifted to hold the side of her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek where they had taken on a light shade of red. He smirked then, knowing that he had pointed out a sort of weakness within her that would have otherwise lead anyone else to certain death, but Jafar knew indefinitely that he was safe.

He shifted his body then, sitting himself up completely and pushed himself from the bed, collecting his dhoti and wrapping the fabric around his waist to hold a sense of modesty for his body that the sheets could no longer keep covered. His thoughts had drifted, coming back to the mirror she had told him about and could no longer keep them at the back of his mind. He crossed over to it, stopping at it's side and letting his fingers delicately trace it's frame, feeling each and every detail as his eyes (darker now) seemed to scan for any imperfections.

"She called to you..." Jafar started, keeping his eyes on the mirror, the tiniest glint of hunger for power within his eyes. "...through this mirror?" he finished, finally pulling his eyes to look over at her, his head tilting to the side in slight question.

She could see it as clear as the morning sky; the wheels were turning once more behind those beautiful dark eyes of his, his thirst for power and knowledge bubbling at the surface as he stood before the mirror, examining it as best as he could while trying to get the answers that he needed from her. It was the very same look that she sometimes seemed to get when staring at her reflection within the mirrored glass, “..yes, that is correct; I have been trying for many a year now to figure out the secret behind the mirror- I have even traveled as far as Wonderland in my search for answers… but as of yet, I have been unable to unlock the particular spell that my mistress used to make such a thing possible…”

Following the lead that he had set moments beforehand, she lifted herself up from her position upon the bed, the balls of her feet lightly touching down on the ground one by one before she made her way across the room until she was standing directly behind him, her hands coming up to wrap lovingly around him from behind as she pressed her body flush against his back, her chin resting lightly upon his shoulder as she gazed at the mirror in question, “I will keep trying though, my love… nothing as simple as finding a spell is going to defeat me…”

For a moment it didn't even seem that Jafar realized that Freya had joined behind him, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her nude body against his back so intimately. His eyes were back on the mirror, narrowing as he tried to discern it's secrets, his hand once more running over the ornate golden frame as though they could find something that his eyes could not.

"This mirror acted as a portal between this world and the world in which you came from..." Jafar said, finally seeming to take notice of her presence behind him. "...a land without magic..." He turned his body around within her arms, keeping her close by placing his hands on her hips as his eyes looked down into hers. The corner of his lip twitched into a quick smirk of amusement and excitement, his eyes seeming to bounce to life as the wheels in his head continued to turn. "They would not be able to stop us." He needed to explain no further. He knew that she would know what he was thinking, perhaps even before he began speaking.

Keeping her body pressed so lovingly against his own, she shook her head lightly from side to side, her soft pink lips parting ever so slightly as her eyes seemed to search his own, regarding the power-hungry nature behind the man standing before her- oh how she loved him… blood-lust and all, she could not have asked for a better man to spend the rest of her life with. He was perfect in every way- at least for her anyway. Unable to help the way that her lips twisted into a small though rather amused smirk, she lifted her head up just that bit higher, her eyes seeming to flicker with the excitement in which the two of them shared.

“No my love… they will not stop us.”

Finally allowing his lips to split into a rare, white smile, Jafar slid a hand down from her waist, collecting her left hand and brought it up to his lips where he kissed first the top of her hand, and then the pulsating stone in the center of the engagement ring he had presented to her not hours before. She had been planning something with the mirror for a while now, it seemed. Only now, she had him, their power together was unmatchable. They were Gods.

"We will find a way, Freya. A world without magic is ours for the taking. And we will make your parents suffer for each and every wrong they have ever put you through." His white smile twisted into something dark. "They will be the first to fall to their knees before us, followed by so many others."

“Yes my love; they shall bow down and cower before us, like the Gods that we are. Their fates are within the palms of our hands.” The lustful gleam within his eyes was almost like a drug; just so addicting and she wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to look away from him anytime soon. Lifting her hand up from where it had been resting upon his side, she let her soft and gentle palm caress his cheek for what felt like the longest time, her thumb slowly brushing back and forth over the skin just under his eye as she tilted her head to the side; her dark eyes never once parting away from his as she gazed ever lovingly up at him.

“We shall make an example of them; a warning for all and any who would try to defy us.”

Jafar had to chuckle at that. Who would be stupid enough to even try to go against what they wanted? Here, in this particular land, between the two of them they ruled over everything. No one dared defied them. No one was that stupid. And speaking of stupid...

"Now... I believe this morning calls for something a little special. We've much to celebrate." His dark eyes flickered down from her lips to the ring resting on the hand that still held his side for a small moment before returning to her eyes. "Where is that ward of yours? Perhaps she can prove useful by fetching our breakfast."

Annelise sat in her bedroom looking out the window seeing the sun slowly coming up slowly behind the mountains, she had a very hard time sleeping with what Dominic had told her and everyone else the night before. Annelise looked over at her bedside table where she had set her ring down and picked it up rolling it around in her fingers. She decided to head towards the lodge to get some breakfast. Anna quickly got changed into some day clothes along with her coat and boots. Leaving the house Annelise walked through the snow, and entered the lodge, seeing some of the guests were eating before making their runs down the mountain. Annelise spotted Rapunzel sitting by herself and approached her. "Hey, how are you doing?" Annelise asked pulling up a seat across from her.

Rapunzel jumped a little at the sound of Annelise's voice. She hadn't expected anyone to join her this early in the morning. She wrapped her hands tightly around her mug and shrugged, the gesture barely noticeable as her long hair draped over her shoulders. She bit her lip for a moment before looking at Annelise, "Do you think... When we go back we have to go back to our stories?" She took a deep breath, finally vocalizing what had been eating her up since the previous night, "Because... That means I'm going right back to some tower in some forest to wait for some guy to find me... But my hair isn't even long enough to let him into the tower."

She rose her mug to her lips, her hands shaking slightly, "My parents... They might not even be alive anymore... Do I really want to go back to a world to remember eighteen years of living alone in a tower?...."

Annelise watched Rapunzel jump when she spoke and felt slightly bad for doing that looking down for a moment, she knew the same thing was bothering her as well. "Sorry... I didnt mean to scare you." She said softly taking off her winter jacket and drapped it over the chair. "I honestly have no idea what we are going to expect when we go back there..." Annelise answered before leaning forward closer to Rapunzel gently reaching with her right hand to touch Rapunzel's hand to comfort her.

"Listen, a lot of things could have happened since we left. Hell, maybe that tower was destroyed or your parents could still be alive. And you wont be alone we will still have each other."

Ilya liked to eat a large breakfast before important days. He had gotten himself dressed and ready for his security job even if he might have to leave his shift early. It was when he went to the restauraunt that he noticed Anna and Rapunzel sitting together. He felt like talking to them, last night he hadn't gotten much of a chance because Dominic had dominated the discussion. When they paused, he said "Hey, are you two ok? I know you're going through a lot, but if there's anything you want to talk to me about or anything I can help with, let me know."

Rapunzel looked up when a large man approached their table. He had been there last night with the other three men, he had been one of the quiet ones. When he spoke she looked down into her mug again, lowering it back to the table without taking a sip, "We were just... Talking about going back... I don't want to go back if it means I have to go back to living in a tower. I think remembering it will be bad enough..." She shrugged once more, "Last night... I wanted to do it to see my parents because we've never really met but... I don't even know if they are alive anymore..."

It is somewhat harder for a large man to appear friendly, and Ilya's life hadn't given him much time to practice, but he did his best to project that feeling. "You don't have to go back if you don't want to. I made a promise, but the same cannot be said for you all. A man I trust very much wants you to come, but even he is not infallible. Dominic is the only one who goes back and forth, after thirteen years what I know isn't current. I can say only this: I will protect you, in this world and in any other."

Annelise turned her head hearing Igor's voice and smiled slightly and nodded, knowing him for years as the lodge's security. "I'm alright I guess, still just trying to wrap my mind around this whole being a princess from another world thing." Annelise answered turning to look at Rapunzel as she spoke. "And you are not going to go back into some tower, you have me to watch over you." Annelise smiled. "And like Igor said, he will be there to protect us.." Running a hand through her hair before speaking again. "I think you should come to Rapunzel, don't you want to remember where you came from?"

"I want to go back, and learn about where I actually came from. I mean I have a great life here still, I honestly felt like that I didn't belong here." Then she started to think about her job here and her adoptive father who raised her and Eliza together.

"You aren't getting it," Rapunzel said with a small frustrated sigh, "I come from living, trapped, in a tower by a woman who doesn't really love me. What good is there in remembering a life like that?"

"I have you're back Rapunzel, I always will whatever has happened since we left home it could have changed. Maybe that woman who kept you in that tower could be dead." Annelise said

Annelise then she urned her attention back to Igor wondering what it was like before all of the childeren were taken here to Earth to be safe wanting to change the subject a bit. "What can you tell us what it was like before we came here?"

Ilya cracked a small smile when he heard her still call him Igor. "You can call me Ilya if you want, that's who I was back there. I stayed mostly in that world's version of Russia, so I don't know as much about the rest of it. I was a peasent and lived on a farm with my family, people were poor and backwards. I knew Vladimir of Kiev and a few other nobles, but I never spent much time with people of that social class, I don't know what your lives would be like. Things did felt different over there, like we were playing roles in stories, I feel like people have more freedom to shape their own life in this world. It's like a simpler place, smaller and more understandable. You could talk to my friend Funes if you want another perspective, his memory is quite remarkable."

Rapunzel looked up at the man as he spoke, promising to protect her, to keep her safe. He and Annelise both seemed to be keen on keeping her out of the tower... Which was nice. She looked around the room at all the other patrons who were unaware of the conversation the three of them were having... She didn't belong here. She didn't know what cell phones were until recently. She barely understood laptops or cars. Everything that seemed to be so simple to understand for everyone else was a whole ordeal with her. Although she had come to cope with it... She hated being left behind by everyone else... Maybe there... Things would be different. She shook her head a little, "No... It's okay... I'll go," She looked at Annelise, "Find somewhere that I can fit in."

She looked down at her cup and took a sip of her drink, "Thanks... The both of you..."

Annelise smiled slightly at Ilya and shrugged slightly. "I've gotten used to calling you Igor since i've known you working here a year ago." Annelise said listening to Ilya as he answered a bit of her question, maybe she would ask Funes later for more info or talk to Uncle Dom about the other places of Fairy Tale World. Looking down at her family ring and rolled it in her fingers, she hadn't even put it on her finger yet, then she looked up at Rapunzel and smiled. She was really happy that Rapunzel would be returning as well.

"No problem at all and I'm really glad to hear that, I really am." Annelise said with a soft smile reaching out to gently touch her hand.

The familiar sound of her alarm going off began to fill the room, the vibrations of her phone causing it to slowly begin to make its way across the bedside table and towards the edge as it continued to try and awaken her, though it was all for nothing. She wasn’t asleep. She couldn’t sleep. There were just too many things that were running through her mind, keeping her from the very thing that she knew that she probably needed most right now… Relaxing her arm from around her legs where they had both been resting, she didn’t even bother to lift her head from where it rested upon the top of her knees as she reached out to take a hold of her phone, her finger quickly pressing against one of the buttons on the side to silence the awful tone before it could truly begin to get on her nerves. She didn’t need to be reminded of the time… she didn’t need to be reminded of the fact that none of what she had been told the night before had been a dream; the proof was sitting upon the sheets, right in front of her very eyes- the beautiful gloves that her father had given her so long ago when she was only young, and her mother’s tiara.

She couldn’t take it anymore… she couldn’t just sit on her own any longer; sitting around and doing nothing more than staring at heirlooms from her past was going to drive her mad. She needed to get out of this room… she needed a hot shower; a change of clothes- anything that was going to help her think about exactly what had happened last night. Making sure to take a tighter hold over her phone, she finally made a move off the side of the bed until she felt the balls of her feet touch with the soft carpeted floor below. She’d gotten changed; at least, she had gotten changed out of the dress that she had bought the day prior… but the thought of walking around in the same old clothes, for what was now going to be the third day in a row, wasn’t the most appealing one that she had ever had... She needed her sweater, and a pair of her jeans… or even a pair of sweats, or shorts; she didn’t care, just as long as it wasn’t another skirt.

Grabbing up the bag that she had shoved almost all of her things in the minute she had changed out of it, she looked back over at the large bed, the small glint of gold against blue causing her to hover nervously over the spot- none of it had been a dream. So, she really was supposed to be royalty… the Princess Elsá Bryndís of Arendelle… There was still some part of her that wished she could wake up to find that none of this was real; that it was just another morning in her normal life… but her life was far from being normal; and now she had no chance of it ever being so again. Hesitating for only a few more seconds, she finally moved back to the bed before she leant over the sheets, her hand reaching out to pick up not only the tiara and the gloves, but also her phone before she straightened herself up and made her way over towards the door. There was no point in hanging around; she could always send Alan a text letting him know where she was and where to meet her. Lifting her free arm up as she grew closer to the door, she pushed it open, her head turning and her bright ice-blue eyes flicking about the room one last time before she turned and slipped out the door, her body turning slightly as she made sure to close it behind her before she began to slowly make her way down the familiar hall; her mind seemingly too focused on other things to allow her the pace that she normally kept.

Having to dig his heel into the floor beneath him to be able to stop and turn the corner before missing the hall altogether in his haste, Alan spread his arms out in an effort to keep his balance, the unbuttoned dress shirt billowing out at the sides exposing the white, form-fitting wife-beater he wore underneath. He had been reduced to wearing the same dress clothes he had worn the night before, though much less casual and missing almost half of it. Somewhere in Daria's room was his suit jacket, shoes and tie, but he couldn't have been bothered with searching the whole damn suite for something he'd never wear again. So he settled for the tank top, dress shirt he refused to button on the account he didn't want to look dressed up, and slacks.

One thing Alan wasn't counting on, however, was while his arms were pinwheeling to keep him from falling forward, a body had connected with his, pushing him back. Everything his body had been working for to keep him on his (socked) feet had been reversed, and with the few shots of vodka in his system making his movements less than ideal, Alan was sent back onto his ass with an audible "Umph!" He took a moment to blink the stars away before his eyes settled on what- or who he had run into and felt his chest tighten uncomfortably.

"...hey..." Alan crinkled his nose, the alcohol on his breath even giving even him slight pause to think that maybe he should get himself cleaned up a bit before going through with this. But that would just be doing what Alan was best at - putting things off until later. And later never came. This had to happen, and now that Elsa was standing right in front of him, being the one person fate had decided to literally throw at him, he knew he had to do it now.

Feeling her body hitting up against something unexpected within her path, she tightened her already firm grip over the items that she held fast in her hands, doing all that she could to keep them in her hold as she tried her best to keep herself standing upright; her shoulder lightly grazing up against the wall for only a few moments of support before she once again stood up tall, her brilliant ice-blue eyes first flicking down to both the tiara and the gloves that she held so delicately to make sure that they were not damaged before, finally, she looked over to what she had hit in the first place, “..Alan..?”

He looked a right mess… his shirt was undone and his hair all over the place, his eye now a darker shade of purple, worse than she had ever seen it; he was missing half of the suit that she had bought him the day prior… it was almost exactly like she had found him after she had first received the call to go pick him up from the police station the morning before, save for his lip which seemed to be healing better than she had expected. She couldn’t help the flicker of worry that crossed over her features as she continued to stare at him a moment longer, the thought of him being hurt causing her heart to tighten within her chest before she soon managed to snap herself back to the present, quickly gathering the items that she was carrying into her left hand before she held her right hand out for him to take, “..Alan, I swear that I was going to send you a message letting you know where I went… I needed to get out of that room, and out of these clothes; so I was actually going to go home and change into something that isn’t a skirt... you can come with me if you want to; I’m sure that I can find you a spare pair of clothes that you can use…”

Clothes? He had spent the last how many hours stressing over the decision that he now faced and she was worried about changing clothes? Alan wanted to laugh, but his heart wasn't in it. He reached his hand out to take hers, though he used the strength of his legs to help him back up rather than to rely on her, but the gesture was certainly appreciated even if the only way he showed it was by taking her offered hand. He dropped it quickly though once he was back on his feet, his excuse being to try to pat out the wrinkles in his slacks but truly, he could have cared less about the damn things. If he truly wanted a change of clothes, he'd rather just take the time to get a cab and get back to the hotel room he hadn't used the last few days to change. But there were more important things to do than that.

"Hm? Oh, no. No I'm alright." he excused, keeping his head down to examine the work that his hands were doing in 'ironing' out the crinkles in his suit pants - though they didn't seem to be doing anything but it kept him from having to look at her. Gods knew this was hard enough already. Holding eye contact with the woman who he was sure he was just about to break the heart of... Sure he had done it before without even blinking, but she was different. She had always been different.

C'mon! he could hear himself thinking; to give himself that extra push of confidence to get through what he needed to do. Just tell her! Why aren't you talking?

"So, uh, you and Dominic had a talk last night?" Alan ended up saying, hearing himself screaming in his head for not just getting right to the point. But at least the detoured conversation allowed him to finally be able to look up at her, and hold her gaze.

“..huh..? Oh, yeah…” At the very mention of her uncle’s name, she dropped her attention back down to the items that she held in her hand, the one that she had offered out to him once more returning back to the other as he let it go, seemingly much too preoccupied with straightening himself up, however she could see that there was something more with the action… something just wasn’t right, something was… different with him; though maybe he just didn’t want to worry her too much. Biting her lower lip softly for a few moments as she let her finger tips lightly brush over the delicate metal of the tiara that she had been given the night previous, she nodded her head lightly as though to answer him even though she had already done so moments beforehand.

“..it seems that he knows me just a little too well… he knew that I wasn’t going to believe what he had to say; hell, I still don’t completely believe what he told me… I’m not like the others… So he did what he could to try and convince me; gave me the gloves my father had made for me, and the tiara that my mother used to wear- he said that I’m supposed to become Queen when I get back, but I-… I don’t want to be Queen; I can’t be Queen… I just want to be happy…” Closing her eyes for but a few moments as she let a soft sigh fall through her lips, she shook her head lightly, her shoulders seeming to slump over ever so slightly before eventually, she lifted her head back up, her gaze meeting with his own once again, “..like I am now… like I have been ever since we met…”

His heart sunk, and Alan couldn't help but to shake his head. This was why he had been sent to Earth in the first place, to guide the children back to where they belonged. Of course it was their choice to return if they so wanted, but he had to at least do his part to try and convince them. Hell, it worked with Dar- Jasmine. At least he could rest somewhat easy knowing that at first, his intentions were strictly honorable.

"Happiness is only what you make it out to be." Alan said, reaching forward to delicately take the tiara from Elsa. "And you, you can make happiness out of anything if you truly want it. Even in the worst situations, you have to hold on to that shred of light to pull yourself through..." Now, reaching out, Alan placed the tiara on the top of her head, but just for good measure, to try to assure Elsa that he was okay and still his quirky-self, he tilted it on her head a little lopsided, like how someone would wear a baseball cap if they weren't truly committed to the 'normal' way or wearing it backwards. "And you can be happy being Queen. Hell, you do a good enough job bossing me around. You organized the Snowfest. You're a leader to your sister and friends... You already have the qualities. Don't be afraid, and just let it shine."

Alan retreated his hands then, opting to stuff them into his pockets before he did something with them that he would regret, but he did manage a small shrug of his shoulders, his lips twisting in a lop-sided sort of smirk before he finished with, "You just gotta... let it go."

She couldn’t help the small though warm smile that crossed over her lips as she felt the weight of the tiara once more resting upon the top of her head, or the way that she rolled her eyes at just the very mention of the words that slipped out through his lips- he was referencing that movie… but not just any movie, he was referencing her movie in particular; Frozen. As much as she loved the Disney franchise as much as the next person, now that she knew the person who she was meant to be; who she truly was, she was more than a little perturbed by the way that they had portrayed her…

“..please, don’t start singing that song… I love it as much as the next person, but now it just kind of scares me to think that it might have some stronger meaning behind it…” Pausing for a few moments so that she thought about what she had just said, she lifted her hand up from in front of her, the tips of her fingers touching lightly against the edge of the tiara as though to make sure it was really there before she lowered her hand back down, “..please, what happens if I go back, and I’m destined to end up just like her? What if I go back there, and I end up in isolation- alone and scared, and with no one… what if I go back, and I don’t have you with me anymore, I don’t want that…”

Alan took a moment to think his answer over carefully. If this was even remotely what Dominic had to go through the night prior, then Alan couldn't help to feel at least somewhat grateful towards the man - that it hadn't been him that had to deal with these stressful questions at an even more stressful time.

"One thing I can say... from personal experience, anyway, is that however our old lives are portrayed here isn't at all like how it really is." he started, trying to chose his words carefully to avoid from having to answer something he didn't want to - like with Jasmine. "I was just a kid when I got asked to come along with you guys, so I don't remember much about the lore of our world. I spent most of my time in- well, I didn't get out much in terms of meeting any Kings or Queens. But I know that things are different. Or not explained fully in those movies, or stories, or old legends. I mean, if Disney told the truth, you think you would have remembered Anna and Elsa being sucked into a magical portal and sent to this world, now wouldn't you?" He tried a smile. "You are not just some carbon-copy of that Elsa. You are you. Now... if you wanted to be a miss pissy-pants and throw yourself into isolation for the sake of being an overly-dramatic character, then fine. That's on you. But it's what you make it out to be. Not Disney. He doesn't control you. No one does."

“..I might have a tendency of over-reacting at times, but I’m not always like that; and I certainly don’t go around singing ballads at the top of my lungs… well, at least not in public anyway... besides, was it wrong of me to react how I did at the station..? Or now..? This is my life… or well, it’s supposed to be…” Lowering her gaze from his as she slowly let her sentence trail off into nothing, she took a step closer towards him, her hands lifting up from her sides to rest lightly against his chest as she tried her best to seek comfort from him- the mixture of emotions twisting around within her body causing her to tighten her grip over the shirt she had gotten for him the day before. She was scared… nervous… uneasy… and so much more she didn’t even want to begin to delve into; however, she knew that as long as he was with her by her side, then she could do what it was that everyone was telling her she was destined to do… with him there with her, she could do anything…

“..I-I’m scared, Alan… what if I choose to believe, and everything goes wrong..? That this is all just a sick dream or joke, and everything that happened was never real..? I can handle the fact that I wasn’t a Princess; it would be a little harder to get over someone making up stuff about my parents… but I don’t think that I could handle losing you too…”

Sighing, and taking a half-step backwards, Alan moved his hands to hers, pulling them from his chest but choosing to hold onto them for that moment longer, letting his eyes bare down into hers, showing her just how serious he was being.

"I promise. This is not a dream, or any kind of sick joke. This is real whether we like it or not; whether we like who we are or not." He paused. "You once told me that you trusted me. Now I need to know... after all this... after everything that has happened and told to you, do you still?"

“..yes…” Curling her fingers lightly around his hands as she tightened the hold that the both of them were sharing with one another, she nodded her head softly as though to further push the point of the answer that she had already given him- she trusted him completely; both of them knew it.

“..you know that I trust you; with my heart- with all of me… I know you would never lead me astray… never lie to me; I know that you would never hurt me…”

"Then trust me when I say that you can do this." Alan said firmly. Finally, he softly let her hands go, pulling his own hands back into him and stuffing them back into his pockets, finishing taking his step away from her to put distance between the two of them. "And that you don't need me to do it." He waited only long enough for the weight of his words, and their meaning, to sink into her before he turned his body away from her, ready to head back in the direction he had come. "At some point you need to go and speak with Dominic. He'll help you and Anna to get back home. I gotta do what I was only sent here for and help the others." Stopping in his steps, his back now to her completely, he turned his head, looking over his shoulder at her and tried to smile, but the corner of his lip gave out before it could become anything. "Take care, Princess."

Pain seemed to shoot though her heart as she felt her chest tightening under the weight of his words and the meaning she still wasn’t completely sure of- she… could do it without him..? Panicking ever so slightly as he said something that she could only seem to take as a ‘goodbye’ of sorts, she quickly closed the gap that was between them; the bag, her mobile and the gloves that she had been holding onto long forgotten as she let them all drop to the hallway floor, her hands both reaching out to take a hold of his wrist in an attempt to stop him from walking away from her, “A-Alan… I don’t-… I don’t understand…”

Tilting her head slightly in an attempt to look into his eyes, she tried as best as she could to get him to turn around so that he was facing her, her heart sinking lower and lower with each moment that he refused to meet her gaze, “Why are you saying these things..? I don’t want to go and talk to uncle Dom; you’re the one that I trust… I chose you- I want to be with you, and you said that you wanted to be with me too… so, why are you walking away from me…”

With a defeated sigh, Alan let his head hang, though still he refused to meet her gaze. He gave himself a few moments, pushing back his own pain he felt attacking his heart which he was sure he left a few feet back when he had vocally ended things with her. Then, still keeping his head down, he answered.

"Because this isn't going to work. It was never meant to work." He was debating with himself. Did he tell her the truth? The reason as to why he had agreed to go out with her in the first place? Or did he fabricate a lie to soften the blow? She cared for him deeply, he knew she did, because he cared for her just as much even though he still refused to admit it to himself. He didn't want to hurt her more than he had... but he also didn't want to lie...

"I did what I had to by getting you to listen to the truth. And now that you have, my job is done."

She couldn’t believe what he was saying to her… it was a lie; it just had to be a lie- he could have done his job well enough without starting a relationship with her; without making her feel the things that he had caused her to feel… so why was he lying to her now? Closing her eyes tightly as she felt a sting run through them, she tightened the grip that she had over his wrist, her body moving closer to his own until she was able to press her forehead against his arm, her head shaking lightly from side to side in her own disbelief.

“..no… no; why are you lying to me..? If you were just with me to do a job, then you could have done it without us getting involved..! Without getting me to feel these things for you- without having me fall in love with you..! I mean... at least, I think I have...You-… you can’t tell me that I was nothing more than just some job to you…”

"That... was never my intention." Alan replied once she offered up her feelings towards him, that she thought that she had fallen in love with him. And that was the truth. He never meant for that to happen. He didn't mean for any of this to happen. It was best to sever the ties now, rather than to allow them to grow. She needed to understand that it was done, and that there would be no going back.

With a quick twist of his wrist, he pulled himself free of her, lifting his head to meet her ice-blue eyes and felt his throat starting to swell shut, but he pushed through it and hardened his gaze on her.

"Enough, Elsa." He turned his body once more. "I'm done." His footsteps started again, turning the corner nearly knocking over Sebastian who seemed to have been headed their way. Alan didn't even so much as look at the boy he now knew to be Peter Pan. He was Eliza's friend anyway, he didn't come to this hall for him.

A pain that she had never felt before seemed to rip through her heart as he lifted his head so that his eyes could meet with her own- his gaze was so hard… so cold... she had never seen anything that was quite like it before. A shiver ran down her spine, though compared to the massive ache that she felt shoot through her chest at his words, it was nothing. It was done; he was gone… the one person that she had thought she could rely on throughout this whole experience; the one person she had believed that she could trust, and he was gone in the blink of an eye… leaving her behind as though she meant absolutely nothing to him…

No matter how much she wanted to run after him, no matter how much she wanted to talk to him, to find out and to know that this was all just some big mistake, she couldn’t… her feet just wouldn’t let her chase after the man who was, by now, long gone from her side. Feeling yet another sharp pain shoot through her heart, she lifted her hand up from her side to press it as hard against her chest as she could, as though in some sort of attempt at causing it to stop; however when it didn’t, her body fell lightly up against the wall closest to her, her eyes shutting tightly once more as she turned herself around so that her back and her head were pressed against it… There was no way that she could do this now... not when she had just lost the one thing she thought would be able to get her through it all…

Feeling her legs shaking slightly underneath her, she slid her back slowly down the wall until she felt herself hit the ground below her feet; the tears she hadn’t realized that she had been crying, slowly and silently rolling down her face before dropping down to stain her top as she wrapped both of her arms around her knees, her body hunching over and becoming as small as she could possibly make it as she dropped her head down into the darkness her arms created, giving in to the pain that was pulsing through her body.

Scrunching up her face softly, her soft pink lips parted ever so slightly as she began to stir in her bed, the light from the sun streaming in through the windows of her bedchambers causing the rays to fall down upon her, warming up her body and causing a small though gentle smile to play over her lips as the welcomed sensation continued to spread through her body. She was happy, that much was clear- she had always been known to be a morning person, though she was also never one to knock back the opportunity of sleeping in when it was presented to her. Today was one of those days. She had nothing that she had to deal with that morning- everything that she had needed to do to make up for the mess that had been left behind by the assassin the day before; she had already taken care of. All that was left to deal with from the rather eventful... conversation they had shared, was the wound on her stomach, and even then the royal physician had already looked at it and wrapped it up as best as he could.

Turning over onto her side she moved herself closer to the warmth that she could feel within the bed itself, her naked body pressing firmly against it as she tried to make herself comfortable, content to just lay there and waste away the morning with no worries as to what might occur in her absence- whatever might happen, they could deal with it, she had trained her Knights personally; pushed them to their limits, and starting tomorrow, she would push them harder to make sure that there would be no repeat of what had happened the day before. Lifting her head up ever so slightly she moved it further over the presence that she could feel pressed up against her body, her hands slowly sliding up and over it before it finally came to a stop close to where her head rested, her fingers curling over lightly against it as she slid her legs up and over, entwining them with the ones that she could feel beside her under the covers, sharing the bed with her…

“Gaston… combien de fois dois-je vous dire... you are not welcome in my chambers…”

The Assassin's eyes opened slightly, just enough to get a clear field of vision as he was, at the moment, unaware of where he was.

His faculties returning to him, he could feel another's body heat just beside him, his companion attempting to entangle her legs in his.

'Dammit!' He hissed to himself in his mind, irritated that he had let his personal feelings interfere with his objectives.

He could almost feel his old mentor glaring at him with stormy blue eyes, judging his every action. Even dead, the Hatter still ruled the Cat.

And yet...Katts did not hate the closeness. To an extent he craved it, almost, yet he could not understand why. Detachment was one of the first lessons taught in his strenuous training to become an assassin, and yet here he was, feeding off the pleasure that came with physical contact as though it were a drug.

Belle's voice cut off his muse, believing him to be Gaston. Then, his mouth moving far quicker than his mind, he curtly replied with, "I am not Gaston."

Unable to contain the slight frown that flickered across her features as the sound of the voice that she knew not to be Gaston’s, but of the assassin that she had met the day previous, filled the area around her and hit her ears. It didn’t surprise her that he was able to get into the castle undetected, nor did it surprise her that he had managed to make his way into her chambers while she slept; in all honesty, she couldn’t have cared less… just as long as it wasn’t the King himself.

Taking another few moments to herself, she eventually began to move, her head turning lightly over his chest until she was able to look up at where his head was resting softly upon the pillow, her dark eyes flicking back and forth between his own as though searching for something, though she wasn’t sure what it was that she was actually looking for.

“Tell me assassin… what have you done with my cat..?”

"That depends." Katts began, his tone remaining measured and controlled, even after having just woken up.

"Do you want the truth, or a lie?"

“..you truly think that it is wise to lie to me? Especially when here you are, in my chambers, sharing my bed with me…” Otherwise keeping her normally stoic composure, she quirked her eyebrow ever so slightly, her dark eyes never once leaving his as though challenging him to even dare tell her that which wasn’t the truth.

"Wisdom has nothing to do with such, Huntress. But skill. To answer your question, however, I must first get up." With that being said, Katts gently eased his way out of her grasp, rising up from the bed and taking a moment to dust himself off before giving a simple wave of his hand.

A shift so sudden it could have been mistaken as an optical illusion occurred, and Katts was nowhere to be seen. But a small "Mew" from the bedside gave notion to another presence in the room.

Frowning once more as she felt him gently easing himself away from her in order to stand up beside the bed, she shifted herself over the mattress, her forearm pressing down into the sheets and helping to lift herself up slightly as she watched on, her body freezing for only a moment as his figure seemed to disappear from view altogether, the small though still unmistakable ‘mew’ of a cat causing her to lean herself closer to the edge of the bed until her eyes came to a rest upon the very one that she had brought back into the castle with her that night. He had magic… rare magic… possessing the skill and ability to take on the form of another, and in this case, the form of choice seemed to be that of a cat.

Never once removing her eyes from the felines lithe figure, she lifted one of her hands up from where it rested lightly upon the sheets, using it to silently motion for him to return back to the bed when he was good and ready, her expression giving nothing away to what it was that was actually running though her mind and plaguing her thoughts. Taking another moment to allow her wishes to settle in his mind, she pulled herself back from the edge of the bed, her body shifting ever so slightly as she let her head rest softly upon the palm of her hand, her elbow continuing to keep her propped up upon the mattress below.

Inclining his head in an almost regal manner, the cat abruptly switched back into a human, with Katts looking as though absolutely nothing unusual or strange had happened.

Ignoring his better (and nagging) instincts of survival, Katts slowly removed the various blades about his person, letting them clatter to the ground as he slipped back into the bed, being guided not by mind - but by basic impulse.

'Hatter would kill me.' Was the man's final thought as he let everything else escape his mind.

She watched on in silence as the man before her slowly began to remove all of the blades that he had hidden about his person, seemingly not even bothering to so much as flinch even a little as each clank of metal against the floor below them filled the room- weapons were something that she had grown used to throughout her life. The tournaments… the fights… the hunts… defending herself against any who opposed her… it was all just a part of her everyday life; the sound of metal was nothing new…

Waiting until he was once more resting within the bed by her side, she slid herself closer against his body, her own once again relaxing as she made herself comfortable; her dark eyes fluttering back to a close as she let her head lay lightly over his chest, her leg slipping over to entangle with his own for the second time that morning while she brought her hand up, her fingers brushing ever so lightly over the front of his top before, finally, her hand came to a complete rest, stopping just below where she had her head.

“..okay…”

Katts grinned subtly at her words, though the gesture came with no amusement. What was he becoming? He was losing himself - over a woman. Amateur.

Nevertheless, he said nothing, did nothing, simply losing himself and making a mental note to leave as soon as possible...just not now.

It always took a lot to get Sebastian angry. Usually, in order to do so, something about where he really came from or hearing about someone treating his brother wrongly was just enough to do it, but what Sebastian had just witnessed between Eliza and Alan... he had never felt more angry in his life. He had seen and heard everything. It was his earlier intention to just stop by Eliza's room and snatch her away for a quick breakfast a small group of them had decided to meet for. Eliza herself gave both him and Jaidyn her temporary room number the night before, briefly just explaining that she needed some time away from home, which was completely understandable. The two of them hadn't much of a chance to talk since arriving for their vacation, and there was a lot to catch up on, especially now with that bomb of a reveal Dominic had given them the night prior.

But now... now that Sebastian was able to put the pieces together... that she had rented that room for her and Alan... only for him to rip out her heart in such a cold manner... it had his hands tightening into fists. It took every shred of willpower Sebastian had to not take a swing as Alan as he walked by. His only grounding point was the sight of Eliza sliding down the wall in a pathetic heap. She needed him more than Alan needed another black eye. He just wished he could meet the person who gave him the first one so that he could shake their hand.

He rushed to her side, getting down onto the floor next to her with his legs tucked up underneath him and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Eli?" The softness in his voice betrayed the array of negative emotions he was currently feeling, though years of being up on stage, performing, gave him just the edge he needed to be able to pull off 'comforting.' No, he knew that she wasn't alright, but there was very little he could do with her body bent all over itself like it was.

The moment that she heard the familiar voice of her best friend calling out her name, she froze- why did it have to be him… why did he have to see her like this… it was the very last thing she wanted at the moment; to have her friend catch her in the middle of a break down, with tears streaming down her face and pain shooting through her heart like there was no tomorrow... she was a complete and utter mess; and while she didn’t particularly want to let him see her in the manner that she was, right now she had no other choice… fate seemed to have other plans. Tensing her body for a few moments as she tried to get her body used to his gentle touch upon her shoulder, she slowly lifted her head up from where she had it resting; her soft pink lips parting ever so slightly and her body soon beginning to relax the very moment that her tear-glazed eyes met with his own, “..S-Seb…”

Relaxing the grip that she had around her legs, she lifted both of her hands up to rub at and to wipe away her tears from her face as best as she could in the moment, a small though forced smile playing over her lips as her gaze dropped down from his slightly, “..I-I was just going to get changed and then c-come and find you… I-… I just dropped my things… I can be so clumsy at t-times…”

Clumsiness had nothing to do with it. This went far beyond accidentally dropping things. This was an emotional trauma. He had experienced something of the like when he and Jaidyn were about ready to board the plane when his girlfriend of nearly six months officially ended things. It had been a bit rocky between the two of them before that, and truthfully, Sebastian had been expecting it, but it didn't hurt any less. Jaidyn was there, though, to help him through it on the twenty-two hour plane ride. Really, he didn't have much of a choice. It was a very small plane and there were only so many places Sebastian could have gone to be alone with his thoughts before Jaidyn found him again.

And that's what Eliza needed right now. A friend. Someone to be there for her, even if it was an annoyance like his brother had been. He would have thanked him by now if they weren't... well... brothers. But that gave Sebastian even more pause than ever. With what was revealed to them last night, what went without saying, but was more than obvious to at least Sebastian, was that he and Jaidyn weren't truly brothers. It was something he had thought on before while back home in Australia while pondering his past alone. They had only been found together, and their parents didn't want to have to put them through the emotional damage of a blood test if it came back negative when they were old enough to understand what it meant. He understood the logic behind it, but he didn't like it. And now... now he had absolute proof. They weren't brothers. Simple as that.

"Here. Lemmy help." Giving Eliza a quick pat on her shoulder, Sebastian quickly got up to his feet to collect her dropped things, slipping her phone and gloves into her bag before returning to her, extending out his free hand to help her up onto her feet. "Let's get you home for that change of clothes, aye?" Now was not the time to talk. Not here. Not now when the seam of the situation was still being ripped apart. He just had too much damn experience with breakups.

She couldn’t help the slight hesitance in her actions as she reached out towards him, pausing for just a moment before she eventually placed her hand lightly into the one that he was offering out to her- he was just being so kind… so sweet… it was clear in the way that he was acting towards her that he knew that something was going on, but he was giving her a chance to calm herself down; the space that she needed to think… or to at least come to terms with what had happened. Tightening the grip over his hand, she pressed the palm of her free hand into the ground, her body twisting slightly as she used the help given to pull herself up from where she was huddled upon the ground; her feet seeming to stumble slightly underneath her as she pulled herself upright, causing her body to fall into his own with the momentum of the action.

“..u-uh... I'm s-sorry…” Lifting her head up reluctantly so that she was once more looking into his eyes, her cheeks turned a light shade of red at the unintentional closeness; quickly letting go of his hand and pulling her own back into her, she took a single step back, once more putting some space between them as she turned her head away, her attention lowering down to the floor as she nodded lightly, “..please… a change of clothes sounds really good right now…”

Sebastian was there, ready and able to catch her when she stumbled. He may have not been the most built guy around, actually being quite a bit thinner than he wanted to be, but he was able to hold his own in keeping her supported. He couldn't help the light hug that he pulled her into while she regained her footing - a silent, 'everything is going to be okay' gesture before allowing her the space once more once she was able to stand on her own.

He reached a hand out, righting the tiara that was placed on her head, figuring it had gone askew from either her stumble or when she had collapsed down onto the ground and gave her a gentle nod.

"Alright. Change of clothes coming right up!" Sebastian clapped his hands together, rubbing them quickly, feigning anticipation - building up their next move as though they were getting ready to enter Disneyland or something. He gave her a quick smile and turned, starting a walk down the hallway before he abruptly righted himself, like a toy soldier only able to go back and forth, and stopped in front of Eliza again. "...I have no idea where I'm going..."

The soft sound of her giggle slipped out through her lips before she had even realized that she was laughing; there was just something about him… no matter where they were, or what the situation was like, or even the mood that she was in at the time; his childlike antics always caused a smile to cross over her lips, and for her day to brighten… she was always able to relax; no pretending to be someone else, she was free to just be herself and to just have fun- for that she would never be able to thank him enough… Shaking her head lightly from side to side, she brought both her arms up from her sides, folding them softly over her chest as she motioned for him to walk with her as she began to make her way down the hall, “Then I guess I better lead the way…”

Falling silent as the small high of his actions began to wear off and the pain of what had just gone on between her and Alan returned to her mind, she tightened her arms over her chest, barely paying any attention to where it was that her feet were leading them both as they made their way through the familiar halls and towards the nearest exit; her body twisting slightly, and her hip pressing up against the door to open it as they drew close, waiting for him to pass ahead of her before she followed after him into the cool fresh air and the snow covered grounds of the lodge. Not even bothering to shield herself from the slightly frosty morning air, or from the cold chill of the snow as it seemed to swallow up their feet with every step that they took with one another, she continued to show him the way to her family’s home-… her adopted family’s home…

Rounding the back of the lodge, she finally allowed her gaze focus in on the large cabin-like house that was growing closer with each and every single step that they took, her hands automatically reaching down to press against her hips, slight panic setting in causing her to drop her attention down to her body as she began to search every and any place that she usually kept her things hidden on her person, before the sudden realization dawned on her, causing her cheeks to grow red through embarrassment, “I... uh, you have my keys… they’re in the bag with my other things…”

Shrugging the bag off of his shoulder with a bit of a chuckle, Sebastian handed the heavy haul over to her, feeling the muscles in his shoulder spring back to where they were supposed to be, unable to help but to rub it with his opposite hand as he felt the pin-pricks of a dead shoulder coming to the front.

"I was just about to ask why you don't just keep your window open with a screwdriver around so you can just pop out the screen like I do back home..." Sebastian started and then dramatically dropped his head, making it clear that he was now staring down the snow. "Then I realized it's flipping cold here!" As if to press his point, he righted his head and with free use of both of his arms now, he snuck up behind Eliza and threw his arms around her, pulling her back into him and shoving his face into her back as close as he possibly could in an effort to absorb her warmth.

"C'mon! C'mon! It's cold! Aussie goin down! AUSSIE GOIN DOWN! WE WEREN'T BUILT FOR THIS WEATHER!"

“Haha… what’s wrong, Seb..? Can’t you handle the weather..?” Unable to hide the laughter within her voice, or the surprised yelp that slipped out through her lips as she felt his arms wrap around her body and his head burrow into her back, she pressed herself further back into him in an attempt to help him warm up as she dove her hand into the bag, soon pulling out the clutch purse that she had used the night before. Slipping her hand through the handles so that the bag was now hanging over her forearm, she quickly searched through the clutch before pulling out her keys, her body only then pulling away from his as she moved forward to quickly unlock and open the door for them both, the sweet and welcomed rush of warm air from the heating rushing out to greet them where they stood.

“Looks as though dad left the heater on again when he left, it should be nice and toasty inside; perfect for you Australians.” Shooting a quick glance back over her shoulder at him, she gave him a small but genuine smile before heading into the warmth of her family’s home, the sound of her keys hitting the sides of the ceramic bowl on the entryway table filling the air as she wandered further inside, “..make yourself at home, okay..?”

"You know, up until I came to America three years ago for the first time, I had never even seen snow... let alone understood what cold really is." Sebastian commented, going over the top by making his teeth chatter as he stepped inside of the house before eliciting a dramatic "Ahhhh..." once the warmth crept over his skin. "Nevada... of all places in the US... you had to of picked the coldest to live in... I think..." Sebastian shot Eliza a sheepish sort of smile and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm kind of bad at Geography and... well... anything else school related." he chuckled.

"Now go, get dressed. Something warm and kinda sexy cuz we are going to show Alan just what model of perfection the boozer just lost out on. Please tell me you noticed he was more lit than Australia Day?"

Freezing in place at the bottom of the stairs at the very mention of the man who had just gone and ripped her heart into pieces, she lowered her head down so that her gaze fell to the steps in front of her body, her smile faltering ever so slightly before disappearing from her features altogether- it still hurt… a lot… how was she ever supposed to be able to face him again… She had noticed though; the smell of alcohol on his breath, wafting out of his mouth with every single word that he had spoken... Seemingly managing to once more snap back to the present, she slowly began to make her way up the steps, her hand coming up to follow along on the banister as she shook her head lightly from side to side as though in answer to his comment altogether.

“I… don’t usually dress for guys; what I’m wearing now is actually my first attempt... and obviously I wasn’t good enough…” Tightening her grip on the banister for a few moments as she finished making her way up to the second floor, she sighed softly, her hand falling from the railing before lifting back up, though this time to take hold of the handle of her bedroom door, “..I don’t know what guys like, or what you would think is ‘sexy’ for that matter… as for something warm; the cold never really bothered me anyway to be honest with you, I barely feel it at all…”

Sebastian shook his head, folding his arms across his chest. He hated to bring Alan up, but he couldn't just go on pretending that none of this happened. He had his funny, quirky side sure, but when it came to people he cared about and their emotions, he also had a very compassionate, intuitive side.

"Oh no, it was good enough, Eli." Sebastian said, following her until he reached the bottom of the stairs and looked up at her as best as he could. "You were just too focused on the wrong guy to notice, but every other guy in there couldn't keep their eyes off of you, save for maybe your Uncle for obvious reasons." He rubbed the back of his neck again, giving his words slight pause before making up his mind and followed her up the stairs, finding her hesitating at what he assumed to be her bedroom door. With the handful of times he had come to visit, he hadn't once stepped foot inside of her bedroom. They were always out doing things, and sleeping either at the hotel or in the living room. Never her bedroom. But he was feeling exceptionally brave today, or maybe he was just faking it for her sake and his own acting skills had even him convinced; he wasn't sure.

"C'mon. Let's see what you got in there. I'll help you out."

Turning her head towards him and lifting it up slowly so that her gaze once more met with his as she heard his voice right beside her, she took a few moments to herself, seemingly searching his eyes for encouragement before she nodded her head lightly in response to his request and offer- in all of the time that they had known one another, not once had she let him into her room, not even to glimpse at what it looked like… she barely even let her own sister into the room, it was just something that she never did. Taking maybe a moment longer than she should have to hold his gaze, she finally tore her eyes away from his, her attention turning back to the door as she pushed it open to reveal to him her room; the young blonde hesitating in the doorway for a moment before she made her way in, the handles of the bag slipping back over her wrist before she eventually let it drop down to the ground just inside of the door, beside the tall blue coat rack which held the various coats and scarves that she wore more than any others.

Straightening herself up as she moved across the room and over to the other side, she shot a quick glance around the room that now surrounded her… most of the walls, with the exception of one in particular which was a beautiful blue in color with white snowflakes painted over it in decoration, were as white as the snow that covered the ground outside and held various sized blue picture frames (matching that of the feature wall) which held different photos of not only herself, but of those she cared about enough to call friends and family; the wooden flooring (though heated from underneath) still covered in a large and rather fluffy white rug, which seemed to span out from under her large Queen-sized bed and white bedside tables, all the way across the room and under the blue couch and the slightly egg-shaped wicker chair with the blue cushions, stopping just in front of the fireplace that lay unlit across from where they stood; a rather large TV hanging just above the mantle, able to be seen by almost anywhere within the room. Slowing her pace down slightly as she neared to the very center of the room, she brought her hand up to lightly brush back some stray strands of her long platinum blonde hair, neatly tucking them back behind her ear as she continued to look around, her eyes soon coming to a rest upon the desk to their left which was pressed up against the wall closest to the very window that she had snuck out what felt like a lifetime ago; the shelves above them littered with her study books, her CD player, the various CD’s that she actually owned, and a picture of herself, Sebastian and Jaidyn, all of them standing side by side on the beach by their home back in Australia.

Realizing now that she hadn’t actually bothered to close the window on the night that she had first snuck out to meet with Alan, she quickly crossed over to it, her hands coming up to push it back down and to latch it closed so that the cold air could no longer get in through it. Biting her lower lip softly as she stared out of the window for a while, she slowly turned herself around and leant herself back against the sill, her grip over it tightening slightly as she nervously looked over at where he was still standing by the door, her eyes flicking back and forth between his own as she tried to figure out just what was going through his mind- he was the first of her friends to enter her bedroom… to really get a look into her private life… the thought scared her a little, “Uh… I, uh… I don’t think that I really have all that much in the way of clothes… nothing at all, I think, that would fit into the category of what you would call ‘sexy’ anyway…”

Tearing her gaze away from his so that she could look over to the opposite side of her bed, she lifted her hand up, pointing over to where a large white bookcase stood filled with more of her books, photo albums, what DVD’s she owned, as well as a few jewelry and make up boxes, and some of her various ornaments- all seemingly somehow related to the snow in one way or the other; to the left of the bookcase was a large white dresser with various perfumes, her favorite pieces of jewelry and other items littering the top, and to the right were a couple of doors that when opened revealed her wardrobe, “..but feel free to have a look if you really want to; you can find all of my clothes and stuff like that either inside of my wardrobe, or in my dresser… and if you’re still cold, let me know- I’ll light the fire to get some more heat running through the house… it's my fault it's cold in here anyway; I sort of maybe left the window open when I snuck out of the house the other night...”

Taking a moment to look around the room without bothering to enter, Sebastian quickly brought his attention back to Eliza once she started talking, giving her a quiet kind of chuckle as he finally crossed over into her room, his eyes following her gesture towards the dresser and wardrobe she was pointing out to him. He nodded, heading over in that direction, ready to put his years of wardrobe study and costume design in theater to use.

"Well if it helps at all, Jai and I were both in agreement about your dress last night qualifying as sexy. Without a doubt. And what you're wearing now..." Reaching the wardrobe, Sebastian stopped to look back at her over his shoulder, his famous grin plastered over his face - almost like a little boy caught in the cookie jar kind of grin. "You've got nothing to worry about, Eli."

He then brought his attention back to the wardrobe and reached out to one of the knobs before withdrawing his hand like the knob was about to bite him. He turned his body around, spinning on his heel to face her entirely with a more serious expression on his face.

"Alright, just tell me where you keep your underclothes. I'll, uh, I'll let you pick those out, me thinks. Yeah, yeah that sounds good. Oh, and any other secret drawers you don't want me poking through." His ears started to turn a light shade of pink, eventually crossing over into his cheeks. This was her personal space, after all. No need to cause any embarrassments.

The sudden change in his expression and in his tone of voice caught her off guard slightly, causing her soft pink lips to part as she began to mull over his words- she hadn’t really thought about it too much before, the idea that with him going through her clothes and picking out an outfit for her to wear left the possibility that he would be riffling through her more… private drawers… the thought sent a soft red tinge flaring out across her cheeks; however the more she thought about it, the more relaxed she seemed to become… after all, he had seen her in a bikini before; really, what was the difference?

Pushing herself away from where she had been leaning up against the window sill, she took her time to cross through the room and over to her dresser, her hand coming up to press lightly against one of the two drawers that was smaller than those that were below it, “It’s fine Seb, I’m not worried about it too much. My underwear and bras are in the top right hand drawer here… my socks and stockings are in the one on the left, right next to it… and then all of the summery things I have, like the bikini’s and sarongs that I buy when I come to visit you guys are in the drawer of the bedside table on this side of the bed… Now, besides the photo albums that have pictures of me when I was younger, I swear I have nothing embarrassing in my room, and certainly no secret drawers or anything like that.”

"Alright." Sebastian nodded, cracking his knuckles, taking a mental note as to what drawers to avoid. "Now, stand back and lets see if nine years of working in wardrobe have taught me anything."

He got to work, pulling open the wardrobe and going through that first, occasionally finding something that caught his eye and tossed it over onto the bed though nothing had been decided specifically just yet. He attacked the dresser next, pulling out various things and adding it to the small, accumulating pile on her comforter.

"So why were you sneaking out the other night anyway?" Sebastian asked, making conversation as he kept busy going through Eliza's clothes.

“..would you get mad at me if I told you that I did it so that I could meet up with Alan..?” Frowning a bit as she pulled herself back from the dresser so that she could give him more room to do whatever it was he was doing, she turned and made her way over to where her bed was situated, making her way round to the other side of it before she made herself comfortable; her head dropping so that she could stare at her hands as she brought them together in her lap. Thinking back on the last couple of days that she had spent with Alan… oh God, she had been such an imbecile- a completely stubborn, and a totally, inconceivably stupid moron… Even after people had tried to warn her about him, she had been too focused on him to see that they had been right about him all along…

“..he kind of followed me to lunch; he was just so charming and different, I ended up giving him my phone number… so when he texted me to meet up that night, I didn’t really think twice about it, I just ditched Anna and her friend, and I went to meet with him… I questioned him about why me, and well; it was that night that he said he wanted to be with me... I know what you're thinking; I’m an idiot, right..?”

Sebastian paused as he finished going through her clothes, but only for a moment before he shut the drawers and doors and turned himself around to start filtering through the small selection of things he had picked out that was on the bed.

"Blonde, maybe." he answered, shooting her a quick, playful smile before returning to the task at hand, sorting out the different clothes into potential outfits. "But not an idiot. Definitely not an idiot. Look, Eli, I know you liked the guy and all but it's guys like him that make it harder for the rest of us to get girls to trust us, ya know? I didn't know him very well, but I know his type. I just wish Jai and I had been here sooner to help keep you out of this mess - woulda saved you that much more heartache, ya know? But I don't blame you. You don't have much experience where it comes to guys. I don't doubt at all that he was charming - but that's part of his game. Not who he is. Makes the rest of us who actually are charming look bad. You just need to find a good, decent guy. No tricks, no smoke and mirrors, just a regular Joe. Girls always think that we are hard to come by even though we're the ones that have been standing in plain sight the whole time..." Sebastian shook his head, letting out a small chuckle. "Then again, maybe I'm losing my touch. It's been fifty hours now... and still single. I think that might be a record. Girls back home know what kind of guy I am. There's almost always another one waiting even though I completely suck at relationships. But I try."

Lifting her head up so that her gaze met with his own, she couldn’t help but stare at him as his words seemed to hit her like a ton of bricks- he was… single..? Since when on Earth had that happened? The last time that she had spoken with the two boys, he was happily in a relationship with some girl that they had introduced her to on her last visit; what was her name… Sarah? And that call hadn’t been all that long ago either; maybe a month or two, but it had seemed like the two of them had been going pretty strong… maybe she had just gotten the wrong impression, not that it mattered anyway… Just as he was lecturing her on the fact that good, sweet guys were right in front of her eyes… she could sit and do the very same with him; for the last three years now she had been physically standing right in front of him, but every single time there was another girl… so in the end, she had just given up…

“Wait a minute; you’re single..? Since when… to be honest with you, I thought that you and Sarah were a pretty solid couple. I didn’t know things went south between you guys; why didn’t you tell me Seb..?”

Sebastian shrugged, as though it were of little importance.

"Sarah and I have been pretty rocky the last few months. Really, it was just a matter of when, not if. She hated that I was in a band, but I guess she hated it even more that I decided to come to America for a few weeks to visit one of my best friends." He stopped and gave Eliza a quick smile. "She broke up with me at the airport. I guess... I guess that with everything that's been happening since we got here, I guess I just sort of... forgot. It's not every day you learn that you're the real Peter Pan, or, um, Princess Elsa, in your case."

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Sebastian had it. The perfect outfit that was sure to make Alan take notice of the gem he had given up so coldly. Sebastian brushed all the rest of the unwanted clothes aside and tossed the small bundle to Eliza.

"Here. Go get showered and changed. Then you and I can go get some hot chocolate or something. We can catch up then."

Freezing for a moment in slight panic as the bundle of clothes came flying towards her, she held her arms out to catch them, her attention dropping down as she made sure to gather them up properly before she nodded softly in understanding of what was being asked of her. Sliding herself off of the bed altogether, she quickly wandered over to the dresser to collect both a clean bra and underwear, before she made her way back across the room and over to her bedroom door, pausing just underneath it so that she could gather her thoughts before she turned her head, her soft eyes meeting with his own as she gazed back at him where he stood, “..I don’t care whether you’re Peter Pan, or not… you deserve so much better than her, Seb… you always have; please don’t forget that…”

Not bothering to give him any time to respond to what she had just said to him, she slipped out the door and back into the hall, her arms seeming to tighten around the bundle of clothes that he had picked out for her to wear as she made her way across the hall and through another door; this time, however, being sure to close it shut behind her. Closing her eyes for only a few moments of peace as she leant herself back against the wood of the door, she turned her head, her eyes opening slowly so that she could look at the young woman staring back at her through the mirror, the slightly golden glint of her mother’s tiara catching her attention and causing her to reach up before removing it from her head altogether. Who was she kidding… she wasn’t royalty… and she certainly wasn’t a Queen…

Groaning slightly as she pushed herself away from the door, she reached over and placed both her clothes and the tiara on the bathroom bench, her feet never stopping in their movements as they carried her over to the shower, her body leaning into it slightly so that she could turn it on, causing the relaxing sound of water to flow through the air and the warmth of the steam to begin to fill the room around her; satisfied with the temperature that she had gotten the water too, she once again turned to look at herself within the mirror before she began to strip herself down and out of her two-day old clothes- her body relaxing the very moment that she took that step and entered the shower.

As Eliza left, taking the words of a close friend to heart, Sebastian began to put away the clothes that he ended up not using for the outfit Eliza would be wearing that day. What did it matter that he was single now, anyway? He had already made his decision. He wasn't going to be using that return ticket to Australia. He was going home. So really, it was for the best that Sarah broke up with him. It still stung, yeah, but it would hurt a lot less - for Sarah anyway - if Sebastian just... didn't come home if they had still been together.

Once all of Eliza's clothes were put away, Sebastian took a little bit of time to look around her room. There were so many pictures to look at, and he recognized almost everyone in them. Dominic, her adopted father, Daria, Anna, and of course, him and Jaidyn. He stumbled upon the small picture of the three of them together on the beach. He couldn't help the wide grin that spread over his face, remembering back to when Eliza and Anna had come to visit them for a short while. It was then that Sebastian took notice of where he had collected the picture frame from as he set it back on the shelf. There was a CD player and a stack of CD's and though there weren't very many, Sebastian knew right away what they were.

His fingers lightly traced over the first CD's cover, over the logo that he had helped design what felt like lifetimes ago. It was the very first CD that he and his band managed to get published. They hardly made a cent off of it, but they couldn't have been more proud that finally, finally they were getting somewhere. Sebastian lifted the CD up, finding another, and another - each and every one of the CD's his band had gotten published, Eliza had, except of course the very latest one that had only just been accepting for publishing. And he distinctly remembered her saying that she was going to get it as soon as she possibly could.

Well... perhaps not anymore. So much had changed since then and it was both exhilerating and frightening at the same time. He was just glad that he had close friends like Eliza, Jaidyn and Anna to be there with him when the time did come to return to their home.

Suddenly remembering the breakfast that he was supposed to kidnap Eliza for, Sebastian put the CD's back and reached for his phone in his pocket, sending Jaidyn a quick text.

Eli and I wont be at breakfast something came up. If you happen to see Alan make sure to sock him a good one for me you wont regret it

She didn’t know exactly how long she had spent in the shower, she just knew that she had been gone and left him alone for quite some time. Gathering up the wet towels that she had used along with her dirty clothes, she tossed them down into the laundry basket before she hesitated, her eyes coming to a rest upon the tiara that sat precariously upon the scarf that he had picked out especially for her to wear with the rest of the outfit. Hesitating for what felt like a lifetime before eventually reaching her hand out to pick them both up off of the counter- she had left him waiting for too long, and while she understood that he knew the house just as well as he knew his own, she hated to make him wait another minute for her to get her act together.

Making her way back out of the bathroom and across the hallway, she slowed down as she reached the open door that led into her bedroom, the items being carried shifted over to her left hand as she reached down to pull at and fix up the bottom of her black denim shorts, her long and still only slightly wet locks of platinum blonde hair falling down and over her shoulder as she did so, “..sorry I kept you waiting so long… you know how it is; the shower is the best place to think the problems of life through… so, uh, how do I look..?”

Pocketing his phone as he heard Eliza coming into the room, Sebastian looked up at her, taking in the outfit he had chosen and let his lips split into an ear-to-ear grin.

"You always look good, Eli. But dat outfit!" Doing his best, possible impersonation of a gay guy, Sebastian placed his left hand on his hip, bending a leg somewhat leaning into his hand and then with his free hand, gave a sassy Z-snap that was to summarize the entirety of what she was wearing and of course, her body. One day, he would have to thank his last acting director for doing an entire workshop of opposite genders, transgenders and gays. He could only hold out for so long, however, before he bust out into a fit of laughter, doubling over and placing his hand that he had on his hip over his stomach.

"Seriously, though..." Sebastian said after a few minutes, standing back up straight and cleared his throat. "You look absolutely stunning."

She couldn’t help the light blush that crossed over her cheeks as the complement he gave her took its time to sink in, causing her to seemingly become flustered for a couple of seconds- she wasn’t used to this type of attention; sure she had gotten complements before… from her father, her uncle, friends… even from Alan; and while she knew most of them to be sincere, every single one that she had gotten over the last couple of days had been nothing more than stupid lies. Finally managing to regain some of the composure that she had lost within a matter of seconds, she lifted her free hand up to where she could feel the wooden pendant of her necklace weighing down over her chest; clutching her hand tightly around it, she slipped it carefully underneath the white sweater she was wearing, giving him a small, warm though slightly shy smile before she made her way across the room to join him.

“..thank you, Sebastian… really… Hey; I see you found my CD’s… still trying to decide whether or not I’m going to be around to buy the next one… though I really want to...”

Sebastian's smile faded, almost instantly.

"You... don't know if you're going back?" he asked. Then again, he hadn't exactly asked her what she planned on doing in the long-run. In fact, the only one he was sure that would be going back with him now was Jaidyn. He felt his insides beginning to churn - he felt like such an idiot, assuming that everyone would be returning to their home world with him. To him, it was a no-brainer. He didn't belong here, on Earth. He belonged in Neverland - he could just feel it. He hadn't taken into consideration what everyone else might have thought about all of this, especially Eliza. She had a life here. A good one. He did too, what with his band taking off and a promising acting career, but Eliza wasn't him, she had different priorities.

"Well... if you don't end up going, I'm sorry to say that I won't be here to sign it for you or anything..." he tried to joke, acting as though his autograph was actually worth something. It wasn't. Not really. Last time he looked it up online, a signed album by him only increased the price a few bucks.

“Well… if I’m completely honest with you, last night, when we were all talking about it; I just couldn’t bring myself to believe anything that was being said at all… I’m not like you, it’s really hard for me to go around believing in things like pixie dust and magic. But when uncle Dom was talking to me; when he gave me my gloves and tiara… I made up my mind and said that I wanted to go home…” Pausing for a few moments to let her words settle, she turned her body away from him so that she was facing the desk instead, her free hand reaching out to pick up one of the CD’s that he had been looking at, her eyes flicking over his signature on the front of it before she turned it around to look over the list of songs that were on the back.

“..but now, I’m just not so sure if that’s what I want… if going home means I have to face him again- Sebastian, I just don’t know if I can do it.” Letting her eyes flutter to a close as she allowed a soft sigh to fall from her lips, she lowered the CD back down to the pile, her head turning to look over at where he stood beside her before she gave him a small though sad smile, “..and it’s a shame, I was really looking forward to owning a complete set of autographs from my favorite drummer…”

His brows furrowed, his mind unable to concentrate on the compliment towards him and his band, and before he knew it, Sebastian had crossed the distance between them and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, same as when he found her huddled on the floor against the wall earlier. He dragged his thumb along the warm, wool fabric of the white wool coat, adding just a bit to the comforting gesture.

"You won't have to face him. At least, not alone. And believe me, I've got an iron fist itching to meet his face. I wanted to. I wanted to hit him so bad when he passed me. But... you needed me more than he needed a matching black eye. But he's got it comin'."

She didn’t know whether she wanted to laugh, or whether she wanted to cry… The weight of his hand resting once more in a comforting fashion upon her shoulder causing her eyes to sting, and her heart to flutter lightly in her chest- he was being so kind to her… he was being so protective… Gods, why hadn’t she listened to everyone in the first place when they had just told her to stay away from Alan… why couldn’t she just listen when Dominic tried to point out to her that she could do better, and that she deserved so much more than him… Feeling yet another sting flash across her eyes at the very thought, she took a step closer to him, letting the scarf and the tiara drop down onto the desk as she turned into him, her hands coming up to rest lightly against his chest as she tried to curl up against his body.

“..why are you being so nice to me… I know this is my fault, everyone tried to warn me, and yet I still didn’t want to listen to them…”

Moving his arms in accordance with how Eliza was positioning her body against him, he held his hands gently on her back, pulling her into a loose hug. At her question, he pressed his lips into her still, somewhat wet hair and kissed the top of her head in a friendly gesture before returning to rest his chin on her crown, tightening his hug on her just a little more.

"Because I know a thing or two about bad breakups. And I know a bit more about having feelings for someone you thought you knew, but turned out to be completely different. You were only trying to follow your heart, Eli. And if someone, anyone turns their back to you because of that... well then, you'd better get the ice ready for my fist because I'll be dealing more than just one black eye." He paused, gradually losing his serious tone. "Well... that and, you're like, my best friend." he finished, breathing out a soft, singular laugh.

“..yeah… best friends…”

Pressing herself closer against him for just a few moments longer than she most probably should have, she hesitatingly pulled herself away from him before turning to face the desk once again; her hand reaching out to grab up the scarf so that she could wrap it lightly around her neck, her hands both slipping around the back of her neck and under her hair so that she could pull it out from where it had been caught under the material, her bright eyes lingering upon the gold tiara which seemed to be sparkling slightly from the gentle light streaming in through the window.

Sebastian smiled, stuffing his hands into his pockets, watching her put on her scarf and for a moment, just a moment, he couldn't help but to admire the shape of her legs from behind in the pantyhose he had picked out for her outfit. She truly was beautiful, and Alan was a moron. Both facts he was more than certain of.

"Ready?" he asked after a short pause, forcing his eyes back up towards her head to keep from getting caught looking.

“..ready as I’ll ever be, I guess. But if-… but if we’re not going to be coming back here; I want to grab some things before we leave…” Not even bothering to so much as look at him as she picked the tiara and the photo of the three of them up from where they had both been resting, she turned her back towards him before making her way over to the coat rack that they had passed on their way into her room; grabbing both a bag and one of the many scarfs that she had hanging from it, she crouched down and began to wrap the tiara up within the scarf that she had chosen before slipping it and the photo into the bag- she didn’t want to go… she didn’t want to have to face Alan… but she knew that if Sebastian and Jaidyn were both there with her, she would be able to get through it long enough for them to return back to the world they had come from in the first place- with them by her side, she would be able to take that leap of faith, and go home…

Pulling the bag she had brought into the house over to her, she reached in and rummaged around for a little before eventually, she found what it was that she had been looking for; her gloves… If she was going to be going back with the others, she wasn’t going to be leaving without them, and whatever else it was that she didn’t want to leave behind. Tightening her grip over the gloves for just a fraction of a second, she quickly slipped them into the bag before she stood up tall, her back still facing him as she shifted slightly over the spot, lifting the strap up before bringing it back down over the other side of her neck so that she was instead wearing it, “..sorry, but there are just some things that I can’t leave behind…”

He nodded his head, understanding. He knew for a fact that if given the chance, he would have done the same thing, except his apartment was thousands and thousands of miles away - he just tried not to think about it.

"We won't meet up with everyone right away. I believe I promised you hot chocolate." Sebastian told her optimistically, getting that 'bounce' back in his step as he led the way back towards the door that would lead them to the staircase in order to leave the house. He stopped at the threshold, long enough to turn his head and look over at her with a thoughtful smile on his lips.

"And, um, I'm glad you're deciding to come. I don't know what I would do without you, Eli." His smile flickered, and then it was gone as he turned his head back and walked down the hallway, counting on Eliza to follow behind him.

“..I’m sure you’d do exactly what you normally do, Seb…” Pausing at the very top of the steps after grabbing a few more things following him out of her bedroom, she stared down at him for but a few moments before she slowly began to follow in his footsteps, her body taking it’s time to descend each and every step until she eventually came to a complete stop at the very bottom- he was going too far with it now; being too nice to her… and even though her heart was still aching with the pain of being left behind by the guy she had thought that she loved, it seemed to break just that little more hearing his sweet words towards her. He was resilient… and strong… and even if she wasn’t going back home with them, she knew he would be able to do his thing and that he would be perfectly fine. Lowering herself down so that she was sitting on the second stair, she dropped her head down, her eyes falling as she brought her hands together in her lap so that she could watch her fingers play with one another.

“..you would persevere, be strong, and keep going… you would go home, most likely forget about me because that’s what Neverland does in the movie, it makes you forget… you’ll probably find some girl to be with… and you would be happy…” She didn’t want to look at him; she couldn’t… they had both seen the movie… as soon as he went back to Neverland and started to have fun, he would forget her and everything that they had been through together; even if she was just a friend to him, it hurt to know that it was going to end up that way, “..you don’t need me; you never have…”

Sebastian had all but made it to the front door when he realized that Eliza had stopped. Confused, he turned back around to see her sitting on the stairs, and his heart sank at her words. He wasn't going to let her do this - bring herself down. He knew the hurt she was going through on some level, and it was a dark, scary place to be. No, he couldn't allow her to dwell there, he might not ever be able to get her back if he did.

He crossed back over to her, shaking his head and stooped down, wrapping one arm around her back and slipped the other one underneath her legs and without even saying anything, without even giving her a look that would have hinted at to what he was doing, he lifted her up and off of the second stair, bringing her body into him where he finally turned his head to look over at her.

"Nope. None of that today. Those with debbie-downer attitudes don't get no hot chocolate. So I want to see a smile, and maybe, just maybe, I'll get you one with whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top."

He gave her a wide grin. Even if he wasn't feeling it inside, he had to show her that everything was going to be okay, that it was okay to smile, to feel happy, to let things be as they were.

"I'll tickle you..." he threatened.

The sound of her surprised yelp filled the room as she felt her body being lifted up into the air; and for just a split moment of time, she felt almost weightless before the reality of what had just happened caught up with her, causing her arms to automatically snake their way around the back of his neck in an attempt to keep herself from falling out of his arms. No matter what she did… no matter what she said… he always managed to have some way of cutting her darkened emotions off before they had the chance to grow bigger than they already were… he always seemed to know the best way to cheer her up and to make her smile again- and no matter what method it was that he used, she never could seem to refuse him what it was that he wanted from her, “..how is it that you know me so well…”

Though it sounded like a question, they both knew that it wasn’t. The two of them had been running around with each other for long enough that they practically knew everything about the other- well, almost everything it seemed. Finally relaxing her body against his after what felt like a lifetime, she released one of her hands from around the back of his neck, bringing it around to rest softly against his cheek for a few moments before, eventually, she leant in and closed the gap between the both of them; her cheeks turning a bright shade of red as her lips pressed softly against his own, lingering for only a fraction of a second longer before she slowly pulled herself back from him. It had only taken her three whole years; but at least now she knew that she could leave- go back home with no regrets…

Bringing both of her hands back around from his neck and into her body as she shifted lightly in his arms, she curled herself over slightly, her eyes closing as she tilted her head, allowing it to rest up against the nape of his neck, “..thank you Sebastian; for everything…”

For a few moments, the world stopped. He couldn't recall the day, the time, where he was, or hell, even his name both from this world and the other. The moment her lips touched his, everything ceased to exist except for a very prominent burning feeling growing at the tips of his ears where he knew for a fact were bright red. Well... at least he didn't have elf ears...

He had been all set to start tickling her ribs where his one arm held her around her back with his hand resting on her side, and now, as Eliza pulled away, he couldn't even remember what it was that he was set out to do, or where they were even going for that matter. He simply stared at her for a few moments, his impeccably blue eyes looking her face over from her own eyes, to her nose, to her chin, to the blush across her cheeks, to her lips, back to her eyes, unable to settle on just one of her features.

Okay, maybe the thought of hooking up with Eliza had crossed his mind before... the first time being a few years ago when they had first met. But before he could express any interest, Jaidyn seemed to beat him to it - at least, he sort of did. Even though neither of the adopted brothers mentioned anything to one another, it was obvious that Jaidyn had feelings for Eliza and why wouldn't he? Truth was, Sebastian did too, but he never saw himself in a long-distance relationship. Even now, when they had first arrived to America, Sebastian was all set for hooking Jaidyn up with his years-long crush despite his own interest now that he was actually single, but then there was Alan. But now there was no Alan... and she kissed him!

...Jai is gonna kill me...

"You're welcome, Eliza. For everything."

Golden rays of never ending sunlight broke through the trees, cracking through the leaves, and entering through the small slats of the tree house as they hit the back of the poor girl’s eyes. She blinked open her blue eyes carefully, peering around at the small, wooden tree house. Her feet stuck out over the edge of the bed and the blanket she had made out of animal fur was still too short. She would have to remember to skin some more of the animals to make her blanket longer. Curling into a smaller ball before stretching out to full length, Wendy rolled out of her bed and sat up, stretching her arms out wide before bending over to stretch her back.

Floorboards creaked under her feet as she stood up, smoothing out the leaf green skirt around her slim legs and pulling down the top of her shirt as far as she could. The halter top tugged at her hair and she cringed before maneuvering it out and around her halter top and draping it over the side of her shoulder. Taking a leather band from a nearby table, she lifted her hair up and twisted it into a manageable ponytail before wrapping the band around the base of the ponytail and tying it in a knot. Light golden strands fell softly around her face. She tried to tuck them back behind her ear, but they were too short. She sighed and gave up on her venture. Grabbing her bow and quiver, which she made out of the hide of an antelope, she grabbed ahold of the twisted vine rope and twisted it around her hand. She began to slide down the length of the rope.

The bright sunlight illuminated the forest, giving a golden glow to almost everything in sight. The grass on the forest floor looked beautifully green as always, as did the leaves on the trees. Nearby bark on the trees that held up the tree houses glittered a smooth golden brown. She landed on the ground with graceful ease and peered around. Silence filled the air. No bird chirped, nor bug twittered. She raised an eyebrow. That was quite unusual for Neverland. At least a single bird would be singing. She crouched low to the ground, sensing danger in the air. No day in Neverland would be this silent. Reaching back behind her, into her quiver, her fingers brushed against the soft feathers of an arrow. She drew it carefully from the pack and notched it in the bowstring.

She began creeping in the direction of the beach, her pale eyes peeled for any signs of danger. But there was nothing, as far as she could see. Heart pounding in her throat, blood rushing to her ears, her stomach beginning to tie up in knots, Wendy used the undergrowth as camouflage. What was going on here? She was so confused. The normal thing on a day like this would be a predator prowling the forest, like a king cobra or a cougar and she would have found and killed it by now. But this was not like those days. Deep in the back of her mind, she knew that it wasn’t going to be one of those days.

Her foot gave way slightly underneath her and she saw the golden glow of glimmering sand underneath her foot. She had reached the beach. Staring around at the crystal blue water, she finally noticed what had happened that had made everything strange. There, floating on the water, was a large boat. Wendy stood up straight, looking closer at the ocean. It made no move to push it away, to shove it toward the island or in the direction it had come from. It was as if the sea had no reaction to this boat at all as it did for her. Unthinking, unknowing of what her body was doing at the time, Wendy shoved the arrow back in the quiver and sprinted for the water, pulling the bow over her head and tightening the bow string across her chest as she did so. She ran out as far as she could, coming to a drop off. She would have to move fast if she wanted to get to the boat before the island noticed she was gone. She dove into the water, going underneath the crystal water.

Beautiful fish swam by, but she had no time to admire the beautiful undersea life. The water was already beginning to stir around her. The sky was beginning to darken and she was still quite far away. Push! Push yourself! Think of Michael and John! she thought to herself and another burst of energy ran through her, kicking her forward at an immense speed. She swam underneath the water, hoping to approach the boat without anyone noticing. She needed to be able to get aboard and not be seen by the crew so she could stowaway to get back to the mainland and hopefully find her brothers.

Her fingertips just barely scraped the edge of the boat when a large wave rose up underneath her. She swam as hard as she could against the current, trying to keep some form of finger or body part on the ship. The wind pushed against her, forcing her back toward the island, but she was able to be thrust far enough forward to catch the ladder on the edge of the boat. She hooked her foot on the edge, clinging to the edge like a wet cat. The water rocked the boat hard and she dug her fingernails into the soft wood. She needed to get up the ladder and onto the boat.

She took it slowly, maneuvering one step at a time to get up to the deck. Her fingers digging into the railing of the boat, she peered over the edge of the railing, looking to the crewmen. They were scrambling around, trying to get things tied down before the storm, which was coming with the darkening sky, came through. This was her chase to be free of Neverland for good and get back home. She leapt over the edge of the railing and immediately dodged behind some boxes as a crewman hurried passed.

“Get down to the lower deck!” someone up top by the wheel yelled. “Make sure everything is in place and then get back up here immediately! We need all hands on deck ASAP!” This was her chance. She could make it to the lower deck and hide among what they thought they had check. Following closely behind the person heading down, she stayed in the shadows and narrowly dodged many crewmen getting up to the decks. They got to the lower deck and she saw the goods that they were hauling. This would be an easy place to hide.

She dodged around another pair of boxes, lying in wait while the crewman finally checked the last of the barrels and boxes. He disappeared back up on deck and she took her chance to jump back behind the goods. Slipping between a pair of large boxes, she snuggled in tightly. Outside, the storm raged, trying to get the boat trapped to get the girl off the boat, but it was getting too late. As soon as the goods boat from Arendelle passed far enough away, it was out of Neverland’s reach, and the girl was gone. She heard it fall silent outside. She sat up a little straighter. Was that it? Was she finally free? She noticed a small hole in the edge of the boat, near where Neverland was. She gently maneuvered herself over to the hole and peered out. Neverland was only a glimmering spot in the distance. She was finally free!

Taking a deep, relaxing breath, she trudged back over to her hiding spot and slipped back between the boxes, laying down. She pulled another box over the top of herself so she would be hidden. She took another back and within a moment, she was in the best sleep that she had ever had.

She woke up two hours later to the sound of the boat docking. Jerking away, she almost flew up before remembering the box above her head. She froze an inch away from the box before moving it quickly. She jumped out of her hiding spot and snuck her way back up to the upper deck. Dipping into shadows and making sure that she isn’t noticed, she snuck around to the edge where the dock ways. Crewmen rushed around, unloading goods and getting them off the boat onto the docks. She was about to leap off and get to the dock when someone suddenly bumped into her. He fell down, losing the box, and it crashed everywhere. In all the confusion, she jumped down onto the dock and sprinted for the town.

This was her chance to start over. She could get back to John and Michael and they could be a happy family again. She could find the one, start a family of her own, tell of her adventures… She could tell stories again, even create new ones for the children. This was a new world, a new adventure, one that she could now be a part of rather than be trapped on that stupid island. This was going to be amazing. Now, all she needed to do was get back home.

There were a great number of difficult choices Alan was forced to make over the course of the last thirteen years of his life, here on Earth. Breaking up with Eliza Brie, revealed Princess of Arendelle, was most notably the hardest one. He thought that the alcohol in his system would have helped to lessen the emotional blow he knew would be coming his way once he ended things, though it seemed that his light intoxication did nothing. His head hurt. His body hurt... His heart hurt. The way she called out to him, reaching for him when he turned away... The way her voice quivered when things finally settled into her mind of what was happening... The way she looked at him... it was too much. The small amount of alcohol did nothing to shield his heart, and a dull, throbbing pain was starting up in his leg again. He wanted to escape, to run and be free just as he was when he was a boy. What he wouldn't give for the small stash of cocaine left in his hotel room on the other side of town...

Actually, that wasn't too bad of an idea...

His job was to help protect the children while on Earth and lead them back home when the time was right. Well, he managed to convince both Jasmine and Elsa to return... the way he saw it, his job was done. The only thing holding him back from leaving Tahoe altogether was the amulet still hanging from his neck; an amulet that would soon open a portal to send the (older) children back home, where they belonged. When that was going to happen, Alan wasn't too sure. He left the little impromptu meeting before it was truly over to chase after Princess Jasmine when she decided to duck out early, so leaving Tahoe to return to his hotel room for his drug fix wasn't quite in the cards just yet... He just needed something to tie him over...

Blinking away the hot tears pooling his lower lids, Alan stopped to take an account of his surroundings. After leaving Eliza in the hall, his feet carried him on auto-pilot as his mind tried to decypher the plethora of feelings and emotions roiling within him. However, as luck would have it, even in his intoxicated state, Alan was able to identify where his feet had taken him.

It seemed like so long ago, and yet just yesterday, when Alan first arrived at the Lodge - acting on impulse as the amulet began to refuse to let him sleep. He didn't know what he was doing there, only knowing that he was in the right place, and began to take up a small residency in the lobby by doing card and magic tricks to keep the customers entertained. And, of course, to pick a pocket or twelve in the process. He could still see it - groups of people surrounding him to get a good look at what it was that he was doing, and others within the lobby keeping a careful enough distance to not be 'noticed' watching. But it was still early morning, and as Alan became more in-tuned to reality, one by one those ghosts began to disappear, leaving the street magician alone within the dark room with nothing more than his memories.

A small shiver rolled down his back then that had nothing to do with the cold from outside. But just as he placed one foot in front of the other, ready to head in whatever direction his feet would take him next, memory served him correctly by recalling the small-time resturaunt attached to the hotel lobby he had followed Eliza into when she didn't seem so interested in his magic. Stomach growling, begging to be fed, Alan let out a small sigh and pushed himself to walk through the open doors to the nearly-abandoned eatery. Upon first glance, it didn't even appear that the place was open save that the front doors had been left open and a few overhead lights were on, but as Alan ventured in further, he found a few workers beginning to set up the place and caught the eye of an attractive red-head setting up the bar in the corner. She gave him a sly smile and with her head, gestured for him to come and take a seat. She couldn't have been too many years older than him, but for once, Alan didn't even stop to consider the posibilities of what that could mean, and instead stuffed his hands into his pockets with a low huff and went to take a seat.

"Mornin' handsome. What's got ya up so early?" the woman asked, polishing off a glass that had just come out of the dishwasher she was currently unloading.

"Insomnia." Alan replied in an uninterested, dead-panned tone, wincing a bit as he pulled his pained leg to rest on the metal bar underneath the counter. "You guys open yet?"

"Funny you should ask. Most people 'round here assume that we're open all the time like in Vegas or Reno, but this side of Lake Tahoe we're required to shut down at two a.m. Lucky for you though, we just opened for the day. So what can I getcha blue eyes?"

Alan frowned, keeping his eyes off of the woman and instead on the counter in front of him. What did he want? He came in here wanting, no, needing food. Funny how quickly the mind detours need for want in favor of a temporary resolve...

"Black Russian. Grey Goose Vodka."

The red-headed bartender pursed her lips in an appreciative, yet slightly dangerous manner, though Alan paid her no heed, instead using his finger to trace nonsense patterns into the counter. To him, this woman who obviously held interest in him was nothing more than a bar tender. To him, a robot could of done the same job and hold his interest just as much. He wasn't there to talk, to hook up, to score, to flirt... he was there to get drunk.

"Bitter and sweet, a perfect little morning 'pick me up.'" The redhead giggled, but it went unheared. Realizing then that she wasn't going to be getting much conversation out of him without a drink, the bartender set down the glass she was polishing and went about making up the vodka-coffee liquer drink.

"I must say, you look rather worse for wear." Dominic's unmistakable burr sounded behind Alan, the older man casually making his way beside Pinocchio to sit in the stool next to him. The grizzled man did not appear tired, on the contrary one would even say he looked lively.

"I had assumed you'd be off with Eliza somewhere, celebrating the revelation." Dominic added in a calm tone, lacking the usual venom and spitefulness it usually had when directed at Alan. Hot-headed as he may be, Dominic was not unobservant...and for one so charismatic as Alan, well. He might as well have been sobbing.

Alan's shoulders hunkered, his back bared to the man at his side that he knew to be the head guardian in charge of this whole... thing. He said nothing at first, biding his time until the bartender returned with his drink and set it in front of him. Taking up the tumbler in one hand, he swirled the cubes of ice around until he quietly brought the dark liquid to his lips in a simple sip.

"Neither one of us are much in a mood to celebrate, Feathers." Alan replied in a low voice, silently setting the glass back down onto the bar though kept both his hand and eyes on his beverage.

Dominic narrowed his eyes slightly. This was...unusual. Something was going on - something deeper.

"Alan...did something happen?" Dominic asked seriously, though he was nearly positive that he wouldn't get a truthful, or cohesive answer from the magician. Such was the case with the boy. But even then....there was no harm in trying.

"Things always happen." Alan replied nonchalantly, raising the tumbler once more for a smaller sip and keeping his eyes forward. Only until he was content with a few more drinks firing up his throat did Alan finally meet his eyes with the sorcerer next to him. "So what's the deal now? If all the kids are wanting to go back you only need one amulet to get back, right? Kind of a groupy, hand-holding, singalong effort?"

Dominic's mouth twitched slightly. Though it was obvious that Alan was attempting to switch subjects to avoid the matter at hand, Dominic nonetheless was inclined, if not obligated to answer.

"Aye, only one amulet is required. The kids will come together, we'll open the portal, then journey back. I suppose as "hand-holding, singalong" as you'd be inclined to think." Dominic finished, letting his calloused hands rest atop the surface of the bar.

"Why do you ask...?"

With a bit of a berated sigh and Dominic's answer, Alan set his glass down and in turn, pulled the necklace up and over his head, his fingers pressing the amulet close to his heart for a few moments before handing it over to Dominic. The only other time in the last thirteen years he had ever parted with the necklace was out of anger, just the night before, when he threw it at the wall. Sure he had thoughts of getting rid of the damn thing years ago, but it was his only physical proof of the land that he came from; a sort of silent reminder of his promise to The Blue Fairy that he almost went out of his way to disobey.

But this, this was different. This time, he was letting go of it for good, because his mind had already been made up long ago. There would be no forgiveness, no redemption for the things he had done if he ever went back. The disappointment on his father's face would be far more than he could handle, but him and The Blue Fairy constantly reminding him of his downfalls? He couldn't do it. He was staying. His job was done.

"Then I won't need this."

Dominic couldn't or wouldn't suppress the look of shock that spread across his careworn features as he delicately took the amulet in hand. Though it was forged to be all but completely unbreakable, Dominic held it with a certain amount of respect and reverence.

"Alan..." Dominic began, stopping for a few moments as if attempting to gather the correct words to say. "You're not returning." He added, more as a way to convince himself of the apparent fact.

"The choice, in the end, is yours - you're extended the same offer the Children were. But I implore you to reconsider your decision."

"I know how you're feeling, these...fears. Even now, I have to live with the fact that when I return, I'll be a bird again. Trapped. And that terrifies me...every day. But you know what? I had to come to terms with that decision, and understand that for the greater good, I needed to accept that change." Letting out a soft sigh that could only be described as weary in manner, Dominic kept his gaze fixed on Alan.

"If you don't wish to return, then I won't try to change your mind. You're old enough now to make your own decisions...after today, my position as Head Guardian will be nil. But I beg you...at least think on it." Dominic finished calmly, keeping his palm open with the amulet in plain sight. Just in case Alan were to take it again.

A muscle in Alan's jaw twitched as his teeth clenched a bit tighter. Although he was giving the fairy tale bird his profile, keeping his eyes forward on his drink as he raised it up to his level, the distinct, almost magical glint that came off of it still managed to catch the corner of his eye. Dominic was giving him another chance to reconsider, but Alan didn't want it. He couldn't trust his emotions enough to know that he wouldn't change his mind. But he had severed everything that would of made him want to come back. His father, the Blue Fairy... Elsa... No. No there was nothing for him there. Not anymore. So he said nothing and resumed to nursing his drink.

Dominic heaved a sigh, his cragged features almost unreadable, but the wearied man was disappointed...that much was certain.

Closing his palm gently, Dominic chose to lay the Amulet down on the bar beside Alan, clasping the young man once on the shoulder before turning to leave, saying nothing else. There was nothing left to be said. He had made his case, Alan had made his. Whether he would reconsider or not was up to him - it was out of the Head Guardian's hands.

Taking a moment to pause and drink the dark wine from his goblet in favor of rubbing his temples in minimal annoyance, Scar closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of the cool liquid sliding down his throat followed by the tinge of fire that remained in his mouth from the alcohol. This was... testing. It seemed that from the moment the sun streamed through the cracks in the ceiling from (now) Odette's grotto, all Scar had been doing was answering questions. True he couldn't blame her for being curious about the nature of things within The Pride Lands, but when it was one question after another, after another, up the stairs and through the halls, and all throughout breakfast that Scar was still trying to give his attention to, he found his patience quickly being tested. The wine, at least, helped to give him that moment of silence, though feeling her eyes baring into him, anticipating his answers, wouldn't allow for him to enjoy the moment for long.

"Because..." Scar carefully set his goblet of wine back down on the grand table before him and balled up his fist, placing it in the palm of his opposite and and carefully, one by one, began to pop the knuckles followed by the remaining joints in the fingers as he spoke, finding that it had an equal amount of stress relief as the wine did. "The state of our dress dates back centuries. The Gods we worship teach the human body is not to be covered in shame, but praised and marveled for what's been gifted. The better we take care of our bodies given, the more respect we give in return to those who have blessed us - these blessings in turn shall be received in the afterlife."

Scar chanced a look over at Odette, sitting at his side at the table, and upon looking into her deep, blue pools, realized a good amount of what he had just explained probably hadn't been able to settle.

"...and it get's quite hot here."

Everything within her father’s land was just so… just all so new- she couldn’t help herself; how could she not ask the questions that seemed to want to continuously pop into her mind, even though she could see the flash of annoyance tinging not only his eyes, but also his tone of voice. She was beginning to push her luck, and to test his patience once more, she could see it clear as the morning sun rising above the horizon; and while she didn’t wish for another scalding, her curiosity was far too great to just ignore.

Lowering her head down ever so slightly as she fell into a thoughtful though slightly reluctant silence, she let her beautiful blue eyes glide downward until they came to a stop on the material of the dress that she had been gifted the night prior; her attention seeming so follow the delicate pattern for a few moments before finally, she nodded her head slowly up and down in an attempt to show him that she understood what it was he had said to her about their attire… this was going to take some effort on her behalf, though she was sure that she would be able to do him proud.

“I… understand. Forgive me my curiosity, father; your world is just so amazing, and unlike anything I could have ever dreampt of seeing within my lifetime. I wish to know everything- to learn anything that you wish to teach me… I do not mean to cause you frustration; I only wish to make you proud…” Falling once more into silence, she lifted her head back up so that her bright blue orbs came to a rest upon the plate that was sitting in front of her, the plate itself holding a delicious array of both fruits and vegetables that had been offered to her by those serving them- during her last few days within the Pride Lands, she had eaten more than she normally would have within a week back at Swan Lake; her body wasn’t used to the sudden change in diet, not to mention the sudden change in climate, her only true piece of solace besides sitting by her father’s side being the grotto in which he had gifted to her for personal use.

Bringing her hand up from where she had it resting lightly upon her lap, she reached out to the food that was lain out in front of her, slipping one of the few grapes she had taken into her mouth before she took up the goblet of water, taking her time to finish the small bit of food before she took a sip, unsure of whether or not she should continue to ask him such questions that she wasn’t sure would get on his nerves.

She wanted to learn. She wanted to make him proud. This had Scar chewing the lump of bread he had taken a bite out of while Odette was speaking carefully, taking the time to sort out his thoughts. There was no way he was going to allow her to return to Swan Lake; not while The Great Animal still lived. But did that make her Pride Landian? Even with her "adopted" heritage, probably not. But that didn't mean that he couldn't turn her into one. She belonged to him, now, after all... and he was King. Really, he could make it so with a snap of his fingers and perhaps a celebration party - but that would come later. She needed to learn.

"You will." Scar gruffed out after chasing down his swallowed bread with a mouthful of wine. "Learn." he added on, as though to explain his outward thoughts. "I will make it so. With proper instruction, you will be become one with the land. One of us. Truly. You will learn everything there is to know - from the ancient language to the art of war. No subject will remain exempt from the Princess of The Pride Lands. All will be provided." He gave her a sideways smile, resting his temple against his hands he had put together with his elbows now resting on the tables surface. There was a certain shine in his naturally black eyes; pride. The Pride Lands had a Princess, at long last.

The thought of bringing up an heir had crossed his mind before after Vitany's death had settled in somewhat. The Gods knew he had his pick of the litter with how many women working within the castle that were sent to the lion games - more than likely a direct result of being Scar's bed toy. But the King of The Pride Lands simply just hadn't gotten around to it, for reasons that were his own. Because choosing a successor... his successor... well that just put his mortality out in the open - a reminder that he couldn't rule forever. It also brought up the fact that by choosing someone else, it would mean that he had finally forgiven himself for Vitany's death which was far, far from the truth. Odette, on the other hand, somehow she made the thought tolerable. She made it as though it were the way things were meant to be, with Vitany by his side.

Princess..? Of the Pride Lands..? The slightly confused expression that crossed over her features was more than obvious to all those around them as she stared up at him; her soft pink lips parted ever so slightly from one another, and her eyes glistening with surprise as she tried to understand the words that he had spoken out loud. Was that really what she was now? The only Princess to not just Swan Lake, but now also to the Pride Lands as well? It wasn’t as though she was a native of the land like her new father was... she was used to a much different lifestyle; and even though she was a Princess to another land, she had no idea of what it even meant to hold such a title.

She’d grown up living in the castle grounds, alone, and with no one besides the three others that she had managed to create a bond with throughout her life; Jean-Bob, Speed, and even Puffin- but they weren’t here with her… they weren’t here to give her the guidance that they might have believed her to need; besides, she had already made up her mind the moment that she had run away in search of Scar… no matter what it was, or how hard it was going to be for her; she was willing to do whatever it was to become the woman that her father wanted her to be.

She wasn’t sure of when it was that she had lifted herself up from her seat beside him, or when she had closed the small gap in between them by wrapping her arms tightly around his neck; but she also didn’t care anymore- the sound of the silver goblet clanging against the stone flooring beneath them, echoing around the dining hall as she pressed herself as close to him in a hug as she possibly could; her eyes crinkling lightly in the corners as she closed them, burying her head happily into the crook of his neck in an attempt to show him just how grateful she was to him, “..oh, thank you so much father..! You have nothing but the utmost faith in me; it brings me such joy to hear, and I give you my word that I shall not let you down... I give you my word to be a Princess worthy of the Pride Lands.”

It was reflex; something that she truly never even gave a second thought to, even after the soft and surprised gasps and quiet murmurings began to flicker around the outskirts of the room. Pulling herself away from him ever so slightly so that she was able to gaze adoringly up at the man she looked up to, Odette leant herself just that little bit closer, her bright blue eyes closing for only a few moments as she pressed her lips softly against his cheek, the young girl showing her thanks in a way that she had been observing others do for years- the action, in her mind, just as common an action as speaking one’s mind and telling the truth.

Scar nearly choked on his second mouthful of bread, both because the thin, long arms were wrapped so tightly around his neck and because her actions of public affection had him caught entirely off-guard. Scar took a moment completely to himself, his mind trying to wrap around the situation and what was both best for his adopted daughter and for himself - his image. He could feel the pressing stares; his heightened hearing able to catch bits and pieces of conversation about him. It was maddening, and yet what could he do? Odette knew so very little about being a princess; what was proper, what was expected, what was required... and The Pride Lands held their standards high above any other Kingdom within the land. He expected too much of her, far too quickly. He could only pray to whatever Gods were listening that teaching her how to be both Pride Landian and a Princess would be a quick thing.

Quickly, Scar cleared his throat and slowly, as not to offend her, moved his arms around the back of his neck to unclasp the necklace of arms from around him and returned them to her person.

"Lessons begin this late afternoon, after we've had you fitted for more practical clothing. Though I do... appreciate The Witch's parting gift by removing you from rags, it reeks of magic and needs replacing." Scar began to explain. Then, with one quick movement, Scar pushed himself up from his throne and stood tall, facing Odette a few heads taller than she - an imposing figure.

"If you've had your fill, then we will go now and not waste morning sun."

She could not let him down-... No; she would not let him down. He had gone out of his way to rescue her from the only life she had known; a life of imprisonment in the grounds of her own castle, and now here he stood- his ever large and awe-inspiring figure towering over her, giving her the chance to be the woman she was supposed to have grown into had her real father, William, never had died: a Princess. That was what she was supposed to be- it was what she was, whether she agreed with it or not, and now... now she was not only the Princess of Swan Lake; but she was also going to be the only Princess of the Pride Lands.

Glancing down at the plate of food that she had long left abandoned on the table to her side, she took only a fraction of a second to think on his question before she once more lifted her attention back up to the man who had taken her in, her head nodding lightly up and down in response to his inquiry.

"Yes; I fear I could not eat but another bite, father. If it pleases you, I wish to see all it is you have to show me... to learn all that it is you wish to teach. I look forward to my lessons with bated breath, and excitement in my heart."

Her words spread a simple sense of warmth through Scar's blood, making the corner of his lip twitch into what almost looked like a half-smile. She was so eager, so determined to please him. He could ask her to walk over a bed of spikes or swallow fire for no reason and he was practically certain that she would do it. She had heart. She had a willingness to learn; to please. She was perfect. She just needed the right polish to truly make her shine.

"Then come." Scar said then after a moment or two of just looking down at her with a gaze that read nothing short of pride. His arm extended outwards until the palm of his hand was pressed to her lower back, urging her forward to exit the Dining Hall with him at her side. "Time to make a native of you yet, kid."

The night prior had certainly been an eventful one. And technically, it still hadn't ended. Not for Simba.

Even though Kidagakash had given Simba, Timon and Pumbaa their own rooms to stay in now that they were a part of the city, Simba could not stay within the room that was part of the palace. As soon as they had bid their farewells for the evening, and as soon as he was sure that Timon and Pumbaa were asleep on their animal-skinned rug-beds, he left. There was such a high amount of anxiety welling up within his chest from the days events, he had to sever each and every connection he could feel, simply so that he could just be himself for once. He needed his own thoughts. The fact alone that he was within a palace for the first time in many, many years caused a great amount of his emotional pain, he simply just needed to be alone and think.

Hours of wandering the quiet streets of Altantis eventually found his path had aimlessly taken him back to the temple where Kidagakash had presented to him the crystal he now wore around his neck. It was more than just her acceptance of who he was and what he seemingly did, but her people's acceptance as well... the life forces' acceptance... It truly was an honor, one that he was still sure that he didn't deserve. But perhaps his blind-walking had led him here, to the temple, for this very purpose; to come to peace with the complete, upside-down turn his life had suddenly made without his consent. He chose a rock and sat, facing the temple and put his mind into a meditative state, becoming in tune to himself and for hours, let his emotions and mind become one and the same for the first time since Rafiki had bestowed the gift of bonding to him back when he was a child.

The morning sun had just began to shine down through the thick foliage of trees, warming the tanned skin of his face as the plant-life slowly seemed to come to life around him with it's warm fingers. It was such a calming reprieve and Simba could feel his mind opening back up once more to those who might have reason to worry about his disappearance. No doubt Timon would throw a fit upon discovering that he had been missing and was unable to reach him... but only because Timon would have thought that Simba had been smart enough to get the early-morning grub for himself.

He wasn't ready to head back, though, not just yet. This place... for some reason he was drawn to it - like he had known it for his whole life and understood it's history like the back of his hand. He knew the reality though, these were Kidagakash's memories and emotions towards the place... It was raw. It was simple. But he liked it. In fact... he could of possibly craved it.

Simba raised up his right hand, pressing it towards his chest where the Atlantean crystal now hung and wrapped his fingers around it gently, lifting it off of his chest so that he could look down upon the pure stone with the same amount of reverence he had held for it the night prior. A tiny piece of the heart of Atlantis was what he now held between his fingers. It truly was beautiful, as was it's Queen.

"...Nashangaa kama mama ingekuwa walipenda yake..."

How long had it been since he had put his schooling days of use and practiced the ancient tongue of his own people? It was strange. Every part of him wanted to forget where he came from, who he was, but in that moment, letting his mind and emotions become one, it felt... right...

The gentle light of the morning suns rays streaming in from behind the thin material covering the window fell down and over Kida's features, causing for a sweet warmth to spread throughout her body as she slowly began to stir to life over the large pile of cushions that acted as her bed, her brilliant blue eyes slowly fluttering open as she did her best to give them the time they needed to adjust from the darkness that had just been clouding her sight. It had been a long night; the festivities continuing long into the early hours of the morn, though she couldn’t continue on in the same way that a lot of her people had- under more normal circumstances she would have been the last to retire to the comfort of her bed chamber; though the day prior had drained her completely of energy, causing her to crave the peace that came with a deep slumber. Placing both of her palms down and against the cushions that rested beneath her, she pushed herself up, her head turning to glance about the room around her; taking her time to revel in the beautiful Atlantean morn that rose about the city surrounding the palace before eventually, she continued on her path and was once more standing upright, the light sheet that had been covering her flowing down her body before pooling around her feet over the floor.

Lifting both her hands up from both her sides as she slowly began to move herself forward and across the room, she pushed her fingers up over her forehead and into her hairline, running them slowly back through the long pure white locks that hung down her back in soft waves, her step slowing to a stop only when she had reached a large stone basin that stood tall on its own off to the side of the room; her arms once more returning back to her sides as she let her attention drop down to the clear crystalline-like water it held within, the very sight of her reflection within the pool causing her soft pink lips to part from one another as she tilted her head to the side, seemingly examining the woman that she saw in front of her for something that everyone else saw, but that she just couldn’t seem to find herself, “..I am no Queen; not as you were mother…”

A connection had been opened, and for a few moments Simba began to expect the frantic chastising of either Timon or Pumbaa for leaving them alone in a strange room without telling them where he was going or demanding breakfast. But when the connection became soft; delicate even, he learned very quickly that it was neither of his cohorts.

/Kida?/

He wasn't sure, the connection felt weak and though the strength of a bond could be much less stable over distance, years of living with his gift told Simba that distance had nothing to do with it, but awareness. It confused him at first; he had made sure to open himself up freely so that those back in Atlantis that might worry about his absence would be able to find him through the bond, but as his mind slowly began to recount events of days past, Simba began to understand clearly - Kidagakash was unaware of him.

She did not understand the bond that they now shared, let alone understand how to control it so that the tie could be severed or opened. Hell, even years later and Simba was still learning how to use it. Bonding with another human... it was unthinkable. His father's shaman, upon receiving the gift, specifically warned him about using it on another human being. But it wasn't as though he had much choice. Kidagakash surely would have killed him if he hadn't forced her to understand that he was no threat to her. But now they were tied in an unbreakable link and though he hated to think on it, he had to wonder just what it was that made bonding with another human so terrible as Rifiki had taught him.

Shaking the thought from his head, Simba instead tuned into what little of the bond he could feel opening up to him. There was... reluctance in her emotions, feeding into his being as though it were his own; regret... worthlessness... It had him frowning even though he knew that no one was around to see.

He craned his head up, bright blue eyes set on the slowly rising sun that breached through the foliage to rain down upon his tanned, muscular body and inhaled a calm, serene breath.

/Perhaps if you experienced this morn for yourself as I have, there would be less reason to place ill thought towards the dawn.../

Her head shot up the very instant that she heard the familiar sound that was Mwoga’s voice ringing as clear as day within her ears, the sudden interruption to the peace that filled her chambers causing her soft pink lips to part from one another as she turned her head to look back over her shoulder for him, her brows seeming to furrow and her bright blue eyes narrowing out of confusion as she quickly came to the conclusion that she was still completely and utterly alone- but she was sure… she had heard his voice no more than a few moments ago. Shoving the nagging feeling she felt that she wasn’t catching onto, or that she was missing something altogether, she slowly turned back around so that she was once more facing the basin; her mind lingering only a few seconds longer on Mwoga before she let her gaze drop back down to her reflection staring back at her.

Reaching out her hand towards the water that was settled in front of her eyes, she hesitated with the tips of her fingers only mere inches away from its surface, allowing them to hover for what felt like a lifetime before finally, she pulled her arm back and turned her back to the basin altogether; her feet carrying her over to where her clothes for the day had been lain out in wait for her awakening, the young queen taking her time to clothe herself before the sound of Mwoga’s voice once more filling her mind caught her attention, forcing her to jolt upright and search again around the room for the large but familiar figure that was the man she had grown comfortable being in the company of.

“..Mwoga..?” Seemingly caught off guard due to twice having heard the voice of someone who was more than obviously nowhere to be found in the room with her, she slowly fastened the material around her body before she glanced around once more, double checking that she was indeed truly alone before she shook her head, questioning her sanity, “It cannot be… how am I to hear his words, when I am alone…”

Simba couldn't help the deep, low chuckle that came from within his chest as he both heard and felt her surprise. Even though she were speaking out loud and not in thought, he was able to understand her because when speaking, the mind and tongue became one.

/Still heart and open mind, for it is how I am able to speak to you. The bond in which we share links us - our hearts, our minds, our feelings... when opened to one another, they are split between us as our own./

Simba paused to let his words settle in, though it seemed that no matter how many times he tried to explain their bond to her, it wasn't setting in. Not by her fault, of course. This... magic... it was old - ancient perhaps, and exceptionally rare. Perhaps if Rafiki were still alive, he would have a better time explaining as he did to Simba when he was still a small boy. So, perhaps, instead of telling her, he'd simply show her.

/Come find me, Kidagakash. And all will be clear./

He… wanted her to find him..? Curiosity ran through her body driving her to make her way across the length of her chambers and over to archway that served as the door leading to the rest of the palace, her hand coming up to gently brush the curtain aside as she slowly and ever curiously made her way out of the room, her brilliant bright crystal-blue eyes flicking about the hallway around her before eventually, her attention fell to the hall to her right; the feeling of familiarity and déjà vu flickering through her mind and heart for only a few moments before she turned and began to follow the path that had her feeling as though she had already taken that morning… this magic shared between them; it was strange…

“..you wish for me to seek you out..?” Bringing her hand up from where it was resting by her side, Kida pressed her hand up against the wall as she leant forward to peek around the corner and into the main hall, excitement seeming to build with the already built up burning curiosity as she brought her free hand up, gently brushing her long pure white locks back and behind her ear before she made her choice, her bare feet barely making any noise over the floors below her as she hurried across the room and out into the fresh morning air that greeted her; her gaze scrunching up thoughtfully as she tried to figure out which way she had to go from here, a soft chuckle falling out through her lips, “Mwoga; we play a child’s game.”

He smiled, brushing the feeling of his hand on cold stone aside as he was practiced just enough to know that the sensation was not his, but her own. Feeling a small amount of restlessness that didn't belong to him, Simba pushed himself up and onto his feet, feeling the lush, cool, green grass tickling the bottoms as he crossed the quiet field and over to the crumbling remains of the temple that Kidagakash had introduced him to just the day prior - though he felt as if he had known it his whole life because of the memories he now shared with her.

Touching the stone, completing the feeling he had just a few moments ago by her own physical memory, Simba took a moment to look the stone structure up and down carefully, examining the cracks and chipped away pieces in what was once a flawless architectural structure that brought hope and peace to the people of Atlantis.

/Then this should be easy for you./ Simba finally replied, though through thought; a challenge. One that he didn't have to assume, but knew she would take pride in accepting, and of course... completing.

She couldn't help the gentle chuckle that fell through her lips as his words filled her mind; so he was giving her a challenge hm..? It was something different, that was for sure- something that she hadn't had in a very long time save for the political meetings of the small council. It wasn't something that she enjoyed... didn't give her the satisfaction that came with actually going out and doing something; feeling the wind in her hair, and the feeling of pride swelling in her heart when she finished the task, and knew she had done a good job... this was going to be fun...

Catching the unmistakable feeling that was grass brushing against the underside of her feet, she picked up the pace once more; the balls of her feet making gentle thuds against the broken stone paths as she hurried through the city and towards the clearing in which they had held their celebration the night prior- the sense of déjà vu once more overwhelming her as she slowed down towards the entrance of it; her bright blue eyes resting upon the smoldering remains of the bonfire before she tore her attention away from it, allowing them to slowly glide over the rest of the clearing, trying to get some clue as to which way it was that he would have gone into the jungle from here.

"..I feel I have crossed this path; yet I have no memory of doing such this day... how is such a thing possible..?"

Simba quietly stepped away from the massive stone structure, dusting his hands off as bits of crushed rock fell to the tangled grass below him. What she was asking was... perplexing, to put lightly. Never before had he had to try and explain the bond to a person; all the animals he had ever bonded with had just been second nature. There was no 'why' or 'how.' It just was. So as it seemed that as he put forth a challenge for Kidagakash to complete, she gave him his own as well. He closed his eyes, trying to take his mind back to a time where he was not but a boy, new to his own powers. What had Rifiki said? How did he explain it to him as a child? And how would he explain it to her in a way he hadn't tried to already?

/You have.../ Simba started to explain. "through memory that is my own. Your feet carry you through the path I took this morn - it is a memory we now share through the bond." Pausing for a moment, Simba rose his hand, letting his fingers play with the new, blue and golden-encrested crystal that hung from his neck. He could feel the quiet pulse spread from the stone and through his fingertips, causing for a brief smile of importance.

/Follow that memory, Kidagakash. And there you will find me./

Follow the memory..? The principle of the notion was simple enough; though actually being able to do such a thing-... the memory was not her own, yet he believed her smart enough to be able to use it as though it were; this was such magic that only her father would know about and be able to understand- everything she knew about the mystical world (which was not at all that much beyond Atlantean magic), she had learnt from him... now she was on her own. Now she had to work things out on her own.

Falling into a comfortable silence, she closed her eyes to the familiar world that surrounded her, doing all that she could to block out everything that was going on as she tried to call on the memory she could feel tugging at the corners of her mind- it was strange... the steps that were not her own, the emotions that were not her own, even the ever careful steps taken while moving through the jungle she knew so well... but she was seeing it as though it were through another's eyes- as though it were though his eyes. It was nothing like she had ever experienced before in her life.

Her soft pink lips parted ever so slightly from one another as she let her eyes slowly but once again open so that she could see the area, however her attention lingered upon a path that was hidden though lain out directly in front of her- the same path she had shown him the night previous when she had welcomed him into the city... welcomed him as one of the people of Atlantis. Unable to help the small smile that tugged lightly at the corners of her lips, Kida took a single step forward, followed by another; until eventually she was walking both confidently and with purpose in the direction that just felt... right.

"So strange to be a part of magic... the sharman's have long been left in the past- there is no magic left practiced within the city walls." Lifting her hand up from where she had it resting by her side, she placed her palm against the trunk of the closest tree, her head turning to glance at it in curiosity for but a moment before she continued and pressed on over the path, her step only coming to a stop when she reached the edge of the ruins that belonged to the temple; her eyes searching about until finally, they came to a rest upon his figure standing before her, "..such magic has beauty within it."

Hearing her voice within a close proximity to his own person rather within his mind as he had been in the past, Simba turned to face Kidagakash, watching her with interest as she moved herself through the foliage until she was standing out in the open with him. With a soft, yet proud smile, Simba rested the Atlantean crystal back onto his chest and gave her a once-nod of approval but also a nod of agreement.

/Beauty, as my father often told me, is held within the eye of that who wishes to see it as such. What one man may consider beautiful gift, another might see as repulsive curse./

He was still communicating with her through his mind, despite the fact that she was now close enough to hear him. Most of it had to do with that once in a while, Simba simply forgot what kind of communication he was using. He had been living with wild animals for so long now, the only way for him to communicate was through thought. Remembering the spoken words of his people was difficult, and very seldom practiced. However, once Simba did realize in what manner he was speaking, he refrained from speaking aloud in order to once more help Kidagakash try and understand the bond they now shared.

/But I'm glad you like it./ he finished, refraining from adding on about how she was now stuck with it for the rest of her life...

Her smile was soft as she watched him, her bright blue eyes seeming to take in as much of his figure as she possibly could before she dropped her attention down to the ground below her feet; carefully, though still confidently making her way down and closer to where he was standing watching her. Why she felt so... drawn to him she could not understand. It felt ever strange that she felt such things about a man she had just met; when never before had she had such strange emotions towards any of those she had spent her entire life with... there was indeed much she wished she could speak about with her parents- they would both know and understand what it was that was going on with her.

"..this magic... father would find fascination in such a thing... and mother, beauty. Had I not been part of it; such things would strike fear into my heart." Taking not even a fraction of a moment to stand herself up tall and proud, she once again turned her attention over to where he stood, her intense gaze meeting and holding his as she fell into a short though still quite comfortable silence, "..father-... father was mystic; I follow uncle's footsteps. The path of a warrior... both spoke of my having mother's heart and mind..."

Brief flashes crossed Simba's mind as Kidagakash began to speak of her family. Kashekim - her father; prior King and Shaman to the city of Atlantis - her mother and uncle... there was such a deep sense of pride behind her words, but it was her memories that her mind was openly sharing with him (whether intentional or not) that gave Simba reason to pause before answering. He could feel her own emotional ties to each of them - her memories of them became his own but for a moment until her open mind ceased, whether by her own conscious or not he wasn't sure, but it brought him back to the present.

His light blue eyes looked upon her thoughtfully, surmising her features and expressions now that her mind had been closed to him in that regard, leaving him to come to his own conclusions though with what he had been exposed to knew he wasn't far from the mark.

"You do your family a great justice." he responded slowly, lifting his eyes back up to meet with hers. "They would be proud."

"I only wish to do as such." Pausing for a few moments as she continued to drink in the very emotions that flooded her body at the memories, she eventually lifted her gaze up to once more meet with his own, her brilliant crystal blue eyes seeming to sparkle lightly under the gentle light streaming down through the cracks in the trees- family meant everything to her... had meant everything to her; now they were all gone... taken from her life by one means or another; and leaving her to find her own way with only the guidance of those who sought to her for answers to all their problems. It wasn't the life she had wanted; it wasn't the life she would have chosen, had she had the chance to do it all over again.

No longer wishing to take pause in her minds eye, she tore her gaze away from where he stood tall before her and the ruins of the once great temple, her soft pink lips parting ever so slightly from one another as she slowly took in the remnants of what she remembered to once be a mighty monument at almost the heart of Atlantis. Reaching out with her hand, she pressed the palm up against the cool stone that lay moss covered on the ground, her fingers curling over ever so slightly as a soft and almost silent sigh fell from her lips.

"..to know that my actions and choices cause their hearts to swell with hubris... it is all that I could ask, and more."

Tilting his head to the side slightly, Simba watched on as Kidagakash allowed her fingertips to caress the very same stone that he had been embracing not moments before she had found him. They truly were connected, in more ways than he ever thought possible as his experience stemmed from beasts and wild animals - never human. After a few quiet moments, Simba felt - through her - the timing was well placed and stepped forwards, towards her and placed a strong hand on her bare shoulder as he stood behind her.

/My decision to remain within Atlantis stems from the very thought./ Simba told her quietly through their connected mind. /You are a true leader to this Kingdom./ Removing his hand from her shoulder, Simba took a single step back, bending onto one knee and bowed himself down to her, keeping his gaze now to her bare feet. /And I will follow as humbled servant./

"Humbled servant, you are not."

Shaking her head lightly from side to side in denial of the very thought of him bowing down to her like some common slave, she turned her body around to face him completely, her feet both coming together as she lowered herself down, her hand reaching out to press firmly against his pectoral; the gentle beating of his heart within his chest only helping her to keep her resolve upon the matter- he had done much for the city as well as it's people, and he had stayed by her side when she had extended him such an offer... a lowly servant to the Queen..? He was far from someone she wished to give orders to.

"Your heart is pure; it beats as the sound of war drums within your breasts. And the fire in your eyes burns as bright as the sun. No lowly servant has such passion- no; you sit by my side as the warrior you are... the small council meets to discuss the city; one with knowledge of the outside world. I seek your council; and pray to the Gods above that you accept offer to be apart of saving this city with me."

Not a servant? Simba lifted his head, allowing his eyes to connect with Kidagakash's and returned her gaze though full of question. No, not a servant... but at her side to serve as council - a title he hardly deserved. However, it still kept him from being a Prince... and that was a title he loathed to hold at any present time and any time to come. His eyes then flicked down to look upon her hand on his chest, slowly bringing up his own hand to delicately place over the top of hers as he lifted his eyes back up to meet with hers.

"Gratitude. It will be an honor."

The touch of his hand over her own... she couldn't help the gentle smile that flickered to life over her lips. He had accepted the offer given to him; to stand by her side, as friend and as warrior, giving her council and helping her to once more elevate Atlantis to its former glory. It was more than she could ever ask of him. Remaining content within the comfortable silence that had fallen to surround the both of them, she tilted her head ever so slightly causing her long white locks to slip from their place and to curtain her shoulder, her mind taking wing of its own as it began to wander, causing her fingers to curl lightly over his flesh.

"..to have you stand beside me... the honor is but my own..."

The look in his eyes... the spark that burned brightly for all around him to see- she could sit there and watch it flicker about for hours. It gave her hope; hope for the lost city to again lift itself back up, and return once more to the golden age that she could remember... she was sure that with him by her side; together, they would be able to achieve such a thing.

"..standing side; we shall restore faith and glory to the peo-..." The gentle purr of the reptile, and the rustle of bushes surrounding them alerted her to the fact that they were in the path of the hunt long before she even caught a glimpse of the creatures themselves. How could she have been so reckless..? Leaving the both of them exposed and unguarded to one of the many dangers that filled the jungles surrounding the city: the wildlife.

Not showing any signs of hesitation as she both twisted her body around, and took a firm and rather protective hold over his hand, Kida hunched herself over the ground before him, her eyes scanning across the foliage until finally, they settled on what she was looking for; the yellow-green reptilian eye following their every movement as the creature itself sized them up, moving ever closer until coming to a stop just at the edge of the ruins.

If the quiet rustle of leaves wasn't his first indication, Simba was certainly aware of the animal stalking them once Kidagakash took her protective stance in front of him. Their eyes connected - man and beast, though the exotic, green scales that surrounded the orb as it peeked out between the thick, green leaves was very much unlike anything Simba had ever seen before. The sense was all very much the same whenever being stalked by a lion; it was familiar territory, yes, and yet... it wasn't.

The animal - by whatever species it was - however had it's look and just as Simba began to grow curious and moved to stand tall to go and investigate, with a quick rustle of leaves the beast was gone, and Simba was close to follow it but only for a few steps towards the area he had last seen it before turning back around to look over at Kidagakash. His bright blue eyes filled with a sense of wonder, and through their bond managed to make her feel just as excited, confused, and full of energy he was just then.

"What manner of creature was that?" Simba asked her, his chest heaving minutely due to the excitement of the spectacle he had just witnessed and with his right arm extended back behind him to where the animal had just been.

She could feel it... the excitement, the confusion, the wonder... the slight fear- but this time, she knew it not to be her own, but of his. He had never before seen creatures like she had in her lifetime; those she had grown up surrounded by, the ones that she had grown up both admiring and respecting... they were all new to him. The very thought of his curiosity caused a smirk to once more grow over her lips, though this time, she could not help but let out a soft and gentle chuckle as she stood up tall; her bright eyes sparkling with the very same emotions as his as she met his gaze.

"..my people were not the only wonders lost with this city..."

"So, did your Uncle say when we were supposed to meet up with him today? Most of last night was kinda... blurred..." Sebastian carefully set down his mug on the table between himself and Eliza, the evidence of hot chocolate with whipped cream left behind in a faux mustache on his upper lip but he either didn't notice or care as his eyes met with Eliza's for a moment that almost made him look serious. He was genuinely relieved that the two of them managed to find a quaint little cafe where they were less likely to run into anyone else for the moment. Sure they had to meet up with the others soon, but for the moment Sebastian was just happy being there... with her... as normal as they were told their lives were supposed to be. His new, and dreadfully overdue girlfriend. And... he may have been avoiding Jaidyn a bit. God how was he going to explain this one? Not that his relationship status meant much with everything else going on right now, but he'd rather steer clear of that conversation altogether; for a bit, anyway.

“..as studious as I am at times; I have to admit that last night and most of this morning are a bit blurry for me as well… but I do remember Uncle Dom mentioning the balcony that he gathered us all on- maybe that's where we have to meet up…”

She was nursing her mug; the warmth of what was left of her hot chocolate keeping her palms semi-glued to it even though she knew she wasn't cold… at least, she didn't think that she was cold. Taking a few moments of comfortable silence, Eliza finally lifted her gaze up so that her attention was once more back on Sebastian; the sight of the very chocolaty mustache plastered over his upper lip causing her own to turn up into a small smile, the sound of a single amused giggle falling from them to fill the air instead- even in the midst of a serious conversation could he manage to get her to laugh… to feel any sort of happiness, when she herself had started the day feeling as though her whole world had been shattered to pieces… He was the only one who could; they both knew it.

“..Peter- you've got a little something…” Letting her sentence trail off into almost nothing, she let one of her hands drop away from her mug and down to her lap, picking up the clean white napkin she had been using before reaching out towards him; her expression soft and her smile gentle as she wiped the small mess from his face. It was by far, one of the worst, and one of the best mornings she had ever had so far in her life. Her heart had been shattered for the first time; and if it wasn't for Sebastian… he found her, and helped her out… and now together, they were going to have a fresh start; go back to their real home, and start a life side by side.

Dropping her hand down to the table once she was sure that there was no chocolate left on his face, she let the napkin fall to rest next to her mug, her arm extending once more so that she could instead take his hand in her own; her thumb lightly brushing back and forth over the his skin, “..we don't have to go right now, do we..?”

Sebastian looked a little taken aback when Eliza reached out to him to wipe away the remnants of hot chocolate from his lip. Once it was gone, his eyes grew sad as he bowed his head down to look up at her, his lower lip pouting ever so slightly.

"...I was saving that for later..." His puppy-dog look lingered for a moment or two before his pouted lip upturned into a slow smile - a direct indication that he knew damn well that he was being cheeky. He returned her gesture by running his thumb over the top of her knuckle. The hesitancy in her voice was a clear indication that she, like he, wasn't ready to move on from this either. There seemed to be very little organization with this whole... thing... so if Dominic really wanted to find them, he would of done so already. After all, he and the other guardians had been stalking them for years now, right? It wouldn't exactly be new. He opened his mouth to respond, a simple 'no' would be the simplest thing and yet, Sebastian's attention was pulled away by something he managed to spot out of the corner of his eye.

Of all the people...

Alan Woodard had passed by the cafe window and for a moment, Sebastian could of swore that it looked like Alan didn't even know why he was out there in the first place, but then Alan turned his head and their eyes met. The same feeling came back into Sebastian's stomach he felt after witnessing Alan breaking up with Eliza and subconsciously, Sebastian clenched his fists. Alan broke their gaze and continued walking, stuffing his hands into his pockets with his shoulders hunkered. Sebastian dropped Eliza's hand, his body already moving himself up and off of his chair and began to head towards the exit that would take him to where Alan had been.

"...I'll be right back."

She could have stayed like this forever… the warmth of his hand within her own, the feeling of his thumb brushing back and forth over her knuckle, that honest and genuine look in his eyes as he stared back into hers… It seemed that when one door closed, another truly did open. Truth was, she wasn't ready to go back- she couldn't; not when she wasn't sure if she could face him again… It had to be done though, even she knew that; and the quicker you rip off a band-aid, the less painful it was supposed to be right..? At least now she knew that she wouldn't have to face him alone- that Sebastian would be right there, standing beside her. It was that very thought that kept her from just running away from everything... but just because they had to go back; well, it didn't mean it had to be right away…

“O-Ouch…” The sudden pain building up within her hand had finally caught her attention, ripping her mind from the happy moment she had been enjoying, and instead causing her to focus on the reality of what was happening around her- his whole demeanor had just changed… his mood shifting quicker than she had seen it before. Something was up… she just wasn't sure what it was.

“..huh..? What's wrong..?” Curling her fingers ever so slightly, Eliza tightened the gentle hold that she had over his hand, her curious though worrying gaze following his until finally, it came to rest upon the reason he had shut down. Of all the places for him to be; of all the people for them to cross paths with- was he purposely trying to cause her more heartache than he already had..? Not being able to find it in her heart to look at her newly ex-boyfriend any longer than she already had, she turned her back to him, the pain once more fresh and overwhelming her as she lifted her attention back up to the man who had always been there; her soft pink lips parting, and her eyes widening slightly as she watched him stand and leave, her hand slipping away from his in the process.

“P-Peter..? Oh no, no, no… Peter; just let him go, please…” Only taking a fraction of a second to put two and two together, she quickly pushed herself up and out of her seat, scrambling in the depths of her purse and throwing a couple of bills onto the table before finally, she hurried out after him, her hands both reaching out to take a hold of his arm, “..I don't want to see him- please, Peter… can't we just stay inside and have another drink..?”

"I just wanna talk to him..." Sebastian pushed open the exit door and stepped outside, stopping just after the threshold to look around and gain his bearings. It didn't take long before he caught a glimpse of Alan's dress shirt as he disappeared around the corner so with a small skip, Sebastian started off again, hurrying after the man that so casually shattered Eliza's heart. He wasn't able to give Alan a piece of his mind earlier that morning, but now that Eliza was fine - in a manner of speaking - Sebastian just wasn't able to let a second opportunity pass him by. Eliza was his now, as foreign a concept as that still was, and he had to protect her. Now more than ever.

"Hey!" Sebastian called out, rounding the corner he had seen Alan go around, now able to see his back as he was heading... somewhere. To Sebastian, it looked as though Alan's body winced somewhat which let him know that he had been heard, but Alan continued on walking. Narrowing his eyes, Sebastian put a spring in his step and quickly caught up to Alan, putting his hand on the taller man's shoulder and forced him to turn around to face him. "Hey, I'm talking to you!"

With a berated sigh, Alan turned around and tilted his head downwards so that he could look at Sebastian, meeting his eyes with much less intensity than what Sebastian was giving him. His eyes looked soft, even, a little red on his waterline - the look of a beaten puppy not sure what to do or where to go anymore. It caught Sebastian off guard enough for him to remove his hand from Alan's shoulder, the fire in his belly subsiding but it quickly came back as soon as Sebastian remembered why he was there.

"You broke her heart." It was perhaps the most obvious, and slightly redundant thing for Sebastian to say, but he needed to start somewhere. Alan kept his eyes on Sebastian's for a few moments before lifting his gaze to look over Sebastian's shoulder to then land on Eliza. He could feel an uncomfortable tightness in his chest, a lump growing in his throat, but he dare not break down there for her to see. It was bad enough that he almost did just that in front of Dominic. Without a single indication as to what he was thinking, or feeling, Alan returned his lingering gaze back to Sebastian and shrugged his shoulders.

"It's what I do."

Sebastian's mouth dropped open, his head shaking in disbelief. How could someone be so cold, so callous? How could one single person be so much of an asshole and not even care?

"What kind of guardian are you?"

Ferocity filled Alan's eyes in an instant, the muscles in his jaw tightening dangerously. He took a single step forwards towards Sebastian, their chests touching as Sebastian refused to back down though he was forced to crane his neck up to continue to stare back at him.

"I'm no guardian... not anymore..."

This could not be happening... Following close on Sebastian’s heels as he chased after the man who had gone out of his way to break her heart that very morning, Eliza reached out to once again take a hold of his hand in an attempt to stray him from the conflict that he was headed towards- she could get angry; somewhere deep in her broken heart... somewhere very deep down, she was positive that she was also angry about the whole situation- how it had turned out between her and Alan. She hadn’t wanted any of this; she didn’t ask to fall head over heels for a man she barely knew, nor did she ask to do so in only a brief couple of days as his woman. But the world around her was changing rapidly; everything she thought she knew had been ripped apart in front of her very eyes, and it seemed that her private life was not privy to exception of such a change.

Unable to keep up with the sudden change of pace as Sebastian hurried forward to confront her ex-boyfriend, her gentle touch upon his hand fell away as uselessly as she felt; how could she have let herself get into this type of situation in the first place- how could she have been so damn stupid as to think that love was an option for her... Falling short of the pair as they began to share words with one another, she brought her hands together in front of her body, her fingers nervously playing with one another and her lower lip quivering ever slightly as she watched on haplessly; unsure of just what it was that she could do to make the situation any better than the sinkhole it seemed to be now... that was until Alan’s gaze met with her own...

His words pierced her heart just as badly as they had back at the lodge when they had their last conversation... the one that involved him never again needing, nor wanting her around anymore. The wound to her was fresh; she was just another girl... another trophy for Alan to add to his collection, and brag about to the world- whether it be this one, or the next. It was just wrong. Playing the future Queen of Arendelle; toying with her heart, and causing her to fall in love before breaking it in two... all she could ever do was thank whatever God, or Gods she was supposed to believe in for bringing Sebastian into her life the way they had; because right now, he was truly a God send.

“..Alan...”

Pain shot through her heart again as her voice came out both soft and unsure of how she was supposed to respond to the two men in front of her; things had moved so quickly, and now they stood chest against chest, staring each other down with fire in their eyes. How had she let things get this bad... if this was anything to go by, then she was sure she should just go ahead and abdicate the throne now, because there was no way a real Queen would stand idle while something like this went on in front of her very eyes.

“..Peter, please... I-I just want to go home... please can we go home...”

At the one word, "Alan," both boys reacted. Sebastian turned his head to look over at her, his eyes softening as he took in just what this was all doing to her. His expression worsened into something that almost looked sick when she began to plead to him. Alan, however, looked in the opposite direction. Her heavy words weighed heavily down on him, the simple way she whimpered his name - he could practically feel her heart breaking all over again. But it was the right thing to do, it had to be. She didn't deserve him.

"I'm not going back. I've made too much of a life here just to start over worse than I did before." Alan explained softly, keeping his gaze averted from the both of them.

So he was serious then? Alan wasn't just no longer a guardian, but he was to remain on Earth as well? Sebastian swallowed back a small lump forming in his throat. Well that would be one less problem he thought he'd have to deal with.

With a soft sigh, Sebastian finally nodded his head and stepped away from Alan, willing to give in if it meant that Eliza's suffering would lessen. There was no fight - not anymore. It was a terrible idea to pursue Alan the way he did, but truly he couldn't very much help it with how the very sight of him got him so riled up. So the sooner they left this world, the sooner he could release that anger with the knowledge that he would no longer have to look upon Alan's face again.

"Yeah, let's go find your Uncle." Sebastian agreed, extending his hand out towards Eliza for her to grab having every intention of just leaving the way things were.

It wasn't until their backs were to him did Alan dare take a glance at the pair, a fire burning within his chest seeing their fingers so intimately interlocked where his fingers had once been. But it was not the way it was meant to be, and one day, he was sure, he would come to terms with that.

Stuffing his hands into his pockets and hunching his shoulders over, Alan turned his body, ready to once more start walking in the opposite direction before something caught his eye. He stopped, trying to catch his gaze on the movement that halted his steps until they landed on a small black Sedan pulling up to the curb in an area that did not permit parking.

Rolling his eyes, Alan once more turned to be on his way, but something was pulling at him, forcing him to remain and watch.

The car remained stationary for a moment, but then finally the passenger-side window was rolled down. It was difficult to see from his distance, but Alan was sure the face that looked back at him was a familiar one. His head tilted to the side in question and took a few steps closer towards the car, being led by a feeling that he knew he wouldn't be able to shake any time soon.

Then, it hit him. A lightning bolt in the middle of a thunderstorm would of been like being hit with cushioned pillows by comparison. His blood froze within his veins and sweat began to gather on his brow; his mouth ran dry within a single second rendering him completely incapable of speech. He needed to warn them. He had to let them know...

The man sitting on the passenger side of the car began to exit the vehicle but Alan was already on his way back to Elsa and Sebastian. His long, careful strides could not have been any quicker should the man realize that Alan knew who he was and why he was there. This was his own fucking fault; he had been warned before.

The bitter sting of his blackened eye suddenly became more aware to Alan than ever before. The man pursuing had been the very same man who gave Alan the shiner. Loan sharks. And he had promised that if payment was not given, he would go after his girl. What the bastard didn't know, however, was that Eliza was no longer his girl.

"Elsa..." Alan tried to call out, now only just steps behind them. He cleared his throat and tried again, trying not to sound panicked but immediately failed. "Elsa stop..."

The very sound of her name slipping from Alan’s mouth... her grip over Sebastian’s hand tightened ever so slightly, her shoulders stiffening- she couldn’t do this; not now, not ever. All she wanted was to have a nice quiet morning without thoughts about the man who had broken her heart into pieces, and yet here they all were, standing in the middle of a public space speaking of the one topic she wanted burned away completely from her thoughts.

Hunching her shoulder’s over and lowering her head slightly in an attempt to ignore his footsteps gaining ground to catch up to the both of them, she pressed herself closer against Sebastian, her bright ice-blue eyes closing for only a brief moment before she pulled away completely; her pace picking up to place more of a gap between her and Alan who seemed insistent on following her.

“..leave-... leave me alone, Alan...”

The panicked tone in his voice however, caused her to hesitate in her step for only a moment before she shook her head quickly from side to side, her body turning around to face Alan though her step never stopped, slowing only in caution to not slip and fall to the ground as she stared up at him with tear-stained eyes and cheeks, “Tell me, why should I stop..? Why should I listen to you..? You don’t care about me..! You’ve made it perfectly clear to everyone here- I was only a toy for you to play with... and I was an idiot, because I really-... I really was in love with you Alan.”

Sebastian's grip tightened on Eliza's hand. Really, what the hell did he want now? The anger that he had worked so hard to quell within him returned in an instant. His eyes narrowed on Alan, wanting to say something himself but it looked as though Eliza had it handled... for the moment. She was venting, just as she should be. She needed to get it all out and he would let her. But afterwards, Sebastian had a little 'venting' to do himself.

Alan set his jaw firmly. Each and every word Eliza spoke to him was like a physical blow, paining his entire being but he couldn't think of that right now. She was in danger, and somehow, he had to save her. Really though, how difficult could it be? There was only one loan shark and three of the-

Oh shit...

Just as Alan reached Eliza close enough to reach out and touch her, another spot of movement caught the corner of his eye. Mr. brass knuckles wasn't alone and as Alan looked to the side only by moving his eyes, his suspicions were confirmed as he saw yet another man slinking towards them through the side alley. His hand was moving towards the inside pocket of his suit jacket leaving Alan frozen, trying to think. Brass knuckles was still headed in their direction, and almost as though they had recited it, he moved for the pocket on the inside of his suit jacket at the same time as the man in the alley.

Not thinking, Alan put his hand on Eliza's shoulder, urging her to turn around and walk with him, practically forgetting that Sebastian was still there with them.

"Elsa... we gotta get you out of here..." Alan tried to explain quietly, still urging her with his hand to follow him. There was still another alleyway, they could still get out if they moved quickly-

More movement, and it was in that exact moment that Alan knew that they were completely and utterly fucked.

"The hell man?" Sebastian released Eliza's hand and stepped towards Alan, pushing him back with his hand on his chest to get him away from Eliza. "Haven't you done enough? Leave her alone!" Sebastian was getting pissed - it was clear in his reddening face as he took another step towards Alan, putting himself between Alan and Eliza and with both hands, pushed Alan back once more.

"Would you shut up for a minute?" Alan barked, his bright blue eyes narrowing on the smaller boy, no longer able to hold back the fear and urgency in his voice. His head was on a swivel, looking from loan shark to loan shark as they continued to move towards them. They were surrounded.

It all happened so fast, and Alan didn't even realize what he was doing until it was all far too late. The moment that Alan's eyes caught a glimpse of steel between one of the shark's hands, he acted. The amulet that Dominic had insisted he hold onto had been clutched in the palm of his hand tightly ever since leaving the bar and right now, Alan could of kissed the man for being so annoyingly persistent on the matter as it was very likely the only thing that could keep Eliza alive. He threw the amulet and watched as it barely cleared over Sebastian's head and sailed past Eliza's shoulder. It landed not five feet behind her and upon making impact with the asphalt, fingers of a bright, white light began to emit from it as though the stone within the amulet was beginning to shatter. The air around them began to pick up swiftly, enough for Sebastian to have to cover his eyes with his arm to keep the dust from getting into them. Shouts of confusion could be heard from the loan sharks as they witnessed the spectacle, though the one that had the gun in his hand shook off the oddity enough to take aim and fire.

"MOVE!" Alan jumped to action, wrapping his arms around Eliza and tackled her to the ground where the white light coming from the amulet continued to grow larger and larger, now taking on a light-blue hue. But he wasn't fast enough. The bullet that had been intended for Eliza caught Alan as he pushed her down. A hot, searing pain ran throughout Alan's entire body, forcing a cry of pain from his throat as they hit the ground, only to be swallowed up in the light and gone from Earth.

Sebastian blinked, unable to comprehend just what the hell was going on anymore, only knowing that Alan and Eliza were now gone and the threat of the strange men given away by the sound of the gunshot was still present.

"Oh c'mon!" Sebastian cried out in sheer annoyance before he made a run for the source of the light and jumped into it, going on only faith that Alan hadn't led them to their doom.

The amulet shook, the wind picking up nearly ten-fold for just a moment or two before the light faded until everything ceased completely as though nothing had happened and in the place of where the amulet had once been, a nearly perfect circular burn-mark upon the pavement, leaving the Loan Sharks in complete and utter awe.