by Kylee Kosoff
Hook shouted. “Fire!”
The boat shuddered with every shot of cannon.
Swords clashed—iron against iron—as the battle raged.
I flinched when a thud crashed against the door.
All at once, the sound of the battle quieted. A hush hovered over the ship, and I held my breath hoping that it was over. The door was unlocked: a terrible temptation for someone who had been locked inside this cabin for too long. I wasn’t sure if Hook had won this battle or not, and I was surprised by how much I cared. I cautiously crept outside of the Captain’s cabin onto the deck. Through the heavy smoke, I could see Hook standing with Smee in a deep conversation.
They both seemed to be troubled.
Walking toward them, I asked, “What’s wrong?”
“What are you doing out of my room?” Hook barked.
“I’m—”
There was a scuffle, a terrible noise—
Hook shouted in warning, but it was too late.
My world exploded in pain.
Hook
I should’ve seen it coming. We had miscounted one of the prisoners. Smee had just told me when she had disobeyed my orders. I was too angry to notice see it—I should’ve seen it!
Rushing to Henri’s side, I could see that there was too much blood.
“Cap’n, they be a getting away!” Smee hollered.
The old Captain Hook would have gone after the enemy no matter the consequences. But something had changed.
“Let them go. We’ll get them another day!” Scooping her into my arms, I let the enemy disappear on the horizon. I hurried to my cabin and lay Henri on my bed. “We need Butch now.” I pressed the cloth against her wound trying to staunch the bleeding.
I sighed in relief as Butch entered the cabin, “What happened?”
“Gunshot to the chest. I’m applying pressure, but there’s too much blood!”
“Keep yer head cool, Cap’n,” He said as he poured rum on his knife to disinfect it. “We need to remove the bullet and cauterize it.”
I heard Henri whimper. “You’ll be fine. Butch is the best doctor we’ve got.”
He handed the rum to her. “Drink up it’ll help with the pain.”
Henri coughed barely able to down the harsh drink.
Butch was ready to get the bullet out, but he paused. “Keep her calm while I work, Cap’n.”
I switched places with Butch and held her hand.
Her eyes were clasped shut trying to fight the pain.
“Have her bite down on this. If she don’t, she’ll hurt herself.” Butch commanded.
Henri blinked back tears as Butch began to work.
“You’re going to be all right. Butch is the greatest doctor on the seven seas.”
Henri jerked away from Butch’s prodding fingers. “Comfort er, cap’n. If she moves while I’m doin this, she’ll do more damage.”
She was shaking and sweating. Pain marred her forehead, and her breathing was shallow.
Butch was right.
I needed to calm her down. “Henri, look at me.”
Her eyes fluttered open and locked onto mine.
“Remember when we first met? You wanted to know everything about the ocean. You asked me so many questions I thought I’d gone mad.” I chuckled at the memory. “And when I proposed? You were angry enough to kill me after—I was such an idiot.”
She squeezed my hand as if her life depended on it.
“And you were so stubborn like my mother actually. We’re quite the pair, aren’t we? I’m sorry I lied to you I guess I’m more like my father than I thought. He lied too, but at least he had good intentions.”
Her eyes closed. Most likely, the pain had been too much to bear.
I looked to Butch.
“She’ll need to be watched tonight. She lost a lot of blood, but I’m more worried about infection. Don’t let her out of bed, cap’n.”
“I’ll do my best. Thank you, doc.”
“Just doing my job.”
I fished a blanket out of my chest, and covered Henri with it. “Sleep tight, princess.”
Henri grabbed my hand. “D-don’t go,” she whispered.
“Never.” I promised.
Chapter 15: Conflicted Emotions
“My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold. There’s nothing can console me but my Jolly Sailor Bold.”
—Author Unknown
Henri
My entire body felt sore. I vaguely remembered being shot, but everything after it was a blur.
Hook had been there while I was being operated upon. He had distracted me from the pain. It was the first time he had been truly selfless. He was slumped over in a chair sound asleep, and he was still holding my hand.
I heard a quiet knock on the door. Wincing I sat up and looked around, I wasn’t sure if I could make it to the door.
“Don’t even think about it.” Hook growled.
“Weren’t you sleeping?”
“I was resting my eyes. You stay put and focus on healing.”
I rolled my eyes at him as he opened the door.
Smee was carrying a tray full of food. “How ye doin, Heny. Ye sure gave us a scare.”
“It hurts, but it will heal.”
“I’ll make sure of that.” Hook winked at me.
“What are you going to spoon feed me?” I chuckled as he handed me a bowl of broth.
“If you wish.”
“You’re impossible.”
“Eat.”
It was a strange day.
Hook stayed with me the entire time. We talked like we used to when we were younger. He told me stories of his adventures and asked me about everything I had done after he left.
I wanted to know about all of the many places he had gone.
“Did you know there’s a world made entirely of snow and ice?” he asked his eyes dancing. “And there’s a creature there made out of snow and ice. He’s a fearsome thing.”
“Have you ever talked to him?”
“Nay, we didn’t dare enter his kingdom.”
“What pirates have you met?”
“Blackbeard’s a monster if there ever was one. He shows no mercy and takes from everyone. Jack Sparrow, he’s a genius; I’ve never met a better pirate,” Hook told a wonderful story. His voice became animated as he crafted his story.
I smiled at him.
“What’s that for?” he asked.
“I’m happy,” I whispered.
He laughed. “You know what?”
“What?”
“I’m happy too. I’d almost forgotten how it felt.”
“Why?”
Hook sighed. “I know what it is to have no hope. Life isn’t always a fairytale. Surely, you know this as well.”
“I do, but there’s always hope.”
Hook shook his head. “Not for me.”
“Did Wendy do this to you?”
“No.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t pity me, Henri.”
“Why do you want a happily ever after?”
“Doesn’t everyone long for it?”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“And you? Why don’t you want to marry?”
“I want to marry for love.”
“And you don’t love me?”
“You don’t love me.”
“What gave you that opinion?” Hook asked peering into my face.
My breath caught as his blue eyes stared into mine.
“I never said I didn’t love you,” he whispered.
“But you never told me that you loved me, either.”
He pressed his lips against mine. Sparks flew between us as my heart jumped in my chest. His hand curled into my hair as he kissed my neck. “I believe actions say it so much better than words,” he said his voice husky.
“You might be right,” I whispered. But I wasn’t sure.
Hook was impossible to understand.
He was
arrogant, yet I felt drawn to him. He was a liar, yet I wanted to believe him.
It would be too easy to love him, and I couldn’t trust that he wouldn’t hurt me.
“Henri, I think I love you,” Hook rasped.
I pulled back. “What!”
Hook
The moment I said the words outloud, I feared that they were true. I had been fighting myself for as long as I could remember.
Henri had been my only true friend after I became a pirate. She had loved me once, but I had been too raw.
So, I ran and made one of my greatest mistakes.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Henri was the key to my curse. I had already burned that bridge and somehow had to mend it. All I did was ruin it more.
Love wasn’t for me. I was a pirate with no intention of ever changing. My heart didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was Henri’s breaking my curse.
But my heart refused to agree.
I could see in her eyes that she didn’t believe me.
She wanted to, but she was scared. If she had ever trusted me, I had ruined her trust long ago.
And the decent part of my heart hoped she would never believe me. She deserved so much more than a cursed prince turned pirate.
I kissed her forehead.
“I want to believe you.” Henri whispered. She needed time, and time was the one thing I didn’t have.
“I don’t need answers now, darling,” I said kissing her cheek. “I know I have a lot to answer for. After all I’ve done, I don’t deserve it.” But the darker depths of my heart didn’t care. I was a pirate, and I took what I wanted. And I wanted Henri. I knew she cared about me, but she needed to trust me. That would be difficult, for I scarcely trusted myself. I knew one thing to be true: Henri had touched my heart. So, I pulled out the pearl necklace and put it around her neck.
“I—”
A loud howl interrupted whatever she was going to say. “Well done, brother! I must confess you had me worried there for a moment. I mean you’ve done an excellent job! You found the princess and endeared yourself to her. And this is what really astounds me—you actually fell for her! If you think about it, it really is a shame that you failed. I mean you were so close!”
“Peter!” I snarled.
My brother grinned lazily at me as he mocked me, “James!”
Knowing I had to protect her, I pulled my sword out of its scabbard. “Get off my ship!”
“Gladly, but I’m not leaving without a certain princess.” He rushed me. Using his obnoxious ability to fly, he dodged the swing of my sword.
“Is that the best you can do?” He asked.
“Fight me like a real man, and we’ll see who’s best,” I challenged.
Peter lunged and our swords clashed. He was stronger than I remembered, but I had learned many new tricks. I parried and blocked his every move, but his sword matched each blow.
“Your swordplay has improved, little brother.”
“You know father; he’s a strict master.”
“And you’re a lazy student.” My sword nicked his cheek.
Peter gave a cry of pain and dropped his sword.
I charged him, but Peter flew over me.
He punched me with all his force before slamming head against the wall.
My vision blurred just long enough.
Henri screamed, “Hook!”
She was struggling in Peter’s arms, but he was too strong for her.
“Henri!”
“Ah, how sweet—the star-crossed lovers reach for each other. It’s a shame neither of you will ever see each other again. Say goodbye to your princess, brother.”
“I will find you, Henri. I promise.”
“You’ve run out of time, Hook.” Peter laughed.
“I love you,” she said before they disappeared into the night.
With a shock the metal from my hook consumed my body. I felt my body being weighed down; the metal was calling me to the depths. I was vaguely aware of my crew surrounding me.
“Get me off of this ship!” I screamed.
“Cap’n!”
“If you don’t, I’ll bring the entire ship down. Throw me over board that’s an order!”
Chapter 16: An Explanation of Sorts
You can always count on the bad guy to reveal his diabolical plan in a very detailed—WOE IS ME— speech.
Henri
His arms felt like iron chains.
“Let go of me!” I screamed.
“Sorry, Henri, may I call you Henri?”
“No.” I growled twisting trying to hit him.
“If you keep moving like that, I’m going to drop you,” He threatened.
We were too far up in the sky if he dropped me, I would die.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked.
“Revenge. You’re just a casualty of war.”
“What war?”
“The war against my brother!”
“What did he ever do to deserve this?”
“He was born.”
“You’re crazy.”
“And you’re in the way.”
He finally landed on a cliff.
I looked down to see icy waters crashing against the rocks. “The way of what?”
“My happily ever after.”
“You already have one with Wendy!”
“I’ll never have happiness as long as I’m living under his shadow. He’s the perfect prince—the perfect son.”
“You’re jealous!”
“I was. Everything I did was to destroy him. It worked, but lately my father has been regretting his decision to disown him. I’ve worked hard to become my father’s sole heir, and I won’t lose my kingdom!”
“What do I have to do with any of this?”
“You’re the problem. You’re the only one who can break Hook’s curse.”
“Hook’s cursed!”
“Why do you think he wanted to marry you so badly? You’re his only hope!”
Hook was cursed, and I was his cure. That’s why he found me; that’s why he came back into my life and tricked me; but something changed. It didn’t start as something real, but it changed into something that could be.
A small part of me was terrified that he had been lying to me again, but I refused to listen to it. Maybe this wasn’t a fairytale, but Hook was my friend. And I believed he could be something more.
“He’ll come for me.
Peter chuckled. “By now he’s rotting at the bottom of the ocean.”
“It doesn’t matter—the bad guy never wins.”
“I'm not the villain. Hook is. And we both know; villains never get the girl. You’re not Hook’s true love because you can’t be! You have your mother’s curse.”
“That’s impossible I’m—”
“Uncursable? Nope, you were cursed before you were even born.”
I shuddered. “What?”
“You really don’t know do you? You don’t even know who your real parents are!” Peter laughed. “You’re the daughter of the Little Mermaid and Prince Eric. Your mother left her underwater kingdom to be with her human prince. Her father never forgave her for abandoning her species. The Merfolk need a queen, and because of Ariel they have been without one for far too long. King Triton of the Seven Seas understood that one of his daughter’s children would be the only one who could take her place as rightful queen. But her children were half human. She had two daughters Melody and Hali. He chose the younger to be the next queen of the seven seas. He knew that he could not risk the new queen falling in love with a human again, so he cursed her thrice. Once, to return her to the sea when she was eighteen—the moment salt water touched her skin. Second, to make it impossible for her to leave the seas. And third, to make her prince be a part of the seas. Don’t you see that you and Hook were simply never meant to be.”
My mind was racing if he were telling the truth that meant that nothing was wrong with my story. I was just another princess with a curse.
“Goodbye, Princess Henrietta!” Peter pushed me harshly off the cliffs into the deep blue sea.
Agonizing pain overtook me as water rushed into my lungs, and I couldn’t breathe. The waves were thrashing me against the rocks. My skin was being ripped to shreds, and my bones were cracking. I was going to die—
Grim
Well, I’m sure by now my evil plan worked like a charm.
Peter came into the picture.
Hook protected Henri.
Henri fell in love with him again.
I’m sure by now they’re engaged, or maybe they decided to elope. Either way it should be safe to poof back to the ship and give my congratulations.
The climax is such an important part of the story. It’s where everything escalates. Pieces start falling into place with big revelations. It’s all about the buildup.
The bad guy really comes into play here because this is his time to shine. To seemingly win as the hero loses everything.
The climax is where the where the characters’s development really comes to the surface. The whole of the story has been building them to become who they need to be. And the climax sets them free.
The reader has to question whether or not the hero will actually win.
For the writer, the climax is all about getting to the end.
Snapping my fingers, I appeared on the Jolly Roger.
Hook’s friend Smee ran up to me. “Thank goodness ye’re here!” His eyes were dilated, and he was basically hyperventilating.
“What’s wrong?” I asked knowing that I wasn’t going to like the answer at all.
“Peter took princess, and the Cap’n be at davy jones locker!”
“What!” I screamed.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. Hook was supposed to save Henri and get his happily ever after. Not this.
I didn’t mean to do this. I practically ruined my entire story!
Chapter 17: The Little Mermaid
“Remember kids: The moral of The Little Mermaid is that if you truly love someone, and it’s impossible to get the guy because of who you are—Sell your soul to a sea witch and change yourself completely! Then you will get your man!”
