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Uma wanted that to work. She needed Harry to infiltrate the Isle of the Fall. It wouldn’t be fun if she didn’t play with them a bit. Uma needed to see the heroes’ hearts break. Only then would they accept whatever Uma gave them. So, they had to say goodbye to the pirate and create a new character that Harry could pretend to.
There, sitting on the bed in the captain’s cabin, Uma realized how lonely her life had been. Harry had a crew, and it was obvious that things were working well between them. The time she had moved among the pirates, she hadn’t stopped staring at the familiarity between them.
It reminded her a bit of the camaraderie that Belle’s son and his group had.
But it was also different. More violent and chaotic. Subversive and savage. By the time she had been there, she had known Gil and Jay as those closest to Harry. Because apparently, Harry’s crew required a minimum of excessive muscle. And she wasn’t complaining.
Her life had been learning from his mother. If her role was to be a sea witch, Uma had aspired to be her own version. A lifetime spent handling and polishing her magic had given her total control over it. But all that power needed a place to put it. Like a pirate looking for an adventure. Uma had also sought a purpose. And hence the Isle of the Fall. Finally, something that implied a challenge. Uma had dedicated herself to learning from her prisoners. The optimism of Belle’s son. The courage of the son of Merida. The perseverance of Phillip’s daughter. The strength of the daughter of Mulan. Uma learned everything.
She had chosen four descendants of heroes. They were his candidates to leave the island. Uma just wanted to share the chaos with them.
“Better?”
Uma looked at the new attempted outfit Harry was introducing her to. That was the twelfth that he tried on and modeled for her. The pirate finally understood that he shouldn’t put on makeup. He had also combed his hair and pulled it back to highlight his face. Harry looked almost trustworthy. Especially with that smile of fun pulling his lips. Uma looked at the white shirt and mustard-colored vest. Well, there was no sign of his hook though there was a starkly decorated golden sword. She could accept that. The riding breeches Harry was wearing were burgundy and resembled the ones Belle’s son used to wear.
“The boots.” Uma pointed.
“I’m comfortable.” Harry looked at them.
“They look like your father’s.” Uma cocked her face “Nothing to connect you with him. Remember?”
“Don’t worry, dear, I left the parrot with my other jacket.” Harry joked.
And she laughed. Her only interaction with another person her age before getting on the Lost Revenge had been Belle’s son’s group. So, all of this was new.
“Change that and you’re fine.”
Uma watched as Harry searched for other shoes. She could already imagine it. His appearance was perfect. Uma had even chosen colors that could harmonize with her young heroes. And Harry’s face was inviting. Furthermore, he was charismatic by nature.
“You must earn their trust.” Uma reminded him “I want to know their dynamics. Their weak points. Their strengths.” She looked at him questioningly “Can you do it?”
Harry, who had been fixing his combat boots while kneeling, looked at her almost offended.
“Of course.”
Uma got up and closed the distance between them until she cupped his chin to stare at him. Harry lifted his face to meet her eyes.
“Will you be able to do it? I want you to meet them and for them to trust you. I want you to live with them and earn their trust. This implies that they will have to meet you and you will find yourself in scenarios where you will have to trust them. They will live with you and will also seek to gain your trust.” Uma raised her eyebrows “I’m going to put you in life and death scenarios. They are going to save you. You are going to save them. Do you understand? You will know trivial details about them. And from that, a friendship, family, or love is going to appear. Do you think you can do it?” Uma repeated.
To her surprise, Harry didn’t answer immediately. He considered his answer. Really considering his options. Which meant he was being serious.
Harry got up and began to open the buttons on his shirt. Uma raised an eyebrow but waited. The pirate took her hand and rested it right where his heart was.
“Tie my heart to always tell you the truth.”
Uma felt her lips stretch into a smile.
“Mark me. I’ll go to win your trust, darling.”
“Oh...” She pressed her fingers to Harry’s hot skin and blew her breath onto his chest so a part of her stay with him.
Slowly a turquoise tentacle formed, like a tattoo on Harry’s torso, moving and circling him until the tip stopped over his heart. For a moment it stayed there and then it disappeared.
“I will bring you the leader of the young heroes,” Harry promised.
The tattoo glowed gold. He was telling the truth. But that was always subjective and changeable. Harry could change on the island. Although for the moment, she was satisfied.
“Good...” She released him, leaving him to fix his shirt “Here.” Uma reached into her bag and handed her two small bottles “A potion for you to breathe underwater. The other is so you can get in and out of the barrier. There is only one dose.”
So, he can’t share it with anyone.
“And I’ll drink them in front of you. To the last drop,” Harry promised, not caring that she didn’t trust him yet.
Uma nodded and handed him a bag.
“Waterproof, for your clothes. You are going to swim there. And you will tell them that you come from one of the islands…” Uma stopped when she saw his smile. “What?”
“Nothing. I thought we were doing this for you to have fun. But you take it very seriously.”
“I enjoy planning variables and getting ahead of my prey.” Uma put distance between them “You will come to report regularly. And when I see that you are ready, I will give you what it takes to bring me Belle’s son to me.”
“When his disappearance and mine affect the group more. Their hearts will break, and they will be desperate.” Harry nodded and gave him his shark smile again. “And when I do...”
“I will make you mine.”
Uma thought about closing the distance between them and kissing him. Give him a taste of what he longed for. But that had been the mistake of other villains. Using their beauty to gain loyalty. Harry wanted her but she wasn’t going to satisfy that part of him. Harry had to earn her desire. Which implied that he must gladly accept who Uma was. No more. Not less.
And apparently, Harry didn’t expect anything from her side other than her promise because he set everything up, ready to go.
“Actually...” He looked at her “I wanted to ask you something, my dear.”
Uma tensed for a second until she noticed the seriousness in his voice.
“Take care of my crew.” Harry smirked “Don’t let them kill each other because I’m not here.”
Uma laughed again. That… sounded like something she could do.
“I will come back,” Harry promised with a bow fit for a prince.
“And I will be waiting for you.”
And it wasn’t a promise. But a threat.
But Harry smiled as if that was exactly what he wanted.
Fall. And keep falling.
A new predator was going to enter Uma’s vivarium.
Things would get more interesting.