59 | PILLOW TALK

"He is using you!"

"Nothing but a villain's child — an evil pirate who lives his life without reason...!"

"He will turn his back on you just like the rest of them, Hook's son will wait until he's got what he wants from you and then he will leave and never turn back!"

"Or worse, he will kidnap you and force you to do his bidding!"

Winterfell was breathing heavily, the girl murmuring with discomfort in her sleep. She shifted, her head turning wildly as she lay in her bed, her covers kicked down.

"Who would choose to be with a monster like you?"

"You will live forever, unaging and frozen in time — he will die. His life will be short compared to the eternity that you are forced to endure and rule over. Would you choose a mortal life for him...?"

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

Winterfell suddenly awoke with a jump, the girl panting and placing a hand over her heart. Her eyes shifted around her room only to be met with nothing. She cried in frustration, bringing her hands to her head and shaking.

Wenlock was attacking her mind — it was like clockwork. He was attempting to get her from the inside out, turn her own thoughts against her.

Now he was using Harry against her.

Snarling at the thought, she forced herself out of bed. Winterfell knew the only real way that she was to get any sleep tonight.

She did not bother putting her slippers on, choosing to swing her dorm door wide open and she walked into the empty and quiet corridors. Winter padded toward the Sea Three's door, stopping just outside.

Raising her hand, she was about to knock but stopped short. She groaned, bringing her hands to run through her hair and pacing outside the door.

Was this right of her? To disturb Harry for the second night in a row?

She had been lucky the previous night, he had come to her after hearing her. But this time she was straight up just bothering him. But he was her soulmate, and even she knew that the pirate enjoyed sleeping together.

But she did not want to start a habit of this. She needed to be able to sleep on her own. Then again if Wenlock was planning on attacking her mind every night (which he no doubt was) then it would stand to reason that her soulmate (true love's kiss and everything) would be protection against the evil sorcerer.

It made sense, after all, when she was in Harry's presence it seemed the wizard could not get through. He made her stronger.

But still what were they? Sure, they kissed and apparently slept together now, but they had not been on an official date. He asked her to the ball as his date, but that was about it as far as dating went.

She was still pacing weighing her options when the Sea Three's door swung open. Winter's eyes widened and she was face-to-face with a confused-looking Uma. She wore baggy sweatpants and a large t-shirt, her hair tied up in a sleeping cap.

"Uhm, hi?" Winter awkwardly said, she literally had no excuse as to why she was standing outside their door at 3 in the morning.

Damn — this is embarrassing.

Uma stared at her and pursed her lips before a smile came across her face. She turned and looked back to her sleeping first mate before turning to his soulmate. Uma knew that Winter made Harry happy, and that was all she could ask for.

"Look Winter," Uma said, "I like you, you balance Harry out well — he needs someone like you in his life. So please, for the love of Poseidon don't do anything to hurt him — I really don't need a reason to hunt you down..." she said the last part in a joking manner.

But Winter knew the truth, if she ever did anything to hurt her first mate she would be facing the wrath of a sea witch. She already had one wizard after her, she did not need a witch too.

Winter let out a small laugh, "trust me when I say that I have no intention of hurting your first mate..." she smiled while crossing her arms.

"Good," Uma nodded while leaning against the doorframe. "Harry!" She called with such authority that it made even Winter jump.

Immediately, Harry's eyes snapped open and the pirate jumped up with such attention it was frightening. Years on the Isle taught him. It was barely a second before Harry moved and drew his shining katana.

His eyes were wild and a look of cruel insanity spread over his face, the pirate looking for the threat.

Winter watched with huge eyes, the girl suddenly reminded of her short visit to the Isle over a year ago. Harry had tamed and calmed a lot since leaving the Isle: his temper was now better and he was less likely to hook someone because of a slight inconvenience.

But back then, Harry still remembers how she felt trapped against him. How he had murmured in her, the first words he ever spoke to her.

"Ye a cute little thin', aren't ya? I think ye will be mine now..."

He had said it with such passion and certainty. Winter never would have guessed him to be right.

"Snowie?!" Harry had finally spoken, catching up with the situation.

He smiled wildly as though he had not just been ready to slice someone in half, and placed his sword back in its spot under his bed. He trotted up behind Uma; however, that smile disappeared from his face when he took note of the dark bags under her eyes.

She attempted to smile at him, but it looked to be forced. He could see the demons haunting her.

Winter herself let out a relaxed breath, the aura that Harry provided finally silencing the war in her mind once and for all.

True love's magic, she supposed.

Uma turned away, patting Harry on the back as she went.

It was now only Harry in the doorway, the pirate looking down at her with a gaze of expectancy and worry. Winter found herself wondering what time it was, she had not checked before she came flouncing to Harry's dorm.

She looked down to the floor, her shoulders drooping in shame.

"I can't sleep," she said, her voice sounding pathetically weak.

She hated this. Winter had grown up on the premise that romantic love was not something that one should rely on. Her mother and aunt had taught her this well, showing that the love of family and friends is more than enough.

Winterfell is supposed to be a Protector of the Realm, and yet here she was feeling more pathetic than ever. But the truth of the matter was that she could not do this on her own, beating Wenlock by herself is something that she is incapable of.

Harry frowned at this, but he knew what her words meant. Another nightmare, another magical mental attack on his duckling.

He had asked her earlier that night at dinner (amidst his teasing of what he overheard her singing in her room) if she wanted to sleep together tonight. Ever prideful Winter had shook her head and said she would be fine.

However, Harry was glad that she was coming to him now rather than trying to stick it out on her own. The last time she tried to deal with something by herself the Beleth incident had occurred.

Harry wasted no time in coming forward and closing his door behind him. Winter yelled as Harry suddenly swept her into arms bridal style, clutching her close to him. Her eyes lit up and she gazed at Harry with a mock glare.

"Excuse me, pirate, what do you think you are doing?" She demanded and Harry chuckled whilst beginning to walk toward her room.

"Oi, princess," he mocked back, "don't pretend you don't find me arms just so ..." he breathed before turning his voice higher, "so hot and sexy and strong!"

"Harry!" Winter hit his chest lightly, but her face was burning bright red.

She could not believe he had heard that.

"It's okay, ya got me to protect ya — the cruel pirate..." he told her, "I ain't gon' let a thin' happen to ya under me watch," he assured, bumping her bedroom door open.

Winter laughed as she was dumped on her bed, Harry turned around to close and lock the door. Through the dark, Winter could see perfectly and watched as Harry (who could not see well mind you) leaped onto the bed.

She sighed in relief as his arms wrapped around her and he pulled her close. His warmth soaked into her, the cold girl sighing at it. Harry could feel Winter's magic pulsing within him, the pirate who seemed to never be cold anymore sighing at the feeling it gave him.

It was quiet for a few long moments and Winter's mind could not stop thinking back to the wild look in Harry's eyes when he drew his sword AKA katana. The wildness sent a thrill racing down her spine — freedom.

"What was it like?"

"Mmm?" Harry mumbled, having closed his eyes and already falling into a more peaceful sleep while clinging to the girl.

"Living on the Isle?" She said the words so quietly that he had barely heard.

But he did and cracked his eyes open once more, turning to face her. They were nose-to-nose.

"Ya mean being enslaved?" He had questioned hoarsely.

Winter's heart dropped for a moment, the girl fearing she had offended him until she caught wind of that wicked smile written across his face. His eyes gleamed and Winter sighed in relief.

"Enslaved?" She said it as a question and Harry chuckled.

"Well, no one was certainly there on their own accord," he said, eyes looking distant, "but we made due with wha' we had. It was terrible, don't get me wrong. Da' was a raging drunk, and he could be scary — especially when me and me sisters was kids,"

"I think being imprisoned on the Isle and me ma' death was still too new, made 'im even angrier. Can't even count the number of times he'd slap me around when he was drunk..." his voice was sad.

Winter was not sure what to say. It was hard to imagine, she had grown up spoiled. Yes, there was Wenlock but her parents went to the ends of the Earth to protect her. She grew up in with so much love it was suffocating.

She grew up having fun, she grew up with the spirit of Christmas running strong and family game nights. She felt fear because of Wenlock, but that had only been for a year or two. Harry grew up in fear his whole life, even from his own father.

That was something that Winter could truly never imagine.

"It didnae matter though," his accent was getting thicker, "as long as it wasnae CJ or Harriet. It got better as we got older though. He became more use to it. I think he got calmer too, got used to ma' being gone and being stuck on the Isle: he finally accepted it in a way,"

Winter stayed silent through his story, she knew he only needed someone to listen to him at the moment. And she could feel it, she could feel his relief at finally being able to share his story with someone he trusted.

She was not sure how she could feel it, she just could. Winter felt the emotions radiating off of him, her magic pulsed with it.

"I worked for me da' when I ain't with Uma. Collected for 'im, shed blood to those who crossed 'im. I was his favorite, especially when I got older, his only son as he would say. He taught me how to fight, how to manage a ship, taught me everythin' I needed to know,"

"I was ruthless, ya do what you got to do to survive on the Isle. It's a prison, a place for villains — ain't no happiness there. You got to be careful with who you trust, everyone is lookin' to backstab. It was horrible, but sometimes it was nice, and sometimes I miss it. Ya run free there, and I was in a better position than most, I didnae have much to fear — people who would even try to cross me end up losing. No one ain't never gon' win against the son of the most feared pirate on the Isle or the insane first mate to Uma..." he ended and Winter remained quiet, only stroking his arm.

"But I'm glad to be out," he looked down at her and they locked eyes through the dark, "tha' ain't no way fer a pirate to live. Ain't no open ocean, ain't nowhere to explore or visit. We lived enslaved, no matter how free it may have felt at times... I still ain't know why the purple princess ran back to the Isle all those months ago. She got out and still came back — stupid ass move," he said bitterly.

Winter swallowed as guilt ate her alive. And to think at one point she thought the people of the Isle deserved to be there.

Well, that was not true, she just had not been thinking of the innocent people.

Her mind had been wrapped in fear. She listened to the stories — the curses on kingdoms, the poisoned apples, people kidnapped...

But that was a bad way to look at it, not everyone had been guilty of such happenings on the Isle of the Lost. No one deserves to serve time for a crime never committed.

But Winterfell knew the truth, the other Kings and Queens of the kingdom were ready to wreak havoc over this. She had heard the whispers from Gale, what Kings such as Chad Charming and even King Eric thought about this.

Because how dare King Ben rip apart some of the most powerful magic to exist? It took the power of the Fairy Godmother, King Triton, the Genie, and the Enchantress to create such a force. A force that could hold even Hades himself captive.

How dare King Ben take it down without even consoling anyone on the court, how dare he listen to his fiancé — how dare he listen to Maleficient's daughter? How dare he marry a villain's child?

The truth of the matter was that there were much better ways to go about it. Yes, it was true that there were innocent children on the Isle, but there were true villains who were serving life sentences.

Dangerous people.

And now Auradon had no real prison that could hold some of these people.

"When I came to Auradon though — gosh, ye all ain't even know how good yeh have it 'ere..." Harry finished with a sigh.

Winter said nothing more, simply clutching him tighter. She prayed that this royal court meeting did not blow up in anyone's face.

There was no way that King Ben would allow them to put the barrier back up, she was not even sure they could if they wanted.

There would be an uprising from the villains themselves if anyone attempted that, they would not be able to get anyone back in.

But she knew that it was surely not bound to end pretty no matter what happened.

"Who was your mother, Harry?" Winter found herself asking after a few moments, her voice near silent.

She had been hesitant to ask, but her mind had been reeling with the question for a while. Winter had tried to figure it out herself, she really did, but it was of no luck. There was nothing in the texts and no one ever spoke of it.

And there were far too many women on the Isle for her to even hope to narrow it down, especially with no leads to go on.

Harry paused as though debating whether to answer the question, but eventually he yielded — his voice was equally as quiet.

"Her name was Helga Sinclair — tough as they come is wha' me da' always used to say..." he said, "they met on the Isle, and it wasn't long till they had Harriet, then me, then CJ. CJ is the spitting image of 'er. Wish I had been able to know her, but based on the stories I hear about her I don't reckon she woulda been much kinder than me da',"

Winter's mind worked as she thought about the name.

Helga Sinclair, she had read about her at one point.

The woman had been an explorer, second-in-command on an expedition to discover a sunken empire — Atlantis — but she chose to try to destroy the city by stealing their power supply.

This is why they placed her on the Isle.

Winter remembered the traits that had been attached to the woman when she read about her.

Feisty, tough, sexy, cunning, short-tempered, rebellious, selfish, determined, violent, intelligent, athletic, passionate, cold, cruel, ruthless, disrespectful, obnoxious, vengeful, flirtatious.

There had been a picture of her attached in the text, and Winter remembered how beguiling the woman had been. Crystal blue eyes, long blonde hair, and an athletic body to die for.

Now that she thought about it, while Harry certainly took more after his father, he had his mother's smirk and his face was shaped the same as hers.

And he had her nose.

She had a feeling that Harry did not know any of this about his mother. Based on what he said it seemed that Hook did not like to talk about Helga other than the bare minimum. She made a note to herself to take Harry to the library and into the archives of villainous people.

She knew that he would want to learn more about his mother.

"M'sorry, Harry," she breathed, her words holding true sorrow for the difficulties he had to endure while growing up.

She wished she could change it, make it better, make it so he had not been forced to grow up on the Isle.

Then again, he is the Isle, he became himself because of those experiences growing up.

"It's okay, lass," he kissed her head, "I ain't need no pity, it is what it is..."

She smiled before saying, "it's not pity, Hook,"

It was then she noticed how his breathing had evened out, the pirate was on the brink of sleep and she would soon follow. Closing her eyes, she breathed one last time before she allowed herself to be swept away to a world created by the sandman.

—————————

Winter had to admit there had not been much talking when they woke up that morning.

As she opened her eyes to the small rays of sunlight streaming in through the cracks of her blackout curtains, she yawned while turning over. This time she was not surprised when she hit Harry's back.

Harry's mouth was open wide, snores falling out. He had a habit of turning to his belly in his sleep and pulling either Winter under his arm to cuddle or a pillow. This time it happened to be a pillow as Winter had slept on her side. Their legs were incredibly entangled.

The pirate's snores were loud, it was something that made her giggle.

She drew small pictures over his strong back, the girl unable to stop herself from admiring his muscles. Her mind whirled and tension came from deep within her stomach.

Winterfell had always wanted to try to wake someone up with a kiss.

And so, she did not stop herself from leaning down and peppering small kisses against his back. Her lips worked their way up to his shoulders. She was reminded of their first kiss a small while ago, the shock in Harry's eyes when she practically jumped his bones right there on the ice.

He never thought he'd see the day.

But then again, her dad is Jack Frost.

Winterfell certainly did not have thin lips by any means, her bottom lip jutted out and they were naturally pouty. However, her top lip did adorn a very sharp and prominent cupid's bow.

When she reached his neck, she began peppering kisses and love bites. She tensed when she felt him move, and that's when she realized that he had been awake the whole time.

"If ya dinnae stop, I dinnae think I'll be able teh control meself, ya little minx," he growled against the pillow, and Winterfell's lips pulled into a smile against his neck.

She only hummed in reply.

"I don't know if that was supposed to be a threat or a joke..." she had laughed against him.

However, her laughter was cut short when Harry turned faster than she ever thought possible and trapped her beneath him. He had flipped them in a matter of moments, his right hand holding both her wrists above her head.

"Yeh surprise me — yer much more..." he paused while thinking of the word, his eyes boring into her own passionately, "promiscuous than I previously thought..." he choked on his own words as Winter brought her head up and captured his lips with her own.

Harry growled against her mouth, his own mouth dominating her. So the princess was playing with the pirate? She thought it was funny to take him off guard.

His other hand moved to hike her leg over his waist and he nearly died on the spot when she let out a breathy sigh against his mouth. He was more than surprised though when he realized that she did not have morning breath, rather it was just exceptionally cold.

She did not seem to mind his breath and he was not about to question it.

Winter could not help but question herself. What was she doing? They were not even in an official relationship — did it really matter though, they were soulmates, after all.

"Yer insatiable..." he had murmured against her and Winter sighed.

He had moved from her lips to her neck now, leaving his own trail of loving bits. Winterfell relaxed against him, simply enjoying the rush and heart-pounding emotions that washed through her.

"I love you..." Winter found herself saying out loud and breathlessly.

Harry froze against her, and it was then that she realized this was only the second time it was being said out loud. The first time was a few days ago on the ice, and Harry had been the one to say it then. Now she was the one who said it first.

This time it was her, and somehow the words fell from her lips like honey. Somehow this felt more intimate ... her words touched Harry so deeply.

She froze as well wondering if she had done something wrong. Maybe the stories she read were not like real life at all — maybe she was not supposed to do that?

Harry moved from her neck to stare deeply into her eyes. Winter stared back almost hesitantly, the once bold girl now becoming shy. Harry loved her chocolate eyes: the warmth, the love, the fun in them.

"I love yeh too, lass," he said it so firmly that it made her heart pound even quicker before capturing her lips one more time.

It was different this time, there was still a lot of passion but there was something more intimate about it.

However, the kiss was over much too soon in Winter's opinion. For once — in well... ever — it was Harry who hopped out of her bed and made his way to her bedroom door.

The pirate knew exactly what he was doing ... payback for the Enchanted Lake incident. And Winterfell, ever the smart girl immediately knew this as well.

"Oh ... fuc—"

"Aye, no need for such dirty talk," and he managed to roll the word in such a way that it sounded seductive, "just returning somethin' called payback..."

Winter turned and chucked a pillow at him, but Harry slipped out the door with laughter before he could get hit. She crossed her arms causing the bed to shake slightly, the girl blowing a piece of hair out of her face.

Fuck that guy.

Literally.