Extra Darling

Chapter 28: It Begins

The sword stayed firmly in my hand until I heard the whoosh of air that signified Peter leaving the burrow. Once he was gone I caught my shaking breath and lowered the heavy metal, allowing the tip of it to sag on the dirt.

I could hardly wrap my mind around what just happened.

Peter hit me.

He tried to strike Slightly, but hit me instead.

My trembling hand went up to my cheek as the raw pain of the slap registered within me. It felt like a million little pins and needles were repeatedly being jammed into the soft flesh of my cheek. I had no doubt that a large red mark had formed where his hand touched. I squeezed my eyes shut and bit back tears.

I was stronger now. Arthur had taught me to be confident in the lady I was, and not be afraid to stand my ground and defend what I thought was right. I didn't cry about my siblings, I didn't cry when we were almost captured in Pixie Hollow, so I tried as hard as I could not to cry now. I pictured Arthur's voice telling me that I did the right thing, but the pain of what happened was overwhelming.

Peter, the dim-witted, little boy who my sister fell in love with just violently harmed both Slightly and me.

I heard a shallow exhale of breath and remembered that I was not alone. I turned around, my hand still pressed to my cheek, and looked into the eyes of a flabbergasted Slightly.

"Are you alright?" I asked, gently removing my hand from my stinging cheek and rolling my jaw.

Slightly nodded, his back pressed against the dirt wall, and stared wide-eyed at the door, as if he was terrified that Peter would come back.

"Don't worry." I assured him, lifting the sword and putting it back in its sheath, "If he's naive enough to return I won't hesitate this time. I'll cut him in two."

After heaving the sword back into place, my hand felt strangely sore. I looked down at my hand and noticed a small nick on the inside of my palm where I must have grabbed the sword too excitedly. I hissed through closed teeth and flexed my fingers, grimacing as droplets of blood gathered in my hand.

When I looked back at Slightly, he was pale as a ghost. I took a step closer and used my good hand to push back his tail-hat, feeling his forehead.

"Are you sure you're alright? Peter didn't get to you before I got here, did he?"

Slightly met my eye and slowly shook his head, examining me as if I had two heads.

"What is it?" I asked, taking a step back.
"You... you protected me. You stood in my defense, even after I said I never wanted to see you again. You took the pain for me." He said, shaking his head in disbelief.
I looked quizzically at him, "Of course I did."
He furrowed his brows and shifted his feet, "Why? Why would you do that?"

Now it was my turn to look at him oddly.
"You're my best friend, Slightly. I may have done a terrible thing, and you may have rightfully dismissed me in that position, but I would never let harm come to you if I could help it. Is that so hard to believe?"

He took a breath and fixed his hat, moving away from the wall, "I just sort of figured that since you're a pirate now, you would only care for yourself. Not us."
I gestured down at my clothing, "I wear a pirate's clothes but that doesn't mean I behave like one. I'm still me. I still care about you. Always."

I cradled my injured hand against my chest and ignored the burning on my face. Slightly walked up to me, still only coming up to my chin, and reached his hand up, turning my face to the side and looking at my cheek.