Chillin Like A Villain-A Descendants Fanfic

Part 14

Chapter 14

Camilla had such a headache, ever since that night with Hook she'd hadn't been able to think about anything else. What was worse was that her friends were starting to notice. They would catch her daydreaming, not focusing on whatever scheme they were plotting, or she'd be smirking at nothing. Eventually Camilla found it was simply easier to avoid them, she'd lie and say her mother needed her for some chores at home. Sometimes Carlos would look at her with a curious glance because he knew Cruella never had her precious daughter do chores, she always made him do them. Fortunately one glare from his sister was enough to keep him quiet and keep his nose out of her business.

Now she'd ended up in the kitchen of Hell Hall, deciding making something to eat would give her mind a break. She was cutting the rotten parts off some veggies she'd found when she heard the floorboards creak behind her. In the blink of an eye she tightened her hold on the knife she was cutting with and turned, catching the intruder off guard. Honestly, at this point it shouldn't surprise her that it was Harry Hook himself. Though she was a bit shocked at her own reflexes, she had Hook off guard with a knife to his throat, his head tilted back slightly to avoid the razor sharp edge.

"Excellent form, Lady De Vil. You'd make quite the pirate." he said impressed.

"What are you doing here Hook?" she said sounding bored as she lowered the knife.

"I decided it was bad form to hold my blade to ye, and even worse to drag ye into my mess. Thought I'd bring yeh something to make up for it." He said making his way to the door and opening it wider letting in two of his men. They were carrying a large chest and did their best to maneuver it into the kitchen without breaking anything. The placed it on the floor and looked to their captain for further instruction, Hook only nodded at the door and they immediately took their leave. When the door closed behind them Camilla looked to Hook with an eyebrow raised in question. He only gestured to the chest while he removed his hat and ran a hand through his messy dark hair, leaning against the countertop and getting himself comfortable.

Growing up on the Isle presents were very rare, even more rare when they weren't practical jokes in disguise. So with extreme caution Camilla unlatched the top and flung the chest open. She couldn't contain her gasp when she saw what was inside, she was stunned and it took her mind a moment to find the right words to express her feelings.

"Its magnificent." she fawned as she bent down and pulled out the soft pelt. A white tiger, a perfect white pelt with deep black stripes decorating the velvety fur. Her fingers combed through the masterpiece, memorizing the texture against her skin. She took a seat on a nearby stool and pulled the pelt over her lap, refusing to take her eyes off it, even to blink, she was afraid if she did it would vanish.

"Oh, you were a big boy weren't you?" She whispered as she continued stroking her gift. Hers, she thought, not her mother's not anyone else's! Since she was a little girl she'd always dreamed of having her own real fur, her mother kept her's locked in a vault with several traps to keep out everyone –even her children. Camilla had never had the joy of even feeling one, but now she had her own!

"How did you get this?" she asked breathlessly, finally looking away from the pelt to where Hook was sitting. The pirate only shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"Gil lost a bet." He explained, "His father has countless pelts along with mounted animal heads, but little unknown fact, he also keeps live animals locked in cages. When I saw the white tiger it reminded me of you."

"Because it was black and white?"

"Because it was fierce, wild and untamed." He told her with a smoldering look in his bright crystal eyes. "When Gil lost the bet I demanded the tiger. He didn't argue with me much once I let it out."

"You let out a tiger?"

"Well killing it while it was locked up wouldn't have been a fair fight – bad form. And when I slayed it I made sure to cut it clean down the belly so the fur wouldn't get ruined. My men called it quite the duel."

"Because their opinion isn't unbiased at all." She said sarcastically, bringing the pelt to her chest and imagining it as a fine fluffy coat. He only looked at her with amusement dancing in his eyes.

"But won't your friend get in trouble once Gaston realizes he's missing a tiger?"

"Probably." He shrugged, "But that's Gil's problem not mine. Besides, yer worth it." His words caused something to stir in her chest so she changed the subject and asked a more serious question.

"Why are you doing this?"

"And what pray tell, are ye referring to?"

"This." She said gesturing to the pelt, "Why are you being nice to me?"

"Yeh haven't given me reason not to be."

"Even if your friend –your matey –get's in trouble because of it?"

"Lady De Vil –" he sighed.

"Camilla." She interrupted him making him smirk, though it looked like it could be a smile.

"Camilla." He said testing her name on his tongue. "Is it really so hard for ye to say thank you?"

It was her turn to smirk, "A true villain never thanks anyone, you should know that."

"Well," he said bringing a finger to his lips, "Perhaps there is another way ye could show yer gratitude." 

She smiled the fakest, most sugary sweet smile she could manage, "Thank you Hook." She said with heavy insincerity letting him know he'd wasn't going to get that lucky.

"Harry." he said dropping his hand to his side.

"Thank you. . . " Her tone now much more from the heart as she replied. ". . . Captain." She amended and he smirked again this time wagging a finger at her.

"I'm winning ye over, I can feel it." He said before he collected his hat, and left the same way he'd come. Before he was fully out the door he turned back to her, "Enjoy yer gift. . . Camilla."

Why did her heart feel like it could fly out of her chest when he said her name? She spent the rest of the night wondering while she curled up on the tiger pelt. She hadn't had the heart to cut it into a coat so she decided to use it to cover her bed, it would come in handy once the cooler weather hit and the uninsulated manor grew colder than ice.

What was Harry Hook doing to her? What was this odd feeling in her chest now that he'd shown her kindness? She didn't know, she only knew that as a villain she wasn't supposed to feel. . . whatever it was. She was supposed to only feel vengeful, hostile and vindictive. But still, little by little, Harry Hook was changing her carefully crafted world.