Swan Song ❂ Killian Jones [1]

165

Every bit of their initial plan had been entirely ruined. Snow didn't get the ring, and so there was no chance of David seeing her put it on and falling in love with her. Both Emma and Odette had been whisked away to the Queen's place and imprisoned by Regina's evil self. And they still had no chance of getting back home to their time.

It forced Aramis and Killian to come up with an entirely new plan. And even though this one seemed to be working well for now, neither of them liked the fact that they were stuck sitting around in the forest as night fell, waiting for whatever help Snow had gone to get so they could sneak their way into the Evil Queen's castle.

While Aramis had decided to busy himself with collecting more firewood during the time, Killian was left to pace alongside the dwindling fire as he tried to predict all other possible trouble which might arise during their rescue mission and of a way to solve it when the time came. He didn't want to risk anything going wrong. Not when it could prevent him from getting Odette back.

"Sit, relax, I'm sure we'll get your friends back soon enough." David's call brought an end to the pirate's pacing as he glanced to the prince who sat by the fire warming his hands.

For a moment, Killian was about to scoff, thinking it was easy for him to say when all he cared for within the castle was an inanimate ring. But quickly enough, he remembered they needed David's help to succeed, not a fight. And so he did as the prince suggested, although it was easier to think about trying to relax at a time like this rather than actually doing it.

So instead of picking a fight, Killian chose to focus on other topics which they could talk about so he might distract his worried mind. "You're exited for your nuptials?" He asked the prince curiously. It was rather interesting, watching this story unfold with his own eyes.

"I'm marrying Midas' daughter. What's not to be excited about?" Despite David's words sounding positive, his tone gave away how inaccurate they might be.

"I don't mean to pry, mate, but you don't exactly look like a man who's doing this by choice."

"Mm. I always thought I'd marry for love." David mussed, giving a small shake of his head as if he were in disbelief about it all still. "And here I am about to enter into what amounts to a business transaction. A merger of two kingdoms." He gave out a defeated sigh. "I don't know this whole ordeal makes me wonder if there's even such a thing as true love."

"I once felt as you did, mate." Killian pointed out, chuckling as he'd hoped to take his off of his worry only to go back to it on his own once again. "All it took was meeting the right person and everything changed."

"Princess Iris? The one you're so worried about." David easily guessed who the woman he spoke of was. Even if he hadn't been pacing a new path into the forest floor, the man's worry over the trapped woman was rather clear to anyone who looked.

"Aye. She doesn't... She doesn't do well in captivity." From the way he'd said it, it was clear to David that there was some kind of story behind Killian's words. Not that he intended to pry into it. Nor did he get a chance to before Killian continued. "I'd to go to the end of the world for her. Or time." He muttered out the last part, unable to resist a small chuckle at it.

"And she for you, I take it?" David asked hopefully.

The question had a small smile appearing on Killian's face, although to anyone who paid enough attention as David did, it still looked somewhat pained. "Aye, she would. Despite everything." Killian commented, knowing it to be true after everything that had happened lately.

"Everything?"

"There are many complications. Some of my own making, and some others." Killian said somewhat vaguely. He hoped it was a story much too long for the time they had left in their waiting period. And it wasn't as if he could share much of it anyways for the fear that David might remember in the future.

"Family?" David knew better than to make him talk about his own transgression when he so clearly didn't wish to, so he focused on the other half of Killian's statement. "Because my father is making things quite difficult for me."

"Aye. There's that. Her brother's rather protective." Killian nodded his head with an amused smile. Not that he could any longer blame future-David for his reservations after what he'd done.

"Given the length you've gone to save her, I'm sure you'll manage to change his mind." The man sitting across from him said in a confident tone, making Killian let out an amused laugh at the irony of it all.

"Hope, you remember that." He muttered out quietly, glad to know David hadn't overheard that particular comment.

"And whatever else there is, whatever you might've done, if you truly love each other, you can get past it." David added on, making Killian look away from the fire and back up to the man's face as he sounded so sure in his own words despite not even knowing them or their story. "You just have to believe that."

"And do a lot of grovelling." Aramis' voice joined in on the conversation as he stepped out of the woods with his hands full of branches and logs he'd found to stoke the fire with.

"I'm pretty sure I've been doing that for a while now." Killian pointed out as he rose back to his feet and reached over to help the man with the wood. However, neither of them did much of the work properly before Aramis dropped the entirety of it to the ground at the sound of rustling as someone approached.

Spinning on his heel as Killian drew his sword, as did the other two men, all pointing their weapons at the woman in a red hood who came to stand before them, setting her basket down on the ground. "Who are you?" David was the first to question her presence being the only one among the trio not to recognize Ruby as an ally as soon as they saw her face.

"Name is Red. I'm a friend of Snow's." She introduced herself confidently and with ease, not minding the swords pointed at her. "She sent me to help you get into the Queen's castle."

"How?" Killian questioned curiously.

"You'll see." Red didn't give much of an answer as she began to untie her hood and take it off. But soon he realized he didn't need much of one either way. If she had a way to get them inside, to get him to Odette, then Killian was willing to take the chance.