From Knight to Night

Chapter 9: Discovery

"The royal treatment seems to be killing you," he commented. "Why do you look like you just did battle with the hounds of hell? How many knights have given you a black eye during training? Twenty?" Gold skimmed over her face, understanding that it probably looked like she hadn't slept in days.

Finding out that the King would be gone for two weeks on this new trip had given Emma and the people within the castle intent on helping Regina the time they needed to formulate little plans to keep the Queen safe from the King and his menacing ways. But it also meant that Emma wasn't sleeping normal hours, coming up with ways to keep Regina safe from the King upon his return in planning sessions late into the night. But it had helped, immensely. Instead of providing one big intervention, the group had opted to come up with little diversions - sending Regina to do business of her own in a neighboring village, seeking out medicinal aide from other kingdoms to help in her father's health struggles, and even the one she would be conducting just this night, the night of the King's return, where she would be traveling with Emma to where her parents had taken residence, bringing the supplies the castle physician had made specifically for Mary Margaret's ailment. Emma had been curious as to whether this particular excursion would or would not suffice for the King, but Regina had told her that, if he were to question her, she would simply respond with 'If Emma will put her life on the line every day just for me, then I can do this one favor at the very least for her and her family.' Seeing as the King still held Emma in his good graces, Emma thought that may work, but was still wary. But secretly, the statement had made Emma's heart beat emphatically.

The last night of good sleep Emma had been able to have was...well...was the night she fell asleep wrapped in Regina's arms. She had woken the next morning laid out on her bed, her head against the soft pillow and the blankets pulled up around her form. But she woke still entirely covered in her day clothes, the only thing removed being her boots, which were propped against the wood at the foot of the bed. Regina was nowhere to be seen. And though Emma understood that it was foolish to have expected her to still be with Emma, a part of her felt the painful tug of longing that she hadn't woken up in the same embrace in which she had found sleep.

Emma had found Regina later that morning, and they went on about their day as usual. But Emma felt the difference in their interactions. Though they weren't constrained by any means, there was a change in the way they behaved around one another. Emma had lost count of the times she had sought Regina's eyes in a crowd or during one of her appointments, only to find that Regina had already been staring at her, catching her in the act.

"I am sure I look awful, thank you for the reminder," Emma chided, giving Gold a look. He just laughed at her. "But the work has been...good. Rewarding." Gold nodded his head, keeping his eyes centered on her face.

"You do look...different."

"I thought we had just covered why it is I look different?" Emma asked with a scoff, thinking Gold was giving her a hard time and just trying to re-emphasize her staggered look.

"No, it's not just that," Gold remarked, squinting his eyes at her. "Something else is different. You look..." But his voice trailed off as he continued to study her, and Emma raised her eyebrow towards him. But he suddenly shook his head and walked off. "Ah, it's probably nothing. What is it I can do for you, Swan?"

"I can't just come and see my old master out of the kindness of my heart?" Gold turned from his spot and looked at her with a pointed expression. "Yeah, alright, alright," Emma confessed, wondering how she ever thought that she would have been able to get away with such a ridiculous notion. "I need some help. Some help with...magic." Gold raised an eyebrow at her.

"Magic? Since when were you interested in magic?" Gold questioned, turning back to Emma.

"I wanted to know if you could conjure something for me. You once told me about a stone you gave to your son." Gold went still and his face blanched. Emma hated bringing up the swordmaster's son, but she was intent on finding a way to procure this magical rarity