On Stranger Tides

Chapter 22

--Part Two: Two Ships--

-3 YEARS AGO-

He was running through the woods desperately trying to get away from her, The Evil Queen. He had heard the horrors, the tales, saw her paintings but never actually believed any of it to be true, just another one of his parent's fairytales. He tripped on a branch and fell into the moist dirt below him, and was frozen with surprise. Every part of him told him to get up, to move, but his limbs felt like they were weighted by some invisible force.

The Evil Queen hadn't shown her face in years and she wasn't quite ready to make her grand appearance quite yet. She still needed more time. It was time for her to relocate, and she so happened to walk by a tavern when she saw him, the man with the lion tattoo. The man she was destined to be with. Regina couldn't get distracted though, she wouldn't let herself, not when she was in the midst of her revenge. Before she continued onward, a young man stepped out of the tavern and looked right at her. His light eyes opened in surprise as if he recognized her. Then he ran. Regina couldn't let anyone else know that she was still roaming this wretched world, she couldn't help but stop him. Holding him down with magic was all too easy, the hard part was deciding what to do with him next.

"Who are you?" She questioned. He was far too young to know her, she had been on the run for nearly seventeen years and this young man was barely that age.

"Prince Matthias." He said quickly complying, he didn't want anything bad to happen to him.

"A prince, you say?" Regina purred. "Who are your parents?" She asked quickly thinking of the dreadful Snow and her "Prince Charming."

"King Frederick and Queen Abigail of Phrygia. In the Enchanted Forest." He mumbled and Regina sighed letting her magic release him.

"So, Regal Blonde did get her fiancee freed from his shiny prison. Sadly, I don't think you can help me." She said before using her power to choke the life out of him. Matthias clawed at his throat.

"Please, I'll do anything!" He cried as best he could through his short of breath. Regina dropped him to the ground.

"Perhaps there is something you can do for me." She smirked.

"Anything." He pleaded.

"You know of Queen Snow, correct?"

"Yes," Matthias said disappointedly looking to the ground. He knew exactly how the stories went and could somewhat guess where this was headed.

"When the day I get my revenge comes, and Snow runs to your mommy and daddy for help, you will not bow before her but before me. You will do what I command to get the job done. In return, I'll spare your life, as long as you do not tell a soul what happened here. Understood?" Regina negotiated.

"Why would I bow before you. You're a monster!" Matthias cried.

"I guess, I'll take your life then." She smirked as she plunged her hand into his chest and reached his heart. Matthias gasped in surprise.

"Fine, I'll do it. Only because I know you will fail." He choked out. Regina ripped out his heart, holding the glowing life in her palm. Matthias knew all too well what she would do with his heart but no matter how hard he tried to fight against her, he remained still. She was commanding him to do so. Another heart to add to her collection.

"I assure you, this time I will not fail."

~

-NOW-

Killian couldn't stop kissing her. Emma was the shining sun that he longed to see every day, the constant warmth in the coldest of nights, and the sails that kept him and his ship steady. Even months after their escape he was still utterly and wholeheartedly infatuated with her. No- he loved her, more than he thought he was ever capable of loving anybody.

They were sailing back to the Enchanted Forest, to be there for the birth of her new sibling as she promised her mother. At the moment they were a little behind schedule, Emma and Killian were currently distracted by other things- but they would get there soon enough, to see the baby right after it's born would be no big deal to her parents.

Lying in Killian's bunk in his quarters the two lovers were entangled with each other. This is how they wanted to spend the rest of their days- peacefully exploring the world and loving each other endlessly. Emma giggled as he tickled her neck with his lips and stubble.

"Killian!" She swatted at him. "We need to get up and prepare to dock. You do have duties as captain." She laughed. He pulled away but brought his hand up to brush away the hair from her face, to admire it.

"While I may have duties as a captain, I also have duties to my woman. They can wait a while longer." He said before he leaned over to kiss Emma on the lips.

"We have the rest of time to do this. We need to get to Misthaven before that baby is born. If I'm not there before then, my parents will absolutely make me come back and we can't let that happen. Otherwise, we won't get moments like this anymore." Emma shrugged before kissing him again. She sat up in the narrow bed and pulled the top sheet away with her, opening up the closet adjacent to his room with her clothes. Emma selected brown trousers and a loose white tunic before slipping into her brown leather boots. Killian watched as she got ready, braiding her hair atop her head in a crown- to keep out of her face in the billowing ocean winds. "Are you just going to lay there and stare at me or are you going to get ready too?" Emma questioned as she finished fastening her hair into place.

"You're lovely." Is all Killian said smiling. Emma returned the grin and walked over and planted one last kiss upon his lips.

"I'll meet you on deck," she said pulling away and pulling a jacket over her shoulders.

Emma made her way to deck by climbing up the ladder from the captain's quarters and opened up the hatch separating the quarters from the endless blue sky and salty air above. The wood creaked under her feet as she closed the hatch behind her. The planks of the ship were shiny and moist from a recent cleaning from one of the deckhands. Taking a deep breath, Emma savored the clear and crisp air that surrounded her. Being upon this ship every day was more than she ever could've asked for, Killian was more than she ever could've asked for. It was peaceful this morning, and like every day upon this ship, Emma felt free.

As usual, Emma greeted the entire crew in the morning. Everyone always responded happily and optimistically whenever Emma was around. To the entire crew, she was a bright light. Emma had brought them a new future and above all else made their captain and friend happy. Emma went up to the helm to check and see if the Jolly Roger was on the right course towards Misthaven. She adjusted the wheel a tad as she looked upon the horizon. However, something was different when she looked farther.

Emma's magic fluttered through her as she observed the horizon. The darkness from it sent chills through her entire body but she couldn't tell what it was from here, it was too far away. Killian had come on deck during the time she looked over the horizon. A look of concern had crossed her face and so, his own. He approached her on the helm.

"Swan?" He questioned, still using her fake last name as sort of a nickname as he had ever since they met. "What's going on?"

"Do you see that? It feels dark." Emma replied, not bothering to look him in the eye. Her eyes were fixated on the object looming in the distance. Killian pulled out his telescope and aimed it towards the darkness that rested on the horizon, despite the beautiful day. It was a ship, as it inched closer he caught a glimpse of what was aboard. Black Knights. The Evil Queen's Black Knights. Killian gasped at the sight. She had to have been building this army of knights for quite some time, holding all of their hearts in a vault. All of them unintentionally under her every command. They were here in the middle of the ocean, but why? As Killian contemplated that reason, his eyes glanced at Emma. They were here to prevent her from getting to her parents, The Evil Queen knew that Emma was the only person who could defeat her and Snow was vulnerable as she neared the end of her pregnancy, and it was now her time to strike. 

Killian reached for Emma's hand, enclosing it in his own. Emma took the telescope from him to see for herself what was there. Her breath hitched and she squeezed Killian's hand in return. She knew well enough why they were here. Emma didn't think the threat would go through, especially so soon. She closed her eyes before peering at the Black Knights again. This time Emma saw not only one ship, but two ships.