Lessons (Ch 22 - True Love)
Title: lessons
AUTHOR: obisgirl
Rating: nc-17
Characters: Killian/Emma
Summary: Fairytale land - AU. Emma is a princess on the verge of becoming a woman but wants more out of life than what her parents can give her, so she makes a wish to be swept away which translates into being kidnapped and sold at a slave auction to one Captain Killian Jones.
A/N: The Evil Queen's curse never happened. Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time characters are property of Disney and Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis. This fanfic is for pure entertainment.
Killian doesn't say anything further as Red and the Charmings lead him to the royal stables. Red offers him a black horse and he looks at it oddly. “Do I really need one of these?” he ventures.
Red shrugs. “The dwarves cottage is very far and this is the quickest way to get there,” she says, “Just hold on Captain and think about Emma,”
Charming eyes him suspiciously and Killian pats the horse's white mane before slowly mounting it, re-adjusting his clothes and sword. “How do I make it go?” he asks.
Red smirks. “It's an animal, Captain; not a ship,” she says and kicks its side, forcing the horse into a strong gallop out of the stables.
“Red, was that really necessary?” Snow says.
~~
Captain Killian Jones isn't used to riding horses, preferring a strong ship to navigate than horses which are often unpredictable animals and harder to manage. But he does as Red suggests and holds on for dear life, pulling its reigns to a full stop a short distance away from the stables as Red, Snow and Charming catch up to him. Red reaches out and grabs one of the reigns from him.
“Sorry about that Captain,” the huntress apologizes.
Killian looks wearily at the cloaked woman. “You know, I'm not sure I like you,” he retorts.
“We're even now,” she says, “That was the last time I promise,”
“Which way to the dwarves' cottage?” he asks.
Red looks straight ahead of them. “Follow me,” she commands and rides ahead, Killian and the Charmings following behind her.
~~
Killian still doesn't like horses but it's all he has to get him where he needs to be, following Red to the dwarves' cottage. As soon as they arrive, Killian dismounts the beast and rushes inside, despite Red's warning to be careful. Snow and Charming walk cautiously into the cottage, looking around for her.
Red stands guard at the entrance as Killian searches about and freezes, looking down at the floor and sees Emma's fallen body. Snow notes the apple lying not too far away from her hand and Killian bends down, picks her up and carries over to one of the dwarf beds, lying her down.
“No, no, no!” he cries, “I saved you before, it's not supposed to end this way!”
“She's gone,” Snow cries, picking up the apple, “She ate the poisoned apple; there's no coming back from that,”
Killian doesn't want to believe that, not after everything he's been through. He's seen dark magic before and he saved her from it. He can do it again. “Emma, sweetheart, please wake up,” he pleas, supporting her upper body and holding her. “Why did you do this to yourself?”
“Please Emma,” he whispers, “I love you, don't leave me like this,”
He pulls away briefly, fixes her brown hair and remembers all the happy times together on The Jolly Roger. He risked his life for her and would gladly take her place.
But she is beyond hope. Beyond saving. This is her end. The pirate holds his beloved Emma helplessly in his arms and still, Killian can't fathom leaving her without giving her one last kiss.
And when he does, true love proves more powerful than any curse as a pulse of pure love spreads throughout the cottage, bursting across the land, waking up the pirate's princess and bringing light to the darkness. Killian sighs heavily, hoping his breath will bring her to life and then, all of the sudden, he feels a pair of arms around him and he pulls back, looking hopefully at Emma.
The princess smiles, wearily opening her eyes and stares back at him, sitting up. “You found me,” she whispers.
“Why did you do this?” he cries, “You could have died,”
“Don't you remember?” she teases, “I'm a stupid, naive, incredulous girl,”
Killian smiles at her. “You are - so true, so true but you're my girl,” he says and kisses her again.
Snow clears her throat. Killian steps aside as her and Charming and Snow step forward and hug her. Killian walks over to Red, standing in the doorway. “Thank you for bringing me here,” he says.
“You're welcome,” Red muses and looks at him. “You better take care of my goddaughter, Killian; otherwise I might have to eat you,”
He smiles. “I don't think pirates taste very good actually,” he jokes.
Emma stands suddenly and extends her hand to him. “Walk with me for a bit?” she asks and he gladly takes her hand, leaving the cottage. “She's still out there, you know. The witch,”
Killian tenses but squeezes her hand, turning to look at her. “I won't let her hurt you again,” he promises.
Emma kisses his hand and sighs. “I was so heartbroken over what you did; it clouded my judgment and I let her take advantage of my weak state,” she cries. “If you hadn't found me, I'd still be sleeping,”
“I'm sorry,” he adds, “about lying to you. The only reason why I pushed you away was to protect you from her. She wanted to kill you and I couldn't let that happen because I love you, Emma,”
“I know,” she whispers, kissing him again. “I love you too,”
“A pirate ship is still no place for a princess,” he muses.
“That is true,” she reasons, “but I'll make a deal with you,”
At the mention of a new deal, he looks skeptically at her. “Hear me out now,” she starts, still holding his hands. “I'll wear that sexy pirate outfit every once in awhile if you agree to be mine,”
“As your sex slave?” he wonders, raising an eyebrow.
“No,” she smiles, “As my husband,”
Killian's speechless, not really expecting a reverse proposal but he's always loved Emma's open attitude. Marrying Emma would mean giving up his pirate ways and living in her world, which he's not sure he can do. He's been a pirate for a while and loves sailing in the open waters.
“You can also keep your ship,” she adds.
“That, I can work with,” he agrees.
“Do you promise?” she asks, smiling at him.
~~
“I do,” Killian whispers, staring back at his beautiful bride, standing in the middle of a grand hall. He can see Emma's parents, Snow White and Prince Charming over her shoulder, and the dwarves are behind him, accompanied by her godmother, Red. They could have had a small wedding but Emma is a princess and Killian still doesn't think he deserves her but he's happy to be bonded with her forever.
“And do you, Princess Emma, promise to take this man to be your husband and love him for all eternity?” the bishop asks.
Emma doesn't even have to think about her answer, staring into his gorgeous blue eyes and mesmerizing the curve of his lips. “I do,”
“Then I pronounce you husband and wife,” the bishop declares and there's a whooping applause throughout the room, but the sound seems to drown out as Killian leans forward to kiss his beloved but they're suddenly interrupted by an unwelcome visitor.
The guests gasp and turn towards the disturbance, staring in fear and awe at the mysterious woman in black, who Emma recognizes her as the hag who tried to poison her with the red apple.
“Sorry, I'm late,” she teases, walking confidently towards the dais.
As she nears them, two guards come out from either sides to attack but she flings them away.
“You're wasting your time, you've already lost,” Killian threatens, removing his sword and pointing it at her. “And I won't let you ruin this day,”
“Oh, I haven't come here to ruin everything,” she muses, “On the contrary dear, I've come to give you a gift,”
“We want nothing from you,” Emma retorts, bracing Killian's arm.
The woman regards Emma. “But you shall have it,” she continues, pacing around the dais. “My gift to you; my gift to all of you is this happy, happy day,”
She looks pointedly at Killian. “But tomorrow, my real work begins,” she seethes, glancing at Emma. “You've made your vows and I will make mine. Soon, everything you love; everything all of you love will be taken from you forever. And out of your suffering, will rise my victory. I shall destroy your happiness if it's the last thing I do,”
The witch turns abruptly, leaving the room as Killian glances at Emma, counting the steps to the empty hall. As soon as she's close, he yells out to her, “Hey!”
The woman faces him as Killian throws his sword, watching it fly towards her but disappear with her in a mist of black smoke.
tbc This entry was originally posted at http://obisgirl.dreamwidth.org/209959.html. Please comment there using OpenID.