A/N: Hi all! So welcome to my first Once Upon A Time FF. As always with my stories there is some mature content within; in the form of violence, sex and language (I'm being a responsible adult and warning you all...mainly so as I can't be blamed for corrupting people).
I started having an idea of bringing Camelot into the OUaT-verse quite early on and then with how they ended Season 4 (so evil you writers for us CaptainSwan shippers!) I decided that it was a must for me to write this. Also I'm a huge fan of BBC's Merlin and so used some things from that as inspiration for some of my original characters, etcetera.
If you've read any of my stories before you may know I do like to use music as inspiration on some occasions. If there's music used in a chapter I'll mention it in the author's note at the beginning of that chapter. I have made a youtube playlist for the entire story, which can be viewed here (remove spaces and put bit. in front of ly): ly/1NL9vOc
For this chapter there are two songs: Get Busy by Sean Paul and Get Low by Dillon Francis and DJ Snake.
I hope you enjoy my story and please review!
~Anna-Margaret
xx
Chapter I
"What do we do now?" asks Mary Margaret, her gaze frozen on where her daughter had disappeared.
"We'll get her back. I promise," David says as he kisses her forehead. "We'll do what Emma told us to: find the sorcerer."
"But how are we meant to accomplish such a feat?" questions Robin as he holds Regina as close as possible to him; the fear of having almost lost his love after just getting her back remaining, keeping a cold grasp on his heart.
"I might have an idea for that. The apprentice said the sorcerer was called Merlin, and I have an acquaintance who knew a man by such a name," explains Killian, his blue eyes staring bleakly down at the object in his hands: the Dark One's dagger that now bore his love's name.
"Then let's find this person. Now," demands Mary Margaret.
Before the quintet can move from where they still stand in the road a noise drifts through the air around them. They turn almost as one to look behind them as the clamour gets louder and music blares from a sleek black Dodge Viper that's engine growls beneath the volume of the stereo. The door of Granny's opens as Mal, Henry and Lily all look out wondering what the racket is. As the headlights catch on the quintet - who remain stood in confusion staring at the approaching car - the driver slams on the brakes.
"Who is that? I don't recognise the car," comments Regina over the sound that is thundering out of the car and sending vibrations through the tarmac in the road it's that powerful.
The driver's door opens and a pair of feet clad in six-inch black pumps - with silver spikes embedded in the stiletto heels - step out on to the tarmac. The woman eases out of the low car with a delighted smirk on her painted lips, leaving both engine and music still running. She sways her hips as she walks around the front of her car towards the group. The lights behind her backlight the woman as she approaches Killian (whose eyes widen when he recognises the vivid green eyes beneath the heavy eye make-up) dancing to the beat of the music, her hips moving sensually to the dance-hall reggae track.
"Killian," she smiles sweetly up at him as she reaches out and pulls him closer by his necklace.
She goes on to her tiptoes and presses her lips to the captain's stunned ones. His shock allows her to slip his mouth open and to caress his tongue with hers in a well-practised move. She suddenly freezes at the same time Killian gently pulls away from her.
"Sorry, love, I'm taken now."
"You went and found love. Feels delicious," she smirks as she lays her hand upon his chest, feeling the beating of his heart and the love flowing throughout it.
"I speak of the lady and she appears," grins Killian before granting her a courtly bow that makes her giggle softly.
"You said the person was an acquaintance of yours. Some acquaintance if that's how you greet her. Emma's not even been gone five minutes! I knew we should never have trusted you," spits David furiously.
"Oi, Prince Charming! Get over yourself. Do Killian and I share a past? Yes. Was it more than friendship? Yes. We had several dalliances passed such things, but it was mere lust. What's filling his heart is love and that trumps anything and everything the two of us ever had. Not that any of my past or Captain Jones' is any business of yours!" the woman retorts glaring furiously at David, her green eyes glinting in the headlights. "Oh, I love this song!" she suddenly says excitedly as the change in music track registers with her and she starts to dance in the space between the group and her car.
Regina raises an eyebrow at the woman's behaviour as she starts to writhe like a snake, bending her body with the electronic beat and slowly snaking down to the floor and back up again. The ruched bodice of her halter-neck dress shows off her curves as she dances, whilst the silk skirt with sheer handkerchief-style panels gives her more fluidity with her moves. Her thin pale fingers pull loose the decorative clip holding her hair up in a high ponytail so that a cascade of luscious scarlet red curls tumble down, caressing the black leather of the short jacket she also wears.
The young woman freezes with her head tilted downwards and her hips slanted when the steady increasing pace of the music suddenly stops. The beat drops after the singer says "Get, get, get, get low when the whistle blow." When the beat intensifies she whips her hair out of her face, swaying her hips until she's low on the ground. With the beat and lyrics she dances back up, gyrating her hips seductively. A brilliant grin spreads across her bright red lips as she gets into the flow of the music and lets her body feel and move to the beat of the song, bending in multiple directions and gaining the attention of several more people who exit Granny's drawn by the music and natural curiosity.
"Is she some kind of siren?" asks Mary Margaret after glancing around at all the people staring at the young woman dancing seductively before them.
"She's closer to a nymph than a siren," chuckles Maleficent.
The comment makes the young woman stop dancing and whirl to see her friend. She runs to the dragon-witch and kisses her on the cheek. The same sly smile glitters in both their eyes as they embrace.
"I almost didn't recognise you in the pantsuit. Oddly suits you. But other matters first," she says cheerily.
Maleficent's features turn proud when the woman turns her attention to Lily and the emerald eyes widen in disbelief.
"She's not. You found your daughter? Oh, I'm so happy for you Mal!"
"I did. Lily I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine, Freya."
"Easy with the old," jokes Freya. "And Regina!" she laughs rushing towards the brown-eyed queen, hugging and rocking from side-to-side with her friend before she suddenly pulls away and glances at the man beside her in amazement. "You found love too. Oh, this is a happy day!"
"Freya, lass, I hate to break-up a happy reunion but we desperately need your assistance," frowns Killian, his worry once again blazing in his eyes.
"Sure, but first we drink. Gotta toast to you letting yourself love again Killian. Same for you Regina," she smiles widely. "Now where can I get some more alcohol?" she asks as she swirls a single hand and Hook's rum flask appears in her hand out of a puff of bright blue smoke.
"Granny's serves alcohol," assures Regina as she gestures to the cosy diner nearby.
"And what about Emma?" cries Mary Margaret, a little distraught.
"What about my Mom?" asks Henry suddenly.
"Let's go inside and we can discuss it. All of it," reasons Regina.
"Can I get a bottle of whiskey?" smiles Freya cheerfully at the old woman behind the counter after parking her car.
"You want the whole bottle?" Granny asks in disbelief.
"Yup."
"Want a glass with that?" snarks the old woman with a glare at the stranger.
"Why not? I can pretend to be somewhat civilised when it's called for," replies Freya before turning and rolling her eyes at Mal and Lily sitting beside her at the counter.
Behind them the townspeople are swarming the Charmings' booth as the couple explain what happened to Emma. Freya ignores them and merely fills her tumbler with whiskey as if it were a soft drink. Killian excuses himself from the booth and sits at the redhead's left side to plead for her help with Emma. Freya lifts her full glass in toast to him and downs it in one before filling the glass up again as if Killian had never spoken.
Killian reaches out and wraps his hand and hook around her upper arms, swinging her round to face him. His jaw clenches in anger as he glares at her. Regina jumps up from her seat beside Henry and steps toward the two. She, at the same time as Maleficent, raises her hands with the intent to use magic to prevent Killian from hurting Freya. The young woman however continues to ignore everyone; including the sudden silence in the now tense atmosphere and the three-way standoff. She casually flicks her hands without moving her captive arms and uses magic to prevent the bottle of whiskey and full glass toppling over.
"Regina, Mal, back down. It's fine. Now, Killian, show me," she says intently.
The others in the diner, excepting Regina and Maleficent, frown in confusion at her words. Killian gives a sigh of relief and releases his hold on the redhead. He holds his hand and hook out to her; his gaze focuses on her's as she touches him and shuts her eyes. A light and gentle breeze suddenly starts up and swirls around the two. Several of the dwarves flinch back when her lids open again.
"Are her eyes meant to look like that?" Henry asks his Mom.
Regina looks down at Henry - who has moved to stand next to her - and smiles reassuringly. She looks back at the redhead and pirate and thinks back to her own shock the first time she saw this power of Freya's. It was disconcerting to see her eyes turn a rich deep azure, filling not only the iris but also the pupil and white of each eye.
"It's one of her abilities. Freya can walk a person's memories or hold silent conversations with them when she is in such a state. Her eyes change colour as a result and if you look close enough they look like lapis lazuli. It's a handy power for when you need to communicate something in a place you don't want to be overheard, or for getting a lot of information quickly. At the same time though she loses all five of her senses."
Freya abruptly gasps and pulls away from the pirate. Her eyes immediately return to their normal jade green but now shimmer with unshed tears. Killian frowns down at her and the emotion welling in her eyes.
"What was that I just saw? Freya, that wasn't your Lake. I know your lake."
Before Killian can gain an answer from her the bell on the door rings and two tall handsome men walk in, both staring awestruck by Freya's presence. Prince Phillip is the first to approach and goes down on one knee and bows to her at her feet. Not a moment after Freya utters the word 'arise' Phillip is on his feet and crushes her against his chest. Killian takes this moment to silently melt away into the crowd and comes to stand with Maleficent and Lily (who had also moved away upon Maleficent seeing and recognising the two men); the former giving Killian a smirk full of knowledge on his current behaviour.
"I'm so glad you came, my Lady," greets Phillip fervently.
Both Charmings are immediately on their feet staring in shock at the interaction. They had thought for sure that with her obvious friendship to Maleficent and Regina, as well as her knowing Hook, that she was not on their side. It worried them as she was currently the only plan to try and find a way to save their daughter, and get her back. Again. But with Prince Phillip's treatment of the woman their theory had to be thrown out the window.
"You know her?" asks David.
"Yes, she aided Mulan and I a few months before Regina enacted the first curse. And my family have known her for all my life," smiles the young prince.
"I told Navarre to find you once I got passed the town line and then go hunt."
"I think he did just that. I would have been here sooner but I thought you might like to see…" at this Phillip trails off as the other man steps forward and nods to Freya in greeting.
Freya stands and gives a low curtsy to the blonde. "Sire, I am glad to see you safe and well."
"You know her too, Arthur?" Mary Margaret asks, stunned.
"I do Snow, for she was once considered one of my subjects in Camelot until she came of age," smiles the young king.
"In regards to any assistance I would be willing to give you Phillip," says Freya as she rummages in her pockets for a bracelet that she charms, before enchanting Phillip's ring. "There, so long as you and Aurora wear these you'll be safe from all magic, both dark and light."
"I would also respectfully ask for another item since Aurora and I have been blessed with a child. A son," Phillip tells her proudly.
The news makes Freya light up with joy and hug the prince again. "Oh I'm so happy for you both. I hope to meet the little one soon. For now take this; it's already imbued with magic so he'll be protected. And the chain was made with magic and so he cannot choke or harm himself in any way with it," she explains as she unclasps the shorter of the two chains around her neck. "Now go on back to your wife and son, and send them both my love and regards."
"Thank you," he bows once again and turns to leave, before pausing and glancing back hesitantly.
"I know the other thing you are attempting to gain courage to seek from me. Provided there is a suitable water source I'll happily perform his Water Ceremony at dawn's first light."
"Neve and I are also going to have a child," announces Arthur after Phillip's many thanks. "We would like it greatly if you would consent to being the child's godmother."
Freya flinches at the request. "You know very well Arthur that the goddess does not support the idea of asking for a child's godparents. They are chosen by the hands of Fate alone and such a thing should not be meddled with by mere mortals. What you ask of me is too much. I accepted Camelot being a place of shared belief for many concepts, but as I said to you then I say to you now: I will not turn my back on the goddess and my belief in her. And if you love your queen, don't let her seek me out."
"I ask a simple request and you threaten Guinevere's life?! What's happened to you?" shouts Arthur.
"I don't threaten her life. It is for her own sake and the child's. Neve should not have to bear that which I do. Not at such a time," she murmurs before dismissing him and returning to the task of drinking and refilling her glass of whiskey.
"Good night to you then," he snaps and turns to storm from the diner before remembering his courtly manners and smiling goodbye to the others first.
"What side are you on?" questions David.
"Side?" replies Freya with a small smile. "The side with whiskey!"
"We're serious. If you're to help our daughter, we need to know we can trust you," adds Mary Margaret, her arm clasped with her husband's.
"You can trust her," replies Regina outraged at her friend being questioned in such a way.
"It's fine Regina," she sighs before spinning round to face the Charmings, as she takes another gulp of whiskey. "Look, for me there are no sides. I'm considered a balancer. I help wherever I can and wherever I am needed. Whether the person who requires me is considered good or bad, a hero or a villain, it matters not. My purpose is only to give aid."
"You'll help us with Emma then?" asks Killian, moving back to nearer Freya.
"Where did you disappear to?"
"I thought it best Arthur didn't see me with you. You know how prickly he and those knights of his always were about me."
"How gallant of you. Thank you. Truly. It meant I could fight with him on my own behalf and not yours. In regards to Emma I'll help you find Merlin, but I can't do anything right now. It needs to be at moonrise. Until then I'm going to drink and have fun. Please tell me there are some available men in this town?"
"That pendant you gave Prince Phillip I've seen it before, though it wasn't around your neck," Maleficent suddenly states. "I just realised that it was Galahad's."
The name makes Freya flinch and tears prick her green eyes yet again.
"Water sources, Killian?" she asks, her voice breaking.
"There's a harbour and a duck pond to the north-east."
And with that she vanishes along with the half-empty bottle of whiskey sitting on the counter.