Emma Swan ran quickly across the courtyard of the fairies monastery toward the spot where the Jewel of the realm was docked. She had less than an hour before it left for its mission. Emma could feel the disapproving eyes of some of the fairies on her. Fairies didn't understand love, and they really didn't approve of her relationship with Liam Jones.
Emma had been left on the steps of the fairy monastery as an infant. They had decided to take her in after they discovered that she possessed powerful light magic. They had taught her how to use and control the magic within her. She was grateful for their lessons. Without them she wouldn't have know how to control her magic. Emma loved the fairies, but she quickly realized that she would never truly be one of them. Aside from Tinkerbell, none of the fairies seemed to remember that Emma was a human girl. She had been with them so long they often forgot she was not a fairy.
When she was 15 the royal navy had assigned the Jewel of the realm to patrol the waters near her village. They hadn't been at war then but the kingdom needed protectors. She had met Liam on the first day the jewel had docked in her village. He had been 21 when they met. At first he had believed that he was too old for her. He had just been promoted to commander and become the first officer of the Jewel. It was a fairly high ranking position for a man so young. Two years later, when the older captain retired, Liam has become the ships captain. He was one of the youngest captains in the navy. Emma had fallen in love with him within weeks of meeting him. It had taken him a little longer. Soon every time the Jewel made port in the village, they found themselves together. Eventually they could no longer hide their feelings, and they made their relationship official. Now at a respective 21 and 27 they were to be married as soon as Liam came back from one final mission for the king.
Liam was to take the Jewel to another realm using a magic bean. He and his crew would bring back a rare medicinal plant which possessed amazing healing powers. The king hoped it would reduce the number of soldiers he lost in the war. Liam thought if it saved a single man that it was worth it. Emma had been terrified ever since the war had started. The dark one was attacking everywhere and they needed support. She was glad Liam would finally be getting out of the Service. She knew it had once been his dream. He had made a deal with the king. If he finished this job, his commitment to the crown would end. After Liam brought back the herb, he would leave the navy and settle down with his soon to be wife. She would miss him terribly until he came back.
"Hello milady." She heard the familiar voice of Liam's brother Killian say as she approached the edge of the ship.
"I hear congratulations are in order commander." She said. There had always been friction between her and the younger Jones brother. They didn't always see eye to eye on much. They both loved Liam, so they tried their best to get along. Killian was only two years older then Emma and he had recently been named the new first officer.
"Thank you." He paused. "It will be an honor to serve as my brothers first officer. Even if it is only for this one mission." He stood completely straight backed as Emma stepped aboard. He sounded a little bitter. Emma knew he didn't want Liam to leave. The two brothers had been extremely close ever since their mother had died and their father had left them.
"I'm sorry to take him from you." She started.
"Then don't. Plenty of navy men have families. He can serve our king and be married to you." Killian argued his handsome face showing irritation. Emma had often thought that while Liam was the more traditionally handsome brother, but Killian was beyond gorgeous there was no denying that. Where ever he went women noticed him. He was handsome in a kind of sexy and unexpected way. He had dark hair and blue eyes. A faint scar ran down his cheek, but it actually made him more attractive. He wasn't Emma's type but she could see why women found him so attractive.
"It's his choice Killian." She finished, just before they were interrupted.
"Hello my darling." Liam ran to Emma and kissed her square on the mouth. They had never cared too much about being proper. She watched as Killian turned his eyes from them as if he didn't want to see their embrace. Emma had never really understood why Killian didn't seem to like her. She was certain he wasn't going to magically start once they were married. She couldn't remember exactly what had started the feud.
"I just wanted to wish you off." She explained. Her blonde hair was blowing in the wind. Liam tucked a strand behind her ear. "take care of my Captain."
"As long as you take care of my fiancé." Liam nuzzled into her hair making a brief contact with her neck. "I love you Emma."
"and I love you." She smiled back.
"We should be back in just a few weeks lass." He promised. "then you and I will be married."
"I can't wait." Emma said.
"We need to be heading out brother." Killian finally said. "The wind is on our side at the moment."
"okay." He said walking Emma to the dock and helping her off the boat. "Goodbye darling Emma. I will see you very soon my love."
"Goodbye." She said watching the men prepare the ship. She stood for a long time watching as the pride of the Kings navy left port and drifted off into the horizon. She didn't know then that it was the very last time she would ever see Liam Jones.
-/-
Killian remembered standing on the deck like a straight backed idiot the next morning as they followed the directions to get to the realm of Neverland. No one knew his darkest secret and no one ever would. He had loved Emma Swan from the very moment he had laid eyes on her. He had been a mere deck hand in those days. The first time his brother introduced her he had nearly fallen over from the sight of her beauty. Of course, Liam met her first. That was the mantra he had always tried to tell himself as he touched himself in the dark of his cabin while he thought of her. She was the most beautiful woman in all the realms. Killian was fairly certain of that. He was pretty sure she thought that he hated her. He hadn't done much to endear himself to her. Being around her and Liam was painful. He had tried forgetting about her by hooking up with the occasional tavern wench or even dancing with attractive women at the naval balls. Nothing seemed to pull Emma from his mind. It always went back to her.
"Alright there brother?" Liam asked.
"I'm fine." He paused. He instantly felt guilty for his train of thought. "I was just in my own head a bit thinking of how much I'm going to miss you once this mission ends."
"You will make a fine captain Killian Jones. Emma and I will be there for you if ever you need us." Liam smiled.
"I would never question you being there for me Liam, but I'm not sure Emma likes me enough for that" He explained.
"you maybe right, but we are Emma's family now. She has never had one. It means a lot to her, maybe she will surprise you." Liam promised.
"You are so ridiculously besotted with that woman. I am very happy for you brother." Killian promised.
"I hope someday you find a woman you love half as much as I love her." Liam added
"I don't know. You know I'm not really the romantic type." He lied. He was pretty certain he wouldn't find another Emma Swan.
"We are almost to the spot where we must use the bean." One of the officers explained Killian and Liam looked at each other.
"You ready brother!" Liam asked.
"As I'll ever be." Killian added. His mind flashed to Emma's beautiful face one last time as they readied the ship.
-/-
For nearly two months Emma heard nothing but rumors. She was completely lost. She knew the Jewel should have made it back long before now. By the 11th week she knew that her life would never be the same again. She had heard rumors of pirate ship that looked like the Jewel raiding the Kings ships at the edges of the kingdom. She couldn't believe that Liam would ever turn pirate, so she feared the ship had been over taken. She sat in the monastery in solitude wishing she could just find out what had happened. She had tried a locater spell for Liam. It had come back empty which wasn't a good sign. There was a faint knock on her door. The blue fairy, who was the most motherly figure among the fairies entered the room. She held a letter in her hand. She handed it to Emma a hint of pain in her eyes. Sometimes fairies knew things they didn't let on. This felt like one of those times.
"This just came for you child." She explained. "I wanted to bring it to you immediately. I will leave you alone to read it, but I will be just outside if you need me. " She sobbed when she saw unfamiliar handwriting. It was not Liam's hand.
Dearest Emma,
I am writing to tell you of the events that have transpired since our last meeting. I regret to inform you that my dear brother Liam was killed on our mission to Neverland. I know that this news is the hardest thing that you will ever hear. Upon arriving in Neverland our ship was boarded by a strange child like magician calling himself Peter Pan. Pan told us that our mission was a lie. That we had not been sent for a medicine at all but instead for a lethal poison, one that could be used to wipe out entire armies.
Of course Liam refused to believe that the king would ever betray us in such a way. He was so confident in the king that he ate the herb, despite Pan's warning. Nothing happened at first. With renewed faith in our monarch we loaded the ship full of the plant and headed back to our own realm. The moment we crossed. Liam took ill. He died within moments. I held him in my arms through the process. It wasn't until then that we realized that Pan had been telling us the truth. The herb is a lethal poison. It has taken our Liam from us.
I also realized that I will not serve a king that would betray us in such a terrible fashion. Nor one that would kill an enemy with poison instead of swords.. My men agreed. We have decided to turn the Jewel into a pirate ship known as the Jolly Roger and fight the king in revenge for the death of our Captain.
The last words he said to me as he lay dying in my arms were that I was to take care of you and to tell you that he would always love you. I am sorry for the lateness of this letter, I have begun it many times, but I did not have the right words until now.
Yours ever
Captain Killian Jones
Emma stumbled a little as the tears she had been trying to hold in raked through her now. She cried so loudly that Blue came back into the room and held her. She cried for so long that she simply could not produce any more tears. All the candles blew out as Emma grew even more distraught. She had to stop so that she could regain control of her magic.
"Its okay my girl." Blue said still holding her. Emma had allowed her to read the letter. "I'm am sorry for the loss of your Captain. I know that he loved you deeply."
"You don't even understand love. Fairies don't fall in love. I will never love another. My heart is dead. Do not pretend to understand that!" she snapped she instantly realized that it was wrong. Blue looked very hurt. "I'm sorry."
"Its okay child. I wish I could understand." Her expression softened again. "Love is the purest magic in the world. It is sad when that magic is snuffed out." Emma concentrated, the candles flickered back to life.
"How do I go on?" She asked Blue only gave a sad smile.
"There is something that I need to tell you." She explained. " Something I believe that you are finally ready to see." They walked into the cloister of the monastery. It was one of the few places that Emma was generally not allowed to go. She looked confused.
"You never let me enter the cloister." Blue grinned at Emma's words.
"Today is a special day." She answered. Emma was still full of grief over the loss of Liam. She didn't need the fairy to be so cryptic. "I have something to show you." As soon as they entered the cloister, Blue went to one of the shelves containing the books that Emma knew held prophecies and legends. She pulled out one of them. It didn't look quite as dusty as the others.
"What's this?" She asked Blue her mind spinning.
"Have you heard of the land of Misthaven." Blue asked her.
"Yes. It's to the north of here. The current King and Queen were plagued by an Evil sorceress claiming the throne. I believe she was the Queens stepmother or something like that the villagers often talk about it." Emma explained.
"Have you ever heard the tale of the lost princess." Blue asked. Emma laughed.
"The dark sorcerer Rumplestitskin took the crown princess, as debt for supposedly helping in the defeat of the queen. They were powerless to stop him. However the baby never made it his castle. Along the way a band of Guardsmen managed to get her back from Rumplestitskin. He hunted them down and killed all of them, but not before they safely hid the princess somewhere. Until the day she would return to rule Misthaven. It's practically a bedtime story."
"except that it happened." Blue promised. Emma looked at the book now. Her heart raced as she read the pages.
"Wait…" She trailed off. She had read about a birthmark the princess had on inside of her thigh, small and crescent shaped. She had the birthmark.
"I never told you because the time wasn't right. All the pieces are falling together now. You have every right to be angry with me. I have known exactly who you were from the first time I saw you. You needed someone to teach and protect you. That is what we have done." She looked with pleading eyes. "The prophecy states you must not begin your journey to return to Misthaven and defeat Rumplstitskin until your 21st year."
"I am not the princess of Misthaven." She concluded. "and I am definitely not powerful enough to beat Rumplestitskin."
"You are indeed Emma." Blue promised. "and it is finally time for you to return home."
"Liam Jones was my home." She explained. " I have none now."
"Maybe you will have one again someday ." the Blue fairy tried. "you won't know unless you try."
"I suppose I have nothing left to loose." Emma said dejectedly. " what do I need to do."
"Follow the prophecy left for you by the wizard Merlin." She explained. "based on the letter it makes perfect sense now. She handed Emma the book page. Emma was still angry at Blue for keeping the secret, but right now she was to tired to let it out.
"Find the friendly pirate." She looked confused. "He will be your guide to the land of Misthaven."
"See Emma, Merlin's prophecies are rarely wrong." Blue said. " You need to locate Killian Jones he will be your guide."
"He has never really liked me. He tolerated me for Liam's sake." Emma explained. "What makes you so certain he will help."
"Merlin saws he will that is enough for me." She smiled. "I can find you passage to the edge, where the Jolly Roger does its work, you are on your own from there."
"I have nothing left to loose. Maybe this will be a fresh start." Emma said. She stepped from the room. Prepared to pack her few belongings. She still did not believe. But she needed a new start. This was her chance. Once she was gone, Tinkerbell appeared in front of Blue.
"You failed to tell her the part about true love." She said. Blue stared after Emma.
"if I had told her that Merlin predicted that the pirate would be her true love she never would have agreed to go. She is the only one who can defeat the dark one, they need to be together in Misthaven for that. She isn't ready yet, but she will soon understand."
"I hope you are right." Tink smiled. "otherwise we have lost her forever,"
"have faith. Emma is the savior after all." Blue promised. Tink simply smiled.
"Yes but this could have happened many other ways. Prophecies are fluid." She argued.
"Every prophecy ends with Emma and her true love defeating the dark one. And in every version, her true love is Killian Jones." Blue explained. Tink looked through the books surprised that Blue was right.
"I think this will be a very interesting ride." Tink said.
"Yes you may be right about that." Blue added with a chuckle.