Chapter 2

Thank you all so much for the response from the last chapter. Thank you all the people who followed, favourited and reviewed it. Ok here's the next chapter.

8 years later

Over the past 8 years I came to love the sea, specifically sailing. When you're sailing you're free. When the ship glides through the waves, parting the waves like they have no meaning, it feels like flying. It's peaceful.

The sea used to just be a place of abandonment, loss and grief. The sea was where our father left us. Two alone, scared, little, children. I didn't even remember his face and yet I could still feel the betrayal. Whenever I saw a ship. Whenever I rushed through the docks like we did that day. That lingering feeling in the pit of my stomach. Gnawing at me from the inside, but I never let it out. Neither did Killian, I knew he felt it too but he hid it better.

The sea was my home. Abandonment had turned into acceptance, loss into love and grief into joy. The crew was my family and my friends. Along the way or possibly even from the beginning Liam had become a father to Killian and me - better than our real one. We travelled around the realm. From kingdom to kingdom. Each one with a different culture or trade to the last. It was everything we could have wished for.

And then it was ripped away.

I was greatly misguided about this place. When we first arrived it seemed new, unexplored and full of opportunities. Now it just looks eerie and depressing.

No one else sees it. Probably because they've only seen as far as the local tavern. They only see the peaceful, pirate-welcoming port. I am not blinded by the ale – mainly because neither Killian, Liam nor any of the crew would let me go near a drop. I see through the façade into the poor, war-torn kingdom.

"I want to leave this place." I voiced my worries to my brother and Liam in the safety of the captain's quarters. They're the only ones I trusted enough to tell. I loved the crew and all, but what were they going to do? "Something is not right here."

The looks that the two men gave me were polar opposites. Liam looked at me with worry, if I'm feeling sad he would sail the seven seas to put a smile on my face. On the other hand, Killian had a look of apathy on his face. I know he cared for me but knowing him, he probably wanted to stay and enjoy the benefits that 20-year-old life had to offer.

"I wish we could leave now, Avery, but our business is not finished yet and half our crew are taking residence at port." Liam walked forward to put a reassuring hand on my shoulder and I reluctantly smiled.
"What makes you so frightful, love?" Suddenly that beggar's face flashed before my eyes.

"There was a man in town. He was begging for money, for anything. I felt sorry for him so I gave him a coin or two and he grabbed my hand." I saw the instant change in my brother. Apathy turned straight to concern.
"Did he hurt you?" I hesitated to reply. "Aves, look at me. Did. He. Hurt. You?"
"I don't know, sort of. His grip was strong that's all. But… he knew. I burnt him because he scared me and he knew. He knew who I was. He knew what I was." I raised my hands to show my meaning.

"What do you me-" Killian's question was interrupted when one of the crew barged in. "Captain. A group of men are requesting permission to board. They look like soldiers." We all rushed up to the deck. When we arrived there was a group of soldiers and a single, hooded figure. There was a twitch of recognition when I saw the latter, it was him. It was the beggar. "I don't remember giving you permission to board, gents."

"Considering you're pirates and we have the Dark One on our side, I think we have full authority to board your ship." Upon hearing the man – who was obviously the leader – uttering the words Dark One, I shuffled closer to Liam and Killian (a nervous habit of mine).
"Whoever told you that we're pirates has clearly misinformed you." Liam lied confidently, a skill I admired and have always wished to have. He was always the one who talked. Killian was too cocky and I was too timid. He was our captain and he deserved it.
"Fortunately for you that's not why we're here." A familiar, croaky voice spoke up from underneath their cloak. I heard tales of the Dark One, how simply his voice can make people quiver with fear and I never believed those tales. Not until now.

"You see the Dark One here, needs an apprentice. He has a lot of work to do and he can't be expected to do it all on his own. This apprentice just so happens to be her." The leader pointed a long, calloused finger at me and both Liam and Killian stepped in his way.
"Well I'm afraid we'll have to disappoint." Killian was being cocky. Dangerously cocky.
"Are you sure? People who disappoint the Dark One usually end up dead." I saw a sadistic smile appear on the Dark One's face. It was then I realized: I had to do this. I won't allow them to sacrifice their lives for me.

I stepped around my two defenders and walked toward the soldiers. "I will go with you." Liam and Killian both protested but I blocked it out.
"Wonderful." The Dark One announced gleefully. "Alas, we cannot have the rest of you coming after us." One of the men tugged me towards him, immobilizing me and in the rush I saw the Dark One swoop forward. Then there was an awful ripping sound.

I managed to loosen the man's grip enough to turn towards the action. I instantly regretted doing so. The Dark One was holding something in his hand. A glowing, pulsing, red …heart. Liam's heart. Everyone was frozen in shock and fear. And then the Dark One started to squeeze. Two soldiers had to hold me back and the same could be said for Killian. Two crew members were struggling to keep him from the same fate. I looked back to Liam whose face was constricted in pain. The heart soon turned to ash and Liam crumbled to the ground.

"Anybody who dares to come and rescue her" he said mockingly "shall follow him to… Oh what do you sailors call it?" Yet another cruel smile broke out on the Dark One's face. "The Locker." And with that the ship and everyone on it disappeared. Or maybe we did. I wasn't fully able to comprehend anything at that moment. Nevertheless, I never got to say goodbye. Not to Liam. Not to Killian. Not to the crew. And not to the Jolly Roger, the ship that I came to call home.

The wave of grief and despair hit me and forced me to crumble to my knees. But I wouldn't let them see me cry. "Oi! Servant girl." I barely heard one of the men shouting. "Take her to one of the bedrooms and organise for some proper dresses, get her out of these rags." In hindsight it's funny how that's what made me snap. I turned around to scold the men noticing that the Dark One was nowhere to be seen.
"I'll have you know that these "rags" cost me a lot of coins." The men simply scoffed at me.
"Then it was a waste. Go to your room, the Dark One will see you tomorrow."

The servant guided me to a room far away from the main hall in which I first arrived. When I entered, the first word that came to mind was barren. Even my room on the ship was better than this.
"Another servant will be by in the morning to serve you breakfast and help you get dressed. Is there anything you need miss?" I shook my head absent-mindedly. After a few heartbeats I heard the door shut.

I shuffled towards the small bed and crawled under the itchy covers. That was the first night since Liam found us that I cried myself to sleep.

I'm so sorry. I had to.

On a lighter note the next chapter will involve Storybrooke and Avery's curse personality.

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