Chapter Three

When the news of Killian losing his hand reached the king of Mesa, Liam locked himself in his throne room. He took no meals for the rest of the day, and wouldn't talk to anyone. It was nightfall before he said a word.

His servant, Fergus, came in, walking carefully towards him.

"You majesty, sitting here won't do you any good." Fergus said, gently.

"Thinking will." Liam grumbled.

"You need some rest, Sire."

"I need my brother to be okay, that's what I need."

It took a few days for the Misthaven guards to make it up the mountains to the kingdom of Mesa. Liam waited impatiently by the drawbridge, watching the carriage approach. When they reached him, Liam watched as they dragged his brother, and handed him over to the palace servants.

"He may need a hand getting inside." One of the Misthaven guards joked. The others sniggered.

Killian was passed out and unresponsive. Liam called for the palace physician, Galen, who was by Killian's side in seconds. Galen checked for a pulse, and checked Killian's breathing.

"He's alive, but we need to get him inside quickly." Galen announced.

Killian was put on a stretcher and carried away. Liam next turned to the guards to deal with them. They immediately looked intimidated by the king's stare, but Liam wasn't a cruel King. Not like their Queen.

"Thank you for delivering my brother. When you go back, make sure to tell your Queen that the gates of Emots Lake will be reopened." The guards nodded their heads showing that they understood. Of course sending the message to Emma about the lake was a bit redundant, as she would know before her men even reached her.

"Make sure that these men are fed before they head back." Liam ordered.

He heard the murmurs of "yes, Sire" as he rushed away, into the palace. Liam hurried through the corridors to Killian's room. He heard Killian's screams before he entered the room. Walking inside, he saw Killian thrashing around, fighting off the nurses.

Galen was looking through his remedies. Grabbing something, he rushed to Killian's side. He tried getting it down Killian's throat, but it was a struggle. The nurses had to hold him down, and it took a few tries before Killian swallowed it. Galen looked up and saw Liam. Liam walked over hastily, noting that Killian did seem to be calming down some.

"Opium." Galen explained. "He won't hold still enough for me to check his wounds."

Liam looked into Killian's face, the drugs starting to take over. Killian looked at him without recognition, and finally closed his eyes. His breathing got more even, and Galen looked over to inspect him some more.

"His arm looks like it was seen to. It is healing nicely." Galen spoke softly. "These dog bites look to be infected though. That's most likely what caused his fever."

Galen started treating the wounds, carefully while Liam watched on.

Killian had always hated being a prince. Ever since he could remember. He resented the high standards and the clothes. Oh how he hated the clothes. They were tight, and you could hardly move in them. Playing was made hard, because it was hard to move in his clothes, but also expected to keep them nice. He found himself slipping out of his coats as soon as he could get away, and losing them. His father was always after him about his coats and socks. But it made no difference, and more were always ordered.

It seemed Killian was always expected somewhere. His tutors worked him as much as possible, play dates were arranged so that he could spend time with boys his age. At an early age, Killian learned to hide from his servants, tutors, and even his brother, who was the perfect prince and was going to make a fine king someday. Killian spent his time wandering the castle, finding every secret passage, and spying on the court. Also climbing. Climbing the castle walls, and looking out over the vast mountains, down to Arendelle on one side, and Misthaven down the other side.

His father had tried to rein him in, but it proved to be pointless. All of his efforts were a bit halfhearted. Even though he got stern with Killian, he secretly loved his free spirit. He was like his mother.

Helen was a pirate before she married the King. They had fallen in love, and he had married her. It was a scandal, but the King hadn't cared. Helen had never wanted the crown. She wanted the King. She hated being Queen just as much as Killian hated being a prince. Because of her hatred for the crown, Helen asked if she could renounce her position. Instead of being a Queen, she became the Thief. It was a still a royal title, but it was one that she liked. She became a spy and thief for her country, instead of acting as Queen.

Because of this, Killian got along really well with his mother. He loved his brother and father as well, but his mother understood him like no one else did. She was the only one who could find him when needed. She was the only one who could get him to do anything. Whenever Killian was fed up with his tutors, he would sneak into his mother's chamber, and she would read with him. Killian loved reading.

She would tell him stories of her adventures on the seas, and tell him how much she missed it. They lived on a mountain, and it was so far from the coast. But some days, she would take Liam and Killian sailing on the lake.

Killian started stealing around the age of six. It was small things. Whenever some of his playmates would make fun of him, they would find something of theirs was missing the next day. Small treasures like favorite rocks or marbles. Killian overheard a lot of the gossip around the castle from his various hiding spots. If he ever heard the ladies of the court making fun of his mother, they would find they were missing a pair of earrings. Killian always gave these to his mother as a gift. She loved them. She never told his father about it.

The physicians tried and tried to contain Killian's fever, but it seemed like no progress was being made. Whenever he was awake, he was trashing and fighting. The fever was preventing him from recognizing anyone. Galen would have to keep dosing him with Opium to get Killian to relax enough to rest, and treat his infection.

Liam came to visit him as much as he could, mostly waiting in the next room. Feeling hopeless, he would pace around. He could hear Killian's screams, and the nurses struggling to hold him down enough to force him the drug. The sound tore him up inside. The more he listened, the angrier he got. At himself for allowing Killian to leave to Misthaven in the first place. Mostly angry at the Queen of Misthaven for doing this to him.

Galen came out, and saw Liam pacing around. "Your Highness. You are doing yourself no favors by staying. He wouldn't want you to listen to this."

"I've never heard his scream like this." Liam said softly, sinking into a nearby chair. "Emma is not going to get away with this."

"His fever hasn't broken yet, but it's not worse either. So there's a silver lining. Just hold out hope for him."

It took a few days, but the fever eventually broke. Liam walked into his brother's room, seeing him lying sick in his bed, but not fighting. Killian was awake, and when he saw Liam, he smiled just a little. Liam smiled back.

"I'm sorry." Killian murmured. "She knew I was there, where I was hiding. She knew how I was leaving. She stopped me with her magic."

"Killian, you don't need to apologize." Liam started.

"I didn't get the information you were looking for. I did see the ambassador from Regina's empire. He was seated next to her throne. But I don't know if she's treated with Regina or not." Killian explained.

"I don't care about any of that right now. I'm just glad you're safe." Liam said gently, sitting down next to Killian. Looking down at his stump, Liam's stomach dropped. His anger returned. "She's going to pay for what she did to you, Killian. I'll see to that."

"She was in her rights, Liam. Taking a thief's hand used to be the common punishment." Killian adverted his eyes from his arm, not bearing to look at it.

"You can't be serious, Killian. That hasn't been the case for over a hundred years. She's a barbarian. She did it to punish you, but she was also trying to punish me. She did it to prove a point." Liam said, furiously. "Besides, you aren't a common thief. You are part of the Royal family."

"We had no business spying on her."

"She has no business allying with Regina!" Liam jumped out of his chair, walking to the window. "If she invites Regina over here with open arms, Regina will annihilate not just Misthaven, but Mesa as well. And even Arendelle."

"She did seem really comfortable with the ambassador, but like I said. We have no proof that that is what she's doing." Killian argued. He sighed, and stared at the ceiling. "I don't really want to talk about her anymore."

"Of course not. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have upset you. You need your rest." Liam admitted.

After that, every time Liam visited he only talked about court gossip, or the weather. Killian noticed he seemed really stressed. He seemed to be working hard, and something definitely plagued his mind. But Killian didn't inquire about it.

The message that the thief's fate reached Misthaven a couple weeks after he had been delivered. The messenger bowed before Emma's throne, while he spoke.

"The thief has survived. He's still bed ridden, but they seem to be hopeful that he will make a fast recovery, even if he's permanently disabled."

Emma, her face impassive, dismissed him. He walked out of the throne room quickly, not knowing how the Queen would receive this news. Everyone stared at her quietly, but she didn't say a word, nor did she look at anyone. She just stared at the floor in front of her, evidently lost in thought.

Nathaniel leaned towards her carefully. "You seemed to be troubled, my dear Queen. Is something the matter?"

Emma gave him a falsely sweet smile, "I'm fine."

But she wasn't.