Author's Note: Wait, I'm uploading Chapter 4? Didn't I just upload Chapter 1 not that long ago? Time is weird... Anyway! Wow, this has gone by fast. This the last full chapter, and then we've got the epilogue next week, and then we're done... (Now I made me sad. Good going, me. :p) This chapter comes to you in two parts; I hope you like it!
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David entered the solar to find Snow at the writing desk, scribbling on a sheet of parchment and humming to herself. He walked up behind her and kissed the top of her head tenderly.
"That's a rather smug smile you've got. Do I want to know what you're up to?"
"I'm just writing to Red, David. You don't need to make it sound like I'm scheming."
"May I ask what you're writing to Red about that's got you so cheerful, then?"
"I'm writing to her about our daughter." David looked confused.
"What's Emma done?"
"Thank you for asking, though I was going to tell you anyway. She rode out about a half hour ago to go after Killian to tell him that she didn't accept Neal's proposal." Snow replied calmly, dipping her quill into the ink and starting a new sentence. David's jaw dropped.
"Neal's proposal of what?" He asked quietly.
"Marriage, of course. I wouldn't have said "proposal" if he had asked her on a picnic, would I have?" Snow signed her name with a flourish, rolled the parchment up, and rose to walk over to the balcony.
"Neal asked Emma to marry him?"
"Yes, dear. I said that already, try to keep up." She whistled and a bird flew up from the garden to perch on the railing. She tied the letter to its leg, told it its destination, and watched as it flew off. David was still standing by the desk, a look of disbelief on his face.
"David, what's the matter?"
"He asked her to marry him."
"Yes, he did."
"She turned him down?"
"Yes. I heard he's on his way back to his father's palace right now. He left not long after Emma."
"He didn't ask my permission." Snow chuckled and walked over to take his hands.
"Then it's a good thing she didn't accept then, isn't it? Otherwise you never would have stopped giving him grief for it."
"I still could, if he didn't leave that long ago. I could catch up to him."
"David…" Snow's voice took on a warning tone, and David had the grace to look sheepish.
"Fine. But that doesn't mean I won't have a serious conversation with him next time he's here." He said, trying and failing to cover the sheepish expression with something sterner. "Did Killian ride back to the Rodger, then?."
"Yes."
"Emma won't be back until late then, I suppose." Snow hummed in agreement.
"I don't expect she'll be back until early afternoon tomorrow, but she'll be fine. I'm more curious to see if Killian will be returning with her, to be honest."
"He'd better. We were going to work on that map with Ariel tomorrow. I told you about that, didn't I? We decided we should…" Snow sat back down in her favorite chair and nodded as her husband described the map of the realms that he, Killian, and Ariel would be putting together. This was going to take a while, but if it took his mind off of their daughter's love life…
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Emma whistled, and a bluebird flew out of the woods and perched on the railing in front of her. She hadn't had to send many messages this way yet, so she was still getting used to the oddity of it. She awkwardly tied the letter to the bird's leg, then petted its head.
"Take this to Red, at Granny Lucas' cottage, okay?" It chirped and flew off toward the forest. She heard footsteps behind her and felt Killian's arm slip around her waist.
"I still think we should've sent word after we were already out to sea. Who knows what your father will do when he finds out his daughter's run off with a pirate. He'll probably assemble the navies of all the kingdoms he can alert on short notice to run us down." He had laughter in his voice, and Emma turned to him with a smile.
"I think Mom would be able to curb his murderous appetite. Besides, I changed my mind and sent the letter to Red; I asked her to send a note to my parents tomorrow evening. She's better at not spilling the beans than my mother." He smirked at her.
"Aren't you a devious princess? Are you sure you don't want to run away and be a pirate permanently?"
"Positive, Killian. So, do you have our shopping list figured out?"
"I do indeed. We'll stock up tonight before the market closes, then sail first thing in the morning. I've got the first mate's cabin tidied up for you. We just need to air out the linens a bit and you'll be cozy as can be." Emma felt a bubble of excitement behind her sternum.
"And have you decided where you're going to whisk me off to, Captain?"
"Well I thought I would leave that up to you, love" he murmured as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "There are many places I'd love to show you, but your travel desires take priority."
A warm sea breeze blew her hair out again as she pulled his head down and gave him a gentle kiss. She felt his lips pull into the lopsided smirk she loved so well as he turned his head and deepened the kiss, sliding his fingers into her hair and making her toes curl and stomach clench. She pulled away when she decided she needed to breathe again and leaned her forehead against his.
"Emma…" he breathed against her lips. She gave him another chaste kiss and pulled away enough to look into his eyes.
"Show me the horizon."