"Why does the witch want us, do you think?" Finn asked.
"I don't know. She certainly hasn't shown her face." Meriel leaned sullenly against the wall of the pit. "It's cold down here, even with the blankets Aibelle brought us."
"That's because we're in a hole in the ground," Finn grumbled. "And I'm tired of bread and cheese."
"We should be glad we're being cared for," Meriel said. "I get the feeling Aibelle is doing this without the witch knowing."
"She said the witch wanted us alive," Finn reminded her. "She must be after Mama or Papa."
"Or Grandma and Grandpa. Or Henry. Or Aunt Regina. Or Grandpa Rumple." Meriel ticked the list off on her fingers. "Any one of them would come after us."
"Have you tried your magic again?" Finn asked hopefully.
Meriel let out a heavy sigh and slid down the wall to sit next to her brother. "A thousand times, Finn. It's not there. Maybe it'll never be there."
"Aunt Regina says it takes time." He reached over and grabbed the last of the loaf of bread Aibelle had brought them that morning. "Here," he said. "You can have it."
Meriel shook her head. "No, you." She raised her head looking up to the top of the pit. "It won't be long now, Finn."
"I hope you're right."
Her fingers reached up, closing around her talisman pendant.
"I am."
###
"The Camelot banshee - she got a voice from one of your fairies. What can you tell us about her?" Emma asked, stopping Blue as she flew to meet them in the main hall.
Blue raised her brows. "You mean Aibelle?"
"That's her name?"
"Yes," Blue said, dropping her eyes and taking a breath before answering. "Aibelle was my godchild - her parents had done many wonderful things for the kingdom, but sadly, they were lost at sea when she was a young girl. I'd gifted her at birth with a voice so singularly beautiful, people would come from hundreds of miles away just to hear it, so Arthur invited her to live at the castle."
"How did she end up a banshee?"
"She traded her gift to save her true love, a knight by the name of Gawain. I believe you knew him?"
"Gawain!" Emma's eyes shifted to Killian's, then back again. "I met him when we came through Camelot, after I first got here. Henry said he was lost in a battle."
"Yes," Blue said sadly. "Gawain was pinned down in an ambush, and outnumbered. His squire managed to escape, but he evaded more enemy reinforcements on the way home. Help would not have reached Gawain before the enemy was upon him. Aibelle traded her voice to save Gawain's life, asking the witch to remove him from danger."
"Let me guess - the witch reneged on her agreement," Killian interjected.
"You could say that, but the truth is Aibelle should have been more specific. Gawain vanished, never to be seen again. No one knows where the witch sent him. He has never returned."
"Which one was Gawain again?" Snow asked, looking up at the tapestry on the wall.
Blue pointed at the handsome man standing in tableau with the others, behind the round table. "That one, with the emerald in the hilt of his sword. He was to marry Aibelle a fortnight later," she added sadly.
"And the witch?" David asked.
"Punished severely for her crime," Blue said through clenched teeth. "Aibelle was a favorite of mine. There was a battle, and in the end, the witch fled into exile. She'd drawn her power from a flock of magical sheep she stole from the realm of Olympus. I slaughtered the herd, and her powers were greatly diminished."
"Sheep?" Emma asked. "As in 'the golden fleece' sheep?"
"The sheep she stole originally was one of the flock, but she performed dark magic, bred the flock with unnatural creatures - the result was an abomination." Blue gave a delicate shudder. "Unfortunately, it was too late to save Aibelle. The witch doesn't have enough remaining power to command her from wherever she is, but Aibelle will still be tied to her for the time of her indenture."
"Seven centuries." Snow shook her head.
"With the witch's powers so diminished, her death will come more naturally," Blue said. "Aibelle may yet be free someday."
"Can't you help her?" David asked.
"She is held by the darkness," Blue said sadly.
"If the witch doesn't have the power left to command her - who ordered her to sing to us?" Killian demanded.
Blue hesitated a moment before answering. "I don't know."
"Could the witch be getting her power back? Is that possible?"
"I'm not sure," Blue answered. "But there have recently been rumblings...rumors from neighboring kingdoms."
"About what?" Emma asked.
"Banshees singing. People gone missing. It's been here and there, but increasing."
"And when where you planning on telling us this?" Killian demanded.
Blue seemed to bristle. "I'd only just gotten the reports and flew there myself yesterday to see if they were substantiated."
"And were they?" Emma wanted to know.
"Yes."
"I've heard enough," Killian said. "We need to get underway. Our children are out there with a witch or a banshee - and I'm not terribly fond of either."
"Let's go," David agreed, and they all started for the door, except for Emma.
"Rumplestiltskin taught me how important a name can be - especially when you're dealing with dark magic. So who is she? The witch?"
Blue swallowed delicately, and straightened her shoulders.
"Morgan le Fay."
###
"The trail in the water can only lead you to the point where the necklace was dropped," Regina said. "Once you hit land, you'll need something that works at close range. Luckily, you have something stronger than anything I could give you."
Emma looked confused, but Killian held up his hand. "Our talismen."
"Yes," Regina replied. "The sea diamond can be used like a prism to focus through. Concentrate on it, Emma - it should lead you to Meriel, if she's still wearing hers."
"Thank you." Emma gave her a quick hug. "I know Henry's safe with you."
"I can take care of myself now, Mom," Henry reminded her. "I'm almost a King, you know."
Emma hugged him close. "I know. But this witch sounds seriously dangerous. And maybe a little crazy. If you see any zombie sheep, just run."
He pulled back with a smile. "Promise. Besides, Mom, Robin and Grandpa Rumple will be here. Nobody's getting through them."
"Make sure they don't. And keep Excalibur at your side."
"Will do."
Regina stepped over to the edge of the dock, unstoppered a small vial, and poured it in the water. A fluorescent trail lit up the water, glowing red against the waves. It spread out from the dock, clearly marking the way in the gathering twilight.
Emma gave Henry one more hug as she followed the others up the gangplank. In a few minutes, Killian had the ship headed out into open water, following the trail down the coast.
"We're headed back toward the Enchanted Forest," he said. "With any luck, we'll find them along the coastline."
David stepped up to the wheel and clasped Killian's shoulder. "Why don't you let me take the wheel and you get some sleep."
Killian started to object, but his mother-in-law got right in his face. "You won't be any good for Meriel or Finn if you're exhausted," she pointed out. "Neither one of you have gotten a wink of sleep since they were taken."
"Do you blame us?" Emma asked incredulously.
"No. But they need you thinking clearly."
"And ready to fight," David added. "Go. Get some rest. If the trail veers to land, I'll call you."
Emma nodded reluctantly, pulling Killian along by the hand down into the captain's cabin. She slid the hatch shut over the top of them.
"She's right, you know," Emma said, reaching out to take her husband's hand.
"I know," he said quietly, pulling her into his arms. "But I can't stop thinking about them. If they're cold...or hurt. They're not sleeping. How can I?"
"She could have just killed them outright," Emma said, reassuring herself as much as him. "She didn't. Which means she wants them alive."
She could feel Killian's nod against her neck as his grip tightened, and for a long moment they just stood there, holding each other until they began to sway a bit.
Emma stepped back with a tiny laugh. "Guess we are more tired than we'd like to admit."
"Aye. Perhaps we could lie down and miss them instead."
He didn't even kick off his boots, preferring to be ready to move as quickly as possible when the time came. He laid down and pulled Emma down beside him, settling her in front of him spoon-style as he wrapped an arm around her. His nose nuzzled her hair off the side of her face, and he left a few soft kisses along her jaw and down to her neck.
"Go to sleep, love," he said, stifling a yawn. "I'll watch over you."
She turned in his arms to look at him. "We're in this together, remember? We watch over each other." She kissed him, pushing an unruly lock of hair off his forehead. "And I'm willing to bet that wherever they are, they're watching over each other."
Killian nodded, closing his eyes as he pictured it. "Aye. They would be. Much as they tear at each other, they'll stick together."
"That's what family does," Emma said. "Our family, anyway."
Killian put his forehead against hers. "They've got each other," he said, feeling infinitely better just remembering that. "And soon, they'll have us."
"Mmmm-hmm," Emma agreed, closing her eyes as she settled in, her forehead still touching his.
Sleep claimed them both in a matter of minutes, with the ship gently rocking beneath them.
And somewhere in a stone pit, far away, Meriel pulled the blanket up higher over Finn's shoulder, and he slid his hand up, clasping it over hers before sleep reclaimed them both.
