A/N Okay, so late update, but I promise I didn't forget, next week we'll get back to the morning chapter for the spinoff, and I'll try and make sure to get IFIFY updated on time next week too. I love you guys, and I hope you bear with me, I've had a lot of stress at work, and it's starting to bleed into my fanfiction life.
disclaimer: I have no rights for any of the things I do, why would this be any different?
Chapter 3:
Merida led the way, her sword cutting wildly through the underbrush. Killian kept pace with her, as best he could, but after an hour, even he began to tire from watching her wild swings. He offered to take over clearing the path, but Merida had merely scoffed, and told him that, "she didn't need, no man to help her."
"You know, you could have avoided this, is you had just gotten rid of her." Emma smirked at him. "OR do you enjoy being belittled?"
"I'm not being belittled." He mumbled under his breath.
Merida looked back. "What was that?" she asked.
"Nothing." Killian assured quickly, earning a chuckle from Emma.
She looked like she didn't believe him, but nodded. "Very well, come on then, we're almost there."
"You know, there's a phrase from back home, that I think would be quite fitting about now lass, as you're about to burn yourself out, before we even make half the voyage. It's something along the lines of, 'slow and steady, wins the race' If I remember correctly." Killian told her, as her latest swing faltered.
Merida gritted her teeth, "I don't have time for slow!" She snapped.
"What precisely is the rush, anyhow? Why do you need the wisp?" He questioned, slowing slightly, causing Merida to spin on him with a glare. Killian would be lying, if he said he wasn't used to this reaction from women, in fact when he and Emma first met, he was on the receiving end of many a patented Emma Swan glare.
"My brothers." She told him through gritted teeth, and with a flash of empathy towards her, as he knew what one would do for family. He had turned pirate for his, then he turned hero for the chance at a new one. "They were kidnapped by the united clans of my country. Just three wee innocent boys. Savages!" she growled, swinging more vigorously at the branches in their path. "Because of me!" she snapped. "My father is… was the king. When he passed, they no longer approved of me being queen." Merida explained. "In my land, people, well, men. They don't think that a woman can lead." She stated bitterly.
Killian chuckled, thinking of the way that people he's come across in so many times and places, that thought women were lesser, he thought of Rumpelstiltskin, who spoke of his wife as though she were cattle. He thought of the pirates, whom he defeated in battle, would speak of the women in port as though they were nothing but pieces of meat. He even thought of the stories that Henry had told him of the people back home, the lengths they went to, to ensure that a man would remain in leadership. "I would wager to say, that it doesn't end in yours. You should see some of the atrocities some men will turn to when a woman is placed in power."
"Well, I'm going to show them. I need the wisp to lead me to my brothers, and when it does. I will save them. No matter the cost." She said passionately.
Killian nodded. "Aye, I've learned in my life, to never underestimate a woman. She could start wars, and end them, without breaking a sweat. I should know" he stated, thinking of his Emma, so willing to do whatever it takes, this Merida reminded him so much of her, that it strengthened his resolve to beat this and get home.
Merida nodded, then she smirked. "If it's war the clans want, then it's war they'll get." Then she turned to continue on, and didn't see the rock, until she was on the ground.
Killian winced, then hurried to help her up. He offered his hand, which she took readily, and pulled her to her feet. "You'll do no one any good if you pass out from exhaustion, lass. When last did you sleep?" He asked her.
Merida was silent for a second. "What month is it?" she asked, then catching the look on his face, she sighed. "Fine! We can make camp." She turned away, but then spun back, "But only till first light!" She called back.
Killian sighed, at least they would get some rest. With that in mind, he helped her gather the things they needed to make camp.
~~I'll Fight It for You~~
Emma stood before the door to Zelena's cell. She knew Regina was still pissed about the idea, but she really didn't care. She didn't need Regina's permission to do this. She wasn't even mayor anymore, but Emma was still the Sheriff. She opened the door and stepped inside.
"I see we're going against Regina's wishes again. I love it! Why couldn't you be this interesting when we were fighting? I really must say, I love this new savior. The heartache looks great on you."
"Shut up." Emma snapped, as she walked in.
Zelena pouted, but displayed her wrist. "Right then, off we come." She ordered, nodding to the cuff.
Emma raised her eyebrow, "really?" she asked, "and what, have you poof off to do whatever you like? No. It doesn't come off, until right before you need to cast the spell."
The witch frowned. "Fine." She sulked, then she smiled again. "Then let's make a new deal."
"Negotiations are over, Zelena. You already said you'd help." Emma shook her head. "We already made the deal."
"Now I want an amendment." She explained. "You want the spell cast? Fine. Then here's what I want, you can keep the magic cuff on me, but I refuse to live in captivity!" Zelena actually looked hurt. "I want only two things. Just two."
Emma sighed. She knew that she needed Zelena. "And if you don't get them, you won't cast the spell." She reasoned.
"It seems, that we've reached an impasse." The witch said with a smirk.
"What do you want?" She asked.
Zelena smiled. "I want to be able to walk the streets, and be free to live my life, even if I need to keep the cuff on, and I want to be in my child's life. You can't let Regina take my child from me."
Emma couldn't believe that she was hearing this. Zelena wanted to be free for her child? The woman hadn't done a single selfless thing since Emma met her, but then she thought about it. Raising Henry was what changed Regina. There was a possibility that it could help Zelena too. "On one condition." Emma told her.
Zelena looked up at her with hopeful eyes. "What is it?"
Emma smirked. "I make a new cuff, that can't come off with any cheap tricks, and I can control if you can use magic or not. Cuff on, or off. Call it a safeguard. I'm willing to work with you, but you need to give too." Zelena looked like she was about to add something, but Emma stopped her, "and Robin gets joint custody. You may have forced this on him, but that is still his child. You get to be its mother, but he gets to be the father."
Zelena smiled. "You have a deal."
~~I'll Fight It for You~~
Night fell quickly, and Killian wished he could say sleep came any easier, but it seemed, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't fall asleep. For the fifth or sixth time, he had lost count, he rolled over, and he suppressed a shout, when Dark Emma was looking at him, mere inches from his face.
"Can't sleep, handsome?" she asked in a smooth voice, she smiled at him sweetly. "I wouldn't worry too much about that. Dark Ones? We don't need sleep. Why do you think Gold, spins straw? It passes the time." She mused. "You need a hobby."
Killian bit back a groan, as Emma continued. "Do you like knitting? No wait, one hand… wood carving! You could replace the hook with a chisel!" she giggled at her own wit. "It'll help take your mind off of all of the dark things you'll do."
He closed his eyes, trying to block out the visage. "If you haven't noticed." He bit out, "I'm doing good here." He explained. "I'm helping Merida! Then, when she's finished with the wisp, she'll give it to me. No need to return to darkness!" he whispered harshly, glancing towards Merida, as Emma broke off in a peal of laughter.
"You are not that stupid!" She roared. "The wisp isn't some doll at the daycare, that you can play with, once Maddie is all done ripping out her hair, and snapping off its legs! The person who whispers to it? They own it. Forever. No take backsies." She explained, seeming to lose interest, as she toyed with her nails.
It hit him like a ton of bricks, but surely Merida would understand, would whisper to the wisp that they needed to find Merlin once her brothers were free. He looked to Merida's sleeping form, and thought of what he would do. He wouldn't care. He would have taken the wisp, and left those boys to die, and that was before he was the Dark One. "So, if I let Merida whisper to the wisp, I lose my chance at finding Merlin, it will never be able to be used again."
"Not if you snap her neck. She won't even feel it!" Emma informed him. "It'll be quick."
He sat up, glaring at the image. "You expect me to claim the wisp for myself?" he asked in disbelief.
Emma rolled her eyes. "I want you to stop being such a wimp, and act like what you are! A pirate, a dark one, a villain." She said in a low voice.
"You wanted this to happen." The realization began to dawn on him, the way Emma was goading him, this was a test, he needed to pass it. The way that she baited him, with small nudges towards harming Merida. "You want me to betray her!" He shook his head, he wouldn't.
Emma clapped. "Now you get it! Good boy, now that we know what you need to do, let's get to it. Shall we?"
~~I'll Fight It for You~~
Emma stood in Regina's office, taking the barrage of angry words, spilling from the ex-queen's mouth. "It's irresponsible! No! Absolutely not! I didn't like it before, I sure as hell don't like it now. Especially the part, where you made a deal to let her go free! Are you forgetting what she can do?"
Emma sighed. "Regina, I have a plan, something that will keep Zelena in check. For once, can you trust an idea, that doesn't come out of your own head? Seriously, you don't have that great of a track record."
Regina shook her head, eyes flashing. "At least I'm not only thinking about my boyfriend! Hook is not more important than this town. He is certainly not worth the risk to Henry!" She shouted.
Behind her, Snow flinched, and David seethed. Henry looked between his moms with worry.
"How dare you?" Emma growled. "You think I'm being emotional? Well yeah, I have lost everyone I have ever cared about. Do you honestly think I would put my son in danger? I know what I'm doing, and I don't give a crap what you think. You don't want to help? Fine! Then don't." Emma took another step towards the ex-queen. "You are still so closed minded Regina, that you can't see what's in front of you. I already made the deal. It's not up for discussion!"
"I hardly think it's your call. You told her she could keep Robin's child!" Regina shouted.
"No!" Emma shouted right back. "I told her she could be in its life! I told her she could be a mother! A choice you would never give her! A choice you wouldn't even let me have! So yeah, I granted her joint custody, because it's her baby too. You can't just decide she's not fit. When you adopted Henry, you were evil. Motherhood changed you. Why not give it a chance to change Zelena?" Emma ended with her voice an even and calm tone.
Regina looked shocked by her sudden change, but she also seemed thoughtful. "how are you going to make sure the cuff stays on? Lord knows if there's some way to get it off, she'll figure it out."
Emma smiled, and pulled out a cuff. "With this. Once it's on, it shrinks into the skin, and melds to her magic, and I can turn it on and off. Even if she cuts off her wrist, she won't be able to use her magic. Think of it, as an insurance policy. She goes rogue? I flip the magic switch." She tells her. "So are you done shouting at me?"
Regina looked at the cuff, impressed. "And it will work?"
Emma smiled. "Of course it will, I made it."
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