I don't own OUAT
Cora has begun to open up to me as we approach one-year in this lonely place. She still seems to get enjoyment out of my suffering over her, but I make sure to never let her see me hurt. I need to take her, and the worst part is that she knows it. But after all this time, she hasn't killed me. I take that as a good sign. Perhaps if she had a heart, I could figure out when she is simply yanking my chain
-Killian Jones
"Cora." She turned from her card game to look up at him. His head was tilted slightly, and he appeared to be deep in thought. It was a new look for him. However, in her experience, his thoughts were never good for her plans.
"Yes, Killian?" He shifted briefly from foot to foot as though he was afraid to ask what was clearly on his mind. She tapped her foot impatiently before turning back to her card game. The Jack of Spades continued to elude her.
"When is your birthday?" The small jolt of shock that ran through her was brief but strong. Most people wouldn't thank to ask, or if they did, would be much too frightened to consider asking. She had never before celebrated her birthday, so it had seemed a pointless thing to keep track of. Nonetheless, she had kept track of her age so strictly, so long anticipating the year she could leave her dead-beat father their failing mill, that she had the date ingrained in her mind. August 19.
"Tomorrow" She said it softly, as though she were speaking to herself and not him. In a sense she was. He was listening, of course, but she hardly considered the pirate a person. He was less than she had been even in her youth. Hands on her shoulders pulled her from her seat and whipped her around. Her eyes grew in outrage, and she froze him where he stood. "What is the meaning of this assault?" He made a few muffled noises before she released him, keeping his feet locked in place.
"Why did you not tell me sooner? I have so little time to prepare for you." She shook her head dismissively.
"It is of little importance. I have never cared about such trivial things. The date of my birth is hardly more important than the acts I have done in the years since." He laughed. She stared at him in shock. He had the gall to laugh at her? And for what? Insisting that a date was unimportant. He had grown annoying quickly. He was often more troublesome than he was worth, but it would be difficult to get rid of him now. Killing him, of course, would be such an easy feat it was laughable, but she had already given him a part to play in her plan. Though not the part he had been promised, it promised to be a necessary part. He would get her to Rumpelstiltskin, and once she had deal with the imp, she would remove Hook. He would kneel at his queen's feet as she disposed of him.
"Nonesense. The birth of a personage such as yourself deserves celebration!" The amount of flattery he was applying was so thick she could practically feel it in the air. It disgusted her. He was a piece of her hand-constructed machine. He was not meant to have thoughts, and his thoughts about her were pointless.
"You know your silver tongue means little to me, Captain." He nodded.
"Of course, your majesty." He put a special emphasis on her title now. "Flattery or no, you deserve something for all your successes Let me find you a gift." She laughed condescendingly.
"And where will you get this present, my pirate? You can hardly bribe a craftsman to create one for you." He looked frustrated for a moment before replacing the look with another mask of admiration.
"Release me and I will show you just how creative I can get with my presents. And their presentation."