Chapter Eight

The Courtship of Princess Leia

"Killian!" Emma shook him again, "wake up! Stay with me!"

He remained maddeningly unconscious and as she felt his pulse, her heart grew cold in her chest at how erratic it felt. It was barely there. What the hell had that thing done to him? Lifting her head up, she saw that Stephen and those things were gone, leaving Regina and Gold behind. Two people that were neither fans of hers or Killian at this time but she didn't care. She was desperate.

"Gold! Regina!" She called out. "I need help! Killian's hurt."

It was Gold who approached first and judging by the stormy expression on his face, his anger for once wasn't about his turbulent relationship with the pirate. No, his anger was directed at Regina who appeared disturbed and conflicted as she followed behind Gold. Emma had been so distracted with Killian she hadn't seen what had transpired between the two of them when they'd faced Stephen. She made a mental note to ask after they'd helped Killian.

"What happened? Did one of those monster's run him through?" Gold asked. He'd been too busy fighting their master to take note of what mischief they'd been up to.

"Nazgul," Emma found herself saying. "It called itself a Nazgul and no, he didn't stab Killian, he..he...spat something at him. Like seriously toxic bad breath or something..." she had no idea how to articulate it.

Gold had no love for Hook. He never would however, as Belle was so often fond of reminding him, everyone deserved a second chance. Gold could never entirely blame Hook for taking Milah away from him when it was his wife that had left willingly with the pirate. Hook's mistake had been falling in love with Milah and he'd paid for it with his hand. Of course Hook's desire for revenge had given way in light of his feelings for Emma and the pirate had risked his life for Henry. As far as Gold was concerned, their accounts were now settled.

Gold examined the pirate quickly before raising his eyes to Emma. "He's been cursed with a spell, one I have never seen before. Its magic I'm not familiar with. It's almost like he's crossing over into some kind of limbo..."

"You have to help him," Emma insisted, stomach knotting because everything Gold said sounded bad, sounded like he had no answers. "Between the two of you, you must know how to do help him right?" There was more than a tinge of desperation in her voice.

It would be so easy for Regina to crush Emma Swan's spirit right now, so easy for her to get the vengeance she had craved the night before because Emma had brought back Marian. However, as she saw the outright panic in the woman's face, she remembered what it was like to hurt that much and be completely helpless to stop any of it and it was a pain she no longer wanted to inflict on anyone. She'd told Zelena she'd changed when she'd realised she could wield white magic and after everything she'd gone through to be that better person, Regina didn't want to lose that.

Thinking quickly, Regina remembered what Sauron had said before he'd left. She has the power to heal him.

Of course, it was so simple. She was rather surprised that Emma hadn't thought of it herself. Then again, Emma Swan had spent her life running from one thing or another and only now had started to accept who she was and what she could do. Ironic that she was the Saviour to everyone except herself.

"Emma," Regina said simply, "you're the only one who can heal him."

"I haven't learned enough to do anything like that!" Emma protested immediately. "Fighting is one thing but this...this is something else." She looked down at Killian again and felt her heart sink when it seemed like he'd become more pale, like the life was draining out of his body the longer they took to argue the point.

"That's not what I mean," Regina retorted impatiently, "true love's kiss had the power to break any spell, whatever its origins."

Gold nodded, his face devoid of any sarcasm or humour. "She's right Dearie. If you care for him, this is the time to show it."

"Oh great no pressure there!" Emma snapped before turning to Killian. She didn't know if she loved him or not. It was too soon. Last night, last night had been amazing with him but even then she hadn't dared to say it, hadn't dared to allow herself admit that it could be true, that she could love him. And yet if she didn't, he would die and that was something Emma couldn't even begin to imagine.

"Son of a bitch," she cursed at Fate for putting her in this damn position. Belief was never her strong point and now she had to believe that he was her true love or lose him for good. Closing her eyes, she leaned forward and cringed a little how cold his lips felt. The anguish rose up from deep inside her as she thought about how they'd kissed that first time in Neverland. It wasn't so much of a kiss as it was a dare. Yet even in the middle of it Emma remembered how it felt, like a spark of something had ignited in her gut that continue to burn even after the kiss was done.

They'd been on a journey together, the both of them. He had become a better man and she had understood at last what home really meant. Killian had been key to helping her realise that and last night, last night she learned just how much he loved her, what he was willing to sacrifice for her. When they were fighting that Nazgul, he rushed in ahead of her, never considering that she might be the better one to face the creature. Never thinking because it was always about her for him.

This kiss, this kiss had to be about him.

Emma poured into every feeling she had for Killian Jones. From his stupid, cocky swagger that made her want to slug him rather than kiss him, to the way he'd taken her breath away when he'd made love to her night before. He always reminded her that she was strong, even when she was at her weakest. You never gave up on me Killian, she thought silently. Please don't give up on me now.

And suddenly, just like that, Emma felt his mouth come alive under hers, warmth infusing it as he sucked in breath, taking hers out of her lungs. She pulled back abruptly, needing to see for herself that he was really okay. Killian was panting, holding his chest as if in pain but he was alive. Colour was returning to his face and though he appeared somewhat disorientated, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that the kiss had done what was needed.

"Well there you go Dearie," Gold remarked behind her. "For better or for worse."

Emma almost glared at him for that. Yeah thanks, no pressure at all.

"What?" Killian managed to ask, puzzled at the way the three were staring down at him, suddenly feeling like the man who'd walked on deck without a stitch on. Wait that had happened and his men found it funny. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing," Emma said quickly, shooting both Gold and Regina a warning shot that she'd take care of explanations later. "You were out of it for a bit," she answered, knowing that was an understatement to say the least but that was all she had time to process right now. What had happened between them bore thinking and Emma never rushed in where her heart was concerned.

"Come on," she got to her feet and extended her hand towards him. "On your feet pirate. We've got to figure out where Stephen went."

"Have a heart luv," Killian grumbled, feeling like someone had dropped on a ton of bricks on him, but accepted Emma's hand to stand up. "That spooky bastard knocked me out good," he added rubbing the back the of his head once he was on his feet.

"Yeah right," Emma said quietly, hiding just how close she'd come to losing him. Instead, she shifted her gaze back to Regina and Gold, trying to downplay how momentous the last few minutes had been for her. Hiding just how much she'd been affected by the fact that she'd delivered true love's kiss to a guy she hadn't even said the words to yet.

"So what happened? How did Stephen become...Lord freaking Voldermort?"

All three looked at her blankly.

Emma rolled her eyes. These people had to read something other than fairy tales.


A short time later, they were back in Regina's office with David and Belle joining them.

After Regina and Gold put out the fires in front of his house and fixed the damage caused during their battle with Stephen or rather Sauron, Emma had called David and learned that Belle had turned up at Granny's diner to raise the alarm that was something was wrong. Thanks to Regina's warning, Belle had removed herself from the fight and avoided becoming a liability to her husband. Instead, she had rallied the others at the diner until Emma's call to David had them congregating at the Mayor's office.

"And you don't remember anything about how you got it?" David asked Gold as they started discussing what this Sauron had come to Storybrooke for in the first place.

"Not at all," Gold shook his head as he and Belle sat on the sofa before Regina's desk. "I mean I've collected a few trinkets in my time. Tokens in exchange for favours, I can honestly say I never remembered acquiring a ring. Certainly not something that dangerous."

"Did you ever see it before today?" Regina asked from behind her desk.

"No," Gold shook his head and glanced at Belle. "Belle?" After all, during that time he'd been dead, he assumed she'd been in the house at least once or twice.

"Not at all," she shook her head. "I was just walking around the house and I saw it..." she replied. "I wish I hadn't put it on."

"You weren't too know," Gold assured her, giving her a quick kiss on the temple as she leaned into the crook of his shoulder against the soft fabric of the leather seat.

"Too true luv," Killian agreed as he leaned against the mantelpiece of the unlit fireplace. He was looking a good deal healthier now that he was recovered from the attack by the Nazgul. "Besides, I've never met a woman who could resist at least trying a ring one when she saw one." He winked at Belle in gentle teasing.

"Okay, okay," Emma retorted shaking her head at him before facing the others. "The fact is he obviously knew the ring was here so that means he knows a lot more about this world than he's letting on. That whole lost boy routine was just an act. The thing I can't figure out is why he's still here. He's got the thing and if that's all he wanted, then why hang around or for that matter what's his next move."

"I believe our Madam Mayor can answer that question a bit better..." Gold started to say when he was interrupted by a knock on the door that had all eyes turning to it.

"Who is it?" Regina demanded impatiently, suddenly longing for the days when everyone was terrified of her and didn't feel the need to just show up at her office whenever they pleased.

The door knob twisted and when it cracked open, Regina's expression hardened at the sight of Robin standing at the doorway. His eyes met hers awkwardly before he spoke, "Granny said that there was trouble. I thought you could use some assistance."

"We're fine," Regina said coldly. "We don't need anything from you."

The temperature in the room dropped several degrees and there was an awkward silence from everyone as they were all aware of what had transpired between the bandit and the queen the night before. Emma in particular, felt the resurgence of guilt at the pain she'd caused not only Regina, but also Robin she now realised. She'd placed the man in an impossible situation, caught between the woman he had lost and the one he may now love. When he'd entered the room, she couldn't look at either of them and stared into the cold embers of the fireplace, prompting Killian to reach over and squeeze her shoulder.

"Regina please," David finally broke the impasse and spoke gently. "We might be need his help."

"I'm sure we won't," Regina declared haughtily, not wanting him here, not wishing to have the discussion about Sauron in his presence. She could see the pain in his eyes and could take no comfort from it because she felt the same agony. However, he'd made his choice and though she didn't blame him for it, she couldn't forgive him either.

"I just want to help," Robin spoke not to her but to the group this time, suspecting he'd have better success with them instead of the woman whose heart he had broken, "I won't get in anyone's way."

"Fine, fine, stay," Regina said dismissively. Maybe he should stay, maybe he should hear why Sauron was still staying around. Neither she nor Gold had told the others yet but the turn of the conversation was making that revelation unavoidable. Maybe he should know that he wasn't the only man in her life, there was a god in the wings waiting to make her his queen.

"The man who showed up through the portal is from a land none of us have heard of and was apparently after a ring that Gold had, a ring he now has," David filled him in quickly as Robin joined Killian on the other side of the fireplace, keeping as far away from Regina as he could.

"And he has it now?" Robin asked.

"I'm afraid so mate," Killian nodded. "And he was able to conjure up some pretty nasty beasts as well. Bloody ghoulish looking creatures that are incapable of being harmed by either this world's weapons or ours. I ran him through with my blade and it didn't hurt him one bit."

"Nazgul," Emma explained. 'That's what it called itself. Nazgul. It said it couldn't be harmed by any weapon forged by man."

"Well that's discouraging," Robin grimaced, not liking the sound of that at all. "And you say he has his ring. Now that he has it, what does he want?" By now, Robin had enough experience to know that all these evil wizards and sorcerers were always after something.

"Do you want to tell them or shall I?" Gold asked, staring at Regina pointedly. He was aware of the situation between the bandit and the queen and while Gold had some sympathy for her, he was more interested in the threat Sauron posed rather than Regina's love life.

"Tell us what?" Emma shot Gold a look of demand and then noted how suddenly very uncomfortable Regina appeared to be. If Emma didn't know any better, she'd almost think that the queen was embarrassed.

When it became obvious that Regina wasn't going to volunteer the information, Gold decided to do the honours himself, "he's staying here because he wants Regina."

"What?" Robin blurted out, much to Regina's chagrin. "What does mean exactly?"

Regina's cheeks turned even redder at the indignity of the situation. Why the hell did he have to be here for this? Unable to meet his gaze, she cursed herself for feeling guilty at having Robin hear this. Why the hell should she feel guilty? She owed this man nothing. Less than nothing after how he'd treated her the night before. "He wants me to go back to wherever he come from, with him."

"Why?" David asked puzzled.

"What do you mean why?" Regina demanded somewhat offended.

Men, Emma and Belle winced in unison.

In retrospect, Emma wasn't the least bit surprised by the statement. She hadn't missed how Stephen or rather Sauron had regarded Regina from the minute she stepped into the diner this morning. It was clear that the man had been somewhat smitten by the queen and why not? Regina was attractive and powerful. If Sauron was a sorcerer of similar power, he might have found a kindred spirit in Regina.

"Dad!" Emma gave her father a look and wished Snow was here. Her mom knew how to diffuse situations like these. Furthermore, Emma was probably the last person Regina wanted to hear from about this. "How do you feel about that Regina?" Emma asked tentatively, conscious of the sparks she'd seen between the two, not to mention the fact that it was Regina who had made Sauron call off his attack.

"Do you like him?" Belle asked.

"Of course not!" Regina declared angrily, wondering as she made the outburst if she wasn't protesting a little too hotly. "I just met the man a few hours ago! All of a sudden he's telling me he wants me to go God knows where with him, so I can be his queen and we can have a family together? Its crazy!"

"Obviously you made an impression," Robin couldn't help but mutter loud enough to be heard.

"I think you are the last person to have any opinion on the matter," Regina bit back and properly silenced him into submission.

"Alright, alright," David broke in realising this thing was a whole lot more sensitive than anyone here was equipped to deal with right now. "Regina, is there any chance he'd try to take you by force?"

The thought hadn't occurred to her and she stared at David with genuine surprise. "No, I don't think so. He said he wanted to stay long enough to convince me to go with him and doesn't sound like someone who wants to kidnap me. Besides, he stopped attacking Gold when I asked him to and he did tell me how to save the pirate before he left."

"Save the pirate?" Killian declared puzzled. "Save me from what? I just got knocked out."

The opportunity to serve Emma a little bit of the discomfort she was now experiencing with Robin in the room was too good to resist and Regina couldn't help but turn the tables a little on the Saviour. "I think it was a little more than just that," she said smugly. "One of those Nazgul spat some kind of dark curse at you. You almost died." She put enough emphasis on her words to show Killian how close he came to meeting his maker.

"Regina..." Emma started to say but suspected that she wasn't going to be able to keep the woman silent on the matter. Obviously Regina had been waiting for the moment to stick to her and now that the opportunity had presented itself, the queen wasn't about to squander it. With an inward groan, Emma realised that there was no stopping what was coming.

"Until true love's kiss saved you," Regina replied, giving Emma a satisfied smirk that said 'this doesn't even come close to making up us even'.

'True love's kiss?" Killian shot Emma a look and saw the blush that had ran over her cheeks at the revelation. He couldn't help but smile at the rush of feeling that overtook him when the full implications of Regina's words settled in. She'd saved him with true love's kiss which meant Emma Swan loved him. Even if she hadn't been able to say it last night, she'd felt it enough to save his life. Killian had never thought just knowing that could be the greatest feeling in the world.

"Yeah true love's kiss alright?" Emma retorted. "Can we talk about this later? You know...alone?"

"As you wish," he grinned at her and didn't at all feel offended by the fact that Emma looked as if she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. His Emma was never comfortable about having her feelings exposed for all to see and he would spare her any further discomfiture. Besides, it was enough to know that she loved him.

"It appears we have more important matters to discuss," he said gallantly and turned back to the others.

Stupid pirate, Emma thought to herself. It was little things like this that made her fall for him and she was sure he knew it too.

David took in the exchange and found himself smiling at his daughter and Hook. Earlier today, he had been annoyed at the obviously physical turn Emma and Hook's relationship had taken. As a her father, he couldn't feel anything but protective towards his daughter. In truth, he'd always regretted that she wasn't raised as the princess she was, spoiled rotten by royal parents, courted by princes and being taken to balls. Instead, she'd had a lonely life without them that had built walls around her heart. If Hook made her happy, if he made her see that Storybrooke was home then David was grateful to the pirate for that and maybe, Emma would be good for him too. Sometimes, it was the unlikeliest lovers that ended up being the best ones. David knew that from experience.

Deciding to move the focus away from his embarrassed daughter and her pirate, David turned to Regina to get them back on subject, "Regina, we need to know more about this Sauron. If he's willing to win your hand maybe we can use that to find out where he's from."

"What are you suggesting?" Regina looked at him suspiciously.

"Well I'm assuming if he means to win your hand, he's going to call on you," David replied. "Maybe you should let him."

"Is that a good idea?" Robin immediately countered. "I mean isn't that leading him on? If she isn't interested? It could anger him if he finds out she's playing him for a fool."

Regina's eyes narrowed listening to Robin who sounded like a jealous ex-boyfriend. "I think I can take care of myself and I certainly capable of handling him. Besides," she added with a hint of malice in her voice. "How do you know I'm not interested? Its not everyday a man comes up to me and is willing to do anything to get my love."

"Sometimes there are situations that are beyond a man's control..." Robin retorted.

"Obviously," Regina shot Emma a look. "Of course that doesn't excuse the man from being a total jerk when it happens."

"OKAY!" David cut in once more, "I think we're getting off point here." He looked at the two of them and knew that they were a hair's breath from getting embroiled in a screaming match between Regina and Robin.

"To say the least," Gold muttered, getting bored by all this nonsense. "You need to find out all you can Regina because you can bet your life there's a reason why he's keeping mum about where he came from Dearie. To say nothing of the fact that he's wielding primordial magic. Most wizards can't channel that kind of energy unless they're more than human."

"What do you mean Rumpel?" Belle asked.

"As I told Emma and Hook," Gold explained for the benefit of those who hadn't been present for the conversation. "The reason most wizards don't channel primordial magic is because its power is so intense it burns out the body of whomever is wielding it. That is why its use is limited to beings that are of higher order of existence. For instance, the Fae, some nymphs and in this world, what they call angels and demons."

"But he's human," Regina insisted remembering how warm his hand had felt against her. How she'd felt the beat of his heart under her palm when he held her hand against his chest. That electricity that could not come from any other source. It was human, Regina was sure of it. "He felt human."

"Felt human?" Robin blurted out once again. "How close did you get?"

"I'm sorry," Regina glared at him. "How is this any of your business?"

"Enough you two," David retorted, halting the argument before it progressed any further. "She's right. He looked human."

"Look being the operative word," Gold declared. "We don't know if he's human at all. Regina you need to find out where he's from because I have a feeling there's a reason why he's keeping that from us and until we know for certain what that is, we can't let him leave."

Regina nodded, knowing Gold was right but suspected it was easier said than done.