Chapter Ten

Emma stood watching Killian as he stooped down to pull the boat closer to the shore so it would be easier to step into. His hair was longer now, and it fell into his eyes while he looked down. Killian reached up to brush it out of his eyes with his hook, and turned to look up at her. Her first instinct was to raise her hands to push him away with her magic, but she found that it wasn't working. Killian stood up with a mocking smile on his face, while Emma's attention went back to the cuff on her wrist.

"As you've probably deduced, that cuff strips you of your magic." Killian stated, moving closer to her. Emma stepped away automatically, still trying to pry the cuff from her wrist. "And also as you can tell, the wearer cannot remove it."

Her hand fell lamely to her side, while her eyes rose to meet his again. For a split second she considered fleeing, but Killian raised his hook threateningly, as if he could read her mind.

"Ladies first." Killian gestured towards the boat, and Emma walked to it.

"So now you're going to be a gentleman?" She asked dismissively as she stepped into the boat. It was unsteady under her foot, and she stumbled slightly. Killian grabbed her hand, helping her regain her balance.

"I'm always a gentleman." He said, helping her into her seat. Emma sat down, pulling her hand from his grasp. She watched Killian walk in after her, sitting on the opposite side of the boat. He let the sail loose, and started untying the boat form the bank. There was little wind, but it carried them quite quickly away, and out of the cave.

August was watching as his men walked slowly toward the field where the dead men lay. They had a white flag up, to signal to the men in the forest that there was no intention to fight. His men walked cautiously anyway, just in case the Mesa soldiers decided to shoot them as well. There were no arrows flying out of the trees, so August took that as a good sign.

It happened when his men were only a few feet away from the dead messenger. All four presumably dead soldiers jumped up and headed for the trees. There were arrows shooting again, and August's men retreated quickly back to the protection of the wall. August stood shocked by the events, but quickly caught onto what was happening. It was a set up.

"Everyone to the cave!" He shouted his command, pulling his sword out, rushing as fast as he could. His men followed him, but when they entered the cave, they saw the boat just as it was leaving. August swore loudly, angrily shoving his sword back into its sheath.

There were foot steps behind him, and he turned to face Nathaniel, as he walked through after his men. Nathaniel looked around at the men, then at August.

"What happened?"

August gritted his teeth, for a second wondering if he should even tell Nathaniel at all. But he knew there was no reason to keep the information from him.

"The Queen has been abducted." August was still shaking with his fury. Mad at himself for not realizing what was going on sooner, and letting his Queen be snatched from right under his nose. "This is that Thief's doing."

"He's probably drowning her as we speak." Nathaniel mused. August noticed that there was no remorse or sadness in his voice.

"We need to get a message to the Capitol." August stated firmly.

"To start the funeral arrangements?" Nathaniel asked.

"She may not be dead." August spit out angrily. "We need some back up to go retrieve her."

"Oh I see. Well if anyone needs me, I'll be in my chamber, eating dinner."

Emma hugged herself as the chill of the sea sprayed her. Killian sat on the other side of the boat, steering it, his gaze out to the sea. Her teeth were starting to chatter slightly, so she held her jaw tighter, not wanting to show any sign of weakness. Not that Killian seemed to notice what she was doing at all.

"Are you going to drown me?" She asked. Her voice was emotionless as always, but it shook slightly from the chill.

"Can you swim?" Killian glanced at her only briefly, looking back out to the vast expanse of the water. The sun had set over the mountains, and there was only a faint hue of light with which to see him.

"A little." She admitted. "Not well enough to fight the tides and waves."

He looked at her then, finally meeting her gaze. She kept her face still, challenging him to get it over with. There was no need to prolong this, although she knew he would. Isn't that exactly what she had done to him?

"Is that what you want, your Majesty? To die?"

She was confused by that. He kept looking at her, waiting for an answer. "Isn't that what you plan to do? Kill me?"

Killian looked away from her again, looking down at his hook. "Well, Swan, what exactly would happen if I killed you?"

It was a rhetorical question, but the use of the nickname angered her, so she answered anyway. "You'd get your revenge."

A small shadow of a smile crossed his face. "Regina would let her ambassador take your kingdom. Her empire would grow, and her forces would come over, and attempt, and most likely succeed in taking over Arendelle and Mesa. So you see, there'd be no sense in killing you. But to be fair, that scenario has a possibility of coming to pass with you living, seeing how close you've gotten to…Nathaniel." He paused, looking to her for a reaction, one that she didn't give him. "Of course, you'd still have your life, would be his Queen."

He was trying to bait her. Emma didn't know what for. To get information out of her? Taunt her just for the hell of it? Whatever the reason, Emma wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of it. She looked into his eyes, not turning away, not backing down.

"Tell me something, love, why would you want to ally with a monster like Regina. Especially after she had your parents killed?" He waited for a response, but Emma bit her tongue, and looked away. "You know that she's responsible for your parent's death?"

"I know." Emma said, looking back into his eyes, her face stone.

"Then why would you allow her to take your throne, to attack not only your kingdom, but Mesa and Arendelle as well?" He was asking calmly, his voice soft. He was talking as if he knew her. The sound of it just infuriated her.

"If you don't plan to kill me, then what is it exactly you want to do with me?"

Killian leaned back slightly, studying her face. There was a brief pause before he answered.

"I want to be the King of Misthaven."

Whatever she had expected, it wasn't that. She took a minute, looking around their surroundings, and responded. "Well, this is the most unusual place to bring me if you want me to declare you my heir."

Killian looked at her puzzled, confused by her statement. "I don't want to be your heir."

Emma smiled, and then laughed out loud. "You want me to marry you?"

"You would be free to rule as you always did, I wouldn't interfere. But you would have to take Mesa advisors. Mesa, Misthaven, and Arendelle would all be allied with each other, and together we could keep out Regina's forces." Killian explained.

"So let me get this straight. I marry you. You become King. And my barons, who are already unstable, decide to take over. Tax the people into poverty; enslave the poor. All to keep themselves well fed and have an abundance of wealth? Wonderful plan! Did you come up with it yourself?"

"Do you care, as long as you are kept well fed?" Killian snapped.

"Of course I do!" Emma was yelling now. "They are my people, it's my kingdom."

They stared each other down for several long minutes. Emma tore her eyes from him, steadying her shaking breath, mad at herself for losing control. She composed herself quickly, not looking at Killian, knowing that he would be smug for getting a reaction out of her.

"And your barons would be alright with you marrying someone who would invite a takeover? Because that is what Nathaniel is going to do!"

"You talk like you understand exactly how my barons think, or how I think. But you don't. Don't act like you understand me, or the way I run my kingdom, because you don't."

"Tell me, Emma, what is your plan to keep Regina away, if mine is so horrible?" Killian's voice was softer again.

"I don't want to keep her away." Emma said through her teeth. "I want her heart in my hands so I can crush it."

Killian didn't have an answer to that. He adjusted the sails to their small boat, steering it into a different direction. The wind caught the sail, and sent their boat going at a much fast pace. Emma grabbed both ends of the boat to keep her balance, while Killian smirked at her.

"Well love, you are going to have to make a decision."

"And my choices are what exactly?" Emma shot at him. "To die or marry you? I may need a minute to decide with is the lesser of the two evils."

Killian just stared at her, not saying a word. She looked into his face, thinking back to his expression right before she took his hand. It was been so full of fear, hurt, and a little bit of something else… The face that had haunted her for almost a year now, the face that kept her from sleeping, that caused her to wake up crying. Shedding tears for this man when she hadn't ever shed a tear since her parents had passed away. The face she just wanted to be rid of.

But it was different now. He had a mask on now, guarding his true feelings, not letting himself show what he felt. She recognized it because it matched the one that she herself put on every day.

"I agree to it, just don't sip from my wine glass if you wish to live."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

They sat in silence for a half hour after that. Killian steered them out to sea, but then redirected them to the shore once more. When they approached it, he handed her some oars, stating that she would have to help row them the rest of the way. She noticed that it was a bit difficult for him to row with only one hand, but she didn't say anything, and neither did he.

When their boat hit the shore, Killian stood, and held his hand out to her, to help her out. Emma hesitated slightly, before taking his hand, and walked out of the boat without looking at him. When they were both out, Killian reached to his side, and pulled out a knife. Instinctively Emma shied away, but he held the handle out to her, and she took it slowly.

"Because you don't have your magic, I thought it would be reasonable for you to have a means to protect yourself, if any need arises." Killian explained.

"You're not afraid that I'll just stab you with it and run away?" Emma questioned.

Killian reached up, pointing at a spot right below his heart. "Slashing upwards from here would be the most effective, although anywhere would do the trick."

Emma looked at him, sensing a trap, but couldn't read his expression.

"Before you make a decision, you should know something."

"What's that?"

"I love you."

Emma laughed, putting the knife away in her satchel. "So you've caught feelings for me when exactly? During our very brief engagement?"

"No. I've loved you longer than that." Emma caught his eye, seeing the sincerity behind his words. The smile left her face immediately. "I've loved you ever since I was a boy, and I saw you dancing by yourself in your courtyard. Your father came out and danced with you. He called you his Swan Princess. I was in the trees above you."

Emma shook her head slowly, the memory of the night creeping up on her. Her father telling her the soon she would be able to attend a ball of her own. Her father calling her his Swan princess, because she reminded him of a swan. Emma knew that Killian had gotten the nickname from her father, but she never knew when he had learned it.

"Puppy love." Emma said simply.

"Puppy love?" Killian scoffed. "Puppy love doesn't usually last through an amputation does it?"

"Well it's a good thing I didn't cut your heart out then, isn't it?" Emma snapped. Killian visibly flinched at that. "You think you love me still?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe you."

"Well, darling, you can believe me, or… you can take that knife and stab it right through my heart."

Emma approached him slowly, and Killian stood still, watching her move closer. She reached up and caressed his cheek lightly with the back of her fingers. "You know what I believe, Killian?"

"What?" Killian asked, closing his eyes at her touch.

"I believe that you have friends waiting for you just beyond the forest, and if you don't return to them soon, I will surely be killed." Emma let her hand drop to her side once more.

"Take the boat and flee then."

"But you see; you didn't tie it to the dock, and now it has floated away." Emma took a step back from him, and Killian saw that what she said was indeed true.

"Shall we get a move on then? Take me to these friends of yours." Emma started walking towards the forest, and Killian followed her.