Chapter 10: The Rehearsal Dinner
The bell rang as Killian stepped into Granny's. He scanned the diner and found her in her usual booth, a cold beverage in hand. Killian nervously adjusted his prosthetic hand, asking himself for the hundredth time what had possessed him to request a lunch meeting with Swan's mother.
"Your Majesty," he said bowing formally when he reached the table.
"Killian, she said with a smile, "That's a bit formal, don't you think, considering we'll be family in two days."
Killian slid into his side of the booth and signaled to the wolf-girl that he wished to order.
"Well," he said with a grin, "I don't wish to be presumptuous. After all, we didn't start on the best footing."
Snow laughed again and took a sip of her water. "That's an understatement! Not surprising, though, considering you were actively trying to deceive my daughter and me while working for one of the nastiest witches around."
"Aye, that's true," Killian agreed with a chagrinned grimace, "Cora was indeed quite the piece of work. But if it's any consolation, I had no allegiance to the woman. I was just mercenary enough to align myself with anyone who could further my goal of seeking vengeance on the Crocodile. I was quite sincere in assuring Emma I would have far preferred making an alliance with you."
Snow looked at him reflectively, and he patiently bore her scrutiny. "If you don't mind me asking," she said slowly, "what exactly happened on that beanstalk. Emma was…different when she came back.
Killian smiled as he remembered the first adventure he'd gone through with the woman he loved more than life itself. "We discovered, much to our mutual surprise, I think, that we make quite the team."
"Yeah," she said. "You do, though it took me a long time to admit it.":
"You wished the best for your daughter, My Lady," Killian said with a self-deprecating little shrug, "and I was, after all, a pirate."
"You know, Killian," Snow said slowly, "I think you're selling yourself short. You've always been more than just a pirate, although it took some of us longer than others to realize it."
"Thank you, My Lady," Killian said, feeling a warm surge of pleasure wash over him at the princess's praise.
Snow took a large bite of her hamburger and grinned. "You're welcome," she said after she'd swallowed, "but 'My Lady' is still way too formal. Why don't you call me Snow or Mary Margaret?"
H smiled. "How about we split the difference? I'll call you 'Lady Snow'."
She reached a slender hand across the table and clasped his. "Deal," she said.
They ate in silence for several minutes. Snow consumed her hamburger and fries in record time. Before Killian had finished half of his sandwich, she'd ordered a second serving of fries and a large milk shake.
"This baby's making me ravenous!" she said between bites. "At the rate I'm going, I'm going to be as big as a house by the time he's born!"
Killian grinned mischievously. "I'm fairly certain, Lady Snow, that it would be in my best interest not to comment upon that."
She swatted his arm and he laughed. It surprised him; he was actually having a good time with Swan's mother. He and her father had formed a fast friendship, but it had never been so with Snow White. She'd never afforded him more than a grudging tolerance when it became apparent that his relationship with Emma was to be permanent.
"I'm glad you asked to meet me today, Killian," she said once she'd sobered.
"Aye?" he asked curiously. "For what reason, if I might ask?"
"I wanted to thank you for all you've done for Emma."
He felt the embarrassment creep up his neck. Ducking his head, he began scratching behind his ear. It had never been easy to receive praise or thanks; it was so much easier to be written off as a filthy pirate."
"It wasn't so much," he mumbled. "She's done far more for me."
"That might be," Snow insisted, "but it doesn't take away from what you've done for her. You've brought her the kind of love and happiness I've been wanting for my daughter from the moment I knew I was carrying her."
"I can promise you," Killian said earnestly, "that she will never want for my love, and I will do all in my power to ensure her happiness."
She laid her hand upon his good one. "I know. When I see you looking at her, I see the same expression my husband wears when looking at me. True love never fades."
"Nay, it does not."
"So, Killian," Snow said after a moment. "Why did you invite me to lunch with you today?"
Killian took another bite of his sandwich, chewed thoroughly, and swallowed before answering. "As it happens, I wished to thank you as well."
Surprise entered her eyes. "What for?"
"You've worked tirelessly on this wedding," he said, "and I'm truly thankful for your thoughtfulness, as is Emma."
"Really?" Snow asked. "Emma seems to hate all the fuss and ceremony. I thought I was just annoying her."
Killian laughed. "Aye, she has little patience for the pomp and circumstance," he conceded, "but she's craved a mother's love all her life. I can tell you with absolute certainty that the fact that her mother is going to such lengths to make her wedding beautiful, touches her deeply. She appreciates you more than she can probably ever tell you."
Tears pooled in the princess's brown eyes, and she resolutely blinked them away. "Thank you for telling me that," she said in a slightly thick voice. "I never know how well I'm succeeding at the whole mom thing."
Killian smiled gently. "Just love her, and you can't help but succeed."
They sat in silence for several moments merely sipping at their nearly empty drinks. Finally Snow spoke again. "So that was it? You just wanted to thank me?"
"Not entirely," he conceded. "You have done wonders with the wedding preparations, but I wondered if I might be permitted to add to the festivities following the wedding rehearsal."
"Sure," Snow said with surprise. "What did you have in mind?"
"There is an ancient custom in my land," Killian said, "called the presentation of the dowry."
"The presentation of the dowry?" Snow said with a raised eyebrow. Emma had given him that very look on multiple occasions…whenever she felt he was acting as a complete fool. "You want David and me to give you a dowry for marrying Emma?"
"No!" Killian said quickly. "Certainly not! Emma is more than treasure enough for me. What I was speaking of was the second part of the dowry ceremony. It's customary once the bride's family has presented the groom with the dowry, for the groom to present the bride with gifts of his own. It shows his love and gratitude for her."
"And you want to follow that tradition?" Her voice had become soft and gentle.
"Aye," Killian said. "I will never repay Emma for the gifts she gives me every day, but maybe in this way, I can show her a small measure of my devotion and thankfulness for her."
"Killian," she said with a smile, "I think the dowry ceremony sounds like a perfect addition to the rehearsal dinner."
"Alright people! Dinner's over!" Grumpy said with a scowl. "Big day tomorrow; time to get your beauty sleep. Some of you desperately need it!"
Emma rolled her eyes from where she sat with Killian at the "head table" at Granny's diner. She leaned over to her fiancé. "Is it just me, or are we getting bossed around way too much at our rehearsal dinner?"
He grinned down at her. "Relax, love. One more day, and then we've run the entire wedding gamut. We must manfully endeavor to allow the cantankerous dwarf his moment of glory, and then our reward will be heaven itself."
"Remind me again who it was who thought it was a brilliant idea to have Leroy as our wedding coordinator."
"That would be your mother, lass," he said with a smirk. "Given the wedding is at the convent, she thought it would give Grumpy an opportunity to rendezvous with the lovely Nova."
Emma rolled her eyes again. "I should have known! My mother and her matchmaking!"
The day had been interesting, to say the least. Grumpy had peppered the entire wedding rehearsal with a steady stream of surliness.
"Come on sister! Get down the aisle while we're all still young!"
("Technically speaking," Killian whispered once she did get down the aisle, "I'm more than three hundred years old, so perhaps 'young' doesn't apply.")
"Ruby! There's no flirting on the way down the aisle!"
"Snow! For the love of the Dark One's sparkly golden face paint! Get ahold of yourself! This is the rehearsal! There's no crying in the rehearsal!"
"Marco, this is a marriage not a funeral! Can you at least try to play the Bridal Chorus with a little more…I don't know…life?"
"Granny, put down the knitting! There's no knitting during a wedding!"
("Charming Junior's baby afghan isn't going to knit itself," Granny said irritably, earning her a glare potent enough to kill).
"Regina! This is a happy occasion! Wipe that scowl off your face before I come over there and wipe it off for you!"
("Oh yeah?" she snarled, "try it and I'll find a nasty curse with your name on it dwarf!)
"Hook! Stop screwing around! This is no time to kiss your fiancée like that! Save it for the wedding night."
(Never one to follow directions, Killian had merely grinned wickedly and proceeded to kiss her again, about ten times more passionately than before).
Somehow, Emma wasn't sure she'd ever know how, they'd made it through the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner.
"Well, I guess we'd better follow Mr. Surly's directions, then," Emma said, preparing to stand. Killian stopped her with a hand to her shoulder.
"A moment more, if you don't mind," he said loudly. Those who had already gotten up and begun moving toward the door stopped and turned back to the man of the hour.
Grumpy glared.
"Your pardon, Leroy. I apologize for the interruption," Killian said, sounding anything but repentant, "but there is one more item on tonight's agenda."
There is?
"Uh, no!" Grumpy said, scowling, "as the wedding coordinator, I have the agenda and every item's been checked off."
"It's okay, Leroy," Snow said, placing a hand on his arm, "Killian talked to me. This is all part of the plan."
Emma looked up at Killian, more than a few questions in her eyes. He smiled down at her tenderly, the skin around his eyes crinkling. Reaching down, he lightly squeezed her shoulder.
"Fine!" Grumpy growled, crossing his arms and plopping into a booth in the corner, "I've just been working my ass off trying to make this wedding perfect. What do I care if you change the agenda at literally the last minute?" He went on to mutter something about pirates.
"I'm pleased to find you so accommodating," Killian said, tongue affixed firmly in cheek. Emma laughed; she couldn't help it. Then she caught Leroy's glare. He looked like he would relish murdering her, slowly. Probably the only thing keeping her alive was the fact that weddings don't tend to go too well when the bride's dead.
"To begin," Killian said smoothly, "I'd like to thank the Lady Snow and Leroy for all the work they've attended to to make this wedding the kind of splendid event my Emma so desperately deserves."
There was a smattering of applause as Storybrooke residents returned to their seats, curious as to what Killian planned.
"I, however, have one item that I would like to contribute to the festivities," Killian continued. "There is a custom in my land that on the night before the nuptials, the groom presents his bride with a gift signifying his love, commitment and thankfulness that she has consented to accept his hand. I wished to continue that tradition."
He looked down at her, and the adoration in his blue eyes warmed her to the very soul.
"But I quickly found myself unfit for the task," he said, eyes still fixed on her. "Try as I might, I found myself utterly unable to fix upon a gift that even came close to expressing my love for you, Emma. You've given me the greatest gift a man could ever receive, your love, your friendship, your acceptance. You turned me from a bitter, angry man fixed on vengeance into the man of honor I was all those years ago. You make me want to be a better man."
Emma felt the tears pool in her eyes. He was doing it again—being all eloquent and romantic—and it was going to make her ball like a baby. She hated it when he did this to her! Oh, who was she kidding? She loved it when he got romantic!
"So, I've chosen to modify the ritual," he continued. "Rather than one grandiose gift, I've chosen to procure several momentos of the time we've spent together."
Killian broke eye contact and dug into his satchel, rummaging around until he was holding something small and round.
"The first moment I saw Emma Swan, I knew I was in trouble. She was a beautiful avenging angel 'rescuing' me from the rubble under which I was buried. My heart raced in a way it hadn't since I was a youth fancying my first lass."
"And then I put a knife to your throat and reality came crashing back in", Emma said with a smirk.
"Aye," Killian grinned, "But I couldn't for the life of me understand why I didn't take you down right then and there."
"You could have tried," Emma taunted.
"But," Killian continued as if Emma hadn't spoken, "it wasn't until we climbed that bloody beanstalk together that I knew that spark I felt toward you was something beyond anything I'd ever experienced. And so, Emma, my first gift to you is the giant's magic compass. Had I but known it then, the compass points me true north…right to you."
Killian set the golden instrument on the table before her, and she touched it slowly, almost reverently. Killian turned away and reached back in the satchel. He withdrew a necklace. Emma looked at it closely and noticed its pendant was an exact replica of a magic bean.
"After the beanstalk adventure, love" Killian continued, walking behind her to place the necklace around her neck. How he managed to work the clasp with only one hand, I'll never know! "We were at odds for many weeks. We were enemies, though it was a position in which I never wanted to be. I shoved down my attraction, my dawning love for you because I loved my vengeance more. And then you did something that turned my entire world on its side."
"What was that?" Emma asked, caressing the smooth porcelain of her new pendant.
"You believed in me," he said softly. "When all the world of Storybrooke was crashing down around us, when the bloody failsafe was about to detonate, you offered me the chance to be a part of something—to join you for a higher purpose."
"And, as I recall," Emma said, smiling to take the sting from her words, "you still used some slight of hand and stole the bean."
"Aye," he said with a grimace, "I was a right nasty git."
"You'll get no argument from me, dearie," Rumple spoke from his table near the door. Belle shot him a reproving look.
"Emma," Hook said, turning back to her after shooting Rumple an exasperated glare. Those two would never be friends; that was clear. "I couldn't do it. I couldn't sail away from you, sentencing you to what I believed was your death. I had to come back—and it was the best decision I ever made."
Killian turned back to his bag and came back with a small, plastic replica of a palm tree. Emma laughed; she couldn't help it. It was so cheap and ridiculous!
"And what exactly is that supposed to be?" Regina asked sarcastically.
"A palm tree, of course," Killian said, presenting the item to Emma with a flourish worthy of the Dark One himself, "to commemorate our adventures on Neverland. It was a place of darkness and danger, but to me, it was a beacon of light."
"How so?" David asked from his place at the next table. Killian looked around in surprise, as though he'd forgotten anyone else was in the room.
"Not sure you want to hear this part, Dave," he said with a wicked grin. "It involves your daughter and kissing. Passionate kissing."
The look on Charming's face was priceless. It was as though he couldn't decide whether to chuckle or scowl.
"Well, just try to spare us the gory details," Charming said.
"Yeah, Killian," Henry said with a grin. "We did just eat, after all."
Killian turned toward Emma and winked, the gesture forcing so much heat into her cheeks she hoped the fire extinguisher was nearby. "Aye," he said with his old pirate swagger, "perhaps the 'gory' details had best be kept between your lovely daughter and myself."
His face became serious, his eyes boring into hers. "That kiss, that astounding kiss was for me the moment of truth. I knew as soon as your lips touched mine that I loved you with a love so pure, so true, that there would never be another woman for me but you. I'd spent three hundred years trying to bury my pain in rum and willing women, but suddenly the only person in the world, the only remedy for my loneliness was you."
The tears were back, threatening to spill over. Overcome with emotion, Emma reached for his hand. Threading her fingers with his, she brought his hand to her lips and showed him as best she could what his words meant to her.
Emma didn't realize how long they stayed there, staring into each other's eyes until Grumpy cleared his throat. "Well, that was….kind of sickening, but if you're finished, let's break this party up!"
Killian gently disentangled his fingers from hers and held his hand up. "Just a few more minutes, Leroy," he said. "I've but three gifts left to present."
Grumpy threw his hands in the air and rolled his eyes. "Why not? My perfect schedules already blown all to hell anyway."
"Leroy!" Snow chided.
"Well, it is, sister," he grumbled, shooting her a sideways look.
"I shall be quick," Killian assured. "I'd hate to be accused of causing a dwarf to suffer apoplexy due to the destruction of his 'schedule'."
Emma saw the twinkle of mischief in his eyes. Life with this man would certainly never be dull.
Turning back to his satchel once more, Killian drew out a small model of a knight in full chainmail armor.
"Following our successful return from Neverland," Killian said, "and a torturous year of separation, my lass and I were thrust into yet another adventure that led us from the Enchanted Forest to Camelot and back. Emma, love, my love for you grew by leaps and bounds as we worked together to defeat Morgana Le Fay and the Wicked Witch of the West."
"They were certainly first class bitches," Emma agreed.
"Indeed," Killian said with a grin, "but with you by my side, with a prophecy stating that our true love would win the victory, there wasn't a person in any realm I would have envied."
Emma grinned. "Aside from the evil villainesses, the arrow wound that nearly took my life, the fact that Morgana made you convince me you had no feelings for me, evil flying monkeys and my family's lives on the line, it was really the perfect little vacation."
His grin was pure mischief. "Indeed it was, lass."
"Mom," Henry whined, "you still haven't told me that whole story, and it didn't even end up in the book!"
"Patience lad," Killian said, grinning at him. "It's a harrowing tale I'll spin for you in due time. For now, I'm busy sweeping your mother off her feet with my debonair, romantic charm."
Emma swatted at his arm, but couldn't contain the giggle that broke free.
"Emma, love," Killian said, sobering once more, "it was on that adventure you first told me you loved me. The words were the sweetest sound I'd ever heard—particularly coming from lips that only moments before I'd feared would never speak again. But it was more than your love you gave me. You gave me back my father. Was it not for our adventures in Camelot, I would have never learned that my father never left me willingly, but was stolen and imprisoned by Morgana. I feel as though you've given me back my life."
Turning aside once more, Killian drew forth a perfect miniature replica of the Jolly Roger. "And now I present to you my ship," he said, placing the vessel in her hands. "The Jolly has been my home and my family for low these many centuries. She stood beside me when no one else would. I have priceless memories of Liam and Milah, and even young Bae upon her deck. But I tell you right now, Emma, I would trade her away in a heartbeat if it meant coming to your aid. You are my home now. You are my whole world. There is no sacrifice I wouldn't make for you."
Emma stopped fighting the battle and let the tears spill down her cheeks. Killian reached out a gentle hand and swiped at her tears. His face was infinitely tender. She saw it in her eyes. She was the most precious thing in the world to him. She hoped he could see the same reality shining out of her own eyes.
"Killian, that was beautiful," Snow gushed softly.
"Thank you, my lady," Killian said with a bow. "But lest I'm hauled from the premises bodily by a certain ill-tempered dwarf, I'd best speed this along."
Emma laughed.
"I've one last gift to give you, love," Killian said gently withdrawing a heart from his satchel…not a real heart thankfully. You never knew in this town!
"I contemplated having Regina rip out my own heart," he said, teasing glint in his eyes, "but I gathered that would be altogether too dramatic."
"Yeah," Emma said, "not to mention gross!"
"Just so," he nodded. "None the less, this symbolizes a far greater reality. Emma, my love, you are now, and ever shall be the possessor of my heart. It is wholly yours. Never will it stray. Never will you have cause to doubt me. I will stay with you forever regardless of what fate…or fairytale villains throw our way. I will love you to the last beat of this organ, and long, long beyond."
It was nearing midnight when Emma made her way down the docks and onto the Jolly Roger. She looked stealthily from side to side, checking to make absolute sure no one was observing her. She grinned to herself as she made her way below decks. She suddenly felt like a teenager breaking curfew. If her parents or Grumpy knew she was here….they'd kill her. Her mother, because it was extremely bad luck for the bride to see the groom after the rehearsal dinner. Her father, because…well, she was making her way to the pirate's bedroom in the middle of the night. And Grumpy, because…she was missing out on her beauty sleep.
Emma rolled her eyes as she knocked on the door to the captain's quarters. Sometimes it was easier when she was on her own! Not often, but sometimes.
"Aye?" came the muffled voice from the other side of the door.
Emma opened the door and slipped inside. Killian sat in his chair, his boots crossed on the desk, a book lying open in his lap.
"Swan!" he said, abruptly getting to his feet and letting the book crash unceremoniously to the floor. "Is something the matter?"
She rushed over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "No," she said, burying her face in the soft hair covering his chest, "I just needed to see you, that's all."
She felt his chin rub against the top of her hair. "We've nearly made it, love. This time tomorrow night we'll be man and wife."
"Yeah," she said, smiling into his chest, "and then we can try out some…activities…that might give my father a heart attack."
She felt the deep rumble of his appreciative laugh. "That is something I've been waiting for since the moment my eyes first met yours in the Enchanted Forest."
She laughed again, and then stilled, looking up at him. "Killian, I wanted to thank you."
"What for, lass?"
"For being my rock, my unfailing support ever since you came back for us with that bean that took us to Neverland. I never could have survived Neverland or Camelot or the Enchanted Forest without you."
"It was the right thing to do, Swan," he said simply. He didn't like praise; she'd learned that about him early on.
"Yeah, but there are lots of people who wouldn't have done it."
"They would for the woman they love more than life."
She smiled and cradled his face in her hands. She brought it down for a slow, sweet kiss. When they pulled away, she rested her forehead against his. She doubted she would ever tire of kissing this man.
"Killian, those gifts today," she said, uncomfortably, "those things you said. Thank you. They mean a lot."
"It was my pleasure, love," he said, running a hand through her wavy hair. It was the most relaxing sensation she'd ever felt.
"I'm not, you know, good with words and stuff like you are," she stuttered out, "but I wanted to let you know…well…how I feel too."
His smile turned, if possible, even gentler. "No need lass," he said. "Open book, remember? I know how you feel for me."
She smiled back letting her thumb caress his lower lip. "I know, but..I still want to say it."
"I'm all ears," he said, catching her hand and placing a burning kiss on her palm.
"Killian, you say I saved you, that I made you a better person, but I want you to know that it goes both ways. You tore down my walls and healed the wounded little girl that hid inside. You showed me that I do matter to someone, that I am worthy of love. You brought a rainbow of color into my gray world. And I love you more than I will ever be able to tell you or show you."
He pecked her softly on the lips. "You'll have a lifetime to try, lass."
"Yeah."
The kiss this time was long and tinged with passion and need. She wished she could stay with him, here in his arms tonight. Reluctantly she pulled back a fraction of an inch. "I should go," she whispered finally, "if my mother finds out I was here…well the consequences could be too terrible to mention."
"Aye," he grinned, "and I'd hate to face the wrath of Grumpy."
With one last, lingering kiss goodnight, Emma walked up the steps, onto the docks and over to her waiting bug. One more night. She needed to wait only one more night, and then she would finally get to "I do."
The End!
Notes:
-Sorry for the long delay! This past week I've been long on things I needed to do and short on time, sleep and inspiration.
-And as the last night before the wedding draws to a close, so does this story! Basically this chapter was just one last opportunity for Killian to get disgustingly romantic. I wanted to incorporate some sort of real 18th century (the century I'd place Killian if he were from our world) wedding customs into this chapter, but, alas, I didn't come across anything exciting. So, the wedding custom Killian brought in from his own land was entirely of my own devising.
- Thanks for reading this story! I really appreciate all the follows, favorites and reviews!
-Up next? After a hiatus (probably a few weeks; I've got family events), I plan to start a new story starting immediately where this one leaves off. The story is, as yet, untitled, and I've yet to work out many of the details, but it will be high on adventure, danger, angst, and, yes, romance (primarily Outlaw Queen, and, of course, Captain Swan). A new villain has just made it back to the Enchanted Forest (although if I can make the timeline work out and everything, it's a villain that's not entirely unfamiliar to those familiar with OUAT) and has a vendetta of giant proportions that he means to wage against Regina. Given that she's not currently IN the Enchanted Forest, he decides to strike at her in the one way he knows will bring her back—he puts Robin and Roland in danger. When the whole gang somehow finds a way to get back to the EF, it's quickly apparent that this new villain has a major grudge against Hook as well. Will Regina lose two of the three guys in her life (I think I'll keep Henry safe this time)…in a far more permanent and painful way this time? When the new villain takes something infinitely precious and utterly unreplaceable from Killian, will he return to his old habits of vengeance or will he choose a better path? Will Emma become a widow almost as soon as she becomes a wife?
-I really enjoyed seeing crazy Dark One Rumple, nasty Evil Queen, bandit Snow, and villainous play-boy Hook in the finale, and I plan to have all of them make an appearance in the flashback segments of this next story. In the meantime, I have provided a little preview below (from somewhere around chapter 2 or 3, I think):
Regina walked slowly toward her office, trying desperately to banish the pain and darkness that threatened to consume her. The wedding had been beautiful. Emma and Hook were so disgustingly happy and in love it nearly made her sick. Jealousy and bitterness reared their ugly heads, but Regina ruthlessly shoved them back. It wasn't Miss Swan's…no Mrs. Jones's…fault that fate had seen fit to slap Regina across the face. She had worked so hard at being a hero these last six months knowing Robin and Roland would be proud of her for her attempt to stay on the straight and narrow.
Regina unlocked her office door and looked around at the stark black and white décor. Henry was spending the night with his father, and Regina found she just couldn't face the evening alone in her big house. Maybe she'd get some work done until she was tired enough the pain wouldn't keep her awake.
Slipping out of her pumps, Regina sat at her desk, buried her face in her hands and gave way to the tears that had been threatening all day. God how she missed them! It had been six months, but the pain was as fresh as the moment she'd left them behind. How did someone get over this?
It was Roland's birthday. Today he turned seven. If she'd been back at that cabin in the Enchanted Forest with them, she'd have made him one of her famous apple turnovers. Regina swiped at her tears and smiled in spite of herself. Roland would have eaten those turnovers until he was sick.
Robin had planned to make the boy a wooden sword and shield for his birthday. He claimed that would allow Roland to be a real little knight. She wondered if Robin had followed through on his plan.
Robin! A fresh wave of grief hit Regina, so strong it was hard to breathe. She loved him so much it was almost a physical ache. She missed him. Missed his teasing in the evenings while she prepared supper. Missed the way he obviously adored his son. Missed the long talks they would have at night after Roland fell asleep. Missed his strong arms holding her, keeping her warm during the cold winter nights. Missed his kisses, so deep and passionate it felt as though their very souls were merged. She could barely stand it anymore.
Regina hated rum. She hated the cloying spiciness of it. Yet though she hated it, she was half tempted to go find the pirate and beg a bottle off of him. That wouldn't work, of course, Hook was no doubt very busy right now enjoying his wedding night with his brand new wife. Ugh! She did not need those images in her head!
Regina sat up and furiously scrubbed the tears from her face. She wasn't a helpless damsel in distress who sat around crying for her lost love! She was the queen! She wanted something to happen? She'd make it happen! Somehow, some way she would get back to Robin and Roland if it was the last thing she did.
In the meantime, maybe catching up on paperwork would help occupy her mind. Regina shuffled through the envelopes piled neatly on her desk. She abhorred clutter and always attended to it as promptly as possible. Everything in this stack looked in order. She was just about to turn from the stack when suddenly her hand stilled. There was something else there at the bottom—an envelope, but not one made of modern paper. It seemed to be made of parchment.
Slowly, gently Regina picked up the envelope and peered at it closely. Her name and the address of her office were written in a firm, confident hand. There was no return address and no stamp. Regina turned the parcel over and discovered it was closed with red sealing wax. The seal had been stamped with…how was it possible? It was sealed with a lion—the very one on the tattoo she'd come to know and love so well in the Enchanted Forest!
Regina tore open the envelope as quickly as her shaking fingers would allow. She snatched the single folded sheet of parchment from within, wrenched it open, and began to read.
Your Majesty,
I pray this letter finds you. Its bearer assures me she is capable of delivering it, but travel between realms being as difficult as it is, I hardly dare to hope.
My queen, we are in desperate need of your help! They have arrived! They've sacked our village and threaten to do more harm every day. They've taken little Roland, and I fear Robin may be in their clutches as well. None have seen him in three days.
You are our only hope. You, and perhaps the savior. This is a foe more formidable than any I've seen! Utterly and completely ruthless! If you do not come to our aid, I fear all will be lost.
Please, Your Highness! Time is of the essence. There is not a moment to spare!
I remain your devoted servant,
Little John
Regina looked quickly at the date at the top of the page, her heart racing, panic like a living thing clutching at her heart. Two days ago. This letter had been written two days ago! What horrors could have happened in that period of time?
Regina surged to her feet, threw on her shoes and ran out the door. The letter said the savior might be of help. Wedding night or no wedding night, Regina had to get Emma's help, and as Little John said, there wasn't a minute to spare.