His tiny hand was holding the bigger one of his mother while they walked up the long gangplank up to the ship where Ariel was already waiting on top, waving towards the two visitors. The ship was in a bay, quite a bit away from their current resident but Killian didn't mind at all, he loved the sea, the smell, the freedom he felt when he was close to it. He never really understood why he felt that way, he barely knew anything else than the cold castle walls that were around him most time of the year.
„Ariel!" Killian suddenly yelled and let go of his mother's hand, running up to the red haired woman and jumping in her arms, his arms going around her neck to hold her close.
„Hey there, little prince," she said with a soft smile and pressed a kiss to his head, looking down to wait for the other woman to come on board. „It's so good to see you, Alaisa."
But the Queen was distracted, looking around on the ship, only a few men to see. „Where is he?" she asked and Ariel just chuckled before she put Killian back on the ground, ruffling his hair.
„He's still in his cabin, waiting anxiously. He's been nervous all day," Ariel said and nodded towards a ladder while Killian just looked between the two women. He really didn't know why they were here on board of a ship but he loved it. It was so much better than one of the royal ships they had, he was never allowed to go on there to play or sail with them.
He turned to his mother and tugged on her dress to get her attention. When she was looking down at him he bit his bottom lip for a moment, chewing on it. „Are we going to sail?" he asked shyly, afraid that she would say no but she smiled at him and nodded.
„In a bit, yes. Just be patient." She had barely closed her mouth when Killian threw his arms in the air already.
„Awesome!" he exclaimed loudly, getting a chuckle from two men sitting on a barrel not far away from them. Ariel had went down the latter and returned only seconds later with a man who was playing nervously with his hands, his eyes on the ground.
Killian tilted his head to the side and watched him. „Are you the captain?" he asked without any hesitation and the man finally looked up at him and his eyes widened slightly.
„Aye. How do you know?" He took a few steps forward, keeping his distance between the two visitors.
„Because of your hat! That's a Captain's hat!" Killian answered and laughed softly, leaning his back against his mother's legs, feeling a hand on his shoulder while her other hand was going through his hair.
The man's eyes shifted to the face of Alaisa and he smiled at her while biting his bottom lip. „Is that him?" he asked and swallowed before Ariel pushed on his back, causing him to stumble forward until he was only a feet away from Killian and his mother.
„Yes, yes he is. Don't you see?" Alaisa said with a soft chuckled and the Captain looked down to the boy with the dark hair and the incredible blue eyes, so similar to his. He crouched down so he was on the same height as the boy, smiling at him.
„What's your name, lad?" he asked and Killian grinned at him, bowing slightly forward.
„Killian!" the young boy said with pride, causing a chuckle from the Captain and the Queen.
„Well then, Killian. How about we go on a small sail trip with your mother?"
The young prince didn't even gave a real answer except an excited squeal before running up to the helm.
Killian threw the chair closest to him into a corner, anger boiling in his veins. How dare the Dark One to take his father for his shady plans, the only family he had left.
Blackbeard and his mother had fallen in love during a vacation and according to both of them, they had spent many nights together whenever she was able to leave the castle without that the king got suspicious.
After the forced marriage she had never really been happy until she had met the pirate captain and she wanted to leave with him but wasn't able to because she couldn't leave Liam and her responsibilities, it was her kingdom after all.
Many weeks and months had gone by before she noticed that she was pregnant with Killian, hiding it for a while before she told the king that it was his child even though she knew that it was from Blackbeard.
Killian had met his real father from time to time, first as a young boy and then every few month, had given him the freedom he always knew he wanted. Sailing the seas on a pirate ship instead of being the second choice in the castle.
At first he didn't understand how this man could be his father but then his mother explained everything to him and for some reason, he understood, even at such a young age.
But the king had found out one day and Killian had noticed that way too late. Even after his mother had burned in the fire he didn't really suspect anything but it was all connected. It was all his fault.
After the death of his mother, he really never knew if he was allowed to visit Blackbeard on his ship or when he was even around, he was a pirate after all and they were free.
One day Ariel had found him, close to the sea and had taken the part of a godmother, given the fact his real mother couldn't guide him anymore. She had taken him to Blackbeard, the first time he had seen the Captain after the Queen's death but it was different than he had expected. After the funeral he had thought that his only family he had left was Liam but now there was a complete crew of pirates, giving him a home and support whenever he wanted and he was glad for it.
He sneaked out of the castle as often as he could until he was old enough to ride away without that someone was worried, spending days or even weeks on a 'mission' while he was actually spending time with his family. Especially after Liam's death, he had needed a break from this cursed kingdom that took everything he loved.
And that was exactly the reason why he would go and save his father. The Dark One wouldn't take the last family he had left from him, there was no way he would allow that.
His hands were balled into fists while he stared to the ground where the chair had landed before he looked back to Ariel who looked at him with worried eyes.
„Card room. We have to make a plan before it's too late," he said, trying to calm the anger in his voice but failing. Ariel just nodded and followed him through the castle with fast steps before entering the room where they had all king of maps and boards, showing their strategy for the ogre war in the west.
„What are you going to do?" the red-haired woman asked while Killian was going around in the room to find the map he needed.
„I'm going to get my father and kill that damn crocodile in the progress. He's not going to take another person from me. He only wants me, the god damn piece of meat that's supposed to beat in my chest and for that he's using Emma and Blackbeard to get to me," he explained a grabbed a map, rolling it out on the table where Ariel was standing.
It showed Misthaven, Emma's home, then his own kingdom, the Kingdom of Droacien, apparently some old name from his mother's blood line and it showed the nameless kingdom of the west, home of the Dark One and the ogres.
„Are you saying that—" the mermaid started but Killian just looked up at her and nodded.
„Aye, I'm going to trade myself for him." There was no room for discussion for him and he looked back on the map. A way over the land would be death, given the fact that there was the ogre war on the border of both kingdoms, so he would have to sail over it. He would need a ship and then somehow get through the magic barrier that was supposed to be around the Dark One's castle.
„What about the Jolly Roger? Is she safe?" he asked and stood up straight, his hand going through his hair.
„She is, so are the crew, he only has Blackbeard, probably in his castle. But do you really think it's smart to trade yourself?" There was concern in her voice and he felt bad for doing this to her but he nodded.
„He wants me. People suffered enough because of me, it's enough," he sighed and clenched his jaw.
„What about Emma?" His body tensed at her words and he bit his bottom lip. If he died trying to save his father, she would most likely become queen or sent back to her own kingdom, depending on what the council decides. And she would probably hate him big times if he would go without telling her but if he told her as soon as she was back, she would want to join him. She was a stubborn lass after all.
„I don't know," he answered honestly and sighed again, dropping his head slightly.
'Help me, mother,' he prayed in his thoughts, hoping to find a way without that anyone but the Dark One get hurt. She had called Blackbeard her True Love after all.
Emma had parted her ways with Tink and Ruby to find Killian, so she could tell him about her day and especially the orphanage. She wanted to change the life of the kids, she wanted to be a good Queen but for that, she needed Killian's help first.
On her way to her room, she had met Victor who told her that Killian was in the cardroom. Emma followed the empty hallways towards it, only to find the prince in there with a red haired woman she hadn't seen before, both looking down at a map.
„Killian?," she asked carefully and both lifted their heads and while Killian's face fell slightly apart and he didn't look happy to see her, the woman on his side smiled at her and came around.
„You must be Emma, I'm Ariel." The other woman made a curtsy and Emma did the same, laughing softly.
„It's nice to meet you but what's going on?" The blonde looked to Killian who clearly had a worried expression on his face. „Something bad?"
The future king just sighed and ran a hand through his hair, swallowing hard as he walked around the table to be closer to the two women before he leaned against the hard wood, chewing on his bottom lip.
„Can you give us a moment?" he asked and looked towards Ariel who just smiled and nodded before leaving the room. Emma felt slightly nervous that he wanted to talk alone with her, what the hell had happened while she was gone?
„I have to leave for a while to take care of something and I'd like you to stay here and keep an eye on the kingdom." His voice was soft but drained in worry and fear. Emma frowned slightly before she took a step forward, running a hand down his arm, trying to calm him and her down.
„Please, tell me what's going on," she begged him, knowing that she couldn't just let him leave like that, without any information about what's going on.
She saw how his face changed, almost like he was in pain and really didn't like telling her about what was going on. Her hand held his bigger on, toying with his fingers until he finally took a deep breath and spoke.
„You…noticed the tension between and the king before his death. That's because he wasn't my real father. My mother was in love with a pirate all those years ago, he's the only family I have left and now he's in danger," he told her, his voice trembling and he closed his eyes.
Emma's eyes widened for a moment and took a deep breath herself, not quite sure what to think of all this. The king hadn't been his real father? Sure, she had known of the trouble between them but to hear it like this, it was different. And a pirate? As the father of the king? That seemed odd to her. When she was a child she heard all kinds of stories about pirates, especially after being back in the castle and her father telling her how dangerous they were.
„Remember the time where I was gone for a while and came back, calling you to the throne room with darkness in my soul? I was with them for a while to clear my mind. He and his crew, they're my family, do you understand that?" he asked carefully, almost afraid that she would push him away.
The princess bit her bottom lip but nodded at him, she understood the feeling of being alone and also of having a family. If he was with them, they couldn't be that bad, right? If they really were his family, she didn't want him to lose them because she denied him to leave.
„What happened to your father?," she asked, trying to let everything sink in while she took his other hand too but he just pulled her into a hug, holding her close. She couldn't say for sure but if he would have a heart, it would probably beat way too fast in his chest right now.
„The Dark One has him."
It was a simply sentence that made her drew in a sharp breath before pulling back, looking at Killian with wide eyes filled with fear and shock.
„What?" It wasn't really a question but for a second she believed she hadn't heard right. What did the Dark One even want from them, why couldn't he just leave them alone? „Please don't tell me you're going to meet with him."
Killian just sighed before he nodded and she took a step back, looking at him in disbelief.
„I have to, Emma. I have to end this or we will never live in peace. I don't even know what his plan is, all I know is that he wants my heart. First he cursed Milah so I would feel something like love, then he almost killed you, poisoned me and now he has my father and I don't even know if he was the one to send the Crows after the king or not! I have to get answers and then push a sword through his chest." He rubbed a hand over his face, taking a deep breath to calm down.
In some way, she understood him but she was so afraid that something would happen to him. The Dark One was not some puppy you could play with, he was dangerous and the cause of the ogre wars. He was the reason that both kingdoms were falling apart and lost more men on the front than ever before.
„So what? You just want to go there and talk to him? I can't let you run into your death, Killian," she said with a trembling voice, balling her hand into a fist. It was almost funny how she had started to develop such a love for him after hating him in the beginning. Sure, everything had changed, she knew the reasons, his missing heart but still.
„There's a weapon to kill him, Emma You just have to let me go and I'll come back with his head on a stake and our peace." He took a step towards to her, reached for her but she just took another one back, out of his reach. „Emma, please."
„I don't want you to die, you fool!," she said louder than planned and within seconds he had pulled her into his arms, holding her close and she couldn't stop the sob falling from her lips. „I just don't want you to die."
„Don't worry about me, Emma. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's surviving. I will come back," he whispered in the crook of her neck before placing a soft kiss against her hair. „Ariel will stay here with you. She was a close friend with my mother and is in close contact with the Crew of my father. If anything happens, she will know faster than anyone. Give me two days."
„Two days? Won't you need more time to get over there?" she asked and pulled back slightly but not leaving his embrace.
„The Jolly Roger is the fastest ship in the realm, believe me," he answered with a wink and pressed another kiss to her forehead, getting a sigh from her. She was so afraid that something would happen to him but she knew how important this was for him. He would never agree to her coming with him, would probably tell her it was too dangerous but damn, she wished she could go with him.
„I don't want you to go alone," she told him in a whisper and he sighed, nodding knowingly.
„I know but I don't want you there this time. The castle is safe, so please stay here and don't come after me. Rule the kingdom while I'm gone, I will hurry." His smile didn't reach his eyes and she had no idea if this was some kind of empty promise or if he would actually make it back alive.
„When will you leave?" She bit her bottom lip, afraid he would leave in only a few hours but he smiled at her and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
„Tomorrow morning before dawn. Ariel will let the Crew know that I'm coming so the ship will be ready when I arrive. We still have some time," he said and winked with a cheeky grin. Emma just laughed at his behavior, shaking her head slightly. If he would leave so soon, she wanted to cherish the time she had left with him
They lay in their bed hours later, limbs tangled together under the blanket, their bodies covered with sweat and the only noises they could hear for a while was their heavy breathing. He had been making love to her for a couple of times, over and over again and she just knew that he was just as afraid as she was, she could see it in his eyes, feel it in his movements.
She put her head on his chest, still amazed by the feeling of no heartbeat under his skin, no pounding in her ears, it was just a void of nothing inside there.
„Killian?" she whispered in the darkness, feeling how his arm that was around her pulled her a little closer. „How do you know how to kill the Dark One?"
He took in a sharp breath and his body tensed for a long moment before she started to run her fingers up and down his chest lightly and he relaxed again.
„I've read every single book in this castle and some old stories were telling things about a dagger that gives him his power and that he keeps it in his castle. I'm not sure if it's true or not but it's worth a shot," he explained softly, his fingers running over her arm, giving her goosebumps.
„What if they're wrong?" She closed her eyes and sighed, he was taking a leap of faith, not knowing if it would even work.
„I honestly don't know but I will find a way…but can we not talk about it? I doubt it's the right topic for a pillow talk," he said and laughed softly, a laugh that was simply there to cover up how uncomfortable he really was.
She was silent for a moment and her fingers stopped moving on his skin until she turned her head a little so she could look up at him. „Can you tell me about the pirates? Stories about them? Adventures you had? I barely left the places I lived in and I'd love to hear some."
He frowned slightly and looked down at her, tilting his head just a little, apparently surprised at this request but then he nodded with a small smile on his lips. "But of course, love." His lips pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead before he turned his head again and closed his eyes for a moment, taking his time to think.
"Well, most of my adventures included sailing to places I've never been to. A kingdom called Arendelle, far up in the North, way out of our reach, not sure if you even heard of it. Bloody cold place during the winter but might be nice for a summer vacation. We also did some…pillage and plundering but we never hurt the innocent. My father is a great man and a good Captain, my mother loved him a lot," he told her with a smile on his lips, his free arm going up under his head to support himself so he could look down at her.
"I heard about other realms, other worlds, different from ours but alike at the same time. There was supposed to be portals, it sounds so dumb when I say it like this, especially in times with the magic gone but I heard so many stories on my journeys with the pirates, you wouldn't believe even half of them." He laughed softly and she smiled up at him.
"Try me," she said with a smirk, placing a kiss on his chest. She had always loved stories of adventures and freedom, of pirates and princesses, of royals and criminals. When she was younger, she had taught herself to read so she could escape her life at the orphanage that was only full of pain and shame.
"Would you believe me if I'd tell you that a mermaid sailed quite frequently with us?" he said, grinning down at her to watch how her eyes grew bigger.
"No way, I thought mermaids hate pirates?" She watched his eyes in the darkness, trying to see the little glint in them, she knew it was there somewhere.
"Actually, she's sleeping down the hallway," he told her with a chuckle and Emma gasped, sitting up slightly in the bed to get a better look at him.
"Ariel's a mermaid?!" she asked, louder than she had planned before she put her hands over her mouth, afraid she had woken someone up. "She is?" she asked again after seeing his grin.
Killian just nodded and grabbed her waist, turning them around in the bed until she lay beneath him, still naked from their previous round of intercourse. His lips found her neck where he left a few love bites.
"Do you think she would tell me about mermaids? I always loved them as a kid." She gasped slightly when he sucked on the skin but he nodded, letting his lips ghost over her ear.
"I'm sure she'd love to do that. I got the same stories when I was younger and you'll love them. She'll distract you and I will be back before you realize I was gone." He laughed and let his lips wander down to her breasts, sucking on her left nipple, then on her right one.
"I wanted stories, not-" she tried to say with a pout but a moan left her lips when the tip of his hard cock found her entrance, just gently teasing. "Okay, you can tell me more stories later." A laugh left her throat and she wrapped her legs around him, pushing him inside of her. Both of them moaned at the feeling.
"So perfect," he mumbled against her neck, leaving only more love bites while her nails left some marks on his back but he never complained.
He set a lazy pace at first so he could save his breath to mutter praises while kissing her senseless.
The rest of their night was filled with him telling her stories about his adventures as a pirate and love making in turns. A few times this night he made jokes how it aroused her a lot to think about him as a pirate but she shut him up with lots of kisses until they finally fell asleep.
"You're really leaving just like that?"
Killian flinched slightly at the female voice behind him when he entered the stables and he turned around to look into Ariel's eyes that told him that she wasn't amused. He sighed slightly and went over to his horse, knowing she would follow him inside.
The sun wasn't even up yet, it was still dark outside and he had no bloody idea how she found him and knew he was going to leave sooner than he said he would but it was probably the connection they had and that this women knew him since he was a child.
"I have to," he told her with a sigh while he started to get his horse ready, knowing that she wouldn't agree with any of this. "He's my father."
"And she is your future wife," Ariel said with a disappointed sigh but he knew that she knew that there was no way to stop him.
"Listen. I told her everything. Okay, most of it. She knows you will stay with her, she knows I'll rescue my father and be back in no time. I just don't want to say goodbye." He bit his bottom lips at his words before shaking his head slightly, grabbing all the items he need, walking around in the stables while Ariel just stayed on one spot, watching him.
"Oh Killian." She shook her head and sighed.
"I left her a letter, she will understand," he told her with a snarl, not wanting to argue about this over and over again. Emma was like his other half, she knew how important this was for him, that he couldn't just let his father die. Of course he hadn't mentioned that the using the dagger of the Dark One had side effects but if he would have told her, there would have been no way that she would have let him go.
"You always said that you hated how you couldn't say goodbye to your mother."
Ariel's words were like an arrow right in his chest and he gasped briefly, closing his eyes. "I don't plan to leave her forever, I will come back. There's no reason to say goodbye," he gritted out behind his teeth before leading his horse out of its box.
"I just hope you're right," she said as he got on his horse outside of the stables. Her hand moved over the mane of the horse briefly before she looked up at Killian. "Just promise me to be careful."
He nodded and smirked at her. "Of course I will, just keep an eye on Emma for me?"
Ariel smiled in return at him and could only watch how gave his horse the signal and only a couple of minutes later, they vanished in the woods that surrounded the castle.
A/N: Finally a new chapter, whoop! I figured it's time to break the fluff and happiness and get some angst out, mwahahaha. I hope I don't need that long for the next chapter, given the fact that it'll hopefully be full of angst and tears, so better prepare your soul for some chaos in the next few chapters. You don't mess with the Dark One, after all and Killian's not the nicest guy either *chuckles* Hope you liked this chapter, thanks to everyone who's still reading, I'd love to hear your thoughts! :3