After everything that had happened in her former region, Emma felt so much lighter for the rest of the trip. She'd got to apologize and to move on from the anger she had still been keeping toward Calvin, and she was now feeling completely free. She could enjoy this life and be with her family without having to worry anymore, and it was the greatest gift in the universe for her. She was just happy. So much that she could hardly believe it sometimes.
They visited a few other villages on their way back to the castle, moving back to the South as the cities were becoming bigger and wealthier again. She could now see the poverty that was hiding behind these beautiful facades though, and she knew that one day, she would do something to make this world a better place, so no one would never suffer like she had. No kid like William would ever have to be all alone in the world, and she was determined to change the unfairness of this society that she was now living in.
She felt like she'd learned so much about herself during this journey, too. She'd discovered the Enchanted Forest like she'd always wanted to and she had realized that she could actually be happy. She'd spent so long believing that she was incapable of it, this acknowledgment made her smile for days. She'd never been closer to her son and she was more in love with Killian than ever, while the relationship that was shyly building between her and her parents had improved considerably with all these moments spent together. One day, she knew that they would manage to really be a family. She still had to work for it, but she was ready to trust them now. She simply needed some more time to really open up to them.
The castle appeared before their eyes eight weeks after the beginning of their trip. The days had gone by so fast, Emma could hardly realize that it'd been so long since they'd started their wonderful journey. It was still cold outside, but the snow wasn't covering the ground anymore, announcing the spring that wouldn't take long to arrive now. She had discovered that she was the Princess months ago, and yet it was still hard to wrap her head around it sometimes. Still, she could now embrace her new position fully, and she didn't have to be scared anymore.
Leading Wave toward the gates of the city, Emma looked at what was now her home with a small smile. So much had changed since she'd left the palace to take this trip with her family. She'd become better at horseback riding and sword fighting, she'd met the citizens and had started to think that maybe she could be a good ruler after all. She just wanted these people to be happy, and had finally understood that they weren't expecting anything from her. They were just glad to see that she had a good heart. And she was feeling so good it felt like her heart was going to burst sometimes, at how lucky she was to be able to live all those wonderful experiences.
She was however not ready to face what was awaiting for them now that they were back.
They understood that something was off as soon as they stepped into the familiar streets of the city. This town that was usually so vibrant, ringing with the noises of conversations and laughter, was now completely empty. The stalls on the market had been left unattended, and only the sound of the wind welcomed them as they were entering their kingdom. A threatening atmosphere was floating around, as if dangers were lurking in the corner of every street. Items were abandoned on the ground, an empty basket, a toy, a scarf that was carried away by the breeze. The place looked like a ghost town, and Emma's heart tightened as she just couldn't understand.
Trying to grasp what the hell was going on, she looked around her to realize that the citizens hadn't left. They were still there, hidden behind the curtains of their homes. She could see their stares following them from the windows as they were walking past the houses, their eyes looking scared and sad. She could tell that something bad had happened there, the air thick with the memories of a tragedy she still knew nothing about. She turned to her parents to see that they were both tense on their saddles, deeply concerned. In a low voice, as if to avoid disturbing the silence, she asked.
"What the hell is going on?"
She saw Henry shivering slightly, as if feeling this oppressive atmosphere that was surrounding them in his bones. Trying to reassure him, she searched for his eyes and winked, but she failed at giving him a real smile. Something horrible had happened while they were gone, and Emma could tell that everything had shifted once again. She was so worried she felt like she was going to be sick.
"I think I know exactly what occurred here." David grumbled, leading Mist to walk a bit faster in order to join the palace as soon as possible. Worried as well, the guards that had been accompanying them until then brought their horses to gallop in direction of the gates, ready to fight against whatever was going to be thrown at their faces again.
The King didn't add anything, but Snow was so pale she looked like she was about to faint. Emma could guess that something from their past had just come back to haunt them, even if she couldn't quite tell what it was yet. The good mood that had surrounded them during their entire trip was gone now, completely forgotten. She had the disturbing feeling that something was watching them as they were moving, and had to turn back a few times as a shiver was running up her spine. She didn't want to smile anymore. She was horribly scared about her family being in danger again, and not knowing what was going on was driving her crazy.
They arrived to the castle quickly after that. Everyone kept on looking at them in silence from behind their windows as they were heading for their destination, making them feel highly uncomfortable. When they finally got to the gardens of the palace, they gave their horses to a stable boy and almost ran to get inside and finally know more. Killian searched for her hand while they were moving in silence and their fingers interlaced as he seemed about to start panicking as well. The carefree happiness they'd got to live for a wonderful while had disappeared now, and she somehow knew that it wouldn't come back for a long time. She suddenly wanted to cry.
David announced that he was going to go get Kate and Chiara to have more information about the situation, but he didn't need to move any further than the hall for that. Alerted by the guards that had arrived before, the two women were already waiting for them, looking deeply worried. Emma had never seen her friends without their usual cheerful smiles before, and it only strengthened her feeling that the worst had happened while they weren't there. She was shaking slightly by the time she joined the assistants, wanting to know more but wishing that she could pretend that everything was fine all at the same time.
"What happened?" Snow asked immediately, hugging Kate, then Chiara with fear audible in her voice.
"Let's go to the library for that." Kate decided. "Everyone is already stressed enough as it is. They don't need to hear this story yet another time."
They walked to this room they'd all spent so many hours in, and the moment seemed to last for an eternity. Emma's legs were quivering as she could feel that everyone was in danger once again. She tried to take some deep breaths and pull herself together, because she couldn't start panicking now. They were going to be just fine, she didn't even know what was happening yet. Maybe she was just imagining things. Maybe it wasn't that bad. She really hoped so, anyway.
Their friends waited for them to have settled into the huge couches before starting to talk. Emma sat down next to Killian, their shoulders touching as if they were trying to find comfort in each other during these hard times. Henry was on the edge of his seat, ready to jump on his feet at any given moment and run away from something he still knew nothing about. It broke her heart to see her son so worried while he'd been so happy barely a few moments before, and she placed her hand on his knee to calm him down. She just didn't want him to be scared, not again. She simply wanted him to be a kid.
She watched Kate and Chiara looking down, sighing while they were sitting down as well, as if they just couldn't believe what was happening either. Finally, the latter took a deep breath and said all while slowly shaking her head. "It's Regina. She's back"
Emma felt like she couldn't breathe for a horrible second, and she had to dig her nails into the pillows of the sofa in order not to start screaming. In and out, she thought, trying not to go crazy. In and out. David swore out loud, looking like he could have punched something at how angry he obviously was, and Snow shrank in her seat, on the verge of tears. As for Killian, he searched for Emma's hand and started to gently stroke her skin with his thumb, as if he wanted to make sure that she wasn't going to get hurt.
Hoping that she hadn't heard correctly, even if she already knew that it wasn't the case, Emma asked in a muffled voice. "Regina… The Evil Queen?"
Chiara slowly nodded and she closed her eyes, as she couldn't pretend that all of this wasn't real anymore. She was doing the best she could in order not to run away from there and find a place where they could truly be happy. Because she was back. Regina, the one that had wanted Snow dead for years. The one that had forced her parents to giver her up because she hadn't managed to forgive a ten-year-old for telling a secret. The one that had tried to break them and had left them shattered, that had cast the Dark Curse and had trapped an entire kingdom for almost three decades.
Emma had naively thought that she wasn't a threat anymore. She had believed that it was all over. Regina hadn't shown herself since the Dome had disappeared, and now she couldn't believe that this villain was going to terrorize the population all over again, as if she hadn't done enough already. She didn't want to accept the fact that she was back, while she'd finally thought that her family was safe. Why was the Evil Queen striking now, after all this time? Hadn't her parents suffered enough?
"I knew that she wasn't gone, this damn witch!" David cried out, infuriated by the news. "That would have been too easy! I knew that she was waiting for the right time to attack, when we weren't expecting her to, because everything was going so well!"
"But why would she do this now?" Killian asked in a calm voice, even if Emma could guess how afraid he actually was behind his composed behavior.
"We were gone, away from the kingdom because we were so sure that everything was going to be okay, now that we were reunited. We thought that we'd won for good, and now she's back." Snow said, unshed tears shining in her eyes and she sniffed discreetly. "She took advantage of our absence to scare the citizens, so they wouldn't feel safe anymore. They're afraid, because they know what she's capable of and how far she can go to get what she wants. She's always liked hurting innocent people to get to her goal."
"Her goal being to hurt us, I suppose?" Killian guessed, squeezing Emma's hand a bit tighter in his.
"Without the shadow of a doubt. She hates me. She knows that I'm happy now that we've found Emma back. She's certainly going to make sure that I don't keep this happiness for much longer, because I took hers away. She waited before attacking because she wanted us to feel safe for a while, she wanted to take us by surprise and make us suffer even more. She's always done that. I should have expected it."
She let go of a little sob, and David immediately took her in his arms, losing his furious expression to kiss her forehead and whisper words that Emma couldn't hear to his wife's ear. She had to admit that she was finding it pretty hard not to start crying as well. She knew all about Regina and what she'd done to the couple, she'd read this story countless times to her son. And because of a mistake that a little girl had made years ago, the Evil Queen had decided to make everyone suffer and pay for her misfortune. This was wrong, unfair. And this was only the beginning of a new war.
She still wanted Snow's death after all those years. And she was capable of anything to get what she wanted. Everyone was well aware of that. She'd cast the Dark Curse, after all.
"She must be planning this for months." Snow continued in a voice muffled by her tears. Everyone was silent in the room now, trying not to start panicking over this. They needed to stay calm in order to find the best possible solution to face this situation "She knows exactly what she wants to do to us. And I don't know how to stop her."
"Rumpelstiltskin's visit makes so much sense, now." David added in a whisper. "Regina's probably discovered that Emma has powers, and she's still working with the Dark One, because he can give her everything that she wants since she doesn't care about the consequences. He had something in mind when he came here to offer his help, and he probably wanted to see how strong these powers were to use it against us when needed. Now that he knows that Emma won't try to learn more about them, Regina isn't afraid to attack anymore."
Emma blinked, trying to keep on breathing slowly as she had to process these news. Everything seemed so obvious that it was almost scary to think that they hadn't realized what was happening sooner. When they'd discovered that she had magic, the Evil Queen had thought that she was going to learn how to use it, and had thus sent a spy, someone who could inform her about Emma's skills so she could use what she knew against them.
When she'd thought that the Dark One had left empty-handed after his visit, she'd been so wrong. He had learned that she didn't want anything to do with this magic, even if it was strong. And unfortunately, this was playing in Regina's favor, as she was searching for a way to hurt them. Now that she knew that Emma couldn't fight her with her powers since she wanted to ignore this part of herself, she could attack them anytime and win. A flick of her hand, and they were all dead. How was this even fair?
Her family was in danger again, all because of something that had happened decades ago. How could Regina still be mad at Snow for what she'd done, anyway? Her mother was just a kid back then, and Emma couldn't believe that she was still trying to get her revenge. Or maybe she was just using the past as an excuse to kill more innocent people, because she liked being cruel. In any case, she was terrified. She didn't want to risk losing everything again, right after finally finding this family she'd dreamed of for so long. And deep down, she already knew that she had to do something about this, because she wouldn't let this woman ruin everything that she'd tried to build.
For now though, she mostly needed to convince her son that they would be alright. He seemed so scared, and she wrapped her arm around his shoulders and brought him close, wanting to show him that she would always protect him and that nothing would happen to him as long as she was there. Looking back at Kate and Chiara, she asked with a surprising confidence, as if this new decision she'd taken to fight had given her the strength she needed to face the situation.
"What did she do while we were gone? Why is everyone so terrified?"
"It was bad." Chiara answered, shivering a little at these hard memories. "We haven't been able do anything to stop her, because she took us by surprise. It all began about ten days ago. She appeared in the middle of the marketplace, out of nowhere, and before anyone could even realize that she was back after all those years, she killed two poor innocents that were just standing there."
"Everyone panicked." Kate continued. "No one could believe that she was there to spread terror again. All the citizens are hiding inside their houses now, they're afraid that she is going to strike again. She hasn't come back since then, but we all know that she's going to attack again soon. She promised to make them all suffer form supporting Snow White while they should have followed her instead. And the gods know what she's capable of."
"It's all my fault." Snow whimpered, sinking her head into her hands as David was gently stroking her back.
"It's not, honey. It's her fault, don't blame yourself. You were just a kid when you did what you did, and she should have forgiven you long ago. It's all her, not you."
"But… does that mean that we're in danger?" Henry asked in such a small voice that Emma thought her heart was shattering.
"Don't you worry, lad." Killian said immediately, and Emma leaned to press a kiss to her son's forehead, trying to comfort him. "As long as I'm here, nothing is never going to happen to you or your mum. We'll protect you no matter what, Henry. No one will ever hurt you."
The little boy nodded and snuggled a bit closer to his mother, but he seemed a bit reassured by his dad's words. Kate took a second before continuing, frowning deeply "The problem is that she said she wanted to hurt you, Emma. She's furious that you've escaped and survived her curse, and that you managed to break it. She can't stand the fact that you found your family and that you make your parents happy. She knows that the best way to hurt Snow and David isn't to kill them anymore. It's to harm you, because you're finally reunited after all this time and she wants to take you away from them again."
Against all odds, Emma didn't even feel scared anymore. She was in a rage. Her heart was pounding so fast she was feeling like it was going to explode, and she just wanted to scream her anger. How dared she? Why was this woman she didn't even know trying to hurt her, while she'd just found happiness at last? She wanted to punch a wall. She wanted to go face this Evil Queen who thought that she was so powerful and make her regret everything that she'd done. She couldn't let the situation go on that way. She had to do something.
But if she wasn't afraid for her own safety, she was terrified for her family. She didn't want them to suffer because of this, she didn't want anything to ever happen to them. Killian moved to wrap his arm around her and hold her close, and she could feel how scared he was at the way he buried his face in her hair to breathe her in. Henry seemed about to start crying as well, and he was holding onto her for dear life, as if he wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to lose his mom. They all knew what Regina could do to her, but she wouldn't let her hurt anyone ever again. She was going to fight, she had no other choice.
Wanting to reassure those she loved the most, she then stated. "She won't do anything to me. I promise I won't let her. If she tries anything, I can defend myself. Everything is going to be just fine. We'll make sure that she can't hurt anyone else ever again, and then everything will go back to normal. We've been through much worse, haven't we?"
"We'll help you hide, if needed." Snow added, as she'd stopped crying and was now looking ready for a fight as well, her expression assured and determined. "She won't get close to you. Blue can help us to place protection spells around the castle, and if it's too dangerous out there, you won't get out for a while until we're sure that Regina isn't a danger anymore. We'll do everything to protect you. She won't hurt you."
"I don't want to hide, and I can protect myself." Emma replied seriously. "I actually have a way better plan than what you're offering."
She knew that the idea that had suddenly crossed her mind was the right thing to do. She was a bit afraid, she couldn't lie about it, but she also needed to take control over this insane situation. She had to protect her family at all cost, and if facing her fears was the price to pay, she would do it gladly. She wasn't going to let Regina terrorize anyone any longer. The Evil Queen probably thought that she was going to find a helpless little princess. But Emma wasn't powerless. And she was determined to prove it.
A thick silence had settled as everyone was waiting for her to continue, intrigued by her words. She straightened and, still holding Henry close, she said. "We're going to beat her at her own game."
"What do you mean?" David asked, obviously not understanding her statement.
"We're going to take advantage of the fact she thinks that I can't defend myself, and surprise her. After the Dark One's visit, she thinks that I won't try to learn about my magic, correct? And what if I decide that I want her to be wrong about that?"
Everyone knew exactly where she was going with this, now. She was internally terrified, but she was aware that this was the best thing she could possibly do. Her magic was a part of her, whether she wanted it or not. She had no desire to explore it, but she couldn't ignore it anymore and had to fight for everyone that was suffering out there. Her powers could be an asset, if she ever learned how to use them correctly. She could take Regina by surprise, and this would give them the time they needed to catch her and make sure that she would never hurt anyone else again. She had to do it, for her family and for the kingdom. And she had to do it for herself, so she wouldn't be scared anymore.
"I'd do anything to protect all of you." She said then. "I'm going to learn how to use my powers. Regina won't know what's coming."
"Emma, are you sure about this?" Snow asked, looking slightly worried. "You can still change your mind, honey. I promise no one will be disappointed because of this."
"Yes, I'm sure." Emma simply said, her voice a bit less assured than she would have wanted it to be.
She was scared, but she knew that she couldn't back out now. If she gave up, she would never learn how to use her powers and her family would be in danger because she hadn't been strong enough. She just had to set her worries aside and focus on what was truly important : make sure that they were all safe. She had the means to defend herself and those she loved, she just had to be brave and learn how to use these tools. She wouldn't let Regina get close to the people she cared about.
She could feel Killian's presence next to her, helping her to keep calm. He was supporting her in this with everything that he had, telling her how amazing he thought she was every hour of every day and giving her the strength to keep going. He was her rock, and she was doing all of this because she loved him and Henry more than anything in the entire world. With them by her side, she knew that she could do anything.
Her son had wanted to be present too, even if she was a bit scared to hurt him with these powers that she knew nothing about. She was aware that they were strong and she didn't want him to be there in case they would get out of control, but he'd insisted so much she hadn't had the heart to say no. She knew that Killian would protect him if anything had to happen, anyway. And the little boy was now standing a bit behind his father, looking at her with wide eyes and curious to know more about this magic he was such a fan of.
Her parents were there, too. They had wanted to support her in this hard decision she'd taken, and if they were looking a bit worried about her because she was so afraid she was shaking slightly, she could also tell that they were really proud. She was conquering her fears, and they all seemed to think that she was so incredibly strong. And she needed to make sure that they wouldn't get hurt by Regina once again. She'd broken a curse with this magic already. She knew what she could do, and she was finally ready to learn about it. And she would eventually be able to defeat the Evil Queen.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened a bit and looked at Blue, bracing herself for what was coming next. They'd only come back from their trip a couple of days earlier, but it already seemed like an eternity ago because of the fear that had replaced the happiness in their hearts. The fairy had immediately come to help her when they'd asked her too, because she knew that this was an emergency. She needed to know everything about this quickly, in order to stop Regina. And after that, they could finally be totally happy.
Her parents' friend stayed silent for a while, looking a bit concerned. She'd told her before that she wasn't sure that she could help her a lot, because their magics were very different. She would try, she'd promised anyway, because she really wanted the kingdom to be safe again. Still, no one knew what Emma really was capable of, and it was time to finally find out. She knew she could do it. To protect her family, she knew that she could overcome anything, because they were the most important things.
They were all standing in the training room they usually used for her sword fighting lessons with Killian. Her stomach was in knots and she took the time to take a few deep breaths, as everyone was waiting for her to tell them that she was ready to begin. Finally, she nodded, feeling like she was going to throw up, and she told herself that it was all worth it if it was to make sure that everyone would be okay at the end of the day.
"Alright, Emma." The fairy said then without smiling. "I can already tell that your magic is way more powerful than mine is, since you're the Savior and you are he product of true love. Still, I think I can help you to learn how to use these powers without being scared of them. We're going to start with a small exercise today, okay? I want you to try and light this candle." She added, gesturing toward the item that she was holding in her hand.
"What am I supposed to do?" Emma asked, staring at the object with a frown. She wasn't sure how to gather all this energy toward a goal, and she started to doubt the fact that she could actually do it.
"It's different for everyone. But don't think about it. You can't use magic with your head. You have to use what you're feeling inside. You need to feel these powers, and think about who you want to protect with them. Listen to your heart, not your mind."
"Easier said than done." She growled in answer.
Even if she'd opened up a lot since she'd met Killian, and even if being a mother to Henry had taught her so much, she'd tried to bury her own feelings for so long that it was hard for her to listen to them sometimes. She was still hiding behind walls with her parents, even though she was trying to fight against herself to finally stop acting that way. Using her own emotions was making her feel vulnerable, and yet she knew that she didn't have a choice anymore, because her powers had always appeared during very emotional moments. She had the key, she just needed to learn how to use it.
In order to give herself some strength, she jumped a few times, shaking her hands to try and focus more easily. She did her best to ignore the knots that were still there in the pit of her stomach, so she could be totally available for the lesson she was being taught. Finally, she stopped moving and closed her eyes, lifting the palms of her hands and trying to light this damn candle. How hard could it be, anyway?
But the seconds, the minutes passed and nothing at all happened. She tried to concentrate a bit more, but she was getting nervous and she opened her eyes again with a growl of anger. She wanted to hit something, in order to evacuate all this frustration. She couldn't fail. She had to learn, and yet she felt like there was an invisible barrier that was preventing her from reaching this magic she needed so badly. She didn't know what to do about it and it was infuriating.
If she couldn't make a simple flame appear, how the hell would she be able to defeat Regina and help the kingdom? She was caught in the middle of this battle that wasn't hers, and yet she had to protect these citizens from knowing more pain. They were innocents, her family was too, and she had to control herself, she had to succeed and save them all. They weren't calling her the Savior for nothing, but she just couldn't do anything on the moment, and she felt like she was about to scream.
"It's okay." The Blue Fairy said with a kind smile, seeing that she was about to explode. "It's normal to struggle a bit the first time. You need to learn how to become one with your magic, before you can succeed in using it properly."
"But if I can't even light a stupid candle, how am I supposed to fight and save this kingdom? Regina could do anything and I wouldn't even be able to defend myself or those I love" She panted, trying to remember how to breathe.
"Emma, love, it's alright." Killian said then, approaching her to look into her eyes, and losing herself into the familiar blue of his gaze managed to reassure her a bit. "Everything is going to be just fine. I'm sure that you can do this, but take all the time that you need. Nothing is going to happen to Henry, your parents or me, I promise you this. Don't put that much pressure on yourself and think that you have to save the entire world. I'm sure you'd be able to, but we're all here to support you. We'll protect each other, darling. You're not alone."
Emma didn't know how he knew exactly what she needed to hear every single time, but she felt herself relax completely at his words. She nodded, still looking at him, and she grabbed his hand as he was offering her a reassuring smile. Their fingers interlaced and he stayed by her side as she was closing her eyes again, ready to face these difficulties once more now that he was there.
Things were different, this time, as she wasn't nervous anymore. She just focused on the touch of his hand on her skin and on how good it was making her feel and, soon, a new sensation arose in her. It was strange, but not unpleasant. And she vaguely understood that she was about to figure everything out.
Her fingertips got slowly invaded by small tickles, getting stronger and stronger as she was holding Killian's hand a bit tighter. The sensation moved, going up her arms before nesting in the pit of her stomach. Surprised, she realized that a little ball of light was slowly building there. It was warm and comforting, making her think of a tiny little sun living inside of her. The more she focused on it, in awe of what was happening, the more it grew just beside her heart. For a moment, she thought that it was going to explode. And then…
Then nothing. It was gone, but Emma didn't get frustrated this time. She had no idea of what had really happened, but she felt at peace with herself. The sounds gradually came back to her as she was opening her eyes, and she suddenly realized that she'd forgotten everything during this strange experience. The only thing she'd been able to feel was Killian's hand in hers. She heard her family sighing behind her, and her eyes finally fell on the candle the fairy was still holding, and on the small but strong flame that was dancing above it.
She breathed deeply, feeling like her heart was going to burst. She'd actually done it. She was aware that it was a simple candle and that she was far from being able to save her family with that, but she felt suddenly so proud. It was definitely a step in the right direction, and a huge one given how scared she'd been. She could guess how happy everyone in the room was as well, because Blue was smiling widely, and Killian gave her hand a gentle, encouraging squeeze.
"Woah, Mom, that was awesome!" Henry cried out, overexcited by what he'd just witnessed.
"You're amazing, Emma." Killian said in a low voice, sounding completely awestruck. "I knew you could do it. You're brilliant, absolutely brilliant."
He was so proud and she felt her heart skipping a beat. Without thinking or paying any attention to the fact that her family was in the room, she turned to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him senseless, just because she felt like it. He grabbed her waist and kissed her back, smiling as he was holding her. She knew that it was his hand that had allowed her to get access to this magic as she'd felt so safe against him, and she wanted to show him how grateful she was for his endless support. She really was the luckiest woman to have found him, she thought as she was tilting her head to deepen their embrace.
They only pulled away after a long time, trying to catch their breath and their cheeks reddened by the strength of their moment. She only realized that maybe they should have held themselves back a bit when she saw David looking down at the floor, obviously pretty uncomfortable. If she was being honest though, she had no regrets because she'd needed to feel her boyfriend close after this very important thing that had just happened. She saw that their son was laughing slightly, always happy to see his parents so in love, and when she turned back to the Blue Fairy, she noted the little smile that was dancing on her lips.
Obviously amused, she stated "That's a very good start. We'll be doing more difficult tasks soon, but for now, do you think you can do that again?"
Emma nodded immediately, her confidence boosted after managing to use these powers that she'd been so wary of for the first time. She was closing her eyes again, trying to make the same little sun appear in her chest, when she felt Killian's hand slowly pulling away from hers. He probably wanted to leave her to focus on the exercise, but she really didn't want him to go. So she turned to him and called him back, gently grabbing his fingers again.
"Wait, don't go. You're helping." She added when she saw his questioning look.
"I'm staying right here, Swan." He then said with a small smile, holding her hand a little bit tighter.
"Good." She just replied, smirking, and quickly dived back into this strange trance that she was just discovering.
She succeeded at lighting a dozen of candles that day. Slowly, she started to feel more comfortable, smiling as the task was getting easier and easier for her to accomplish. She was actually pretty excited to know more about all of this now, because she still couldn't really understand what was happening. She could simply tell that she had so much more to offer. This was just the beginning of a long journey she couldn't wait to take.
In Blue's opinion, Emma was progressing amazingly fast as her lessons were continuing day after day. After the candles, she managed to light bigger lanterns, and succeeded in making them flicker whenever she wanted to. Her classes then focused on heavier items, that she tried to make fly across the room. And finally, she faced wooden dummies, training to hit them with everything that she had and make them fall over, all while imagining that they were Regina trying to attack her family. In barely a couple of weeks, she could do things she'd never even imagined, and she was quite proud of herself. She couldn't find any limits to her powers. And yet, she wasn't scared anymore.
Now that she was learning about this part of herself, she had no reason to be afraid. And at her own surprise, she was even starting to like this magic that she was trying to control. She was enjoying what she could do with it, and she couldn't believe that she'd learned so much in such little time.
She could now control them most of the time and defend herself, even if she still hadn't been confronted to a real danger yet and thus didn't know how she would actually react during an emergency. Regina seemed to be hiding again, probably waiting for the right time to strike, and it was giving Emma the space she needed to train more and be ready when she would come. Her days were now punctuated by these sword fighting lessons, the horseback riding ones and her ever-present magic.
And through all of that, Killian never left her side.
He was always there to encourage her, murmuring that she was amazing and giving her the strength she needed to keep going and never give up. She was fighting for him, for Henry, for her parents so they would never have to suffer again, and knowing that she could now protect them was relieving her so much. Because if Regina wanted to kill her to hurt Snow and David now that they'd finally found her back, she could as well hurt Killian and Henry. Emma wouldn't let her do such a thing, though. The Evil Queen wouldn't know what was going to hit her when they would finally meet face to face.
"Can you give me the pillow, please, love?" Killian casually asked her one evening, as he was lying down in their bed.
They were getting ready for the night, and he'd just noticed that one if his pillows had landed on the floor, near her side of the bed, during their moment the day before. As he was already settled underneath their blankets, she was still standing and tying her hair up in a messy bun. They were tired and were pretending to be going to sleep, even if they both very well knew that they wouldn't take the rest they needed right away. Not a night went by without them making love, after all.
Her hands busy with her hair, Emma didn't bother to move and, instead of answering his request normally, she decided to use this magic that she was starting to like so much. She only had to focus for a second, and the item went to gently land beside her very amused boyfriend as she was smiling happily at her performance.
"You do know that you could simply have picked it up, right?" He teased gently, laughing a bit.
"I do, but you have to admit that it would have been a lot less impressive." She replied with a little smirk.
"You do love showing off your powers, don't you?" He continued as a joke, and she slowly approached the bed as she was answering.
"And I know that you like it."
Biting her lips, she immediately straddled him, losing herself in the deep blue of his eyes. She wanted him, right there, right now, and the lust she read in his gaze told her that he was feeling the exact same way. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and brought his lips to hers, and he answered her strokes by holding her a little bit closer. He seemed to love this new confidence that she had in herself, and she could tell that he was determined to show her just how much.
In barely a few instants, he already found himself bare chest, and she ran her hands down his naked stomach to tug at his pants and encourage him to take them off. She only pulled away for a second to stare at him, licking her lips to get one last taste of him. He was gorgeous, with his blue eyes darkened by the love he had for her, and she cupped his cheek as he was murmuring against her skin.
"You're so right, my darling. I love that a lot. And I love you."
It made her want to kiss him even more, and she pressed her mouth against his once again, rocking her hips to fasten their pace. Without even thinking about it, she moved her wrist and turned off all the lanterns of the room so they could be in the dark. The only light she left burning was the little candle on her night table, and Killian smiled against her, his hand finally finding its way underneath her nightgown as they were as always in perfect harmony.
The first danger Emma faced took place three weeks after the start of her lessons.
It was way too soon in her opinion, but it wasn't like she had a say in it. She knew that she was far from having learned everything there had to know about magic, and if she was training as much as possible and was actually getting good at it, she was still worried that she wouldn't be able to really defend herself when the time would come. Hitting a dummy was one thing, trying to fight someone who was moving and trying to hurt her was another entirely. She was well aware that she just wasn't ready yet.
Still, she was still making progress and could now use her powers without having to fight against herself, and if Killian was still helping her to feel confident and always go further, he didn't need to be beside her at all time anymore. And even though she was concerned about the first time she would have to use these new skills, she was also reassured that she could defend herself now, even if it wasn't much yet. She'd taken control over the situation and over her own life again. Regina hadn't appeared since they'd come back from their trip through the Enchanted Forest, and she was slowly starting to hope that maybe she'd given up on attacking them. Despite the dangers lurking, she felt safe.
She was wrong.
The snow was now gone for a while and if the trees were still bare, the weather was slowly getting warmer. Encouraged by the sun that seemed to finally have come back after months of freezing cold, the entire family decided one day to go take a walk on the marketplace and enjoy the company of the citizens there. They needed this afternoon of calm before Emma went back to her training, and she was happy to go in town and talk with the people there a little bit.
Because since they'd come back, the soul of the city had seemed to rise from its ashes again. The threat Regina was representing seemed so far away, now that she'd disappeared for several weeks, and the people were reassured now that their rulers were back. The streets were crowded again, and the citizens seemed to have found their smiles back.
The family hadn't talked to anyone about her lessons of magic, to take Regina by surprise if the time to fight ever came. Only a few people knew about it in the castle, and they'd managed to keep the secret surprisingly well. Even if they didn't know that she was getting ready for a fight, the people were obviously trusting them to defend their town if something had to happen. And everything seemed to have gone back to normal at last.
No one could imagine what was going to happen that sunny, beautiful day of spring.
Emma was walking in between the stalls of the market, exchanging a few words with the citizens that were waving at her. They all knew her now, and she was truly glad to be able to share a few friendly moments with them. She wasn't feeling like a princess at all, even if she'd finally accepted the fact that she was actually one. She felt more like someone who had to protect these people, but she wasn't a royal, deep down. Just an ordinary girl that had been put in this crazy, sometimes scary, but amazing situation.
She'd put on a long dress for once, the sensation of it a bit strange now that she was almost always wearing leather pants instead. She was holding Killian's hand, and was watching Henry as the little boy was staring at the cages of a stall that was selling colorful birds. Smiling, they both approached their son and she placed her hand on his shoulders as he was looking at a beautiful parrot in awe.
"Isn't it gorgeous?" She said to him, tenderized by how amazed he looked.
"Can we have one, please?" He suddenly asked, turning to her and his eyes shining with hope.
"Really?" She raised her eyebrows at him and he pouted, making her laugh. "Henry, you already have a horse. Don't you think that you're already busy enough with Spark? We really don't need a bird, kiddo."
"Never mind." He shrugged, looking slightly disappointed. "When I'll be older, I'll have dozens of them."
Emma shared an amused glance with Killian, and her boyfriend was opening his mouth to reply something and gently tease Henry, when his words got lost in the panicked screams that suddenly rang all around them. They all startled and turned to see what was going on, their heartbeats already fastening as they somehow already knew all about what had just happened. Emma had never heard the citizens so scared before, and this could only mean one thing.
Everything had just crumbled.
As she was searching her surroundings to spot the origin of the panic, a feminine voice rang in between the stalls. Everyone had become dead silent, as if scared to even breathe. No one moved, aware that running away wasn't of any use with the person that had come to attack them. And they all waited for something to happen, shaking slightly with the horrible feeling that everything was about to go south really quickly.
Regina was there. She was turned toward Snow and David, who had held a bit back to look at a particular stall. As they were lost in the middle of the crowd and as the Evil Queen wasn't paying any attention to the citizens, she hadn't noticed Killian, Henry and his mom yet. Emma suddenly became strangely calm, bracing herself for what was to come. She had an advantage, she was still invisible. And she was going to use it.
"So, the royal family is out as I can see?" the Evil Queen sneered in a cruel voice.
Emma wrapped one arm around Henry to keep him close and safe, still holding Killian's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. She could feel her boys' fear in her own bones, and she just wanted to comfort them. Because she wasn't scared at all. She knew what she had to do. She had been preparing for this for weeks, and if she wasn't completely ready yet, she knew that she would do what she needed to in order to protect her family and everyone around. Nothing was going to happen to any them, she wouldn't let it.
Still keeping a physical contact with her son and boyfriend, because she knew that they needed to feel her close on that moment to try and not start panicking, she placed herself on her tiptoe to see what was happening around her more clearly. A circle had formed when the villain had arrived, and in the center of it were now standing her parents and Regina. She could only see the back of the Evil Queen, recognizing these long black locks tied up in a high ponytail that she'd seen so many times on paintings or in her son's books.
The woman was wearing a dark, long dress, and Emma finally caught a glimpse of her face a second later. The witch would have been pretty, she thought, if it hadn't been for this hate that was shining in her eyes and deforming her features. She was staring at Snow and everyone seemed to be waiting for the next part of her little speech. Emma's mother didn't step back though, defiantly looking at her biggest enemy, as David was moving to stand a little bit before his wife, as if trying to protect her.
"Snow White. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" The Queen finally continued with a smile that made Henry shiver against Emma. "I thought that I was finally done with you, but I have to admit, you know how to survive."
"What do you want?" Snow asked, her chin up and her voice as cold as ice.
"Oh, isn't it obvious? I want your daughter."
It was so discreet that it became almost invisible, but Emma could see the crowd moving slowly to stand before her and her family and hide them. The first moment of surprise gone, she realized that they were actually trying to protect them, as Regina still hadn't noticed that they were there yet. She blinked, suddenly moved by these people's loyalty. They only knew her family for a few months and yet they were covering them, not even paying attention to their own terror. This only made her more determined to act quickly. She had to save these innocents, but she however didn't move right away. She had to wait for the right moment first.
Regina was obviously too focused on Snow to really notice anything else that was going on around her, and she continued. "Your daughter, who was supposed to die the day of her birth. The Savior, as they all call her. She's a survivor too, this one. But I have no other choice than to kill her, you see? This stupid little princess broke my curse, and I can't forgive that. She has to pay. So, where is she?"
"You'll never get to her." David growled, completely furious to be facing this woman that had ruined his life.
"Oh, but I will. And you'll be forced to tell me where she is. Because if you don't, I won't hesitate to kill every single one of these citizens. You didn't manage to protect them once, when I cast the curse. Will you do what is right now, Snow White, or will you continue to be the selfish little girl you've always been?"
Snow didn't answer and no one moved an inch. Emma could feel how scared everyone around her was, but they were determined to protect her and hide her from the witch. She had to act, right now, because she couldn't let any of these brave people get hurt in this fight that wasn't theirs. It was time, or Regina was going to harm somebody. She was ready.
She then let go of Killian's hand and gestured for her son to hold his father instead of her. As Henry was staring at her with wide eyes, not understanding what she wanted to do, her boyfriend obviously already knew. Aware that he couldn't make any noise, he vigorously shook his head, trying to make her change her mind because this plan was definitely very dangerous. But she also didn't have a choice, so to try and comfort him, she leaned to his ear and whispered.
"Whatever happens next, keep on protecting Henry." Seeing that he was about to protest and hold her back, she cut him off by dropping a little kiss to his lips and she murmured. "I love you."
And before he could say anything at all, she kissed the top of their son's head, reminding him of how much she loved him as well, because she didn't know what was going to happen to her now. She wasn't scared, but she knew that she could get hurt and if she did, she wanted these words to be her last. She watched her two boys for a second as they were both looking at her with tears in their eyes and, knowing that if she didn't leave now she wouldn't at all because seeing them hurting was unbearable, she turned to lose herself into the crowd.
Noticing that she was moving, the citizens seemed to somehow understand her silent plan, and they didn't make one noise that could have betrayed her presence. She quietly went to stand behind the Evil Queen, still hiding among the citizens so she could attack her by surprise, and she immediately noticed that David had seen her. Regina couldn't sense that something was going on behind her or everything would crumble, so Emma pressed a finger against her lips to ask her father to stay quiet. He understood right away and turned back to his enemy, who was too busy threatening everyone to pay any attention to the King's reaction.
"So, who is the one I'm going to kill for protecting Emma Swan?"
"You won't kill anybody." Snow stated, looking angrier than Emma had ever seen her before.
"If you don't give me what I want, you can't stop me and you know it."
"You won't have to hurt anyone, Regina." Emma then said loudly, taking a step forward to be seen by everyone. "I'm right here."
Her enemy turned at once, startled by this voice she didn't know yet. Her dark eyes took one second to recognize the woman that was now facing her, as they'd never been face to face before. One second that changed everything, because it allowed Emma to strike before she could do anything to stop it.
She'd already gathered her powers, leaving what she now called her little sun shining in the pit of her stomach until she needed it. She only had to focus for a split second in order to throw her magic at Regina. The crowd stepped back, taken aback as they'd thought that she'd never learned to use these powers. The Evil Queen couldn't do anything, too surprised as well, and she wasn't able to avoid the flash of white magic that hit her right in the chest. She fell down at Snow and David's feet, staying still for a bit as she was a little stunned.
Emma was before her in less than an instant. Her long dress was bothering her a bit to move quickly, but she tried not to pay any attention to it and stood before the villain, brandishing her dagger and overhanging her as she was still lying down on the ground. The woman looked at her with wide eyes, and Emma guessed that no one had tried to stand up to her in a very long time, given how speechless she was now. Her jaw clenched and her free hand in front of her to use her magic in case Regina would try to move, she said :
"You were expecting a defenseless little princess, weren't you? Surprise!"
The shock of the moment gone, everything went silent around them again as Emma was staring at this enemy that she didn't even know personally. She just knew that she had to make sure she wouldn't hurt anyone ever again. The idea of possibly killing her didn't even cross her mind though, because she'd promised herself that she would never do such a thing again. She could still read in Regina's eyes that she'd finally understood what she was capable of. She was scared, and was obviously too stunned to use her magic right now, as she hadn't expected to be attacked in return.
Trying to protect the people around her because Emma knew that she couldn't win against the Evil Queen's magic, not yet, she just wasn't trained enough, she used her powers to strangle her. Not too much, she left her space to breathe, but she just wanted her to believe that she wouldn't think twice before going further if she tried anything to hurt these people. She continued in a low voice, so angry at this woman that had caused so much pain to everyone.
"You would deserve to be killed, right here in front of this crowd, after everything that you've done to this world. And yet, I won't get down to your level. I'm better than that. If you try to harm these people though, I won't hesitate. Understood?"
Regina didn't answer, and Emma internally wondered when the hell the guards would finally appear to get this witch to a cell and lock her up for the rest of her life. She just wanted the kingdom to be safe. Everything was still quiet though, and she then strengthened her magical grip just a little bit more, what made the Evil Queen gasp in pain. Looking straight into her eyes, she repeated.
"Understood?"
She still didn't say a word, but Emma could see that she'd got the threat very clearly. She however was able to act again, now that her surprise had faded away. She took advantage of the fact that Emma had lessened her hold just a little bit, to move her wrist in a quick gesture and disappear before anyone had the chance to do anything to stop her.
Emma blinked in surprise, standing in the middle of the circle formed by the crowd. She was vaguely aware that Regina could have attacked her easily, but she'd been in a bad position and if she'd tried anything to hurt her, David's sword would have ended up in her stomach. So she'd preferred to run away. Emma felt slightly mad about it. She would have wanted for everything to be over and to be able to stop this once and for all, but she also knew that the worst had been avoided. Regina hadn't harmed anyone. She'd saved the citizens, at least.
The silence was almost oppressive as she was starting to breathe again, putting the dagger back in its sheath and trying to fully realize what had just happened. And then, everything came back to life at once. Noises began to ring in the streets again, and she needed a moment to grasp that the crowd was actually clapping, congratulating her for her courage. Snow and David ran the few feet that were separating them from her, and they took her in their arms, shaking slightly. She hugged them back and was about to reassure them when she heard voices in her back, broken and terrified.
"Swan?"
"Mom?"
Henry and Killian had talked at the same time, voices muffled by their sobs. Emma pulled away from her parents to turn and welcome her two boys into her embrace. Her son was on the verge of tears, holding onto her for dear life, and Killian seemed to have trouble breathing, as if he'd been holding his breath the entire time and was only starting to breathe again now that he was back in her arms.
"I thought… we were gonna lose you." Henry sobbed, and she held him a little bit closer to her, tears in her eyes at her little boy's distress.
"I'm right here, kid. I'm not going anywhere." She promised and nothing mattered anymore except reassuring the two most important people of her life.
"I thought that I was going crazy, to see you in danger like that." Killian then whispered in her neck.
She pulled a little bit away from him to be able to look into his eyes. Trying to comfort him, she cupped his cheek and one tear rolled down his face as he was staring at her like he couldn't believe that she was real. Touched by his sadness, she tried and failed to smile, saying in a small voice.
"Sweetie, look at me, I'm fine. Don't cry, please, I'm okay. You're not losing me. Never. I swear."
"You were amazing." He said, biting his lips to try and stop his tears. "I was just scared."
"I know. I just couldn't let her hurt any of you."
Now that the adrenaline was slowly leaving her body, she was suddenly feeling so tired she could barely stand on her own feet anymore. The citizens were still clapping around her and she turned to try and reassure them, but she stumbled, completely exhausted. Killian noticed it right away and he wrapped is arm around her waist as she was collapsing against his chest. He pressed a kiss to her temple, looking like he never wanted to let her go ever again.
"Let's go home, my love." He said very softly
She simply nodded, feeling so comforted now that she was back where she belonged : in his arms.
So I just wanted to clarify something quite important here. For those who know me, you know that I don't particularly like Regina. For that reason, she appears in this story only to be an obstacle on Emma's journey to real happiness. There will be no redemption arc for her whatsoever, and this fiction will always stay an Emma and Captain Swan story. I hope you liked this chapter though, and thank you so, so much for reading! See you next time!