"So where exactly is it that we need to be going?" Emma asked. They'd been on the road two hours now, making their way back to the ship and they were nearly there, thanks to the addition of horses this time around.

"The castle," Meriel said. "She's got them in the highest room of the tallest tower."

Hook crooked a brow. "How terribly romantic," He said dryly.

"How are we getting inside the castle?" Kai asked. "Cora doesn't seem like someone you could easily sneak up on."

"She's not," Emma said. "But I can get us inside. We're going to need a diversion, though. Something to draw her away."

"Leave that to me," Hook said. "She's commissioned me to find a sea diamond, and it just so happens I've completed my task and have yet to collect my payment." He looked over at Kai.

"Of course," Kai replied. He reached inside his shirt, pulling the sea diamond out on its string. Then he grasped it firmly between his fingers and snapped part of it off. "Here you go," He said, tossing it to Hook, who caught it with a look of astonishment.

"You just broke that off. With your fingers," Hook said in utter disbelief.

Kai looked uncomfortable, and Meriel wasn't sure what was going on. Luckily, her mother asked before she did.

"So what's the big deal?"

Hook waited for Kai to say something, but when Kai chose to remain silent, he explained. "Sea diamonds are every bit as hard as a regular diamond - maybe even more so. The only thing that can cut or break them is the pickaxe of a dwarf. Or seriously powerful magic." He looked over at Kai uneasily. "Remind me never to make you angry, mate."

Kai shook his head. "You're safe from me," He answered, but he noticed Hook moving his horse between him and Emma. "I'm no threat to Emma, either," He added sincerely.

"So you're a sorcerer - or something like that?" Emma asked.

Kai looked over at Meriel. "Something like that."

"And you can help us take down Cora?" Emma looked over at Meriel. "Both of you?"

Meriel gave her an apologetic smile. "We'll do what we can, but the real experts will be your parents. They fought Regina successfully, and took the kingdom back from King George. And don't forget your own abilities, as well."

Emma looked at her blankly. "My abilities?"

"You're magic, Emma. Just like me."

"Not just like you," Kai said. "You're stronger."

"I don't think that's necessarily true," Meriel said, by way of protest. "From what I understand - "

Kai maneuvered his horse close enough to spook Meriel's causing it to shy off the path a bit, interrupting her. She looked over at him questioningly and he gave her a look that clearly said Shut up already. She gave him a slight nod.

"I'm not magic," Emma said. "I don't know where you got that from, but that rumor isn't true."

"It's not a rumor," Meriel said, "But a point of fact. You are the product of true love - the most powerful force in the universe. The magic is a by-product for you, as it is for me."

"True love - that's a real thing?" Emma asked. "I've always thought it was a fairy tale."

"It's real. It's very, very real. For some people, anyway." She couldn't help but look over at her father, who was looking at her mother - who had no idea he was doing so.

"And your parents had it, too?"

Meriel couldn't help it - her eyes filled up with tears. "Yes," She said. "Yes, they did. Very much so." She reached up, wiping her cheeks with her fingers. "My grandparents, too. I come from a family full of love."

"You're luckier than most," Emma pointed out.

"Indeed she is," Hook agreed.

"Very lucky," Kai added.

Meriel couldn't stand it, breaking into a full-on cry, burying her face in her hands. Kai stopped his horse, walking it over next to hers. He pulled her off, and across his lap, holding her as she cried.

Hook and Emma had stopped as well, turning their horses and walking them back.

"Are you all right, lass?" Hook asked.

"I'm sorry," Meriel said, hiccuping a bit as she spoke. "I just...miss them all so much. I have two brothers and lots of cousins and I'm just so homesick." She put her face back into Kai's chest, breathing deeply and trying to get a grip on herself.

Emma looked over at Hook, then back at Meriel. "You can't go home?"

Kai shook his head. "Neither of us can. Not until this is finished. And maybe not even then." He put his lips to Meriel's hair, pulling her in tighter to his chest. "She'll be all right. Just give us a minute," He said to Emma. "We'll catch up."

Hook and Emma turned their horses back onto the path.

"Poor kid," Emma said. "It's hard losing your family."

"Aye, it is." Hook said softly. "No matter how long ago it happened."

He was staring off at nothing, but his eyes showed that he was far, far away. Emma looked at him thoughtfully, then urged her horse forward.

Kai reached down, brushing the hair back off of Meriel's face.

"Meriel," He said. "It's going to be all right."

She looked up at him. "I hope so."

He gave her a slight smile, wiping her tears off with his thumb. "I know so. Now let's get going before your parents run off together," He said.

Meriel gave a watery laugh.

"Maybe we'd better take our time."

###

The rest of the trip was uneventful, and they arrived in town at mid-day. It was agreed that they would sail out in the morning, since they needed to get provisions and hire someone to return the horses. They located an inn not far from the docks and had just settled into their rooms when Kai found himself on the wrong side of Meriel's temper yet again.

"You cannot be serious!"

"Meriel, think about it. We're in a port town. I can't have you roaming about when we're this close to the water."

She threw her hands up in exasperation. "You said he could find me anywhere."

"He could. But the further inland he goes, the weaker he becomes. It's far more likely he'll stay near the water."

"I can wear a cloak. Cover my head."

"No." Kai's voice was implacable. "Absolutely not."

"I am not staying cooped up in this room all day and night!"

"You will do as I say." He'd raised his voice slightly, but the tone is what got her attention. It made her knees nearly buckle.

"Stop. That."

"Stop fighting me." Again, she felt the overpowering urge to do exactly what he said.

"Or what?" She managed to bite out. "You coerce me? Like last night?"

He had the grace to look chagrined. "You noticed."

"Of course I did!"

He turned his back on her, and stood with his hands clenched at his sides. "It wasn't intentional. Please believe that." He took a deep breath. "I'll do whatever I have to do to keep you safe. I'm here to protect you, Meriel."

"Not anymore, you're not." She stood with her hands on her hips, and her eyes blazed fire. He whirled around.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you're not my guardian anymore! You're finished! Released! Stop hovering over me like I'm an infant!"

"It doesn't work that way, Meriel," He shook his head in exasperation. "We're talking about ancient law - "

"No, we're not." She snapped at him. "I gave you up."

"What?" He looked at her in confusion and she stared back, but after a moment, he noticed the fine trembling in her jaw and his eyes grew wide with dread.

"What have you done, Meriel?"

She walked over to the bed, sitting down on it carefully. She closed her eyes for a moment before looking up at him.

"When we traveled back - that was my price. I released you from your obligation to me. I set you free."

"Meriel..." He wanted to pick her up and shake her until her teeth rattled. He wanted to scream and hit something. He fell to his knees instead.

"You foolish, foolish girl." He put his hand on the top of his head. "Do you realize what you've done?"

She tried to crack a smile, but it faded when she saw his face. "Apparently, I've done nothing. You still seem to think you own me, even without all that ancient law weighing you down."

"I don't own you, Meriel."

"That's not what you told me last night. What you tried to get me to agree to." She folded her arms across her chest, staring him down. "I decided we both have a right to be free to choose."

"Last night was..." He struggled to find the words. "I was only trying -" He looked over at her. "You're right. What I did was wrong. Unconscionable. I told you I should never have touched you."

He got wearily to his feet. "I'm sorry, Meriel. Sorry for last night. Sorry you felt so trapped with me that you had to do something drastic to get away. I'm sorry for it all."

"Kai -"

He stepped back, almost as if he didn't trust himself to be close to her, and it made her heart squeeze painfully in her chest. She stood up, walking over to him.

"Kai, listen to me." She reached up, touching his face. "I released you because the price demanded something precious. I gave you up. I didn't give you your freedom to get you away from me. I gave it to you because it hurt me to even think about it. I'd only just gotten you back, and I couldn't bear the thought of losing you again. I knew that had to be the price: my hold on you, and it killed me to do it. When you didn't leave me right away, I figured it must not take effect until we get back or something."

"No, the effect would be immediate. I wouldn't notice because I'd protect you anyway. But Triton won't be bound by it anymore," He said, covering her hand with his own. "You gave me up?"

She nodded her head, and the tears slipped out as she closed her eyes tightly. He pulled her in, holding her and rocking her.

"Meriel, Meriel, Meriel..." He kissed her hair, her forehead, then buried his face in her neck. She realized he was shaking and pulled back to look at him.

"Kai." He raised his head and his eyes were bright with tears. She pulled him in, kissing him, trying to erase the pain. He crushed her to him, kissing her back with an almost bruising force, then he realized he might be hurting her and pulled himself away, rubbing at his eyes with the palms of his hands. Finally, he reached out, stroking her jaw with his thumb.

"I did the same thing," He said, and the agony in his eyes hit her with the force of a fist.

"You gave me up?" She asked. "How?"

"Not just you, Meriel. All of it. Our entire life together. It was the thing I cherished most. All those nights, laying in bed talking. All the outings, the pranks and the tea parties. Watching you with your family and feeling like I belonged there. Holding you while you cried and listening while you laughed. Kissing you and dancing with you and everything that came after. When we go back to that life, I lose it all."

"You won't remember it?" She asked, horrified.

"No, Meriel, you won't remember it. You won't even know who I am. It will be like I never happened to you at all."