Two day later Smee had actually found a horse. It had been tied in front of a taverna and the owner for hours in there, so he wouldn't miss his animal so fast. With the horse Smee returned to the Jolly Roger. He tied the animal at the rack and went over the plank on the ship. "Captain!" Smee shouted. Hook stepped on the deck, he looked better then in years, he had shaved and cut his hair. "Mr. Smee", he said and grinned. "Do you have what I wanted?" Hook asked and played with the tip of his hook. "Ay Captain", Smee said and pointed at the horse at the rack. "Excellent. Smee your in charge until I'm back." Hook went elated over the plank and untied the horse. Skilled he got up and rode away. Smee was still impressed how useless his captain did such things with just one hand.
Around noon Hook reached the castle. It seemed more gloomy and colder that he had imagined. Even though he could not cast magic he could feel that there was dark magic all around him. He rode through the iron gate and looked around the court. Everywhere where guards, who reminded him at the soldiers of the evil queen. He got down from the horse and pushed the reins at a groom, who looked confused at him. "Where are you going pirate?" he was stopped by the guards, who guarded the main gate. "To the king" Hook said offhand. "And the reason?" asked the second guard. "Not your business", Hook said menacing and pushed his hook at the through of the guard. "I I'll inform the king about you", the guard stuttered and guided Hook to the throne room, where he was asked to wait. Shortly afterward the guard stepped back on the hallway to Hook. "The king will welcome you now", the guard waved him through. Hook entered the throne room and looked around. Here everything was dark and grim as well. At one of the windows stood a man with his back to him. "Hook", he said and turned slowly towards Hook. "long time not seen." "Henry" Hook realized. Henry grinned evilly and went towards the throne. "You have changed a lot since the death of your mother." Henry took a sit on the throne and crossed his legs, from his chest pocked he took the authors pen and twirled it around his fingers. "What are you doing here Henry?" Hook asked, as he said nothing. "You wanted to see the king didn't you?" Henry asked back. Hook stumbled a few steps back as he saw the strange glim in Henrys eyes. "What do you want here?" Henry wanted to know now and lined over. Hook shook his head. "Where is your sister?" "Half-sister", Henry corrected him. "Gone and should she ever return she will land where Snow and Charming are now or with Emma depending on my mood." "What?" Hook was shocked about how heartless Henry was. "You don't have to say a thing you're not better now go!" Henry shouted. "Henry." Hook wanted to appease Henry and want towards him, but before he could say anything else Henry called for the guards, who throw Hook ruggedly out of the castle.
Hook rose hard from the paving stone in front of the castle gate and rubbed his aching neck. "Pretty hard the boy", Hook heard an unknown voice. He turned around on his heels and saw an older man sitting on the wall of the railing. "Who are you?" Hook asked. "People call me Arthur", the man said and jumped from the railing in front of Hook. "Alright" Hook said and turned around to go. "You're looking for your daughter Killian isn't it so." Hook turned back at Arthur fast who smiled knowingly. What he had said was a statement not a question. Bevor Hook could ask from where he knew that Arthur told him to follow him. Arthur guided Hook to a small house aside the castle. In the house there was already a fire burning, on it a cauldron with an undefinable bubbling. Arthur pointed at a chair at the round table, which stood in the middle of the room and Hook took a sit there. "Your daughter is in trouble Killian." It was strange for Hook that somebody called him by his real name, for years nobody had done that. "Do you know where she is?" Hook asked. Arthur only shook his head. "But I know two people who might know it." Hook was relieved to hear that so there was still hope left. "Snow and Charming." "And where do we find them?" Hook asked he didn't want to waste anymore time. "There's the problem", Arthur said and turned to the caldron. "They're stuck in the castle dungeon. I can organize the key to the cells, but I can't reach the cells unseen, that's where you come into play." Hook laughed dryly. "How am I supposed to get into the dungeons Henry surely want let me into the castle." "You enter through the same way your daughter always used." Arthur smiled at Hook with a dangerous glim in his eyes. Hook didn't like the idea but he had no other choice.
Inpatient Hook waited on a before agreed point at the side of the castle. It was shortly before midnight, the strange bird should, if everything went well, appear soon. "Killian", he heard a whisper behind him. In the wall of the castle a crack had opened, quickly Hook went there and squeezed through it. He landed on a spiral staircase in the diffuse light from the candles on the walls he could barely see the steps. "Here", Arthur said and dropped the key into Kilian's Hand. "How…" "We don't have time for explanations, the highnesses are in the last cell. Go!" Arthur requested from Hook and pushed him slightly down the steps. Hook nodded shortly and went down the steps. Surprisingly there where no guards, Hook was sure that Arthur had something to do with this. Fast he reached the cells he was looking for. He slowed down his steps as he came closer. "Who's there?" he heard a rough voice asking. "I get you out of here," Hook said and opened Snows cell first. "Hook", she said surprised and stood up immediately to leave the cell. "How did you get the keys?" Snow asked while Hook opened the doors to Charming's cell. "This strange servant organized it and come now", Hook said to his parents in law. As unchallenged as Hook had reached the dungeon the three of them reached the secret passage. "Arthur", Snow exclaimed. "My Queen", the servant said and bowed slightly. "We got to hurry", Hook said pressed. "Come with us", Charming insisted at Arthur. He just shock his head slightly. "No my king, my task here is finished, it's time for me to move on."
Snow, Charming and Hook ran into the forest. "Killian, Killian, Killian", Snow called after Hook while they made their way through the thicket. "Hook!" Charming shouted and finally he stopped. "It is nice to see you after all this years, but where does this sudden change of mind come from?" "Arthur said that you might can help me", Hook said bitter. "How can we help you?" Snow asked, she had stepped beside her husband. Hook turned around fast, "No idea, but it's about my children, you of all people should understand that", he screamed and pointed at the two of them. "We do. It's nice to see that you care about them", Charming smiled warmly and looked at the hand who pointed at him. Hook looked astonished on his left hand, he hadn't realized that his hook had disappeared and his hand had came back. He stretched his fingers a few times and turned around again. "Let's go on."