Elements of Harry Potter, BBC Merlin, Sherlock, Narnia will be in this fic. Please bare with me and enjoy!
1
A real world? How arrogant are you to think yours is the only one? There are infinite more…they touch one another, pressing up in a long line of lands. Each is as real as the last. All have their own rules. Some have magic; some don't. And some need magic like this one. -Jefferson, OUAT
22, October, 2012
Emma Swan looked at her friend as they slept on her couch. Half of their torso was on the ground while their legs were still on the furniture, well she supposed that on the couch was a loose term. She grabbed her breakfast and sat down to eat it. Her friend gave a slight snore before muttering something. It was English, that's all she knew. She brought a foot back and gently nudged her friend's torso.
"There are infinitely better ways to wake me up," a British voice informed her.
"At least it wasn't your leg this time," Emma shrugged, and she got a wry smile out of her friend.
"Sure, let's make fun of the crippled vet," Her friend said as they slowly moved back onto the couch, "don't you lot adore your military vets?"
"Key word, our vets," Emma pointed out, before looking to the side, "thanks for coming to visit."
"What can I say, I wasn't about to leave you alone on your birthday," Her friend said, clapping a hand on her shoulder, "now, what's on the agenda today? Because we both know I'm making the cake."
"Is it one of your apple pie cakes?" Emma asked, raising a brow and getting a grin out of her friend.
"Of course."
Emma could've sworn that starting off the day with a good mood would continue throughout. As she walked home in pumps that made her feet hurt, holding a small grocery bag containing a bottle of wine, she gathered she should've been realistic. As she usually was. She opened the door to her apartment and breathed in the scent of apples and cinnamon. Her friend came around the corner in a deep red dress shirt and nice pair of black slacks. They limped towards her, their cane thumping against the wood floor.
"That bad?" They asked.
"Yeah, that bad, Artura," Emma confirmed, and her friend gave a sympathetic wince.
"Did you hit him?"
Emma's responding smile was enough of an answer and Artura began to herd the woman into the kitchen where a circular cake decorated in red, and pinks sat waiting for her. A few candles were stuck inside the cake and Emma shook her head in disbelief. Calling her friend from England a few days before had been the right move, it also stopped one of her neighbours from hitting on her.
"What made you want to leave England in the first place?" Emma asked, wanting to know their reasoning.
"I don't have anything left over there," Artura answered as she fished a box of matches from her slack pockets, "the school I went to is filled with too many memories for me to be comfortable with teaching there…as are the memories of fellow classmates."
"Was that the year of radio silence?" Emma commented with a raised brow, her friend was telling the truth.
"Yeah, it was," Artura nodded, and they struck a match and started to light the candles a smiling appearing on their face, "now would you get over here and blow these candles out? You have a birthday wish to make."
Emma shook her head at those words, it was a tactic to distract her. Shelf stop prying, she owed Artura that much seeing as they did the same. The Brit in question moved as fast as they could with their horrid limp and dimmed the lights. Emma leaned against the cool, tiled counter with her bare forearms and gazed at the flickering flames. She closed her eyes for a few seconds before blowing out the candles. Artura chuckled at the sight but jumped as a knock sounded at the door. Groaning as pain shot through her leg.
"That's what I get for laughing," Artura muttered as they turned the lights back on.
"Did you invite anyone over?" Emma questioned as she slowly walked towards the door.
"No, I wouldn't do that without asking first, it's not my flat," Artura answered, their grip on the top of their cane tightening.
Emma opened the door and blinked. She had been expecting someone there. She looked down and saw a kid, around ten years old with dark hair and eyes. He was looking up at her, and she raised a brow in response.
"Can I help you?" Emma asked him.
"Are you Emma Swan?" The boy asked.
"Yeah, who are you?" Emma questioned as Artura walked up to the door as well to see what was going on.
"My name's Henry, I'm your son," The boy claimed as he slipped under her arm and walked into the apartment.
His eyes grew wide at the sight of Artura, and they gave an awkward wave. He seemed starstruck and they didn't know how to really deal with that. Henry shook his head quickly before heading towards the island counter and sitting down.
"I don't have a son!" Emma stated, "Where are your parents?"
"Ten years ago, did you give up a baby for adoption?" Henry asked and at Emma's reluctant nod he continued, "That was me."
"He's definitely got your attitude," Artura commented in slight amusement.
"Not funny," Emma informed her as she was becoming overwhelmed, "give me a minute."
"Want a slice of apple pie cake?" Artura asked Henry as the bathroom door closed.
"Sure!" Henry chirped and Artura shook their head in amusement before getting three plates down and serving the small cake.
"I think you've overwhelmed her a bit, best not to push too much," Artura quietly informed him as they began to eat the cake, two glasses of milk in front of them, "oh right. The names Artura Pendragon, nice to meet you."
"Pendragon? Like King Arthur?" Henry asked, his voice hopeful.
"Yeah, I spent a few years being teased mercilessly by the kids for it," They confirmed, "they all called me a boy when I'm a woman, it was maddening before I went to boarding school."
"Where was that?" He questioned, still waiting for his birth mother to come out of the bathroom.
"Near the Cliffs of Dover, I couldn't give you an exact location if I tried," She said with a wince.
Emma came out of the bathroom, having collected herself and saw her friend talking to the boy that was claiming to be the baby she gave up. Artura had been her friend for year, and she had been prepared to name her godmother before everything went to shit. She pushed those thoughts away and tried to take hold of the situation.
"We should probably get going," Henry commented as he finished his piece of cake and washed it down with the rest of his milk.
"Going where?" Emma questioned as Artura looked at him with a frown.
"I want you to come home with me," Henry informed her as thought it was the most obvious thing.
"Okay, kid, I'm calling the cops," Emma stated, briskly walking across the room, and picking up the landline phone.
"And I'll tell them you kidnapped me," Henry challenged.
"And they'll believe you because I'm your birth mother," Emma sighed as she lowered the phone and tapped it against the palm of her hand.
"Yep!" Henry chirped.
"Have you ever played chess before, Henry?" Artura asked, and he shook his head, "You should, you'd be good at it."
"Artura," Emma warned before turning to Henry ignoring her friends muttering, "you're not going to do that."
"Try me." Henry said, and Artura knew exactly where he got that attitude from and so did Emma.
"You're pretty good, but here's the thing," Emma said as she knelt to be eye to eye with Henry, "there's not a lot I'm great at in life, but I have one skill. Let's call it a superpower, I can tell when anyone is lying and you, kid, are."
"Wait!" Henry exclaimed as she picked the phone back up and began to dial, "please don't call the cops! Please come home with me."
"Why not," Artura commented getting a glare out of Emma, "it could be exciting."
Henry inwardly cheered at the fact that his birth mother had an adventurous friend. He gave the British woman a smile and she gave him one back, albeit a tiny one. They then turned their sights on Emma. Emma took one look at the combined puppy-dog eyes and knew she wasn't going to win.
"Fine, where's home?" Emma sighed.
"Storybrooke, Maine," Henry answered grinning.
"Storybrooke? Seriously?" Emma repeated disbelief heavy in her voice, and Henry nodded, "alrighty then, let's get you back to Storybrooke."
"I'll get this all packed up for the trip," Artura said, "Emma why don't you change into something comfortable for driving?"
"Fine, but I want a reason why you sided with him," Emma quietly said to her.
"When we're on the way back," Artura said, nodding her understanding before enlisting Henry's help in getting the cake all packed up for their trip.
He got his own slice out of it, so he wasn't complaining. He watched as she put the trash out for collection and grabbed a simple briefcase. He waited for her to grab more items, but she simply tucked her shaggy blonde hair behind her ear before winning slightly. There was someone who was more secretive than his mom. Emma came out of her room while pulling on her red leather jacket and ushered the two of them out of the apartment, to Artura's amusement. She was quite glad she had everything already packed up. She took the back seat and leaned forward to watch the road as Emma got in and started the car. Henry happily sat up in the front, a rather large book on his lap.
They had been driving for a while and Emma rolled her eyes as the sound of chips bag being opened. Henry perked up and turned around in his seat to send Artura a sad look. She flinched slightly and offered him some.
"This isn't a road trip," Emma informed them, "why'd you bring snacks?"
"Why wouldn't I? You know how I get on long drives." Artura shrugged.
"I don't? Have we ever taken a road trip together?" Emma questioned and Artura paused as she bit into a chip.
"No, sorry that's the train to school," She apologized as Henry grabbed a handful of chips and began to nibble on them.
"How did you two meet?" Henry questioned.
"A pen-pal exchange between her boarding school and my high school," Emma explained before shaking her head, "I'm three years older than her."
"I turn twenty-five in December," Artura added.
"Y'know I could've put both of you on a bus, right kid?" Emma pointed out to the two.
"I have a name," Henry huffed, "it's Henry."
"What's that?" Emma asked as Henry opened his book up.
"I'm not sure you're ready," Henry cryptically answered.
"Ready for some fairy tales?" Emma muttered, her brows furrowing.
"They're not fairy tales, they're true," Henry defended, "every story in this book actually happened."
"There usually is some truth to fairy tales and myths," Artura commented a thoughtful expression on her face, "like Little White Thorn and the Bird."
Henry and Emma gave her looks of confusion, neither hearing of the story before. Artura simply waved them off with an apologetic smile. There were some Celtic myths she knew of that neither had heard before, a plus for going to the school that she had.
"If you think I'm lying, then use your superpower," Henry said to Emma.
"Just because you believe something doesn't make it true," Emma pointed out.
"That's exactly what makes it true," Henry countered, shaking his head, "you should know that more than anyone."
"Why's that?" Emma asked and Artura began to get the feeling that she was intruding in a conversation she shouldn't be in.
"Because you're in this book," He answered.
"Oh kid," Emma sighed, "you've got problems."
"Yup, and you're going to fix them," He chirped and Artura chuckled gaining the boys attention, "do you believe me?"
"I'm more predisposed to then Emma."
Her cryptic answer caused him to gain a small frown before flipping through his book. They had reminded him of a story within it. He just couldn't place it, but he'd find it. Hopefully, before they reached Storybrooke.
The rest of the car ride was silent, save for the opening of snacks. Maine was green, and wet something Artura was quite familiar with. She discreetly reached into her briefcase and held her hand still for a few seconds before pulling out a black pea coat. The briefcase closed without a sound, and she placed her coat across her lap, her fingers tapping against the heavy wool. She blinked as they came up to a relatively small town, with a sign out in front of it. Welcoming them.
"Okay, kid," Emma said, finally breaking the silence, "how about an address."
"Forty-four, not-telling-you street," Henry answered, not wanting to leave the car.
"Look," Emma sighed as she stopped the car at a curb and then got out, "it's been a long night, and it's almost…eight-fifteen?"
Artura got out of the car, pulling her coat on, and looked up at the clock tower. It couldn't possibly be eight-fifteen. She reached into the pocket of her slacks and pulled out a pocket watch. It said it was closer to three in the morning. Her breath stopped for a few seconds as the arms began to swing around wildly before settling on eight-fifteen. That was a sign, a rather large one. If it was any bigger then it would've hit her in the face.
"That clock hasn't moved my whole life," Henry informed them, "time's frozen here."
"Excuse me?" Emma questioned.
"The evil Queen did it with her curse," Henry explained, and it started to make sense to Artura, "she sent everyone from the enchanted forest here."
"Hang on," Emma said, holding up a hand as her friend gained a thoughtful expression, "the evil Queen sent a bunch of fairytale characters here?"
"Yeah, and now they're trapped," Henry nodded.
"Makes sense," Artura mumbled, but not quiet enough seeing as Henry heard her.
She brought up a hand and quietly mimed to him to stay quiet before mouthing "tell you later". Henry had hoped that his birth mother would stay for him, but he'd take her friend. The woman that most likely would've been his godmother if his gut feeling was right. She brought a hand up and ruffled his hair, he ducked slightly the tips of his ears turning red.
"Everyone's frozen in time," Emma stated, "that's what you're going with?"
"It's true!" Henry exclaimed getting out of the car and walking up to her.
"Then why don't they leave?" Emma questioned.
"They can't," Henry explained and Artura nodded slightly at that, "if they try, bad things happen."
Artura knew that to be true. All descriptions of site bound curses acted identically. She shook her head slightly before looking back up towards the clocktower. A bark pulled her attention away from the building and she saw a dalmatian walking towards them. The owner of the dog was a lanky red-headed man with circular glasses. He gave them an awkward smile and Artura nodded her head in response.
"Henry!" The man greeted the short boy, his smile turning genuine, "What are you doing here? Is everything all right?"
"I'm fine, Archie," Henry greeted back, petting the dog's head before scratching him behind the ears.
"Who are you?" Archie asked the two women with him.
"Just someone trying to give him a ride home," Emma answered.
"She's my mom, Archie," Henry bluntly explained and Artura let out a snort.
"I'm Artura Pendragon, the friend and would be godmother," Artura introduced, holding out a hand.
Archie hesitated for a few seconds before grasping the much smaller hand. He hadn't thought the woman before him was a woman at first glance. He couldn't help but search her face for clues to what she was thinking, and he found that it was impossible. With Henry's birthmother he could see someone who blocked people out and built walls, but with Artura he couldn't see anything.
"I see…" Archie said releasing the woman's hand and nodding at Emma.
"You know where he lives?" Emma asked as Henry and Artura started to give the dalmatian more attention.
"Oh yeah, sure, just uh, right up on Mifflin Street," Archie informed them, "the mayor's house is the biggest one on the block."
"You're the mayor's kid?" Emma asked, turning on Henry.
"Uh, maybe?" Henry shrugged and the only one who seemed amused by that was Artura.
"Where were you today, Henry, because you missed our session," Archie asked, kneeling in front of the child.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you that I went on a field trip," Henry answered, skirting around the question.
"Henry, what did I tell you about lying?" Archie questioned and Artura frowned, "Giving into one's dark side never accomplishes anything."
"Okay! Well, I really should be getting him home," Emma stated, trying not to be weirded out.
"Of course, listen have a good night," Archie said to the two women as he stood up straight, "and uh, you be good, Henry."
"So, that's your shrink," Emma commented as soon as Archie was out of hearing range.
"I'm not crazy," Henry defended.
"Didn't say that," Emma stated, knowing that such a quick response told of underlying issues, "just…he doesn't seem cursed to me. Maybe he's trying to help you."
"I think the whole point of being cursed would to not know it," Artura commented, getting a look out of her friend before shrugging.
"Exactly!" Henry exclaimed, relieved that someone was on his side, "No one knows who they are."
"Convenient, all right," Emma said, tilting her head to the side, "I'll play, who's he supposed to be?"
"Jiminy Cricket," Henry answered as they all got back into the car.
"Right, the lying thing, I thought your nose grew a little bit," Emma teased.
"I'm not Pinocchio!" Henry huffed.
"'Course you're not, that would be ridiculous," Emma muttered.
Artura smiled in the back seat before looking out the window. She was looking at the different store fronts, one of which was a pawn shop. She stared at it for a few seconds and wondered why she got the strangest feeling from it. Like she needed to go inside. She shook her head slightly and turned to look forward, towards the road.
Henry's house was the largest one in town. Artura hated it, it was too uniform, too ostentatious it didn't fit the curious and adventurous. She narrowed her eyes in thought before getting out once the car stopped. The air was colder there than it had been in the town square. It was odd, completely so. She put her hand into her coat pockets to try and generate some warmth.
"Please don't take me back there," Henry pleaded.
"I have to," Emma sighed.
"Only legally," Artura quipped, and she got a slap to the arm from the woman as she joined her outside.
"I'm sure your parents are worried sick about you," Emma continued as Henry joined them, a downtrodden expression on his face.
"I don't have parents, I just have a mom, and she's evil," Henry commented.
"That's a bit extreme, isn't it?" Emma questioned.
"Have you seen this house? Practically screams evil," Artura pointed out, taking her hand out of her pocket and motioned towards the large home.
"She doesn't love me, she only pretends to," Henry added.
"I'm sure that's not true," Emma stated, giving her friend a look.
Henry simply frowned at the ground before feeling a hand on his shoulder. He was gently steered towards the front door. Artura stood to his side, and he brought a hand up to tap her's. It was an oddly steady hand, even with the limp due to her injured leg. He had so many questions for her, but not enough time to ask them. His mind was racing with who she could be. Emma knocked on the front door and it was immediately opened, much to the two women's surprise.
"Henry! Uh! Henry!" A woman with short dark hair cried out before gathering Henry in her arms, Artura easily removing her hand from his shoulder, "Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?"
"I found my real mom!" Henry gruffly explained before pushing away from her and marching into the home.
"You're Henry's birth mother?" The woman asked, looking at Emma before turning towards Artura, "Are you his father?"
"A bit impossible for me to do," Artura dryly commented an easy smile on her face to show she had no hard feelings about the misunderstanding.
"I…I'm sorry," The woman apologized but it was waved off by the other woman.
"Sorry for all of this," Emma apologized, startling the woman as the man behind her let out a strange cough.
"I'll just go check on the lad, make sure he's okay," The man stated, heading up the stairs.
"How'd you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?" The woman offered.
"Got anything stronger?" Emma questioned with a slight nod.
"I'm Regina Mills, by the way," The woman introduced herself.
"Emma Swan." Emma curtly said.
"Artura Pendragon," Artura added before noticing the strange look that Regina gave her, "I know, my names ironic and I'm extremely aware."
"Where are you from?" Regina asked and Emma turned towards her friend wanting to know as well.
"Bath, Somersetshire," Artura answered, "it's west of London and in the valley of the river Avon."
Regina nodded her head at that, and Emma raised her brows. She thought her accent was a bit strange compared to the stereotypical English woman. She sat down on a white couch and let out a wince as pain jolted through her limb. It was staring to hurt without her doing anything, and she knew that she was getting exhausted.
"How did he find me?" Emma finally asked as Regina poured them each a glass of apple cider.
"Cheers," Artura quietly said as she accepted the glass, her fingers brushing against the woman's.
Artura paused slightly before tilting her head. She could think further on what she felt later when she was alone. Instead, she brought her glass to her lips and took a sip out of it. The cider was spicy, and slightly alcoholic. She liked it, and fought the urge to ask for a recipe.
"No idea," Regina answered as she took a sip out of her own glass, "when I adopted him, he was only three weeks old. The records were sealed, I was told the birth mother didn't want to have any contact."
"You were told right," Emma confirmed and Artura frowned slightly, holding her tongue, and respecting her friend's choice.
"And the father?" Regina pressed.
"There was one," Emma stated in a clipped tone, Artura wincing in sympathy.
"No one you need to worry about," Artura answered, finishing off her cider.
"He doesn't even know," Emma confirmed.
"Do I need to be worried about you, Miss Swan?" Regina finally asked.
"Absolutely not," Came Emma's instant reply.
Artura stayed quiet, her mind already made up on the matter. She'd stay because some part of her was drawn to the small town. She couldn't figure out why. She tapped her finger against the top of her cane before stopping. It was a nervous tick, and she knew that showing any weakness towards the woman would be a bad idea.
"Madam Mayor, you can relax," The man from before stated as he walked into the room, "other than being a tired little boy, Henry's fine."
"Thank you, Sheriff," Regina said, and the Sheriff nodded his head curtly before taking his leave, "I'm sorry he dragged you out of your life. I really don't know what's gotten into him."
"Kid's having a rough time," Emma shrugged, "it happens."
"You have to understand, ever since I became mayor balancing things has been tricky," Regina stated as she sat down on a nearby white couch, "you have a job, I assume?"
"I keep busy, yeah," Emma confirmed, and Regina looked over at Artura.
"I'm retired military, but I have my hobbies that keep money flowing into my vaults," Artura stated, and she inwardly winced at the wording.
Vaults weren't typically used for banks. Even American ones. She looked at her empty glass and wished she hadn't downed the cider so quickly. It would've been an excellent out. She placed it on her good knee and chewed the inside of her cheek.
"Imagine having another one on top of it," Regina said, pulling the conversation back in her favour, "that's being a single mom. So, I push forward. Am I strict? I suppose, but I do it for his own good. I want Henry to excel in life. I don't think that makes me evil, do you?"
"I'm sure he's saying that because of the whole fairy-tale thing," Emma stated, shaking her head.
"What fairytale thing?" Regina questioned and Artura got the feeling that she hadn't known.
She tuned out the conversation as Emma explained further. Her fingers wrapped around the top of her cane, and she brushed a thumb against a small carving in the wood. It was shaped like a small lion. She stopped once Emma stood up and she slowly stood herself. She limped forward a bit due to her leg, but she was able to get up eventually.
"You know what, it's none of my business," Emma finally said as the two women placed their glasses down on coasters, "he's your kid, and I really should be heading back."
"Of course," Regina said with a tilt of her head.
The two friends left and Artura spared a quick glance back at the home. She brought a hand up and waved at a watching Henry, who waved back. Emma elbowed her in the side, and she grunted slightly before sending the blonde a frustrated expression. She paused in her steps and sighed.
"I think I'll stay here," Artura said, much to Emma's surprise, "I have the feeling that something strange is going on in this town."
"You better stay in touch, I'll drive you to the town square," Emma sighed shaking her head.
She knew better than anyone about her friend's habit of moving from place to place. Emma sometimes wondered if that was a product of being raised in a system, no matter which country it was. Artura got into her car and was holding onto the book that Henry had left behind. She ran a thumb against the lettering. Time had been put into the crafting of the book.
"Sneaky bastard," Emma muttered as she saw the book.
"Maybe it's a sign," Artura shrugged while Emma started up the car, "he's a sweet kid."
"He doesn't get it from her," Emma grumbled and Artura couldn't help but smile at that.
Whatever Henry's plan had been, it seemed like it was working. The car came to a rolling stop in the town square and Artura got out with her cane in one hand and her briefcase in the other. She gave her friend a nod of thanks before the yellow bug sped off. Artura shook her head in amusement before limping down the street, passing the pawn shop. She spared it a glance before heading up a small pathway into a diner that seemed to double as a hotel.
"Excuse me," Artura called her accent caught the attention of the old woman that ran the business, "I'd like to rent a room for a while."
"Really?" The old woman questioned and Artura nodded, she grabbed a ledger and opened it, "Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally there's an upgrade fee for the square, but as the rent is due soon, I'll wave it."
"I'll take a forest view," Artura said, "I'm big on nature."
The woman gave her a strange look at that before taking her inform and the cheque she had written out before placing her signature on it in red ink. She was handed her key, an old brass key at that, before she headed up the stairs into her room for the next few days. She sat on the bed before smiling to herself. No, she wasn't going to sleep on the bed, it's mattress was far too firm for her liking. She moved to her briefcase and opened it with a quick lift of her fingers. She picked up one foot and slowly stepped inside it. Soon she was fully immersed within the small case.
"Magic really is great," Artura muttered to herself in thought.
She had felt magic within the town, mainly from Regina. Whatever was going on, it was magic different from the kind she used but also similar to what she felt while meditating. Her magic was a blend of two different magics, one she could use and the other she couldn't. Oh, she wanted her answers, and it allowed her to spend time with Henry. The boy really was sweet, and deserved someone who wasn't going to make him feel crazy. She gave a quiet sigh and sat down on the bed inside her briefcase, it was soft and made her leg feel a bit better. Her eyes slipped close, and she fell into the best sleep she'd had in years.
Artura looked at the cup of tea in her hand and let out a sigh. She had simply wanted to enjoy her evening and now she was listening to Granny, who's name she learned when the argument began, arguing with Ruby. She brought the cup up and took a sip before standing up and limping towards the stairs, smiling when she noticed a familiar face.
"Decided to stay?" Artura asked Emma.
"For a week," Emma sighed, "what about you?"
"I might stay a lot longer," Artura shrugged taking a sip out of her cup, "it's an oddly charming town."
"I'm sorry that my heart attack interfered with your plans to sleep your way down the Eastern Seaboard!" Granny's exclamation caused a grin to appear on Artura's face as she raised her brows at Emma.
"Stop finding the conversation funny," Emma warned, "sometimes I wonder just how old you are."
"I'm two, obviously," Artura quipped, and Emma sighed.
"I would like to rent a room," Emma muttered and that seemed to grab Granny's attention.
Artura kept her amused smile and looked around the front foyer. It really did remind her of a grandmother's cottage. She shook her head before turning when the door opened. A man, quite a few years older than herself, limped in. His dark eyes met her own blue and she gave him a polite nod of greeting. He returned it.
"What's the name?" Granny questioned Emma.
"Swan. Emma Swan," Emma answered.
Artura felt a shiver go down her spine when magic filled the room for a few seconds. She spared the man a glance and noted the slight frown on his face. He rapidly blinked before his expression returned to a neutral blank. He stepped up behind Emma and Artura raised her brow at him before moving towards her friend.
"Emma, what a lovely name," He said, and Artura was thrown for a loop at the soft Glasgow accent his voice carried.
"Thanks," Emma said, startled by his appearance.
"It's all here," Granny said as she brought a roll of cash from a drawer and handed it to the man.
"Yes, yes, of course it is dear," The man said accepting it and pocketing it without even counting it, "thank you. Enjoy your stay, Emma."
"Who's that?" Emma asked as soon as he left.
"Mr Gold," Ruby answered from her spot at the window, "he owns this place."
"The Inn?" Emma asked.
"No, the town," Granny answered and Artura tilted her head.
"No one's thought to contend that?" Artura questioned and Ruby nodded, "Huh, strange place."
Ruby took her arm and Artura knew that the young woman wanted to know more about her homeland. She was more than happy to talk about it, and it was amusing to see the look of disbelief on her friends face before she joined. Emma found that hearing about England was a great way to relax. It wasn't her fault that Artura was soft spoken and held a calming presence.