A/N: In this we have the scene that could fit with the fantastic artwork piinfeathers did for this. Hope you all like where I'm going with this, I have planned for 14 chapters now… so this is a halfway point.
Thanks again for all the wonderful help my beta reader Ultraluckycatnd did with this.
Enjoy
Chapter 7Emma smoothed her hand over the soft leather of the long coat hanging over her arm as she walked towards Killian's room. It had been two days since she'd kissed the man who had haunted her dreams and teased her days spent with him. Closing her eyes she could still sense the pressure of his lips against hers. She'd been kissed before, by a shy young elven when she was younger. Nothing had prepared her heart for how it would feel being kissed like there was no tomorrow. This kiss had been on a whole different level, the swipes of his tongue against hers had sparked a flame deep inside her. Even now she was not sure she would ever feel such a strong connection with anyone, and it scared her. She was going to be ruling the elven kingdom of Misthaven one day and she was fairly certain that her parents would not want a human to be by her side. Well, he was part elven, but she had no idea what her parents felt about humans and elves mixing and having children. She'd never heard of anyone else being part elven.
"Oh, it's finished?" Ruby's voice broke into her musings.
"What…" Emma looked down at the coat she carried. "Oh yeah, Granny finished the last details this morning. I…" She waved aimlessly. "I wanted to give it to Killian before he…" She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. It chipped off a piece of her heart when she learned yesterday that Killian and his brother would continue their journey to find a legendary crystal that they hoped could help them. She hadn't spoken with him in the past few days, only some brief greetings when entering the same room or eating the evening meal. She had seen the weariness grow in his eyes each day that passed, his blue eyes following her every move.
"Awesome, let me know how he likes it," Ruby said and began walking away, then she gasped and stepped back and grabbed Emma's arm. "Look."
Emma turned around and saw her friend stare open-mouthed at something outside the window. The hallways on this side of the castle had large glass windows overlooking a beautiful garden. Turning to look outside, Emma had to blink a few times before fully understanding what they were seeing.
Their friend Elsa sat on one of the stone benches along with Aiandil, or rather Liam which was his real name. They looked like they were deep in conversation, bodies turned towards one another, heads bowed close.
"What in the seven moons…" Emma mumbled, stepping closer to the window. "Are they…?"
"I think our friend has found some interest in our human out there," Ruby chuckled.
"Well, if what Killian tells is true, Liam is also part elven." Emma tilted her head as they watched Liam reach for Elsa's hand, bowing his head, and kissing her knuckles.
"Oh blimey, he is soooo trying to woo her." Ruby clasped Emma's shoulder. "And I think our friend is not opposed to the notion."
"Wow," Emma shook her head. "I can't believe it; why haven't we seen this coming?"
"Well, not all go at it as directly as you and Killian," Ruby joked.
"Nothing is happening between me and Killian!" Emma exclaimed as she felt heat rise to her face.
"That argument at the tavern might beg to differ on that matter." Ruby fanned herself. "Phew, that was hot."
"Shut up." Emma pushed away from her friend and turned her back to the scene outside, while she hoped that the warmth she felt creeping up her face could not be seen.
"Emma, that man is clearly very smitten with you." Ruby stepped in front of her and placed her hand over the leather coat hanging on Emma's arm. "This coat is proof that you care for the man too."
Emma looked up at her friend with blinking eyes. "Seriously?" She felt her mouth go dry as her mind tried to catch up on her reasoning to have this coat made for Killian. Perhaps a week ago, he'd mentioned missing his old leather coat and Emma had asked for him to describe it. This information she'd passed on to Granny and the young seamstress that helped the old elven. It had become quite the work of art, and she was certain that Killian would like it.
"Well, you do care for him, right?"
"He's a friend, Rubes, nothing more. It can't be anything else but that." Emma sighed and placed her hand over Ruby's. "It just wouldn't do."
"Why?"
"We're worlds apart…"
"He's part elven," Ruby interrupted and lifted her finger when Emma was about to argue. "And even if he wasn't part elven, I honestly think you share some sort of connection with the man."
"Like what?" Emma took a deep breath. "You can't seriously think I would share true love with a human, well part human part elven." Emma gaped at her friend; she had not dared to give the notion of true love any room to breathe.
"I've seen how you've tried to avoid the man in the past few days. Whatever happened between you guys after you left the tavern, you need to sort it out before he leaves." Ruby squeezed Emma's arm and stepped back.
"I can't…" Emma groaned. "I might have messed it all up. I said it was a one-time thing."
"What was a one-time thing?" Ruby's voice peaked with curiosity and Emma could see that her friend was eager for any sort of gossip regarding her and Killian.
"I… we kissed," Emma breathed out and closed her eyes waiting for the response from her friend.
"And you never told me?" Ruby's high-pitched voice had Emma cringe with how horrible this sounded. She slowly opened her eyes to look at her friend again.
"It doesn't matter, it won't happen again," Emma said with a frown and stepped around Ruby, who followed her.
"It does matter, was it good?" Ruby cringed, "or just plain horrible?" She tilted her head. "Is he a bad kisser? I mean, he does have all that scruff on his face… how was that feeling for ya?"
"Good heavens, can't you just leave it?" Emma glared at her friend who kept waggling her eyebrows at her. "If you must know, it was a great kiss." Emma sighed, ignoring the gleeful laugh coming from her friend.
"I knew it!" Ruby cheered. "Now go find that man of yours."
Emma waved her off and hurried down the corridor, and soon found her way to Killian's room. She knocked on the door, but it was silent on the other side. She glanced down the corridor, then she tentatively pushed the door handle down and peered inside.
"Hello?" she called out and when no one responded, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was spotless, nothing seemed to be out of place as she walked further inside. She walked to the bed and carefully placed the coat on the covers, her fingers following the intricate design on the collar and down the row of buckles on the front. Her mind imagined how Killian would look in this coat, she hoped she would get a chance to speak with him before he left for his journey.
"Emma?" Killian's voice broke into her musings, she whirled around her hand clasped to her chest in shock.
"Killian." Emma breathed out, trying to regain her composure and still her beating heart.
"What are you doing…" His voice trailed off as he spotted the coat on the bed. "What is this?"
Emma stepped away from the bed and pointed to the coat. "I had this made for you." Her words stumbled out and she had to take another fortifying breath. Why did the room suddenly feel so warm?
Killian didn't say a word when he walked over to the coat, his blue eyes roving over the design and he let a finger slide over the soft leather. "This is extraordinary fine craftsmanship " he mused, his fingers toying with one of the buckles.
"Granny made this, along with a few of the young seamstresses that work here at the castle," Emma managed to explain while her pulse seemed to rise even more, the scent of Killian Jones filling her soul.
"Thank you." Killian turned to look at her and only now did she realize that they were closer than they'd ever been in the past few days, not since their kiss. His eyes glinted with a knowing twinkle as he took in her rigid posture as if he knew how his presence was affecting her.
"I thought it could be, I don't know, helpful perhaps, on your journey…" Emma gulped down, even thinking about him leaving had her heart clenched in remorse.
"It will be very useful." Killian took a small step closer. "Thank you, Emma."
Emma bit her lower lip as she tried to breathe through her nose, keeping her composure, but his presence did not help her to stay calm. "You're welcome," she managed to mutter.
"I'll miss you…" He took a deep breath. "Once I have sorted out the unfinished business with the Dark One, I'll…" he rubbed his neck, "perhaps come back through here?" It came out as a question as if he wanted to gauge if she was even interested in seeing him again.
Emma gulped as she tried to come up with a response to this. "That will be… I'll very much…" She tugged a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her eyes looking down while her heart screamed for her just to say the words that had played repeatedly in her mind since they'd kissed. "I'll be looking forward to when that day comes." Her eyes swept up to meet his, and she could see the relief wash over his face at her admission.
"Emma, I'm sorry if I overstepped some lines in that alley, were we… I… I'm sorry." Killian had stepped closer and she could feel the heat emanating from his body.
"You didn't, I took part in that kiss too." She smirked and took a deep breath. It was good to be with him again, even if the awkwardness hadn't faded. "You just took me by surprise. I haven't exactly been looking to find… eh…" She waved her hand aimlessly in the air, not knowing what she could say that made a fair explanation of what had happened between them. She clasped her hands in front of her and looked down.
"I'll miss you," Killian said again and reached for her hands.
A spike of heat shot through her arm and its heat settled in her stomach in a nice welcomed flame. Finding the guts to look into his eyes she whispered, "I'll miss you too. Please do be careful. If what stories I've heard about the Dark One have any truth to them, he is a dangerous man to go against."
"I've seen that first hand." He grimaced at his pun, but Emma gave him a knowing smile and he continued. "I have to do this. If there's any chance of getting rid of the darkness growing inside me and my brother, we have to try."
Emma nodded in understanding. It wasn't easy for her to admit, but she was scared witless knowing that Killian and Liam would be going after one of the evilest men ever to prowl the realms.
"Whatever happened between us, I hope it won't ruin the friendship we've formed?" Killian asked.
"I'm fairly certain that it won't, I just need some time to figure out what all that means to me." She hoped he would understand what she said.
"We have all the time in the world," Killian said and lifted one of her hands to his lips and kissed the smooth skin. His eyes bore into her very soul, and Emma was suddenly feeling a little unsteady and she had to take a deep breath as he kept looking at her.
"Perhaps the world even starts now," Emma breathed and stepped closer and placed her free hand over his heart. "Just give me some time to fully understand what's going on."
Killian blinked a few times as if trying to understand what her words meant, then he nodded and placed his hand over hers. "I'll come back to you."
Emma's heart skipped a beat and she beamed. "I'd like that very much. Just be careful out there." She suddenly remembered something her aunt had taught her not long ago. She slipped off a ring she'd gotten when she turned 50 years old, it could be separated into two halves. Closing her eyes, she focused on making the enchantment Regina had taught her. She felt her magic pulse within her and the rings warmed in her hand. Once she was done, she opened her eyes and looked at the ring; it still had remnants of her magic shimmering over its surface.
"What did you do?" Killian sounded awed and when she looked up, she could see how he eyed the ring wearily.
"These rings will be connected," Emma explained, reaching for his hand and placing the ring in his palm. "It will be able to detect if the bearer requires help or is hurt." She closed his fingers around the ring and looked up at him. "If that happens this other ring will tell me if you need assistance in any way or form." She held her breath as she let him take in this information.
Killian blinked in surprise, his eyes flickering between their clasped hands and her face, his blue eyes shining brightly in awe. "Thank you." His voice sounded strangely strangled.
Emma nodded and tapped his hand. "Wear it on your necklace, it might be too small for your fingers." She shrugged as she let go of his hand and slipped the other ring back on her finger.
Killian opened his hand and looked at the ring, then lifted his necklace off with his hook; he'd gotten fairly good at using the hook by now. "Help me out here, love."
Emma took the chain and found the clasp and opened it so Killian could slip on the ring. Once it was nestled between the various maritime-themed pendants, Emma closed the clasp and stepped over and lifted the necklace over his head. She tried to ignore the heat seeping through his thin shirt as her body pressed close to his. Her mind remembered their passionate kiss the other day and she suddenly felt her face heat up. When the chain was secured around his neck, she smoothed her hands over his shoulders and over his chest where she followed the silver to where her ring was resting over his warm flesh. It seemed as if he never bothered buttoning his shirts completely, but right now Emma didn't care. His warm skin burned through her palm and when she found his intense blue eyes looking at her with an expression she couldn't quite read, she took a deep breath. Every emotion that swirled inside of her was making her head spin; all she knew was that this man, part elven, was someone she would want in her life.
When Killian licked his lips and his eyes flickered to hers, Emma reached out and cupped his cheek before she placed a small lingering kiss on the side of his mouth. "Come back," she breathed against his skin. For some reason, she had a hard time letting go of him.
"I will," Killian whispered and gulped.
Emma rested her head on his shoulder and sighed in relief as he wrapped his hooked arm around her waist and tangled his hand in her hair, holding her close.
They both seemed to need this moment between them, anchoring their hearts to a hope of seeing each other again.
A loud knock on the door had them jump apart and Killian called, "Come in."
"Ah, little brother…" Liam's voice began with a small gasp. "Oh pardon, I had no idea you had company."
Emma smiled meekly at Killian's brother, it was still quite strange to think that Aiandil had been the lost brother. She tried to ignore the inquisitive stare that the older brother gave her as his eyes shifted between Killian and her. Knowing that Aiandil, Liam, was a smart man, Emma knew he would figure out that something had been happening between the elven princess of Misthaven and his brother.
"What did you need?" Killian interrupted. He glared at his brother, clearly not liking the fact that someone had disturbed the moment between him and Emma.
"Ah, I just wanted to ask if you wanted to join me in the library. Graham tells me the place has some very detailed maps of the area we'll be traveling through." His eyes shifted to Emma. "Unless you had some other plans?" His eyebrow rose in a manner Emma had seen Killian do on many occasions. It couldn't be denied that the two men were related.
Emma turned to Killian and placed a soothing hand over his heart. "I'll catch up to you later." Then she looked back at Liam. "When will you be leaving?"
"Tomorrow at the very least. We have several days worth of travel before we reach the borders leading into Oz."
Emma looked back at Killian. "Let's meet up before breakfast then."
Killian nodded in agreement and took her hand and lifted it to his lips. "See you then."
When Emma finally pulled away from him, she could sense how annoyed Killian was about his brother showing up but she also knew that they needed to prepare for the journey together. "Safe travels."
Emma began walking towards the door and passed by Liam when Killian called out, "Thanks again for the coat."
Emma smiled and nodded. "You're welcome."
Then she slipped out of the room leaving the brothers to deal with their preparations for their quest. She now just hopes that their endeavors will be fruitful and they will come back alive. Both of them. She remembered how she and Ruby had seen Elsa and Liam speaking out in the gardens. Grinning, she hurried down the corridor hoping to locate her friend and ask her about a certain half-elven that perhaps had caught Elsa's attention.
The next morning mist hovered over the deep valleys of Misthaven City, the waterfall glinting in the early morning sun. But Emma didn't enjoy the scenery as she would usually do; she'd spent the morning in the company of Killian, speaking about his quest and how the crystal would help him and his brother. Emma had vowed to do more research on the crystal and Killian promised to bring it back to Misthaven so perhaps Regina or someone with enough light magic could help the brothers. They had sat on a bench looking over the waterfall, and in the end, the talk wasn't needed, they just enjoyed each other's company. When they parted to freshen up for the breakfast meal, Killian had pulled her in for a short, too short, heated kiss. She could still feel the imprint of his lips against her skin, and she wanted to keep the feeling alive in her hope of seeing Killian again.
She found her way to the courtyard where two horses were standing ready with provisions and gear packed behind the saddles. To her surprise, even her parents were present, but seeing as the King was lending out two of his horses, she imagined it made sense.
Killian wore the coat she'd given him the day before, it fit him to perfection, the smooth leather stretching over his shoulders as he worked on securing the bedroll to his gear. He had draped a traveling cloak around his neck; it had a hood he could pull over his head if he would need protection from the wind or rain. When he turned around and spotted Emma walking towards them, he beammed and moved towards her. His stride was sure and confident, yet his eyes did hold a shimmer of regret and sadness. She knew they would miss one another, but hopefully, this quest would also bring him back to her in one piece.
"Good morning Princess." Killian did a formal bow that had Emma shaking her head; she knew he only did this because her father was present. Glancing at her parents, she could see her mother watching the interaction between her and Killian very closely.
"Safe travels Killian." Emma swallowed down the lump forming in her throat, this was so much harder than she imagined. All she wanted to do was to leap into his arms and kiss him again, in the same way that they'd kissed for the first time. Now time was running out for them.
"I'll come back here, safely, and with the crystal in our hands." He rubbed behind his ear, glancing at her parents, regret shining in his eyes. Apparently, she wasn't the only one desiring a kiss.
Emma gave her parents a pointed look and then threw caution to the winds as she stepped forward and cupped Killian's face, his scruff scratching her palms, but she didn't care. All she cared for was this man who might have stolen her heart in the short time he'd been here. Rushing forward she pressed her lips on his, gave him a quick kiss, and stepped back as her hand smoothed over his chin.
Daring to look back at her parents, she could see that her mother wore a knowing smile on her lips, whereas her father scowled at the scene. But she would deal with her parents later. Right now, her focus was on Killian and being able to say goodbye to him.
"I'll be waiting for you." She tapped her finger against the ring hanging on his necklace. "I've got your back. If anything happens, I'll drum up a rescue party."
Killian's eyes blew wide, then he smiled and nodded his thanks. "That is reassuring to know love." He quickly squeezed her hand holding onto the pendants. "I better be going…" He glanced at his brother who had already gotten onto his horse.
"Yeah, I'll see you around. Stay safe."
Killian nodded and turned to his horse. With surprising ease, he got into the saddle and looked over to his brother. "Ready brother?"
"As I'll ever be, little brother." Liam glanced shortly at Elsa who stood close to Emma's parents alongside Ruby and Graham. Emma knew from speaking with Elsa the night before that some new feelings were blooming between them.
"It's younger brother," Killian grumbled, but Emma could see the teasing glint in his eyes and she knew this was something they might have been doing throughout their lives.
Then the two men nudged their horses and rode out of the courtyard with a final wave of their hands. Emma hugged herself as she watched the man that she'd come to care for in the past few weeks slip away from her. She only hoped that the ring she'd given him would be helpful, and she would be able to be with him again. Honestly, she didn't care what her parents thought of this union; all she knew in her heart was that the half-elven, Killian Jones, was someone she wanted in her life.
