At the Beginning With You

Chapter Eight

Emma remained quiet during their journey to the castle while they rode in a wagon, pulled by Sven. A talking snowman and a reindeer being Kristoff closest friends was strange, but the newcomer to Arendelle didn't bother asking the usual questions and it was clear that she wasn't going to talk about what happened to her and the pirate who had helped them while they were in Storybrooke, until she could see Elsa and Anna too. The Ice Master kept glancing over at the woman while he drove the cart, noticing as she fiddled with the ring she wore over her ring finger on her left hand, and saw a few tears slip from her eyes, but he knew not to disturb her from her thoughts, having seen the same look on Elsa's face a number of times. Olaf tried, but Kristoff cut him off before he could get very far.

"We're here," he finally said as he motioned for the guards standing watch outside of the castle gates to let them inside, then pulled back on Sven's reins to bring the animal to a stop. "I know that Anna and Elsa will be very excited to see you, even under the circumstances. They're most likely…"

"Emma!" Mary Margaret shouted in relief as she and David came rushing toward their daughter from inside the castle, followed closely by Archie, Grumpy, Bashful, and Happy. "Oh my God, Emma, are you alright? You look terrible!"

As her mother swept her into a tight hug, while David put his hand gently over the back of her head for support, Emma weakly stated in surprise, "You guys made it? I… I know I asked you to… to come, but I…"

David noticed the bruise that had appeared on her face from whatever trouble she had run into as he replied, "We all came through the portal, just as you suggested. Gold helped us, not necessarily willingly, but… Emma, where's Hook? Is he okay?"

"No, no, they took him," the Savior answered fearfully. "Blackbeard and his pirates, Smee too. I have to talk to Elsa and Anna."

"We're right here," the Queen responded immediately as she walked over to them, as did her sister. "Your parents and friends arrived only a few minutes ago and informed us that you and Hook were in danger. Thank goodness Kristoff found you."

Emma pulled away from her parents' embrace while she spoke with more anger than she intended as she replied, "Yeah and Killian wasn't so lucky. Aagh! I'm sorry, but we just got him back. I knew something like this would happen, that trouble would find us again the moment we left home. I was right. I promised him I wouldn't let them drag him back there and now..."

Everyone looked at her in confusion as David raised his hands to her shoulders in a comforting manner and finally took control of the situation as he spoke again saying, "Shush, it's okay, just calm down and talk to us about what happened from the beginning. What happened?"

"We were attacked by the pirates hours after we left Storybrooke," the Savior explained sadly as Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff led Emma and the others inside the castle, heading toward the dining hall where they could offer their guests something to eat. "We had no choice, but to head to shore of a small island nearby, hoping that we would be able to get ahead of them and find a way to protect ourselves. But they surrounded us so suddenly. Eventually, Blackbeard revealed that he was given this pendant he wore around his neck. It gave him the power to do whatever he wanted it to do for him. Someone who calls herself the Enchantress gave it to him. We were taken prisoner, taken back to the Jolly Roger, which we have to get back too by the way, and me and Killian were separated during our journey through the portal. I think he said something about having a stash of magic beans, also given to him by her."

"Which is how Blackbeard was able to pass between worlds," Archie said quickly.

Emma nodded and then continued, "I finally saw the opportunity to use my powers against them so that we could escape, but it wasn't enough. It was stupid and because of me… because of me, Killian jumped in front of a bullet to protect me, but the force of him falling back against me caused me to fall over a cliff that overlooked a waterfall. I fell through the rushing water, then woke up however long later to Kristoff and a talking snowman taking care of me."

Leroy looked at her like she was crazy as he asked, "A talking snowman?"

"Yeah, hi!" Olaf answered as he raise his hand in greeting, causing the three dwarfs to step back in shock upon seeing the strange being. "I'm Olaf and I like…"

"Save it, Olaf," Kristoff quickly interrupted. "Now's not the time for you to tell us you like warm hugs and summer."

Anna smiled as she responded, "Actually, you just did. It's okay though."

Mary Margaret smiled at them sadly, then turned back to her daughter again as she asked with worry, "Did Blackbeard say why they wanted the two of you?"

"It isn't me they were after, just Killian," Emma replied angrily. "It's just like I told you in my message. This Enchantress wants to use him to open another portal to the Underworld, then they plan to trade his soul with someone else's, to bring back someone else for her."

"Oh my goodness, that's… that's horrible!" Anna answered as she gasped. "But how is this, even possible? And why Hook?"

David ran his hand through his hair, then he responded, "It's because Hook's already been there."

Kristoff was now even more confused as he asked, "Been where… you mean to the Underworld? That's only possible if he…"

"Died," the Prince simply stated. "It's a real long story. The most important thing right now, is that we don't allow this sorceress or enchantress, or whoever… whatever she is to send him back there. Hook sacrificed his life for us once and by saving Emma up on that cliff, he might have just done so again, but we can't let them succeed in dragging him back there."

"How do we know he isn't already dead?" Grumpy asked again as he turned back to Emma, not really meaning to sound so insensitive. "You said it yourself, sister. He was shot up on that cliff. Do you have any idea how bad he was hit?"

Emma looked at the dwarf sadly as she shook her head and finally replied, "No, but if he were dead, I would know it. I'd be dead too, remember? Because we share my heart, I can now feel everything he feels; his fear, his pain… Mom, Dad, you know what I mean. You can feel when something's wrong with one another. You would know if one of you were hurt, or worse…"

Snow nodded as she looked over at her husband, then back to their daughter and answered fearfully, "Yeah, we would. And we would both be dead. Emma's right, Killian is still alive."

"But he's hurt bad," the Savior added. "Elsa, Anna, have either of you ever heard of this, Enchantress, or know where we might be able to find the portal into the Underworld?"

"I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that the Underworld exists and that there's a way to go down there without actually dying," Anna responded as Kristoff walked up behind her and pulled his wife into his arms. "Or why anyone would want to for that matter."

Emma looked at the younger woman as she replied firmly, "You would do it for love, true love. It's possible this witch is doing the same thing, but in this case, she's willing to sacrifice the life of a good man to get back whoever the hell it is she's looking to raise from the dead. That's what makes her a monster. And Blackbeard's helping her for power and riches."

Elsa nodded in agreement, then spoke up again saying, "I've never heard of this woman, but there may be someone who can help you."

"If anyone can, it would be Grandpabbie," Kristoff immediately answered. "I'll go and get Sven ready for our trip to the mountains."

"Grandpabbie?" Happy asked in confusion as everyone looked between him, as well as Arendelle's Queen and Princess.

Anna smiled and responded, "Yes, he's the leader of the rock trolls that live here within the mountains. Kristoff was raised by them. They have powers of their own and are very, very wise."

Elsa continued, "If anyone would be able to help us save Hook, it'll be them. We will take you to them at once."

Once their friends new to their kingdom finished explaining as much as they could, Elsa and Anna ushered Olaf out of the room so that they would be able to have some time alone while they took the time to eat and try to comfort the woman who had risked so much to save them back when they were in trouble in their world as she finally broke down and cried again within her parents' arms. The dwarfs with them walked down to the opposite side of the table in order to give their leaders their space as they quickly began to fill a plate with food to eat, while Archie took a seat close by, prepared to be there for their Savior if she needed him to be, even though he suspected that she was done talking for now.