A/N Can't believe have passed the 75 mark for follows!Completely overwhelmed. Thank you all so very much. A big 'thank you' to the lovely reviewers. so many kind words. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Hugs to all.

Chapter 14: Quest for a Wish

Killian could not sleep. Regardless of how calming it was to breathe the lemony, lavender scent of the cleanest, softest sheets he'd ever had the privilege to snuggle in. Despite how comfy and warm he found the bed and how quiet it was in his room. It was the first night in his life that Liam wasn't sleeping close by.

His brother, in his first official task as the King's squire, had accompanied David on an overnight trip to a village in the North. The trip had a dual purpose. First off, the villagers had reported an ogre sighting that needed to be validated. David was skeptical, as there were so many superstitions associated with the end of summer, and they tended to make the villagers quite nervous. Still, there was always the chance it was not paranoia and, rather than miss something that could threaten his people, David was glad to make the trip.

The second reason for the trip was much more pleasant.

Every year, David found a new craft form in which to have a duckling made for this daughter. For her second birthday, Emma received a duckling carved from rare enchanted wood that gave her sweet dreams of the forest. She had received a musical duckling for her third birthday. It played a lullaby to which David had his first dance with Emma. In actuality, it had been Emma standing on his shoes while he slowly twirled them around, but it meant the world to David. Last year he'd found a brilliant silversmith who had made a mechanical duckling that walked and quacked.

This year he had commissioned a glass duckling that would cover Emma's room in rainbows when the sunlight passed through it. He had decided he would collect it himself on the way home. The tradition of giving Emma a duckling had started with a patchwork duckling he had bought in the market the day Snow had told him he was going to be a father. It was made in different shades of yellow and in varying textures. In spite of the exquisite and valuable nature of some of her subsequent birthday ducklings, Emma's favourite by far, was her first. It had had to be restuffed several times. She slept with it every night and was always anxious when it was taken to be cleaned, which was often because she had a tendency to drag it about with her.

Liam had been very excited to go on his first tour of duty with the King, but had to sit Killian down and explain that he would be away from the castle overnight. It was no small thing for the two brothers to be separated, but ever supportive of Liam, Killian promised he would be just fine.

And he was . . . during the light, bright day.

In the dead of night, all alone in a big room was a very different matter. It was unnaturally quiet without Liam's gentle snoring. Every noise that reached his ears seemed unnaturally loud and had Killian on edge; thus he was wide awake when he heard the noise that sent his pulse racing and his imagination into over drive.

Scrape . . . drag . . . thump. Scrape . . . drag, . . . thump. Scrape . . . drag . . . thump.

Killian crawled out of bed and hid under it. With everything in him, he willed the noise to bypass his door, until it occurred to him that if the noise continued on the direction it was going, then it would reach Emma's room. Abruptly the fear he felt for his own life, was all about the little princess. He could be brave for her where he couldn't for himself. He didn't know what foul creature was lurking in the passageway, but if it's aim was to hurt Emma in any way he would find a way to kill it in the most painful manner possible.

So lost was Killian in his rumination that he missed the shadow that appeared under the gap beneath his door and stretched into the room. There was a thump on his door that made him jump and he hit his forehead.

"Killian?" Emma's voice called to him from the other side of the door. "Open the door!" Her tone was urgent.

Killian snapped to, and shimmied out from under his bed and unlocked his door. He found no monster about to attack the princess; no villain about to strike. Instead, he found Emma trying to hold on to her boots, a full sack and a huge stuffed patchwork duck. She entered the room, dragging the boots which made the scraping sound he'd heard. She hoisted the sack off the ground an inch or two, made a valiant effort to swing it forward and it dropped with a thump.

When she had everything in the room, Emma dropped all of it and turned to shove the door shut.

"I can't tie my boots," Emma announced, as if that was the only thing that needed explaining for her sudden presence. She blushed as she bent over to pick them up. Biting her bottom lip, she held her boots out to Killian.

"It's the middle of the night. Why do you need your boots?" Killian inquired, as he reached for the proffered footwear.

"Can you keep a secret?" Emma whispered, which he thought funny considering the noise she'd already made getting to his room.

He reminded himself that this was the Princess and he'd better be on his best form. He nodded emphatically. She frowned and assessed his willingness to follow her instructions.

"You have to swear to keep it secret. Put your hand on your heart and swear," Emma told him.

Killian contemplated her determined expression for a moment and then did as instructed.

"I swear, Princess, to not tell your secret. Whatever it is," Killian added, for emphasis.

Emma tilted her head to the side and her eyes narrowed as if divining the veracity of his oath. She was obviously satisfied as she beckoned him closer and whispered in his ear.

"It's the last full moon of summer. If I can find the fairies and I give them my most favoritest treasure they might grant me a wish. They do it for end of summer and spring," Emma said. "I heard Mrs. Hodge telling Averil all about it. I couldn't go in the spring 'cos I couldn't tie my boots. Now, I have you."

She plonked herself on Liam's bed and looked expectantly from the boots in his hand to his face. When he made no move, she waggled her stockinged feet. Killian scratched nervously behind his ear before bending to his knee and taking the boots. There was something wrong with Emma's plan but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He slipped one boot on her tiny foot and began lacing. Emma scrunched her brow as she concentrated on watching him work.

"You're very good at knots. Papa tried so hard to teach me how but my fingers won't work properly," Emma said, her tone rueful.

"I can teach you. I know lots of ways to tie knots. That's what we sailors do. We'll find one that you can do," Killian assured her. He glanced up from underneath his eyelashes and they grinned at each other.

"Really? You won't get fusterated with me?" Emma asked, completely butchering the word; although Killian did understand her meaning. "Johanna tried to show me, too, but then she said that maybe I was too young and she'd try again when I'm older."

"Yes, we will. There are lots of easy ones and we can practice until you get it right. That's what I had to do," Killian said, leaving out what happened to him when he took too long to learn a new knot. Unconsciously, he rubbed his cheek where the bosun's mate would slap him.

It was only a few moments work to undo the tangle Emma had made of her laces in her attempt to tie them herself. A few minutes later Killian tied the last knot with a flourish.

"There, all done," Killian announced.

"You can come with me. Must be something you want to wish for," Emma said.

Killian thought very hard about that. He really had everything he could ever want. Lots of food, a safe place to sleep, warm and clean clothes and he and Liam were still together; not to mention being in the presence of Emma. Perhaps there was one thing . . .

"Maybe, I will. Do you know where the fairies are?" Killian asked. He was beginning to understand the flaw in Emma's plan. Boots meant going outside. He was worried about how far outside the little princess was planning to go and whether or not he did the wrong thing swearing to keep it secret.

"Not yet. But I think I'll start with the big oak tree beyond the orchard. I know they love the buttercup fields on the other side. I've seen the little lights from my window," Emma said. "Do you have a treasure to offer them?" She picked up her duckling and hugged it tightly. "I'm going to give them, Henry. I've had him since I was a baby. Papa gave him to me. I love him most of all my things." Her eyes grew shiny at the thought of not having him anymore.

"You look very sad about giving him up. Are you sure you want to do it?" Killian asked.

"To get a baby brother, I'd give up everything!" Emma said, her blond curls bouncing as she nodded. "What do you want?"

Killian looked down at his feet and Emma saw his shoulders rise and fall as he sighed heavily.

"I want to know where our father is. He left Liam and me. I want to ask him how he could do that," Killian said, a catch in his voice. "Liam says I shouldn't think on him anymore because he doesn't deserve it, but I can't help it. I need to know if it's something I did that made him think he couldn't take us with him."

Emma dropped her duckling and hugged Killian's arm instead. "Don't say that. You couldn't do anything bad. You're brave and clever, just like, Liam. He's so proud of you. Your Papa was the bad one to leave you," Emma said in a rush. "The fairies are clever. They'll know where he is. When they tell you I'll help you go to him." She let go of his arm and made a fist. "Then I'll punch him really hard for hurting you."

Killian didn't doubt for a second that the fierce princess would attempt such retribution on his behalf. "You really would, wouldn't you, Your Highness?"

"Don't call me that. Call me, Emma. We're going to be best friends," Emma said.

"You're royalty. I'm supposed to show you respect," Killian said.

Emma rolled her eyes as dramatically as possible. "Yes, I'm the Princess. I command you to call me by my name." She grinned. "You're my first best friend. I'm so glad it's you." She used her toe to push the sack that she'd brought. "You can carry that."

"You're my first best friend, too. Never thought I'd be friends with a princess," Killian said as he picked up the sack. "What's in here?"

"Cakes. Fairies love sweets, and," Emma paused as her cheeks went pink. "I thought I might get hungry. I snuck them from the pantry after lunch."

"So not all for the fairies, then?" Killian smirked. Emma hit his arm.

"Get dressed. We have to find them while the moon is still there." She picked up her duckling and went over to the door. "I'll keep watch."

"Is it safe to go outside at night? I don't think your Mother will be happy about this," Killian said, as he shoved his trousers on and reached for his heavy shirt and cloak. "Are you dressed warm enough?"

Emma was wearing a very thick pair of trousers and a knitted tunic over a shirt, which she hadn't buttoned properly. "Mama will never know if we're stilthy. I'll be fine. Hurry, we have to go now," Emma said, and pushed the door open a crack and peeked out. "Follow me," she said and slipped out into the hallway.

"Anywhere you say, Emma," Killian said to himself, and did just that.