Chapter 20: Of Magic and Soul Mates

A/N:

Hello again. Once again I have to send out a big thank you to all of the kind souls reading and reviewing and to those generous pixies who have marked this as a 'Favourite' and are 'Followers'. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. This chapter is a little longer and I ran out of room to fit Emma and Killian into it (no matter how small they are!). They and Liam will be back in the next chapter.

For clarification:
An 'orangery' or 'orangerie' was a room or building solely dedicated to growing oranges and other fruit trees where they were protected from harsh winters.

An Ice house was a building used to store ice throughout the year. Some were underground chambers, but many were buildings with various types of insulation.
During the winter, ice and snow would be taken into the ice house and packed with insulation, often straw or sawdust. It would remain frozen for many months, often until the following winter, and could be used as a source of ice during summer months. Definition taken from: wiki/Ice_house_(building)

At a full run, the journey from entryway to their chambers only took Snow and David about sixteen minutes; however, as Snow refused to give David any hints at all regarding what required such urgency, it was a more than adequate time span for his imagination to run riot. By the time they had arrived and his wife had virtually shoved him through the door, his mind was whirling.

"What's happened? Snow, please!" David pleaded.

Snow hesitated now that the moment to spill all had arrived. She knew the man she married and she knew the best course of action with David was always the 'iffy' information first, followed by the bad information and, then finish with the exciting and joyful news to take away the sting. Going with the bad news last, never went well with a man who could mope with the best of them.

"Well, you know that chat you had with Emma about sneaking about the castle after bed time?" Snow asked. "It didn't stick."

David groaned and buried his head in his hands, before looking back up at her with a nervous expression. "Oh no, what have we been invaded with this time? Peacocks in the guards room? Unicorns in the orangery? Gryphons in the ice house?"

"More like puppies in the garden, but there's only two and, not actually the point," she said. David's visage grew concerned when she took his hand and pulled him to sit with her on the bed. "I need you to be calm."

That really caused panic to set in, but Snow put a hand over his mouth to forestall any interruption. "Calm . . . alright?" She nodded slowly and, when David started to nod in time with her, she knew she was clear to continue and dropped her hand.

"Emma, went out very late last night to ask the fairies for a wish. You know the old story about the last full moon of summer? She took Killian with her," Snow explained.

"She was going to swap Killian for a wish?" David asked, his nervousness clearly not helping his comprehension. "My daughter thinks Killian is her most precious possession?" He looked a little heartsick at that notion.

"No! No, she took, Henry," Snow said. "They ended up at the big oak, but wild dogs tried to attack them. Emma managed to climb to safety because Killian distracted the dogs, but when he tried to climb up, too; he fell."

"What? Is he? Is that why you wanted Liam to go to his chambers first? Is Emma . . . ?" David's voice choked off.

"They're fine, they're both fine. Both unharmed. Better than they were before they snuck out, actually, but again, not the point I'm trying to make," Snow said, squeezing his hand, tightly. "Emma saved Killian." She paused to take a deep breath. "David, she did it with magic. She saw Killian in danger and it triggered her magic to save him. Completely instinctual."

David's eyebrows nearly climbed to his hairline. His mouth opened and closed like a beached fish, but not so much as a word popped out; just a sort of wet, strangled semi-hiccup.

"Yes, David, our daughter has magic," Snow said. Her smile, as she watched him struggle to absorb the news, was understanding and warm. "You alright, there? Because that's only part of what I have to tell you."

That seemed to have the desired galvanising effect. He nodded a few times, then drew back his shoulders and sat more upright, as if better posture would help him work through the information faster.

"Magic? My little, Duckling? She's only four! She hasn't shown any signs," David said, finding his voice.

"Six days and she's five. Apparently she used her magic to hold him in mid air, but she couldn't hold out for long. The fairies felt her magic and Blue sent for me. By the time I got there, the fairies had rescued the children and had everything well under control. They'd even aged the dogs back to puppies!"

"The puppies you mentioned are the dogs that attacked them?" David asked; eyebrows back up and eyes wide. "You brought them back here?"

"Yes, we have puppies now. Emma and Killian have one, each. They're gorgeous," Snow said, with a sigh. She took in David's shocked expression and rolled her eyes. "Don't look at me like that. I know I'll have to pry those puppies out of your hands once you get a look at them. The children will be lucky if you ever give them back."

David squinted at his wife; a nervous and knowing look in his eyes. "You, my love, are trying to distract me. What aren't you telling me?"

Snow bit her lip and breathed in deeply through her nose.

"Snow? Come on, whatever you tell me cannot be worse than knowing my baby daughter and our youngest ward, who's been in our care for all of five minutes, were attacked by dogs." He looked at Snow abusing her bottom lip and the fear began to set in, again. "You said they were fine. Please, just tell me."

"They are. More fine than they realise, because I haven't told them, yet. Oh, David, I think it's wonderful. Perfect, even. So much easier for them because they've found each other so early," Snow said. She dropped his hand and hugged him. "They're soul mates. Blue told me. Emma's soul mate was in danger. That's why her magic was triggered."

"So, when I nearly drowned rescuing Henry from the moat when she wanted to see him swim; no magical rescue for Papa. I fall down the stairs after tripping over Henry; my loving daughter lets me fall. But a boy she's known for three days? No problem. She makes him fly!" David pulled out of their hug and started to pace. "Emma is four! She's a baby. My baby girl is too young for any kind of soul mate," David said, running a hand through his hair, over and over.

"Of all the people in this realm, you and I know what having a soul mate means. After everything we went through to find each other; to be together. You're my best friend. To know that Emma has that, now. To have that support through her childhood when you know how lonely she's been. How can you not be happy for her? Killian is the sweetest boy, even after all he's been through. He's saved her life twice in just a few days and he is only a baby, himself. They save each other."

Shock and annoyance gave way to begrudging acceptance in David's eyes as Snow's words sank in. The memory of how bravely little Killian had stepped up to rescue Emma at the mine, swept away nearly all remaining trace of irritation. He did know what it meant to have a soul mate, but he couldn't help being a tad jealous. He smiled sheepishly at Snow.

"You're right, as usual. Of course I want Emma happy. I have the greatest respect for Killian and I want the best for him, too. Certainly he deserves to be happy. It's just . . . , well," David didn't have the words, or rather he realised the words on the tip of his tongue sounded very petty.

"She's your baby girl and you aren't ready to let another man step in?" Snow summed up his feelings for him.

"Not until she's at least thirty or I'm dead and don't know about it," David said, fully aware how unrealistic that was.

"David, they are babies. Right now and, for quite a few years, this is all about friendship and you were all for that, yesterday. Soul mates and stalwart, inseparable best friends may be all they turn out to be. But Emma will take the Crown some day and to have the kind of steadfast support of a soul mate will make that so much easier."

David was full on smiling, now. "Oh, please, you aren't fooling me. Only friends? You already have them grown up, True Love and married." He pulled her up and into his arms. "I bet you've even named the grandchildren and decided how many there'll be." He expected a punch in the arm for that one, but instead his wife's eyes grew very bright.

"Leopold for a boy and Trenna for a girl?" Snow suggested.

"Trenna, is a very pretty name, but Leopold?" David screwed up his nose. "No grandchild of mine is going to be called, Leopold."

"That was my father's name," Snow protested.

"And he would have had my sincerest sympathies for it," David said, smirking. That did get him a punch in the arm, which he ignored in favour of kissing her neck, but he noticed she was not responding with her usual fervour. "There's more?"

"We need to make a decision about Emma's magic. Blue says we have two options; either she learns how to use it, including how to defend herself, or the fairies could suppress it."

They were both quiet for a good fifteen minutes, just staring at each other while they contemplated those choices.

"You've had longer to think about it. What do you want to do?" David finally asked.

"Blue said, that even if we ask them to suppress it, the bond with Killian would likely set it off again if he were in danger. There are those who would do just about anything to get hold of her magic. Apparently, Light magic is very rare," Snow said.

"They could try to use Killian to control her." David realised. "Does that mean we should keep them separated?"

"Not just, Killian. He might have been the reason it manifested, but once she starts using it, controlling it, anyone with an agenda could use any one of us that she loves to make her do what they want," Snow said.

"What are you suggesting? We send her away? From everyone she knows and loves? That's no answer and . . . ," David couldn't consider such an option, but neither could Snow, so she cut in.

"No! I could never . . .no, I refuse to give up my daughter, and I'm won't send Killian anywhere, either. I really don't think that's the answer." Snow shook her head in an unconscious reinforcement of her position.

"I don't want to suppress her magic, either. She's such an open hearted, sweet child. Who's to say what affect that would have on her; how it could change her. That's not the way, either," David said. "So, we allow her to learn how to use it? She's so, so young."

"I do want her to learn how to use it. It's a part of her. Something so special should be encouraged. Do you think with the fairies guiding her . . . ," She trailed off at David's apprehensive expression.

"I did have another idea. On our last trip to Arendelle, Gerda told me something about Elsa. Gerda and Alvar faced a similar problem with her. The rock trolls helped them, but I don't know what they did. If there's any chance at all they can help?"

"Then that's where we go," David agreed.

"Right after Emma's birthday. If we call that off it could attract the wrong attention. Blue seemed to think that others would have been drawn to Emma's display of magic. If we leave the realm for a short while it may help throw them off the track," Snow suggested.

"We can arrange for an incident in the ice house that requires the annual trip to Arendelle to be brought forward. No-one will think anything out of the ordinary if we decide to visit your old friends," David said. "Especially since they announced the new baby on the way," he added, wearing a small envious smile which turned into a smirk. "Maybe Gerda can name her new boy, Leo. . .ouch!"

"Don't you dare," Snow admonished as she pinched his cheek, hard. "Or I won't tell you something wonderful."

"Snow, I'm not sure I can cope with any more news, right now," David warned her. "Forget Emma having magic and finding a soul mate, I'm going to need at least a day or two to recover from the idea of our possible, future grandson, getting stuck with 'Leopold'. You know, I never thought you had a mean bone in your body. This cruel streak will take some getting used to."

That got him body tackled and pummelled with a pillow.

"I'm trying . . . (thump) . . . to tell you . . . (thump) . . . not grandson or grand daughter . . . (thump, thump) . . . but son or daughter," Snow got out, breathlessly. She dropped the pillow and cupped David's cheeks. "I'm with child. The fairies confirmed it." Her smile could have put the sun to shame.

David's whoop of joy could be heard all the way down to the castle forecourt.