One Week Later: In the Docks of the Enchanted Forest
"Boy!" the Captain shouts.
"Yes Sir!" Liam Jones says, saluting the man, who only days earlier, had beaten his brother, and him to a pulp.
"Drag that little gnat you call a brother up here, will you?" the captain snarls.
"Sir yes sir!" Liam replies cautiously. He hurries below deck to wake up his sleeping brother.
"Killian," Liam whispers, gently shaking his brother. "Killian the captain wants to see us." Killian groans miserably.
"Ow Liam that hurts," Killian whines. Liam rolls his brother over, and looks at him carefully.
"Shit," Liam breathes surveying the damage. Killian's injuries are much worse than they appeared last night. One of his eyes is swollen shut, and his right leg is bent at an unnatural angle. His right arm hangs uselessly against his side, his shoulder is probably dislocated. "Shit, shit, shit," Liam repeats again.
"Is it bad?" Killian asks quietly.
"Not at all brother," Liam lies. "Come on, we have to go see the captain." Liam helps Killian out of bed. The younger boy leans heavily on his older brother, and together, they make their way up the stairs, to the captain, who is growing steadily more agitated waiting for them.
"Hurry up you cretins!" the captain shouts, twirling the studded rings on his fingers. The boys slowly walk towards the evil man, Killian's surely broken leg dragging on the deck all the way. They come to a stop in front of the captain, looking up at his twisted face.
"What the hell is wrong with you boy?" the captain growled, addressing Killian. "Can't take a little beating?" The young boy glared at the man, his eyes burning with hatred. Killian slowly withdrew his arm from around his brother's shoulder, and placed his bad leg on the deck. He stood as straight as he could, and faced down the malicious smirk of the man who inflicted this terrible pain upon him.
"I'm alright sir," Killian said innocently. Liam watched as the captain's face grew red, and looked at his brother proudly, then back to the captain, who's face was steadily growing redder. The man seemed to calm himself down, before smiling evilly.
"Oh is that so?" he asked slyly. Liam glanced at his brother, warning him silently. Killian ignored him.
"Yes sir," Killian replied. The captain's smile grew even bigger, before he punched the boy in the stomach, his many rings making the impact that much worse. Liam lunges forward.
"Stop! Captain stop!" Liam shouts at the top of his lungs.
"Hold him back boys!" the captain yells. "Let me teach this little bastard a lesson!"
"No! Stop captain! Please! Have mercy on him, he's just a boy!" Liam cries, sobbing now, struggling to get free of the burly crew men that are holding him back. But it's no use. Liam is forced to watch as the captain hits Killian, again and again, until he falls to the deck. Then the captain is kicking him over, and over. The younger boy curls up into a ball, trying to protect himself, but the captain, just kicks harder. Killian's blood coats the deck, and the captain's boots are covered in it, before he stops, finally. The crewmen release Liam, and he runs to his brother's side, kneeling on the deck, in a pool of Killian's blood. He looks up at the captain, his eyes glittering with tears.
"You- you monster," he whispers. The captain hits Liam across the face, and then kicks him in the stomach.
"Get the hell off my ship, boy," the captain barks, before striding away, down the gang plank, the crew following close behind him. Liam scoops up his brother, and limps down the gangplank, turning the opposite way the captain and the crew went.
KEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEK
"David, I feel like we need some time away from the children," Snow starts to say.
"Say no more my love," David replies dramatically. "I was just going to suggest day down at the harbor.
"Well I was thinking something a little closer to home," Snow says with a wink. David grins at her.
"Don't you worry, I've got it all planned out. We'll spend the first part of the day at the harbor, and the afternoon will be spent on… more enjoyable activities," David says, with a mischievous smirk. Snow smiles and pulls her husband in for a kiss.
"We could always start a little early," Snow says slyly, looking up at her husband through her eye lashes. He chuckles, and they fall into bed together.
"I'm rather tired darling, let's save it for tomorrow," David says. With an exasperated sigh, Snow releases her grip on her husband, but snuggles close against him.
"Okay, tomorrow it is," she says.
DSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSDSD
The Next Day
The royal couple leaves the castle at dawn, riding their horses down the path, and through the village. The whole ride, Snow White was plagued with worry for her children, and by an extent, so was everybody else.
"What if there's an attack," Snow asked suddenly, right when they left the castle.
"There won't be an attack Snow," David replied
"But what if there is?" Snow persisted.
"Emma is with Graham working on her swordsmanship, and Neal is being taken care of by Johanna," David said. "They're in good hands."
"Okay," Snow said. "But what if there's an accident?"
"Snow!" David says sternly, "The children will be fine. This is a day for us, so put the children out of your mind, and focus on having fun okay?"
"Alright David, I'm sorry," Snow replied.
"It's okay honey, it's normal," David stated. They rode the remainder of the ride with little more than pleasant chit-chat. When they reached the village, David halted his horse.
"Excuse me guards," David started. "I would like for my wife and to continue the rest of the journey on foot. If we could have only minimal security walking with us, it would be much appreciated." Four guards dismount from their horses and continue with the monarchs, placing themselves strategically around the couple, to offer the most protection possible. The couple walks hand in hand through the village and down the path to the harbor.
"The ocean is beautiful isn't it," Snow said, finally breaking the silence.
"It really is," David responded, glancing at his wife. "But it isn't the most beautiful thing here."
"I love you David," Snow said, hugging her husband, and looking out over the water. "Wait, do you, do you hear something?" Snow asked. David and Snow paused their conversation and listened closely to the noises around them. Among the sound of the waves hitting the shore, and the gulls calling one another, a more pitiful sound could be heard. It was the sound, of a child crying.
"Hello?" Snow called. The sobbing only intensified. "David we have to find them, whoever it is," Snow said with a worried tone.
"I know, I know," David said. "Shh, shh listen closely." They were silent again as they surveyed the area. David caught sight of something familiar.
"There Snow, look," David said, pointing at the shimmering white butterfly. Snow looked.
"David, it's just a butterfly," she replied, slightly puzzled.
"It's not just any butterfly," he answered. "Follow it." That they did. The butterfly flew along the water line for a yard or two, before turning down an alley way. The couple followed, as did the guards, with their swords drawn. They followed the butterfly, over barrels, and under various hanging items, until the butterfly landed on an overturned crate. Snow called the guards to a stop, as David scrambled to the crate. The sobbing was almost deafening now. He lifted the crate, only to find not one child, but two.
"Guards! Snow! There are two of them! One's in really bad shape!" David called. Snow quickly came forward, followed closely by the guards.
"Please," the older boy cried. "You have to help him."
"It's alright now, we are here to help you," Snow crooned
"You have to help Killian first!" the boy suddenly shouted. "Please," he said, his voice softer now, "He's dying."
"Send someone to ride ahead to the castle," David shouted. "Have them get the best medic!" At that, one guard disappeared, out into the sun.
"We are going to get both of you out of here, I promise," Snow said softly.
At the Castle
"Graham!" someone shouted. "Max and Ryan rode back ahead of the royal party! They say that the King and Queen are coming back now, and are calling for the best medic!"
"Well then what are you waiting for?" Graham shouted right back. "Go and find the bloody man!"
"Graham," Princess Emma asked, "Is something wrong with Mommy and Daddy?" Graham looked at the girl and said the only thing that came to mind.
"I hope not Princess." The guard grabbed the girl and ran as fast as he could to the castle gates.