AUTHORS NOTE: The rest of the chapters, up until the curse, including this one, will contain snap shots from the years of
Emma and Killian's childhood, like they have been, just much shorter. Also, for those of you who asked this, it is entirely possible for a child to have brown eyes if their parents have green and blue eyes, if any of their grandparents (Ruth, and King Leopold) had brown eyes, because the parents would carry the gene for brown eyes, though it may be unlikely. It is also entirely possible, if not likely, for a child to have blue eyes, if one of the parents has blue eyes. Both Neal and Leopold are David's children. Also, in the Enchanted Forest, Leopold would be an entirely acceptable and respectable name. Even though I find it most likely that Snow White did name the kids, I think that David from the Enchanted Forest would've been pleased with the name. It shortens to Leo, which means lion; frankly, I believe that any father would be happy to have their son nicknamed "Lion". Thank you for your input, and thanks for reading!
The Ninth Year
"Emma! Emma wake up!" Killian shouted. Emma stretched her arms up over her head, and groaned.
"Agh Killian it's so early," Emma grumbled.
"Liam's coming back today Emma come on get up!" Killian exclaimed, shaking her gently. Emma batted at Killian's face with her hand.
"Alright, alright I'm coming," she said. Emma rolled out of bed, and scrambled to get dressed as Killian left the room. She dressed in her riding clothes, and together, her and Killian ran down to the stables, and mounted their horses. They rode down the path and out through the castle gates. Accompanied by the typical entourage of guards, they made their way through the village, and to the harbor, where Liam was just stepping off his ship. Killian dismounted his horse, and ran down the dock. He catapulted himself into his brother's arm, hugging him tightly.
"I missed you Liam," Killian said softly, tears of joy rolling down his cheek.
"I missed you too Killian. I missed you too."
The Tenth Year
"Hey mom have you seen Leo?" Emma called to her mother.
"Nice try Emma you'll have to win the game fair and square," Snow called back.
"Aw please mom?" Emma tried again. Snow White just laughed and continued on writing in her journal. Emma continued through the halls, hunting for her brothers. Every closet door was opened, every bed checked under, and every drape that hung to the floor opened.
"Pst Emma," a voice whispered. She whipped her head around, searching for the source of the voice.
"Killian?" she whispered back. No answer. After a while, she continued down the hall, passing by all the doors she thought she had checked.
"Emma, check the door to your right," the voice said. Emma paused, cocking her head, trying to pinpoint the voices exact location. Unable to, she decided to take the voice's advice, and opened the door to her left, only to find both Neal and Leo, huddled against each other, tucked in the far back corner.
"No fair!" Leo shrieked, stomping his foot as he emerged from the closet. "You cheated!"
"Killian told you didn't he?" Neal asked calmly.
"Well I think it was Killian, but I can't see him. I know he's there though, because I can feel him," Emma responded. Suddenly, a laugh rang through the hallway.
"I had young Neal here make me invisible!" Killian chuckled, surely with a smirk on his face. Emma sighed exasperatedly, and waved her hand. Slowly, Killian's form came into view.
"I should've known," Emma sighed again. "That was a good trick though."
"It was wasn't it," Neal grinned right alongside with Killian.
"The lad really has a way with the visual aspects of his magic," Killian said. Neal turned to Killian mischievously.
"Are you implying that my drawing skills are because of my magic?" Neal asked, his eyes twinkling. Killian's grin faltered slightly, before he caught on to the game.
"No lad, I'm saying your good looks might be though," Killian smirked, waggling his eyebrows.
"Hey!" Neal exclaimed, punching Killian's shoulder. Emma and Leo giggled at the boy's antics. Leo proceeded to reach out and grab Emma's hand. Their giggling and laughing paused, until Leo released her hand.
"He's hungry, I'm going to take him down to the kitchen. Meet me out in the courtyard?" Emma asked.
"Deal," Neal and Killian agreed. Killian watched as Emma walked away, holding her youngest brother's hand. Neal laughed loudly.
"Just ask to court her!" Neal chuckled.
"I can't, we're too young. Besides, she's betrothed to Baelfire," Killian replied wistfully.
"So wait until you're both of age! And you know she doesn't like Baelfire!" Neal stated bluntly. Killian sighed again.
"I'm not royalty Neal, I can't court her. She's a princess, and I'm—well I'm just Killian Jones."
The Eleventh Year
"Killian Jones!" an angry voice growled from behind him. He dropped his pack, and turned to the young princess standing in the door way.
"The one and only," he responded sarcastically, ignoring her crossed arm, and the way her foot was tapping.
"Where do you think you're going?" she snarled, eyeing the bundle of clothes on his bed.
"I'm going hunting your majesty," he responded pleasantly, turning back to the bed to continue preparing for the trip.
"Not without me you're not!" she cried, turning away, and storming out of the room. Killian finished packing his things, and sat down on his bed to wait. A short time later, the Princess returned, wearing green and brown clothes, a sack slung over her shoulder. He stood, and offered her his hand.
"Are you ready to go Princess?" he asked, giving her his best I'm too adorable to stay mad at face.
"Yes I'm ready," she sighed. Ignoring his hand, she turned and started down the hallway. Killian followed, a small smile gracing his lips.
The Twelfth Year
"Yes just like that Emma," her father praised as Emma parried another one of his attacks with her sword.
`"What are the rules of sword fighting Emma?" David asked, as Emma fended off what would've been a near fatal blow, had they not been just practicing.
"Relax, don't tense your muscles. Assess the situation. Be cautious but not conservative," Emma rattled off, feigning an attack to her father's left before striking to the right instead.
"Very good, very good. What else?" he pressed, blocking her blow with ease.
"Um, be aware of your surroundings, try to conserve your energy, and know your weapon better than your opponent knows their own," she continued, her attention never waning until she caught sight of a shadow in the corner. She ignored it to the best of her ability, focusing back on what her father was saying.
"And the most important thing is?" he questioned, swinging at his daughter again, their swords clashing with enough force to knock her back a few steps, but not to the ground. She caught sight of the shadow again, and during the split second she lost focus staring at it, her father swung a crushing blow at her sword hand, throwing her off balance, and sending her sword flying in the direction of the shadow. She landed on the ground with a thud. Breathing heavily, she shivered as a shadow, the shadow fell over her.
"Never get distracted," Killian said with a smirk, pulling her to her feet, and handing her sword to her.
"Well I'll leave you two to it," David chuckled, handing the sword he had been practicing with to Killian. He headed for the door, but paused for a moment. Turning back to watch, he smiled as he caught sight of the shining white butterfly, fluttering overhead.