"Show me that you're human, you won't break
Like a thief in the light, you can't hide, you can't hide from your shadow
It's the only thing you own."
Human nature is confusing, it hides dark secrets behind a mask of indifference and a temperament that appears so harmless, lying is such an easy trait, a simple untruth to save you from a sticky situation. Or something that develops into a web of trickery so large and complex, you can never escape it. Eventually your whole life is founded by lies.
It helps when you can see the lie, how their eyes never quite meet yours and their voice holds a prickle of unease, as if they're worried that somebody will see their ruse.
It makes them so much easier to manipulate.
A man stood in the darkness of the night, his thin pale face tilted to the sky, he laughed, all these people with their simple lives, filled with lies and misery, he never understood how they could live that way.
What was the point really? What was life with no excitement?
They all slept taking no notice of the strange man in the street. Not a single candle or lantern burned.
It was just perfect.
He strode through the dark alleys with such ease and confidence as if he had the world at his feet. Who knows, perhaps soon he would?
§
Emma's feet were numb, the sun had long gone and with the darkness came the biting cold, the flagstones leached any extra warmth out of her until she was so cold she couldn't feel, the alley was dark and smelt terrible she had sat there ever since Hook left, but now she was shaking and shivering violently. Still better off than Trout. The memory of his death played out repeatedly in her mind, the horror of what her actions had brought had left her empty she couldn't cry anymore she just sat hugging her knees in one cold dark corner of the world. The shadows gladly concealed her pain and suffering.
He was so young, only fifteen, at the beginning of his life and it was snuffed out as easy as a candle flame.
Her fault. All her fault.
It seemed so unreal, how did she get here?
Graham would be so angry, probably worried too, all her family would. They would likely think the worst. It only served to make her feel more terrible.
Maybe she should go home?
Nobody would look at her in the same way again, she would be the scandal her family needed to brush under the carpet.
But maybe it would be different if she returned with something to show,for her endeavours? Like Philip's killer avenged and the kingdoms stopped from war.
Maybe she could feel better if she did something right for a change.
Hook was looking for the killer too, she had to find him and somehow convince him without getting herself killed.
Wouldn't her family see her in a different light if she saved the kingdoms from war?
Even if they didn't it wouldn't matter, she was still going to do it.
The hard part would be getting Hook to help her. Emma slowly stood up, trying to prevent the wave of dizziness, it still came, she leaned against the wall to steady herself. She was hoping that Hook's ship was still in the docks, without it she didn't know what she would do.
§
Emma's heart leapt at the sight of his ship still docked. But now that she was here she had no idea how she would get on it.
She could plead that she was harmless and shamelessly beg for mercy, they wouldn't harm her would they? Who was she kidding of course they would. She had got one of their mates killed.
She groaned, Hook would never allow her on his ship was the middle of the night she could sneak on unnoticed, but still nothing would stop them from killing her.
"Emma?" A hand touched her shoulder.
She leapt in fright, a dark figure stood in front of her silhouetted against the light of the moon. It was Hook she could just make out his face in the dim light. She brushed his hand off her shoulder, and took three steps back, her heart pounding.
"What are you doing here?" He hissed.
"I need your help." She tried to disguise the quiver in her voice.
"My help?" He sounded incredulous. "Have you lost all common sense? Why would I help you?"
"I thought we shared a common interest in seeing Philip avenged." She was still trying not to think of the killer as Hook.
"You think killing another person will make you feel better about the first?" He raised an eyebrow. "How very naive of you."
She pursed her lips. "So you would see the killer run free, no punishment for his actions, you would see the kingdoms fall into ruin and war?"
"You are indeed silly." He whispered icily. "To think you could stop a war so easily."
"So you think it's better to do nothing, so everyone can be a coward like you." She spat.
"Coward?" He growled. "Oh it's cowardly to not take a life?"
"He deserves to die." Emma murmured stupidly.
"Why does he deserve to die anymore than you do?" He clenched his fists. "You're just a stupid spoilt princess, with your first taste of what the real world is like."
In a split second her fist connected with his face, a sickening crunch then his groan of pain.
"I see now." Emma's voice was filled ice. "I was wrong to ask for your help, I will find him myself."
"Good luck with that." He murmured sarcastically, rubbing his jaw.
Emma didn't answer in reality she had no idea where to look for the killer. "Goodbye Hook." She said nonchalantly.
Then she turned on her heel and walked away. He didn't try to stop her.
"Bravo." A soft voice whispered in her ear.
Emma growled and tried to push the person away from her, it didn't work he held tightly to her shoulders.
"Let her go." Hook growled dangerously. "It's nothing to do with her."
"Then why do you care?" The man's voice was soft and calm, Emma couldn't see his face but she knew exactly who he was. She lashed out, clawing at his arm and punching him.
He adjusted his arm and so it was around her throat. "I see you and my son are getting along well."
Emma froze. His son. She looked at Hook, he looked away from her gaze. It suddenly made sense to her, the two men that looked so alike.
Hook didn't want to find him because he didn't want to kill his father.
"Oh I see." The man smiled. "She didn't know, well that just makes everything more interesting, let's go Emma dear."
She struggled frantically as the world dissapeared before her eyes, leaving only darkness.
§
The young princess sighed. Her head ached with worry. Graham had sent no news, he had been gone for weeks. Her mother cried, and her father seemed to always be angry he believed that Emma had run away with Hook. The whole castle asked the question, will she ever return?
Belle was beside herself, the midwives worried about the baby.
How could she do this?
"Where are you dearest Emma." She whispered gently into the darkness.
The branches of the trees whispered, brushing together, murmurs and secrets.
She's in the hands of the devil.