A/N Fluff, fluff everywhere. It's like a pillow exploded over this chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter Thirty-One
Atlantis House
Killian and Emma walk down the stairs of their temporary home hand-in-hand, on their way to grab something to eat before heading out to explore Atlantis but they both stop dead at the sight of Zelena lounging next to Regina on large chaise with baby Robin playing at their feet.
"Morning, lovelies. Strange business with the lights, last night, wasn't it?" Zelena says smugly to their shocked faces. A blush spreads from Emma's face down to her chest and Zelena smiles wider.
"It was almost as if an uncontrollable wave of magic went through the entire house. [Zelena raises an eyebrow at Killian] Or two…"
Regina hides her grin behind a mug of coffee as Emma tugs Killian's hand towards the breakfast table.
"Yeah, weird." She mumbles as they make their escape, much to the amusement of the sisters.
Emma pulls Killian through the house, stopping to snag a couple of oranges off the breakfast table as they leave. Emma looks over at Killian when they are outside the house and his barely contained amusement causes her to burst out laughing as they start walking towards the Atlantean marketplace.
"We aren't even going to question how the blazes the witch got here?" Killian asks with a chuckle.
Emma smiles sweetly and makes a mockingly pensive face before answering him.
"Nope. Regina didn't seem concerned about it, so I think we can leave that for later." She says and she links her arm through his as they walk.
"Very well. So, where are we off to first, darling?"
"I thought we could start with a wander around the marketplace and then see where it takes us. Sound good?" she asks with a quirk of her smiling face.
"Whatever your heart desires, Swan."
The couple make their way to the marketplace and explore the many strange and wonderful things for sale or trade at the brightly coloured stalls before wandering off again to find a garden bench. They find Socrates sitting on a bench nearby and decide to join him.
"Hello. Would you mind some company?" Emma asks the elderly man, whose face lights up at the sight of them.
"Not if the company is you, my dear. Please." He says as he scoots over and gestures for them to sit.
"I was hoping to see you both again." He says eagerly.
"Really?" Emma says, encouraging him to continue.
"Yes. I have noticed your ring of intention and wished to extend an invitation to officiate your life bond here in Atlantis." He finishes with an excited grin and Emma turns her confused face to Killian.
He smiles at Emma and takes her left hand, rubbing a thumb over her engagement ring.
"He is asking if we want to get married here, Love." Killian says with a pensive smile as he watches Emma's expression of confusion turn to surprised understanding.
She turns back to a beaming Socrates.
"Oh! Uh…" she blubbers as her head whips back to Killian again.
"There is no pressure for it, I simply wanted to extend the invitation." Socrates says before huddling in towards them, conspiratorially.
"We don't have occasion to host these kinds of ceremonies here very often." He says with a funny chuckle as he begins to stand.
Emma turns to Killian once more with amused contemplation.
"What do you think? I mean, everyone we need for it, is here…" she says with a slightly dazed look.
Killian lifts the hand he is holding and kisses Emma's ring and then her knuckles.
"Darling, I would marry you in an ogre den if that is what you wished. Though I have to admit, Atlantis is a far more appealing setting for such occasions." He says with a cocky wink and smirk.
Emma stops to stare at the ground for a moment and think before looking up at Killian again with a slightly wild expression.
"Let's do it." She says suddenly and gives a nervous giggle before Kilian swoops in to place a tender kiss on her lips. When they pull away, they both look up at Socrates who claps his hands together in excitement.
"Splendid. Now, just leave it all to me. Have a walk around Atlantis and send me word when you have found the perfect place for the ceremony. [Socrates crouches to whisper to them again] I encourage you to consider the southern gardens." He says before straightening as much as the hunched old man could and shuffling off with chuckle.
"Wait!" Emma says suddenly and Socrates turns with a questioning expression.
"Don't tell our friends. Let's make it a surprise." She says and Socrates nods again with a giggle and continues on his way.
Emma turns from the retreating old man to find Killian watching her with affection.
"You're marrying me." He says in awe and Emma leans in with a smile and kisses him softly.
"I'm marrying you, today." She says and he pulls her back to him for a deeper kiss.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Southern Gardens Reception Room
"Formal reception, huh? Seems like they would have done this when we first got here." Henry says as he pulls at the stiff collar of his suit and looks out over the many Atlantean's who have come to welcome them. David reaches over and straightens his grandson's collar and replies.
"Well, I suppose we were in a hurry to cure Belle when we got here." He says and Henry considers and then nods at David's explanation.
"I'm just glad they had clothes other than those white robes for us." He says with a chuckle and Henry grins at him in agreement as Plato clinks a fork against his glass to get everyone's attention.
"Welcome, everyone. If I could ask that you all make your way out to the gardens and sit, we will get started shortly." He says happily and the crowd moves towards the garden as Plato walks to David and Henry.
"Might I have a word in private, Prince?" he says to David and Henry shrugs.
"I'll save you a seat." He says to his grandfather before following the crowd outside.
Henry doesn't see any of his family except Killian and so he makes his way over.
"Hey, where is everyone? I can't find my Mom's or Grandma."
"I'm sure they will find us, lad. I was actually hoping you would stick by my side for a while, mate." Killian says with a sneaky smile.
"Sure. So, do you know what exactly we are supposed to do in this ceremony?" Henry asks as the crowd settles into their seats.
Killian smiles wider and looks away for a moment.
"I have an idea, yes."
Suddenly, Henry's brow furrows and his eyes start darting around. He takes in where Killian and he are standing and the how the sea of guest chairs are parted in the middle to make an aisle. He looks at the romantic lanterns set in the trees, the flowers placed here and there and the view of the setting sun over the ocean from the high cliff they are standing on. Henry's gaze slides from the marble columns behind them, forming an altar, to Killian's smirking face as he watches his future-stepson work it all out.
"Wait. Is this… Is this a wedding?" he says in a hushed tone and Killian smiles and looks at the ground before looking back up into Henry's face with deep amusement.
"Sharp lad." He says finally and Henry's face lights up as he tries to contain his grin.
"What do you think?" Killian asks honestly and Henry smiles happily.
"I think it's perfect."
"Splendid. Then I have just one more question for you. [Henry quirks his head in question] Will you stand with me as my best mate when I marry your mother?" Killian asks seriously.
Henry, slightly shocked for a minute, recovers quickly and surprises Killian by giving him a big hug.
"Of course, I will."
Killian grins and helps Henry pin a small rose onto his lapel before putting one on himself and then the two men turn to wait and watch for the bride.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Snow stands next to David and Regina inside the large reception room, adjacent to the gardens, and looks around.
"Do either of you know what is going on? Plato asked us to wait here and then just left." She asks in mild confusion.
Regina shrugs, unbothered, and turns to face the back entrance of the reception hall, grinning suddenly.
"I think I just figured out what's going on." She says in a smug voice and Snow and David turn to find Emma standing at the back entrance. Snow's eyes go wide and a loud gasp comes out of her mouth. David just stares, dumbfounded, at his daughter.
Emma steps forward and layers upon layers of dusty blue tulle flow behind her, embroidered beautifully with delicate silver threads. The swirling layers of tulle come up to hug around Emma's hips and then around to her bust, held in place by small silver adornments. Another small circlet of white gold threads through Emma's shining golden curls and several teardrop shaped sapphires drip from it onto her forehead, making her eyes sparkle as she grins back at Regina.
"The Captain won't know what hit him." Regina says and Emma blushes before she holds out a single, long-stemmed white rose to Regina.
"I need a bridesmaid." Emma says.
Shocked momentarily into silence, Regina takes the rose and smiles as she gives Emma a small curtsy.
"I would be honoured, Princess." And Emma bows back.
"The honour is mine, your majesty." Emma says, making them both laugh at the formality.
Emma takes a deep breath and turns to her parents, still staring at her with big eyes and jaw's dropped.
"Mom, Dad, you okay?" she asks with a bit of concern. Snow shakes herself and blinks rapidly as she steps forward and hugs Emma tightly. She pulls back and tears start welling in her eyes.
"Don't start crying, Mom. If you do, then I will, and I have no idea how to fix what Delphi has done to my face." Emma says with a watery chuckle and Snow dabs at her eyes.
"Okay, okay. I'm fine. I just,- I'm fine." She rambles as she grins and tries to hold back the tears.
Emma looks at a pale David and gives him a wary smile.
"Dad?" she says gently and David rears back like she slapped him.
"Sorry. Sorry, I just—my daughter is getting married… I…" he trails off with a dazed shake of his head.
Emma looks at her mother and then back to David.
"I was really hoping that my parents would walk me down the aisle." She says hopefully with a sad smile and David suddenly lunges forward to hug Emma and holds her tight.
"Of course, we will." He says and then releases her to take his wife's hand and gives it a squeeze.
"I'm sorry. I was just thinking about when I saw your mother for the first time at our wedding. I thought she was the most beautiful bride I'd ever seen." David says as he turns to Snow and smiles.
"Seems that she has some competition for that title."
Snow and Emma laugh as they fight more tears.
"Okay. Well, let's go get you married to your true love." Snow says with barely contained joy. She accepts the rose that Emma holds out to her and then Emma turns to pin a small rose onto David's lapel. She stands back to link arms with her mother and David steps to Emma's other side and wraps her arm around his. They all smile and look to Regina.
"You first, your majesty." Emma says and Regina gives a laugh as she turns to the garden entrance and walks through it as the small band outside starts playing.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Killian watches the queen stride regally down the aisle between the rows of chairs and stop a few feet away from him. She tilts her head to wink at Henry who is still grinning uncontrollably and then looks at Killian with an evil smirk.
"When you see her, just don't forget to breathe, Captain."
The queen and the pirate share a cunning smile before the music changes and Killian turns to lock eyes with Emma at the end of the aisle. A collective cry of delighted surprise goes up around them but Killian only sees Emma. Her open smile warms his heart as he opens his mouth to draw in a shaky breath. She starts walking towards him and Killian knows he probably looks like a fool, staring at her with his mouth open, but he can't seem to do anything else.
When Emma is standing in front of him, David turns to shake his hand and Killian's attention finally is drawn away from his stunning bride.
"Mate, would you mind so much standing up here with Henry and I?" he asks in a shaky voice and David nods his head after a moment and walks over to stand beside Henry.
Emma can't stop smiling any more than she can stop the millions of thoughts fluttering through her head. Killian is staring at her like he is in an equal state of bewilderment and she can't believe that she is about to marry him. He looks so damn handsome; standing there in his shin-length, gray jacket over a new black leather vest and black trousers. He is wearing a dark tie and there is a long steel sword strapped to his hip. His boots are polished and his scruff has been expertly trimmed, but it's the look of love in his eyes that fills Emma's heart and she steps forward to take his hand as a grinning Socrates begins to speak.
"Welcome friends. Well now, if you haven't sorted out why we are all here, you may need to have your eye-sight examined." He says and then giggles to himself for a moment before sobering
"Alright, alright. We are here to bear witness to the declaration of a life-bond between these two lovely people." He says with a jovial tone and gestures to Emma and Killian.
"So, without any more blathering from me, Killian, will make his declaration."
The wrinkly old man steps back and goes silent as the crowd's attention focuses on Killian.
He takes a deep breath and when he speaks, he speaks only to Emma.
"Emma Swan, I give you my eternal vow that all my love will follow you into every daring adventure you get us into [he says with a chuckle, making Emma smile wider]. I promise to stay at your side through all the years and love you with every moment of my remaining days."
Emma's face is starting to hurt from smiling so hard and trying to hold back her tears as Socrates steps forward.
"Emma, do you accept Killian's vow?" he says with sparkling eyes.
"I do."
"Excellent. Emma, you may now make your own declaration." Socrates says before stepping back again.
Emma stares into Killian's piercing eyes and gives his hand a small squeeze as she starts to speak.
"Killian Jones, you make me happier than I ever thought I deserved and unafraid of the future because I know you will be there with me. I swear to you that I will love you and fight for you until my dying breath."
Killian leans in to rest his forehead on hers as Socrates steps up again to speak.
"Killian, do you accept—"
"Bloody right, I do." Killian says with a mischievous grin at Emma and a low chuckle goes through the crowd.
Socrates giggles and then speaks again.
"Well then, I pronounce your life-bond complete. You may kiss—"
But Killian beats him to it and captures Emma's lips in a scorching kiss that she melts into as the crowd stands to cheer. They can hear Henry give a big 'whoop' and a few wolf-whistles through the clapping but Emma and Killian are far too engrossed in each other to care.
Then the earth shakes and a deafening roar splits the air.