17. THE MORNING LIGHT.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid rookie" Jour said to himself. How could he have let that psychopath manipulate him like that? Whatever Killian'd done, it wasn't human to kill him like that, just to avoid problems. And if it was true that he'd changed and if Snow trusted him so much that she'd pardoned him, it meant that crazy king wanted to kill an innocent, which was even worse.

But, in the end, it had happened and what's done is done, and he could consider himself lucky to have discovered that information. It meant that he'd be able to avoid that assassination, but what should he do? Should he tell William that he knew what he and his mysterious informer were plotting? Should he tell Snow or someone else or it was better to act alone? In the end, he was just a woodcutter's son who knew that the life of a man (the man his sister loved) was in danger. He had to think about something, and quickly. He decided to go for a walk so he could think clearly. Later, when he returned to the castle, he had a plan. He went straight to the cells and told the guards to let him talk to Hook in private. Since the 'attack' they'd suffered a couple of days before, the guards were more cautious than ever, and Jour needed to convince them to keep enough distance to be unable to hear the conversation (which concerned his sister) properly. They finally agreed to watch them from the distance.

Killian, who had been sitting on the floor, looked up when he heard voices and, when he saw who was talking, he stood up and approached the bars. Jour was the first to speak:

"Something's happened" Jour said.

"Is Aurora fine?" the captain asked worried.

"Yes, don't worry about her. It's you who you have to worry about." he answered in a confidential tone. "William has decided that you're too annoying to live."

Hook needed a minute to assume and analyze the facts. So the king was plotting to kill him... great, just great. Why did he have so bad luck specially when he had something to live for? He felt how his desperation levels rised again inside him, but he made an effort to keep calm.

"And you are warning me..." he said.

"I've finally opened my eyes... and I'm not a monster, I can't let them do it." Jour could see the fear in the captain's eyes.

"Do you know what they're planning?"

"More or less. You were so weak that, when you caught an infection or something like that, you died. I don't know exactly how they'll do it, but if I were you, I'd be extremely careful." he turned his head discretely to look at the guards and make sure that they didn't see that he was taking a couple of small packages out of his sleeve "Take this" he whispered. "They're totally smashed, but they're better than the rubbish you must be eating."

"And poison-free" Killian observed, hiding discretely the sandwiches under his mattress. "Thank you" he whispered too.

"Don't say that yet. First, you have to get out of here." replied Jour. Hook rised an eyebrow with scepticism. "And I've got a plan." he raised his voice "Somehow, you have to pay for this." and whispered again "Sorry, the guards."

"I know."

"I'll contact you, I don't know when yet. Just wait for me, alright?" he continued, looking meaningfully at the only window in the cell. Killian understood the message and nodded. "Say something."

"I love her, if only you'd open your mind..." said Killian out loud, understanding those two words. Jour winked at him and, pretending to be very offended, walked towards the exit.

.

The following morning Killian hadn't even recovered from the impression that, after having thought about it, Jour's new attitude had caused in him when he received the news he'd promised. It was just a simple piece of paper that had came flying through his window during the night with just a couple of works and numbers: 'Be prepared. Tonight 5:00'

He'd been awake all night until he heard a noise from the window. When he looked at it, he saw how someone was sawing off its bars. He'd been expecting Jour to appear the same way everyone did: using the door, but, of course, as someone who had been brought up by a woodcutter, he knew better ways to scape. He just needed about five minutes to get rid of the bars and, finally, Killian managed to escape through the window.

"Good saw" he commented. "Why hasn't anybody hear you?"

"There's nobody guarding the cells now, they're too busy, I'll explain you later. Come with me" Hook noticed that he was carrying a bag, but he didn't give it more importance because, after more than two months of being locked, he was free again. He could feel the fresh air and smell the grass and the nature again. Althought he was in danger and he had no idea of Jour's plan, he felt relaxed for the first time in hours.

Jour guided him to the woods and, once they made sure that nobody had followed them and that they couldn't be heard, he spoke at last.

"Listen, in two hours a group of soldiers are going on a quest to kill a dragon." he explained and gave him the bag "Take this, you're going to join them. Let's say that William has signed a document ordering it. Here everyone will think that we've made a deal... you know which one. Leave these details to me" Killian nodded. "When you're far enough from here, you slip out. You used to be a pirate, so you'll be able to do it."

"And what will they say? That the tricky pirate escaped? I'm not fleeing" said Hook.

"Don't be stupid. Reach Nicholas' kingdom and when you do it, you'll be safe."

"And, after that, what? When William knows it, he'll send more soldiers after me, what will change?"

"We'll protect you, that's what will change. He can't do anything to you as long as you're out of his domains."

"Nothing will stop that psychopath from trying to catch me. I'm going to go on that quest... till the end." he said with a sigh.

"No, no way. You're not putting your life in danger." Jour thought he was absolutely mad. So much time behind the bars had ended up driving him crazy.

"What's the other choice? What you're suggesting is a good idea to avoid the danger for the moment, but I don't want my son to live in a permanent fleeing, as I did. I don't want him to have a coward as a father," he suddenly thought about the crocodile, and that just contributed to support his decision "a coward who escaped from a battle to..."

"You don't have to be involved in it!" Jour raised his voice "Haven't you thought about Aurora?" Did that mean that the brother had finally assumed that his feelings towards her were true? "You can have the opportunity to be together, far away from here... if you show me that I can trust you."

"Of course I have thought about her. Think about if for a moment, if we go out of here, what will we have to do? Run away and hide where nobody knows us... maybe that city, New York? Now that she's found you..."

"Are you risking your life just because there's a possibility that William will follow you wherever you may go? Look at me, I lived hidden in a forest and Maleficent could never find me, and she was a witch."

-"You don't understand it."

"No, I don't."

"I've met the worst kinds of people you can imagine. People searching for revenge are one of those kinds... I used to be one of them, and I know nothing will stop William to have his. If I run away, I'll be giving him more reasons to seek me. And pirates can't love anything but their life, can they? But what if this 'pirate' risked it for his family? What if he returned with the dragon's head and he owed him a favour for having get rid of that beast?"

"If it doesn't kill you first" the king observed.

"If there's something I'm an expert at, it is surviving" he said. "I'll return, and when I do, you'll see I was right." for a moment, Jour wondered if it was just a pirate trick to make everyone think he'd died fighting the dragon, but Killian's eyes convinced him of his sincerety. The captain continued speaking "I know a guy... let's call him 'crocodile' who, no matter how many years had passed, he couldn't scape a man who'd swore he'd take his revenge on him... althought that vengeance never happened in the end."

"I see there's nothing I can do, but I still believe it's suicidal. Just think about it, alright? It's the only thing I can ask you to do. I can't go with you to make sure you don't face that dragon. My place is here, taking care of Aurora. I can't leave her alone with that psychopath. By the way, whatever you decide, don't come here, go to another kingdom and contact me. Ask where you can find me and know that, wherever I am, she'll be with me."

"I wish I could say goodbye to her... but it would only make it more difficult. Promise me you'll take good care of her."

"Always. I'll take her out of here as soon as the risks disappear, far away from that pshychopath. But you have to promise me something too."

"What?"

"Promise me you'll make sure to come back. If things go wrong, don't play the hero role, its better a retreat than losing more men, you know."

"I promise."

"Alright... go and put the clothes on" he said pointing to the bag "I'll be waiting for you." Killian nodded and walked a couple of steps away from him.

"Jones." he called, making the captain stop "About our deal... you won't have to do anything to convince me, you've showed me enough tonight." Hook smiled thankfully.

.

When, at 9:00 the guards went to wake Killian up and they found that the cell was empty, they went straight to inform the king, who immediately got enraged and went to check the cell with his own eyes. He saw the window and a light turned on in his brain. That couldn't be possible, he thought he had that issue under control... Suddenly, as if his thought could be read, he heard Jour's voice behind him:

"He's not here" he said.

"What have you done?" asked the king.

"We've made a deal" he answered calmly "He's joined the quest for the dragon. He kills it and I give him an opportunity."

"What? You've set him free?" that damn rookie couldn't see that the pirate had tricked him "He'll scape at the first chance."

"I don't think so. You haven't listened to him... he's so desperate to show that he's changed..." he said with a cold tone "I think he really loves my sister... and I can't allow that."

"Pirates can't love" the king insisted.

"Love, desire, whatever you call it... He'll die anyway" he added, wishing desperately to be wrong.

William seemed to surrender.

"Let's see what happens" he said coldly and, without any other words, he went out of the dungeons. Jour didn't know what to think. He had the sensation that he'd got William to watch him more carefully. But he'd think about it later. He had to tell Aurora the news, which would surely be a really difficult task.

When he entered his sister's apartment, he found her sitting on the table, talking with Snow. He felt quite relieved to see her there, at least he wouldn't have to tell her alone. Aurora noticed his serious face.

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

"There's something you need to know" he said, and told her everything he'd lived since he'd listened to the conversation between William and his mysterious visitor. Aurora listened to him, feeling how a mixture of anger and fear was starting to grow inside her. When her brother finished his speech, she was unable to say anything and just stared at him open-mouthed and shaking her head while all the pain that was waiting inside her surfaced: he was gone, and planning to risk his life for them. But maybe he wouldn't make it back. How could he be so stubborn? Tears started to roll down her cheeks. If something happened to him... no, he was Killian Jones, he'd survived so many battles... but what if?... no, she couldn't think about it. Her brother hugged her.

"Sshhh, it's going to be fine" he said "Maybe he changes his mind and does what I told him to do." she wished he was right, but knew Killian too well to think that he would do it.

"Aurora, dear" Snow started, taking her hand "No stress, remember?" how easy it was for her, whose husband wasn't determined to go on a possible suicidal mission. "I know it's hard, but I'll tell you something: David killed a dragon once, being almost totally untrained... and he did it. If he could, why wouldn't Killian survive too?"

"Remember that he promised me to make sure to make it back." he added.

She wanted to believe them, to think that everything would end up well, but the fear which ran through her veins was too strong to ignore it.