Sorry this chapter took quite a while; school's been absolutely crazy lately! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please let me know what you think =).
The entire court was aflutter with whispers, the rumours circulating faster than the man causing the uproar could walk.
"Why is he here again?" Snow hissed to Charming, sitting on his throne next to her. The man approaching them looked filthy and probably smelled even worse, judging by the reactions of the people crowding the large hall as he passed by them. In his dirty fingers, the stranger clutched a red felt hat close to his chest.
"He claims to know something about Emma's disappearance," Charming muttered back, his voice quiet enough to keep his words just between them.
"And you believed him?" she demanded, just barely keeping her voice under control.
Sighing, Charming reached out and grasped her hand in his, squeezing gently to try and comfort her. "I know it's a long shot, but it's the only chance we have right now. I'm not going to risk our daughter's life by dismissing him out of hand."
"Where are the boys?" Snow distracted herself from the tears forming in her eyes at the mention of Emma's disappearance by changing the subject. "I don't want them here for this, not if it turns out to be nothing." Her tone clearly conveyed that she was sure that the man wouldn't have any useful information.
"Already in their rooms."
"Ahem," a voice interrupted their conversation with a nervous cough.
Looking up from her husband, Snow realized that the dirty man had reached the foot of the dais and was now waiting for their permission to speak. She waved her hand at him in an airy motion that granted him permission to start his tale.
"Smee," the man mumbled his name, his eyes darting around anxiously. "I gotta give you a message."
"From who?" Charming asked in a patient tone. However, Snow could hear the impatient undertone to his question.
The man's Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed. "She called herself the Evil Queen."
The room fell silent. Absolutely silent. Snow could almost smell the fear in the air.
"Are you sure that's who it was?" she stepped into the conversation, half-rising out of her chair in her anxiety.
"She's not easy to mistake."
Suddenly feeling overcome with anger, Snow curled her hands into fist and made herself take a couple deep breaths.
"I think you should start from the beginning." Charming phrased it as a suggestion, but it was clearly an order. "Smee, was it?"
"Yes sir." Wringing his hands, the man related his tale, a tale that was extremely improbable.
But Snow believed him.
And, threats or no threats, she was going to go find her daughter.
…
The world came into focus around her, the colours slowly swirling into familiar shapes. Trees. The cloudless sky. Hook's blue eyes, narrowed in concern.
"You're awake."
"Very observant of you," she commented, still feeling a little disoriented. She tried to sit up, but the movement made her feel dizzy.
"Slowly, love," Hook cautioned, his strong hand pushing down on her shoulders until she lay back down.
"What happened?"
"You swooned," his mouth turned up into a charming grin that made her heart flutter and didn't help with her dizziness, "and luckily I was there to catch you."
"You wish," she retorted, but it came out more like a breathy whisper.
Gently, Hook brushed his fingers against the side of her face. "Don't try to deny it. Many a woman has fallen for my devilishly good looks."
Emma would have responded, but the feeling of his skin against hers made even breathing difficult. Talking sounded nearly impossible.
Time seemed to slow down, allowing their moment to stretch and Hook's hand to linger on her face. Finally, he pulled his hand back and time resumed its normal pace.
"I need to know more about the deal you made with Rumpelstiltskin."
Immediately, Emma frowned, her attraction taking a backseat to her irritation. "I never said his name." Her frown deepened and her eyes hardened. "How did you know that?"
His voice was gravelly and he refused to meet her gaze. "He and I have a score to settle." Emma had never really been that frightened of the pirate, but that statement and the way he said it did scare her a little bit.
"I didn't have much of a choice," she finally admitted in a defensive tone. "I had to get out of the palace and there was no one else that could help me. He was my last resort."
Hook let out a heavy sigh and some of the harshness drained out of his face, leaving him looking tired. "Tell me about the deal."
"It wasn't much. I was just supposed to get that flower. Oh, and," she felt around her waist, hoping that the bracelet that Rumpelstiltskin had somehow magically managed to survive the swim to the island, "he gave me this to get me out of the castle." A lump brushed her hand and she pulled out the bracelet triumphantly, holding it up for Hook to see. "It turns its wearer invisible."
"Great. Just what we need. Alone on a deserted island and the only asset we have is magical jewelry."
"At least it's something."
"Aye, lass," he admitted, sighing heavily. "But it will only be useful if we happen upon a ship that is willing to pick up stranded passengers."
"Because the Evil Queen won't see me leaving," Emma finished, understanding his plan. "That's perfect."
"Only pirates sail these waters, love. And pirates aren't generally friendly to those without money."
Emma fell silent, bemoaning the loss of the money she had brought with her to buy passage on Hook's ship. "It's our only shot."
"You're going to keep getting weaker." Hook's statement came out of the blue and had nothing to do with their previous conversation. "It's part of the deal you signed."
"It couldn't be." However, even as the words left Emma's lips, she remembered something the contract had mentioned. "The signing party will be magically compelled to complete the stated task," she whispered slowly, her eyes growing wider with every word.
"I assumed as much. Your dizzy spells made no sense otherwise."
"Is there any way out of this deal?" she asked him desperately.
His hand found hers and their fingers entwined. "No."
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