They had walked along the docks for the better part of the morning, boarding a number of ships along the way. At various times, Henry would ask his father about his sailing experiences. Sometimes, Neal would give general answers, trying to hide the fact that he knew rather little about these types of ships. Then, from a ways down the dock, their son caught sight of a masted vessel and took off towards it. As he was still in view, Emma and Neal hung back, following slowly behind.
"You didn't sleep much last night," Emma commented to him. "Thinking about the envelope we found in the book?"
Neal nodded. "The only way that I can think any magic would work here," he began, hesitantly, unsure of a lot due to his lack of knowledge on the subject, "is that it was imbued with blood magic."
Emma had remembered hearing about that, but it had been so long. Neal could tell by the look on her face she was searching her memories for answers. "It's a type that is passed down in a ways from parent to child. Like, my papa enchanted something and because I'm his son, I have the ability to discover it."
"Then why didn't the blood magic work when Henry first touched the book?"
Neal shook his head. "Could be it was just for me, could be that Henry's lived his whole life here without magic...who knows?" By the time Neal had finished, they had caught up to Henry as he stood at the gangplank to a three masted vessel. "You like this one kid?"
Henry nodded eagerly and scurried up before his parents could say another word. When he got on deck, he was greeted by a youngish man and woman at the wheel. Having heard his parents calling to him to wait a minute, he asked the man, "Permission to come aboard?"
The man and woman looked up and the man smiled. "Permission granted, young lad. And what brings you aboard the Jolly Roger?"
"How old is this boat? Is it a reconstruction or is it really from a long time ago? Are you the captain?" Henry questioned in rapid fire.
"Whoa, slow down young man," the other man replied. "Now, to answer your last question first, yes, I am the captain." He held out his right hand and Henry finally saw his left was missing and replaced with a hook. "The name's-"
"Killian?" Neal shouted, disbelief in his voice.
Henry looked back at his father. "You know him? Is he from your sailing day?" The boy was very surprised by Neal's words. He had never remembered meeting any of his parents' friends. In fact, he didn't remember meeting anyone from his parent's past.
The woman who was on the deck stepped forward when she heard the name called out. She made her way to Emma and Neal, another shocked look on her face. "Emma?" she asked.
Emma stared open-mouthed at the two. It had always been rare to have her speechless, but this would do it. "Lilith?" she asked almost breathless. Then after a minute, Emma and the woman were hugging each other like they hadn't seen each other in centuries. Neal made his way over and he and the captain shared a bear hug.
"You...you found us!" Neal said in astonishment. "How did you find us?"
Emma gave a quick glance in her son's direction as she piped in, "Yeah, you have to to tell Neal and I how you found us." Then she gave a slight shake of the head in Henry's direction.
Thankfully, Killian caught on. "Well, we actually weren't looking for you just yet. But how fortuitous that," he too looked at Henry, realizing who the lad was now, "your son happened upon the Jolly Roger."
"Yeah, what luck," Neal said, then turned his attention to his son. "Henry, this is Killian and Lilith. They were friends of ours when we were...growing up." It wasn't strictly a lie. Neal may have been two hundred years older than everyone else, but ended his unusually long teenage years with all three of the adults.
"Is he who you sailed with when you were young?" Henry asked, oblivious to the adult's reactions to each other.
"Your father and I spent some time together at the sea...before he rescued his princess," Killian remarked with a smile, nodding his head towards Emma.
"Your know my mom too? You must have lots of stories about them then, huh?" Henry asked, trying to tamp down his enthusiasm. "You have got to tell me them!"
"Yeah, why don't you come back to our apartment and visit. I'll order some takeout and we can catch up," Emma suggested, then looking at her son. "If that's okay with Henry. It's his birthday today and he wanted to come and see the ships."
By now, Henry had forgotten all about the ships, to enthralled with the idea of learning about his parent's lives before him. Killian and Lilith seemed to have the answers to those questions. "I think I've seen enough of the ships. It's okay if we go home," he responded, again trying to sound nonchalant about it.
"Then it's settled," Neal said as the all headed off the ship.
But Henry stopped. "Is there a way to, I don't know, lock up he Jolly Roger?"
Just like that, Neal sensed the faintest hint of magic, as if his son's question had sparked it. "I think it'll be alright," he answered as they made their way onto the dock. He noticed a few strange looks he was getting from other passersby and looked back to see nothing where the ship had been.
Henry saw his father turn back. "It's a really cool ship, Killian," the young boy said as he saw the ship. Then he led his parents and their friends away. But as they left, he thought he heard his father ask the other adults if they were seeing what he was seeing. Emma's response sounded strange.
"If you mean the fact we just walked off of thin air, then yes," she said.
"We were always told there was no magic here," Lilith queried.
"I'm starting to think there's just enough for when we need it," Neal replied. "Just like my Pop, to find a loophole in anything, even the laws of magic."
Henry didn't understand what his father was talking about. Magic? There was no such thing! And did his father mention his own father? He thought his grandfather was dead? Something was up with his parents and he was determined to find out what.
Belle was escorted to the cell where Rumpelstiltskin was being held and rushed to him. He rose from the pile of hay he had been resting on when he saw her and reached for her face when she got to him. "Are you alright?" she asked immediately.
Seeing King David and Robin of Locksley standing at the other end of the hall, Rumple tried to play it coolly in his usual maniacal way. "Never better, my dear. I'm right where I want to be!"
Belle looked back at the other men. "I demand that you release him. What charges are you even holding him on?"
"He's being held by order of the captain of the guard. Your 'husband' disrupted my daughter's wedding," David told her. "He also has information that we need and he will not share it with us."
Belle looked back at Rumple. "What information?" she asked until something occurred to her. "The Dark Curse."
Rumple nodded ever so slightly. "I was too late," he said, rather sadly, for her to hear alone.
"Is there anything you can do?"
Rumple's eyes moved back to the sovereign and his comrade. "Not until I speak to my son."
"And he won't talk to you," she surmised.
Rumple's voice got high-pitched again. "Well there's that, but also, the lad's just been married. He's elsewhere now, with his new wife."
Belle understood. "It has happened, just as you foresaw." The Dark One merely nodded. Belle looked around, trying to come up with a solution. "There must be something you can do?"
"No, my dear. Destiny will play out, just as I knew it would," he told her. "All I can do now is try to prepare my son and his new wife for the task they will face."
Rumple's words caught King David's attention. "What 'task' do you mean? Tell us now," he demanded, fear in his eyes.
Belle looked back at her husband, pleading with him with just a look. He let out a sigh, his decision made. "Call the children back. What I have to tell, it should be heard by all at one time."
David saw the resignation in the beast's face. Turning to the guard, he ordered, "As soon as Admiral Jones returns, have him come to me. He has a task, I fear, he will not like."
When the guard nodded and left and the king ready to leave, Belle called to him. "And my husband? Is he to stay your prisoner?"
"Yes," David stated firmly He saw the woman about to continue her protest, but he held up his hand. "My son-in-law decreed it."
"You are king. You can overrule him," Belle challenged.
"I will stay here," Rumplestiltskin interrupted with. "My son has reason to fear me and want me here. When the boy returns, I will be free. But until then," he sighed looking at the king, "It is a wise man that takes advice."
David nodded. "Madame, when it pleases you, we will show you to your room." He extended his arm toward the stairs leading up to the castle.
Rumple knew the look in his wife's eyes. Before she could protest further, he spoke up. "It is very generous of you to take care of my wife while I an unable to." She turned to him, but his look beseeched her. "Would you not agree, my dear?"
Belle turned to David and back to her husband. She did not look happy, but she did not fight him further. "I accept your hospitality," she replied as she snaked her fingers through the bars and laced them with Rumple's. Then, their lips drew together and connected in a soft kiss. With that, she withdrew, following David away from the dungeon, leaving Rumple alone again.