Chapter 6

ACROSS THE SEA, Queen Elsa of Arendelle paced the dining room. Her sister Anna and Anna's beau Kristoff watched, but not for long. Anna had never been able to sit quietly.

"It's alright, Elsa. We will find her." She tried, but the Queen kept pacing.

"Will we? We've seen so many girls, all claiming to be the princess, but none of them were! What if she truly is gone? What then?" Her voice had grown into a panic, and Anna stepped in her way to grab her hands.

"Then we find another way to break the curse. But we won't fail. Emma is out there. I know she is."

"And you know how that family is." Kristoff added, rising to join the sisters. "They always find each other."

"I just hope we aren't too late." Elsa muttered, and the three turned to look out the bay windows. In the distance they could see, nestled between two mountains, Elsa's ice palace glistening in the fading light. "They won't survive much longer."

"KEEP THAT MUTT away from my wares, young missy!" The street butcher shouted, and Emma hurried to grab Henry. His nose was too keen for his own good.

"Sorry, sir." She apologised, with a glare at her puppy.

"Glad we got your attention." Killian appeared at her elbow, speaking to the butcher, and she tried not to jump. "One and a half pounds of your finest dried meats, and a string of sausages."

"And a bag of any scraps you have." Grumpy added, with a wink to Emma. Killian glared at the dwarf.

"Right. Comin' up." The butcher swung into action as Killian bent to Grumpy's ear.

"I'm off to procure us a carriage. Don't spend all our money on that hellion." He spoke quietly, not wanting Emma to overhear.

"You mean the dog or the lady?" Grumpy inquired with a grin, and Killian rolled his eyes. "Besides, if we run out I'll just pinch some more." Killian gave the dwarf a final look before striding away. Watching his friend leave, Grumpy thought that this was going to be a very long, very interesting journey.

"Where's he off to?" Emma asked, and Grumpy turned to her.

"Transportation. What's next, sister?"

Emma consulted their list. "Ah, bread and cheese from the food stall, then sleeping rolls and a cloak from the seamstress. Do we really need all this stuff?"

"It's a long way to Arendelle. We've got to be prepared."

"I guess that's what the 'set of knives from the blacksmith' is for." Emma grinned, and Grumpy found himself smiling back. "Well, let's go. I'm sure Killian won't be happy if we're late."

Thinking of how Killian was planning on 'procuring' their ride, and who might be pursuing them out of the city, Grumpy frowned. "I think you might be right, sister. Blacksmith's this way."

EMMA WALKED INTO the smithy's, and her jaw dropped. Knives and swords of all shapes and sizes lined the walls, shining in the candle light. A suit of armour stood guard in a corner, surrounded by shields sporting all manner of crests. One counter had a stack of pickaxes leaning against it, and another sported shovels and pitch forks.

She noticed Grumpy cast a longing look at the pickaxes before hollering for service. For a small man, he had big lungs.

"How can I help you?" The blacksmith, a lanky, bespectacled man with greying hair, hurried out of the workshop at Grumpy's call.

"We're here for some hunting knives and fish hooks, and a few daggers if you've got some nice ones. Cleaning supplies too." Grumpy told the man, who nodded.

While Grumpy haggled prices with the smithy, Emma looked around the store some more. She was drawn to a box filled with small, sharp knives. The largest was as long as her hand, and thin as parchment. The smallest had a blade as long as her pinkie and no wider than her thumb at its thickest point. A few of the blades were curved, and one of the handles.

Curious, Emma plucked a hair from her head and lifted the closest knife. It was well balanced, and she nodded appreciatively. She drew her hair lightly over the sharp edge of the blade, and it cut neatly in two. Emma's eyebrows shot up.

"Ah, yes. You have a keen eye, miss." The smithy noticed her attention and wandered over, Grumpy in tow. "Some of my finest work, from back when my eyes worked and I had apprentices to help."

"Throwing knives?" Emma asked, to clarify. The man nodded.

"Care to try them? It would make my day to see them in use, and you look like you know how to handle a blade." He smiled at her then, his eyes dancing. Emma grinned in return, and eyed a wooden beam next to the door across the shop.

It wasn't far, and the knife was light. She gave her wrist a quick flick, and heard the replying thunk just as the door swung open.

"Bloody hell!" A familiar voice swore, and Emma winced. Killian's head popped through the door. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Sorry." Emma said, and Killian's gaze locked onto hers.

"That was you, Swan?" His voice was surprised, and she raised her eyebrow in a challenge. "What do they teach you in those orphanages?"

She glared at him in response. It certainly wasn't the orphanage who taught her how to throw knives. She forced the image of an impish grin and a mop of brown hair from her mind.

"You have a fine arm, Miss Swan." The smithy interrupted their exchange, and Emma smiled at him.

"Thank you. You make a fine blade."

"How much for the set?" Killian asked, prying Emma's knife from the post. It gave up a fight, and left a chip in the wood.

Emma's eyes widened. "That's not necessary. I'm sure they're far too much."

"It would be a pleasure to sell them to you, my dear. You will treat them well, I think." The smithy patted her hand reassuringly, then turned to Killian. "Fifteen gold coins, and I'll give you the cleaning things free."

"Deal. An extra copper in it for you if you can have everything ready in three minutes." Killian tossed the money on the counter, and the blacksmith hurried to get their things.

"I'll pay you back…" Emma tried, but Killian cut her off.

"Nonsense. The road to Arendelle is not a safe one, and any help you can be in defending us will be much appreciated. I'm certain that those knives will more than pay for themselves." Killian leant back on the counter, arms crossed stubbornly across his chest.

When the smithy handed Grumpy their wares in two and a half minutes, Killian flicked a pair of coppers at him before guiding Emma towards the door.

"Come, princess." He muttered in her ear, much too close for comfort. "Your carriage awaits."