Letters Home (FW)

Dear little brother,

Happy birthday, 7 years old is a special milestone for a boy, I hope you're celebrating it with all your mates. I remember celebrating it myself with some of my dearest friends. With this letter I have sent a wooden sword, my first weapon given to me by father. I hope he uses it to teach you as he had taught me.

I'm currently serving as the navigator on the Black Pearl, Captain Walton has been kind and fair to me as the youngest on his vessel. However, these last few days have been rather stressful for the man, we've became stuck in the ice and the crew is concerned over whether our survival is still in the cards for us.

A few hours ago we pulled a man from the ice, he was gravely ill, malnourished and had lost the will to keep going. I don't know why, but I begged the captain to help him, to take him on the ship. He agreed, but I fear the man won't make it through the night.

But brother, I have faith, I know that if a man found by himself so far north as we are, that it must be here for a good reason and helping those in need is only good form.

I promise brother, that this won't be the last you hear of your elder brother.

I love you.

Your elder brother

-Liam Jones

xxx

"Jones! Get in here!" Barked the captain, rousing him from his slumber. Liam Jones, only 22 years of age, bolted up on unsteady legs, pulling his navel coat on, rushing from the common room towards where the Captain was waiting in the hall way.

"Yes Captain?" He said quickly, greeting him.

"The man you spotted, he survived the night, as you were the one who found him, you shall be responsible for his care for as long as he is with us, is that understood?"

"Yes Captain!" He replied nodding enthusiastically. He had expected this, in fact he had hoped for the opportunity. The man didn't look anything like the others he had encountered, blonde hair almost white, deathly pale and had weird artifacts in his coat. Liam could just imagine the interesting stories the man could tell, where had he come from? What was he doing here?

"He's in need of nourishment, the cook is heating up broth, go get it and see if he's fit to eat." He continued.

Liam nodded and hoped to it, getting the broth and rushing to the room the stranger was settled in, a spare room usually saved for ladies when they are on board, it was good that none would make such a treacherous voyage, otherwise the man would have to be held in the brig.

The man was barely conscious when he arrived staring at the ceiling with a blank look, muttering curses under his breath. Liam distinctly heard the man praying for death. He pretended he hadn't heard, making a silent wish to change the man's mind.

Liam decided it was time to make his presence known. "Sir?" He prompted, grabbing a chair and placing it beside the man. "How are you feeling?" The man looked at him slowly, trying to force words out but seemed too weak. Liam had expected that. "How about we get you fed and warmed up before you try to speak?" He said moving the bowl closer. "Are you well enough to eat?"

The man struggled to sit up so Liam pulled his shoulders up gently, placing a spoon with the broth in his shaking hands.

He only managed a few spoon-fulls after much prodding, much to Liam's dismay.

"How about some water?" He asked instead.

"Got any rum?" The man asked in a hoarse voice Liam chuckled.

"Sorry sir, we're a navy ship, rum leads to bad form." The man groaned, leaning back down in bed, eyes fluttering shut.

"Where am I?" The man asked next. "Which navy is this? Britain? Portugal?" Liam furrowed his brow. Neither of those names meant a thing to him.

"Arendelle." He said instead. "I'm Liam Jones of Arendelle." He introduced, extending his hand to the man. He took it.

"Victor Frankenstein." He replied with an exhausted expression. "Tell me Jones, do you believe there is a cure to death?"

He furrowed his brows, not knowing where this question came from.

"Well Frankenstein, I don't know a lot about magic, but I've seen some unbelievable things, so I assume anything is possible." He said simply, his father had always said to keep an open mind, it was said that some have lived centuries due to magic, if that wasn't cheating death than Liam didn't know what was.

The man's exhausted expression transformed into a grin.

"I believe I like you Liam Jones of Arendelle."

It was the start of a lifelong friendship.

xxx

Dear little brother,

It's been weeks since my last letter, I apologize, I've been rather busy from my duties to the ship combined with my responsibilities caring for Victor, the injured man I told you about in my last letter.

Oh Killian, he's such an interesting man, he tells me so much about the world, but not ours, he says he comes from another realm, a realm free of magic, a land of science. He says he's part of an 'Enlightenment' of his realm, a time of great thinkers and new discoveries.

I'll admit, it took him a while to open up to me, he's as pig-headed as you are brother, but he has and I'm forever changed by his tales.

He's told me his story and now I wish to tell you, you and father.

Victor was a scientist, someone well versed in the going ons of the human body, a healer. However he became obsessed with death after the death of his mother from fever. He thought he could find a way to cheat it, even bring back the dead.

While you and I know that there is always a price to pay with dark magic, he insists rather wholeheartedly that it was not magic, but science.

After hearing all he's suffered, I fail to see the difference.

Anyway, he managed to create life, created a…creature as he explains, made of the dead's limbs and organs, but once he rose, Victor became terrified of it, of the monster he made. In his terror, he fled, leaving the beast on its own, very bad form if I do say so myself. You and I know perfectly well what being abandoned feels like.

But he was frightened, so at least I understand.

He was dealing with an eight foot monstrosity, not a child and a newborn.

My apologies brother, you know how I get when thinking about her, and all she's cost us, back to the story…

The beast on the other hand, did not understand. He became angry over this abandonment; he vowed vengeance towards his creator and abducted Victor's fair fiancée Elizabeth Whale on the eve of their would-be wedding after killing his brother and his dearest friend. Victor tried to chase after them, but fell through a portal, into our realm. He wondered around trying to get back until he eventually stopped, unable to continue, where we found him.

Being separated from your love is tragic Killian, a fate I wouldn't wish upon anyone, and to think your love lost or scared, it's torture.

After this expedition, I promised Victor to help him find a way to the other realm and to rescue his beloved. I know if anything happened to my beloved, I'd stop at nothing to rescue my fair princess.

But you're too young to understand something like that Killian. One day you'll meet your match, a woman worth ruining your entire life for.

I pray that you do, because that's when you know it's true.

I love you Killian, have father help you write back to me, I'd love to hear from you.

Your elder brother,

-Liam Jones

xxx

They return months later, Victor's arm is broken from a terrible fall he had taken, Liam has a cut on his side, along with a plethora of bruises, expertly stitched up by the good doctor, and a blonde woman dressed in dirt and rags but looked relatively unharmed save for the rope burns around her wrists from where the creature had restrained her.

After docking, Liam had found a sorcerer who knew how to travel between realms, he now owed the man a favor, but seeing the look on Victor's face as he held his love, as Elizabeth fussed over the broken arm, telling him that he should not have come for her, as they had tricked the monster and killed it with a well-placed stab to the heart, he knew it was worth it.

"What's next?" Elizabeth asked in a timid voice. "Where will we go? I know you said this land is safe, that we won't have to worry about people knowing what happened…"

The monster had wreaked havoc in Victor's home, ruining both his name and his lively hood, they had practically marked them both for death over what had been done; witchery they had called it. Liam's only plan to help save his friend was to take him back here, hopefully to give them both a fresh start and a chance to have their happy ending.

The journey had showed Liam one thing however, that he wasn't satisfied with his life in the Navy, that he wanted his own ship, to do his own thing, Victor's tale of the price of ambition was an attempt to soothe Liam's ambitious mind, but it had had the opposite effect on him. He wanted to succeed; he wanted to thrive, to explore the world.

"I have some money saved, it can help you get your footing here, maybe you can become a healer Victor?" He pressed his friend. He shook his head.

"I'm not sure I can do it yet, go back to my old craft, my love, it's…its too soon." He murmured, pressing his head into Elizabeth's golden curls, she just smiled warmly.

"It'll be ok Vicky, We'll figure it out, we have each other and we have Liam here." She reasoned. "Where are we anyway?"

Liam looked around, going over to a man, asking over their location, claiming to have been travelers.

"Castle town." The older man said.

A grin crossed Liam's face. He returned to his group, just in time to see Elizabeth binding Victor's arm, him pulling her close to him with his good arm, kissing her over and over again as tears drip down his eyes as she straddles him and kissing him right back, words of declaration and love falling from their lips in between desperate kisses.

Liam clears his throat as he approaches, averting his eye.

It's bad form to watch after all.

"I need to go run and do something, I know where we are, here's some money, get yourself a room, I'll be back before morning." He told them, pressing a few pieces of gold into their hands.

"Don't you need a room as well?" Victor asked.

Liam laughed. "Don't worry about me mate. You're not the only one with a beloved." He winked. "Besides, if I wanted to get some shut eye, the last thing I'd want is to be anywhere near your room Frankenstein." He teased. "I suspect you'll be creating life the old fashioned way."

Elizabeth laughed as a bright pink settled on both her and her fiancee's faces.

xxx

Dear little brother

How are you and father fairing? I hope you are getting my letters, I miss you dearly. You'll never believe the adventures I've been on, crossing realms defeating monsters. I almost died several times, but I made you a promise little brother, to be a survivor, to take you on your first sailing trip. And through hell or high water, that's exactly what I'll do.

After the adventures I've had, I'm actually pretty exhausted, I've decided to come home for a little while and finance a ship to be made with my savings, my own ship. It's to be the fastest ship in all the realms made of enchanted wood; it'll be able to go on all the adventures I wish under the kingdom's flag. I hope to see you when I arrive, waiting for me at dock just as you've always done.

You are always in my thoughts Killian.

Your elder brother,

-Liam Jones

xxx

Liam was disappointed however, there was no dark haired boy at the dock, no glowing blue eyes swinging his wooden sword around, not tall man with those identical eyes dressed like the nobleman he was.

Neither his brother nor his father, were waiting for him.

Liam got a bad feeling in his chest.

"Relax Liam." Victor said, placing his arm on his shoulder, seeing the sailor's discomfort. "I'm sure your family is fine."

He gave a tight smile. "I'd feel better if I saw them for myself." He said simply, leading the pair to his childhood home.

The second he knocked on the door, all Liam's hopes fell.

A woman got the door along with an infant daughter at her side. "Can I help you?" She asked.

"My father and brother used to live here; can you tell me where they are residing now?" Liam knew that it was bad news before the woman spoke, this house had been in the Jones family for generations, and this woman, with her fair haired and dull eyed child, was not a Jones.

He felt Elizabeth grip his hand, he was positively trembling. Images of his family dying alone infected his thoughts, images of his little brother never getting his letters, why hadn't he been more worried over the lack of contact? Killian used to always send him letters.

"I'm sorry sir, but the man who lived here was arrested 9 months ago, executed three months later, for treason." She said gently.

Liam's heart stopped.

"Tr-eason?" He stuttered, shaking his head. His father was nothing if not loyal. He would never betray the crown, never. There must have been another explanation, another reason.

But none of that mattered, his father was dead. None of that mattered to a dead man.

"And the boy?" He found himself asking in a stupor. "He's only 7, what happened to him?"

The woman looked up curiously.

"I don't recall what happened to the man's son, just that he wasn't here when my family moved in, however…" Liam looked at her desperately; he didn't care for his pride. He needed to know that Killian was safe, that he was alright, that he was being well looked after, surely the kingdom wouldn't punish a child for his father's crimes.

(Not that Liam believed his father did a bloody thing wrong!)

If his father was truly dead then Killian was the only family he had left, he had to be ok.

"There was a boy around that age hanging around the house, begging for scraps from me and some of the neighbors, my husband chased him away after a few weeks. We assumed he was some whore's bastard."

A strangled gasp left his lips, he couldn't help it. Killian had always been a stubborn but shy boy, so if he was forced to be begging for scraps, then things must be bad for him, for his little brother. He distantly remembered Victor leading him away as Elizabeth thanked the woman for her help.

A part of him wanted to take back his home, make the woman choke on her words. His brother was not a bastard, he was a Jones, he should be going to school, living with wealth and freedom, not on the streets like some urchin.

He hated the thoughts in his head, the hatred for this woman whose only crime was purchasing the home. It was darkness he knew, darkness he couldn't allow to win.

"Killian." He spoke softly. "I need to find him." Victor nodded, giving his body some much needed support. He felt like he was about to collapse.

"You helped my family, time to return the favor." He responded with ease, handing him some water, the healer in him must have realized the emotional strain he was under. "We'll find him."

xxx

After days of searching, Liam finally got a lead from one of the other local street children, a dark haired lass, who knew of his brother, she had tried to steal from them, but stopped when she realized he was in need of help.

"He hangs out in an abandoned warehouse by the water." She told him after Elizabeth had bribed the child with an apple. "He used to say he was waiting for his brother, we used to share food sometimes." She admitted. "I taught him how to steal." She said boldly. "but he stopped coming out about two weeks ago."

Liam felt like the walls were closing in on him. "Stopped coming out?" He repeated.

"He stopped hoping. He finally realized that no one was coming for him. He stopped trying to survive. He's probably dead." The girl said with a shrug, running off with her prize.

He shook his head. No. His little brother would never give up hope. He was too stubborn to die.

"Where's this boat shed?"

xxx

The three of them entered the warehouse, it was a large space, filled with places a little boy could hide, but he was here. Liam knew in the bottom of his heart. His brother was here, waiting for him.

"Killian! Killian lad, it's me Liam!" He shouted bounding in, turning over boxes and barrels, anywhere he would stay, anywhere a boy his age could hide.

Then he heard it, a tiny moan in the dark, "L-Liam."

He turned around sharply, following the sound of the voice. Elizabeth was the closest to it, pulling a sheet out from on top of a row boat.

"He's here!" She shouted, bending down. He raced over. "Victor, he's ill." Elizabeth added hastily.

He prayed that she was wrong, but knew she was right when he saw the form. He was thinner then what was healthy, pale and sweating. Eyes open slightly, landing on Elizabeth and Victor. He stirred in alarm, stumbling out of the boat, falling over himself to get away. His once pristine school clothes looked nearly unrecognizable

He felt another pang, another deep unsettling rage, his brother was on deaths door and no one seemed to care, everyone out there was none the wiser.

"I'm sorry- I just wanted somewhere warm to sleep I-" He slurred.

Liam went forward, stopping him from running off, catching him as he stumbled. "Killian, it's me, it's your big brother Liam." He barely moved, shivering, focusing on him.

"L-Liam?" The boy's weak voice stuttered, getting to his feet slowly, dusting off his pants as if that made much difference in his appearance. "Is that really you?"

He just nodded.

"Yes little brother." He replied, pulling him close. Killian was stiff at first before breaking down into violent sobs.

"Where were you brother? They said you were gone, that you were dead!" He shouted, pounding on his chest weakly. "I needed you and you weren't here, you left me…just like pa, just like mum, I was all alone."

He nodded, stroking his brother's dark hair. "I know little brother, I know. I'm so so sorry, I promise I'll never leave you again." He vowed.

"Younger brother." Killian corrected before growing still, the last of his fight draining out of him.

"Killian?" He gasped.

xxx

The next few days were a blur for Liam, Killian barely regained consciousness, only long enough to eat meager portions and drink bits of fluids before he returned to his uneasy sleep, his skin burned to the touch. Liam only left his side to get word of the ship he was having built, returning moments before the boy would wake up again.

When he had a few extra moments, Liam would escape down to the bar, drowning in rum for the first time ever. He never used to like spirits, always saw them as sinful. But his baby brother was dying, the bloody kingdom he served was killing him.

It was their fault. Their bloody faulty…

"Liam." Victor said suddenly, grabbing the bottle from his hand after he spent the better part of his day down there, drinking away his sorrows, what was the point? Killian would die, and he'd be all alone. "That's enough."

He looked at Victor uncertainly before pulling the bottle from his grip. "I'm the bloody son of a traitor." He spat at his friend. "Give me the bloody rum."

Victor should understand better than anyone, he needed this right now.

"Liam. This isn't you, don't let them take away your good form too." He begged. "Come on Liam, Killian is going to be fine." He insisted.

Liam took another swig. "Did you know our mother left days after Killian was born? She took one look at Killian and gave him to a neighbor for the night, running off with a pirate."

It stunned Victor.

"Father and I were staying in Castle town, he was one of the King's friends, but after hearing about Killian we moved back here to be here with him. I took him under my wing, swore I'd protect him. I swore to the kingdom to protect all the innocents. And how do they repay my services?" He asked with a dark laugh. "They kill my father, orphan my brother, leave him alone on the streets to die. How do I go on when everything I know is a lie? How do I face Killian, if he survives, with honor when I don't even believe in it myself anymore?"

Victor didn't have an answer. Liam dropped a few coins on the bar, taking the bottle with him as he went back to sit beside his brother.

xxx

He may not believe in honor anymore, but he sure as hell believed in his family, he had to believe Killian would survive.

His little brother was a survivor.

xxx

The ship was complete; all Liam needed was a name.

His first thoughts were out of love, the Jewel of the Realm.

xxx

It was the eighth day when Killian's fever broke and he was able to eat solid foods, small portions, but Victor said this was a good sign.

"I saw it Liam." Killian stuttered once he was full, clinging to Liam like a life line. "We were on our way home from the market, but the royal guards were hurting someone, a woman, he stepped in and stopped it." He explained. "The next day, more of them stormed our home, they took father and they would have killed me, but I was hiding Liam, you know how good I am at playing hide and seek. They would have killed me." He said near tears. It took Liam all his strength not to wrap his brother up I his arms and try and take the pain away. "I tried to get help, but they later told me and the others in town that he allied himself with Queen Snow of Misthavem, no one would help me after that. No one took me in, I didn't know where to go or what to do."

That was impossible, his father detested Misthaven and all that they stood for. It was rumored that their only child was a young sorceress, his father hated magic.

"Father said that the King and Queen's advisors were trash, they were leading them astray and would lead the princesses astray as well." He added. "He believed that they were responsible for the poverty, taking gold from the people right under their noses, father didn't know I knew but I did." Killian insisted. "I think they had father killed.

They had betrayed his father, nearly killed his beloved brother.

This fact enraged him, he knew for certain that he couldn't sail under Arendelle's colors now, not after everything they did, almost destroying his family.

"Killian, once Victor says you are totally recovered, how would you like to join me?" The boy blinked.

"Join you?" He repeated.

"I boat us a ship, you can be my loyal cabin boy, how does that sound?"

A wide grin appeared on his face. "Yes Liam! Yes!" He said excitedly, trying to get to his feet but lost his balance quickly. It made Elizabeth get up and scold the boy, getting him back to bed.

Liam just laughed, kissing his forehead before Killian returned to sleep.

"Thank you for saving my brother." He told his friends, "For returning to the field that nearly ruined you for me." Victor nodded.

"The least I could do, you probably would have found him sooner if you had not helped me. I'm still in debt to you."

xxx

Liam left them to themselves, as he had one final act of business to deal with. He finally knew the name of his ship.

He couldn't serve Arendelle a moment longer, not when there were people set to betray their own to further their own power, not when they had nearly killed his brother. He needed to live by his own rules, his own code. He wanted vengeance for the pain they had caused him, the fact that he bloody kept going to the bar, drinking far too much rum then was proper.

The fact that the last time he had gotten so inebriated, he had nearly taken a bar wench to bed, a wench with icey blond hair and blue eyes. It made him sick with guilt.

xxx

He realized something.

The only people who had showed him any sort of loyalty were a pair of runaways in their pursuit of knowledge.

The only person who had helped his little brother was a young orphan thief.

Apparently there were more honors amongst thieves then he had originally thought.

xxx

"Finally come up with a name have you?" The dock worker asked paper out, ready to write it down. Liam knew that he couldn't name his ship out of love, no, the kingdom wouldn't take that from him too.

Liam nodded, the name in the front of his thoughts.

"The Jolly Roger."

I figured everyone needs a fall from grace story. And since I made Liam a pirate like canon Killian, I needed a reason. This is it.

I've just become aware how Killian centric these are. Promise, the next set won't be so Killian heavy.

(But during this Hiatus, can you blame me?)

This is actually my favorite shot I've written or this, so far. It has lots of aspects of Frankenstein, along with the head canon I had when I originally put Victor in Freeing the Witch.

(As well as my own private Easter eggs)

Anyway, Done with the sequel. Working on the Epilogue.

Guest Reviews~

andria: I'm glad you liked it, I like CS much better as well. Thank you for your wonderful reviews, I appreciate them.

I'll probably post the sequel in about a week, at the same time as I update this next.

Next time: The Fairest of Them All

~Luna