It was in the wee hours that Killian and Emma finally neared the docks. Giggling and laughing as they made their way on the dimly lit path. A night of dancing had her giddy with energy. Killian lived up to his promise and they danced the night away. Her dancing improved and by the third dance she was moving about just as well as any of the other participants. They coerced Liam into joining for a dance or two, but he and the rest of the crew had long left them in the heart of the square. The drinks were poured between dances and Emma had never felt so giggly before. For once she wasn't worried about lowering her defenses, and for the first time in her seventeen years she had achieved freedom.
She wasn't over the threshold of drunk, neither was Killian, but they both had a vivacious lushness to them. Warmed with liquor and more jubilant in ordinary behaviors as opposed to their strict sober stances. Emma was humming the music along, as she twirled under Killian's arm. Their laughter cut through the sleepy night like the starlight in the black, and they grew louder when the toe of her boot stumbled on the cobblestone. With a yelp of surprise her body tumbled forward and knocked into him. Once again, his arms immediately steadied her balance, blue eyes looking over her in concern while the flaxen beauty just giggled and leaned against his chest.
"I can see why all of the girls are always so happy after a dance. It's so much fun!"
"I knew you would like it. You Miss Swan are meant to spread your wings and soar, not hide yourself and wait."
She laughed at that, pulling him to a stop. Her expression still held her happy smile, but her emerald eyes studied him, trying to read him. Usually, the people she read had an ulterior motive, but Killian always surprised her with his genuine behavior. He never said anything he didn't truly mean, just like her.
"Do you know…when I was a little there was this one story about an ugly duckling. I always thought fairytales were stupid, but this one boy told me how the story was inspirational. That one day the duckling would realize it was a truly a beautiful and graceful swan. It's why I chose Swan as my name. So that way I wouldn't feel like I was just…a rejected ugly duckling anymore."
Killian's smile turned gentle, more understanding as he hesitantly raised a hand to move aside a long curl of her blonde hair. A small gasp leaking past her lips when she felt the ghost of his fingers against her neck. The electric feeling rising in her again from the proximity of the touch.
"No one…in your world might have seen it…but they were fools. I don't think you've been a plain duckling a day in your life." His hand lowered down to grip her hands again. "You will always be enough just as you are Miss Swan. No matter what."
Joy. Pure joy was flooding her veins at his comfort. The feel of his hands holding hers, the warmth of his eyes overwhelmed her.
"I never asked you, why do you always call me Miss Swan?" She was beaming up at him. So, close she could see the flicker of surprise in his blue eyes. Watch as they scanned over her face.
"Because…" He whispered so softly and hoarsely. "It wouldn't be proper to call you anything else."
She righted herself up in his arms but did not move away from their embrace. Warm. He was so warm and comforting. Especially when he held her.
I never realized…he's the first person who has continually held me. And never once did he try to push me away.
"Is it improper even if I want you to?" Killian's shock was evident as she found herself stumbling closer, her hands pressing against his chest.
"You can just call me by my name…" She whispered, studying his face. "I want you to. I want to hear you call me my name."
His intense gaze studied her carefully when ever so slowly he raised a hand up and brushed aside her hair away from her face. She shuddered underneath the touch, but leaned against his hand, relishing in it. There was something addictive to it that confused her. Was it because deep down she craved for some type of physical contact, or was it because of him? She didn't care to think on it.
"Emma." He whispered softly, watching her face as if she would refute him for saying it. She nodded encouragingly to him, her own hand laying atop his to move down the side of her face. He only looked on in disbelief that she would allow him to touch her like so.
"Emma." He whispered it again, his voice savoring the sound that it sent shivers down her spine. Raising his other hand so he was cupping her face tenderly. The way he cradled her face in his calloused hands made her feel more than loved, it made her feel treasured. She closed her eyes and leaned into the touch, relishing in the affection as he leaned closer to her, until his breath was caressing her lips.
"Emma." He whispered so softly it was more reverent prayer than name, just as his lips were molding against hers. She felt as if she had been waiting forever for this kiss. She relished in the sweet chasteness of it for a moment before kissing him back. It was heaven. It was bliss. It was unexpected.
That was when the bright flash came from behind her eyelids. Emma let out a small gasp in shock which allowed Killian's tongue access to her mouth.
Emma was unsure if it was from the kiss or from the energy that seemed to pass between them, but the moment of their kiss seemed to drag in front of her. Her mind was flooded with images, confusing her with how fast they seemed to flash before her, there was very little she could make out.
A small boy laying in a cramped bed with an older, ruggedly handsome man lighting a candle for him. A cold creeping feeling filled her, the darkness and shadows that played around the figure frightening her while the definitive face of the man was comforting. Emma felt such a bond with this unknown man, and from the second passing she realized the likeness in his face in both Killian and Liam.
"Don't be afraid Killian." The man whispered, pressing a finger to the boy's chest. "When you are afraid you must ask yourself, what kind of man do you want to be?"
With another flash, the image changed. She witnessed another vision of two boys scrubbing a deck. Recognizing them as Killian and Liam in their younger years as other sailors brushed past them, knocking over the water bucket for it to spill across the deck. Pure hatred and anger burned within her, poisoning her veins as the only thought was to fight. The same anger was displayed on Killian's face as he rose from the deck, moving with the intent to strike at the sailor if he wasn't stopped by Liam.
Another flash.
Killian was sprawled against crates. The impact shaking her body and twinging at her back in memory. Pure exhaustion and something heavy clouded her thoughts that she couldn't place, but it felt weak. Killian raised a hand massaging his head while looking up, pure shame filling his gaze as he looked at a rum bottle in his other hand. Drunk, she recognized. Feeling drunk. A sickening feeling of shame dragged in her stomach as Liam approached him and offered a kind forgiving smile, that warmed away the darker emotions to fill with hope.
Another flash.
Killian was dressed in his naval uniform, clean, well fed, and full of pride at being assigned a commission in the navy. Pride swelled within her, seeing him honored, especially knowing what he had previously experienced.
Another flash.
She was staring at a familiar face, her face. She was observing over her features in a different light, watching as milky flesh tinted pink in a feminine flush. Downy black eye lashes fluttering over green eyes that pulled her in. She could drown in those eyes. Green as emeralds were once so cold, but over the months had warmed up considerably over their friendship. They looked so warm now. So happy because of her. She wanted them to always look this happy, to look at her with that same joy. Hands cupped the perfect cheeks, caressing the smooth glassy skin. Skin that was too perfect for her to touch, but heaven above she was leaning into it. Eye lashes fluttering close to relish it as she leaned closer and kissed over rose soft lips.
These…these thoughts aren't mine. These feelings aren't mine. She thought, confused when she felt a familiar sensation occurring from her lips. Such pleasure and comfort wrapping around her. Joy. Ardor. Hope. And something new, something she had never personally felt before, love. These aren't mine! These memories! These thoughts! These emotions! They all belong to….to Killian!
Realization froze through her veins, feeling currently returning to her so that she remembered she was kissing Killian. Her arms somehow had wrapped around his neck, with her fingers trailing through the curling hair at the nape of his neck. And they were eating each other up. He pulled away for a mere moment to catch his breath, huffing against her face for a few moments of air before moving towards her again to devour her lips. It was a moment enough for her thoughts to clear from the intoxication his kiss could fill her with. If he continued kissing her, she knew she wouldn't ever want to come up again but give into the emotions flooding through her all at once.
She closed her eyes trying to process them. Hope. Confusion. Loss. Love. Hope. Pride. Passion. Sorrow. Regret. Fear. It was overwhelming, she couldn't tell which were hers and which were his anymore.
"Emma." He murmured, pulling her closer to him. Holding her face to bring her gaze to focus on him again. His blue eyes roamed over her, trying to decipher her hesitation before he smiled at her again. "Emma, it's okay. It's okay."
He was pulling her face closer to his, ready to resume their kiss without any other thoughts before she pulled against him. He was too calm about this. So happy.
"Did you see that?" She whispered, feeling her voice waver. "What was that? What's happening to us?" She felt overwhelmed again, fear and confusion crawling over her like she was drowning all over again. Except something in the back of her head realized that drowning this way wouldn't be completely unpleasant. That is if it wasn't something completely unnatural.
Then again, I have somehow gone back in time to an alternate reality. I passed unnatural occurrences a long time ago. She reminded herself.
"I don't know." He whispered back to her. "But its…its beautiful Emma. I don't want it to end."
"But…but I saw… I saw you." She felt something wet trailing down her face. Until his thumb wiped over her cheek, did she realize they were tears and looking up into his eyes she saw them glassing over his eyes too. "I saw your memories. I felt the emotions with them. I can still feel them."
"I know." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Such pleasure and comfort washing over her that she preened into it, feeling everything tied into that gesture. "I know. I feel it all too. I saw it too."
"Wait." Fear surged through her as she looked up to him. "I saw things from you, does that mean you saw things from me?"
She fought against his hold, stepping away from him. Her arms wrapping around herself as if that would protect her from the turmoil raging inside. His hands trailed down her arms, gripping them to try and pull her back towards him. She was inclined to step back to his embrace, as if she was magnetized to return to his touch.
"No! I…I don't know what this is. I'm confused. Is this normal? Are we both going crazy?"
"Emma, Emma." He kept saying her name like it would stop her. "Just calm down."
"No! This…this isn't normal! I don't know how to react about this! How are you not even reacting about this Killian?"
"You're right then!" He snapped, shocking her. Killian never raised his voice when talking to her before, but that shock melted off him quickly. "It's not normal. I've never heard of this happening to two…magicless beings, across any realm. I don't know what happened or why I can feel you. All I know if that I can, and it feels…"
"Complete." She finished for him. His eyes lit up at her admittance and he nodded frantically.
"Yes, exactly. I knew that we understood each other on a level that no one else could, but this is magnificent. That's what makes this special. It's something only between us, and something no one else can possibly understand."
"But doesn't it…" Make you afraid?
"Not for a moment." He answered her without a beat. "I'm not afraid of feeling this way for you. I will never be afraid of feeling this way for you."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because it's you Emma Swan! I've been infatuated with you since I pulled you on the ship. There hasn't been a moment I haven't wanted to be around you. I only think of you! I would do anything for you if you only asked me of it! And now I can see why!" He reached forward, grabbing her hand tightly in his. Warmth and security lit up inside her. "It's because we share this bond. I understand now. I know why you are so defensive and why you are so afraid, but you don't need to be."
"You don't know anything." She hissed, maybe with a bit more venom than she meant by the hurt reflection shinning in his eyes.
"I saw your memories, Emma. I saw the homes you were in. I could feel it. The loneliness, the hurt, the unwanted feeling. You are afraid of experiencing that again. But I would never do that to you Emma. I won't ever hurt you; I won't ever abandon you. Just let me in."
She didn't try to pull her hand away, addicted to the connection his touch brought her.
"You deserve to be cherished. You deserve to be loved. Just let me love you, Emma. Why do you believe that I couldn't?" He paused as if realizing it. "Oh no…don't tell me…you believe you are unworthy of it."
"I'm not. Not for you Killian. We are two completely different people. You deserve better than me."
"That's a lie." He stated plainly. "I know what you've done in the past Emma and it's the past. I don't care if you were a thief or on the run. That is in the past, think of a future. A future of us together."
His hands clasped hers and pulled them to hold against his chest.
"The future can be ours to make love." Her eyes widened at the term of endearment he used so easily. Rolling off his tongue with such ease. "It's just up to you and me. Together we can be happy. Picture a life full of love and adventure. Just you and me."
"But that's why it scares me Killian. I want that more than anything! I want to be with you more than anything don't you understand?"
"No, I don't understand it." He took hold of her shoulders. "Please Emma, darling, angel. Tell me what it is that scares you." She felt tears again, it hurt to look at him. It hurt to think that everything she could ever want would be so easy for her to grab. Life was never so kind to her. His blue eyes just kept moving over her face trying to read her.
"You ...you're afraid of it. This connection. Are you afraid that I'll abuse it? That I'll abuse you?"
"It's not that. Never would I think you would do that Killian."
"Then what is it?"
"I'm afraid that it will turn out to be nothing. That it could be some sort of dream or that it's not real. What if it isn't real Killian? What if it's just us having been drinking and dancing and having a good time. What then?"
"You're trying to excuse it. To come up for a reason to believe it isn't real. You can't accept that it is." He laughed almost maniacally, before he was pressing kisses into her hair. Every touch of his lips sending pleasure through her body.
Love. Devotion. Hope. Hurt.
"Do you think this happens everyday Emma? This is probably the greatest gift of all, and nothing will convince me that what I feel for you right now is false, and I won't stop fighting for it."
She stared at him, baffled by such a declaration. By his quick acceptance. His pure belief, his trust, his love. All for her. She didn't want to, but she took a step back. Then another.
Hurt. Agony. Fear. They shot through her chest, painfully. She was feeling it too, but those emotions came directly from Killian. And each step she took away from him made them twinge deeper in her chest.
"I...I need to go to the monastery. I'm sorry."
She didn't know what was tearing her apart more. Every step away from him or his voice calling her name as she ran.
.
.
Finding her way back to the monastery in the dark was not the easiest thing. With the dim glow of the candle lit lanterns, Emma had to catch herself every few steps to prevent from falling on her face. Running atop the dark cobblestone seemed to invite more opportunity for injury without holding onto her lieutenant's hand.
She tried not to think of that as she finally stumbled onto the doorstep of the long building she was in earlier today and her fist pounded against the door.
"Hello?" She called, pounding again with more force. Willing herself to be heard. "Hello, is anyone awake in there?"
After a few more minutes of heavily knocking, the door was swung open by a short balding and definitely grouchy old man.
"What is the meaning of this woman?" He sneered at her, the flame of the candle he was holding up sending unpleasant shadows across his face.
"I need help with something. I need to speak with Erasamus."
"Erasamus?" He repeated, eyeing her carefully with a skeptical brow. "What does this involve?"
"Only his help."
"Well, he's asleep right now, you best come back in the morning." The grouch sniffed at her unpleasantly, moving to close the heavy door in her face. With an eye roll, Emma ducked under him and weaved into the dark hall faster than his eyes could follow her.
"I'm not leaving until I speak with him." She declared, not straying from the only source of light being his candle. "Please its urgent and my ship leaves in the morning. I won't have time to wait."
The grouchy monk eyed her carefully. Beady eyes raking over her form and Emma was thankful she was wearing a dress. Let him think her a damsel in distress in dire need of assistance. With a huff he shook his head indignantly.
"I will go and see if Erasamus will even awake. If he doesn't, you leave. Am I clear miss?"
"Fair enough." She shrugged. There was little point to stay if the friendly monk from earlier was unavailable. The monk grunted in affirmation before lighting another candle for her to wait with and disappearing down the dark corridor. Emma kept still her hand fidgeting with the candlestick. Her stomach was knotted and doing small flips inside her as she waited, when finally, the small glow of the second candle returned, illuminating two shadows in the hall.
"Miss Swan?" Erasamus questioned with a yawn. "What's wrong my dear? Where is your lieutenant?"
A piece of her twinged painfully in her chest at his referral. A part that was pulling her and urging her to find Killian. To go back to him. Emma was tempted to give into the consuming need to be in his presence but shook it off. Not yet. Not until she got answers.
"There was a book we had earlier here in the library. I need to see it again."
"Again? My dear dawn is a few hours away, I think you need some sleep." He tried to cajole her.
"Please Erasamus." She begged. "It's urgent. I…there was a book earlier that I didn't understand…but now I do."
His mouth opened and closed in thought as his kind eyes flittered about nervously. Raising his hand, he began scratching at the bald spot atop his head again, a nervous tick he had apparently.
"Do you remember what book it was?" He looked up at her shyly. The older monk beside him huffed in exasperation.
"You surely to not intend this woman to go into the library at this hour, it is against the rules." Emma's glare could have rivaled ice for the frigid coolness, but Erasamus waved a hand patiently.
"I am aware of the rules, and I will accept the consequences of them in the morning. The lady is in trouble and needs help. I will not refuse it from her." He stated solemnly, with a saddening look crossing his eyes. "Even if it means I have to give up precious hours of sleep to do so. Come along Miss Swan."
Emma wasted no time in following him down the hall again in the direction of the large library, catching up to match his stride.
"I'm sorry I had to wake you up." She whispered tenderly as not to be overheard. "I wish it could wait but it can't."
"No need to worry my dear." He waved a hand absently to her. "When you are old, you find you don't need much sleep anyways. Besides, I'll most likely take a nap over my work anyways."
She giggled at that and held the light for him as he fished out a key from around his waist. Opening the door to the library that seemed like a large black abyss now.
"I put the books back for you earlier, now if you remember the one that caught your memory, I could find it faster than a wisp."
Emma had no idea what a wisp even was.
"It wasn't a book about traveling between worlds Erasamus, it was the one about something called a soul bond."
The old man froze, and his eyebrows rose in surprise.
"A soul bond?" He repeated slowly, his hand raising to run through the few hairs accumulated on his chin. "So, this does not regard your quest to traveling to your world?"
"No…this is for…something else happened tonight." She whispered softly. The man scrutinized her, his eyes seeming to take in the appearance of her loose hair and her new dress. From his gaze she swore he saw more than physical appearance, but he just nodded slowly to himself in thought.
"Yes, I suspect it has." He murmured quietly, turning to walk into the dark. "I remember where I put that book earlier. Follow me."
His stiff tone made an uneasy feeling dwell in her stomach. The rise of that feeling bringing about a distant feeling of something else.
Alarm? Shock? Dread? It felt like a whisper in the wind through the back of her head, but she pressed on. They didn't go far into the library before Erasamus stopped in front of another door. Fumbling with his keys again, he unlocked it and revealed a small room that was crammed with books and paper. Emma blinked as the old man waved her inside, instructing her to place the candle on the desk as he began moving through the smallest stack of books near the door. She assumed they were the newest ones.
Managing to locate the desk amongst all the clutter, Emma set the candle on the steadiest looking stack of books atop the old table. While Erasamus looked around for the book, her eyes scanned over a large tome that was opened on the desk with loose pieces of parchment in neat notes taking up one side. Curiously she leaned over and skipped the ledger of notes.
The Northern Kingdom past the mountains has been home to one of the oldest kingdoms in the land. A kingdom whose seat and noble blood dates back over seven hundred years before the first men laid claim to the seat. A kingdom rich in mountainous treasure, there are no known unmarried suitors of the family. The most recent match was made to Princess Evangeline over twenty years ago. Children of the union are as of yet not of marrying age.
"Here it is!" Erasamus yawned and held up the familiar book. Emma's attention fell to the little book as she held her hand out for it, taking it in her hand. Flipping open the cover she found the familiar title, and glad it wasn't just something her mind might have conjured up.
"Thank you Erasamus." She beamed.
"Of course, Miss Swan." He nodded looking over the book as well. "Though I must admit that is the strangest book. I've never seen or heard of it in the library."
"Really?" She blinked at him in shock. From what little she gathered of the monk, he seemed to live and breath the contents of the library. His workspace was given proof of that.
"Yes, I thought it funny it was in your stack of books earlier. Especially if you and the lieutenant were researching into other worlds. That's what the rest of the books were for."
"Well," she didn't know how to respond to that. "I think Killian-Lieutenant Jones, I think he was reading it earlier."
"And it just so happens that you are interested in the same topic hours before dawn?" His eyebrow rose in question before a goofy knowing grin spread across his face. "I think I suspect why you both are so interested in it. But I was raised with manners enough not to say."
Emma bit her lip and folded a finger between the pages of the book. Afraid and intrigued by the answers it would hold.
"You seemed to have heard of the concept before tonight though." She murmured, her green eyes meeting his muddy brown. "You know what it is…don't you?"
He let out a small sigh and hobbled over to a stool and plopped atop the wood.
"I've heard of it. It isn't a common topic."
"I find a lot of things here uncommon topics." She muttered. "I can't explain it…and it makes no sense to me. That's why I came here, I need answers."
"Well, I can try my dear. But some answers are ones you solve yourself." He huffed. "Soul bonds...that's an ancient form of magic. And powerful too, so strong the gods feared it, yet even they couldn't break it. It is said that it is the link between two souls that are bound together across space and time. Souls that understand and connect with each other and won't stop from trying to be together. No matter what. They are a fated pair for eternity."
Across space and time. She thought, her heart pounding in her chest. Could it be, that this is why I was pulled into the past? Is it because of this bond?
"Is it ever said if…those that share a bond…do they share things? Like memories?"
"Share memories?" His dull eyes lit with interest. "Interesting. It probably wouldn't be unheard of. It is said that those who just simply have their destinies intertwined can share visions. I have no doubt that those who share a soul bond would be able to have that as well. Probably more than likely I would wager."
He studied her and scooted closer atop his seat.
"Forgive me for asking Miss Swan, but its fairly obvious something has happened between you and the lieutenant tonight. Am I correct in assuming…that you suppose you share this bond with him?"
She glanced up at him and moving a strand of hair behind her ear, nodded her head in affirmation.
"I…I think so? I don't know what happened exactly. All I know is that I saw his memories tonight. I can feel his emotions. I feel like something is missing without him near me. I don't know what I'm experiencing because its scary to me, and I don't know what to do."
"I believe you do Miss Swan." He nodded with a friendly smile. "You know what you want to do. You know how you want to answer it."
"But is it the right thing? How do I know that I'm not feeling this way just because of this bond? How do I know he isn't feeling this way because of it?"
"Miss Swan, do you doubt him that much? Do you doubt you could feel the same?"
"You wouldn't understand." She huffed angrily with an eye roll.
"You are right, I wouldn't. But there is someone who can. Someone who will if you share this bond. And it sounds like you do. The question is what are you going to do about it?" He patted a finger against the cover of the book she was clutching. "Soul bonds don't just happen every day you know. You might be the first case of it happening in centuries. Do you really want to think of this as an accident Miss Swan? Or a blessing?"
Emma just blinked at him completely stunned. It was probably the best advice she had ever received from an adult her entire life, and advice in attempt to support her.
"Thank you Erasamus." She nodded. He returned her smile and took his own candlewick sitting on the desk and lit the wick with the flame from her candle.
"Go on then my dear, I think there is someone waiting on you."
She nodded and held out the book to him, he simply ignored it.
"I don't recall ever seeing that book before my dear." He winked at her. "But something tells me that you will be needing it more. Take it with you. I'm sure it will answer questions you may have."
"Thank you." She repeated, clutching the book tightly in her hand. She smartly tucked it beneath the skirt of her dress and taking her candle she rushed out, following the connection out of the darkness to head back to The Jewel.
By the time she returned to the harbor, pink and purple hues were highlighting the horizon and the strange feeling of anxiety intensified inside of her. Wasting no time, she knocked fervently on the captain's door. Praying Killian was inside as her gut feeling indicated.
I wish I asked where he slept now. She fidgeted with her skirt nervously. If Liam answered now, it would be beyond embarrassing.
To her relief it opened and there he was. She was stricken by his disheveled appearance, and the distress that was clearly on his face. His eyes immediately relaxed at seeing her, but there still was a grim tenseness to his manner that he never held around her before.
I guess I deserve that look, I did run off on him like that.
"Come with me?" She asked and nodded to the room over. He glanced over at the closed door, and she could see a small pink in his cheeks before he closed the door and followed her down the narrow hall. He didn't say anything until they were alone in the room.
"You shouldn't have run off like that. If you wanted time alone, I would have given it to you just please don't put yourself in da-" the moment he turned around she had pulled him in for a kiss. Devouring his lips hungrily as if she was starved. And she probably was, if not by a life of little affection, then of his kisses.
He was stunned a moment before his own hands were seizing her waist. Holding her closer and he too was kissing her. This kiss was unlike the first one. The one that was sweet and gentle. This one was all fire. Passion and need.
His hands were the gentle part, however. While most others would probably be feeling around her body. His were content in holding her there, although one did leave the spot on her waist to come up to the back of her head. Digging into her blonde curls to run it through his fingers like water.
The moment they parted for a breath of air she looked up at him, her breaths coming out in shallow pants.
More. A part of her cried. More. More. More.
"I...I didn't mean to make you worry." She finally said. "And I'm not that great with words so I thought…"
His blue eyes were staring at her in a way that set her skin on fire.
"I thought," his hands came up to cup her face again, so gently as if he was holding glass. She couldn't focus. "I thought."
"You think too much about this. Just feel it." His lips descended on hers again. Slow and gentle, like the sea on a calm day. He took his time with it, exploring and enjoying her. But he was brief before pulling away again. "Is this what you want Emma? I won't...you worry about me feeling obligated. When that could not be further from the truth. The only reason I haven't said anything sooner was because I didn't want to distract you. It doesn't matter what I want or about this...connection. it matters what you want."
"I do want this." She whispered. "I was just…scared. I just didn't know what this war…I didn't want it to be fake. That's why I went back to the monastery. To get the book you had earlier." He looked at it confused before taking it from her.
"It's...it's true. It's real. A soul bond. Two halves of one soul meant to be together. Transcending time and worlds. I think that's how I got here. You thought it too. It's the only thing that makes sense."
"You found this in the monastery?"
"Yes. In your book stack." She watched his face. "Weren't you reading it?"
"I've never seen this book, Emma. In the library I was only reading books to find a way to your world."
Truth. She looked at the little book. A book that somehow found its way to them, that told of what they were experiencing. It perturbed her on how it got there but looking up to him she got lost again in his eyes and she smiled at him. His wide grin beamed back at her, and his gaze flickered down to her lips.
"I have heard before ...of getting a soul mate, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it like this." His hand buried beneath the blanket of curls and held her face. "I feel like I could drown myself in the love I feel for you."
She laughed at it, a small giggle but she understood what he meant. All the emotions overwhelmed her. And it just made her beam.
Love. Joy. Understanding. Trust. All different things she had never felt for anyone before, but she was glad to be feeling it for Killian.
"Who would have thought, my soul mate was the lieutenant living next door." She brushed aside his bangs, keeping her hand on his cheek. "Don't you have your own room anyways?"
"I do." He grinned at her, his laugh a gentle caress over her face. She could see his eyes twinkle in humor although they seemed more interested in her lips. "But it isn't next door."
Emma froze and thought over it for a moment before realization bloomed across her face. Emerald eyes wide with shock her mouth fell open.
"This is your room." She declared. His head only shallowly nodded but his gaze flickered up to hers for a moment. "You gave up your cabin for me?"
"Aye." Was all he whispered his thumb rubbing the apple of her cheek in such a soothing manner it made her mind go blank.
She just found herself leaning up to kiss him again, digging her fingers in his hair. He seemed eager to forget about it for now as well, and whatever it was between them hummed in delight. For now, Emma just wanted Killian, the rest she was going to leave up to fate.
.
.
Erasmus hummed to himself as he carried a tray of tea into the private study he had set aside for his work. He always had a hard time falling asleep, but he knew the strange girl needed something important. Something that was much more precious than regarding other worlds. He could tell it from her eyes and face that she had questions on love. And whatever book she was so intent on getting had something to do with it.
Curious. He thought. I've never seen that odd little book.
He sighed and opened the heavy tome he was making notes for regarding a royal family on the other side of the mountain pass. Such a boring royal family, it would no doubt put him to sleep after a few hours of work. Turning the page he frowned at the portrait that was on it, looking over the likeness sketched out. A long neck, heart shaped features and kind emerald eyes.
How odd. He scratched at his chin. I've seen this before, but now she reminds me of someone. Very strange indeed.
He looked beneath the drawing for the name again.
Princess Evangeline.
"Well, I'm sure it will come back to me eventually." He harrumphed and began going back to work again. Emerald eyes forgotten in a sea of work.