Emma came down and was surprised the Liam was the only Jones at the breakfast table. He smiled up at her and motioned her down.
"I've been waiting for you all morning; I was about to come up if you weren't going to come down."
"Sorry." She whispered and sat across from him. Pouring herself some tea and taking a piece of toast. She was sure she wasn't going to be able to eat much, but felt she needed something to settle her stomach. "Is Killian around?"
"He is, but its bad luck to see each other." He grinned at her cheekily.
"I thought that is only when I'm in the dress."
"You still have much to learn about sea faring men. We don't take superstitions lightly, but either way you both should go a few hours without seeing each other. You already can feel each other so you should survive."
"So why did you want to see me?" She grinned and crossed her arms on the table. Liam smiled and reached over into his satchel and pulled out a small case to set on the table.
"I wanted to give you my wedding present to wear for today. A thank you for promising to take care and love my little brother."
"You didn't have to get me anything." Emma waved off when he moved it closer to her.
"I insist. Open it." Her lip twitched up in a smirk, though she still reached out and opened the lid of the box to see two beautiful pearl earrings dangling from a delicate clasp.
"Thank you." She whispered and smiled to him. "They're lovely."
"They will look beautiful on you." He beamed and pulled out something wrapped in cloth. "And I was told to deliver this to you this morning."
Emma raised a brow but flipped over the piece of cloth and felt her heart stop. The flower crown she had been working on the other day. While some of the middlemist were still crinkled, they stood out as beautiful pink blooms surrounded by white and yellow wildflowers that she recognized growing in patches nearby. Her mouth just hung open in astonishment.
"He woke up early to finish it for you." Liam explained, glancing from her to the way her fingers gently traced the petals. Preciously relishing in the brush of it. As strong as he admired Emma Swan for being, watching her look at that flower crown displayed the still young girl hiding beneath the hard exterior.
"It's perfect." Emma whispered, feeling too much love to comprehend. Her tongue was beginning to swell in her throat, everything feeling like cotton as she glanced up to Liam. "Thank him for me?"
Liam just smiled at her with a daring wink.
"I'll do my best to replicate your reaction." He teased. Emma grinned at him before kicking at his leg beneath the table, earning a chortle from him in return. Next to Killian, he was the closest thing to family she had. An older brother that teased her as much as he did to his blood relative.
The nerves she had woken up with were distance chills coating the happy feelings she was experiencing. She wanted to marry Killian right now for this, ready to join and form an intimate family with just themselves. The happiness of that thought was overwhelming and began to bubble up inside her, disappearing began to feel the happiness bubbling inside her. It was her wedding day. Today she would marry Killian and tie her life to his. Promising each other the future and their love forever. And she couldn't be happier about it. With a parting smile to Liam, she went back up to her room, eager to prepare.
There might have been a lacking luxury of her modern technology in preparing for her wedding. God knows that after months at sea she would kill for a steamy pressure shower to ease the nerves and muscles. Emma still didn't hide the moan of relief when she sunk into a steaming basin tub that the inn provided to her on this occasion. It was no secret that the inn keeper's wife was excited to be hosting a wedding at their local inn. Especially if it was one between such a handsome couple.
"Hot water Lucy." She huffed, taking the basin from the timid maid. "Thank you, girl, be a good lass and bring me some oil. It's on top of my bureau." The older woman huffed before proceeding to pour the water overtop Emma's head. The orphan sputtered and parted her long sodden curls aside to avoid the water dripping in her eyes while holding her legs close to her chest. What started out with her trying to push the old woman out of her room for privacy to prepare lead for the older woman to proceed in backing her in before stripping her of her tunic and leggings and tripping her into the bath.
"I really can bathe myself." Emma huffed in frustration for at least the fifteenth time.
"Hush child." The older woman clucked. "I'm not leaving you to prepare for your wedding day alone."
"It's no different from any other day." Emma practically could tell the lie off her own lips.
"I'll not have a young woman prepare for her wedding by herself. It isn't right. Women stick together for this thing. It is not only a celebration for you, but the rite of passage we take to womanhood. To tie ourselves in marriage with a man and swear to each other our devotion and support. There is a power to wedding vows, and it is left to family and friends to prepare the couple for such a momentous occasion."
Emma was silent as the woman used a bar of soap to attack her hair and scrub, causing suds to form on the scalp. While Emma was not open to trusting a stranger, this maternal presence lulled her nerves into relaxing, and she soon found herself leaning into the back of the tub as the woman's attention eased up.
"Such a pretty thing you are. Your mother must have been proud to have such a beautiful baby."
"I…I never knew my mother." She admitted, feeling a different lump form in her throat. A twinge of sorrow, that she hadn't felt since being with Killian. Remorse for the family she had given up on.
"I'm sad to hear that." She woman murmured. "But I'm sure it was the first thought when she held you. Even if it was for a moment, a mother feels such pride for the child they have. I hoped to have had a daughter like you to help prepare for a wedding."
Pride. Emma scoffed. If only she knew that my mother left me off the side of the road. With nothing to go by, but a what they named me.
It might not have been a fair thought. At least her parents cared enough to name her. To gift her with a baby blanket embroidered with her name that she treasured and always kept. Her only regret about choosing to stay with Killian, was that she knew she would never see that baby blanket again.
"Dear girl, you shouldn't be crying." The woman fretted, digging in her pocket to produce a clean handkerchief. "I didn't mean to make you cry child."
"You didn't." She felt the need to defend. "I was just…remembering something."
"There's no time for living in the past girl." The woman held up a towel for her, politely leaving it on the side of the tub and turning away to allow her to get out modestly. "Your future is ahead of you."
"You're right." She offered a grateful smile. The woman was a comfort to her, the presence she needed alongside her on this day.
It took the rest of the morning to ready herself. Her hair was combed until glistening, before being tied partially up with a sea blue ribbon, leaving the lower half to trail down to her waist in gentle waves. It had grown longer since coming here. With lavender she rolled it in her hands and applied it to the back of her neck and ears to provide a bit of a floral scent. Then she was slipping in the gown. The second gown that Killian had given to her, and she only peaked at just last night.
She figured he didn't intend on it to be her wedding dress, he never considered when he bought a white dress that it could even be suitable for a wedding. But it was clear that he never even saw the white dress, as it was too perfect not to be meant for as significant an occasion as a wedding.
The white garment fit perfectly and though simple, made the perfect wedding gown. Her shoulders were exposed from the dropped sleeves that ran tightly down her arms in a soft embrace, ending at her hands and the plain skirt. There was no tulle or frills or even lace. What made up the beauty was the expert embroidery on it. Emma didn't even notice it at first, but with her movements bits of the dress glimmered iridescently. It was on closer inspection she noticed that all around the dress were silver designs that honestly looked like waves rolling over each other. From around the collar of the dress to the wrists even a circlet of it around the waistline. The simplicity of the beauty wasn't lost on her but instead extremely valued.
With little in the ways of cosmetics, Emma was able to just clean her face and used the offered kohl pencil around her eyes and a touch of rouge for her cheeks and lips. She didn't need much but it was nice to have something to enhance her features.
"You make a lovely bride." The innkeeper cooed. "You barely need anything done you're easily the greatest beauty seen around here. Such yellow hair and fair skin. You must be the fairest in the land."
Emma huffed a laugh at that, much to the woman's confusion. To think an iconic saying like there was just a work of fiction in her world, while here it was a common phrase. It would always be bizarre to her. Although, there was some amusement to it. To think, maybe she was the inspiration of Snow White, even though she had golden hair instead of black as night.
She delicately handled the beautiful earrings that Liam had gifted her and finally looked to her final piece. The last detail, the flower crown that she had started the day before and Killian had awoken early to finish for her. Better than any veil the pink roses with the simple white and yellow flowers brought out the blush tinting her cheeks with beaming wide smile. It was the prettiest she had ever felt before.
The ringing of the church bell in the distance had her snapping her head away from the mirror and over to the window. From the room, she could see the small chapel that was within a short walking distance. Each ring sent chills down her spine. The signal to all around that a wedding was to take place, and that it was time for her to go and join her fiancé. Join Killian.
"Goodness child, it's alright." The older woman clucked, offering a gentle pat on the arm. "No need to look so frightened."
"I'm not!" She felt the need to brush off the declaration. The old innkeeper just gave her a droll look.
"It's completely natural to be nervous girl. But that Lieutenant looks at you as if you are the greatest treasure he's ever seen, and you do the same. Surely a wedding between the two of you is something to be more excited about than nervous. You remind me of my son, on his wedding day he looked as if he couldn't even walk to the church. At least you aren't coughing up your breakfast."
Emma found herself laughing at that as she picked up the twisted bouquet of wildflowers she picked from the previous day, twisting them in hand.
"Was the bride to be that scary?"
"Oh no. He was smitten with her from the start. It's just standing in front of so many people that had him nervous. He is much more comfortable tending to his flock as opposed to being with people."
"And I thought I was a loner." Emma smirked. "But I am excited. I'm ready marry him."
Emma affirmed. She was. She just could not fight the feeling that it would be a short amount of time before this too changed. Before she would wake up and realize the Lieutenant of her dreams was only just a made-up reality of a lonely orphan girl. Life tended to always do that to her. The bond flicked for her, having been mostly calm the whole day other than the random shots of his own nerves. Instead, it radiated the one reassurance she would ever need to know nothing else mattered.
Love. Love. Love.
A balming light. A gentle touch that she had longed for her whole life. The first time she had ever found a source of love that she was certain loved her in return.
.
.
.
Killian rebuttoned his cuffs for the seventh time. His dress uniform still retained in its pristine condition, only pulled out for the best occasions or other necessary events in the line of duty.
"Will you please stop that." Liam huffed in annoyance, from where he was conversing with Matthews, both dressed in similar regalia. "Buttoning and unbuttoning it doesn't make it look any better." The doctor eyed him up and down with a kind and gentle smile.
"Its nerves." Matthews declared stiffly. "Are you sure you don't want a nip of something?"
"No." The lieutenant shook his head decidedly. "I won't partake in any of that today."
Not today. He had no doubts on marrying Emma. And he wasn't going to imbed in alcohol to ease the anxious nerves of finally marrying her.
"Come on Killian. A drink won't kill you."
"I won't have alcohol on my breath when I kiss Emma as my wife." Liam beamed at him, full of for the abstinence his younger brother was holding back for alcohol on this momentous day.
"Then what is it? I never thought I would have to talk you up today." His older brother teased. If Killian was completely honest, it was mostly nerves from her feelings down the bond. Nothing direct, but still the anxious jitters that he understood she would feel as well on this day. Then the occasional jolt of longing, he wasn't foolish enough to think it was for him.
"I fear Emma might not be…happy today." Was the best he could answer. Liam and Matthews exchanged glances before looking to him with a questioning look.
"What did you do to make her unhappy to marry you?" Matthews kicked at Liam for the question with a fierce scowl.
"I'm sure that's not it." The doctor sighed. "You make each other so happy."
"No, not about me." Killian huffed. "Its about her…lost family. I'm sure its not easy for her…being without anyone on her wedding day. If I could, I would track them down and bring them to her…but that's not possible."
"No, but she does have you now." Liam clapped a hand onto his shoulder. "She has us as her family. She wouldn't have eagerly excepted your proposal if she didn't want that. And you will always have each other."
Killian smiled and embraced his brother with a happy smile. His Captain always knew what to say. Emma was his everything, and the weight in his pocket was only confirmation of that fact.
.
.
.
Emma was just making her way down the hidden path between the foliage of trees. The small white chapel was right out of storybook, beckoning her forward to pledge her life to her soul mate. She was thankful that her skirt wasn't long enough to trail into the ground provided she lifted it when she walked. With every step, the fluttering jitters of the bond thrummed down. Her nerves and excitement merging and mingling with Killian's.
Love. Eager. Anxiety.
She was ready to run through the church just to be with him but was halted at the door by the pacing figure of Matthews. He heard her approaching and looked at her in the most startling expression. Usually, the doctor was so calm and collected, but his brown eyes raked over her in amazement.
"Emma…you look absolutely beautiful." He whispered, his gaze growing mistier.
"Thank you." She smiled with a coy smirk.
"I…I hope it isn't too forward of me to ask you this." He scratched at his jaw, hesitating a step closer. "I have no familial ties to give you away, but we have become good friends over the past few months. So, I wanted to offer walking you down the aisle."
"You would do that?" She whispered, green eyes widening in disbelief.
"Of course." He smiled to her. "I know you are a strong woman and that you will have Killian from this moment on, but you deserve support every step down that aisle. With or without me beside you."
Emma smiled at him, readjusting the grip she had on the bouquet of flowers.
"I don't have many friends in general, but I would be happy to have you walk me down the aisle."
He beamed at her, before lifting his arm for her to gently link hers through.
"Ready then?"
Down the bond, she felt nothing but happiness, and sending off the feeling of love.
I love you Killian. She hummed inside, nodding to Michaels as the doors then opened. It was a small quaint church, nothing as far as decoration other than the pews full of townsfolk and sailors witnessing the wedding. At the sound of the door, they all rose and looked to her while her eyes only held to her other half at the end of the aisle. She took in the sight of him dressed in a formal uniform he once showed her, with a freshly shaved face and hair that was usually untidy, looking neater than it ever had before. But what really took her breath away was the heart stopping smile that split across his face at seeing her.
Nothing hid her face, no veil that would hide her blushing cheeks or conceal the wide grin that spread across her face, at the sight of Killian waiting for her at the end of the aisle. Less than ten feet away, but the bond held them much closer than anyone else was in the room. His own blue eyes seemed to sparkle with delight at seeing her. Drinking in the sight of her in the soft white gown that glimmered like rocking ocean waves with ever step she took towards him. A content smile on his face, bloomed across his face. He was dazzling her without being aware of it.
With Michaels at her side, she slowly walked towards him. Among the tight small aisles of both sailors and village folk alike wanting to witness a wedding. No one else mattered around her, but the holder of those blue eyes. Her arm tightened around Michaels as she seemed to pull him to hurry closer. She didn't even register taking his hand until she felt the electric shock of it racing up her arm. If the bond was normally like a static zap whenever they touched, this time it went deeper. This time it was positively burning beneath their skin.
"I never thought you could possibly be more beautiful." He whispered, gently pulling her as close as possible. Emma felt a small flush heat her cheeks before looking down shyly while pulling off a coy smile.
"And to think I was going to say thing about you." His eyes twinkled with laughter as he huffed out a teasing breath. Tempting her to just jump up and claim those lips as hers alone.
"Do you two mind?" Liam whispered, bringing their attention back to him. "I promise it won't be painfully as long as you two think. The realms forbid you wait ten minutes before sharing lovesick looks."
"They are not lovesick." Killian hissed back in serious offense, although the tug at the corner of his lips indicated he was fighting off a smile.
"Dear people." Liam announced loudly to all in attendance. Clearly done arguing with his brother. "We are gathered here on this day, to witness the union between two beings. Who although are separate in mind, are one in heart. It was once said that humans at one point had superior strength and skill. Attached with four arms, four legs, two brains, and two hearts. But the Gods feared such a being and ripped them in two. Disconnecting and splitting everything that tied humans together, save for one thread. A red thread that connects both hearts together tying them as one regardless of distance."
Emma blinked away from Killian's holding gaze, to glance to Liam. She had never heard of this before. Despite everything she had read in her book regarding soul bonds. Killian's squeeze on her hand pulled her then from her thoughts of the bond.
"Today, before all, the two that share such a bond, will pledge life and love to each other." He gazed toward Killian with a short nod. Digging into his pocket, pulling out the sapphire ring that she had previously been wearing on her left hand.
"I take you Emma Swan as my wife. Today, I pledge my life to honor and love you every day forward. I vow to protect you and care for you in weakness and health. I will never abandon you or ever stray from you. For all my days until my last." He smiled to her, before slipping the ring on the third finger of her right hand before raising it to his lips to place a gentle kiss. She smiled at the gesture, feeling her own throat close at the tenderness he conveyed the expression before receiving the same expecting look from Liam. A signal for her to do the same.
"I take you Killian Jones as my husband. Today, I pledge my life to honor and love you every day forward." She let out a thin breath, squeezing his hand and looking up to those blue eyes for support. They glimmered with pride gazing at her, no judgement hidden beneath the blue depths. "I vow to protect you and care for you in weakness and health. I will never abandon you or ever stray from you. For all my days until my last."
His smile was answered by Emma's own. The two beaming and basking in each other's love, as Emma pulled forth another small band, simplistic band of iron but a symbol to tie her lieutenant to her. She eased it onto his finger, smiling at the perfect fit before clutching his fingers tightly.
I am his…and he is mine. She thought with a happy smile. His returning smile told her he shared the same thought.
"Then it is my honor," Liam spoke loudly, looking to the two with misty eyes. "And my most esteemed privilege to pronounce you as husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
They did not need to be told twice. Emma pressed up to her toes just as Killian leaned towards her, their lips sealing as they eagerly consumed the other. The cheers and excited shouts from their fellow sailors were left unheard. Instead, Emma was sweeping her arms around his neck, pulling him as close to her as properly would be allowed while their tongues coaxed and prodded together.
Pulling away, she peaked her eyes open to see his own blue sapphire gaze staring down at her with the happiest of expressions. An airy laugh passing through his lips as she stroked the side of his face gently.
"My Emma." He whispered.
"My Killian." She answered, the bond thrumming in pure joy at the phrase. Her husband's hand trailed up her back from where is clung to her waist, tracing up her arm to catch hold of her wrist to bring her palm to his mouth for a gentle kiss.
"Come with me." He winked and then nodded to Liam. "Think you can have everyone give us a moment?"
"I'm sure I can think of something." Liam winked at them before pushing past them into crowd of clapping onlookers. Without another word, Killian squeezed her hand and pulled her along to one of the side doors of the chapel. They both slipped inside when Emma realized they were in some sort of prayer room, with only the light of a window and a few prayer candles lit before an alter that provided a very intimate setting.
"So desperate to steal kisses already?" She teased with a wicked grin. His lips capturing hers in response, hungrily devouring them now that they didn't have an audience of onlookers. She smiled into the kiss and couldn't help the twittering energy that was feeding across the bond. An even exchange of their happiness, excitement, and love. He pulled a hairsbreadth away, releasing a slow breath before his own heartwarming grin appeared.
"I don't need to steal them anymore from my wife." She suppressed the eye roll of such a declaration, but she felt she could let it slide. Plus, she would be lying if she didn't find it pleasant to hear him call her that.
"Then why the secrecy?"
"I wanted a moment in private to give you your wedding gift."
"Killian you shouldn't. I don't need anything, I'm happy just having you. Just being around you is more than enough for me."
"And you are everything to me. But I made a vow that I would never stop trying to make you happy." She saw him reach into his pocket and withdrew something enclosed in his palm. "And this spoke to me for you."
He opened his palm and Emma let out a small gasp at the large heart shaped silver pendent in his hand. It was large and chunky, roughly the size of a walnut and looked heavier than any other necklace she had ever worn. Though the small clasp on the side told her that it must be a locket meant to hold a keepsake inside.
"It's beautiful." She said immediately, not wanting to seem ungrateful for the gesture.
"It's inscribed on the inside." His smile grew, pleased to know something she didn't. Raising a brow, she took the pendent from him and delicately flicked open the clasp. Soft melodious music began playing from the mechanism on the inside. Music that felt like the twinkling of stars rocking in a calm sea. It was beautiful music. Innocent and lovely and pure, but most importantly full of devotional love. Like them. She eyed the other clasp and read the small inscription on the inside.
Carry it safely my love. -K
She felt a tear out of the corner of her eye as she closed the locket softly. Realizing his intention for it as a tangible display of his love for her in case she doubted it. But once it clicked close, another sound of music started, a bit of a different key but still the same. She blinked up and saw he was holding another one in his palm. Identical in size and shape to the one she was holding. Her gaze met his and she was struck by the emotion on his face while he watched her.
"I figured it doesn't count as a technical wedding present if it's part of a matching set." His voice was soft.
She felt another hot tear from the corner of her eye before realizing that she was crying and then furiously wiping them away.
"Killian…I don't know what to say." She looked back down to the locket and brush a thumb over the metal. "This is probably the greatest thing I've ever received. And…the music box." She felt another tear slip out at that detail, remembering suddenly of one of their long ago chats as they became friends. She asked him randomly what he always wanted as a child and laughed herself hoarse when he said a spinning top. Though she apologized profusely realizing he probably didn't have much growing up either and that it was a different time period. But when he asked her, the thought it over silently a few minutes and said a music box. Something that she could just open to hear something beautiful.
"I just…my heart will always be yours Emma Swan." He leaned down to catch her gaze. "I wanted a way for it to hang close to yours forever." Pocketing his own locket, he took hers from her hand and fiddled with the necklace clasp. "May I?"
Nodding she turned around and made sure no stray hairs were in his way as he attached the necklace together on her neck. It hung down between her breasts, more pendent than necklace, but it was perfect.
"I'll never take it off." She replied holding it up.
"Then I'll always wear mine as well." He slipped his own over his head, tucking it beneath the jacket before cupping her face. Holding it so gently as he titled her head back, to pull her to a softer kiss. His lips parting hers in a gentle battle of tongue that had her clutching to his jacket desperately. When he pulled away, she opened her fogged eyes to his hooded blue eyes, gazing at her so endearingly.
"I love you too Emma." He whispered before capturing her lips once again, in a tender kiss between man and wife.