It was nearly noon by the time the Joneses returned to the inn. After a night of being kidnapped and rescued with a long swim that conveniently led them to a guard owned garrison to ensure the princess safely returned to the castle, they were exhausted.
"Now please," Liam huffed up the stairs. Waving them both off as he entered his room. "Go to sleep this time I bid you goodnight. I'll see you both in a few hours."
"I couldn't agree more." Emma sighed too, leaning against Killian's shoulder. His jacket was wrapped tightly around her the moment they reached shore and he had done his best to shield her behind his body around the guards and folk. She wondered when he would realize that she was not immodest compared to the clothes in her time but was glad to have the close body heat none the less.
"Let's get you to bed then, love." He whispered into her ear, pressing a kiss to her temple. With an arm guiding her waist, he herded her back into the room and closed the door behind them. They moved about in silence, both discarding their sodden clothes to hang about the room in favor of their soft dry night clothes. Emma sadly just stripped off the remains of her ballgown and left it in a pile unfit to be worn again. She embraced the airy soft linen in lieu of the corset that was digging into her uncomfortably and landed onto the hard bed with a grunt.
So tired. She thought sleepily, ready to just curl up in the covers and fall asleep, but she turned over and watched her husband. She couldn't help but grin as he methodically removed everything. Slowly and carefully, he stripped off his clothes to hang in a chair as not to wrinkle. She surprised he even bothered since it was most likely in need of washing.
"Is something interesting you, my love?" He turned to her with a grin. She shook her head, keeping her content smile and scooting aside to pat the space next to her. Invitation that she wanted him to finally join her in bed. His smile turned more into a bitter chagrin as he finished pulling on his own clean shirt, the v shaped dip showing off his chest hair as he pulled the coverlet up for them to snuggle beneath.
"Are you alright?" He whispered, blue eyes flickering over hers in concern. She snorted at that.
"You've asked me that at least seven times. I'm fine Killian, just not an experience I want to replicate."
"Not about that." His eyes cast downward, shaded by his unjustly long eyelashes. "About…earlier tonight. Our disagreement."
"Its fine Killian." She tried mustering a smile. She really hoped they weren't going to continue it when she was barely keeping her eyes open.
"See, but its not." He gritted, the muscle in his cheek twitching furiously. "I should have gone after you tonight Emma. I shouldn't have dismissed what you were saying. If I hadn't done that…I wouldn't have made it easy for your attackers to nab you. I vowed to protect you, and I failed that."
Emma's mouth clicked open, frozen in the guilt that was not only raging across their bond, but sinking into his face. Darkening the shade of his eyes, sallowing his skin. With a gentle hand she brushed it against his cheek, bringing his gaze back up to her.
"Killian, you didn't fail me. I'm right here. It's not solely on you to protect me," She yawned. "We protect each other.
Her eyes were getting heavier when he pulled her body closer. Reveling in the warmth, she tucked her head beneath his chin, inhaling his spicy comforting scent she was used to sleeping next to. Listening to the pounding of his heart that leapt a beat when she pressed a kiss above it.
"You are a bloody marvel, Emma." He sighed reverently, leaning away only to blow out the candle that lit the room before snuggling closer. "I meant what I said…from now on, we do everything together…we work together…we decide together…we stay together."
"Together." Emma yawned, clutching him tighter. Her last conscious thought being a kiss to her forehead as she added. "Always together."
.
.
Emma blinked awake to the bright light that was streaming in from the window. Even with the makeshift extra curtain she made from the remnants of her dress and shift, it did nothing to block out the evening sun. Rolling onto her side, she sprawled across Killian's chest, earning a small moan from him stirring. She couldn't help the smile on her face as she pressed a small kiss to his lips and pulled away from the bed to reach for her night clothes that ended up being discarded across the room from some point in their night of not entirely sleeping.
She clutched it to her chest and padded across the room, ruffling through to find the dress she admired most from the ones that Killian had acquired for her. It was the simplest of the other two dresses, with little embellishment other than the small trimming of lace around the collar and sleeves that most dresses were accented with in this world. It looked like spun sunshine on the brightest days, a soft glowing yellow that wouldn't be harsh against her skin tone. To her, it was a reminder of happiness, of all the good things she now had, all the good she had with Killian. Drifting a look to his still slumbering form, she dressed quickly, tightening the laces as much as possible before piling her hair up to tie in a ponytail.
"I hope you weren't thinking about leaving me alone up here." A husky voice chuckled to her. She caught his eye in the small looking glass and smirked to him.
"Well as much as tempting as staying up here is, I want to get something to eat."
"Then I shall be happy to oblige." He was making to get out of bed when she pressed a hand to his chest to push him back in.
"I'm more than capable of getting us something to eat. I'm not a damsel in distress." He opened his mouth, clearly ready to make a retort of the previous evenings events when she pressed a finger to his lips. "Before you say what you were going to say, I'm already dressed. I think I'll be a little faster in getting something to eat as opposed to you getting out of that bed."
His brow quirked up in flirting question before readjusting himself back into the bed.
"As you wish." He grinned. She bit her lip to hide the laugh wanting to escape and left before she could do anything else to him sprawled out like that. She was quick to order the first thing suggested to her by the tavern keeper, a shepherd's pie, as she waited eagerly.
"Good evening, Emma." She turned and saw Liam waltzing up to her, looking as if he too just woke up. "Is Killian awake yet?"
"Yeah, he's just upstairs." She nodded, hoping that her brother-in-law was not planning to come lecture them over something.
"Good." He huffed, nodding as if to himself. "I was hoping to corner you alone for a moment."
She raised her brow at this, as he leaned in closer to her.
"It's about what happened last night, granted I'm sure you were unconscious for a greater portion of it, but last night…Killian mentioned about...not being able to feel you. Do you know what that means?"
Emma ran a tongue over her bottom lip in thought, remembering the pain that held in her chest the time they were apart. The taut wire that dug into her until it led her way back to him. If it was only that way when they were a few miles apart physically, someone else needed to know.
"Yes," she whispered carefully glancing around. "I don't know the best way to explain it. But it sounded crazy the first time it happened, of all that has already happened."
"I've experienced my fair share of absurdities. I just need to know Emma, if this is something to be concerned about."
"Do you remember when you spoke of soul mates at the wedding?" He nodded to her. "When Killian and I…when we first kissed. Somehow, we formed a connection. A bond between our souls where we were able to see each other's memories. Since then, we've only been able to feel emotions from each other, its like there's something binding us. Something that makes it easier for us to find each other across distance. I wasn't even sure what it was, until I asked someone at that library in Misthaven."
"What did they say?" He asked, his voice even and steady.
"That it was as you said." She smiled to him, just thinking of the warm spot in her that connected to Killian. "We share a soul bond."
He released a breath she didn't realize he was holding, his blue eyes bouncing around as if trying to find something else to focus on for a moment.
"But last night it gave him pain, he was clutching his chest the whole way to get to you Emma. He might have been trying to hide it from me, but I could see that whatever was happening pained him. Did you feel that too?"
Emma only hesitated a moment, the part of her wanting to hide all her pain and emotions surfacing before she reminded herself why she was confiding in Liam. For her sake, and for Killian's. So, she nodded.
"I can't say for certain that it was insanely painful, for me it was uncomfortable, like being stretched too far or having the air knocked out of me. Did he…was it painful for him?"
"Killian has mastered the art of hiding pain, I don't know what he was feeling, but I can tell it was more than what you described. Do you know any reason why he would feel that?"
"No." She choked, afraid now. Afraid at something that she thought special to them could turn against them now. The bond hummed with an equal concern, Killian awake in their room now and she could practically feel him moving about to dress and come check on her. "Could it be because he comes from this world, and it affects him differently than me?"
"It could be possible." He sighed heavily. "There's just no way to know. We will have to do our best to explore more into this in the meantime. There's someone I know who may be able to shed some more light on the subject."
A glimmer of what Emma thought was guilt flickered in his eyes, as he debated internally about something.
"There is something you should know, Emma." He murmured. He looked to her before his blue eyes bounced to someone behind her.
"Captain Liam Jones." A male voice announced. Emma looked behind her, an entourage of guards standing in the now silent tavern. The leader spotted them and approached.
"Aye." Liam said, standing up taller.
It was at this time that Killian was finally descending the steps, his jacket still unbuttoned as he drifted closer to Emma.
"What is this?" He whispered to her, his eyes not leaving the guards. Before Emma could even answer her confusion, the guard intervened.
"Your presence is requested Captain, along with Lieutenant Jones, and Mrs. Jones to appear before the king immediately."
.
.
Thankfully the guards already came escorting a carriage that didn't look like it was intended to go before the king for judgement to Emma. With a royal escort, the streets were clear for them to pass through, making the time spent in the carriage the previous night seem painful. They were presented again at the steps of the ornate palace, not a glowing beacon in the night but an obstruction of the setting sun.
"You don't think this could still be about The Jewel still do you?" Killian whispered to his brother. Liam merely shook his head.
"I doubt he would summon us so quickly for that."
"It has to be about last night." Emma added, her voice drifting quitter in hopes to not have the guards overhear. "I think he doesn't like the fact that we were in contact with the princess. When I spoke with her last night, it seemed that she was used to being locked away, and she was surprised by some of the things he said."
"Really Emma." Liam chuckled under his breath. "He probably is just a protective father. What use would the king have for keeping his daughter away from the public."
"Well, that for instance." She grumbled, about to add in what Adrianna told her the night before when the guard brushed open a wide door with an indicated hand wave for them to proceed. Her mouth clicked shut then, mindful of where they were when she caught sight of him. Sitting on a throne at the far end of the chamber was the king. Already a displeasured look on his face although Emma swore she saw a spark of interest when his gaze landed on her. Immediately, she looked away happy to land on another face in the room.
"Adrianna!" She sighed in relief, her kidnapped companion standing on the side of the throne with a grateful smile on her face. Killian's careful squeeze of her hand reminded her of the eyes of everyone in the room, clearly confused on her informality as she quickly recovered. "Princess, I mean, I'm glad you are…safe."
She grinned sheepishly, sending pleading looks to the princess who grinned with a graceful tilt of her head in acknowledgement.
"All thanks to you and the brothers Joneses." She beamed. "That is why I pressed for an audience."
Emma raised a brow to this before a servant promptly coughed with indication to the king.
"Your Majesty." Liam greeted for them with a bow leading Emma and Killian to do the same. "We were honored to receive you invitation here again."
The king grimaced, pondering over the group before nodding in agreement.
"It appears to me that you are the ones I should be honored to receive." Emma didn't even need her superpower to tell her he was lying. Clearly, he was already disgruntled by something and someone else was feeding the words into him, and considering how Adrianna was the one beaming down on them gratefully, the princess was the one to thank. "You have saved my princess's life I understand, and that is no small matter."
"It was our humble duty Your Majesty." Liam responded tactfully.
"Yes, that is what I thought." The king scratched at his beard. "You and Lieutenant Jones place such high honor to your duty and loyalty to the crown, truly an admirable quality. It is such a quality that I cannot allow these heroics to go unrewarded."
He glanced to Adrianna, a coldness flashing in his eyes that had Emma immediately tensed at.
"It is not every day that a king is in gratitude to his people, so I ask you to tell me how I may reward you for your service."
Before Liam could even speak or give thanks to such a reward, Emma watched as Killian stepped forward. Past his own brother without even a look of permission or even apology.
"Sir the credit for the rescue actually goes to my wife, Emma." She looked to him, confused at why he was even bothering to ensure she received the recognition. The last thing in the world she wanted was for this king to think she wanted a favor from him. "She was the one who found out and planned the rescue, she's the one to save Arianna, so she is the one you should offer your reward."
Everyone stared at him in stunned silence, both with different levels of shock and pride. Without another glance towards the rest of the audience, he turned to her. His blue eyes met hers, devoted and full of something else other than the loving devotion he always held in looking at her.
Hope. Pride. Trust.
It dawned on her then what he was intending for her to do. Giving her the full ability to make her request to the king. She smiled in return, a small twitch at the corner of her lips that conveyed her understanding.
"Is that so?" The king hummed. His eyes looked down at her, glancing between the two suspiciously. "Well then, how would you like to be rewarded Mrs. Jones?"
The way he said her last name was like a curse, as if he detested every syllable for it. Emma just set him a leveling gaze, king or not, she wasn't afraid of him. He couldn't hurt them. Not with the whole city seeing her, Killian, and Liam as being heroes.
"I just wish to keep living on The Jewel as I have been Your Majesty. With my husband and brother." She looked to the two men beside her with a warm smile before reaching to take Killian's hand. He grasped hold to her fingertips, weaving his larger fingers between hers in a steady hold.
Together they promised. They were going to stay together no matter what this king decided.
"You wish to continue living on a ship? Of all the things you could ask me for this is it?"
There was an edge to his tone, a dare. Emma could see the question folded beneath. Not about living on a ship but being married to a lieutenant. Her emerald eyes glimmered daringly.
"Absolutely." She replied. The exhale he let out through his nostrils was long and shallow.
"Then I shall grant your request. You are free to continue living aboard The Jewel of the Realm." He gritted, waved them away carelessly. "You may go now."
Emma blinked at this, looking to Killian who looked elated at the news. His blue eyes glanced to her and then to his brother with a wide grin. Liam, cool and collected as ever stood at the alert with a short courtly bow.
"Of course, Your Majesty. Thank you again for your generosity." Emma didn't even have trouble curtseying to the king. Raising up, Ariana was descending from the dais, approaching her and without asking looping her arm through hers. With a backward glance she acknowledged her uncle.
"I'm going to escort my hero out." She beamed and began pulling Emma along.
"I suppose you were the one who pushed him for a reward?" Emma eyes her deviously. The princess only grinned slyly in return.
"He agreed a royal's life must hold some value; he was inclined to agree with that." Her eyes darted to judge the distance between the beaming sailors and trailing guards. "But I suspect that's mostly because he wants to keep the people loyal to the crown."
"Why is he worried about loyalty?" The princess glanced around before leaning closer as if to whisper conspiringly.
"The king suspects war soon." Emma looked at her questioningly, and Ariana, reading where her question way only replied smoothly. "What better way to try then acquire more land, then to shed blood over it?"
"So, he wants to make an example, to show that he's a rewarding king to those loyal to him. Even though our request costs him nothing."
"That," The princess nodded. The carriage already prepared for them. "And I suspect he has something else planned. He did not seem happy about granting you your request."
"Maybe because he thinks I might have learned too much?" Emma looked to the girl, fear in her eyes.
"He has no reason to suspect." Ariana comforted. "I haven't forgotten that either. And I will be finding a way to address it. I don't know why he has made those claims in the first place."
It must tie into a claim to the throne. Emma wanted to voice aloud but kept quiet as the princess gave her one last short embrace.
"Thank you once again Mrs. Jones. I won't forget you." Ariana smiled before turning to the Jones brothers. "Safe travels to you both. I would say take care of her, but it seems she is more than capable of saving herself and others."
"Indeed, she is." Killian grinned, shooting Emma a playful wink. "I pity anyone who thinks they can best Emma Swan Jones."
"Then no one better try." She playfully raised a brow in taunt, earning a pleased huff of laughter from him. The princess eyed between them with her own knowing smile, walking away.
"I'm sure then you are all eager to get back to your inn, as I'm sure there is much for you to celebrate today."
"Farewell Princess." Liam politely bowed to her deeply, before holding the door open for them to the carriage. "Sometime today you two, before the king changes his mind."
Lip twisting downward at his lighthearted teasing, Emma just took hold of Killian's hand and leapt up into the carriage. As the fine carriage departed with them nestled inside ready to enjoy the left of their leave, a pair of old eyes stared down, watching with resentment. So many plans foiled within the span of a day. If only his instructions would have been followed correctly. The king scowled at the carriage leaving his sight, taking within it the beautiful girl. So much like Evangeline, he swore they shared some blood relation in some way. He hoped to have kept her in the capital, then arranging an accident to happen to her husband's vessel. It wouldn't be so easy now, but he was determined to make sure Emma Jones was to find herself a widow in the foreseeable future.