A/N: Next chapter of the adventure to find Caldera, Killian meets the stowaways, and we finally have Henry and her mother meeting the dragons. Obviously to the great delight of Henry, but his mother not so much.
Got a bit long, hope I didn't bore you all to death with the dragon stuff in this… thank you all who review this, and to all who read, leaving kudos, you're awesome and great. Thank you.
Enjoy.
Chapter 3Killian stood at the helm, relieved to be able to leave behind the realm Misthaven and head for Caldera. The old scroll he'd received from Merlin was attached to his charts hopefully it was marked out correctly and they would easily find Caldera the hidden world of Dragons.
They had already covered quite a long stretch of travel since they lifted the ship this morning. His men had grumbled over the early wakeup call, the night before had been quite the party for them all. It was halfway to midday when he saw Smee rush up to him, his red cap clutched in his meaty hands. The troubled look in the man's eyes had Killian lift his eyebrow, "What now?"
"Pardon Captain, but it seems as if we've got ourselves some stowaways, down in the haul." Mr Smee rushed out and fiddled nervously with the knitted cap, his eyes shifting away from Killian's hard stare.
"Bloody hell." Killian rubbed over his face with his hand, "Have them brought down into my cabin." He pushed past his first mate, "How many do we have on our hands."
"Three, Captain."
Killian could hear Mr Smee lumber down the steps behind him, "Three?"
"Oh, aye Captain, a man, a woman, and a small lad."
This was quite a surprise for Killian, he'd come across only a few stowaways in the past, usually, a scrawny young boy who hoped to find a better life onboard a pirate ship than hustling through life on the streets. But now a whole family of three, bloody hell.
Killian stomped into his cabin and found his flask, taking a fortifying drink before he mentally prepared himself for the next line of action. He contemplated where they could be dropped off before they would reach the End of the World. There weren't many options for sure and given how they had a kid among them he wasn't about to let them drop off on Neverland. He might be a pirate, but he wasn't barbaric, and knowing what went on on that island he didn't want anyone to experience that. Before reaching Neverland they also had one stop in Agrabah, but that land was never safe for anyone, no one really knew if it was the sultan ruling or his wayward warlock advisor. The tales told of the land wasn't one that gave the idea of a place willing to assist a whole family to return to Misthaven.
Moments later a knock came on his door, before he called them in he took another sip of his trusted rum. "Enter." He barked out and stood in the middle of the room preparing himself to deal with these people.
Mr Smee walked in first and let the group follow him. First came a man with a strong gait and authoritative air around him as if he was usually in charge of something. Killian squinted his eyes when he took in the man's persona. He looked quite fit and ready to take on any fight if needed. Slowly Killian slipped his hand around the pommel of his cutlass, while he had this nagging feeling of having seen the man before.
Next came the boy and the woman and Killian had to shake his head making sure he wasn't just imagining things. It was the boy and blonde woman from the Arendelle Inn he'd encountered on his first day in Misthaven. He vaguely remembered seeing the man walk into the Inn along with the woman and her son, but he'd never noticed any interactions between them.
The woman looked at him with a raised chin, her hands curled at her side as if she too was getting ready to fight.
"Well, well, well, who do we have here?" Killian mumbled and shifted his gaze over the small group, "You…" He pointed between the woman and the lad, "Look quite familiar."
"Hmm, we met, remember?" The lad piped up, much to the dismay of his mother it seemed, as the woman stepped up to her son and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Be quiet." She whispered and looked back up at Killian, "Now if you'll please let us off this fine ship, we'll be much obliged."
"That will be a bit hard to do." Killian grinned. "Unless you're an exceptional swimmer."
"Why would that be?" The woman asked haughtily.
"Since we're half a morning's journey off the coast of Misthaven." Killian shrugged and tapped his fingers against his hook. He noticed how the lad's eyes followed the movement, not quite afraid, perhaps more intrigued.
"But I can't feel the ocean move beneath us." The woman said and looked towards the large bay windows and Killian could see when she realized the truth to his words. "Seriously?" She whispered.
"I'm afraid so."
"Mother I told you his ship could fly." The boy piped up but only earned a hard look from his mother and he looked down at the floor again.
"Then please turn around, I need to return to Misthaven." The woman declared.
"That won't happen." Killian settled down on the table behind him, "this ship is sailing in one direction and one direction only."
"Where?" The man spoke and stepped forward, "You can't keep us here."
"Oh well it seems as if you were the ones who trespassed on my bloody ship, I dare say I can and I will keep you here until I see fit to drop you off," Killian commanded and crossed his arms over his chest.
"But you…"
"Now lass, if you'll please tell the most likely fascinating tale of how the three of you came to be locked up on my ship?" He waved his hooked arm between them.
"It's my fault." The young boy said and glanced up at Killian with big brown eyes.
"Do tell." Killian urged on, noticing the gentle nudge the boy's mother gave her son. "Let him speak."
"He's my son and I…"
"I wanted to see your ship and it locked me in one of your storage rooms." The boy interrupted his mother and the words rushed out, "I know your ship is magical and I have no idea why it locked me in there. It was only when my mother came that the door opened. She's got…"
"That's enough!" The mother commanded and pushed her son behind her and glared at Killian. "Your damn ship locked us up too, why the hell would it do that?"
This information puzzled Killian to no end, but he wasn't about to give this away to these people, he still needed to figure out if they could be trusted or not.
"So you and your husband searched for your boy and found yourself locked up as well. Curious." Killian shrugged.
"He's not my husband," the woman declared and then cringed as if she realized that the information might not be what she should have revealed to him right this moment. Interesting.
"Either way, you'll be staying here on the ship until I find a port where you can travel back to Misthaven from," Killian said firmly, ignoring the huff from the woman, she was quite an intriguing woman for sure, feisty and bloody beautiful too. Killian shook his head and ordered Smee. "Give our guests a room and show them where they can be during the day, and where not to be." Killian glanced between his unwanted ship guests, "I'll have my men keep an eye on you at all times, so don't start anything you'll come to regret later on."
"May I have my sword at least?" The man spoke up and flipped his thumb towards Smee, "Your crew took it."
"Why would you need it?" Killian cocked an eyebrow, challenging the other man.
"I'm on a pirate ship, P…" He cleared his throat, "Miss Emma Swan and her son are my charges and I'm going to protect them."
"Is that a fact?" Killian tilted his head to the side, "What's your name, good man?"
"August Booth." The man did a small nod in greeting.
"And we have Miss Emma," Killian smirked and then looked at the boy, "and what's your name, young man?"
"Henry." The lad lifted his chin up proudly, he looked up at August, "I know August won't hurt any of your men. Well, unless some of them want to hurt my Mother."
"I'm sure he's a valiant and brave man, but for now I'll keep his weapon and I'll give you my word that you'll be safe here."
"A pirate's word?" Emma scoffed and looked at him with her green suspicious eyes.
"I'll have you know that I'm a man of my word and if you find it not to be true I'll let you cut off my other hand." He wiggled his fingers in the air, "Although I can think of a few more pleasurable things I can use this hand for." He knew he was being a flirt, but the woman triggered something inside him, he wanted to see her all riled up and he was sure the next few weeks with her on board his ship their journey would become even more interesting.
"That will remain to be seen," Emma said with a huff and placed her arm around her son's shoulder. "Okay then, show us to our room."
Smee looked to his captain for guidance and Killian sighed, "Give them your room, you'll have to bunk with the cook for the next few weeks."
Smee only made a small wrinkle of his nose at this before he urged their guests out of the captain's cabin.
When the door closed behind them, Killian slumped against the table, this was going to be one hell of a journey with a sassy smartmouthed woman in tow, along with her boy and protector. Who was this Emma really? Killian couldn't help but sense that they had hidden something from him as they'd spoken with him.
The next day Killian stood at the helm, it had been a day since they'd last seen land. He watched as August Booth did a sword practice session with the young lad, Henry, using wooden swords. Emma was sitting on a crate nearby, shading her hand against the sun, though she'd managed to find an old tricorn hat and she'd lost the fancy skirts she'd worn the first day. The woman soon realized that manoeuvring around a ship in a large skirt wasn't that practical. So Smee had been so kind as to find some loose trousers for her and a loose-fitted shirt. She'd tied a red scarf around her waist keeping the shirt modestly close to her body.
Killian was still trying to figure out who they were, Emma was certainly highborn with her mannerism of a posh lady. August Booth was a man of honour and true to his word his mission in life seemed to protect Emma and her son. Killian had noticed several moments when the man had slipped his bravado, his eyes glazed over as he looked at Emma. It was easy for Killian to see how the other man held Emma in high regard, perhaps even fancying her.
To his surprise this seemed to bother him more than he wanted to admit, he had no dealings with the likes of her. He was a bloody pirate and because of her son's curiosity, he was now stuck with them for the near future. Their last stop before going to the End of the World was Agrabah, the desert land he'd only been to a fair few times.
"Captain." The young boy, Henry, interrupted his musings. The lad's large brown eyes looked up at him.
"Aye?" He was still keeping an eye on their heading not really caring what the child wanted now. In the past few days, he'd learned that the boy was curious and quite wise for his young age.
"You said in the Arendelle Inn that you have a dragon." The boy bounced on his feat, clearly very excited about the prospect of seeing such a creature.
"Well, Toothless and his mates are out hunting you see." Killian waved him off, "They'll be back soon."
"Toothless?" Henry tilted his head curiously, "that is no fearful name for a dragon?"
"Well, he's a Night Fury," Killian sighed, "I don't suppose you already know what a Night Fury is?"
"Oh I do," He leaned closer, "Don't tell my mother that I know this, she won't let me read much on dragons."
"Is that so?" Killian chuckled, "Well the lady will be in for quite a surprise then." He pointed to the east, just where a sliver of land was visible, "Seems as if they are back."
"They are." Henry leapt to the railing and shaded his eyes with his hand.
Killian searched the deck for the lady and saw that she realized where her son was, she walked up the steps with a hard scowl on her face. "Henry, get down from there, you're disturbing the captain."
"But Mother, look!" Henry pointed to the horizon.
Miss Emma Swan squinted her eyes and Killian could see the second she realized what was heading their way. "Are those dragons?"
"Oh aye, Milady, very much so." Killian acknowledged right behind her, making her jump and twirl around, almost having her collide with his chest.
She huffed out in indignation, "So why are you so calm when dragons are heading for your ship?"
"They are my dragons, well me and my crew." He shrugged and called over the deck, "Dragons incoming." Several of his trusted crew members got ready to receive the dragons. Hoisting the ropes and wires that expanded the deck on either side, making room for their creatures to land on. Even in mid-air, it was a sight to be seen when three dragons landed with ease on the extra deck.
"Dragons," Henry whispered in awe, he could hardly contain himself and Killian noticed that his mother had a firm grip on her son's shoulder preventing him from leaping down to the dragons.
"I can assure you they are well-trained and will not cause harm to anyone onboard my ship." Killian grinned.
"Hmm, don't really trust dragons." Emma bit out and Killian realized there was a story hidden behind her hard words, one he'd very much like to find out.
"Come now let me introduce you to Toothless." Killian waved his hand towards the deck below them.
"Toothless?" Emma questioned.
"Oh Mother he's a Night Fury, he has to be the last of his kind, they are super fast and their dive bombing is powerful enough to knock out the biggest monster dragons of all." Henry took a deep breath and continued, "He can also channel lightning and when he does he seems to disappear into thin air and you shouldn't get too close when he does that or you risk getting electrocuted. I read about the legend of a Light Fury that can do the same with lightning."
"Henry?"
"Yes, Mother?"
"How come you know so much about dragons?" Miss Swan lifted a curious eyebrow and gave her son a hard stare that would make even the toughest seafaring man spill his darkest secrets.
"Eh." Henry shuffled his feet and Killian felt the urge to go assist the poor lad.
"Now see Miss Swan, not all dragons are killing machines, there are still some dark personas travelling the realms that use the beasts for their own gain, being cruel to the creatures, using all sorts of dark magic on the poor things." Killian pointed to the three dragons. "Those three have all been trained and treated with respect."
"Is that a Deadly Nadder and a Monstrous Nightmare?" Henry exclaimed and his mother had to restrain her son again from going to the dragons.
"Aye, they are my mate's dragons, Stormfly and Hookfang." Killian pointed out.
"Hmm." Emma didn't sound too convinced, but she did lose her grip on her son's arm.
"Can we go see them?" Henry asked hopefully but looked down when his mother looked at him sternly.
"Explain why you know so much about dragons?"
"I might have borrowed a few tombs from the ca…" His mother cleared her throat sharply and the lad jumped and finished with a mumbled, "The library."
Killian watched this exchange with fascination, the group of stowaways was not fully telling the truth about who they were.
Finally, Emma Swan looked over at Killian, "Okay then, lead the way, Captain."
The group walked down to the deck and were met with August Booth, he followed them to the dragon's area and Killian could see the curious glint in the other man's eyes.
Killian asked them to wait for a moment as he proceeded to head for his dragon, when Toothless saw him approach the dragon made a screeching sound, greeting its friend. Killian never regarded himself as Toothless' owner, more a friend and companion in their battles against the dark pirates who wanted to hunt the dragons for gain and glory. In the past, the dragons had been sorely misunderstood creatures, but Kiillian and his friends had changed how the pirate realm, Rum Island, looked upon the dragons.
"Hello, there my friend." Killian laughed when Toothless nudged his shoulder sticking out his tongue in a happy almost smile-like expression. Killian could see the look in Toothless' eyes shift when having spotted the newcomers.
"Aye, we have new friends." Killian rubbed Toothless down his neck, "They are friends."
Toothless snorted in reply and took a step forward. Killian grinned when Henry stumbled forward as his mother tried to reach for him to hold him back. Her eyes looked frantically between the three dragons.
"Let the lad come here."
Emma Swan gave him a hard look and Killian lifted his hand and hook, "I'll let you cut off my other hand if Toothless hurts your boy."
Emma huffed but stood back with her arms crossed over her chest, August leaned over her shoulder and whispered something into her ear, something that made the lady roll her eyes in a very unladylike manner.
Henry bounced over with his brown eyes trained on Toothless and when Killian gave the lad a small nod of encouragement Henry reached out his hand, palms up letting Toothless come to him. Well, the lad had clearly done his homework regarding how to approach a dragon.
Toothless snorted as he sniffed the lad's hand, then pressed his snout onto the tiny palm. Henry's eyes boggled and his jaw was slack in surprise and awe. He turned to look over his shoulder and loudly whispered, "Mother look"
Killian waved Emma over, but she just shook her head, "I can't." She mouthed. Her eyes looked even more crazed and Killian knew she must have had some sort of dark past when it came to dragons.
Killian stepped over next to her, "Relax, love." Killian smoothed his hand over hers and hoped it would help her relax. All it did was for her to tense up even more and take another deep breath. "Let me help you."
"I can't…"
"Yes you can Mother, he's a good dragon, ain't that right Toothless." Henry beamed when Toothless forgot about Henry's mother for a few seconds to receive a neck rub from the lad.
Killian laughed, "Look, he's harmless." He lifted their joint hands so his dragon could greet this new woman.
Emma breathed out and he felt her shoulders tense and when Toothless moved closer he felt something warm prickle all over her skin, little white sparks danced over her skin. Oh, the lass had magic too.
Toothless snorted when the sparks of magic touched his snout, but he pressed close to Emma's palm. Emma stood ramrod straight, her eyes were unblinking, her other hand curled tightly at her side as if she was seconds away from fleeing the scene.
"See, love that wasn't so hard now, was it?"
"Hmm." Emma pulled her hand back and stepped out of his reach, "But I'm not your love." She stared at him arms crossed her arms over her chest, he was fairly sure she wasn't aware of how this movement pushed her ample chest together and closer to the open V of her loose shirt.
Toothless hated to be ignored so Killian was pulled out of his perusal of the lady Swan when his dragon nudged his shoulder. Killian shook himself out of the stupor and focused on his dragon, he checked on the tail brace he'd fabricated for the dragon. When he'd first found Toothless the dragon had been hurt and half of its tail had been ruined. With a lot of trial and error, Killian had been able to fix the disability so the dragon once again could soar through the clouds. They were quite the pair, one missing his tail and the other his hand.
"What happened?" Henry asked and pointed at the brace.
Killian told the lad the tale of how he'd found the wounded dragon and helped it heal and finally be able to fly again. Henry walked the length of Toothless and smoothed his hand over the black shiny scales, and watched in fascination as the dragon with no effort moved his tail. Killian glanced over his shoulder at Emma who'd stepped back, closer to the main deck. August had stepped closer and Toothless was more than happy to accept a few more neck rubs from the man. Ruby and Graham's dragons watched from their spots and Killian could see the curious glint in their eyes.
"Come meet the other two dragons," Killian suggested and motioned for them to follow him. Emma never followed her son, she slinked further back her eyes wide with terror and worry.
It was a delight to see how the lad enjoyed meeting the dragons and Henry again showed them that his knowledge about dragons was highly extensive. This was clearly not something his mother approved.
"Captain." Graham called out, "We're heading for Argrabah."
Killian headed for the helm again and called over his shoulder, "Get ready for going on shore leave."
"You'll let us off the ship?" Emma called and followed him to the helm.
"Aye, I would not recommend you getting your hopes up about finding passage to Misthaven from here," Killian said and took the wheel from Ruby.
"Why?"
"The realm's trade ships rarely sail that far north." Killian scanned the horizon and spotted the gilded domes resting atop the various temples scattered around the big city.
"So you suggest we stick around and travel to wherever it is you're going." Emma huffed, "And where might that be?"
"Caldera the hidden world of dragons," he said with a wry frown, he worried their week-long trip already had been far too long for them to make it back in time.
"Where is that?"
"On the other side of the End of the World." Killian manoeuvred his ship towards the calm waters leading into the harbour.
"What?" Emma exclaimed, "What else is there from here to the end of the world?"
Killian chuckled, it seemed the fair lady had not taken note in her geography lessons, "Neverland."
"Oh."
"You've heard about it?"
"A little here and there." Emma shrugged and leaned against the railing, "Not the best place to travel if you want a peaceful trip."
"Aye, I know."
"You've been there?"
Killian gritted his teeth not desiring to explain his past history with that dreadful island. "Hmm."
"Why?"
"Does it really matter?" He barked out with a sneer that had Emma jump in surprise, her large green eyes searching his features for what he had no idea. "Pardon, Milady."
"So yeah I guess we won't be stopping at Neverland." Emma mused.
"No!"
"Mother." Henry came leaping up the steps, "See all the gold on the roof in the city, they must be rich here."
Killian laughed, "Aye well they are known for their riches in this realm. I've managed to find a fair few hidden treasures in my time in this area."
When Henry was about to ask about this, his mother grabbed his arm and said, "Not now Henry, let the captain focus on getting us safely to port."
Killian gave Emma a nod of thanks and called out orders for his men to get ready for landing the ship.
Emma and her son kept away from all the hustle and bustle on deck, leaving Killian and his crew free space to sail their ship up an inland river that would take them closer to their real destination. Thiever's Cove.