That night at Granny's was a wild and busy night. Emma would recall it was the first time she felt like she was not an orphan or adopted in the community. For the first time in her life, she felt immediately stitched together with them all. That night that the people of Camelot welcomed Arthur their king.
There was a chatter, and a hum, and then a sudden, shushing by Snow White that led to a deeply reverant silence.
"He'll be here soon everyone, and then you may ask as many questions as you please." Snow smiled at the gathered crowd, in the direction particularly of Merlin who stood as a guard over the Pendragons table, beaming from ear to ear.
Silence, and a bustling, and then Arthur, who had let Emma and David go in before he was ready to come, stepped through the door. There was a shock silence, and it seemed almost like the people were afraid to breathe.
Arthur swallowed, in the lime light after a long while. He was struggling to look for the right words to say when all of a sudden, a tiny girl broke from the crowd.
"My lord, my lord! Witches!" She was in tears.
Arthur looked her way and immediately bent and scooped her up.
"Aye, witches. And other terrible monsters. But fear not." He smiled at her.
"Why not, lord? Witches...are scary." She chewed her fingers.
Arthur's tone raised as he talked to the girl in a way that would not scare her, but that the whole room could still here him.
"Ah, because the truth is the world is filled with monsters and beasts and poisonous things, but you must not be afraid of them. Because, you see, all manner of evil things can be beaten." He smiled at her, and, still holding the child, as if holding up all of Camelot with her, Arthur turned to his transfixed audience.
"I will not say that this is not a perilous hour. For most of you, the thought of ever seeing me, alive, was a terror, I am sure. The stories I hear tell are that my coming back to life would mean the end of the world had come. I will not lie and say that we will not face dragons. But rather I say, we can defeat them. And we will defeat them. Because we are now no longer a Camelot divided by terror of magic and mages, nor are we the Camelot of the days of the Purge, when all who were different from us were wiped from the Earth because of our fear...our hate...our pride." Arthur's eyes fell on Uther in the audience.
For the first time in his life, Uther Pendragon suddenly felt pause, because, in the eyes of his son whom he had raised from a little ruffle-haired boy, he saw someone that he truly, sharply, momentarily feared. He had only been awake from his sleeping curse for a short time, and so much was happening that it was overwhelming, and in that moment, that terrible moment where so much was happening that the kettle boiled over, he felt real fear of his son.
"Today, we are a Camelot united under the thread of the bond that made us one people. We are now Albion, and our heirs, our living grace, are among us and with them we will overcome." Arthur handed the little girl to her mother. Then, he looked out in the audience and held out a hand.
To the wonder of the whole of the room, Emma came forward, drawn to him, and took his hand.
"You-the whole lot of you-know I was barely a grown man when I was put to death. I died with no heirs of the body. But as fate has allowed, I have an heir of the soul. This is Emma Swan, heir of Albion, Savior and Princess of our lands. In the bond of sacrifice that defeated our Witch before, a new magic was created. Emma Swan possesses this magic. It is good,because it comes, not from a place of darkness or hate, but of love. You will come to trust in her as your Sheriff. The will of Emma Swan, is the will of King Arthur, and whatever she tells you is good to do, do it as if I told you. For in her likeness, Albion will go on living, even long after the legend of Arthur has faded beyond recall." Arthur smiled then.
He said other things, but Emma stopped listening. She was suddenly captivated by these people. By the passing of the torch, as Arthur held her hand up like a champion. She suddenly felt like she had so much more to do, even though she had already been their Savior for a while.
"How is it that anything good could come from Sorcery, or that magic is born of light and good?" Uther interjected, but his face turned to ashes almost as soon as he did.
Arthur's face was cold as he looked at him. He studied him, weighing the indignation in Merlin's heart throbbing in his chest, as he recalled the Purge and all the everlasting suffering wreaked by it.
"I am the man who was put to death on the altar of the Gatekeeper. I recall how I died, how my heart was pulled from my body, cut by cut, while it still beat, press like grapes in a wine press and turned to a draught of blood that I was forced to drink."
Igraine let a soft cry and stood up, so horrified by this description that both of her hands went over her mouth. Uther felt his tongue go numb, and the top of his head tingle and burn, eyes watering. For a moment, this was more confusing than being awake. Arthur's words did not make sense. There is no way that their beloved son died this way.
"Above any man here, I know the price and the consequence of evil sorcery. But I also know, that it was for the love of Camelot, and for my dear friend, the Mage Merlin, that I sacrificed my life. Merlin Emrys was born with natural magic that was whole and good, and that he only ever used to protect me and the people. The witches placed him under a terrible curse, but my sacrifice reversed it. It was through Merlin, and through the overpowering of evil wtih the good that came from death, that the people of Camelot won the battle of Camlann at last. Albion was born from Merlin's magic. Emma is born of Albion." Arthur smiled.
"We are all of us here united by this. The magic we possess is not like the devilry of some sorcerers, Father. It is as the wise Emrys once said: there is no evil in magic, only in the hearts of men. And we will overcome evil with good. Not with hate, not with fear, but with goodwill, with courage, and above all, with love." Arthur took Emma's shoulders.
"It has never failed me once. It will not fail us now. You are Albion, you are all my people. You know the story. The source of strength that gave me the courage to die, will be the source of strength that gives you the courage to live. And so don't be afraid of Witches. You must guard your hearts against fear, now. Courage is the best shield you have now. Build a wall of courage, and ramparts of love, and we will be alright." Arthur nodded at Emma. For the first time in her life, she felt completely whole and seen and important. Her face glowed, from the beauty of the moment and the magic within, and everyone who knew her, who loved her, saw that glow.
Snow gasped, and took Charming's hand. Herny poked his mother's shoulder and nodded, and Regina felt light-headed wondering what kind of beautiful thing was born just then.
But Hook, standing in the corner and leaning on it, studying his beloved wife, felt tears suddenly streaming down his face.
Please don't be my sacrifice...Don't let her follow in his footsteps, oh God. Will she give her life when the hour comes down to it? Will I have to know the pain that Merlin knew if she tries to save me from whatever wretched thing is coming? I will, won't I? I'm going to have to bury her, won't I?! Oh, God! I feel like my heart is going to explode! Get me out of here, NOW!... Hook's thoughts became so overwhelming he ran outside.
"Oh dear God..."He whispered, and covered his mouth with his hand. His hook he dug into the wall, grinding the metal. He fell to his knees and cried for a long while. Then, clearing his throat, he eased himself up and sat at the table, and pulled out a flask of rum.
He didn't know how long he stayed there. But inside, Emma, who had been showered with praises and the beauty of the moment, suddenly realized the one person she wanted to be there was not. She went outside looking for him.
"Killian? What are you doing?" Emma froze at the door when she saw him staring up at the stars to keep from looking at her.
"Killian..."Emma drew nearer and sat down next to him. He was a bit tipsy now, and crying into his fist again.
"What the hell? Are you..why are you so upset?" Emma put her hand on his arm.
"Don't you know, Emma? God..."He wiped his face on his sleeve.
"Shh, please don't cry...I don't, I honestly don't know..." Emma was tearing up now too, completely flabbergasted to find him weeping openly.
Killian looked at her completely dumbfounded that she was clueless.
"It's what the witch said. What Arthur did. What you've all but sworn yourself to do when the time comes. You're just like him, and you can't even see it, can you? Are you going to die for me? Am I gonna have to endure something like that, like that...happen to my darling wife? You heard him-you saw-you saw that day at the tide...what happened to him? You saw it...God and the Heavens! I'm gutted, Emma!... I can't even breathe.." true to his words, Killian was turning blue around the mouth, and struggling to drink in air.
Emma studied him, all of a sudden completely seared in the conscious for letting this go unnoticed.
"I'm sorry...I had no idea that you were struggling like this with everything that's happening. It's just like...it's like being sucked off into the ocean, you know? I just...everything's been pulling me along...and..."Emma looked up into his face. He was studying her intensely, eyes tracing her lips. He reached up and pressed his finger to them now.
"Please, for the love of God...let's not talk about that anymore. Let's not talk...let's not talk. Come here. Come..."Killian pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He kissed her two ,three times, and then he pulled back and pulled her so close that she felt like she had melted into him, and he knotted his fingers in her hair, and sobbed into her shoulder.
"It will kill me...even thinking about...God, Emma, it will kill me..." He pulled her closer.
Emma wanted to promise him she wouldn't do something. But all she could do was hug him back.
"Shh, it's going to be ok. I can protect us from her. I have good magic, remember? He seems so sure that we can defeat her." Emma swallowed.
"Dearest of the dearest Emma. Oh my darling Emma...he is doing what all men do when they have no choice but to be brave. But you and I both know that he is terrified because he knows that, when it comes to it, there is only one way to defeat her and that is a blood sacrifice. And either it will be him,...or it will be you...And you and I both know that, if his soul is in her power, it can't be him this time,...so who does that leave, Emma? Emma, my love, who does that leave?"Killian studied her face.
Emma felt her heart shatter into a million pieces.
"I'm not gonna ask you to forgive me for what I'm about to say...I should but I'm not gonna ask..because I can't because this is too much to do to you...but...Killian..."Emma was suddenly crying too.
"It's Henry. When it comes to it, you know I will have no choice. I'm sorry!... I love you with all of my heart and soul, and...I know what I might have to do...I know you will have to pay just as high of a price as I will, but...He's my son!...I...He's my son...I'm scared as hell, Killian, but he's my son, and I have no choice!"Emma felt her lip quiver at the look of mortified understanding that passed over Killian's face.
"And you're his step-father. And...I have to save you. I have to save you and my son. I-I've been holding it together because nobody has called me out on it. Nobody can call me out of anything like you can. Not like you... But, God, I love you and that kid more than I can bear it sometimes and...and I realized tonight that being the Savior is what I was born to do. I finally feel like I belong to that purpose, don't you see? I-I can't ask you to forgive me...and I can't ask you for permission for what I was born to be...I love you, but it's impossible for me to ask you for permission to do what I have to...Killian, you don't have any idea how much I love you, do you? I would die for you without a second thought. I don't care if I have to...even like that...I'm sorry, I can't ask forgiveness...God, I'm sorry!"Emma's words died in her throat.
Killian's bluing lips and face turned gray and ashen. He could not breathe again for a long while, and struggled to swallow in more air.
"Killian...?" Emma traced his face.
"I am sorry...I don't want to hurt you, I just...This is happening too fast...this is happening so fast...I just...I don't even understand what's happening."
Killian didn't speak again. He scooped Emma up and carried her like he did when she was a bride back to the car they came in. He drove her home and carried her in the house, still without speaking. She was afraid after a moment, how mute he remained, and how wan faced he was, still unable to get a good breath. But after the smothering silence of the ride home, she could not bear to speak again either.
He carried her all the way into the house, and took her into their room without turning on the lights. Then, he laid her down in the center of the bed, and laid down on top of her, shielding her whole body with his own, protectively covering her from whatever evil may be lurking outside under the lights of Storybrooke. And in that moment, the too of them were greatly comforted by the dark, where no one could see that, even among great hero leader speeches, they were coming undone. The two of them were falling apart, despite all appearances.
"I wish I was born special...I wish it could be me. If you would die for me in a second, then I would die for you a thousand, thousand times, Emma Swan. Anything for you, dear Emma..."He kissed her ear, and held her until they cried themselves to sleep.