Sitting in the dirt, her arms wrapped around her knees unable to see more than a few inches in front of her, the dungeon much darker than the tower had ever been. So much so Emma found herself pining for her tower, causing a small laugh like grunt to escape her lips in her delirium. The only sound in the dank dungeon beneath the Evil Queen's castle. Picturing the sandstone bricks and smell of salt air, the warm sunlight shining through the window of the tower, she breathed in deep eyes shut tight. Those bright blue eyes filled with affection and a deep love, staring at her. It wasn't the tower she missed; it was Hook, she gasped somewhat happy for a moment to have such a glorious memory. Before clenching her fist recalling his callus death.
The warm aurora of her magic flowed through Emma; it was healing, returning her strength and easing her mind. More glances of him flooded in, pulling him into her the kissed passionately amongst a lush green forest, a candlelit dinner, his curious expression as they climbed up into the clouds. None of these glimpses made any sense, she had no context, and her heart started to race confused.
"Killian" she whimpered out having no idea what the name meant.
The sound of silk sliding across the dry dirt alarmed Emma, she looked up eyes wide, just as the Evil Queen's face was illuminated by the flicker of the torchlight on the wall.
"Saviour, that's what they called you" Snow paused glaring at her with disdain her hands, gripping the bars "Don't really live up to your name" she teased.
"I'll kill you" Emam spat surging forward, flexing her fingers she could feel her magic surging through her, like adrenaline pumping in her vessels.
"That's just not the code of you, hero types" Snow chuckled, not even a glint of remorse in her expression.
"I'm no hero" Emma's voice was hoarse, a visceral hate in her eyes.
Snow smiled wide in response, looking are her no longer with hatred but intrigue, excitement even, like she was a tool she could use.
"Why keep my alive" Emma questioned as her voice quivered.
"I'm trying to decide" Snow exhaled calmly with a sadistic smile, taking immense pleasure in holding lives in her hands.
"You seemed quick to kill earlier" Emma's anger faltered as her grief took over, her retort coming out in a whimper. Fear washed over her while a weakness set in, she found herself on the verge of collapse.
"I don't know" Snow replied, her tone suddenly shifting clearly seeing the heartbreak and hopelessness in the eyes of Emma, her own eyes glazed over becoming distant confused.
"Is this just a game to you?" Emma gasped horrified.
The Evil Queen didn't have an answer, her mind clouded while a sharp pain radiating through her head. The details of this reality were not adding up, with the wedding bells having been rung, this story was over and yet here they were continuing with no script to follow. Just as the cracks begin to show, when reality bleed through in drips and drabbles.
"Answer me" Emma yelled stepping forward she gripped the Queen's wrist tightly enraged.
Another glimpse came to the forefront of their minds, a gentle hand reaching out over a kitchen table, the smell of hot cocoa and cinnamon reaching their nostrils. The queen snatched her hand back, unable to speak she saw a familiar bewildered expression, in the saviours eyes.
With the authors pen down, they could steer their own path now, but with only his narrative to guide them, they were in rough waters. Snows heart pounded as a horrible grief overwhelmed her, one she couldn't resonate with, couldn't comprehend. The queen turned away, marching back out of the dungeon as if gasping for air the further she got from Emma, the more at ease she felt.
Slumped in a cold black chair in the war room the prince seethed in pain, letting out a gasp as he removed the blood-soaked cloth from the back of his head. At the request of the remaining six dwarfs, who looked at his head wound with mild concern before Grumpy spoke.
"If only Doc was here" Grumpy stated plainly while standing in the room his brother was killed in, he said this not with grief, but a small shrug almost chuckling.
"What could he do?" Happy's voice croaked out, before sneezy breathed in deep trying his best to hold in a sneeze.
"Somebody do something" David grunted feeling nausea set in, he could barely keep conscious.
The double doors burst open and in stormed the Evil Queen, causing all those in the room to become tense, awaiting her wraith.
"Get away" Snow commanded, as frustration overwhelmed her and a sense of fear one unfamiliar, as if concerned for the princes wellbeing.
Marching over instinctively hovering her hand just above his wound a purple glow of magic healing the torn skin and nerves. Completely startled the prince stood up frowning at the Evil Queen placing his hand where his wound once was.
"Thanks" Davids voice croaked, confused wondering if this were a ruse, but her expression was more bewildered then his, as she turned away.
"Your majesty" Grumpy sheepish said stepping forwards "what of the girl" a bloodthirst in his eyes twirling his knife.
"Leave her to me" Snow's voice rose with anxiety before shaking her head trying to quash her feelings "Just find Regina, get out of my sight" Snow ordered with a wave of her hand and they turned to leave.
The prince remained and so did his curious frown, seeing a side to the queen he hadn't recalled ever witnessing. His memories were confounding nothing in his world familiar, every time he attempted to feel something deeper then surface level, he found nothing. As if someone had blanked out parts of himself, like a redacted document, with only a few words still visible.
"What are you starring at" Snow remarked with disdain, her hand at the back of her neck with an agonised expression.
"You seem more tense then usual" David retorted teasing her.
Snow shook her head, unable to deny his observation her hand moving to her chest, feeling a warmth that she recoiled from. All the pain and death at her hands to much to bear with love in her heart, she felt an overwhelming despair for the woman locked in her dungeon, a feeling that bewildered her.
"She's done this" Snow grunted her hatred growing.
"Done what, who is that woman" Davids voice alarmed, never knowing anyone to shake the will of the Queen like this.
"Emma," Snow gasped pausing feeling the words as if she said them before, like an echo " he name is Emma" her voice gasped before she stormed out.
The guyliner on his eyes smudged from the sweet and constant rubbing, but for the first time they he could remember the prince had the courage of his convictions. Rushing down the stairs smirking at the guards as he passed them. They frowned but shrugged as he strutted by, descending to the dungeon. Keys in hand he gripped them tight, heart racing while the adrenaline coursed through him wondering when he'd be caught.
"No" Emma gasped seeing him approach, feeling her death to be intimate "I'm not afraid of you" Emma quickly stated, but her crippling fear of the world, was still present.
"I won't hurt you" David said the words, before even contemplating them, his hands out in front of him, similar to Hook, trying to assert that he came in peace.
Emma frowned remaining silent, backing away but she couldn't get far in the small cell.
"Your.. 'friend' he said something strange.." his guilt overwhelmed him looking down "the way he looked at me..." he stammered confused going over everything, like it was someone else's memory not his.
"He told me, nothing here is real..." Emma paused sensing a change in the man before her "he told me that you are my father" she scoffed as she said it.
The prince looked up then, a kind joyous smile on his face as if the word father held deep meaning to him. For the first time that he could remember, a title that felt right, fitting even.
"How is that possible?" David gasped, knowing in his heart this was true, even with no explanation.
"The only one that knows the truth, is dead" Emma words were angry as she looked upon him with bitterness. "Because the evil queen forced 'you' to kill him"
"I don't feel it was her controlling me, I" he stuttered desperate to understand his own mind, how he could slay a man like that "I don't know, who I am"
Emma paused her mind spiralling everything moment she spent with Captain Hook was starting to make sense like pieces of a puzzle slotting into place.
"Hook, I think he had another name, I think you all did" Emma breathed out her anger ever-present now directed at whoever sealed them, to this horrific fate.
Suddenly falling forwards the prince heaved out in agony gripping the bars of the cell, to which Emma gasped in response.
"Did I say you could visit the prisoner?" Snows voice coy teasing, as he continued to grunt in pain while she squeezed his heart in her hand.
"Stop" Emma gasped still leaning up against the wall.
"You want to save him, the man that killed your lover" Snow smirked, letting out a chuckle.
"No more" Emma commanded, her eyes dark.
Emma charged forward her fears subdued but not from her anger but love for Hook, for them, she sent a blast of magic causing the cell door to swing open. The queen had a fireball in hand ready to strike, but Emma simply waved her hand, vanquishing the flames.
"I said no" Emma glared, forcing them to a truce, hands glowing with energy, a power that she now had control of.
"Who are you?" Snow breathless she stepped forwards the same curiosity in her eyes excited, instinctively aware she would not be harmed by Emma.
"I don't remember" Emma stated confused, looking at them closely they were so familiar, but he mind was empty no receiving any information, was agonising.
"Why don't we find out" Snow stated, becoming her forwards out of the dungeon as if she could stop Emma if she wanted to leave.