#tried to post this earlier but tumblr sent it to the shadow realm

[scarymonsters-andsupercreeps]

David Bowie for likeness practice!

[evelzzzk]

Dragons eat Seahorses series: Outburst of chaos - Female OC Velaryon Reader x Aemond Targaryen (Chapter 2)

Chapter 1: Battlefield between the sheets

Guys, sorry for late-posting this, I've wanted to do it earlier, but Tumblr messed up visibility of my posts in tags for a few days so... yeah. But here it is, hope you enjoy it!

WARNINGS(!): Smut, 18+ NSFW, slight angst, hate-sex, name-calling, heavy knife kink, mentions of breeding kink.

ENGLISH IS MY 2ND LANGUAGE.

Word count: approx 6,4k

DISCLAIMER: Mentions of ep 9 HOTD events

SUMMARY: King Viserys I, The Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, has died. A war was brewing, the division of House of the Dragons was inevitable now and you have found yourself in the middle of this mayhem. You were imprisoned in your chambers, as well as your mothers, while The Greens were plotting to seat the unrighteous heir on the throne. An unexpected savior comes to your rescue but later he demands quaint favor from you. To make matters worse, the doom of inescapable punishment for your recent vices was hunting you like a shadow.

Playlist: Track 1, track 2, track 3 (idk why I thought latino vibe might fit, but here it is :p)

The sound of restless bustling outside doors has woke you up violently. You opened your eyes unwillingly and with a languorous yawn you turned yourself to the other side of bed, only to find empty space and messed up blankets. Aemond was gone. You huffed as you noticed a small note on the bedside table. You took it doubtfully, as your eyes followed written words. It was his writing, you were sure, those diligent lines were hard to adulterate.

„My Father, The King is dead. My mother has sent me to find Aegon as she plans to make this unworthy drunkard his successor. Please stay in your chambers, for your own good. I’ll be back before sunset. Yours, A.T.”

The King is dead. Those words has sunk into your veins, freezing the blood running through them. A moment of cold realization has hit you as the piece of paper fell to the floor. The Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, the last warranty of peace and possible chance to appease any conflict, has succumb to illness. The dissent of the House of the Dragon was now inevitable, the coronation of Aegon will surely start a war. A war that will leave nothing in this realm, besides bones and ashes.

You tried to gain back your composure and decided to quickly change your clothes by yourself, as you have not seen any maid to help, much to your surprise. The outside clamor kept going, you even heard some muffled cries and screams of female voices, you guessed that those belonged to missing maids and that was the reason of their absence.

You put your dragon-riding gear on, wearing a gown somehow seemed to be out of place in the face of current events. You braided your hair quickly and you wrapped it around the top of your head. You rushed to the door and you were unpleasantly surprised as you couldn’t open it. You tried to pull the handle several times but like out of spite, it remained unmoved.

You growled with disappointment and slammed the door with your bare fist a few times.

- Hellooo?! – you screamed fiercely, hoping that someone will answer your desperate call.

- Lady Elaena...? – you heard familiar voice and sound of footsteps coming. The voice you wanted to hear least.

- Ser Crispy Cole... You locked me up in here like if I was some kind of a mongrel? – you hissed so threateningly, that you could feel the man behind the door trembling. 

- Apologies, my Lady. It was the Queen’s order – said ser Criston with a remorse in his voice, trying to cool you down. As if he even could.

- Listen to me, you pathetic queen asswipe. You better open this door or I will crush your pitiful skull on it! – the words oozed from your mouth like a venom. Deep down inside, you knew that insulting a kings guard wasn’t the most reasonable thing to do. But you hated this doleful makeshift of a man too much to even care. You hated his toadyism towards the Queen. You hated that he hated Rhaenyra, acting like a pathetic, bitter ex. It made you despise him even more.

- It’s for your safety, my Lady. Believe me – he said patiently and you heard him walking away.

You punched the door angrily and subsided upon it. You lasted in your misery for a little while.

- My Lady...? Are you alright...? – all of sudden you heard your sworn shield’s voice. You breathed a sigh of relief.

- Ser Ryon... Thank Gods. Yes, I’m fine. Tell me, what the hell is going on? Why all this fuss?

- The Queen has ordered service to be locked up in dungeons. She called The Green Councill and she doesn’t want any bystanders.

- The King has barely given up his ghost and that bitch is already plotting – you replied with disbelief.

- So you know, my Lady...? – the knight seemed to be surprised.

- Yes, I do. My mother, where is she?

- She is imprisoned in her chambers as well as you, My Lady. Queen’s order. I’m sorry, there wasn’t much I could do – he added with sincere apology.

- I swear the Gods, I will beat the shit out of this worm Cole at the nearest opportunity – you muttered under your breath. You knew you had to reach to your mother and help her escape The Keep.

You looked around the whole room in search for some kind of denouement. Your eyes stopped at the window and curtains tied with a long rope. An idea has sprouted in your head.

- Ser Ryon, I need you to do me a favor. Stay here and make sure no one will pass through that door – you said as you approached the window and started pulling off curtains.

- My Lady...? – knight seemed confused.

- Trust me, ser Ryon, as I trust you with my whole life. I will be perfectly fine – you added assuringly and started to make line out of curtains and rope, tying knots tightly.

Apparently ser Ryon has obliged to your order as he remained silent from now on.

You tied up the line you’ve made around the wall pipe and tossed it through the window. You looked down as you examined the height. Your chamber was located on the second floor, so it was rather safe to just slide down the line.

Before you left, you made sure to have at least one dagger by your side. You also grabbed your valyrian steel sword, Dragon’s bane – another gift from your father and stepped on the windowsill. You jerked the line couple times to make sure it was well secured. You turned around, facing the window, and started to slid down the wall slowly. But you weren’t aware of the extra pair of eyes watching you for the whole time.

When you were low enough to jump off, you released the rope and expected to hit the ground. But it wasn’t the ground who caught you. You found yourself in strong arms of a man instead.

- Aemond?! – you gasped as you faced your hooded ‘savior’, your eyes were open wide as if you just saw a ghost. He seemed to be as surprised as you.

- What the hell are you doing here?! – you snapped, he was still holding you tightly.

- I should ask the same question – his lips curved in a mischievous smirk.

- Youuu… - you hissed as you turned your head to the side to see ser Criston Cole standing next to Aemond, wearing a weird, mix of a monk and squire, costume.         You broke free from the Prince embrace only to hit with all of you strength the unsuspecting face of a knight. He staggered slightly to the side as your fist landed on his cheek with a loud crunch. If it weren't for Aemond, you would have crushed his skull with your bare hands without any inhibition. Young Prince caught your arms and pulled them to your back, pushing you aside of ser Criston, as you tried to break out angrily.

- How dare you locking me up in my own chambers like some unbridled animal, you haggard imitation of a guard?! – you shouted madly as you still tried to break free from Aemond’s grip.

- You were right, my Prince. She is reinless, indeed – ser Criston still rubbed his cheek, now reddened because of your fist strike.

- Let it go, my Dragoness. Enough of this – Aemond was seemingly tired of your incessant resistance. Finally you gave up with an angry snort and turned around to look straight into the only eye of your betrothed.

- Have I not written for you to stay in your chambers for your own sake? – he asked with a poker-face, but his eye was filled with concern.

- For my own sake?! Are you mad? The King, your Father, is dead! And you expect me to sit there politely and do nothing?! – you looked at him in disbelief. He knew you perfectly well, he couldn’t require you to be idle as you were always the first to act.

- And what did you want to do, my love? – he grabbed you by your arms and looked at you, fondly almost.

- I need to see my mother and get her out of King’s Landing – the determination in your voice must have somehow impressed him, because now he was genuinely interested in your next doings.

- And how will you do that? The city is swarming with guards, every entrance to The Red Keep is guarded as well. How are you going to sneak through?

- Well, I thought that maybe… you would help me with that, you know many secret passages to the castle… - you proposed and hoped that he will be willing to help you. You were even ready to pay him back, in a way he would be very pleased of.

- You’re right. I do know many of them – he replied with a victorious grin.

- My Prince, I don’t think this is a good idea… - ser Criston interfered and got immediately struck with your killer gaze.

- One more word from you and he’s not going to be the only One-Eyed here – you snarled towards the knight and pointed your finger at Aemond. You heard a resentful ‘Ouch!’ from the Prince and you looked at him apologetically.

- She’s right, Cole. It is not safe for such Lady to wander these streets alone. We shall escort her to the one of the passages and then we’re going straight to find the drunkard brother of mine -  Aemond ordered sturdily and ser Criston only rolled his eyes.

- Oh, you are looking for Aegon? I suggest you should start looking at the Silk Street – you pointed out with a bit of mockery in your voice. Both Aemond and Cole looked at you with resignation.

- Gods, my brother isn’t even trying to hide his depravities… - The Prince huffed with contempt – Here, you should wear this – he put hood on your head – We’re alike now – he grinned proudly.

He took your hand firmly and all three of you sanked into the city streets.

Aemond’s knowledge of the city, its every corner, every alley and every crossing has quite impressed you. He moved with the agility of a panther as he guided you through next aisles. Luckily, all of you managed to stay out of sight of suspicious guards of the City Watch as they were occupying each street corner. After some time of wandering, hiding behind your cloaks and hoods, you finally have reached your destination. Aemond approached the breach in the stone wall at the foot of The Keep and moved one of loose bricks to the side. After a moment a hidden door has opened and a dark, secret tunnel appeared to your eyes. Prince took one of torches from the entrance and illuminated the surrounding darkness, apparently to make sure whether it was still safe to pass through. A short and complacent ‘Hmm’ escaped his lips, clearly it meant his approval.

- This passage will guide you to the floor where your mother’s chamber is. All you need to do is go straight forward and turn right at the last bifurcation. Stairs at the end will lead you to the destination – he instructed you carefully, handling you the torch. You nodded understandingly.

- You are always this helpful or just fair-weather? – you smiled at him provokingly.

- Only when it comes to save the lady in distress – he replied cheekily, a spark lit his only remained eye – Go now, little dove. And be careful, there are still guards inside the castle, better not incite them – he kissed you gently on the forehead and looked verifyingly into your eyes afterwards, to make sure you understood his remark.

- Don’t worry about me, my Prince. You better go, find your spoiled brother, before he drinks himself to death in one of those shabby taverns – you couldn’t resist yourself to tease him, even if only a little.

He nodded at you for farewell and turned around, only to disappear with Criston Cole in the turmoil of the city.

You sighed with waiver and stepped behind the threshold of the tunnel, only the flame of the torch lit your path. You followed the stone corridor and after some time you reached the crossing – you turned right remembering the instruction given you by Aemond. You passed the stairs going upwards and the huge, brass door emerged in front of you. You barely managed to open them, pushing the metal handle all the way forward, using all the strength you had. Finally the door has opened with a loud creak, revealing quite well-lit corridor, for a nice change. Before you stepped in you looked cautiously around both ways – there was only one guard protecting the entrance of your mother’s chamber. I have to get rid of him somehow, you thought trying to figure out the right distraction. You decided to go rogue and trust your own gumption.

You emerged from behind the corner and the guard immediately spotted you, his face was clearly shocked to see you there.

- Lady Elaena…?! What are you doing in here? You should be in your chambers…! – he stepped forward warningly, stopping you with his hand.

- Well, I needed to use the restroom and I’ve obviously lost my way… - you tried to pretend a sweet idiot and you were doing pretty well, but the guard felt the urge to raise the alarm anyway.

- Stay right where you are. I’ll order ser Ryon to escort you back to your chamber – he wanted to grab you by your arm, but you were faster. You turned yourself behind his back swiftly and grasped his head, your forearm were locked around his neck tightly.

- You will go nowhere – you hissed and twisted his neck, maybe a little bit too much, because you heard a bone crack and a moment later the guard fell to the floor, lifeless.

- Well, shit – you muttered, watching his face getting more and more white. But you didn’t have much time to contemplate over your maleficence as you pushed forward the door to the chamber.

- Elaena…? – your mother looked at you shocked, a sight of lying guard’s body over the threshold must have added to the effect, because her mouth gaped in a stupor.

- Mother, I had to see you. Are you alright? They didn't do anything to you, did they? – you grabbed her by forearms, looking attentively for any sign of mistreatment.

- If they had only dared, they would have regretted it bitterly. And you didn’t have to kill the guard to get in here, daughter – you rolled your eyes at her punitive words.

- The Queen was here, wasn’t she? To ask for your support for Aegon’s ascending? – you asked knowingly.

- Yes, she came here. But I didn’t gave her my answer, yet.

- Mother… - you were shocked by the lack of decisiveness of your own mother, the very same woman who have always been sure of her will.

- She knows my answer well. They all do – Rhaenys grabbed your chin to give you assuring look. You sighed with relief. The Queen Who Never Was, but should have always been.

- Mother, you need to get out of here, you can’t stay in King’s Landing. I’ll command ser Erryk to escort you out of The Keep at the dawn, he will guide you to the ship in the Blackwater Bay. You’ll sail away to the Dragonstone, to warn Rhaenyra and Daemon – you revealed the plan you’ve managed to come up with while wandering through dark corridors. And you knew ser Erryk was one of the very few who can be trusted right now.

- And what about Meleys? I can’t leave her here - your mother's voice was suddenly filled with sadness. She was as attached to her she-dragon, The Red Queen, as you were to yours.

- The coronation will take place in the Dragonpit, Aemond told me. I will get Meleys and Carantes out of here, I promise. I’ll join you on the Dragonstone – it was now you who was ensuring your mother as you squeezed her hands firmly.

- And you think Aemond will let you go without any opposition? Now, when you have just returned to him and your affection seems to flourish? �� she looked at you with incredulity.

- He will have to. He must – you whispered, a sudden pain filled your soul, the thought of abandoning the love of your life again was truly tearing you apart. But it was that kind of pain you had to swallow, even if it hurt with every single sip.

- You love him, my child – Rhaenys embraced you with her maternal warmth, understanding the importance of the choice you had to make.

- My feelings don’t count right now. There are far more important things to face at the moment – you said with a dash of a soldier, succumbing yourself to the loving hug of your mother.

- You really are my daughter – Rhaenys smiled with an unhidden pride, letting you go – You should go now, guards will soon start looking for the reason of their dead companion – she rushed you towards the door.

- Remember mother, ser Erryk will get you at sunrise – you said as you slowly disappeared behind the door. Your mother only nodded with understanding.

Somehow you managed to sneak back to your chamber unnoticed. Ser Ryon seemed to be visibly relieved when he saw you, all safe and sound.

You decided to take a bath as you wished even for a single moment of rest. You filled the tub with boiling hot water, adding some fragrance oils. You kicked off your clothes and dived into the steaming water. It was still a bit too cold for your taste, in the end a fire cannot kill the dragon, you guessed. You were lying there for several hours until water became unpleasantly cold. You peeked through the window. The sun was low on the horizon and there was still no sign of Aemond’s presence. You assumed that the searching of his brother must have devoured him completely.

You stepped out of bathtub, reaching for the towel and started to wipe the wetness from your body. You even applied some of precious lotion from Ashai as you couldn’t resist it’s tempting scent of jasmine. You put on the dress, black one with deep boat neck, long sleeves and with rich, velvety dragon & seahorse embroidery. You clipped some strands of your hair to the back, leaving the rest loose. You wanted to look representative in case Your Prince would’ve decided to join you.

Suddenly the door to your chamber opened and none other than Aemond came in, casting you an exploratory look. He evidently appreciated the fact that you have attired yourself for him only, as he smirked in a delightful way.

- There you are. It seems that you have already tuned yourself up for the evening – his eyes were piercing through you obstinately and you could tell that he was already undressing you in his mind.

- Have you found Aegon? – you asked as he poured the wine into two goblets.

- I have, unfortunately. If only he had boarded a ship and crossed The Narrow Sea, you would’ve become the queen – he handled you one glass and smiled apparently pleased with himself, his gaze never left your body, as he was now examining your statuesque figure wrapped with black velvet only to highlight your every curve.

- And have you found your mother? – he took a solid sip of wine, still staring at you, making you blush involuntarily.

- Yes, I have. I’ve arranged her departure from the city – you also took a swig, wanting to cover your reddening.

- Good. She’s welcome to leave at any moment, as long as she leaves you behind – he finally glanced away from you, reaching his hand to back pocket of his coat.

- I have a gift for you - a black velvet box appeared before your eyes.

- Gift? - you were so startled that you had to put your glass down, not wanting to spill the alcohol.

- Open it – he passed over the box to you, smirking cunningly.

You opened it and the first thing you noticed was the blood-red fabric that filled the inside. Then your eyes caught a sight of quite impressive necklace made of white gold, a massive tear-shaped sapphire was embedded in its heart. You said nothing, as you were dazed by the artistry of gold chains linked with carved bindings.

- Helaena helped me with picking – Aemond finally said, wanting to break the awkward silence.

Ah yes. Helaena, his sweet, older sister. Only she could have such sophisticated taste. And she was the only person of this whole family who you truly sympathized with.

Aemond took the necklace out of the box and looked at you inquiringly. You turned your back to him, shoveling your hair away. After a moment you felt a cold touch of metal against your cleavage and Aemond’s gentle fingers grazing the soft skin on your neck, causing you to shiver. He clipped the jewelry and his hands slid down your arms, his warm breath enveloped your nape. You turned yourself back around and now he was admiring little piece of art on your neckline.

- It definitely looks better on you. Now we both have something in common – he smiled at you meaningly.

Suddenly something dazzled you. His eyepatch. For some time you have been tempted to discover what is underneath it. And now it was within arm's reach.

You slowly gripped the leather strap with your hand. He didn’t stop you but you could see how much he have stiffened, his only eye glanced down to the ground. Finally you removed the eyepatch, revealing the deepened scar first. Then you looked further. The sapphire. The rumors did not lie. It was now gleaming, reflecting the candlelight and you could literally saw little flames dancing in its flexure. It was truly beautiful, out of this world. The blue of the stone only highlighted the color of the healthy iris, making it more overwhelming.

- Are you scared? – he was afraid of your lack of reaction – I wear the eyepatch so ladies at the court wouldn’t be frightened…

- It’s beautiful, Aemond – you sighed as you grabbed his cheek, gently tracing the pink scar with your thumb. You could see him gradually relaxing. A surge of relief overwhelmed him, a realization of your acceptance washed over him like a wave. Acceptance of his flaws, his deficiencies, his weaknesses.

All of sudden he pulled you by necklace gustily and crashed his lips against yours. The kiss was so hectic that you couldn’t help but moan, while he was engorging you with his tongue. He pinned you with his whole body to the dresser behind you, you almost stumbled from the force of his pressure. His hand embraced your thin waist, while the other wandered to your breast, kneaded it through the thickness of material. Apparently this wasn’t enough for him as he pulled out your both of your bosoms, releasing them from tight pressure of fabric. His lips immediately sucked their tender mold, grasping sensitive nipples with his teeth, coaxing more and more delightful groans from you.

- Open your legs – you heard his fiery command by your ear as he gently licked it.

You remained still as you looked at him with pride. You were a Velaryon after all and a dragon’s farrow, you weren’t going to give yourself up to him like a common prostitute.

- Resistant, huh? Have you already forgotten that you deserve to be punished for your recent antics? Besides you also owe me a favor for today's rescue – his fingers tightened around your jaw, clutching it heavily – Spread your legs like a good whore you are – his voice was nothing but a threat now.

- I am not… your… whore – you managed to drawl out through your teeth and you took out the dagger hidden in the neck of the dress but you were foolish to think you could menace him somehow. In a split second Aemond knocked the blade out of your hand, spinning it deftly within his palms. He pressed the dagger against your throat, enough for you to feel its sharpness, without cutting your alabaster skin.

- What did you want to do with it, little dove? Cut me? – he chuckled madly, sparkles of insanity glistened in his one eye – Now, where were we… Ah, yes – he spreaded by force your trembling legs with his free hand, the blade of your dagger never left your neck.

- Good girl – he praised and set aside the dagger from you and started to play with it. His eyes were examining your dress as he was swiveling the goad around his hand, more and more vehemently.

A few clean, rapid cuts tore your dress apart, baring you completely in front of him. Aemond smiled with unhidden satisfaction and after a short while he grabbed your ass, lifting you and placing on the top of the dresser. Again, he separated your legs so you were forced to put heels of your feet on the edge of furniture.

- And who do you think you are if not a whore, spreading yourself before me like that, waiting for me to graciously fuck the life out of you? – he smirked derisively, teasing you. The sapphire in his eyehole shimmered sinisterly.

You felt ashamed, humiliated. You were now completely at his mercy, like a helpless child waiting for a punishment. Your cheeks became scarlet red, the blood in your veins pumped restlessly.

- But I must admit that your tendency to hiding weapons everywhere you manage can be… useful – the cold blade of dagger traced inner side of your thigh as he watched your skin shiver from the sensation - So why not hide it here? – he encircled your groins with blade’s tip, dangerously close to your folds, now becoming wet. You didn't want to admit it, but sporting with Aemond turned you on more than you could ever imagine.

- And what is that? My, my… You’re already soaking. Does it excite you, the feeling of a threat against that defenseless body of yours? – he chuckled with a slight surprise. He rotated the dagger so now its handle was aimed at your core. You gasped with dismay as you realized what he is about to do.

- Well then… There is nothing else left for me to do than to obey the salacious craving of my dirty, little whore.

And before you could even protest, the shaft of dagger slipped through your drenched folds. You cried pitifully at the feeling of cold and hardness ravaging your poor cunt. Aemond pushed it slowly further, rotating the haft slightly so it was now hitting that special spot inside of you. He was now watching the blade disappearing inside your pussy and he was clearly hypnotized by the sight. Your moans were capturing his mind in a delightful way, he was ready to yield right there, right now.

- It’s almost as long as my cock. Makes me wonder… whether you have pleasured yourself with it during lonely nights without me? Have you imagined my cock slamming into your needy cunt while doing it? – he purred against your neck, leaving wet, open-mouthed kisses on it - Of course you have, just look at you… How you squeal like a common slut at the sensation… You’ve been through this before, haven’t you? – he pushed the dagger even harder, making you squirm.

His hand set a killing pace, his teeth nipped the sensitive skin on the crook of your neck. Your screams continued as the dagger’s handle pushed into you eagerly, hitting that very spot inside of you, leaving sloppy, wet sounds.

- Look at me – Aemond grabbed your jaw, looking fiery into your eyes and once again he kissed you so intensely that you thought he’s going to crash his teeth against yours – Look what you’re doing to me, how dare you take advantage of me like that…? - he panted, finally tearing his lips away from yours.

You looked at the growing bulge in his pants, he was extremely aroused indeed. While you were admiring his covered manhood, he used your moment of inattention and sticked the helve all the way through, finally turning it over in such way that made you swoon almost. The thrusts did not stop and you felt your climax coming as your walls started to shake around the dagger. Aemond must have noticed that because he stopped his moves all at once, removing the handhold, now completely soaked with your juices, causing you to whimper. 

- U-uh, I won’t let you come, not like that. It would be an insult to me – he looked into your miserable eyes and licked your liquids of the dagger so obscenely that it made you blush like a little, innocent girlie.

- But I must admit you taste divine, my little dove - he did not stop embarrassing you, as he licked his lips lasciviously. He put the dagger at a safe distance so that you certainly could not reach for it. He ran his finger along your bottom lip, kissing it softly.

- Go to bed. Lay on all fours – he commanded shortly and this time you knew better and obeyed.

You walked towards the bed and went on all fours exactly like he ordered, sticking your ass defiantly in his direction and you waited in anticipation for his next move. You heard the tumble of metal buckle of his belt when it hit the floor as he was undressing himself. For a brief moment you thought he was going to use it to smack your ass, but it wasn’t the belt that strike your bum. His hand gave a few solid slaps, so whopping that you were certain there would be red marks the next morning. A heated screech left your mouth while he gave you several more, kneading the luscious flesh of your ass with his fingers. Another streamlet of your wetness dripped down your thighs.

- Now I’m going to fuck the obedience into you until you plead me to stop – he snarled and with a one firm thrust he buried his whole cock in your greedy cunt, you screamed as you were feeling him tearing your insides apart. He growled as he felt you clenching around him so tightly that he couldn’t move even an inch.

- Stop squeezing me this hard, issa ziry-zaldrīzes (my Dragoness). You don’t want me to come, not yet – he whispered to your ear, giving you a warning slap in the ass. You tried your best to loosen your walls up, but it was pretty hard, since he haven’t gave you any time to accommodate to his length.

Once you have finally let go, he started pounding into you mercilessly, stretching you in a hurtful and yet pleasurable way. His hands tightened around your hips, using all his strength to stick you onto his swollen manhood. He was piercing you like a newly sharpened spear, rutting into you like a thirsty animal. Your sinful moans mixed with shameless, wet sounds of tapping skin against skin. Aemond was breathing heavily, his deep growls made you stretched for him even more.

He pulled you up by your hair abruptly, so your back was resting on his firm chest now and your ass leaned on his muscular thighs. He grabbed one of your breasts clasping it lustily, while his other hand wandered to your exposed clit, torturing the sensitive bud so badly it made you squeal like a little, hurt bird.

- Look at you, taking my cock so willingly like a good, submissive whore – he oozed praises into your ear, licking the earlobe deliciously. His hands guided your hips to his pelvis making your movements more unhesitating. At this moment you were almost sure that if there was a huge mirror in front of the bed he would definitely made you look into it, to watch how greedily he takes you. But at the same time, he would have to reckon with the fact that you would have come in a second.

- I’m going to claim you endlessly, mark you in every possible way so no man would ever touch you or even think about you indecently – as to highlight his words he started biting your neck, leaving bruises and hickeys wherever he could. Gods, now I will have to wear those goddamn high-neck dresses, you thought with an annoyance, but he didn’t gave you much time to complain in your thoughts as he began to literally hammer you into his pulsing cock.

- I will defile you to that extent that no other lord would ever want to marry you because… you… are… MINE - his last words practically turned into a fearsome snarl. He threw you on your back with quite momentum, with a one dexterous move he lifted your pelvis against his loins and buried himself deep inside to the hilt. It startled you so much that you had to grab the nearest pillow and stick your nails into it. His thrusts gained  more and more strength so as your screams became almost desperate. He watched you – no, he was engorging you like a predator just before consuming its prey. The sapphire in his eye socket gleamed wildly making him look even more intimidating.  His insatiable eye looked at you, trembling, begging with all your body for release. Oh how you were praying for it, your mind was completely clouded with vision of incoming bliss. But Aemond was not a fool, he sensed your approaching intoxication like a deer would scent the changing wind. His moves became cruelly sluggish, he was torturing you with his languor.

- Aem… Aemond…! I need… I need to come…! Ple… Please! – you whimpered realizing how pathetic you must have sounded.

He only grinned impudently, lowering himself so now his torso was rubbing against your tremulous breasts.

- Beg me, byka live (little whore). I want to hear you begging for it – he whispered to your ear, leaving wet, sloppy kisses around your neck afterwards. His long, silver-blonde hair, now in a complete mess, were stroking you so lightly that it almost made you ticklish.

- Please Aemond! I beg you… Please let me cum, please! – so you begged, wanting your own ecstasy more than the dignity you lost when he stripped your dress of you.

- Excellent. I shall fulfill your wish as I am a gracious prince – he smiled triumphantly and kept his word as he began pushing into you at a deadly pace.

You could tell that he himself was getting closer to his peak, you could feel every single vein on his throbbing cock, pulsating with boiling-hot blood, his breath got much more erratic. He closed his eyes and laid his head beneath your collarbone, almost drifting away. His hips thrusted chaotically, trying to hit your sensitive spot for the very last time.

- I’m going to fill you up with my seed. I want to watch your belly swell with my child, your breasts full of milk… - he suddenly expressed his unexpected wish, causing to google at him with your startled eyes.

This confession must have somehow turned him on even more, because as his thrusts became more uneven his groans escalated as well. Your walls started to clench around his member ruthlessly, your whole body was shaking as if you had caught the cold. And you came. Basically you both came in an unison almost. He spilled his entire seed deep inside you, pressing his hips into you more to make sure not a single drop was wasted. You sighed deeply, your mind was overwhelmed by the number of various impulsions. The two of you were in silence for a longer moment, only the sound of your restless panting was interrupting the tranquillity. Aemond was still inside you as his cock was becoming floppy. He peppered your cheeks, jaw and neck with kisses and gently stroked your temple with his fingers. Finally he pulled out of you, causing your mixed liquids to drip down the inner side of your thigh. He went down on you and hugged his face to your womb, looking at it meaningly. You automatically ran your fingers through his silky hair, tattering it slightly.

- Aemond…?

- Hmm…? 

- Would you really father a bastard…? – you were a bit concerned about his reaction to that question, but you had to ask it anyway. He looked at you as if you have just broke off the Christmas tree.

- We'd be already married when the baby would be out. I would never contaminate myself with a bastard, I’m not like my brother – he visibly felt disgusted at the mention of his sibling.

You looked at him confused. You weren't going to allow him to bring your child into this world. The world that was about to be destroyed by the yoke of war. You weren’t so selfish as to condemn an innocent being to such a fate, but Aemond didn’t seem to care about it at all. Apparently, the burden of being the second son and want to leave behind a legacy was greater than you thought. After all, you weren't going to give in to it, as you already planned to ask the Maester for the moon tea. You can never be too careful.

Aemond raised from the bed and brought the bowl with water as well as some cloth. He started to clean you up, gently wiping the sweat and your liquids off your body. When he finished he did the same with himself. After all, he put the vessel aside and pulled you under the covers, wrapping you closely with blankets. You leaned your weary head on his chest, his heartbeat was so steady and calm that you almost fell asleep just listening to it.

- Sleep, my love. Tomorrow my cursed imitation of a brother will be coronated. And after that we will begin the preparations for our wedding – he kissed the top of your head, rubbing it softly.

But Prince Aemond ‘One-Eye’ Targaryen did not suspect yet that before you tie the knot many unexpected events will take place. Many thrilling ones perhaps. And maybe it will take the world’s end to say this perpetual oath.

... and here it is guys! Thanks for reading and I will appreciate any kind of feedback in comments! I have almost finished Chapter 3 by now, I'll post it any time soon and I hope this time Tumblr won't screw things up :p And worry not, Daemon & Aemond duo will come back in some time, but for now story will be more Aemond-concentrated as I have to figure out the wedding crap between him and reader and other thingy things. I also have the concept for the whole series and I'm afraid that every part will contain some kind of smut. But I know you dirty little potatoes love it :p

And... I have a plan to write a quite short, but intense smut with Aemond&Aegon&reader threesome. I'm not a big fan of Aegon at all but he's such a little, filthy shit so I thought this might be fun :p

If you wish to be tagged, please let me know in comments.

@moonmaiden1996

@omgsuperstarg

@claudie-080102

@gabrieletargaryen

@mllemarianne

@em-the-lurker

@roroswitherose

@treasuresposts

@starsarebind

[jarienn972]

Only a Little Superstitious - Chapter Eight

Finally getting my Tumblr posts caught up to the most current chapters of both of my WIPs so that they’re in line with what’s showing on both FF.net and AO3.  

The big word for this chapter is going to be TRUST as Emma gets faced with a big decision to make here and her choice might be surprising... Lots of angst building here for @killian-whump and much more to come as our heroes try to stay below the radar now that they know what their pursuer is up to.

Earlier chapters here: One  Two  Three  Four  Five  Six  Seven

Emma sat alone in the waiting room for a few minutes, not really sure what she should do. How long would it take to remove a broken piece of dagger and repair all the damage the miserable thing had caused? A couple of hours? She thought about calling home – it'd be about lunchtime there, but while she felt so alone right now, it didn't exactly mean that she was the only person present in the waiting room. There were at least a dozen others here in the room with her, all waiting for updates on their loved ones – far too many people to have within earshot of the conversation she needed to have.

So, she started wandering the hallways, not wanting to venture too far away that they wouldn't be able to locate her when there was news to share, but seeking a bit of privacy that wouldn't be found in any of the rooms she'd visited so far. She stopped briefly in the cafeteria to grab some coffee hoping the caffeine would help keep her alert during what promised to be a long wait, asking the cashier if there were any quiet areas on the hospital campus that would allow her to make a private phone call. The young man told her about an outdoor lounge area off of the main lobby that had one time been the smoker's retreat before that vice was banned from the campus. It was now more of a little xeriscape garden area with some native plants and cacti on display but he said it was normally fairly secluded.

Thanking the cashier, she sought out the rock garden refuge that was hidden away between the hospital's two wings. There wasn't a lot of shade to escape the Arizona heat, but she found a bench that had a little bit of shelter under the shadow of a huge yucca plant. There was one other person out here with her, but there was sufficient distance between them that if she kept her voice down, her side of the conversation wasn't likely to be overheard. She had a lot of questions that needed answering and definitely needed a distraction from worrying about her husband…

She sat the Styrofoam coffee cup onto the bench beside her before retrieving her phone from the outer pocket of the backpack Carlos had brought her earlier, thankful that she'd had the presence of mind to grab it since neither the tee shirt or leggings she was wearing had pockets. She tapped her father's number from her contact list and waited for the call to connect.

"Emma, I'm so glad you called," David answered. "We've had a few breakthroughs today and I was getting ready to call you. Do you have a few minutes?"

"I was hoping you'd say that and yeah, I've got probably a few hours while I'm sitting here waiting, so what have you found out?"

"Waiting for what?" he wondered, becoming concerned upon hearing his daughters long, distraught sigh before answering his question.

"Killian took a turn for the worse this morning so our new Park Ranger friend had to call an ambulance. He's in surgery right now to try to fix all of the damage that dagger caused – oh, yeah, and to remove the broken tip of it that's sitting next to his spine…"

"What?!" David exclaimed, momentarily dumbfounded at the revelation his daughter had just dropped. He'd seen the dagger was missing its point when he'd picked it up from the street yesterday, but he'd simply assumed that the ancient looking blade broke when it was dropped. The thought had never crossed his mind that…

"Why didn't you tell me that the dagger's tip was broken off?"

"At the time it didn't seem at all important…," he sighed. "I would never have thought it broke like that…" He fell silent for a moment but she realized that he was actually whispering something to someone else nearby – someone she quickly realized was her mother when she heard a startled gasp in the background. "Emma, I'm so sorry…" he told her as he returned to the line. "The rest of this can wait if you want…"

"No, Dad. I'd rather try to keep my mind occupied right now and if you've got information on the two strangers who started this – spill."

"Well, we don't have a lot from her yet, but Regina managed to get a couple of names. The witch's name is Yzma and it seems like she was brought over from the Land of Untold Stories with Hyde and she has apparently been waiting months to open that portal. Regina said she keeps going on about the blood moon and how you're stealing her golden city…"

"Yzma? Really? Let me guess, her partner's name is Kronk?" she deadpanned, no longer surprised by any fairytale characters who popped up.

"How'd you know that?" David asked. "Yeah – his name is Nehemiah Kronk and from what we've found out about him, he's basically a soldier for hire. Loyalty pledged to whoever's paying him that day."

"I've seen the movie," she replied in the same unimpressed tone at yet another story book connection, but with a disturbing twist to the story she knew. "Although this Kronk doesn't sound like the loveable idiot from that story…"

"From what Belle turned up, there's absolutely nothing loveable about this guy. He's a nasty piece of work - wanted in several realms for crimes ranging from thievery to murder so it's not too surprising that he ran for the Land of Untold Stories to escape. Not sure if that's where he and Yzma met or if they knew each other before that. I really hope you and Hook are able to stay clear of him out there where you don't have magic."

"My thoughts exactly," she replied. "I just don't get why this Yzma person keeps saying we stole her gold. There's nothing gold here except the sun and the sand. It's not exactly El Dorado…"

"El Dorado?"

"The legendary city of gold? Guess they don't have that legend in your realm…?" She wasn't really interested in discussing fictional places right now though. She just wanted to know who she was dealing with and find a way to get home. "It doesn't really matter… Has Regina figured out how Yzma managed to open that portal anyway? Maybe there's a way to reverse it to get us home quicker?"

"Regina said she tried to get the scepter to work after we took it from Yzma, but so far, she hasn't had any luck. She's trying to figure out what she's doing wrong, but it might take a while."

"I don't know… Maybe it has to be at a certain time of day or could it have something to do with that blood moon you mentioned? A lot of magic spells require specific lunar timing. I can't imagine that Yzma would be the only one able to make it work…"

"Anything is possible, but I know Regina is still trying. We'll let you know if we can get it to work. In the meantime, you have to keep us updated on Hook. And how are you explaining all of this to the local authorities?"

"We've pieced together a semi-believable story – enough to keep the wolves at bay, but I'll have to work on some of the finer details. Oh, and I'll also need Regina to magically update a medical insurance file."

"So, no one has asked about why your husband has a hook instead of a left hand?"

"No one would know to ask. I had him remove it and I hid it before we left the cabin. They know he's missing a hand, but that's as far as it goes."

"Okay – that was a good idea. No use drawing any extra attention." David's thought was exactly what had gone through Emma's mind before they'd climbed into Carlos Littlecreek's SUV.

"I'm just hoping that we didn't wait too long…," her voice audibly cracking as her façade began to break. "Maybe we should have gone straight to a hospital anyway…"

"Emma – you made the decision you thought was best at the time based on your assessment of the situation. I'm quite sure your husband would have made his opinion known if he'd disagreed."

"It wasn't like I gave him much choice in the matter."

"Don't beat yourself up over it. He's made it this far. Second guessing yourself won't change anything that's already been done."

"I know, Dad," she sighed. "Doesn't make it any easier…"

"Promise you'll let us know as soon as you have an update?"

"I will – as long as you promise me that you'll let me know as soon as Regina figures out how to activate that scepter."

"That's a promise," he assured her.

Collecting the backpack and slinging it over her shoulder, she wandered back to the crowded waiting area, at least able to enjoy the air conditioning although she never even had a moment to sit down before the woman in lavender scrubs was standing before her once more.

"Mrs. Jones?" the woman asked tentatively. "I've been trying to find you…"

"Find me?" Emma said, allowing a little gasp to escape her lips as her mind reeled with unimaginable thoughts. "Is everything alright? My husband – is he okay?" She knew she sounded like a blubbering idiot, but she couldn't stop herself.

"Your husband is still in surgery. I don't have anything to report yet, but there's a man looking for you – a Ranger Littlecreek? He was just here asking about you a few minutes ago, but this waiting area is for immediate family only so I sent him back to the main lobby."

"He's the Park Ranger who rescued us this morning," Emma explained, sighing in relief that it wasn't anything to do with Killian. For now, no news had to be good news. "Was he going to wait for me?"

"It sounded like it," the woman replied. "I'm sorry – I didn't realize there was a connection."

"It's fine. I just came from that way so I must have just missed him. Thank you. I'm going to go see if I can locate him but if there's any news regarding my husband, please page me or something. I'll be back in a few minutes…"

She found Carlos Littlecreek seated on a leather sofa in the hospital's spacious main lobby, merely steps away from the desert hideaway garden where she'd been earlier. He saw her approaching, but the expression on his face wasn't exactly the welcoming one she'd expected but rather a mix of confusion and anger.

"Ranger Littlecreek," Emma greeted him with his professional title, smiling politely as she walked up to him, feeling slightly ill at ease by his conflicted visage. "You were looking for me?"

"Sheriff," he returned the businesslike greeting, his brown eyes darkened with distrust. "We need to talk and I didn't have a phone number to call you."

"Okay…," she responded, not understanding this change in attitude. Less than two hours ago, he was eagerly proposing a cover story and doing all he could to help them and now – now, it was as though he'd been betrayed and she had no inkling why. "You can ask me anything… What's wrong? Is someone questioning our story?" Had he gotten into some kind of trouble for aiding them?

"No – the story is holding for now, but something is really bothering me…"

"Bothering you? How so?" This was getting more confusing by the second.

"After you left in the ambulance, I went back to the bedroom to help Grandmother clean things up a bit – the broken pottery and all – and obviously, you didn't have time to gather up all of your things so she started to pick up your jackets from the floor…" Now it clicked. They'd found the one item that she'd wanted to keep hidden. "Imagine our surprise when something tumbled out of a red leather jacket - something that had us completely stumped…" Carlos pulled back a corner of his cargo vest to reveal just a glint of shiny steel and Emma's gaze immediately dropped to the floor. "Why the hell are you carrying this around and why does it look like it fits into that leather contraption your husband was wearing where his left hand used to be?"

"I'm not sure you'd understand my explanation," she sighed, still unable to look back up at him as her brain raced for something to say – anything to make him less suspicious as to why a sharpened metal hook was secreted away inside her jacket. "I honestly don't know what I could say that would make much sense…"

"How about the truth?" he demanded. "I want to help you, I really do, but can you just be honest with me?"

"Not here," she relented. "Can we go somewhere not so public? I'd really rather keep this confidential."

"How about my truck? It's out in the parking lot and will probably be the most privacy you're going to get around here."

"Works for me," she replied, trying not to let him see the anxiety brewing beneath her calm exterior. She had no idea what she was going to say – what she could say that wouldn't make her sound insane? So, she just remained quiet and pensive as they walked together out to the parking garage and took the elevator up to the 3rd level. Once they reached the SUV, they both climbed inside and he started the engine – partially so the noise would help prevent eavesdroppers and partially so the air conditioning would operate.

"Okay – it's just the two of us here, Sheriff," he began. "Law enforcer to law enforcer…"

"This isn't going to be easy to grasp," she stammered, "and up until a few years ago, I would have thought this story was just as crazy as it's going to sound to you…"

"As long as it includes a logical reason that you'd be carrying around a huge steel hook…"

"It belongs to my husband," she stated flatly. "And how did you manage to get it inside the building anyway? Didn't it set off the metal detectors?"

"Like I told you before, I know the head of Security here. I came in with him. But let's get back to your little tale – this thing belongs to your husband?"

"Yes. He's been wearing it as a prosthetic in place of his left hand since it was severed a very long time ago…"

"He wears a hook for a prosthetic hand?" Carlos asked skeptically.

"He does – and for a good portion of his life, it was part of the image he used to define himself – well, define who he thought he was back when all he could think of was getting vengeance against the man who'd cut off his hand. Back then, he used it to strike fear in those around him, but now it's just a part of who he is. It doesn't speak for him any longer…"

"You never said how your husband lost his hand."

"You never asked," she replied defensively. "He got into a skirmish with a jealous ex-husband while serving as Captain of a ship a long time ago."

"Ship Captain? He was Navy?"

"He did serve in the Royal Navy for a while, but this occurred while he was Captain of a very different type of ship…"

"Come on…," he scoffed. "You sound like you're describing Captain Hook…" He chuckled a little, but his humor was tempered when he saw the dead-serious look on Emma's face and she responded with just two words:

"I am."

"Oh, come on… You expect me to believe that?"

"Ranger, Killian is – er, was Captain Hook. He's put those pirating days behind him and while there are still people who refer to him by the name Hook, he's trying hard to just be Killian Jones now."

"Your husband is Captain Hook?" The Ranger wasn't about to be easily convinced . "I've read Peter Pan… I've seen the movies… How the hell can he be Captain Hook?"

"It's really a very long story, but it's who he is. You wanted the truth and you're getting it." She wasn't really certain this was the best path to take, but she'd unloaded part of her secret life already, so there was no going back now. "Your grandmother sensed something was different about Killian after she treated him. She told me she sensed he had an old soul and she was right…"

"An old soul?" he chuckled. "Exactly how old?"

"Honestly, I don't know the exact number for sure. A lot of curses and cursed places had an effect on how his body aged, but it's somewhere around three hundred."

"Three hundred years old? You've got to be kidding me…"

"Why am I bothering to tell you this then? You're not going to believe a word I say…"

"So, who does that make you? Tinkerbell?"

"No. Tinkerbell is a fairy, I'm not – although in the right setting, I have magic powers just like her." She didn't care anymore if Carlos was believing this or not. He could think she just escaped from an insane asylum for all she cared. "I'm actually the daughter of Snow White and Prince David – Prince Charming…"

The Ranger choked back another chortle, fully believing that this woman sitting beside him – a woman he'd known for barely a day – had lost her mind.

"Snow White and Prince Charming, huh?"

"I knew you'd never believe us, that's why I didn't tell you any of this yesterday," Emma spat, throwing open the passenger door of the SUV intending to exit before he had her committed. "I shouldn't have bothered."

"Wait!" Carlos reached across the front seat to grab ahold of her bicep before she could climb out of the vehicle, stopping her from leaving. "Are you really serious about all of this?" Grandmother had sent him to find this couple yesterday and while he had reacted strongly to the discovery of the hook, she had simply set it aside and continued about her business as if she'd already known it would be there. He'd been the one who'd found it awkward and disturbing.

"Of course, I'm serious about it," she stated angrily. "Do you honestly think I could make up a story like this? As story as bizarre as being the daughter of Snow While and being married to Captain Hook? Would it help if I told you that we were married by Jiminy Cricket and our wedding guest list included a whole lot of dwarves, the Evil Queen and the Wicked Witch of the West?"

The Ranger's head was spinning by now. Her story was so incredibly unbelievable that it almost made sense and now he couldn't stop wondering how much Grandmother might have known about them. Her premonition had directed him right to this couple – right to the exact trail and seldom utilized way station at the summit. Would she believe this tale? She'd opened her home to these strangers – welcomed them in with few questions asked so, had she known that there was something different about these out-of-town visitors?

"How exactly did you end up on the mountain? I know you didn't hike up there…" He momentarily changed the subject, but secretly hoped her answer would help clarify what he was beginning to believe.

"A magical portal," Emma answered straightforwardly knowing he likely already considered her a nutcase. Why back away now? "Basically - a swirling vortex that opened up on Main Street yesterday morning, right after Killian was stabbed by the man we're trying to avoid. He stumbled and fell in so I had to jump in after him. I knew he was wounded so I couldn't let him go alone and while typically these things are designed to take you wherever – or whenever – you're thinking of, this one was different. It brought us straight to a mountainside that I promise you, neither of us would ever had thought of!"

"Are these portals a regular occurrence where you're from?"

"They've definitely become an increasing problem for my family. This wasn't our first…" She paused a moment to gauge the Ranger's expression trying to determine exactly how skeptical he was of all of this, but in truth, the look in his eyes was more one of confusion than anything. "Okay – admit it… You think I'm insane, don't you?"

"I've got to admit, Sheriff, yours is one of the strangest tales I've ever heard," he replied while massaging his temples with his thumb and middle finger, an exasperated snicker escaping his mouth. "But I've spent a lifetime growing up hearing Navajo and Yavapai history – tales of magical places and creations, of gods and men who would be gods so I really can't say if your story is any more or less fantastical than my own. I tell tales to tourists about sacred places in these mountains and of the Native people who have long believed these mountains hold secrets like gateways to other worlds - including one to the underworld of the dead if you believe in things like that…"

"That's one I'd rather avoid. Not a place I really want to visit again," Emma said without realizing how absurd it sounded.

"Wait – did you say again?"

"That's a story for another day," she replied, cringing that she'd even brought it up.

"I think that's one I'd like to hear," he laughed.

"Probably not, but the question is now – do you believe me?"

"I'm not sure what I believe, but if you could come up with a whopper of a fairytale like that on a whim, I'm duly impressed. There's just one thing I have to know…"

"What's that?" she wondered, not sure how much else she could tell him if he wasn't yet convinced.

"Did your husband actually wear a big floppy feathered hat and a waxed moustache?" Carlos asked with a playful grin.

"Thankfully – no," she chuckled, finally breathing a sigh of relief that the tone of their conversation had reversed. "He was much more partial to long, dramatic black leather dusters and meticulously groomed scruff – along with a generous application of black kohl lining his eyes."

"Black leather and eyeliner? That's quite a drastic deviation from the storybook character…"

"You'd better believe it!" she giggled, remembering the first time she'd shown Killian an image of how this world had depicted Captain Hook. He'd been horrified and absolutely livid at the inaccuracies saying that no self-respecting pirate would ever create such an embarrassing persona, referring to his literary counterpart as the prissy pompadour. "Now, if you don't mind, I really should be getting back to my husband…"

"Before you go back, there's something you need to know," he began, his demeanor instantly morphing into a frighteningly serious one. "The man who came through the portal with you, he showed up at a hospital in Scottsdale this morning, pretending to be a US Marshal. He told the clerk at the Admissions desk that his name was Llamas and he was looking for a couple with your descriptions. I've already checked with the Marshal Service and there's no one with that name working in this area. Who the hell is this guy?"

"According to what my family has turned up back home, he's really a mercenary by the name of Nehemiah Kronk. They're working to dig up more information on him and his partner, but this is an interesting development. He's impersonating a US Marshal? That's an odd choice…"

"Most people don't know much about the Marshal Service and how they operate. They probably wouldn't even know what their badges looked like, so it's a pretty good choice for a cover if you want to pretend to be law enforcement."

"Oh, that I know, but he's from my world. They don't have US Marshals in the fairytale world which has me wondering how he came up with that ruse? Makes me think he's been in this realm before. I just don't know how…"

"Our world isn't easy for fairytales to get to – even with these portal things?"

"This world isn't difficult to get to, but it's not easy to return from. They call your world The Land Without Magic where we're from. Finding a way back to the fairytale realms from here would require a little more creativity."

"Land Without Magic? You believe that?"

"I know mine doesn't work here or my husband wouldn't be laying on an operating room table right now," Emma sighed. "If we were still in Storybrooke, I could have instantly healed his wound."

"You have healing powers?" he asked incredulously.

"Amongst others," she grinned through the painful reminder that her powers were useless here. "None that I can show you here though."

"If you believe Grandmother, this land wasn't always without magic. She's one of many among our people who believe that magic might still be out there – we've just forgotten how to recognize it – how to feel it. I guess I've always been a skeptic, but your convoluted tale almost makes me want to believe."

"Supposedly, there's magic everywhere we look, but not all of it can be harnessed. I was told a long time ago that magic is a feeling. You can't wield it if you can't feel it and mine is definitely tied to my emotions. I just wish I could feel it right now…"

"I'm sure…," he replied empathetically, understanding how awful it had to be for her to not be able to heal her husband if she indeed had that capability. "I had better let you get back in there now…"

"So, we're good?"

"Yes – we're good. Do you want the hook back now?"

"Why don't you keep it safe for us for a while? I'd rather not have a nurse find it and have to go through all of this again."

"I'll be happy to keep it safe for you. Oh, and Sheriff – how about you give me your phone number so I don't have to send a nurse to track you down again?"

"Gladly. Right now, having nurses hunting me down is a little nerve-wracking…"

"Sorry. I'll try not to do that again."

"Appreciate it," she replied as he handed her his phone so she could enter her number into the contacts. "And please – keep our secret safe too. It's bad enough that Killian's attacker is out there, but if our real identities were to get out, it'd put us in even more danger because I doubt others would likely believe us. People will just think we're crazy and we already have enough to deal with…"

"The only person I need to tell is Grandmother, but I have my suspicions that she already knows that you aren't from around here – and I don't mean Arizona… She probably already thinks you dropped out of the sky from Maine or whatever…"

"Not exactly from the sky, but I know what you mean."

"I've got to head back to work now, but I'll drop by after my shift. I'm going to pull in a few favors with the Sheriff's department here to see if we can track down this Mr. Kronk. I'll keep you posted. Now – get out of here and go be with your husband."

Emma smiled as she climbed down from the SUV, both surprised and relieved that her revelation had gone as well as it had. Confiding the truth in the Ranger had been a risky decision, but it was better than piling on more lies. Even here, far from Storybrooke, she at least had one superpower that still worked and it was telling her that she could trust Carlos Littlecreek and his family and they certainly needed allies right now.