A Swan Necklace

Chapter 5: masks and dances

All day long, Emma helps her step sisters get ready for the ball by doing their hair, makeup and helping them with their corset and dress.
"Ouch!! Emma not to hard!!" Ariana screeches and Emma apologizes before tugging on the strings of her corset again.
"Emma!!" Regina screams and Emma finishes off the corset before rushing over. "This strand of my hair isn't curled enough!!! Fix it!!"
Emma nods and takes another curler. She does it quickly then gets Regina in her corset.
After, she pins the black dress Regina is wearing so it fits her perfectly.
After hours of getting her step sisters ready for the ball, they smirk and laugh.
"Have fun cleaning!!" Cora laughs as she walks past her out the door, Regina and Ariana high on her heels.
She watches them leave and ride off into the night of this beautiful summer day.
A smirk appears on her dirty face and she thinks, Finally I can get ready for the ball!!
She rushes inside, climbs the steps to the attic and begins pinning her hair up atop her head.
She does her makeup and places a small tiara atop her head that her father have given her before he died.
She dresses into the red dress that Elsa gave her and slides her feet in her heels.
After she is dressed and ready for the ball, Red is already there.
"Emma!!" Red smiles. "You look lovely!!"
"You too Red!" Emma smiles as she walks down the stairs of the manor. Red wears her usual red hood and a beautiful black dress with a silver mask covering her eyes. Beautiful in her own way.
"You ready to go--wait where is your mask?" Red asks staring at her deeply.
"Umm wait no I don't..." Emma curses under her breath.
"Your lucky because I got you one!!!" Red smiles and hands her a mask that's coloured gold.
"Beautiful!!" She smiles putting it on her face. A smile creeps across Emma's face and she stops.
"Wait one second!!" She yells and then bolts up the stairs. She grabs her old rags and takes the swan necklace out. Luckily she washed it so it was ready to be worn.
She clips it on and then bolts back downstairs.
"Okay let's go!!" Emma says running outside.
Time for the ball!!
---
After he is dressed and his mask is on his face, Liam waits with him at the top of the staircase.
"Hey little brother! You cleaned up well!!" He laughs and Killian can't help but roll his eyes.
"Not little, younger." Killian corrects. Liam ignores his comment and rambles on about this and that.
"You know for sure Emma is coming?" He asks and Killian nods. A grin appears and Liam attacks him with more questions about her.
"Liam do you ever stop?"
"Nope. But you still love me brother!" He laughs into another story.
"Prince Liam Jones!!" An announcer yells and Killian thanks the gods. He can't stand him right now.
Liam gives him another pat on the shoulder than walks down the stairs his charm across his face.
"Prince Killian Jones!!" The announcer yells and he takes a deep breath.
He walks down the steps, waving, smiling and winking at the people at the bottom.
After he begins walking towards his throne where Liam is sitting.
He sits down and Liam smirks.
"Queen Rebecca Elizabeth Jones of the westward kingdom!!" The announcer yells and their mother begins ascending the staircase gracefully.
Her big crown atop her brown curls and a Violet mask making her blue eyes twinkle.
She sits next to Killian and smiles.
"How's my son?" She asks placing her hand on his.
"You look beautiful, mother." He says and her mother's smile grows bigger.
She stands and looks back and forth at the crowd of royals, suitors, mistresses and others.
"Welcome everyone!! Thank you all for attending this masquerade today!! My sons Killian and Liam and myself are very happy you all could make it! We are celebrating the fifth year this kingdom stands!!" She says softly and kindly. "So on with the ball!!"
Everyone claps then begins the first dance with Liam and Mother starting it.
He watches them dance away. When he looks at his brother and mother dancing it reminds him of their father and mother dancing together happily.
His father was always the one dancing with his mother no matter what and it saddens him that he would leave.
He curls his fingers into fists and his knuckles turn white. Why?! Why would he leave?! Yes the ocean is my life and Liam's too but we wouldn't leave like that for it!!!
He shakes his head and stops thinking about it. It's the past not the present.
A sigh escapes him as the song ends.
"Whats wrong brother?" Liam asks approaching him.
"Hmm? Nothing." He mutters.
"Nice try. What's wrong?"
"I'll tell you later."
Liam nods and sits down. He just watches the dancing happen and smiles at the guests. Nothing better to do right?
Wrong.
His eyes pop up to the entrance. She's beautiful. Mesmerizing.
Her blond hair atop her head with a Tiara topping it. Her emerald eyes glistening out of the golden mask. Her red dress making her look like she is floating. Bloody siren she is.
But she looks almost familiar.
Like he knows her, somehow.
Impossible.
A women in a red hood comes in beside her smiling.
They whisper something to each other then they come in.
"Wow who are they?" Liam asks stunned a bit.
"I have no clue." He replies but realizes Liam is already talking with the girl in the hood.
She takes his hand and they dance away. Leaving the siren alone.
A grin appears on his face and he walks up to her.
What's he got to loose?
---
She stands in the middle of the ballroom alone. Since Red ran off with Liam of course.
She saw Elsa earlier and now has no clue where she is.
"M'lady." A accented voice speaks softly. She looks up and sees Killian. He doesn't seem to recognize her. Is that good? She has no clue.
She smiles, curtsying. "Your highness."
"I prefer Killian tonight." He says. "And who is this lovely lass?"
"Names don't matter tonight." She mutters and he stares at her in confusion.
"Then what should I call you, love?"
"Exactly that." She smiles and a grin appears on his face.
Did she really ask him that?
She did.
"Well Love, would you care to dance?" He asks bowing with a hand held out.
She nods and takes his offered hand.
They walk to the middle of the ballroom floor and she places her hand on his shoulder as he places his hand on her waist.
She shivers.
They then move slowly across the floor. Music zoned out and others blurred.
Just her and Killian Jones.
Her emerald eyes link to his crystal blue ones and they stay there.
Mesmerizing for sure.
They dance for three more songs and the night just grew way better than she thought it would.
He spins her the last time and she giggles.
He moves her off the dance floor and directs her to the garden. He links her arm with his and life feels perfect even for a little.
----
She is an utmost perfect women.
Mesmerizing and dances like she invented it.
Perfect. Beautiful. Lovely.
They walk past the roses and he pulls one off the branch. She looks over at him with her gorgeous smile.
He spins the flower in his hand then passes it to her.
She smiles again and smells the red rose.
"Thank you." She whispers.
"My pleasure, love." Her giggle fills the garden.
"So Killian, why did you come to me?" She asks smirking a little.
He stares up at the stars and closes his eyes.
"Well you seem as if you are a bloody siren pulling me towards you." He smirks and looks in her eyes.
"I'm not much of a siren. No one would fall for me." She mutters and his brow furrows.
Who has hurt her?
Must have been someone
"Well Love, they must have all been losers." He laughs and a smile creeps upon her face.
"They were." She laughs.
Her eyes flutter up to the stars and he notices a swan shaped diamond on a chain around her neck.
"Maybe I should call you Swan." He smiles and she looks at him again.
Blue connecting with green.
"And why is that?" She whispers.
"Because they seem like you. Graceful." He whispers pulling her closer.
"Beautiful." She bites her lip.
"And utmost perfect."
She leans up and her lips touch his. His hand goes into he hair and her on his cheek. He turns his head to the side and she does the same. Her lips taste like strawberries. Perfect. She leans back and their foreheads lean up against each other.
"Wait. What time is it?!" She asks taking a step back.
"Umm eleven fifty." He says glancing at the cloak tower.
Her eyes widen.
"I have to go!" She says surprised then turns, running off.
He runs after her. She can't leave now!!
"Wait!! Where can I find you!!" He yells.
"I'm sorry Killian!!" He yells and she turns the corner, disappearing into the night.
His eyes spot a glass slipper and he picks it up.
She must have lost it.
He will find her again!!