Falling Stars (CaptainSwan)

Chapter Nine The Ring

Emma Swan

As Killian and I dance, Snow finally enters. Her hair is spiky like the last time I saw her, and she wears a black and red dress. She smiles her now cruel smile at all of us and we stop dancing. "Welcome," she says in almost a whisper. She starts to talk, but I turn to Killian.

"I'm going to get what I came for. Stay here and make sure no one notices that I'm leaving. If they do, run and don't turn back. I'm not worth risking your life for," I tell him. Before he can argue, I slip out of the ballroom and walk through the corridors.

Shadows dance on the walls as I run silently through the torch lit corridor. I come to the door I need and open it slowly. I wince when it creaks. Who knows how many guards Snow could have placed around here?

I don't even know how I know where it is, I just feel like it's in here. I stop dead in my tracks when I see what's in the room. It's just like Regina's vault, only the coffin has the name: James on it. Sitting on top of the white marble coffin is a ring. The ring. In this story it seems that it's the ring James gave to Snow before Regina told Snow's secret. I'm guessing it's exactly like what happened with Regina only the roles are swapped. I don't know the whole story though.

I snatch up the ring and put it on my right index finger. I hear footsteps running down the corridor, and to my surprise Killian rushes in. "The Queen is coming," he says.

"What are you doing?" I demand. "I told you to run if they found out!"

He smirks that infuriating smirk. "I did. I just ran through a lot of corridors and I didn't turn back. So technically, I did what you said."

"Are you insane?" I whisper. I grab his arm and I run faster than I ever have down the corridor. "You could get killed if you're not careful. What about Thomas? What did he do?"

"He went to warn the others," Killian says. He trips and almost falls, but I keep him steady as we continue to run to nowhere. This palace may be huge, but I don't know it. Snow will find me eventually. I could use my magic...if I knew how to materialize places. Regina never taught me that.

"Why did you come to warn me?" I ask him, breathing heavily. I grab him and shove him behind a pillar as I hear boots beating on the floor. I'm pressed up against his chest, waiting for the guards to pass. I hear his heart beating rapidly. As soon as the sound of boots hitting the floor fades away, I pull away from him and take a deep breath.

"I couldn't let you die," he whispers, answering my question. I look up at him with sad eyes. "You don't have to be alone in this."

"Why are you doing this?" I start walking down the corridor again slowly. "Why help me?"

"I...trust you," he says. I smile a sad smile, remembering when Mary Margaret bailed me out of jail and when I asked her why she was doing it, she told me those same exact words.

I suddenly feel all the air go out of my lungs. I stop dead in my tracks, grabbing at my throat, desperately trying to breathe.

"Did you really think you could get away?" A voice echoes off the walls. "How stupid." Snow appears in front of me, her hand outstretched. I feel a pang in my stomach when she looks at me with nothing but hate.

Black spots appear in my vision. I feel Killian's hand on my arm, trying to get a response from me. I can't speak though. I just have time to glance over to Killian's worried blue eyes before I pass out.

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When I wake up, I notice I'm no longer wearing a mask. I lay on a hard cold ground, one that's all too familiar to me. My eyes snap open and I sit up with a jerk, realization setting in. I'm in the dungeons. My left hand immediately goes to my right. I let out a sigh of relief when I feel the ring on my finger.