Losing Light

Chapter 2

The cloaked figure brought her to a room with a huge bed, dresser, and closet. One that was bigger than her own at her father's castle. He held his hand up and the door shut forcefully and locked itself. He picked her up and laid her on her back before climbing on top of her and pinning her down. Tears slipped from her eyes and onto her cheeks.

"No need to be frightened, Emma. I'm not going to hurt you," he said.

Emma thrashed in his grip, "who are you? How do you know my name?"

He released one of her wrists and pulled his cloak down revealing his face. His jet black hair and crystal blue eyes that made her forget how to breath. He was handsome, but then she remembered her situation. She tried to kick and punch but nothing was working. "Ah, ah, ah. I'm Killian. You are in the Underworld and you are now my Queen."

Emma shook her head, "I don't want it. I want to go back home."

"I'm afraid you can't do that, love. You see, I've been watching you for a while. I see the longing in your eyes. I see how you don't want the things that many of your suitors have offered you. Ever since I laid my eyes on you, darling, I've wanted you. I've wanted you to be my Queen and live here with me."

"Oh, really? Cause ever since I've laid my eyes on you, I've wanted to tie you up and leave you for the Furies."

"They can't kill me."

"Then it will be very unpleasant."

Killian looked down at her. She wasn't crying anymore but there were tear stains on her cheeks. Her blonde curls were flattened and her crown was misplaced. "What do you want, my love? Name it and it shall be yours."

"To go home. When my father and mother find out what you've done, you will be banished into the depths of Tartarus."

"Two things wrong with that statement. One, I'm the King of the Underworld. I can't be banished to my own home. Two, your father told me I could have you. He was the one who suggested that I kidnap you and bring you here."

Emma shook her head. Tears began to well in her eyes once more. "No. You're lying."

"Am I? Use your power. See that I'm telling you the truth."

"How do you know about that?"

"I told you. I have been watching you for a very long time. Waiting for you to be mine, and now that I have you, I won't let you out of my sight." Emma turned her head away so he wouldn't see her tears anymore. She was starting to grow weak. She couldn't fight him anymore. He felt her body grow limp under him, but he could tell that her guard was still up. He crawled off of her and she scooted up so she was leaning on the headboard. "Feel free to look around." He gave her a smile, "nothing is going to hurt you when you are in my care. Even though you feel scared right now, you don't have to be." He walked closer to her and held his hand out to stroke her face. Emma backed up further into the bed as far as she could. When she couldn't go any farther, Killian's hand came in contact to her cheek. He stroked the side of her face with feather light touches so he wouldn't spook her. "I'll be downstairs making preparations."

He turned around and went to the door. 'Preparations for what?' "What are the preparations for?"

He turned around and smiled at her. "Our wedding," and with that, the door closed.

Emma's mouth opened in shock. 'Wedding? I'm not marrying him! I don't love him! I could never love someone like him!' She thought. She collapsed onto the bed and found it to be very comfortable. The blankets were black and laced with gold thread. The pillow cases matched the blanket. She got up and made her way around the room. The room had two giant windows on each side of the bed. She looked out one of them and she could see the front yard of her new home. Torches lit the pathway up into the castle and she saw the river Styx in the distance. The ultimate hell hound Cerberus was chained on the shore of the river doing its job. Protecting. Emma glanced away from the window and looked at her room. Candles and torches were lighting up the room. She made her way to the bathroom. A tub sat in the corner and a white and black vanity sat in the corner. She looked around. Flower pots were sitting around the bathroom and the bedroom. All of them had dirt in them, but no flowers and she could tell that there weren't any seeds in the dirt either. 'Why would he have pots with dirt in them and nothing in it?' She questioned herself. Emma opened the bedroom door and walked along the dark corridor and came across a stairway. She went down and found Killian talking to a man with ripped clothes. They were looking at a piece of paper and quietly talking. She watched how his eyebrows furrowed as he concentrated and how his tongue would swipe across his bottom lip and his eyes darted across the page. She left them alone and went to another part of the castle. She opened the door and saw a room filled with bookshelves. She looked around and her mouth opened to the sight of all the books.

"There has to be one thousand books in here," someone said from behind her. "I've never counted them even though I spend most of my time in here." She turned around and saw a man leaning in the doorway. He squinted his eyes at her. "Emma?"

"No," she said once realization hit her on who he was. "Stay away from me."

"I'm not going to hurt you." He moved closer to her and she backed up.

"You already tried once! What makes me think that you won't again?" She yelled.

"I didn't know who you were at first. I apologized. It's okay."

"What the devil is going on in here?" A voice boomed from behind them both. Emma looked over into the doorway and Killian had his arms crossed over his chest. He looked at her and the dead soul in front of him. "Do I need to repeat myself? Answer me!"

Emma flinched at the sudden change in Killian's voice. "W-we have a-" She was cut off.

"I wasn't talking to you, love."

"I didn't realize she was with you, your majesty. We know each other from sometime ago. You don't need to be worried."

Killian ran his hand over his scruff. He waved his hand, "leave us be."

The man nodded and left the library. He turned and faced Emma after the soul left. "I don't want you thinking that I will ever yell at you or talk to you in a way you don't find comforting or soothing." Emma nodded and looked down. "How do you know Neal?"

Emma let out a shaky breath. Killian grabbed her a chair and she sat down. "Many of the other Gods and Goddesses have affairs with mortals." She looked down at her feet, "but I wasn't one of them. I visited the world many times and I met many people. I stayed away from the men that I had a bad feeling about. My virtue was a gift for my husband. Not some unworthy mortal."

He knew where this was going. "Emma, you don't-"

She shook her head, "let me finish. I met Neal at a market one day a long time ago. At first he never gave me a reason to not trust him, but as we grew closer, he wanted what I couldn't give. After getting away from him untouched, I went back to Olympus and never put my feet back on the Earth. Not until I was sure he was dead."

"Did you tell anyone?"

"No. I didn't want anyone to know. I'm already pictured as weak and useless. I didn't want what almost happened to me added to my name."

Killian knelt down to her. He sat in front of her on his knees. "I don't see you as any of those things."

"I have a power to grow flowers, Killian! It isn't exactly a power to be proud of."

"You bring life to the Earth! You may not be the most famous Goddess, but you are good enough for me, your friends, your parents. Don't ever doubt yourself, please."

"I haven't felt special since my dalliance with Neal. I don't want to be lied to again."

"I'm not lying and you know that. What do you want me to do with Neal?"

Emma shrugged, "I don't know."

He nodded. "I'll think of something. Any more dead mortals I should worry about?"

She thought for a moment, "no. None that I can think of."

He smiled, "good. You have a closet full of dresses made by my finest tailors. I'll call for someone to draw you a bath and you can join me for supper." Emma nodded. Killian stood up and held his hand out for her and she took it even though she didn't need the assistance. He led her to the bedroom and she walked over to the closet. She swung open the doors and saw beautiful silky dresses all in different colors. She picked a light pink one that went down just below her knees and matching flats. She turned around and he was laying on the bed with his hands under his head. "Excellent choice, love."

She looked down at it, "it certainly is beautiful. Thank you."

"The best for my Queen."

She turned around and placed the dress in the bathroom. Her eye caught on one of the empty pots and she wondered yet again why he would have at least thirty pots with dirt in them. She made her way back out to the bedroom and saw him still watching her.

"Why do you have all of these pots in here?" She asked.

He swung his legs over the bed and walked towards her. "I've never had much of a green thumb. Maybe you'd have better luck making some flowers grow?" He moved out of the way to make room for the maids who brought in some steaming water. "Dinner is served in an hour. You're welcome to join."