Daggers

Chapter 8 Truly

Regina's Vault 

A soft groan rises from the bed and Rumple awakens, healed and rejuvenated. He sits himself up realizing he's in Regina's vault, then notices on the floor, "Belle?" He gently touches her head, she's sound asleep. Unaware of any events that have happened, and now without magic, Rumple waits, since he can't get out of the vault without magic anyway. 

In Granny's

"It's been 3 weeks David, we can't find Hook, and everyone is still asleep," Mary M sighs. Henry comes through the door with the book. The three were unaffected by the sleeping curse put over the town, as they had all been under one before. 

They have no idea the point of this curse, if Hook is just waiting until Rumple is healed and keeping everyone at bay until then. The Dark One had the ability to travel wherever he wanted at any time, so Hook could have gone anywhere during this three week gap. 

For whatever reason Hook had wanted everyone out of his way, Snow, Henry and Charming unable to do magic weren't much of a problem to him. While they were asleep, Hook had been on a journey, upon that journey, he obtained Excalibur, killing King Arthur in his way.

In addition to killing kill Arthur, the dark one was able to retrieve Merlin, who was encased in a tree for centuries by the first dark one. Since he was trapped there by the original, another dark one had the ability to free him. To Merlin's surprise, however, he didn't expect to see Captain Hook in front of him when he was released. 

"Won't be long now, Sorcerer," Killian smiles at Merlin on his ship. He's trapped Merlin and is awaiting his sleeping curse to expire. "Killian you should stop going forward with this plan," Merlin said. "I don't need your advice, I'm doing what's right for me," He said. "I lost my love to this same darkness, don't make Regina lose hers, she's lost enough, hasn't she?" Merlin asks. 

Killian grows angry at Merlin using Regina against him, "No more talking from you," he waves his hand. Merlin, as the sole creator of magic, and the strongest of light magic in the world doesn't like to use it against anyone, and he feels Killian could be somewhat persuaded in this situation. He sees pieces of the future. 

"Killian, this is not the life you want, opening the gates to hell is not going to fix the past," Merlin said. "It's going to get people I want," He said. "In exchange for the lives in Storybrooke, you don't want to do that," Merlin said. "Don't I?" Killian asks. "You have excalibur, Killian, I can free you from this," Merlin said. "I can give Regina her father back, mine..." Killian thinks out loud. 

Killian poofs to the loft. David had lifted Regina, Emma and Zelena and put them in comfortable places. Killian looks over Regina, as she's peacefully asleep. "I did this for you, Regina, just like I always have," he said. "And I'll continue to do that," he says, gently he touches his knuckles to her cheek. He poofs away. 

Emma, Regina, and Zelena begin to wake, "Oh my god, what happened?" Regina looks around. Emma picks up her phone, and calls David, "Three weeks?!" She blurts out, "What?" Regina asks. "Your bloody pirate put us all under a sleeping curse for three weeks?" Zelena asks. "Clearly, I was too, genius, I don't know why he would do this," Regina shrugs. 

"I do.." Belle runs in, "She has to stop doing that," Regina sighs. "Rumple's gone," Belle said. "Of course, he wanted to get Rumple, and wait for him to be well enough for his duel," Regina says. "So he put us all to sleep so we couldn't stop that?" Emma asks. "I don't know but we have to find out," Regina said. "Where would he be?" Emma asks, "The docks of course," Regina rushes out the door. 

The others follow her, and Regina stops in her tracks, "Woah," She shifts awkwardly, losing her balance, as Emma and Zelena are there to support her. "You ok?" Emma asks, "Yeah, just got a little dizzy, we've been asleep three weeks, guess that's normal," Regina shakes it off and heads off on the street. The town has now awoken and everyone is realizing they've missed three weeks. 

"What are you going to do?" Zelena tugs Regina, "What do you care? You should be back in that cell," Regina snaps. "You want to go tango with the Dark one when you have no idea what he has even been up to 3 weeks," Zelena said. "Since when do you care about me?" Regina asks. Zelena rolls her eyes, "I don't particularly, or him, but he's got power, you can't go up against that, even the Evil Queen can't," She said. "So what, you think Wicked will win?" Regina snaps. "I think if we join together and bring the savior here, we could do something," Zelena suggests. Emma shrugs, "What do we have to lose?" 

"Quite a bit actually," Hook pops up, "Killian," Regina startles, "You look refreshed my Queen," he smirks. Zelena rolls her eyes, "What are you doing?" Regina asks. "Well, I've made myself quite useful love," Hook boasts. "Tell me," Regina said. "Mmm, demanding, I love it when you get like that," Hook grins again. 

"Bloody hell," Zelena exasperates, "I've obtained Excalibur, and the Great Sorcerer himself," he says. "Merlin?" Regina asks, "Indeed, trapped in a tree, poor bloke, now he's trapped on my ship," Hook explains. "And what else are you planning to do Killian?" Regina asks. 

Killian smiles, and looks over Regina's shoulder. He had taken Rumple from the vault, and put him in his shop. Rumple limped out to the center of the street, and Killian smiles. Zelena, Emma and Regina turn to see him standing there. "Ah, my first mission," Hook smiles. 

"Well get on with it," Rumple says. Belle comes down the street, towards the others, and other members of the town have come out. "No no no," Killian shakes his finger, "I'm not a cruel man, get your affairs in order Dearie and meet me on my ship at noon tomorrow," Killian waves his hand in the familiar way Rumple has over the years as Dark one. "Where it all began," Killian glares at him. 

"Killian..." Regina begins and he poofs away. The whole group meets in the loft. "Well, you were the dark one, what do we do?" Regina asks, "Captain Hook was full of revenge for centuries, it's not surprise he wants this," Gold said. "So what do we do before he kills you?" Belle asks. "You find out what else he wants, the Dark one always has more motives, he clearly obtained excalibur, you have to find out what he wants to do with it," Gold explains. "He also has Merlin," Regina said. "You're the woman he loves Regina, that much is clear, you're the only one that can do this," Gold said.