Scarlet

You're Everything I Want

Night had fallen, leaving the remnants of the stained red sky to fade away as the last fragment of the sun had sunk into the darkening earth. The wind howled on this night, sweeping through the courtyard and pushing up dust, creating a silent storm, both haunting and beautiful. The Black Knight stood in the middle of the quiet clearing, alone, gazing at the faded stars as they winked at her from above.

They looked as if they were laughing, mocking, as they danced against the black backdrop. A weariness was set in her bones and a heaviness in her heart. Green eyes fell away to an ebony blade, one whose hilt she gripped tight in the leather of her gloves, the encrusted emerald eyes on the white swan knob glinting in the moonlight. She stared into them, for a moment, entranced, hoping that, perhaps, she would find an answer.

Complete darkness consumed her as she closed her eyes for not but a brief moment, filling her entire being with its energy.

"Ser Swan," a voice sounded, deep and rumbling, as the source approached, boots crunching against gravel.

"What you bring to me better be good tidings, Kevan." Jade fire burning within her eyes as they landed on the man and his mop of dark hair. His face paled. "What did you find?"

"Ser Uriel discovered books in the library that might lead to the Dark One's location." His brown eyes sparkled.

"Lead the way," she growled and followed as the young knight brought her to the castle's library.

Emma was met with winding staircases and tall, stacked shelves filled with books, surrounding her like a tornado. She had been acquainted with this room a few days after she had started her training, for the queen had taken notice to her interest in the few tomes that lined the shelves in her bedchambers. Though, this room was far too large to search for anything on her own, thus she had turned to the literate knights as she turned to the castle for anything else that might aid her.

A tall, bald man with dark skin approached her, clad in his usual ebony armor. He toted a stack of books.

"What did you find, Uriel?" inquired the Black Knight and was immediately granted the stack as he spoke.

"This is all I could find on the Dark One, ser." The man dipped his head, though when he had straightened out, something burned in his hazel eyes. "Might I ask why you are trying to locate this imp?"

The blonde turned her gaze away from the man and sought out a red velvet sofa, though refrained from moving. "The queen asked me."

"Doesn't Her Majesty know of his location?"

"Why must you question me? She has asked that I research the Dark One." Her face grew hot with impatience and the knight seemed to notice for he merely dipped his head and backed away.

"Is there anything else I can assist you with?" When the blonde shook her head, Uriel moved away, taking Kevan with him.

Emma was alone in the quiet library as she moved toward the sofa to read through the yellow, aged pages of the tomes. Would any of this truly help? That, she did not know. But she was certainly desperate enough to try as she flipped through the books, one by one, skimming, searching, for anything that would leave indication of his location.

But as the time had passed and her back had grown sore from hunching over the books, she knew that she was only wasting precious time. A day had nearly passed since she returned to the castle and within that day, the Gods would only know what Rumpelstiltskin was bestowing upon the Evil Queen.

They had an advantage, though, or at least Emma would like to think. She still held onto Regina's heart, kept secure in a black metal box around her neck. Strange, perhaps even careless, it may seem, but she didn't trust leaving it alone, not while Rumpel was no doubt on the prowl. That's why she wanted to make the first move; she didn't want to give him the chance.