Sickly Sweet

2

“Such a pretty boy, isn’t he?” the Faerie cooed, looking over at the pirate who wasn’t doing so much as resisting. “He was here once, long ago, but thanks to the foolishness of the Mouse King, he escaped. This time, he will not be so lucky.”

“Fat chance,” Emma hissed, her sword already drawn before she remembered the item in her pocket. “I have something you want, and I’m willing to make a trade.”

“A trade? What on earth could I want more than Miss Snow White miserable and Killian Jones back where he belongs?” she asked, her eyes turning to a dark red while her skin faded into a dark purple, the faerie’s anger shifting her physical appearance into the monster that Killian had described on their journey through the Doll Kingdom.

“You’d have to trust me and make the deal, first,” Emma said, trying to sound confident in herself.
“How can I do that? How do I know you won’t betray me? Love is a fickle thing, after all,” she said, making Emma’s face heat up and she sputtered, trying to find the words to respond.

“Because someone who knows you very well knows that this would be worth it to you,” she replied. “All I want is the cure for David, and Killian back.”

“I’m afraid not, my pretty,” the Faerie was growing in size, looking more like a purple swollen cartoon character than a faerie. “So you’ll have to stay here as well!”

All hell broke loose. Emma swung her sword just in time as the Faerie swooped down at her, and it was all she could do to keep her mind closed from the Faerie’s brutal attacks.

“Now men, now!” she whipped around, sword drawn, before realizing the Nutcracker and his men were indeed fighting with her. Many of the wooden men taken out, splintering from the force of the Sugar Plum Faerie, a few of them on fire, and the screams were shaking Emma to her core.

“Her throne, stab the center of her throne!” the Nutcracker cried, and Emma felt despair seep through her. She’d never reach the throne, she couldn’t even get to Killian to save him.

“I’ve got this,” Mary Margaret told her, pulling an arrow from her quiver and letting it fly, hitting the throne dead center. The ominous cry that came from the Faerie was blood-curtling, but she began to shrink once again.

“Once more!” the Nutcracker ordered, and Mary Margaret complied, another screech emitting from the dark Faerie.

“Now quick! Killian gave you the talisman, put it on her!” he yelled, and Emma thrust her hand into her pocket, her palm surrounding the object before realizing there was a cord attached. She swung, the cord getting longer and floating over the faerie’s neck, and then it began to glow as Emma released the talisman.

“No! No!” the Faerie screamed, as the talisman’s cord shrunk to fit tightly around her neck, even as she clawed at it to remove it. The soft red glow was soon as bright as a fire, the same shade appearing to come from within the faerie, like the light was poking holes through her as it tried to escape.

“You fools!”

With a bright burst of light, the Faerie was gone, and the earth they were standing upon shook for a few minutes, knocking everyone off of their feet before it settled out. Their surroundings were changing, becoming softer and more realistic.

“Thank you, thank you,” the Nutcracker exclaimed as he was walking toward Emma, holding his injured arm and dragging his sword behind him. As he was moving, Emma could see the life taking over him again, like watching August turn from wood back to a human. The grain was leaving, his movements becoming more life-like as flesh replaced wood, and soon his painted brown eyes were soft and lively as well, but his injury was all the worse once he’d returned to his self.

“Here, let me help,” Emma insisted, focusing and pushing her magic into the wound, trying to at least stop the worst of the bleeding.

“Thank you, I am Hans, previously the Nutcracker and forced guard of the Sugar Plum Faerie, and even more previously the heir to the throne of this kingdom,” he introduced himself, and Mary Margaret’s eyes were wide with shock, yet she nodded and shook his hand.

“I thank you for returning to help save us; our whole kingdom had been enslaved by that beast and turned to wooden dolls and the like. Killian was the first human we’d seen in years, and my men and I helped him escape before she could turn him into one of us,” he explained, and Emma’s heart nearly burst.

She’d forgotten Killian had been right beside the throne.

Without hesitation she ran to him, and found him laying on the ground, two of Hans’s soldiers – the ones who’d been at his sides before the fight had started, watching him carefully.

“He’ll be all right, the magic just needs to wear off the rest of the way,” one assured her, as she fell to her knees and cradled his head in her lap.

“He’s a brave man, Killian. No escapee of the Doll Kingdom had ever dared return, yet here he is. And because of him, we are all free,” Hans told her, his voice carrying from where he stood several feet behind Emma and Killian, next to Mary Margaret.

“We came to find a cure for David,” Mary Margaret told Hans, who nodded and then sent a look to one of his guards. The man nodded and headed into one of the side chambers, before Hans turned back to Mary Margaret.

“We shall ensure you have what you need,” he told her, and gave her a soft smile. “But first, I must check and see if my uncle, Drosselmeyer, is still all right. The Sugar Plum Faerie had imprisoned him when she took over, as he refused to join her.”

Hans left, and soon his guard had returned and handed Mary Margaret a small tin, in which appeared to be several home-made cookies. She knew though that they weren't exactly what they appeared to be, and felt relief course through her body as she finally knew that David would be all right.

“These are the antidote to the Sugar Plum Faerie’s cruel enchantment. After a few your David will be good as new,” he assured her, and Mary Margaret thanked him before moving to Emma’s side, as Killian was just beginning to wake.

“Hello Love, I believe my watch skills were not sufficient for this task,” he groaned, and Emma laughed, although her mother didn’t miss the fact there were a few tears in her eyes.

“Not quite Hook, but you’re okay now,” she softly told him, pushing some of his dark hair away from his face. The smile on Killian’s face was soft, and Mary Margaret could see the love he had for her daughter written all over his face.

“You had me scared there,” she admitted, and Killian’s blue eyes zoned in on hers, and he gave her hand a squeeze.

“I’m a survivor, Swan; how many damn times do I have to tell you?” he teased, and with a roll of her eyes Emma helped him to sit up properly. They gave him a few minutes before helping him to his feet, wanting to ensure he was in fact okay.

“So, you’re the big hero of the kingdom now, did you know?” she asked, and he let out a harsh laugh, before shaking his head.

“I’m not a hero, Swan. We had to get the cure for your father, it’s that simple,” he shrugged, but both Emma and Mary Margaret shook their heads.

“You risked returning to a cursed land for those who you love, and nearly sacrificed yourself without a second thought for them. That, Sir Jones, is indeed a hero, at least in my Kingdom,” Hans spoke from behind them, and all three turned around to see him aiding an elderly man toward them.

“This is my Uncle, Drosselmeyer, and these three, Uncle, are the saviours of our kingdom,” he introduced both parties, and after a few minutes Emma cleared her throat.

“So sorry to cut this short, but we do have to un-enchant my father,” she reminded everyone, and Hans nodded, before handing her something.

“Don’t be strangers; we would love to have all of you back, anytime you wish,” he told her, and she looked down to see a small Nutcracker ornament, like the one from the Christmas Movie she’d remembered as a kid.

“Don’t worry we won’t,” she promised, and after several goodbyes, the heroes from Storybrook began their quest back home, tin of sweets in the hand of Mary Margaret, and the finger of her hero laced with Emma’s, as she and Killian walked hand in hand back toward the village and where they’d began this adventure.