The Black Cygnet: A Captain Swan Fanfiction

13. Hades, King of The Underwold

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Emma awoke to see the roof of the cave. She closed her eyes and listened to the droplets of water that fell from the mouth of the cave. All she heard was just that, except for Killian's steady breathing of course. The storm was over.

"Killian?" she whispered. Killian mumbled something in reply. "The storm's over."

The ex-pirate opened his eyes halfway. "Hmmm? What time is it?"

"Um, judging from the sun, about mid afternoon."

He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Well then we better get a move on, love."

Emma smiled as they stood up. "I love you."

Killian grinned back at her happily. "I love you too, Emma."

They climbed out the mouth of the cave, nearly slipping in a few puddles. Emma climbed, scaling a large boulder that was in her way. She looked up. "I'm going to go out on a limb here, and assume we're getting close the top," Emma said, pointing to the swirling clouds. They pulled themselves up and onto the peak. "This doesn't exactly look like your average mountain, Killian."

"You're very correct, my dear," said a voice.

Emma peered around a chair, having ducked behind it with Killian. The speaker stood on a majestic throne, feet up on an ornate stool. He had a crown sitting lopsidedly on his head, and the look on his face told onlookers that everything was an amusing game to him. A slave girl scurried out of the room, a tray overflowing with leftover food of the grandest kind in hand. "Hades," Killian said under his breath.

"Ah, how are you, Captain? Finally going to stick around this time?"

"I don't exactly plan on it, thank you very much."

"Are you sure, Killian?" Hades grinned. "The haze is extra red this time of year. Say, who's that girl with you? I can't see her face."

Emma and Killian stepped out from behind the chair. "Em–," Emma began.

"Emma Swan, The Saviour," he said, waiting for them to bow. Emma gave him a puzzled look. "Your reputation precedes you. The Captain told me all about you during our 'meetings'."

She looked at Killian. "What meetings?"

"You didn't tell her about our little meetings? But we had so much fun!" Hades said, covering his mouth in mock surprise. "Remember that one time where I tortured you so much that you looked like a zombie and couldn't open one eye? Good times, good times."

Killian looked down at his feet.

"Oh my god, Killian! Are you still hurt?" Emma asked putting an arm around his neck. She looked towards Hades. "I'll get you for this, you son of a–"

"Emma. Look at me. I'm fine, see?" Killian said, turning Emma's chin towards him so she was looking at him.

Emma nodded slowly, turning back towards the man (if you could call him that) sitting on the throne. A flicker of emerald flame caught her eyes from behind the throne. It flickered from green to crimson, crimson to icy blue. It was the flame that could get them out of The Underworld. She whispered to Hook, "Keep him distracted."

"So, what are you doing in my little domain?" Hades said.

"Hades, I'm willing to make a deal to get out of The Underworld," Emma watched Killian say as she snuck around the other side of the chair, staying low. "So what say you, Demon, shall we make a deal?"

"Oh pirate, who do I look like, Rumpelstiltskin? You know I'm much more dashing that that old scumbag."

Emma crept behind the throne, reaching for the flame. Wait, you can't just grab fire. She pulled her arm away and looked for something that could contain the flame. She spotted a a crystal jar nearby. Emma jumped up to grab the jar, hoping that there was nothing in it already. She sighed with relief after opening the jar. It was empty. Reaching forward with the jar in one hand and the lid in another like she did in Neverland a few years ago with coconuts, she grabbed for the flame. Emma tried to get the flame in the jar, but–

"Oh, how adorable!" Hades exclaimed. He stepped down of his throne and looked behind it at Emma. She froze, her eyes scanning the mountaintop, looking for an escape. "Somebody thought that they could steal from me."

Emma shoved the flame into the jar. Hades walked over to her and plucked the jar–and the flame–out of her arms. With a flick of his hands, Emma's wrists were bound with chains. "No!" shouted before a scarf appeared over her mouth.

"You too, Captain," Hades grinned as the same thing happened to Killian. His wrists were bound and his mouth muffled. He gave a warning look to Emma. "Don't even try, Princess. My magic may work here, but yours certainly won't." He tapped on the ground six times with his foot. A small trap door opened, and after setting the jar back down, he began to lead Emma and Killian into the dungeon below.

Whew. That was a longer chapter, but first things first. I'm really sorry that I haven't updated for a while, so I tried to make it up to you guys with a long and hopefully good chapter.
Wasn't Souls of the Departed a fantastic episode? I wished there had been a little more "Let's save Hook" in that episode, but Henry meeting Henry was adorable, and I'll never get tired of seeing good Regina as well as evil Regina in all her fabulousness.
Please feel free comment what thought, and my PM is always open.

Thanks, Paris Bridgewater