From Knight to Night

Chapter 15: Terror

A loud banging rang out throughout the small room of the tavern, the strong thump against the wood vibrating the door on its hinges. Killian startled, stretching his eyes wide open as he sat straight up in the bed, noticing the soft light of early morning streaming in through his window. As he looked around and noticed his surroundings, he was reminded of his location, and the pounding headache that mimicked the knocks his door had just suffered reminded him of the previous night's festivities.

The loud knock returned, followed by a voice.

"Killian! Killian, wake up!" Killian recognized Neal's tone and turned in the bed to rise.

"Alright, mate. Alright. Just stop with the knocking." He walked to the door and unlocked the hinge, pulling it open as soon as it was free. Without so much as a grunt, Neal pushed past him and into the room despite the lack of an invitation. Killian looked up at him with a raised eyebrow as the man entered. "Come on in."

But when Neal turned around, Killian knew immediately that something was wrong.

"What?" Killian asked quickly, his attention spurring to the surface as he saw the concern etched in Neal's face. "What is it, man?"

"Something's not right," Neal started, causing Killian to step forward with concern. "Arthur and Emma are gone."

"They're gone?"

"Completely."

"How do you know?"

"I went to rouse Arthur for preparations, but he didn't answer the knock on his door. Concerned, I moved to Emma's room and experienced the same result. You're the first one to actually answer my knock." Killian began to think he should have gone the same way as Emma and Arthur and ignored the man, but he relaxed a bit at this information.

"Don't you think they could just be asleep? Is it really worth this worrying?"

"Killian, right now, I don't want to second guess anything. With all that is going on, I'd rather break down the door and startle them from under the covers than assume everything is alright," Neal pressed. Killian saw the true concern in his face and realized he was right. Despite what he thought was probably fine, assuming such in troubled times was a bad idea.

"Alright. I'll help you see if we can get the group together. You go and raise Henry and then try Arthur again, and I'll work on locating Emma." Neal nodded in response and made for the door, pushing through the threshold and turning down the hall. Killian went to grab his belt and sword before he walked to the door himself, looking back at his bed longingly, knowing more sleep and rest was something that he wouldn't get for quite some time.

~~~

Killian made his way down the staircase from Emma's door, allowing the confusion and concern to set in as he looked back over his shoulder one last time. As he descended the stairs, he turned back to the tavern floor in front of him and saw Neal standing by the bar speaking with the tavern owner while Henry and Alice stood by him. Killian approached them quickly.

"Any sign of Arthur?"

"Nothing," Henry answered, his eyes showing the rising concern in his own body.

"Neal is trying to find out if he saw Arthur leave or walk out with anyone," Alice provided.

"Only Arthur? What about Emma?" Killian asked perplexed.

"Emma..." Henry began, some of the concern dropping away as his face debuted a small smile despite the current situation. "Left for the cottage after I spoke to her outside."

"The cottage?" Killian asked.

"Mmhmm."

"And when was it that you spoke to her?" At this point, Henry's smile grew wider, and he stole a glance at Alice, who was having trouble containing her own display of blissful intrigue.