No Wives, No Mothers, No Lovers: ¼

Happy belated birthday, @snowbellewells ! I just finished reading the book The Siren by Kiera Cass and absolutely fell in love with it, with all its modern fantasy and true love themes. Since we’re fandom twins, I figured you would love it as much as I did. (I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve read it already!) So, what better birthday gift than a CS au of it? I’m sorry this is late, but I hope you enjoy it and that it lets you know how much I appreciate your friendship. Getting to meet you last month was one of the highlights of my summer! So, happy birthday my friend.

And no surprise that this ended up an MC, haha. I really wanted it to be a one-shot, but oh well. I do have it completely outlined, though. My plan is to alternate updates between this and Scarborough Fair, though this will be shorter.

Summary:  He must be hallucinating. Because Emma Swan is supposed to be in Miami, Florida where he left her. Emma Swan isn’t supposed to be on this rocky stretch of beach, completely drenched, and wearing a ball gown of all things. A Lieutenant Duckling AU (sort of) in which Emma is a siren who isn’t supposed to fall in love with a human.

Length: about 2,500 words in this chapter, first of four

Rated: T

Also on Ao3

Taggin: @teamhook @kmomof4 @jrob64 @xhookswenchx @winterbythesea @thisonesatellite @welllpthisishappening @spartanguard @ohmakemeahercules @tiganasummertree @sparlecorn93 @sals86 @pirateprincessofpizza @xarandomdreamx @zaharadessert @huntressandlioness1 @jamif @undercaffinatednightmare @onceratheart18 @sparlecorn93 @sals86 @pirateprincessofpizza @xarandomdreamx @zaharadessert @huntressandlioness1​ @winterbythesea​

Chapter One:

The last time he saw her, he was fifteen hundred miles away from this rocky stretch of beach. The last time he saw her was in a dormitory kitchen under garish fluorescent lighting that could do nothing to dim her beauty. The last time he saw her, her eyes had been alight with silent laughter as she fed him cake, and his heart had pounded so loudly at the slightest brush of her fingers against his lips that he was sure she could hear it. The last time he saw her was precisely six months, two weeks, four days, and three hours ago. He knows because not a day has gone by that he hasn’t thought about her. 

However, Killian Jones is a different person than he was six months, two weeks, four days, and three hours ago. Because of what he has been through in that space of time, combined with the fact that he hasn’t been able in all that same length of time to stop thinking about her, his first assumption is that he’s hallucinating. 

“Emma?”

Yes, he must be hallucinating. Because Emma Swan is supposed to be in Miami, Florida where he left her. Emma Swan isn’t supposed to be on this rocky stretch of beach, completely drenched, and wearing a ball gown of all things. 

@searchingwardrobes Oh wow! Already I am absolutely in love with this story!! 💕💖💕 (And you’re totally ahead of me this time, fandom twin. I have heard of Kiera Cass, but have not read any of her books yet. Of course, now I am going to want to start with this one!!)

The way you started this one with the parallelism of Killian’s memories: “The last time he saw her…” It works so beautifully to show just how imprinted his time with her has been on his mind, how vividly he remembers every second. It makes it strike us all the more and truly believe it when you use his “not a day has gone by that he hasn’t thought of her” line from canon.

That only makes us all the more curious though, just as he is wondering, “How did she turn up on the beach in a ballgown, right where he is when he hasn’t seen her for months?” I know those answers will come together slowly as it goes on, but I love something to mull over and try to figure out as a story unfolds. 😍 I’ll admit, this first little bit when Killian kneels beside Emma in the sand, and then helps her up to take her home with him reminds me of “The Little Mermaid”, when Eric first finds Ariel after she washes ashore with legs but no voice and he’s trying to figure out what she is hoping to get across to him. It didn’t take me too long to figure out as I kept reading that she has always been mute when he has known her, but it was a sweet little mental image there all the same!

My heart broke for Killian at having lost his mother (and his friend Emma having apparently just up and vanished too). He’s been so lonely and withdrawn that Liam and Elsa don’t know what to do with him bringing home a friend! All the same - I love the soft, gentle love we see between the two of them when Killian and Emma first arrive to see them simply doing dishes together, and also how they quickly adjust to welcome Emma and take her in and see her warm and comfortable for the night.

I was glad Killian and Emma did get time alone to talk, and I can’t help fearing that something serious pulled Emma away from him and kept her away all these months he didn’t hear from her. I can only keep reading and hope she isn’t taken from him again. The glimpses of their friendship and their comfort and care for each other though are wonderfully evident here. And I love Killian’s reminiscing about first meeting her and how she seems and looks like someone from another time!

The part where they simply hold each other and each comforts the other one as they let their tears fall had to be the part that really got me most though: “Then Emma turns her face into his chest. He can’t tell she’s crying at first because she makes no sound, but then he feels the dampness of her tears through his t-shirt. He holds her, running his fingers through her hair as his own tears fall. They stay that way for so long, he loses track of time. Emma pulls away first, wiping at her damp cheeks, yet surprisingly, neither of them feels awkward. As a matter of fact, they smile at one another, and Killian laughs.”

Whatever is in store, I’m so glad they’ve found each other again!! What a treat to read!! 🌊🐚🧜🏻‍♀️

So happy you liked your present!! And all your notes made me go:

“The Belle Dame Emma”  {Part One}

{Written for the CSSNS21 event}

The initial inspiration for this came from the classic poem by John Keats “La Belle Dame sans Merci”, and the stanzas I have used at beginning and end of the chapter are from that poem. I also wanted to explore a different version of the Dark Swan, and explore more of her fighting against the Darkness as she was in 5a. This story came from those two influences. My aim is to tell it in three parts.

Summary: Legend has it that the fae woman in the meadow will ensnare any who dare enter her domain, but the knight who chances a meeting can tell there is more to the story than superstition and gossip has allowed. The path to the truth and redemption may be fraught with dangers - to the both of them - but is it not the sworn duty of a true knight to help any who may be in need?

A million thank yous to @caught-in-the-filter for the stunningly gorgeous cover art she created for this story, and to @ultraluckycatnd for her beta suggestions and catching my errors. I’m very grateful to both of you! :)

Also available on AO3, if that is your preference

“The Belle Dame Emma”

Part One

I met a lady in the meads,

Full beautiful - a faery’s child,

Her hair was long, her foot was light,

And her eyes were wild.

Some folks say that she was always malevolent. Born to beguile and lure the unworthy to their doom. The fae, after all, were not to be trifled with, and those who dared do so learned their lesson at high cost.

The whispers around the fog-wisped edges of her meadow haunt, the word spoken as warning with anxious glances over the shoulder, was that her beauty was matched only by her fury. That she was possessed with a thirst to punish those who would be lured by her fair form and bewitching song. Those who were wise came to skirt wide around those fallow fields in that sparsely populated corner of the kingdom, for it was said that even those of stoutest resolve and pure intentions found this powerful nymph - be it by her face alone or some magic she wielded to draw them into her web - nigh impossible to resist.

Some retellings of her legend had her thrown from the sparkling court of the fair folk for her cruel and deviant nature. Others claimed she possessed more power and magic than any single faery had before her, and it had simply been too much - bending her better nature into madness. Still other storytellers would paint her more as a tragic sacrifice. The Fae Folk must have one who punished those unworthy of their own kind, as well as the humans who got too close to discovering their kingdom’s gates or who would dare to upset the fragile balance of peace between the two species - who might dare to think themselves equal to, and attempt to win the heart of, a faery. She was simply the one chosen to mete out these judgements. A Guardian and a Gatekeeper, as it were.

And though there is often a grain of truth to any rumor, very rarely do such stories paint their characters as they truly are. Not in full. And the ballad of awe and fear told of the beautiful, but deadly, lady Emma - La Belle Dame Sans Merci - was just such a tale. The whispers bore fragments of reality, but could not explain it all. Though she was not blameless, she was not completely lost. Perhaps there only needed to be some small spark of light, some reason for her to look within for any shred of mercy she might still possess.

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So excited about this one! Lovely art as well ❤️

“A Cottage by the Sea”

And now, here’s the first real non-Prologue part of “A Cottage by the Sea”, my @cssns​20 Enchanted Forest AU!  Thank you SO much to those who have sent comments and offered enthusiasm for the Prologue of this one; I hope you’ll enjoy this continuation and keep going on the journey with me. There’s absolutely more Lieutenant Duckling development here, but I’ll have to beg your patience as the supernatural elements of this don’t really begin to show up until the end of this section and aren’t explained until Part Two. 

**Thanks once again to @searchingwardrobes​ for this amazingly lovely cover art that I still can’t stop staring at!  And to @tornadoamy​ for being my beta reader.

Summary: Princess Emma has always been drawn to the shores of Misthaven, where the sea meets the shore near her parents’ castle. When an unknown boy washes up on the sand, with eyes as fathomless and blue as the waters that brought him to her, he soon becomes Emma’s best friend, her partner in crime, and her other half.  But the tides give and the tides take away, and as her blue-eyed boy sails in her father’s navy and risks all in defense of those who made him family, unexpected danger and challenge will try to tear them apart, and might well show him just where he came from that day he first appeared to her from the sea…”

Prologue

Part One

Three years later…

Morning dawned on the day Killian Jones was to set sail once more - for his first long distance voyage as lieutenant - much as it had done every other morn of his young life so far. Granted, that included many of those years he could not fully recall, but the sky streaked in radiant hues of pink and orange drove troubled thoughts from mind in his excitement to set out on his chosen course. At last he would be moving toward his goal: a ship of his own, a captaincy in King David and Queen Snow’s Navy, and a position that gave him the right to court the woman he loved - in truth, his soulmate - and seek her hand in marriage.

It was true he had not yet spoken those words aloud to anyone. Princess Emma, who had found him alone and washed up on the beach like forgotten detritus so long ago now, but had never treated him as such, had never treated him as anything less than family and a cherished companion, had no idea how his regard had changed. He could not yet bring himself to speak the desires of his heart to her - not when he was an orphan without name, station, or profession. She was the Crown Princess and sole heir to the monarchy of Misthaven. He must first have something to offer her, make something of himself, even if he knew she would argue with such a line of thinking. His will was no less resolved.

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Ya'll have GOT to check out this edge of your seat chapter with one of the best written storms at sea in the fandom!

CS Supernatural Summer :: Varcolac: A Hybrid Tale - Part One

Varcolac: A Hybrid Tale - Part One for the @cssns

From Romanian folklore, encompassing traits attributed to both the vampire and werewolf, and loosely translated to mean ‘werewolf demon’, a varcolac is a hybrid.

Summary: While heading home to prepare for the coming evening, Killian Jones happens upon a woman broken down on the side of the road. A woman who shifts the entire foundations of his being with just her scent. Killian Jones is a werewolf you see, and the unsuspecting lass has landed herself deep in werewolf country on the cusp of the first night of the full moon. Knowing he must get her on her way for her own safety, Killian offers to fix her vehicle, but things go awry in town when another wolf attempts to stake a claim on the stunning stranger. Now Killian must do all he can to protect the woman, Emma Swan, from a vengeful pack, all while keeping his true nature a secret from her. Turns out, Killian Jones is no ordinary werewolf.

Rated: M - for language, darker themes, and sexy times (in Part Two)  

A/N: This story first came to me last fall during the 2017 Halloweek, but got shelved in favor of other projects. A big thank you to @kmomof4 and the other @cssns mods for creating this event, so I could dust this fic off and give it another go. Much love to @artistic-writer for not only being my beta (and title supplier), but also my person. (If you had to murder someone, I’d cross the Pond to help you hide the body!) Another huge thank you (and Happy Belated Birthday!) to @flipperbrain for her stunning artwork! She created three pieces for me; the hybrid nature cover art and two content illustrations. I absolutely adore each one! Finally, a shout out to @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 who gave me the idea to adjust this from a werewolf to a hybrid fic. Thank you!

Also available on ff.net, ao3, and my fic page.

Part One

“Seriously?! What the hell?” Emma half whined in response to her bug, which was now merely coasting down the rural, back road thanks to the engine dying.

She was able to use its remaining inertia to pull off to the side of the road before bringing the car to a complete stop. Turning the key to see if she could get it to restart, Emma’s irritation spiked when the engine attempted to turn over without success. She did not have time for this.

Frustrated, Emma made her way to the back of the bug and wrenched open the engine lid. A slight acrid smell of something burning filled her nostrils, but she couldn’t see where it was coming from. Not that she even really knew what she was looking for. Her expertise with motor vehicle repair extended to standing with her hands on her hips while she scowled at the offending issue and waited for a tow truck.

Emma plucked her phone from her back pocket and cursed the lack of bars. No service. Just. Great. She pulled her hair back into a low ponytail and bent back over the engine, hoping that it might miraculously become animated and tell her the problem.

“Need a hand there, love?” a voice called out suddenly, catching Emma off guard and causing her to bang her head on the engine lid.

“Ow!” Emma’s eyes began to water as she rubbed the now tender spot on the back of her skull.

“Sorry about that,” the voice called again, closer this time. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I can take a look at your engine if you’re having trouble.”

Emma blinked the sting out of her eyes and tried to focus on the figure that was making his way toward her from a truck that had apparently pulled over to assist. Then she had to keep blinking. The man before her couldn’t possibly be real.

“Uh… sure. Thanks.”

The man flashed her a friendly smile and continued forward.

Given her line of work, Emma considered herself a quick and accurate judge of character. Working in bail bonds, with the occasional assignment that drifted into bounty hunter territory, it was imperative she knew exactly who she was dealing with. She could discover quite a bit about a person from the way they walked and how they carried themselves, the facial expressions they gave and how well they matched the tone in their voice or the intent within their eyes. Emma had an uncanny ability to read people, and she could spot a lie from a mile away. She found herself at a complete loss with the contradiction of the man making his way toward her, though.

He had a stalking swagger that screamed trouble, only it was juxtaposed with a soft, sincere smile. Eyes a piercing blue seemed to track her movements with sharp, predatory focus, but were framed with flirty, arched brows and friendly crinkles at their corners. Emma got the sense that this was a man she could trust while simultaneously feeling like she should run for the hills. Running probably wouldn’t be a smart option, though. Something in his eyes told her he’d only give chase if she ran, and she found that she wouldn’t mind if he did.

His dark, disheveled hair fluttered in the breeze, and when he finally finished his approach she could see an auburn tint to the light scuff that adorned his visibly clenched jaw. He swallowed and wet his lips before extending his hand and offered an introduction.

“Killian Jones. At your service.”

He had an accent she realised. Of course, he did.

“Emma,” she replied as she shook his strong, calloused hand. “Emma Swan.”

“Let’s see what the trouble is, shall we?”

He released her hand and bent over the engine to begin his assessment. Wow, he smells good. Emma couldn’t ever remember having such a strong olfactory response to a person, but the mixture of masculine scents with the sweet hint of recent exertions had her feeling dizzy and flushed. As did the view of his ass, which she assessed with as much scrutiny as he did her bug’s motor.

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🎶IT’S HERE… IT’S HERE… IT’S HERE, IT’S HERE, IT’S HERE!!!!🎶

Our next fic for the CSSNS is from @hollyethecurious!!! Everyone enjoy pt1 of werewolf/vampire hybrid!Killian!!!!