Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time
AN: So, this story is entirely the idea of the incredible Beckyzoso. As such, the story is dedicated to her and all the credit goes to her! You are wonderful, girl! Thank you so much for everything you do! I hope this story plays out the way it has in your imagination. This is my first multi-chapter Lieutenant Duckling story and I'm beyond excited to share it with you. I'm also going to admit that I'm very nervous about it and hope I do this version of the characters justice! And just so everyone knows, the song "Bottom of the River" by Delta Rae was a huge inspiration for the story as well. I hope everyone enjoys it!
I also want to take a moment to thank GranddaughterOfCaskettAndTivia for all her hard work as a beta. Thank you for taking the time to review and edit everything! It's much appreciated!
~ XOXO MAS
Hold my hand, oh baby, it's a long way down to the bottom of the river
Emma glared out the window as the carriage bumped along to the port, jostling her hair from the updo one of the ladies had pinned on her head that morning. They still had another two days of travel and she was wishing Prince Baelfire had just taken the hint and stayed back at the palace instead of escorting her. "What kind of ruler would I look like if I let my betrothed ride back to the port by herself?" She'd wanted to scoff at that, she certainly didn't need him (or anyone else) to take care of her, but the merging of their kingdoms could help keep King George at bay a little bit longer, so she humored him. The impending war against her kingdom was how she found herself agreeing to marry Rumplestiltskin's son in the first place. She was just glad the wedding wouldn't happen until she was eighteen. She still had six more months. Six months to come up with an alternative plan to marrying the Dark One's son, and she and everyone else at her court were racking their brains to find an alternative solution. Her parents were trying to come up with one as well, anything but this. She knew her heroic father was less than happy with the situation and her mother's hopelessly naive belief in true love had her at her wit's end since Emma was giving up on the potential of love and settling for a marriage of convenience. Personally, Emma never believed in true love, she just thought her parents were lucky. Perhaps, what they had was true love, if it was they were one in a million. It was something Emma, herself, knew she would never find. Still, none of the three of them were too happy with her decision to marry Prince Baelfire to begin with, but she'd been adamant and her parents ultimately caved. In Emma's eyes, their kingdom and their people mattered more than her own happiness.
She still did have six months to find an alternative plan, after all. And that was something she was holding onto.
"You'll be happy here, Emma." Baelfire promised her, drawing her gaze from the window. His eyes flickered hopefully over her expressionless mask. As if I'd have a choice. If I didn't fake it well enough your father would magically make me happy.
"I'm sure I will." She relented after a moment. Once I'm dead and buried.
She resumed her staring out the window. After a moment Bae let out a quiet sigh and tore his longing gaze away from the blonde.
OUAT
In King George's Kingdom . . .
"Killian!" Liam's voice echoed from the dock, waving to garner his brother's attention, his curls blowing wildly in the wind.
Killian grinned, making his way briskly to to the port side of the ship, "Welcome back, brother!" He called out.
Liam chuckled as he bounded up the gangplank to board The Jewel of the Realm. Pulling Killian into a quick hug, he held out an envelope, "King George has a new mission for us." Killian eyed the envelope skeptically and went to reply when Liam interrupted, "Save your," he paused, "excitement until we are in my quarters." He turned and led the way below deck before Killian could even acknowledge the fact that they had a new assignment from the king.
When the cabin door was safely closed, Killian raised a thick brow, "'Excitement?' Really, brother?"
Liam rolled his eyes, "What did you want me to say in front of the crew? While we're at port? There are guards on the docks." He pointed out.
"Fair enough, what do you have there?" Killian pointed to the envelope still clutched between Liam's fingers.
"Not sure, it came from the head of the king's guard, so it must be important." Liam flipped it over to rip the seal back.
"Corrupt is more like it." Killian muttered, leaning against the desk, his hands tugging through his newly cut, dark hair. He still wasn't used to it. And a part of him missed the ponytail. He waited impatiently as Liam read their orders quietly. "Well?"
"We're to kidnap Princess Emma." Liam thrust the letter in Killian's hands.
"The daughter of King David and Queen Snow? Is he bloody insane?" Killian's eyes skimmed over the letter requesting that they "extract" Princess Emma on her way back to her kingdom. "In order to stop a war between our kingdoms?" Killian scoffed, "In order to start a war is far more likely."
"It won't even be a war." Liam commented.
"How do you figure that?" Killian asked.
"King David and Queen Snow will give whatever he requests, even hand over their kingdom and live with their court in exile, for the safe return of Emma." Liam leaned back. "She's the apple of their eye. I did hear that Queen Snow was with child again. It was believed she couldn't conceive another. She and King David wouldn't want to do anything to cause her any extra stress. They wouldn't want to risk her losing the child. Not to mention the fact that she just accepted a marriage proposal from the Dark One's son. For all we know we could have the wrath of him after us if we follow through with these orders."
"That's quite the age span between the children." Killian commented, "The princess is almost of age, is she not? And she agreed to marry Prince Baelfire? Really?"
"The word amongst the birds is that she's agreed to marry Prince Baelfire when she turns eighteen. That's supposedly six months from now." Liam shook his head, "That's what I heard on my way back to port anyhow. Probably an effort to stop a war."
"I can't believe David and Snow would allow that." Killian murmured.
"It makes me wonder what force drove that." Liam pulled a chair out, reaching over for a bottle of rum and two glass tumblers. "The question is, do we kidnap a princess or not?"
Liam slid a tumbler of rum to Killian, who eyed it reluctantly before finally taking a sip. Six months ago he never touched the stuff, but since their mission to Neverland where they discovered just what kind of ruler King George really is, well he and Liam had been self-medicating a tad. King George's true ways had shattered their reality and now they were left with a mission that was morally reprehensible. "We can't kidnap a princess, Liam. We're not pirates. We're navy men."
Scrubbing his hand over his face, Liam began pacing the room, "If we don't then"
"George will take away our ship and have us hanged for treason. And have someone else capture the princess." Killian finished for him.
"I've never seen a painting of her, but my understanding is that her beauty is unparalleled. If certain captains in the Navy were to accept this mission" Liam hesitated.
Killian scowled, "They wouldn't control their crews or themselves around her. The beasts." He nearly snarled.
Even Liam was slightly taken aback by Killian's response to his insinuation, but he wasn't wrong. Many men who spent most of their time aboard ships lacked a certain amount of restraint when it came to pleasures of the flesh. They spent too much time on the sea with a ship full of men and not enough time implementing manners around lasses. "You see our dilemma then." Liam snapped.
Tipping his chair back, a grin curled at Killian's lips, "What if we did kidnap the princess?"
Liam shook his head in protest, "We can't"
Killian held up his hands, "Now hold on, brother, let me finish." Liam motioned for him to continue, "We kidnap the princess and return her to her kingdom. We let George think we're doing his bidding, when actually we're helping King David and Queen Snow."
"Well, that's a bloody brilliant idea." Liam grinned, "Until we return to our kingdom and we're hanged for treason." He quipped.
"Not if we abandon the Navy." Killian said slowly.
"What?" Liam stopped pacing and turned to face his brother, "We can't"
"We take the Jewel and we desert King George's Navy and offer our services to King David and Queen Snow." Killian straightened his shoulders, "It's well known that they are the most benevolent rulers in the land and wouldn't it be a nice change of pace to work for them rather than King George. Not just work, but live under?"
Liam considered Killian's words carefully before replying, "We'd have to tell the crew."
"If we do then"
"Then they could tell George." Liam nodded as he followed his younger brother's train of thought, "So right, but we need help." He paused, "We tell Smee and Peek, that's it."
"Then what do we do with the crew?" Killian asked, "We can't just take them unwillingly into another kingdom."
"We offer them the option. When we're close enough to Snow's kingdom, we stop at a port, we offer them the option of leaving us or staying. They can make their own way back to George's kingdom if they wish to leave, or they can join us. We will have reached King David's land long before they have the chance to get back here." Liam decided.
Killian nodded slowly, "Well then, brother, it looks like we have a princess to capture."
"I'll have the ship prepared to leave. We'll intercept her en route home." Liam nodded, "Tonight, after dinner, we'll tell Smee and Peek what we have planned."
"And what of the other men? They're navy men like us, brother. Some won't take kindly to capturing a princess." Killian objected.
Liam shrugged, "She's a political prisoner for her kingdom's crimes against our government. We're simply following orders." He picked up the coat he'd shucked off and slid it on, "I'm going to give orders to the crew. Do we have everything we need from port?"
"Aye, we do." Killian stood as well. "I'll assemble the crew for you."
"It's appreciated, little brother." Liam grinned at him teasingly.
Rolling his eyes, Killian corrected, "Younger brother."
OUAT
XOXO
MAS