Chapter 1

She ran through the forest, darting between the trees as fast as she could, never taking a moment to glance behind her. She could hear their heavy footsteps as they raced after her. They yelled to one another but she couldn't focus on what they were saying, she only had one thought in her mind, and that was that she absolutely had to get away.

Her hair and dress seemed to snag on every passing branch and bush. Her heels couldn't have been less appropriate for this type of extreme athleticism. But she hadn't exactly planned on being in this situation, and so she didn't really have time to consider the practicalities of her outfit beforehand.

All of a sudden, she found herself in the middle of a clearing. In her terror, she hadn't even noticed the trees thinning out, but here she was. Her head was swimming but she had to keep going. She stopped in her tracks and glanced about quickly, scanning the forest around her. Turning, she realized she could no longer tell exactly which direction her pursuers were coming from, but she could hear their voices growing louder. How had she let herself get confused like this? She silently cursed herself and hastily decided upon a direction that she was fairly certain was the opposite from where she had come.

She continued running but found herself much more aware of her aching feet, her ragged breathing, her muscles slowly turning against her.

'No, I have to keep going. I can't let them get me!'

She knew that being caught wasn't an option, but she had lost the burst of adrenaline that had first aided her escape. She was becoming desperate as she heard the footfalls getting ever so much closer. Perhaps instead of outrunning them she could hope to outsmart them by finding somewhere to hide.

Quickly she looked around her immediate surroundings. Trees, bushes, nothing special, and nothing particularly useful to her in this moment. She was frantic now and she knew it. For a brief moment she considered attempting to climb a nearby tree with low-hanging branches, but in the clothes that she was currently wearing, a floor-length dress and heels, she know it wasn't an option.

Suddenly she spotted a very large, very old oak tree. It was clearly dead because its bark was pale, in this moonlight it was actually quite similar in colour to the light shade of blue of her dress. The tree stood at a sharp angle with some of its roots sticking up in the air. It was also surrounded by a number of large bushes. She knew that she couldn't keep running for much longer so she made a split-second decision to take a chance and hope with all her might that it would pay off.

She ran over to the tree and pushed her way through the bushes until she was right up next to the tree. She crouched down low to the ground, trying to make herself as small as possible. She also tried to slow her breathing down but she wasn't having much luck after the mini-marathon she just ran.

The footsteps and voices were upon her now. She held her breath as the men shouted from what seemed like all around her.

"Where did she go?!"

"She was headed this way!"

"She can't have gotten far! Not in those pretty little shoes!"

The men laughed devilishly but quickly faded as they continued on their search, passing by her hiding spot.

She waited until she was absolutely certain that she could hear them no more, and only then did she tip toe away from the tree, peeking her head out through the bushes. Everything around her was still. She breathed a sigh of relief, although she knew it was only temporary, as she couldn't relax until she was back within the safety of her carriage. She looked up to the sky and through the tall leaves she found the brightest star in the sky. This was the star that would help her find her way again. Ever since she was little, her parents had always told her that if she was ever lost or she found herself in need of help, all she had to do was find the brightest star in the sky, make a wish, and trust in its ability to guide her home.

'Please, I'm so desperately lost, I beg of you, help me to find my way.'

Silently she sent out her hopeful prayer and closed her eyes. Then she took a deep breath, and when she was sure of where she was being told to go, she opened her eyes and turned around.

Only to come face to face with the one and only, Captain Hook.

"My, my. Aren't we looking a little lost?" He smirked and spoke in a low voice that sent shivers down her spine.

She took a step back, and then another, but she was unable to break eye contact with the notorious pirate. It was like she was in a trance. She knew she had to do something, anything, but it took everything in her just to take a few timid steps backwards. And even then, the man took just as many steps towards her, albeit his were much more confident.

He lurched towards her with the most roguish look in his eyes. She continued backing up until suddenly she found herself up against a tree. She cried out involuntarily as her back hit it and the pirate saw it as an opening. He swiftly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. She was pinned to his body, her hands finding themselves on his chest. She was still mesmerized by his eyes, which, in the moonlight, seemed to have a light all their own. She could see his sneaky smile from out of her peripherals, but it was what he said next that really frightened her.

He spoke slowly and in a low voice. For a moment the world around her disappeared and all that there was was him.

"I believe you have something that I've been looking for, princess."

She could smell the faint whiff of rum on his breath, but it was overwhelmed by the scent of the ocean radiating off his body like a cologne. Had she had the presence of mind to consider it, she would have begrudgingly admitted that it was actually rather pleasant.

He tightened his grip on her, pulling her even tighter to his body. She was utterly lost in his eyes and wasn't even aware of how her breathing had slowed down to match his even pace. She was aware of one thing, however, and it was that she was becoming rather light-headed. He said something else, but she didn't hear him. Suddenly it was as if the moon was a candle that had been blown out. Everything went dark and she was falling down, down, down. The last thing she remembered was the scent of the ocean breeze.