"What if I don't like him, or he doesn't like me?" Emma asked her mother nervously. Snow finished brushing her daughters hair and looked at her with pride, she'd waited years for this day.
"He'll love you!" She assured her daughter. "He's already seen your picture and approved"
"That's just my looks, what if he doesn't like me...for who I am" she could feel a knot forming in her stomach.
Snow put her hands on her daughters shoulders. "It's only natural to get nervous before your wedding day. This marriage has been arranged for months now, it's a good match Emma! You'll have an opportunity to meet him tonight and spend some time with him before your wedding tomorrow. Now whatever you do today make sure you're home and presentable for dinner, Prince Walsh will be here and expecting you, it's important you make a good impression Emma!"
With that her mother left. Emma sighed, sometimes she hated being a princess! It seemed like every decision was made for her, even her clothes were laid out each day. She looked out the window at the sea, how she longed to travel. Her Father often came back from trips bringing her exotic gifts and telling amazing tales, she begged to go with him but her mother told her a princesses place was at court.

She had however found a way to have a small taste of freedom, for the past couple months she had taken to dressing as a commoner and going to the port to watch the boats or wander the market. No one knew who she was and it felt exhilarating! These outings would be harder to do once she was married, so she decided to spend her last afternoon of freedom doing just that! She pulled a plain looking dress and cloak from the back of her wardrobe, pulled her hood up and snuck down the castle halls and out through the kitchen.

Emma loved the hustle and bustle of the seaside town, the smell of salt air, mixed with fresh bread as she passed the bakers and then fish as she neared the market. The sounds of men selling their wares and an accordion player churning out songs for pennies. It was sensory overload and it thrilled her! As she continued walking further into town she was starting to feel thirsty so ducked into a tavern, she'd never been here before, there were a rowdy group of men sitting round a table playing a dice game, a few other small groups dotted around drinking together, women with very revealing corsets were serving drinks and flirting with the customers. Emma looked around and found an empty table, she'd no sooner sat down with her drink when she was pushed from behind by a large rough looking man and spilt some on herself, he turned to her and said "oh did I make you do that? Here!" He leaned down to rub her chest with a handkerchief, "that's a nice looking dress, and a pretty girl" he taunted, his eyes full of lust and flashing a wicked smile. Emma leaned back to try and avoid his touch, "stop it! I don't need that!" She insisted. Before he could come any closer a man stepped between Emma and her bully, "leave the lady alone!" He demanded.
The assailant sneered, "or what?" He challenged. The stranger cocked his head, "well..." He swung and hit the man square in the jaw, knocking him out cold. Emma stared in shock, he stepped over the unconscious body and sat next to her, "thank you sir" was all she could say, she was shaking from the encounter, she looked up at her rescuer, her breath caught in her throat. He was the most handsome man she'd ever seen, his jet black hair falling slightly on his face, blue piercing eyes staring straight into her soul, and his lips were curled up into a dashing smile. He was wearing a red leather vest over a black shirt unbuttoned enough to show his dark chest hair and a silver necklace. He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips not breaking eye contact and simply replied, "Captain Killian Jones, at your service ma'am". He oozed charm and Emma felt the blood rush to her cheeks.
"That doesn't look to be the uniform of any navy I've..."His smile grew, and she suddenly realised,
"Oh! You're a..."
"Well they call us Pirates" he finished her sentence for her, "we sail where we will and answer to no crown". He flashed his most charming smile.
"I've not seen the ocean much, beyond our small port" Emma admitted, "is it wonderful to travel so much?"
He gazed back at her and grew serious, "aye" he whispered. The pirate scooted closer to her and leaned in, "do you know, there are cities where the air smells of spices...and women are carried on jewelled chairs, would you like to see that?" His eyes sparkled excitedly.
"W...well..." Emma stammered, "I would love that, but...I have responsibilities here...a husband..."
"Ah, a husband!" Killian cut her off, smiling ironically, he eyed her up and down, "well he would appear a better man than I is one."
Emma looked down sadly.
"But..." He added, "I am in port quite often, should that ever change"
Emma's heart was beating out of her chest and her stomach turned over and over, no man had ever had this effect on her before, she took a deep breath and said "it won't...but thank you!". The captain nodded to her and got up and went back to his men. Emma left too! She needed fresh air!

Later at the castle a maid was tying her corset, Emma leaned against her bedpost wincing as it got tighter and tighter. She couldn't stop thinking about the pirate she met earlier, she kept saying his name over and over in her mind, Killian Jones. He hadn't seemed anything like how her Father had described pirates, he was...a gentleman. She had no experience with men, she was only 21 and had lived a sheltered life behind the castle walls, but this feeling, this yearning to see him again, it had taken her completely by surprise. Is this what love is supposed to feel like? Would her husband evoke these same feelings within her?

She entered the dining room and the men all rose from their chairs, she looked round the table, her father and mother, some of her parents advisers, and then a man she presumed to be Prince Walsh, she curtsied and made her way to the empty chair across from him, everyone sat down and the meal began. It was customary for women to say very little at these sorts of gatherings, so she sat and watched and listened, Walsh was telling a hunting story, she didn't much care for hunting as a sport so she started to tune out what he was saying and just observe the man who would be her husband as of tomorrow, he was handsome, with brown hair and deep brown eyes, a defined jawline, he didn't smile much, she tried not to compare him to the pirate she met earlier, she had to forget about him now. She tried to imagine what it would be like to kiss him, she drew a blank. She'd just have to wait until later.

As the dinner came to an end he cleared his throat and invited Emma to take a walk with him in the garden. It started out civilised enough, he asked her questions about what her interests were and shared a bit about himself, they reached the furthest part in the garden that looked onto the ocean, Emma leaned against the wall looking out, thinking about Killian's tales of his travels, she longed to know more, she was so lost in her thoughts she forgot about Walsh until his voice broke the silence. "You really are a beautiful creature Princess" he came up behind her and started stroking her arm. The hairs on the back of Emma's neck stood up as his touch made her shiver. He turned her around to face him and reached his hand up to her face, she moved back and his brows furrowed. "There is nothing to be afraid of Emma, you're going to be my wife!" He pulled her body into his and kissed her while his fingertips pressed into her arm so hard that tears formed in her eyes, she tried to pull away but his grip tightened. "I once had a horse like you Emma, wild and stubborn, but it didn't take long for me to break her spirit" he put his hand over Emma's mouth before she could scream and started to try and untie her dress, she panicked and bit down on his hand, "bitch!" He shouted and hit her across the face, she kneed him in the crotch and while he was hunched over she ran, he tried to stop her but only succeeded in tearing her dress. She ran as fast as she could, out of the castle walls and into town, straight to the tavern, she didn't have a cloak and was shivering in the night air, she reached the tavern and went straight to the bartender and asked "is Captain Killian Jones here?"
"Who wants to know?" A voice demanded from behind her, she spun around and was face to face with Killian.

Killian's mouth dropped open as he took her in, he hadn't recognised the girl who captured his attention just a few hours earlier at first, she was wearing the dress of someone wealthy, a lady, her hair was falling out of whatever style it had been put in and her clothes were ripped, her face swollen and cheeks tear stained.
She opened her mouth, "I...I..." Emma tried to get the words out but everything around her started to go black, she fainted into the pirate's arms.