Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from OUAT or any other stories that you might recognize. Only the plot and the O.C.s are mine.

1. A Chance Meeting?

Killian Jones was walking down the road enjoying one of the few sunny days he had off when he heard rustling in the bushes near the forest. "Ow! Brother, you idiot! You didn't have to come." Growling could be heard after the person spoke.

The voice and the growling from the bush put him on edge he grabbed a stone and threw it at the bush as hard as he could.

"Ah!" Squeaked the noisy bush, it sounded like a boy who was half way through becoming man. "Who threw that rock?"

Out popped a head full of messy shoulder length golden curls that covered a heart shaped face, blue eyes, a button nose and scowling bow lips. For a moment he was stunned at seeing such a beautiful girl wearing a dark brown cloak that covered most of her body, until she came out of the bush rubbing her aching head and he realized she was a he.

"Why were you hiding in the shrub?" He demanded.

"I wasn't hiding, Brother got caught in the roots and I was just trying to get him loose." The blond lanky looking youth answered moving his hair out of his face only for it to fall back in place. "Why did you throw a rock at my head?"

"I thought you were someone suspicious. We don't get a lot of new comers in town. Who's your brother?" He asked as he moved closer to the cloaked boy who was once again in the bush pulling on something.

"Not my brother, his name is Brother." A snort could be heard and a tinkling laugh as well as Killian heard the teen say. "There is a difference between what you are and what your name is."

"Oi, lad, let me help you out." He moved forward when suddenly something big leaped out and pounced on top of him snarling all the while.

"Thanks, but it looks like Brother got himself out alright."

"Brother here looks a lot like a wolf, lad." Drool fell from his mouth onto Killian's face. Which felt gross and slimy.

"He's half wolf, half dog." The teen laughed nervously as he pushed the dog off and offered his hand to the older one to help him up, "Sorry about that, we've been traveling for a while and don't usually come by anyone else." The boy offered him a cloth to clean off the slobber. While the wolf-dog sniffed around.

Killian took the offered cloth and wiped his face clean, "It's alright, lad, I suppose I should welcome you to our town. My name is Killian Jones, what's yours?"

"My name's Emil Swan, I come from the capital a few days away from here."

"The capital? From what kingdom?" Killian asked as he stared at the new boy with a look of awe on his face.

"The Swan Kingdom." The young man said hesitantly.

"You've come a long way from your lands, mate."

"Uh, really it isn't that far, Brother and I sort of got turned around. We were heading to visit some old acquaintances that live over in the kingdom south of here in the Enchanted Forest." The boy looks down at himself, "Though I doubt they will have me right now because of how filthy I am."

His golden hair was tangled and full of leaves and twigs and covering his face, his face, what little could be seen, was streaked with dirt, and his clothes were dusty from kicking up dirt trying to pull his dog out from the bush.

He patted himself a bit to get the dirt off. Sighing he looks up at Killian, "Would you happen to know of some place where I get cleaned up? My hair needs cutting I suppose, I need to see where I am going or else I'll walk into a tree."

-BREAK-

It was nearing mid afternoon as Killian lead both Emil and Brother through the town, walking past many shops in the market place, he took him to a shop where they could mend and clean his torn cloak and took him to buy a couple of apples, oranges, and other types of supplies for Emil to restock on.

He took them to the butcher to buy some meat for Brother to eat while they were there and bought some dried meat to eat on their journey.

They passed by a bakery where he flirted with the baker's daughter and got them a loaf of bread to eat on their way to the barber's shop.

"This place, here, is the best barber shop in town, mate. I, myself, come when I get the chance." Emil nodded and followed Killian into the shop motioning for Brother to stay outside. The shop was big and there three barbers at work, some men were waiting to get their own hair cut talking amongst themselves, but stopped when they saw them walk in.

Emil noticed a dark figure launch itself at his new friend, before he could say anything the creature let out a squeal. Killian felt the body land on his back and he stumbled slightly closer towards Emil.

"Look who's finally shown his pretty little face, Killian Jones!"

Killian was mesmerized by Emil's eyes he could clearly see them even though his hair fell before his face Emil looked just as mesmerized as he looked into Killian's. "Aye, lass, it's Killian Jones." He said as he tore his gaze away from the young boy leaving him looking confused and a bit flushed. Emil took a few deep breaths as he calmed his racing heart.

"Who's your friend, Killian?" A young woman with gray eyes and long dark brown hair asked as she looked around Killian's shoulder. She looked to be around Emil's age, "My, you look a mess. Come let's wash your hair so papa can cut it." She took Emil's hand and pulled him towards a basin filled with clear water.

"My name's Milah, what's yours?"

"Emil Swan."

He answered as Milah made him lean over the basin and pour water over his head with a cup. Soon the water turned muddy with all the dirt, twigs and leaves mix in and out of his hair.

After the girl finished drying his hair it seemed to shine even more, especially since the sunlight that shone through the windows was hitting it at just the right angle.

"Well Swan, do all of the inhabitants of the Swan Kingdom's hair shine as bright as yours?" Killian asked jokingly.

Emil only rolled his eyes as he ran a dirty hand through his hair, "It's a trick of the light, Jones. I'm just glad it's clean now." Milah slapped his hand away and pushed him onto the barber's chair to prepare him for his hair cut.

As long strands of the golden hair fell the closer the two other teens would look at Emil's face, they noticed that he was rather young, but good looking.

When Emil opened his eyes they could see that instead of just blue his eyes also had a bit of green to them, the colors clashed in his eyes so they couldn't tell which was dominant, as the barber finished he took look at himself in the the mirror.

His face was still a little dirty but at least his hair was under control now it was cut short just above his eyebrows so that he could style it up if he wanted to, at least it was out of his eyes.

"You know Emil I think I fancy myself falling in love with you." Milah sighed as she stared at the boy a bit awestruck by Emil's beauty. Killian tried to smother a laugh as Emil Swan looked at the girl through the mirror with horror filled eyes.

"Don't worry about it, Swan she means nothing by it. If a man's got a pretty face, Milah will fancy herself in love half of the time."

"But this time I am really in love. You'll marry me right Emil?" The girl looked pleadingly at him.

"NO!" He all but yelled.

Killian was laughing out right, this kid couldn't take a joke and Milah giggled and made her way to his side as the other men laughed at Milah's antics.

"Fine then I won't marry you. You are probably a poor farm boy from a poor family that wouldn't be able to feed me or all the children that I want to have."

Emil glared, "I could too, in the Swan Kingdom, one becomes an adult when they turn fifteen."

"If you're grown up, why does your voice still change?" Milah asked as her head cocked to the side curiously.

Scowling Emil reached for his money pouch, "I haven't grown up all the way yet, but by law I am an adult." Taking a few coins and trying to hand it to the barber.

"Oh your money won't do any good here, son."

"What?" Emil asked perplexed as he stared at his money and hoped he wouldn't have to marry Milah for a simple, but well needed hair cut. "Why not? I always make sure that I have money when ever I travel, is it..." He took a breath hoping it wasn't what he thought it was, "Is it not enough?"

"Oh no, son, I was thinking if I could just keep your hair instead. It shines like gold and it looks strong enough that it can be used as lace."

Emil's eyebrows shot upwards at the barber's words. "Lace?"

"Yes, I make lace." The man said in front of his other clients, his daughter and Killian, not a bit ashamed at his admission. In fact the man looked proud of the fact.

Both males looked into each others eyes with a such seriousness that Killian couldn't keep the grin of amusement off his face.

In the end Emil consented to the use of his hair so long as he received one of the lace masterpieces. This made the barber happy and surprised the other two youths, usually clients that were asked ridiculed Milah's father before leaving and never returning.

Later when asked Emil would just shrug and respond, "There are women who do a man's job for extra income, so obviously there will be men who do a woman's job for the extra income as well." The others just left it at that, touched at his thoughtfulness.

It was nearing sunset when Killian, Emil and Brother finally made their way through the town to where the Enchanted Forest bordered it. Brother had already run ahead of them, Emil didn't seem worried as he put on his clean and repaired cloak, he was used to his wolf-dog having a head start.

"There you are mate. Keep on this road and it should take you were you want to go."

"Thanks Jones I had a lot of fun today, perhaps I'll come through again on my way back to the capital and stay for more then a few hours."

Killian nodded his head, he hated having to say goodbye, he couldn't believe he'd already grown so attached to the younger lad. Emil took a white feather from the inside of his shirt and presented it to him.

"Here keep this until I come back. This is very important to me, so you have to keep it safe."

"If it's so important why are you giving it to me?"

"Insurance for me to come back?" Emil grinned widely his cheeks rosy, he thought the boy looked cute and wanted to hug him close. He quickly snapped himself back to reality and listened to the rest of Emil's small speech. "Or my queen will think I am being lazy."

"I'll keep it safe Swan, just make sure you come back and visit." Killian said as he gave is new friend a smile.

Emil nodded and turned towards the forest. In a flash of white smoke he transformed into a giant white swan, feathers ruffled in the slight breeze that had been created. Killian Jones stood there amazed at what he had just witnessed. He looked closely at the transformed boy before him and tired to take in every little detail he could.

The swan looked back at him and it looked like it had winked at him, though he could have just imagined it, spread its wings and took off. He stood there until he couldn't see the swan in the sky any longer and walked back home the feather tucked away in his shirt safe until Emil came back to reclaim it.

A/N: Ok I told myself that I wasn't going to start another story but I just needed to get this one out of my head. Anyway please let me know what you think. Or not it is up to you... lol.