Song of the Storm
Chapter 1
The party was in full swing by the time Princess Emma agreed to dance. Though if you asked her she wouldn't go so far as to say she agreed, He was a prince from across the sea and her parents thoroughly wished that she would get along with him. As he spun her across the dance floor she stayed aware of her parents hopeful gazes directed at her and fully aware of the greed that was very evident in her dance partners eyes.
"I am pleased that your mother arranged for me to come here and meet you," he whispered into her ear as he pulled her close and lifted her gloved hand up so he could kiss it. "You are quite exquisite."
"Thank you, you do seem rather fond of the beading on my dress" Emma said as she pulled back to loosen his grip as she casually looked down at the glistening jewels framing her chest.
First he chuckled and then he smiled brightly as he pulled her close again, "You are quite forward, my lady. I will do you the courtesy of being honest as well. I am looking for a home of my own and a beautiful wife to share it. I truly think you could be it."
Pulling herself back again to a respectful distance she spun slightly along to the music. "Do you truly? How do you know?" Spinning again she allows him to pull her closer. "What about me has attracted you?"
"Your highness..." The smile on his face promised a dozen compliments but she quickly began speaking again.
"Is it my personality?" She said slowly and methodically. "Or is it my wit? No, that can't be it." She frowned as if thinking very hard about what to say next. "This is the first we've met."
"Your mother has spoke highly of you." The princes grip tightened as he danced her across the ballroom.
"My mother desires me to marry," Emma said flippantly. "For all you know all she's told you is a lie."
The Princes smile seemed to never falter as he continued his flirtations, "Your mother loves you dearly. That I am sure." He spun her around until she fell back into his arms. "Your mother would only push me to you if she knew my intentions were true."
Emma snorted, "My dear mother is a romantic. She entertains men like you in hopes that maybe you are more than you seem."
"Men like myself?"
"Men who are looking for a trophy." Stopping she stared up at him furiously. "I am not blind by any means. Myself and this Castle would make a fine trophy for any man."
He stared at her with wide eyes. "You wound me."
"Don't think you are the first man that has wanted me for my position." This time she allowed him to pull her closer. "I think I would be almost disappointed if you were different."
"Is that because you'd be wrong, Princess?" His smile seemed almost forced and his grip on her tightened.
"Well my dear suitor let me be honest with you now. I do not plan on marrying."
With that the song stopped on cue and she spun out of his arms and walked gracefully over to her expectant parents who looked aghast at her sudden departure from the jilted suitor.
"Emma?" Her father said quizzically.
"He is shopping for real estate," she quipped. For the first time all night she smiled.
Her mother came forwarded and hugged her daughter as if offering her a silent apology. "I just really want you to find the happiness that your father and I have."
"I will one day," Emma said hesitantly. "I just highly doubt it will be at some ball where every suitor is here for the sole purpose of marrying me."
The King chuckled, "You will find your happy ending in an unusual way for that I am sure." This earned the brightest smile from their young daughter.
Curtsying she stepped back, "Thank you mama... papa. I believe I am going to retire for the night." Snow White went to protest but Emma had already turned around and was charging through the ballroom towards the exit.
"She sure reminds me of someone," David chuckled as he cast a look over at his wife.
"Oh, shut up Charming."
"Did you hear the news?" A tall withered woman croaked as she tried desperately to push the loose pieces of her overly complex hairdo from her face. "Pirates are here in the royal city!"
A shorter plump woman with blonde hair pleated down her back gasped. Pressing her gloved hand against her chest she looked around worriedly. "Pirates in the royal city? Why haven't they been chased away? What if... what if they sneaked into the castle?"
"I hear the Captain is as fearsome as they come..." The first woman got quieter as she looked around to see if she had an audience not noticing that the Princess was standing just around the corner. "A man like him could probably easily sneak in..." The taller woman's eyes squinted as she leaned forward as if she was trying to whisper but her voice came out in a boom. "I hear he has a thing for the lasses!"
The short woman sputtered as she stood up indignantly, "Any self respecting woman wouldn't give herself to a filthy pirate."
"They're pirates Agnus!" Her friend snapped, "Men like that take what they want." Straightening her back she began to adjust her dress. "I've heard he is as handsome... his eyes are apparently as blue as the sea."
Agnus sat back down to only to began fidgeting, "A devil most certainly."
Emma took that moment to make herself known with a quick clear of her throat. "I'm sorry to interrupt but did you say something about pirates being in the castle?" Emma cocked her head to the side looking at the woman quizzically.
"Oh not at all," The taller woman blushed and looked away from the Princess.
"Eleanor! Out of everyone she deserves to know!" Agnus moved over on the small couch and patted the pot next to her. "Come sit darling. You deserve to know what is lurking just outside these walls.
"Thank you. I dearly appreciate your honesty." Emma found herself purposely playing up the scared Princess act to get the woman to keep talking.
"Such a sweet girl you are," Eleanor reached forwarded from the other couch and patted the Princesses gloved hand. "Now to the story... did I mention he has a hook for a hand?"
"A hook?" Emma said slowly as she unconsciously leaned forward. "What kind of man has a hook for a hand?"
"A pirate," Agnus whispered.
"Not just any pirate," Eleanor added as she looked around her taking care that no one heard her whisper a devils name. "Captain Hook."
Two nights after Emma was told about the pirate ship that was docked in their city she had spent every day watching the dock from her window. Everyday she thought of more exciting stories. Why were they here? Maybe they were here to break into the Castle and steal the royal jewels; the mere thought left her a little bit thrilled at the possible excitement. Emma had spent her whole childhood preparing for danger by avoiding it. Something about the idea of facing it head on brought a thrill through her veins.
That night at dinner she heard her father complain about the pirates being in the city. Her mom and quickly quipped that they hadn't done anything yet so it would be wrong to remove them just because of their reputation. Her father had just growled low in his throat. Emma had just quietly added that she heard he had a hook for a hand.
After dinner she told herself she was just borrowing as she headed down to the maids quarters and had pilfered a plain woolen dress from one of the maids that looked to be about her size. She promised herself that she was just going to be a silent observer tonight. She had never been out into the royal city except for in a carriage. After she had said good night to her parents and her father and wished her sweet dreams she had almost talked herself out of her adventure.
"I shouldn't do this... should I?" Emma asked herself as she looked out her bedroom window. She always found the city looked beautiful at night. At this time of night much of the city was pitched in darkness but the side of the city that was closest to the pier was brightly lit and she had always imagined full of life. "I will be in and out," She reasoned. "I will take a look around and then I'll come right back."
Within the quickest of moments she was changed out of her night dress and into the maids dress. Tying her hair back she quickly looked at herself in a mirror. Worrying that she might be too recognizable or stand out too much she grabbed her oldest and most worn riding cloak and threw it over her shoulders.
Less than an hour later Emma was walking through the dark streets completely in awe of the contrast of the starry sky and the bustling night life of the downtown core. Men and woman alike were gathered to the sides of the streets joking and laughing. A ragged gentleman was causing quite a stir with what looked to be a simple game of cups and a few woman were flitting around the men whispering in their ears and looking at them expectantly.
Looking around her nervously Emma slipped into a nearby tavern and tried to act like she belonged. If she thought the streets had been bustling then the tavern was a whole different world. Large groups of men were piled at small tables cheering and laughing. Quite a few woman were also sitting at a few of the tables but they were almost quieter and Emma couldn't help but think more calculated as she watched a few lean into their chosen man.
"You look lost, lass." With just one sentence she was on edge. "May I offer my assist to such a lovely lady?"
"I am not lost..." Turning around she froze as she looked into the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen.
Chuckling he leaned against the bar and smiled broadly at her. "I am sorry, I must have misread." Bowing he grabbed her hand kissed it the back of it gently as he turned his eyes up to look at her through his long black lashes. "Captain Killian Jones of the Jolly Roger at your service."
"Hook."
"So you have heard of me."Raising his eyebrow he stood up slowly and looked her over. "May I have the pleasure?"
This was her chance to leave she told herself. Turn him down and leave this tavern. Go back to her bedroom and pretend this was all a dream but instead she smirked while she straightened her back and looked him square in the eye. "Buy me a drink first."
"Forward," Killian laughed. "I like a forward lass." Dancing around to her side he pressed his hand to the small of her back and led her over to a small secluded table away from the rest of them. Waving the bar maid over he looked at Emma seductively, "what would you fancy, love?"
This was dangerous. This was adventure. Princess Emma never felt so alive. She was about to share a drink with a possibly dangerous man."Whatever you are having."
He quickly ordered to ales then waved the woman away. He leaned forward as if to get a better look at her. "Aren't you quite warm?"
"Pardon?"
He chuckled, "You're all bundled up in that thick cloak of yours."
"Oh," She said dumbly as she slowly pulled the hood down onto her shoulders. The Princess quickly shot a look over to the bar as she got more and more nervous.
"You are quite the intriguing, lass."
"You barely know me, Captain." It was dangerous. The game she was playing. But she liked this game, he wasn't a prince that she had to carefully choose each word. This man seemed to almost be baiting her so she would say what was ever on her mind.
"No offence, love. But you are quite the open book." The ales were suddenly in front of them and he took a long drink. "First thing... I can tell this is the first time you've come to a place like this."
"No, I come her all the time."
"Oh love, you and I both know that's a lie." He leaned forwarded and licked his lips. "I suspect you have wondered your way into this tavern because you're curious about something... or someone."
She swallowed hard and looked around the room. "Is it that obvious? That I'm not someone that belongs here?"
"I wouldn't say you don't belong here," he chuckled as he took another long drink. "Have I earned you name yet?"
Grabbing the beer stein she took a long gulp and did her best not to spit out the sour taste. "Is my name that important to you?"
Shrugging he took another drink, this time slowly never breaking eye contact with her. "Is it so wrong to know a lovely woman's name? Especially one who knows so much about me already?"
"That's where you are wrong. I know very little about you."
"Would you like to know more about me?" He leaned forward and raised his eyebrow as he smirked. Somehow she felt like his eyes were devouring her.
"Emma."
He was taken off guard for a moment then instantly recuperated. "Your name?"
Smiling she sipped at her her drink. "My name is Emma." Yes, she wanted to know more about him.
They had talked for hours. He told her of his adventures on the Jolly Roger. She asked him how he got his hook and he told her a grand title of a crocodile with a pocket watch in its stomach thrusting itself from the sea and biting off his hand, she had laughed and begged him not to lie to her. As if to avoid anymore personal questions he quickly turned the conversation to her and she had told him about how her parents were very protective and how she had rarely left the house.
As the night grew later they left the tavern laughing. The ale buzzing through Emma's veins causing her to feel loopy so she leaned against the pirate for support. It was well after midnight when they found themselves at the docks walking towards the Jolly Roger.
The reality of what he probably thought they were going to do hit her as they approached their destination. "I'm not going to make love to you," Emma blurted out as they got closer to the forbidding pirate ship. She cursed herself for sounding so pathetic. She was supposed to be confident tonight.
Turning around he raised his eyebrow quizzically at her. "Pirates rarely refer to it as make love."
"Well I wont do that either." A blush crept up on her face as she finally started worrying about what kind of man he was. The woman said pirates took what they wanted. Would that include her?
"I wont say I haven't entertained the idea of that tonight, lass" He slipped his arm through hers and led towards a ramp leading onto the Jolly Roger. "But it is quite bad form to force a lady."
"A gentleman pirate?"
"Of course," he laughed. "All a man has is his reputation." He smiled broadly as he stepped away from her and bowed. "Would you like a tour of my ship, my lady?"
The adventurous woman inside her wanted to run up that ramp and never look back but the Princess inside her held her where she stood. "Perhaps not this time."
"You lead a man to think that there will be a next time."
Smiling she tightened her grip on his arm, "You are nothing I expected you would be."
"What were you expecting?"
Smiling coyly she stepped away from him and looked towards the water. "I was told you were a devil."
"Oh," he clucked. "That I am, lass."
"Will I meet that side of you one day?" She turned to him with a smile.
"I hope you will never have need to meet him, love." He bowed his head lightly and for a moment he almost betrayed a sadder side to him but within moments he was back to smiling. "Can I have the pleasure to escort you home?"
"Just to my horse. I don't think my parents would welcome a pirate at their door."
"I do hope you call on me the next time you're in town, Emma." He said it with a smirk, something she noticed he always did.
"Are you staying long?" She looked up at the sky as she allowed herself to lean closer to his warm body.
"Another few weeks. The Jolly was attacked by a rival pirate crew. Though we came out the victors the ship is unfortunately not sail ready."
Smiling she turned her face slightly away from him. "I think I would like to see you again."
"Something tells me you are craving an adventure, love."
Looking up at him sheepishly she gripped his arm. "Is that a bad thing?"
Shaking his head, his hand rested gently on her tiny waist. "No. I have been worse things for far less worthy people."
"Thank you." She found herself just standing there staring up at him trying to figure out what this all meant. "Until next time." Curtsying lightly she stepped away from him and mounted her horse.
"Until next time." It sounded almost like a warning.
Thank you to anyone who read this! This is my first foray back into writing and I'm very excited to be back. I'm currently editing Chapter 2 and writing Chapter 3 so I hope you are all as excited as I am.
Thanks again!
Shinki
