A/N: I do not own OUAT or Pride & Prejudice; the credit goes to Eddie and the boys for OUAT and of course, Jane Austen for her amazing novel. This is my CSSS submission for my lovely darlinka Heather. I hope you enjoy it. I am very sensitive about my writing, so if you comment, please only positivity. Thanks!
Side Note: All of the chapters are in one because I can't figure out how to do multi-fics online. Ha.
Ch. 1
My mother is a force of nature. She demands to be seen, to be heard, and to be known at all times. She is strong willed and thrusts opinions even when not necessary. My father is the calm in the storm. Ever the Prince Charming, he charms his way out of my mother's wrath, an upset daughter, a hysterical citizen.
Most days I feel like I am struggling for breath under the constant pressure that is put on me. As the second eldest daughter of Queen Snow White and King Charming, I am required to marry before I am 21 years of age. I am 19 now and my eldest sister is 20. My parents don't believe in arranged marriages, however, it is incredibly difficult falling in love with someone with the constant pressure.
To give us the chance to fall in love with someone, my parents hold a ball every Friday night. I hear the music pumping through the courtyard and into my bedroom. I know I am expected to participate but the music is so dull I pretend I cannot hear a thing and ignore it all. I look out of my window and see my sisters dancing to the garish beat. My eldest sister, Regina, catches my eye from the courtyard and grins. She waves and ushers me down. I sigh and check my hair in the mirror next to my window. I decide it does not look too awful and change into a silk lavender gown. I sigh once more before walking down into the courtyard.
Regina glides over to where I am standing and is talking wildly about the eligible bachelors that have arrived; especially the one called Robin Hood. I have heard of the young man. When he was younger, he was a notorious thief but he changed his life around and became a wealthy aristocrat. I can tall by the way she talks about him that she is drawn to him. Mother will be pleased with this development.
Ch. 2
I am pacing around the courtyard trying to evade Rumpelstiltskin. The man is incredibly creepy. He is short and animal like. I spot my best friend Bell and she waves me over. Grateful, I walk over to where she is standing. All of a sudden, a man covered in leather and buttons is standing in my way. He is wearing a scowl and gold hoops through his ears. He looks every big of a pirate. He even has a silver hook as a hand.
"Excuse me." I say politely. He raises an eyebrow and folds his arms over his chest (which is exposed and rather hairy).
"You have to pay the toll, love." And pats his cheek. I am taken aback.
"Excuse me?!"
"Do you know any other words?" He states dryly.
"Get out of my way, please." I say with clenched teeth.
"Ooh the lioness bites." I roll my eyes in a very in-princess like way and push him away. "Is that any way for a princess to behave?" He calls after me. I stalk over to where Belle is standing and huff.
"What is the matter with you, dear Emma?"
"That atrocious man! Who does he think he is?" I growl and point towards the pirate. He catches me pointing and waves.
"Oh! That is Killian Jones. He is a very wealthy fisherman. He came here with Mr. Hood; they are very close."
Belle is my closest friend in all of the Enchanted Forest but is the biggest gossip. Her mother (before she passed) was my handmaiden and would bring Belle along with her when she worked. We became very close and we would play dress-up in my princess gowns and climb trees to the tops. After her mother passed, she became a little withdrawn, but found her nature in gossip.
"I heard that Mr. Jones is engaged to Cinderella, not by choice of course. Dreadful woman." She murmurs.
"Who would force them to marry each other? They seem like they would be an awful match."
"I heard it was King Midas. He is her father, as you know, and Mr. Jones has excellent connections. It was more of a business transaction than anything."
No wonder the man looks so miserable, I think to myself.
Ch. 3
A few days after the ball, my four sisters and I came to town. We are supposed to be shopping for new corsets and petticoats because they are getting a tad tight in the hips. My sisters and I walk into the Blue Fairy's Dress Shop (the woman makes spectacular gowns but is the sketchiest person I have ever met; more so than Rumpelstiltskin) to get fitted for our new undergarments. As I am turning into the shop, I bump into someone. i look up and see a very handsome face with striking green eyes. I assume he recognizes who I am because he immediately starts sputtering apologies.
"P-Princess Emma! I do apologize. I did not see you entering! Please forgive me." He begins to bow and I shush him.
"Hush. Let us start over. I am Emma. And you are?" I ask coyly. I tuck a golden curl behind my ear.
"I am Neal."
"And what is it that you do, Neal?"
"I am a silversmith; I work with the giants." I look at Neal in awe. The giants, are so I have heard, are gentle creatures but do not fare well with most humans. I am about to ask Neal more about working with giants when my younger sister Ruby runs over to me.
"Emma! Who is this dashing young man?" She sidles up next to me and bats her long eyelashes. Ruby is the biggest flirt in our family. Neal bows to Ruby and grasps her hand. He places a featherlight kiss on her finger tips.
"I am Neal. And your name, Your Highness?"
"I am Ruby but most call me Red." He purses his lips.
"And how did you get that nickname, Ms. Red? You do not have red hair."
"Because I make everyone blush the color red." She winks at him. He raises an eyebrow at me.
"Is this true Emma?" I nod in response.
"She is quite crass; she has the mouth of a sailor."
I walk away from Neal and Ruby feeling a little jealous. Men do not pay attention to me and when they do, Ruby steals them away. I am entirely too stubborn and do not know how to draw in a man. Ruby is effortlessly beautiful. She has lush brown curls and chocolate eyes. All of my sisters are beautiful. I am simply Plain Emma. I have no curves and straw colored curls that hang limply at my ears. I admit I am a little upset; Neal was talking to me and seemed to be enjoying the conversation but then Ruby came and distracted him.
I don't believe in falling in love. I would sooner sell myself to a convent and spend my days reading novels. Love is for the weak. I have seen what it does to people. Regina has fallen for Robin Hood so soon after meeting him and spends her days pining for a thief. She fears he will never return her feelings. My mother and father bicker nonstop; they never come to a conclusion on anything. It's a wonder they can rule our land.
I pick out two new corsets that give me an illusion of a figure and three new petticoats. I almost buy a new ribbon for my hair but decide against it. My sisters Anna and Elsa pick out a few petticoats each and some shoes. Ruby walks out empty handed as she spent the entire time flirting with . 4
My life is full of balls and politics and grandeur. I spend my days learning how to eventually rule our beautiful land. I tire of the confinement and long to roam free. I wish deeply to spend my days at the sea; being surrounded entirely by waves lapping up against a boat and the fish in the water. The ocean is calming to me.
A short while after our shopping experience, I receive a letter from Neal the silversmith.
Dearest Emma,
I was delighted to meet you a few weeks ago. Your sisters are lovely but not as lovely as you. i was wondering if you would like to spend some time with me on Saturday? I will be in town and I would love to have a picnic with you. Weather permitting of course.
Yours, Neal
I gasp and drop the letter to the ground. My hands are shaking as i bend down to pick it back up. He actually likes me! I think to myself. My sisters enter the room and glance at me with a wary expression. I thrust the letter in Regina's hand. I cringe when she gasps as well.
"Emma! This man is infatuated with you! I thought he was interested in Red?" I simply shrug.
"I am not quite sure. I do not know what to believe right at this moment. I supposed we will find out on Saturday." Regina gives me a doubtful look but I shrug once more and walk away.
My parents constantly have a band of some sort playing in the courtyard to keep the castle lively. I walk down to the courtyard to spend some time alone to myself and think. The band is playing a rhythmic beat that I feel in my soul. I start swaying my hips and dance a garish dance that would not be allowed in a ballroom. I let the music overtake me. All of a sudden, something collides into me. I open my eyes with a gasp and see the ex-pirate Killian standing in front of me with a grim expression.
"Princess?" I glower at him.
"Why are you in my courtyard, let alone my castle?" I thunder.
"I am here with Robin Hood. Your parents asked for us, Your Highness." His blue eyes bore into mine. I catch a gasp that threatens to leave my throat. I nod and briskly curtsy and stomp away. Ugh. That man infuriates me and I haven't the slightest idea why.
Ch. 5
Saturday finally arrives and I throw on my favorite town dress; a light blue gown with ruffles on the bottom half. The blue makes my hair look less dull and my green eyes shine. My parents are wary to let me spend a day alone with a man they have not met so Regina comes with me. We take a simple carriage with white horses and arrive in town about an hour later. Neal sent me another letter to let us know where we would be meeting. We arrive at the lake and see him waiting for me. He has a blanket drawn up so that our dresses do not get dirty and he has an assortment of food arranged perfectly. I smile at him and sit next to him. We make small talk but all the while my stomach is fluttering with butterflies that seem to be flying a million miles a minute.
Regina stays quiet unless he speaks to her and laughs when he tells a joke. I can see in her eyes there is something bothering her but I cannot place my finger on what. Regina is the sort of person who keeps her emotions bottled up. She does not let me see when she is hurting or when something is wrong. The only way for me to decipher her feelings is what is behind her eyes. When she is sad, her eyes are turned down on the sides. When she is angry, her eyes rage with words unsaid. When she is happy, her eyes crinkle at the corners and her face glows. The emotion behind her eyes today are new. They are a mix of anger and sadness all in one.
I long to remove her from the lovely picnic so I can have a happy moment to myself. That sudden thought leaves me breathless. At that moment, I hear a flood of horses' hooves thundering against the ground. I turn around and see Killian and Robin riding towards us. Neal mutters something indecipherable and shakes his head. Killian glances at me with a glare as they move past us.
"What is the matter, Neal?" I ask.
"The infamous Captain Hook cannot bare to see me happy for one moment." I am confused at the name and tell him thus.
"Captain Hook was Killian Jones pseudonym while we were pirates."
"You were a pirate as well?" I try to keep my emotions at a standstill.
"Indeed. When I was young, about 13 or so, I ran away from home so I could live at sea. My parents were dreadful and I was their slave. Captain Hook found me one cold night as I was shivering under a bridge. He invited me onto his crew and I joined him. We pillaged and tormented people for a few years. By the time I was 15, I had saved up enough money to live on my own. I told the Captain that I was leaving so I could do something better with my life. He became enraged and stated that I had used him so I could get money. I simply had no other choice. I left and became an apprentice to a silversmith and learned the trade. Here we are now and the man still cannot bear the sight of me. I do not hold onto any regret or hatred towards him. He gave me a home when I had none and showed me parts of this world that would amaze even the most experienced seaman."
"What a dreadful man!" I exclaim. "I am so sorry that that happened to you. What a coward."
"It is quite alright, dear Emma. Had I not left, we would not be having this magnificent lunch would we? Had I stayed I probably would have robbed your castle at some point. Everything happens for a reason. Never forget that."
And I do not.
Ch. 6
The next Friday, we do not hold a ball, rather we attend a ball at Robin Hood's home. It is a very glamorous event so my sisters and I decide on proper attire. I fall in love with a red silk gown that hugs every small curve I have and accentuates my skin. Regina finds a small crown with red and purple jewels and places it on my head. Ruby typically wears red but since I am wearing that particular color tonight, she decides on a risque purple gown littered with crystals. I am shocked when my mother lets her out of the castle wearing it. Regina decides on a simple but beautiful black gown that illuminates her dark complexion. Anna and Elsa, my two youngest sisters are barely 14 & 15 but my parents let them attend balls so that they can have fun. Anna chooses a light pink gown and Elsa decides on a sky blue dress. They both look lovely and innocent.
Regina, ever the silent one, does not say a word when we arrive at the castle but I can see in her eyes that she is very happy and excited to be in Robin Hood's home. The home is smaller than ours but still magnificent. There are about one hundred people here; all diplomats and royals. My parents' friends Queen Aurora and King Phillip are here with their children. Aurora is a snob but Phillip keeps her at bay.
My sisters and I immediately begin to dance. Robin seeks out Regina and they dance all night. I am partnered with Ruby until all of a sudden she is gone. In her place is Killian Jones. I set a cold expression as he reaches out his hand, asking me to dance. I look over to where Cinderella is standing and she is glaring at me. With a sudden desire to make her angry, I take his hand. We do not talk but the moment his hand touches mine I feel a glow of warmth spread through my body. I ignore the feeling and let the music take over. Robin Hood has hired an amazing band; they are all violin and drums, the music that speaks to my soul. At the end of the dance, Killian bows and walks away, leaving me feeling confused. What just happened here? I think to myself.
At the end of the night, we are breathless and filled with joy. Robin and Regina are closer now and she is talking wildly about him. The fact that he used to be a thief does not deter my mother from conspiring to have the two married by Christmas (a short four months away). She believes that everyone has a past and so long as they have moved past it, there is no use in holding it against them. She is very wise, even though she is a nag. We leave the castle around 3 in the morning and fall asleep in the carriage home.
Ch.7
The month following the ball at Robin Hood's is fairly nonexistent, and then Rumpelstiltskin came to the castle. He is a distant relative of my father's and comes to our home about once or twice a year to stay for the week. I have not heard much from Neal, which slightly disappoints me, but I had a feeling that he wasn't the type of person to commit to a relationship for more than a week. My sister and Robin have been corresponding back and forth and she has gone out on a few supervised dates with him.
The night Rumpelstiltskin came to our castle, we had a magnificent dinner. He is rather boring and spoke about theory and novels he had read. It was mostly about him the entire night. At the end of the dinner, he asked that everyone leave the room except for me. I glance at Regina with a worried expression. She solemnly smiled and left the room. I look back at Rumpelstiltskin and he is on one knee in front of me. I push the seat back and stand up abruptly.
"Emma, as you know, I have been searching for a companion. Someone to spend my days with and to travel with. I have decided that you shall be my mate. Would you marry me?" This infuriates me.
"Sir, please stand. I do not want to marry you nor will I ever. I do not believe we would serve well as companions. You are the last man that I would ever marry and I do not think I can make you happy. I am stubborn and I do not fare will with being told what to do. If you think you have found a complacent woman in me then you are wrong. Goodbye, sir." I stomp away and ignore the calls of my name on his tongue.
When I open the door of the dining room my whole family is waiting for me. My mother has a shocked expression on her face. I grab Regina and we run out to the garden behind the castle. I collapse in sobs under a willow tree. She sits next to me and places an arm around my shoulders. I don't even know what to think right now. He just randomly proposed and I don't want to face my parents. I do not want to face him. I just want him to leave and I tell Regina this. She tells me she will talk to our parents and then walks away. I am sitting here sobbing when a dark shadow passes over me. I look up and Killian is standing over me. I hastily wipe my eyes.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out pillaging or fishing or whatever it is you do?"
He ignores my statement and sits next to me.
"Princess, what has gotten you upset?" He asks kindly.
"Why do you care?" I ask snidely. I wipe away a tear that has escaped.
"Because I care about you." He states simply.
"Why the sudden change in heart?"
"You interest me. And despite my better judgement, you have crept your way into the harder parts of my heart."
"I do not believe you." Even though a part of me does for some reason.
"It is true, lass. Please tell me what's the matter." I roll my eyes but begin to tell him anyways.
"My mother expects me to marry someone by the time I am 21. It is required of all of the princesses. My father's cousin, Rumpelstiltskin, basically demanded my hand a short while ago. if i were to ever marry, which is unlikely, it would not be a man as boring and rude as that. i require someone who can talk with me about why the colors in the flowers form their pigments. I need someone who I can look up at the stars with and pick out their formations. I need someone who is honest and not with me for my status." He seems taken aback.
"My dear Princess, you are so lonely and misguided, it makes me sad. You do not deserve to be treated as such, with disdain and arrogance. You deserve only the finer things in life; someone who is happy when you smile honestly; someone who should not be ushered into a quick courtship only to hate one another down the road." I start crying again at his declaration.
"Please leave now."
"As you wish, love." Then he stands and leaves.
Ch. 8
When I go back inside, Rumple is gone and Regina seems shattered. I ask her what is bothering her.
"Robin has decided that we are to no longer court." I gasp.
"Did he give a reason as to why?"
"He came in shortly after I left you and stated that he doesn't believe I have feelings for him. I don't show enough emotion apparently. He also stated that he feels we are under too much pressure from Mother to be married so soon. Am I to die alone, Emma?" I shake my head and do my best to console her. This explains why Killian was here just now.
A few weeks later, we get ready for a ball that my parents are having. My sisters and I do our best to reduce the puffiness under Regina's eyes. We dress her ina marvelous purple gown that shows off her best features. We do this knowing that Robin and Killian will be at the ball so he can see what he is missing out on. At the ball, Regina carries on as if nothing happened. I spot Belle and walk over towards her. Immediately she throws up her left hand. There is a beautiful sapphire ring on her ring finger. I gasp.
"Who proposed and when?" I had just seen her three days previously and the ring was not on her finger then.
"Rumpelstiltskin. He asked me a little over an hour ago. We are to be married in the spring!"
"But why him? He is so rude and vulgar."
"I am alone, Emma. No one has asked me and I almost 25 years of age. I need to release my parents from their burden on me. He will provide a safe home for me. Please be happy for me." She pleads.
"I am happy for you, dear Belle. I just wish that you could be with someone who will make you happy."
"He does make me happy. We have been spending some time together the past few weeks. He is so kind and so completely different than what I expected. We compliment each other."
"Well if he makes you happy then I am happy for you. We have much planning to do!" I am excited now. Not only is my dear friend happy, but Rumple will leave me alone now. We dance for a short while and then Neal walks up. He asks me to dance and I kindly accept.
"I heard that Robin Hood broke off his courtship with your eldest sister, Regina." He says in my ear. I nod.
"Where did you hear that from?"
"I have ears. I also heard that it was our dear friend Killian Jones who convinced him to break it off with her." I give him a shocked glance.
"Why would he do that? He had no interest in the relationship before."
"They are very close as you know and he believed your sister to be indifferent to Robin Hood. He believed that your sister was only using Robin Hood for his connections."
I am very angry now. I excuse myself from Neal and walk outside. The sky is bright with stars overhead. I start to silently cry for my sister. I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around and Killian is behind me. I narrow my eyes at him.
"What do you want?"
"I have come to profess my love for you, Princess Emma. I tried not to let you and your stubborn ways into my cold hard but you have warmed up the deepest parts of me. I have come to ask for your hand in marriage. I know you better than you think I do and I believe that we could make each other happy."
"Why in the world would I marry you? You have ruined my eldest sister's chance at happiness and you cast out Neal when he came to you for acceptance. If you think I am going to accept, you are out of your mind." I stomp away and run to my bedroom. I ignore calls from Killian and Regina. I shut everyone out completely. That is the only way to protect my heart.
Ch.9
After Christmas, I leave the castle. My parents have arranged for me to spend the next month with Phillip and Aurora traveling and meeting with citizens. When I arrive, we immediately leave and set out on our adventure. The first place we stop at is the dwarfs' mines. They tell us their hardships with working long hours and we promise to shorten the time spent there so that they can enjoy their nights with family and friends. Then we stop by the fairies' homes (they work closely with the dwarfs' for they mine their fairy dust). They flutter about and exclaim about every small detail. They are the most annoying group of beings I have ever met.
After we leave the fairies, we stop by the mermaid lagoon. Mostly so we could have a small vacation but also so they could tell us about the pirates and the damage they do to their waters. I take a swim in a private beach where I know they cannot drag me down. When we leave the beach, we go to a local pub for dinner. A fairy flies in suddenly and hands me a letter. I see that the writing is my fathers' hand. I thank her and open the letter in an empty room. What I find shocks me.
Dearest Emma,
I am writing to you now to let you know that your sister Ruby has ran away home with that scoundral Neal the silversmith. We have been sending her letters and she is not writing back. The whole castle is in uproar with the scandal. We have been told that they are taking refuge with the giants in the clouds. I know that you had planned on visiting them next week so I was hoping you would locate them for us. Please respond immediately.
Love, your father.
A door opens and Killian walks in. How does he keep finding me when I am at the utmost turmoil? I shove past him but he grabs my arm. I try to push him away but he holds firm.
"What is the matter, Emma?"
"My younger sister, Ruby, has ran away with Neal. They were not even in courtship and she has no money with her. My father believes they are with the giants because he works with them. I am visiting them next week so hopefully I will be able to locate them and convince her to come home."
"I will help you if you'd like. I am close with the giants and they would help us if I go instead of you. They have a thing against royalty." I agree and we decide that he will go in three days. I write my father a letter explaining that Killian is going to go in my place.
Killian is gone for five days. I worry the whole time that the giants have torn him apart or that he has not been able to locate my sister and Neal. I then receive a letter from Killian. He tells me that he has found Ruby and Neal. Neal has agreed to marry Ruby if my father sends them a carriage for travel and 50 pounds of gold a year. My father agrees reluctantly but would rather my sister be married than be left scandalized her entire life. Killian also tells me a little bit more about his background in a separate letter.
He rescued Neal from homelessness when he was about 19 or so. He tells me that Neal was his right hand man for many years but the reason he left was a different tale than what Neal told me. Killian had a very close friend, almost a sister, and she was a fairy from an escaped land named Neverland. Her name was Tinkerbell and was a great pirate, he tells me. When Tinkerbell joined their ship, Neal flirted with her constantly and when she refused his hand, he raped her. Tinkerbell left the ship scarred and when Killian found out, he kicked him out. He told him he would never come near Tinkerbell again or he would find himself at the bottom of the ocean. He tells me that this how he lost his hand. They got into a duel over Killian kicking Neal off the ship and he cut his hand off.
After I read the letter I am in complete shock. Everything makes perfect sense. I knew that Neal had missing holes in his story but I couldn't quite place my finger on it. Regina has an excellent judge of character knew that there was something off about Neal. I think I even knew it but I didn't want to ruin the chance of a prospect. I have a new found respect for Killian. I know that he caused my sister's unhappiness, but I feel as if I understand completely now. He has proven himself true by saving Ruby's reputation. I think I love him.
Ch.10
We end our journey quicklyl so that I can get back home to my family. When I arrive back at our castle, Ruby is waiting for me. She tells me that Killian came to their wedding and paid for it all, but he wanted the affair to be left quiet. Regina comes to me after Ruby and Neal leave.
"I cannot believe this has happened. Our younger sister, married at so young, before we are. Granted, it was highly scandalized, but at least it's fixed now." I agree.
We get ready for bed when I hear the castle door being pounded on. We run downstairs to see who is at our door. My father, sleepy-eyed, opens the door and King Midas is standing there with a scowl on his face. He demands that everyone save for myself leave the room at once. My family is about to leave when I stop them.
"My family will stay here. You have intruded on our home just as we were about to go to sleep. You can speak with me with them here."
"How dare you speak to me that way? I have heard that you are engaged to Killian Jones, is this true?"
"No! Where would you hear that at?"
"My daughter, Cinderella. She has seen the two of you together. I am letting you know right now that you will not marry Killian. He is engaged to my daughter and has been planned for three years."
"I am not marrying Killian but even if I were, you would not be the person I would take advice from. Get out of my home now, please. We are finished here." I push him out the door and lock the gate. I shush my family's questions and go to bed.
The next morning when I wake up, there is pounding again at the door. Regina and I dress quickly and Robin Hood is at the door with Killian Jones. Immediately Robin begins apologizing for the way he acted and the way he ended their courtship. He bends down on one knee, there in the doorway, and asks for her hand in marriage. A smile erupts from her face and she throws her arms around his neck. She says "Yes" about a hundred times. I glance at Killian and he is looking at me with a wary expression. I smile shyly and take his hand. We walk out to the garden and sit among the flowers.
"Do you ever wonder how the flowers get their pigment? Or how the stars are formed in the sky? I think about this all of the time, even before we had that conversation so long ago. I think about the way your curls hang so perfect at your ears and the way your eyes shine when you see one of your sisters. I think about when you were hurt each time I found you by chance and how I was always there when you needed consoling. I think about how you have consoled my heart from heartache that I have felt for years. I love you beyond words, Emma. Have your feelings changed at all in the past months? If not, I will leave you be now and never bother you again. If they have, please tell me." I am crying now. I grasp his hand once more.
"I love you, my dear Killian. It took me so long to realize that, and I am so sorry I have wasted so much time thinking I hated you. Thank you for what you have done for my family. I cannot ever repay the kindness that you have shown us, even after I pushed you away. I read the letter you sent me and my heart aches for your dear Tinkerbell. Please forgive me for acting so rash."
"There is nothing to forgive. We have both been at fault. Let us start over? Will you marry me, Emma?" I nod and kiss his lips gently.
We tell my parents and sisters. Everyone is incredibly happy and the castle is filled with laughter and love. I look at Killian and all I see is kindness. I see past the scars that wear down on his heart. I see the blue eyes that once looked so stormy and troubled and are now filled with love for me. I feel as if I am breathing right for the first time in my life. I know that once I did not believe in falling in love or getting married, but being around him, all of those thoughts of doubt float away. He is mine and I am his.
