Thoughts of pain

Emma stands watching from the helm as the port comes into view, not saying a word as her crew bustled about their duties, they knew what to do, she doesn't need to order them about. A hum of excitement fills the air, in less than an hour they'll make port, get fresh supplies for a long time at sea and the crew can spend the afternoon doing what they want to do.

As Captain, Emma can enjoy herself in port as well but on this day she's going to be drinking to forget.

"No no…. please no… Baelfire, please… don't leave me!"

It's been three years since she left her life as a Princess, since Baelfire, her love, her everything, was murdered before her eyes. She forsook everything, her family, her place for the thrown, all because her heart had been shattered and all hope she had for a happy ending had vanished.

She found her way to a pirate ship and joined it's crew soon after his death…It didn't take her long to figure out how to work on the ship and earn her share and she was already one of the best sword fighters in her kingdom, life as a pirate seemed to come easy as if it was in her blood. Being raised as more of a knight than a prissy porcelain dolly of a Princess had helped in that. She had become Captain within her second year on the ship, killing her predecessor in self-defence when he got drunk and tried to hurt her. She had dared the rest of the crewmen to try something, with her sword raised ready to defend herself, but what they did surprised her, they swore their loyalty to her and designated her the new Captain of the 'Sirens Reach'.

Emma Swan, Princess turned pirate, royalty turned thief. What would her parents think of her now?

Doesn't matter they let it happen and she will never forgive them.

As she manoeuvred the ship into the harbour and along the dock she checks the other ships moored in the port, she learnt to recognise the types of ships on sight, whether they're royal, merchant or pirate. There is mostly fishing trawlers from what she can see but at the other end of the docks the mast standing proud, another pirate ship rests.

Killian had sailed the Jolly into the port just as the sun was rising, a storm had thrown them miles off the course he had plotted.

He is sitting at his desk looking over maps wondering where the bloody hell they were. He nor any of his crew have ever been to this port, he didn't even know it existed but he was lucky that it did or the Jolly would not have lasted much longer. She may be made of enchanted wood but she isn't invincible. The repairs to the hull are going to take some time, may as well enjoy himself while he's here.

"Captain on deck!" Smee shouted as Killian climbed the ladder from his quarters.

He waved his hand, silently ordering the crew to continue their duties.

"Report" Killian asked stepping toward his first mate.

"There wasn't too much damage Captain, an easy repair although it will take a few days as you said"

"See that it's done within three, Smee."

Killian would prefer not to linger to long at an unknown port anything could happen, especially when they don't know the area or the people nearby.

"Aye Captain" Smee said as he scurried off

As Killian is heading back toward the hatch that leads to his quarters he quickly looks over the port sussing out the area, in the distance another pirate ship is sitting and a wave of blonde hair catches his eye as it disappears around a corner.

Emma is standing outside the trading post where she will purchase the supplies, waiting impatiently for her cabin boy to catch up. He's fourteen healthy and fit, yet he seems incapable of keeping up.

"Seriously Nathaniel?" she questions as he finally catches up "Someone would swear you were out of shape by the speed you walk"

Emma brought the kid on as an apprentice of sorts, teaching him sword fighting and telling the crew to teach him in everything else. About a year ago she found him homeless, living on the street scavenging for scraps and begging for coin. When they became friends, Baelfire told her about his mother being killed and his father abandoning him, knowing that no one should live without parents and seeing how alike Nathaniel and Baelfire were, both growing up alone, she decided to give him a chance to have a home and they quickly.

"Sorry Captain, just not used to walking on land anymore is all"

"You'll get used to it again… at least ya' didn't fall on ya' arse when you stepped off the ship…. I did" she said smiling and turning to the door

The trading post is a simple building at the docks that provides necessities for long periods at sea, items like casks of water and ale, dried foodstuffs and timber in case a ship needs repairs. Emma stepped to the counter and Nathaniel waited by the door. Being the best at haggling, she has always taken care of this herself, knowing when someone is lying has its perks when making deals.

Once she had finished purchasing what the needed, they headed back to the ship.

"Kid, help the boatswain with anything he need when the deliveries arrive. I'll be in my quarters if anything's gone awry, god know it always does here"

"Aye Captain swan" he exclaimed as he jumped from the gangplank to the deck

Emma gave him a rueful smile and went to her quarters.

As soon as she stepped in the room Emma went straight for the rum, slouched down in her chair and drank straight from the bottle not caring about the glass mere feet away. The soothing burn washing away her reeling thoughts and smothering the ache in her heart that has haunted her since Baelfire's death

"Find your happiness Emma… even if it's without m…"

He died in her arms, she was holding him close crying, begging him to stay but it was already too late he was gone and she was alone. She left straight away not looking back, not saying a word, not taking anything but the clothes on her back, a small purse of coins and the knife in her boot. She used her coins to buy some more practical clothes, a vest, a couple shirts, and leather pants, but most importantly with the very last of her coins she purchased a specially crafted cutlass sword.

When she found the ship and requested a position among his crew the captain merely scoffed amused by the idea that a woman would come aboard a pirate ship let alone want to join its crew. But she remained certain and unmoving in her decision, so he thought that she could replace the cabin boy recently died in an 'unfortunate accident' whatever that meant but she believed she was worth more than a mere cabin boy and argued for a better place (a brave thing to do on a ship full of pirates) so he gave her a chance for a better spot on the ship.

"You think you're a better fighter than my crew? Hah…. Ok then, a test, a fight to the death. If you win you can replace the crewmember you killed"

A big burly guy stepped from stepped out from the crowed that formed on the deck and hefted his sword, he was at least a foot taller than her and weighed twice as much but she downed him in an instant allowing the pain in her soul to control her actions. He was the second life she had taken, the first was the person who killed Baelfire and even though most of the lives she had taken were out of self-defence not all of them were and it's only gotten worse.

The day Emma became captain was not one she'll forget, she was perfectly content doing what she was doing until the captain had sent for her. Little did she know he was stinking drunk and intending to hurt her. The moment he touched her she realised exactly his intentions escaped from his grip and ran up onto deck to get away from him but there was nowhere to go they were surrounded by sea. So when she heard him follow her up she turned, drew her sword and ran him through where he stood. Nearly the whole crew saw it and they decided in that moment that she should be captain of the 'Siren Reach'