To Loose the Fateful Lightening
"From the first moment I met you, your arrogance and your selfish disdain for others made me realize that you are the last man on earth I could ever be prevailed upon to marry."
-Lizzie Bennett
A/N: So this is my FIRST ever Once fic and it's a bit ambitious considering it's a Hook and Aurora fic. I actually do like this couple. (I also like Hook with Red and Emma as well and I read a really good Hook/Wendy fic. I'll post the titles so that you dearies can find them. I myself will probably try my hand at them as well. Let me know what you guys think of this okay? Im a little nervous)
For the upteenth time, Aurora stumbled. And for the upteenth time, Mulan steadied her.
"Are you okay Princess?" the warrior woman asked. The gentleness in the question caused Aurora to flush with embarassment.
"Shoes," Aurora muttered. It was their blasted fault she kept tripping. They were delicate and fit for well…a princess. They weren't made for long treks through field and forest.
"Careful," came a drawling, mocking voice from just behind them. "Sleeping Beauty here isn't used to being vertical. Are you Princess?" There was a wicked grin on his face and dark humor lurked in his blue eyes.
Even Aurora couldn't fail to miss the hidden innuendo. The anger and bitterness that was present ever since Phillip had died flared hotly. More than a little mortification washed over her making her clench her fist as she stood helpless in her shame, hating it and hating herself. To make matters worse, Mulan drew her sword and Snow White and her daughter flanked the pirate and pinned his arms behind his back, jerking them up so that he winced in pain.
"He's dead on your word Princess." Mulan said, driving the point of her sword a little deeper for emphasis. Hook blanched.
"Come now Ladies if you kill me you'll never get your precious compass." He inclined his head towards the beanstalk. "I'm a handy man to have around in case things get ugly."
The murderous giants. Of course. Emma sighed in frustration and released his arm. "Shit he's right. We need him." She looked at the infamous Captain Hook dead on and added: "For now." Hook merely smirked at her.
Snow White released his other arm with a snort of disgust. Mulan however kept her sword pointed at the pirate and refused to move it. She was just petty enough to enjoy the way Hook's face paled.
"Mulan?" Snow White laid a hand on her shoulder. "Emma's right. We need him."
"He insulted Aurora's honor. He has taken many lives. He should die."
"Can't argue on the dying part," Snow said with hard look at Hook, "but not today. There are more important things. Like my grandson."
Aurora watched as Mulan put her sword (reluctantly) away. She was sure she would spontaneously combust from sheer embarassment. Rescued. Again. Dismissed. Again.
She walked towards the base of the beanstalk where they had decided to make camp for the night before beginning their climb and sat down, curling her feet under her. She watched the heroes set up camp, after of course making sure that Hook was secure and wouldn't be going anywhere.
She of course just sat, watching from the outside, and her already fragile sense of self worth that had begun to crumble as she watched Phillip die for her shattered unbeknown to everyone but for a roguish pirate who caught the fleeting glimpse of pain on her face before she masked it to accept the food Mulan brought her with a polite nod.
Watching her, Hook felt the first stirrings of compassion he had felt in a long while.