Emma
The skies of The Enchanted Forest were woven with rose and gold, as the warm sun was slowly setting over the swaying waves. A warm breeze filled the summer air, bringing with it the crisp smell of sea salt. Emma inhaled deeply. She missed that smell, that life. Leaning against the balcony of her bedroom, Princess Emma gazed longingly across the water, listening to the waves crash against the rocks below.
Orchestral Music from her parent's ball began to accompany the sounds of the sea. Emma closed her eyes and sighed deeply.
"Here we go." She said, regretfully, before taking one last glance into the mirror.
She wore a gown of lavender, certainly not her best color, chosen by her well-meaning mother. It was off the shoulder, with enormous puffy sleeves and skirt. However, much to her mother, Queen Snow White's dismay she had drawn the line at wearing a corset. Look and feel ridiculous she may, but at least she wouldn't be gasping for breath the entire evening. Her golden hair was pinned high on her head with pearls, revealing her moss green eyes.
Emma highly suspected that her mother had arranged for a flock of suitors to attend the ball celebrating her birthday. Snow White usually allowed Emma to pick out her own clothes for such events, but since her twenty seventh birthday last year, her loving mother had begun to meddle with her love life. Emma understood why: she was now in her late twenties, far older than her parents when they had married, and had no husband to speak of. Emma knew both her parents wanted her to find the true love they shared, but what they didn't know was that she had already found it. Granted, a pirate Captain wasn't the best option for a son-in-law, but Emma loved him with her whole heart. One of these days her parents would just have to accept that. If she ever told them that is. Keeping Killian and her life of piracy a secret from her parents tore a hole in her heart. Yet that was the price she knew she had to pay, until she could finally gather the courage to confess to them her love of the high seas and its most feared Captain.
The thought of Killian reminded her of the last gift he had given her before sailing away. It was a gorgeous red silk gown, with a large skirt and neckline far too risqué for her parents to approve. It was simple, yet bold and suited her taste perfectly. Emma had hidden it in the back of her wardrobe, waiting impatiently for the occasion to finally wear it.
Just as Emma was about to turn towards the party, she caught sight of a familiar vessel heading towards the castle, and an even more familiar dark figure standing on the large mast. Perhaps the occasion she had been waiting for had come sooner than she thought.
Killian
The vessel finally docked in the busy harbor. She was painted with black, red and gold and 'The Jolly Roger' in large script could be seen on the stern. Her great white sails had been lowered, as well as the incriminating skull and bones flag, which struck fear into the hearts of many a traveler. Captain Killian Jones, or Hook as he was otherwise known, stood on the wet wooden dock, where every sane person avoided his sharp blue eyes. Killian glanced longingly up, towards the enormous stone castle. Months at sea had made him restless and eager to return for his Princess. He sometimes questioned whether her parents truly believed Emma spent several months a year visiting distant cousins. Killian suspected Prince David, Emma's father, knew about their secret romance, though chose (for whatever reason) to keep it to himself. This reason was not because Dear Old Dad liked Killian, quite the contrary, David hated everything about him; his extensive past love life, his dashing rogue clothes, but above all his reputation as the deadliest pirate in all the realms. In spite of this, however, Emma continued to leave the kingdom year upon year for six months, sailing the high seas by his side, where she truly belonged.
"Tink! Jukes! Noodler! With me. Smee?" The Captain bellowed.
"Yes, Sir?" Questioned a pot-bellied man wearing a red woolen cap.
"You will remain with the rest of the crew." Captain Hook ordered. All three named pirates quickly came forward, armed to the teeth. Tink was petite in size, yet just as intimidating as the rest of the crew. She wore a fierce expression, which was covered with facial piercings, as well as a tattered green dress and a belt holding several daggers. Jukes was enormous in build, bald and had every inch of his skin tattooed. His hand held a large cutlass, which was dented from excessive use. Finally, Noodler was skinny with beady eyes, and otherwise unremarkable, apart from the fact that his hands were fixed on backwards, each holding an axe.
Captain Hook himself was dressed in a long black leather coat, which hid a single cutlass worn at his hips. His black silk shirt was covered by a blood red waistcoat, exposing much of his bare chest. One hand wore the rings of the many men he had killed, the other was replaced instead by a sharpened hook. Rumors circulated that when the Captain sunk his hook into your flesh his eyes, blue as forget-me-nots, turned fiery red. However, Killian Jones was not only known as the deadliest pirate of all the realms, but also as the most dashingly handsome. His smoldering, dark good looks had caught the eye of many a fair maiden, but only one had caught his in return.
"Let's not keep the first mate waiting! We have a party to attend." Captain Hook shouted, smiling. The rest of the crew replied with a cheer.