The chatter was louder than usual in the pub as I silently walked through. My crew on my heels as eyes scanned the crowd of jolly, talkative villagers. A barmaid looked up from her post and the glass of beer she held slid out of her grasp, shattering onto the stone floor. By tables the room quieted down as the cheerful faces were replaced with fear. A smirk toyed on my face while I leaned to the shaking barmaid. I held the hook to her throat, my eyes never leaving hers as I pushed her brunette curls behind her. I slowly grasped the mug off the counter and whisked it back over her shoulder.
"Tell me, lass. What's tonight's jolly chatter about?"
She cleared her throat before opening her mouth to speak but another voice cut through the silence.
"It's unlike you, captain, to show up to parties you weren't invited to."
I knew that voice all too well, I couldn't help but feel the cheeky smile curve on my face. I turned my attention from the barmaid to the lass standing on the bar counter. She hadn't changed one bit over the years. She was dresses head to toe with leather, a bright red scarf hung around her slim waist loosely while her red shirt and vest clung to her chest. She threw back her coat and her shimmering gold hair fell back in waves behind her. I felt my irritation starting to rise after a moment of silence.
"I wouldn't use the word "uninvited" I'd use "late" as a better preference."
She walked over to me with predatory steps, her eyes unreadable as she knelt down in front me, her face aligning with mine. My eyes went up to her tricorne, with a swan feather sewn directly into it. She smirked and held up a hand to her rising men.
"Gentle, lads. The dreadful Captain Hook doesn't know," she murmured seeing the glimmering hook shine underneath the candle light.
"What do I not know of?" I asked holding my hook to her unscathed, sun tanned cheek. This caused her to smile at my attempt attempt to be threatening. She stood and jumped off the bar.
"Blackbeard's ship went down a fortnight ago." I couldn't control my face as it raised in complete shock. The most feared pirate of them all had finally gotten taken up by the seas? The thought was nearly impossible. It explained to why the whole village was cramped into this pub, they were obviously celebrating the dreaded pirate's death.
"Some of the survivors from his ship say a Obessa took the beauty down." Emma said walking around tables, her fingers trailing over the villagers chests.
"Why should I care if that old bastard is dead?" I challenged, watching her every move. Emma turned, her emerald eyes meeting mine with a burning intensity and a hint of playfullness.
"Word on the high sea is that before his death Blackbeard discovered Serpent Sam's treasure cove."
This had me more than intrigued, Serpent Sam was one of the most ruthless pirates long before Blackbeard. Serpent Sam was known to take over naval and pirate ships with no mercy. He was greedy and yet very protective over the forty years on the sea. Before the gold hungry bastard was captured and hung, he had hidden it in a cove faraway from any thieves. Known to be in the most dangerous lands of all.
"And how did he manage this?" I inquired, Emma Swan was a woman who had a talent to call out a man's lie but trick them into her own. Her hair swung back over her shoulder as she gave me a playful smile.
"He had figured out Serpent Sam's damned treasure map and sailed to it."
"A wizard couldn't even read that map, how could he managed to read it himself?"
This caused Emma to turn to me, a giant smile on her face as she held up a finger giving me a laugh.
"That's where we're stuck, Captain, my men and I have been on the search for a couple of nights to find any information on Blackbeard."
"And yet you have found none, what a shame," I turned to my men giving them a promising look. Before I could let two words out that damned woman shut me up.
"It's a race now, Hook," she laughed, I slowly turned and faced her.
"What are mumbling about?"
Emma waltzed right up to me, I tried my best to keep my distance but she invaded my privacy immediately. She placed a hand on my chest, toying with my leather coat. Her fingers played over the buttons and then to my necklace, my heart nearly jumped out of my throat when she started tugging on the chain, trying to reveal what I had tucked in my vest.
I smacked her hand away which caused her to give me a look of pure irritation. "I asked you a question, lass," I growled growing tired of her mind games.
"It's a race now, Hook, every pirate of the seas is going to be spending their time finding that damned treasure and to be claimed as the number one feared pirate of all the nine realms."
I raised my eyebrow feeling Smee come up to my side, "Because Blackbeard was the most feared pirate of all, that means someone else has to take the place." I muttered watching her walk back to her crew.
"Exactly, Hook, you're catching onto it now! You better drink up and prepare for one hell of a voyage for tomorrow is going to be the start of a very interesting game."
I whipped my head back to her, "And what the bloody hell makes you think I want to be part of this lunacy?" I hissed. Emma smiled taking a sip of her rum, that smile nearly made me want to throw my dagger right into her chest.
"Because a pirate like you wouldn't dare come second to a female like me,"
"What makes you think you'll find the treasure?"
"Because I already know something the other pirates don't."
"And what's that?"
"I know where I can find the map."
It was my turn to walk up to her, her men moved away parting away from me. The pub was still silent as I made my way to her, I could see her eyes were full of complete interest and had a flash of complete awe towards me.
"Why are you telling me all this, Emma?" I asked staring into her moss eyes for my answer. She played with the rim of her glass and looked up.
"Because once I get that map, every pirate will be after me and I'm gonna need your help,"
"You're bribing me with that treasure? Emma, I've heard better deals from a poor man." Her eyes narrowed at me.
"What do you want, Hook?" she hissed crossing her arms, I smirked and touched a soft curl. I could see her tense up at my sensitive touch. No doubt she was still harboring feelings for me.
"I want the title, Emma," I whispered immediately she shook her head the exact reaction I was expecting.
"No deal, Hook, I'll never hand over that title."
"Nor will you ever get it because you'll get murdered or sunk just like the idiot Blackbeard,"
"Which you knew nothing about until a half hour ago,"
"Do you want my protection or shall I kill you already?" Quickly, I grasped her by the arm and my hook was at her throat. Her eyes bore into mine with no such fear or anger but it was with mere pride. Emma's crew stood up but she held a hand up to them, her eyes slicked back over to mine.
"You and I both know you can't kill me, Hook, I'm your only tie to that title and you're my only way to getting that treasure, face it, we both need each other for once."
She was so right that it nearly drove me mad with anger, I could stand there and lie but she and I both knew I couldn't jab this hook into her throat nor could I give up the opportunity of taking the title that rightly belonged to me. I sighed and released her, I could almost feel her smile of victory as I walked away from her.
"At dawn, Swan, and not a moment sooner. I shall make my men get the materials needed." I yelled going up to Smee who gave me a look of disapproval.
"Do not say a word, Smee, you and I both know this is a glorious opportunity."
"For you to get killed, Captain," he sighed rubbing his balding head. I stepped out of the pub and was greeted with a brisk evening air. One of my cabin boys, Thomas, approached me from leaning off the nearest wall.
"Captain Hook, is there anything I can get you? Did the pub not satisfy your needs?" He asked me, I looked down at him and patted his head, he was nor a year over fourteen but he was already maturing like the real man and pirate he is.
"Aye, I got exactly what I needed from the pub,"
"Especially, a deal with Emma Swan," Smee muttered angrily.
"The most feared female pirate of the seas?"
"And the filthiest whore of them all," I heard one of my men bark, I stopped in my tracks and faced them.
"What was that, lad? I daresay you didn't just mutter an insult to that woman? Do not forget she's just as lethal as me but I have the advantage of throwing you off my ship anytime I see fit. Do not talk bad about any pirate, especially her."
Sure, the damn lass drove me mad with anger and I dreamed of choking the life out of her, but I have a moral duty to not listen one bad word spoken about her.
She is afterall my ex-wife.