Disclaimer: I do not claim to own any characters from OUaT mentioned, I only claim Ariel (for now, until she shows up on the series). I am not in any way affiliated with the writers or actors. Thank you so much to everyone following, reading, or favoriting this story!

PART ONE

Chapter One: A Thief Among Us

The sun had begun setting for the evening, its soft orange glow blanketing the open ocean in warmth and providing the last natural light for Captain Killian Jones as he pondered over the large map in his quarters. Mermaid Cove was still several days journey ahead of them, and he wasn't entirely sure how they would manage to navigate their ship through the dangerous waters if the entire crew was tied down to avoid jumping overboard. Encounters with sirens often became lethal if sailors, or in this case pirates, weren't prepared to handle the clever tricks of the fish women. He was brought out of his intense thought process at the sound of his crew shouting about a "thief aboard the ship" and several pairs of feet bolting across the wooden deck. At first Killian opted to ignore the commotion and allow the men to solve the stowaway problem on their own, but soon there were calls for the captain to come and settle the matter, and he knew that no work would be done if there was unfinished business amongst the crew.

"Mates, you know the rules about thieves." Killian emerged from his captain's quarters and crossed the threshold of the deck, irritation clouding his tone as he approached the rather large gathering of crew members. They didn't have time for this sort of nonsense, and who the bloody hell was manning their stations if they were all gaping at him like confused virgins? In the center of the ship stood his first mate and another burly shipmate, both were tightly gripping the upper arms of the hooded thief. He removed his sword from its sheath and pointed it directly at their unwelcome guest. The men held their breath in anticipation, which earned a frustrated growl from the pirate. "What seems to be the problem, then? Go on, someone."

"Cap'n, this one's different…" The first mate protested earnestly in response, his expression a mixture of delight and bewilderment. He pulled back on the hood which had served to shroud the visitor in mystery, revealing long crimson locks of hair that framed an impossibly pale face and alluring blue eyes. The storm behind the stranger's gaze reminded Killian of the unrelenting harshness of the sea, unpredictable and maddening. A woman. That was their problem? Honestly… "None of the men felt comfortable killing a woman, especially one like this." His first mate shook her slightly in an attempt to make his point, but the captain was already aware. The woman was quite possibly one of the most beautiful that he and his entire crew had ever seen. She had an other-wordly grace and appearance, something that the average village thief would never possess.

"What's your name?" His voice was one of authority, demanding an answer as his sword traveled up her stomach until it reached her throat and gently cut through the ties of her hood. The material fell to the ground, but the woman didn't appear to be phased by her exposure, nor by the blade that rested against her neck. Now that Killian's eyes could travel over her entire form, he noted that her body had impressive curves, though she tried to hide them behind dark pants and a corset. His eyes lingered on her shape far longer than necessary before flickering up to her pallid face, which still lacked any recognizable emotion. He had to admit, the woman was fairly intelligent for a thief. A dress would stand out in the crowd and draw attention, but with a cloak and pants she could have easily boarded his ship disguised as a fellow crew member.

"Ariel." She didn't struggle against the two men holding her, instead the redhead opted to stand her ground against the pirates and negotiate her release with confidence. There was no room here for crying or blubbering out feeble pleas for her life. If necessary, she was even willing to fight her way out of this mess. She had spent the past two years bartering and making deals with a variety of ill-intentioned figures, and now she finally had her ticket back to her family and kingdom in Atlantica. Returning to the sea witch without this token was entirely out of the question, and Ariel refused to leave it aboard this ship with greedy pirates. They would probably trade it to the highest bidder, and only Poseidon knows when she'd see it again… if at all.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl." The captain eyed her with interest and motioned for the two pirates holding her to release their firm grasp on her upper arms. He began circling Ariel slowly, reminding her of a tiger just before it attacks a particularly interesting prey. "Ah, but where are my manners?" He paused some distance in front of her, bowing in a slightly condescending manner. "Killian Jones. And of course, you know my crew." The men surrounding them chuckled, offering lewd jeers and innuendos in response. Killian smirked as he approached her, the tip of his sword once again touching Ariel's jaw line as he stared her down and spoke in an intimidating manner. "Now I believe you have something that belongs to me."

Her pale fingers reached into what appeared to be a small coin purse hanging from her side, and pulled out a long golden necklace with a glimmering emerald jewel in the center. Ah, yes. His most prized treasure from Doloria, a trinket said to hold immense amounts of magic. He hardly blamed her for desiring the ornament. Even if she didn't know its true power, the necklace's magnificence became more splendid when she held it beside her contrasting red hair. "Hand it over, Love." His hands reached forward cautiously as if she were a skittish animal that could take off at a moment's notice, though his guest would never get far even if she tried. The ship was already too far out at sea for her to jump back into the shallows and swim to port.

Ariel appeared to consider this for a moment, and then her features lit up with a familiar rebellion that Killian often recognized in himself and his crew when they felt threatened. In one swift motion, before his first mate even realized what was happening, she tore the man's sword from its sheath and held it out against the captain's own blade in defense. "You'll have to kill me first."

The crew erupted in more laughter, which elicited a smile from Killian as he addressed her. "I might be a pirate, Darling, but I do not engage in duels with women. We wouldn't want you to get hurt, now would we?"

Ariel's blood boiled at Killian's comment. What made her skill with a sword worth so much less than that of a man? Fine, if he wasn't going to fight her for the jewelry, then it was time to leave. She stuffed the trinket back into her purse. "Well I suppose this means that I can take the necklace then, yes?"

"Nice try, but no. I'm afraid you'll have to return it to me." That infuriatingly handsome smirk was once again present on his face and Ariel felt herself begin to lose control of her carefully concealed emotions. She wasn't going to simply return the item that she had spent many months searching for into his beckoning hand, and certainly not come quietly without a struggle. He would either allow her to escape with the necklace, or win it back from her dead body. Those were the only options that she was providing to him.

"A man unwilling to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets." This appeared to strike a nerve, because the entire ship went silent and Killian's amusement transformed into a very dark glare. "If you won't duel with me, then I'll consider this trinket mine and be on my way."

The captain twisted his sword in his hand for a moment, considering her argument. Ariel clearly didn't fear death and she was bloody frustrating with her determination. If he didn't duel her then he would appear weak in front of his crew and the red haired thief, but if he killed something so fiery and entrancing, it would feel like an awful waste of a challenging woman. And if there was only one thing Killian loved more than treasure, it was a challenge. "Alright, you'll have your duel."

He had barely spoken the final word before she was lunging at him, her figure flashing with silver and red. His sword met hers easily, the sharp sound of metal on metal echoed over the open seas as they both passionately fought. Ariel's tactic was precise and calculated, each swipe and jab threatening to break through his defensive posture. It was difficult to remain focused on blocking her attacks, especially when she growled in frustration at several failed attempts to disarm him. Her excellence with a blade was also surprising, though Killian was obviously more experienced, and he almost felt sympathy when he finally became close enough to slam her body against the large mast on the upper deck, causing the redhead to drop her weapon. He couldn't recall them climbing the stairs, but the details didn't matter now. Their faces were merely inches from one another, hers panting and wide-eyed, his menacing and arrogant from the victory. The side of his sword was pressed firmly against her throat this time, while its pressure was not quite hard enough to break her creamy skin, she didn't dare to move. "Mates," he shouted without taking his eyes off hers. Ariel flinched at the sudden noise, and Killian liked knowing that she was afraid of him. "It looks like we have ourselves a little servant girl." The men cheered and clapped for their captain, and now seeing that the show was over with, they returned to their posts.

"As for you," Killian pressed his body against Ariel's frozen one, his lips brushing against her ear as he pulled the necklace from her bag. "There'll be no need to kill you yet. I think I can find quite a few uses for you aboard my ship until I become tired of your presence." Her pale skin prickled with gooseflesh at the sensation of his breath on her neck, and Killian shot her another smirk. He was affecting her sensibilities. Good. "Bale!" His first mate hurried up the stairs at the sound of the captain's shout.

"Aye, Cap'n?" His beady eyes darted between the red haired woman and his employer.

"Lock her in the brig." Killian dropped his sword and tucked it back into the sheath at his side, moving away to grasp the wheel of his ship as Bale dragged Ariel by the arm to the lower level. He lifted up the glimmering necklace and examined it, wondering silently why the young woman would place herself in so much danger for something that she knew nothing about.