I know my chapters are short, just makes it easier to update often, don't you agree? If you haven't, go back and re-read chapter one. When I first posted, part of it got cut off, so I had to fix that. Keep reading and I'll keep posting.

Review please?

"Mom, I'm here. What did you need?" Emma asked, still sporting a glint in her eye from her encounter with Bae.

Queen Snow smiled lovingly, yet cautiously at her daughter. "You have another gown fitting, and you know how Madame Forsythe feels about tardiness." She gave her daughter a pointed look, recalling the number of times Emma kept people waiting.

"You mean how she tens to take it out on me by sticking pins in my a-"

"Emma!" Her mother interrupted. "I know you're reluctant to accept it, but you are a princess and should start behaving as such!" She sighed and calmly added, "You're twenty two years old, Emma. One day soon, you'll find that your responsibilities don't just affect you, but the whole kingdom."

"I know, Mom. You keep telling me every time I turn around. But that doesn't mean, away from the public eye, I shouldn't be allowed to voice my opinion on the matter." Emma's argument was hard for Snow to debate, so she just sighed and took her daughter's arm.

"Before you go to your fitting, your father asked to see us. Some sailors in the armada are staying for a fortnight and will be attending the ball. He'd like to show you off, I think."

Emma rolled her eyes, but let out a playful giggle. To the king, there was no one more intelligent, more accomplished, or more amazing that his daughter. One of his favorite pastimes was parading Emma in front of his friends and visiting dignataries and bragging about her. Emma found it a little exhasperating, but mostly amusing.

Snow just found it exhasperating. She knew that underneath his proud papa facade, part of him was trying to find their daughter a husband. The king had not grown up royal, like she had. The title came from her side. She wanted for her daughter what she had found: true love. She knew her husband meant well, but she was afraid it would blow up in his face, creating a rift between their daughter and themselves like the one that existed between James and his father.

Shaking the unthinkable out of her head, she held up her arm to her daughter. Like two girl-friends, they strode arm-in-arm to the king's study.

"Here they are!" King James smiled jovially at his wife and daughter. Snow embraced her husband, momentarily ignoring their guests, and kissed him.

"Charming," she said, as she never called him anything else.

"Snow, Emma, may I present Captain Liam and his lieutenant, Killian."

The two sailors bowed before their rulers. As the stood, Emma felt her throat catch when the handsome lieutenant's eyes met hers.

"Pleasure," he said. Emma couldn't be sure, but was that a wink he just gave her?

Review please? I'd like to know how to improve my writing and I love hearing from you what your thoughts on the story are. (If you're like me and just read a bunch, well, ok, but that doesn't tell me if you like it, now does it?)