A/N: I actually wrote this chapter three times until I actually liked where it was going. I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think. :D
Her golden locks glistened from the scorching sun that shined through her bedroom window. Emma gazed longingly at the beautiful array of forest colours that this season had blessed them with. The red, orange, yellow, and green filled the atmosphere until the horizon, until the point she couldn't see anymore. She knew the sea was out there, but she had never seen it. Her privileges of doing whatever she wanted could only go so far. When she was younger, her mother would read her stories about the sea and how so many adventures took place there. Her mother's soft voice would describe new lands to journey through, villains in every corner, pirate ships that you could notice from miles away. Her father disapproved of these tales; he would say they put "ideas" in her head. That's why her mother read them to her in private, right before she would fall asleep in her comfortable bed.
When her mother died, she had only been 7 years old. No matter what people did to make her feel better, it never worked. She would lock herself away in her chambers, clutching the books that her mother had read to her like a lifeline, and sobbed into them. So many times she had wished to be a part of those thrilling adventures that could take her far, far away. The only thing she realized was that the harder she wished for it to happen, the more it wouldn't come true. She was a princess after all, and her responsibilities kept her from living the life she wanted.
She was 18 now. Her father was the only family she had left, but he was also the person who banned her from ever stepping foot outside the castle grounds.
Her maids would dress her up in unreasonably large gowns that were made out of bright dazzling colours. She meets diplomats, princes, kings, no one that stuck around long enough for her to care. They were the only people that she ever got to see who didn't live inside the castle.
So when she heard rumors of another visitor arriving that very day, as she was sneaking around the servants kitchen, which is the area in the castle she enjoyed wasting away her days in, she felt her only choice was to hide away in her bedroom. This guest must be awfully important if her father never told her about them visiting, usually she was advised a week ahead of time.
When one of her maids, Ruby, walked into her bedroom a half an hour later, she sighed deeply, knowing she couldn't avoid this meeting. In Ruby's arms rested a blue and white dress, lace and jewels decorated the corset in precise detail.
"Isn't that a little too fancy? I mean I'm just meeting another one of father's uninteresting guests." Emma dreaded wearing such an uncomfortable corset, especially if her father decided to keep her there with them for the rest of the day, which she knew would be the case.
"That's what I thought when I first saw it, probably some kind of important trade the king wants to make, he wants you to make an impression." Ruby had always been the only person that she could talk to about anything. She was the only real friend she had, and her Granny worked down in the kitchen, they were both like family to her. There was this one time where one of the other maids in charge tried blaming Ruby for stealing from her, the maid had brought this matter over to her father, who was clearly furious and wanted Ruby and her Granny tossed in the streets. Emma had immediately known that Ruby hadn't done any such thing, she had something she likes to call her "superpower" where she could tell when someone was lying. She had fought for her best friend, and to her relief she was still here. She didn't know what she would do if her and Granny weren't around anymore.
"I wouldn't be surprised if that was his intentions." Emma said, reaching out to feel the fabric of her new dress between her fingers. She just couldn't wait until this day was over.
After Ruby had helped Emma into her dress, she had to leave and attend to her other chores.
Emma gaped at her reflection in her bedroom mirror, the dress was stunning but she felt out of place wearing it. She had no idea when this guest was arriving and her father had not called her down yet so she assumed she had some time to kill before then.
It was probably a terrible idea to go down to the kitchen while she was wearing that dress, but she didn't care. She wanted to visit Granny again before she had to exchange small talk with strangers for the rest of the day.
Emma arrived just as Granny was yelling orders at some of the cooks to "make sure there were enough potatoes," or asked "why the vegetables for the soap were not cut up yet?"
This was typical Granny, she wouldn't take any excuses.
"My dear Emma, what are you doing down here with that on?" Granny asked as she accusingly pointed her wooden spoon at Emma's dress.
"I was hoping if I disappeared for a few hours, maybe my father wouldn't call me down." Emma knew that there was no getting out of this, but she felt less anxious down there.
"Oh no you're going,"
"But-"
"No buts, I'm making this dinner especially for you, you are going."
"Wait, this guest is joining us for dinner?" Emma asked. She dreaded the evening even more now.
"That's right dear." Granny was busy concentrating at her task at hand, so Emma decided it was time for her to go.
"I will be back tomorrow," She waved goodbye to Granny, "If I survive the rest of the evening." Emma muttered to herself as she turned the corner and smacked right into something… no someone.
"I'm sorry," Emma quickly said as she glanced up to meet bright blue eyes.
"No need love, it was entirely my fault." The stranger said. Emma couldn't help staring at him.
He was quite handsome; he looked as if he came out of a really good dream. Blue eyes outlined in black eyeliner, black hair that she just wanted to run her fingertips through, and dimples that were the result of the smirk that was plastered on his face as he watched her. She wondered for a moment if perhaps it was possible that he was staring back at her for the same reasons she was, but that was probably not the case.
"Lass you okay? You're gripping my arm a little too firmly there." Emma quickly snapped out of her train of thought, glancing up to see her hand was clutching his upper arm; he didn't even flinch, only watched her with an amused expression.
"Sorry again," Emma mumbled, letting go of his arm. She had to escape, run back to her room, for some reason she didn't feel uncomfortable by him, in fact she felt the complete opposite and that frightened her.
For some reason he seemed planted in the area he was standing on, as if he didn't want to move away from her, so Emma decided she had to make the first move. She shifted to the side so she could easily walk around him, but just as she was about to walk away she felt cold metal against her bare skin.
"And where is the princess off too?" The stranger asked, turning her back around to face him.
Emma was speechless as she stared down at his left hand, or where should have been his left hand; instead a metal hook seemed to replace it, which is what he used to stop her from walking away.
"I don't really think it's any of your business," Emma tried speaking with as much confidence as she could gather, looking him back in the eye, "And how do you know who I am?"
"The dress love," He said gesturing towards the ridiculous fancy dress she was wearing, "I mean I'm no expert or anything. For all I know you could be a servant trying to look like something you're not. If you are I would say don't bother darling, that dress would probably look better on someone else."
"Who are you?" Emma demanded. She felt her cheeks turn red at his words, did he just insult her?
"Maybe I'm your knight in shining armour or your worst nightmare." He was way to close; his body seemed to lean into her like a gravitational pull, this man was not concerned about personal space, he made that plainly clear.
"And maybe I just need to punch you in the face." Emma spit back.
"Oh feisty, I guess you're not as entirely boring as they say you are." He said, the bastard was teasing her.
"Who says I'm-"
She heard footsteps in the distance, not coming from the kitchen, but the other way. It had to be a guard, they usually did roam around here, but she couldn't be found now. Her father probably sent them to look for her.
She had to hide, but the kitchen was not an option. It was too open and there weren't any good places to hide.
"In the closet." She said, grabbing the man's good hand and dragging him towards the small closet in the hall where the servants stored all the extra food in.
"Love what are you-"
"Just be quiet." She said, pushing him in the closet first before getting in there herself. There was barely any room for them to breath in the small area.
Emma drew in a breath when she felt his arms wrap around her waist, he pulled her against him more then was necessary and she tried looking in any other direction but his, when she did though, she could feel his amused gaze on her.
"Could you please stop staring at me like that, it's getting annoying." She said, refusing to look up at his blue eyes, knowing very well that she wouldn't be able to look away once she did.
"Forgive me, but I am a little curious as to why you dragged me in here. I mean I'm not complaining, not at all. A woman as beautiful as you deserves my full and prompt attention and you are fairly stunning."
His words finally made her snap; she looked up at him, scowling at his pleased expression.
"Oh so you're mocking me now?" This man was impossible, the faster she could get out of that closet the better.
"I'm not mocking you love. I don't go around telling all women they look stunning." Emma couldn't help but sarcastically laugh at that.
"I find that hard to believe." She said, "You sir have no respect."
"The name is Killian Jones, but people prefer to call me Captain Hook. And I don't believe you know me well enough to judge me so quickly."
"Clever name," Emma said, nodding towards his hook, "And I don't need to know you to know you're a real jerk."
"I prefer dashing rapscallion." He said. That smirk was still plastered on his face, "Whoever you're hiding from should be long gone by now."
"You could go if you want, I don't care." She said casually.
"Of course you don't. You just probably need more room for that stolen dress of yours." He let go of her, reaching around her so he could turn the door knob.
"It's not stolen and that's not why I'm hiding." She tried explaining. She knew he assumed that was the explanation for why she dragged them in there and for some reason that infuriated her.
"Don't worry lass, I know." He said before opening the door. He looked back at her one last time before closing the door between them.
Emma sighed in a breath of relief. Now that he was gone it was much more peaceful.
She was startled though when she heard the door open again, assuming the guards had probably found her. She glanced up and instead saw him standing in the doorway.
"Oh, and the coast is clear." He whispered, closing the door back again.
When Emma finally escaped back to her bedroom, she didn't realize Ruby was in there until she cleared her throat.
"Ruby…" Emma shrieked, almost tripping over her dress from being startled. "Oh, I thought you were…"
"Who else would be in here?" Ruby asked.
"No one." Emma said too quickly.
"Where have you been?" Ruby seemed to ignore Emma's suspiciousness, "Your father has been calling for you for hours."
"It's been hours?" It didn't feel like she was gone that long.
"Yes, now go down there before we both get in trouble."
"But-"
"Now!"
Just like that Emma found herself walking down to the throne room, and dreading every step.
When she made it down there the guards held the doors open for her so she could enter. If she was late then her father would be livid. She just hoped this guest had him occupied enough to forget about her tardiness.
When she walked in though, she saw that being late was the least of her worries. Her father was occupied all right, with a tall handsome stranger.
He was the same handsome stranger that had impossibly bright blue eyes and was hiding in a closet with her a few hours ago.
Both he and her father glanced at her as she approached them. She could only think to not look at the smirk she knew was on his face.
"Emma, I would like you to meet Killian Jones, our guest." Her father said, gesturing towards him.
Emma curtsied in his direction, still not meeting his eyes. He bowed down in return.
The only thing that was in her mind in that moment was the fact that she was screwed.
