Blowing out her candle on the birthday cake her parents had specially made for her this morning, she looks out into the crowd of people. Rather strangers. A movement by the entrance catches her eye. She moves away from the table to see the commotion happening in the background.

Snow and Charming rise from their place at their thrones. Emma stands beside them to see the view better. Thankfully the thrones are on a platform so she has a better chance of seeing the scene before her.

"Who dares interrupt our princess's birthday?" Charming steps forward as the knights bring forward a man. A man who Emma recognizes.

Her eyes divert to the hook first. She starts to make her way to him, but Snow takes her hand gently in hers to keep her from moving.

The guards push Hook onto his knees. His blue eyes pierce hers as he gives her a small smile. "This man was caught sneaking into the castle."

"Ah well you decided to ruin all the fun in sneaking in, mate," the pirate says.

Emma lets out a small giggle, earning a harsh look from Charming. He steps down to where Hook is. He grabs him by the collar. "You are to never come by here again. Especially near my daughter."

This time Emma shakes out of her mother's reach. "Father," she touches his shoulder lightly. "Don't be so harsh; he's rather charming."

"Hello, love."

This seems to set off Charming. He pulls Hook closer by his collar. "If I see you ever again, I will have no problems killing you myself, pirate."

Hook stands up, shaking free from Charming's grasp. "Yes, your majesty. I have to say I would rather grace the Enchanted Forest with my dashing looks for a time longer."

The guards drag Hook away. The party starts back up again. Charming and Snowing begin to greet guests. None of whom Emma actually knows. She sneaks off into the hallways, following the guards as they drag Hook away. Lifting her dress so she's able to walk faster, she continues to follow at a distance not too obvious. The last thing she needs is to get caught by more of her parent's knights. They've already warned her about Hook before. However, something strong is pulling her towards him.

"You heard the king," one of the guards tells Hook. "You will be taken to be executed if we ever see you around the castle's premises."

Emma presses herself against a wall as the guards walk back to the grand ballroom. Just as the doors to the castle are about to close, she sneaks between them. She should have no problems getting pass the guards by the entrance. She'll say she wants to get some fresh air by herself and will be back shortly. Or she can walk pass them without them even noticing. Guards aren't always the most attentive on party nights.

With success, she manages to sneak pass them. Hook is only a few paces away from her. She rushes forward and catches him on the arm. He turns around slowly, a devilish grin gracing his face. He's even more dashing this close up. Putting some space between them, Emma lets go of where she's been grasping him on the arm.

"You should stay away from me," Hook glances towards the castle. "Your father seemed quite adamant about his feelings towards me. Wouldn't want to upset him, would you?"

Growing brave, she says, "maybe I would."

Hook takes her by her arm gently, pulling her behind a tree. The night is growing dark and there's not a sound she can hear. Only the sound of her beating heart. Of course she's snuck out plenty of times. Neal and her often would. Hence how Henry made an appearance in Emma's life long ago. Her parents weren't all too happy, but Emma was delighted to find out she would be giving birth to prince of her own. Henry has been the best thing that has ever happened to Emma.

"What is it you want, Princess?" Hook asks her.

"Emma. It's Emma. I want to go on an adventure. My mom, long ago, was a bandit. She hardly lets me pick berries by myself. She wants to keep me as her perfect princess, but I don't want that life anymore. I want to live and I think you'd be able to help me with that," she smirks, knowing that it will help her get her way.

At least that's how it's worked her whole life. She usually got all she wanted with just one small smirk.

Hook gives her a smirk of his own, stepping closer to her. They're so close that their bodies are nearly touching. Just one movement from either of them and they would be. "Meet me at the tavern by the northern port at midnight."

With that, he walks away from her. Emma watches him go before turning back to go inside to her party. Her parents are probably about to send out a search party for her. Except they already have. One of the knights grabs Emma by her arm almost a little too harshly. She jerks away from him.

"If you ever lay another hand on me like that, I will ensure it will be your last time," she snarls at him, walking through the front door of the castle.

Snow rushes up to her. "Where did you go?"

"Out for some air. Too many people here," she explains, scanning her eyes across the room. She'd be lucky to find two people in the room she actually knows. Most of them are here for her parents even though it's her party.

Henry jogs over to them. "Mom! Grandma!"

Emma puts her arm around her son. "What is it, Henry?"

"The Evil Queen," he breathes out. "There's rumors that she's back."

Snow glances at Charming with fear in her eyes. Emma's parents aren't often fearful of anything. Except when it comes to the Evil Queen. She's been locked up since Emma was born, but somehow she managed to escape from her brigs. Emma's grip tightens around Henry. The Evil Queen is a force to be reckoned with. She thinks about her meet up with Hook at the taverns tonight. She may have to postpone it. With the queen on the loose, it's too dangerous to venture outside the castle by herself so late at night.

"We'll find her and kill her once and for all," Emma is the first to speak. "And I will be the one to kill her when we do find her."

Snow turns to face her daughter. "No, we will not put you into the face of danger."

"Your mother's right, Emma. The queen is much too dangerous for you. It's not safe," Charming tells her.

Emma shakes her head. "I am sick of sitting around the castle and not doing anything. I'm not a child anymore. I'm doing this and you can't stop me. I won't let you stop me. I want to be the one who shoves the sword into her chest."

"Emma!" Snow gasps.

Without another word, Emma walks out of the ballroom and to her bedroom upstairs. She's no longer in the party mood. She wasn't to begin with anyway. Locking the door, she goes to the chest located near her bed. Nobody has ever seen what's inside the chest. Not even Henry.

Throwing the lock to the side, Emma reaches inside. Extracting the sword with the red gem in the middle of the handle, she sticks it out. It needs to be sharpened. But this is the sword that she will bury into the Evil Queen. First she needs to learn how to do it. There wasn't much time for sword fighting when she was younger.

Deciding against her decision to stay in tonight, she pulls her hood tighter around her face as she makes her journey to the northern port tavern. As she gets closer to the tavern, she hears yells resonating from inside. A few drunk people stumble around the streets, pestering her for some extra change to buy drinks. Emma wraps her arms around her middle, making sure nobody recognizes who she is.

Stepping in the bar, she looks at her surroundings. She's never been inside one before. Her parents had always forbidden her from going inside one. Now she knows why. The scene before her repulses her. Men seducing women as they pound rum back. Women in tight-fitting corsets. Emma glances down at her plain royal blue gown and black cape. It was the most casual outfit she owns. Though she still feels out of place here. If she wants to fit in, she'll have to find some other clothes.

She walks back outside again to find a clothing line with some women's clothes hanging from it. Looking around to make sure nobody sees her steal the items, she goes back into the tavern to find a changing station.

Emerging from the changing room, she twists uncomfortably in her bar wench dress. Her chest is protruding from her dress in a way that her parents would definitely disapprove of. She's not used to dressing so skimpily.

"Don't you paint quite the sight, love," the familiar voice says in her ear.

"Hook," she turns around to see him with a glass of rum in his hand.

He gives her his signature smirk. "I'm surprised you came."

Emma fixes him with an annoyed face. "I've come to ask for your help in killing the Evil Queen."

His glass shatters to the floor and the whole bar turns to look in their direction. Hook grabs Emma by the arm, leading her out of the tavern to avoid an unwanted mob when they find out Princess Emma is in their graces.

Hook leads her to the docks where she notices a large ship.

"I think this conversation needs to be kept private," Hook says, leading her to what she assumes is the Jolly Roger.