Alrighty, here we go! Chapter two! Thank you all so so so very much for all the positive feedback and reviews. It really means a lot to me and I hope you all like this one just as much. It's a bit longer and kind of... uhm... slow, so sorry 'bout that, but it will pick up in the next chapter and so on, I promise! Can you all help me with something, though? Is my writing style too dry? Like, do I need to add more detail, explanation, and whatnot? I just feel so inadequate compared to some of my favourite authors on this site, but hey what can ya do. Prayers and good vibes would be appreciated this week- finals week augh! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy!
She knew they were in trouble this time- big trouble. She had been in plenty of close scrapes before, mostly in the days before Henry's birth. Back then, she knew her way out of a jail cell like the back of her hand. She could be thrown in a cell one night, pick the lock, and be out before the guard even stopped snoring from his little snooze when he believed she had fallen asleep as well. Hell, she could probably still do it, if need be. But since then, she had been more than careful in their getaways. Except now, apparently.
The captain strode in front of her, pacing back and forth, back and forth with is hand clasped around his hook behind his back. He had seated them against some empty wooden crates- after all, they were already in the brig- and, though he tried hard not to, he couldn't help but notice the way her hair shone in the moonlight that creeped in from the single window up high in the hull. The storm must have cleared some time ago, leaving the full moon and the stars to dance in the darkening summer night. Hook peered down at her through his peripherals. There was no doubt he was intrigued by the newcomer and her young boy. The last time his ship had seen the likes of a woman's touch had been from his love, Milah, and the crew knew better than to mess with her. She was tough and strong-willed; the perfect companion to a pirate like Hook. But she was gone and though he swore vengeance on the crocodile that took her life, Hook did not enjoy dwelling on things past.
"Are you going to say something or are you going to stand there pacing all night?" Emma scowled, pulling Henry closer to her chest. The toddler hadn't stopped staring up at the captain in awe since the moment they had been discovered.
Hook chuckled, though there was little humor in it, "Do you have any idea what happens to stowaways on a pirate ship, Miss..." He trailed off, waiting for her response.
Emma fixed him with a glare before answering. "Swan. Emma Swan."
"Swan," Hook breathed, repeating the name for himself. It didn't go unnoticed by either of them the way the word effortlessly slid from his lips, as if that were its rightful place in the universe. He cleared his throat, "Right. Well, Miss Swan?"
Her shoulders slumped in defeat. She knew about pirate tales- someone always had a story to tell over a pint or around the mills. She had even heard of the very Captain Hook standing before her from time to time. Unfortunately for her, though, not a single one of those stories ended in happily ever after.
"Please, Captain, just let us go. We were hiding from some Royal Guards, we never meant to stay. We'll leave without a trace, I promise. Your men won't even have to know we were here. Please, just-"
"You think I'm afraid of my crew?" Hook snapped suddenly. His harsh tone made Henry jump and curl even closer under his mother's arm.
Emma was instantly caught off guard, "Well, no, it's just that they might think-"
"Oh, so now you believe I care what my men think, hmm? Well, what will they think Miss Swan? Because from where I'm standing, they will expect me to do my duty as captain and kill you where you stand." His words came out in a growl, reverberating low in his throat. He inched ever so closer to her so that they were fact to face and she could just make out the slight glint in his eyes. Emma gasped and her eyes narrowed in anger. The bastard, he's enjoying this. "And why shouldn't I?"
Emma squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself against his inquisition. There was no way she would let him break her, not in front of Henry. Before she could answer any of his questions, he hit her with another one.
"Why?"
"Wh-why?" Emma stuttered, cursing her failure at remaining strong. "Why what?"
Hook smirked, "Why were you hiding from the Royal Guard?"
"Oh," Emma cringed inwardly. She couldn't very well tell him the truth, that she was a runaway princess with a child who would likely one day sit on the throne ruling this very kingdom. The reward for her return was already hefty enough. There were wanted posters hanging from practically every tree and post in her parent's land. Thankfully, none of them had an accurate drawing of her, likely to be from her sudden getaway. She could only imagine what her father would do if Hook actually brought her back. Hell, King David would probably grant the man a kingdom of his own, pirate or not.
"I just have something they want."
This got Hook's attention easily. No stranger to thievery himself, the fact that the girl possessed something the King and Queen wanted undoubtedly piqued his curiosity. After all, where there was stolen property, there was generally a reward. "Oh really? And just what might that be, love?"
He swaggered lazily towards her, a devilish but charming smile beginning to turn up at the corners of his mouth. There was no way she would be able to defend herself against him, especially if he recruited a few of his men to completely outnumber and overpower her. Maybe his little stowaways would pay off after all.
Emma cringed again, visibly this time, against the way his eyes bore into her. Not altogether uncomfortable, Emma struggled to scramble up a lie in her already muddled brain.
"Better to tell me than to have me force it from you," his hand went to his sword at his hip as he whispered right in her ear, "trust me."
"Jewelry," Emma ground out, only half-lying to the man before her. Technically, she had taken jewelry out of the castle, but you can't steal what's yours to begin with.
Hook backed up suddenly and pulled his sword from its sheath, the metal making a sharp hiss in the otherwise silence of the ship. Henry screamed and Emma's breath completely escaped from her chest as Hook brought the sword to her throat.
"Hand it over," he drawled.
Emma's heart was pounding in her chest, in her head, in her ears so loud she almost didn't hear what he was saying. She could feel wetness growing on her ratted tunic from where Henry had started wiping his tears. Her poor boy- he had been so brave his whole life through every one of their moves. It only took something truly dangerous to brake him like this. She almost wanted to join in with him.
"Why you doing this?" Henry's small voice reached up to Hook, one half of his face covered in his mother's shoulder. His big brown eyes were red and watery from crying but his voice rang clear.
Hook was instantly taken aback. Truthfully, he had forgotten the child was there at all. He smirked, "Surely you know about pirates, lad?"
Henry hesitated but still nodded.
"Look around you, then. You and your mum happened to stowaway on my pirate ship. Threatening and thievery kind of come with the title, don't you think?"
Henry shook his head, "You can be a nice pirate."
"Oh, now where's the fun in that?"
"It's plenty fun. People like nice people," Emma chuckled at her son's innocent logic. Henry turned to face Hook head-on, his little face scrunching up in frustration.
"You'll see one day, lad. The good guys don't always win." Hook grimaced but dropped his hand so the sword no longer threatened to slit Emma's throat. She let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding and loosened her grip on the toddler only slightly.
"Yes they do!" Henry blurted out, crossing his arms.
"Henry!" Emma immediately scolded. They were just about in the clear- the last thing she needed was to have to die because her three-year-old argued with a pirate.
But to her surprise, the man laughed. It was a genuine laugh, none of the sarcasm or snark he had been lacing in his voice since he caught them.
"Well, aren't you a little spitfire?" Hook grinned at Emma and if she hadn't been so bloody terrified and confused, she probably would have almost found it attractive. Almost.
Hook realized what was happening and quickly sobered up. He was supposed to be threatening the poor girl's life, not joking with her. "Right. Well. There is still the matter at hand, pun not intended." He sheathed his sword and tilted his chin towards her, "The jewelry please, love. Then you are free to go, Captain's honour."
The words flew out of her mouth before she could even think about stopping them, "What if we make a deal? A- a negotiation, of sorts?"
Hook quirked an eyebrow, "You have my attention, love. Go on."
Emma took a deep breath before she continued on. She had absolutely no clue where this idea was coming from. She had conjured up plenty of stupid, reckless, just plain careless situations before, but this... this took the cake. "I can work and Henry won't get in the way, he's a good kid. Please, we desperately need a place to stay."
Hook shook his head. He could not possibly believe what this... this... girl was suggesting. Who did she think she was, just waltzing onto his ship and demanding to stay aboard? He should have her head! But still, there was that little part of him, right in the back of his mind, that nagged at him, urging him to at least give her a chance. Curse his bloody softer side.
"What about battles, hmm lass? Can you fight?"
Emma rolled a shoulder, "I can hold my own."
Hook unsheathed his sword for the second time that night. He held it out to her, hilt first, and nodded in her direction.
No way. No way in Hell. Emma groaned to herself, but managed to somehow keep the shock off her face. She had never even held a sword in her life- such things weren't proper for a princess. Her father had been a knight back in his day, but he had never bothered to pass the skill to his daughter. A son, sure. But not his princess. Still, she took the sword, feeling its weight in her palm. Hook pulled a smaller dagger from his leather boot and smirked at her.
"Let's see then."
Immediately, he lunged for her, dagger drawn and aiming straight for her abdomen. She flitted out of the way easily, shoving Henry to the wall of the ship. He called out for his mother, fear in his high voice, but his cried were lost at the sound of metal upon metal escalating between them all.
Emma raised the sword, trying to at least appear like she knew what she was doing. She had seen her father sword fight a few times, but nowheres near enough to win one on her own. Especially not against Captain bloody Hook. His dagger sliced past her, nicking her tunic but barely missing her side.
"Sorry, love, just trying to get you out of your clothes a bit sooner," Hook winked. Somehow, that fueled her rage. She raised the sword above her head and brought it swinging down towards him without much aim. He caught it easily with his hook, the metal clashing and sending up a small shower of sparks. The sword flew out of her grip with the momentum and suddenly she was face-to-face with the captain, dagger pressed against her throat. He had his hooked hand around her back, its point pressed into the space between her shoulder blades. She was close enough that she could catch his scent- a sweet mix of spice and leather and alcohol.
"Are you sure about that, Swan?" His warm breath ghosted across her face, his voice barely above a whisper.
Not for the first time that night, Emma panicked. Her hand twitched for the sword, but it had landed too far from her reach. Her eyes narrowed. There was no way she was going to let him best her.
"Definitely sure." In one swift motion, she brought her knee up high into his abdomen and ripped the dagger from his hand. Hook let out an audible 'oof' and doubled over to catch his breath while Emma used the opportunity to knock him to the floor with a sharp kick to his flank. She climbed on top of his back, yanked on his hair, and held the knife to his throat for a pleasant change.
By the end, they were both gasping for breath and Henry had taken to hiding behind the empty creates.
"If you wanted to be on top," Hook gasped, "all you had to do was ask."
With a roll of her eyes, Emma slid the knife across the floor, out of either of their reach, and clambered to her feet. Hook took a little more time to do the same, cursing under his breath the whole way.
"Well I stand corrected. Well done Swan," He bowed slightly to her but winced at the bruises he was sure were forming from her kicks.
"So?" She gasped.
Hook nodded and grinned, "Hand over your part of the bargain and I'll keep up with mine."
Emma sighed and reached into the lone bag she had stowed their belongings in. Truthfully, she had stolen the jewelry from the castle as it wasn't exactly hers to begin with. It would be one day, upon on her coronation, but for now it was still her mother's possession. She had grabbed it at the very last minute thinking it would be extremely useful to pawn or sell should she run into a scrap financially. She had been tempted to sell it many a times, but there was always that nagging feeling she would need it more sometime later.
Clutching the silver tightly with both hands, she clenched her eyes shut and held it out to the captain. He let out a low whistle but took it nonetheless.
"So this is why you're hiding from the Royals?" He chuckled softly, eyes glimmering like a child given free range of the sweets in a shop. The jewelry- or, more accurately, the tiara- sent flecks of light around the hull as it practically sparkled in the moonlight. Honestly the tiara was beautiful, clad in diamonds and rubies and sapphires to make it worth fifty times its weight. It would be worth thousands upon thousands pieces of silver if returned to the kingdom. If. Hook's expression changed suddenly as the pieces clicked in his head. He had heard passing mention of a lost princess some time ago in a pub around a tall glass of something strong, though he only paid attention briefly before turning back to his stein. That had to have been five or six years ago, though. If the girl had run away to hide an unwanted pregnancy from her parents, the child surely would have to be older, wouldn't he? Hook decided to file the information away for now, but he vowed to definitely pay more attention this time around.
Emma nodded but brushed off the comment without answering. "So? Can we stay?"
Hook tilted his head towards her and laughed again, "Aye, you may. I will show you to the crew's quarters and you can begin work with them in the morning." He turned on his heel, stowing the tiara in the inner folds of his coat.
"Captain, wait." Emma called. She waited for him to turn back around before continuing, "Would you really have killed me? Er... either time tonight?"
Hook smiled softly, genuinely, but shook his head. "Of course not, lass. What kind of form would that be?"
