Killian was giving the crew a briefing, giving them the option to back down. Of course, the noble thing to do would be to stay and help the Princess, after all she would one day be ruler of the Kingdom, a good fair ruler just like her parents. But the evil queen caused havoc, she ripped out hearts, caused hearts to darken and was feared perhaps on equal measures to the dark one. Not many knew the dark one, only stories of him whereas the evil queen all the town knew as she had once ruled the Kingdom so fear was great. Because of this Killian gave the crew the option to leave, staying they would not be thought any less of but that he and his brother, the Captain, would be continuing their mission to bring the Princess home after all he still had to thank her for allowing him to continue his duty alongside his brother.
"If you wish to leave" Killian shouted to the men "Do so now, you will still be a member of the crew, no one would think of you as a coward. Protection for the castle and for the King and Queen given the current situation could be arranged where you would work alongside the guard if you wish it" to his surprise not one member moved
"I say we stay" one crew member announced, he had worked there as long as Killian could remember. A loyal member, a tad cynical. Though it seemed he had begun to change his perspective in the past few months "The Princess is in another land so even if she escaped she needs a way back to the Kingdom. I say we go" Killian nodded looked out to the crew
"You all feel the same?" the crew nodded and got to work as Liam returned
"They are all staying then" Liam said with a smile
"It seems our cynical sailor has had quite the change of heart" Killian said smiling as Liam nodded
"Well he did care for Princess Emma before she was aware she was a Princess"
"What?!" Killian clearly startled as Liam laughed
"I did wonder about his cynical mood, one of Princess Emma's maids was talking to him and I had to see what was going on, there was much talk of the two beginning a relationship which while I'm sure the King and Queen unlike most royals would approve of a captain must know what motivates his crew" he took a breath "Turns out the rumours were wrong, Princess Emma's maid was simply trying to get information about the Princesses likes, dislikes, hobbies. Although the Princess is kind-hearted and loving it appears her upbringing was not filled with such, she is slow to trust" Killian nodded
"That is why the King wanted to please the Princess" Killian realised
"Yes, part of the reason brother" Liam smiled "He had no time to spoil his daughter so of course when he finally gets chance to know her he wants to honour all her requests, not that she has many. The maid reported the Princess to let her of duty early, not liked being fussed over. She believed the Princess wasn't used to positive attention" Killian nodded his face saddened "You are around the same age brother, both Orphans" Killian nodded not sure where this was going
"But I had you"
"That's my point" Liam smiled "She was very much alone, although you had me there wasn't anyone your age to be friends with, you know the feeling of being alone. What I'm saying Killian is that when we find the Princess and bring her aboard our ship to bring home, a ship full of men sailors may be quite nerving" Killian nodded
"But a Lieutenant not so much" smiling
"You see brother" Liam smiled "Your position has uses" Killian nodded
"I just didn't think a Princess would accept company of me" Liam nodded
"Most Royals hold themselves as superior it's true, we are fortunate this Kingdom has king rulers. Princess Emma is like her parents in many ways" Killian smiled
"If she will have me, I will happily keep her company"
"Good man" Liam praised smiling "I have send word to the castle, it is very much chaotic in there at the moment due to the new Prince or Princess's arrival, but the message that we are on voyage to bring the Princess home safely has reached the King. We have been given the go ahead with thanks from the King" Killian nodded as Liam walked off "If you could go and check we have emergency supplies below deck while the crew ready the ship then we should be good to go"
Killian ran down to the bottom of the ship glancing over supplies while lost in thought, he found himself increasingly worried for the safety of the Princess, wanting to get to her and comfort her. Being an Orphan was hard, dealing with the looks of sympathy as well as having to grow up at a faster speed, much of his childhood had been saved thanks to his brother, but the idea that Princess Emma was alone, not knowing who she was, not remembering her parents face. All she knew was her name and that she was alone. By the sounds of it who ever had cared for the Princess when she was too young to care for herself had offered no comfort or kind words which she so much deserved. He would find the Princess and offer his comfort and kindness just as she had done for him without even knowing him. He ran back up to the deck of the ship nodding at Liam, they were ready to save the Princess
Emma POV
Emma looked around the dark room shivering slightly, if she had only worn a cape of some kind when she left the palace it would be fine. She had been anxious as her mother prepared to bring the new life into the world, a life she would bring up from the start who would feel all the love and comfort she was meant to as a child. She sighed resting her head on her knees. It wasn't right to be jealous of her unborn sibling she knew, it wasn't that she was jealous of such but she longed to have what her brother or sister would. When she was growing up she was given shelter and food in the house of an old lady who was caring for many children without parents, she had lost the passion and joy for her job many years ago that much was clear, Emma remembered very little of her, at the age of 4 she began having to fight for food, beg on the often-cold unforgiving streets. The King and Queen of Arendelle were kind but they couldn't keep track of every single one of their subjects, Emma learnt that from a young age too. She was small enough and had learnt to be quite and invisible enough to squeeze through into the gardens of the palace enjoying the company of Elsa, the young Princess who snuck out at night after been trapped in her room all day. The spoke and laughed and played and it was there where Emma discovered she had magic. She created amazing things with her imagination, her magic bringing them to life. Butterflies flew around as Emma made them, bright golden butterflies were what attracted the King and Queens attention by the time Emma was 8. They were pleased their daughter had made a friend, and not wanted to scare the young child off who clearly helped Elsa control her powers they never approached her. Living on the streets, in old stables and street corners was hard, deathly even as the King and Queen lost their lives sending Elsa's magic out of control. Soon after she met Anna and was given a room in the palace, not long after she found out she too was a Princess and came home still writing to Elsa and Anna. But now she was trapped again, in the cold with no one around to save her. She had always saved herself, but this time she didn't know if she could.
Emma closed her eyes letting a tear escape, she missed her parents. After spending a lifetime missing and longing for them you would think she would be used to the feeling, but now knowing them it hurt even more. She had problems letting them in, she was more reserved. It's not that she wanted to, oh how she longed to let her mother hold her, let her father teach her how to sword fight and make faces at any boys who might approach her. In truth, Emma had been too scared to let them in, to see the damaged child who was so afraid of love, that the people she loved would hurt her as they had done in the past. She was finally beginning to trust her parents, letting them hug her, smiled and laugh with them. She had made so much progress, feeling like a family even with the minor insecurity when her parents told her of their pregnancy, wasn't she enough? She had finally gone to her father with her worries after debating, he had crushed her into him holding her close telling her of his love for her, she had cried letting him hold her awaking to find her body lying on her father, her head in her mother's lap. After that she had called them mother and father instead of their names, things were going well. She had convinced her father to keep the Jones brothers together, sharing a laugh with her mother about her having her father wrapped around her little finger. And now she was gone, just that lost little girl again. Emma was strong, she wouldn't let the same woman who caused her to become the lost Princess in the first place be her undoing. Her parents would send someone to her she was sure of it, the royal navy most likely. She would think logically and rationally, all she needed to do was stay strong and not give in and remain true to herself just as her parents had done for so many of years searching for her.
Emma was overcome with a sickening feeling as if she was being pulled into the air as a cloud of purple smoke appeared around her before dropping her onto new ground, opening her eyes Emma stood quickly seeing the evil Queen in front of her smirking
"Princess Emma" she smirked "I do hope you've settled in nicely" Emma raised her eyebrows unphased
"Into the dungeon? Yeah I love cold hard floor" the evil queen smiled at her
"You're not afraid of me" Emma shrugged
"Should I be?"
"I have a tendency to rip out people's hearts when they don't please me, Princess" she said with a growl
"It's a bit cowardly, which is why I'm unafraid" Emma replied confidently
"Cowardly?!" the evil queen clearly amused
"Ripping out people's hearts, not giving them a chance to enter yours. You kill others the way a toddler has a tantrum" Emma said raising an eyebrow, in truth maybe she was a little fearful but she had magic too she could rip out someone's heart. Staying on a good path was said to be harder than choosing the latter but to Emma who had seen and experienced so much suffering the light path had never been a choice but instead the only way, if you had suffered why would you wish the same upon anyone else?
"You walk a dangerous line Emma, and to think I brought you hear to offer you a… alliance" at that Emma truly was confused
"You kidnapped me to offer a partnership?" the evil queen smiled
"I couldn't very well walk up to the palace now could I. Your Kingdom has a new Queen who they love oh so dearly" her voice dark, Emma nodded
"You could have come as Regina" at that the woman froze, not knowing Emma knew of her past, it was the first thing her mother had told her "The Kingdom loved Regina" Emma said as the other woman laughed
"I AM Regina, now I can just be who I truly am"
"And who you truly are, you think this" waving her hands towards the woman she would know as Regina, not the evil Queen "is it?" Regina smirked
"You have the potential to become your true self too, Emma" Emma instantly shaking her head
"I am true to myself every day of my life, even before I knew my parents or status. I am Emma" Regina walked closer to her
"You are a light magic, that's what you used to escape my knights and save those village children. Correct?" Emma nodded
"What did you want with them?" Regina shrugged
"The number of potions requiring the tears of children, fears of children, hopes and dreams of them would surprise you" Emma's eyes hardened
"So you were going to take them away from their families and enslave them?"
"But then you appeared" Regina sighed "Doesn't it bother you that you are not enough for your parents? That there is a new royal on the way?" Emma smiled, thankful she had spoken to her father merely three days ago, if not, Regina's words may have affected her
"My parents love me deeply, the same as they will my brother or sister. What could be wrong in wanting to expand the number of people you care and love for?" Regina's face dropping clearly not expecting this reaction "If you are planning anything against my Kingdom, my parents I will not help you" she said firmly "I will stop you" Regina laughed
"That's exactly what your father said as I was cursing that wardrobe to take you somewhere they wouldn't find you" Emma smirked a little at this
"And yet here I am" Regina snapped at this hitting Emma with her magic as Emma screamed falling to her knees
"Until you help me Emma, you will remain here" she spat sending purple clouds around her as Emma was dropped back into the cold dark room
"They will come for me" she whispered to herself "And I must be ready for when they do" she decided looking down at her hands, her magic would be ready to protect whoever had risked their safety to come for her, she was sure of it.