Ship Wreck

Chapter 4- Tide Skipping

Regina wasn't very good at plans, the few she had ever made had all crashed and burned. As a child she had learned quickly that she didn't make the plans nor any decision for herself at all. The life of a noble lady, though rich and glamorous, was merely a glorified cage. Regina had felt suffocate by a number of people, her parents most of all.

The marriage arrangement had been sudden, Regina had never heard of prince Robin until the day she met him, the same day the two were betrothed. Despite the great many rumours which hung around the mysterious prince, Robin had proven to be a good, kind man unlike the men she had known her whole life.

Times had been growing rough, the worst of them being the mere days before Robin's disappearance. The outrage at his sudden absence had sent a shock wave throughout the city. A wave which had dislodged the perfect working of their society and banded them together the true scum of the sea.

Regina's mother had always had a great dislike for pirates and had tried to pass the same feelings onto her daughter. However, unknown to Cora, Regina's heart secretly ached for the adventure the tide skippers no doubt saw daily. But yet she had never seen a pirate, at least not in the flesh. The images she had created in her mind, eye patches and peg legs in no way prepared her for the image that was captain Swan.

Regina truly didn't know what to make of the sarcastically charming pirate. Emma Swan was nothing like the creations she had formed in her mind. Physically the captain was exquisite, her simple but practical attire out matching the endless dresses and smart suits the young noble saw on a daily basis. But what amazed Regina most was the true danger that lurked beneath the impish grin and mocking comments. From the moment the pirate had stepped foot into the throne room her eyes had been ablaze, constantly searching her surroundings, analysing each detail.

The brunette must have truly been possessed by some unknown force, something giving her the bravery to confront the dangerous creature alone. But to her surprise she had seen another person. The same aura of sarcasm and boldness still clung to the blonde but yet her eyes had changed. Unlike before they were calculating and more emotional, like a wall had been let down briefly to allow something out, something weaker than the captain wished to be seen.

She had known Emma would run, despite the danger her brother was in she was still a pirate, something king James just didn't seem to grasp. So she followed, creating her own plan for once as she set out on a real adventure. True, she hadn't planned any further than boarding the pirate ship, but it was better than nothing.

Regina squinted slightly as she stepped back out onto the deck, the twins either side of her, coaxing her towards the other side of the ship. They led her to a series of steps which disappeared below deck. Chocolate eyes skimmed her surroundings, falling onto three different men dotted around the ship, all of whom watched her cautiously.

Regina allowed herself to be guided down the steps, head held high though stumbling slightly on the steep angle of the steps. Nut firmly grasped her bicep, stopping her from falling flat on her face. Geb shot down to the lower deck, offering a hand to Regina which she reluctantly took.

The brunette felt very lost and confused at the behaviour being displayed around her. These weren't the fearsome crew members of the Saviour she had read about. Nut and Geb seemed harmless as they caringly led her through the winding lower deck.

Regina spotted a small woman leaning against a set of metals bars in the depths of the lower ship, her face stoic. She wore fighting leathers with metal trimmings along the edges. A long sword was firmly attached to her thick leather belt. Long, silky black hair spilled across the woman's shoulders. Sitting upon a box by her knee was a young man clutching a set of cards. His hair was cut short, the sides almost entirely shaved away. He was handsome in a roguish kind of way. He wore a black leather vest, not dissimilar from the captains. A white short sleeved shirt poked out from under the worn leather. Fabric braces were bound around his wrists, a knife subtly poking out of each one.

They both turned as the trio approached, the man smirking at them while the woman remained unaffected.

"She survived then?" The man asked, looking Regina up and down.

"Aye." Said Nut.

"Cap'n wants her kept in the guest quarters." Geb informed the two others. The man openly chuckled at this while the woman's mouth simply twitched at the corners.

"Good thing I just cleaned it."

"Milady meet Will Scarlet." Geb introduced the two. "But everyone calls him the knave."

"Pleasure to meet you Lady Regina." He grinned with a subtle bow. "Can I interest you in a game of cards?"

"Don't do it," warned Nut. "You'll never see your money again."

"And this is Mulan." Mulan tilted her head in acknowledgment but her face remained stoic. Regina looked between the four pirates, eyes drifting from Geb's grinning face to Will's flirtatious smile.

"I don't understand." Regina muttered, a frown creasing her brows. "None of you are acting like pirates…" More bite was one in the word "pirate" than Regina intended. She shivered when Mulan glared at her.

"Don't believe the stereotypes," Mulan began, her voice slow and low. "And if you have any hopes of surviving on this ship I suggest you stop saying "pirate" like that for a start."

"I didn't mean it like that I-"

"Don't under estimate us because of our appearance," Mulan cut across like a knife, her hand wrapping around her own. "The fact you came out from a meeting with the Captain alive is honestly shocking. If we want to, we'll kill you. Plain and simple. Don't push us."

Without another word Mulan strode off, snatching the cards from Will's hands as she went. The four of them watched her go, Regina feeling shaken. Once out of sight Nut let out a long breath while Geb laughed nervously.

"Well that's Mulan." Will concluded, dropping his head onto his hands, propping his elbows upon his knees.

"She's, err, a little intense." Geb mumbled while Nut went to open a door mounted into the metal bars. Regina frowned at the small space behind the bars before realising this was in fact the "guest quarters".

"You'll be in here until the Captain says otherwise." Nut explained as Geb directed Regina inside. The cage was small, only enough room for about two people comfortably. A wooden box was placed at the edge with a grubby blanket on the floor. "Will here will keep you company."

"Wait what?" Regina turned, jumping as Nut closed the door loudly in her face. "You can't leave me in here!"

"Well you're welcome to sleep in my quarters?" Geb offered.

"Or mine?" Will chipped in. Nut rolled her eyes and locked the door.

"We'll bring you some food in a bit." The blonde woman cut across the men. She smacked Geb on the arm as he continued to grin at Regina. He smiled sheepishly at her before letting his sister drag them away, leaving Will to smirk at Regina.

"You can't leave me here! With- with him!" Regina yelled after them outraged. Silence fell as Regina fumed against the bars.

"So… you ever play strip poker?"

It was going to be a long day.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emma slid her hand thoughtfully through Bear's fur, his head resting lovingly on her knee, huge eyes staring up at Emma as she turned the Heart of the Sky over in her hand. Red leant against the table, frowning at her captain as she pondered the situation.

They had been in silence for a while, Red knowing not to disturb Emma when she was thinking. However, as the captain continued to show her no attention Ruby broke the silence.

"I don't understand why you changed your mind." Red bugged. Emma's eyes slipped over into her direction, a perplexed look on her face.

"I thought you wanted me to follow through on the King's orders?" The captain smirked at her lieutenant who huffed at her.

"I mean; in the three years I've known you you've never once changed your mind over anything." Red pointed out before back tracking. "Actually once when you discovered that wench wasn't actually all woman as she had said."

"Maybe it's time to change things up." Emma replied simply, placing the jewel down and standing, letting Bear's head slip from her knee.

"I'm serious Emma, you have the jewels why not just throw her off?" Ruby suggested but Emma shook her head.

"No, I gave my word." The captain said stubbornly, snatching up a map and placing it upon the table. She placed her hands on the wooden surface, putting her weight upon them as she stared at the map.

"But why not-"

"Because I said so!" Emma snapped, anger rising. Red closed her mouth, knowing she was toeing the line. Despite her relationship with Emma, she was still her captain, her superior.

"Yes Captain." Ruby said submissively, her head drooping. Emma glanced at her, seeing the defeated look and huffed.

"Just trust me, Red." The blonde mumbled.

"So what's the plan?" The lieutenant asked, changing the emotion in the room quickly. Emma smiled to herself at Red's understanding before looking back at the map.

"I'm struggling. Without out knowing what Hook's intentions are I have no way of working out where he's going." Emma admitted. "Call Baelfire in, I could use his input."

A few minutes passed before they were joined by Baelfire. He was a tall man in his mid-thirties with subtly curly salt and pepper hair. A thin beard adorned his face, which was slightly weather worn. He wore a leather tunic and boots which nearly reached his knees. His trousers were a thin brown cloth, the colouring similar to his leather belt.

He nodded polity to both women as he entered, mindful of his manners around the captain. He dropped into one of the seats to Emma's right while Red sat alert on her left. Emma scowled at the map before her, a little model of the ship was in front of her.

"We're going after Robin, that much is certain." Emma began thoughtfully. "The main questions are why and where."

"What do you know about Robin?" Red asked Emma.

"More than the King and Queen clearly do." The captain grumbled. "While I was speaking with the merchant in the city he mentioned the return the of the Prince. Apparently he was kidnapped as a baby, and no one knows where he went."

"Hook again?" Red asked.

"It adds up. When a met with Hook not long ago he mentioned he'd had a runner only a few months ago. Since then he's been changing the crew up every month or so, keeping thing fresh." Emma explained, while the other two listened intently. "Hook isn't the kind of guy you can just walk away from. He, like me, values honour and loyalty. Running away from service in any sense, whether pirate or naval is a big no no."

"You think he want's revenge on Robin for running, to make him pay for breaking his honour?" Baelfire asked.

"That seemed the most logical answer, but I'm not so sure." Emma shook her head. "If Hook wanted him dead just like that he would have done it. Why go to all the trouble of kidnapping him? If he's capable of getting in and out of the palace he's capable of just killing him right there and then." The captain guessed. "No Hook needs him for something. Something bad no doubt."

"How are we going to find out?" Red asked, a lost look on her face. Emma sat in silence thinking hard.

"Fetch Regina, I need to know more about Robin. Perhaps he was involved in something that Hook wants."

Red quickly went off to collect Regina while Emma sank back into her chair, Bear immediately returning for affection. The blonde watched the door patiently, turning over the little options and resources she had to find Robin in her mind. A short amount of time passed before Ruby returned with a disgruntled looking Regina.

"You put me in a cage?!" She snapped boldly at Emma. The captain smiled at her bravery, still entertained by how Regina seemed to care very little that she was a fearsome pirate captain.

"It hasn't been used in a while, I'm sure it was feeling neglected." Emma smirked. Regina scowled at her before looking at Baelfire. "This is Baelfire." The blonde introduced.

"Lady Regina." He greeted neutrally.

"I assume you've met Mulan and Will?" Emma asked and Regina's scowl deepened further. "A true delight I'm sure."

"I thought she was going to kill me." The noble grumbled, crossing her arms defensively.

"Yeeeah she might…you never know." Emma grinned at the fearful look in her eyes. "Perhaps I'll bunk you up, ought to be fun?"

"I'd rather take Will up on the offer of strip poker." Regina shot back and Emma smiled.

"Suit yourself." She shrugged. "Now to business. We've filled the blanks in on the supposed relationship between Hook and Robin, but we're struggling over the ocean's second best pirate's intentions."

"You brag a lot." Regina pointed out and received another shrug.

"What's the point of going to all the trouble of becoming the best if you don't let yourself acknowledge it?" Emma asked in an amused tone. "I'm the best a many things in fact. I'd be happy to show you if you're interested?" The pirate asked suggestively.

"Vulgar." Regina replied with a wrinkled nose.

"Fine. But you're missing out, I'm the best fisher there is." Emma almost laughed out loud at the confused look on Regina face, she was clearly missing the joke.

"What could Hook want from Robin?" Regina asked, choosing to ignore the annoying pirate.

"You tell us."

"His crown?" Regina suggested.

"Hook wouldn't want it and besides he couldn't acquire it through kidnapping." Emma shot the idea down. Regina's shoulders slumped, clearly out of suggestions.

"What of friends on land? Perhaps he confided in someone?" The noble suggested once more. All three pirates looked at her, each with the same questioning look on their face. Really?

"Pirates don't work like that." Emma explained. "The only people who might know are his crew and even then that's unlikely."

"He's probably changed the crew by now. This'll be of high importance; he'll need reliable new men." Red added. A lightbulb went off in Emma's head and she stood suddenly, peering at the map.

"In which case he'll need a new crew." Emma moved the ship from it's little spot next to king's James's city. "And there's only one place you can go which you can pick up new pirates like water from the sea."

"Here we go again." Red mumbled, sinking into her chair as Emma placed the ship over a small town on the map.

"Where?" Regina asked hopefully.

"Wolf Heart Bay." Emma declared stoically, keeping her sudden feelings to herself. "Better known as Pirate Party Bay."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The captain stood rigid behind the helm, a compass in her hand as she steered the ship through endless open waters. Distant land could be seen of the horizon as Emma stared glassy eyed in front of her. It would take the best part of the rest of the day to get to the bay.

Emma had let Regina roam free aboard the ship, though the brunette had not moved from her spot at the front of the ship once. The captain let her eyes focus on the fascinating woman. Though timid and jumpy, a brave heart lurked in the depth of Regina's chest, prepared to challenge the powerful blonde when feeling bold enough.

Emma found herself pondering the brunette more and more as they sailed further into the ocean. Emma wondered what was driving her on this quest of hers. Was it just Robin? Or something else?

As if sensing her keen eye and thought pattern Regina turned to look directly at Emma. The blonde held her gaze challengingly, and smirked when Regina finally moved from her spot and made her way across the ship towards Emma. The captain watched as Regina looked over the various crew members as she went. Everyone except and Red and Baelfire were on the main upper deck, all going about their own tasks.

Regina quickly climbed up the deck and came to stand a metre or so away from Emma. The blonde didn't acknowledge her at first, letting the brunette stand there awkwardly for a moment.

"How do you like the view?" Emma asked lightly.

"It's beautiful." Regina said dreamily. "I've never been on a ship until today."

Emma frowned at this and looked at Regina. King James's city was bordering on an island at best, the only way to get to anything else in the world was by ship. Had Regina never left the city? Emma began to feel slightly sorry for the young woman.

"That's unfortunate." Emma replied. "Nothing greater than the smell of sea and the rocking of a ship."

"It's very new to me." Regina mumbled. "Your crew is very small."

"There's nine of them, ten including me. Small crew is all this ship needs also helps from losing control. Nine is easy to keep track of," Emma chirped though her face darkened slightly. "Well should be nine." She thought of August briefly but shook her head to rid the thoughts.

"King James will take good care of him. He's afraid of you and won't want your wrath should you return with Robin and find him mistreated."

"Better find your Prince quickly then." Emma mumbled. "He must truly be something if everyone's this upset, eh Princess?"

"I've told you," Regina growled, "I'm not a Princess."

"I know." Emma smirked.

"So why do you insist on calling me one?" Regina scowled.

"Because it annoys you." Emma admitted while still smirking.

"Such a pirate." Regina shot back. The captain just nodded in agreement.

"So why are you doing this? Going to all this trouble for Robin?" Emma asked more seriously, watching as Regina moved forward to leaning against the railings. The blonde waited for an answer, Regina seemed to be thinking about it.

"For love of course," Regina said eventually, "I love him." Emma tilted her head at the answer, knowing it wasn't the real reason. Despite her words, never once had Regina acted like a woman in love. It was clear she cared about Robin, but love seemed out of the question.

"Love huh?" Emma asked and Regina nodded, turning her body to look at the pirate. The blonde almost smiled at her, the corners of her mouth twitching. "Must be nice to love someone that much."

"Don't you have someone to love?" Regina asked probingly. Emma saw what she was doing, her expression became even more stoic.

"No." The captain said plainly. "Love is weakness. I don't have the time or emotions for it." Emma snipped. Regina frowned.

"What about your brother?"

"Why do you think I'm risking everything going after Hook? He is a weakness; one I can't remove." The blonde muttered. "The love I have for him isn't optional, but for everyone else it is."

"That must be lonely." Regina sympathised, turning back to look at the ocean. Emma opened her mouth to reply but slowly closed it, realising that Regina was right.

It is lonely.

A/N: Thank you so much for your great responses! I love you all! What could Hook be planning for Robin!? Please review and tell me what you think and follow for more! Till next time Kids.