Thank you so much for all the reviews and follows, and I hope you keep enjoying this story... there's not too many chapters left before the real angst begins. Enjoy!
Emma and Killian spend almost every afternoon together sitting by the lake or walking around it, sometimes talking, sometimes not; he teaches her how to fish, but he insists they throw their catch back into the lake, and even though they don't get any closer physically, Emma feels closer to him than she ever did to Walsh.
The first afternoon she can't make it she feels all jittery and uneasy, wondering if Killian is going to be worried even though they don't really have a standing arrangement.
When she shows up at the lake the next day Killian is waiting for her; Emma gives him a sheepish smile, his eyes light up, and she gets the feeling that he'd keep coming there and wait for days to see her.
Just a month ago his intensity would scare her, but something had shifted inside her, and she doesn't know how to go back, or if she even wants to go back.
"You Highness, your highness, your presence is requested in the Great Hall", Emma's maid says and startles her from getting ready to go see Killian.
"Requested by who?"
"Her Majesty", Mary says, and judging by her excitement, it's something important.
"Tell her I'll be there shortly", Emma says, but the maid doesn't budge.
"Pardon me, my lady, but the Queen said I can't let you out of my sight lest you ran away", Mary tells her anxiously and Emma rolls her eyes, but dutifully follows her down various hallways and staircases.
"This better be good", Emma mutters when the doors of the Great Hall open to admit her and then she squeaks in delight and runs across the room, wrapping her arms around the best friend she'd ever had; princess Rapunzel.
"Emma, breathing", Rapunzel laughs and hugs her back tightly, and Emma loosens her hold only fractionally.
It's been almost a year since they've seen each other, but the letters between them have kept their friendship very much alive.
"I can't believe you're here! Why didn't you write to tell us you were coming?" Emma asks her when they finally separate and already starts planning everything they are going to do now that Rapunzel is here.
"We wanted to surprise you", Snow's mother says and lays her hand on Emma's shoulder. "You seemed unhappy about the ball, so your father and I decided that having Rapunzel visit for a few weeks would do you good."
"I'm definitely happy you're here", Emma says and pulls Rapunzel toward the door, ignoring her mother's protests because her friend might want to rest before going anywhere.
When they are together, they spend every waking moment together having fun; it's how it's always been, and Emma refuses to let it change even if there's a blue-eyed ex-Lieutenant/current blacksmith waiting for her at the lake.
"Where are we going?" Rapunzel asks as they run down the main hallway and out into the bright afternoon, racing each other and laughing when they both trip over their dresses and hold onto each other for balance.
"Away from the castle so we can talk", Emma calls over her shoulder and runs faster, but Rapunzel keeps up and soon they are sitting on a meadow under the oak tree trying to catch their breath.
"Can I go first?" Rapunzel asks and Emma nods, still trying to decide if she should tell Rapunzel anything about Killian or not; they've never had secrets from each other, but then again, Emma had never spent time with somebody well below her social status, and besides, she doesn't really know how to explain what she and Killian are to each other.
"Of course!"
"It's a huge secret, so you have to promise you won't tell a soul", Rapunzel says with a wide grin and Emma nods eagerly, deciding in that instant that she's going to share her own because she knows Rapunzel won't judge her.
"I promise", Emma says solemnly and Rapunzel shifts closer, looks around and then finally speaks.
"I fell in love."
"Who with? Why is it a secret? How did it happen?" Emma shoots the questions in rapid succession, swallowing the words she actually wants to say.
Me too.
"His name is Flynn Rider", Rapunzel says and bites her lip, looking around again to make sure nobody can hear them. "He's sort of a thief, so nobody can know anything about us."
"A thief?!"
"Shhhh", Rapunzel shushes her and gives her a beaming smile. "He robbed my father's carriage. Mom almost fainted, dad was livid, and Flynn took care of our guards in the most entertaining way."
"But when did you have a chance to fall in love?" Emma asks, wondering how an encounter like that could make her friend attracted to the thief.
"He said that I was the most beautiful treasure he'd ever seen and kissed my hand before he rode off on his horse, and then showed up at the window of my room that same night. He climbed the wall to it, Emma! I threatened to hit him with a chair if he didn't leave but he knew I wouldn't do it and somehow we ended up talking all night", Rapunzel says in a dreamy voice and Emma wonders if she looks like this when she's thinking about Killian.
"But what are you going to do? Your father probably wants to hang him", Emma says and Rapunzel's face falls.
"I don't know, Ems. He tells me hadn't stolen anything since the day he met me, but he's a wanted man. It's all so very frustrating."
"Any chance of him being some long-lost prince?" Emma asks and Rapunzel manages a giggle, shaking her head and telling her that there is not. "You can always run away, if you're sure he loves you and not all your gold."
"Hey! Not everybody is like Walsh", Rapunzel says, offended on Flynn's behalf, and Emma gives her an apologetic smile before she speaks.
"I know."
"You do?" Rapunzel asks, her eyes going wide as she leans forward in anticipation. "Do tell."
"There's nothing much to tell yet."
"Oh there definitely is. Stop stalling!"
"We're just friends."
"Let's pretend you are. Who is he? How did you meet him?!" Rapunzel exclaims excitedly and Emma tells her everything except the part about Killian being in the Navy when he was younger. "I can't believe he made your sword before you've even met. That's so romantic!"
"I guess it is...", Emma trails off and gives Rapunzel a mischievous smile. "He's waiting for me at the lake as we speak."
"What are you doing still being here?!" Rapunzel asks her and tugs her to her feet, nudging her toward the stables.
"I am not leaving you, Zee", Emma tells her and leads the way back to the castle. "You have to show me your new drawings, and let me pick ones I want to hang in my room."
"But what about Killian?"
"He can wait."
"Have you had any luck in convincing your mother to let you go travelling with King David?" Rapunzel asks and Emma shrugs, feeling a little embarrassed to admit that she's not even trying that hard anymore.
"I don't think she's ever going to give in. She just gets so scared of losing me."
"She will have to let you go sooner or later."
"I know."
"She told me everything about the ball."
"Don't even talk to me about that. You're lucky you're only twenty so you still have time to figure it out with Flynn. I'll be twenty-five in October and my freedom has run its course."
"What does Killian say about that?" Rapunzel asks softly, sensing that it's a delicate subject, and Emma tells her he doesn't know. "Why not?"
"I don't know how to tell him. I like spending time with him, but how do I know it's the real thing?" Emma says wistfully and feels slightly embarrassed for getting so mushy. "And besides, he hasn't even tried kissing me yet."
"Why don't you kiss him and find out if it feels real?"
"Rapunzel!"
"Oh come on, don't even try to play coy. We both know you practically jumped Walsh."
"And look where that got me", Emma says, but there's no bitterness colouring her voice like it used to every time she'd talk about Walsh.
"You said it yourself; Killian is not Walsh."
For the rest of the day, that sentence keeps playing in Emma's head; she's aware of it as Rapunzel shows her the drawings, a lot of which are portraits of Flynn, it haunts her as they play a rather awful duet for her parents on the piano, it's hiding in the corner of her mind while she beats Rapunzel at cards and continues to ring in Emma's head long after her friend falls asleep, tired from the long journey.
"Zee?" Emma whispers to makes sure she's asleep, then sneaks out from her room and through the silent castle, running down the trail that leads to the beach; she doesn't know how she knows, but she's fairly certain Killian is going to be there.
And he is.
"Swan", he breathes her name and she sleepwalks to him, her fingertips tingling until they slip into the spaces between his, and they stand there looking at each other for an eternity, their only point of contact their joined hands.
"Sorry I couldn't come today."
"It's alright. You're a princess, and you have duties", he tells her, his thumb running circles against the back of her hand, and Emma feels an inexplicable, overwhelming wave of sadness because he seems to think that he's always going to come last, and he's content with whatever she can offer him.
"It wasn't like that. My childhood friend came for a visit and I didn't want to leave her alone on the first day", Emma says and Killian brightens a little, then abruptly turns and leads her down the beach.
"There's something I want to show you."
"What did you-", Emma starts to say but they round a bend that's been hiding the rest of the beach and she gapes a little because there's a little boat rocking on the waves, it's only sail brilliantly white under the moonlight.
"It's not a fit for a princess, I know, but I thought you might enjoy the ride anyway", he tells her, his voice uncertain, but even though the boat is barely larger than the bathtub they have in the castle, Emma can't remember ever feeling this happy.
"I will, oh I will", she exclaims and wraps her arms around Killian's neck, holding him tightly for a long, charged moment before she pulls away and lifts her dress up, wading into the shallow water and scrambling into the boat as carefully as she can. "Come on!"
Killian unties the rope from a tree growing at the edge of the beach and joins her in the boat, the sail catching the wind easily; they move out of the natural harbour under Killian's expert hand and Emma can't help staring at him in awe because he seems one with the wind and the sea, for a moment forgetting even about her.
"Well then, Swan? How do you like sailing?" He asks her a while later with a boyish grin on his lips and Emma leans over the edge of the boat, her hand moving through the water, a delighted giggle escaping her because it's cold but it tickles her pleasantly.
"I love it", she tells him and closes her eyes, the wind playing with her hair as they move silently through the night.
"Someday, you're going to sail away in one of your father's ships", he tells her and she feels a cold chill run down her spine because he didn't say we.
"Only if you're going to go with me", she says boldly and looks at him from under her lashes, her heart slamming against her ribcage while she waits for him to speak.
"As you wish", he finally says, and she feels like a great weight has been lifted off her shoulders.
The night is magical, but eventually it has to end and they find themselves back on the beach, the skirt of Emma's dress soaked like his pants, but neither of them cares. They walk out of the sea holding hands and he escorts her to the trail leading back toward the castle where he tells her goodnight and attempts to disentangle their fingers.
"Was this the first time you've been on a boat since..."
"Yes", he whispers, and it's the moment she realizes that she really is in love with him, both the blacksmith and the sailor, everything he is and could be.
"Thank you", she whispers back and stands on tiptoes, her eyes never leaving his when she leans in and presses her lips against his cheek, his scruff scratching her chin as she lingers there, lost in the moment and in the way her every sense is filled with him.
When she pulls away, he's standing in front of her with his eyes closed and his shaking fingers still enveloping hers, and Emma squeezes them once before she lets go, bids him good night and walks away, her heart feeling like it might fly away from all the affection she feels for him.
At that moment she's wonderfully happy; she's fairly certain Killian is too, and it's the only thing that matters.
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