Chapter 8 – The Ball

The curves of your lips rewrite history.
Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

"I'm going to a ball" He smirked.

He looked at his reflection in one of the many mirrors down the hall that led to the ballroom. The tailor had done an exquisite job and he admired the plain black breeches, the black shirt, a finer rendition of his embroidered red vest and a knee length embroidered, black suit jacket. He looked like a finer clothed version of the pirate he was. Dashing.

He entered the ballroom as if he owned it, a cocky stare and a smug smile on his face. His eyes scanned the room, looking for Emma but without finding her.

"Well, Captain, it seems you've made it." He heard the sneering tone and turned around to find Regina smirking at him. She was wearing a tight sparkly blue gown and she was accompanied by a man that Hook recognized from when David had come to meet him on the road after he had dispatched the attackers many weeks ago.

"Majesty." He bowed at her. "I believe my gratitude is in order…" He said, a sincere smile on his face.

"Really?" She cocked an eyebrow at him, a smug smile on her face. "And why would that be?"

"It came to my knowledge that your majesty had very kind words towards this humble pirate, milady." He raised an eyebrow at her. She laughed lightly and waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, that was nothing, Hook. It was just the truth… and it was quite enjoyable to say it." She smiled as she leaned into Robin. "This is Robin…" She introduced them and Robin gave him a slightly nod before shaking Hook's hand.

"We've crossed paths on the road when Emma and Henry first came along." Robin said. "Good to see you again."

"You too, mate." Hook said pleasantly, but his eyes were once again lingering on the room.

"I believe Miss Swan left the ballroom towards the gallery in that direction," Regina pointed, her face never breaking her smug smile.

"Thank you, Majesty. Now if you'd excuse me…" He bowed before taking his leave.

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He found her outside the ballroom, in the gallery, a breathtaking view in her red gown, her hair up, a lovely tiara on her head. He could tell immediately that she felt bored and out of place, being talked to by one of the suitors that had come to the ball in the hopes of securing her heart or hand, but mostly a powerful position within the kingdom. From where he was standing, it became clear that the suitor was bothering her – that was his story and he will stick to it if needed.

He approached her slowly and cleared his throat nonchalantly. She turned around and he could have sworn her eyes lit up when she saw him.

"Hook!" She exclaimed.

"Isn't that a little bit informal for the heiress to the throne, princess?" He smirked at her and nodded his head in salutation.

She rolled her eyes at him, slightly entertained and a little embarrassed by her behavior.

He bowed and took her hand in his, taking it slowly to his face and brushing his lips on it. He lingered in there a little longer than what could be considered proper, but he really didn't care. "Your Highness," He said.

She smiled in return and took a small curtsey, "Captain Jones." She greeted.

"Now, that's much better, Swan." He whispered.

"You came," She said almost nervously.

"Well, I couldn't refuse a handwritten invitation from Your Highness." He smirked at her, arching his eyebrows and she welcomed all his little quirks that usually exasperated her, but that tonight had a familiar sense of home.

He still hadn't let go of her hand which he now linked under his arm as he escorted her away from the speechless suitor.

"Now, would you mind…" Hook addressed the suitor, "Giving me a moment alone with the princess?"

He didn't wait for a reply, as he turned her around and walked her back to the ballroom.

"You can say thank you anytime…" He said.

"What for?" She looked at him intrigued.

"For saving you from what could only be a terribly boring suitor and could only have ended in the most pathetic marriage proposal this kingdom has seen." He smiled smugly at her, "Don't these people know you are the Savior?"

"Apparently they did not get the memo, Hook." She stopped in her tracks for a second, "Wait, do I have to call you Captain Jones every time?" She teased him.

"Killian will do…" He smiled at her "You look stunning, Swan."

"So do you, Killian." She smiled back flirtatiously at him, "It is a nice wardrobe change…"

"I'm pleased that the princess likes it. I could not come in my pirate leather outfit. It would have scared half of the fair maidens in here…" He replied as they continued their way to the ballroom.

"It probably would have attracted the other half." She retorted.

"Really? You think so?" He arched his eyebrows at her.

"I don't know, Killian." She sighed, "I don't know any of these things or any royal ball etiquette… What I am supposed to do?"

"Blend in." He replied as he directed her to the dancing floor.

"Wait…" She said confused. "Are you saying you know how to do whatever this is?"

He carefully put her left hand on his shoulder, "It's called a waltz." He said as he placed her right hand over the fake one that had replaced his hook for the night. His hand went to her waist, "There is only one rule," He pulled her to him, looked directly into her green eyes and smiled, "Pick a partner who knows what he's doing…" He finished smiling as he started to dance.

He was a magnificent dancer, she could tell by the way he was leading her and twirling her, making her feel safe in his arms. She felt happy. For once, she let him take the lead and just enjoyed the music, the dancing, and the company.

Killian could feel how she relaxed in his arms and it filled his heart with joy. Of all the men in there, of all the suitors she could have, he was the one dancing with her. He could sense the rumors aorund the room, he was certain of Bae's presence as well, staring at them, but at this moment, he did not care. He would dance with her until she'd told him to stop… But he also could not resist teasing her.

"We are causing quite a spectacle, princess," He said.

"Really, why?" She looked at him almost mischievously, as she knew exactly what he was talking about. "The long lost heiress of the throne, the Savior, is dancing at her first royal ball with the fearsome pirate Captain Hook?"

"You forgot devilishly handsome…" He smirked, "And it's the breathtaking heiress to the throne, Swan. I'm the envy of every man in this room because you're dancing in my arms…"

"None of them asked me to dance…" She said.

"Neither did I…" He whispered in her ear and his jaw caressed her cheek as he pulled away and looked into her eyes. She could sense the air changing around them and how close he was, how very close he was, his face inches from hers, his intense blue eyes looking at her. Her eyes darted to his lips and she could sense how he was pulling her to him, closing the space between them…

Someone cleared their throat behind them and he pulled away, the moment gone. She noticed David and Snow dancing next to them.

"Your Majesties." Killian greeted the king and queen shortly.

"Hook." David said as he danced with Snow, "I thought you had declined our invitation."

"Indeed I had." He said. "But the princess took the time to send a note requesting my presence and it would not have been proper for me to decline such personal request. A gentleman should never let down a lady." He looked at her smiling.

"Hard to think of a pirate being a gentleman." Snow said curtly.

Emma felt Killian freezing in his track for a second, his jaw clenching at the not so subtle insult. It was only a brief moment, and then the dashing, cocky pirate mask was up again and he smiled at her mother.

"Very true, Your Majesty." He said shortly. "But alas, Emma requested me, she gets to have me for as long as she'd like." He defiantly pronounced her name.

Emma saw her mother ready to reply and decided to intervene.

"Indeed I did and now I'm in desperate need for refreshment. I never though these dances could make you so thirsty. Killian, would you be so kind to escort me?" She asked smiling at him.

"With pleasure, Swan. Your Majesties." He nodded to her parents as he took her hand on his and escorted her out of the dance floor.

He started to walk them towards the table but she tucked his arm into the opposite direction.

"I thought you wanted refreshment, Swan?" He asked confused.

"No, what I want is to get out of here…" She whispered at him, her feet carefully moving towards the nearest exit. "This place is suffocating me." She admitted. "Let's go tour the castle or something."

"As the princess commands, it shall be done." He said before he escorted her out of the room and into the dark corridors.

As they were getting farther away from the ballroom, his thought invaded him, Blackbeard's words coming back to haunt him. He was nothing but a pirate, ready to take what he coveted, regardless the outcome. And he coveted her. More than anything else, he coveted her. And it made it very hard to stay on the path he had vowed to rekindle. The man of honor he was trying to become once again.

He stopped in the corridor, his hand running through his hair. Emma turned around to look at him confused.

"What is it?" She asked.

"I have to leave, princess." He sighed.

"Why? We haven't even seen the castle."

"Emma, I can't." He sighed and took a deep breath. "I'm trying very hard to do the honorable thing, Swan. To be a gentleman, to be the man my brother always thought of me. But I am a pirate and if I stay here a moment longer, I'll be tempted to just give into my nature and take what I covet, to steal what I desperately want, what I don't deserve." He looked at her, despair in his eyes. She knew something had happened; something or someone had reached him, shaking him to the very core. And there he was, broken in front of her, a plea in his eyes.

She slowly reached to him, her hand going to his chest as her eyes looked for his, "It's not stealing if it's freely given to you, Killian." She whispered as her lips captured his in a slow, tender kiss. As she felt him respond to her lips, she tilted her head and deepened the kiss, her hands grabbing the lapels of his jacket as she pushed him to her and motioned them to the wall, entrapping herself between the wall and him. He pressed his body into hers, his lips never leaving hers.

"Emma…" he whispered fervently between kisses.

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He left the castle later that night, a smile on his face and his hair slightly disheveled, the taste of her lips still lingering on his. He was lost in his thoughts until a voice pulled him out of his daze.

"I thought you were going to back off, mate." Hook turned around to find Neal looking angrily at him. He was clearly drunk.

"Walk away, Bae." He said before turning around and continuing his walk.

"I'm talking to you, Hook." Neal grabbed Hook's shoulder forcefully and turned him around. "Do you think you are good enough for her? After everything you've done… You are villain, Hook. She's royalty. You are nothing but a pirate." The contempt in his tone made Killian's blood boil.

"I'm the pirate that got to kiss her this evening, mate." He said smugly to him.

He stopped Neal's punch easily, before shoving him away from his body with a force that sent Neal to the floor. He noticed the guards leaving their post at the door to come their way.

"I'd suggest you sleep it off, Bae." He said before turning around and leaving in search of his horse.