A/N: I know.. it's been an eternity, and this is short. But I am trying. Bare with me.
Chapter 10: The Capture
Killian hadn't expected to set sail again in the near future. But when the letter had come, he knew he couldn't ignore this call. The timing might not be the most fortunate and he didn't want to leave port at the moment; nevertheless, he instructed Smee to make the preparations before he headed into town to finalize a few things on his own.
He considered whether a trip to the castle was proper. Bloody Hell, he knew it probably wasn't and that it would only fuel the rumors that kept spreading around the kingdom. But the sole idea of leaving without stealing one more kiss from Emma's lips and perhaps a promise for a quiet moment in which they could perhaps discuss their dalliances was something he just couldn't endure. He quickly mounted his horse and headed towards the castle. When he arrived, he was greeted with the news that the royal couple had left in a diplomatic visit to one of the villages nearby and they were not expected to come back for a few days. The princess had also left in a diplomatic mission. He'd smiled sadly and decided he'd leave a short letter for Emma explaining about the impromptu trip he needed to make.
A few days went by, the winds favoring him and his Jolly pushing to the extreme, the fastest ship in all realms living up to his fame. Killian was eager to come back, for the first time in centuries he was expectantly waiting to make port. Anchor his ship, disembark, he knew the logistics by heart, he'd done them a million times. But this time, instead of going to the tavern and drowning his pain and sorrows in rum like he'd done for centuries, he was eager to get on his horse and head to see Emma. He supposed this was how the sailors he used to navigate with felt when they were about reach port, knowing their loved ones waited impatiently for them.
He couldn't help but let himself hope that perhaps Emma was also eagerly waiting for his return. He knew he had no claim on her, he knew they'd only shared a few heated kisses, but he still hoped, for the first time in centuries, that fate would smile at him.
Killian should have known that destiny was a treacherous mistress. The guards were the first sign that something wasn't right. The fact that they all but jumped to the ship the moment they docked was the second one.
"What the bloody hell is this?" Killian asked, a familiar fear at the pit of his stomach.
"We have orders to bring you back to the castle as soon as you made port, Captain."
"Why?"
"Her Royal Highness is missing."