AN: Here the next chapter. i need to update a few more chapters so prepare for a couple of more alerts.
A few days after departing Port Linden, Emma, out of morbid curiosity, decides to go down to the brig and pay a visit to Neal. Killian hasn't mentioned him nor has any other crew member. Truth be told, ever since the spell had been broken, she hasn't given her former fiancé much thought either. But, she is curious as to how he's faring.
She steps down to the dark hole, grasping a lantern in one hand. She'd decided to go down after supper and had told Hook she'd be in his cabin later. Yes, she'd taken to sleeping in his bed, but nothing more. Not yet.
She squints and sees the man she once called beloved. He's grown a beard and his clothes have gathered dust and dirt, completing his unkempt appearance.
"Finally come to visit?" he snarls, glaring at her.
"I was just curious," she says, eyes roaming over him. "I'm assuming you have no remorse for what you did, given you were looking for the potions before Hook looked you down here."
"They were mine," Neal hisses. "And the ingredients were expensive."
She asks the question that's been on her mind for a while. "How do you know how to perform dark magic anyway?"
His smile is malevolent and the princess suppresses a shiver. "My father taught me some things, things to keep the family in its wealth and power." Emma frowns, realizing that the Golds earned their power in dark ways. "Not all families can be goody goodies when it comes to reigning. Some of us had to start from the ground up. My father saw to it that the Gold family is to be feared and respected by its sovereigns. I intend to keep our reputation alive."
The blonde snorts. "Your reputation will be ruined once my parents hear of what you've done. Last I checked, my family had more pull than yours." She may hate being a princess most of the time, but that doesn't mean she doesn't know the politics.
"We'll see about that," Neal sneers. "Was there anything else, love?"
While she knows it isn't important to him, not anymore, she can't help but say, "The spell is broken."
The prince rolls his eyes. "I figured as much. I can see the spite in your eyes. I'm guessing it was the pirate." Her silence answers his question. "Well, enjoy your time with him while you can. If your parents don't do anything about him when we get home, my father surely will."
She purses her lips, knowing he's right. She'd been only concerned about her parents, having completely forgotten about Neal's. Great.
"We'll see about that," is all she says before stomping upstairs.
She barges into Killian's cabin, scowling as she flops onto the bed.
"I told you not to visit him," her lover chides from his spot at the desk, his nose in a book.
"I was just curious," she grumbles. Her mind flashes briefly to when she first met Hook and that he'd been irritated by a conversation he'd had with Neal. Well, guess some things don't change. "He did bring up something important though."
"Oh?"
"His father, I completely forgot about him. I've been so concerned about my parents that I forgot about the Gold kingdom's reaction." It didn't help that they'd been silent in the whole affair. Killian still hasn't heard from the king.
He goes to sit next to her, playing with the ends of her hair. "We knew this was going to be hard, Swan."
"I know, I know," she groans, wiping her face with her hand. "But still, I feel like I, we, haven't thought this through." His face falls, so she quickly adds. "I don't regret this," she gestures between the two of them, "but I'm just realizing that we'll have a lot more than my parents to contend with when we get to Misthaven."
"And we'll survive it together," he murmurs, leaning down and giving her a quick kiss.
Together.
It's only been a few days, so Emma's still a bit dazed over having a True Love. Was this what her parents felt like when they first found out? The princess can't help but notice the parallels between her and Killian's relationship and her parents's. Killian's a pirate, her father was a Shepard. Her mother had been playing bandit and Emma is playing pirate. It's interesting, to say the least. She wonders if she can use that if her parents try to dissuade her from being with Killian. Hmm.
"It's still going to be about two weeks until we reach Misthaven, so we have time to plan," he says as if reading her mind.
"Only two weeks?"
"Fastest ship in all the realms, love," he reminds her. Ah, yes.
"That's good." She looks at the map, cocking her head. "Did we go in a circle?"
The pirate chuckles. "Aye, we did. Like I said, I hadn't really set a route."
"I know you said you wanted to go to Agrabah." She rises and touches the map, scanning the different areas. "Anywhere else?"
"Mmm, a few other places. Arendelle as I said before." She feels his gaze on her and she turns to look at him, his expression thoughtful. "There's also China, and the realm of Oz, neither of which I've been to. I've heard Oz has a city made of emeralds."
She raises an eyebrow, seeing the glint in his eyes. "Plenty of loot for a pirate captain and his crew."
"Precisely," he says, getting up and wrapping his arms around her. "There's definitely pirate in you, Swan."
She giggles, yeah giggles, as he places a kiss on her nose. "Well, I've had the best teacher." She wraps her arms around his neck. The love Emma sees in his eyes almost takes her breath away. Without warning, he scoops her up, earning a yelp from her as he places her on the bed before leaning over her.
They'd been playful with each other in terms of bed, never going any further than some making out. She wants to, gods she really wants to, go all the way with Killian, but there's a part of her that's afraid things will go horribly wrong and she wants to wait until they are safe and sound and no one attempts to tear them apart when they are back in Misthaven.
He must feel her tense up because he lays next to her, cupping her cheek with his hand. There's no disappointment on his face, only understanding.
"I'm frightened too," he admits. "That this is all a dream and I'll wake up and you won't be there. Or that something will go wrong, separating us." He kisses her brow. "But, I swear to you Emma, I will not let anything separate us. If anyone tries, I'll fight like hell."
She grins. "So will I." And she will.
However, the test of their resolve to fight for one another arrives sooner than they think.
It's mid afternoon three days later when Emma's looking out at the sea. She frowns at the black mist in the distance.
"You ever see black mist before?" she asks Rory.
"Can't say that I have, Your Highness,," he says, pursing his lips.
The princess approaches the helm, glancing at Killian. She sees the same concern in his eyes.
"What do you think it is?" she inquires from her spot below.
"I'm not sure, love, but I'm sailing with extreme caution. Stay on the lookout."
She nods, going to the railing. As the ship approaches the mist, she notices there's something inside the fog. She squints, before her eyes widen.
"It's another ship!" she calls.
The captain's face is stricken with worry and uncertainty as the ship navigates near the other one. As they draw closer to the anomaly, Emma feels as if they're being pulled into the mist almost. As the proximity between the two ships decreases, the mist begins to fade, revealing a ship with a familiar looking crest on its sails.
"No," Emma murmurs. She hears Hook swear before commanding the crew to get ready for a fight.
Moments later, the cannon balls launch, attempting to hit the other ship. However, the other ship does the same, and the Jolly Roger slowly begins taking damage.
"Halt your fire!" Hook calls, seeing they're too well matched. He jumps down to the lower deck, sword in hand.
Much like when Hook captured her ship, a plank of wood lands between the two ships and a familiar figure saunters onto the Jolly Roger.
"Well, isn't this a surprise?" the man croons, looking over the crew. "Oh wait, it isn't because I've been tracking your movements." The man lets out a giggle before his eyes lock on the princess. "I have to admit, I would've sat back until you and Prince Neal arrived home, but after I found out who took you, well, I just had to find you myself."
"You've been tracking us?" she asks. Neal's father is clearly not here as a mere rescue mission.
"Yes, dearie," he says. It's then that she takes in his appearance, realizing he looks different, older. His skin is like leather, much different from the youthful he has possessed like the last time she saw him.
"You know him, Swan?" Hook asks, approaching them.
Gold eyes Killian as he laughs. "Go on, dearie, why don't you tell him how you know me?"
She glares, but acquiesces. "He's Neal's father."
"The Crocodile was your future father in law?" Killian asks, incredulous. Crocodile? Then that means….
"That's right, Princess," Gold hisses. "I'm the man Captain Hook here lost his hand and his love to all those years ago."
"Your parents picked quite the family to match you with, love," Killian mutters.
"Silence, pirate," Gold sneers. "You decided to take something that was mine, it was only right."
"So, you killed Milah because you couldn't have her," Killian growls. Gold just smirks.
"It appears you've taught your son no better," Emma says. The older man turns to stare at her, a questioning look on his face. She quickly explains the whole potion debacle, earning a chuckle from the king.
"Ah yes, I was wondering if he'd use those."
"You knew." It's not a question.
"Your reputation precedes you, Princess," Gold replies simply. "Now, I've come to take you and my son home. Where is he?" His eyes flick around the ship, searching for his son.
"In the brig where he belongs," Killian snaps. "And Emma's not going with you. I've agreed to take her home."
Gold laughs. "And send yourself into the arms of the royal guard?" He scoffs. "I thought you'd be smarter than that."
"I promised him that he and his crew's penalty would be lessened if he took me home," Emma lies.
The older man looks at her and then at Killian. "You're an awful liar, Your Highness. Are you really that much trouble that Captain Hook here is willing to take you home?"
She smirks. "He just couldn't handle me it seems."
"That doesn't matter now," Gold says dismissively. "Bring my son up and you need to come with me." The king goes to grab Emma, but she steps back as Killian steps forward in a protective stance.
"I'm not going with you or Neal," she says. "I don't trust either of you."
"And yet you trust a pirate?" Gold looks between the princess and pirate before a sickening smile crosses his face. "Unless there's something else?"
Emma scoffs, silently apologizing to her partner. "Like what? He's merely a pirate."
"Then you won't mind if I kill him." Gold walks to Killian, his hand outstretched. Emma briefly recalls what Killian had told her about Milah's death and the princess's blood turns to ice.
The pirate already has his sword up. "I will kill you, like I should have done long ago."
"You know you can't kill me." The older man pushes the sword aside as if it's nothing, Emma closing her eyes as the weapon clatters to the deck. This can't be happening!
The king's hand glows as it touches the captain's chest. On instinct, Emma runs, tackling Killian to the ground just as Gold is about to take the younger's man heart out.
"No!" she cries as her body covers her lover in a protective stance. "I won't let you kill him!"
"Emma, love," the pirate murmurs.
The older man appears unperturbed as he steps back. "Oh, how precious, the princess has fallen for the pirate and the pirate likewise." He cocks his head, his gaze directed at the princess.
Emma suddenly feels her throat close up and starts choking, her hands going for her neck.
"Emma!" Killian cries before snarling at Gold, "Stop that!"
"Not unless she agrees to go with me."
Emma shakes her head as much as she can manage. In response, the king turns his attention to the pirate. She tries to object, but her throat is too tight to speak. Suddenly, Killian begins to writhe in pain as his face contorts to an expression of absolute agony.
The princess feels anger bubble up inside her and soon, she can't take it anymore. This has to stop! She won't allow Gold to hurt Killian or her!
All of a sudden, everything stops. Emma's breathing goes back to normal and her lover goes still, his expression turning relaxed. She turns and sees that Gold has been flung back to the railing, his figure slumping over.
Not missing a beat, the lovers rush over to the king and Killian gets right in the man's face. "Go back to Misthaven and leave us be. I will be returning the princess home."
"And you'll get your son back then too," Emma adds. "Now, go."
The king rises, glaring at the both of them. "You two will pay for this." Sneering at Emma, he says, "And I will make sure that your marriage to my son prevails."
With that, he stomps back to his ship, sailing away at almost lighting speed.
"He's going to give us more trouble, isn't he?" she murmurs.
"Aye, lass, he will." Killian kisses her head, wrapping an arm around her waist.
The couple turns to see the crew staring at them in stunned silence.
"Oi, what are you looking at? Get back to work!" Killian orders. Some of the crew scrambles to their individual posts while most others approach the two, voicing their concerns for the couple's well being.
"We're fine, seriously," Emma insists for the eighth time. Some of the members bear guilty expressions on their faces for not having done anything.
"There was nothing you could have done," Killian assures them.
Most of them are assuaged, returning to their jobs, while others, mainly Emma's crew, linger.
"Your Highness," August begins, but she shakes her head.
"I'm fine, August." She smiles.
The man servant nods before eyeing Killian, giving the pirate the side eye before returning to his duties.
"I thought he liked me," the captain mutters as they walk to his cabin.
She laughs. "Don't mind August. He's known me since I was a babe. He's just protective is all."
Killian groans. "So, I'll have him and your father to deal with when it comes to being overprotective of you?"
"And my mother, and two of my best friends…" she trails off as his expression turns horrified. "Relax, Killian. If we can overcome what just happened back there, we can face anything."
"You're right." Furrowing his eyebrows, her lover narrows his eyes at her. "What was that, by the way?"
She shrugs. "Don't know. I just really wanted Gold to stop. I have no clue how he got flung to the side of the boat."
"More True Love stuff?"
"Maybe." She'll have to ask her parents when they get home. She's sure those two got into a few scraps during their journey together. "If the guards try to arrest you once we step foot on land, I'll do the same thing."
"Ah, about that."
"What?" She knows that voice. It's his "I've got a pirate related idea" voice.
"I have a way of getting us to Misthaven without getting imprisoned, at least for a little while." The look on his face tells her that his plan is going to be interesting.
Life with a pirate will never boring, that's for sure.