Chapter 1: A Heading Is Found
100 years... That's how long it had been since the feud between Captain Hook & The Crocodile... The Dark One... Rumplestiltskin had began. The crocodile's words of mockery continuously echoed within Hook's mind,
"Good luck living long enough" the vial demon had sneered to him with a vicious smirk on his face after having only crushed the heart of his love... His Milah before proceeding to take his hand as a form of extra torment.
Hook sat within some booth of a dingy tavern and wore a firm glare on his face that was for only the image of his most hated enemy that circled within his mind as his first mate, Smee placed a stein of rum before him,
"Not in the mood, Smee" Hook grumbled,
"Come on, Captain" Smee encouraged,
"Call it a celebration for surviving another day of living the best life a man can live. A pirate's life" he said but was only met with a glare as Hook looked him in the eye,
"... Tell me, Smee... Is the dark one still breathing?" Hook asked sarcastically with a slight growl and Smee found himself avoiding eye contact due to realisation,
"... Yes Captain" he provided, jumping when Hook simply swept the stein off the table with a clatter as the rum stained the floorboards of the tavern even further than they already were,
"Exactly! so then there is no need for me to celebrate" Hook growled angrily just as one of the bar workers approached with a bucket and mop, picking up the empty stein as he proceeded to try and clear up the spilled rum,
"Urrrrr The Dark One" He grumbled, having overhead the conversation,
"I always dread the days when he comes to port. Thank the gods that he won't be coming back for another month" he praised, earning Hook and Smee's attention,
"The Dark One regularly comes here?" Smee pressed nervously causing the man to scoff,
"Oh gods no. We're forced to close when he takes his regular voyage from our marina. No soul leaves there homes when he does and I don't blame them... Even if it is bad for business" he grumbled,
"Voyage?..." Hook murmured, standing from the booth, instantly towering over the worker,
"What voyage does The Dark One regularly take?" he demanded causing the man to tremble nervously,
"Urrrr... Well... He conjures a ship once a month that proceeds to take himself and a load of cargo to The Bottomless Sea. Ship's enchanted because he doesn't even need a crew to help him during the journey" The man told Hook nervously,
"... The Bottomless Sea..." Hook murmured, slowly sitting back within the booth as a thoughtful and curious expression appeared on his handsome face,
"But... There's nothing to be found in The Bottomless Sea. Just treacherous waters that no sane man would dare go near" Smee stated with confusion as a smirk started to form on Hook's face,
"... Unless those are but simple rumors started by The Crocodile in order to dissuade people from going near" he concluded before grabbing the shirt collar of the nervous worker, pulling him close,
"What is it in The Bottomless Sea that is so important to The Dark One that requires him to take such frequent voyages?" Hook demanded firmly,
"I... No one knows, sir... But..." The man stammered,
"But what?" Hook growled,
"There... There are rumors... That he keeps his one weakness out there" The workers told Hook causing a cunning smile to appear on the Captain's face as he released the man's collar, prompting him to flee instantly as Hook began heading for the exit of the tavern,
"Back to the ship men!" Hook ordered causing his crew to instantly stand and follow him,
"We have a heading" he growled to himself as they all began heading back to his beloved ship. The Jolly Rodger.
It turned out that even if the stories of The Bottomless Sea were just rumors... They were certainly accurate. Strong seemingly endless storms and treacherous waters knocked The Jolly Rodger from left to right in a vicious manner as Hook tried with all his might to keep her straight and true but he and his crew soon wore identical expressions of shock as the sailed into the eye of the storm.
The waters instantly calmed and the sky was a stunning blue but it was the sight of a single island on which sat a glorious tower that could easily be mistaken for a castle at first glance,
"So that must be were The Dark One has been going" Smee proclaimed with a bright smile that caused Hook to roll his eyes,
"Really? And here I was thinking that he simply came out here to do some fishing" The Captain responded sarcastically, earning multiple laughter from the members of the crew as Hook smirked in amusement as he steered the ship into port at a small dock on the coast of the island.
Hook told his crew that he and Smee would go and investigate the tower before giving them orders that if they did not return within 1 hour then they were to come and assist them.
Hook and Smee were quite surprised to find the door to the tower unlocked,
"Perhaps The Dark One didn't think anyone would come here" Smee murmured nervously as he went to go and climb the staircase but instantly walked into an invisible barrier the prompted his Captain to close his eyes and shake his head in amusement,
"Or he thought a magical barrier was better security than a wooden door" Hook finished for him before approaching the barrier and proceeded to knock his name sake against the invisible obstacle but this only prompted the barrier to zap him, sending him flying against the wall and applying a nasty cut to his head and he growled angrily,
"I'll tear this tower brick from brick" he grumbled as Smee tried in vain to help his Captain to stand but his assistance was denied as Hook stood by himself,
"... Papa?... Is that you?..." A voice called from the upper level of the tower and Hook was quick to place his hand over Smee's mouth in order to stop him from saying anything.
Hook allowed his mind to process the voice that had just called out... Papa?... Hook instantly developed a cunning smile... The Dark One had a child and by the sounds of the voice that had called out. It was a daughter,
"Go back to the ship, Smee" Hook told his first mate quietly simply shoving his first mate out the door, not giving him room to argue as he quickly shut the door and hid out of sight just as a young woman with long auburn hair that fell to her waist descended the stairs with a cautious and confused expression on her face,
"... Papa?... Have you returned so soon?..." she called out gently as Hook waited patiently for a moment to strike but he soon found his vision growing slightly blurred and he closed his eyes for a moment, placing his hand to the wound on his head as it began throbbing in pain and it wasn't long before his world turned black as he fell to the ground, hearing only a slight cry of fright before falling fully unconscious.
Hook heard a peaceful tune of a music box playing as he slowly opened his eyes and found himself in a pleasantly decorated chamber. He was laying on a soft sofa and it didn't take him long to notice that his sword was laid against the wall far across the room and his Hook was also missing from its holster. He hadn't noticed the young woman approach him and gently press a cold, damp cloth to the wound on his forehead, instantly earning his attention,
"It's alright... I'm just trying to help" she assured gently with a slight expression of unease on her face as she proceeded to clean the dried blood away from his head,
"Forgive me, lass" Hook said before pushing her hand away with a firm expression on his face,
"But I don't need your help" he told her simply, moving to stand but instantly fell back, groaning as he felt dizzy and the young woman was quick to help him lie back down,
"Don't be so stubborn. You've had a nasty hit to the head. I've told papa that there's no need for that stupid barrier but of course he never listens" she mumbled more to herself before applying the cold cloth back to Hook's head as he winced slightly, reluctantly accepting her help,
"Never thought someone related to The Crocodile would help me willingly" he grumbled but this caused the young woman to tilt her head in confusion,
"Crocodile?... You must have hit your head harder than I thought" she concluded simply before standing and went and collected a glass of water, returning to Hook's side and helped him to take a sip gently and the pirate captain soon found himself looking at her curiously,
"What's your name, Lass?" he asked, making a mental note of her tender and caring nature that was far from anything like Rumplestiltskin,
"Oh... Sorry... It's been so long since anyone has asked for my name... In fact your the only person to ever ask" she explained before smiling gently,
"I'm Amelia... What's yours?" she asked and Hook found himself smiling back as he held his hand out to her,
"Killian Jones" he greeted and noted her look of confusion she looked at his hand,
"... You're supposed to shake it. It's how people greet each other" he assisted and he couldn't help but find it adorable how she very hesitantly and slowly placed her hand within his own and he gently raised her hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss upon its surface, never breaking eye contact with her,
"And that's how gentlemen greet pretty young lasses like yourself" he explained with a charming smile that made Amelia blush softly although she wasn't sure why, Hook moved slowly to stand and this time accepted Amelia's help as he developed a curious expression,
"How did you make it through the barrier?" Hook asked her and Amelia instantly looked timid,
"Well... I'm not supposed to lift the barrier. Papa tells me that the island is too dangerous and that I am never to lift it under any circumstances... But... I saw you were hurt and I couldn't just leave you like that" she explained but Hook scoffed,
"That island is no more dangerous than I am. You should see Neverland. Now that island is dangerous" he told her simply, moving across the room and collected his sword before returning it to his belt,
"Neverland?..." Amelia pressed in confusion and Hook looked at her just as confused for a moment,
"Perhaps you've been to Misthaven?... Agrabah?... Camelot?..." he pressed gently but the look of confusion never left her face and Hook's expression soon became sad,
"Lass... Just how long have you lived within this tower?" he asked her gently,
"All my life. I'm safe here" Amelia told him and Hook instantly felt sorry for the girl and he looked out the tower window, noting the sight of his ship but he pointed toward the storm clouds that surrounded the island,
"... Did your... Papa ever tell you of what lies beyond the storm?" he asked her and watched her instantly look fearful,
"... Only The Darkness" Amelia told him, moving to his side but sort of still stayed behind him as if fearful of the sight,
"Papa's conjured the storm to keep me safe" she explained and Hook instantly felt his blood boil but this feeling eased when he watched Amelia approach the window cautiously,
"Wh... What's that?..." Amelia murmured and Hook realized she was looking at his ship and he smiled reassuringly,
"That, Lass. Is my ship. The Jolly Roger. Finest Vessel in all the realms" he told her proudly but saw her continue to look at the ship almost sadly,
"So... There is more beyond the storm?..." Amelia asked hesitantly, looking up at him gently and he nodded,
"So much more" he told her, watching as she looked towards the storm again and sighed sadly before moving away from the window and retrieved the Pirate's hook from a desk drawer and offered it to him,
"You better go before my Papa gets back... I'd hate to think what his reaction would be to see I've had a visitor... Even if it is my first one" Amelia told him as he gently accepted the hook from her and gently returned it to its rightful place in the holster on his arm. He looked towards his ship before looking back at Amelia and stepped towards her, taking her hand in his gently causing her to look up at him surprised,
"How about you come with me?... Call it a holiday? A little trip into the worlds beyond the storm and at any time you can say the word and I'll bring you back here" Hook told her watching her face carefully but found himself smiling when she developed a smile of her own and she nodded gently.
Smee wore a stunned expression when Hook returned and brought a young woman aboard,
"Captain?!... We were worried. The hour was almost up and we were about to..." he tried,
"Just ready the ship to cast off" Hook told him simply, moving up the stairs to approach the helm, watching as Amelia looked up at the sails and rigging's of his ship in amazement,
"I'm surprised you didn't kill her captain. I assume she is The Dark One's daughter having heard her call out for him as papa... Surely that would be the perfect revenge" Smee stated,
"... It would appear due to what I have learned that The Crocodile doesn't care for her as a father should... Why else would he keep her within the tower?" Hook explained,
"... She knows nothing of the outside world, Mr Smee... That tower and that island is the only world she's ever known... From now on the lass is under my protection" Hook told his first mate firmly and watched as he nodded in understanding before heading off to instruct the crew.
Hook began steering The Jolly Rodger away from the island and towards the storm before he allowed the helmsman to take over and he approached Amelia's side,
"It will be safer below deck" he told her and she nodded in slight understanding before following him below deck where Hook allowed her to find safe refuge within his cabin.
Long time no see! I've had writer's block forever! so sorry! Please Review For Chapter 2!
Kind Regards,
QueenOfDisney96
