Belle woke with a start. A faint light came from the round window which told her the moon was still up. The temperature had dropped, making her ragged breaths come out in puffs of white.

After calming her breaths she pushed herself up from her hay bed and relished in the ache in her arms, hands and back. It was the only thing proving to her that it hadn't all been a dream. She had indeed fought a pirate and had, unfortunately enough, cleaned the deck as punishment. Belle felt pride in her first day on the ship. She hadn't dodged anything that had come her way.

She and Smee had made dinner and afterwards she received orders to wipe the blood from the floorboards. The Captain's eyes had mischievously glistened with challenge. A challenge she gladly accepted.

Smee tried reasoning with her as she started cleaning the deck by herself and insisted on helping, but she wouldn't let him. This was her chore beginning to end. He had been kind to her, but Belle doubted his kindness would last long enough. No one's did eventually.

She spent hours on her knees, rubbing Clark's blood furiously. Her hands were filled with splinters, which then bloodied the deck even more. When she sat back on her heels and wiped the hair out of her faced she saw Hook standing in the shadows of the mast. She didn't lower her gaze. They stayed fixed into place until the Captain let out a breathy chuckle and left for his cabin. It felt like an outer body experience which, once her head touched her make-shift pillow, was drowned out by the dreams.

Her dreams weren't creative or symbolic. They were her life-story simplified and compressed into a few hours of sleep. Belle had expected them to fade once she'd left Avonlea, but that wasn't the case. But it didn't matter anyway, she was sailing away from Avonlea, an idea that had thrilled her her entire life.

Belle had always wanted to explore the realms and see the world, but life had had other plans for her. Until now. Now she was heading out into the great unknown, far away from what she had once called her home. Far away from her old life. She was now Lacey. A girl that talked back to notorious pirates and lost sword fights with a smile on her face, but still there were things she had to learn…

A soft knock on her door made er startle from her thoughts. "Miss Lacey?" Smee's voice sounded behind the storage-room door. She stood and rehearsed smiling as she combed her fingers through her hair. It fell odd, as if her face was not supposed to be folded that way.

"Good morning." She said as she opened the door.

Smee was taken aback by her appearance. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. The way the corners of her plump lips were slightly upturned made him blush. "Good morning, Lacey." He avoided her big eyes.

They worked in silence. Lacey was a quick learner. He could tell she had worked in a kitchen before. She was silent and seemed excruciatingly concentrated whilst doing anything, even simple things such as stirring oatmeal.

Without complaint she set the table, balancing stacks of metal plates on her bandaged hands. She didn't as much as flinch when the men poured into the hall and made lewd remarks about her bottom or when they called her angel-face. Lacey seemed immune to their rudeness.

Jonathan joined them in the kitchen for breakfast. He devoured scoop after scoop of warm porridge. Smee had expected Lacey to fidget at the greyish muck on the plate in front of her, but she ate without saying a word.

The silence the three of them had in the kitchen seemed holy and unbreakable except for the clanking of their spoons and the deep voices coming from the dining hall. Unexpectedly Lacey was the first to break the silence.

"Where are we headed?" She asked looking up from her bowl. "Portea. The captain has got business to attend over there." She nodded as she put another spoonful into her mouth.

Her next question came as sudden as the last. "Could either of you teach me how to handle a sword?" Jonathan and Smee shot each other an unsure glance. "I'm good with daggers, but my swordsmanship needs some work." She added, going back to her breakfast.

"I guess I could give it a try." Jonathan replied tentatively as he looked at his mentor. "Thank you!" Lacey replied with the closest thing to warmth they had seen in her eyes. Leaving them with no other choice but saying yes.

Portea was twelve days away from Avonlea, but since the Captain had insisted on navigating well into the night they had made it in ten days time. The sun was shining has the ship neared the island, reflecting the reds, blues, yellows and greens of the buildings in the port.

Belle had been to Portea once before, but she had been no older than ten. It had been a fun trip. She had gotten lost in the colorful rugs and banners in the busy streets. Or at least as lost as a Princess was allowed to be.

Jonathan had dragged her up the deck to show her the spectacle, the colors just as lively as she remembered. Smee had left to discuss certain things with the Captain, whose presence was always scarce. He spent most of his time locked up in his cabin. She made a mental note to search the cabin when they left Portea. She had a feeling he was leaving with something more valuable than just information.

The ship remained anchored half a mile away from the harbor, until night began to fall. Once they had reached land they were to remain on the ship unless they had been instructed to do otherwise. Even though most of the men would be able to easily defeat the Captain physically, no one dared to challenge him. They were all too frightened to make any attempt at hijacking the Jolly Roger.

Belle had done some research before they had docked. The Captain was expected to be gone for a couple of hours. The strongest of the men were to go with him, along with Smee. It had become apparent to her that Smee was some type of counselor to Hook, which, despite his kindness, only fed her distrust for the old man.

Jonathan was more than happy to follow her lead in anything she did. Belle was well aware of the power she had over men. It felt cruel to use on Jonathan, but she had to do what she had to do.

That was how they had ended in the streets of Portea. All with a small bat of her lashes and a simple question they set out into the buzzing streets of the port-town.

"How would you like going on an adventure with me ?"

Hook was well prepared for his meeting with Clay. Even though the businessman was not incredibly strong he was exceedingly cunning. Hook entered the pub flanked by Clark and Kale, Smee trailing nervously behind them. The other men surrounded the building, just in case something went awry.

Hook wasn't exactly able to pinpoint the moment he had met Clay. He couldn't remember the first time he had seen his blond hair or his red, gaunt face. Hook couldn't remember of what they had spoken or who had introduced them, but for the last two-hundred years the twenty-one-year-old had provided him with information and commerce.

All in exchange of peculiar objects the seemingly young man required for his peculiar collection. Hook had been astounded when they had come back from Neverland, only to find Clay alive and kicking. The Captain had decided upon never asking Clay how he did it. Clay's eternal youth was of no interest to him.

Clay's men eyed them suspiciously as they walked determinedly towards the purple curtains separating the seedy pub from Clay's domain. Two men standing by the curtains blocked their entry. "Oh, if these aren't my favourite twins!" He exclaimed as he amicably slapped both men on their broad shoulders.

"You guys look swell ! Did you do something to your hair?" The men did not blink or move. "It is the hair! Looks great, guys. Now, if you don't mind, gentleman I have an appointment with Mister Clayton." The captain tried sliding in between the identical,human wall, only to be pushed back.

"Now that isn't very nice of you is it?" Hook added menacingly. Kale stepped forward revealing the curved dagger at his side, causing the guards to reach for their swords. "Tut, tut, men." A voice coming from behind the curtain said. "I will not have any blood on my carpet tonight." Clay said as he came from behind the curtains. The guards stepped aside, their eyes still shooting daggers at the pirate's company."

"Killian, my boy!" Clay exclaimed as he embraced the pirate, who immediately pushed the merchant of off him. Clay was the only person who addressed him with his given name. It gave him goosebumps. Especially since the last person who had used that name had ended up dying in his arms…

"Clay." He answered with a nod of the head. Clay clapped his hands together as he assessed his guest's companions. "Should I search the building for more men or are they only outside?" He asked. "Gentlemen if you don't mind, I'd much rather talk to Killian in private." The pirates were unsure as to what to do, but with a dismissive wave from Hook the stepped back. "Treat yourselves to anything from the menu. Tell 'em to put it on my bill." He grabbed Hook by the shoulder and led him into the curtained room. Leaving a baffled looking Smee behind.

"Tea, Captain?" Clay asked as he wandered over to a side table in the back of the spacious room. "No, thank you." Killian said as he took his usual seat by the fire. The addition of another couple of artefacts were the only changes in the room. Not even its proprietor had changed.

Clay brushed his shaggy, half-long hair out of his face as he sat, tea-cup in hand. "So… what can I do for you, Killian?" He asked as he took a sip from the still steaming brew. "You wrote to me." Hook answered drily.

"True." He looked deeply into the flames as if to remember what he was going to tell the pirate. "I presume you are still hunting the crocodile." It wasn't a question, but Hook felt compelled to answer. "I will not rest until he has been destroyed."

"Good to hear." Clay said looking away from the flames. "Because this time I might have found a way to kill him." He nonchalantly took another sip of his tea. "Without using the dagger." Hook didn't have to push him to elaborate. Clay liked the sound of his voice too much to stop talking.

"There is a book in a place called Syracuse." This is new… The captain thought. "A book?" "Yes a book. Except that it isn't just a book. But it is the book that holds us all together." This can't be. "I thought The Book Of Peace was a myth."

"Well it isn't." Clay said, swirling his tea around in his cup with a satisfied look on his face. "What does this have to do with your crocodile? Everything." He stood and walked over to the teapot once more. "You see, there are quite a lot of people willing to give anything to get their hands on that book."

"One person in particular…" He said as he sat back down. "The Dark One?" Hooks asked, still not understanding the meaning of it all. "Wrong answer." Clay said taking another satisfied sip of tea. "There is a goddess. Ancient and close to forgotten. Who would do anything to get her hands on that book, but due to certain curses and such, she can't have it just yet."

"She is one of the only forces powerful enough to defeat The Dark One. She will give you the weapons you need to slay the beast, as long as you give her something in return…."

"The book." Hook concluded seeing the pieces fall into place. "Bingo!" Clay exclaimed excitedly. "So you want me to steal the book from Syracuse and then give it to your goddess whose name you are yet to disclose?" Clay nodded approvingly. "Her name is Eris, goddess of discord and chaos. I know it is not a cheerie title, but if anyone can get you the revenge you are thirsting for, it is her."

Hook considered his odds: Spend another century searching for a way to kill The Dark One or make a deal with an ominous, forgotten goddess. "Let us say I accept your offer" Hook said leaning forward. "How do I get it to her?"

Clay sprung up from his chair and nearly skipped to the tea-set again, only to take out a piece of parchment that was hidden under the tray. "Eris lives in quite the strange location, that being, The World's End." Yet another thing that was not supposed to exist outside of fairytales. "This map will take you there. Is will guide you straight to her." Hook was momentarily too confused to answer.

"You will quite like her, you know? She is all beauty and raven hair…" Hook would not let Clay head down that path."What do you get out of it?" The pirate demanded. He had learned not to trust the man sitting in front of him many years ago. "Let us say that what I gain out of this… arrangement does not influence you or your crew."

Hook leaned back into the chair. Now it was him who stared into the flames. One of Clay's guards entered the room. "Still no sign of her, Sir" He said before leaving as fast as he had come. Hook arched his brow at Clay, demanding an explanation. "Haven't you heard?" Clay asked cocking his head to the side.

"Princess Isabelle of Avonlea has gone missing. She is rumored to be quite the exquisite specimen. Or at least that is what the reward insinuates." Hook felt taken aback by the news. He had a feeling he knew exactly who this princess was. "You haven't happened to have stumbled upon the most beautiful woman alive, have you?" Clay asked before he barked out a laugh followed by the rest of his tea.

"No, I can't say that I have." Hook said as he stood. He shot Clay one of his most dazzling smiles, trying to hide how uncertain and out of place he felt. "I shall not accept your offer just yet, but I suppose you goddess will tell you all about my decisions." It was meant as a joke that was met with serious response.

"Don't worry she will."

Belle had not expected their little escapade to go wrong. They had been caught trying to snatch a cotton blouse from one of the booths in the market-square. A booth that resulted to be owned by one of the most fearsome men in the suburbs.

Jonathan and Belle ran for their lives as they were followed by a throng of angry Portean men. Belle had taken the boy's hand and dragged him through small alleys and over fences until they finally gotten to the port. They could see the Jolly Roger in front of them. Rat was the only crewmember on the starlit deck.

"Come one, Jon!" She yelled as they threw themselves onto the boat. Rat was too busy talking to a seagull to notice them. Belle and Jonathan didn't stop running until they had made into the kitchen, where they had put the stolen goods into one of the candle-crates.

Belle had needed clothes, hair dye, a pillow and another blanket, things they had managed to acquire by distracting and then robbing the merchants. Belle had left a gold coin in every booth they visited. Jonathan let himself fall onto her bed. "That. Was. So. Much. Fun!" he said in between breaths.

She couldn't help but grin at him. It was not like any of the cold smiles she had smiled in the past few days. It was an actual grin. "I just can't believe how lucky we were." She said as she leaned onto one of the cartes.

"Yeah, really lucky!" Jonathan repeated, only for his words to be drowned out by and angry mumble coming from the streets. "Oh, no." He said as his face paled. Belle tried seeing onto the dock through her little window, but could see nothing. "We have to go up and look."

Hidden in the stairwell they could see that not only the angry men from before, but a whole lot of spectators were shouting and making demands from the dock. The pirate-crew had assembled on the deck and were keeping the crowd away from the ship with threats and flashes of their weapons. Both groups menacing and throwing insults at each other. She could not differentiate what any of them said.

Until a voice roared "What the fuck is going on out here!" It was the second time she had heard those words coming from his mouth. His dark brow was frowned and his black hair cast terrifying shadows on his angry face in the moonlight. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" he demanded. The store owner came forward.

"A woman and a child have stolen from me and now they are on your ship!" He said as he pointed an accusing finger at the Jolly Roger. "I demand to see them! They need to give back what is mine."

"Now, look." The Captain said as he sauntered over to the salt-and-pepper-haired man. "Do not take me for a fraud or a harbourer of thieves." His tone seemed to cut straight through the merchant's flesh. "There are no children nor women on board of this ship. So I kindly suggest you leave." He lifted the man's chin with his metal hook. "Or I will make you."

The look in the mob's faces was that of pure terror. The merchant mumbled something that must have been an apology. They made their way down the street with the greatest amount of dignity they could muster.

When they were far out of reach Hook turned to his crew. "Lacey! Jonathan!" His tone was harsh and his usually amused eyes seemed made of stone.

"What are we going to do?" Jonathan whispered. She had no idea what they could do to get out of what was coming. My name is Belle and I shall not be afraid. "Let me handle this." Belle said as she went up the stairs, Jonathan trailing behind her.

She did not lower her head nor did she let her shoulders slump. My name is Belle and I shall not be afraid. She stopped when she stood in front of him. She focused her eyes on his chest as she spoke. "I am sorry for this, Sir. But whatever punishment you have in mind I will take it for the both of us."

The storm in Hook's eyes hadn't passed. "How dare you make demands." He hissed, dragging the corners of his mouth upwards as he spoke. "They are not demands, is kid!" She exclaimed as she looked up into his eyes. "Please." She said as she lowered her stare.

Hook looked down on her and then started laughing. The laugh shook her more than his words. "As you wish…" She looked up to him, astounded. "To my cabin… Now!" He took her by the arm and pulled her along as if she was a child needing teaching. He pushed her up the stairs and into the room. "The rest of you go make yourselves useful!" Belle had forgotten the rest of the crew was present. They silently left the deck. Smee led a shaky Jonathan down the stairs.

Hook shut the door with a smack. He quickly grabbed a candle and lit it. She stood stiffly with her hands by her sides as she waited for him to act. Belle was about to say something to lighten the mood, but without turning he spoke first.

"Take of your shirt." His tone was angry, businesslike. She froze. What? He turned and repeated it again. My name is Belle and I shall not be afraid. She had expected her hands to shake when she lifted them to loosen the buttons of her shirt. She steadily opened them one by one. She untucked the shirt from her trousers and dropped it on the floor besides her.

Hook was smiling when he she looked up. It wasn't happiness nor lust she saw in his eyes. It was once again misschief. "I should whip you for disobeying me." He pushed himself of the desked and prowled around her. She turned with him. "A girl has gone missing." He stated as he walked back to his desk.

She had not seen that coming. "A girl?" She did not like where this was going. "The most beautiful woman in the world that is." He added. My name is Belle and I shall not be afraid."That is quite pretentious title." She said not moving. The room was cold through the thin fabric of her chemise.

He chuckled. "Apparently not. It is rumored that she is so beautiful that the rain does not dare to touch her,afraid that it might mar her porcelain skin. The sun gets trapped in her copper curls and the stars and the moon pale at the sight of her sapphire eyes." He prowled towards her once more. Even though her mind was telling her to run she couldn't move. Hook cupped her cheek with his hand. "And the blood men would shed for her doesn't come close to the colour of her lips." His thumb brushed her mouth before he stepped to his desk once more.

"I don't quite get what this has to do with me." Her voice came out unexpectedly even. "I want your advice. There is quite a sum promised to the person who brings her back to her kingdom."

"Her kingdom?" Belle asked. Fuck. "She is a princess you see. Princess Isabelle of Avonlea." The pirate said with a flourishing gesture of his hook. Belle kept her face emotionless. She would rather get whipped than endure this a minute more. My name is Belle and I shall not be afraid. "About how much are we speaking?"

"Enough to build another three Jolly Rogers and maybe a palace or two." She lifted her brows in surprise. "That is a lot of money. But… I still don't get why you are telling me this."

"As I said… I need your advice. I think I know the whereabouts of this missing princess and I am debating whether to hand her in or not."

"Why ask me?" He knew it was her. She was sure of it. "You are a woman, right?" He asked as he threw a quick glance at her chest and grinned when he looked back up into her eyes. Belle could feel a faint blush tainting her cheeks.

"Economically? Yes, I would turn her. But emotionally? I wouldn't be able to." It was an honest answer. "Why not?" He asked. "Because, as you said, I am a woman. If she had been kidnapped they would be paying ransom not a reward. She has probably chosen to leave. Princesses grow up with the wealth we dream of having someday. If she is leaving that behind…I can not imagine what must have scared her away."

He looked straight at her, his expression blank. "Put your shirt back on." She did not hesitate in picking up the garment. "Thank you for your advice. You may go." She just nodded incredulously and follow his orders.

When she left Hook remained sitting by the desk until the candle blew out.

This is not good.

Helo!

I'm a couple of days with this one, but (as you can probably see) it had a lot of things going on so I needed a bit of extra time!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed!

Thanks again for reading :) xxx