Cap'n! We be comin' up on the spot the man told ye about!" Cutter hollered as he bounded into Emma's cabin. Emma looked up from her desk, she was charting out something on a faded map and she held a compass in ink stained fingers.
"Thank you, for informing me of that Mr. Cutter. I'll be up in a moment, but next time a holler of warning or a knock would be appreciated. I could be naked!" Emma pretended to scold, but her sea green eyes revealing her joking nature.
"O'course Cap'n, see ye above deck." Cutter chuckled as he excused himself and closed the heavy wooden door behind him.
Emma set down her compass and rubbed a hand over her eyes, she was tired. She couldn't remember the last time that sleep had fully claimed her, it didn't help that she was lonely. A pirate ship wasn't exactly the best place to have tea with your friends -if she had any of course- and the men weren't exactly intellectual company.
Emma took a slow look about her room, the bed jutted out from one wall, fine silk pillows and sheets graced the feather mattress. A few shelves held her nautical equipment and books, along with a few treasures that she had acquired over the years. Her fine wooden desk and 2 chairs, and a trunk strapped down under the bed. This little room was her sanctuary and 'The Raven Saint' was her home.
Emma stood and swept back her hair. Pulling it high on her head before wrapping a scarf around it and capturing it all within the confines of her hat and strode out. They would catch "The Jewel of the Realm", make no mistake.
"Captain Jones! We're coming up on the last known location of the Black Swan!" William's voice echoed down from the Crows Nest and Killian looked out on the water. The sky was clear, not a single wisp of cloud could be seen in the sky.
"Keep your eyes open men! We need to catch this troublesome pirate and the King has promised us quite the reward if this task is completed well!" Killian walked the decks and surveyed his men as they worked together as one fluid machine. His arms braced behind his back he made his way up to the helm, adjusting his hat he gave a nod to the man standing at the wheel before turning to study the ocean. He saw nothing amiss. No ship darkened the horizon, there was nothing to break the water and sky from melding into one endless mass. "The Black Swan" wasn't here, he was about to give a weary sigh and tell his men to prepare to move on when William's voice rang out.
"Captain! A ship off the port bow!" Killian whipped out his spyglass and held it to his eye, his hook holding it steady as he looked in the direction the young man said. Sure enough, there in distance he could see a ship cutting smoothly through the waves. He could feel excitement bubbling in his chest. Was this the craft they were looking for?
He strained his eyes, searching for the side of the vessel. There adorning the side of the ship in curved, gold lettering he saw it; The Raven Saint. "That's our ship! Get ready boys!" He hollered, slamming his spyglass back into a pocket of his uniform and made a mad sprint back to the wheel. "Helmsman, bring us about. Let's give this "Black Swan" a welcome that only the King's navy can give!"
"Aye Captain!" The man grinned as he swiftly followed his captains orders.
"I've got you now." He whispered under his breath, "I've got you now."
Emma scanned the horizon, maybe Rumplestiltskin had given her faulty information. She quickly shook her head and laughed at the thought, he might be demented...insane even. But he knew his stuff and once he made a deal, he delivered.
"You got anything up there Roy?!" She shouted up to the young man in the rigging.
"No sir!" He hollered back, scampering through the ropes like a monkey.
"Blast." Emma whispered, she held her spyglass up to her eye once more and looked out; not too terribly far off was a ship, sailing straight towards them. "Where the hell did you come from?" Her whisper was for her alone, the ship had come out of nowhere. She felt anticipation twisting in her gut, she jumped of the bridge and made her way to Cutter. "Tell me you see what I see." She held out her spyglass and he took it one large hand. He held it carefully to his eye and Emma watched as a large grin spread across his face.
"Well Cap'n, I see a very large ship com'n our way."
Emma slapped him on the back and smiled, "Splendid. Inform the men the prize is in sight!"
"Aye, aye!"
Emma smiled to herself, she'd be able to help people; and live quite comfortably she might add. She took one last look at the ship, she could see the name now on its bow. It was definitely the ship they were looking for. But Emma could feel pinpricks of unease making their way down her neck and the back of her head. Something wasn't right.
Emma took everything in, it wasn't as big as a treasure ship should be and there were too many openings for cannons and its speed it just didn't add up. Emma's breath froze in her throat, "The Jewel of the Realm" wasn't a treasure ship. It was the King's flagship, a ship of war. It had sounded familiar to her...Liam Jones, one of the Kings most valued captains and his ship.
She should have known, why hadn't she thought it through? That lying bastard. However, -Emma's mind was racing- if she could capture the Kings flagship, hold one of his best captains at a ransom, then maybe...maybe she could make it work. She strode quickly across the deck there wasn't much time to get her men ready. "Mr. Cutter! There's been a change of plans!"