EMMA

EMMA

I am nothing. I am no one. That was what she had been told continuously ever since she could remember. It had become her way of dealing with the haunting memories that pursued her in both reality and the world of dreams. Blue lips, coldness, pain and never remembering. It had become a routine that she had been forced to dutifully follow. The unknown princess would wake up different after every experimental encounter with magic, always older, but she had never questioned it. She had never known any different.

That was until she had been taken. The men had come for her with their knives and snarls but despite fighting and almost killing one of them her resistance had been futile. Battered, bruised and on the verge of being beaten she had been transported like chained cattle to the slave market of Pentos. Her nameless guardians had taught her letters and words and she had read of the noble knights and past kings of the Seven Kingdoms. She had not wished for a noble knight to come and rescue her, she had wished that the fat, foul smelling pig of a man had come near enough so she could have kicked him in the balls. Neither came to pass, instead she had been passed on as if she were a dog to a not so harsh but equally as loathed pirate.

Emma had changed her mind. She hated the goddamn sea! She had once before glimpsed it through her window and had longed to see it up close. Not anymore! She now longed for sweet dry land as her hands gripped the bucket that smelled of both soap and old vomit. She had already knocked her head on the small stacked bunks of the cabin she had been put in and the Captain had left her with nothing but a bucket as he left to set sail. The ship lurched over yet another wave and she could hold it in no longer. She fell to her knees that scraped on the wooden boards and retched up what little contents she had in her stomach. Every time she had recovered from her heaving another wave would strike.

'Someone is going to get punched for doing this to me.' She grumbled to herself not bothering to wipe the spittle from her chin. As if her hair wasn't bad enough, the dirtied tips of her blonde hair now reeked along with the added contents of the bucket. She might have imagined it but she was sure a head had peeped inside before bustling back out again. 'I am nothing. I am no one.' She repeated and breathed deeply to try and curb the nausea before the sound of voices interrupted the silence.

'You put me right off my food you know that?' She heard the arrogant Captain quip from close by. She let out a small groan and cursed under her breath. She wasn't in the mood to argue with him, why couldn't he just leave her alone? Wasn't it bad enough already?

'B-but but Captain she's, she's…'

'Hurling her guts up. I know, you did tell me Smee, right down to the last minute detail.'

'I just thought you should know that's all I didn't mean to…'

'A bit late for apologies now don't you think?'

'So…aren't you going to…?'

'What?' The Captain asked as if he had no clue to what the other man was alluding to. The answer was a mumble that Emma couldn't quite make out. 'By the gods Smee I am not her damned maid! She's a prisoner and if she wants to retch all night then let her. She'll get used to it sooner or later,' The remark was met by silence with no answer from the other voice or at least Emma didn't hear one. Then when the silence stretched she was relieved to know that they had left.

She hadn't expected anything less. To him she was nothing more than a package to be delivered. He wouldn't pity her and she didn't want it either. She didn't know how much later it was when a knock sounded on the cabin door. It was a soft knock so she guessed it must be the man who had been worried about her. She didn't say anything but her eyes travelled up from the bucket to watch the door. The soft knock repeated but a little harder.

'Why am I even knocking? It's my bloody ship,' The voice scoffed as the door opened and the Captain stalked inside with a bottle in hand. 'An annoying little birdie with a red hat told me you're dirtying up my nice swabbed decks.'

'Leave me alone.' She spat glaring at him before looking away. Why did this incessant man insist on making her situation even worse? She was being treated as a slave and being shipped far from home. She was scared but she didn't want to admit it.

'Quite the step up from pirate bastard now don't you think?' She saw his smirk and rolled her eyes. She thought if she didn't say anything he would just leave. 'You still haven't told me your name beautiful.'

'Shut up and I never will! It doesn't make any difference to you what my name is.' Emma snapped and looked down from his stare as she wiped her chin.

'I could always make you?' He mused sticking his lip out in thought. It should have been directed as a threat but it didn't sound like one. She was still angered by the comment though and she leaned across the bucket to face him.

'Now you listen to me Captain, I don't know why all of this is happening to me. No one will even tell me! By the Seven I'm no one special, I'm no one important. Yet I've been beaten and taken from everything I know and being shipped to… I don't even know where.' Emma couldn't hold back her frustration anymore but her throat was raw and she didn't like how her voice was breaking. Her outburst was soon followed with the need to heave again and she doubled over the bucket as she did. 'Why are you still here?' She asked exhausted from the seasickness.

'Drink some of this, I find it settles the stomach,' His voice was commanding but not harsh and he pulled up a stool opposite her. He offered her the bottle that he held in his hand and she took it hesitantly wiping the rim of the bottle with her fingers. 'I don't have a disease that I know of.' He tutted and raised an eyebrow at her.

'Give me one good reason why I should trust you?' She retorted the bottle hovering at her lips. She waited as she watched him muse over the answer. He scratched at the clipped beard at his jaw and studied her, it was a look that she wasn't sure if she liked because she didn't understand it.

'You should be grateful that it was me who was asked to fetch you. Any other man I know would have had a beauty like you between his legs by now, no questions asked.' His words were slow and emphatic and darn right typical. She let the bottle drop to her side and shook her head incredulously.

'Grateful? What so you want me to applaud your ability to keep it in your trousers?' She scoffed, dripping in sarcasm.

'Yes actually, a spot of appreciation wouldn't go amiss. A pirate's sword yearns to be flourished. It can become quite painful at times.' He was teasing her and if she wasn't feeling exceedingly awful she would have punched him.

'If it's that painful then I don't think pirates should have swords.' Emma countered but his rascally smirk only widened. 'Now get lost and go eat your food.'

'What? You don't like spending time with the generous Captain?' He gave her a bottle of whatever it was and suddenly he thought them best of friends? Idiot.

'The Captain is many things but not generous. He is insufferable.'

'Oh I don't know about that…'

'Arrogant.'

'Most definitely.'

'Self-centred.'

'Who isn't?'

'Tactless.'

'Where did you get-'

'Inconsiderate.'

'You've known me five minutes!'

'Unattractive.'

'What?! C'mon are you blind? That's it; I draw the line at that love.' He stood up suddenly with a wave of his hands. She noted the not so well hidden look of hurt that glimpsed in his eyes and she was surprised that he hadn't taken it with laughter as he had the other insults.

'Don't call me that.' She said simply and scrunched up her nose as she felt yet another wave of nausea. Remembering the bottle she swigged and gulped down the liquid squeezing her eyes shut as she felt the burn and waited for the soothing effects that he'd promised. Nothing. She held the bottle to her lips once more.

'You shouldn't drink it so fast…are you listening to me…you're going to make yourself sick again...whoa hold up now!' He had spoken quietly at first but got increasingly louder and more annoyed…more concerned? Emma had drowned out his words as she continued until he had snatched the bottle from her grasp. 'And you called me insufferable?'

'Give it back, it was helping!' She argued stumbling to get up from the floor. The alcohol had warmed her and soothed her throat and she wanted more.

'I said drink some not down the whole bottle. This is my own private stock this is!' He gestured holding it up but away from her. Emma swayed and the quick effects of the alcohol were beginning to take hold. 'You look terrible.' He observed with a frown.

'I don't feel well.' She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself.

'Well I'm not surprised you…' He cut off when she staggered and tripped over the bucket sending the contents flushing across the floor and onto his boots. He cursed but quickly placed down the bottle to catch her before she fell to the vomit ridden floor.

'I don't feel well.' She repeated queasily that was muffled against his chest.

'You ruined my boots.' He answered and lifted her so that her head hung over his shoulder. 'And you are cleaning this up in the morning.' He added stepping carefully to leave the cabin.

'No.'

'No? No, I think you are. Just wait till you're not puking.' He warned her but Emma was shaking her head her hair flicking in his face. That's not what she meant.

'No, you're not unattractive.' She mumbled before she collapsed.