I'd like to apologise for being away so long. But the motivation and muse for writing has just not been there but she's currently back and hopefully she'll stay, but we shall see. Hope you all enjoy the chapter
She would be lying if she said she hadn't thought about stealing the map and going off to find this treasure by herself. The problem was that she didn't believe in this treasure, and if she did just steal the map she was still stuck on this ship with nowhere to go.
The storm that Hook had forecast had still yet to hit but the air was stifling, so humid that there could be no explanation but for a storm to be coming. "So when is this storm coming?" Emma asked Hook as he stood in his usual spot at the helm as his crew busied themselves with their own duties.
She hadn't accepted his offer of a drink last night, reminding him again that she didn't mix business with pleasure and that she wasn't here to drink and have fun. And him being a gentleman offered her his bed. The actual prospect of where they were going to sleep only just coming up. Emma had refused, naturally. Said all she needed was a blanket and she would sleep in the gallery of the ship. He had told her "The gallery is no place for a lady,"
To which she replied, "I'm a thief. I've slept in worst places. A few castle dungeons come to mind."
"But with my crew?"
"Not in the crew's quarters Hook, in the part of the galley where your storage is."
He'd reluctantly given in; her stubbornness won her that battle.
"The storm will come, Goldie," he assured her, "Just you wait and see."
She was fanning herself with one of her wanted posters out of her satchel. "And are you sure you can sail against it?"
"I'm a hell of a Captain,"
"And yet I still don't feel reassured." She paused for a moment before turning back to him, "I want off this ship,"
"Then by default you lose the bet," he smirked, his eyes still locked upon the horizon.
"I just want to be docked when this storm hits. Once is passes then we can get back on track,"
"Your lack of faith wounds me love,"
"Once again I am not your love," she snapped at him. "Tell me honestly because, this storm has been brewing and this heat is not normal, can you safely sail through this storm, and do you want to chance it?"
"I could outrun curses," his hand was on the steering wheel but now he was looking at her.
Emma turned her head away from him for a fraction of a second before turning back; her green eyes stared up at him through her lashes. She stepped forward into his personal space; not once breaking eye-contact and with one hand she took hold of the leather collar of his coat. "Please," she whispered.
She kept hold of his eye-contact in the silence then let out a sigh, dropping her gaze and relinquishing her grip on his coat with a pat before sauntering away back to his quarters.
Emma sat at his desk overlooking the map she had stolen from him and wondered how he was worked out how to move the pieces of it around to decide upon his destination. Idly she moved some of them around as she did it was then that she realised that the pieces hadn't actually moved since she'd stolen them. Had he just assumed Blackbeard had put them in the right place?
"Goldie?" she heard him call as he clambered down his ladder. When he turned around and their eyes met she then answered him,
"Yes, Hook?"
"We're going to make port," he sighed.
"Thank you," she smiled back, taking note of how easy it had been to persuade him. "Why is it, you haven't actually worked out where we are going to find this treasure?"
His blue eyes fell to the map underneath her fingertips with which she was playing, "I spent the whole of last night pondering over that map!"
"But you don't have a destination, yet you specifically implied you did?"
"I will work it out,"
"Looks like I'll be winning this bet," she smirked.
"Not a chance Goldie," he grinned and she hadn't quite realised that he'd stepped away from the ladder and was before the desk leaning towards her. "So please don't be afraid to really get into this whole debacle with me, I'd be more than happy to alter our bet slightly for your impending loss, if you truly don't want an item from your satchel taken."
"I'm. Not. Having. A. Nightcap. With. You." She enunciated.
"I wasn't even thinking about that love, but at least I know what you think about," he winked, "Or dream about I'm sure."
"I don't dream about you Hook."
"But I most certainly dream about you Goldie."
"Where are we making port?" she demanded.
"A Kingdom called Arendelle,"
"Never heard of it,"
"I've never been, but I have heard a lot about it myself. I promise you no one shall know about you there,"
"Good," she nodded. "Do you have a map?"
"Take a gander," Hook told her as he took the top rolled up piece of parchment off the pyramid of maps and handed it to her.
The pirate Captain turned around his coat swishing as he did so and he swaggered back to the ladder and as his boot landed on the first rim he spoke again. "Why do you not wish to travel through the storm?" he asked her.
"You'll only judge me," she told the back of his head.
"Try me,"
"Would you believe that I am scared of storms?" her voice was shy and fearful yet her face was steely and strong. "Ever since I was a young girl, on my own in the forest, storms would frighten me. I don't quite like the idea of sailing through one. No matter how good of a Captain you claim to be."
"Don't worry, lass, you'll be safe with me."
They made port at Arendelle, Emma wore her cloak and satchel the map of Arendelle hidden within. "You going somewhere love?" Hook asked, as she appeared up on deck and he took in her attire.
"To find an Inn. I am not sleeping aboard this ship tonight."
"The night is getting dark Goldie, and the air is still so hot. How about a drink first?"
"I'm not drinking with you,"
"One drink and I shall never ask again,"
"Never?"
"Hook on my heart," he said as he brought his hook to his chest and gave her a sincere smile.
"I'm afraid I still don't trust you," she retorted. Emma went to walk away when a hook attached itself to the crook of her elbow and pulled her back. "What?" she demanded as she spun around.
"I'm not letting you out of my sight, love, so come and have a drink with me,"
His words were friendly but his face was stern and demanding. "But who will keep an eye on your ship when the storm hits?"
"Listen here, Goldie, you are trying my patience, and I am a very patient man. I don't care whether or not we have a drink, I am not letting you out of my sight. We have a deal upstanding,"
"What makes you think I am not one to keep my word?" she said feigning innocence and offence at his words,
"You're an open book, love, and a thief,"
"But a rather good thief don't you think?" she smiled, he just glowered at her in response. "Fine, Hook, let's go get a drink." Emma shook his hook off of her and made her way off the ship.
"Men, you know who stays and who is free!" he barked back, never letting his eyes off of Emma. "Ignore your duty at your own peril," he warned those that he heard groan, who had the unfavourable job of staying and watching the ship, whilst the others got to go off into the kingdom of Arendelle.
He took long strides and soon he was walking in time next to Emma and she didn't bother to hide the rolling of her eyes. She felt his arm go around her waist as he suddenly guided her into a tavern whose door had just opened as someone was chucked out. "In here Goldie."
The tavern was full to the brim with people and he kept his arm tightly round her even though she tried to push him off. "Can't have me loosing you love," he whispered into her ear. His warm breath tickling against her skin. He managed to find an empty table, though there was only one chair at it. The others had obviously all be taken by others to fill up the other crowded tables.
Hook took his arm off from around Emma and quickly settled himself down on the chair and gave her a mischievous look as she turned to look unamused at him. "And where do you suppose am I meant to sit?" she asked,
"Right here, love," he patted his lap with a wink. "Ah Smee!" he shouted as he noticed the man's red cap trying to wade his way through the throng of people, "go order us some drinks will you?" The red hat went bobbing off towards the nearest barmaid.
"I'm not sitting on your lap,"
"Oh come on," he smiled. She turned with a flourish and turned to another busy table and tapped the back of one of the men. The man turned around and gave her a leering wooden teeth filled grin.
"A'ight sweet'eart," he slurred.
"Could I possibly have your chair, please?" Emma asked sweetly she fluttered her eyelashes and undid her cloak, resting it over one arm. The man gave her an appreciative look up and down,
"Goldie!" she heard Hook shout through gritted teeth. She turned to see he had managed to procure more of his crew around him and with them some more chairs. He patted the empty chair next to him, whilst glaring at the man she had been talking to.
"Never mind," Emma smiled sweetly and headed over to the seat Hook had next to him. She placed her cloak over the back of it and took off her satchel but kept it at the bottom of her feet, with one foot holding it down.
Hook handed her a shot of rum, "Drink up, lass, this is when the fun begins." By the time she had knocked back her fifth on the drinking game their table had set up she was beginning to feel thoroughly warm inside. Hook looked at her impressed as she slammed it down onto the table.
"This isn't my first drinking game,"
"I can see that," he said with a quirk of his eyebrow as he drunk out of his bottle after haven declined the drinking game with his crew, but Emma hadn't backed down from the challenge. His chair had managed to get closer to hers and he was whispering in her ear, "You're a terrible liar by the way,"
"Excuse me?" she asked as she pulled his drink out of his hand and filled up her own and proceeded to down it in one.
"What's the real reason you wanted to make port?"
"I told you. I'm afraid of storms,"
"And I told you you're a terrible liar,"
"Well," she slurred slightly as she pushed his drink back into his hand. "You will never know."
"Is that so?" he whispered delicately into her ear. "Because I do love a challenge,"
"Except if it's a drinking game," Emma pushed him out of her personal space. The crew were trying to get her attention for the drinking game but she just waved them off, not breaking eye-contact with Hook.
"I could beat you in a drinking game,"
"Is that so Hook? Because that sounds like you're challenging me?"
"Perhaps I am,"
"Well then you best, drink up and get on the same level of drunkenness as me. I want a fair fight,"
"What will I win?"
"Why do you always want there to be a reward?"
"Because I don't see the point otherwise," he smirked. "I want to know your name. So I win, you have to tell me your name."
"Fine." Emma brought her tongue over her lips and leant forward to Hook. "But if I win, I want a kiss from you, Captain."
"How drunk are you?" he chuckled.
"Very, now drink up, I want a fair contest," she told him pushing his bottle at him.
"You don't have to win to get a kiss off me, love, all you have to do is ask," he smirked at her. Her hand went to his thigh and leant even further forward into him.
"I will never ask. So this is your only chance to get a kiss. You have to decide what you, want, more. A kiss. Or my name." Her lips were ghosting over the top of his own. All he had to do would be to lean a little further forward. But before he could she moved back in her seat. "Let's go to a more secluded tavern," she told him. She stood up and over one arm she put her cloak and took hold of her satchel. With her other hand she lifted up his Hook and began dragging him out of the tavern, a series a wolf whistles chorusing behind them and cheers likely from his crew, all presuming that they were off for a nightcap.