Ok, two chapters at once! There's some violence, and some gruesome backstory.
VI.
A knock on the door woke Hook the morning of their arrival, and he dressed quickly, handing Emma her chemise before leaving the cabin and preparing to bring the Jolly Roger into port. He felt torn, part of him relieved to be rid of the constant temptation of Emma and the other part disappointed that their time together might be over before he'd had his fill of her. As they approached, he saw the bustling harbor of Port Jefferson teeming with activity, but all thoughts of the princess fled his mind when his eyes focused on a single set of black sails and the ship they belonged to: the Queen Anne's Revenge. It had been a year or so since they'd made port in the same place, and a year wasn't nearly enough time. He turned to Starkey, whose face clearly showed the same concern.
"Go put Smee, Turley, and Foggerty at the hold. That bastard isn't getting anything from this ship. I'll go talk to the harbor master and register our cargo, but I'll be back in 10 minutes. When he shows up, let me deal with him. Don't get yourselves killed."
Hook jumped off the ship as it docked, determined to get the business completed as quickly as possible. Retrieving the prince's response to his ransom note would have to wait. He had bigger problems.
"Where are you, boy? You get out here when I'm talking to you!" She heard the voice bellow before a large man kicked in the door. He was tall, middle aged but still handsome, thick black hair and beard just barely streaked with grey. His sharp blue eyes landed on her, lighting up with cruel glee. "Ha! So he's got himself another one, has he? Damn fool. Still, you're quite a pretty thing. Shame for him to keep you all to himself."
She backed away from the man, who certainly looked like a pirate but didn't seem to be one of Hook's men. He reached out, taking a lock of her hair and threading it through his fingers as she cowered against the wall, looking for a sword or dagger but seeing nothing but what was carried by the man crowding her. Something about this man terrified her. "Unhand me," she snapped, slapping his hand away from her.
His face contorted into a horrifying grin as he grabbed her throat, his large hand easily holding it in place against the wooden wall. "I like a woman with fire. I had a feeling he'd want to keep you. Always was weak, that one, when it came to women."
"The fuck are you doing here?" Hook growled, pushing into the room. She'd never felt so relieved to see him.
"You watch your tongue, boy!" The older man snapped over his shoulder. "I'm just getting acquainted with your lovely bedmate here. For some reason, this one seems to think I can't touch her. Don't tell me that she's right. Didn't you learn your lesson the last time?"
"She's just naive girl. Feisty, the way I like 'em." He said dismissively. "Now what did you come here for this time? What could we possibly have to discuss?"
"I just wanted to check up on you, see how you were doing. I'd heard you had quite the haul this time, that you attacked a royal flagship. Impressive, I must say." He dropped her, letting her crumple to the floor, and sauntered over to the table where he picked up the bottle of rum, helping himself to a glass as he leaned against the opposite wall. She noticed how Hook moved between the other pirate and her, even as two more strange men came in to stand next to the intruder. "I'm glad to see you're doing so well for yourself and not repeating the mistakes of your past. Gods know its about time you got over that married tramp you loved so much and sired a few sons and I will say, she looks like a good fuck. Prettier than that last one, too, but then again I always liked blondes."
Hook's anger was palpable, the muscles in his jaw popping out as he tensed and clenched his teeth. "I swear, old man, one more word about Milah and whatever relationship we once had will mean nothing." He stepped closer, hand on the hilt of his sword. "Now get on with it or get out before you do something stupid."
"Like steal your little princess?" he laughed, seeing her mouth drop open in horror and Hook's eyes narrow at the comment. "Come on, now, boy. It's obvious- all you need do is look at her to know who she is! Don't tell me you're besotted with her."
"She is an investment, you old fool," Killian spat out, "and you had best stay away from her."
"An investment you say? Well, that changes things, lad. Now I have all the more reason for me to take her back to my ship and find out why she's so valuable myself- you're not really going to stop me, are you now?"
"I could."
"You tried to be clever and reported all your other holdings, no doubt, but you can't exactly report a stolen princess. She's the only thing I can take, thanks to you. We'll enjoy her, ransom her, and call it even."
"Her bridegroom won't want her after what you'll do to her."
"Don't you know anything about running a ship, boy? If she's worth so much, someone'll pay regardless of the conditions," the rival captain pushed past Hook, moving above deck while one of the other crewmen grabbed her arm. He violently pulled her back to her feet and began dragging her up on deck, where Hook's crew members awaited him.
"Hook!" She cried out, reaching for him as he followed, calling for Billy Jukes to block the gangplank.
"Bloody hell," she heard Hook grumble. "Enough of this. Come on, let her go."
The men made no indication they planned on leaving without her.
"Blackbeard," he warned, the name sounding like a curse. "You've had your fun at my expense. Don't make me stop you. I'm younger and faster and you know it."
"I don't think Cooper there wants to give her up," he sneered, pointing to the man with his hand locked around Emma's bicep. "Do ya, Coop?" An instant later, she saw a flash of light as a blade came towards her, severing the arm of the man holding her at the elbow. He howled in pain, the warm spray of blood covering her chemise as she scrambled away from the carnage. She looked over to see Hook standing tall, advancing, bloody sword at the ready. "I think you'll find he's changed his mind."
Blackbeard pulled his own sword. "You gonna take my arm too, lad? Make us into a family of cripples? You do realize that oh-so-honorable Liam isn't here to see you save the damsel anymore?"
Hook spun like a dervish towards Blackbeard, slashing at his chest and drawing blood, then catching the other man's sword with his hook before kicking him backwards. The crew kept their distance, knowing better than to get involved in this particular argument, the smell of blood and hate heavy in the air.
"Don't you dare mention him! You're not fit to say his name!"
They locked blades, and Blackbeard slammed his fist into Hook's jaw before pushing back to a safe distance to call out, "You'd better watch out, Princess! People have a habit of dying around your dear captain." The wound on his chest had saturated his shirt and blood dripped onto the deck.
"Last warning: I will kill you. Get your men, and get off my ship." Hook's eyes were like ice as he waited for an answer.
Blackbeard tried to maintain the facade, but even Emma could see he was weakening. "Of course, of course. I've seen all I needed to. See ya around, boy," he growled, smiling, as he stomped down to the docks, followed by his other man dragging Cooper. A palpable sense of relief settled over the ship, but Emma could still feel the rage rolling off Hook as he looked down at her and turned to Starkey.
"Take care of her. Clean her up, get her something to eat." He turned on his heel, heavy steps carrying him up on deck, down the gangplank and onto the docks.
"Come on, sweetheart," Starkey said, draping his coat over her and taking her back to the captain's cabin. She shivered uncontrollably, never having seen such violence, such brutality. After settling her back on the captain's bed, he brought a sponge and some clean water, and laid out a large, clean, black shirt. "I'm sorry we don't have anything more suitable, miss. I'll be back in a half hour with some stew."
She stripped off the bloodstained gown, tossing it into the corner of the room, and set about washing every trace of blood from her skin. She fought back tears as she realized how close she'd come to being taken aboard Blackbeard's ship, and how much worse it would have been had Hook not stepped in. She'd heard stories of him, remembering with a shudder the young noblewoman he'd taken for a bride- his 14th wife, she recalled, and then turned into a whore for his visitors and favored crewmen. Whether it was for profit or out of kindness, Hook had saved her from a crueler fate.
When Starkey returned, she was back on the bed, wearing the shirt. He motioned for her to join him at the table, and she slipped onto the bench, trying to preserve what little modesty she had left in spite of the shirt's low neckline and mid-thigh length. Hook had seen every part of her, but she felt embarrassed at her nakedness in front of another man. The older pirate just chuckled. "I've seen women in far less, miss. You needn't be concerned. The captain's been more than clear we're not to touch you. And I, for one, have always preferred a woman of my very own." He smiled kindly, taking a bite of his stew.
She began to eat as well, her mind swirling with questions. "Where is he? The captain, I mean."
"Probably in some tavern, drinking himself into oblivion. Can't blame the man. He'll be back when he's had time."
"Time? To do what?"
"To stop thinking about everything. He's still a young man, but our captain's had more heartbreak in his one lifetime than any man deserves." Starkey looked at her critically, before continuing. "I shouldn't be telling you this, but he'll probably be ranting about it when he returns so you best know ahead of time."
She nodded, giving the man her full attention.
"That man today, Blackbeard he calls himself. That's his father. His mum died when he was just a boy, leaving just him and his older brother, Liam his name was. Good man, he joined the Royal Navy, leaving young Killian with his pa, who promptly abandoned him. Don't know much about that time, but when Liam found him he was in a bad state. Took him to be the cabin boy on the ship, stayed with him until his brother was killed in the line of duty and we became privateers."
She scoffed. "You're not privateers," she countered.
"Not anymore. See, there was a woman."
"Milah?"
"Aye. Milah. Married to a small-time crook, but that woman had adventure in her blood. Took up with Killian, became one of us in no time. Few years later, we ran into her husband again, only this time he'd turned pirate hunter. Falsely claimed we were attacking the kingdom's own ships, arrested Killian. Milah and a few of the boys broke him out, but her husband had been waiting. Killian lost a hand, and Milah was captured instead. She plead her belly- to this day we don't know if it was true- but was found dead in her cell the next morning, with her heart carved out. We all knew it was the husband. He disappeared, but not before ruining our arrangement with our royal employers. Tracked him down eventually, and the captain skinned him like a bloody crocodile..."
"Oh my gods."
Starkey nodded, continuing. "Blackbeard showed up right after we'd lost her, saying it served him right for getting involved with a woman. Still likes to bring it up. He should just kill the old bastard, if you ask me. Anyways, after he got his revenge, he thought he'd be able to move on, but the captain always says it was an end, not a beginning. Was a time he talked about the things he'd do after we'd avenged her... but it's been five years. Five years of whores and rum and endless searching for riches.
Try not to hate him too much. It's every sailor's dream to earn enough to have a piece of land to call home. I hate to say it, but your dowry just made that a reality for us, myself included. I am sorry this happened to you though, lass. You're a sweet girl."
He stood, perhaps realizing he'd said too much. "Don't think what I've told you will change anything. He's not the man he used to be." With a surprisingly elegant bow, he left the room. Hours passed, and still the captain hadn't returned. Not wanting to incite his wrath if he'd been drinking, she stripped off the shirt and climbed into bed to wait for him.
