There's an exchange of money for "services" in this chapter, but I doubt it will offend anyone who's made it this far in the story. Cursing, consensual sex and drinking as always. A big thank you to everyone who continues to read this story; I am still overwhelmed by the response it's gotten.
XX.
Emma stood at the bow of the ship, looking over the water as the sun sank below the horizon. She still found it hard to believe that she'd agreed to stay on the Jolly Roger indefinitely, but when she looked out at the vast world in front of her, she couldn't help but want to see as much of it as possible, and this was her opportunity to do so. Hook had promised to take her wherever she wanted after they dropped off Starkey, and her mind was positively racing as she thought of all the places she could go.
Thinking of Hook, her musings returned to their argument earlier that day. Taking her on the ship's deck was something he'd mentioned once before, but she was still surprised that he'd actually gone through with it; he had a tendency to send overly jealous glares towards her admirers when they were out at bars and men merely glanced at her. She was a little ashamed to admit to herself that she'd somewhat enjoyed it as well, because she probably shouldn't have found such a public display arousing, but it was. There was a freedom that came with admitting to the world that she was no longer a girl, but a woman with desires; that she was being used by the captain, but also using him for her pleasure as well. It was oddly thrilling.
"Pardon me, your highness, but are you alright?" She turned to see Walsh, smiling softly as he hesitantly approached her. "You know, after everything earlier..." He trailed off, apparently not wanting to mention the morning's more sordid event.
"I'm fine, thank you, Walsh."
"He didn't hurt you? I mean, it certainly looked... Well, he was rather rough with you , and you didn't seem to be in pain, but not every woman likes to be taken so forcefully."
The crewman stepped closer, placing his hand over hers in what was obviously an attempt to comfort. She couldn't remember seeing him on deck, so he must have been behind her somewhere; realizing that he'd obviously seen her bent over the railing caused a slight blush to rise in her cheeks at having to explain her situation. "No, no harm done. It wasn't the first time he's been rough with me, and he's always careful not to hurt me. Not really, anyways." She smiled sheepishly. "He knows what he's doing."
"I shouldn't say anything," he whispered, "but you don't have to put up with him."
She leaned in, appreciating the gesture but not wanting him to get in trouble for his unnecessary concern. "Walsh, really. It's fine. You needn't worry."
His eyes darted around them, ensuring their privacy before he continued. "Alright, milady, but I could help you escape, if you wanted to. Help you get home. You don't have to let him...use you in such a way."
She smiled softly. How could she explain that she didn't really want to go home yet? Did she dare admit to enjoying their carnal activities? "I've given my word, and he's been far more gentlemanly than I'd expected, but I'll keep it in mind, in case the situation changes." He bowed awkwardly, taking her hand and placing a lingering kiss to her knuckles before going below deck, leaving her to her thoughts.
Several days later, as they neared their island destination, they spotted a large frigate. The trade ship tried to flee, then fired a few times towards the pirates, but was outgunned and far slower, surrendering when it was clearly unable to outrun the faster Jolly Roger. A trove of exotic delicacies and other luxury items was found on board, belongings that were undoubtedly owned by someone far wealthier than the humble and mostly apathetic crew. A single sailor made a foolish attempt at heroism when he blocked one of the cabins, only to be easily subdued by Mullins with a punch to the jaw. The seaman's reason for bravery was quickly discovered when a copper-haired lass (clearly the boy's sister, from the similarity of their hair) was found cowering in the room.
"Let me handle this,"Emma said quietly, Hook's responding nod giving her all the permission she needed as she strode purposefully across the deck. She pushed past the men, grabbing the redhead and dragging her back into the cabin, much to the crew's dismay.
"Sorry, boys. She's mine first," she said with a wink.
"Oh, come on, Princess! Let us have a turn with her!" Mullins yelled, playfully.
"Or, if you're keeping her all to yourself, at least let us watch!" Billy added. Hook scowled at them, but the obviously playful tone made him more amused than angry. They we merely joking with her.
"Oh, you're just hilarious. Wait here, and I'll see whether she's interested in you sorry lot, ok?" She shut the door, sitting on a narrow bed and patting it to encourage the girl to sit beside her. "Ok, I know how terrifying this can be, so I'm going to be honest with you. That group of pirates wants to fuck you, but the captain's ensured that they won't touch you without my say-so. That means it's your call."
The young woman regarded Emma thoughtfully. "You're serious?" She nodded, and the redhead continued. "Why do you even care?"
"Because someone once told me that we all have a price, and I want to be sure yours is met. They'll pay you for whatever you give, or they'll leave unsatisfied."
The young woman paused, a sheepish smile on her face. "How much?"
She opened the door, yelling "Billy! How much?"
"One gold per man" he yelled back. Emma pondered a minute, before yelling back "Two." A mere moment passed before he responded "Deal!" as she slammed the door.
The redhead's eyes widened as Emma continued. "I know. It's enough to give you and your brother out there a nice start. You're not a virgin, are you?"
The girl shook her head, blushing a bit. "I'm fucking the captain and I'm certainly not his wife," she said with a soft smile. "I'm not about to judge."
The redhead smiled back then, biting her lip as she contemplated. "Ok. But I don't think I can handle no more than, maybe, ten of 'em. And one at a time. And ... Don't tell my brother. He'd have a fit."
Emma opened her hands in a placating gesture and shrugged. "Hey, whatever you want. But it's your body, not his. If he's sleeping with wenches in port, I can't see why you can't make a few coins doing the same thing," before she opened the door. "Alright. Two per man, and when she's done, she's done."
Billy nodded, pulling out his money as he raced past her to the cabin. Emma couldn't help but chuckle at his eagerness, deciding she had no objections if all parties involved were agreeable. She looked to see the still-unconscious form of the brother amongst the ship's crew, breathing slowly as he slept through his sister's activities, and rolled her eyes.
"Nice work there, love." She heard Hook murmur against her skin as he wrapped his arms around her.
She shrugged. "This way, everyone's reasonably happy."
"Indeed. Although, you do realize two per man is rather generous."
She smirked. "Supply and demand captain. Basic economics."
He hummed in her ear. "And what if I have a few demands of my own?"
"I'm sure we can work something out." She rubbed her ass against him, humming in satisfaction when he groaned.
They left the crew to the business of gathering up the valuable goods and returned to the cabin. Hook had expected Emma to be resistant to his charms after the incident on the deck, but he'd actually found the opposite; she'd been more apt to initiate their intimate relations, more likely to demand they change positions or to tell him what brought her pleasure. It was as if she felt freer now that she'd shown him that she couldn't truly be dominated, and while a part of him wanted to do exactly that and prove to her that he was the only captain on his ship, another part was incredibly aroused by her newfound boldness.
Bold was certainly the word for her now, as she whipped off his belt and pushed him back on the bed. "So, how much do you think I could charge you, captain? 5 gold? More?" She unlaced her black silk corset and tossed it aside, followed by her golden dress and chemise until she was bare and crouching on top of him. "Would you want my mouth or my cunny?"
"Maybe I'd want both." He chuckled, fingers sliding down her waist to cup her buttocks as his hook grazed her thigh. "Maybe I'd want all of you, though you're probably right- I probably couldn't afford you." He urged her forward until her thighs were on either side of his head. "Though perhaps you'd be willing to let me work off my debt." His tongue slid across her, dragging through her slickness as he pressed her center to his face. She moaned in pleasure, hands flying out to grip the bookshelf above the bed as she began to grind her hips gently against him, and he smiled to himself as he tasted her, proud of his ability to turn her from a proper princess into this erotic goddess above him. The gasps and cries of euphoria that filled his ears spurred him on, and he reveled in her taste, in the gentle motion of her hips as she sought more from him. "Gods, don't stop," she begged as he flicked his tongue over her clit. "Just like that, Killian."
Thankfully, her responsive body took but a few more minutes of stimulation to peak, her orgasm hitting her in a rush as she fucked herself onto his face. He flicked his tongue over her clit, making her jump several times from overstimulation until she finally moved back down his body and shoved his pants down, straddling his hips as soon as his proud cock sprang free. He could barely think when she sank down on him, her wet heat enveloping him in its tight, velvety soft embrace in one fluid rush of sensation. "Ooooh fuck, Killian," she moaned, hips starting to pivot as she took every inch, riding him hard in her desire for another chance to cross that threshold. He bucked up, grasping her hips with his hand and the curve of his hook as he mercilessly drove into her, fueled by her cries of utter ecstasy. Wanting to toy with her a bit, he spanked her ass, a gasp and a look of utter of indignation crossing her face before he smirked and resumed his thrusts, her eyes rolling back as any offense was forgotten. Nearing his own release, he reached down to thumb at her clit, pushing her over the edge and allowing her spasming walls to pull him along with her as he emptied himself deep inside her. She collapsed onto his chest, heart hammering against her ribcage hard enough for him to feel it as he shifted her to his side. Once she had calmed a bit, his wandering hands found themselves back between her legs as he began idly tracing circles with his fingers through her wetness, teasing at her entrance and dancing over her clit until she came a third time, passing out almost instantly afterwards with her chin tucked into his chest.
He didn't understand why he enjoyed giving her pleasure almost as much as he enjoyed taking his own; perhaps it was the knowledge that he'd made a bloody princess come undone, or the idea of a mere swipe of his tongue being enough to have her in his thrall. Whatever the reason, he had to reluctantly admit to himself that he enjoyed making her come more than he'd ever done so in the past.
Then again, there were so many things he enjoyed with her that he hadn't felt a need for in nearly a decade, the sensation of holding her in his arms after utterly ravishing her beautiful body one of the most obvious. With whores and barmaids, he'd either simply left afterwards or collapsed on his side of the bed, essentially ignoring the woman he'd been with now that he was through with her. But with Emma... The urge to leave never came, something that would terrify him if he had any concern that their arrangement was more than a temporary and mutually beneficial solution. She got to see the world. He got a beautiful bedmate and, eventually, a generous ransom. If he wanted to enjoy her company as well as her body, there was no reason not to do so.
After another night and day of sailing, the man in the crow's best finally spotted land, and the crew began to buzz with excitement.
"There it is," Starkey sighed from his position next to Emma by the helm. "Neverland"
"Neverland?" Emma questioned.
"Lily named it. When I turned pirate, we thought our dreams of having a plot of land to call home were over, but after saving up, we finally could afford this villa. I remembered that all great homes- like all great ships- need memorable titles, and it's the paradise we never thought we'd have- hence the name."
"That's cute. And clever".
Starkey smirked. "That's my Lily in a nutshell."
The Jolly Roger pulled up to the dock beside a small sailboat, the type that could easily be managed by a single man, and was still being moored when a beautiful caramel-skinned woman raced down the wooden planks at a full sprint. Her long, black hair trailed behind her as she ran, cornflower blue skirts swirling around her shapely calves. Starkey leapt off the ship and was promptly tackled by the petite brunette, knocked to the wooden floor as their bodies collided. His arms automatically wrapped around her, pulling her against his body as she placed her hands on his face and kissed him hungrily.
"That's a hell of a welcome, Lily," the first mate murmured happily. "It's almost a shame I'm not planning to leave again anytime soon."
"Don't you dare!" She laughed. "I'm not letting you out of that house until you put a baby in me! And then not for another month afterwards just because I can."
Emma almost felt like she was intruding watching the reunion. She'd never seen the smile lines around Starkey's eyes crinkle so deeply, or his smile so wide. He turned to regard the captain and crew, pulling himself to his feet and lifting his wife into his arms. With a sweep of his hand, he indicated the rolling hill and the pretty villa that sat atop it. "Well, men, welcome to my home."
Hook stepped across the gangplank, catching Emma's hand and bringing her with him. "My love," Starkey began, "I'm sure you remember Captain Jones." Hook bent to kiss Lily's hand politely, greeting her with a formal "my lady." "And this is her royal highness, Princess Emma of Sylvania." Emma did her best court curtsey, smiling when Lily returned it with ease.
"I, too, had a life of luxury once, and gave it up for a charming pirate." Lily said with a shake of her head. "It will be so nice to have a woman visiting for a change!"
Emma and hook followed them towards the villa. The warm climate meant that the trees and bushes were constantly in bloom, a sweet aroma drifting through the air. The home was fairly open, a large center room surrounded by living spaces and balconies that allowed the gentle breeze to circulate. It was a far cry from the imposing stone of Emma's castle home, but charming and welcoming in a way she found too remarkable to ignore.
"Gods, Starkey, this is amazing."
He kissed his wife. "Lily designed it. She's a genius."
The couple insisted Hook and Emma stay in their home, so they were shown to a brightly lit guest room overlooking the glittering ocean. Emma immediately went to the small balcony, her hands resting on the sun-warmed stone railing as she sighed. "It's quite a view, isn't it?" She asked.
"Oh, I very much agree," Hook purred from behind her, brows raising suggestively when she glared at him.
"That was far too predictable. I think I'm actually a bit embarrassed for you. You're going to need new lines soon."
"Seem to be working just fine on you. I'm reluctant to alter anything when I've been having such remarkable success." She smacked him lightly on the shoulder as she crossed the room to leave, shrieking when he caught her elbow and pulled her back.
"Alright, pirate. Let's attempt to be civilized for now and I'll make it worth your while later."
They had an amazing dinner, full of the unique local flavors the region was famous for, and opened a cask of fine wine that had been "liberated" from their most recent conquest's stores. Starkey had never seemed so relaxed and content, but Emma could tell that Hook was feeling the loss of his first mate and friend dearly already. The hours passed easily, laughter swirling around them as Hook's mood darkened subtly. Emma couldn't help but feet the tension radiating from him. He kept stealing glances at where Starkey and Lily cuddled on a pile of cushions, oblivious to the rest of the world.
Their happiness was almost palpable, and try as he might, the captain couldn't help but feel a pang of regret, knowing he'd never have this life. He could tell everyone it want what he wanted, but he remembered whispered talks with Milah of raising a family. A part of him wondered if she truly meant any of it; he couldn't imagine her happy living the mundane life of a homemaker and mother. Still, it was a dream that had been lost, like his dream of sailing the world beside his brother, and seeing the obvious joy on his first mate's face only made the loss more bitter.
"Come on, lass," he grabbed Emma's hand, hauling her to her feet. "Let's bid our hosts a good night and see about you making good on your promise to take care of me, shall we?" The princess looked surprised, but followed his lead, thanking Starkey and Lily for a wonderful evening before returning to their guest room.
"Are you alright?" she asked, placing a hand on his arm.
"Of course," he dismissed her concern as he pulled at the strings of her corset. He took her hard and fast, smothering her screams of pleasure with a pillow.
She woke a few hours later to find him standing nude on the balcony, sipping at his flask while he looked over the moonlit sea. Gods, he was a beautiful sight to behold, and her first instinct was to enjoy the view, then go back to sleep and leave him in peace, but there was a haunted look in his eyes that drew her out of bed and towards him in spite of her misgivings. Dropping to her knees, she took him into her mouth, letting him watch her bring him to full arousal before asking, "Do you want to go back to bed?"
"No." His eyes turned from her to the sea, his hand on her head steadily pushing her mouth back onto his cock, less-than-subtly encouraging her to continue right there. The stone was hard and cold under her knees as she sucked him, but the breeze was warm and fragrant when it caressed her skin. She looked up to find his eyes closed, his focus now completely on his pleasure. "That's a girl," he murmured, hips thrusting in time with her mouth. It didn't take long for him to reward her efforts with a mouthful of his salty-sweet seed, his orgasm washing over him as he groaned out curses and praise. She licked him clean as his cock softened in her mouth, then looked back at him, his deep sighs of satisfaction at odds with the troubled expression that remained on his brow. He stared into her eyes, his thumb gently caressing her cheek before turning from her again. "Go back to bed, princess. I'll join you shortly."
It was a dismissal if ever she'd heard one, and she was surprised at how much it hurt to be cast aside. When all she'd wanted was to comfort him. The haunted look was still there, almost more so than before, and she wanted to ask what he was thinking about but could tell that he was in no mood to talk. Schooling her features, she stood and returned to the now-cool sheets, turning from the balcony as she tried to return to sleep with the lingering taste of him on her lips.
He watched her settle into the ivory bedding, her glorious hair spread out behind her as she faced the opposite wall. He had to wonder what his life would have been like if he'd met her before Milah and almost felt guilty comparing the two, knowing that for all he loved her, Milah's debaucherous ways had only fueled his descent into villainy while Emma's naive innocence and fiery passion may have pulled him to a better path. He chuckled darkly at the thought, realizing that he was imagining the princess actually loving him, a scenario too ridiculous to believe. She wasn't really with him by choice.
Gods, Red had most likely been right when she'd spoken of imminent heartbreak, because for all his talk of taking what he wanted, there was one thing that had always eluded him: a happy home life. He'd never had it as a boy, and his time with Liam and Milah had been too brief and too fraught with turmoil. The beauty in his bed made him want things he'd never have. Seeing Starkey so happy, finally getting what he'd once so longed for, only made his lonely existence seem emptier and the space she might occupy in it seem more precious. Keeping her had certainly been a mistake, and it was one he was sure he'd come to regret. He crawled back into bed, making sure to stay on his own side despite his every instinct to wrap his arms around her.
When he woke, their bodies had somehow gravitated towards each other like two magnets, her arm wrapped around his waist, and he swallowed his frustration and pulled her closer as he went back to sleep.
They stayed on the island for another day, gathering fresh fruit and water stores for their next trip. Lily hummed to herself and bustled about the home (when she wasn't locking her husband in their bedroom,) enlisting Emma's help with the occasional task. Emma found it a relief to have another woman to talk to, even if the conversation eventually turned to the men in their lives, and she couldn't help but laugh as her hostess recounted the challenges of being with a pirate. Lily had been Starkey's wife since before his fall from grace, and had been waiting years for him to return to her permanently.
Supplies restored, the Jolly Roger and her crew was ready to go sooner than expected. They all boarded the ship, Hook and Starkey embracing in a surprisingly affectionate hug before clapping each other on the back and parting ways with promises to see each other soon. As they cast off, Emma waved enthusiastically to the couple on the docks, realizing sadly she'd probably never see the kindly first mate or his beautiful wife again. Had someone told her a few weeks ago that she'd actually miss one of the pirates that captured her, she'd have laughed, but watching the villa get smaller as they sailed away, she couldn't deny that the former navy man had grown on her, and she sincerely hoped that he and his wife would have their family, images of well-mannered little pirate children running around the island dancing in her head. She couldn't help but think such a life was strangely appealing, with no courtly gossip and no politics, just a home, a husband, loyal friends and a family of her own.
Hook sidled up to her, good hand gripping her hip as he stared out at the sea before them. "As promised, our destination is yours to decide. So, love, where to?"
