Thanks for being patient while I got this chapter done. I was sick on and off for over a week, but I'm better now and back to writing! I'm so sorry for the delay. I hope everyone who sees this knows just how much I appreciate that people take the time to read this fic, let alone leave reviews, faves and follows. I only hope I can write the story you deserve for being so amazing.

This chapter has the same old consensual sex, profanity, etc but also more explicit violence, and a trigger warning for rape.

XXI.

They sailed towards the Amari Islands, the first on a list of many places Emma had always wanted to see. She felt free, like her royal responsibilities had been left behind and, for once, she could be anyone and do anything. She'd frequently caught Hook staring at her with a thoughtful expression ever since they'd left Starkey, but he seemed disinclined to share his thoughts, and she didn't want to push him, afraid of what she may learn.

The islands were a warm, bright paradise perfumed with the sweet scent of lemons that grew on trees across the region. Hook had called it one of the most beautiful places he'd seen, and she had to admit that it's earthy sun-drenched beauty was so different from the beauty of the forests back home. The white stuccoed buildings were arrayed up the mountainside in a sort of shining labyrinth, but the town proper spread out before them welcomingly and the people's content smiles and cheerful greetings brought out the best in the Jolly Roger's crew.

Hook escorted her around town, and after dining on a terrace and getting deliciously drunk on the sweet lemon liquor native to the area, they stole a blanket off a washline and ran down to the beach, urged on by her insistence that they sleep under the stars. She stripped off her clothes as she raced towards the surf, splashing into the remarkably warm water with glee and reveling in the idyllic setting.

Watching her frolic under the full moon, he was tempted to join her but wanted to commit the image before him to memory first. She seemed so carefree in her inebriated state, and hauntingly beautiful in the pale light, a goddess made of seafoam and starlight.

He was falling in love with her. While he could never admit it out loud, the truth was plain as day and quite frankly it terrified him. He should push her away, but how? If what they'd already done hadn't scared her off, what would he have to do to distance himself from her? Their time together was stolen, and whether she stayed another month, a year, or longer, she'd eventually have to return to her kingdom, even if for now she was his and his alone.

Peeling off his leather, he swaggered towards the ocean, pulling the blonde siren into his arms forcefully and pressing himself against her. She molded pliantly against him, scratching her nails over his scalp as he buried his face in her neck, breathing in the brisk salty smell of the sea. Walking her towards the beach, he took her from behind as the waves lapped at their legs, the slow, lazy motion of the water mirrored by his languid thrusts. He was savoring each moment, the feeling of being deep inside her only enhanced by the pristine surroundings.

Spent and sated, he carried her to the blanket and wrapped her in his arms, waking to have her again as rosy dawn broke over the horizon. When Emma found herself bleeding later that morning, she was filled with both relief and the smallest bit of sorrow. Hook had made it clear that he had no intentions of getting her pregnant and she knew that having a child with the dreaded pirate captain would be reckless, but a confusing part of her still longed for things she could never have.


The clouds rolled in as they left the island, and while Hook was perfectly at ease at the helm, Emma decided to go below deck to wait out the storm. The rain was light, more of a gentle mist than a true downpour, but even so was more than she could comfortably endure. Perusing the small library of books, she barely noticed when the door opened behind her until she heard boots on the floor.

"Walsh?" He stepped into the cabin, shutting the door behind him. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been thinking, princess, and I think I may have a plan."

"A plan?" She squinted at him, confused. "For what exactly?"

"A way for you to escape. We could leave, run away and back to your kingdom," he suggested. "I know the area around our next port well. With me by your side, nobody could hurt you. You could be home by midsummer."

She shook her head. She didn't want to admit that she had no interest in leaving just yet."It would never work. Hook would come after me."

"If we travelled mostly by land and had a decent head start, he'd never catch up." He moved closer, fingers brushing up her arm. "We could take on other identities, claim to be man and wife." His hand caressed her shoulder, his eyes going to her breasts. "Convince the merchants and innkeepers that we're two young lovers on our honeymoon. I'd get a reward for returning you, and you'd get to go home." His hand boldly moved to her breast, briefly fondling it through her dress before she slapped it away.

"Don't." She leveled him with a glare as his usually-kind face began to morph into a sneer, his hand grabbing her wrists.

"Gods, are you really so stupid? You actually think he cares about you?" He barked out a harsh laugh. "You're nothing but a good fuck to him. The men say that you should have seen how his face lit up with desire when he found you lying unconscious in your bed. Do you know how it happened? I wasn't even there and I still know a couple of the men were arguing over who got first go with you until Hook came in and claimed you. He would have fucked your little cunt raw and turned you over to the rest of us if you hadn't been a princess."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She sputtered. Could this really be the same man?

He raised a mocking brow, backing her towards the table as his eyes descended on her breasts again. "Oh, what? You only like it when the captain does it, is that it? Believe me, if you want it rough, I can give it to you. After all, thanks to your meddling, I've been getting laid a lot less often, and I'd be more than happy to take out my frustration on you." His smile turned dangerous in the glint of an eye. "It's a shame. I was starting to like you."

"Walsh," she warned. "Get out, now."

With a snarl, he grabbed her hair and tried to force her backwards, pushing her over the table as he lifted her skirts, hand circling her neck as he unlaced his trousers. "Nice and rough, just how he fucked you on deck, like a common whore for all to see, right? Are you wet and ready for me too, princess?" She shoved him backwards, putting some space between them. "Probably not, huh?Too bad, it would have hurt you less." She screamed angrily, kicking him in the shin, then slamming her heel into his knee, causing him to yell in pain. She reached for the ostentatious candlestick in the center of the table, grabbing it triumphantly to slam across his temple, causing him to fall away and topple onto the floor. Finally able to reach for a proper weapon, Emma grabbed a dagger from Hook's shelf. She heard a commotion from the hall, and instantly pressed the dagger to the throat of the person crashing through the door, hesitating when Hook looked down at her with an utterly shocked expression.

"Are you alright?" His eyes franticly scanned her, searching for injury as she dropped her hand, but continued to aim the dagger in the direction of Walsh's unconscious form on the floor. Hook's arms wrapped around her tightly, pulling her even closer. "Yes, I knocked him out before he could..." She trailed off, shaking her head slightly.

"I'll deal with him," was Hook's reply, malice dripping from every word. She nodded in response, unable to spare an ounce of pity for the man, and Hook instructed a few crewmen to take Walsh above and leave them alone for a moment. After locking the door as they left, he gathered her in his arms, stroking her hair as she clung to him. "Are you truly alright?"

"Yes. I am. What are you going to do to him?"

A shadow seemed to flicker across his face as he stiffened and turned to leave. "Make an example of him, that's what. You stay here."

"Absolutely not," she stated. "He attacked me. I need to be there."

He sighed. "Emma, you don't want to see this. I assure you." There was no way she was prepared for the brutality he was about to unleash, and he feared that she would perceive him differently.

She stood prouder, straightening her skirts. "Yes, I do."


Leaving her by the helm, he walked Walsh to the plank, pushing him ahead. "So you thought you could have my princess, did you? Perhaps I should thank you, Walsh. Not only did you prove to the crew that Emma can handle herself rather well, but you're giving me the opportunity to demonstrate just how serious I am about protecting what is mine." He heard a small, lilting humming sound. "Ah, there they are, the shrieking eels. I hope you're hungry my lovelies." He sliced the man's arm with his hook, shaking the blood droplets into the water, which began to churn.

"Any last words, you pathetic maggot?"

"You can't keep her forever," he sneered, "and you'll end up losing her to a crew, or getting her killed, and at this point I hope it's both."

Anger coursed through Hook as he ripped the mutinous man's belly open with his hook and kicked him, screaming, into the water, where the eels made quick work of things. Still, the lingering sense of dread at the crewman's words stayed with him long after Walsh's screams died out and they'd left the bloody water in their wake. He turned to find Emma retreating back below deck, and barked orders for the crew to continue as usual before following her.

"Lass?" He approached her carefully, not wanting to frighten her. He could only imagine what she was thinking.

"I'm fine." She nestled into his outstretched arms. "Just needed a moment. I still can't believe it."

"Gods, Emma, I'm so sorry. I had no idea...he seemed so harmless. I never suspected he would try to...," he choked a bit on the words, unable to get them out. "Thank the gods you know how to handle yourself."

"It's my father you should thank," she said absently. "He taught me."

"And taught you well, certainly, but he's not the one who incapacitated your assailant." The word incapacitated sparked a memory, and she froze in his arms, remembering how Walsh had taunted her. She pushed Hook away, looking at him suspiciously.

"Wait. He told me... Before you knew who I was," she swallowed. "What were you and the crew going to do with me?" She wasn't sure what to ask, or if she really wanted the answer.

Hooks eyes narrowed. "What did he say?"

"He said that you found me unconscious and were about to fuck me first, only stopping once you realized who I am. Is that true?"

He sighed sadly. "There is some truth to what he said. You had hit your head during the boarding, and, yes, the men were interested. I knew immediately that something was different about you and you're bloody gorgeous, so of course I wanted to fuck you. You can't be surprised to hear that."

"Gods, I can't believe you! And to think you claim to a gentleman." She huffed, angry that she'd let herself come to care about this man.

"I am, Emma," he continued, frustration coloring his tone. "But I'm also a pirate, and you were just another woman when I first saw you. A gorgeous one, yes, but nothing more."

"And that means you can just have your way with me?"

"Normally, yes! Don't act naive, princess. I've never hidden my desire for you. The moment I clapped eyes on you, I knew I had to have you."

"You wouldn't have forced me". She couldn't explain why she was so sure. Perhaps it was because he'd had every opportunity to take her against her will, and still refused to do so or because she was somehow certain that she would have given herself willingly to him even under different circumstances.

"Wouldn't I?" He scoffed, voice pained and angry, as if it hurt him to consider what he might have done. "If you hadn't relented, if you'd tried to make me wait longer or outright denied me, do you really think I would have been patient? You've seen what I'm capable of. I've had many a woman without giving them a second thought. At the time, I had no reason to think I'd view you any differently, love."

"And now?" Her voice was quiet, as if merely asking might change his feelings.

He smiled softly in response, as if he was thinking of a private joke "Actually, I quite fancy you from time to time, when you're not yelling at me."

That wasn't the response she'd been expecting and, in spite of all that had happened, she couldn't help but smile back.


They stopped next in Avalon, a dreamy, foggy island she'd heard about as a child from her mother's favorite man at arms. The lush green hillsides were much as Lancelot had described them, with a wildness that seemed to be a part of the land itself, and she understood why he's spoken so fondly of his former home.

Emma was a little disappointed to discover that they'd missed the springtime celebration of Beltane by a few weeks, but still spent two days wandering the stony shores and buying various herbal remedies before continuing onto their next destination.

"Captain!" The man in the crow's nest cried out. "You'll never believe it! It's one of John's ships, dead ahead!"

He snapped his head up, eyes meeting Ed's for confirmation before ordering Emma to go below deck

"Why?"

"Because you don't want to be a part of this," he warned, voice low and dangerous. "If this ship doesn't surrender once we've raised the crimson flag, we have no choice but to kill all aboard."

"You can't just let them go?"

He looked at her, a slightly maniacal fire in his eyes that she hadn't seen before. "That's not a merchant ship, or a few nobles out for a pleasure cruise. That ship belongs to a navy, and there is no way in hell I'm letting it go."

She considered arguing, but there was something in the way he glared at the other ship that made her think better of it. She'd seen hatred like that on his face only once before, when he'd been fighting his father. "Alright, but stay safe, captain."

He grunted acknowledgement as she left his side, not wanting her to know his concerns. If he were a smart man, he'd sail on and leave the ship behind him, but the flag was that of his homeland, of the kingdom that had killed his brother, and he'd long ago vowed to destroy the navy ship by ship. It put her at risk. Hell, it put them all at risk, but he would hate himself if he went back on his word, even if that earnest man of honor he'd once been no longer existed.

The canons fired, shaking the various items on the nearby desk as Emma crouched in the cabin and braced herself for the impact of the enemy's cannonballs that never came, though she heard them whizzing past. The sounds of the crew boarding the enemy ship echoed through the ceiling as swords clashed, but as the violence died down she could just barely make out the sound of Hook yelling something, presumably at the other men. Creeping to the window, she pressed her ear against the glass to listen.

"...is a corrupt monarch who cares nothing for any of you, and would gladly sacrifice his people if it gained him an advantage. I once thought as you did, and proudly served only to be betrayed. I will leave the rest of you with your lives and with a message for your pig of a king: tell him that I will find him, and I will have my revenge, and until that day any ship that sails under his banner will be sunk to the depths!"

A cheer went up, presumably from hook's crew, and she heard men being ushered onboard as the pirates sacked and burned the ship. He returned to the cabin drenched in red, and her first instinct was to be terrified for him until she realized the blood wasn't his own. Instead of bathing, he quickly stripped off his saturated clothes and grabbed her, smearing red on her dress as he pulled her in for a kiss. The warm, sharp smell of blood hung in the air as he expertly shredded her garments with his hook and maneuvered them towards the wall. She was about to remind him that it was still her womanly time when he lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist, simultaneously attacking her throat with forceful nips and kisses.

Everything about him seemed darker again, more the pirate captain she'd awakened to that first day and less the surprisingly affectionate man she'd come to know, but as her body stretched around his hard cock all such thoughts were replaced by overwhelming pleasure. He was relentless, driving up into her over and over again, kissing her hard and deep. "Fuck," he grunted, his hand moving to where they were joined. She scratched her nails down his back, earning a shudder from him that had him growing impossibly harder, then fisted her hands in his thick hair, eyes locked with his. There was anger, yes, but also a desperation she hadn't expected.

"What do you need?" She moaned, feeling herself get closer.

"To feel alive," he whispered, pulling her closer and speeding up his thrusts.

She was so close, and his quiet plea was, somehow, enough to make her break. She kissed him as she fell apart, biting hard enough on his lip to draw blood and hoping the jolt of pain coupled with the intense pleasure would push him over the edge.

It did, the combined sensations overwhelming in the best of ways as he came and filled her with his release. He collapsed against her, pressing her into the worn panels of whitewashed wood with a groan. How she had known exactly what he needed in that moment was beyond him, but it was the first time ever that he'd felt strangely calm after sinking a ship in the king's navy, and it was clearly due to her.

She smiled sheepishly at him, his blood on her lip and hers coating where they were joined, but he was gazing at her like she was radiantly beautiful. Still slightly dazed, he slipped out of her and lowered her gently to the ground before sinking into a chair. After filling the wash basin and gathering towels, she set about cleaning herself and then gently washing him as well when his voice broke the silence.

"That ship was from a land I'm not particularly fond of."

"I gathered." He didn't seem to want to elaborate and she tried to recall the flag, but aside from it being red and yellow she couldn't remember much, and there were so many kingdoms that could be. Her heart ached at the realization that he was thinking of Liam. He'd avenged the woman he loved, but his brother's murder still haunted him. Kissing his head, she gently led him to the bed, running her fingers through his hair until he fell asleep beside her.

When she'd first been brought aboard his ship, he'd been little more than a monster, but seeing his face untroubled in sleep she wondered how he'd managed to steal not only her dowry and virginity, but her heart as well.


They docked two days later, and while some of the naval men chose to go ashore and never look back, a few of the sailors decided to join up with the pirates once they'd heard the tale of their fallen captain and the king's treachery. The town itself was lively, filled with people from nearly every kingdom. They all settled into the common room of a cozy inn to celebrate their new mates, enjoying their food and drink when Hook's revelry was interrupted by a familiar face.

"Roberts!" He called, raising his glass.

"Hook!"A heavily accented voice called across the room, the speaker beckoning him closer. "You're looking quite well."

"As are you, my friend."

"I do what I can." He arched a dark eyebrow. "So, who is the lady?"

Hook looked back at Emma, who was currently learning how to throw darts with Smee and apparently terrible at it, based on the laughter. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Nonsense! I've been at this piracy business long enough to know who you have there. What is it with pirates and princesses?"

"What can I say? She was impossible to resist. Maybe you should find one of your own."

He barked out a laugh. "I've seen all too clearly how that ends, and I've no intention of retiring just yet. Tell me, though, how did she take the news of her brother? She seems oddly untroubled."

"News? What news?" Hook felt that sense of dread again.

"Fezzik was here last night drinking some sailors from up north under the table and heard talk of trouble in Sylvania. Apparently, with the princess, well, missing and the crown prince ill, there's been a lot of outside interest. Rumor has it that they've been trying to contact her but haven't had success."

"How ill is the boy?"

"There's talk of him dying. I am deeply sorry my friend. It is terrible news. We both know, the loss of family cannot easily be forgotten."

Hook sat frozen, unable to believe the information he'd just been given. Roberts had no reason to lie, and there was only one course of action; he had to say something.

He didn't have to, actually, his more selfish side reminded him. He could simply keep the information to himself for the time being. She seemed happy with him, and with her by his side he was more content than he'd felt in years.

It was so tempting, but he'd give almost anything for just one more day with Liam. Milah's death had solidified his fall from grace, but Liam's death had been the true cause if it. He couldn't deny her the chance to see her brother one last time.

He could hardly believe that his sense of honor was returning just in time to turn him against himself, but the more he thought of his own brother, the clearer his choice was. The fates had a strange sense of humor. For all he'd tried to deny it, he'd opened his heart and fallen in love with his princess, only to inevitably lose her far too soon.

Perhaps it was simply his lot in life to be alone.