Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT.
Summary: Emma had never met someone as infuriating as the captain of the Jolly Roger in her 28 years of being a talented thief. When he requires her help to find a dagger to "skin" the Dark One as he likes to say, what she's really agreeing to is late night fights, breaking her walls, falling in love, oh, and winning the war with her parents she knew nothing about. Emma Swan doesn't know what she should be mad about. How about that coin purse he tried to steal that started this whole thing….
Warnings: This is AU. There is no Curse. Hook returns to the Enchanted Forest from Neverland when Emma is 28. Emma is still an orphan. Reasons being that I prefer her to have that lost boy/lost girl connection with Hook. Henry does exist and will be explained for as the story progresses.
A/N: Happy Thursday! :D
I really have no answer for my delay other than I momentarily lost my passion for this story (I.e. I received a huge writer's block. It's a change of location that I'll be residing in for a few chapters as well as more drama). I didn't want to give you a half-baked chapter just to meet my deadlines. So I skipped a few until I got it right ^_^ I'm back on track and I'm going to finish this with you guys!
Enjoy!
King David swung his arm out, effectively halting the movement of his loyal knights. Hook silently thanked him—he was a brilliant swordsman but he wasn't invincible.
He took a step to his left and the king followed, their blades locked in a steady kiss. "Oh dear me," he drawled, "what gave me away? A rather chatty mermaid?"
"Doesn't take long for rumors of a one-handed pirate named Captain Hook to reach my palace." The king jerked his head at Hook's left side. "Although I do see you are missing the tell-tale appendage."
Hook shrugged as they continued to circle one another, both of them keeping a close eye for sudden movements. "I've decided to make a good, nice impression." His hook was tucked away safely inside a pouch underneath his coat and it weighed rather heavily at the thought of pursuing a fight without it.
"I appreciate your consideration," another wretched, charming smile, "however, that doesn't explain why you are here."
Hook laughed. If the righteous royals had truly heard from the mermaid, they knew exactly why: their high-strung daughter they've hidden even from themselves. He searched the man's face, trying to find any resemblance to Swan's. Facial feature wise, it was hard for him to find some similarity, but he knew, based on stories of Snow White's Beauty, Swan's lighter hair color was her fathers, but her gorgeous eyes must belong to her mother. Her temper and gumption… he would love to see where that came from.
"Come now, Dave," He slid his cutlass down the edge of David's broad sword and back up, emitting a lovely shriek from their blades, "You know exactly why I am here."
David's hand tightened on the hilt and his blue eyes wavered. His lips formed a very thin line and its color rose to his cheeks. Good, Hook thought, very good. The king was well aware of exactly what Captain Hook was doing in Port Royal. Well most of it anyway. Swan and her son were his gambling money to getting what he truly wanted from them.
"Look, mate," Hook began, "I think our conversation would be better held elsewhere."
The king's eyes darkened and a smirk danced across his face. "I agree. With you behind cell doors."
Hook's own eyes narrowed at the threat. His dealings with the Charmings was a gamble, and he knew it was from the very beginning. The could very easily reject Emma's tie to them in order to keep her safe and everyone would believe it, but they were growing old and clearly breaking from the lack of familial contact with their only daughter.
It wasn't necessary to gamble the safety of Emma's name and background.
On the other hand, he really did not appreciate the idea of being locked up in the brig without tossing in his preferred payment of returning their daughter and grandson to them. Yes, he understood that this was something they did not want, what with the letter Snow White had written to both Robin and Emma, but at the sight of their daughter, and knowing the past she had to endure because of their decisions, they would likely relent. There was also the fact that they were planning on sending the Blue Fairy to train her. Wouldn't it be best to have her practice magic under the safety of their roof rather than out in the open for Regina to snatch up?
"See, there's a problem with that: I don't like being behind cell doors."
He thrust his sword and the king deflected it. With a simple twist of his arms, David parried Hook's attack, bringing the pirate in closer to the king. Not good. Hook spun and swung out his elbow, slamming it into David's back and causing him to stumble away from him.
When the king regained his composure, Hook smirked.
"Shall I go a bit easier on you mate? I've got a little bit more fresh blood than you."
David glared, "Aren't you well over three hundred years?"
Hook waved his sword at him comically, "That matters not, clearly. I mean, compare your grey hairs to mine."
During the little quick, little dance, Hook had noticed that the king's subjects had all pushed themselves back to allow them room to fight without endangering themselves. They looked just about ready to hurdle objects at the pirate. Hook's eyes darted about, looking for some escape to reach Emma and Henry. His search was showing up empty-handed.
The knights had thrown themselves between the villagers and their king, each with a weapon ready in case the new found enemy got smart. They were spaced evenly, cutting his chances of escaping to a small chance. If he took a jump into a gap, the two knights on the side would slide in and stop him. The only thing working in his favor were the archers who had stepped down from the rooftops, but he would still need to think this through carefully and quickly.
"Look, mate, I truly didn't want to fight you," he said, nearly cursing after he spotted the archers within the crowd in areas that would allow them clears shots of his backside if he ran. "I had come here for a trade."
There was a skeptic glint in David's eyes. "What sort of trade?"
Hook waved his useless hand around them, "One I don't think would suit to discuss within the public earshot." When the king did not seem to consider the dangers of speaking of an important matter Hook lunged. King David blocked three swift attacks before swinging out one of his own.
Hook blocked the attack, feeling his arm quiver under the strength of the broader man and his much larger sword. He longed for his hook, wanting to give the king a good cut for passing his stubbornness onto his daughter. This was going nowhere and he needed Charming to understand how dire the situation he brought to the table was. He pushed the rest of his energy into his arm and stepped forward, their blades forming and upright 'x'. He hissed low to David's ear who had a sheen of sweat on his brow, "Unless you want everyone to know that she is alive."
The king released a powerful yell and shoved Hook away from him. He swung down his sword and Hook had to quickly sidestep. When pain shot through his left arm he hissed, he wasn't fast enough. David's sword cut through his coat and sleeve, taking a bit of skin off his arm. Hook saw red at being caught on his most vulnerable side. Milah's death, and the removal of his left hand blurred through his mind and he heard the sickening cackle of the dark one.
"I want you to suffer…like I did."
His fingers began to slacken their grip on the hilt of his sword as they craved to grasp the blossoming pain of the fresh wound. He clenched his fist and grit his teeth, trying to reclaim his loss footing in his mind and avoid David's angered assaults. Hook was furious, but knew he had to remember his reasons for coming, otherwise, there would be a ghastly stab on someone's body, and it was not going to be his. David only had perhaps fifty years to his three hundred and thirty.
The pain that shot through his body was more than physical, and he was quickly losing his hold on his rational. All he could feel was anger at failing Milah, at being reminded of his failure. And there was that high-pitched, impish voice that was repeating words he still had cold nightmares about, grating the last of his reserves. To Hook, the imp was in front of him—taunting, smiling, and winning.
He was angered, almost beyond repair.
When he twisted his body, forcing his opponent to block his next blow, he saw that uncanny determination that belonged to his latest charge. Brows furrowed, teeth bared, eyes alit with passion and a will to not back down.
Emma…
It would really do no good if she found out that he damaged her father…
The Dark One's image started to fade off the king's body. Hook clenched his fist tight around his cutlass and threw a punch that caught the king's cheekbone.
Someone in the crowd screamed as their king fell on all fours, trying to find something stable to stare at. Hook understood the feeling, just as he understood his new situation.
A knight lunged forward with a battle cry. Hook's blood, already hot from being wounded, rushed rapidly through his veins. There was a roar in his ears and he felt his old blood lust from his early days as Captain Hook return. He parried with his cutlass, changing their position so Hook's back was towards his newest exit. As much as he'd love to stay and do some much needing teachings to these younglings, he had a swan he had to get back to, before any of these other spineless blokes got a hold of her and laid everything to waste.
His darker eyes glanced down at the king who was struggling to get up, even with the help of a villager and a knight. His cheek was already flaring with a nasty purple bruise and the captain gave him a smug smile. He'll be just fine.
"I'd really love to stay and chat but there are a few things I must attend to before we meet properly. Your castle? Around dusk?" He chuckled at the glowering look he received from King David.
He heard a rustle of armor coming from behind and turned to catch a blade. They exchange a few blows before he kicked the man back to block an oncoming swing from one of the fallen man's comrades. He smirked to himself. His exit was foolishly growing wider as the king's ever-so loyal knights wanted blood for the damage of their king. Hook found more respect for this King David—his men were defying his previous orders to avenge him. It took a gold heart to invoke that much loyalty in the hearts of greedy men.
When their blades locked, Hook utilized the heavier weight of his newest contender to cause him to stumble into Hook's raised knee. When he fell into a mess of limbs, the captain gave an extravagant bow to King David who shared a similar glare with Emma Swan.
"See you later, Dave," He turned and ran, hearing the clamor that tried to chase after him. There were a few sharp whistles and he ducked behind a corner before the arrows could meet their mark. He kept to his running pace, all the while trying to ignore the pain in his left arm.
He sheathed his sword and reached behind his back for his namesake. He breathed a little easier when the cool metal touched his twitching fingers.
"Thanks for the horses," Emma grabbed the reins of the dapple mare. Henry had chosen her, spouting off some nonsense that he made a connection with her and had already laden her with their belongings.
Henry wanted a horse of his own but Emma had refused to purchase one in fear that he might fall off.
"You're too small and you haven't ridden a horse before," she reasoned.
"I've ridden unicorns, mom, the horse should be a piece of cake!"
She wasn't sure if scolding him for past actions she wasn't aware of was a good idea, but that didn't stop her cheeks from becoming mottled. She had settled for him to lead the horse at the front of their saddle, remembering her first argument with Hook on the Jolly Roger.
Don't smother… Don't smother…Don't smother…
She pressed the reins of the mare to Henry and then grabbed those of the black stallion. She smoothed the wavy hair off the top of his large head and his ears flickered back and forth as he nickered and nudged her gently. At the trusting gesture, Emma hummed to herself and stared at the coal black eyes that reminded her of Hook's during a dark night at sea.
She groaned and rest her head on the horse's muzzle.
All she could think about was that bloody pirate, and it wasn't helping her situation that Henry was starting to ask questions.
"Did something happen between you two?" he had asked that question perhaps a dozen times within two days.
She wanted to scream her throat raw, cursing the pirate's name and damning him to hell. She let herself slip for his pretty words, because she wanted, for just a few moments, to believe that someone wanted to give her a chance at those fairytales of love.
Besides… we'd make a perfect pair…
She snorted and shook her head at her attempt to cheer herself up. The pirate and the thief. Two outlaws working, reluctantly, together to end the life of the Dark One. That would be a lovely story to tell children about.
I'm looking to better myself… Lives of pirates and thieves aren't right for raising a growing boy like Henry…
Emma glanced at her son whose mouth seemed to be in a permanent smile as he brushed the horse. Before they docked, Henry told her something she was almost too shocked to hear.
"Mom, I want to be a knight." She had never been happier to hear those words and have the opportunities to grant him that wish. She had believed that he would want the adventurous life of a thief, or worse a pirate, but he wanted to be the hero, the one who saved lives and brought happy endings. It did make her nervous, however, because knights hunted down the likes of her.
"Knights have adventurous lives too, mom." She didn't know… she was always running from them. "King David will train me, I'll be a pretty great knight."
Yes, everyone knew the story of Snow White and Prince Charming, and how courageous, loving, and stubborn Prince Charming could be. If there was anyone Emma would not mind Henry to be like, it was their king. She had little to worry about corruption under his lead, and it greatly helped that Henry already had the virtuous teachings of Robin Hood under his belt.
She could only hope that King David didn't think poorly on the swordplay Henry had been learning. It was different from that of knights, and it involved a bit of cheating. Perhaps she should've waited until they reached the palace to allow Henry to be taught swordplay…
The black stallion started to whine and then reared his head, pulling at the reins in her fingers.
"Woah!" she dug her heels in the ground as the horse pulled, stepping backwards and thrashing his head. "Hey, come one what's wrong with you!"
"Pet him mom!" Henry called.
"A little hard when I'm terrified that he'll catch me in the face, Henry!" Emma wrapped the reins tighter around her fist and yanked down hard. She quickly rushed forward when his head was low and held it close to her body. She cooed in his ear while she pet him, but he continued to jerk. His tail flickered wildly behind him and shining armor finally caught her eye.
Emma's breath was cut short when she spotted the knight that was watching them very carefully. She swallowed thickly and tried to seem like she had not noticed him by focusing her attention on the horse. When did he get here…
After sending the ship on its way to follow trade routes, Hook warned Emma of the suspicion they would excite. Two grown travelers leaving a ship that swam off as quickly as it came along, would only raise brows in a town full of knights who wanted to purge any kind of wrongdoers. They had to tread carefully and do everything honestly rather than stealing and running off, for there was only two of them and perhaps hundreds of knights between Port Royal and the Royal Palace.
The rest of Emma's attention was searching for any others. Knights never travelled alone. She released a rattling breath and bowed her head.
Low and behold, not far from the man were two others, hiding behind the corners.
She cursed inwardly.
"Hey, Henry," she whispered, "Get on the mare."
He cocked his head at her, "Why? What about Captain—"
"Henry, please do as I say!" she hissed, petting her stallion who was still jerking about.
Knights always made her nervous, especially today since she arrived in Port Royal with a pirate whose tales were gruesome and legendary. Her instincts were to have her bow ready and her escape routes clear. Unfortunately, that only worked in villages she had time to deconstruct on a map. Her eyes darted around and her heart slowly became lead, starting to sink to her belly. There were knights everywhere, watching their every move.
They hadn't done anything… Surely they wouldn't…
They may not have been Regina's Black Knights, but they were knights nonetheless who had spotted a thief. Emma wasn't dressed in her usual hunting clothes or her green thief gear. Today was riding leathers, with a few hidden knives that calmed her as little as they could. Her only hope was that they watched her complete a transaction without cheating.
Henry quickly hopped onto the mare and grabbed the reins, watching her with wary eyes. She would have to teach him how to be more aware of his surrounds—it was a useful skill that would help him not matter what path he took.
"Trot around," she whispered, "act like you're testing the horse."
Her son nodded and pat his heels into the mare.
"Smile!" she hissed at him and watched a nervous one creep onto his lips. Henry rode the horse in circles around her, slowly spiraling outward as she made a show of watching him.
The first knight she originally spotted was leaning his ear towards the one beside him, keeping his eye on the pair. She had finally calmed the stallion and kept his muzzle close to her chest. His flickering tail almost match her pounding heart.
Where was Hook?
"Miss."
Emma jumped and turned. She almost reached for her dagger when she immediately noticed the shining chainmail.
The knight gave her a toothy grin. He was fresh faced although older; brown hair cropped short, ready for battle, and clearly untrustworthy of her.
"Yes?" she hoped her voice sounded amiable. She did nothing wrong, and they were going to do nothing wrong. She was just going to accept Snow White's offer, that's all.
Then why was she so uncertain of the near future?
"You're a new face in this village. Might I ask where you're headed?" he questioned, shifted his footing.
Henry had spiraled closer to the forest, making it possible for him to escape when she gave a signal. She almost frowned at him. He was good with a horse.
Emma shrugged and gave him a sweet smile, even though sweat was dripping down the back of her neck. "We're just travelling," she gestured to the packed mare Henry was riding, "We really don't have a place we're heading to."
He nodded his head, "Oh, yes, I see," He turned and waved at the older knights who had been watching her, "please excuse my superiors, their rather wary of new faces. You understand of course."
"Oh, yeah, Evil Queen still roaming and all. No, I understand completely, had my fair share of almost running into her." She swallowed when the first knight that made her uncomfortable stalked towards them.
The knight before her flashed another smile and bowed his head to the approaching knight. This knight had dark skin and a hard face that Emma feared even more up close. Still, she kept her hands tight on the reins of the stallion, who could clearly feel her uncomfortable state.
"My lady," the man said, keeping his helm under his arm, "I apologize, as I'm sure August has explained, we take extra caution with new faces."
Emma nodded, the horse snorted, clomping his front hoof on the floor a few times. The darker man nodded towards Henry and a small smile stretched onto his face. "Your son seems to be enjoying himself."
"Uhm, yeah, I never really let him do much. Actually, I'm almost amazed he knows how to ride a horse." Emma tried to control her twitching fingers by tightening her hold on the horse. Where was Hook? Oh…
Feeling foolish, she reminded herself of a very important detail: he was an outlaw like her, and they avoided entering dangerous territories surrounded by knights. If he was here, she wouldn't expect him to come out of hiding just yet.
"I suggest you be careful. Our sentinels received word that a pirate ship was close by, docked even. It's hard to tell which it was. They swam right in with white sails then left as suddenly as they came in."
Emma nodded, "I'll take note of that, thank you for your warning." She nodded to them both and pulled the stallion towards Henry who was slowing his horse, watching her. She wished she could tell him to just run off, but that would start an unnecessary fight.
"It's strange," the younger knight, August, murmured, "that a woman, a simple travelling woman, would walk about with knives on her belt, and a bow and quiver over her shoulder."
She swallowed, and then tossed them a smile over her shoulder, "Like you wary knights, you can never be too careful. Regina's Black Knights are everywhere."
The older knight smiled again. "And where are you heading?"
"I have no clue."
"Looks to me, like you're heading towards the palace."
Emma shrugged. "What in blazes makes you think that?"
The knight pointed his finger down the path, the safe path for horses, the only path to take to head out of the village in this corner. The path Henry was idling by.
"That's the only way from here, on horse."
She heard the sharp sounds of swords being pulled form scabbards and her horse whinnied, pulling itself free from her grasp. Emma grabbed her short sword and blocked the attack. Due to the size, she gasped and fell to her side as the much larger sword easily broke through her defense. She rolled away and planted her feet firmly on the ground as the knight charged at her again. She pulled free her second sword and yelled at her son.
"Henry GO! GET OUT OF HERE!"
Not caring if the terrain was more hazardous for the horse, Henry bolted into the forest while arrows zipped towards him to injure the horse.
"We haven't done anything wrong!"
"On the contrary, you are suspicious," August hummed, holding his sword idly by his side. "You arrived with a pirate. What are you?"
"I'm just a traveler! I've got a letter from Snow White herself—"
"A likely tale," he said, practically smirking at her.
Emma's blood boiled. That rotten… She parried her opponent's thrust and backed a few paces.
"Truly, I have proof." It was in her rucksack. On the horse Henry ran off on.
"A letter you say? Well, come on then, let's see it."
"It's with my son…"
"Ah, the son you told to run off. Not looking very good for you, Miss."
She dodged a swing and tried to find some weak point on her opponent. He was well guarded and he moved fluidly even with the armor on. She was out of luck in using his weight and momentum against him. This man knew how to fight with heavy mail. She inhaled and parried again. She couldn't hurt the knight anyway, it would look bad once she finally got to the castle.
The mammoth man swung his sword and Emma blocked it by throwing both her swords out, but she immediately noticed her mistake. The knight twisted his arm, so that the points of their blades touched the ground. He pulled free a hand from his broad sword and grasped her small wrists. He applied pressure to both of them, making her hiss in pain and release their grips on their swords. Shortly after, he wretched her arms above her head.
Emma yelled in panic as he pulled her off her feet, her swords on the floor and her body open for any further attack.
August approached her, eyeing her with disdain and suspicion. "Lancelot wanted you tossed in the cells immediately for questioning. I preferred to get to know you before then, makes things less unenjoyable. Your name, Miss?"
Emma spat at his feet. "I need to see Snow White, or King David."
August sneered at the mention of his king and queen and leaned closer to her. "You're not taking another foot towards them until you tell me exactly why you're here."
"I can't!" she screamed, trying to yank her body back down to the ground, "but I'm not lying! I really do have a letter from Snow White herself! She wants to—"
"Why would Snow White send a letter to a thief?"
Emma shrieked as the weight of her body was pulling against her wrists. It hurt, even though the knight, Lancelot, was not holding her wrist too tight.
"My son—"
"Your son has run off, you truly want me to believe that you're not part of any suspicious activity?"
"I told him to run because I have little trust in knights," she hissed, "Look at how you're treating me!"
August's blue eyes sparkled and he leaned forward, giving her the strongest urge to kick him. It would do him some good to have someone break in that pretty face of his.
"Just as we have little trust in thieves."
Emma glared. She ceased her struggle because she knew it was futile. "I haven't done anything to cause suspicion. And I haven't stolen anything. You all watched me make an honest transaction. Where the hell did the accusations of being a thief come from?"
"You're attire, reveals you, just as your captain's revealed him."
Emma opened her mouth to retort but a voice she was almost dying to hear stretched over all of them.
"Never, would you find me in those ghastly rags."
Lancelot yelled in pain and released Emma. She quickly dived for her short swords and took several steps back, holding one end to August who was swinging his sword down. Lancelot fell to one knee, exposing Hook with his namesake embedded in the fallen knight's shoulder. He swung up his cutlass to meet August's blade. To spin out of the way, he clearly wasn't foolish enough to fall under the weight of the broad sword, he ripped his hook from Lancelot's shoulder and ended up closer to Emma.
"Hook!" she breathed in a raspy voice.
He tossed her a crooked grin, keeping an eye on the two knights before them. "'Ello there, lass. Been getting into a bit of trouble already?"
Emma's eyes darted towards his left arm that was sagging, with blood dripping through a quick, makeshift bandage made of torn cloth. She hummed, tossed her swords into the ground and pulled her bow out, nocking an arrow. "I could say the same to you. Who the hell did you piss off?"
"A rather charming King." Emma groaned at their misfortune.
August helped Lancelot to his feet, the larger knight looked ready to rip Hook to shreds. "What have you done to my King?"
"I'd tell you that he's lying in a pool of blood, but I need to be alive at dusk so I won't."
Emma looked at the pirate in disbelief. "I need to talk to that man, you know."
"Indeed. He's got no damage on him, other than perhaps a splitting headache and a bruised cheek. Where's Henry?"
She opened her mouth to tell him that she sent him off but then she heard a yell that made her blood run cold.
"MOM!"
Emma's head whirled to the forest. The dapple mare she purchased was trotting behind two men on their own horses. Henry was thrown over and tied down to the mare like a sack of rice. A knight rode in front of him guiding the mare, and beside him, a man dressed in a red cloak with lion skin for a collar.
"You bloody bastard," she heard Hook hiss as she turned her arrow towards the men. "Emma, don't. You'll only make things worse."
"They have my son!"
She felt his hook slip into the crook of her arm, trying to bring it down. "They won't hurt him."
"They're fucking knights, and I can't stand them right now."
His breath ghosted over her ear, and the whole length of his body melted against hers. She was brimming with rage and worry to care about how close he had planted himself to her. "And that man in red is their king. He won't let them harm Henry."
There was a yell behind them, and his warmth left her almost immediately. His back collided with her shoulder, forcing her to almost drop her bow. She looked over her shoulder, watching Hook hold August at bay with his cutlass and hook. His teeth were bared and his blue eyes were wild as he shoved the knight off.
"Attacking a lady while her back is turned? Bad form mate."
"Pirates and thieves only cheat, I might as well throw out my honor to keep up."
Hook waved his cutlass at him. "Again, bad form. I may be a pirate, but I do like a fair fight. And let me tell you, I haven't gotten a single one since I've arrived. You lot are almost bringing me to cheat."
"Fine by me," He swung up his arms, both latched onto the grip of his hilt.
Emma quickly spun around and loosed an arrow on him. The man yelled in pain as the arrow completely ripped through his shoulder because of his closeness to them. He staggered back and glared daggers at Emma while she nocked another arrow.
"Next time, it's your heart," she hissed between clenched teeth.
"Enough, August," a deep voice whispered over them.
Emma kept her arrow aimed at the knight and glanced over her shoulder at the king who had trotted towards them. His blue eyes stared at them, more specifically her.
Emma's heart was so loud in her ears and her blood made her skin feel feverish. She watched as the man's eyes glazed over while watching her. He walked his horse around the two of them, not appearing threatening at all, only curious, but nonetheless, they kept their eyes on him. He stopped at her side and the glaze started to twinkle to life. Emma's frown deepened.
"Damn you to the depths of hell, Captain Hook," he whispered.
"Too hot for me, mate," Hook hummed.
Emma's face turned to Hook, "What—"
His blue eyes held her, freezing her in place. "King David and I have already met. He's about as stubborn as you, lass."
Once again, she felt him dive through her soul when their eyes met, trying to wreak havoc in order to get her to see something she was missing. His blue eyes almost softened and Emma couldn't drive off the feeling that he was trying to tell her something.
"Enough." The king said above her, rattling her free from Hook's hold. "Lock them up."
Hook's eyes snapped to the king and he yelled, "Oi! That's hardly necessary!"
"You both have attacked my knights, I can't let that go unpunished."
"They attacked me first!" Emma screeched, her whole body whipped to the king, her fists over her bow and arrow tight. Was everyone here so big headed? "I did nothing to warrant the treatment I received! All I did was step off a pirate ship that was kind enough to bring me here!"
"And why are you here?" King David questioned, his hands resting on the horn of his horse's saddle.
"Snow White invited me here," she answered, raising her chin to show how much this king didn't frighten her.
"My wife didn't mention anything about inviting a thief to my home."
"Then perhaps, we should all head there and find out, without arresting us," Emma pressed, taking a step towards the king on his high horse.
The King's hand left his saddle and Emma prepared to dodge a slap. It never came. He was slowly reach out for her and it was the biggest shock she had received since she found out she was pregnant with her son. The glaze returned to his blue eyes that strangely reminded her of Hook during the time he fell under the spell of the siren. A trance that he seemed to not want to break out of. The King's fingers curled in front of her face as if he wished to touch her, grasp her chin and pull her closer. How… odd.
Instead, he quickly pulled back and nodded his head at the pair. "Arrest them."
A knight, who had gotten close enough to her without her knowing, grasped her shoulder. He yanked her away from the king whose eyes darkened in her direction. He opened his mouth to bark something but Hook beat him to the punch, literally.
His fist collided with the knight's face, forcing him back.
"Be mindful of how you handle a woman, mate," Hook scolded, keeping his cutlass pointed at the knight.
Another knight grabbed her arm that was holding her bow, she yelled in anger, raising her hand with the arrow in it to thrust it in the neck of the man who grabbed her. Hook's body once again collided with her and her attention flew to him to tell him to be less clumsy in their fight. Her mouth slackened and her eyes grew wide.
August had his blade pressed into Hook's left shoulder. The captain clenched his teeth and eyes shut growling obscenities. She noticed how his body was positioned and felt the blood vanish from her face. He was blocking the attack that was aimed for her.
"Hook!" she screamed, her son's call not far behind.
"Enough! August! Cease this and remove your blade!"
The knight did as he was told, with Lancelot pulling him back. Hook slumped against her, his good hand weakly grasping her arm that was still held captive.
"Claude, release her, damnit."
The knight who held her did as he was ordered and she spun to hold the captain upright, tucking her arms under his.
"Hook," she cried.
He loosened a guttural growl, then a gasp and leaned his head back so that is rested on her shoulder. "I'll be alight, I'd clearly had worse. My left side is in as much of a wreck as your right side, darling. Quite the pair aren't we?" He chuckled and wrapped his right arm around her waist to help him stand.
Emma's eyes darted to August who was glaring in their direction. "I hope you rot in hell." She hissed.
"Indeed, you two are a pair," King David's voice made her want to rip out his throat, he responded so late and it pissed her offer to hell and back. "A pair of nuisances. I think it'd be best if you two follow us. That is, if you want to see your son again."
Emma hissed, feeling tears prick in the corner of her eyes. She didn't understand why everything this man was doing was hurting her so much. This was supposed to be their righteous king. "I hate you."
Something flashed in the man's eyes. It was quick, but only intensified her urge to cry and the unfairness of it all.
Please Review my lovely Captain Swan fans! :D