Killian had a look full of hope in his eyes when Emma opened her mouth to speak but was hesitant to say what she wanted to.
"Emma!" yelled Graham interrupting them causing Emma to take a step back.
Bloody hell. The man was like an annoying gnat that wouldn't go away, he thought. Killian wanted to tell her he was so worried for her, how he almost was too late, and to tell her how much he wanted her.
Emma turned to see Graham and a large crowd forming to wish congratulations and celebrate with the princess.
"Come on, Princess!" Graham shouted with exuberance. "Let's go celebrate at the tavern and I'll buy you the first drink!"
The crowd let up a cheer and Emma, as much as she wanted to stay and talk with the Captain, needed to celebrate with her people.
Emma turned back to Killian, "Are you coming to join us?"
"Wouldn't miss it, love," Kilian said with a small smile.
She went with Graham and the rest of the well-wishers that let out a cheer for their princess.
Hip! Hip! Hooray! To our princess, the savior! May she live and reign forever!
Her people surrounded her in the tavern wanting to hear her tell the story of how she got rid of the Evil Queen. Emma, even if she loved telling stories about ghosts and other realms, she was at a loss for how she could speak of her own valor and courage. Her own humility kept her from really giving details. She mostly wanted to give credit where she felt credit was due. She raised her glass to toast Queen Elsa of Arendelle for teaching her magic and sending her troops to help. Then she raised another glass to the pirates and Captain Killian Jones whose timely assistance helped Emma defeat Regina. Graham had sat next to her and flirted with her all evening long. When Killian sauntered into the tavern, he saw Graham's arm around Emma's shoulders and his reverie was shattered. A scowl replaced a smile as the evening wore on and he had a few more libations.
When Emma needed to take a break from all the festivities, she looked around for Captain Jones and could no longer spot him in the tavern. She had hoped he would join her at her table but he had kept his distance. Their gazes always met from time to time in the midst of the celebration in the tavern. She excused herself to go outside to take a breather telling Graham she needed some time to herself for a few minutes. When she rounded the corner of a building, she saw Killian standing in an alley with a dark haired woman who threw her arms around him and kissed him.
Emma's heart sunk and she had to look away, it hurt too much. She ducked back behind the building.
"Milah! What are you doing here?" Emma overheard Killian exclaim.
She realized this was the woman that Killian tried to kidnap, the woman that Killian risked the Dark One's wrath to be with, his Milah. From what Emma knew of their story, she felt she never could compete with someone like her. He probably just plied her with flattering compliments and actively tried to seduce her so she can be another one of his conquests, Emma thought. How stupid she was to have feelings for a contemptuous rake! She was glad she never revealed how she felt for him and that her pride was intact. She almost told him how much she wanted him when she was on his ship expressing gratitude for his timely assistance. Well, thanks was all he was going to get for now and she would pay him off so she wouldn't feel any obligation towards him. These thoughts plagued her as she made her way back home to the castle, no longer in the mood for celebration.
"Milah, what are you doing here?" Killian asked exasperated.
"I came to see you, lover," Milah said in a sultry voice.
He felt Milah's body press against him, her hands running her fingers through his hair and her wet tongue in his ear.
He pushed Milah gently away from him to look at her.
"Where have you been?" Killian asked.
"I decided to board another ship when I heard that my husband was in town," Milah explained. "Now that you are here you can take me away on your ship again and you can have me all to yourself."
Milah let her hands trail down his furred chest ready to slip down his pants. Killian removed her hands and said, "I'm not leaving this port anytime soon, so if you need to go, you'll have to find another ship."
Milah pouted, "But I was so looking forward to getting acquainted with you again. I heard you tried to rescue me when you thought I was back with my husband. You've been in my thoughts, remembering all those long nights I rode aboard the Jolly Roger."
"That was then, Milah. I have moved on. Take care, Milah," Killian placed a kiss on the back of her hand and bade her farewell. His hasty drunk decision to steal her away from the Dark One was just a spur of the moment attempt to regain his self-respect and honor. He wanted to be the brother that Liam would have been proud of, but it was not with this woman. Another woman with blonde hair and green eyes and a spirit that could rival any storm was the one he wished to be the hero for. He returned to his ship alone but when he slept he dreamed of a beautiful princess in his arms.
The next morning Emma woke up feeling glum and moody. She looked out her window to see the Jolly Rogers mast still docked in the village port which made her even crankier. He probably spent the night with his lover, she grumbled.
There was one thing that made Emma happy that morning – the return of her brother and Aunt Ruby and Granny. It was a joyous reunion, one she looked forward to since Regina attacked. They ate breakfast all together and celebrated happily. By lunchtime, all her family's friends returned to the castle and everyone marked the occasion.
The afternoon came and she was back in the doldrums. She decided to ask her parents for money from the treasury to pay off the pirate Captain. Emma got her wish and she went down to the docks with some armed guards carrying the treasure.
"Princess Emma, I'm so happy to see you again," Killian said with his eyes moving slowly over her. Usually his gaze warmed her insides but now she was boiling over with contempt. The blackguard would have loved to brag that he seduced a princess, Emma thought.
"This is for your assistance with defeating the Evil Queen," Emma said with little emotion on her face.
Her men unloaded a chest and popped open the lid to display large amounts of gold and jewels.
"We never negotiated price and I thought I was paying back my debt to you," Killian said acting a little confused. If he were to negotiate cost he would have asked for another kiss, which was currently worth more value to him than this treasure.
"I just don't want to be beholden to you for your help," Emma said with an absent expression. The armed guards loaded the treasure onto the ship where it was eagerly received by the deck hands.
Killian tried to decipher her inscrutable look.
"You can leave here a rich pirate," Emma said. "Good luck, Captain Jones."
She turned to leave with her guards.
Killian didn't like her tone. It was as if she was paying him off and telling him to leave.
"Emma! I don't want your money!" Killian shouted after her. He wanted to say "I want you."
He glanced at the two guards wondering if they would stop him if he asked for a private word with her. He decided to follow her.
Emma dismissed her guards and walked to a tavern closer to the castle to have a drink. She was glad she didn't see Milah, reminding her of what a close call she had in telling the pirate she had feelings for him. As soon as she sat down with her mug of ale, one of her father's knights, Sir Gawain, came in. Before Regina attacked, Emma had been sneaking around, stealing some kisses with Sir Gawain.
"Princess Emma!" Sir Gawain exclaimed. "That was one crazy battle yesterday wasn't it?"
"Yes, it was," Emma answered. She didn't really think of him when she was in hiding. Seeing him again reminded her of how cute she always thought he was. They chatted for a while until the conversation got more intimate.
"I was wondering when we could get some alone time together," Sir Gawain said licking his lips. He thought Emma was very beautiful and was hoping she would continue to see him on the sly. Each time they met she would allow him to get bolder and bolder with her. One day he hoped to see her in all her naked glory and lose himself in her.
"Why don't we go to our regular spot?" Emma suggested. She had hoped fooling around with Gawain might get her mind off the pirate.
They left the tavern until they came to a spot near the beach that was secluded. There was a rock shaped that was perfect for two people to sit. They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed. Sir Gawain missed the feel of Emma's lips on hers until he felt them no more and was punched in the face.
"What do you think you're doing?" Emma yelled, realizing that Killian just punched Sir Gawain in the face. "Are you spying on me?"
Killian rounded on her with a murderous look in his eyes.
"What am I doing?" Killian yelled. "What are you doing with this fop?"
"I'm taking up where I left off!" Emma yelled back.
"You've been leading me on, haven't you?" Killian shouted with venom. "And Graham?"
"How dare you say that! I didn't ask for either of you to kiss me!"
"It was what your kisses say to me, you play with me as a woman tempted with desires of your own-"
Emma cut him off. "You think I could desire you? I'd sooner be with a hunchback, scarred ogre than be with you."
Killian winced as if he had been cut. "Fine! I'll leave so you and your lover can get reacquainted."
With that, he walked away.
Emma was left feeling weak and wondering if she made a mistake.
"So you've been fooling around with a pirate while I was away?" Sir Gawain asked, getting up from the ground. "I don't blame him for being angry, you are a beautiful woman."
Emma ignored his remark. She was confused. Why would Killian follow them and be so angry when he had Milah in his arms?
She decided to go after Killian to get some answers. She ran to catch up with Killian only to see his retreating back as he made his way along the beach back towards his ship that she didn't see the blast of magic that knocked her off her feet.
"Back so soon and already in a lover's quarrel, Emma?" Regina taunted her, coming out of nowhere.
"Leave her alone!" Killian screamed, running towards her with his sword drawn.
Regina grabbed her by the back of her hair and slapped a bracelet cuff on her wrist. When Emma tried to form magic, she couldn't.
Regina laughed at her attempts. "That's right, Emma. The bracelet prevents you from doing magic ever again."
Spotting Killian about to attack her, Regina formed a fireball threatening to burn Emma if Killian came any closer. Emma struggled to get the bracelet off her wrist but she couldn't.
Killian looked at Sir Gawain behind Regina and Emma hoping he would catch her unawares but Regina and Emma teleported away before they could do anything.
"Where did she go?" Sir Gawain yelled. Looking around, frustrated.
Killian saw a ship that was anchored off shore and noticed a flash of Emma's hair on the deck.
"She took her there!" Killian pointed. He saw Emma's form being hit and dragged below deck by Regina. The ship looked like it was about to hoist anchor and sail away.
"Inform the castle quickly!" Killian told Sir Gawain. "I'm going after her on my ship!"
Killian ran to ship and gave orders to castoff to follow the ship that had Emma aboard.
"But Captain, Graham and some of the crew are still in the village," Smee informed him.
"We'll have to leave them behind," Killian said, "Henry! Take some gold and go find Graham and tell him what happened to the princess. The ship was headed north."
The boy followed his orders and left to head towards the tavern.
Killian knew Graham had the means to follow on another ship. He would need backup if it would come to a battle at sea for the Princess.