A/N: I am so grateful to anyone who has read, followed and reviewed my story. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update - I've been really busy with work, then my muse wouldn't cooperate at all. But here's the second installment and I really hope you enjoy it :)

Part 2

It's the first time in over 18 months he's had any good news. Actually, he's been looking for so long for any information regarding the curse plaguing him, that even the smallest detail is more than welcomed. He's glad now to have followed up on the Huntsman's advice. The old witch has given him plenty of useful info, things he could work with, albeit not an actual solution. But to him, just the fact that she had recognized this as a curse of the Dark One was more than others had been able to do. And that this particular curse affected two people – him and his true love – was a surprising development, one he never would have envisioned otherwise.

It's baffling to know that he has a true love. Besides his brother, whom he had lost due to a corrupt king, he had not allowed himself to grow close to anyone. And in the years since Liam's death, his heart had blackened so much he didn't actually believe himself capable of the emotion any more. But the witch had insisted his true love was out there - the curse would not have worked otherwise.

That also meant both of them were cursed; because of him. And he could not imagine how his true love could fall in love with him now, knowing that her life was ruined because of him. After all, there was no question that it must have been his dark deeds to get them into this mess.

And yet he has not heard of anyone else afflicted by such a dark curse. Not that it proves anything; after all, save for his trusted crew members, nobody else knows about this. Luckily for him, his crew is a loyal bunch - all former crewmates since before Liam's death and who had followed him into a life of piracy afterwards. Strange enough, they have become oddly protective of him since his curse and were constantly trying to help, each in their own way.

That's why the Jolly Roger has not spent more than a night moored to land in over 18 months. Usually they are docked long enough to restock and ask the locals about magic, magical beings and curses.

He had almost lost hope by the time they came across the old witch and the information that there is another, afflicted by the same curse. He's paid the old hag a small fortune (one that could keep a small kingdom afloat for years), but if the information proves to be correct, it will be money well spent. The only other thing the witch had told him was that his true love was royalty.

Bloody hilarious that is. If his situation were not so dire and he not so desperate for any kind of lead, he would have laughed out loud and punished the woman – witch or not – for making fun of him. As it is, all Killian can do is hope that the information is true and that that he'll find her soon.

His crew receives the news with elation, spending the afternoon drinking and celebrating this break. He is reticent to join them at first, but then Killian realizes that his men need this. For better or worse, they are his family and are just as invested as he is in breaking the curse. That's why he doesn't say anything to his first mate, Jamison, when he teases him about the Gods shackling him to a bloody princess.

He can't blame him though. Jamison is the closest he has to a best friend. And he's had the same thought play in his mind over and over, ever since the witch had uttered the fateful words. What could he, a pirate of the high seas, the most cut-throat out there, have in common with a dainty princess, one that probably would faint at the sight of him or his crew members. Not to mention the fact that he hates all bloody royals. Corrupt, the lot of them. So how could he fall in love with one of them?

Maybe he should just admit defeat and get used to the idea that he'll spend the rest of his life half-man, half-creature. But defeat is not in the nature of Killian Jones, so he'll be damned if he does not track this elusive princess and make her fall in love with him.

It's another 4 months until he finally hears something relevant. They're docked in a small town on the western border of Arendelle. The village is small enough that he's decided to keep the ship berthed until the morrow and allow the crew to go outside and have some fun.

With three hours left till sunset, Killian and Jamison decide to make their own visit to the town tavern. He could use a beer right now and Jamison will stay long into the night to ask the questions he won't be able to. His first mate is reliable and he's more than capable of asking the right questions in order to get the most information, without giving anything away.

The tavern is filled with more women than men, although it's late afternoon. After two hours of incessant talk about gowns and balls, rather than magic and curses, his eyes are actually hurting in his sockets from all the eye-rolling he's done. He's about to leave, when he hears it. He sits back down, signaling Jamison to buy more drinks and studies the group of young women carefully.

There are three of them, clearly of noble birth by the way they speak and the clothes they wear. One is younger, about 17 if he were to guess, while the other two are slightly older.

The discussion turns back to balls for a minute, but then Killian hears the young woman speak. "There's something odd in Misthaven, I tell you. I haven't received an invitation to a ball in two years. Have you?"

The other women shake their heads in denial. "It doesn't mean anything." One of them, the redhead, says.

"True. In itself, it's nothing. But my maid just came back from Misthaven. She went there to visit her sister and you know what she told me?"

The young woman pauses for effect and Killian might have laughed at her oratory skills if he were not so interested in the answer himself. Only after her friends shake their heads and aske her to continue, does she do it.

"My maid told me the princess hasn't been seen at any royal functions in almost two years. And not only that, she's rarely seen outside the palace during the night. And never by day. She must be so hideous no one can bear the sight of her."

A chill runs through Killian and even Jamison stops with the tankard halfway to his mouth. A princess who is never seen during the day, but only by night? Could it actually be that this is the royal he's looking for? He shifts on the bench trying to get closer to the three women.

"You're just being mean, Lydia. Princess Emma is known for her beauty," the second one says. The young woman named Lydia is not deterred. "I'm not; I'm just stating the facts. If she were not hideous, why would she hide? And if she's really that pretty, then maybe she's cursed."

The two women look at her strangely, clearly not amused. "Come on, Lydia," the redhead says. "You know how rumors work. You shouldn't believe everything you hear."

The conversation veers towards clothing next and that's Killian's cue to tune them out. He's likely to have heard everything he can hope to get from the ladies. He downs the rest of his drink and throws a few coins on the table. "Jamison, you know what to do." he tells his mate as he gets up.

"Aye, Captain. I'll try to find out more about the Princess. I'll report in the morning."

He nods in gratitude and then he's out the door as fast as he can without drawing too much attention to himself. The sun is close to setting and he can already feel the curse boiling in his blood. He needs to be back on the Jolly Roger, and as he weaves through the narrow streets, his thoughts are in turmoil. This might be the break he is hoping for.

The only thing that gives him pause is the fact that the princess has not seen during the day – if she were cursed the same as him, shouldn't she be seen during the day, but not by night? But he can't dwell much on that at the moment. It's the best lead he's got, so he's willing to steer the Jolly Roger towards the Enchanted Forest on the off chance that Princess Emma is the one he's looking for.

There are only two men on the ship when he gets there – the ones on guard duty and they nod to their captain as Killian passes by. As he chains himself to his desk, a name slips past his lips. "Emma…" The last conscious thought that grazes his mind before the beat takes over is that it has a nice ring to it, when spoken out loud.

As soon as he's conscious again, he summons Jamison to his quarters. His first mate doesn't have a lot of information for him, except that there might me some truth to what that girl, Lydia, had said. Princess Emma used to be a good friend of this kingdom's crown princess and up until two years ago, she had been a frequent visitor to Arendelle. But something must have happened two years ago, because since then, it's always been Elsa to visit her friend in the Enchanted Forest. And that was quite the feat, since the princess had a well-known aversion to travelling by sea after her parents' death.

It's all circumstantial evidence at its best and Killian knows this, but it's the best he's got. So he orders Jamison to summon the crew and be ready to set sail within the hour. He has a princess to meet.