Ch. 2
When Emma woke up she had a throbbing head ache. She reached up and felt the back of her head, a lump was forming. She looked at her surroundings. She was sitting in the cabin of a ship. It was a decent size room, filled bookshelves on the wall, a bed, a table with 2 chairs, a small desk, and a window with an embedded seat in front of it. She was seated at the table on one of the chairs with her hands bound in front of her. She discovered her feet were not bound. She got up and walked over to the window. The ship was in motion. She could only see the blue water splashing up against the window. There was no land in front of them. She sat in the window seat, tears started to well up in her eyes and she could only think of one word, Freedom and she sighed in relief.
There was a shuffling above her and then she heard thumps of someone coming down towards the door to the room. She turned towards the door when he appeared. She blinked her eyes to adjust to the light in the room. A man who she could only assume was the captain seemed to fill the room with his presence.
"Hello Love, I see you have made yourself at home. My you are pretty lass aren't you? "
Emma jumped to her feet quickly.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to leave my seat." she whispered.
"No, no I expect that you will be with me for awhile so you should acquaint yourself with my cabin. You are quite lovely aren't you? " he said as he eyed her up and down.
She stood there with her hands bound in front of her. She still had on her cloak and her gloves as a proper lady should. Her dress was a deep satiny emerald green that went to the floor and her cloak matched in color and equal length. Her hair hung in curly tendrils down to her waist. Any style that she may have had was gone after having the bag on her head.
"Allow me to introduce myself, Killian Jones, but most people have taken to calling me by my more colorful moniker, Hook. "he said grinning at her with his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall in front of her.
He spoke with a smooth accent and had exaggerated the k at the end.
"As in Captain Hook?" she asked.
"Ah, so you've heard of me? "he said.
He looked at her with the smile growing on his face. He had piercing blue eyes that would rival the deepest blue of the ocean. They were kohl rimmed to accentuate them further. He had a slight facial scruff and black hair that was slightly ruffled. He was handsome which the rumors hadn't done him justice to expose. He did have a hook instead of a hand so that part of the rumor was true. He wore all black leather from his boots to his vest. His vest hung over a black flowing shirt that was open in a deep v exposing his chest.
She felt his eyes on her as she was looking him over and her cheeks began to flush. She looked down to the floor.
"Do you like what you see Love?" he asked.
He swaggered towards her and with his hook he cut her ropes from her wrists. She rubbed her wrists to sooth herself.
"Let me have a look at you. Take off your cloak and get yourself comfortable love. The men tell me that we are going to celebrate this evening. That you have willingly come aboard as a gift to the Captain." He said.
Emma nodded and unhooked her cloak from around her neck. She was wearing a cap sleeve dress and had a scarf wrapped around her neck to cover the open area that would expose her skin. She peeled her elbow length gloves down to expose her arms and began to untie the scarf.
He pushed back her hair to expose her neck and chest. He looked at her with a confused expression.
She felt the tears begin to pool in her eyes as she stood there feeling exposed. She had bruises of different age up and down her arms and her neck still had the yellowed finger mark bruises. She once again lowered her eyes to the floor. She wanted to hide her shame. She never expected anyone to see what she had endured at the hands of her husband Neal.
"I'm going to have to talk to my crew about how to treat a lady that they plan to gift me." he said angrily.
He marched out of the room back up the stairs leaving her alone. She let out the breath she was holding and began rubbing her arms for warmth. She didn't know if she should sit or stay where she was.
He returned with his first mate, Smee, the man with the red hat from earlier and she stood with her head up reminding herself to be stoic, not to show any signs of weakness.
"Smee, what is the meaning of this? Is this how you treat a lady? " he asked.
Both the Captain and Smee looked at Emma.
She covered her neck with her hair and looked down to the floor again to hide her shame. She couldn't help it the tears she desperately tried to hold back began falling down her beautiful face.
Smee looked at his Captain with a surprised expression.
"We didn't touch her Captain, cept for the knock on the head and we didn't even bind her hands that tight. " said Smee.
"Look at her Smee, She is covered in bruises and you tell me that you did nothing to her?"he asked.
He pushed Smee and he fell back against the floor.
"No, Captain, he isn't lying." She whispered.
Both of the men stared in her direction.
"What did you say, lass?" he asked.
"No, it wasn't your men. They didn't do this to me." she said.
He looked at her with a puzzled look and then she saw the pity that she hoped she wouldn't see from anyone.
"Smee, leave us! Tell no one of what you just witnessed. "he ordered.
"Aye Aye captain." He said as he saluted and left them alone.
Emma looked down to the floor once more, tears streaking her face. She felt like she was wrapped in shame. She hid this for so long without anyone finding out her secret.
"Who did this to you lass?" he asked.
He took his hook and put it up under her chin to raise her eyes to look at him. They were like dazzling emeralds covered in a coating of glistening tears.
She had expected to be used and killed. She hadn't expected anyone to find her secret nor did she expect to be looked upon with pity. She thought freedom would be her death and it would be swift at the hands of those scoundrels who took her. She never thought anyone would see her this way, so exposed. She remained silent at his question; she didn't feel that she could say it out loud yet. She shook her head.
"It was not your crew Captain. They left me mostly unharmed and they let my boy go without any physical harm. I'm sorry. Please don't look at me, I'm hideous." she whispered.
He kept looking into her eyes as if searching for the answer to his question and then nodded in understanding.
"Love, you could never be called hideous even with these blemishes that mark your beautiful body." he said.
He reached up and brushed away the tears from her eyes. He pushed her hair back from her face and shoulders once again exposing her. He was not expecting anything remotely like this when he saw her being carried aboard his ship that morning.
She was broken in so many ways. What was he going to do with her? His crew had expectations of what happened with the women that were captured and boarded his ship. She was special and different. He couldn't let that be her fate after all that she appeared to have endured.
He extended his hand to her."You know who I am, who do I have the pleasure of making company with?" he asked.
"I'm Princess Emma from the Enchanted Forrest." She said holding up her head.
The rumors of Captain Hook were that he was fearsome and violent. She hadn't expected to be treated with any kindness by this man, let alone more concern than her actual husband who had vowed to respect and love her.
"Princess? Do the men know this?"he asked.
He rubbed his chin and looked closely at her.
"Wait, the daughter of King Charming and Snow White? Princess Emma Swan? " he asked.
"Yes, those are my parents and No, they ambushed us in our carriage on the way to our ship in the harbor. I was with my son and my husband at the time that I was captured. They didn't ask me any questions and I didn't tell them who I was." She said as she pulled her tiara from the hood in her cloak to show him.
He took her tiara from her and placed it on her head.
"Hmm, there you go love. I don't think the men realize the generous gift that they have given to their Captain. We shall have to make sure they are aware that their spoils are that much greater than they originally thought. " he said.
He sounded please to learn that information about her. Emma blushed when he said that .
"What will you do with me Captain?" she whispered.
She knew she was at his mercy and even death would be freedom for her so she was prepared for whatever would come. He pushed her chin up to look into her eyes once again.
"Now that I know of your status Princess, I may be able to barter with your husband for your safe return. It also seems that as willing as you were to come aboard, it's likely to have been more of a bargain to keep your son out of harm's way than a willingness to bed the Captain." He said.
"No," she spoke up quickly.
"No to which statement Love?"he asked.
"Neal will not pay for my return. In fact I beg you not to send me back to him. It would only be a slow death sentence for me if I were returned. I would rather you kill me swiftly than give him the satisfaction of taking my last breath and you are correct I wanted to save my boy." she said.
He raised an eyebrow at that. He nodded in understanding.
"Your parents then? Surely they would pay to have their princess returned." he asked.
She looked away towards the window. If she were to contact her parents then they would know what she had endured. They would know the prison sentence that they sent her to for the good of their people. Henry might never have the chance to rule the combined kingdom and she would not deny him that chance. She knew he would be a good and fair king and that was why she took his place today.
"Captain, I'm sorry. While I believe my parents would pay you to return me I don't think I can let you do that. I would sooner kill myself than ruin the destiny of my son and my people for my own selfish reasons. I haven't endured the pain and punishment this long for it to be worth nothing. My son is a good boy and he will make the people in the kingdom happy one day when he is able to rule on the throne. I know that Neal loves him and no harm will come to him in my absence. So if you must make me walk the plank, drop me at the nearest port, kill me, whatever you must." she said quickly. She could feel her heart pounding in her body.
He looked at her and cocked his head to the side.
"I see." he said with a laugh.
"I'll take whatever punishment you have to offer and will welcome death at the end. I will know I am finally free. I will not be a burden to you. I beg of you, please don't contact them. Just let them believe I am dead. "she pleaded.
He stood there looking at the princess with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. He couldn't believe that a woman in such a powerful position could deem her value to be so little. She would sacrifice her life for her people without them even knowing that she has done it.
"Well, this is certainly an unexpected development. You are certainly not the type of woman that I can just leave at port. I would never make a woman walk the plank unless she meant harm to me or my crew, and I have no intention of killing you. It would be dangerous for me and my men to allow you to just walk freely though as you are certain to call attention to us." he said.
She felt her eyes begin to well up again. She prayed for death so many times throughout the years when things were bad. She thought it would be at the hands of Neal when he was in a drunken rage. She fell to her knees and let out a breath. She felt the tears start to fall and then she couldn't help but start laughing hysterically.
"Something funny Princess?" he asked.
She looked up at him through tears and smiled. "No Captain, it's just that I thought I was going to die today and through your mercy I feel relieved."
He extended his hand to her to help her up from the floor. She gladly accepted and stood in front of him.
"Well this evening is not turning out quite like hoped but I am happy to see you smiling. I don't know what we will do with you Princess. I can see sending you back to the monster that did this to you would not be good for either of us. Especially since we left him with quite a beating from what I have heard. I still haven't ruled out contacting your parents for ransom." He said.
She nodded in understanding.
"It will be 3 days until we reach Tortuga. When we reach the port my men and I will restock the ship and barter for the goods we have taken from your carriage. It would be wise for you to remain alert while on board the Jolly Roger. I will be locking the door when I leave you. We'd only just arrived when the men happened upon your carriage. They didn't have time to be acquainted with the women in town or to gather more supplies. They are a little edgy to say the least. We do have enough supplies to get to the next port and plenty of libations. I'll be down shortly after meeting with the men above. They'll expect we will be celebrating down here this evening." He said.
"OK, Captain." she said as she nodded.
"I'll think about your fate during the next 3 days. I suggest that you lie down for awhile and rest your pretty head." he said.
She walked over and lay on the bed. He nodded and she smiled as he backed out of the room. She heard the door lock and then the crew yelling in celebration.
Emma let out the breath she had been holding. She got up and walked back over to the window to stare out at the lovely sea and the freedom it held for her.
She had been persecuted for the last 10 years by Neal at various times. When Henry was born as the heir to the kingdom he never looked at her the same way. His kindness turned cold and dark. He showered the boy with affection and in turn made her feel as though she was a nuisance. He once held her close and whispered how he loved her, now it was only disdain and criticism that spilled from his lips.
She became good at hiding her feelings; she tried a number of times to reason with him, to find out what she had done to make him so angry. Those conversations were quickly dismissed and she was punished for speaking out to him in such a way. It would be a slap across the face or he would grab and pinch her arm. She winced just thinking about the pain.
She went about her daily palace duties and made sure that Henry was well cared for, loved, and educated always even on the bad days. She would encourage him to be the man she once knew his father to be and the loving man that she knew her father the king to be. Her heart pinched when she thought of Henry. She missed her beautiful loving boy but she knew he would be safe. She knew that Neal would care for him, her parents would love him and that he would be the king he needed to be for their people.
She felt the back of her head. It was very sensitive from the lump she received earlier that day. She felt her eyelids grow heavy and just wanted to lie down for a little while. She needed to sleep. She slipped out of her dress into just her under dress. It was simple and light fabric but it was much cooler than the heavy satin that she had on. She also wanted to relieve herself of her corset. She was used to dressing and undressing herself so that she didn't have to reveal her secret to a ladies maid so she didn't have any trouble.
Once she was free of the garments she walked over to the bed and lie down. She had been traveling in the carriage for almost a day when they were stopped. She also didn't know how long she had been aboard the ship passed out. She felt her eyelids getting heavy and soon after she fell asleep.