Ch. 4

When the morning light came in she quickly realized she was in the bed alone. She hadn't eaten in over a day and she was starving. She got up from the bed and found a bowl of fruit and nuts sitting on the desk. She grabbed an apple from the bowl and ate it. She probably looked like a ravenous dog but it was good. She quickly grabbed another and then went to sit in the window seat to watch the waves. They were much rougher today than they were yesterday. It appears that there is a storm approaching.

She realized she was still sitting in her under dress. It was quite flimsy and not very warm. She only had her green dress and her cloak to put on. She stayed in her under dress just in case she needed to be seen in a public place and she didn't want her dress to be a wrinkled mess.

She still had her dignity and she was still alive. Today she felt stronger. She wasn't sure if it was the open seas, the good night sleep, or the genuine warmth that she felt from the Captain last night but she actually felt good.

She hadn't felt like this in such a long time. She lived her days to look after Henry but no one was really looking after her. She hadn't had a friend in a long time. She was content to do things alone because she had to but it was never because she wanted to. She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them like she used to when she was a little girl and needed to comfort herself.

Her mother was always so gentle with her. She was a true lady. She always felt bad that her mother was stuck with such an unruly daughter. She loved doing things with her father. They would ride horses, play swordfight, and hunt together. She was an excellent shot with a bow and arrow. She actually learned to shoot from her mother. As ladylike as her mother was she also had a twinge of a wild streak in her and she suspected that is likely where she got it too.

Tears began to well in her eyes as she thought of her parents. She couldn't remember the last time she saw them. They missed the last holiday with them due to Neal's activities in another realm. He would not allow them to travel alone so she and Henry were held to their own castle. Neal would also not extend an invitation to her parents to come and stay with them. He forbid her to invite them to stay with them.

He made sure she was kept by his side when she was out of the castle too. He must have known that if she had the chance she would take Henry and run far away from him. She was too scared to leave. She knew his father was a powerful man and would stop at nothing to bring Henry back. He wouldn't care if she were gone; it was really just Henry he cared about. That is what made her so certain that he wouldn't come looking for her. He told her many times during his rages that he no longer needed her and that she had done her job and to be quiet. This thought made her angry. She couldn't process this emotion while she was at home but now, it burned within her. She had let him push her around and hurt her time and again as if she were nothing. She wasn't nothing, she was a strong woman. She was Emma Swan! She had survived every attack, every evil word that he slung at her, and every tormented situation that he put her in. She had survived. She was alive.

A sudden clicking of the lock on the door pulled her from her trance. She looked towards the door to see the Captain coming through carrying a basket with bread in it and a pitcher. He looked rather handsome today as his hair appeared to be windswept and his cheeks were rosy from being up on the deck in the blustering winds. When her gaze met his she saw the depth of the blue gleaming at her intently. They were a bit red from last night's excursion with the Rum but still very beautiful.

"Princess, I see you found something to eat. I brought you some fresh bread and water." He said as he smiled at her and cocked his head to the side.

"Thank you Captain" she said.

Her hair was hanging loose and wild about her shoulders. She appeared to have more color in her cheeks today. She was quite a beautiful woman. He could see himself pleasuring her in many ways and was certain that he would be a happy man. He shook his head to get the thoughts from his vision that came creeping in so he could focus on her. He moved his gaze to her beautiful green eyes. She was staring back at him quizzically.

"How are you feeling today? I trust you slept well? I know I did." He winked at her.

She searched him up and down. He was once again dressed in black leather pants, a black flowing shirt but had changed his vest to a black and red brocade version of the one he had on yesterday. It had several clasps holding it closed but his shirt left nothing hidden. His chest was chiseled and manly with dark hair peeking underneath from his shirt. He had a long leather jacket with wide lapels and metal clasps all down the sides. The sleeves were very ornately embellished into the leather. He also had a sword on his hip.

She stepped down from the window seat and padded towards him. It slipped her mind that she was barefoot and barely dressed in this morning light. She quickly hugged her arms around herself as she sat in the chair at the small table in front of the captain.

"Captain, have you thought about what you will do with me when we reach Tortuga?"She whispered.

"Aye, Lass. I've given your request some consideration. I've decided that I will not request a ransom from the king and queen right now. I will grant you that, but I've not yet figured out what I will do with you." he said.

"Thank you Captain for your consideration." she said warily.

"That leaves me in a most precarious situation with my crew. I can't have a woman aboard this ship who doesn't belong to me or the men will assume that you are available to share. " he said.

She looked directly into his eyes to see his meaning. He arched his eyebrow and gave her a slight smirking grin. His glittering blue eyes sparkled as the light shone on them.

"I see." she said as she closed her eyes and sighed.

"Love, I shall not take you unless you want me but it will have to appear as though that you are mine." he said as he grabbed an apple from the bowl.

"I would like to remain with you on the ship Captain." she said.

"While you are a prize for any man, the pirate's life is not for the faint of heart." he said.

"Captain, I was a bird in a gilded cage. Be it life or death, being outside of the castle is free to me. I think you will also find I am stronger than I appear." she said.

"I've no doubt about that Love. Any woman who can endure what torture you've likely been through is a strong woman." He said.

She hadn't thought about actually going on and living outside of the castle. That thought was actually comforting. She had completed her duty to her family and she knew Henry would be safe being the heir to their family.

"Will you be joining me today Captain?" She looked up and smiled flashing her eyes in his direction.

He gazed at her and she felt her cheeks begin to flush.

"No, Princess I must go above deck as there is a storm approaching on the horizon."

"I noticed that the waves were getting rough out there. Captain, Can I ask you something?"

"What is it Princess?"

"Do you think that I might be able to get some clothes from one of the trunks that your men took yesterday? Even if I could just have one more dress that would help. I've only got a formal dress to wear and I don't think I can go about the cabin in my under dress until we make it to Tortuga."

He rubbed his thumb and finger on his chin, then lightly scratched behind his ear.

"Well, I don't mind you walking around like this, you are quite the site." He smiled

"I'm a little cold."

"I suppose I could have Smee go into the hold to locate an item or two for you."

"Thank you Captain, my trunk has a Swan embossed on it."

"A Swan?" he questioned.

"Yes, it was a gift from my parents to me when I was a girl. Emma Swan is carved on the top along with a picture of a Swan. My mother used to read me the story of the ugly duckling that turned into a beautiful swan. It was my favorite and my mother used to call me Emma Swan. I was always running around with the boys and she vowed one day to turn me into a beautiful lady, just like the Swan."

"Ok, then Swan. I will speak to Smee. Please put your green dress on until Smee comes in with the additional clothes. I wouldn't want him seeing anything that he might want to touch later. I best be going back to the bridge to ready the crew. You should brace yourself here below deck as it looks like it might get very rough on the sea today." he cautioned.

"Thank you for all of your kindness Captain. You are not at all what I thought you would be."she said smiling.

"Careful Princess, I have a reputation to uphold with my crew and in the world. I can't have you spreading such rumors or I will be ruined. This will be our little secret." He said as he smiled at her winking once again before leaving her to go back up on deck with the crew.

She met his eyes as he left causing her breath to catch. The affect that he had on her made her feel giddy and like a silly school girl.

She heard the click of the lock, and then the voices of the men above yelling Captain on Deck!