Chapter 12: A walk on another road

Hi guys! I hope you all will like this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. It's a new adventure and a walk on another road…

It was a sunny morning, the hall was lit by the warm sunshine that came from outside the windows. Taylor swept the wooden floor of the main hall, the high ponytail that she had made flew behind her and the white ribbon around her ponytail danced in the wind as she walked. Rumple sat at the head of the long dining table while he drank his tea and looked soothingly to Taylor who put her broom against the wall.

"Shall I get some bread from the nearby village?" Taylor asked as walked towards Rumple, he put his cup down on the table and raised from his chair to stand in front of Taylor as he gently laid his hands on her shoulders.

"If you promise me, that you'll watch out."

Taylor gave him a friendly smile "Always Rumple, always..." she gave an answer as he pulled her in a tight hug. They both sighed deeply as a kind of family time to enjoy.

A bit later…

Taylor walked through the forest instead of taking the main road. This was a lot shorter and not too much more dangerous. She heard something behind her, crackling twigs and moving bushes. She was not alone, that was for sure. Taylor stopped walking for a moment while listening at the sounds around her, until five men jumped out of the bushes and attacked her spontaneously.

"Get her!" said one of the men, he surely was the leader.

Taylor grabbed her longbow and an arrow in a fraction of a second. Without shooting them she first surfaced a few times among the men while she kicked them against each other. But two of the bandits grabbed her by her arms before she could even shoot.

"Who are you? Let me go!" Taylor yelled out.

"We've heard about you, daughter of Sir Maurice. You know everything about Rumplestilskin. And you will tell us all you know now before we have to take you with us." said the man who was the one who gave the previous order.

"Men, maybe it's a better idea to leave now. Before somebody gets hurt, of course. Let the young lady go." Killian stepped from behind a tree, he stood a few feet away from them. The men looked at him, They knew who he was. Captain Hook.

"You're were lucky today." and the men let Taylor go as they disappeared into the woods.

"Thank you..." Taylor looked at the ground, she didn't really know what else to say. Killian came closer to her, his face was now close, so close in fact that she saw herself in his beautiful blue eyes.

"Not necessary to thank me, love." and he took her hand.

"I'm not your love... I 'm nobody's except my own." Taylor wanted to pull her hand away but he held it tightly.

"I'm sorry." was the only answer that Killian could give, even though Taylor knew he didn't mean it.

"No, actually… it's okay." Taylor looked down at her hand, and realised she really didn't want to let go of his hand, never.

"Killian... You still have to tell me what was in your bag, a promise is a promise."

"Do you also have a rule that no one breaks a deal with you?" was the answer Killian gave. Taylor looked at him with questioning raised eyebrows, it was a gesture to symbolise a yes. "Well then... i shall tell you. But you can't laugh." Killian sighed "Rum."

"What?" Taylor said surprised.

"Yes rum, alcohol..." Killian looked down and dared not to look at Taylor.

"We chased after that girl for alcohol? Killian!" Taylor squeezed his hand.

"Yes, I'm afraid so, I'm sorry Taylor. Actually I didn't want that bag so badly returned. But then you said you wanted to help me, and I couldn't refuse that." He looked into her dark green eyes.

"Why..." Taylor whispered.

"You shall see why..." Killian whispered in her ear, his lips touching her ear as he pulled his head back slightly. He took her other hand and stared at her. His lips grew closer and closer to hers. Taylor said nothing, just closed her eyes. There they were, a princess and a pirate, kissing in the middle of the woods. With one hand he held hers and with the other he stroked her hair gently. Taylor put her hand on his cheek as she pressed her nose against his.

"That's why, love." he dropped her hands but was still close to her.

Taylor hesitated, "I was wondering if you wanted to come to the village with me... I was on my way to pick up bread, but I guess, sometimes you meet someone accidentally." she gave him a wink and a smile.

"I would love to walk with you." together they walked through the forest, safe and sound on the path to the village to collect the bread that Taylor should have to pick. She had to watch out and take care of herself Rumple had said and she did, really. But now there was someone beside her which made it a bit more difficult. Killian Jones, Captain Hook or a pirate- What some people choose to label him. But to her he was not a villain, he was the beginning of a new adventure in her life.