A/N: longer chapter this time, but that is never a bad thing (not in my world at least). Thank you for sticking around for this story, I think we're about halfway to the end by now. I have a 14th chapter planned that will wrap this up, but that still needs to be written.
Thanks to my beta reader for helping me with this. And thank you to the admins of the CSSNS event, it's so much fun.
Enjoy
Chapter 7Emma strode towards the dragon deck when the Light Fury landed on the ship along with her mate Toothless. It was strange how her life had changed in only a few days since the white dragon had saved her life. When the Light Fury noticed her it stepped away from her mate and snorted in greeting.
"Hey there girl, had a good hunt?" Emma asked and reached out trying to calm herself down so the dragon wouldn't spook. She wondered if she'd have time to take a morning flight on her dragon, just as she'd done the past few days. It was still so new to her, being able to fly all alone up on the dragon, but deep down she'd started to enjoy it.
The dragon's scales were soft and warm under her hand, Emma smoothed her hand down the dragon's neck, reaching the place where the beast's wings began. Somehow this was the dragon's favourite spot to be rubbed.
"You should find a name for her." Killian's deep voice spoke behind her.
"Really?"
"Aye, she seems to have taken a liking to you."
"So she's my dragon?"
"It seems so." Killian shrugged and stepped up next to her. His dragon leapt over with a happy grunt pushing at Killian's back, begging for attention. Killian laughed and focused on Toothless. "What do you say Toothless, what should your mate be called."
Toothless snorted in reply and tilted its head looking at the blue-eyed white dragon. Emma could have sworn she saw something fierce like love shimmer in the dragon's green eyes.
"I don't know, I'll have to think about it." Emma mused, her hands kept rubbing over the dragon's skin.
"Did you know Light Furys always have blue eyes?" Her son's voice spoke up from behind them.
"And how might you know that?" Emma gave her son a pointed stare, then noticed a book tugged under his arm, "What's that?"
"Oh, this is a book about dragons Killian let me borrow." Henry beamed and pointed at the Light Fury, "I've read up on what is known about her, her kind have been thought to be extinct for centuries."
"So what would one call an extinct dragon?" Emma mused, looking at her dragon. The blue of her eyes was a shade lighter than Killian's, Emma glanced at the pirate. She would be a fool not to notice his eyes, so full of passion for what he did. Now on a mission to save his brother, even if it meant travelling to the ends of the world.
When a smirk spread over his lips Killian lifted a knowing eyebrow Emma realized she'd been staring openly at the man. Shite, why did she let this man get under her skin so easily? Oh, she knew why, because he was an enigma who seemed to see right through her. Handsome and sometimes too cocky for his own good, he set something inside her ablaze with feelings she'd never imagined she'd ever experience.
Again it was her son who pulled her back to the real world when he said. "What about Pearl?"
"Uh." Emma shook her head and focused on her son.
"You know her skin is white as the finest pearls you can find," Henry said and calmly walked towards the white dragon, which bowed her head towards Henry letting him pet her snout.
Emma watched her son interact with the dragon, her dragon it seemed, "Pearl?"
The Light Fury lifted her head and tilted it, regarding Emma with her big blue eyes. Then the dragon shifted closer to Emma and when Emma stroked her hand over its white skin, the dragon hummed in response.
"Think she likes the name." Henry beamed.
"So you want to be called Pearl?" Emma asked and her dragon lifted its head and gave a small nod. It still baffled how the dragon seemed to understand her words so easily, but from what she'd understood from speaking with Ruby, Killian had the same connection with his Night Fury.
"That is a fitting name," Killian said near her and Emma whirled around and noticed how he'd stepped closer and was now toe to toe with her, his scent assaulting her senses. Her dragon nudged at her back as she gazed into Killian's eyes.
She registered the giggle from her son and when she glanced sideways; she saw Henry had hurried towards the main deck. Her eyes landed on August, who looked upon the scene with a scowl. Refraining from rolling her eyes at her loyal royal guard she returned her focus on Killian, "Thank you."
"Whatever for?" He lifted an eyebrow with a smirk.
"Everything I guess, making this trip bearable for us all, helping me understand dragons are not so scary." Emma shrugged.
"That was all Pearl's work I think." Killian shifted to the side to look at the dragons, "I never imagined my dragon would ever find a mate."
Emma chuckled, "Yeah well it seems as if our dragons connected."
"Aye, so it seems." His deep dark blue eyes shifted back to her and her heart skipped a beat when they lingered far longer than might be proper. But be damned of what people might think and when Killian licked over his lower lip Emma threw caution to the wind. She stepped closer and kissed his cheek. "Thank you and I'll be more than happy to assist you in finding the flower which can save your brother."
Killian cleared his throat, his eyes blown wide in wonder, "I'm much obliged, M'lady." He did a small formal bow and whispered, "Princess." He winked and stepped back, lifting his fingers to trace reverently over the spot she'd kissed him.
"I'll go see if my son is up for a sparring session with his mother." Emma blurted out, pulling herself away from this devilishly handsome pirate that stole behind her walls.
Killian watched Emma spar with her son on the main deck, garnering the attention of his crew milling around. She was quite skilled with a sword he realized, her movements smooth and accurate in whatever attack the lad tried to hit her with. Though it seemed as if the weapon she'd borrowed from August was a bit too large for her.
He strode into the lower storage rooms, the one where Smee had found the group of stowaways and searched the area for a specific item he wanted to give Emma. Opening one of the bench storage compartments he noticed something that certainly never had been on his ship before. Picking it up he unfolded the coat and saw the obvious royal insignia printed on the front.
Striding up to the deck he searched for one man, "August!"
The man in question turned around and his face dropped as he noticed the coat in Killian's hand. "We… I can explain…"
"Drop the bullshit, I already suspected who you were, this is just the final proof. Thought you might want your coat back." He threw the garment towards August who deftly caught it.
"I can't use it here, anyway." The guard rolled it up and glanced around the deck, "Do any of your crew members know."
"Half of them are not so clever, but some might suspect." Killian shrugged.
"You won't tattle on us?"
"There's a hefty reward money for your return to Misthaven, but things have changed for me." Killian stared intently at the other man.
"How so?"
"You're not the only man on this ship who can see how beautiful Emma Swan is." Killian raised an eyebrow, grinning when the surprise and then anger flashed over August's face.
"Don't even think about going near her." August lifted a finger in a clear warning.
"I think you need to heed the same warning to the princess." Killian countered back with a satisfied smirk.
"She'll never…"
"The kiss she bestowed me earlier this morning might tell another tale…"
August stepped closer, now nose to nose with Killian, "Stay away from her. I warn you, pirate, the likes of you have no business being in her life."
Killian lifted his chin, "Think the princess will have something else to say about that matter."
August jabbed his finger into Killian's chest, "I'll be watching you, if you get too close to her I'll personally make sure to cut off your remaining hand." He pushed Killian away from him with a sneer, then stalked off towards the bow of the ship.
Killian slipped into the haul again and searched for a suitable set of weapons for the princess.
Once he located the items he went in search of the princess, the guard's warnings be damned.
"Oy M'lady, might I have a word?" Killian called out, leaping over the small barrier between the main deck and the dragon's deck. Emma was perched on a crate, her arms resting on her knees as she watched the dragons lounge on the deck.
Emma turned around at his voice and her eyes landed on the sword in his hand and the shield tucked under his arm.
"What is that?"
"This is for you. That heavy sword is not a suitable match for you."
"Me?"
"Aye, we're heading into even more dark waters, if the demon boy Pan locates us we'll be in a lot of trouble." He placed the sword on another crate beside her and settled the shield down on the deck leaning against the crate.
"Why?"
"Remember how I told you about Dreamshade?" Emma nodded, so he continued, "We sort of pissed the little demon boy off when we freed the fairies he'd kept locked up on his island."
"So if he spots your ship near his island he'll come after you." Emma sighed, "Well ain't that just marvellous, I'm on a ship with a crazy pirate who pisses off demons."
"I prefer devilishly handsome." He grinned when she rolled her eyes at this.
Emma reached over and lifted the sword, it was slimmer than what most of his crew used, but still a decent weapon. She pulled it out of its sheath and inspected the blade, "This looks like fine craftsmanship, where did you get it?"
Killian shrugged and looked out at the horizon, "I might have plundered an elven trade ship."
"Ah yeah, I should have suspected it was contraband." Emma mused tilting the blade's edge so the sun reflected in the almost blueish steel. She let one finger slide over its side, sparks flew from her fingers and she gasped, "Elven magic."
"Bloody hell." Killian shook his head, this woman was a marvel, "Don't tell me you're an elven too."
Emma threw her head back and laughed, the sound startling the dragons and making them shuffle around grunting.
"Are, ye elven?" Killian tilted his head and inspected her.
"Good heavens no." Emma shook her head. "But my friend Elsa, the woman running the Arendale Inn, she and her sister are part elven. Her magic is connected to nature and especially ice."
Killian took a few moments to process this information then chuckled, "Well your lad did tell me that Miss Elsa had icy treats as well as her famous pies."
"Did he now." Emma shook her head, "That boy will get in more trouble than I like to think about with his curiosity."
"Well, I'll say that the adventure he dragged you into on my ship hasn't been all that bad." He smiled, "We would never have met."
Emma refrained from looking at him, her cheeks a little more pink at his words and he stored that tidbit of information deep inside his heart.
"Captain!?" A crewmember called from the crow's nest, "We have Neverland to starboard."
"I'll need to give orders to the crew." He waved his hand to the main deck, "Please find your boy and stay close to the helm and if anything comes our way rush below deck."
"Well, you've just given me this weapon and you want me to hide?" Emma lifted a curious eyebrow.
"Use it to protect your boy," Killian said as he rushed to give orders to his men. Before leaping onto the main deck he turned towards Emma who'd strapped the sword around her waist and slung the shield to her back. She looked far more like a warrior now than a princess, it was hard to imagine the woman before him in a glimmering ball gown.
"Captain?" Ruby asked right behind him, making him jump and when he focused on the woman he noticed the knowing grin on her face.
"Drop it, Ruby."
Ruby lifted her hands in mock surrender. "What's your orders?"
Killian took only a few seconds to make a plan and shouted his commands to the crew. Every crewmember should be on high alert for the next eight hours until they cleared the Neverland waters.
He headed for the helm to take the wheel himself and he smiled when he saw Emma had heeded to his order about finding Henry and keeping him safe. Killian frowned when August had joined the mother and son, the guard's eyes scanning the horizon, pacing back and forth, adjusting his sword. It was clear the man was eager to protect the princess, either out of duty alone or on some deeper personal level as well.
It was eight hours of sailing Killian had wished to be without, everyone was tired and grumpy after having been on high alert for so long. To their luck, they spotted no sign of Peter Pan or his pack of sirens roaming the waters around Neverland.
Night had fallen and he let Graham take the wheel for the first part of the night shift. "Wake me up in four hours."
"Aye, will do," Graham said and focused his eyes on the horizon they set their course due south and hopefully, they would reach the End of the World by morning. Killian found his way down below deck heading towards his quarters, to his surprise Emma stood in front of his door.
"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" He lifted an eyebrow.
"Couldn't sleep." Emma shrugged.
"Hmm."
"I heard you talk to your men about how we might reach the End of the World tomorrow morning…" Her voice trailed off, her hand falling on the pommel of her sword.
"The weapon suits you, M'lady." He waved towards her sword.
"Thanks again." Emma smiled.
"So perhaps another gratitude is in order." He smirked and tapped his chin, indicating that he wanted a kiss.
"Yeah, that was what the thank you was for." Emma gave back and chuckled.
"So that kiss…"
"Was a one-time thing."
"Oh, I see." He felt his heart skip a beat, his eyes never leaving her, even in the dim light he could see her cheeks become a deeper shade of red.
"I can't…" She waved between them, "I mean I enjoy spending time with you…"
"Is that so?" He lifted his eyebrows in feigned surprise, a smirk spreading over his face.
"Gods, you're so full of yourself." Emma let her head drop back against the wall behind her, "Why can't we just…"
"What?"
"Be friends?"
"I'd like us to be friends Emma." And oh so much more, but he kept this to himself, for now.
"Thank you. This whole adventure has shifted my world upside down. You know, I can't process it all." She waved her hand animatedly upwards and pointed, "I have a freaking dragon up there, one I've named and one who… you know she is mated to your dragon. I mean what… how will that even work?"
"Emma…"
"I mean you live in your little pirate kingdom and I… I'm a…"
"Princess who speaks too much." Killian dared to step closer to her, lifting his hand and placing it on the wall behind her.
"I don't speak too much, I'm just having a freak-out moment… I'm…"
"Emma?"
"What?"
"Shut up." He plunged forward grasping her head with his hand, weaving his fingers into her hair, closing his lips over hers, effectively shutting her up. Only a brief gasp was muttered from her lips until she leaned into the kiss. "You do speak too much when you're freaking out." He chuckled against her lips and when she started to speak he closed the gap again, this time slipping his tongue out to trace over the seam of her lips.
"I'm not…" She gasped when the kiss deepened and their tongues slipped into a dance neither one of them could control.
When Emma's hands smoothed up and under his great coat he moaned into her mouth, her fingers dancing along the buttons of his red vest. His blood boiled when her fingers combed through the hairs peeking out from the partly open shirt. Those fingers and lips would be the death of him, even if he'd never be able to be near her again, he'd die a happy man.
Gasping for breath he pulled back and gazed into her green emerald eyes, "That was…"
"A…"
He slipped his fingers over her lips, "You bloody well don't say that it's a one-time thing, love." He sounded wrecked in his ears, never had a woman had such power over him and he hoped she understood this.
"Killian, I… I'm a princess." She sobbed and averted her eyes, closing them, breathing deeply as if to compose her own emotions. Perhaps as she'd been taught her whole life.
A lone tear slipped down her cheek and he used his thumb to wipe it away, "Emma look at me."
She silently shook her head, her whole body trembling by now. "I can't."
Gently he put pressure on her cheek with his hand, "Please, look at me, love. I know you're a bloody princess. I don't give a damn about that…"
"But my… everyone else will." She finally opened her eyes, "Don't you see it can never be, we're from two different realms, you're living your life as a pirate, I'm a princess."
"You're also a mother and a strong independent woman who won't think twice about searching a pirate ship when she knows her son is onboard. You're bloody brave, smart and beautiful." He whispered the last word into the darkness. "Look into my eyes and tell me you felt nothing and I'll step away."
Her eyes flickered between his face and the dark hallway, her lips pulled between her lips while she contemplated his words. "I do feel something."
"Aye, I can see it in your sparkling green eyes." He smiled when she finally focused on him, "Ah there she is, take a leap of faith with me, love."
"You know that my Aunt Regina is one of the most powerful sorceresses in my realm, right?" She smirked.
"Bloody hell, she'll kill me won't she?"
"I'm sure she'll try unless we find some sort of smart plan to make her see right about this." She looked down at her hand, still resting on his chest.
"What?"
"Us." She looked into his eyes again, "I don't know, something just feels right when I'm with you. I've been spending days now trying to figure out what it is."
"Have you found an answer to those musings?" He lifted an eyebrow.
"I found, I care for you, a pirate living his days as a dragon rider, roaming the skies on his flying ship." She shook her head in wonder, "I have kept my heart behind a stronghold built of old hurt feelings and regret. I was hurt once." She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply.
"The lad's father?"
"Hmm" She nodded, eyes still closed as if she was reliving her past bad memories.
"You can tell the story when you feel ready for it." His thumb caressed her cheek, her skin warm under his fingers.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." He shifted closer and whispered, "I need to sleep, Graham will wake me up in less than four hours.
"Oh." She looked crestfallen, her cheeks glowing in the dimmed hallway.
Slowly he closed the gap between her and kissed her again, this time it was slow and calculated, savouring each little movement of her body against his. The little moans slipping from her lips had him groan, God, he wished he could slip her inside his quarters, but he needed the rest.
"What's going on out here?" A male voice boomed from down the corridor.
"August?" Emma gasped, her body slumped against Killian's as if the kiss had made her dizzy.
"Care to explain what just happened, Your Highness." The guard's voice was low and raspy as if he had a hard time controlling his anger.
"That is my business." Emma bit out pulling away from Killian and crossing her arms as she faced her royal guard.
"That man is a pirate," August said in an angry tone, stepping closer and reaching for his weapon.
"Now hold on mate, I did nothing the princess didn't want to do." Killian held up his hand.
"Shut up, pirate, you have no business defiling the princess of Misthaven, least of all kissing her." August roared.
"Did Mother kiss the Captain?" Henry's voice piped up further down the hallway behind August.
All three adults gaped at the boy, rubbing sleep from his eyes, blinking to focus on the group.
"Henry…" Emma pushed away from Killian, then turned to him, "I'm sorry, I have to go get my son in his bed again."
"Of course." Killian bowed his head, reaching for her hand, "Until tomorrow M'lady." He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. His lips lingered far longer than was redeemed properly in any way or form, but he did it to rile up the stuffy royal guard. And sure enough, a growl could be heard from August.
"Sleep well, Killian," Emma whispered, her face an even deeper shade of pink. She walked towards her son. As she passed by August she said, "Don't kill the pirate."
"But he kissed you," August argued with a glare toward Killian.
"Yes, and I quite enjoyed that so unless you want to see the inside of one of our dungeons once we return from this hellish trip I might suggest you keep your sword away from Killian."
Killian gaped at the interaction between the princess and her guard, this was the first time she'd truly acted out her title and August was left behind gaping and mumbling to himself as Emma showed her son into their cabin.
"I'm still watching you pirate." August warned and slipped into the room behind Emma."
"I'd despair if you didn't." Killian mocked and went into his quarters, his lips still tingling after the kiss he'd shared with the princess. As he got ready for bed his mind whirled with thoughts of the future. Emma might have been blubbering before he'd kissed her, but her words were true, how could they ever make it work as they came from two different realms and she was a bloody princess.
"Bloody hell." Killian slumped into his bed and already he knew that sleep would not come easy to him. All his dreams were filled with Emma swirling around him, dressed in pirate gear or princess gowns. Flying high into the sky on Pearl's back, laughing as her golden blond hair whipped in the wind behind her. God, he was so screwed.
