A/N: Real life is a bitch but finally getting around to publishing this next chapter… only two more to go after this one. Can't believe it's almost over. I have a few minor projects I'm working on, none of them set in OUAT or CaptainSwan. But I do have a fine list of CS ideas to pick from… now I just need to pick my next story.
I hope I'll get the next two chapters up by the end of this weekend, again real life can be tough and unpredictable, so won't make too many promises.
Enjoy
Chapter 11"It's so good to see you again," Emma said and looped her arm with Elsa.
"Likewise." Elsa shifted her gaze around the buildings they passed on their walk through the village, "Misthaven has been in quite an uproar when your aunt found you missing along with Henry and one of your royal guards."
Emma sighed, "I know, it was not my intent to just disappear like that."
"August did recap most of your adventure." Elsa looked at Emma with a dainty lifted eyebrow, "But he never told me much about that pirate captain of yours?"
"Oh, yeah well." Emma pushed away the wayward hair falling over her face, "That is a whole different adventure." She looked down, feeling her cheeks flame in heat.
"You're in love?"
Emma nodded mutely and continued to walk for a bit before saying, "We're in love, I'm not sure how it happened, but I guess things just aligned for us and we plan to marry."
It was an almost silent gasp from Elsa that had Emma turn to face her friend, Elsa looked at her with large eyes, "Are you serious?"
"Very much so." Emma shrugged, "Regina wants me to marry, I'm going to marry Killian."
"But… but he's a pirate." Elsa spluttered.
"He's one of the good pirates." Emma sighed, "Believe me there are far more dangerous men out there on the open seas."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, remember the name, Blackbeard, our trade ships have also fallen victim to his brutal plunderings."
"So Killian doesn't plunder?"
"I'm sure they do, but they have never been as ruthless as Blackbeard and other vile pirates out there." Emma waved her hand aimlessly, "There are some dark stories in Rum Island's past that set a rift between some pirate leaders. I don't know all of the details, all I know is that Killian and his brother, King Liam are the good versions of pirates."
"Hmm." Elsa didn't sound too convinced but did give Emma a small smile.
They walked back towards the royal estate and saw Killian walk towards them and Emma felt her heart flutter at the sight of him.
"Oh god…" Elsa groaned, "You're so smitten aren't you?"
"Shut up." Emma stepped into Killian's arms and kissed his cheek, mindful of their audience, "Have you told your brother about the added guests to the evening meal?"
"Aye, and he's expecting you to join us for pre-dinner drinks in his private parlour." Killian bowed his head towards Elsa, "That includes the friends of Emma and her son."
"Oh." Elsa gasped and Emma could see the slight panic in her friend's eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"I should change then." She motioned down her body, "These travel clothes are not fit to wear when meeting a royal, pirate or not, your brother is the king of this realm."
Killian chuckled at this and acknowledged, "We're not so formal as some realms might be, but if you want to change I'll show you to your room. I can have a maid come help you if you need."
"That won't be needed." Elsa waved him off, "I'm used to doing it by myself." She winked at Emma, "I'm not the princess here."
"Shut up," Emma grumbled.
This made Killian laugh and wrapped his arm around her and whispered in her ear, "I like your friend, she's not afraid to speak her mind."
Emma smiled and nudged him gently, "I need to wash up myself and should try and locate my son." She glanced around the area and they could hear shouts of a group of boys down by the stables.
Emma soon spotted Henry and called out, "Henry you need to come in now."
By the reluctant gait in his steps it was clear that he wasn't too fond of the idea and when he reached her he looked up, "Can't I play some more, we were just going to the river to fish."
"Not today, you need to be washed." Emma scanned the state of her son, hair tousled from the wind, a leaf stuck into the strands of his dark brown hair. She plucked it out and showed it to him, "A bath it is and clean clothes."
"Sucks," Henry grumbled and trodden up to the front gates of the estate.
"That kid is so stubborn." Emma groaned.
Both Killian and Elsa chuckled at this and they all walked inside, where Elsa was shown to a room next to Emma and Henry's. Emma walked to her own room and got ready for the evening meal and the pre-drink session with the pirate King and his brother.
An hour later Killian knocked on her door, calling, "Are you ready?"
Emma opened the door and smiled, "Yes I'm ready." She glanced over her shoulder, "Come on Henry, we need to go."
Henry reluctantly dropped the book he'd been reading and followed her and Killian down the hall. Here they were joined by Elsa and August.
Killian knocked on a door and Liam's voice was heard, "Enter."
"Brother we're here."
Emma followed Killian inside and stepped to the side so Killian could introduce her friends to his brother.
"Brother, this is Elsa Winters, a friend of Emma and August Booth, Misthaven Royal guard."
Liam nodded in greeting to both his new guests and smiled at Emma, "Your friends are welcome here."
Everyone gave the pirate king a slight nod in return.
"Now join me for a drink before the evening meal. I'd love to know more about the woman who snuck aboard my brother's ship."
Emma gave a nervous chuckle, "Well that is all thanks to my son, as you know."
A waiter had poured wine in crystal goblets and a fruit drink for Henry, who already looked a bit bored by all the grown-up talking.
The talk went a little slow at first but soon they all joined in on the conversation about their adventure, Henry providing endless information of his knowledge about dragons. Liam was an amazing attentive host who seemed eager to include everyone, even asking direct questions to Elsa about her Inn. This seemed to fluster her friend to no end when all of Liam's attention was on Emma's blonde friend.
Emma sat next to Killian on a lounge sofa, his arm placed behind her on the backrest. Suddenly she felt his fingers grace over her neck, slipping under her long hair. She sent him a hard look.
Killian grinned and mouthed, "What?"
Emma pressed her hand between their legs and nudged his thigh in a silent warning, she wasn't too keen on this public display of affection. They were in the company of his brother. Vaguely she started to pick up on the conversation between Liam and Elsa again.
"... I'm certain we'll be seeing more of each other," Elsa said and looked over at Emma with a smile.
"Oh." Liam looked between Emma and Killian, his brows furrowed.
"Yeah, seeing as your brother and my friend are getting married."
"What!?" Liam barked out and rose to his feet, "No one has mentioned anything about a wedding." He pointed at Killian, "I knew you had lost your heart to the pretty princess, but marriage?"
"Look, brother." Killian lifted his hand in a peace offering, "I was going to talk to you about this."
"Hmm, I'm sure you would."
"Believe me, I had it all planned out, then Miss Elsa and August came and I forgot."
Emma looked at her friend while the brothers stared hard at each other, Elsa looked a little lost, "I'm sorry Emma I really thought that the king knew."
"I must admit I thought Killian had already spoken with his brother." She looked at Killian who was still shifting nervously in his seat.
"A word, little brother." Liam pointed to the door and waited for Killian to rise.
"It's younger brother," Killian grumbled and glanced down at Emma, "Don't worry, love I'll speak with him and have him see reason."
Emma reached out and took his hand and gave it a firm squeeze, "I know. I love you." The last words were a mere whisper, but she was almost certain that everyone in the room had heard it.
Killian walked out of the room with his brother, Emma only hoped that things would settle down between the two brothers.
"What in the bloodiest of hells was that all about?" Killian roared angrily and stomped back and forth in the smaller room Liam had pushed them into.
"You're a pirate prince and you want to marry the crown princess of Misthaven?" Liam rested against the large table, his arms folded over his chest.
"Aye." Killian lifted an eyebrow, daring his brother to make any sort of argumentation against his plan.
"Do you have any idea how ridiculous that will end up being?"
"I'm bloody well in love with Emma. What else matters in this?" Killian pushed forward and stepped close to his brother.
"Her Aunt, the current reigning Queen of Misthaven will have a say in who her niece will marry." Liam gave back with a grunt, "You're not setting Rum Island in any good grace with all of this if the Queen refuses to let Emma marry you."
"She would never…" Killian's voice trailed off while his mind conjured several scenarios of how that might work out for him and Emma.
"They do have a strong sense of right and wrong in Misthaven."
"How would you know?"
"I do like to make a habit of knowing who we're plundering from time to time and we've done a fair bit of trading with the smaller villages up the western coast of Misthaven. So aye, I've been reading up on the realm."
Killian grunted and kept staring down his brother, "As soon as Emma returns to Misthaven she'll talk with her aunt."
"I still don't like this." Liam rubbed his face with his hands, "This almost tops the stupid things you did when you tried to train dragons."
"I love her." Killian roared, fed up with his brother's rigid way of thinking, "Isn't that enough?"
"I hope." Liam folded his hands behind his neck, "You will have to travel back with her. Her son is well enough to travel, so soon?"
"So you approve?"
"Perhaps I should join you and make this a bit more official."
Killian smirked, "Is that a way of getting to spend more time with Miss Winters?"
"What?" Liam frowned.
"Come on brother, I saw how engaged in the conversation you were while speaking with the woman just now."
"I did no such thing…"
"Don't deny that you enjoy her company," Killian smirked.
"She is an interesting woman." Liam hedged and gave him a wry smile, "I've barely spoken with her for half an hour so perhaps it's a bit too early to assess my interest in her or not."
"Aye." Killian rubbed behind his ear, "But I've spent a whole journey to Caldera and back with Emma. We're in love and I intend to marry her."
"I understand and we'll make plans to travel to Misthaven within the next few days."
"Thank you." He walked to the door, "Let's join our guests and find our way to the evening meal."
Liam nodded in agreement and followed Killian to the lounge room where they'd left their guests.
Once inside everyone stood up and Liam said, "The meal will be served soon." He strode over to Elsa and offered her his arm. This didn't go unnoticed by either Emma or August who both looked startled at this bold move. August looked like a thundercloud and Emma looked a little miffed at her friend's position next to Liam.
When Emma slipped her hand into his she whispered, "What's that all about?"
"What?"
"That." She pointed ahead of them where Elsa and Liam were speaking together in quiet voices.
"Oh, I'm sure my brother is just trying to be less of an arse than he was before."
Emma gave him an unsure look but shrugged it off and followed him inside the dining hall. Long tables were loaded with all kinds of delicious foods that Rum Island could provide.
The meal ended up being a joyous affair with plenty to eat and drink and Liam tried to be the good host and asked several more questions about Emma's life in Misthaven. Killian saw how his brother really tried to accept the fact that his brother would marry Mistahven's Crown Princess.
Three days later dragons had been prepared for travel and Liam had instated his trusted council to oversee the run of Rum Island.
Killian watched with pride how Emma spoke with her dragon, Pearl. They'd trained quite a lot this past week while Henry recovered. Henry was going to fly with Emma, Killian had offered Miss Winter a seat on his Night Fury, but Liam had somehow managed to persuade the blonde Inn owner to fly with him on Graham's dragon. Ruby would fly along with August, leaving Graham behind to help the royal council in the absence of their king.
Soon all three dragons soared to the sky and headed for Misthaven, Killian only hoped that the news of his marriage with their Crown Princess would be well received.