Once upon a time on an Uncharted island, was a cove with a white sandy beach surrounded by crystal blue water. Cliffs and other large rocks circled the perimeter and the calming sound of the waves slowly washing in and then out again, were the only sound. This small piece of paradise led into a thick jungle, that held many secrets and dangers but for the moment, all was quiet. Until a sudden gust of wind lifted the grains of sand in the middle of the beach swirling them into a whirlpool, then a flash of green light followed by a thud, as a woman dressed in a luxurious blue ballgown fell onto the beach. Seconds later the green whirlpool was gone, and the woman remained, laying face first on the ground. Slowly she got up onto her knees, frowning as she looked down at the sand beneath her fingertips, wondering why she wasn't looking at the marble floors of the palace.
"What's… going on?" Emma said disorientated.
Her eyes went wide as she looked up, moving some of the blonde curls obstructing her sight taking her surroundings in. It was all so beautiful but eerie on this cold quiet night, her heart began to race as realisation set in and her anxiety rose. However, it faded when she noticed something in the distance that immediately took her focus, from the peril she was in. Beyond the shoreline away from the sandbank, near the cliff face, we're the swell was bigger. She could see a silhouette of a grand ship, making its way back out to open sea, leaving behind a man. His face contorted in agony, as the relentless waves crashed into him.
The pain he felt wasn't the most pressing concern, while he continued to squirm, pulling against the rope wound tightly around his wrists. Breaking free of restraints was usually a simple task for the pirate, but his hook, usually attached to his wrist, was in his mouth, used as a gag by the cruel men, who left him to this fate. In an effort not to lose it, he clenched his jaw tightly, but this only made it more difficult to breathe. After an hour of this constant struggle, watching the Jolly Roger sail off without him, he became fatigued, but persisted.
Looking up at the stars above, mapping the route home 'third star on the right and straight on till morning' his brothers voice echoed in his head, this gave the Captain solace. The tiny sparkling lights above always brightening up even the darkest of nights, now they filled him with warmth as he took his last breath of air, before the rising tide overcame him. This wasn't the first time Captain Hook had faced a life and death situation, although the outcome of this was looking particularly bleak, he always had been a survivor. With a lifetime of brave well-intended schemes and endeavours to back up those claims, always finding a way through, just when all hope seemed lost. This time his blind determination and cunning wasn't enough, Hooks mind fading while he used the last of his strength trying to free himself.
The sound of the crashing waves faded away to silence, and he found himself caught in a dream, seeing the faces of those he knew to be dead, welcoming him. It was in that moment Captain Hook felt a tugging on his right arm, he never imagined dying to feel like this, more of a gentle fade to black, this feeling was harsh and painful, this was life. The woman from the beach, desperately and out of breath tirelessly paddled with one hand through the waves, while towing the Captain behind, her expression panicked when she dared look back at the limp body. Unaware he was being rescued; his thoughts were lightyears away from the dire situation. Unable to feel the thumping on his chest and the course wet sand beneath the back of his head once they got to the beach. Her shaky voice, calling for him to open his eyes, to breathe. The only sound was a ringing in his ears, in fact everything hurt. Nothing but horrible aching pain from every corner of his being, exhaustion had set in, more than that a sense of loss, as to what he was fighting for.
There are moments in life however that time seems to slow down for, letting you embrace a whole new possibility. As Captain Hook felt the cold wet hand, softly clasp under his jawline, and pry his mouth open, her lips on his, breathing air into his lungs, the noise and pain stopped in an instant and the only sensation he felt, was love. Fierce and true, then just as swiftly as it came, it was gone, the soft salty lips already becoming a memory, right before his chest was pounded upon once again. Without even fully thinking it through he surged forwards wanting more, this feeling, it was everything to him now and he couldn't exist a second longer with it absent. Unfortunately, as he reached for it, he was only met with a horrible burning sensation in his throat, as the salt water he'd swallowed expelled back out of his mouth and his eyes opened. Captain Hook took a horrible, croaked breath, his first in almost five minutes and his world had shifted.
"Breathe, please" his saviour said as the sun rose behind her.
The woman laying over him sighed with relief as the Captains chest rose and sank, her hand over his heart, as it began beating on its own once more. The first thing he saw were her eyes, beautiful glowing green, the rest of her soaking wet just like him, long blonde curls draping down across her face. Her garments were out of place, and the pirates mouth curved into a smirk as he almost laughed noticing she was in a ball gown, that had now become a tattered mess.
"You saved me" he said thankfulness in his tone.
"Yeah, sure"
Saying it so simply even while still out of breath, as if this was just one of her daily chores and she was anticipating more to come. The woman seemed even more disorientated than he was, to find herself on the beach, breathing in the smell of the sea air and fruit trees just over by the forests edge. In truth the only thing that made sense to her was saving people, it felt routine and filled her with a sense of familiarity, solely lacking from this place. She looked at her surroundings, eyes wide in horror as if she was still out in the ocean fighting against the waves, Hook sensing this discomfort couldn't help but check in.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that, I mean how did you end up tied to a rock in the ocean"?
"The crew and I had a misunderstanding; one they'll live to regret" He said before glumly looking at his wrist, wondering if it was worth diving back into the water, to find his hook.
"Well, if it's revenge you want, maybe this will help" She replied handing him his hook.
"Thanks, thought I'd lost it for good" he said, tying the hook back onto his wrist where it belonged.
"You should probably take it easy for a while".
"Don't worry lass, I can handle a little bit of water in the lungs, you seem to be in a desperate spot yourself" he said with a curious eyebrow raise.
"What makes you say that?"
"Well, this isn't an island paradise, how did you get here?"
"Island?" She paused, her heart rate increased, and she began to become more anxious "I have to get back to my family, they won't be able to find me" She said her voice panicked.
"You expect me to believe this is coincidence, you'd just stumble upon me, right when I need saving, how do I know that you're not after it as well".
"After what?"
He looked at her sceptically for a moment, wondering if she honestly didn't know where they were, and what possibilities laid before them. She breathed deep with on hand clinging to a pendant on her necklace, that had a slight glow to it slightly diminishing now.
"There is treasure here, a pile of jewels, art and gold so grand it would last a person lifetime's worth of carefree spending. As it took lifetimes to scavenge, made possible by the magic of the island, magic that legend tells, could keep a person young forever, while they travelled from realm to realm collecting treasures from all the different worlds. We… ugh I have spent my life hunting down clues and finding a way to the island, I don't believe someone could just stumble upon it".
"I didn't stumble, I fell actually, right over there" she said, pointing to where she face planted in the sand earlier.
"How is that possible?"
"I would not travel to a strange land risking life, risking the safety of the my kingdom, for gold or jewels".
"Aah a princess, should have known".
"And you're a pirate".
He smirked and then nodded embracing the title, never ashamed of the man he was, still he wondered if this was all a ruse.
"Maybe there is more to you then meets the eye, how do I know you're not working with those mutinous pirates?".
"Why would they leave you for dead, only to have me rescue you?".
"To gain my trust, something they never had".
"Well, you clearly don't trust me so, plan failed, can we move on".
"I'm not sure yet".
He continued to stare deep into her eyes without even realising it, as they continued to banter, Hooks smirk becoming more of a smile.
"Not sure, I just risked my own life to save yours".
"Yeah, quite a reckless thing to do for a stranger, your either are a truly honourable hero or a lying thief".
"All I want, is to go home".
He continued to stare deep into her eyes his eyebrow raised up, this frustrated her as it seemed he found her distress amusing.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked, her tone gruff.
"Like what?"
"With that smoulder and curiously raised eyebrow, like I'm suddenly going to spill all my deep dark secrets, if I look into your dazzling blue eyes long enough".
"Dazzling heh"
Emma didn't give a verbal response to this comment simply rolling her eyes, as she became frustrated with the situation and herself.
"You really don't know?"
"Know what? I don't know who you are, I don't even know where I am!"
"My apologies princess" He said, standing up dusting some of the sand off his clothes before extending a hand to her. "Captain Hook, welcome to Neverland"
"Neverland, I've never heard of it, how far from home have I gone!"
"Depends, where are you from, love?"
"I travel a lot, but my home is in a kingdom known as Misthaven".
"Ah the enchanted forest"
"Do you know, if it's far from here".
"Distance isn't the problem, the only way back would be to go through a portal, how did you conjure the first one?"
"I didn't... I don't know how I got here, I was at the ball… then we were attacked by a dark wizard, I was trying to reach my father when this green vortex appeared, sucked me in..."
Emma began to explain, but her voice trailed as she became overwhelmed, realising the dire nature of the situation. Picturing the chaos, she unintentionally left behind, that her family and friends now had to face without her, without the saviour.
"I'm stuck here, I can't do anything to help them".
However, as it all finally sunk in, all she did was let out a deep breath, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, the tension in her muscles easing slightly.
"What's your name love?" He asked curiously noticing her relief.
"Emma" She said, finally accepting his extended hand and getting to her feet.
"Seems like a stroke of luck for me that you found your way here, right when I needed saving?"
"I didn't do a very good job".
"I'm alive aren't I" he replied somewhat mockingly checking the pulse on his neck.
"Barely… I was, trying to calm the waves, must have done the spell wrong... and then I couldn't even heal you".
"Heal me, you can do that?"
The pirate's expression became a frown, as the peculiar princess continued to reveal more about herself, realising his rescuer was a lot more then she seemed.
"Why are you looking at me like I'm crazy".
"I'm familiar with sorcerers and magic, but rarely encountered someone with so much power, that had actually used it to help others.
"Is there no magic here?" she asked, ignoring his compliments.
"Well legend tells, there is magic to be found, but there are rules, kind of like a game".
"There's always a price" she said bitterly, under her breath.
Killian frowned confused by the broken expression of the princess, not able to be proud of her heroic actions. There were many things that interested him about the unique woman who stood across from him, but there was one question he needed answered first.
"What are you willing to do in order to return to your family, and save them?"
"Anything"
"Maybe, we can assist each other?"
"A pirate and a princess?"
"We could make quite the team, find the treasure together and go home".
"Won't your former crew beat us to it" She replied, confused having seen the ships sails disappearing around the cliffs from the beach.
"Oh, there going in the completely wrong direction".
Emma looked at him and couldn't help but smile, he was so confident almost arrogant, even though still obviously bothered by the betray of his crew. There was even a tinge of excitement in his eyes, like a kid on Christmas morning, anticipating something amazing to come.
"They have a map, but it's not as accurate as they believe". He explained.
"Pirate" she chuckled.
"Well, this pirate, is your only chance at a way home".
"Unless your treasure includes a magic bean, it's not much help".
"I don't know about a bean, but there was a way off the island, the Pirates had a system of travel between worlds".
"Or they died and there is no way off leaving Neverland".
"If that were true, then where do the stories about Captain Nemo and the places they visited come from and how did they get the treasure here in the first place".
There was a contagious enthusiasm to the way he spoke about the legend, his mind racing through the possibilities. Emma looked at him sceptically trying to catch him in a lie, but everything he said, he believed to be true and that was enough for her right now.
"Huh, well I guess there's no reason not to believe you".
"Adventure awaits"
"Adventure?"
Emma shook her head slightly, never knowing someone to have such a lust for a possibly deadly, certainly difficult road ahead. Captain Hook had such spirit about him and there was an anticipation in the air she had never felt before a quest. They walked across the sand and into the forest with little caution, as they ventured into the unknown together.