Killian stared at Emma in horror as she stepped in between him and the arrow that had been aimed at his heart. He knew an expert archer when he saw one, and the red-headed woman with long curly hair holding a drawn bow and arrow was definitely an expert.

They had recently disembarked from the ship and walked into town, and suddenly, he was looking into the face of a woman who had taken one look at him and objected to him immensely. At least, she appeared to have since he had the impression she wanted to take him out of the realm of the living.

"I'm not in danger!" Emma yelled out, to Killian's shock.

"That's Captain Hook, Emma. Everyone's in danger around him. Especially pretty women," Merida replied.

"He loves me," Emma objected.

Merida laughed, still not lowering her bow and arrow, "Bullshit! He's lying! You are in danger."

Emma took two steps toward the redhead and said, "He loves me. Who knows what love looks like better than I do? I have been surrounded by it since before I was born."

"He's incredibly hot, I'll give you that. I think you're letting your hormones color your perception. He's not capable of love. Rogues like him have smooth tongues and quick words. That's all it is."

"Ignore what you've heard of him, please," Emma asked, taking another step toward the woman. "Look at me and tell me, do you really believe he couldn't come to love me?"

Merida paled. "I didn't mean that, but come on! He's…." she deflated a bit and sighed at her friend. "You love him, and I know you won't listen to me."

Emma gave her a wane smile and looked across the way at her. "I'm listening. I'm only asking you to lower your bow and find out the truth for yourself."

Acquiescing and lowering her bow, Merida then stored her arrow in her quiver. "I will listen, but I make no promises about not shooting him."

Emma then dashed to her friend and embraced her. When she got there, she whispered, "I am in love, but I'm no fool." Merida scoffed, but she pressed on. "Don't mention who my parents are. I have kept that all a secret. I trust him, but it's not my secret to tell."

"He doesn't know you're a magical Princess?"

"I'm not a princess, but no, he doesn't know about any of that." Emma had always insisted that a deposed Princess wasn't a real Princess, especially since it happened before she was born. "Well, he does know I have magic. That is my secret to tell. His crew doesn't, though."

Merida nodded. Emma not telling Killian everything and being wise in her secrets gave her hope that her friend wasn't acting entirely irrationally. "You know I won't say anything."

"Thank you. And you're right about one thing. He's really hot," Emma said, laughing as she released her friend from the hug.

Shaking her head in amusement, Merida said, "I guess you better introduce me."

Emma drew her friend over to Killian, and he noticed Emma looked at him with hopeful eyes. He gave her a slight nod and said, "I'm Killian. It's nice to meet you…."

"Merida. And you're lying."

Killian knit his brow. He didn't care that she called him a liar. He was one, after all, and he was damn proud of it. He had earned that reputation. His focus was on her name and her hair. "Merida. You wouldn't happen to be King Fergus' daughter, would you?" If she were, it would mean he was right about her being an expert archer, and on top of that, it would mean that she was royalty. It would just add to the mystery behind Emma.

"Yes. I am." She gave him an appraising look. "You've heard of me, have you?"

"Aye. I have heard of you, lass. You're the one who fought for your own hand in marriage. Makes an odd wedding night if you ask me."

She laughed, genuinely amused by him. "True. But I'm able to live on my own terms. And since the best archers I know, and the only ones who could beat me, are two women or one married man, I felt I was safe to take up the challenge."

Emma flushed at her statement and hoped Killian wouldn't press her for the names. Not that he would have reason to, but it was a topic she wanted him to stay away from. She knew who Merida meant. She and Merida were so evenly matched that they were just about tied over all of the years they had known each other. Emma did have a chance at beating her, though. It was Snow and Robin Hood that Merida mostly meant, though. She hadn't ever beaten either of them, but like she said, she wasn't at risk of any of them competing for her hand.

Five minutes later, the three of them entered a tavern, and Killian noticed that Emma and Merida didn't seem phased by the looks they got as they entered. He wasn't surprised that a beautiful blond and striking redhead had drawn everyone's notice. Some of those men were his crewmen, too.

Emma had Merida follow her over to the largest table in the room, which already had some of the Jolly Roger's crew there. "Meet my friends," Emma said. "All pirates and all good to me. This is Shorty, Mac, Murphy, Old Tom, Smee, and Shark Bait. His real name is Bob, but no one calls him that. Everyone, this is my friend Merida. I've known her since…." Emma trailed off. She knew she needed to edit the story to leave out some crucial details. Like how King Fergus had hidden them from the Evil Queen's spies the first time he met them, no questions asked. Something she hadn't understood at the time since her parents were still protecting her from the truth back then. "Gosh," she said, covering up her pause. "We were six, right?"

"Yeah," Merida said with humor dancing in her eyes. "And I hated you at first! You were the first person my age that could beat me at archery. I was such a brat, and I couldn't handle losing."

Emma gave her a lopsided smile. "I remember. You punched me in the face!"

Merida scoffed. "I started it, but don't pretend you didn't participate."

"I know," Emma taunted. "I remember making you cry."

"You taught me an important lesson that day —never start a fight you can't win."

"I learned my lesson, too. I discovered my sweet mother could scream until her face turned bright red. She was furious with me."

Merida laughed at the memory. "I don't know why. I started it."

Emma dropped her chin, knowing she couldn't answer, but that Merida knew the truth. Snow had been mad because King Fergus had risked everything, including the lives of all his people, to keep her family safe. Snow hadn't liked what Merida had done, but she had been afraid of being tossed out and being caught.

Merida knew why Snow had been mad. And it was her response more than the beating from Emma that had taught her a hard lesson. Snow never once, during the incident, had acted like Emma winning wasn't a foregone conclusion. Even though they were the same age, Merida had been left with the distinct impression that Snow firmly believed that Emma fighting back was akin to a grown adult beating a child. She had expected Emma to hold back since she saw Emma as so much stronger than Merida. That knowledge had stung at the time, and the worst part of it all was that she realized Snow was right. Over the years, she had perfected her archery, and yet still, she and Emma were equally matched. Yet with every other form of fighting, Emma was superior. Not that she undervalued her own skills. Emma was just that exceptional.

Their banter amused Killian, and he couldn't help himself noticing there was by-play going on under the surface that they were both keeping secret. It dawned on him that Emma had taken the opportunity during their initial hug to tell Merida to keep things about her past hidden.

It was Merida who changed the subject. "Imagine my surprise at seeing you with the infamous Captain Hook."

"You pointed an arrow at him," Emma objected.

"I did! What do you expect?! It's Bloody Captain Hook! He's on all sorts of wanted posters and…" Merida trailed off and blushed red. She knew Snow and David were on wanted posters, too, with much larger rewards.

"My point exactly," Emma said, knowing what had dawned on Merida. "Why not get to know him first?"

Merida replied, "At first glance, I thought you were in danger. Women tend to be around him. Or at least their virtue is!"

Blushing red, but not ducking her head, Emma said, "Well, then, if that was your reason, you should have shot him." She then laughed a bit at her joke.

"No, seriously?" Merida asked in shock. She then leaned towards her friend, smiling, "How was it?"

Emma burst out laughing. "I just found out they can all hear me…. in the moment. It's amazing."

Merida sat back, thinking about what her friend said. She had always wondered about sex but wasn't interested in finding out for herself. She had successfully avoided losing her freedom in an archery contest; she didn't want a "compromise" to give her father an excuse to marry her off.

Thinking of her own father, she laughed. "Your dad is going to murder him."

Scoffing, Emma said, "I plan to cry and make a fuss. You know he's wrapped around my little finger."

"I can defend myself, Emma," Killian protested. He was incredibly curious about why both girls looked at him like he was delusional. He wondered just who her father was.

Merida spent the late afternoon and evening watching Killian and Emma interact. She and her friend did most of the talking, but Killian's actions interested her.

Her own father was very much the King and leader of their people, a people that centered around the fact that they were led by a man. And still, her mother, in her strength, stood by his side. At one time, she thought her mother was weak, but she had learned the truth as she grew up.

Elinor hadn't ever questioned Fergus in front of his men, at least not until she was standing up for Merida recently. And she thought that meant she was weak. Then she paid closer attention, and she realized that in private, her mother let her true feelings be known. She wasn't weak. She respected her husband's crown and his role in the lives of his people. Merida realized he respected his wife, too. Over the years, she saw many instances of her father coming back to his people and seemingly changing his orders the next day, with her mother happily standing at his side. It took time to realize that he hadn't changed his mind. Her mother had.

Merida grew to understand the look that a man with absolute power gives to the woman he loves and respects. She had seen it in her own father's eyes when he looked at her mother. It was a look of love and one that held the firm belief that he could keep her safe. It was a look Killian had in his eyes every time he looked at her friend.

Later in the night, Emma and Merida were more than a little buzzed off the rum they had been drinking, both of the women had shockingly high alcohol tolerance, but then they had had even shockingly more alcohol.

Emma stood up on her chair and announced, "They think I should have a problem with pirates!" She glared at the men at the table. "As if they are the most wanted in the land!" She scoffed.

Merida toasted her friend's statement, shot back her drink, and said, "The Evil Queen doesn't give a shit about them, unlike you. If she knew you existed, she would try and murder you… too!" She sobered just a bit and grew pale, then pushed her empty glass away from her. "I shouldn't have said that." She looked around nervously as she perceived that everyone at the table had grown quiet.

Emma jumped off the chair and started to walk away. As she did, Merida added, "I'm so sorry!"

Pausing, Emma turned and faced her. "I'm not mad —kinda. I started it, though, really. I've had too much to drink."

"We both have." Merida raced over to her friend. She then whispered, "I screwed this up, didn't I?"

Emma took her hand in hers momentarily and gave it a comforting squeeze. "I don't know what to do."

Killian, having made his way over to Emma, said, "And I didn't hear anything. Not to mention that if I had, the list of people the Evil Queen wants to kill is incredibly long. You haven't given anything away." Emma pursed her lips and thought about how her parents were at the very top of that very long list.

Merida eyed Killian and said, "I'm glad I didn't kill you. Turns out I believe you're smart enough to fall for Emma after all."

He reached up and caressed Emma's cheek. "I need one bit of information, Merida. Is she really in danger from the Evil Queen?"

"Yes, but I'll tell you no more."

He nodded in thanks. "That's all I need to know. I will protect her."

Merida said, "I actually believe you. And I'll say one more thing. Don't ever let anyone figure out who she is. Emma, keeping her secrets, is important because if the wrong person overheard anything, it could destroy her."

Killian frowned. He knew that the alcohol had dulled Merida's senses, and she didn't know how much she had given away. It all pointed in one direction. Emma's parents were enemies of the Evil Queen, a long list, he reminded himself, and the queen didn't know they had a daughter. He promised himself the woman wouldn't find out they had a daughter.

It meant he needed to think out his whole revenge plan. Was it worth going after the Dark One if it put Emma in the Evil Queen's path?