The Price of Freedom ➸ Captain Swan

19. Two Truths and a Lie

Hey my lovely readers! I feel like it's been forever and I meant to have this up last week but my trip to Florida prevented that so I apologize! HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO ALL MY AMERICANS OUT THERE LOVE Y'ALL!!!

Emma stared at him, eyes widening with every passing second. Could he possibly be the man that she was to marry? No, no, there have to be a thousand people in the realm named Charles, and at least a few of them were bound to be princes, weren't they?

The more she thought about it, the more her reasoning seemed completely ridiculous, and as she thought about it, he looked exactly as descriptions had been told to her.

Charles eyed her oddly, since she hadn't said anything for a while, and kept staring at him with a shocked expression. He laughed lightly to clear the air, but it came out a bit nervously. He wondered why she was staring at him with such confusion.

"And your name is?" He asked, hoping to spark her response.

She shook her head, as if coming out of a daydream. "It's uh... Uh..." Emma stumbled over her words, knowing that if she told him her real name, the cat would be out of the bag, and she would have to leave. Staying would no longer be an option.

Charles laughed. "Hard question?" He raised an eyebrow, and Emma blushed, shaking her head.

What was she supposed to tell him? If she told him a fake name, that could get questions from the crew if he ever spoke to them as a whole, and if she told him her real name, surely he would recognize it, and put two and two together.

"Uh, you can just call me Swan, I suppose." Emma finally blurted out, not having anything else to say. "Most everyone here does." Which that of course, was a lie... No one called her that except for Hook and one or two others.

He grinned slightly. "Okay... I like that. It fits you."

Emma smiled and let out the breath she was holding, thankful that he didn't question her any further on the matter. "Thank you... I guess."

He nodded, "You're welcome... I guess." They both laughed, and Emma was about to say something else when she heard shuffling above their heads, and she looked out the window to see the sun was coming up.

She gasped, realizing that someone was coming towards the brig, and she sprang to her feet. "I'm not supposed to be down here, no one can know I was down here!" She said quickly, scanning the room to find a place to hide. She had told Hook that she was not going to come torture the prince, and because of that, he made her swear she wouldn't come down here. If he figured out, she would have to explain herself. "Promise you won't tell?" She whispered sharply to him, narrowing her eyes.

"I'd lose my only company if I did. I'm sworn to secrecy." He nodded, crossing his heart.

Emma let out a small breath. "Thank you." She ran behind the ladder, hiding behind a barrel as the panel to the brig opened, and leather boots clanked as they made their way down the steps.

She pressed herself against the wall, and held her breath, trying hard not to make a sound.

Charles sat himself back inside the cage nonchalantly, as if nothing happened.

Another pair of boots followed behind, who she now recognized to be Hook, and he turned around to face Kane. "Do not let your temper get the best of you, or you will be walking the plank faster than you ever imagine. We are here to scare him not kill him, since Emma refused to use her tactics." He whispered to the tall brute who nodded. Emma ducked her head, and closed her eyes, sure that they could hear her heart beating. "I'd actually prefer you not to speak."