The Princess And The Pirate

Chapter 3: Feelings?

Emma's POV

My eyes slowly opened and focused on my surroundings, I was back on the ship and with a terrible headache and pain everywhere. Groaning, I try to sit up but feel a sharp pain shoot through my stomach and before I could assess my pain, a voice stopped me.

"I wouldn't if I was you, love." It was Hook, walking back into this room. My gaze locked with his as he sat beside me on the wooden chair, next to the bed I was laying on. Carefully, he lays a warm cloth over what seems to be a wound on my stomach. I wince at the pain.

"What the hell happened?" I groan and try to distract myself from the pain and listen to Hook's story about a man trying to harm me and eventually cut me with a blade and then Hook brought me back to his cabin and here we are now, him helping my injuries.

"Thank you, Hook." I generally say and he sincerely smiles before putting his good hand on my cheek, stroking it gently, "Call me Killian, thats my real name." He says and tucks my knotty blonde strands behind my left ear.

"Killian..." The name feels so right when I say it, "It suits you." I honestly say and he smirks before removing the cloth from my stomach and back in his hand. He keeps dabbing the wound, causing me to yelp in pain slightly.

"Sorry love but it might get infected otherwise." He tells me and I quickly nod whilst trying to ignore the stinging pain shooting through me. Killian removes the cloth and sits back in his chair, watching me with his dark blue eyes which remind me of the ocean.

"You need rest," he says and stands up before walking to the door but stops and says, "I'm glad you are alright, Swan." With a sincere smile and walks out, closing the wooden door behind him.

The room returns to silence. Only the sound of the waves can be heard and the occasional shouting from Killian and the crew. With the throbbing from my stomach wearing off, I can now sit up so I do. I look down to my stomach and see it has been bandaged up so maybe I can walk outside.

Taking that risk, I stand up and leave the cabin finally getting some fresh air in my lungs, "Captains not gonna like this, Emma. You're hurt." Andrew honesty says from behind me so I turn round and smile. "Relax, he seems alright today." I reply back and Andrew chuckles before handing me a flask of water. I gratefully take it and drink.

"Andrew, now is no time for talking! You need to---Swan?" Hook or 'Killian' says in shock as his talking was stopped when he saw me around. Sometime which made me curious was his eyes. They were laced with what seemed to be worry.

"Don't worry Captain, I'm fine now." I truthfully say and use 'Captain' instead of Killian because its a bit too informal. Killian nods his head unconvinced and informs us of where we are going.

"Alright crew, lets begin our journey to the Lost Sea! The trip is almost 2 days but we can make it." Killian explains and the men cheer. I smile at their enthusiasm before leaving Andrew and sitting on the steps.  It is times like this, the quiet and alone ones, when I really miss my parents. Hook and the crew did do something illegal, very illegal. Kidnap me.

At first Hook told me it was for a ransom from my parents until he apparently changed his mind and made me a member of his crew. This was three years ago and I still haven't ran. Why? Because I feel like I belong here and despite the rough start, they crew treat me like family. The only thing thats been on my mind each day is my parents. Do they think I am dead? Do they think I ran away?

It was almost dark now, only the stars lighting up the sea and I hear Hook call me. "Swan, come up here!" He shouts so I walk up the steps to where he is at the steering wheel.

"Yes captain?" I ask him and he shakes his head and chuckes, "Killian is fine, love." He says and I shake my head and smile.

"Okay then, Killian. Call me Emma." I tell him.

"No way. Swan suits you." He jokes and we both laugh until he starts explaining why he wants me here.

"Its tradition on any pirate ship for the first mate to be able to read a Sextant." He explains and holds up and golden object and a dusty old book.

"Whats a Sextiant?" I ask and he chuckles and my lack of knowledge and bad pronouncing of the object.

"Sextant,love and it allows you to read the stars. Better then any map." He says and sits the Sextent on the side of the ship. Interested, I walk over to him and he explains how to use the tool and shows me how to translate it into a map to a certain place. Its actually quite simple and I am a fast learner.

"You're a natural, Swan. I always knew there was a bit of pirate in you." He proudly says and I laugh at his childish behaviour but I am stopped when something out of the blue and unexpected happens.

My laughing is stopped by his lips. He is kissing me.

I'm taken back at first, shocked that he would even try this move but something makes me kiss back. His soft lips softly kiss me. It isn't rough or forced but soft and passionate. After a minute or so, we pull away and I stand there shocked.

"W-What was that?" I ask shocked and he shakes his head, shock seems evident on his face to.

"Swan, I'm sorry. I just-" he begins but I interrupt him.

"You just what? Needed another women to mess around with?" I say and my fear of falling for him takes over me. Thats my problem, these walls. They push out any possibility for love and destroys it before it can happen. My harshness takes him back.

"I'm not just another women who you can get to bed with a drink and flirtatious attitude." I finish and he freezes in the spot.

"I would never do that to you." Is all he says which makes me more mad because I am probably right. In my three years of being here, he has had 5 women from taverns on the ship and all leave heartbroken or crying.

"Then why!" I slightly raise my voice, not waning to wake up the crew who are most likely sleeping.  

"Because I have feelings for you!" He yells and I pause. My heart pace quicken as I let him speak, "that kiss just confirmed it. Bloody hell, Emma. Ever since I have had you on this ship you have began to change me and I know why. I wanted to be a better man for you, Swan. I wanted to make you notice me and I feel like I just need you." He softly says and throws his hands over his face, leaning on the side of the ship.

Is this the truth? Does he really like me more then I though he did.

I look towards him and see him sitting down, his back against the side of the boat. Nerves run through me as I walk over to him and sit beside him. My heart tells me to open up and let him in but my mind only thinks I'll get hurt.

"Killian," I begin and face him. He looks at me with his bright blue eyes which shine in the night. I try and speak again but I feel my eyes tear up and he seems to notice because he shakes his head and brings me into his arms, my head laying on his chest whilst I listen to his heartbeat. He strokes my hair and speaks.

"Emma, just trust me. Open up your heart to love, it is so worth it." He whispers and I smile and look up at him from his chest.

"I will. Lets just take things slow, okay?" I say and he smiles widely and nods before I feel myself falling asleep the the beat of his heart.