The Lost Princess - A Once Upon A Time Fanfic

The Captain and the Queen // Neverland

Suddenly, she heard a rustling through the brush. She whipped her head to the side, trying to decipher whether it was the Lost Boys. Quickly, she realized it wasn't. 

"Who's there?" She asked aloud. 

The rustling stopped. It was as if whoever was there was afraid to be caught. 

Slowly, Rapunzel moved toward the noise, pushing the branches on the overgrown trees out of her way. A small man in a red hat jumped out, making her jump back and yelp in surprise. Once she noticed he was just as nervous, she composed herself. 

"Who are you?!" She almost yelled. 

The small man look at her in surprise as well, not recognizing the girl. "You're a...girl?" 

Rapunzel looked down, then rolled her eyes. "Apparently."

"I didn't know he was bringing girls to the island now," he said. 

"He's not," she snapped back angrily. He threw his hands up in defense. 

"Stand down," a booming voice came from behind the man. A tall man dressed in black leather walked forward. Rapunzel looked him up and down, immediately noticing the hook in place of his left hand. "Back up, Mr. Smee. Clearly, you're less intimidating than we thought you'd be." 

Rapunzel watched this man very carefully. "Are you going to tell me who you are?" She asked, her voice still steady. 

"Apologies for my mate's manners. Apparently he has none. Captain Hook, at your service," he said with an over-exaggerated bow. "And you are?" 

She stood straighter. "Rapunzel." 

"Wait," Mr. Smee said from behind, "I've heard that name. One of the boys said something about their Queen."

She sighed. "That's me. Well, for a few weeks now anyway."

"Well," Hook said, taking her hand and kissing it, "it is a pleasure, Your Majesty."

She took her hand back and grimaced. "Do I sense a bit of sarcasm, Captain?" 

He laughed. "Well, you're a child. You can't really be the Queen of anything, can you?" 

Before she could process her own anger, Rapunzel felt her hands begin to spark. Hook's eyes gazed down at the electricity and he gasped. 

"Now, now, could it be?" He said, unfazed by the phenomenon. "I've heard of a power like this before. It's not magic that was born, but created. A neutral gift, I believe they call it." 

She stared at him for a moment, dumbfounded. "The only one besides Pan that knows about that is-"

"Rumplestiltskin," he sneered. Her eyes widened. 

"Does everyone here know Rumple?" 

Hook began to circle Rapunzel very slowly, beginning to tell his own story. 

"The Dark One stole my true love, my true happiness, from me. Tore out her heart and smashed it right in front of me," he said, mimicking the feat. 

Rapunzel gulped. "Wow, I'm so sorry," she said, feeling the pain course through his body. Once his memory of her faded and the pain rushed out, she felt an overwhelming sense of anger in him. "And you're looking for revenge," she insinuated. 

"Is it that obvious?" 

"Well, I can feel your anger," she said. He cocked his head to the side in confusion, to which she rolled her eyes. "Neutral power equals empathy," she said, pointing to her head.