Five days later...
The sun was beginning to set and the entire ship was preparing to head below deck for a well-deserved meal. Emma was already down there helping the ship's cook with the final preparations. Killian remained at the helm of his ship observing the new deckhand, Jamie. He couldn't shake this feeling that his new crew member was hiding something. Jamie was too eager to please, too willing to listen. All signs of someone wanting to gain trust in a quick manner. Killian even felt he had a crush on Emma making him even more of a threat. However, the pirate kept those thoughts to himself. He was waiting for Jamie to have one slip up just to throw him off his ship.
Sadly, it was becoming clear that it wouldn't happen anytime soon. The newest crew member was clever for his age and very good at manipulating words to make people feel sorry for him, so Killian decided to change his approach. This time he would be the one to establish trust. The captain would allow Jamie to sit with him and Emma at dinner, let him and his princess talk. This would give the captain a chance to get a better read on the young man, find some sort of crack that he could expose. And if anything, it would simply make Emma happy.
The captain dropped anchor and slowly made his way below deck to join his crew for dinner. Everyone cheered as they saw their captain. Emma smiled and made her way over to him, pulling him in for a quick hug, "I thought you were going to keep sailing until it got dark?"
He mirrored her smile, "Aye, I was planning too, but then I remembered you were making your famous mashed potatoes and I couldn't pass that up" He replied as he began to take his seat, "Why don't you invite your friend to come eat with us."
The princess gave her captain a puzzling look, "Who, Jamie?"
"Aye." He responded, "Tell him to come eat with us."
Her smile grew, "Really?"
Killian nodded his head as a drink was being passed to him.
Emma quickly rushed over to her scrawny friend who gave her a wary look as she approached him. It was evident Jamie had a few doubts, but he followed the princess with caution and took a seat next to her. Killian gave him a weak smile, assuring him that it was okay. The princess, on the other hand, decided not to question her pirate's actions. She thought he was finally starting to trust her new friend and she was more than grateful...
Dinner was eventful for everyone but Killian. He had to listen to Jamie share his pitiful stories of his childhood with Emma who had a soft spot for those kinds of things. He should know, he had many sad stories as well. The rest of the crew did their typical evening events of playing cards, drinking, and some casual sword fighting. The captain felt he was no closer to getting to know Jamie than he hoped, if anything it only made Emma like the boy more. His instincts still told him to remain cautious around the ex-prisoner, but Killian was starting to think it was all in his head. Perhaps this boy was as genuine as he appeared, perhaps Killian was more jealous than he would like to admit.
The captain knew Emma loved him and no one else, there was no doubt about that. But now he had new competition. This boy appeared to be a kind, genuine man. Everything Emma wanted. He was closer in age, came from humble beginnings, saved her god damn life. Killian couldn't compare. He still saw himself as the dreaded pirate who took her for ransom, locked her in the room they now share, and worst of all he kept many secrets from her...
"Killian." Emma said, shaking her lover's arm.
"Hm?" the captain mumbled as he dazed back into reality.
The princess smiled, "You've been quiet all day, is everything all right?"
He picked up her hand in his and placed a kiss on the back of it and smiled, "Aye, love. Just trying to think of what else I need to pick up at port tomorrow."
"I was talking with Sebastian earlier and he said that the galley was running low on some spices." She responded.
"Ah, that's what I was trying to remember." He fabricated with a smile as he stood up, "I'll head down to our quarters and write it on the list before I forget again."
Emma quickly got up from her seat, "I'll go with you."
"No no no." Kilian responded quickly, "You finish your meal." He said, placing his hand on her arm.
The princess squinted her eyes at the captain, trying to get a better read on him. He was acting strange, "Are you sure you're alright?"
"Aye, I promise." He insisted.
"Do you want me to bring some drinks to the cabin?" She pushed, "We can have a quiet evening in, maybe even some snuggling in bed?" She asked with a flirtatious smile.
Killian did the only thing he could think of to reassure her, he softly pressed his lips against hers, "I promise everything is alright, love... You enjoy your evening and I'll see you soon, and perhaps we can hug up later." He responded with a wink.
With that final sentence, she took her seat next to Jamie once more, deciding to give her captain whatever space he needed for the night. Killian had completely forgotten the ship's newest recruit was there and it was evident he had made the boy uncomfortable by kissing Emma along with their few flirtatious remarks. He didn't care, it's best if Jamie knew his place now rather than later. The captain made his exit from the galley and headed to his quarters to be alone with his endless thoughts...
Once he arrived at their cabin he headed to bed and layed on Emma's side. He inhaled the smell of roses from her pillow, finding it quite comforting. He let his body relax and his mind become empty, erasing all the negative thoughts from the day, and letting his body drift off to a peaceful sleep...
Unfortunately, that did not last long. There was a soft knock at the door and he was unsure of who it could be. Emma wouldn't knock, this was her room as well. His crew was too busy getting drunk and yelling at each other to notice his absence... He went to open the door and a boy with bright blue eyes and brown hair stood before him.
"Jamie..." Killian announced weary, "What can I do for you?"
The young man let himself in the room and closed the door, causing Killian to become suspicious, "Miss Emma is very worried about you." He said with a weak smile.
"I'm well aware of how Emma feels, now get on with the real reason you're here." Killian responded coldly.
Jamie's smile disappeared, "I know you don't trust me." He responded calmly, "And you have every reason not to."
The captain's head shot up, "What does that mean? Are you here to hurt her?" He asked, trying to remain calm.
"No, nothing like that." The young man responded quickly, "However, someone else is. There are many people after her, after her magic, her wealth-"
"Enough with the riddles, get on with it!" The captain shouted, getting fed up.
Jamie became flustered, "King George wants to hold the princess for ransom." He said quickly, "And he's not the only one."
"He has an alliance with King Midas. They have more gold than anyone else, why hold her for ransom?" Killian asked.
"Their deal is falling through. King Midas doesn't want to be allies anymore, King George is nothing without him."
"Continue." Killian urged.
"Emma's kingdom is quite wealthy and happy, that's something King George needs." Jamie continued on, "He either wants her parents to pay for her return or for her to marry him."
The captain slammed his hand on a nearby table, causing Jamie to jump, "That's not going to happen!" He shouted, "And I'm not letting you take her!" He said, threatening to release his sword from its holster.
Jamie put his trembling hands up, "That's not why I'm here, I swear."
Killian calmly put his sword back, "Why are you here?"
"Originally I was part of the plot, once word got out that she left home again I was a part of the search crew to find the princess, bring her to the king and get a reward in return." The shaking man admitted, "But then I met her, she spared me, showed me mercy. She's a kind woman. She deserves a better fate than whatever the king has planned for her."
"Why are you telling me all this?" Killian asked, looking away.
"I can see you love her very much. You jumped in right after her without a second thought. You're bringing her to Arendelle... you can protect her, and I can help you."
"No!" The captain shouted, "I want you off my ship."
Disbelief washed over the young man. Here he was risking everything to save the princess and the pirate wanted to get rid of him just like that, "I just told you everything, I can help."
"No, with you onboard you're only making Emma more of a target." The pirate shouted in the boy's face, "At port I want you to get off my ship and not return."
"But what about Miss Emma?" Jamie asked quietly, "Can I at least say goodbye to her?"
It was evident that the boy didn't care about his own fate... "No." Killian responded sternly, "You will get off my ship, do whatever you bloody well please and never come back." He insisted, "You've already put her in enough danger... by sparing you, we've given away our location." he continued on, "Now they know the route we're taking and now they know we're not alone... he's going to send out more men to find her."
Jamie ignored his last remark, all he cared about was saying his farewells to the princess, "Won't Emma worry about me when I don't return?"
The captain inhaled a deep breath, growing irritated by this new situation, "I will handle her. You will do as I say and not come back." He pushed, "If you do... I'll have to kill you." He said half-heartedly.
The young man's face came to a frown. He feared this would happen, but he cared more about Emma than his own fate... he had nothing else to say and quietly left the room to prepare for his departure the following morning.
Killian took a seat at his table and rubbed his aching head. He hated King George, and this only added fuel to the fire. He started to feel bad for Jamie... The young man already had so little, now he would have nothing. No kingdom, no home, not even a family. But he couldn't allow the boy to stay on his ship. If someone recognized him, they'd all be ambushed. Especially now since he revealed he had a crew by killing all of the royal knights on that ship. Killian couldn't allow the boy to say bye to his princess, it would only cause Emma to find a way to save him and that was not something he needed to deal with on top of everything else. His choice might have been selfish, but he didn't care, he didn't have time to care.
He wished more than ever that he would have just let that damn ship pass. King George was a smart man, smart enough to know this certain captain couldn't pass up the opportunity to kill anyone with relations to the dreaded King George. Now it came back to bite him in the butt. It was already hard enough to protect Emma from Rumple's threat and the dangers that came along with traveling the seas and to different lands with her given status, but this new threat scared him the most. He couldn't save his own damn brother from this king, so how could he save her... The captain knew if King George ever did get a hold of Emma, he would never let her go. She would be used to tease him for as long as possible, even tease her family. The king already took his brother, now he wanted his princess. He wanted the most valuable piece of treasure he had...