David watched as his wife and daughter stood on the deck of the Jolly Roger, Killian was sailing them away from the port. He didn't mean for his wife and daughter to come along, he knew it was dangerous. The sensible side of him told him to tell them to go home but his stubborn side thought this would be the perfect moment to prove that Killian was incapable of taking care of his daughter. Sure there were moments where he didn't mind Killian, but the pirate was taking his daughter from him. Emma no longer came to her father for anything, in fact, they've had more disagreement in the time Killian has been there than they've had in all of Emma's life... If he could make Snow or even Emma see that Killian was incapable of taking care of anyone but himself, then his daughter would always stay with him.
"The ship looks absolutely stunning." Snow said looking around, trying to make conversation.
"Oh mother, Killian has redone nearly everything on the ship!" Emma said with a smile. "Just wait till you see the captain's quarters."
"These sails seem dirty..." David interrupted as he inspected the ship, "And these planks need to be replaced, wouldn't want to catch your foot in one of those..." He continued on, trying to find as many faults as he could.
"I assure you, everything is new, your majesty." Killian responded with a straight face, upset that his hard work was being dismissed.
"Emma, why don't you show me your room." Her father said.
"Um... okay..." She said nervously.
Both Emma and Killian became nervous as they made their way below deck to the captain's quarters. Soon enough they were there...
"Are you a big reader?" Snow asked, referring to the many books Killian had.
"Aye, a bit. Typically just to learn about new places." Killian responded, making his way over to the book. "Many of these are books that Emma likes."
"How very thoughtful." Snow responded with a smile.
"Daddy look, Killian made the small bed over there into a reading nook for me. Isn't that lovely?" Emma pushed, trying to fix her father's attitude.
"I suppose darling." The King responded with a straight face as he walked through the cabin, "What's your journal still doing here?" He asked, making his way over to the desk.
"Oh, I don't know... Must have forgotten it." Emma responded in a lie, she purposely left it there to keep it away from prying eyes.
"I'll gladly return it to the castle." He said, picking it up, "Since someone couldn't seem to do it early..." David said under his breath, referring to Killian.
"So, Killian, this is your cabin?" Snow asked.
"Aye..." The Captain responded slowly, uncertain if she approved of them sharing a room.
"And where is your room, Emma?" The Queen asked.
"You're standing in it mother..." Emma responded, looking down.
"Oh." Snow responded in shock with her eyebrows raised, "So where's your bed then?"
Emma walked over the door by the desk, "In here."
"So you two share a room, good to know." Snow responded with a half-smile, not sure what to think.
"You share a bed with my daughter?" David asked Killian in a loud tone, trying to scare him.
Emma knew Killian wouldn't know how to handle the situation, "Daddy no, Killian used to sleep on the reading nook over there and I would sleep in here." She said, partly lying.
"So where will he be sleeping on your journey to Arendelle then?" Her father continued to question.
"Killian doesn't sleep much." Emma responded quickly, "He usually sails all night, I sleep alone." Another lie. It left a bad taste in her mouth, but she couldn't outright say she and Killian shared a bed every night. Her parents would never let her go to Arendelle then.
Before the King had the chance to respond, the ship shook with great force causing everyone to almost fall. Killian didn't even bother to excuse himself before he ran out of the cabin to head above deck, Emma not too far behind... Once they were above deck Killian saw that the ship took on some water and a sail was torn. The rain beat down on them to the point where the Captain couldn't even see the other side of the deck, he quickly made his way to the ship's wheel to steer the ship through the crashing waves as best he could. Soon enough the princess made her way towards him, completely drenched.
"Emma, get below deck!" Killian shouted through the rain.
"No, you need help!" She shouted back, "What do you need me to do?" She asked as loud as she could through the pouring rain and crashing waves.
Killian didn't bother to argue, he did need help, "Go take down the rest of the sails."
And with that, she did as asked and Killian continued to steer as best he could, hoping he was sailing them into the right direction.
"I thought you said you could outrun a storm!" David said angrily approaching the captain.
"I'm doing the best I can mate!" Killian responded, still steering.
"David this is not the time!" Snow interjected, "Please, tell us how to help?"
"Emma is taking the sails down, she may need some help." The captain responded.
Snow quickly went off to help her daughter while David lingered for a few seconds to give Killian a disapproving glare before going off to help his wife and daughter... meanwhile Emma made quick work of tying down the sails, with her mother's help she was finished before her father even arrived.
"This is all your fault!" Emma yelled angrily at her father.
"Mine?" Her father responded, almost offended, "He's the one who sailed us into this storm in the first place!"
"Because you made him! He's done nothing but try to please you!" Emma shouted back, before trying to walk off.
David finally felt guilt, Emma was right... "Emma, wait!" He said grabbing her arm.
With that gesture, Emma's journal fell out of her father's cape and into a puddle of water that formed on the deck, "No!" Emma shouted as she watched her journal become ruined.
Emma bent down to pick up her journal, ink running from the pages, some pages even fell out... "Darling, I'm so sorry... I'll fix it." David said, feeling even worse than before.
"There is nothing you could do to fix this..." Emma responded before continuing to walk off.
David went to stop her once more, but his wife stopped him, "Just leave her be..." She said with an upset face. "Why can't you just let her be happy?" The Queen asked, walking off, fed up with her husband's ignorant attitude as the sky began to clear up...
Tears formed in the princess's eyes as she made her way to Killian, she wasn't sure what she was more upset about... Her journal or her father's behavior. Her journal was really nothing more than some jotted down memories, but it still meant everything to her, to be able to reread and refresh her memories from her time on the Jolly Roger. And her father had been nothing but rude to Killian the moment he came to Misthaven. Sure there were a few moments when she thought her father liked Killian, but then the next moment he would be nothing but cold. Killian had tried his best to please the King and it never seemed to be enough...
"Love, what's wrong?" Killian asked, confused as he saw the princess approach.
She didn't bother to respond, she was too upset. Instead, the princess pulled her pirate in for a hug, burying her head as deep as she could into his chest and just let her tear fall. Killian said nothing, he just held her tight and rubbed her back, trying to calm her down as she let all her frustration out...
A little while later the storm had fully passed and the sky was once again clear. The Jolly Roger held up pretty well against the brutal weather. Only a few torn sails, misplaced barrels and a slightly wet plank, nothing that couldn't be fixed. Emma had finally calmed down and was now sitting at the newly placed table on the deck with her mother as they sailed back to Misthaven's port. David watched from the other side of the ship as Killian appeared from below deck with two cups of warm tea and brought them over to Snow and Emma. The King continued to watch the Captain take off his heavy coat and placed it on the princess's shoulder while placing a kiss on her head before walking away.
The King finally felt the weight of all the guilt he had. It felt like a ton of bricks fell on him and he couldn't get up. He hurt his daughter, his princess, the person he cherished more than life itself. There was nothing more he wanted than for Emma to be happy and to find a love like his and Snow's. And perhaps that love would be shared with a pirate... David had to admit, Killian was not a bad man. Sure he's done unforgivable things in the past, but who hasn't. Killian wanted nothing more than to make Emma happy and take care of her, which is exactly what the King wanted for his only daughter. The Captain was not greedy for the crown or power, and he had more than enough jewels and tokens of his own. His daughter loved the pirate and so did his wife... and now he might have lost it all.