Chapter Text
The pirates had bound her hands behind her back in rough, chunky rope. At least before the carriage was attacked, her arms and legs were physically free.
Then again, the carriage was the Evil Queen’s. It was transporting Princess Emma as the queen’s prisoner, alongside some gold and other goods in another compartment, which was none of her concern. But pirates are very much interested in royal carriages known to be carrying valuable items.
Now she was under bright sunlight on a noisy harbor being dragged onto a pirate ship herself.
Dirty pirates of different shapes and sizes hurried to load piles of gold and jewels, and some round, chubby man tugged her to be deposited alongside various treasures. She was tossed on her knees and stayed on the floor, eyes darting around but not seeing any possible escape. These pirates were clearly staring at her, groping her with their eyes, though none of them said a word to her.
“Excellent work as usual, boys!”
She looked up and her stomach lurched. This was the man who had duelled and defeated the queen’s guards while a pair of pirates seized her—but only now she realized that the captain had a hook where his left hand should be.
The men roared in response, proud of the fruits of their plundering. The captain announced that they would be able to spend all of their newly earned gold as soon as they left Misthaven and docked somewhere new, a place name Emma didn’t recognize.
“And I would of course like to welcome a very special lady on the Jolly Roger,” the captain said, focusing attention on Emma on the floorboards, in her now-dirty robe and wrists still behind her. “Ah, Princess Emma?” He met her eyes.
“On your feet for the captain!” shouted someone across her, and two men promptly lifted her arms to force her to stand, but her mind was spinning. How did Captain Hook know who she was?
“During our short stay in the wonderful land of Misthaven, we have been able to secure plenty of gold to last us a while. However, I have already made it clear earlier that this woman is my prize and my prize alone.” Disbelief and fury mingled in her stomach. They were around dozens of men and he had announced her as an object, as a trophy.
He continued his assault on her dignity. “See here? All you lads get a good look at her now. Anyone who touches her without my explicit permission will have both his hands sliced off and can walk the bloody plank… with even less hands than meself.” Grinning, he jumped down closer to Emma.
“Killian Jones, at your service… or Captain Hook if you prefer.” He gave her a formal bow quite unlike a pirate. “Perhaps you saw me in combat when I was—ahem—rescuing you from that awful carriage. Apologies for introducing myself so late, your highness, but I had been quite occupied at that moment, beheading black knights quite skillfully, if I do say so myself.” He winked.
She swallowed hard, trying to summon the defiant princess within her, but all the ogling eyes made her shoulders slump and her insides quiver. “And why would I even be interested in being a prize to some filthy pirate?” she said.
She could push Captain Hook a little bit. For whatever reason, these pirates had purposely sought out to capture her, which meant that she had some sort of value to them. The captain wouldn’t be dumb enough to kill her so soon after procuring her. Or she hoped that this was the case.
The captain’s smirk widened, almost gentle, as he closed the space between them. His hook rested behind her head while his hand grasped hard at her ass. “Quiet now,” his scruff scratched against her cheek as he whispered. “Don’t fight too hard, love. It’ll only hurt you more in the end.”
Without any response she tried to glare at him, but the sun got in her vision and she could only squint.
She sat on the edge of his neatly made bed, her toes twitching from nerves and eyes wandering around his quarters. A lamp flickering on the nightstand. A few foreign maps and indiscernible memos scattered on the desk. A chest in the far corner. Waves glimmering outside the window.
“Make yourself comfortable, love,” he said as he walked up next to her and stroked her hair.
Disgusting.
Although her wrists were no longer bound, she had nowhere to run, no way to get out, and no one was coming to rescue her. The pirates had killed all four of the queen’s guards that were travelling with her, and no one would notice her absence any time soon.
“That’s hilarious,” she spat out, damn the consequences. “How could I ever be comfortable when I’m being held prisoner in this goddamn boat? Are you dense?” She swatted away the hand caressing her hair. “And get your dirty hand off me—I’m not some maniac’s puppy dog.”
He didn’t react despite her provocations and only gave her a slight grin. “Oh, my feisty princess.”
With the heel of his boot, he pushed a large woven basket towards her and sent it sliding in front of Emma’s bare feet. “I imagine it’s been a while since you had your last meal, your highness?” He opened the lid and she could see a few pieces of plain bread, pastries, and fruits. “I bet you are starving, you poor thing,” he said again in that sweet voice that sounded like he cared. It was true she was hungry, but she had no appetite—plus the last thing she wanted right now was to be fed by him .
“I don’t want anything from you.”
“We didn’t steal this food from anyone, if that’s what concerns you. Not directly, anyway.” He picked up an apple and rolled it in his palm. “Bought a variety of items at the market yesterday, actually. Contrary to popular belief, my crew does not steal from innocents. We are very meticulous in planning when and from whom to steal, because we target only royals with too much gold on their greedy little hands,” he snickered, “or rather, today I stole a royal from a royal.”
He bit on the apple whilst giving her an intentful stare.
Crunch.
He tossed the fruit. “You sure you’re not hungry? You must eat something.” It was annoying how much he was pretending to be concerned.
“I said, n—” Before she could react, the captain’s thumb pushed a single grape past her lips.
She could have spit it out right in his face. She would have, yet her hunger was greater than her rebellious spirit.
“That’s a good girl. I insist you try this cheese as well, one of my favorites.” He hand-fed her pieces. “Only the best for my darling princess, open wide now…” He opened his mouth to mirror hers. Seeing he was genuinely smiling at her, her stomach churned. She was being coddled and fed like a baby, or worse, his doll.
Now that her mouth tasted like the food he gave her, disgust washed over her once again.
“Do you really not like my cabin? I cleaned thoroughly and made my bed just for you, you know.” He sat down on the covers next to her.
She ignored such ridiculous comments, but he wouldn’t stop talking.
“You do have to understand that being on this goddamn boat is actually so much more dangerous than you obviously think it to be.”
His hand slid down her cheek and he gently rubbed her cheekbone. She attempted to push his arm away like earlier, but this time his hold was firm. “Your being here in the captain’s quarters is a grand privilege that I am personally bestowing upon you as the captain of this vessel. I am certain you do not wish to be on deck all night in the cold, nor do you wish to be left unattended with my crew, aye?” He nodded lightly. “They are indeed a violent bunch. You’ve little idea how hungry they are at the moment for the touch of a woman as beautiful as you.”
Emma bit the inside of her lip.
The pirate chuckled, his hand still warm on her face. “Partly due to our… tight schedule in your kingdom, most of them have not been able to release their desires at the brothel. Which means they have been bottled up for quite a while.” She felt sick inside from this particular imagery. “All due to the immense planning and attention required to ambush the evil queen’s carriage. Fortunately, I have now earned myself a gorgeous little princess. But unfortunately, your highness, my men merely see you as prey—which is why I have been generous enough to invite you under my personal protection.”
“You’re the one kidnapping me and you call this protection?” she breathed, ears ringing.
He tilted her chin up with a finger, his sharp blue irises meeting hers. “I call it… kindness,” he almost whispered. “You’ll need some of that if you wish to survive on my ship.”
His mouth landed on her lips with overbearing tenderness. Her mind was grossed out by the assault, her body intending to pull away, but her arms failed her. The warmth, the softness on her tongue—coming from anyone else, it would have been comfort and relief. It was too difficult to fight.
As his lips continued to mold into hers, his hand cupped and grasped her breast, but unlike when he had grabbed her ass back on the deck, this time he was gentle and his touch sensual. He skillfully massaged her chest and ribs as if he were her lover, and her nipple gradually peaked, her breath hot on his.
By the time he let go, Emma had been pushing her body against his and her hands were roaming around his leather coat, looking for more touch. His expression softened and looked at her with wonder in his eyes. “See? Not everything I do is cruelty.”
Dumbfounded and face flushed, she forced herself to nod, although a bit stiff. His charm, his genuine attention, his tender look was making it too difficult to despise him.
“You’re safe here with me, love.”