Four

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"Woah, woah woah!" Captain Hook yelled from his platform.

I realised that my mouth was wide open and I quickly shut it, but I continued to look at him. How could I not. He was... there are no words.

His amused glare fell upon his crew member lying on the floor, groaning in pain, and the his eyes moved back over to mine.

"Did you do this?" He asked in a sloppy british accent, pointing to the man as he began to step down the steps from the platform.

I tried my best to be strong.
"You sound surprised." I pointed out.

"Well, I am." He concluded, grinning widely, his eyebrow still arched at a forty degree angle. "Especially considering that you are a princess, and that you're barely even an adult yet."

"And what are you, like, three years older than me?" I asked vainly.

He had now walked down the steps to the same surface as me, and was only just under a metre away from me.

Ignoring my question, he continued with his earlier point.

"And I really didn't expect it of you in that big, ladylike dress. Perhaps it's time... we took it off." He said, widening his already cheshire cat-like grin.

I glared at him, disgusted, before leaning forward and straight up slapping him across the face.

He put his hand to his cheek and laughed, only it was a cold, harsh laugh.

"Let me tell you how things work around here, Sweetheart. I am the Captain, and you are on my ship. So long as you are on board The Jolly Roger, you will do as I say, and you will deserve any punishment coming towards you. And trust me." He leaned forward so close that I had to strain my neck to see his face. He then said in a low, quiet voice; "I won't go easy on you just because you're a girl."

He put his hand on my chest and pushed me back in one quick, harsh move before backing away. But I tried not to let him intimidate me, as much as I possibly could.

I looked around and noticed that a large group of men was now surrounding us. Not a single woman in sight.

"Allow me to introduce myself!" Captain Hook said loudly. I didn't bother protesting even though I had already worked out his name.

"My name is Captain Hook." He said, bowing. "Though my closer mates would prefer to call me; Killian Jones!"

I briefly considered whether or not I should tell him my name. Eventually I decided it would do no harm.
"Emma Swan." I announced for Hook and his crew to hear. "Daughter of King David Swan and Queen...Snow White." I was much quieter saying my mothers name. It had been a while since I had spoken it.

The last thing I wanted to do was curtsy, but if he was playing the polite game, so was I.
I picked up the end of my skirt with my free hand, crossed my legs and tilted my head.

When I looked up I saw Hook, still grinning like it was the most amusing thing in the world.

"Now," I began, standing up straight so I wouldn't look as small against hook. "If you wouldn't mind telling me what I'm doing on this ship?"

"Easy." said Hook loudly. All of his crew were still listening intently, though some murmurs escaped the crowd. I tried not to get distracted by them, and to give my full attention to Hook. I eyed the sword in his hilt, watching his every movement carefully, never letting go of the heavy sword in my hand.
"You, as you've said, are the daughter of Queen Snow White and King David Swan." he continues matter-of-factly.
"And I've heard many... wonderful tales about you, Swan." I cringed as he called me by my last name. He may have been a pirate, but I was a princess, and if I was going to have to be around him much longer, I was going to have to teach him some manners.
"I've heard that you fight as well as the next man. And, considering you are Royalty, it would be an honour if you were to serve as a member of my crew." He said, bowing his head slightly.

"It's going to take a little more than bowing to get me to agree to that, I'm afraid." I replied.

"Oh, I know." Hook explained simply. "That is why I took the liberty of leaving out those lovely swords for you in the hall." He said, gesturing towards the door where I came from.
"I challenge you, Emma Swan, to a duel." he suggested.

What few murmurs had been coming from our audience disappeared.

I grinned. It had been a long time since I had the opportunity to duel someone. This was going to be interesting.

"First to draw blood?" I asked.

He shook his head and laughed.
"Yes, I'm a pirate, Swan, but pirates have codes. I can't hurt a woman." his eyebrow momentarily rose again to its forty degree angle.
"First to disarm their opponent will be victorious. I win, you stay here with me. You win, you get a choice." he held out his hand, intending for me to shake it.

I thought about it. This was certainly less interesting than drawing blood but it would have to do.
"I accept your challenge, Captain." I said with a grin, reaching forward to shake his hand.

"When will it be?" I asked curiously.

"Here, dusk." he said. "Smee will get you appropriate clothing." he gestured to the short, round man in the blue and white t shirt with the red had and snowy white beard. I remembered him from the attack on Rumpelstiltskin.

I nodded and made my way back inside the ship, confident that I would be home by tomorrow.

* * *

I looked into the thin wall-mirror that hung on the wooden wall of my cabin. I was disgusted to see blood and vomit stains all over the rooms floor and walls, the mirror too, but I tried my best to convince myself that the room was simply being painted and they were trying to choose the colours before they called it off entirely.

I was wearing a white blouse with a navy leather vest on top that was belted shut with a black belt. My black leather gloves reached up to my elbows and I wore tight yet comfortable black leather pants with black leather boots. I don't know where Hook managed to find these clothes or how he knew my size, but one thing was definite; he sure liked his leather.

I pulled my hair down from my destroyed bun and tied it back up into a plain ponytail.

I looked at myself in the mirror, practising the most intimidating faces I could pull. I had already practised a few moves with my sword and now I was feeling fully prepared.

I smiled when I heard a knock on my door. It was that old man... Smee.

"Captain is ready. It's time." he said.

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Sorry I know this chapter was super boring, but if I tried to fit in any more, it would just be too long.

I hope you enjoyed! If you did, please let me know by voting!!!

Love and handsome captains,
-C

Ps: If you are unfamiliar with the TV show Once Upon A Time and you want to know how I picture theses characters, read the cast. If you search up their names with "once upon a time" after, you will see them how I imagine them in the book. If you think some of them look like they are different ages to how I made them in this book, it's because I made them different ages in this than they are in the show.

I hope that made senseXD

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