Falling Stars (CaptainSwan)

Chapter Eight Dancing Undercover

                                                                                   Killian Jones

I'm not going to give up. Emma's been avoiding me ever since our last conversation. I try talking to her but she just mutters about how she can't talk right now, that she's too busy steering the ship.

I finally get my chance when we reach port. She's going to do something and the whole crew knows it. They keep coming up with rumors to why she's stopping in the kingdom where the queen who locked her up is.

People walk by, carrying baskets, talking to others, loading things onto ships. People whisper loudly as they see Emma get off the Jolly Roger, followed by her crew. They're all surprised to see a woman leading us. She ignores their stares and whispers completely, walking away from everyone.

One of the crew members, Thomas catches up to her and says, "Captain Swan, what do you have planned for us?"

She waits until everyone's caught up to say. "Lily, the woman who guarded me told me that there's going to be a ball tonight. I'm going there undercover. There's something I need to take from the Queen. Most of you can go to the tavern or do whatever it is you want to. I do need a few of you as backup though."

"I'll go," I say right away. I see her jaw tense but she nods. Luis, Thomas, and Cole also offer to go.

"All right, everyone else, you can go do what pirates do at times like these," Emma says. Once they leave, she looks back at the remaining four of us. "Luis, Cole, you two need to stay outside of the palace just in case something happens. Thomas, you and Killian will need to come in with me. We'll go in undercover. It's a masquerade so no one will recognize us." She closes her eyes and holds out her hands. Two invitations to the ball appear in them. She hands one to Thomas. "Your cover name is..." She pauses for a second, thinking. She suddenly gets a small smile on her face and says, "Sir Henry Cobra. Killian, yours is Prince Charles and I'll be Princess Leia."

Thomas and I nod in understanding. "Once it gets closer to nightfall," she continues on, "I'll use my magic to give us disguises and we can head to the palace. Is everyone clear on the plan?"

"I have a question," I say. She raises her eyebrows. "What exactly is it you need to get from the Queen?"

"That doesn't matter," she says. "Just be back here at five. You guys can do whatever you want until then. Except get drunk," she adds hastily. "I need you sober for this."

The others walk away, but I stay where I am. Emma looks over at me. "Give me your flask," she says, holding out her hand. I give it to her and she opens it, taking a sip. Her face immediately sours and she tries not to spit it up. "What is this stuff?"

"Goats milk," I tell her, taking the flask from her and taking a sip.

"Where's your rum?" She demands.

I make a disgusted face. "I'm allergic. Never touch that stuff."

"Really?" She complains. She shakes her head and says something under her breath.

As I put the flask away, I ask her the question that's been bothering me. "How come you're so set on me not knowing the truth about you? Why can't you just tell me?"

"Look, Killian, you need to drop it. It's not important right now. Maybe one day it will be. If it's ever critical for you to know, I'll tell you," she says.

As she turns and walks away, it takes everything in me not to go after her, demand she answer me.

Ever since she showed up, I've felt like I'm not complete. I've never felt like I mattered, but when Emma looks at me, I get the feeling that maybe one time, I did matter, someone did care about me. But I can never truly know that unless she tells me.

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"You ready?" She asks us. We all nod and she closes her eyes, concentrating. The next thing I know, I'm enveloped in a white cloud of smoke. When the smoke disappears, I'm wearing a black vest, black pants, a dark tan coat with black cuffs and a white collar. I feel a mask on my face. I take it off and look at it. The mask is crimson red with a velvet black ribbon that goes around my head. I put it back on and look at Emma. My breath is taken away when I see her.

She wears a red gown with long sleeves and a small v neckline. She wears a diamond necklace and a matching diamond clip that she wears in her hair which is elegantly pulled up. She wears a white mask that has a jeweled flower on the left tip with white feathers behind it. She looks gorgeous.

I notice we're both staring at each other. She quickly bites her lip and turns away, starting to walk towards the palace. "Let's go. The sooner we get in the better."

Once inside, Thomas gives his invitation first, and then Emma gives hers. She takes my arm and whispers, "Act like we're here together as a princess and prince." I nod.

"Well, if we're here together and we're supposed to blend in, we might as well dance, right?" I say, offering her my hand with a smirk. She takes it with a small smile and I lead us to the dance floor. I put my good hand on her waist and she takes the glove that I wear so it looks like I have a hand.

As we dance I get the sense that I've done this before, except I've only ever been to one ball before and I didn't dance much. It's also not the feeling that I've danced before, it's the feeling that I've danced with Emma. I know; it's probably just me thinking that we know each other, but for the millionth time I can't shake this familiar feeling.

As we dance on and on, I feel the rest of the room slowly start to fade away. Now it's only Emma and me, dancing slowly, holding each other, staring into the other's eyes. It all feels familiar, but for once I ignore that feeling. In this room full of people, I only see her.

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A/N: Credit to @/svenjaliv on Instagram for the amazing fan art! How did you guys like the chapter? Sorry I haven't updated recently, I've been a little busy. And guess what? I can officially call myself a published author now! My life's goal has been accomplished in three years. Thanks for reading!