The Price of Freedom ➸ Captain Swan

5. We Haven't Been Properly Introduced

Emma inhaled deeply as she took in the sight around her. The men were drunk, with women practically on top of them. Some played dice, and some held glasses high in their hands. This was nothing like her life back home, and Emma loved it. No right, no wrong, and no rules. This was where to be.

Of course, she wasn't going to turn into one of the people that were here. She was still a princess, after all.

Emma turned toward August. "I don't even know how..." She trailed off, and looked at him, pleading for help.

He nodded, grabbing her hand and snaking them through the crowd. The tavern was large, and there were many people.

Emma took in the appearance of them all. Most  looked ordinary, just like August. Some, on the other hand, looked downright disgusting. To be perfectly honest, Emma was a bit frightened. She grasped August's hand harder.

He tugged on it a bit, gesturing with his head to a large group of burly men. One of them was wearing clothes that were charred from ashes. He was the biggest, most muscular of them all, and had half a head of hair. His skin was red and rough, and he looked as if he'd drank two barrels of alcohol—which he probably had.

"That's Pete," August said, talking about the hideous brute. "And his band of miscreants. Avoid them at all costs. They won't go out of their way to harm people, they're usually content with their drinks. They've a nasty temper on them, though. Make 'em mad, and you'll have another thing coming. So, just to be on the safe side..."

Emma nodded. Had August told her that or not, she wouldn't have touched the men with a ten-foot pole.

"Steer clear of Pete and his gang. Got it," Emma said without doubt.

August grinned, "Great. Everyone here is pretty much harmless." He stopped and checked over his shoulder. "Except, don't go anywhere near the p-"

Suddenly, the room was filled with the most amazing accented voice Emma had ever heard in her life. She ignored the rest of what August was saying, and tried to find out where the sound was coming from.

She heard cups clinking together, and dice being thrown across a table.

Emma turned in a circle, trying to find the source of all the commotion, but people hardly gave her room to move. She stopped, seeing a big group huddled around one table. They were laughing, talking, cheering. She couldn't possibly think what was going on.

The owner of the voice that was talking earlier spoke again.

"To the most clever and dastardly pirates who ever set sail on the open sea. And to our return home."

The man stood up and clinked his glass against several other's, and grinned.

He took Emma's breath away, and she hated that he had that effect on her. There weren't very many men in the realm that made Emma want to even give them a second glance, but he was definitely one of them.

He had flawlessly round, deep blue eyes. They were like the calm before a storm, bluer than the sea. His hair was cut close above his eyebrows, and was jet black. It was windblown, the kind of hair that made Emma want to run her fingers through it. He had an attractive stubble growing around his face. He was tall, muscular, and faultlessly built. His eyes had a think line of black around them. He had leather pants, a long ebony jacket that ran down to his knees, and a blood red vest that showed a small amount of dark chest hair.

If someone asked Emma to describe the man in one word, she would've said perfect.

Tons of woman surronded him, and she could finally tell who they were all swooning over. There was definetley a reason for it.