Chapter 11

Snow studied the prince but she had never trusted royals and trusted them even less after being locked up in a cell by a royal for so many years. She missed being out on the water and she missed her daughter even more. She kept her eyes on the prince, watching him cautiously and even if she wouldn't admit it, at least she had been with her husband and not alone or separated. She slowly stood, following after her husband when her eyes landed on the blonde pirate but hearing the name and even if she had just been a young girl. She knew who she was. "Emma.." she whispered seeing her daughter and reached over, placing a hand on her arm gently. She felt angry but also relieved, angry for being taken from her daughter and not having known what had happened to her for years but also relief to see her standing there.

Emma walked over to where the prince stood and nodded some but knew it was to be expected that they wouldn't. "Pirates don't trust royals." She said which did make her question on why she seemed to trust the prince like she was. She looked at the two adults before she closed her eyes just a little at his touch but she hugged him back and would have wanted to spend a little longer just hugging them before she pulled back.

"It's true." Emma agreed. "We are getting you out of here." She said and gave a smile, glancing to the prince. "But he's right, we have to hurry up." She said as she gave her parents a smile but knew that they could just talk a little later on the ship as she turned and headed over to the prince.

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Killian smiled a little bit as he watched the exchange sneakily over his shoulder for a moment, he was happy for her, he wouldn't show it, but he was. He looked away wanting to give her the privacy though seeing that made his heart ache all the more, wishing that he could have that with Neal, but he knew he would, he didn't care if he had to abdicate the throne.

David smiled a little bit and he brushed his fingers through her hair and smiled seeing her. "You look...different. it's good." He said softly to her and he traced his thumb back over her cheek for a moment, she seemed strong and he could already tell that she was independent, though as his eyes landed on her arm to see the cut he was filled with anger at whoever was stupid enough to hurt his daughter. His eyes flickered to the prince a little bit and his jaw set in stone but after a moment he nodded. "Let's go." He said and he turned and pressed a kiss to his wife's cheek, he tried to hide the worry for her but being locked up for so long, they'd gotten used to the cold cells, the harassment from the guards and the food they were given, if the guards were feeling generous that day. He smiled a little bit and he gently squeezed his wife's hip before he withdrew his hand from her and placed it at the sword at his hip just in case they ran into any trouble. He paused for a moment and he grabbed Emma's wrist and he smiled. "You looked up at the stars." He said with a little smile, he was beyond proud of his daughter, though he would be having words with her later about the reckless decision to storm a castle alone, or worse with a prince, a castle that held a king within its walls who could turn anything into gold with no hope of turning back to their former state.

Killian turned and gave a small nod. "I suppose I don't need to tell you, stick to the walls and be quiet." He grumbled a little bit, he didn't mean to seem rude but he felt the jealously building that she had her family, that he'd let himself get drawn into helping her and go against everything that he said he wouldn't do. He gave a short nod to the three of them and took the stairs back up away from the dungeons. He poked his head up at the top and kept an eye out for guards, once he was sure that it was clear he went out into the hallway and made sure that no guards could see them, if they got into trouble though, he wouldn't be able to use his sword, and he prayed that he wouldn't have to show that in front of the most fearsome pirates in the realm.

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Emma gave a tiny smile and gave a nod hearing to go but she had a feeling once they were out of the castle that her parents would probably be giving her a talk about having stormed the castle like that and knew they weren't happy about her also having the help of a prince. Emma's eyes turned to Killian hearing him but ignored the rudeness as she nodded and walked over to him as she followed him up the steps and into the hall, glancing over her shoulder quickly just to check her parents were alright. She wanted to tell the prince they would find his brother but knew right now wasn't the right time to. Although she knew once it was found out there were a couple of prisoners gone that the king would probably send guards.

Though, as soon as they were outside, she felt her body relax just a little bit knowing she had been ready for a fight. She glanced up to the castle but knew they had to get out of here before the guards saw. So once they were finally outside, she started to walk to where the ship was but after a few she finally spoke, her words directed to the prince.

"I'm still going to help you." She told him. "To help you find your brother." Emma added, wanting him to know she wasn't going to break that promise and that she was still willing to help him.

Snow looked at her daughter and smiled a little bit but knew how independent her daughter seemed. She wasn't happy she had stormed a castle or that she had taken help from a prince but she was glad to see her daughter. She followed her husband out of the dungeon but as soon as they were outside, she had to squint her eyes a little to be able to get use to the sun after spending so many years locked up in a dark dungeon.

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Killian was focused on walking outside, just glad once they'd managed to leave the castle, even he hadn't seen the earlier guards that Emma had fought so he thought that she must have hidden them really well. He turned hearing what she said and saw where the ship was hidden and started walking towards it. "I know you will." He said, jaw slightly tensed, he wasn't about to let anyone break a deal with him, she'd gotten what she wanted, and now nothing was going to stop him from getting what he wanted. "Thanks." He mumbled out not wanting to be rude, or perhaps it was fear from knowing exactly the reputation her parents held.

He turned slightly hearing a guard shouting behind them and started to run after them. He hesitated to pull his sword out as the guard got closer and he knew he had to make his mind up quickly, he stood slightly behind the pirate's parents and went to draw his sword out, he winced slightly and the weapon fell from his grasp and made a clang as it hit the floor. His hand still too badly injured to hold it, much less use it in a fight. He looked up as he knelt down to retrieve the weapon and flinched a bit seeing the guard getting closer but shot him a confused look seeing how for a second he had stopped his attack towards them.

David, Emma's father, blinked a little and turned his head slightly away from the light and kissed his wife's cheek, which was a little pale, they both were, not having seen the sun for so long both did that to them. He got used to it after a moment and inquired if Snow was okay, just knowing that they'd both had to refuse the king and guards many times to survive, that they both had their share or their unjust punishments.

He raised an eyebrow, head quickly snapping to look over his shoulder as he heard the guard shouting, though as he turned back he watched the prince with a curious look and scowled seeing how he dropped his sword. With a grunt he reached out as the guard passed him and he grabbed onto the purple cape making the guard stop in his tracks and momentarily choke him. He tugged back on the cape and felt the guard moving back towards him, he put his hands on either side of his face and turned it quickly and forcefully until he heard a snap and the guard fell to his knees, then with a kick to the guards back, he fell forward and face planted the ground.

His breathing picked up and he stalked slowly towards the other royal on the floor who was scrambling for his sword. With a heavy scowl on his face he grabbed the collar of his coat and hauled him up, walking, more like pushing, him backwards and onto the ship where he pinned the prince Killian against the side of the ship, his face very close to his. "What kind of a prince can't use a sword?" He growled and he pulled him back off the side of the ship and pushed him roughly against it again. "Was that your plan? To get us all killed? Our daughter killed by the guards?" He snapped unhappily and put his hand around Killian's jaw forcing him to look at him and holding it tightly so his skin where his fingers were pressed into was turning white.

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Emma offered just a tiny smile, but was hoping he did know she wasn't going to break the promise. She looked up hearing a guard, glancing over when she saw Killian not able to hold the sword to well with his hand but knew how injured it probably was. She was about to pull her sword when she saw her father grab the guard and watched before she watched closely seeing how he went to the prince. She followed him onto the ship but seeing how he reacted to Killian, she walked over. "Stop it." She told her father, it felt odd standing up for a royal but after all he had caught a whip for her and he did help her find her parents.

"Let him go." She told him, putting a hand on her father's arm and trying to push him away so he'd let go of the prince and to put herself between her father and the prince. "His hand is hurt. It's not his fault." She said.

Snow gave her husband a small smile and squeezed his hand but looked up when she heard a guard and watched her husband as he grabbed the guard but seeing how her husband went to the prince, she didn't interfere as she followed but she did have to admit that it did feel nice to be back near the water and to be at the ship. She watched the scene when she studied her daughter slightly. "You're standing up for a royal?" She asked

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David growled a little bit, eyes narrowed and dead set on the prince as he studied him, who unexpectedly did not waver under the stern gaze he was receiving, even most pirates would, knowing the pirates reputation, he'd call himself the captain yet somehow, with the ship being in his daughter's possession, he supposed that title now fell to her. He looked to his daughter and scoffed at the words his side said though he slowly drew his hand away from the pirate and flexed his jaw for a moment. "Indeed? Is that what the world has made of you now?" He asked but he looked back towards Killian with ill intent. "Oh no, the rich powerful prince hurt his hand and now he can't hold his sword, I'm sure that must be a real life changing face for you." He snarled slightly, though he was glad to see Emma, he wasn't so happy to see a royal standing on the deck of the Jolly Rodger.

Killian's eyes snapped to the notorious pirates, he kept himself relaxed and simply returned the gaze, though his hand was throbbing and he felt slightly blood trickling along his palm as his earlier efforts to wield his sword has caused the bandage to rub over the irritated area. He didn't dare move, fearful that if he did then the pirate would only tighten his grip and the white imprints would be visible on his face forever, and he was sure that one scar would be enough, the one he would surely obtain from catching the whip in his hand. He had never been out much on a battlefield, or on quests, yet the first injury he bore was a reminder to him that he'd received it protecting a pirate, the very kind of people he was raised to hate, though this one, he thought to himself, might not be so bad, her parents however, may not be so easily won over.

His head fell and a small gasp left him as he felt the hand leave his jaw. He swallowed thickly trying to gather himself and he bit his lip softly before looking down at the bandage. "Perhaps you should inquire as to how I hurt my hand in the first place, Sir." He said with a low gravel in his tone though tried to be respectful, he didn't care much for pirates but he knew better than to get on the wrong side of one, or a while family of them. He gave a thankful nod to Emma for intervening and indeed sticking up for him, it seemed recently that she was becoming more and more of a saviour to him as the days went by. He walked to the front of the ship and sat down on the wooden deck, he pulled his sword out from his sheathe with his left hand and laid it beside him so he could sit down comfortably cross legged. He sighed a little bit and just looked up at the sky, that was two castles they'd now either had to break into and out of, well, one for him and two for this Swan girl, after a moment he looked over his shoulder to study the blonde, not for too long though until he returned his eyes to the sky, perhaps he'd have to start keeping count as to how many times who saved who, if not for his own pride then perhaps to rub it into her parent's face one day.

David had no choice but to let the pirate walk past him, his jaw clenched so much so his teeth began to ache and he just muttered something under his breath and scoffed. "Well...it was probably doing something stupid or something to endanger you." His eyes turned to Emma, cold and serious, he longed for the nights where he'd lay on the ship with his daughter but alas, time in the cells with nothing but his wife, the dark and his thoughts for company had changed him, and to feel the breeze on his face once again felt freeing, in a way that now felt oddly strange to him, in a way he knew that he'd have to get used to once again. "Whatever that Pirate gets, he deserves it." He said and he went to the wheel of the ship and placed his hand on it. "Now, are we going to get going or shall we wait for more guards to arrive?" He asked his now grown up daughter, which was still strange to him, he held his hand out to his wife not wanting her to be too far away from him after everything they had gone through, though he thought about telling her to go downstairs and get some rest after all she had been through, he could see them off as they set sail and ensure things were running smoothly, he didn't know where they were going next or for how long they'd be on the ship, but one thing he knew, was that the more distance put between them and King Midas' castle, the better.

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Emma kept her eyes locked on her father, her jaw clenched hearing when he asked if the world has made her that way. "You don't know anything about me or what I've had to do." She said, almost a little snappish. She knew it wasn't either of her parents fault, but she felt angry, maybe for being alone for so many years and everything she's had to do to survive. Though she was at least a little relieved when he let the prince go and glanced at him before she turned her attention back to her parents. Though she knew that this wouldn't be easy to get them to trust the Prince and a part of her was dreading this journey.

She watched the Prince a minute before she turned towards her parents seeing her father at the wheel but didn't mind as she watched her mother grab his hand and go over to him, just taking them in and how they looked before she spoke. "Go a couple of towns over. It'll put distance and.. I can keep up with my half of the deal." She said as she glanced at Killian before she remembered seeing his hand start to bleed a little and knowing how the wound was that they had to keep it cleaned. She went down into the cabins snd dug around till she managed to find a cloth but knew once they got to a stop they could get better bandages.

She walked back up and walked over to the prince and slowly sat down next to him, putting her sword by her and held a hand out. "Let me see your hand." She told him, not sure if he'd give it over so willingly knowing the first time he had been hesitant to but hoped she had earned at least a little of his trust but wasn't sure why she suddenly cared if he did or not.

Snow White watched but she wasn't exactly happy her daughter seemed to be standing up for a royal. She smiled a little bit and walked over to her husband, taking his heal and giving it a squeeze but it felt nice to be in the sun and to be back on the ships. "Feels nice to be back on the ship doesn't it?" She asked and looked at her daughter seeing her sit next to the prince. "Do you really think we could trust him?" She asked

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David clenched his jaw slightly, he wouldn't condone anyone talking to him like that besides his wife and daughter, not to say that meant that he was happy about. He studied her for a moment and sighed. "I apologise. Of course I don't." He said though his voice was a little strained, it wasn't his fault him and Snow had been captured but perhaps he could have broken them out sooner and found a way back to his daughter, in that aspect, he felt like he had failed her. At least he knew that she had become a fine pirate and followed in their footsteps. "a few towns over." He agreed and he went over to the anchor and lifted it before going back to the wheel beside his wife and set off on the journey figuring that they shouldn't stick around for too long.

David turned to his wife and nodded, gently squeezing her shoulder as he wrapped an arm around them. "It is. I never thought I'd be here again, or with her." He said softly as he nodded towards his daughter who was now by the pirate and clenched his jaw a little, they almost looked like they were friends. He narrowed his eyes slightly but shook his head at his wife's question. "Not you too." He slightly teased. "Honestly...I don't know, if he earns it, then perhaps we can one day. But not for a long time yet." He said and he gave his wife's cheek a quick kiss. "I must also apologise to you, for not being able to get us out of that...dreadful place sooner." He said and studied her for a moment as he steered them out towards the open sea. "Why don't you get some rest? The sea nor stars are going anywhere and it'll take a few hours to reach the town." He said softly.

Killian was acting like a child, knees pulled up to his chest as he stared up at the sky and mumbling something under his breath, though that was stopped short the moment that he saw Emma in his field if vision. He cleared his throat as he looked at what was in her hands but hearing what she said he didn't hesitate and placed his hand into hers. He drew his eyes away from her after a moment, for he was sure that he could feel two pairs of eyes burning into his back from behind and he didn't wish to add fuel to the fire. "I'm...glad you've got them back. Whatever that means for me." He chuckled softly but gave a serious nod, he was glad that he'd been able to keep his side of the bargain they had struck.

"Do...you think they'll ever warm up to our...alliance?" He asked, having almost said friendship but he certainly didn't want to be the reason he'd hear that joked about all the time on the ship, though he knew it would have maybe, quite possibly, brought out a laugh in the blonde pirate, and that was something that he found himself longing to hear. "You didn't have to stick up for me, your parents probably aren't too happy with you about that." He said and turned back to look at her with a curious expression, having been told that they'd watch their own backs and were simply in business to help deliver their ends of the deal, she had certainly made quite the scene in front of her parents trying to protect his honour, and for the life in him, he could not figure this woman out.

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