Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The first time they met, she was on the run.

Or more accurately, she supposed, she was going to be on the run soon. Surely the guards or her parents or, most likely, both would notice her absence soon enough. It wasn't the first time she left without the watchful eye she was supposed to have with her, and it wouldn't be her last. She practically knew her parents’ gentle lecture by heart at that point. At sixteen, however, it felt like she long had a rope tied around her, keeping her tethered to the castle when all she wanted to do was find something more than being locked away.

The town just surrounding the castle was always bustling with people. She’d donned one of her plainer dresses with a dark blue cape to drape over her head, obscuring her face. It was more than enough to keep her anonymous to the common people her parents ruled over. Hardly anyone even glanced her way, never mind realized who was walking among them. It was like that every time, and it perhaps put her too much at ease.

She hadn't been watching and it nearly cost her dearly. Her path hadn't really had any destination, but it eventually took her down a street that didn't have enough people. The man that had been following her at first hadn't really set off any alarms. By the time he had, he was on top of her, and she found herself in the unfortunate position of being cornered. He backed her into wall, and Emma grimaced as the smell of alcohol and dirt invaded her senses as he closed the distance between them.

The demand had been money, at first – even her plainer outfits hinted she was wealthier than most in the town she was walking through. But then he caught sight of her face after she had angered him by spitting at him in response to his demands, and things got a whole lot worse. She fought the death grip he had on her arm immediately, but he was too strong, even for her.

“I don’t believe the lady wants to go with you.”

The voice stopped her attacker. Over his shoulder, she could see a young man in a familiar uniform of the royal navy standing nearby, sword drawn. He couldn't have been much older than her, and though he spoke with authority, she worried he might be outmatched if it came to that. To be truthful, his brief distraction was exactly all the help she needed, as she twisted in the grip and immediately struck the man with her knee, as hard as she could. He hadn't expected her to fight back at all, least of all have such force, and his grip loosened enough for her to slip out and away. The alcohol slowed his reflexes enough that by the time he realized what was happening, she was already getting away.

She grabbed the stranger’s sleeve as she ran past him, pulling it in a way that signaled for him to come with her. A brief glimpse at his face was enough for her to see he was as shocked as her attacker was, but he acquiesced immediately, letting her drag him along with her. By the time they had come to a stop, they were both breathing heavy, but had most certainly lost who they were running from in the crowds they cut through. They slowed to a stop off on a side street, just out of the way of the bustle of the nearby market street.

“Did you see him?” she asked with a breathless laugh, straightening. It was either laugh or allow herself to feel how shaken she was about it – that had been too close. She hadn't even noticed her hood had fallen to her shoulders in the ensuing chase, though she certainly realized it when she turned and saw his slightly dazed and confused expression turned into some sort of mix of awe and then horror as it sunk in.

“Princess Emma,” he exhaled, immediately falling to one knee. “Your Grace, my humblest apologies –“

And there was the reason she wore the damn hood when she went out. It was like her title immediately caused some kind of overreaction from people. Sure, she preferred bowing and kneeling over attempting to kidnap her, but still. Still.

“No, no. Don’t act like that around me,” she sighed, squinting at him. He’d lowered his gaze at that point, but ventured a confused look up at her at what she was saying. “Please, on your feet.”

He did do so, of course. Probably because it was basically an order coming from her no matter how nicely she said it. Still, at least she could get a better look at him. She had been correct about the uniform, it seemed. As for the man wearing it – under a mop of dark hair, he had sharp blue eyes that wouldn't quite hold her gaze. His finer features made him look different than the sailors and soldiers she usually saw when they visited the castle. If she were the type to admit such things to herself, he was actually quite handsome.

She wasn't that type of person.

“Princess –“ he began, but she put a hand up to stop him.

“Emma,” she corrected, though the mere thought seemed to fluster him.

“I couldn't possibly –“ he began, trailing off, his expression unsure. It admittedly put a tiny smile on her face as she lifted the hood so it hid away most of her features.

“You calling me ‘Princess’ will surely attract more unwanted attention, would it not, sailor?” she asked, tilting her head innocently. She could see his cheeks were tinted red in a light blush, and that just really made her want to tease him a little. “Especially while you accompany me far enough to the castle to ensure my safety.”

He seemed surprised by the suggestion. Emma needed no assistance, really, but a walk home with someone new was appealing in a way she couldn't describe. If she could get him to stop acting as though he might be struck dead on the spot for being less formal around her, all the better a walk it would be.

“Where are the guards that are meant to protect you?” he asked, warily. It honestly only took him a moment to piece together what was happening without her even saying a word. “You’re without any. I see.”

“It’ll be dark soon,” she encouraged, offering him a genuine smile. To her surprise, a hint of one lifted on his face, though he still seemed a bit stressed by the sudden responsibility she saddled him with.

“All right, Princ – m’lady,” he settled on, and she knew that was about as close to not using her title as she was going to get. She let it slide. “I would hardly be a servant of your father if I didn’t make sure you remained unhurt. Come, we’ve a bit of a walk. As I’m sure you’re aware.”

“I won’t disagree, but do you have a name, or do I need to call you servant of my father the entire walk?” she inquired, lifting an eyebrow even though he couldn't see it.

“Ah, my apologies. My name is Killian Jones, and I suppose you've guessed that I am part of your kingdom’s navy,” he said, bowing that time around. She also let that slide – better that than what he did before. Besides, the name caught her attention.

“Jones – do you have a relative in a higher rank?” she asked, lifting a brow. She knew that name. It couldn't be a coincidence.

“Yes, actually – you may have met my brother, Liam. He recently was promoted to Captain,” he replied, and it was the first time she had heard something more than politeness in his voice. She could tell he was proud of him.

“Yes, that’s right – he’s been in the castle before,” she realized. She thought she might even remember his face, though she had to admit, she didn’t pay much attention when it came to those particular matters. She gestured for him to follow her, and together they began to walk along the street, side by side. “Did you decide to join ranks to follow in his footsteps?”

“Indeed, m’lady,” he said, looking almost embarrassed. “I do hope to be a great man like him one day.”

Emma thought on that, her expression softening somewhat. She’d been an only child all her life, but she often wondered what it’d be like to have a sibling. It seemed he had a good relationship with his. After a moment, she felt compelled to offer, “I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but I think that particular goal is well within your reach. For example, you did rescue a princess today.”

He actually let out a quiet laugh, which surprised her enough to make her glance over. The sound was a bit controlled, but it was warm nonetheless. He even looked legitimately amused, despite trying to remain neutral and proper. “I think you rescued yourself, m’lady,”

That he was willing to admit as such with a tone that struck her as less surprised and more impressed was unexpected. Unexpected but not unwelcome. “You do yourself a disservice; I would have never had that opening if you hadn’t appeared at just the right time. I’d say it was quite a team effort, at the very least.”

She spotted another small smile. “Perhaps.”

And so it went. He seemed to loosen up considerably the longer they talked. He never quite dropped the formalities completely, but she thought she was starting to see the real him – especially when she got him talking about sailing and the sea. Having such passion about something almost made her jealous – she would be Queen one day, she knew that, but she never felt like it was what she wanted. They were mostly there when the guards caught up, and they immediately treated Killian with suspicion. She waved them off, telling them to stand down.

“He rescued me from an attempted kidnapping,” she said, pointedly turning to him before he tried to say anything otherwise. He knew better than to open his mouth. “Please allow me a moment and I’ll return with you.”

“Your parents are very worried. Please keep it brief, Princess,” one of the guards said, sounding, frankly, a little exasperated with her, especially after her casual mentioning of a kidnapping. Turning back to Killian, she pushed back her hood so he could see her face again. There was little fear of being noticed any longer.

“Thank you for escorting me,” she said, smiling. “I will be sure my parents are aware of your heroism. Perhaps we’ll meet again one day.”

Killian seemed a little overwhelmed at the idea she was going to bring it up with them, as if it hadn't even crossed his mind she would do that. He seemed like he wanted to protest, but the guards bearing down on them seemed to make him think otherwise. Instead, he looked at her right in the eye for one of the first times that day, and simply said, “It was an honor to meet you, Princess. By your leave.”

He bowed then, dipping lower than he had before, and caught her gaze one last time before he turned to begin making his way back. She found herself watching him leave, wishing for a moment she could tell him to keep walking with them. To visit the castle.

Even she knew that would be improper. Besides, along with mentioning his good deed, she’d be forced to explain what had happened in the first place. She imagined neither of her parents were going to be pleased.

Chapter Text

Killian had no doubt he would likely never see the princess again.

He knew his place in the world. Wasn’t surprised when, upon explaining where he had suddenly disappeared to, it was really only his brother that believed such an outlandish thing could have occurred. Regardless of his acts and who believed them, however, things quickly returned back to normal.

It would be a lie if he didn’t think of her from time to time, though. It wasn’t as though he ever had ill will toward the royalty they served under. On the contrary, he shared the opinion of most – the king and queen were well respected and for good reason. The king treated the men under him with the respect he was sure not every king offered so freely. It was perhaps he always thought of the family in such official terms that he never assumed their daughter was any different. She always seemed as composed as the rest of them in the few times he glimpsed them. Having met her now, well -

She was certainly spirited. Spirited in a way that was intriguing; he’d never met someone quite like her before. If she had been anyone but a princess, he surely would have sought her out again. If she had been anyone but a princess –

He didn’t know. It was a dangerous road for his mind to go down. He was always practical to the point even his brother got a bit frustrated with him. It had served him well, and though sometimes there were grumblings behind his back, it set him well apart from his peers. Allowing his mind to wander was exactly what he couldn’t allow. Constantly reminding himself she probably hadn’t thought of him again was a constant thought that kept him grounded in reality.

Except as it turned out, he had been assuming incorrectly all along. He was cleaning the deck of the ship one morning, a few weeks after the initial encounter, when he found himself called to speak to the Captain. Mention of some sort of official visiting his brother had him wondering if something was amiss. Whatever it was, Liam gave up little as he approached.

“A message has just come for you, brother,” Liam explained, sliding it across the table between them. Killian raised a curious brow, picking it up. The seal of the kingdom was upon it, which was more than enough to surprise him. He opened it carefully then and opened it to view the contents inside. It took him a moment to sink in what he was staring at.

“An invitation to the castle?” he asked, lifting his head to look at Liam. His brother was smiling at that point, and Killian knew then he had already known what he was looking at.

“It seems, Killian, that your actions caught the attention of King David. His messenger informed me your presence has been requested to properly thank you tomorrow,” he explained, and he could see Liam was hiding his amusement at that point at his immediate reaction of surprise. “I don’t think I need to tell you that this is a rare opportunity, brother.”

Killian didn’t quite see it that way. In fact, felt quite ill. He was sure of himself as a man of the sea; the same couldn’t be said about being around nobility. He didn’t know the first thing about how to act properly in such a situation. Not even the prospect of seeing the princess again put aside his immediate concerns. Honestly, it hadn’t even quite crossed his mind at that point. His brother seemed to sense his unease, and crossed over to put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“We’ll talk later,” he promised, reassuring as always. He was grateful, truly he was, at the steadiness the simple gesture brought him. “Return to your duties for now.”

He had expected a simple audience when he arrived the next day at the requested time, and how to dress and how to react to such a thing was what Liam went over with him the night before. What he got was…unexpected. When he reached the gates, he was promptly lead inside, but wasn’t lead directly to the audience chamber, which he knew they received all guests, he was taken instead to a room that looked like it was a dining area. It wasn’t the environment that really caught his eye, however, but the lone figure standing by the fireplace nearby.

“Your guest has arrived, Princess,” the guard announced behind him.

She turned to look over at them. The difference in her appearance was striking. Gone was the ordinary dress and cape – she wore a simple but elegant blue dress he certainly imagined royalty would wear, her blonde hair curled and framing her face. A smile crossed her expression the moment she caught his gaze. Perhaps sensing his surprise, she started to approach. She nodded toward the guard, who left the room at the seemingly silent command.

“The King and Queen send their apologies for being late, an unexpected guest arrived today,” she explained, her hands clasped behind her back. Despite her far more royal attire, she still saw the spark in her eyes he’d seen the last time they spoke. “I told them I would entertain you until they were able to come join us. I hope you’re hungry.”

“M’lady, I - I hadn’t expected all this,” he stuttered, stunned. An audience he was prepared for. Eating a meal with the royal family? He suddenly began wondering just what he had gotten himself into. “What exactly did you tell them?”

“What happened, of course. And they saw it as a perfect opportunity to entertain someone who helped me,” she said, acting as though not only being invited but being given food by the royal family wasn’t an immense honor. She seemed to notice he wasn’t entirely sure what to do, and reached out to take his hand in her gloved one. Before he could react, he was being led again, over to seats. “You can sit next to me.”

Though still a little surprised, he was quick to snap out of it, immediately pulling out the chair she seemed to be about to sit in. She shot a grin over her shoulder at him and then sat, letting him push the seat in. As requested, he sat down beside her, though it felt a bit improper. He hoped her parents would be alright with it, but there wasn’t much he could do.

“I admit I was surprised when I got the invitation yesterday,” he said as he noticed someone – perhaps a butler – approaching them with two plates, which were put in front of them. While he recognized it as shrimp, he couldn’t even hazard a guess as to what was on it.

“I had them make my favorite main course,” she said in a whisper as he looked at the food in front of them, as if letting him in on a secret. He took it to mean there would be multiple plates of food coming at them. He really was glad he hadn’t eaten, though the same nervous stomach that had kept him from food earlier was still there. He would just have to power through it, he supposed. “And you were really that surprised?”

He was cutting into what was in front of him and paused in his attempts to look over at her. “If you don’t mind me speaking truly, I was.”

The princess seemed thoughtful at this, an expression he couldn’t quite read upon her face. “Did you not trust my word that I would speak highly of you?”

Hurt. It was only after she spoke that he put a finger on what he was seeing. She was doing a valiant job at hiding it, but there was a certain quality to her voice that spoke otherwise. He was quick to correct himself. “My apologies, m’lady, I never meant to suggest that. It’s just – meeting you once was chance enough. I didn’t think someone like me would be lucky enough to be in your presence twice.”

It was her turn to look a little surprised. It would be a lie if he didn’t immediately wonder if he had just been out of line. She put him at ease and it was dangerous – it made him forget his place. He was about to apologize when she spoke up instead, “You regard yourself too lowly. I meant it when I said I hoped we would meet again.”

He wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that. Certainly not with what he wanted to admit, which was he had been thinking quite a bit about her and how much he found himself hoping to come across her. Even though she seemed to share the same sentiment, it would be too much. Instead, he took a bite of the food he’d been about to eat, swallowed, then smiled at her. “Fortune smiles on us both then, it seems.”

Three courses they were together alone. The initial awkwardness soon dissolved away, and for a moment in time, he nearly forgot the sheer madness of the situation. Because that was what it was, no matter how much she might insist otherwise – if asked two months ago if he thought he’d be in the royal castle, he would have thought that person crazed. Yet there he was, and the Princess seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say.

The King and Queen walked in just in time to find her trying to contain her laughter to a proper volume after he spoke of a somewhat improper story of a past misadventure, which had in turn caused him to bite back his. Neither even noticed them watching until one cleared their throat. Things came to a sort of abrupt halt at that point, and he immediately stood up, bowing low in the presence of the two of them. Emma had even composed herself, though it was quite clear the two had witnessed the scene.

“King David, Queen Snow. It’s an honor to meet you both,” he said. Gone was any sort of familiarity in his voice that had been there when it was just the Princess and he. Even his stance had stiffened considerably. “I am honored by this invitation.”
“So this is the one you spoke of, Emma,” the Queen said. He was grateful to hear nothing but warmth in her tone. It didn’t quite put him at ease, but it gave him hope he hadn’t ruined things already. “Please, rise, sit. It’s us who should be thanking you for your service.”

He straightened up and then eased back into his seat as requested, finding the two regarding them with somewhat curious looks. The King spoke next, in no less of a friendly tone. “I see our daughter has done a good job entertaining you while we were unable to be here. Our apologies for being late.”

“None needed, Sire. I can only imagine how busy you must be,” he replied, watching as the two came to join them at the table.

“Is everything alright?” Princess Emma asked the two of them. The Queen immediately waved away any concern.

“Of course, our other guests were even expected. They just came a bit early,” she assured. It didn’t take long for the next round of food to come out, and Killian was suddenly wishing he hadn’t eaten so much of the two before, as he wasn’t used to so much at once. When he looked up from the plate he saw Snow watching him. “I trust the food is to your liking?”

“Aye, yes. Certainly nothing like what I usually eat,” he said, honestly. He’d have lied and said yes anyway, if need be, but everything really had been good. The company had admittedly kept him a little more preoccupied, “I am very grateful for all of this.”

“After Emma recounted what happened, it seemed the least we could do,” the King said, glancing at his daughter. “We’ve tried to tell her how dangerous it is to leave without telling anyone. I do not want to think what would have happened had you not stepped in.”

Killian watched her out of the corner of his eye. He could see her jaw tighten slightly. After seeing how handily she actually dealt with the man, he had to wonder if his intervention really only shortened her time being captured. The speed in which she had found an opening and used was something not everyone would have been able to do. He had a feeling she was thinking the same thing, and perhaps that was what was upsetting her for the moment. Though it wasn’t really his business, he found himself unable to just simply sit and agree.

“I must say, the Princess is quite remarkable,” he spoke up, gaining the attention of all three sets of eyes. It was admittedly a little intimidating, but he continued, undaunted by it. “What I mean to say is, after hearing the stories of her mother and the war, I was struck at how much she seems to take after you, Queen Snow. I certainly helped her, but I got the distinct impression she would have freed herself before long whether I had intervened or not.”

Though King David seemed a little surprised at his words, he could see a small smile on the Queen’s face. Though he didn’t venture a look towards the Princess, he could feel her eyes on hm.

“She takes too much after her mother, I think,” King David finally said, letting out a fond laugh. That he hadn’t taken it as an out of line comment made him exhale the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. In fact, after that, the entire meal didn’t go badly at all. He supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised, given their reputation, but it meant a great deal that he never felt as though he was being spoken down to.

At the end of the meal, the two had to excuse themselves again. The King asked him to send his regards to his brother before he left, and it seemed as though he was going to be escorted out as he had been escorted inside. Instead, he was surprised to find Princess Emma stepping in.

“I’ll be fine. Just to the gates,” she promised, barely giving the poor man a word in edgewise before she turned to Killian. “I’ll show you out.”

“Oh, alright,” he said, shooting the guard a bit of an apologetic look on her behalf before following her. He was starting to learn when she wanted to do something, it took a lot to pull her off course. In a way, he had a feeling that stubbornness and brashness might serve her well in situations. And though they were quiet for the few feet of walking, their footsteps echoing in the quiet castle hallway, it didn’t take long for her to speak up.

“You didn’t have to say that,” she stated. He turned his head to look at her, only to find she was already watching him. Trying to figure him out, perhaps, though he thought himself to be a bit of an open book.

“Say what, exactly?” he inquired, raising a brow.

“About what happened. You didn’t need to stand up for me,” she said. It was a strange statement, mostly because all he had said was what he felt was true.

“I thought he was underestimating you. The man who tried to take you did, too,” he explained with a small shrug. That he saw she was getting upset admittedly spurred him to point it out, but it hadn’t been out of sympathy. “It was less standing up and more pointing out what I’m surprised isn’t obvious already.”

She seemed to quiet a moment at that, as if it were sinking in. Then the thoughtful look changed into something a little more mischievous. “So you also think I’m remarkable, then?”

It was a question he hadn’t been ready for her to pose. In fact, he looked away, scratching the back of his neck, embarrassed. It only seemed to delight her more, and she was clearly awaiting a response. Clearing his throat, he finally admitted, “I think you already know you are, m’lady. You don’t need me or anyone else telling you so.”

She exuded a sort of confidence that made him assume as much. A kind of confidence of someone self-assured, and for good reason. The bit of time they had together that day only reinforced why he couldn’t quite take his mind off of her. It felt like it was treading on territory he didn’t belong on. Perhaps it was for the best that they had already reached the doors to the outside of the castle. She slowed to a stop in front of him, turning to face him. She was more serious than before, and for a brief moment, he wondered if he shouldn’t have said as much.

“It still means something to hear you say it,” she replied, her tone almost sounding a little sad. Wishful thinking, perhaps, because he certainly felt some bit of regret that it likely would be their last meeting. Surely she would forget all about him, now that she had sufficiently rewarded his actions. “Goodbye, Killian. It was…nice to speak to you again. Thank you for coming.”

“As always, m’lady, it was an honor,” he said, bowing before her. “I will take my leave now.”

She didn’t say anything, and after a moment of waiting, he supposed she wasn’t going to. He shot her a weak smile when he straightened up, turning to go.

“Killian,” she suddenly said, making him stop mid-step. She didn’t even wait for him to turn around before she continued, “Are you always in town?”

He wasn’t really sure why she was asking and couldn’t quite read her face when he glanced over his shoulder at her. He answered truthfully, not seeing any reason not to. “Aye, as long as we’re docked. Farewell, m’lady.”

At the time, he had thought it was simply a strange question. It would be his own moment of underestimating the princess, in the end.