Chapter 16

Emma shrugged a bit but hearing him laugh, made her heart race slightly since she liked hearing that but guessed he didn't do that much. "And when did you decide you could trust me?" She teased a little bit but for now, she didn't care what her father thought about this, she liked talking to the pirate. "I'm glad you trust me." She said and gave a small smile as she started to walk but once they arrived at the tavern, she smiled a bit before she walked in though her stomach growled smelling the food and how delicious it smelled, just hoping no one else had heard her stomach growl. She had heard others talking about the Jolly Roger but she didn't think too much of it.

Snow gave a smile but rubbed her stomach slightly since she was getting hungry and being so close to smelling food didn't help much as she followed but once at the tavern, gave her daughter a smile. "You two head in, I need to talk to David for a minute." She said and grabbed her husband's hand, gently tugging him back away from the tavern. "I know we can't really trust royals but maybe you should go slightly easier on him?" She said but then added. "I still don't know how to trust him but yesterday after you went down to talk to Emma he came over and spoke with me.. he doesn't want to hurt her or break any trust we may have. He even made an oath to me saying if he was going to betray us or even hurt our daughter I could cut him down with his sword." She told her husband deciding he should know about that.

Emma looked over at her mother, momentarily curious. "Alright.. we'll find a table." She said and looked over at Killian. She was about to say something when she spun hearing her name called, like she was ready to draw her sword but then all the tension left her at seeing an elderly woman walking this way. Emma smiled some before she felt the woman's arms around her and though she still wasn't too sure about hugs, she didn't pull away and instead leaned into him.

"Emma!" An elder woman's voice called at seeing the blonde and a male but her eyes were focused on the blonde, a warm smile on her face. The woman, Marie, was an elderly woman who had graying hair and a small scar on her cheek, she wore trousers and a white tunic with an apron around her waist for baking but as soon as she got to the blonde, she wrapped her arms around her, giving her a small squeeze before she stepped back. "Staying out of trouble?" She teased the girl.

Emma smiled some. "Oh you know me, I run towards the trouble." She teased a little until she remembered the prince was there and turned towards him. "Killian this is Marie.. she's the one who found me and.. took me in." She said

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Killian shrugged a little bit and honestly, he wasn't even sure if he could answer his own statement, when did he start trusting her? Either when she had come after him first instead of her parents, maybe when she'd still promised to help him find his brother after everything, or maybe it was recently when she had stopped David from strangling the life out of him. "I'm not sure. But you have it." He said with a nod. He turned a little bit hearing what David said and gave a small nod towards him before following Emma over to the tavern.

David nodded a little though was slightly confused at what his wife needed to talk about but he hung back and listened intently giving her hand a little squeeze as they talked and laced their fingers together. He raised an eyebrow hearing his wife of all people suggest to go easier on him but simply waited for her to say something else. "You...have an oath with a prince?" He asked almost as if she was delusional to do such a thing but then he pressed his lips together and nodded. "I will go easier on him, for now. Or I will at least try to. It's only a matter of time before he breaks it. And when he does....I'll be the one to run him through." He said, almost delighted at the idea of being able to kill a prince with no consequence. He sighed and kissed his wife's cheek and gave her hand a little squeeze before he looked over seeing Emma just pulling away from a hug and the others talking. "Let's head over, we can worry about all that later." He said with a nod and walked over to the three of them.

"Who's this?" He asked politely seeing the other woman, only because he saw how happy Emma seemed to be right now, he knew it was probably the woman who had taken her in but he didn't want to be rude straight away, not if she was willing to give them free food and a place to sleep.

Killian wasn't sure that he'd ever seen Emma so comfortable around someone, or this happy, but it was nice to see. It made a difference from seeing her checking over her shoulder now and then. He stood there patiently just to give the two a moment and when Emma introduced him to her he nodded and looked towards Marie and bowed his head slightly, offering her a warm and somewhat dashing smile. "Well, all I can say is that you've raised an exceptional woman, so thank you." He said and soon he found a genuine smile appearing on his face as he looked between the two of them. Although this woman might be a little older, there was something about her demeanor and the way she hugged Emma and seemed to care about her that reminded him of his mother.

The genuine smile was wiped immediately off his face hearing David's voice from slightly behind him and he flinched at how sudden it sounded and how fast he'd managed to get behind him without noticing. He stepped to the side a little bit to allow Snow and David more space to introduce themselves and talk to Marie and he certainly didn't want to get in the way, not when he knew he had that oath with Snow and they could kill him any minute they wanted to, and honor would mean that he wasn't allowed to do a damn thing about it.

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Emma gave a nod hearing that Killian didn't know when but at least she had his trust which she was glad for, she knew with him she didn't constantly need to check over her shoulder, she gave a tiny smile but knew it probably wasn't right for her to be so happy on seeing the older woman and she was happy to have her parents back, even if she was slightly worried they'd end up just leaving her again but Marie had also raised her and looked out for her when she needed it and that was what she was thankful about.

Snow looked at her husband as she laced their fingers but nodded although she shook her head. "Don't go thinking I'm delusional or anything." She told him since she knew her husband and how he thought but a part of her was surprised that she had even suggested going a little easier on him. "He does anything I'll let you run him through." She said with a nod before she followed him into the tavern, squeezing his hand.

Emma turned slightly when she heard her parents but noticed how Killian had flinched but then said. "This is... Marie. She helped to take care of me." She said, hoping her parents wouldn't be rude or anything at meeting the woman. "And Marie this is.." she was cut off by Marie answering as she gave a nod.

"Your parents," Marie said. She may not have ever met them or even really seen a picture, but she could tell it was them. "Why don't you all go sit at a table and I'll bring you all something to eat?" She offered and turned to go get them something to eat but then paused. "Oh, Emma.." she went to say more but Emma was already shaking her head. "I know. I promise." She said, after her first kill, she had promised Marie she wouldn't and she tried not to. The most she would do is just give someone a good beating and that was it, it was something she promised her every time she saw and that while she was here she'd try and avoid any type of fight if she could.

"Come on," Emma said, turning to the others before she walked over to a table in the corner, sitting down but making sure it was big enough for all four of them to sit at.

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David nodded a little bit to his wife and gave a small smile. "I won't." He said and gave his wife's hand a small squeeze. Though he did look forward to running the pirate through with his royal blade, and might even steal it off him afterward, it would certainly take their reputation up a notch if they were known for killing royals too. He gave a small smile to Marie as his daughter introduced them and he nodded a little. "Nice to meet you." He said, though honestly he hated how Emma seemed to be more happy with her, how she'd run straight into this woman's arms but he kept that to himself.

Killian gave a small smile and he just stood there letting the others talk, his curiosity heightened as he wondered what Marie was going to say to them, but at the mention of food he didn't care anymore. He nodded and he walked over to the table and sat beside Emma, pulling his sword against his hip slightly so it would stick to the side of the bench so that it was comfortable to sit down. "Food sounds good right about now." He said with a nod, just trying to keep the conversation light and trying his best to be patient and wait for it.

Another pirate had walked into the Tavern shortly after them and he grinned a bit seeing the four of them sat down. He walked over and studied them for a moment. "Getting tired of the pirate life?" He asked motioning to the tavern. "I'm surprised that you'd willingly sell the Jolly Roger." He said with a shrug. "I thought that it was going to remain in the family for quite some time." He said with a shrug and grabbed a tankard off a tray before taking a large gulp of it. He looked around seeing clueless expressions and he reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a piece of parchment and slapped it down onto the table. "Don't you know? Did you forget?" He asked a little confused. "The deal you made with the king? Your freedom for your ship. He's having guards looking for it right now." He said and looked at them.

Killian clenched his jaw trying to hide the pang of worry that went through him upon hearing the king's name. He studied the document and he pulled it to his side of the table looking over it. "it...it's legit." He said and his eyes snapped up to David and the others hoping that they'd believe that he had no part in this, though it seemed his father had also forged his signature at the bottom of the page.

David narrowed his eyes, back straightening up slightly and he shook his head hearing what the other man said. "we're not selling it, or trading it for anything." He said with a confused look and after Killian had had the parchment for a while he snatched it out of his hands and scanned the document. "you seem surprised it's real..." He said and he shoved the parchment into Snow's hands. "yet...you've signed the bottom of it." He said, voice steady and harsh as he narrowed his eyes, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.

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Emma looked over at Killian and offered just a tiny smile before she looked over at her parents and was about to say something when she heard another pirate's voice and looked up at them when she frowned a little bit hearing about the Jolly Roger but seeing a document, she looked at it close but leaned over slightly closer to the prince so she was able to see it, her eyes scanning over the document and the signatures when she looked at her father but glanced down seeing David's hand on his sword. "Don't do anything." She told David. "I'm... sure there's an explanation." She said and looked over at Killian.

She didn't think he actually signed that document and maybe it was her growing feelings for him that was making her believe in him but she would let him explain.

Snow's brow furrowed slightly hearing about the ship being sold and looked at the document feeling it shoved into her hands. She looked up hearing her daughter. "You're going to defend him when it shows his signature?" She asked her daughter as she sat the parchment down. "How do you know this wasn't his and his father's plans the whole time?" She asked but didn't understand why her daughter seemed to be defending the prince so much.

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Killian gulped a little bit as he heard Emma's voice and he bit down on his lip slightly, his attention drawn to David's hand on the hilt of his sword. His mouth suddenly went dry and he was at a loss for words. "I..." For the first time in a long time, he was practically speechless. He looked at Emma and shook his head. "He probably forged it, besides when would I have time to even sign it?" He asked. "I didn't do this, I swear." He said softly before turning back to Snow and David. "Your daughter is allowed to defend whoever she wants, it's not like you've been around to teach her otherwise." He growled slightly but he planted the elbow or his hurt hand onto the table and furiously unwrapped the bandage. And showed his cut palm to Snow and David, the wound still pretty deep and only really starting to scab over. "You really think I suffered this just to get your daughter to trust me?" He scoffed and he shook his head. "Besides..." He said and turned back to Emma. "Why would I want my father to take away the only thing that is currently going to help me find my brother?" He asked. He stood up and took a few deep breaths, he didn't want to lose his temper and he certainly didn't want to cause a scene or risk upsetting Marie. "I need some air." He said and he walked out though realised that it had started to rain slightly and the ground was quickly becoming muddy wet puddles.

David narrowed his eyes and he gently took the parchment back off his wife. "Apparently he's seizing the Jolly Roger, if making it look like we agreed to this, he says we're willingly giving up ownership of it and will have no right to it the moment it's taken as it will be the property of the crown." He said reading it, though he double glanced at the signature above Killian's name. "And you think I'll believe anything a Royal has to say after this?" He asked, parchment clenched in his fist tightly. His head snapped to Killian and his whole body tensed. "What...did you just say to me?" He asked and he stood up glaring at Killian, he could buy the cheap lies and the pathetic excuses but he sure as hell wasn't going to be disrespected for not being around for his daughter when he had no say in the matter.

His eyes narrowed and he kissed the top of his wife's head. "Stay here." He said and he followed Killian out of the tavern to see him just standing there with his head up to the sky. He forcefully pushed the back of his shoulders sending the man sprawling to the ground and he towered over him, his sword drawn out. "I asked. What did...you say to me." He growled out. However, after a moment he got a better idea and he dropped his sword on the ground knowing no residents would willingly try and take it from him while he was right there. "I can't hear you." He said, though he used his foot to plant the back of Killian's hand on the ground and then he stepped on his injured palm, his full weight pressing down onto his hand, grinning seeing the wound being ripped open and blood mixing on the ground in the rain.

Killian turned his head up to the sky and he took a few deep breaths, more than anything he just hoped that Emma had believed him, recently her trust and faith had become a lot for him to have, especially when they were traveling alone. He suddenly felt himself pushed to the ground and he landed on his stomach and he gasped feeling the wind knocked out of him. "What the hell." He snapped and he turned over so he was laying on his back. "It wasn't. Me." He said sternly, eyes cold-hearted and he could feel himself beginning to stare through David like they used to stare through everyone, with no emotion or empathy. "It wasn't me." He said, he clenched his jaw though he couldn't help the loud cry of pain that left him feeling David's boot crushing his hand, if that wasn't enough the feeling of his wound being ripped open was enough to make him wince. "it wasn't me." He yelled, he turned into his side trying to get his hand free but he couldn't do anything to get his foot off, though from this position it just looked like he was hugging David's leg, curled up almost in a ball as tears mixed with rain and he felt himself getting lightheaded, his cheek laying on the ground by his hand and getting blood on it. "it wasn't me." He said, refusing to say anything else, the bottom of his foot slamming down on the ground in pain as he gave his hand a little tug. "Please." He begged, and he didn't usually beg, but this hurt more than actually catching the whip and he felt like he was going to pass out any second and he wouldn't give him the satisfaction, but David's foot only added more pressure to his hand.