Her Royal Highness Princess Emma of Misthaven was overwhelmed. She paced her chambers, wringing her hands and wishing for a solution to fall into her lap.

Her dear parents were relentless about finding her True Love (with a capital 'T' and a capital 'L') or even just a suitor at the ball. The King and Queen were wonderful, kind and thoughtful people and benevolent rulers, but they didn't understand Emma. They'd just stumbled into each other like fate or destiny or something equally nonexistent. Sure, their path to actually getting together was a rather bumpy one, but they ended up married with a kid, so it all worked out. So they were concerned when Emma still hadn't found her True Love.

She didn't think she would find him, really. She was sure that he wouldn't be amongst those at the ball the following evening. She wouldn't find her True Love in one of the simpering princes that followed her around and kissed at her feet. She was sure of that.

Her court had given the order just one month ago: she must marry before her twenty fifth birthday. That gave her just two years. Two years to find her True Love, who she didn't believe existed, to court him, to fall for him, and to marry him. And if she didn't find him and marry him in two years? They would arrange the most advantageous marriage of which they could conceive. Emma shivered, knowing it would most certainly involve a self-important, greedy, and probably gross prince from the Southern Isles or somewhere equally appalling.

So, doing what she always did when she was overwhelmed, Emma threw on her cloak and left the castle without looking back. She headed for the village just down the road, a port town that was always full of life.

Some nights she'd find herself in one of the taverns that lined the harbor, listening to tales from travelers for hours on end. Emma was enchanted by their stories, always wishing to hear more. She dreamt of one day sailing the open seas with no other objective than to explore. But more than that, she loved spending time with her people, the everyday man, not just with nobles and members of their court. They reminded her why she wanted to one day be queen, why she must devote her life to serve them. Why there were sacrifices that must be made.

Today, however, she felt like walking around, exploring the shops and searching for hidden treasure. She walked into a small clothing shop, taking in the beautiful colors of fabric that hung on the walls. She needed and wanted for nothing, but that didn't stop her from looking. She thanked the shopkeeper and moved on to the next in the row.

This one was full of beautiful trinkets and jewelry, not as expensive as those she had at home, but much more to her taste. "Is there something I can help you find, dear?" The woman asked kindly.

Emma shook her head. "I'm just admiring your merchandise, ma'am,"

The woman blushed. "Well, let me know if anything catches your eye,"

Emma nodded with a smile, turning to peruse another shelf. The bell above the door chimed when it was opened. She turned at the sound, noticing the handsome man that walked in. She rolled her eyes at herself and went back to her pointless search.

But she couldn't help but listen to the conversation the man had with the shopkeeper. "You know I can't take this, dear," she told him.

"I'll take half of what it's worth, please," he nearly begged. She watched as he held a diamond necklace up to show the woman. Emma's brows furrowed, hearing the desperation in his voice.

"I can't, Killian, I just haven't had enough sales this month," the woman looked heartbroken to say this, especially when the man's, Killian's, shoulders slumped. He sighed and left without another word.

Emma approached the shopkeeper, curiosity plain on her face. "Poor lad," the woman shook her head. "Terrible family...a shame, really, after the kind soul his mother was," she added.

Emma didn't give herself time to think, she just followed her gut; it was never wrong. She exited the shop with a quick 'thank you' and followed the dark head of hair she could just make out above the crowd.

She caught up to him in a few moments, just as he made it to the edge of the forest. "I'll buy it," she said, startling him.

He spun around, eyebrow darting up. "Come again?"

"I'll buy it. Give you whatever you want for it,"

She thought she could almost see him working to keep his jaw from falling open. "Why?"

She shrugged. "It's pretty." He continued to stare at her with confused eyes, and she exhaled. "Look, I've got more money than I know what to do with. So just let me buy it. I'll pay twice what it's worth."

His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What's the catch?"

"There's no catch."

"Really?"

"You want a catch? Okay. I'll buy it for double. If you tell me why you need the money."

He stared for a moment longer. "That's quite a long story, love,"

"I've got time," she told him, and he nodded slowly.

He was quiet for a long moment in deliberation. She watched a variety of emotions flit in and out of his eyes. "Follow me," he said eventually. He led her to the docks, to the bench that sat facing the merchant boats and private vessels. Her mother's flagship was the largest of them all. She tried not to look.

He didn't say anything for a few more minutes, obviously struggling with his inner dialogue. "My mother was the greatest person I've ever known," he began softly, and Emma was sure she would be crying by the end of this story, or she would want to; she wasn't much of a public crier.

"She raised me and my brother Liam until she got sick when I was eight, Liam twelve. To take care of us, she got remarried, to a man with money and a name. He wasn't awful to us–not then–and helped us care for her for three years until she died.

"He's spent the years since making me a slave of sorts, working day in and day out until he's satisfied with the shine of the floor or the spotlessness of the windows, whatever my task is." She watched him play with his hands, noticing the calluses that peppered them. Her heart tightened in her chest.

"Liam left to join the Navy when he was seventeen, in order to save money for us to leave our step-father and never return. And I hoped, for years I hoped that one day I would be free of this life. Until we got word that Liam was killed in a battle with King Arthur's men." She nodded, remembering this attack well. She was woken in the middle of the night with news of the massacre on the deck of the Jewel of the Realm . Many were captured, even more were killed. It was the saddest day in Misthaven since the Evil Queen was in power. They mourned for months.

"I've been trying to save money of my own, but it's impossible. I can't work because my step-father has me as his personal servant. So I've been trying to sell what I have left of my mother's jewelry. Things she'd hidden away in our attic to one day give to Liam and I for our wives and daughters. This is the last thing I have from her."

She absorbed all the information he'd given her, trying desperately not to burst into tears as she so wanted. "I won't buy it from you. I can't take what you have left of your mother,"

"I thought we had a deal–" he exclaimed, before Emma cut him off.

"I have a different deal in mind," she said, and he looked at her skeptically. "We haven't been properly introduced,"

He looked alarmed, and quickly said, "Killian Jones, milady. I apologize for my rudeness."

She smiled, shaking her head at this gentleman that sat before her. "That wasn't exactly what I meant." He raised an eyebrow at that, and she cleared her throat. "I'm Emma. Her Royal Highness Princess Emma of Misthaven." She swore he almost fell off the bench. He looked distressed, like he might start hyperventilating at any moment, and she sighed. "No need to pass out, Killian."

"Um, you had a different deal in mind?" He repeated, still looking at her with that awe-struck expression.

"I have this problem, you see. I think we can help each other."

"Me? How can I help you?"

She laughed at his surprise, but ignored his question. "This is going to sound completely insane, but allow me to explain." She waited until he nodded timidly, then she continued. "My parents have been bothering me for weeks about this ball tomorrow night."

"Your parents?" He interrupted. "The King and Queen?"

"Yes, Killian, keep up." She rolled her eyes. "They've been bothering me because they think I'll find my One True Love at this ball. Either I find this person, or they're going to start displaying me to this long, long line of suitors. And, I know you probably haven't met any princes, but you really wouldn't want to. Especially when they want to court the future queen of Misthaven."

"Future queen," he mumbled.

"Yes, yes. Now, where you come in," she paused, partially for dramatic effect. She was so like her father. "I won't find this True Love. I don't think he exists. However, we could say that you're my True Love. I'd order that you be immediately moved into the castle, and conveniently away from your step-father."

"Me? Your True Love?"

"It's just pretend, Killian. Acting. And you'd be set for life as the Prince Consort."

"Wait, you mean marry you?"

She shrugged. "Told you it was crazy," she took a breath. "But this solves both of our problems. You escape this cage of a life for a life of money and power, and I won't be forced to marry a pompous prince when I can't find my True Love in two years."

"Why two years?" He asked.

"That's the deadline that the court set. Father tried to fight it, but they wouldn't budge," she explained. "But at least we could be friends going into this. I would have some sort of choice,"

"I'll do it," he said.

"You will?"

"I don't have lots of options lying around, do I? Plus, could I get much luckier? Marrying a beautiful princess is sort of best-case scenario, isn't it?" She blushed, and immediately was glad that she listened to her gut.

"There is one problem, though," he said, and her heart dropped. "Well, two. The first, I have nothing to wear. The second, I have no idea how to convince my step-father to let me go to this ball."

"The first one is an easy fix. I'll just have a footman drop something off for you. The second, let me think…" She chewed on her lip. "Well, we just need to get him out of the house for the night, don't we?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"A certificate for free drinks all night at the Wandering Swan ?" She asked.

"That would be perfect, though I'm not sure such a thing exists,"

"I know a girl," she said with a smile. "Okay, here's the plan. He'll be out of your house by midday. I'll have your clothes dropped off once he's gone. Arrive by sunset, and you'll be my 'special guest.' Just tell that to the guards, and you won't have any trouble getting in. We just need to be seen dancing a few times. I'll introduce you to my parents, claiming to have found my True Love, and my mother will insist that you move in immediately to begin our formal courtship."

He listened intently as she spoke, as if trying to memorize her words. "You're sure this will work?"

"We just have to pretend to be madly in love. I've watched my parents make eyes at each other for years,"

"Okay," he smiled hesitantly.