A/N: So, I figured I'd give Lieutenant Duckling a shot (though you could probably argue that PWYH is LD...)! I've been writing this for quite some time now, and I can tell you that it's a lot of fluff, not a lot of angst, like PWYH. This chapter/prologue is a bit short, I know-it's really just a test chapter, to see if anyone enjoys it! I currently have at least three other stories I'd like to add here sometime this summer, so look out for those, too! Anyways, enjoy this story!
This story was largely inspired by Twin Forks' song 'Back To You'. It's been on repeat since I bought it a few months ago!
"Emma, darling, you're going to be late!" Snow exclaimed, rapping on the door.
Emma rolled her eyes from where she stood on her balcony, overlooking the kingdom. A gentle breeze blew by, moving her hair across her back. She could have spent her whole day out on the balcony, soaking in the sun, the winds, the salty smell of the air. If that meant she was able to ignore her princess duties, she would do it even quicker and with more joy.
She didn't want to meet any more men. They were all princes of other kingdoms, but none of them appealed to her. Some were handsome, but rude. Others were sweet, but not at all on her intellectual level. It seemed as if there were no in-between choices.
"Emma, please don't make me ask again!" Snow called.
"I'm coming, Mother!" Emma groaned, rolling her eyes and lifting her dress as she hurried for the door. She opened it with a fake smile, only to be greeted with her mother's pursed lips and crossed arms.
"Morning, Mother." Emma smiled, curtseying.
"Emma, can you please pretend like you're enjoying yourself?" Her mother asked as the two began their stroll down the corridor.
"It's hard when I truly cannot enjoy myself surrounded by boys who call themselves 'proper gentlemen'. They're far from." Emma scoffed.
"You're a princess—you must marry a prince." Snow replied.
"Why? So we can maintain some economic relationship?" Emma asked, stopping in the hall, "I want to fall in love! I don't want to be forced to marry someone!"
"I'm sorry, Emma, but these princes are your options!" Snow spoke in an exasperated tone, "I know some of them are stuck up, or rude, but there's bound to be one out there who is perfect."
"What if he isn't a prince? What if the man I fall in love with isn't from royalty?" Emma sighed, "Father wasn't—"
"He technically was, darling." Snow reminded her daughter, "He just didn't know it."
Emma rolled her eyes yet again, continuing to walk down the hallway.
"I can guarantee that I will not like of these princes." She mumbled.
"Please just give them a chance, okay?" Her mother asked, stopping her in front of the door. She quickly fussed with Emma's hair, causing the princess to purse her lips.
"I truly have to do this?"
"Yes, sweetheart." Snow said, "You must be married within the year."
"I know." Emma sighed.
Snow opened the doors to the ballroom, and Emma followed her in, putting on her best smile as she greeted yet another set of suitors.
"Morning." She smiled to the first one, offering a curtsey as he bowed.
"Good morning, Princess. You look gorgeous." He smiled.
"Thank you." Emma replied with a forced smile, noting the way he was staring at her chest.
This continued for close to an hour, and each suitor had only a few minutes to impress Emma. None of them managed to get any kind of reaction out of her. At least, not a reaction they would have liked. Her parents didn't exactly enjoy her exit, either, considering she simply left in the middle of one of them talking. Neither her father nor her mother bothered following the princess, knowing that their Emma just needed space.
Emma hurried out of the ballroom, breathing heavily and trying to keep her anger and frustration at bay. She lifted her dress as she picked up her speed, not really looking at where she was going. So, of course, Emma bumped into someone, knocking her to the ground.
"Hey-!" She exclaimed, only stopping when she saw the man she'd bumped into.
He was probably her age, with dark, choppy hair ending in a small ponytail, and the bluest of eyes. He had a little scruff around his lips that were curled up into a sweet, comforting smile. The boy donned what looked like a Navy uniform, hat and all.
"Are you alright, Princess?" He asked, holding his hand out for her to take.
"I'm, um, I'm fine." She replied, taking his hand and smiling as he helped her back on her feet, "Thank you."
"Of course." He smiled with a bow, taking off his hat, "Lieutenant Killian Jones."
"Princess Emma." She replied, curtseying to him, "Are you part of my father's Navy?"
"Yes, I am." He replied, flashing his teeth once more and placing his hat back on his head.
"I wish I could sail." Emma spoke with a sigh, turning her head when her name was called, "Oh, I have to go."
"Of course. It was lovely meeting you, Princess."
"You can just call me Emma." She said, not even trying to fight the grin on her face, "It was lovely meeting you, Lieutenant."
"Call me Killian." He grinned, taking her hand and pressing his lips to her soft knuckles, "I'll see you around, then."
"I hope so." Emma replied with a half-smile, before her name was called once more. She met his eyes one more time before peeling away and hurrying towards her father's voice.
"Emma, where the hell were you?" Charming asked with a worried face, taking Emma's arms in his hands.
"I bumped into someone, I'm sorry." Emma said.
"It's okay, I was just worried." He said, clearly out of breath, searching her face, "What?"
"What do you mean 'what'?" Emma asked, still smiling.
"You're… You're smiling."
"Yes, and?"
"I just…" Charming smiled, shaking his head, "Who did you bump into?"
"No one." Emma replied, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get prepared for the ball tonight."
"You want to go?"
"I don't think I have a choice, now, do I?" Emma asked, earning a kiss on the cheek.
"I shall see you then, my princess." He smiled, dropping one more kiss to the top of her head before walking towards the meeting room.
"Brother, we have to talk." Killian spoke in a hurried tone, stepping onto the ship he and his brother had lived the majority of their lives on.
"Killian, not now—"
Killian butted into his conversation regardless, shouldering the man his brother, Liam, was talking to.
"I must go to the ball tonight." He spoke quickly, setting his hand on Liam's arm.
"Killian, you can't. You aren't a prince."
"It's a masquerade, no one would notice." He said, "Please, brother. Help me."
"Why do you suddenly have this need to go?" Liam asked, an eyebrow raised.
"I just… I have to go."
"That's not a reason, Killy."
"Liam, please." Killian pleaded, "I met someone."
Liam raised both eyebrows this time, a smirk crossing his lips.
"You met someone?" Liam spoke with his shit-eating grin, "Explain."
"I can't, it's complicated—please, just help me." Killian sighed.
"What do you need help with?"
"I can't go in looking like this! She'll know who I am!"
"Isn't that the point?"
"No, it's not—I won't be allowed in if I'm dressed like this."
"What do you want me to do about it, Kill? Oh, no, no, that is not happening." Liam shook his head at Killian's brows raising.
"Please, Liam." Killian pleaded, "I think I've found her."
Liam sighed before running a hand through his hair and tugging his brother's arm towards the cabin. Killian smiled as he followed his brother in, shutting the door behind himself.
"You are incredibly lucky that the King left some clothes aboard last time we left port." Liam sighed, handing him the neatly folded pile of clothes.
"Thank you, Liam—"
"Don't let anything happen to it, okay?" Liam asked.
"Of course not."
"Good. Now, get changed—you'll have to go into town for a mask." Liam said, leaving the cabin.
"Thank you, Liam."
"Sure. Just be careful, okay? Don't make yourself too obvious. Whoever the girl is, she's lucky if she has you."
"Thanks." Killian grinned as his brother left.
He quickly changed out of his Naval uniform and into the royal clothing. It was a little tight in some parts, but for the most part, it fit fairly well. He couldn't stop smiling at the thought of seeing the beautiful princess again.
"You look like a prince, brother." Liam chuckled, his arms crossed.
"Yeah?" Killian grinned.
"Yes." Liam laughed, "Now, go, find your princess."
"Have to get a mask, first, but thank you." Killian chuckled, hurrying off the ship and towards town, a skip in his step.
Something felt different, wearing that outfit. He felt like he was someone, like he fit in. It was a weird feeling. Nonetheless, he strutted around the village as if he'd owned the place, glancing up to the signs on the outside of stores to figure out where he could find a mask.
He finally found a store that looked promising (though, a little creepy), and walked in. A ding sounded as he walked in, glancing around the store.
"Hello?" He asked, "Anyone in here?"
A shadowy figure appeared from behind the counter, making Killian jump a little.
"Well, hello there, prince."
"Hello." Killian replied, narrowing his eyes and raising a brow, "Do you happen to have any masks, for say, a masquerade?"
"Why, of course I do—for a price."
"Yes, I assumed so." Killian replied, "Where can I find them?"
"Right here, dearie." The man offered, shocking Killian when an array of masks appeared.
"How did you do—"
"Ah, ah, ah—no questions." The man said.
"…Okay," Killian spoke skeptically, "This one matches."
He picked up a mask that matched the maroon of his outfit, with gold detailing.
"What will it cost?" He asked.
"Only one thing—" The man spoke with a weird tone, "All magic comes with a price."
Killian raised a brow, unsure of what he was talking about.
"Listen, I just need to buy this mask." Killian spoke in annoyed tone.
"Just sign here, and the mask is all yours, dearie." The man smirked, causing Killian to raise a brow. He looked over the long page of parchment paper, unsure of what he was really signing over—but, if he signed it, he would see Emma again. So, he signed it with his curvy, neat writing, then handed it to the man.
"Enjoy." He smiled creepily, handing Killian the mask. Killian took it and hurried out of the store, trying to get away from that man as quickly as possible.
"Oh, Emma, I'm coming." Killian grinned, stopping by a barber shop to look in the mirror and tie the mask on perfectly.