Normally, Aurora had loved the forest. Loved the way the light flickered in the trees and changed the colour of the flowers so they gleamed like jewels, the way the moss felt when you touched it. It was a place of refuge, but now the forest had turned gloomy and scary and mean. She had been wondering the same paths for around a century and coming to the same well, she picked up a rock from the ground and threw it, cursing the world, cursing her long impractical dress and cursing whoever was bewitching the paths to swerve and twist and turn yet always end up going in the same direction. Dawn was nearing, dawn. And she still hadn't found her way out of this cursed place. Surveying the ground around her, she decided that this really was a good a place as any to stay the night, well... morning. She lowered the bucket into the well until she heard a faint 'plop' and then started dragging it up again. As if she didn't have any survival skills. She had plenty of survival skills, and many more, but I guess nobody was interested as long as you don't act mean all the time. She was done with it all. Yes, she was done and finished with all of them. She was going to drink some water, then maybe eat whatever she found and then sleep (she'd manage somehow) and then find her way out of this damned place by morning. Pleased with this plan, she smiled a little to herself. She lifted the bucket to her lips and tilted her head back. Thirst was always overcoming her, she didn't know why, but she was always thirsty.

"I wouldn't drink that if I were you."

The bucket fell as she turned around startled to face the source of the voice. It fell on her foot, bruising it, and she feel over clumsily.

"Didn't mean to startle you... princess"

It was Hook. Of course it was Hook, she didn't know anyone else who's words always sounded so playful, like a purring cat and so silky, but yet there was an abrupt feel to it, a hint, a taste of adventure. It's just a voice she told herself. Yet she couldn't deny that it was a very specific voice.

"What are you doing here?" she asked with as much dignity as she could muster.

"Saving the damsel in distress of course" he replied, leaning against a tree, looking a mocking gleam in his eye.

She wasn't in the mood to coin a witty reply, so the only thing that remained was to pick herself up and compose herself. Fumbling, she tried to repair her foot somehow and put the bucket where it belonged, tried to clean her dress but of course it was only covered in water. That's when she remembered that she was actually angry with them all.

"It's only water, why aren't I allowed to drink it?!" she requested adamantly.

"Because, princess, it's poisoned." he replied, and she could taste the mockery in his tone.

"Because, princess, it's poisoned!" she mimicked him. She was finished with all of them, finished with their arrogance and their condescension and their always thinking what was right and what was better. She was tired of being treated like a child around them constantly, while they behaved no more than as children would.

"Why don't you treat me like Emma?" the question escaped her lips before she could stop it. Oh God no. The thing she had hoped to steer well clear of. And now he'd think her stupid and foolish.

But he didn't treat her like a child. He laughed, but it was the kind of laugh she felt she could share. He wasn't laughing at her, or maybe he was, but it definitely wasn't a cruel laugh, funnily the one at which he excelled at.

"Such a princess..." he whispered to himself.

"I heard that!" she said. She was angry with them still but maybe not him so much. After all... no he was just as guilty. Whatever she had thought of him before must stay in the past. Hadn't he proved that he was just as arrogant as the rest of them?

"Emma and the rest sent me to find you... though Snow was reluctant. Said I'd... what was it? Oh yes," he smiled to himself with mock remembrance "lead you on a stray path."

"I thought I made it pretty clear I was leaving. Also, captain, I'd like you to note that I'm not that easily led on a stray path, whatever you may think of me."

"And what exactly do I think of you?" he said, coking his head.

"You think I'm immature and whimsy and prissy" she said, the words tumbling out of her.

He met the words with a silence. She couldn't quite read his face; it wasn't sad yet neither was it happy. It seemed like he'd always been used to women concealing their feelings and maybe her confession had puzzled him somewhat. No, she told herself, she was reading into it too much.

The forest darkened; dawn was coming, but before it came the darkness would deepen and the air would get cold and clear, and the stars would shine with such a brilliant light that magic could ever quite match. They both shivered as it set in; they had not noticed it approaching as they bickered. She noticed the water in the well frost over, and now reluctantly she joined him where he was standing; it was useless to stand at the crossroads at the frozen well and sit on the hard ground when the moss was just there. She walked over and sat down, pulling her cape tighter, trying to keep warm, but she could not help the blueness creeping up on her lips. Hook, also tired of standing, sat down next to her, leaning on the tree still and stretching out his long leather clad legs and yawning. They sat there for a few minutes in silence, both of them hating that they hadn't been stubborn enough to stay where they were. Finally though, they got too cold and too tired to think, and both their minds attained a light quality; one where they just looked at the stars and breathed in the air, and everything was peaceful. Aurora shivered and wrapped her cape around her tighter, rubbing her hands together for warmth.

"I have something that could keep you warm... princess"

Aurora was taken aback by this. Did he mean his coat? Hook smiled mischievously as his hand went into his pocket. From it, he produced a leather bottle, drinking glass, she couldn't remember the word... those things you drink out of.

"Ah, so you finally have some water, and you tell me now. Not like I was thirsty before"

"I said it was specifically to keep you warm."

"Is it a potion?"

"Of sorts"

"Of sorts?"

"It's a rather wonderful little concoction" Hook said, opening the cork with his teeth, as his hands were too stiff "called rum. Not sure whether a princess such as yourself has ever tasted such a vulgar drink." He handed her the bottle, leaned back and smiled.

"Vulgar?" she had never heard a drink described that before. "I'm pretty sure I can handle it" She took a swing, and though the liquid tasted fiery, she liked it. It filled her up, and increased her lightness, made the forest warmer, friendlier, made the man in front of her seem like less of a mocking vagabond. She took another good swing, and handed the bottle back to him with a smug smile. She was a princess and she was a woman. And she could handle a little drink.

"Well, well..." Hook drifted off, and took a little swing himself, before corking the bottle. "Who knew, princess? I was sure your lips couldn't take anything stronger than mulled wine."

"My lips can take a lot, thank you" this conversation had turned too uncomfortable for her liking, so she decided to change the topic. "Call me Aurora"

Hook frowned with mock disappointment "As you wish... princess"

"I'm serious..." Aurora felt herself lean against the tree and closing her eyes. She hadn't realised how badly she needed sleep.

"Goodnight princess" she heard Hook's voice as she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep. She didn't know why but she was sure she would have no nightmares that night