The Dark One's Lady and the Pirate

[Killian Jones]

It's Always Nice

TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION

Hook watched her as she seemed to have regathered her composure, claiming that he had changed, should he see him now. Hook did not believe that for a second. He knew the man he was before, and he knew what he had become after turning into the Dark One. There was no coming back from that. There was no reforming for that beast of a man. "Of course you have to justify his actions, for it allows you to lay with him at night and find peace enough to peace." She had to convince herself of something or another in order to go through with marrying the crocodile.

"There is not a person who he has not betrayed. Not his wife. Not even his own son." Bae. The poor boy. Killian wished things had happened differently between him and the young lad. "Don't flatter yourself in believing you are the sole exception, love. Your husband is consumed with power and greed. That will never change." He had been alive for centuries, and he knew that for a fact. Perhaps it was clouded by the vengeance he sought and the rage he felt toward him for having killed Milah . . . but, Hook trusted his instincts and gut. And he knew that the Dark One would never fully be reformed. Besides, Hook's intention in killing him would deprive him from even having the chance to try and reform himself.

[marymargaret]

Belle had to believe there was good left in her husband.  She wasn't sure what else to do if she didn't hold onto that hope.  She felt terrible that this stranger had allowed her to think the worst of her husband.  Her weakness in belief in him nearly made her nauseous.  "You don't know what you're talking about," she insisted, anger entering her voice.  She was unsure whether she was angry at herself for thinking the worst of Rumpel or the stranger before her for inciting such doubt.  

"Now leave me alone."  

She moved to go around him, intent upon leaving.  She knew that if she spoke to Rumpel she would feel better about this revelation.  Perhaps he could explain it better than this stranger who may be elaborating.  She believed that he'd killed his wife, though she didn't wish to.  She only hoped it had been an accident rather than intended.  

[Killian Jones]

It's Always Nice

TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION

How precious of her to defend to Crocodile. He really was a master of manipulation; preying on the innocent to believe in his warped sense of conscience when he had none to begin with. She then told him to leave her alone and once again tried to pass him. And as before, he blocked her passage by standing in front of her, moving closer to her.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, love," he began to say. He may have been honest in his words, but there was now another reason he could not let her go. "You see, The Dark One took the woman I loved away from me," he began to say. He still planned on destroying the Dark One, so why not start with destroying any semblance of happiness the Crocodile found in the woman he loved. Why did he deserve his happy ending when he deprived so many others of theirs. Hook then leaned a little forward, his face mere inches away from hers. "It's only fair that I return the favor," he said in a low, but sure voice. If she didn't know what his intentions were before . . . well now, he had made them abundantly clear.

[marymargaret]

Belle felt her lips purse tightly together in contained rage at his impertinence.  She simply wished to walk past him yet he seemed unable to allow her to do so.  Her blood ran cold as she listened to his thread.  The young woman's breathing turned shallow as she quickly considered her options, flight or fight instinct kicking in.  He was much larger than her and looked far stronger.  Even with one hand he could easily take her down; the hook was just an added weapon.  Fighting him would end with her getting hurt.

She didn't know his intentions.  Was he to kill her?  She tried to think rationally yet found that she couldn't when faced with her possible death.  She moved quickly, using the book in her hands to aim at his face.  Hoping it would distract him, she took off at a run down the path.  It was far too long of a trip for her to run all the way to the castle though adrenaline might be able to help her.  

[Killian Jones]

It's Always Nice

TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION

One second Hook was making threats against her and the next, he had a book whack him in the face. It stunned him for a moment, the unexpected impact working in her favor as she used the distraction to her advantage and fled. Hook recovered quickly, a sinister smile forming on his lips. "I always love a good chase," he said out loud before he began to run after her. The wife of The Dark One was far too great a leverage to have. Then again, perhaps he would bargain her for nothing . . . and merely cause torment toward him.

He could kill her, letting the Crocodile know what it felt like to lose the woman you love. The thought of such vengeance caused his feet to move quicker, keeping his target in sight He pulled out a dagger from his belt and just went she was about to pass a tree, he aimed it at her, hoping to pin some of her fabric against the tree of the trunk, so ensured to throw the weapon with enough impact to strongly take hold of the material in the hopes of stalling her so that he could catch up and they could bring this chase to its inevitable end.

[marymargaret]

Belle faintly heard him speak behind her yet fear kept her from comprehending what he said.  She ran as fast as she could, her lungs burning with the effort.  A part of her knew that she couldn't outrun him.  Yet she absolutely refused to stand there and let him do whatever he intended.  She yelped as the dagger caught the fold of her cloak, pinning her to the tree.  Panic nearly seized her as she struggled out of the clothing item.  She inwardly cursed, having lost the advantage that the book thrown at his face gave her.

The brunette took off again, finding it harder to stay ahead of him now that he'd gained some time.  Her legs ached with the force of her steps yet she couldn't stop.  Stopping would mean being harmed which she would not allow.

[Killian Jones]

It's Always Nice

TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION

He hit his intended target but she was quick to get out of the cloak, thus causing him to lose his grasp of her. As he passed the tree he pulled out the dagger, not about to forget one of his many weapons. He was gaining on her, but he also knew that each step forward they took, was another step closer to her husband, so Hook had to think quickly. He suddenly stopped, looking around for a moment, before he ran off to the side, no longer behind her. The plan was to cut her off. He knew it would only work if he was quick and smart about it, so he ran as fast as he could, but also as quietly as he could so to give no indication of which side he would come out from.

Sure enough, once he revealed himself, he was in standing in the front of her path that she was running toward. He smugly stepped out, inspecting his hand nonchalantly. "Well, that was fun and all but let's no longer delay the inevitable, love. You can make this easy, or difficult for yourself." He began to advance toward her, the same lewd expression on his face as it was when he had first starking making suggestive remarks to her. "I do hope you choose the difficult option," he stated with a smirk.

[marymargaret]

Belle didn't hear his footsteps behind here which should have alerted her to his plan.  Yet she was far too concentrated on getting away from him to consider what he was thinking.  She pulled up short when he suddenly appeared in front of her.  Her heart hammered in her chest as she regained her footing, having slid to a stop.  She stared him down, eyes slipping to the dagger in his hand.  Her stomach flipped uncomfortably at the sight of the sharp metal.

"You're going to kill me," she said, the statement matter of fact.  She didn't bother asking it as a question as she was sure that was what he intended.  "You're asking if I want an easy death?"  No, she wouldn't just stand there.  What cad killed an undefended woman?  She supposed a pirate would; it suddenly made sense as to what his occupation or lack thereof was.  

[Killian Jones]

It's Always Nice

TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION

She stated that he was going to kill her, seeming to acknowledge the words. "Eventually," he began to answer. "Perhaps." Though there was hardly a doubt in his mind. He was just toying with her. Giving her any final hope that she could find a way to survive . . . just as The Dark One had given him and Milah hope that they had struck a bargain, only to rip it away by doing what he planned to all along: kill Milah.

"Aye," he said, confirming her next question, he began to casually walk toward her. "You see love, as I'm sure you gathered by now, I'm a pirate." She seemed like an intelligent enough woman . . . although the fact that she was married to the Crocodile gave him some doubt. "I plan to you take you aboard my ship, where you will join me and my crew. A crew of men who's appetite for a woman is quite substantial. And you are a particularly ravishing woman at that." He continued to walk toward her with the intention of standing directly in front of her, his eyes leering over her from her face down her body and back up to meet her eyes.

"Ah yes. The pleasures that could be had for them." He was being less and less subtle about what exactly he was threatening her with. Though, truth be told, he would never force himself onto a woman nor did he condone such acts from his men. But now, she didn't need to be made aware of that. He hadn't built his reputation as a ruthless pirate by showing mercy and understanding. "There is a fate worse than death. Memories that could haunt you for the rest of your days. So aye. I can give you an easy death, or a cursed life. Make your selection."

[marymargaret]

Belle's assumptions were proven correct by him.  Her face paled, the blood rushing from it as he neared her and delivered the choices. She forced down the bile that threatened to show itself.  "Let me understand," she began, her voice firmer than she'd imagined it could be. "You'd murder an unarmed woman or force her to become a whore?  Neither of those are suitable choices in the least. Even for a pirate you must live by some code."

She knew little good would come out of baiting him yet her ire was too strong for her to shove aside.  "If you go through with either of your threats I'm sure you know what my husband will do to you."  He'd suffer a fate worse than death at the hands of Rumpelstiltskin.  She didn't wish to die nor did she wish to be taken advantage of as he suggested.  

[Killian Jones]

It's Always Nice

TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION

She summed up what he had been saying in a fairly laconic way. He titled his head to the side, his eyes wandering off in thought for a moment before he responded. "Well that's putting it fairly bluntly, but aye," he confirmed, he voice thick with amusement. "I owe the Dark One no leniency for a code when he himself betrays the very deals he makes." At least Hook had cheated in keeping the bean, otherwise he would have had no way of prolonging his life to discover the dagger. "So let's just say you're exempt from any code that dictates I have to treat you well. Not that such a code even exists." And if it did, Killian didn't care. He was far too clouded with rage and revenge to follow some code if it hindered his mission in avenging Milah's death.

She then told him that if he did either thing, that he knew what her husband would do to him. "Your husband can do no worse than what he's already done." He stole the woman he loved away from him, depriving Hook of any happiness that he could find in this love. There was no one left that Hook loved; there was no one else that the Dark One could take away from him. "Besides, knowing that he will live an eternity in the absence of the woman he loves . . . well, that makes any repercussions of my actions well worth it." He would love to kill the Dark One but until he could get his hands on the dagger, this woman would have to do.

[marymargaret]

"You expect me to go complacently either way?"  Belle had no desire to be killed by the pirate nor did she wish to be taken to his ship.  Either choice led to death though she supposed there was a better chance that she would live if she were to be taken to his ship.  She knew Rumpel would stop at nothing until she was found.  The brunette felt a laugh bubbling up her throat though it was highly unsuitable for the dire situation she was in.  It could be that she was bordering on hysterics, or that she'd just realized that the pirate would meet a gruesome end at the hands of Rumpelstiltskin.  He was making the substantial mistake of kidnapping the Dark One's wife; no one took anything of Rumpelstiltskin's and lived.

"I will not stand by and allow you to murder me."

She stood tall though her facade of strength was somewhat hampered by the look of apprehension that she was giving his dagger.  

"I believe that means you'll be taking me away, then."

[Killian Jones]

Note: I totally godmodded her, so let me know if you'd like me to edit it!

It's Always Nice

TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION

Well, well, wasn't she a defiant little thing. He quite liked that. Meant this entire situation would be more fun to play out. He continued to smile, as she sarcastically asked him if he expected her to go either way, refusing to allow him to kill her. "That is out of your control love. But by all means, you should indeed put up a good fight. I do like them when they're feisty; the rougher, the better." His words of course had crude implications. He just couldn't believe his luck of having found Rumple's wife.

It seemed finally vengeance was going to be obtained in a far better way than he could have ever expected. "Aye," he stated in agreement. "But as you said, I can't expect you to go complacently." With that, he approached her and raising his hook, he hit it on the top of her head in the attempt to knock her out. When she was on the ground, unconscious, he threw her over his shoulder, starting to carry her off to his ship. When arriving, he tossed her in the dungeon, locked the door and quickly went to gather his crew. Though they weren't expected to leave until tomorrow . . . this, her presence, caused a change of plans.

[marymargaret]

(It's fine!)

Belle stared him down, ears deaf to his insinuations as she considered her fate.  These could very well be her last moments and she didn't wish to use them listening to his filth.  Her breath caught in her throat as he raised his hook.  Thinking that this was the end, she closed her eyes, only to feel the metal smack against her head.  She had a brief second to think that a death blow should hurt more before losing consciousness. 

Later she woke in an unknown room, head groggy and aching.  She moaned softly at the effort of sitting up, deciding halfway through that it was better to remain prostrated where she'd woken on the floor.  It took her a few moments to realize that she was alive; he hadn't killed her.  Belle thought she should be glad yet the emotion didn't register, fear overtaking it instead.  

The cell she was in swayed slightly though she wasn't sure if it was because of her blurry vision or another effect of being knocked out.  His ship; she must be on his ship.  She closed her eyes and rested her sore head against the floor, trying to regain her composure as she assessed her ways of escaping.  The brunette had to believe that Rumpel would find her as she couldn't escape while at sea. 

[Killian Jones]

It's Always Nice

TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION

Fortunately his men hadn't been at the point of total drunkenness for he was able to rally them up quite quickly and they had departed as soon as possible. He had to quickly explain what happened for his crew needed to know who their latest prisoner was. As they sailed further away from land and into the sea, Hook eased his hold on the ship's wheel, staring off into the aimless sea ahead of them as his first mate approached.

"Do you think this is such a good idea Cap'n?" Hook refrained from rolling his eyes. "Don't be such a gutless coward, Mr. Smee," he retorted. It was clear his first mate feared the wrath of The Dark One. Perhaps the others did too . . . but they were not vocal about it. His men were brave enough. Smee still seemed to be adjusting. "Since you're so concerned, why don't you fetch her from the cell and bring her up here." Smee clearly didn't want to, but an order was an order. He went to comply, nearly stumbling down the stairs as he stared at her through the bars before opening the doors. "The Cap'n wants to speak with you," he informed her, waiting for her to step closer to the door.