Treasure

Chapter 56

Five days later... 

The sun was beginning to set and the entire ship was preparing to head below deck for a well-deserved meal. Emma was already down there helping the ship's cook with the final preparations. Killian remained at the helm of his ship observing the new deckhand, Jamie. He couldn't shake this feeling that his new crew member was hiding something. Jamie was too eager to please, too willing to listen. All signs of someone wanting to gain trust in a quick manner. Killian even felt he had a crush on Emma making him even more of a threat. However, the pirate kept those thoughts to himself. He was waiting for Jamie to have one slip up just to throw him off his ship.

Sadly, it was becoming clear that it wouldn't happen anytime soon. The newest crew member was clever for his age and very good at manipulating words to make people feel sorry for him, so Killian decided to change his approach. This time he would be the one to establish trust. The captain would allow Jamie to sit with him and Emma at dinner, let him and his princess talk. This would give the captain a chance to get a better read on the young man, find some sort of crack that he could expose. And if anything, it would simply make Emma happy.

    The captain dropped anchor and slowly made his way below deck to join his crew for dinner. Everyone cheered as they saw their captain. Emma smiled and made her way over to him, pulling him in for a quick hug, "I thought you were going to keep sailing until it got dark?"

    He mirrored her smile, "Aye, I was planning too, but then I remembered you were making your famous mashed potatoes and I couldn't pass that up" He replied as he began to take his seat, "Why don't you invite your friend to come eat with us."

    The princess gave her captain a puzzling look, "Who, Jamie?"

    "Aye." He responded, "Tell him to come eat with us."

    Her smile grew, "Really?"

    Killian nodded his head as a drink was being passed to him.

Emma quickly rushed over to her scrawny friend who gave her a wary look as she approached him. It was evident Jamie had a few doubts, but he followed the princess with caution and took a seat next to her. Killian gave him a weak smile, assuring him that it was okay. The princess, on the other hand, decided not to question her pirate's actions. She thought he was finally starting to trust her new friend and she was more than grateful...

Dinner was eventful for everyone but Killian. He had to listen to Jamie share his pitiful stories of his childhood with Emma who had a soft spot for those kinds of things. He should know, he had many sad stories as well. The rest of the crew did their typical evening events of playing cards, drinking, and some casual sword fighting. The captain felt he was no closer to getting to know Jamie than he hoped, if anything it only made Emma like the boy more. His instincts still told him to remain cautious around the ex-prisoner, but Killian was starting to think it was all in his head. Perhaps this boy was as genuine as he appeared, perhaps Killian was more jealous than he would like to admit.

The captain knew Emma loved him and no one else, there was no doubt about that. But now he had new competition. This boy appeared to be a kind, genuine man. Everything Emma wanted. He was closer in age, came from humble beginnings, saved her god damn life. Killian couldn't compare. He still saw himself as the dreaded pirate who took her for ransom, locked her in the room they now share, and worst of all he kept many secrets from her...

    "Killian." Emma said, shaking her lover's arm.

    "Hm?" the captain mumbled as he dazed back into reality.

    The princess smiled, "You've been quiet all day, is everything all right?"

    He picked up her hand in his and placed a kiss on the back of it and smiled, "Aye, love. Just trying to think of what else I need to pick up at port tomorrow."