Title: Swan

Summary: With the intervention of his brother, Killian approaches the princess Emma with a question (Right in Front of Me side story)

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: I own nothing

I'm not going to drop Killian calling Emma 'Swan', so he needs a reason for that nickname. Just a little drabble, cus I don't like leaving things unexplained.

"What do you want?" asked Emma, not moving from her position, sprawled on the bank of the river. It was a mid-spring day, in her twelfth year of life, and she had left the castle, not wanting to partake in that day's lessons. She hadn't informed her parents where she was going, and they had likely sent the stable boy to search for her.

"Same as you," said Killian, sitting beside her. His feet were bare, she noticed, as he dropped them into the water. Had he walked all the way from the stables like that? "To escape."

"Your brother?" she asked. He nodded.

They sat there, together, in silence, as though they were friends.

"Liam has brought to my attention that it would be easier for all of us if we were to at least try to get along," said Killian. "So, friends?"

Emma considered him. She couldn't even remember what it had been that had set them at odds in the first place, almost ten years ago. Eventually, she nodded. "Friends."

He smiled. "Good. See you around then, Swan."

"What?" she asked, puzzled, but he had already left. It was then that she glanced across the river, and saw the bird that had been observing them.

Perhaps it was fitting.