Lights glittered from every possible surface with large sections of rich white fabric artistically draped from corner to corner. The realm's annual Winter Solstice ball was in full swing. King David and Queen Snow sat in their white thrones, observing the festivities with full smiles on their faces, hands interlocked. David said that Snow always planned for this ball more than any of the others combined, she always replied that winter magic was special and she more than anyone appreciated decent "Snow White" jokes.

Next to the King and Queen, stood Princess Emma.

No amount of princess training could disguise her total utter look of boredom. At twenty years old, she was a seasoned veteran of the annual winter gala. Every single gala was exactly the same, a horde of unbearable suitors would try to pathetically woo her, she would sassily shoot them down and attempt go off on her merry way before her mother forced her back into the grand ballroom.

"May I introduce my daughter, Princess Emma?" Her mother's voice snapped her back to reality.

She blinked a few times and focused on the two men standing in front of her. Both stood ramrod straight, dressed in their white Royal Navy finest. The vaguely familiar looking man to her left was obviously the captain, she could see his array of shiny medals that adorned his chest. However, the man on her right, looked at her reverently with the bluest eyes that she hadn't seen in years…

"My Princess, it is good to see you again. You have grown up into a beautiful woman," Captain Liam Jones smoothly bowed with a smile, before reaching out to kiss her knuckles carefully.

Emma nodded mutely, heart fluttering in her chest excitedly because of the man standing next to the Captain. She remembered an awkward hug with a gangly boy seven years ago, and now that boy had become the man standing before her. It had been a very long time indeed.

"Princess Emma," Lieutenant Killian Jones stepped forward, mouth trying not to tug upward into a full smile, "it has been too long, your majesty."

Emma longed to step forward and tackle her former childhood playmate, however, she hoped her growing smile told him how much she had missed him when words failed her and actions were not permitted. "Yes," she murmured, "it has been much too long, Lieutenant. This castle has not been the same without your mischief." Her eyes eagerly looked over the changes that had transformed him from boy to man, the lean, hard muscles, shadow of scruff on his chin, the tall length of his body…

She was secretly proud to see the light flush settle on his cheeks for a moment. "Ah, but a life in the Royal Navy has taught me how to become an upstanding member of our society." He replied smoothly, "Not the scoundrel I may have been in my youth."

Queen Snow laughed besides Emma, "Ah, Lieutenant Jones. Our castle loved that rebellious youth you used to be. It has become quite dull without your spark of life. Now, please, you are our guests of honor tonight, go and enjoy the Winter Gala."

With almost identical grins, both Jones brothers stepped back to their original positions, arms tucked securely behind their backs, looking the epitome of good form before moving out into the crowd.

"Emma!"

"Emmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaa!"

She looked over her shoulder, then frantically all around the ball, wondering where Lieutenant Jones was lurking while shouting her name. He sounded very different from their initial meeting earlier in the evening, surprised to hear him acting oddly from his stiff and proper form. In fact, it reminded her of a time, long ago when he was a little less interested in good form and more interested in causing trouble around the castle grounds. She still remembered vividly one magical afternoon where he pretended to be an infamous pirate and had grand swashbuckling adventures.

Emma spared a swift glance over at her parents. They looked dashing in their royal ball attire and even all these years later, still obviously deeply in love as they chatted with a group of their closest advisors. She stopped a few times to politely nod and smile at the guests who bowed deeply at the sight of the infamous Princess Emma. Giving thanks to her princess lessons, she was able to quickly maneuver around the couples dressed in their finest clothing, twirling happily on the grand ballroom dance floor while musicians played melody after melody.

"EMMA!" His deep timbered voice called her yet again.

She finally spied the partially drunken Lieutenant by the back corridor of the ballroom, one glass firmly in hand, blue eyes lighting up at the sight of her making her way towards him. He was still dressed in all his formal Naval finery, but the first few buttons of his uniform were now unbuttoned, displaying a fine amount of dark chest hair. The very sight of him, smiling at her, made her traitorous heart speed up in her chest.

"Lieutenant, what is going on?" Emma hissed as she raised an eyebrow at him. She tried not to be distracted by the way his muscular body looked in his white Navy uniform.

A small grin stole over his lips as his tongue slipped out, wetting them slowly as he thought about his response. Not like she was watching his lips, not at all, she thought raggedly, flicking her eyes back up to meet his. "C'mere." He murmured, putting down his glass on the window sill to grab her wrist and drag her further down the scarcely illuminated hallway, candlelight flickering softly.

A quick peek over her shoulder as she was pulled away told Emma that no one noticed their hasty departure deeper into the castle. The smug bastard winked at her as he opened a small door and ushered her inside expediently, closing the door behind them. "Killian, what is going on?" She asked spinning around to face him, gasping slightly at the smell of alcohol that assaulted her senses. "Have you been drinking?"

He looked confused for a moment. "Only from the punch bowl, furthest from the main course."

Emma thought about his response, then bit back a giggle, "Well, Lieutenant, it's common knowledge that is the one punchbowl the Dwarves spike with their rum!" She placed her hands on her hips and gazed up at the now noticeably drunk Killian Jones, a smile lighting up her features.

His eyes darkened at the sight of her smile. Instantly, he closed the minute gap between them, his hand sliding down her hair. Emma froze in place, her pulse rocketing into overdrive as she inhaled his scent. The abundance of alcohol had lit a burning fire in his veins, the confidence to finally act on the thoughts and desires he had repressed for so very long.

"Shhhhh." He whispered before lowering his lips to hers, tongue slowly tracing her bottom lip before he carefully traced her jawline with his mouth. "I apologize my dear Princess, I am afraid that I cannot hold myself back any longer," he whispered against her skin.

Emma opened her mouth and attempted to reply, argue that this wasn't like him at all, but then his rum flavored tongue slipped inside and her mind went blissfully blank. Hands ghosted carefully down the sides of her body, before reaching around to cup her ass tightly through her dress and haul her against him. Letting out a small moan of approval, she finally gave into temptation and tangled her fingers through his thick hair. It was no use denying the attraction between them, as she could feel the evidence of their dalliance hard and heavy against her thighs, even through the layers of her dress.

His tongue swept against her bottom lip and Emma moaned quietly, clutching his strong biceps tightly. Good gods, the man could kiss, she brokenly thought as he nipped her bottom lip suddenly. All thoughts of decorum and "proper princess behavior" were flung far from her kiss drunk mind.

"Lieutenant, we can't do this," she gasped as she could feel his body brokenly thrusting against hers. He moaned slightly and continued to track his lips down the long column of her neck, pulling the skin between his teeth. Her own body was eagerly responding to his administrations, emotions and urges firing through her veins.

He stilled suddenly as her words sank into his alcohol infused haze. "Princess, I pushed myself upon you… I am sor-" The Lieutenant began to apologize, shoulders drooping in defeat.

"Killian," she repeated more forcefully as she twisted back gazing into his eyes. "I meant, we can't do this here, you know, bad form and all that." The whispered words barely leaving her lips before he surged forward and captured them again.

When they broke apart again to suck air back into their lungs, his blue eyes looked down to meet hers and his lips twisted into an actual pout. "Sometimes being bad is oh so good, love."

She shivered at his words. "I'd rather not have my father run you through with his sword."

He shrugged, dropping to his knees and moving her ball grown aside to grasp her leg, sliding his hands up her smooth calf.

Suddenly, the door rattled and with the quick-thinking that helped him move up the Naval ranks with expedience, Killian slipped under the many layers of her ball gown. Emma, frozen in place, thanked the gods above that their small room was fairly dark, knowing that Killian was still partially exposed behind her.

The door swung open to reveal the curious face of Captain Jones, who raised an eyebrow at the sight of the Princess in a dark room. "Princess Emma?" He asked, his voice simultaneously concerned and suspicious at the same time. "What are you doing in here?"

For the second time that evening, Emma found herself thanking her princess training. She waved a causal hand at the Captain. "Sometimes one just needs a quiet moment away from all the festivities." She bit back the gasp that rose up in her throat when she felt Killian start to gently kiss his way up her bare legs, tongue darting out, licking lazy circles as his mouth climbed higher and higher.

"Are you sure that you're well? I can fetch some water for you?" His kind face was looking at her, concerned about the fine sheen of sweat forming on her brow.

She fanned herself delicately with one gloved hand, "I am perfectly fine Captain. It was quite warm in the grand ballroom, I am confident that I will cool down with time." An answering nip at her thigh was the secret response from the remaining Jones brother tucked inside her skirts and it brought a sudden grin to her face.

Liam arched an eyebrow at her and she smiled demurely, hoping to fool the Captain into complacency. "Have you seen my wayward little brother? I fear he might have mistakenly discovered the Dwarves punchbowl."

This comment made Emma genuinely smile at the Captain as she quickly took advantage. "Captain Jones! That must explain why I saw the Lieutenant dashing off for the gardens! I did think he looked a little green around the edges." She held her breath, body paralyzed with lust, as Killian's fingertips began to brush the edges of her undergarments with sure strokes.

Liam's eyes widened briefly, processing the information, before nodding at Emma. "Thank you, my dear Princess. I will be off to retrieve my brother before he does any irreparable damage to the relations of your kingdom." His eyes darted around the room, one last time, almost to double check for his brother's presence before stepping back and closing the door behind him.

"Oh, you have no idea Captain," she whispered when he had finally left, eyes fluttering closed as the fingers gently pulled her undergarments to the side and was replaced by the warm, wet heat of his tongue.

"Gods." Emma moaned, knees trembling as the rush of heat flooded her body. His chuckle was his only response as he continued to caress her most intimate spot, a location that she had only hesitantly explored on her own a few times, usually with a certain blue-eyed naval officer in mind.

His tongue swirled around her clit, expertly circling and tugging, leading her to new and dizzying heights. Her breath came in harsh pants as she struggled to remain upright, one hand clutching the wall as a lifeline. Her hips were swaying in time with the motions of his mouth, pushing to capture the sensation. Finally, when she thought that she could stand no more of this pure bliss, she felt a careful finger circle her entrance carefully before pushing deep inside of her. Instantly, her body tightened around his long finger, walls clenching and releasing in time with the thrusts of his tongue through her soaking wet folds.

"Oh my gods, right there… Yes! Killian," Emma keened desperately as she was swept away with the tidal wave of her first orgasm. His fingers, lips and tongue continued to carefully stroke her passion, helping her come down from such magnificent heights.

Moments passed as Emma's wrecked breathing filled the small room before Killian slid out from underneath her dress, a smug grin on his shining face. He hauled himself to his feet, gathering his trembling princess into his arms. "I spent years on our ship, dreaming of pleasuring you and, gods, it was more resplendent than I ever could have dreamed," he whispered, pressing himself tightly against her.

"Escort me to my room, Lieutenant and I will show you what Princesses dream of," she murmured as she pushed herself upward to capture his lips.