As You Wish

Estelle peeked around the corner of the alleyway but didn’t see the familiar blonde locks that she was hoping to spy. She sighed and pulled back into her hiding spot, only to bump into a firm chest. With a gasp, she spun on her heels.

“Who are you looking for?” Drake asked cheekily before Estelle embraced him tightly.

“Just a man I’ve been seeing,” she said after kissing his cheek. Every day she looked forward to the private encounters with the man she was already calling her first love. “I have a gift for you.”

“Why, that’s kind of you,” he beamed as she reached into her cart. Beneath the usual fish she had hidden a lobster that her brother had accidentally caught that day. Scooping it up in her hands, she twirled and presented it to Drake with a huge smile.

“A fresh lobster! It’ll be delicious, I promise!” Estelle exclaimed and Drake’s eyes widened.

“Living so far inland, I have rarely seen one of these creatures,” he commented eagerly as he took the gift and inspected it closer. Drake’s expression then fell and Estelle frowned at his reaction.

“What is it?”

“I… My mother…” he admitted reluctantly. “She does not know of you, and will be suspicious of this gift…”

“So tell her that you may have found your bride in this town,” Estelle shrugged, her heart sinking as Drake shook his head.

“She expects me to find a higher born lady,” Drake said and Estelle’s head dropped. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“Estelle, I-”

“I don’t want to hear it,” she snapped as she tugged the lobster out of his hands and placed it back in her cart. “I was a fool to ever think that we could be together!” She gripped her cart and shoved it forwards.

“Estelle, wait!” Drake pleaded as she stormed off down the alleyway. Desperate to get her to stop, he took in a deep breath. “I love you!” The creaking cart was immediately silenced as Estelle halted with shock. She slowly turned to see Drake closing in the distance between them, a worried expression across his pale face.

“Drake…”

“Leave my mother up to me, please. Allesandre may hold all of the power in my family, but I will have what I want,” he explained as he stroked her cheek gently, hoping to lure her back into his arms.

“Are you sure that you can convince her of our love?” Estelle wondered and Drake winced.

“I do not know, but I will do whatever it takes to keep my happiness.”

Once back at the campsite, Killian had offered Estelle a drink of his rum to help calm her rattled nerves which she accepted. By the time he had finished lighting the fire and retrieving some fish to cook, she had emptied the bottle as she was desperate for the beverage to calm her fright from the Lost Boys and her mixed feelings about the kiss. After they cooked and ate their meal, the alcohol had finally sunk in enough for Estelle to ask what was on her mind.

“Why did you kiss me?” As soon as the question registered in Killian’s also intoxicated mind, he took another swig of their shared rum to try to gain enough courage to answer honestly.

“Because I like you,” he admitted before smiling as he finally acknowledged his feelings aloud. “I really like you, actually.”

“How can you? I’m broken, a mess,” Estelle quickly countered, only to see him shake his head.

“You were at your worst when we met, but I’ve watched as you’ve climbed your way out of that heartbroken pit and I really admire that,” Killian justified but Estelle continued to quizzically stare at him. “It’s been many years since my love was killed before me. In that time I’ve surrounded myself with whores yet never had the audacity to use them. I’ve sailed many seas in attempt to run from my past. I’ve tried to drown my sorrows in rum instead of moving on from my lost love. Nothing ever worked, and yet you sit down and take out your anger on some fish and then you’re recovering.” Estelle chuckled while shaking her head slightly.

“It’s not that easy,” she remarked as she took the bottle from his hand and brought it to her lips again. “Besides, admiration for courage is not the same as love or attraction. And wasn’t your love true? Mine sure wasn’t, so of course I can move on quicker.”

“But how do I know if it was true love?” Killian asked huskily as he leaned in closer. “Maybe it’s still out there, waiting for us…” He reached down to take the bottle back but instead let his fingers gently linger on hers. Estelle’s breath initially got caught in her throat, but then she let out a tiny chuckle.

“Perhaps,” she agreed, sincerely hoping that Drake wasn’t going to be the only man she ever got to be with. “But for now, I’m going to stop thinking about romance and get some sleep, because apparently drinking rum makes me tired.” Killian withdrew slightly, holding back a disappointed sigh as she cautiously picked herself up, doing her best to not sway.

“As you wish. Goodnight, my lady,” he said, unable to hide his heavy heart in his tone. Estelle plopped a hand on his shoulder and he looked up to meet her eyes. She leant down and placed a kiss on his lips before uncontrollably smiling. It didn’t really matter to her if it was the rum’s giddiness that was causing her joy or if it was Killian, because the important thing was that she was happy again. Deciding that it was Killian and his company that she was enjoying, not the strong drink, Estelle voiced the thought that crossed her mind.

“You could share my blanket tonight, if you wanted,” she whispered before straightening her back and entering the tent they shared. During previous nights, Killian had proven his honour by either not entering the tent or sticking to his own side, but this time he shed more clothes than usual and held Estelle beneath the same blanket. As he buried his face in her hair and inhaled her scent, he did he best to not compare her to Milah and instead simply enjoy the moment.