Author's Note: I maybe have watched the Hatfields and McCoys while researching for another fic and I was hella inspired by events that occurred because DAMN. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT HAPPENED.
Anyways, I'm a bit of a history nerd. I'm writing this fic, Swan vs Mills family. There WILL be major character deaths. BECAUSE I CAN.
Lemme outline the families:
Swans: David & Snow parents of Emma, Ruby, August, Daniel and Graham, Jefferson (Snow's estranged brother), Leroy (Snow's brother), Doc, Sleepy, Sneezy, Dopey are Snow's cousins.
Mills: Henry & Cora parents of Regina, Zelena, and Rumple (Cora's brother) & Belle parents of Peter, Leah, & Neal, Killian (Henry's youngest brother) & Milah and son, Will.
Chapter 1: When Swans bit the Apple
The day David and Snow Swan married had been an eventful one. The marriage was a well-blessed one, Snow White, the daughter of a rich lawman in town, marrying a well-to-do horse breeder. David Swan had inherited a large parcel of land after the death of his mother and father in an accident, and their business of breeding the finest mounts in the area.
The whole town turned out for the event, pleased with the union. David and Snow, a story made inspirational by its telling. A story of two people who had fallen in love upon first meeting.
Cora and Henry Mills on the other hand, could have not been more of the opposite. They were the result of a tenuous arrangement made between two families that were not always at agreement with the other. In an effort to end tensions, Cora and Henry were made to marry. Henry's family were the best Cider brewers in the area, whilst Cora's family, the Golds, were the best apple growers.
A deal was made and Cora and Henry married before the law, a parcel of land with the apple trees Cora's family were famous for, came with her.
The Mills and Swan lands were right next to one another. Only a fence separated the two families from one another.
The feud between the Mills and the Swans had been an ongoing battle. They weren't quite sure what started it. Rumor was, it began when Cora and Snow got into it over an apple tree that had grown to stretch its branches over into the Swan's parcel of land. The apples fell beyond the fence that separated the two plots and Snow claimed that since they fell onto Swan land, they were Swan property, while Cora contested they were Mills property as it came from a Mills Cider apple tree. She demanded the apples returned to them, whilst Snow refused.
David and Henry shortly fell into argument over the tree and its branch's reach into Swan lands.
Eventually, Henry let the tree be, not wanting to cut the tree, lest he cause it any damage, and the Swans happily ate of the fruit that fell into their lands from its branches.
It wasn't long before more disputes broke out. Cora and Snow were forever against one another. They'd bump into the other in town, exchange snide remarks, and were not at all polite.
David and Henry, while gentlemen, were quick to defend the honor of their wives and found themselves all too often on the verge of an outright duel. It was cooler heads, mainly their children watching close by that stopped them from doing anything further on the matter.
That is, until Daniel and Regina.
Daniel was the eldest of the Swan children. A handsome young man that enjoyed riding and the occasional hunt. It was on one of these hunts that he encountered the second of the Mills daughters, Regina.
His father, had fallen in love with Snow at first sight. Daniel grew up hearing the story. He knew that what he had encountered now, was the same.
He could not resist approaching the brunette. Her dark eyes drew him right in. It did not help that she too, loved horses.
Soon enough, he and Regina Mills began a rather secretive courtship, until Emma Swan came along.
Emma was six years younger than Daniel. While he and Regina were 16 at the time they met, Emma was only ten. She would sometimes follow her brother around while he went hunting, wishing that sometimes, she could be like him.
She happened on Daniel and Regina once in the stables, kissing. She wasn't shocked, only curious.
Regina was a Mills. Why would Daniel be kissing a Mills?
Regina made her explanations to the girl then, about love, about the way she felt and the way she might feel one day too. Emma promised to keep quiet.
But only so long as she got to hang out with them as well.
So it was with that, that the three of them spent their days, Daniel would go out under the pretense of taking Emma for a ride, or to swim in the local lake, but they were meeting Regina instead. Sometimes, Emma would run off for a bit so that the two older ones could have some alone time.
She turned out to be a better chaperone than Daniel could have hoped.
Still, Emma Swan didn't know it, as she was only ten, but she was harboring a mighty crush on the older girl. She liked her dark hair, her brown eyes, how Regina's face lit sometimes and how she looked so free while riding horseback.
Then one night, Regina wanted Daniel to stay. Her parents were attempting to finalize a marriage between her and a local man, one that had money and that she didn't want. She wanted to be with Daniel for a night, maybe more.
Under the pretense of staying with some nearby cousins, Regina met Daniel who lied to his own parents that he would be out camping with some boys. They made love for the first and last time.
Regina learned not long after that she was with child from their night together. She did her best to hide the signs, attempting to pass her morning sickness off as some illness. When it persisted, Cora began to question her harshly. She suspected what was going on, but if it was true, it could break any chances of the marriage she was pursuing for her daughter.
It was Henry that got it out of her. That she was having a baby, unmarried. In a rage, he wanted the name of the man that did it, but Regina refused.
That night, as Regina made to sneak away to meet Daniel, Cora followed her in the dead of the night.
Regina met Daniel in the abandoned stables they once found while wandering around together.
It was then that her mother learned of the affair. Cora, confronted the youths. When Regina told her that she did not want the marriage her mother wanted for her, Cora became incensed.
Armed with a revolver, Cora shot Daniel right in the heart. Regina held him as he died.
Unknown to any of them, Emma had been there the entire time. She had watched from the loft during the entire exchange.
Cora dragged a grieving Regina away while Emma was the one to find her brother's horse long after they were gone and ride home, to tell her mother of what she had witnessed.
Cora was never properly tried for Daniel's death. Regina, in her grief, had been sent away to live with family and though Emma had witnessed the entire event, Cora had the means to buy people in town to side with her.
Emma vowed vengeance for her brother Daniel that night. She would find a way to get back at Cora one day.
Ten years later, and Emma Swan was a grown woman. Her blonde curls and green eyes drew many a man's eyes. Too bad she was not interested.
She dressed in trousers, men's shirts and jackets. The hat she had taken from her brother's corpse upon his death, she fit better now as an adult. She also carried his old hunting rifle.
Strolling through town, Emma nodded to her brother, Graham nearby. She never left home without one of her siblings. None of them did.
Things between the Swans and Mills had escalated from the moment Daniel died.
The Mills lost half of their apple trees exactly one year after Daniel died. Cora and Henry accused the Swans but as they had no proof, nor any "motif" (As Cora would have to admit to her crime.) the Mills had to drop it.
Zelena, the eldest of the Mills daughters had later gotten into it with Jefferson, Snow's estranged brother and the man had struck her. He wasn't exactly all that balanced if any of the Swans were honest. The man was rumored to be a bastard and spent his hours drinking, gambling and spending nights at the local brothel. There was more than one occasion when a Swan had to pick him up from the Sheriff for his latest misdemeanor. The night he struck Zelena had been one of them, as he had committed the act at the local tavern. The deputy just happened to catch the entire scene.
Cora, demanded Jefferson's own hand for striking her daughter. His drunken state and gender, got him out of any further trouble however, and he was released a day later.
Cora's nephews, Neal and Peter Gold, retaliated by beating Jefferson the same evening he was released. He ended up with a broken nose, arm, and 2 broken ribs.
Now, no Swan went anywhere alone. Chance had it if a Mills came around, an argument or brawl was likely to break out. No Swan desired to be alone if it did.
Emma entered the tavern. August, the second eldest of her brothers, waved her over. She joined the man. His beard had grown rather scruffy recently and he refused to shave it.
"Girls in town like it." He had remarked when his and Emma's mother mentioned it.
Emma made her order of whiskey to the barman. The local Mills Cider was the cheapest in any part of town as they dealt it to the locals at a discount, but as a rule, the Swans avoided the stuff. They refused to support the wealth of the Mills family.
She eyed the inside of the tavern as she was handed a tumbler of amber liquid. A number of Swans and Whites littered the place. Golds and Mills usually avoided areas when more than 4-5 Swans or Whites were there and vice-versa.
Her Uncle Leroy played a game of cards as usual, her sister Ruby flirted with a local and various cousins lounged, laughing, a drink close to their hands.
Silence swept over the room when a new group stepped through the doors.
Will Scarlet-Mills entered the building, a group of men accompanied him. Emma recognized one of them as Robin. A known thief in their parts. She bristled.
Will and Robin brazenly approached the bar and ordered the Mills Cider. A number of the Whites and Swans returned to whatever they were doing. Emma however watched the two men and their crew carefully.
She wouldn't put it past them to pickpocket any of her family.
It wasn't long before a good number of the men were joining in on card games. They placed bets. It seemed the lot of them had made a good pull recently. Emma frowned.
"Ignore 'em, sis. If they aren't bothering us, not point starting trouble." August grasped her shoulder.
Emma threw back the last of her whiskey.
"That's what you think, Aug. Thieves? They're likely to rob us as we leave." Emma grumbled.
August handed her another glass of whiskey. She sipped at it, not wanting to speed her way into a drunken state. Not if she might have to fight at any point.
"Buy you a drink, Sunshine?" Emma rolled her eyes. She turned to glare at Will.
"Buy your own drink, Mills." She growled.
Will held up his hands.
"Hey, it's no bother to me. I don't care for this family feud we got. I only care about me crew." Will told her innocently.
Emma, never one to trust a Mills, regarded the man. He was known for being a thief. It was also well-known in town that the man was of a mischievous manner. If he weren't a Mills, Emma maybe would have found herself able to be friendly.
He was a Mills, however and Emma's mouth turned to a sneer.
"Crew all you want. When it comes down to blood, you're still a Mills, through and through." Emma replied.
Will shrugged.
They both turned when they heard shouting.
Emma's Uncle Leroy stood from his chair. He shouted at Robin.
"Dirty, rotten thieving cheat!" Leroy shouted.
Emma started when August grabbed her arm. He patted her and pulled her back.
August made his way to the table. Robin, stood as well, a sly expression covered his face.
It was Leroy, throwing his glass of whiskey at the thief that started the brawl.
Before long, Will Scarlet-Mills was dashing across the room to defend Robin as the man exchanged punches with Leroy. August was soon caught in the crossfire and all hell broke loose.
Robin's crew upturned tables and began to fight with all manner of Whites, Swans and the locals that happened to get caught up in chaos. A tumbler collided with Emma's cheekbone, shattering. The glass cut into her flesh. The wound stung as alcohol filled the wound.
Emma ducked out of the way and avoiding punches, kicks, brawlers and the occasional knife, she maneuvered her way out of the tavern. The local sheriff entered as she was exiting.
An arm grabbed her as she hurried away from the fight behind her. Emma whirled on the person that had seized her and nearly butted them with her rifle. Until she recognized her brother, Graham.
"Ruby? August?" The man questioned. They both glanced back at the tavern, waiting.
She heard a gunshot, then recognized the sheriff shouting. He had likely shot off a warning to end the brawl and was now calling for folks to return home. People began to stream out of the tavern. The deputy just outside, watching them from horseback as they each trekked away.
They waited, hoping August and Ruby would make their way down the road soon, when they didn't see them, Graham and Emma hurried toward the tavern.
August and Ruby leaned over their Uncle Leroy, Ruby held a cloth to the man's side. Emma and Graham, ran to join their family.
"That damned Hood stabbed him!" August choked out. His hands shook.
Rage filled Emma's insides. She should have stayed.
"Where's the sheriff?" Graham wondered, he looked around the room, torn apart by the chaos. The barman sullenly picked up tables and chairs, sweeping up broken glass.
"Went to chase the damned bandit." August growled. He slammed a fist into the floor.
It wasn't long before their mother's cousin Doc arrived. The man, a trained physician, got to work immediately, cleaning and stitching up their uncle. He called to their cousins that had fetched him.
Upon opening Leroy's shirt, it was discovered that he had been stabbed more than once.
They soon loaded the man onto a stretcher and carried him away, leaving Ruby, Graham, August and Emma. The look Doc had given them upon parting didn't bode well.
The four Swan children looked to one another.
"I'm gonna kill that bastard." Emma grit out.
Ruby sobbed.
"We'll all get him, Em." Graham promised.