A/N So I had photoshopped a Swan Queen Version of the Stardust poster over on tumblr and it got a few likes so I thought I'd try to Onceify the story based on the movie because I've never read the book.
Once upon a time a philosopher asked, "Are we human because we gaze at the stars… or do we gaze at them because we are human?" Pointless, really…
Do the stars gaze back? Now, that's a question. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Our story really begins here, years ago at the Royal Academy of Science in London, England, where a letter arrived, containing a very strange inquiry.
It had come from a country boy and the scientist who read it thought it might be a practical joke of some kind.
But he duly wrote a reply politely explaining that the query was nonsense and posted it to the boy who lived in a village called Wall, so named, the boy had said, for the wall that ran alongside it. A wall that, according to local folklore, hid an extraordinary secret…
OUAT STARDUST OUAT
"I'm charged with guarding the portal to another world. And you're asking me to just let you through?" An older man named Geppetto stood at the gap in the wall.
"Yes. Because, let's be honest, it's a field." The town shepherd David pointed to the empty land. Taking a breath David approached Geppetto and placed his hand on the older man's shoulder to turn him toward the field.
"Look, do you see another world out there?" David asked. "No. You see a field. Do you see anything nonhuman? No. And you know why? Because it's a field!"
"Hundreds of years, this wall's been here." Geppetto told him. "Hundreds of years, this gap's been under 24-hour guard."
"Well..." David tried to speak but Geppetto interrupted.
"One more word, and I'll have you up in front of the village council!" He shook his finger at the young shepherd.
"Well, that sounds rather final. Better just go home, then, I suppose." David sighed and turned to walk away.
"Right, then. Night, David." Gepetto nodded and patted the boy's shoulder, "Give my best to your mot-"
Before Geppetto could finish speaking David had turned back around and was sprinting toward the gap in the wall.
"Bet you didn't see that coming!" He laughed refusing to heed Geppetto's continued calls for him to stop.
David ran through the field and into the woods until he came across a ledge overlooking the glowing lights of a marketplace. As he walked through the market he was in awe to see strange and wondrous things. At one stand a woman displayed a two-headed elephant that was no larger than a housecat and another stall had a jar or eyeball that blinked when he came closer, but the most intriguing sight to the shepherd was a young woman with dark hair and fair skin who smiled at him as he walked by.
"I don't deal with time-wasters." The owner of the stall glared at him then nodded to the girl to keep an eye on the boy. "Get over here and tend this stall. I'm off to The Slaughtered Prince for a pint."
"See anything you like?" She asked as she approached.
"Definitely." He couldn't contain the dopey grin that had found its way to his face. His awkwardness earned him a laugh from the girl as he stuttered, "I mean, what I meant was these ones, the blue ones." He pointed to the flowers. "How much are they?"
The woman smirked amused by his nervousness. "They might be the color of your hair. Or they might be all of your memories before you were three. I can check if you like."
David stared wondering if she was joking but couldn't find the words to ask before she spoke again.
"Anyway, you shouldn't buy the bluebells. Buy this one instead." She picked a singular white flower from the display and held it out to him. "Snowdrop. It'll bring you luck."
David stood transfixed for a moment before finding his voice. "But what does that cost?"
"This one costs a kiss." She placed the flower in his breast pocket and tapped her cheek.
David leaned forward but instead of her cheek the girl turned his head so he kissed her lips instead.
"Is she gone?" She looked but seeing no sight of the owner she reached out her hand to David. "Follow me."
As she walked toward the back of the caravan David noticed a chain attached to the girl's ankle.
"I'm a princess, tricked into being a witch's slave." she explained. "Will you liberate me?"
David pulled he knife and cut the chain but it reformed in an instant.
"It's an enchanted chain." She explained. "I'll only be free when she dies."
David looked confused and a bit defeated.
"Sorry." She gave him a weak smile.
"Well, if I can't liberate you, what do you want of me?" David asked still confused.
The trapped princess held out her hand and pulled the shepherd into the back of the caravan.
OUAT STARDUST OUAT
So, the scientist was wrong, the wall had successfully done its job of hiding the magical kingdom of Stormhold. The young man returned that night to his home in England, hoping that his adventure would soon be forgotten.
But nine months later, he received an unexpected souvenir…
"This was left at the wall for you." Geppetto stood outside David's door. He was holding a basket where are a baby lie wrapped in a white blanket with purple embroidery "It says here her name is Emma."
