Title:Dragon Wars
Author: Pinkcat4569
Rating: T, mild violence, adult language, and innuendos
Spoilers: Through season 3
Pairings: Emma/Hook centered, with some Regina/Robin and Charming/Snow.
Description: Set after season 3. After the residents of Storybrooke mysteriously appear in the Enchanted Forest, they're attacked by an army of dragons, humans riding them. Soon our heroes are caught up in a civil war of sorts, fighting dragons and two rival clans of humans. They also have a quest to find the only thing that can set things right.
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time or the characters. I write only for fun. Anything taken from dragon lore is also only for fun.
Author's Note: Begins at the end of Male Bonding, Once Upon a Time Style. That was intended to be a one shot, but the image of a dragon attack was too good to ignore. To save time and in case no one wants to re-read it, I briefly cover the situation that unfolded in that story.
Also: The descriptions of the two different Clans (as I call them) that appear in this story were inspired by varying depictions of dragons in legends around the world. European dragons tended to be harsher, attacking humans. They also had wings often. Asian dragons were sometimes benevolent, often wise and often depicted more snakelike, sometimes without wings or living in water. That is why there are two nationalities reflected in the two Clans, their dragons, and the appearance of the Clan humans. I do not intend to say that these humans are descendents from our world.
Tone-wise, this isn't always light and fluffy. It certainly isn't as silly as Male Bonding. It's fairly ambitious, over 13000 words so far, and it's about 85 percent done. I'd say this is adventure, some angst, a little romance, and some humor.
It's set in the future, after season 3, a bit AU, and there are some spoilery references to previous seasons.
1440 Words this Chapter
Dragon Wars, Chapter One
Prince Charming stood at the front of a small group. Captain Hook, Killian Jones that is, and Robin Hood stood forming a triangle with the prince. Guards formed an outer shell around them. Inside the group were three precious 'soldiers'- Henry, the fourteen year old grandson of the prince, Roland, who was around 5 and the son of Robin Hood, and then the toddler son of Snow White and Charming.
They faced a nightmare: an army of flying dragons circling the castle.
Months earlier the residents of Storybrooke had been mysteriously transported back to the Enchanted Forest. No one knew how. Life had been fairly peaceful. The most violence they had faced was the torment of bad language that flooded through the halls when Emma Swan was strapped into a corset.
Until one day when a quiet afternoon, the ladies sitting on an outside balcony as the men attempted to baby sit, was rudely interrupted.
Dragons had appeared.
"Perhaps the women were right," said Hook, eying the flying monstrosities as he and the other men kept shifting their attention quickly to the boys. "We are not the best equipped to look after the young ones."
"I can take care of my son just fine," spit Charming, standing over the cooing toddler.
"As can I," said Robin, staying close to Roland.
Hook snickered. "They're both in the middle of armed men, who are vastly outnumbered, staring into the angry eyes of an army of dragons. I know I'm not a father, but that does not seem...paternal."
"It does not!" cried an outraged, feminine voice as purple smoke developed around the children. Regina, the Evil Queen appeared and it was fortunate that the look on her face did not in fact kill the men. "You are beyond stupid!"
"I agree," said another voice. Emma Swan had jumped from the balcony, her gown not even torn, and landed beside Hook. She hit him on the back of his head. "Moron!"
"Watch the hair, Love."
"Neal!" screamed Snow White, running toward the group.
"Everything is under control, Darling."
"Shut up, Charming!" she yelled as she scooped her son into her arms.
"Perhaps you ladies should take the boys inside," said Hook.
"Us ladies? Do you want another smack?" asked Emma.
"Someone should take them inside," said Snow. "Henry..."
"No way!" cried the teenager, brandishing a sword. "I'm a prince! It's my duty to look after the people!"
"You'll be a toad in a minute," snapped Regina.
"Hook, take them inside," ordered Emma.
"What? I refuse to abandon you to these winged monstrosities. Get a nurse maid."
"That's what she's trying to do," said Regina with a smirk.
Hook glared sideways at her.
Suddenly there was movement behind them. Snow saw their butler, Herschell, running up. Well, he was trying to run. The man was elderly, not frail but his body had long since seen it's prime. Still, he was fiercely loyal and caring.
"Your...majesties," he said as he puffed.
"Hersch, get the boys inside!" commanded Emma.
"Of course, my lady," he said, walking past the guards with not one tremble or look of concern for his own safety. He took Neal from Snow and then he grabbed Roland by the hand. "Come along Prince Henry."
"But...I have a duty to the peop..."
"Now!" commanded the old man, making Emma smirk.
"I love you, Hersch," she said.
The man smiled at her as Henry complied, following after the manservant.
"Excuse me, Swan?" asked Hook.
Emma laughed. "You heard me."
"I did. May I remind you that he is neither dashing, devilishly handsome, or besotted with you."
"I dunno," said the blonde. "He smiles at me a lot."
The pirate growled. "You just signed his death warrant, Swan."
She laughed.
"Plus the man is ancient," said the pouting pirate.
"So are you!" cried Emma. "You're 300, he's what, 70?"
They heard someone clearing her throat. Regina glared at them. "Seriously? We're about to be roasted and the two of you are cooing like love birds!"
"We aren't," said Emma as Hook smirked at her.
"She's got a point," said Snow. "Time and place."
"If we are about to become dragon fodder, I do not know a better time or place," said Hook, staring intently at his Swan and smiling.
"Heads up, one of the things is flying down!" yelled Charming.
One of the dragons did move ahead of the horde. It was a dark gold, the biggest of the beasts. It caused a torrent of wind towards the royal group as it flew closer. All the while, the other dragons flew slowly around the castle.
"It has a rider," said Robin.
Standing atop the great beast stood a man with long stringy gray hair. He had white skin, with features that could resemble Europeans from the Land Without Magic. One side of his face bore a nasty red scar, probably from a serious burn. He was dressed in a faded gray coat that hung down to his thighs. It had seen better days. It was torn, scorched, and had dark reddish stains on it.
He glared at the castle's inhabitants as the dragon landed in front of them, right in the castle's gardens.
He stomped the beast with one leg and it bowed its huge massive head. The man jumped off, landing in front of the dragon.
"I am Kroll."
"Congratulations," said Regina haughtily.
The man snickered.
"What do you want?" asked Snow. "Why have you attacked us?"
"It is you who started the aggression."
"You bloody flew in here, Mate," said Killian. Neither he, Charming, nor Robin had lowered their weapons. Regina stood with her hands up, fire ball at the ready.
The man smiled evilly. "What would you call dragging us out of our realm against our will? I call it an act of aggression."
"We didn't do anything of the sort," sneered Regina.
He looked at her, at the fire ball in her hand. "You have magic. Only a great wielder of magic could have moved us to this strange place."
"It wasn't us," said Charming.
"We've been scouting these lands, gathering information," said the man, walking back and forth in front of them. "It is coincidence, I suppose, that you have recently appeared in this land as well?"
"Yes, coincidence," said Emma. "We don't know how we came here either."
"But this is your homeland, correct?" He looked toward Emma's mother. "You are Snow White, the mistress of this castle? It is coincidence that you come home at the same time as we arrive?"
Snow frowned. "OK, I suppose that looks...bad."
He smiled. "It does indeed."
"Look, we didn't do this," said Emma. "Maybe we can work together..."
The man laughed coldly and with derision. "The Rider Clan does not work with others. We need only ourselves and our dragons."
"Great, then get lost," said Regina.
"Not until you return us home."
"Aren't you listening, Mate? We didn't bloody bring you here."
"Enough of these lies!" Kroll cried. He waved his hand and his golden dragon let lose with a breath of fire.
"Look out!" screamed Charming, grabbing Snow and pushing her toward the castle.
Regina ducked, sliding into the dirt. "Lovely," she muttered, as her knees were scraped and her luxurious black gown ripped.
"Are you hurt?" asked Robin, crouching beside her.
She smiled. "I'll survive. You?"
He shook his head. "I am unharmed."
"Swan!" screamed Killian, looking frantically for her.
"Here, beside the rose bushes!"
He sighed with relief as he saw her.
Kroll laughed. "That was a warning. If I intended you to be dead, you'd be smoldering ashes now."
Charming stood. "We told you. We aren't responsible for you being in this realm."
"Fine, continue with your lies. I warn you. You will not enjoy sharing this world with us. We take what we want. Your villages, towns, your entire kingdom will be ours."
"Not bloody likely," said Killian, walking beside Charming. The prince nodded grimly.
"No way in hell," agreed Emma standing alongside them.
"I gave you a chance," said Kroll. "You will face the consequences of ignoring me." Then he waved his hand again and the other dragons in the air descended.
"This is the last day of your lives."
End of Chapter One