"Get up you lazy girl, all you have to do is sleep all day. I still curse the day I adopted you" shouted a grumpy fat woman. It was so usual for Emma to hear her shout every day in the morning. She worked in the castle along with other girls there, day and something nights too. She had to get out of the bed, although her body was aching bad. She was a sensitive girl, not the toughest of the maids in the castle. There were royal guests expected in the castle and arrangements had to be made. Princess Milah had to marry some prince from a far far land, a prince she was engaged to since she was just a child. Everyone in the castle was so excited including her. She have never seen a real wedding in her life, and royal wedding would be so dreamy.
She washed her face, tamed her hair, wore the usual clothes and shoes and started walking towards the castle. The castle was near the place where she lives with her evil guardian Elizabeth. She didn't remember the time when she was adopted, but all she know was that Elizabeth was never nice to her, cursed her daily, gave her burnt food and kept a strict eye on her.
She crossed the garden and towards the back of the castle, there was an entrance there for the staff that worked in the castle. Emma entered the kitchen where she meets Nandy, the head of castle keeping. Nandy was one woman she liked the most, she was caring, loving, and above all she liked Emma a lot and favoured her whenever she can. If she wasn't the head keeper of the castle, Emma would probably have left the place since long.
"Hello sweetheart, you look so fresh today" said Nandy
"Yes probably because I had an extra dose from Elizabeth today" she rolled her eyes and then smiles.
"Ignore my girl, ignore her, for she is arrogant, and can never change"
"That's what I try to do daily, anyway how was the reception? I missed it, I didn't feel like coming out of the bed today, I was very tired, I am always tired. It's really surprising as how everyone works here and still looks so active"
"Probably in your blood honey, and the reception was beautiful"
"And how is he? I mean the prince, Milah is supposed to marry." she asked with excitement. To her it was like a fairy tale, in which a princess is to wed a prince and live happily ever after. She loves fairy tales. Nandy has been giving her the fairy tales as present and she kept them hidden in her cupboard so Elizabeth can never see them
"He is handsome Emma, really handsome, just like I thought he would grow up to be"
"Have you met him before?"
"Yes when he was just a child, he came here with his father, and his father asked for the hand of the princess of the castle"
"Yes I heard that story from Ruby. So did they kiss already?" And Nandy couldn't help, but laugh
"How did you imagine that, its is the first time they met darling since they grew, how can it be so soon?"
"I don't know, it was somewhere in my imagination. So is the roaster up?" she asked looking at the wall of the kitchen where there is a roaster for every worker of the castle. Nandy is the one preparing this every week and Emma was the one who gets the best of the jobs and most of the girls were jealous of her and kept a distance from Emma, except for Ruby. She was really nice to Emma and she is the only friend she had.
"Yes and you are assigned the task to assist THE prince" she smiled and directed her towards to door of the kitchen that opens inside the castle.
"What? why do I get such a hard job this time"
"It's not hard darling, you can't imagine the amount of hard work everyone has to go through for the wedding preparations. What can he ask for more than just a glass of wine. Now go before it is late. He must be waiting for you". She said almost pushing Emma out of the kitchen.
"Look who is here, Emma" a girl welcomed her with a sweet smile. Her cheeks were red as roses with big friendly eyes. It was no one other than her friend Ruby.
"I have to take care of the prince, although I am excited to see him, but I pretended to Nandy that I am not happy about the job" winked Emma.
"I have to take care of the princess, her wedding dress and everything, she is just too excited, and have you seen the prince? He is so handsome, he has deep blue eyes and dark hair" said Ruby. Ruby was a very close to the princess Milah. Milah preferred Ruby with her personal work.
"Oh really, I am on my way to the prince, where is he staying?" asked Emma
"Obviously in the best room of the castle for the guests. Do you know the 'Diamond room' on the first floor?" Ruby said.
"Ok see you around" Emma moved forwards towards the upper story of the castle, the stairs were made of wooden, but they were magnificent. Decorated with wonders from all around the world. Emma was now standing on the door of the room.
She knocked lightly at the door. A voice from inside said. "Come in please". Emma hesitated for a second and then entered.
There was this person inside the room, he was facing a huge window in the room, looking at the shiny sky.
"I am at your service Prince. How I can help? I mean do you need something to eat or drink" she bowed a bit, she didn't know what to say as she was not used to this, her eyes fixed to the floor as she was talking.
Prince turned and looked towards her. Took few minutes to look at her face and finally he spoke
"Who are you beautiful?" he asked and she had to look up to see if she already know the Prince. The prince sure was really handsome, just like she could imagine any prince to be, just like the prince from the fairy tale. He had dark hair and blue eyes and a well-built structure. She could see why Milah was so excited to marry him.
"My name is Emma. I am here to serve you. If you need something you can always ask me"
"You don't look like a maid, you are so beautiful"
"That I am, thank you" Emma was getting back to her normal self now. She never like to behave like a maid.
"What makes you so sure?" He smiled while asking
"Well every maid in the land is jealous of me, they say I am too fair to be a maid" she said with confidence.
"You are just too confident to be a maid, but I must say you are right, you are the fairest of all the girls I have ever seen and I tell you what, I have traveled a lot" he said his eyes focused on Emma's face and Emma's heart was dancing with delight, jumping up and down, the prince must have seen several girls in his life, must have travelled lands far far away. Oh she was lucky to be so beautiful and at the same time unlucky to be a maid at a castle.
"Thank you, what do you like me to do for you prince"
"Call me Killian, I don't like being called a prince"
"If someone hears me calling you Killian, they are going to hang me untill death, and I don't want to die, I have a lot of plans in my mind"
"Like what" he stepped forward
"Like to travel the world"
"And how do you plan on doing that"
"I don't know, that part is to be sorted out" she smiled
"Show me something really beautiful Emma, am sure for a girl like you, you must have seen beauty in the land that no one have ever seen" said the prince Killian
"Um.. Let's see. I know a place, I don't know its name, but I call it my kingdom, mind going there?"
"Sure let's go"
Killian followed Emma and she could see the servants and the guards bowing as they pass. She felt wonderful, off course it was not for her, but still there was this delight in her, now she understands why Nandy have given her the job. It made her happy to be with the prince, she felt like a princess.
"This is such a lovely place, look at all those butterflies, the flowers, the dew on the grass, I have never seen such a lovely place.", he said smiling as he sees Emma almost dancing on the small hills and the grass that covered them, it was a lovely place, Emma's kingdom, Emma never saw anyone here, the lake was aqua green, the grass was light green and orange the leaves were orange and yellow and the flowers were of all the colours of nature one can ever imagine.
"Yes isn't it beautiful. I don't know why people don't come here, its like heaven on earth" Emma said happily as she continued dancing on the grass.
"Hey! Watch out girl" was what he could say and he moved forward to save Emma from falling down a small hill, he couldn't get control of his own grip on the ground and they both began to fall down the hill rolling around each other, holding each other tight, and when they stopped prince Killian was on top of Emma breathing heaving, their hearts beating fast. He was looking at her like a delicate piece of art, her eyes were green and clear, he could even see his reflection back and Emma was blushing red all of a sudden.
"I.. I am sorry" she said still blushing hard.
"It was a beautiful mistake though, the loveliest of its kind" Killian said as he moved back and stood on his feet. Emma also got up on her feet in a hurry.
"I think we better leave before someone finds out, I mean people will be looking for you, you must not be away from the castle for long and Nandy is going to kill me for that too" she said in a quick tone trying to calm her nerves
"I see, who is Nandy by the way"
"she is the head housekeeper, she is very sweet, the best of all the people I ever met, but she can get pretty angry at times"
"I will go back if you promise me that you will come here with me every day"
"Until you are married you mean" she said suddenly
"Ye.. Yes untill I am married" he said sounding not so sure about what he was saying
"Then you can come here later on with Milah, am sure she will like the place just like you did"
"I am sure" he continued, they started moving towards the castle, away from the place, but they both felt like they left some part of them back there on the group, probably their own hearts.
When they reached the castle, they saw the Queen coming out of the castle. The Queen was an extra ordinary women of low temper and zero tolerance. She was always strict towards everyone, she usually wears a long black gown, a black hat and her eyes were small and pointed. Emma never liked her, she was nothing like the Queens she read about in the fairy tales, more like a wicked queen.
"Where have you been my prince Killian, greatest of the land, I was looking for you" she said smiling at Prince Killian
"I was visiting your kingdom my lady, it is very beautiful I must say" he said smiling back holding the hand of the Queen and kissing her knuckles
"And which place have you been exactly to" she asked, Emma didn't like the way she looked at Killian and Emma.
"Its by the lake my Queen"
"The Lake" said queen in a low voice and thinking hard. How could she?
"Emma here, she took me there"
"I see" said the Queen staring hard at Emma as she would swallow her alive. "The food is ready my Prince, let us go and eat something you must be tired by now" the Queen said as she took Killian by holding him by his shoulder and before turning she gave a very cunning and evil look to Emma that made Emma suddenly feel so scared. What is that she has done wrong? She was not even sure about it.
"What is about this place that makes the Queen so angry?" she said talking to herself
"What are you saying?" asked Nandy
"Nothing, it is just that there is a place by the lake, the one I told you about. I took Prince Killian there as he asked me to show him the land and to be honest it is the only place in the whole Kingdom that is so pure and beautiful.", she said "But when the Queen got to know, she was annoyed, she didn't really like it"
"Probably because she was surprised" said Nandy
"Is it hidden?" asked Emma in a curious tone
"Probably"
"How do you even know?"
"Just my guess sweety, now go take some rest, your mother must be waiting for you"
"Please don't call her my mother, mothers can be that mean, you are more like my mother to me to be honest" she smiled as she hugged Nandy and left the kitchen, leaving Nandy thinking. Things were starting to be visible but she was not sure if they will make it in time, but she had hope.
The next morning she was feeling better then yesterday, she had a good dream, a dream of her being with prince Killian together in the place by the lake, laughing, playing and dancing like friends. She never wanted to get up, wanted to stay in bed all day and dream about it, but a sudden realisation knocked her, he was the prince and he was supposed to marry Milah. She can't keep thinking about him like that. It won't hurt anyone except for her own self. Unwillingly she got out of bed, washed her face and left her hair open today, her lovely long blond hair that looks lovely on her. She smiled to the mirror when Elizabeth entered her room.
"Why on the hell are you looking so happy" she asked with hatred in her voice as always.
"Is it not allowed?" she asked feeling frustrated.
"No it is not, go and work. I heard there is a ball in the castle, go and put extra hours, don't come back home tonight, I need money to pay my debts plus I don't want to see your face around here tonight" and she knows exactly what she means. There must be a-one-night stand she has invited home today. This is something she hated the most about her. She took her extra dress for the cupboard a pink frock which princess Milah gave ruby as a gift. She gets most of the dresses which Milah has used and some of them are given to Emma by Ruby as a present and that is the best Ruby can do for her and she was always happy even with this little favour from Ruby. The ball in the castle would require even to maids to dress up nice.
She went towards the castle and in the kitchen where Ruby was standing by the door waiting for her
"What are you wearing tonight" she asked, Ruby was always excited about the parties in the palace. This was the only time of the year they used to get dresses and no one would ask them what it is for.
"This.", she handed over her dress to Ruby.
"Oh it will look lovely on you, I will put some make-on you".
"You know how I feel about makeups Ruby?"
"You look very pretty Emma"
"So do you Ruby, what are you going to wear today?"
"The white and red dress Milah gave me a month ago, do you remember that?"
"Yes you will look like the Red Riding Hood from the fairy tales" Emma smiled
"She is probably the only character I like from those tales other then snow white off course"
"Let us get to work so that we can enjoy the rest of the day", said Emma and started walking slowly towards to Prince's room. The closer she was getting to the room the more her heart was pondering in her chest. She felt it might come out of her throat. After the dream she had last night she felt different about him, although it was just a dream. When she reached the door of the room and tried to knock it, it was already opened. Still she knocked and prince Killian came to open the door himself.
"Come in Emma, I was waiting for you" he said in a welcoming tone and Emma was very surprised. Never in her life anyone waited for her and it felt good
"Why?" she narrowed her eyes in surprise "I mean did you need anything Prince" she changed her tone suddenly to sound more formal
"Yes, I need someone" smiled the Prince moving close to Emma and her heart jumped to her throat. He came closer and closer until Emma could feel his breath on her face, she kept staring at his lips which were coming closer by every passing moment and suddenly a realisation hit her, she instantly moved back and prince Killian was taken by surprise
"What are you doing?" she asked abruptly, she had it in her.
"Well. I am not sure either Emma. I never planned it, but since I laid my eyes on you, I never felt you are a maid here, I feel like you are a princess of the land, you are so beautiful Emma and you have such a pure heart. Everything looks so strange here, so cursed. But you of all the people look so true and pure. I have even started to dream about you Emma" he said with all the faith that he had in him and "the dream" Emma also had a dream about him. A dream that felt so real, so true, so lovely. But she can't accept it. She can never accept it. She was just a housekeeper, a maid in the castle.
"What are you saying prince Killian? You are about to marry princess Milah in a day or so and here you are standing in your room confessing something, if not more, to a servant of the palace" she was sad, sad at the mere thought of her belonging to a third class group of people. She can never get the prince or any prince for this reason. It was all just in the fairy tales.
"Yes I know, but something doesn't fit."
"If you need anything just let me know, I have to look at more arrangements to be made for the ball today" said Emma, leaving his room she felt like crying, but no she had to do it. Or the queen would kill her, and might be the Prince too. She was just to evil. Emma felt rage in her, the sadness and rage of not being able to do something when she wanted it so much. Why all of a sudden things are changing. She just met him yesterday, why all so sudden. Why?
"Wow Emma this dress suits you so much, Milah can never look so beautiful, it fits so well, you look like a real princess today Emma", Ruby complimented Emma as she came out wearing the pink dress.
"Don't compare her with me" said Emma, she felt so jealous of Milah for the first time in her life.
"I never did. You look a thousand time better than her.", said Ruby
"You look no less, actually you are looking exactly like Red Riding Hood" smiled Emma, she was trying to change her mood before anyone else notices her. She had to serve food and drinks and may be clear to floor as she has to say in the castle to get some extra money for her guardian who God-knows-what is up to.
and they started walking towards to main hall. Everyone was wearing lovely clothes, gold, diamonds. Everything about the hall looked amazing, it was perfectly decorated, people were smiling while eating, drinking, dancing. Everything looked so perfect but prince Killian was no where to be seen. Unconsciously Emma started to search the hall to find him, she got a bit worried, knots in her tummy start to grow tighter. I hope he is not in any trouble. Her eyes started searching for the queen and Milah to see if they were present and they sure were. The queen was in black as usual and Milah was wearing a red dress. Well she was looking normal, thought Milah, Killian deserved better, or maybe it was her jealously speaking. She never disliked Milah, but now she was acting so strange.
"Hey girls come here help me with the food" said Nandy from a distance and Emma started to rush towards her with Ruby. "You look lovely today and I like your hairdo am sure Ruby did it"
"Thank you Nandy, yes Ruby did it for me, she knows how to make lovely hair. Doesn't she?" asked Emma smiling
"Emma you look like a real princess today"
"Why do everyone keeps saying that? I am not a princess, I can never be one" suddenly her voice dropped and there were prominent tears in her eyes.
"I am sorry honey, I didn't mean to upset you" said Nandy in a worried voice "What happened to you Emma? Mind sharing?"
"No nothing, it is just that, I don't know" she tried to look away to hide her tears.
"Did he say something?" asked Nandy lowering her voice.
"What? I mean can you even think about that?" asked Emma very surprised and Nandy didn't answer
And just then, Prince Killian entered the room and Emma felt relieved. But wait.. he was coming towards her, straight to her, Emma's heart started to beat very fast. Why on the earth is he trying to come talk to her directly that too between so many people around? What was he about to say? She was scared, very scared.
"Emma I need to talk to you for a second, mind coming out of the hall" said Prince Killian
"What is it about? Is everything ok? I mean why now? We can talk later" she said with confusion written all over her face
"You need to listen to me." he took her hand and started to pull her out of the hall, she could feel people staring as they pass them.
"What was that all about?" asked Emma after they came out of the hall, she was still staring at the door.
"Stop getting scared. Everyone needs you Emma. Everyone even me" said Killian
"What do you mean by everyone needs me?"
"You are their saviour. You are their princes. Milah is no princess you are the real prince Emma" he said and Emma took a step or two backwards
"What are you saying? You must be mistaken, I mean I am an ordinary servant here at the palace and nothing more"
"No you are not, it is a curse. Everyone is under a curse except for you and a few people who don't have the power to defeat it. People don't remember anything, anything at all, and you Emma, you have a mother, Snow while, Nandy is not Nandy she is Snow White. Your mother"
"What are you saying? It is totally unbelievable. You are totally mistaken, I was never and I can never be a princess"
"My father, he asked for your hand for me when we were just children. He visited this land and found you very beautiful and liked your parents as well. He said they are the ones with the purest heart in the whole land and he said you are the fairest of all just like your mother and you had blond hair and green-eyes and without even remembering you are I was excited to meet you and wed you. And when I came here to get what was originally meant to be mine, I saw Milah with brown hair and brown eyes and a Queen having an evil look on her face much like her evil heart. But Emma since I laid my eyes on you I knew it is you. My blond green eyed real princess Emma, I made some investigations and stuff. Went to few basements with the help of my guard and some workers and found pictures of you and your family and that is when I get to know all about this. It is a curse Emma, it must be. Look at your land Emma, look at all the miserable people. You can break it. You just need to believe in yourself"
It was too much for her to absorb. Yes the kingdom looked like cursed. People were poor. Streets were dark and dirty, there was misery everywhere, but she never knew why.
"Does Nandy know about that?" asked Emma in a surprising tone still not sure whether it was a joke or some reality.
"Yes she does, she knows everything. She knew that a prince would come some day and make you believe in the best"
"That is why she says all those things that I don't normally get" she was starting to see things
"You know that place by the lake that we went too, it is not visible to any of them, its the part of the land that is preserved, your real kingdom because its the place where your parents meet for the first time, and fall in love, that is the power of true love" said Killian
"Parents. My father where is he?", asked Emma as layers of surprises were opening up to her one after the other.
"He is imprisoned Emma, so they can never kiss to break the curse. It is true love that the Queen is so afraid of Emma" said Killian holding Emma's hands now. They were supposed to be together since the time they don't even remember. They were attracted towards each other for a reason and now the reason was getting more obvious.
"Then all we need to do is rescue my father and he can, like you say, kiss Nandy and break the curse"
"Yes. But I don't know where he is and I just have around dozen soldiers here, not enough to break through the jail" he said and suddenly Emma moved back
"And why would I even believe you with all this? All I know is that you are a prince about to marry Milah and you find me attractive. Might be you are just trying to do all this to.."
"Emma believing me is up to you, but never ever think that I want to take any advantage of you. For me you are more precious than all the diamonds of the world" he said sincerity reflecting from every part of his face. Emma so wanted to believe him but this was too much to handle, too much to absorb. She was standing there looking like a statue
"Emma. Look at me, have I told you a lie?" Killan lifted her face a bit to let her see his blue eyes and Emma felt like she is already fallen hard for him
"I can't, I just can't, I need a break" She said and started running away, away from Killian, towards the attic where she normally sleeps when she is staying in the castle. She just can't handle this all.
She laid down on the bed, her eyes were wet with tears. She was not sure what she heard was true or not. She was tired, too tired from all that happened, she slept thinking about it. Might be it is good just to imagine it forever. She was too weak to do anything even if it was truth.
She woke up the next morning with a blanket over her, this night too she had the same dream of prince Killian beside the lake and it felt so real, more than real, she could still feel the fragrance of the roses, the touch of the prince on her arms, and the way he kissed her on the forehead, it was all so magical. But she had to wake up, she sits down on the bed. Just then she saw Nandy standing near her bed.
"I am sorry, I was not feeling good yesterday, I just came in early to sleep" she said in an apologising tone.
"You need not worry about any of it, what did the prince say to you exactly?" she sat on the bed close to emma
"Why do you expect the prince to say anything to me mother"
"Because. Wait. Did you say mother?"
"Should I?" she asked and Nandy couldn't help but move forward to hug her daughter
"I always knew that this day will come.", she said with tears in her eyes and her voice getting low
"Why didn't you tell me mom, why?"
"Because I couldn't. It was not meant to be that way. But I knew the prince would come some day and make you believe and that is when you will save us all"
"Save you all how. You kept me away from you all my life, with a guardian who was worse than all the women in the land" she was sad very sad for her sufferings
"It was not me who planned this all, it was the queen who wrote all the miseries for us, she rewrote our fate, gave you away to Elizabeth so you can never be a brave girl, so she can supress you each day, but she couldn't, you have royal blood in you, you are a product of true love, she could never make you less stronger"
"What am I suppose to do, how can I rescue dad, how can I bring back everyone's memory. How can I defeat the queen mother" she asked feeling all the responsibilities on her shoulders.
"I don't know, only if I had known, I would have saved everyone untill now." said Snow sadly and just then, she remembered something. She got out of bed and started wearing her shoes.
"Where are you going honey"
"I remembered something, I will be back"
"Becareful"
"Don't worry, I am the saviour, like he says"
She rushed towards his room almost running, dropping a thing or two on the way and just when she reached it. The door was wide open. She entered and looked everywhere, but the prince was nowhere to be found. What if The Queen have heard what they were talking about, what if he told everyone and the queen that he knows the reality. She almost felt like someone stabbed her in the back, what if the prince is already dead, the thought of it made her wanted to screen, but she needs to have hope, he might still be alive. She started running towards the castle gate into the garden and to the place by the lake,
She felt like her feet are making her move to that place, she entered the place and to her worse of the fears the Queen was standing there, her arms crossed and her face as bitter as poison.
"And what exactly do you think you are doing here you slave?"
"I came to find the prince.", she said
"The prince is gone, dead, not get your ass out of here and go back to work you little piece of shit" and the words hit her like a hammer, her prince was dead, no it can't be like that.
"No you can't kill him, you can't kill my prince"
"Yes I can, look over there. That is where his body lie, go see for yourself, he might still be taking his last breathe"
She saw a person lying by the lake, wearing a white shirt, it was prince Killian. she started running towards him as fast as she can and sat down on the grass grabbed his hand, he was in a lot of pain, it was visible from his eyes, but he still managed to smile, she took him in her arms.
"This is the only thing I wish for, I wished that I can just see you once before closing my eyes forever Emma."
"No no no you can't die you can never die, you and me, we are meant to be together, this can't happen" she was crying so hard she couldn't even talk properly
"But sometimes Emma things don't go as we plan them, I always imagined to be with you, and it means that you are the last person to see me die" he said smiling with sad eyes.
"No you can't die, we can do it, you told me that I am a saviour, I believe you, I will save us all, all of us, please don't die, please don't leave me.", she keep weeping and kissing his forehead as he closed his eyes
"No Killian no, don't leave me, never leave me Killian breath please breath" she said and bent down to kiss the prince on the lips, she kept kissing him as long as she could and felt his lips get warmer, she opened her eyes to see Killian waking up, opening his eyes.
"Oh my God, you are alive, you are freaking alive." She kissed him again and this time he responded back with full passions as a ray of hope passed through them into the air and spread like hope everywhere.
"I love you Emma"
"I love you too"
"How on the hell did you do that" the queen looked so angry as she came running towards them and just than they realised that the things are changing around them, the lake and everything was already beautiful, but that beauty have seemed to spread all over the place
"The curse is broken you evil queen, now run before I kill you and show no mercy, and never return" said Prince Killian running towards the evil queen with a sword.
"I will return, O will" the queen said in an evil voice and bloody eyes and disappeared into thin air
Emma and Killian kissed again and again as they walked towards the castle and to their surprise everyone was standing there looking at them, tears in their eyes, clapping in joy. Ruby was the first to welcome them. She hugged Emma.
"You saved us!" was what they all were saying.
"Emma, my darling, you saved us" It was Snow, she looked beautiful, more beautiful then before with a white gown she was wearing and was standing with a man who looked so charming.
"Meet your father, Charming" she said and charming came forward to hug her daughter "I missed you Emma, but I knew that one day you will save us all, come here Killian" he asked Killian and he moved towards them
"The day your father asked for Emma's hand for you, I knew you would do something wonderful for all of us, you had it in you since you were a child Killian" he patted Killian and they both smiled
"Thank you. Live long the King, and the Queen and my princess" said Killian smiling at all three of them and holding Emma's hand.
"Live long true love!" Said Snow and Charming together smiling at everyone. It was the start of a new Era, an Era that will be ruled by Snow and Charming and their princess Emma and the Prince Killian, and now no one can ever curse them. Do you know why? Because there are now two true love couples in their Kingdom, and no curse in the world can ever get pass that intensity of love. Never!