Title: Once Upon a Wish
Stolen away as a baby, Emma has been cursed to serve the one who finds her. What happens when the fearsome Captain Hook finds the princess? Will he use her for his own gain, or will he help finally set her free?
I own nothing.
Chapter 1:
Once upon a time, long, long ago a king and queen ruled over a distant land. The queen was kind and lovely—fair as snow- and all the people of the realm adored her. The only sadness in the queen's life was that she wished for a child but did not have one.
One winter day, the queen was doing needlework while gazing out her ebony window at the newly fallen snow. A bird flew by the window startling the queen and she pricked her finger. A single drop of blood fell on the snow outside her window. As she looked at the blood on the snow she said to herself, "Oh, how I wish that I had a daughter. I would give anything."
Little did she know that someone had heard her wish. Someone that had the ability to give her exactly what she wanted. Collecting the fallen blood, which had frozen in the snow, the person disappeared, intent on fulfilling the queen's wish.
For a price.
Soon after that, the kind queen got her wish when she fell pregnant. She and the king rejoiced, as did their kingdom. Nine months later, she gave birth to a baby girl. They named the baby princess Emma, but sadly, before Queen Snow White and King Charming could enjoy their child, an evil jinn came, ready to collect.
She told them of how she had heard Queen Snow White's wish for a baby girl and fulfilled the request. However, now she demanded that the child is given to her, or she would be cursed for eternity.
When Snow and Charming heard the threat, they tried to retaliate but knew they were unable to fight the evil jinn. True love might revive one from a sleeping curse, but it could not fight an evil jinn. They had already lost so much hope and energy with the evil Queen Regina, Snow's stepmother, whom ruled a distant land.
"Please, we beg of you! Let us keep our child," Snow pleaded as she held her daughter to her chest. "How could you be so cruel to give me what I so desperately wanted only to take it away so quickly?"
"Cruel? You merely stated you wished for a daughter, not to keep her," the jinn cackled. She raised a decrepit finger and pointed at the couple and baby. An eerie glow encompassed the baby. "Now give her here. I gave you your wish!"
"But I didn't even know," Snow cried, clutching her child tightly to her bosom. Charming stood at her side, sword drawn.
But swords were no match for magic. The jinn laughed at his feeble attempt.
"You sword is no match for me! God created me out of a fire of a scorching wind," the jinn cried. A mighty wind started to blow throughout the castle. Tapestries were ripped from the wall as the thrones toppled over.
"Please, we will give you anything you desire. All the riches from our treasury. Land. Anything!" Charming begged. He would not give up their child without a fight.
"No. I would like what was promised to me. Your daughter is special- a product of true love and magic!" the jinn insisted as she leered at the small child. "All the riches in the world could not match the reward of a living thing."
The queen and king sobbed as the jinn drew closer. As her hands wrapped around baby Emma, she withdrew a beautifully decorated bottle from her cloak. She mumbled some words and the winds grew stronger. Lightening and thunder roared outside as a great storm rolled in. The candles flickered in and out as the jinn continued to speak to the small child.
An extraordinary light flashed, blinding everyone.
When Snow and Charming regained their sight, they saw that their beloved child had disappeared. The jinn looked bewildered for a moment as she stared down at her hands. She sniffed at the air and suddenly smiled. A moment passed before she started hollering in joy.
"Free at last! Free at last!" She turned about, her eyes taking in her surroundings. Charming used the moment to attack, along with their guards who had finally arrived. They tackled the jinn to the ground. When she tried to use her powers to retaliate she found she was unable to. "No!"
The guards pulled her to her feet. They were surprised to find she couldn't fight back.
"Where is our daughter?"
"She took my place!" the jinn cried with joy. "She is cursed to serve those that find her, just as I was cursed for so long!"
"Bring our daughter back!" Charming warned, the tip of his sword piercing the bottom of her chin. She looked back at him defiantly.
"I can do no such thing. I have no powers. I am merely a human now." The jinn smiled widely. She had longed for the day to be free from the confines of that blasted bottle. "She must find someone to take her place, and until then she is cursed!"
Snow fell to the ground and wept.
"Throw her in the dungeon!" Charming bellowed. He watched as their guards collected the old hag and marched her towards the new prison. After, he collected his wife and held her tightly as he too cried for the loss of his newborn child. "We'll find her and free her. I promise."
Emma watched her mother cuddle her baby brother to her chest. Behind her, Charming stood protectively above them while watching on lovingly. Emma reached her hand out and stroked her mother's cheek, wishing she could feel her mother's warm skin beneath her hand. A tear slid down her cheek.
Fifteen thousand long years. Jinn years. How she longed for human years!
Over the years she had watched forlornly as her parents had sulked about their castle, grieving for their lost child. The people of their land had wept just as hard when the king and queen had told everyone.
Sometimes, when Emma would touch her mother, she swore her mother could sense her, though the others told her that could hardly be true. It was like her mother would stare right at her; her large round eyes gazing right at Emma.
"Why must you torture yourself?" Emma turned at the sound of Genie's voice. The water at the fountain rippled as she withdrew her fingers and the image of her parents and their new child disappeared. She smiled sadly at the man she considered a second father. He was kind to her and had taken care of her since she was a baby and first cursed to this world.
Columns towered around the two jinns. Carvings wound up the large, impressive pillars—centaurs, unicorns, fauns, ferries, and dragons spitting fire. Jewels were embedded in their eyes, glowing softly in the light of the day. It was a garden of beauty, unequal to any, no matter the realm.
The floor was blanketed in delicate blades of emerald green grass, delicately carved out of the precious gems. Trees with leaves of jade, peridot, and alexandrite. A high domed gold ceiling studded with diamonds, chrysoberyls, and opals, like stars in the night. Fruit trees littered the grounds, with rubies for apples, lemons made of citrine, pears of gaspeite, tanzanite and sapphire berries, and amethyst plums. The sun and moon caught on them, causing them to glint and gleam in the light. Delicate flower blossoms of aquamarine, topaz, amber, and morganite littered the ground. One had to only look closely to see they were not real trees and fruit, but priceless gems.
The air was thick with magic as the jinns walked and played about in their realm. The magic clung to the inordinate walls of precious metals and stone and puddled like water after a great rain.
Emma rested her hand on Genie's arm as he walked with her around the beautiful garden. They strolled across the golden stream, admiring the glint of the liquid gold as it flowed lazily down into a large pond just beyond.
A smile graced her lips as she squeezed his arm, grateful for her friend and mentor.
Once she was old enough he had started to explain things to her. How she was a magically confined member of a race of beings called jinns. That she was an immortal, indestructible creature. He told her how they existed in an indescribable realm in the same space as humans, but that it was out of sync with human space-time so that the human universe could not see them until they were called on.
It was told that jinns were created before humans but after angels. They existed before the concept of biological matter. In fact, they were created before any physical universe even existed. Despite her physical appearance, she was composed of smokeless flame and a scorching fire.
He told her that since jinn were not composed of biological matter, it was not easy to deceive them as they had access to one's pure thoughts. The power of pure thought, which was also the real foundation of magic, allowed great magical abilities. And so, he taught her how to wield her power.
As she was born of true love and the magic of a jinn, she held great power. The strongest he had ever seen, or so Genie said.
She had learned that others had tried to destroy her kind with various types of magic, but because they were indestructible, those that tried always failed. Until, one day, a sorcerer and a witch devised a magical lamp to trap the jinns. These magical prisons, composed of gold, silver, and alloys of known and unknown elements, were then placed in a special temple. However, it was found over time, the tricky jinn were able to use their power of pure thought to escape their mystical confines. So further magic was imbued upon the lamps. Angelic forces were used along with a powerful spell to control the jinn. The angels informed the wizards and witches that to control the jinn, they must release the jinn every so often in a controlled manner.
The controlled manner resulted in the granting of wishes and servitude to a master.
The lamps and bottles were kept in a special underground temple, but people began to misuse the wishes, causing mass chaos. Eventually, bottles and lamps were stolen away by people and other supernatural entities, such as demons and evil witches, who were eager for the jinn to enhance their powers and join their ranks against their will.
And it was very much against their will. Jinn felt no love for demons, angels, or any variety of other creatures. Jinn felt no human emotion whatsoever.
And so, archangelic forces swooped in and scattered all the lamps and bottles to the four corners of the Earth, intent on never having anyone find one again. Still, should any being find a lamp and free the jinn inside, he or she would become the jinn's master. Once a jinn was released, they were to do their masters bidding until their master perished, or another became the beholder of the bottle or lamp. However, should a jinn not be found for one million years then it would become free of its magical jail. The raw build up of mystical power would cause the container to explode. Then it was up to the community to capture and confine the jinn once more.
There was one other way to become free. One had to find a soul to take their place. No simple task, but according to Genie, it had happened before.
"You are quiet. What is troubling you, my child?" Genie asked, finally.
"They had another child," Emma spoke softly. She remained contemplative for a moment. "Do you think they still think of me?"
"Every day, my child." Genie moved closer and looked down at his young friend. He had seen images of the lovely queen and her new child. While still fair and beautiful, it was obvious the anguish and loss of her child had aged the beautiful queen. The king had not faired any better. They both looked tired and sad, despite the new bundle of happiness. "He cannot replace you. Now come, we have a court with the King!"
Captain Hook stood at the helm of the Jolly Roger, staring out at the swells of dark water that crashed against his ship. The ship rose and fell with the movements of the ocean, and Hook felt ill at ease as he watched the coming storm. What had once been sunny, warm weather had turned in the blink of an eye. It seemed to come out of nowhere. The sky turned dark, despite the early hour, and the air had become frigidly cold.
"Captain?" His first mate, Smee called to him from across the deck. He surveyed his surroundings and made a snap decision.
"Start tying things down. Bring down the sail!" he finally responded. A loud clap of thunder split the air. The storm was growing faster then he had imagined. "Get the sail down now!"
His crew worked fast, but not quickly enough. A moment later and a large bolt of lightning streaked across the sky and hit the large mast, causing it to snap in half. As he watched the mast fall forward, Captain Hook knew this was no ordinary storm, this was vengeance of an angry god.
They pitched forward and rolled as a large wave came and knocked into them. The salty water drenched Hook and his crew, soaking them to the bone. Crates were strewn about the ship as his crew scrambled to save the ship. Loose ropes hung from the rigging and snaked across the deck, a danger to all on the ship. The mast hung limply, and the ship listed about in whatever direction the ocean took it.
Hook shouted orders, refusing to let the angry god win. Little did he know, it was no god that was guiding his ship, but a dark, evil curse, intent on exacting revenge on the formidable pirate that had stolen another man's wife away.
Rumple smiled as he watched the Jewel get tossed by the angry ocean he had created. Taking the pirate's hand had only been the start of his revenge.
She could sense him the moment he set foot on the rich blue sand of the island. For the first time in thousands of years, she had suddenly been pulled into her bottle. Her body had suddenly disintegrated into smoke, leaving the bejeweled heaven she had known since she was a baby.
The sound of his footsteps rattled her, like claps of thunder, as he drew closer to her, causing her eyes to widen and body to shake. She could feel her bottle singing out to him, drawing him closer and closer. Emma reached out with her magical senses and followed him. His presence was like the light at the end of a very dark tunnel, covered by a heavy door, and she yearned, nay, wished, for the door to be thrown open and the light to surround her.
Immediately Emma stopped her train of thought. Rule number one, as a jinni, she was not allowed a wish of her own. There was no hope, not for a jinni. No dreaming of a clear blue sky, of fresh air, the warmth of the sun, nor moonlit nights. Or the feel of a hug from a fair skinned queen, with raven black hair and a handsome king by her side.
She swirled about in her bottle, awaiting him, urging him to hurry and find her; to release her. He lingered. The light grew brighter for her, swelling as he grew closer. And then it was blinding, unlike any light, she had ever experienced. She became impatient and nervous, wondering if she would be lucky enough to be found.
And at last, he arrived, his boot striking her diminutive bottle. She was jostled about when he picked it up. A jolt of energy surged through her when the pads of his fingers touched the bottle. She could feel the beat of his heart, rough and robust. For a few moments, he merely inspected the bottle, brushing away the tiny grains of aquamarine jewels that had been worked down into the sand.
But before he could release her, she heard yelling. The light softened, and the excitement in her died with it as she was left wondering if she would ever be found.
The storm had ravaged his poor ship. What had started as a light drizzle quickly turned into howling winds and a deluge of rain. Swells twenty feet high had pounded his poor ship. If he was honest, Captain Hook was surprised they had even survived. It was unlike any storm he had ever encountered. And it had taken its toll on his poor ship. It had wobbled towards the closest land they could find.
They would need a new mast and the mainsail would need to be patched up. The rigging was a bundle of tangled ropes. And his crew was tired, cold and sore from the jostling of the storm.
Which was why he had been grateful when he had spied the speck of land once the sun started to crest over the horizon the following morning, the storm was forgotten. As they grew closer he noted a small lagoon with a long strip of glittering blue sand, more like jewels then sand. There were tall trees swaying in the distance and birds called out to the wind, singing their songs. It was beautiful; unlike any paradise, he had ever seen before.
It would provide a safe haven as they worked on the ship, repairing it to its original luster so that they could continue on their way to Tortuga. It was too small to be inhabited but large enough to offer game for hunting and trees to make the necessary repairs.
It almost reminded him of Neverland, though with it did not bring the same foreboding feeling. Instead, a lightness seemed to overtake him, which only made him more cautious. He swallowed back the taste of acid in his mouth as he thought of Neverland. The supposed paradise that had stolen his brother from him.
Shaking the thought from his mind, Killian gave the order to drop anchor. The heavy piece fell with a great splash into the vibrant water, causing sand to stir within the great depths below and cloud the clear view.
The crew set to work immediately. Killian supervised from the beach, ensuring each of his crew was pulling their weight. He also scouted for a good place for them to sleep for the night. The necessary work would take days. Not that Killian minded. The thought of sleeping on the solid ground with fresh air was enticing. A tavern, drink, and women would have made for a more enjoyable stay, but he wasn't going to turn away from an obvious gift from above.
As he wandered across the sand, his boot suddenly hit something hard buried in the sand. He looked down curiously.
"What the…" Killian stopped midsentence as he spied a rounded gold and bejeweled bottle. It winked back up at him in the sunlight, its jewels and gold glowing in an unearthly fashion. A smile broke across his face as he started digging the bottle free from the sand.
It looked as though the winds were blowing in his favor! A bottle like this would fetch a small fortune in any market.
A low whistle left his lips as he finally pulled the bottle free. He had never spied such careful artistry in his life. It was obvious great care had gone into creating the bottle. Bringing the bottle to his ear, he shook it, listening for anything inside. When he heard nothing, he moved to uncork it but was stopped when one of his men called him back to the ship. Hiding the bottle in his coat, Killian made his way back to his men; he would open the bottle later when he was alone. Why share such treasures when he had found it?
Later that evening, after Killian went to bed, his dreams haunted him. Weather forced him to sleep in his stuffy cabin. In his dream, he tasted smoke on his tongue. His skin felt hot and rough like sun-scorched stone and his mouth full of salt and smoke. He trembled in his dream; he moaned voicelessly, his body driven on and on, and when he woke, his stomach churned and there was a lingering taste of smoke on his tongue.
An unearthly glow permeated his cabin. As he sought out the source, he found he was drawn to his long leather coat hanging in the closet. Once the closet door was thrown open his cabin was filled with a golden glow. The smell of smoke became stronger. The bejeweled bottle called out to him. It was the bottle that was creating the light. He couldn't believe he forgot about it.
Killian surveyed the bottle. What could possibly be causing it to glow? Could it be magic? If so, was it evil?
It didn't feel evil. If anything, it felt like the sun on a summers day, basking him in its warmth.
There was a top shoved into the mouth of the bottle with a large green emerald the size of his thumb. It alone would make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. He shook the bottle again, only this time it sounded like there was something inside. A small rattle.
He tried to pry the top from the bottle, but it was wedged in tightly. Using his hook to leverage it, he was surprised by the loud pop that sounded as it became dislodged. A sweet smell of cinnamon filled his senses before a cloud of sparkling smoke streamed out of the bottle. Killian dropped the bottle in surprise and scrambled away, his chair tipping over in the process, watching as the glittering smoke grew larger and larger, filling his small cabin.
"What in bloody…" The words died on his lips as a human started to materialize before him. Flower petals sprinkled at his feet and covered the floor of his cabin. A bright white light spilled out, outlining the body of the person before him.
Not just any human. A woman. A golden-haired goddess with emerald green eyes that drew him in. Jewels of every kind adorned her from the tip of her head to her tiny toes. Ribbons of silk of pastel hues seemed to float about her body, covering her strategically, yet giving revealing glimpses with each whisper of the heavenly smelling breeze that seemed to surround her. She floated above the ground, her bare feet almost touching the wood of his ship, as her long flowing hair blew in the imperceptibly sweet breeze.
He had to be dreaming. Or maybe this was a rum-filled dream, though he didn't remember drinking himself into a stupor the previous evening. Killian rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand and hook, but when he opened his eyes a moment later she was still there. He blinked in disbelief.
Her hands lifted and came palm to palm at her heart as she bowed her head.
"Master! My name is Emma; I hold the power to grant your every desire. Command and I as your slave shall follow and answer." Her head bowed subserviently. "Please tell me, what is it your heart desires?"