AN: I posted this to ao3 earlier this week, and meant to cross-post it here, but I forgot because I am a huge nerd. Anyway, this is my Anastasia Arrow AU. It wasn't in the plan, but I rewatched the movie last weekend and I have a WEAKNESS and I am only human ok? I'm thinking 10 chapters for this at the moment. Please let me know if you spot anything screwy, this is unbeta'd as always. Have a read, and reviews are very welcome :) [ETA I have tried to publish this 3 times if this doesn't work I'm gonna go BUCK WILD so help me...]

PROLOGUE: We Lived In an Enchanted World

13 Years Ago

The lights from a massive luxury yacht twinkled and danced across the dark, growing waves of the waters just outside of Starling Bay, a party honoring the 100th anniversary of the Orlov family's success as hoteliers and philanthropists in full swing. On the top deck, the musicians frantically shielded their precious instruments with suit coats and sheet music as they moved them inside, the rain beginning to pelt in earnest. Despite the sudden absence of string soundtrack, the guests aboard the Anastasia continued laughing and chatting as they too made a dash for cover from the rain. This was a celebration, and if the rolling of the deck was intensifying, the glitterati aboard were happy to blame the sheer amount of Moet & Chandon circulating the party in crystal flutes.

While the revelers carried on upstairs, below deck in a small cabin rich with understated opulence, Judith Orlov, white hair pulled into a classic chignon, tucked her granddaughter in for the night. A single lamp in the room was turned low, and the young girl could not stop herself from reaching out to touch the softly glowing beading on her grandmother's Chanel dress. The scent of rose perfume enveloped her as she snuggled deeper into the down comforter.

"Did you kiss your father and mother goodnight?" The older woman asked, perching on the edge of the bed.

"I did, Bubbe."

"Good. I want you to get some sleep, we have a big day tomorrow before I leave." She laid a cool hand on her granddaughter's cheek. Lightning flashed, briefly illuminating the room and scaring a yelp from the little blonde.

"But what about the storm?" she squeaked, a worried crease between her brows. "Joe said it looked like a big one is moving in, I looked at his radar and-" Her grandmother's warm chuckle cut her off.

"My Cecily- so young, yet so smart already. Just like your father." Judith leaned down to kiss the crease away. "We're sailing back to Starling City as we speak. Captain Joe assures me we will outrun the storm." She smiled and tapped a finger under her granddaughter's small chin. "Don't be scared, darling. It takes more than a little rain to shake a Orlov."

Cecily grinned, "Dad says that all the time."

Sitting up and making a show of squaring her shoulders off, Judith looked down her nose at the now giggling 7 year old. "Well, where do you think he got it, hmm? We Orlov women are stronger than we look!"

Thunder rolled further out to sea, and while her blue eyes widened and her giggles stopped, Judith was proud to watch her precious granddaughter throw her own chin in the air and say, "I'm not scared."

"That's my girl." She reached for her clutch on the bedside table, fishing for the leather case hidden inside. "I got something, something just for you. I meant to give this to you tomorrow before I leave, but I think such a brave little one deserves a gift, don't you?" She opened the case to reveal a large, old fashioned pocket watch.

It was an absurd gift for such a young girl, way too large and over-complicated even by vintage mechanical watch standards, the jeweler assured her. But the face kept two times: one set for the west coast, and one for New York City. It even came with a key to wind it with, and Judith knew her genius granddaughter- she would treasure it. And if she were indeed as clever as her father, as Judith proudly suspected, she'd most likely take it apart and rebuild it a time or two.

"Bubbe!" Small hands reached for the watch, plucking it out of the case and finding the ornate key attached to a delicate chain beneath it. Judith slipped the key's chain around Cecily's neck, while she tilted the watch to and fro to catch the light. "It's wonderful!" She turned the watch over, spotting an inscription on the back casing, but the room was too dim to make it out. "What does it say?"

"It says, 'Together, always.' See, it shows you the time here, and the time where I live."

Cecily launched herself into the waiting arms of her grandmother, hugging her as hard as she could. "Thank you," she whispered.

Suddenly, the lamp flickered and went out, plunging the room into darkness. Alarmed, Judith pulled back a little, willing her eyes to adjust, just as the ever present hum of the engines cut off. Silence hung heavy around them for a long moment, until the boat groaned, and the unmistakable sound of crashing glass echoed through the decks.

"What was that?" her granddaughter whispered.

"I'm not sure, darling-" The rapport of semi-automatic gunfire echoed off the water, followed by screams and rough shouting. Sheer panic seized Judith's throat. Her son, her daughter-in-law, her family! They were up there! Paralyzed with fear, she sat panting with Cecily in her arms, nearly on her lap. She slipped her hand into blonde curls, pressing her precious girl more firmly into her shoulder.

The door to their little room slammed open, and instinct had Judith diving into the bed, prepared to shield her granddaughter with her life. Squinting into the dark she opened her mouth to yell at their attacker, but before she could shout, a surprisingly small hand slapped down over it. She could just make out a young boy, maybe twelve years old, all long limbs and cheekbones.

"Sorry!" he whispered.

Pulling her arm out from under her granddaughter she struck out at him, her diamond tennis bracelet catching him on the ear. He couldn't help the cry forced from his lungs at the sudden pain, but he simply pushed harder on her mouth in response. "Shh! Shh, stop! I'm here to help you!"

Judith's brow furrowed in confusion, but she could see him trying to make genuine eye contact despite the low light. "Who are you?" she whispered when he removed his hand.

"My uncle Joe said you'd be down here. Please, get up, they're going to search the whole boat!" The panic in his voice didn't broker confidence, but at this point what choice did she have? She let him haul her to her feet.

"Who's they?" She grabbed her granddaughters arm, helping her up out of the bed. Poor Cecily was dressed in a pink night gown with bare feet, but she hadn't even whimpered through the whole ordeal. She really was such a brave girl.

"I don't know. But there are a lot of them, and-" he cut himself off, taking in the younger girl with wide, panicked eyes.

"Well, go on young man."

He swallowed, swung his gaze back to pale, lined face of the Orlov matriarch. "And they have guns, ma'am. Lots of them." Without another word, he gestured for them to follow. Cecily clung to her grandmother's arm as they made their way out the door and through narrow dark hallways. Quickly and quietly, he lead them the back way to the passage outside the galley kitchen. Judith thought her eyes might bug out from trying to keep them wide open on the unfamiliar path through the bowels of the ship. The boy seemed to know where he was going though, because he led them directly to a safety cabinet and pulled out three life jackets.

"Put these on," he said.

As the ladies strapped themselves into the jackets, Judith caught a flash of silver from the pocket watch still in her granddaughter's hand before it disappeared into a velcro pocket on the outside of the life jacket. Already half-way across the galley, she heard the boy whisper to follow him. They grabbed each others hands and started off after him, up another tight spiral staircase Judith had never seen before.

They emerged on a lower deck, and by the sounds echoing around them, on the opposite side of the attack. The wind and rain had whipped itself into a full storm now, and they had to squint to keep their eyes open.

"Help me!" The boy was pulling on an emergency raft box. Judith and Cecily stooped to help him pry it open. They were able to get the uninflated dinghy free, just as heavy boot-falls announced the arrival of company from around the corner of the deck. She heard a sharp intake of breath from the boy, as the lightning flashed again. Silhouetted against the railing was a very large man, with a very large gun.

"Oi, where do you think you're off to," his Australian accent lilted the gruff shout as he started toward them, lifting his rifle to take aim.

"Go, jump!" screamed the boy, pushing both Orlovs toward the railing. "Jump now!"

Cecily whipped around, her soaked blonde hair sticking to her face. The boy still had his life jacket looped around his elbow. She just had time to shout, "What about-" before it was too late. He pushed her over the railing, and she fell screaming.

"Cecily!" Judith had time to scream before she too was over the railing, clutching the life raft as her body hit the cold, churning water. Bullets hit near her when she resurfaced, desperately searching the cold water for her granddaughter. She swam hard away from the boat, but not before hearing a shot and a young man's scream. Tears ran freely down her face, mixing with the frigid salt water. She'd never get to thank that courageous boy.

A splash to her left caught her attention, and she sent a quick prayer to all the gods she could think of in thanks. Just visible in the dark was Cecily, swimming hard over large swells. "Cecily!" she cried, no longer caring if anyone on the yacht could hear her.

"Bubbe!"

"Hold on, I'm coming!" She kicked and struggled through the chop, pushing forward toward her, only to be pulled away on the next wave. Finally, they were just within reach, and Judith grabbed the strap of Cecily's life jacket with a strength she didn't know she possessed.

"Help me pull!" Breathing heavily, she tried to shout instructions over the storm. Between them, they managed to deploy the inflation device for the dinghy. She tried to push Cecily up into it, but the side was too high and the waves too big for the girl to get the proper leverage.

"Hold on to the side! I'm going to get in and pull you up," Judith yelled. She put everything she had into hauling herself up into that life raft, talking to Cecily the whole time. They were going to be safe, the storm would be over soon and they would be rescued, they would be safe. With a last, bone creaking kick, she made it into the raft, fighting for her balance before leaning down to grab her granddaughter.

Nothing. Cecily wasn't there.

The desperate thought that she had gotten turned around flashed through her mind. Judith launched herself at the other side of the small boat. Rubbing water out of her eyes, she frantically searched again. Only dark water met the inflated hull. Dread dropped like a lead weight in her stomach.

"Cecily!" she screamed into the storm, but no life jacket, no blonde head, nor pink night gown was visible in the churning waves. Slowly, the pounding of Coast guard chopper blades displaced the rolling thunder- the Captain must have had time to call out an S.O.S. But Judith could not muster the strength to care. She laid down in the center of the raft, letting the cold rain numb her to the bone.