Background info: There is no curse, at least maybe not yet. Snow and Charming get to raise a rowdy Emma in their castle in the Enchanted Forest.

Emma was 10 years old now and was more stubborn than ever before. She didn't see herself as "princess" material and she sometimes wished she wasn't a princess. Emma wanted to be outside with friends, sword fight, and definitely not wear dresses even though she was forced to on occasion. Emma stared at herself through the mirror as she brushed out her blonde, curly hair.

"Emma?" Snow had been walking through the castle for some time now searching for her daughter.

Emma sighed, "In here." Snow knew where her daughter was by this point and walked into her room taking a seat on Emma's bed. Snow didn't say a word instead got up and started brushing out her daughter's curls with her hands. "I'm sorry." Emma looked at the mirror to see her mother.

Snow gave a half smile, "It's fine. I just wish you wouldn't storm off like that," She paused as she worked out a knot in Emma's hair, "especially in front of our guests." Emma knew she shouldn't have got into an argument with her mother in front of some people who were just passing through their kingdom, but for some reason she couldn't stop herself.

"Is Dad mad?" Snow shook her head in response. "Why do I have to go to this ball?" Emma tried to sway her mom's mind by bringing up the argument in a different way.

Snow took a deep breath to calm herself, "People expect to see us there, all of us. You can play with Melody the next day, okay?" She put on a smile. Emma watched her mother. For once she was out of words to say. I'll just ask Dad, Emma thought.

Emma sighed, "Okay." She got up, "Is Dad working today?"

Snow, not realizing where her daughter was going with this, nodded. "Yeah, he's in his office. Why do you ask, Emma?" Snow asked suspiciously.

Emma just grinned, "No reason." She went up and hugged her mother, who returned the hug and walked away. After walking for some time around the castle, she finally found her father's office. She peeked her head in and saw he was alone. "Hi, daddy."

Charming looked up from his paperwork and smiled, "Hey, princess. What are you doing on this wing?" Emma walked over to her father and got up to sit in his lap.

"I wanted to see you." She smiled before hugging him. Charming was a sucker when it came to his little girl and if Emma would let herself admit it: she was a daddy's girl.

"I guess now is a good time for a break then," Charming kissed his daughter's cheek.

Emma gave her best smile, "Is it okay if Melody and I hang out tomorrow?"

Charming remembered the ball, "Your mother wants you to be with us when we go to the ball, sweetie. Maybe the next day." Emma sighed and gave her dad the puppy dog eyes.

"Pleeeeaaassseeee," Emma begged, "I'll work around the castle to make up for it, promise." Charming watched his daughter and knew he couldn't resist the puppy dogface and those blue eyes staring back at him.

Charming smiled with a sigh knowing that Snow was not going to be happy with him, "Fine, you can hang with Melody."

Emma smiled and hugged her dad again, "Thanks, daddy." Charming held his little girl in his arms before picking her up off his lap back onto her own two feet.

"Now get going before you are late for class." Emma gave one last smile and Charming watched as his little girl walked out of his office. Charming knew he was in for it with Snow, but he couldn't tell Emma no. He shook his head and continued back to his work.