Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time, or any names, places, or people associated with it. That all belongs to Disney.

Prologue

"And do you, Princess Emma, take this, Prince Baelfire, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

I pause, taking a quick glance at my soon-to-be husband, and open my mouth to say those two words that have haunted me for the past ten months. The two words that will seal the alliance between our two kingdoms and forever bind us together. I knew I would say them one day. I just never knew I would say them to the man who only wants to possess me, mind, body, and spirit.

But before I can find my voice, a crash resounds through the chapel and we all turn just in time to see the doors bang open and a man in a black coat with a silver hook gleaming at his side enter the room. No one utters a sound as he walks up the aisle, sword stretched out, pointing accusingly at Baelfire, staring him down with the fiercest glare I have ever seen.

I knew that one day he would come back to me. I knew that he was still alive, making his way across deep oceans and uncharted worlds to be by my side. Somehow, though I had plenty of reason to, I never gave up hope or stopped believing.

And now he's standing in front of me and Baelfire, with his sword pointed at my fiancé's throat. My heart is beating fast and my lips part to scream but before I can utter a sound, let alone breathe, Killian Jones looks me in the eye and says "I told you I'd come back for you." His eyes twinkle and his lips form that familiar cheeky grin I know so well. And I feel myself fall in love with him all over again.

My name is Emma Swan, daughter of Prince Charming and his wife, Snow White, princess of the Enchanted Forest and heir to the kingdom. I am their only child and the product of true love. Everyone knows their story. How Snow's stepmother framed her and declared her an outlaw in her own kingdom. How Charming wasn't the true prince but was taken from his mother's farm of safety and love and thrust into court intrigue. How, despite the odds, fate deemed them to fall in love and how they overcame countless obstacles to become the beloved king and queen they are today.

They fought the Evil Queen, and turned her back to the kind and loving woman she was before grief tore her heart out. Then they defeated King George and took back the kingdom. They were separated, threatened, and tortured. But they always found each other. Their love has survived through thick and thin and nothing or no one can get in their way.

After bringing peace to the kingdoms and prosperity to their subjects, Snow became pregnant with me. While I was not the hoped for son, Charming decreed that the throne could be inherited by the eldest child, boy or girl. Most of the kingdom blessed his decision, and this was how I became the first lady in the land, second only to my mother, and heir to this beautiful kingdom.

My story, however, is not like my mother's. I won't have to fight or kill to attain my birthright. My path to the throne should be bloodless, and peaceful. From the day I was born, it was determined that I would become a reigning queen, as powerful and beloved as my mother. And I would marry whom I choose, not someone my parents chose for me.

The most famous couple in all the land proved that love can conquer all and they wanted to give me the same chance. I don't doubt they would have left me a spinster if Captain Hook hadn't, quite literally, fallen on to my chamber balcony one night.

Despite their best wishes, Charming and Snow were unable to protect me from the journey that would lead me to my destiny. I was, after all, fated to become queen, but what they forgot is that no one ever knows what events will happen to ensure the predicted outcome. Thinking, perhaps, that a sheltered life in the palace with weekly outings to the surrounding villages and occasional state visits to neighboring kingdoms should suffice, I'm sure even they will agree that they might have had a lapse in judgment. Especially regarding that last visit, that horrible affair ended up succeeding in altering my fate.

I am Emma, Princess, daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, and this is my story. It's a tale of love learned and lost; of treachery and hope; of betrayals and redemption. It's my own fairy tale, of how my pirate prince, my one true love, fought the devil himself to stand by my side again.

A/N: Hello! Just a couple notices regarding this particular fanfiction. The plot disregards the third season finale (which was amazing, in my opinion.) Actually, it completely disregards the entire series. Snow and Charming have gone through their trials but they never left their world. The curse wasn't cast successfully. Regina is nice, and living in retirement, but I promise she'll show up here and there to offer some advice. Rumple and Belle are together, but, well…you'll see how their relationship fares in this alternate reality.

So, this idea has been in my head for MONTHS now. I started working on it on my other laptop, before it crashed and died a horrible, pitiful death and I had to start over again. Thankfully, I didn't get too far.

I know I have several other fics going right now, but I can assure you I will update them all eventually. I know it's been quite a few years for some of them. As it is, the last time I posted something on , was almost a year ago. Maybe even over. But I digress. Please don't hurt me. Or at the very least, don't take my hands away. I like my hands. I can't knit, or read, or write without my hands. But you can hurt any other part of me.

Unfortunately chapter updates will be posted rather irregularly. I'm sorry, don't hate me! I work a lot, have just started taking classes again, in addition to all my volunteer work, so I don't have a huge amount of time in between to write. I've started on the first chapter but I would like to at least start on the second chapter before I post the first. I'll do my very absolute best to update as soon as I can but try to keep in mind that I am human and have a horrible time multitasking.

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Okay, till next time!

-alcatluvr13