Our tale began in Misthaven, or as some more often know it, The Enchanted Forest. Queen Snow had just given birth to a healthy, beautiful little lass. Weighing in at 8 lbs and 12 oz. The King and Queen had long since picked out a name for their princess.
After visiting with The Dark One, Rumplestiltskin, for counsel about the kingdom's latest threat from Cora Mills. She threatened that a dark curse would be cast upon the land, and everyone swept away with it. Would lose all their memories forced to forget everything, and everyone they've ever known and loved. All in a land without magic.
Three years after the birth of Princess Emma Leia Swan, the good people of Misthaven had long forgotten the seriousness of the upcoming threat, thinking that Cora Mills died before she was able to cast the curse. They were going about their daily chores and tasks as if they were in no danger. That is, until one of the castle guards noticed huge clouds of red sparkling fog up the mountains, while hastily seeping further into the land inch by inch. As soon as the dwarf noticed he rang the first signal bell to notify his brothers that the curse had come. Soon after the first bell rang the remaining bells began to chime in.
Meanwhile, the King and Queen were still in bed, when their eldest son August, came bursting through the door, startling his mother and father to death. Out of breath, the prince quickly informed his parents that the curse is upon them and that they should dress Emma and get her to the wardrobe quickly. Sparing no time at all as soon as Emma was dressed. August Xavier Charming conjured up a small pouch, and stuffed it with some clothes for Emma to wear in this new land, then poofed himself and his family down to where the wardrobe was hidden.
August let his parents have their moment to say goodbye to Emma, and when they were done saying goodbye they placed Emma inside his arms. They opened the wardrobe for him, and he proceeded to step through the wardrobe's doors.
Once the wardrobe closed, and August and Emma's parents were out of sight, a cloud of white smoke exploded creating an opening from inside an old oak tree. As soon as the smoke cleared august cautiously stepped out carefully cradling his baby sister. August looked around trying to figure out where exactly they were, but there weren't any notable signs around. With Emma's satchel around his neck and Emma safely in his arms, August ventured further out of the forest until he came upon a paved black road.
Cautiously, August put one foot on the black concrete to see if it was safe to step on. Once he deemed it safe enough to walk on, he walked and walked until he came upon a building with the word "restaurant" on the front. August entered the building carefully in case any of the queen's minions were near. Once he knew the coast was clear, he walked up to the nearest adult, and asked them for food and drink for himself and Emma. Once they were both fed, the adult took August and Emma to the nearest social services location to get them better help.
~ 28 years later~
Emma and August Swan were separated once or twice in the foster system. August tried his best to protect Emma, still uncertain whether or not the evil queen was in Boston or not lurking, waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce. August later developed a gambling habit, and Emma was framed for the theft her ex boyfriend Neal committed. Not only that, but she found out she was pregnant with his child whilst serving her sentence at the ripe age of 18. Emma would give birth to a bouncing baby boy that she couldn't bare to look at or hold before putting him up for adoption. Not in spite of Neal, but because she couldn't provide for him the way she wanted to. So, on that day, she lost part of herself, and built up her already sturdy walls of protection.
On Emma's 28th, birthday she made a wish. A wish to be reunited with her true family. Not the people who took her in for money, or the people who abused her. To be with her real mom, dad, brother August, and find the son she gave away. As Emma blew out the candle on her cupcake, she heard the doorbell ring, and went to see who was at the door so late in the evening.
When Emma opened the door, she was greeted by a little boy with hazel brown eyes, and short brown hair. Emma got a sudden chill in her spine, feeling that she had some sort of connection with this child, though she wasn't quite sure what it was.
"Can I help you?" Emma asks the boy in front of her.
"Are you Emma Swan?"
"It depends. Who's asking?"
The boy just smiles at her, with a twinkle in his eye as he says, "I'm Henry Mills, your son."
And that's how it all started. How Emma was reunited with her son leading up to her meeting Henry's adoptive mother Regina. And this is truly where our story begins.