A/N: It took me the absolute longest time to figure out what this plot should be, and I definitely didn't plan on doing multiple chapters until I saw how long this already was. Instead of doing "a Cinderella story" as I originally planned, I decided to take on the world of Tangled, with slight alterations. I love the Captain Swan/Tangled parallels so much, and I was slightly inspired from the Season 4 finale—which is why the title is what it is. I wanted to finish this weekend, but I am seeing Phantom of the Opera tomorrow, so I probably won't. But soon!

1

Once upon a time, the power of darkness was tethered to a person. This person was Ingrid. She had everything she could ever want, and could get anything she ever needed, but she still felt a hole in her heart. She was missing something: love.

Ingrid was not particularly evil. She had been the Dark One as long as she could remember. The power came into her hands as she tried and failed to save her sisters. She'd lived in the darkness since then, and only now was considering a "way out" through the light of love.

And she knew what she had to do. What she wanted to do. Darkness pulled at the strings of her heart, and she let it in.


The Charmings had everything they ever wanted. Snow White and Prince Charming always overcame the impossible. They always found each other. They found a way to defeat the Evil Queen, and were now living joyously. They were expecting a child. Ingrid knew from the many announcements they made to the kingdom, proclaiming their good news as a way of hope for their people.

And it was a way of hope. But not in the way they'd imagined.

Ingrid was going to take the child. Raise her as her own. A child born of True Love would come to love her. There couldn't be a shred of darkness in her. And she would never learn the truth.

When the child was born, they'd had a ceremony and declared her to be "Princess Emma."

Ingrid came during nightfall. The second darkness hit, she harnessed her own dark power to poof herself to Emma's room. She was sleeping preciously in her crib, wrapped in a knitted blanket with "Emma" stitched near the bottom. Unicorns hung above her head and twinkled in the starlight, led in from the window across the room.

A cry was all that was needed. Snow and Charming woke in a dash. But they made it to Emma's room only to see the Dark One, in her devilishly bedazzled black dress, leave the room in a curl of black smoke. With the impossible: Emma crying in her arms.


News had spread to the kingdom by morning, and guards had been searching all night.

Days passed. Months. Years.

Charming smiled at Snow, weakly one night, in their bedroom. His hand cradled her cheek. "We'll find her. As we have always found each other."

Snow smiled, barely mustering a breath. Normally, she was the one who would be giving the hope speech. She kissed his cheek and dragged him to bed by his hand. She mumbled, pulling him to her in bed, "If I had a penny for every time someone gave me the hope speech... Oh wait, I'd still be broke." She kissed him, trying to push her worst nightmares aside.


Emma grew up in a tower, cloaked with invisibility. Ingrid raised her as her own. She taught her to walk and read and eat and sing. She taught Emma everything she knew, and would often go on trips, disguised as a commoner, to pick up books and paint for Emma.

Emma grew up an artist, covering every wall in her room with flowers and castles and knights. Ingrid worried, as Emma was feisty. She wanted to get out and explore the world—that much was evident even from a young age. She wanted to stop the bad guys and participate in the Ogre Wars. She claimed to know when Ingrid was lying. It was her "superpower." Ingrid was stunned, and told her that she knew best: "Mother knows best," she would muffle into her golden hair, brushing the locks away from her face, hoping her worries would disappear with the knots in her hair.


21 years had passed since the Princess of the kingdom had been kidnapped by the Dark One. No one had any ideas on how to get her back. In fact, the kingdom was facing a new problem: an ogre war.

As if the last one had not ended badly enough.

Killian Jones boarded the Jolly Roger, his fellow officers trailing behind him. It would not be long before his Captain and brother, Liam, boarded the ship, fresh with orders from the King.

Killian Jones was handsome. His eyes and smile led directly to his pure heart, and he was respected by everyone aboard the ship, despite having the title of "Lieutenant" rather than "Captain."

When Liam finally arrived on the ship, he spoke in a clear, direct manner: "It is the King's orders that we find the Dark One. Not only would finding the Dark One help us turn the tide of the war, but finding her would also help locate the Lost Princess."

"What exactly do we need from the Dark One?" Killian asked, his eyebrows raising slightly. The Dark One would have the Lost Princess, yes, but help the kingdom win the Ogre War?

"The Dark One's dagger, of course. If we find Ingrid's dagger, we can control her, willing her to use her powers to grant the ogres what they want: a compromise, an exchange. The King wasn't clear on the strategy for after we obtain the dagger, only this: retrieving the dagger could manipulate the ogres into retreat." He looked at his crew. "It is time we go."


Emma was twenty-one. Twenty-one! And she was still living in this wretched tower with her mother Ingrid.

She was still being manipulated.

"Mom, don't you think it's time I get my own place? Maybe somewhere overlooking the ocean? With some rum?" Emma looked at her mother through narrow eyes. She was tired of hearing how the world was a dangerous place. She was tired of hearing that her mother knew best. "Mom."

Ingrid approached her, stopped where she stood in front of Emma. Almost tauntingly.

"Emma, the outside world is a dangerous place." This elicited an eye roll from Emma. Was Ingrid trying to sound like a broken record? "Even more so now that the ogres have declared war. Again."

"I am old enough to do as I please."

This was more than true. The only thing keeping her from running was the respect she had for her mother. As if she hadn't read enough stories of abandonment as a child; who knows how that could hurt her mom. And she loved her, didn't she? Growing up knowing no one else, except the people she met in her books, caused her to doubt her actions. Having no clear map of the world made her feet hesitant. But it also made her want to run. She didn't have Rapunzel's long hair, though it was just as golden—if not more. She unknowingly wore the mark of True Love on her heart, and it was all causing her own misery, her inability to leave, her compassion for Ingrid.

"Emma, enough."

"Do you know how old I am today, Mother? Twenty-one. I am old enough to drink, and I can't even go to a bar to celebrate!"

Ingrid sighed. Her black dress showcased her darkness, and all the while hid it. Emma didn't know she was the Dark One, and Ingrid hoped she never would.

Ingrid looked into Emma's pleading eyes. She had to know she was going to grow up someday, but she still couldn't fathom being alone. She finally had a family, a daughter. And she wasn't going to let anyone take that from her. She sighed. "Okay. I'll go into town, and get some rum for you, if it is what you so want. But it will take three days' time."

She didn't need to ask twice. Soon enough, Emma was helping her pack, making a list of things she wanted from various shops, and was sending her out the door.

"I love you, Mother."

"I love you the most."

They embraced, and Ingrid trailed down the staircase. She didn't think to bring her darkest secret with her. Emma watched her leave from the window, and waved.

When she knew she wouldn't be turning back she thought: Now. How the hell shall I make my escape?