SUMMARY: In a world where the Evil Queen doesn't want to kill Snow White, but wants to make her miserable for eternity, the Queen takes her heart to use her as a weapon in the kingdom while placing Charming under a sleeping curse that she doesn't allow Snow to break. Que Emma, the Savior with no memories of her parents, sent away so she would be able to restore all the happy endings after her 25th birthday. She sets out to find parents she can't remember and restore the happy endings that she believes were just myths, with the Dark One and the Evil Queen out for her blood as they search for the girl with the swan birth mark. Along the way she encounters a certain pirate captain that will stop at nothing to get revenge, that is until a certain blonde heroin changes his mind.
Prologue
"The Evil Queen shall prevail," the Seer said, holding out her hands containing soul-piercing blue eyes. Prince Charming held Snow as she let out a muffled sob, her hand reaching up to cover her mouth in horror. "However…" the Seer was interrupted by the rumbling of dark magic as the Evil Queen began her siege on the palace.
"Mommy I'm scared," a five year old Emma Charming whimpered as the rocks began to fall from the crumbling ceiling. She latched onto her mother's legs and shut her eyes, wishing with all her might that her step grandmother wasn't so evil. "Shhh sweetie it'll be alright," Snow soothed as she ran her free hand down the blonde beauty's soft hair. Her other hand gripped Charming's as he turned to the Seer and demanded, "However what?!"
"There is one who can defeat the Evil Queen and return everyone's rightful happy endings," the Seer raised her voice to be heard over the crumbling castle and shouting black knights.
"Charming we don't have much time," Snow turned and whispered to her husband as the presence of dark magic grew stronger. "WHO?! Who can defeat her?!" Charming yelled in a desperate plea for help, "PLEASE tell us. We'll do anything!"
"A Savoir will defeat the Queen, in time. This Savior will be the product of true love. Your very own daughter possesses the light magic needed to vanquish the Queen and restore happiness to all the realms."
Charming and Snow looked at each other in panic. "But how will she do that?!" Snow asked, squeezing Emma in a tight embrace. "She's but a child!" Charming yelled above the chaos, fear lacing his words. Emma was crying now, the situation becoming too much for her to bear.
"The power inside of her is great but she will not be able to complete this quest until she becomes of magical maturity," the Seer continued. "When the sun rises on her 25th birthday her life's mission will begin and she will be capable of restoring all that was taken from her and her kingdom."
"So you're saying that my daughter is a SAVIOR?" Snow asked incredulously, squeezing Emma and Charming even tighter as she heard the Evil Queen yelling demands.
The Seer nodded in confirmation as Charming asked, "Well how will she accomplish this if the Queen plans to kill her and ruin our happiness?"
"Her quest will not be easy," the Seer explained, "The Queen will want her dead." Snow let out another sob. "However, if you are willing to sacrifice, I will send her to Sherwood Forest, a land a mere two weeks sea voyage from here. There she shall mature and grow into a woman capable of the task at hand."
Snow and Charming looked at each other, pain filling their eyes. Tears formed in Snow's eyes as Charming nodded his acceptance of this plan. "Is this the only way?" Snow whispered as she lovingly stroked her only child's hair.
The Seer nodded. "Then we will give our family its best chance and do it," Snow said, confidence radiating from her.
"I must warn you however," the Seer began, "that the Dark One will also be searching for her. The power that Emma possesses is great, and for this reason she shall have no memories of her past life once she reaches Sherwood Forest. The knowledge of who she is will only serve as a danger to her and to you as well. Losing her memories will be for her good and for the good of those in this kingdom."
"But how will she know how to find us?! Or what to do?! Or even that she possesses magic!?" Snow asked in a rushed panic.
"For that reason, I have elected a young boy to accompany her on this journey. He shall have his memories and know of the task that the Savior is to complete. However, he shall not utter a single word of this to a single soul until the eve of Emma's 25th birthday."
"And who might this young man be?" Charming asked equal parts furious and fearful.
"His name is….Pinocchio," the Seer said, "He shall be there to welcome Emma into the Sherwood Forest. He will protect her, and watch over her until she becomes of age. While he is with her he will be known as August"
"FIND ME SNOW WHITE!" the Queen's rage filled scream could be heard through the solid oak doors concealing the royal family from the siege at hand.
"Emma and I must go now," the Seer said, lifting the hood of her cloak over her head. "If the Evil Queen catches us, all will be lost."
"But how can we be sure that this August will really take care of our daughter?" Charming asked.
"Faith," was the Seer's simple answer. "Now say your goodbyes. We do not have much time."
"Emma. Mommy and Daddy love you very much," Snow said tears falling down her cheeks. Emma nodded and squeezed her mother in a tight embrace.
"We'll find each other," Charming whispered in his daughter's ear. "We always find each other." He pulled his daughter into one last embrace, his hand cradling her head.
Emma wiped her eyes and willed herself to be strong as she took the Seer's seeing hand. "Survive for 25 years and all will be returned to you," the Seer said as she and Emma disappeared in a puff of white smoke.
Snow collapsed to her knees, sobbing as Charming held her. "We'll see her again Snow," he whispered in an attempt to soothe his wife.
As the oak doors flew open, Charming stood and unsheathed his sword, protecting his wife his only goal. The Evil Queen glided through the doors laughing in evil delight as she spotted Snow White and her husband.
"Oh please don't pretend to be a hero," she said, waving her hand to summon a rush of magic that knocked the sword from Charming's hand. "I quite honestly find your attempts at stopping me rather pathetic."
Charming held onto Snow as the Queen slowly stalked towards them. "Now. Where is that little brat of yours?" She asked, glancing around in an attempt to spot Emma. "Word around the kingdom is that she will be my undoing. Of course you'll understand that this means I am going to kill her."
Snow broke free of Charming's hold and marched up to the Queen, "She's not here and you will NEVER find her," Snow said defiantly, her face now a few inches from the Queen's. Hatred and a glint of fear ran through Regina's eyes at the confidence in Snow's voice.
The Queen began to laugh humorlessly. "Well then. That puts a little damper on my plan. But make no mistake Snow White," She spat, "I WILL find your little brat and when I do, I will tear her heart out and CRUSH it before your very eyes."
With that, Regina plunged her hand into Snow White's chest. Snow gasped in pain as the Queen's cold hands latched around her heart and yanked it forcefully from her chest.
"SNOW!" Charming yelled, running for his wife.
"Ah ah ah," the Queen said, waving her free hand and freezing the Prince where he stood. "Let's say we get rid of your annoying husband Snow."
Fear flashed through Snow's eyes, but she was incapable of doing anything as long as Regina held her heart.
With a wave of her hand the Evil Queen procured a long sharp needle and handed it to Snow White. Holding Snow's heart to her lips, the Queen said, "Now Snow I want you to prick your husband's index finger with this needle and watch as he is overtaken by a sleeping curse that he will NEVER wake from because you will NEVER kiss him AGAIN."
A tear rolled down Snow's cheek as she turned from Regina and walked towards her true love. With an apology written in her eyes she grabbed Charming's hand. Charming, although still frozen by Regina's magic, smiled lovingly at his wife. He memorized her face for the last time, and as Snow pricked his finger, he fell into darkness.
The Queen laughed in delight as the tears began to flow freely from Snow White's eyes.
"Now Snow, you will feel what it is like to lose your happy ending. FOREVER," she snarled. With Snow's heart in her hands she turned to her guards. "FIND THE ROYAL BRAT AND BRING HER TO ME ALIVE!" she yelled, "OR I WILL CRUSH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR HEARTS!" The guards immediately scattered.
"You Johnson!" She pointed at the nearest guard. "Grab Prince Pathetic, take him to my castle, and display him somewhere where Snow White will be able to see him but not touch him for the rest of eternity."
The guard quickly bent and hefted the sleeping Charming over his shoulder and exited the room.
"And that's how you ruin a happy ending," the Queen said her blood red lips curling in an evil smile. Her delighted laughter rang throughout the room as Snow White stood, unable to do anything of her own free will.
"Now Snow, come with me. We have a kingdom to conquer as my new servant, I have many tasks for you," the Queen said as she placed Snow's heart in a jewel incrusted case. "This will be the most wonderful revenge I have EVER enacted," the Queen said as she glided from the room.
And Snow White had no choice but to follow, her only solace resting in the fact that in 25 years, her precious daughter would come and save them all.