Chapter 1 Prologue

Few people lived to travel the world and even fewer traveled the realms. The most famous of the even fewer is Captain Emma Swan. Abandoned shortly after birth she was found at the edge of The Enchanted Forest by Widow Lucas and her granddaughter Red. As a child Emma was adventurous, daring, charming, and clever. Granny, Widow Lucas, as well as Red taught her how to use a bow and arrow as well as how to track. Emma excelled at these things even at a young age and she could always find anything she was asked to look for. This however wasn't enough for her and so she learned how to use a sword and in only a years time she could best any knight that wandered into her side of the woods. Still she was not satisfied. She trained every day and learned hand to hand combat. Again by the end of one year she could beat any knight or man that challenged her. Never one to be satisfied with just strength Emma also tried to study. She learned how to read, write, do simple math, and her favorite subject was navigation. Emma was never lost because she always knew where she was. This skill most likely aided in her knack at chess. At first her moves were random because she had yet to get a feel for the game but once she started implementing all of her skills she could use strategy and wit to best anyone at chess. Once again by one year she was a master at chess but even still she was not satisfied and she didn't know why.

At the age of twenty or so she discovered why she was never satisfied, happiness. Nothing she ever did made her truly happy. Emma longed for adventure and to travel to faraway lands. She said her goodbyes to Granny and Red and was off to venture out of The Enchanted Forest. On her travels she met The Dark One who offered a deal she was tempted to take. "You seek adventure and to travel to faraway lands. Make a deal with me and I will give you an enchanted ship that can take you to any realm you choose." "What would you have me give you for this ship?" "All I ask is that you take a friend of mine to another realm, Neverland." "Why can't you do it yourself?" "The ship negates magic and so I would be powerless onboard. With the many enemies I've made I cannot take the risk." Emma knew there must be something more that the man wasn't saying but having a ship, becoming a pirate, it was exactly what she wanted. She could travel the realms and have countless adventures. "Deal." The shook hands and the man gave her a scroll with directions and instructions to follow. She quickly found the ship and read the instructions on the scroll. To claim the ship she must go to the helm and cut both her palms with a dagger. She must then take hold of the helm saying a chant and giving her ship a name. "I am Captain Emma Swan of The Black Stone, pirate of every realm!" A light surrounded her and the ship. Emma felt weird and dizzy then she fell to the ground unconscious.

When Emma woke up she felt different like something inside her had changed. She picked up the scroll and read the final instruction hoping she would be told what happened. When she went to the place the scroll had directed her to The Dark One appeared. "I see you've done all that was necessary. The ship is now yours and you are both bound to each other forever." "What do you mean? What happened to me?!" "You are now immortal. It is the price of owning the ship. You will never die nor age and because of that you can never have a child." "That doesn't seem like a price. What aren't you telling me? Why not just become the owner yourself?" "You will have to follow pirate laws now that you are captain and not all of those laws will be to your liking. As for why I didn't take the ship for myself, becoming captain would make me The Dark One no longer. The ship doesn't allow foreign magic. As I was born without it I can't keep the powers I gained. That is all I will tell you now take him." The Dark One handed her a jar of what looked like dark smoke. "When you get to Neverland open the jar and set him free." "Him?" "Do what I asked. One of those laws is that a deal once made cannot be unbroken but by the one that made it. Go." He handed Emma a compass. "A parting gift. This compass points in the direction of the thing you want most. Use it to find a crew then Neverland. Until next we meet Captain Swan." Before she could reply he was gone.

Emma got a crew and once on the ship she felt it. The ship called out to her. No one could hear it but the captain. The ship told her what to do. She needed to bind these men to her ship and so she did. Some were reluctant at first but they agreed when they were told they would be immortal. She then directed each to their post and set sail. With one hand on the helm and the other on her compass the ship knew where they were headed and started to fly. Everyone on board was surprised except Emma. She knew the ship was capable of flying and so she told her crew, "All hands on deck, we're setting sail! Second star to the right, and straight on till morning!" Her crew was puzzled but did as they were told. Once they arrived in Neverland Emma took the jar to the island and opened it once ashore. A black figure, a shadow, appeared before her then flew off, almost repelled by Emma. Once back on her ship she realized that it was The Black Stone that had repelled the shadow. Magic is negated onboard but this ability can also follow the captain if close enough to the ship. Emma learned the ins and outs of her ship and she learned how to reach different realms not only by flying but by portals that the ship was able to create in certain locations. She could finally have her adventures and she was happy. Sadly this was still not enough to satisfy Captain Emma Swan.

To be continued...