Hello lovely readers, this idea has been floating in my head for the past few weeks. It's been about 3 years now since I've written something, so I thought I'd give it a go again. I intend for this story to be multichapter, and I love to write long chapters too :) This chapter takes place in the Enchanted Forest, but the rest of the chapters will take place in Storybrooke. Just had to set up the story :) It's very much a Captain Swan fic, I just needed to set up Liam and Leia's adventure. So excited, hopefully it'll keep me busy this summer! I appreciate any feedback! Tumblr: escapetoanotherplace

Playlist: Tompkins Square Park by Mumford & Sons, Miracle Mile by Cold War Kids, The Man Who Can't Be Moved by The Script, To Build A Home by The Cinematic Orchestra, Little Do You Know by Alex & Sierra

It was a normal start to a day in the Enchanted Forest. The castle guards were switching post rotations, the kitchens were busy preparing meals for the day, and kingdom was alive and well.

Her royal highness Princess Leia of Misthaven—just Leia, as she corrected anyone who would call her otherwise—was trying to sleep late into the day, as she liked to do most weekends when her older brother Liam and their pirate father weren't sword fighting out in the gardens. She buried herself further under her pillows in an attempt to block out the clanking of swords and banter between father and son.

Liam was turning 18 in a month, and as an official adult, he would begin to learn the responsibilities it took to run a kingdom. Leia happily took pleasure in the fact that her time was a long 2 years away. While her brother spent hours a day learning the various methods of combat and battle strategy, she wandered the castle and focused on practicing her magic. After years of convincing, Leia finally convinced her parents to let Regina train her in magic. Like her mother, Leia also had light magic. But beyond protecting those she loved when necessary, her mother had no interest in pursuing the extents of witchcraft.

Leia found it fascinating. She could poof herself dessert in the middle of the night or turn Liam's hair blue when he would tease her. Liam also had magic, though he wasn't as passionate about pursuing it. He knew the basics, whatever his mother taught him enough to control it. He could at least fix his hair back to its natural blonde. It was Leia who wanted to learn all bounds of her light magic so she could control it. She grew up hearing of the stories her parents told of those who craved power, like Rumplestiltskin, Zelena, Pan, all who used magic to harm instead of help. Though she had a tough exterior, Leia was determined to be anything but power hungry.

She kept to herself mostly, not making friends easily mainly because her interests didn't match up to the other girls in the castle and villages. They were interested in the lace of their skirts and the dreamy princes at the next ball. Leia, on the other hand, swore like a sailor and wore riding clothes daily. She didn't care what others thought and she was okay with that. She would rather find friendship in her family, listening to her father's stories of his pirating days or shooting targets with her grandmother. It was Henry who told the best stories, though. He was 32 now, a grown man who found a passion in storytelling throughout the realms as he embraced his role as the Author. He and his longtime girlfriend Grace ventured throughout the lands, learning of other worlds and recording them in the storybooks he gave to his family. As they were growing up, Liam and Leia fell asleep listening to his stories, and these stories helped them feel connected to their older brother when he was away.

Leia loved her family, but this sword fighting on Sunday mornings were getting to be a bit much.

"You're losing your touch, old man!" she heard Liam shout outside. Finally giving up any chance at sleep, she got out of bed and dressed for a fight. Holding her head high, she grabbed her sword by her door and headed for the gardens. The sight in front of her was one out of a story. Her father and Liam clanking swords and twirling about the gardens, drenched in their sweat under the scorching sun.

"Good form!" her father praised his son before quickly disarming Liam, "but alas, not good enough!"

"Oh shut up dad," Liam rolled his eyes at his father's smirk.

"Pirate!" Killian teased, returning Liam's sword.

Leia walked up to her father and brother, "You two are so damn loud!"

"Ah, she's alive!" Liam teased at his baby sister, entrapping her in a big bear hug until she squirmed her way out.

"Bugger off Liam, you smell like arse! And it's too early in the day for your jokes," turning to her father for some support.

"Leia it's twelve-thirty in the afternoon," Liam recanted.

"And your point is…"

Pulling her into a hug, Killian kissed his daughter on her forehead, "Good afternoon, little duck. Sorry we woke you from your beauty sleep."

Elbowing him lightly, she shook him off, "You two suck. As a matter of fact, I was up late last night practicing this new spell Regina taught me."

"What is she teaching you? I do hope you're being careful, love," her father's tone suddenly protective. As much as he knew how much magic meant to her, he couldn't help but worry that something awful could go wrong if she wasn't careful. She was very much like him, prone to a high temper and lashing out when she was upset. It scared him that something might happen to his not so little girl.

Leia was tough—it was in her blood, after all. But her father of all people knew she had the kindest heart. Even as a baby, she wouldn't even harm a bug. He knew she wanted to learn magic so she could do her part and protect her family. Too many forces, vial villains, and monsters had threatened their family in the past, and it was important to all of them to be able to protect themselves.

"Oooh have you finally upgraded to poofing yourself pizza instead of cake?" Liam joked. Taking in the not so amused expression on her face, he backed away from his very annoyed little sister who began to charge at him.

"Leia stop hitting your brother and pick up your sword," Killian suggested. "What do you say to a duel with your old man?"

"You think you can beat me, pirate?" Leia was up for the challenge. She, Liam, and Killian spent the rest of the afternoon dueling in the gardens. Though she wasn't as good as her brother, she could still hold up a fight. She had a fire in her that was determined to win at any cost. She was so much like her mother in that way.

After finishing up with some of her princess duties with her own father, Emma searched about the castle for her husband and children. She was surprised to find Leia out of bed before three in the afternoon. Through her window, which overlooked the east gardens, Emma smiled at the sight before her. Killian attempted to fight off his two children as they backed him into a corner. She quickly ran out to the gardens hoping to catch the last of the fight.

It was hard to believe that her kids were all grown up. The years passed by so quickly, and she wished it would all just stop. She missed the days where her blonde haired blue-eyed baby boy ran to her when she returned from a long day at work. She wished for the days Leia would let her comb through her ravenous dark hair before bed. It was amazing to look at them now and see how beautiful they had grown up to be. Not just in physical beauty, but in the good and caring people that they were, too. Snow and Charming swore that Leia took after her. Besides the hair, her green eyes, high cheekbones, and long legs were just like her own. Liam was the spitting image of his father, besides the blond of his hair of course. Whenever Killian was away on the Jolly Roger on official business for the kingdom, she was reminded of him through Liam's bright blue eyes and unruly mess of hair. And of course, both of her kids' accents. Somehow, growing up they both developed their father's old English accent. She loved that about her family, that there were pieces of themselves in each other somehow. Looking at one of them was looking at all of them.

"I hope you'll return your father back to me in one piece, kids!" Emma teased from afar. Liam and Leia had backed him into a corner, finally disarming the infamous Captain Hook.

"HA! You've lost!" Leia grinned triumphantly. "See Mom, we finally beat dear old dad!"

"You and I should work together more often, little sister!" Liam added.

"Younger sister. And if it means we can skip school and go sailing tomorrow, I'm game!" Leia didn't like being called little sister. Killian laughed to himself at how much Liam reminded of him of his late brother. Killian's older brother and the man his son was named after would call Killian "little brother," much to his dislike.

Turning to her husband, Emma was confused, "What is this about skipping school and going sailing?"

"Dad said if we beat him we could get out of school early tomorrow and he'd take us out on the Jolly," Liam filled his mother in even though he knew she would probably get mad at them.

"Killian! Your son is about a month away from leaving school as it is to learn the lay of the land. And your daughter is already failing half her classes!" Emma chastised her family, though she knew they would all rally against her and get their way regardless.

Killian hesitated, knowing the next thing he said to his wife could lead to him being in big trouble, "I love you?"

Emma couldn't help but laugh, "There's no winning with you guys. Take me with you tomorrow and you're off the hook. No pun intended."

They all walked back to the castle, stomachs rumbling and exhausted after such a workout. As her mother wrapped her arm around her shoulder, Leia added defensively, "I'm only failing one class by the way! Math is just so useless here in the Enchanted Forest…It's not my fault."

You will fall at your own undoing.

It was a prophecy that came to him in a dream, and has haunted his thoughts for years now. Rumplestiltskin watched the disgustingly happy family through his crystal ball. Although he was no longer the Dark One, there was still magic in his castle and he'd been trying to learn again. When everyone was transported back to the Enchanted Forest twenty years ago, no one, not even he knew why or how. They remembered their lives in Storybrooke, remembered that Emma Swan had become the Dark One, and then through True Love's Kiss with her one-handed pirate, her curse was broken and the darkness was transformed into something Merlin could contain again. The darkness did not have to be tethered to a human soul, but it still existed, and it was threatening enough that it still needed to be stopped. Rumple didn't know any of this of course, only what Belle and the others had told him. The Apprentice froze him in an attempt to save his life and preserve what potential for goodness he had left.

After the True Love's Kiss, everyone's memories went hazy. No one could recall what happened to the darkness exactly or how they landed back into the Enchanted Forest. Some thought the kiss between Emma and Killian was so strong it broke the curse of Storybrooke itself and sent everyone back. Others thought it was the ending of the darkness. As years passed, no one really cared anymore. It was time for the curses and evil revenge plans to stop. Storybrooke didn't exist anymore, it was always the Enchanted Forest for them and it was time they accept it. Everyone was born here and could return. Henry was allowed in the Enchanted Forest now that he had become the Author, a title and job that required traveling through realms and worlds. Storybrooke was but a mere memory now.

You will fall at your own undoing.

Rumple wanted desperately to become the Dark One again. As much as he tried, this life with Belle and their new son could not fill the craving in his soul that he knew only magic and the darkness could fill. He was becoming old, and death creeped around at every corner. This prophecy had spiraled him back into his old ways, making him desperate to find the magic of the Dark One that would return his power.

It had become clear now that his only way was through the young princess. Her light magic was strong enough to allow time travel, and she was young enough that she could be manipulated. If he played his cards right, he would pop the idea of time travel in her head at the next royal dinner. For the last twenty years, Rumple had worked hard to gain the trust and support of the heroes. His heart was clear of the darkness and he was granted a second chance. He was a father again and everyone hoped this time would be different for him. Alas, it was not. But they didn't know that. And they didn't need to, not yet at least.

"Mom, I really don't want to wear this dress to dinner tonight," Leia fidgeted uncomfortably in her corset. "Even you can't possibly want to be this uncomfortable!"

"You know I'd rather be in breaches and boots but your grandparents insist on formal wear. Apparently we're having guests from other kingdoms or something," Emma finished tying the corset strings as loose as she possibly could, trying to save her daughter from the suffocating torture of corsets.

Leia watched her as Emma began to work on her hair. On these rare occasions, she conceded to allowing her mother help her get ready. She looked at her mother through the mirror, admiring her natural beauty. She was wearing a long red gown that flowed with every movement and her long blonde hair flowed down her back. Although Leia knew of her mother's difficult upbringing, somehow this royal life of duty to her people seemed so natural for her. She worried that she would never fit in, wouldn't be good enough to rule her people when the day came.

"Mom, what if I don't want to rule one day. What if I don't want any of this?" she asked hesitantly, gesturing at the grandeur that surrounded her.

Emma furrowed her brows, "What do you mean, kid? You love this kingdom."

"I know, of course I do. I just don't think I fit in to this lifestyle. To the properness and ladylike requirements it takes. You and Liam and Dad and Henry are naturals at this stuff. You all have a place here. Henry's off being the Author, Dad is head of the royal navy, and you help Grandma and Grandpa with ruling the kingdom, and Liam's in line for the throne. Here I am, practicing magic and dressing up because I have to."

Emma's heart ached, desperately wanting to comfort her child. She wanted to tell her that she had felt exactly that way once. She too didn't believe she had a place in this fairytale life. But knowing her daughter, her belief would only stem from proof. So Emma lifted the long skirt of her red gown to show a scar on her left calf, "See this? Years ago, before even Liam was born, it was our first royal ball since being back in the Enchanted Forest. I tripped in my gown down the cobblestone stairway after freaking out just like you are now. Dr. Whale said it took ten stitches."

"Why didn't you just use magic to heal it?" Leia was curious.

"Somehow, everything was just too chaotic at the time. I wasn't sure about a lot of things, if I could make a life here work. I'd just gotten used to Storybrooke being my home and this was just a big change. I know it's weird, but somehow I preferred plain old medicine and stitches to magic at the time. It was comforting I guess," Emma smiled at her scar. "I kind of look at it now like a reminder, a tattoo almost. Who I was to who I wanted to be. Who I chose to be."

"You never told me that before," Leia felt better after hearing her mother's story. She wasn't alone in how she felt.

"Leia, you have all time time in the world to decide what you want to do. You don't have to rule if you don't want to. Henry isn't, your father isn't. All your father and I ever wanted for you and your brothers is to do what you love, be with who you love. Okay?"

Leia wiped away a fallen tear, taking in her mother's words, "Okay. I love you, Mom."

"I love you, kid. So much," taking her daughter's hands, Emma pulled her out of the seat to look at her beautiful child. "Look at you, you're beautiful. Black is undoubtedly your color."

Leia was wearing a black sleeveless dress with a low enough neckline that she hoped her father would not berate her for later. The satin of her dress flowed smoothly down her lean figure. Leia always chose to go for dark eyes at these types of events, and it complemented her look. Emma thought her look was very Evil Queen inspired.

Dinner proceeded slowly, but when it was finally time for the adults to move into the study for drinks and cigars, Leia dashed out itching to get this dress off and into something more comfortable. On her way out, she ran into Rumplestiltskin. She'd heard stories of his Dark One days, of how he abandoned Henry's birthfather, of how he allowed the darkness to consume him to the point where her mother had to become the next Dark One. Leia did not like Rumplestiltskin, but she was polite for the sake of her family.

"Leia my dear, don't you look lovely," Rumple said. "Running off to practice more magic are we?"

"Uh, not really, just wanna ditch these clothes," Leia said trying to get out of the very awkward conversation she found herself in.

"You know your mother felt the same way, I'm sure, when she was at her first royal ball. Back when she and your father time traveled," he emphasized the last words enough that he caught her attention.

"But time travel isn't possible anymore," Leia retorted. What she wouldn't give for a portal to take her out of this conversation.

"But it might be." Rumple reached into his jacket pocket and wielded a wand. "This is a wand I came to possess, legend says it can take a person through time if one has enough magic to navigate it."

Leia was curious now, for this wand reminded her of the story her parents told her when they tried to return back to Storybrooke when they traveled through time. Her hand unknowingly reached for it, but Rumple snatched it away quickly. "Nah ah, dearie. I thought you didn't believe in time travel magic?"

"I don't. It just looks familiar that's all," she felt shy all of a sudden, like she was a little girl being chastised by and elder for her behavior.

"Here's what, I'll let you keep it for a day or two. See if legend's all it's cracked up to be, eh?" Rumple held out the wand in his hand and offered it to her.

Leia was no fool, she knew his reputation, "What's your price?"

"No price, not today. Just your…research into it. You could be a great sorceress one day, Leia," he mused. He was close, he could tell his deliberate reluctance to hand over the wand had sparked her interest.

Hesitating a bit longer, Leia couldn't deny that she was curious. Maybe she could discover something different about, or at least ask her parents about it tomorrow when they went sailing. She took the wand from Rumplestiltskin's hand, "Deal."

Killian and Emma were tired after the dinner. Both had joined the King and Queen for the after dinner festivities in the study room with their son after setting Leia free. Killian was trying his best to be involved in the conversation, but today's sword fighting with his children had worn him out. As much as he hated to admit, he was getting old. Emma caught onto her boys dozing off, and suggested to her parents that they head to bed. Sending Liam off, Killian offered his arm to his wife as they made their way to their room at the other end of the castle.

Emma rested her head on his shoulder the whole way to their bedroom. It was quiet moments like these that she treasured. They had lost and found each other too many times to take these for granted. Twenty something years later and he still made her heart race. They were the same as they'd always been, yet completely different. Killian's hair had begun to gray, as did her own. There were lines in each of their faces and they grew tired earlier on in the day. But he was still her devilishly handsome pirate, innuendos and all. And they were happier than ever. He still looked at her and wondered how he got so lucky. This life that he had, it was more than he dreamed was even possible.

"Leia told me something today, when we were getting ready," Emma admitted.

"Hmm? What was it?" Killian looked at her curiously.

"She was scared. She said she wasn't sure where her place was here in the kingdom. She doesn't think she wants to rule."

Killian chuckled lightly, "Reminds me of someone."

"That's what I told her!" Emma laughed too, "I had to show her my scar just to make her believe."

"I forgot about that, has it really been twenty years," years used to pass like it was nothing for him. Probably because for much of his three hundred something years, time had stood still. But even when it didn't, there was little to live for. Time was not significant for him, but now, it seemed the most important.

"We're getting old," Emma sighed into his blue, blue eyes.

"Getting old together, though," Killian added, turning his wife to face him as they approached their bedroom. He looked down at his love, who was smiling up at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you. I'm in love with you, Killian Jones. It's nice after all this time," Emma looked up at the man in front of her. The love of her life, her true love, her soulmate.

"After everything, in all this time," he said softly before pressing his lips to hers. Their kiss was slow, loving, passionate. "I love you, Swan."

Arms still wrapped around his neck, Emma backed up into their room as his hand fumbled with the doorknob. She whispered between kisses, "It's Jones, you know."

"Aye," he kissed her neck. "But you," his mouth trailed at her ear, "will always," he kissed her jaw, "be Swan," he teased the edge of her lips, "to me." Taking her face in his hand, he finally kissed her lips. He kissed her like she was the world, and he loved her like she was his world.

Liam was exhausted after the dinner. His grandfather had asked him to join the rest of the guests in the study to talk business and politics. He had gladly accepted, but quickly began to doze off in his seat. He blamed the early morning training session with his father, however fun it may have been. He skirted off to his room, stopping by his baby sister's room to say goodnight as he always did.

Liam and Leia fought daily, teased each other incessantly. But at the end of the day, they were the best of friends. Liam trusted his sister the most to guide him when he was lost, as she did the same. She was honest with her thoughts and never spared him the truth. Being royalty and having the family reputation that they did was not always the best when it came to friendships and trust. And he trusted his sister the most. He was also incredibly protective of her. As she'd grown up, many of his friends had taken a liking to her. She was beautiful, no doubt. But he, much like their father, did not like the idea of her dating. Especially not scumbags who only wanted in her pants. He never wished to see her in pain, and swore to protect her from it as best he could.

He knocked their special knock (three alternate taps on opposite sides of her door), before entering. He left his dinner jacket on her chair by the vanity and belly flopped onto her bed without paying much attention to what she was up to.

"How was the post-dinner-politcs-party with the King and his guests?" Leia laughed at her brother's apparent exhaustion. All she got in response was a long whine followed by a dramatic sigh.

"This is the life you're signing up for, dear brother," she teased, tickling him in the side until he was laughing and gasping for air. He propped himself up on one arm and observed the mess that was on her bed. There were spell books and grimoires everywhere, and she as holding an old pointy stick.

"What the bloody hell is that?" he asked curiously, taking the wand from her hand to observe it.

"Be careful! It's an old wand, don't break it Liam!" she snatched it back defensively, continuing to practice her hand motions.

"Where'd you get it?" Liam knew she wasn't telling him everything, she had that look on her face that she was clearly avoiding looking him in the eye. "Spill it."

Leia rolled her eyes, knowing she wouldn't be able to get out of telling him the truth, "Rumplestiltskin. He gave it to me after dinner, said I could do some research into it for a few days."

Liam got up now and began pacing her room, "Rumplestiltskin. And what did this creep want you to research huh?

"Time travel," Leia muttered.

"Time travel."

"Yes, okay? Time travel. I know it's not possible anymore. Stop berating me, I know what I'm doing!" Leia was tired of this. She was just researching, it was harmless.

"Leia, he is a madman. You know his reputation. Stay away from him!" Liam took the wand from her again, surveying it closely. It looked so familiar to him, like he'd seen it in a picture. "Why does this look so familiar?"

"I think it was the one Mom and Dad used when they were going back to Storybrooke," Leia admitted. She retrieved the original storybook that was once Henry's. He'd given it to her to keep when he left the first time for his adventures abroad. She flipped through the pages, to the story of her parents' time travel. The wand appeared to be a match.

"It's real then, time travel is possible?" Liam was now as interested as Leia had been.

"I guess so," Leia picked up another book on her bed. "According to this, it can do a bunch of other neat stuff too. But only a really powerful sorcerer can wield enough magic to even do the simplest of things."

"Mom used it," Liam didn't understand. Their mother was insistent on keeping her magic usage to a minimum after being back in the Enchanted Forest. She accepted it, used it regularly, but only for menial tasks or when people needed saving. She didn't practice it like Regina or Leia was now.

"Mom has light magic, the most purest of all magic," Leia had an idea now.

"We have light magic," Liam caught onto what she was thinking. "Both of us do."

"We can…time travel?" Leia whispered.

"We can't risk it," and suddenly Liam the older brother, the noble son, the follow-the-rules-debby-downer was back. He snatched the wand from Leia's hand, but she snatched it back quickly.

"Liam, calm down," Leia tried to reason with him. "I was going to tell Mom and Dad tomorrow when we're sailing anyways."

He took the wand back, "Leia this is serious stuff. Mom and Dad only let you practice magic under Regina's care. This is way to intense for even the Not So Evil Queen!"

Leia grabbed onto the wand, but Liam's grip was firm, "Let go! Trust me Liam!"

"No! Leia, listen to me. This is not going to end well," Liam tried to reason with her. They were both fighting for the wand, and both hoped the other would let go so it wouldn't break. Instead, something else happened, a light escaped from the hands of both children. A bright white light that had both Liam and Leia wide eyed and scared. Immediately they dropped the wand, but it was too late. The light emitted from the wand was enough to open a portal through the floor of Leia's bedroom, taking both Liam and herself with it.