AN: I love feedback and am always looking to improve. I don't have a beta so all mistakes are mine. Hope you enjoy.
Her lungs burned with exhaustion from running day and night. Only slowing enough to eat and hydrate. She has been at it for days; from the moment she lost her son. Confusion was all she knew to really feel with the turn of events. Why was she put in this place, in this situation? She told herself that it didn't matter. Her parents may have left her, her adoptive parents died on her, but she would not leave her son to live a similar fate. When he was born she felt something inside her change. He seemed to fill an empty place in her heart. His eyes had a glimmer of something she hasn't seen before. She had found a home in a world full of loneliness. Her legs began to hurt from constant use so she slowed as she came into a clearing. It was a place filled with beauty. The wilderness was lush, filled with different colored flowers, and the greens seemed unreal. The sky shone bright above her and in the middle of the clearing there was a bright blue lake that had a beautiful waterfall. As she took the time to take in her surroundings she felt like she had disturbed something. When she glanced down at herself she felt disgusting. Her clothes were filled with dirt and grime from days of travel. Not even taking the time to shed her cloths she jumped into the lake. She just needed to cool off and clean up enough to move on.
She was told that the witch was in these woods somewhere. Emma needed to find this elusive woman. The witch was the only one who could tell Emma where to go. She could guide Emma into the direction of her son. Just a week ago she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. She held him in her arms after what seemed like days of labor. She had him close to her. Giving him a kiss on his head she felt light again. Then out of nowhere he just disappeared. The smoke was a deep purple and it smelled like fresh apples, cinnamon, with a bit of something wild. Emma's eyes went big as her arms fell, she looked to the other women in the room. The midwives' faces went white and they both started praying to whatever God they thought would protect them. The midwives calming down took a seat next to Emma on the bed. Both knowing in a small way what had happened. The older of the two who lived through the time of the Dark Queen and White Queen took a deep breath and tried to explain.
"The smoke that we witnessed and the smell it left behind is only heard of in stories. Long ago there was a Kingdom that was split. One side following the Evil Queen and the other following the Snow Princess. The King married the silent Queen when she was of age to make sure his dear Snow had a mother. The Queen was never really noticed. She was so young but her beauty brought many a King to stare. As the young Snow grew the Queen became bitter. She didn't want to raise the child and she hated the King. Though the King was kind to his people he was not very kind to his wife. He treated her more than a prize and pushed her off towards his daughter. It is said that the Queen hired someone to kill the King. He was found in bed one morning with snake bites on his body. The Queen claimed it to be the daughter wanting to take the throne. Snow became a wanted woman from that moment. For years the two fought over who should rule. Finally the Princess won back her throne and the Queen retreated into her castle. The news of a new Princess was sent out into the Kingdoms letting the people know of the new addition to Snow's family. A few months after the news of the pregnancy there was news of the Evil Queen wanting to make a truce with the White Queen.
It was during this meeting that people realized why the Queen hid away in her castle. She had married and was happily living with her husband Daniel. The two Queens discussed things and though they both wanted a truce old habits die hard. They began to argue and out of the blue the Evil Queen's husband attacked the guards. Daniel killed guards from both sides. He was killed and the Evil Queen disappeared. No one has heard from her since."
Emma let confusion show on her face. She had more questions than answers at this point. "What happened to Queen Snow and her family? Why did I need to know this?" The midwives looked from her to one another and back again. The older one answered, "There was another curse laid on all of them and they disappeared. You need to know this because the Evil Queen is the only one who's magic leaves that scent behind." Emma went white, "How do I find a ghost?" The older one looked to the young midwife again then back to the distraught mother, "You must go into the forest. Deep within them there is another witch. She is older than most and knows more about spells than anyone here. She will be able to tell you where to look. She will know how to find a ghost. First though you must rest. Giving birth is not an easy thing to do." The old woman picked up a cup of tea and helped Emma drink the brew. Before Emma knew it she was seeing black as sleep took her.
Emma shook her head of the memory and swam towards the falls. As she closed in on the cascading water she noticed a gleam of some sort behind the fall. She moved behind the fall finding an isolated cave. She looked around her and there appeared to be no one there. Taking a breath she walked into the darkened opening. As she walked deeper and deeper into the cavern she could feel her body begin to tingle. Something seemed to be awakened in her as she continued on. Finally she could see a flicker of light at a distance in front of her. She walked faster to see who was waiting for her. Her hand on the hilt of her sword she made her way into a room.
She found herself amazed at the surroundings. If this wasn't a cave she would have thought royalty lived here. In front of the fireplace she noticed an elderly woman sitting in a chair staring at the flames.
"I have been waiting for you my dear."
"How did you know I was coming?" Emma had a feeling she had to be on guard with this woman.
"Because the forest talks to me," The woman turned to Emma and gave her a small smile.
"Well then you know why I am here," Emma got straight to the point.
The woman looked from Emma back into the flames, "I know you want your family." Emma's heart pounded at the mention of a family. "Look lady I lost my son, so yeah I want my family."
The woman let out a laugh with Emma's statement, "Dear girl if you find your son you will find your parents...The old bag told you the story of Snow and the Evil Queen?"
Emma nodded her answer, "Well the baby that Snow carried was you child. She was placed under a sleeping curse along with everyone in her Kingdom. They are there now. When you bore your son it broke the sleeping curse and sent him home. To your home. When you get there you will make it to your family." There was an odd gleam in the woman's eyes that made Emma question the woman. "IF you want them then you must go through the mystic woods. Through there you will find your home, your family, your real life."
Emma looked at the woman then back the way she came, "Thanks, do I owe you anything?"
The old woman looked at the wall as if looking through it to another land, "Tell Regina when you see her that her mother has left and is sorry for what she has done." Emma nodded again and made her way out of the small room.
"How sweet," a voice came from the wall in front of the witch. "Not sweet my dear just knew I wouldn't be able to find a way to make her happy." The green woman walked closer to the aged witch. A sickeningly sweet smile played on her lips, "Well mother at least one of your daughters will have your love." With quick movements she struck the older witch with a death blow. With her last breaths the witch spoke, "Think what you will dear but you will never be as good as my Regina. She will destroy you...After all she destroyed me." Her last words were labored as she fell limp into her chair. The green witch screamed wordlessly at the woman. Sinking down to look at the dead woman in front of her, "I think not my dear, I will show you who will destroy whom, Mother."