Chapter 1

"They want me to do what?!" She screamed, whirling around, her long light blue gown with golden trim kissing the floor, and twisting around her legs even as she came to a stop. Looking at her parents faces she could tell they were just as uncomfortable with this as she was, Snow White bit her lip and wrung her hands together looking at her daughter with such concern and worry,

"Emma, this is what they have demanded in order to save our kingdom, we always wanted you to marry for love like we did, we'd give anything-"

"So do something about it! I can't marry him! He's a coward, he'd do anything to save his own skin! Not to mention the stories I've heard about the endless string of whores-"

"Emma!" Snow chastised, Emma rounded upon her father, the man who had held her minutes after her birth, had defended her while battling the black knights, who had told her stories at bedtime, helped hide her vegetables at the dinner table, danced with her at her first ball, and he was standing there not saying a word to defend her!

"And what do you think I should do father?" Prince Charming looked at his daughter, proud of the woman she had become, smart, beautiful, a lethal swordsman, or woman as she had insisted, and sighed,

"Emma, we have both decided this is not in your best interest, we've looked in every book, travelled the land to find every worthy sorcerer, we've even decided to set sail across the seas to find armies and allies, we had hoped that Queen Elsa would lend her assistance, we cannot hope to take them on by ourselves-" The doors to the throne room burst open, slamming against the walls, and echoing around the room,

"Well, isn't this quaint."

"What do you want Regina?" Charming sighed, "Unless you have any information-"

"Ah, you've told her of the imp's proposal I take it?" Regina took in Emma's guarded stance, arms folded across her chest, stern look on her face, staring out the open window, "You know if my magic was strong enough…" she trailed off.

"Well it's not is it Regina?!" Emma snapped. "I need air, I need to think this through."

"Emma, wait please, stay here, we can talk this through, we can reach an alternative and ensure the safety and happiness of everyone"

"There's no point is there, father? If I am going to marry the Dark One's son, if I have to move to a dark and miserable place and bare his seed, I need time to myself"

"Emma, we told you we can find another way-"

"And what way is there? In order to protect our people the only thing that will stop him would be to agree to his terms- I'm not saying I will marry him, but I need time to work this all out in my head father, I need to see what is the right choice- I don't want to marry him, and to be quite blunt, I'd rather die! Now, I'm going outside, and no mother, I am not taking a guard, you know full well I can handle myself!" And with that Emma had strolled through the doors, slamming them shut behind her for extra effect. Snow knew full well her daughter could handle herself, as the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, she was extremely skilled in sword fighting, shooting a bow and arrow and defending herself if she needed to, she was so proud of her daughter and she knew she could never make her marry someone she did not love, even to save the kingdom or even if Emma agreed to do so, the burden of taking the chance of true love from her only daughter would weigh heavy on her soul, the people would be fine but she shuddered to think of horror her daughter would go through living with such venomous creatures. She gazed at her husband and then back to Regina, pleading.

The feud between Queen and Princess, long since forgiven, but not forgotten; eighteen years ago Regina had Snow's heart in her hands, was ready to crush her heart while Charming watched frozen by magic, when Daniel had appear at her side, she had unconsciously summoned in, even to this day she had no idea how, her research leading to nothing but dead ends, he had begged her to stop, to keep her heart pure, this was not the woman he had fallen in love with and was certainly not the woman he had wanted her to become. She had crumbled, shoving the heart back into Snow's chest, falling to her knees, and asking him, begging him to help her.

"You need to let this feud go my love, it does you no good to hang onto such pain; you have to let me go, so I too can finally be at peace." The once Evil Queen had retired to her castle at once, clouds hung above her home and thunder crashed throughout the land, the pain and anguish evident, but over time she had come to forgive Snow, and eventually herself. She was by no means a goody two shoes like Snow White, but she had reformed herself, thankfully leading her to finding true love along the way in the shape of a handsome thief, who had stolen many treasures, including her heart.

"What can we do Regina? Is there anything we can do?" Charming said through gritted teeth, the idea of his daughter with the Dark One's son made his skin crawl, he would move heaven and earth to ensure her daughter's happiness.

"Well, I think I may just be your new best friend, I found just the spell..."

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Emma didn't bother wasting time even changing into her riding clothes, she ran from the throne room, throwing every door open along the way, running past servants and handmaidens ignoring their questions and worried looks. Heading straight for the stables, grabbing her horses reigns, who had thankfully been saddled up beforehand, swinging up and onto Storm, pulling her tiara out of her hair and throwing it on top of the bale of hay, and setting off at a gallop out of the castle grounds, through the town and out into the woods. It was a good half hour before her horse slowed and came to a stop just away from the path, surrounded by trees, she felt comfort beneath the trees, hidden between them she felt safe and at peace. She tethered Storm to one and went to the stream running alongside, she unlaced her boots, held up her dress and walked through the water. It was a warm day in the Enchanted Forest, not unusual for this time of year, so the cool water running between her toes was welcome, as it flowed over her she thought of the dilemma in front of her.

In order to protect her people, the people she loved, and cared for, was raised to respect, she had to marry the son of the Dark One, and he always got what he wanted, she had met Baelfire once or twice at various balls. He had stood tall and proud, he always had an eye for the ladies and would charm them, Emma personally found the drivel just that, drivel, she remembered when he had tried to use his charms on her before and she had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing. Other than being slightly big headed and obnoxious, he didn't seem like the worst husband in the world, she perhaps thought that maybe if they married they would spend their days apart, doing various activities and only having to suffer each other at dinners or in the bedchamber… her skin crawled at that thought, she remembered stories she had heard about the company he held, and wanted his body nowhere near her.

But she couldn't let her people suffer because she selfishly wanted love, she had seen it between her parents, she wanted that, the loving looks between them, the way her father would lay his head in her mother's lap on the end of an evening and close his eyes, listening as her mother would read aloud her book, Emma would fold her legs beneath her and listen as she sat beside the fire, she wanted that, and she deserved a shot at happiness, although she knew she would never have that with Baelfire, she had to try, for the sake of her kingdom, so she climbed up the bank of the river towards her boots and began lacing them up, her decision made, she would be strong and do the right thing, after all, who knew what would happen between them?

She was so lost in her thoughts she nearly missed the distinct sound of a twig snapping, her head whipping around, someone was here, was it the Dark One convinced they wouldn't keep their word? Did her mother send another guard after her to make sure she hadn't run away? She slowly finished lacing her boot, all the while listening intently for the next step. As she finished with her boots she felt a presence behind her and gently pulled the dagger in her left boot out and spun around ready for her attacker, she was face to face with a man, small and squat, with a red cap on his head.

"Well Miss, you look like you're worth a pretty penny or two, here on your own?" he asked her, she saw a sword hanging at his hip, hand on the hilt, ready if she decided to make a fuss. Knowing a dagger would be risky against a sword, not that she hadn't taken out her father's knights in similar circumstances.

"No, I am not here alone, my guards are reliving themselves just down this path" she kept her voice strong and steady, knowing the slightest show of weakness would not end well for her.

"Funny that my lady, but I don't recall seeing anyone along this path for a while now, not since you showed up that is" Emma whirled round in time to see a tall man with dark hair and a smirk across his face

"Smee, get her on a horse."

Emma felt a searing pain in the back of her head, the feeling of weightlessness, as if she was being carried and then everything went black.