Prologue
The sharp clack of hooves against the pavement rang in her ear while Emma leaned forward, urging her horse to gallop faster. Not far behind her, voices shouted out in confusion, hardly knowing what was going on as they scramble out of their beds, into their clothes, and onto their horses. Looking down to make sure that her satchel still beat up against her thigh, a brilliant grin burst from Emma's lips because she knew that the amount of stolen gold she had in that single bag would provide for a whole village for a whole year. Suddenly, a arrow zipped past her, narrowly missing her, and Emma tighten her grip on the reigns to ensure that her horse didn't lose control. Looking back up and keeping low, Emma could see the gates up ahead. Just a little closer. Almost there. Almost-
"Emma!"
Emma jolted up from her seat, nearly falling to the floor, and little high pitched bells suddenly rang out into the air. Turning her eyes away from the window and towards the source of the childish laughter, Emma was surprised when her gaze landed upon little Charlie. Her younger brother stood hiding behind a graceful figure, his face buried into silky fabric, as he attempted to smother his giggles on the dress of their very exasperated looking mother.
Merlin too look rather annoyed as he cleared his throat, asking, "Well, Princess Emma, would you mind to enlighten us on what was so interesting that you could not lift your gaze from the window-"
"for the last ten minutes." Her mother finished, giving Emma a pointed stare while Merlin sputtered with surprise.
"Ten minutes? Surely it could not have been ten minutes? Why, we just began our lesson not more than fifteen minutes ago!"
That caused little Charlie to erupt into giggles once more.
"Merlin." Queen Snow said over her son's laughter, "Would you mind if you cut my daughter's lesson short for today? I have some things I need to discuss with her."
"Why, yes. Of course." Merlin sputtered, before grumbling, "But I was so looking forward in teaching her the history of trade routes."
"You may go ahead and get on with Charlie's lesson." Queen Snow suggested, "I know how much you enjoyed teaching Emma about the history of farming techniques when she was his age."
That caused the little sandy hair boy to sober up.
"But Mom!" He whined, "It's not my turn!"
One pointed glare from her, however, was enough to quiet him into submission.
Rapidly grabbing her rock of a history tome, Emma quickly made her way towards the door, thanking Merlin for the lesson, not daring to look her mother in the eye, and teasingly stuck out her tongue at her glowering little brother. That caused him to break out into a little grin.
Stepping out onto the cobblestone foyer of Merlin's Tower, Emma went over to a little slit of a window, knowing that it would be futile to try and escape her mother's scolding.
It was a nice sunny day, with a deep blue sky background for the large puffy white clouds- the perfect kind of day for riding a horse. Emma was certain that the market place was bustling with business, the everyday sort of business in which farmers tried to sell their crops and fisherman their catch. Not the sort of bustling in which exotic spices and mystical knick-knacks were being sold by strangers of strange lands. Still, thought Emma longingly, bustling was movement- something was happening, even if it wasn't very exciting.
Better than just sitting here.
This window, to Emma's disappointment, was situated at the other end of the city- away from the forest and market and facing the sea. From her position, Emma could see the port - all empty except for a few of the larger Naval Ships. All the little fisherman boats were out in sea, doing their life's work, and all smaller Naval Ships were out patrolling the waters, fighting off pirates, and probably doing other grand adventures.
"See something you like?"
Emma jumped a little with surprise. She then turned around to see her mother looking at her with a look she's been wearing a lot of recently around her daughter: the one of worry filled contemplation.
"I was just looking at the scenery, mother." Emma said with a shrug, "It's a nice day."
"Yes, a very nice day."
They waited there for a few more moments as if both of them were waiting for the other to speak. Seeing that nothing was going to happen here, Emma brashly set off down the stone steps. It wasn't long until she hear her mother's shoes tapping softly behind her. They climb down the steps, one at a time, neither daughter nor mother speaking. Emma, being the impatient one, finally broke down:
"So, are you going to scold me yet?"
"Emma." Her mother laughed, grabbing her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.
This caused her daughter to halt in her tracks and give her mother a calculating look.
"What?" Her mother asked, confused at the mistrust in her daughter's eyes.
"What is it that you're not telling me?"
"Why do you assume that I'm not telling you something."
"There's no scolding."
"Do you want there to be scolding." Snow laughed.
"There's always scolding." Emma persisted, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes.
Snow White shook her head dolefully before putting her arm around her eldest child's shoulder. She then began to walk with Emma awkwardly following beside her, waiting for the talk she was certain would happen since it had happen time and time before.
When the two of them finally made it down the flight of stairs and into the flowery courtyard below, Snow White lead her daughter to a rose bush. The two of them stood there quietly for a moment, Snow White collecting her thoughts while Emma looked confusedly at the plant.
Finally, her mother spoke.
"Emma, I know you feel restless. I know you want adventure. I know you feel trapped, but-"
"I have responsibilities."
Emma's voice cut through the silence of the courtyard like the shattering of a glass cup in a church. Snow White looked at her daughter, sadly seeing the burning resistance in her eyes.
"Yes." Snow said slowly, "You have responsibilities. And I know you don't think it's fair but-"
"It's not."
"Emma-" Snow started, but her daughter cut her off.
"No its not! I'm nineteen, mother! Nearly twenty and I've never been to the market place without a solider watching over me like I'm a helpless toddler. And yes, mother, I know that you've always sent one to babysit me so don't try that bullshit on me. I've never done anything ever on my own. And it's not fair because when you were my age you did all sorts of things, had all sorts of adventures, helped all sorts of people. Everyone did! You, Father, Aunt Red, everyone! And here I am sitting twiddling my thumbs-."
"Emma!" Her mother said in a tone that cause her daughter to fall silent, "Did you really think that it was all fun and games? I was constantly scared for my life when I was your age! A feeling you've never had to feel yet and you should be grateful for. It wasn't a blast, and it was so heart wrenching when I watched your father get ripped away from me time and time again. Do you want to feel that pain?"
"I want to do something!"
"And you will!"
Emma opened her mouth to fight back, but suddenly changed her mind. Whipped around, she was just about to storm off when her mother's voice halted her in her tracks.
"Have you finished packing yet?"
Emma turned back around, her eyes narrowing as she asked, "Packing?"
"Yes. For Alexandra's Engagement Ball. You haven't forgotten, have you?"
Her face heated as Emma said with a careless wave of her hand, "Yeah, I still remember. But I was sort of waiting until the last moment before I got to packing..."
Her mother shook her head at that, wearing a fond smile. "Just like your father."
Emma simply shrugged, "Well, we're not leaving for another week, so what's the point?"
"We're not. You, however, are leaving tomorrow."
Emma blinked at her mother, unsure as to how to respond. It so happened that Snow had plenty more to say.
"You said you wanted adventure, so I'm giving you one. You'll go on one of the naval vessels without us, without any guards- just the naval crew watching over you. And if I recall correctly, I do believe this ship is schedule to make an extra stop before King Thomas' kingdom."
Emma opened her mouth to interrupt but Snow hurried on - "And yes, I know you won't be completely on your own, as you so desire, but you'll have less supervision than usual- since sailors do have other responsibilities than just watching over you. And anyhow, your father couldn't handle it if you were completely guard less. Me either. We lost you once, Emma, we don't want to lose you again.
Emma stood there silently, processing all that she just hear. Snow carefully took a step closer to her eldest child, encasing both her hands into her own, and with a soft pleading tone, said, "This is the best we can do. Please meet us half way."
Giving her mother a warm smile, Emma then embraced her in a hug, saying "Thank you,"
They remained in the hug for a couple a moments, before Snow White, clearing her throat and pulling back, said, "Well then, better get packing".
She then grinned at Emma's wide grin and found herself watching her daughter's form dashing through the courtyard, her blonde hair and purple dress flying out behind her.
When the young woman finally disappear through the stone arch, Snow White slowly followed in her tracks back to the castle. She still had several more arrangements to make about this whole ordeal, several more arrangements as well as continuing to calm David about the whole thing.
What The Pure Hearted Queen never thought of was that there could currently be a spy in the castle, someone who was keenly listening to everything there was to know about the whole plan, and later, in the middle of the night, eagerly retold it all in a dingy bar to a certain pirate captain who smirked at the intelligence, his deep blue eyes lighting up as the last piece of his plan fell into place.
If such a thought ever floated into Queen Snow's mind- well- this story would never have had the chance to happen.
Oh yes, I know Emma is OOC, but I figured she would be. After all, her past is entirely different, so naturally she's a little bit of a different person, but hopefully she still parallels Emma Swan we all know and love...
