The Glass Coffin
by Erin Griffin
Fandom: Once Upon a Time
Pairing: Swan Queen
Summary: AU - Young Emma of the House of White is restless. When she finds the fabled Evil Queen in a glass coffin, she vows to be the one to help her be reborn.
A/N: I don't know if I will ever write anything more for this. I probably won't. I already have a lot on my plate.
"Snow, she did it again."
"Damn it." the brunette woman hissed. She hated waking up to the threat of Emma being kidnapped or something getting ahold of her in the enchanted forest.
"I think we should just… We should wait for her to come home."
"That could be hours! Where does she even GO this time of night? why can't it wait for the morning?!"
"Snow…"
"maybe if we have Red find her trail-"
"We did that last time, remember."
"Yes dear."
"I'm sorry-"
"No, I understand, but her biggest threat is gone now, Snow, and she knows how to fight if she needs to. I think she will be just fine."
Deep in the enchanted forest, Emma threw off a peice of her body armor placed it on a tree. She dismounted her horse and had it wander in a seperate direction. then, she walked slowly as to not wake the fairy guards that were no doubt near. then she saw it, the class casing that held her. Her mother and father wouldn't tell her as a child who she was, but Emma knew that she was someone important, someone- if the look in her mother's eye meant anything- special. As she grew, she wandered the forest in serch of the glass case that held her. She had fallen asleep, a legend had said, and when she awoke, she would be reborn. She heard all the stories about her, and yet no one would tell her how she got this way, or who she was. Emma approached.
"I'm sorry I'm late." she said. "I don't even know if you can tell time, or if you know that anyone visits you… Or if you would care if you did." Emma stood next to the casing and placed a finger where the woman's lips would be. Her skin was pale, her lips red as blood. "Why hasn't no one else come to see you? Isn't anyone looking for you, wondering where you are, wanting to break this curse?" Emma stayed silent for a long time before she realized that the sky was getting light. As she stood up, she noticed a small bump next to the casing that wasn't there the previos night when she had visited. Digging it up, she saw it was parchment, put there just for her to find it.
"Princess,
I have covered for you once, but I cannot protect you forever. Please be careful out here at night."
It was signed simply with an R. Emma decided it was time to go home before her mother got even more angry that she would be when she saw her again. The punishment wouldn't be more severe than a scolding and reminding her of the dangers of the forests at night, but Emma knew too well anyway. Before she left, Emma looked back at the woman encased in glass. As usual, she said, "I will try my best to be back tomorrow. I know you don't know I'm here, but… I will be. I'll find to one who will break this curse. I will help you. Somehow." With that she hurried back to the White castle, hoping (thought she knew better) to sneak past the guards and back into her bedchambers.