Chapter One

The Favored Daughter

A/AN: Thanks for the reviews! I'm hoping I'll get more this chapter since the interesting stuff is about to take place. This chapter will focus on Emma and immediately something is off to her. I hope you enjoy chapter one!

Emma awoke to the feeling of being gently shaken. She opened her eyes to see a ginger haired woman with her hair pulled back in a bun. The woman had a round face and green eyes. Emma could vaguely remember her but couldn't quite place her.

"Rise and shine Ms. Swan! We've got a big day ahead of all of us!" the woman gently prodded trying to rouse her from bed, but Emma was incompliant. She stared at the very familiar stranger trying to sort through her thoughts.

"I'm sorry but who are you and where am I?" Emma inquired, feeling like she'd just awoken from eternal sleep.

"Why Emma it's me Johanna! The woman who's helped raise you since you were a wee babe. You know I don't like playing games with ye, but I guess I'll play along. You're eighteen years old, and you live in Astyn-the kingdom of your parents Snow White and Prince Charming. Today is your older sister Zelena's engagement party. We have to get you ready for the festivities. The wedding is in a month." Johanna elaborated clearly unimpressed with Emma's shenanigans.

"Of course it is! I just had a weird dream and it's clouded my cognition." Emma formulated as familiar thoughts raced in mixing in with the distorted ones, equating to an unequal balance.

"I see well it's time to get ready then! I've already drawn a bath for ye, so I suggest ye get in before it gets too cold." the maid clucked. Emma nodded, climbing out of bed, making her way over to the claw foot tub. She shed her silk gown and climbed into the warm tub of water, her head swimming with muddled images of a twelve year old boy holding a book of fairy tales.

~X~

Emma loathed corsets and tended to avoid them like the plague but today she wasn't getting away with it. She felt her breathing stifle as Johanna tightened the strings around her midsection. She gazed at the Robin's egg blue dress in the full length mirror, feeling completely out of place. The thought of breeches and loose tunics were much more appealing to her. She wanted to be a knight like her father and ride into battle with her subjects, but she was often reprimanded for thoughts like these. Her mother was set on turning her into a lady she just wasn't. She was often told things like,

Emma, you should be more like Zelena.

She's marrying a king and making a name for herself.

Emma you haven't even found a suitor yet, and I'm afraid an arranged marriage is in your future.

Today would be another day that Zelena would parade about with her potential greatness, leaving Emma to bask in her glory. It didn't matter how much Zelena was good at, she would always make an effort to outdo Emma at everything but there was one thing she didn't have to share with her "favored" sister. Emma was particularly good at jousting, and she could hold her own in battle. Zelena wouldn't be caught dead in a tournament of battle of the wits.

When she was twelve Zelena had tried her luck at the sword, but she had been thwarted easily by Emma's swiftness. She had Zelena pinned on the ground in under a minute with her sword at her pretty little throat. She was severely scolded after that and unallowed to joust for a month. Snow White didn't approve of her interest in the sport but Charming had encouraged his daughter to stick with it.

Zelena was three years her senior, and she was the second child-the coveted son her parents didn't receive. She knew that was why her father took pride in teaching her about sword fighting and knighthood because he didn't have a son to share those things with. She often seen the pained look in his eyes when she wasn't able to complete a task he assigned her with because of her small build. She was still a woman despite her father's best attempts to turn her into a boy.

Emma snuck out of her room when Johanna wasn't looking. She craved the fresh air and to be rid of this corset. She kicked off her heels and ran barefoot through the meadow, her long skirts dragging the ground.

"Where's the fire little swan?" a voice teased from up above her. Emma halted and looked up to see her childhood friend Baelfire lounging lazily on a branch, chomping on an apple.

"Just trying my best to avoid this engagement party. I don't need other royals telling me how unmarriageable I am while they fawn over my sister." Emma scoffed tracing a line with her toe in the dirt.

Baelfire slid down the tree trunk, tossing the old apple core behind him. He was barefoot with an unruly mop of brown curls atop his head. He scrunched his nose analyzing her with whiskey brown eyes, sending her heart aflutter.

"Blue looks good on you." he smiled admiring her form causing her to blush.

"Yes well I'd much rather be in a pair of trousers and a tunic." Emma emphasized with her hands as she pointed at his attire.

"I have a spare if you would like it." he offered pointing towards the woods.

"It sounds great but what's the catch? Do you want some leftovers from the kitchen or a new quiver of arrows?" Emma inquired to the boy who was a couple of years older than her.

"I want you to take a swim with me. I found a new watering hole, and I need someone to try it out with me." he returned with a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Bae I don't have time to go swimming! I have an engagement party to attend in a few hours." Emma protested pointing in the direction of the castle.

"We've got plenty of time, and I thought you wanted to get out of that dress anyway?" he implored pointing to the shimmering blue fabric.

"I do." she breathed walking towards him.

"Then live a little, Miss. Swan." he winked offering her his hand. She took it feeling the sparks fly immediately as he led them down a winding path. Emma tried to stay in step with him. They must've walked two miles before she heard the distant sounds of running water.

She felt her breath catch in her throat once they made their way through the undergrowth to reveal a beautiful waterfall.

"Bae it's beautiful!" Emma gasped admiring the beautiful scene in front of her.

"Come with me." he whispered leading her towards the fall. He helped her climb onto a few boulders before pulling her behind the fall which camouflaged a cave.

"What's all this about?" Emma questioned him, inquisitiveness in her eyes

"You and I have been mates a long time Em , so I thought it was high time I tell you." Bae sighed with melancholy in his tone.

"What is it?" Emma inquired biting back her fear.

"Everyone keeps telling me that it's high time I settle down but there's just not a girl for me out there…I'm-"

"Bae I'm sure there's a lovely young woman out there who would love to marry you." Emma cut him off feeling her stomach flip flop at her retort.

"I'm sure there is but what if I already have a girl in mind, but she's way out of my league." Bae comeback, his voice faltering a bit.

"Then I'd say she's crazy." Emma scoffed, drawing closer to him. Baelfire bravely cupped her face in his hands, "What if she's a princess, and I'm just a pauper."

"I'm sorry but Zelena is already getting married." Emma teased lightly.

"I prefer blonds…Her red hair nauseates me." he laughed crinkling his nose.

"So what are you trying to say?" Emma continued gulping back the bile in her throat nervously.

"I'm saying I'm in love with you Em…I don't intend to take you away from your kingdom, but you needed to know how I feel." he replied drawing closer to her.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to say that." Emma revealed, closing the gap between them, pressing her lips softly against his own. The kiss was clumsy at first as Bae ran his fingers through her blond tresses. Emma moaned, pulling him closer to her body, reveling in how immaculate he felt pressed against her.

He pulled away first, steadying his breathing, "Wow…" he muttered meeting her gaze.

"Wow yourself…" she grinned feeling happier than she had in ages.

"So what now?" he inquired scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"I'll meet you at nightfall. Zelena's party will be over by then and everyone will be asleep. We can meet in the woods." she suggested waiting for his input.

"Won't your parents know you're gone?" he inquired to the blond haired princess.

"Of course not. I'm not the favored daughter." she bit back bitterly, ready to be free of her life of royal obligations and mooning admirers who only liked her so they could get closer to her sister. She would go somewhere far away from all of this, a place she could be free to live her life as she wished. The kingdom would fair just fine without her because she wasn't its savior. She was just the misplaced daughter her parents wished was a son.

A/AN: Well I hope you guys liked this chapter! Can anyone guess who Zelena is engaged to? Were you guys expecting she and Emma to be sisters? I hope the Bae part wasn't rushed but remember they all have lived different lives because of Zelena's curse. Bae and Emma are childhood friends, and like in the show Emma will be trying to run away from her problems at first, but she'll eventually have to face her unseen destiny. Please review because that would just make me so happy!