A/N: This is a new style of writing for me, so any feedback would be appreciated. Also, just a forewarning that the Emma in this story, particularly in the beginning is much more like Princess Emma from the alternative reality, not like Storybrooke Emma.

Chapter One: The Swan Locket

Wherever Emma Swan went, she had a shadow. Either a few paces behind her as she walked the grounds, hidden in the trees; lurking in the crowds of the busy marketplace, or waiting outside the door while she did some reading in the castle's vast library. Even now, as she prepared for dinner within her chambers, she could feel the presence lurking outside the door.

'It's for your own protection dear'. That was her mother's answer every time she had questioned it. She was a princess and there were dangers everywhere. As the only child of King David and Queen Snow White, affectionately known by their people as the Charmings, she had a lot of weight on her shoulders. Emma was their legacy.

But she knew the real reason for the suffocating security. She remembered the old days, when, at least when she was in the castle, she had some semblance of freedom. She used to run through the stone corridors after dark, her bare feet slapping the floor and the moonlight lighting her way. She used to pretend she was in the forest that covered most of the realm, watching the deer frolic among the trees and splashing in the streams and rivers. She had never been allowed out into the woods alone. Then when she finally got tired, she would sneak down to the kitchen where Joanna, the cook and her old nanny, would let her try whatever new recipe she was working on. But not anymore, not since the night before her fourteenth birthday.

It had been the scariest thing ever to happen to her, so the details were still crystal clear in her mind. Emma had gone to bed early but couldn't sleep, she was fizzing with excitement over her birthday tomorrow. She knew her mother was planning a big party with all of her friends, even those from neighbouring kingdoms that she didn't get to see very often. After trying fruitlessly for hours to fall asleep, she decided it was useless and took out her journal. She kept it hidden in a locked box under her bed, because ever since she was small this journal had held all of her secrets. Even when her biggest secret had been when she ventured a few steps into the woods to retrieve a ball she had lost. Emma lit the lamp by her small desk, and began to write frantically, pouring out her excitement in an attempt to finally calm down enough to sleep.

That was when her window latch had started to creak. As Emma watched, eyes wide, the latch spun open and a figure nimbly leapt through the open window, landing on their feet. The intruder was dressed in a long black cloak pulled up over their head and they were facing straight towards Emma.

'Who...who are you?' Emma had stammered, her eyes wide with fear.

The figure had simply turned and headed for Emma's ornate jewelry box on her vanity.

'Hey that's mine. You can't have it' Emma had said, mustering up all the courage she could find and desperately trying to stop her voice from trembling.

But this was quickly quashed when from under the cloak the intruder produced two silver daggers and pointed them straight at the princess.

'P...please don't hurt me' said Emma, cowering back against the desk.

The intruder had got to work, emptying Emma's jewelry into a cloth bag. Emma watched in dismay as all of her favourite items disappeared. Her diamond bracelet, her emerald ring. The intruder stopped for a moment, her hand clasped around a gold locket. It had a picture of a swan engraved on the front, and was surrounded by a ring of small pearls.

'Please, I am begging you, that is my favourite locket. Please take anything you want, just not the locket' wailed Emma, tears streaming down her face.

For a brief moment, the intruder stood stock still, before turning and heading straight towards Emma.

Emma shrieked and hid her eyes, sure that this was the end. But when the sharp pain of a knife wound did not come, she looked up. The intruder was holding out a gloved hand, with the locket in it. Emma was apprehensive, sure this must be a trap, so the intruder simply placed the locket on the table. In that brief movement, Emma caught the glint of dark eyes from under the hood. Before she could get a better look, the intruder spun round as the sound of footsteps began to echo down the corridor. Emma's scream had alerted the guards that something was wrong. The intruder moved quickly, the bag of jewelry disappeared into the cloak and the figure flew towards the window. Just as there was a knock on the door, and Emma heard one of the guard's call out to her, the intruder leapt out of the window like a cat.

'Come in please someone has taken my jewelry' wailed Emma, as she rushed to the window.

She saw the cloaked figure scaling the ivy on the wall as easily as if it had been a ladder, before dropping the last few metres and sprinting across the lawn towards the forest.

'Quick quick, he's heading to the forest' one of the guards called, 'and someone had better wake the king'.

Emma jumped, not even having realised they were standing beside her. She watched as the figure disappeared into the trees, knowing full well that as soon as they were in the forest they were as good as gone. She clutched the locket in her hand tightly, her knuckles white with shock.

As soon as this had happened security at the castle had been upped tenfold. The ivy outside her window had been ruthlessly cut down, her guard detail had been made twenty-four seven and the King and Queen had issued a statement. Anyone caught selling or handling a single piece of Emma's jewelry would be severely punished, and anyone with information on the theft should come forward. They would not tolerate direct attacks on their family. It was clear that this attack had badly shaken her parents. And as a result, for the past three years of her life, Emma had had a shadow.

'Emma?'.

And just like that Emma was back in her room, over three years later, sat at the very same vanity. Her maid, and closest friend, Ruby was looking through Emma's extensive wardrobe but had turned when her question had gone unanswered.

'Sorry Ruby, what did you say?' asked Emma, looking at her a little apologetically in the vanity mirror.

'I was just wondering which dress you wanted to wear tonight? The blue or the pink' said Ruby, watching her friend with knowing eyes.

'What do you think? You're always better at things like this' said Emma, turning to look at the two options Ruby had pulled out.

'The blue will look nice.' said Ruby decidedly, putting the other dress away, 'What's up with you today Em? You're on a different planet'.

'Oh I don't know Ruby, I'm just so tired of being watched all the time' sighed Emma, as Ruby helped her into the ballgown.

'Well, you are the future queen, your parents just want to keep you safe' said Ruby, raising an eyebrow as she fastened the back of Emma's dress.

'I know, but all I want is an hour to myself. Is that so much to ask?' said Emma, as she studied herself in the mirror.

Unconsciously, her hand went to her swan locket fastened around her neck, where it always was. She even slept in it now, she hadn't taken it off even for a second since her fourteenth birthday. For the millionth time she found herself wondering why the thief had left it. And why had he let her scream and alert the guards. Those questions had always intrigued her, no matter how hard she tried to forget the events of that night.

'Emma' said Ruby, again, looking worried, 'a lot of important people are going to be at this dinner. At the risk of sounding like Granny, you better get your act together'.

'I know Ruby' said Emma, smiling at how similar the girl was to her grandmother, the head groundskeeper.

'Aren't you looking forward to it?' asked Ruby, clearly puzzled.

'It's not that I'm not looking forward to it. I haven't seen Elsa or Kathryn in a long time, it will be nice to catch up with them. I just worry that mother and father will use this dinner to try and discuss suitors, in a scenario when I can't argue with them'.

'Don't you want to get married?' asked Ruby, who couldn't imagine anything better than marrying a handsome prince.

'You know the way all of the other princesses dream of a big wedding, with the perfect prince, surrounded by your friends with a big dramatic white ball gown' said Emma, sitting down as Ruby began to do her hair.

'Oh yeah, I hear Rapunzel is already organising to have a huge lantern display at her wedding and she only got engaged a few days ago' said Ruby, smiling.

'Well, I've just never been able to picture myself like that, walking down the aisle. It just doesn't seem like a priority right now. I think it's starting to worry my parents,' said Emma, wincing as Ruby pulled her hair a little too hard.

'Sorry!' she apologised, 'I'm sure they aren't worried just yet. You are still young, you have time. And I think you just need to find the right person,' said Ruby, a wistful look in her eyes, 'when you find the right person it will all make sense to you'.

'Have you ever been in love, Ruby?' asked Emma, her gaze fixed on her necklace reflected in the mirror.

A ghost of a smile appeared on the brunette's face, but in an instant it was gone, 'I have, but it didn't turn out so well'.

'How do you mean?' asked Emma, frowning at the sadness that swelled in her friend's eyes.

'It's a long story, and you have a dinner to get to, Princess Swan,' said Ruby, grinning as she stood back to admire her handiwork.

'You know I hate being called that' said Emma, grimacing.

The dinner was in full swing, and as much as Emma had enjoyed catching up with Kathryn and Elsa, the real purpose of this dinner had reared its ugly head. Before the main course had even been brought out, the topic of conversation had turned to Rapunzel's recent engagement. Elsa had shot Emma a long suffering look, as she too knew exactly what was coming.

'So, Elsa, have any of the dashing young princes caught your eye?' asked Snow, grinning encouragingly at the girl.

Elsa was a queen in her own right despite being only 20, her parents having died when she was younger, so she only had to undergo this type of questioning when she was dining with other kingdoms. As a result, she had much more patience for it than Emma.

After a pause, Elsa said politely, 'I can't say they have no'.

'Well, you're young, you have lots of time to find the man of your dreams' said Snow, who was acting like a schoolgirl catching up on the latest gossip.

'Indeed, I'm sure he is out there somewhere' said Elsa, her voice calm and balanced.

'Well Kathryn, you have some news don't you' said King Midas smugly, who was sat directly across from King David.

Oh no thought Emma, here it comes.

The smile on the king's face was unmistakable. Kathryn had a beaming smile on her face, as she slowly lifted up her hand. On her fourth finger sat a gold ring with a huge diamond set in it.

'Oh wow congratulations' gushed Snow, her face red with excitement.

'Congratulations' said Emma smiling.

She was happy for them, she knew Prince James and the two made a great couple.

'So, tell us about the proposal' encouraged Elsa, grateful for the change in focus.

'Well, Jim took me on this carriage ride right out to the coast. And when we got to the beach he got mermaids to hold up signs that said Will You Marry Me? Then he gave me this big speech about how much he loved me, and got down on one knee. Well of course I said yes. And then we had a huge ball back at the palace, turns out daddy had been in on the whole thing' said Kathryn, finally pausing for breath to give her father a smile.

'Oh that sounds wonderful' beamed Snow.

Emma couldn't imagine anything worse, the whole thing sounded terribly embarrassing.

'So Emma, any suitors in your life?' asked Kathryn, smiling at her friend.

Emma knew she meant well, but inwardly she groaned. Great, my turn now.

'Well..'

Emma was cut short when a cry of pain was heard outside the hall. Immediately, David leapt to his feet, unsheathing his sword that he always kept by his side. The whole room fell dead silent.

'David?' asked Snow, uncertainly.

'You wait here, I'll go and check it out' said David reassuringly, as he walked purposefully towards the doors.

Before he got a chance to get there, the ornate double doors flew open with a huge gust of wind powerful enough to extinguish all the candles in the room. Emma's mouth was suddenly bone dry. A shadowy figure in a black cloak strode confidently into the room. Could it be?

'Who are you? How did you get in here?' demanded David, standing in the path of the figure.

With a single swipe of their hand, the King flew across the room like a ragdoll, his sword clattering to the floor.

'What do you want?' asked Elsa, standing bravely.

The figure continued to walk down the long hall, but raised their hands and Kathryn screamed. The big flashy engagement ring flew off her finger and landed neatly in the palm of the intruder. Then Emma's bracelets and rings followed suit, all disappearing under the cloak. Emma saw the intruder's nimble fingers moving through the air as if manipulating invisible puppets on strings. She felt her locket begin to lift from her neck. Oh not again, please no. Frantically she clawed at the locket before clamping her hand round it in a vice like grip. After a few seconds of struggle, Emma was sure that she had finally lost it this time. She felt tears well in her eyes but she refused to cry. She was not weak like Kathryn. She was as brave as Elsa was. Then suddenly the chain went slack, and the locket lay flat against her chest. She had gotten away with it again.

'My ring' wailed Kathryn, in tears.

'Listen here you!', roared Midas, his face bright red, 'You give my daughter back her ring or so help me god I will hunt you to the ends of the earth'.

With a flick of the wrist, Midas's crown lifted off his head and disappeared beneath the cloak of the intruder.

At that precise moment David, who had regained his footing, launched at the figure letting out a battle cry that boomed through the echoey room. But before his sword had a chance to make contact, the figure dissolved into a cloud of black and purple smoke. David fell forward, carried by the momentum of his movement straight through the smoke cloud. Left behind in the air, hung a smokey image. Emma could make out a deep red apple, with a black skull and crossbones marked on it.

The hall was silent, aside from Katherine's wails. Grimly, David set his jaw. He looked at Midas who's eyes were wide.

'It can't be' said Midas, his voice hollow.

'It must be' said David grimly.

'Must be who?' asked Emma, her eyes wide.

'The Poison Apple'.