Puppy love in hiding

A guest asked for a oneshot of the curse never having been cast, Snowing throw a ball for Neal to help him find a wife. Neal goes along with it to make his parents happy, but he is already in love with a princess of a rival kingdom. Trigger warning for discussions of miscarriage.

Neal did his best to look at least politely interested in the events, if not happy. He wasn't sure he could do happy convincingly. He knew his parents had put a lot of effort into throwing this ball for his seventeenth birthday, but he knew he wasn't going to find the right person for him here. How could he when he had found her three years ago?

Neal had, of course, known the daughter of King Derek and Queen Odette since childhood. He was warned of how petty they could be. How sneaky. They used to be friends with his parents, but they had not been on speaking terms since his big sister was a baby, and Derek and Odette had tried to sneak off from Emma's christening with her. They had been struggling to conceive themselves for years at that point. Odette was apparently a reasonably nice woman at that point, but the repeated miscarriages had taken their toll on both of the couple. Odette had asked to hold the little girl for a few moments. Snow thought nothing of it. She handed Emma to Odette, but then asked Odette to watch Emma whilst she checked in with a few of the guests. When she came to get Emma back, both Odette and Emma were gone. Charming and Snow went in search for them, to find Odette outside, sitting in her carriage with Derek beside her, having a heated discussion, Emma on her lap. It was clear they were seriously contemplating kidnapping the princess. Over Snow and Charming's dead bodies. They quickly got Emma back. Odette and Derek made several excuses for the situation, but they all knew the truth. Odette and Derek began to disparage the names of Snow and Charming all over the realm to try and prevent them from telling anyone about the incident. Not that Snow and Charming would have, they were better than that. But the way they became so venomous after the incident ruined their relationship for good. Shortly after Neal's birth, they heard Derek and Odette had given birth to their own child, a daughter named Clara. The princess Neal was desperately in love with now. They had seeing each other in secret since meeting at a ball three years ago. Neither knew the other's family would be in attendance. Otherwise they wouldn't have agreed to go. Although they thought they should hate each other, neither could deny the instant chemistry between them. That was it, their fate was set. They were in love and there was nothing they could do about it.

So when Snow and Charming suggested throwing a ball for Neal's seventeenth birthday to see if he might find a suiter. Neal didn't have the heart to tell them he was already in a committed relationship. He would put up with this night and tell them about Clara when he was ready.

"Well, for the birthday boy, your face is awful long." Neal rolled his eyes.

"I'm fine Emma." Neal grumbled to his big sister. "It's just been a long day."

"I'll bet it has. Not easy pretending to be single when they're throwing balls for you, is it?" Emma said casually. Neal felt like his heart had plummeted to the ground. He whirled around to face his sister.

"What's that meant to mean?" He demanded. The eighteen year old rolled her eyes.

"Please. Mom and dad might be oblivious, but they are busy running a kingdom. To me, however, it couldn't be more obvious that you've got all love sick over the baby snatchers' spawn…"

"Don't call her that." Neal snarled. Emma grinned. She knew that would make him confess.

"See, I knew it!" Neal could have kicked himself for giving himself away so easily. "I knew you and Clara were a thing. See, can't hide anything from your big sister." Neal sighed.

"Just promise me you won't tell them." He pleaded. Emma smiled at him.

"I won't. I trust you will when you're both ready." She promised him. Neal relaxed slightly. "So…Clara might not exactly be my favourite person, but as long as you're happy, that's what matters." Emma said, happy for her brother. Neal smiled.

"Thanks Em." He said gratefully.

"No problem kid." Emma said, gently punching his arm. "I'll cover for you if you want to escape for half an hour." She said. "Go on. Go right her some poetry, or whatever you lovebirds do." Emma said. Neal rolled his eyes as he began to sneak upstairs. He was glad Emma wasn't going to rat him out, but he had a feeling her knowing might be just as bad. She took any excuse she got to wind up her little siblings!