AN: See chapter 1 for story notes and summaries.

Ships: Snowing, Rumbelle, Swan Believer, Swanfire, Daddy Charming, Mama Snow, HadesxPersephone, Mama Persephone, and a delightful Golden Mad Charming BroT3. :)

Please consider leaving a review. Feedback is much appreciated and vital.

Also, feel free to follow me on Tumblr lilacmoon83. In an effort to grow my Snowing fanfiction blog on Tumblr.

Please consider leaving a review if you're reading. It is very much appreciated!

Special note:

Here are the main face claims that we're dealing with right now. For other minor Gods/Goddesses, see previous chapters:

Gal Gadot as Persephone

Robert Downey Jr. as Hades

Vincent Irizarry as Deimos

Ben Affleck as Prince Eli

Rami Malek as Apollo

Drew Barrymore as former Queen Serafina

Thanks for awesome the reviews. Again, please consider leaving feedback. I love writing this story, but a lot of hard work in my free time goes into getting weekly chapters up, so reviews are really gratifying. :)

Note: Keep in mind during this arc that time is very wonky. Basically Zelena went back, killed Eva, and then regressed to an infant. Emma is watching time pass more like in a movie rather than real time. It will eventually all make sense at the end of this arc. Sort of. I hope. :)

Here are individual responses:

Saberius Prime: Nope, Zelena got screwed in this time line too, but I feel in this one, she brought it on herself. Changing her own fate only made her worse. Yep, Elsa is in play here and will appear eventually. Ha, yeah...it probably won't be long until Emma is on the way with the way Snowing are. Glad you're enjoying. :)

Grace5231973: Yes, the black God does sound very intimidating and serious bad news. You're welcome on the Rumbelle scene. Yep, Zelena actually deserved what she got this time around and I like that this might soften Regina a bit. It's going to be complicated, but I think this will finally drive it home for her that, no matter what, she should have never really blamed Snow.

BooksinmyDreams: So glad you enjoyed it and you're very welcome!

Naomi Blue: Yes, and I think you'll enjoy Apollo officiating the ceremony. That's what I was trying to do by showing what is happening to other Kingdoms too. Yes, Zelena ended up in Oz still and this time she did it to herself. No, Regina's rage is very focused here and there is no one else to blame except the culprits so she's hyper focused on that. It might make her see things differently if Emma reverses everything.

Reconzilla117: Yep, the black God is bad news and you'll find out another name that this entity goes by and it's very recognizable. Glad you're enjoying!

Number Ten: Yep, Merlin and his apprentice will come to play in this now. Yeah, Arawn is out of control and the curse might definitely be a blessing at this point. Yep, Zelena created this second chance for herself and ended up being an even more terrible person. It will make for some interesting reflection. Yes, Chernabog is going to be a much greater threat here and I'll be doing more with it. Glad you liked the black cauldron reference too. :)

Jennifer Baratta: Glad you liked it!

Beth1980: Yep, those other Kings managed to suck up enough to Arawn to keep their Thrones in appearance anyway. Arawn isn't sure he can win that battle, so he won't tempt it. It's why he's going after the black God so he has the power to do more. Yeah, I thought they would both take an interest in their soon to be son-in-law. Yeah, Frollo's plans get even worse in this chapter. Nope, Cora never learns and Zelena actually ended up worse here being raised by Cora and actually deserved to get sent to Oz in this reality. I feel bad for James too. I'm going to try and give him a better story here and a bit of vindication. Ha, you know Rumple. He'll get his potion and it will be interesting to see how. Yep, a Snowing wedding is ahead! :)

Dreaming Out Loud

Chapter 102: Trouble Melts Like Lemon Drops

Snow looked at herself in the mirror, as she had allowed her mother to magically dress her, while Eli anxiously waited outside the room. As an infant, her mother and grandmother had made the decision to strip her of her immortality and most of the magic she might have acquired because of her blood. It was a difficult decision, but it was determined that letting her human side be dominant would actually keep her safer.

Eli's Kingdom had already been up in arms at her existence and the scandal that their crown Prince had fathered a child, not only out of royal wedlock, but one with a Goddess. The years where that would have made Snow revered had long since passed and the Gods were no longer respected by mortals as they once were.

A lot of that was due to all the wars and bloodshed they had been involved in centuries before Snow was even born. Humans and the Gods had a bloody history and it had only created a deep seeded animosity. A lot of mortal hatred was due directly to Zeus and many of his own actions and involvement with humans. He had done nothing to endear himself to humans, used them, killed them outright, and was often hypocritical by breaking his own laws that he expected humans to follow. Zeus was unforgiving and saw mortals as lesser beings, rather than beings created in the image of the Gods, as many of the other Gods did. He had falsely represented his siblings too. He had made mortals fear all of them, especially Hades.

Many cultures equated Hades with a devil-like figure in many mortal, religious practices. But Hades was not the demon he had been portrayed to be, though that image was something that had plagued him and contributed to the times when he was ruling tyrannically.

Naturally with these types of attitudes, Demeter had reluctantly advised that they let Snow's human side be dominant. Persephone had worried about that simply because it meant Snow would live a mortal lifespan, but Athena had ascertained that this would be addressed when the time was right, though she was vague on the hows and whys of that, as Athena often was. The wise Goddess never gave much away, but Persephone trusted her.

That being said, Snow retained a tiny bit of magic, enough to ensure she was unique among mortals. Her ability to speak to birds and affinity for wildlife was a gift left to her by her Godly origins and Snow had always considered it a wonderful gift, even if some people thought her to be odd because of it.

When she was born, her grandmother had declared that she would be the fairest in the lands and that had stuck with her. Even though many in her father's court had a great amount of disdain for her, it was never missed by them at how beautiful she was. The men had suggested to her father that at least he would be able to marry her off to some Prince and thus somehow by their thinking turn her into a suitable royal. Her father had quickly quashed those opinions though. He may have often been at the mercy of his court, but he was always clear that he would not marry his precious little girl off to some undeserving, pompous Prince that he knew would mistreat her. He had always insisted that Snow would be allowed to marry for love, something he had not been allowed, and had been steadfast in that. He didn't miss being King. In fact, being free, despite being a wanted man had been the best times in his life. He wished there wasn't King Arawn hunting him and his daughter, but he had been able to spend more time with her on the run than in his time as King when sometimes she had been under the same roof.

He had noticed the modification made to Snow's wanted posters. They now wanted his daughter alive, whereas before, they had stated that dead would be preferable. And he knew what that meant. Arawn had control of his Throne, which meant he could technically barter his daughter in an arranged marriage if he wanted to. That had been a disturbing fact to him, as well as Persephone and Hades, for they had noticed the shift as well. He could only surmise that Arawn saw the value of keeping Snow alive. Having the daughter of a Goddess to use as some kind of pawn was an attractive thing to the evil King and he was almost certain the idea had probably come from Claude Frollo. He had not missed the way Frollo had looked at his daughter when she had come to save him from execution. The religious zealot even had the nerve to blame his little girl's beauty as the reason for the perversion inside him. It made him want to rip Frollo's head off with his bare hands and knew that if the man touched his daughter again, there would be another murder and he'd be the culprit. At one time, he had scoffed that he would ever join or team up with Hades to do anything, but he knew the God of the Underworld would be right there, helping him to hold the man down while they ended him.

So when Snow met David, he was very happy for his little girl. To find true love and be with someone he could trust with her was ease for his weary heart and soul. David was a very good man, who loved and cherished his daughter with every fiber of his being. He knew David would die for his daughter in a heartbeat, though he hoped that was never necessary. Despite the Kingdoms being war torn and Arawn's latest grab for power with this black god, whatever that may be, this happy occasion was extremely welcome and the fact that Snow was happy was everything to him. He heard the door open and he turned to see Persephone there with a smile.

"Okay...you can come in now," she said. He smiled and went into the room to spend a few moments with his little girl on her wedding day.

"Well...what do you think?" Persephone asked.

"It's beautiful...mother. It's perfect," she gushed, as she was in awe of the beautiful gown. The dress was pure white, of course, and the satin material shimmered in the light. Her hair was up in an intricate twist and she wore a crown of snowdrops around her head.

"You are beautiful, my sweet daughter…" Persephone said, as tears filled her eyes.

"Mama...if you cry, then I'll start crying," Snow warned.

"Sorry sweetheart...it's just that I'm so happy that you've found true love and I promise you that we will stop this war so that someday, you and David will never have to be separated," she promised. Snow nodded, as they hugged.

"I know you will," she replied, as her mother opened the door.

"Okay...you can come in now," she told Eli and he walked in.

"Oh Snow…" he uttered, as he gently hugged her.

"You are certainly the most beautiful bride ever," he added, as he tearfully kissed her forehead.

"I love you Daddy," she said. He smiled.

"I love you too, sweet pea," he replied, as fished something out of his pocket and she gasped at the beautiful ring.

"This ring has been passed down in our family for generations. It's a star stone...very rare," he said, as he put it on her finger. Snow gazed at the beautiful sapphire, which had a star inside it with six rays.

"Daddy...it's gorgeous," Snow uttered.

"I was once going to give it to your mother...but that didn't work out. And I could never have given such a precious family heirloom to Ravenna," he said sadly.

"But I knew that it would be different for you and that you would find love. I knew I would give it to you someday and that day is here," he added, as they hugged again.

David was both a bundle of nerves and anticipation, as he prepared to marry the woman he loved. He was decidedly disappointed by the options in his wardrobe though and was feeling a bit uncertain.

"What was I thinking? I'm marry a Princess...even my nicest clothes are in no shape for this," he lamented.

"Honey...Snow will not care what you are wearing," Ruth admonished. He sighed.

"I know mother...I just want to at least look the part," he said.

"There is no one more worthy or deserving of Snow than you," Hades interjected, as he appeared in the doorway.

"Snow wants to marry you and will barely notice what you are wearing," he added, as he walked into the room.

"He's right, son," Robert agreed.

"However...if it would ease your mind, I think I can help with you attire," Hades offered. Sera smiled at them both and David nodded.

"I'd like that," David agreed, as Snow's stepfather snapped his fingers and supplied his soon to be son-in-law with new attire. He was now wearing a silvery gray tunic, adorned with a regal pattern, a gray cape and sash, with black leather pants and boots to complete the ensemble.

"Oh look at you...so handsome, though you were that before," Sera gushed, as she looked at her grown, adopted son. She swallowed thickly, as it made her think of James and how he looked exactly like David. She recalled holding him in her arms and finding the most joy she ever had in him. She had been ripped away from him and felt lost in an abyss of despair, even thinking that death might have been better than feeling that pain. But then she met Ruth and little David, which awoke the light inside her again. She missed James terribly every day, but helping her beloved wife raise their son together had truly been the thing that pulled her out of the depths of grief. It was her second chance, though she would forever mourn losing James. But David made her very happy and proud. And all three of them, herself, Ruth, and Robert were ecstatic at gaining a daughter-in-law like Snow.

"Thank you...this is perfect," David said graciously.

"Well, you're my son-in-law now, so I can't have you marrying our little girl looking like a ragamuffin," Hades quipped, though there was mirth behind his statement, before he turned serious and put a hand on David's shoulder.

"When I first found out Persephone was pregnant and she wasn't biologically mine, I was very angry and almost did some things that would have been terrible. But then I promised to stand by my wife, knowing that I had a lot of responsibility in our broken marriage," he said.

"And though I promised to support her, I swore that I would never love this child. Then I saw her and felt love again for the first time in a very long time," he continued.

"There is literally no one else in this realm or any other that I would trust with her, but I know that I can with you," he finished. David felt incredibly humbled.

"I love her...she's everything and I'll make her happy," he promised. Hades smiled.

"Well, you already do so you just have to keep that up," he quipped. David smiled, as they followed him out. He was very anxious to marry the woman he loved.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice carried out his mundane existence as he did every day. He lived in seclusion in his cabin near the mountains and maintained a hermitage lifestyle, all in the name of guarding his Master's magical legacy.

He was saddened when the powerful Sorcerer was sealed away in a tree by the Dark One, centuries ago, but he did not mind the quiet life. He had left Camelot at that point and guarded the powerful artifact against anyone that might attempt to take it for their own personal use.

In the wrong hands, the Sorcerer's power could be used to exact great devastation. And it was his life's mission to make sure that did not happen. He was a very old man now, but life would sustain him until the magic had another guardian or the Sorcerer returned. Until then, he would do his duty and had for centuries with nary a hiccup. But as he returned from a three day journey for supplies, he felt something ominous in the air that told him today would be different than the thousands of days before. And he felt his senses warn him of danger, as he heard a knock at his door. But he remained calm and unsuspecting, as he answered it and found a lone man there. He appeared to be aging and weathered, but he was no ordinary man and the Apprentice could sense that he was not what he appeared. There was a sophistication about him and a cruelty in his eyes.

"I've been traveling for many days...can you spare some water and something to eat?" the man questioned.

"Of course...please come in," the Apprentice responded.

"Thank you...you are very kind," the white haired man said graciously.

"Please...I will get you some water. Please help yourself to the biscuits I just made and warm yourself by the fire," the Apprentice offered, as he watched the man's eyes wander around his home.

"You live so far away from civilization...I didn't expect to find anyone up here. I surely thought I would be doomed," the man said.

"I prefer a hermitage sort of existence...it suits me," the Apprentice replied, as he offered the man a cup.

"Now...what brings you out this far?" he questioned.

"I am man of the cloth and left my cathedral on a sabbatical retreat to gain perspective and re-focus my life," the other man offered.

"I see...are you struggling with temptations?" the Apprentice asked.

"Very much so...I took a vow of celibacy and have struggled greatly with lust. There was a witch that was nearly my undoing, a filthy gypsy of all things. I left the cathedral to conquer my lust," he replied.

"Is that so? From the pleasures of the flesh or for power?" the Apprentice questioned, as their eyes met.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you have seen through my ruse," Frollo responded.

"A ruse based on truth, I can sense. You blame your perversion on the wiles of beautiful women, but you are the only one with ownership for the sickness inside you," the Apprentice responded.

"This does not have to involve violence. I require only one thing for my King and I will have it, regardless of what is in my way," Frollo stated.

"I will never give you my Master's hat. Your King is an evil soul and will only use my Master's great magic to spread his evil. I will never allow that to happen," the Apprentice stated.

"Then I guess we should get to it," Frollo responded, as he stood up and the Apprentice with him. The apprentice used his wand and unleashed his magic on Frollo, but his eyes widened in surprise, as Frollo came with his own weapon and wielded a type of sorcery unlike anything the Apprentice had ever seen in his very long life...

With the flick of her wrist, Persephone had fashioned the meadow into the perfect setting for her daughter's wedding. The meadow was already full of lush flowers and an abundance of snowdrops. She had cleared a path through the flora to make a proper aisle and Hades had created a white and golden archway. Apollo stood there, ready to officiate the ceremony, while Artemis and Demeter had arrived to witness too.

David stood at the altar, with his father standing next to him and his mothers there as well. Artemis and Demeter stood on Snow's side, opposite his mothers, while Persephone and Hades walked down the aisle arm in arm, to take their place across from his parents. Anything else that might have been happening around him was then unseen, as his attention was captured by Snow, floating toward him like the angel and Goddess she was, on her father's arm. When they reached the altar, Eli kissed her cheek and hugged her. Persephone and Hades hugged her as well, before she came to stand before David.

"I'm honored to be here today to officiate this union; a union which has been written in the stars," Apollo began.

"In this world, love can be fleeting and very difficult to find. I am very old and I have seen many false accounts of love and failed relationships, so to find a love so true as this one is very refreshing," he continued.

"We have all come together today to bond this already truest love in the sanctity of marriage," he said, as he made a motion with his hands and the sapling they had created on the first day they had met appeared floating between them.

"On the very first day you met, the first spark of true love was ignited. This very rare occurrence gave birth to your destined love and this became a symbol of that love," he stated.

"Now that we join you in eternal matrimony, this sapling must take root and like your love and devotion, it will now grow and flourish," Apollo decreed, as he used his magic to plant the sapling in the meadow and it took root, as it grew a bit, ensuring that it would eventually tower over them like a beacon of their love.

"Snow...you already wear two rings. One from your father's lineage and another from David's. The star gem is a very rare gem, much like you and this love between you," he stated.

"And the other ring follows true love and led you together. So I take a leaf from your sapling and fashion another ring for you to place on your beloved's finger," Apollo stated, as he plucked a leaf from the sapling and used magic to transform it into a wedding band that was imbued with the power of their true love from the sapling. He handed it to Snow and she slipped it onto David's finger.

"I think I can speak for all present when I say that we are in the presence of an incredible love, but we should hear those vows from the two of you," Apollo prompted, as David took a deep breath and prepared to confess his heart to her.

"When I was a little boy...I loved to gaze up at the stars. I was always so drawn to them and my mothers told me that it was because I sought true love in them," he began.

"I didn't know it, but I've been looking for you all my life and the stars were my map. Then I finally found you and suddenly knew that you were what I had been looking for all my life. And I'll keep looking for you and finding you. When we're together, I'll love you and cherish you. Then when we're apart, I'll miss you terribly, but take heart in knowing that you are safe from evil. And I'll never lose the faith that there will be a day when we never have to be apart again," he continued.

"But knowing that you're my wife will get me through those times. You're the love of my life. I knew from the moment I looked at you that I wanted to marry you, so I strive to be a man worthy of your love. What we have is true love, without a doubt and eternal. It goes beyond just this life and I know that whatever life we find ourselves in that I will always find you, just as you found me. And I know that no matter what we face, we shall do so together," he finished and she had to wipe a few tears away.

"When I was a little girl, my mother and my Nana said that I would find true love. I believed them and dreamed about what it would be like," she began.

"And then I was framed for murder and almost lost hope that finding love would be possible. I almost wondered if love was even real...and then you found me in that moment where I was ready to give up and awakened hope in me again. True love is magic and I knew that the moment my hand touched yours and we created this sapling," she continued tearfully.

"You were better than anything I could have dreamed. You're my Charming...and there is no other that deserves to be called that, because you embody what it means to be a Prince Charming. You're my hero and now I get to call you my husband, which brings me more joy than I ever thought possible," she added.

"You're the love of my life and I know that our love is eternal and true. I know you'll always find me and I will always find you. And I know we will get through anything, because we will do it together," she finished.

"There is no question that we are in the presence of the true, everlasting love that not men or Gods can tear asunder. Snow and David...by the cosmic powers in me, I bond you in an eternal union of the highest devotion, love, and commitment. I declare you husband and wife for all time," Apollo announced, as they joined hands.

"I think you know what to do now," he added coyly. They beamed at him and then each other, before coming together, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss. Their family cheered and clapped for them.

Shortly after, they saw Hades and Persephone off. They were leaving right away to follow Frollo into the eastern mountains and stop him from whatever plot he had conceived. They hugged their daughter and new son-in-law, as they prepared to leave.

"Please be careful," Snow pleaded.

"We will, Snowdrop," Persephone promised.

"We're just worried...because Frollo has proved to be really dangerous," David added.

"Yes, he has...but magic is still on our side and we won't let him succeed," Hades promised, as he joined hands with his wife and they disappeared in twin puffs of smoke.

"Well...the rest of us will leave you two to enjoy your wedding night," Sera gushed, as she ushered the rest of them to their cabin. David rolled his eyes at their antics and then swept his new bride into his arms. Snow yelped in surprise, but then put her arms around his neck, as he carried her into their cabin.

Hades and Persephone arrived the cabin where they knew Merlin's Apprentice lived and guarded the hat. Immediately, they knew something was very wrong, as the door was open and they went inside. They found the old man on the floor, still shaking and recognized this as likely the after effects of Frollo's weapon.

"Please tell me he doesn't have it!" Hades snapped, as light blue flames licked at the tips of his hair.

"Hades…" Persephone scolded and he attempted to compose himself.

"I'm...sorry, he had some sort of item that nullified my magic…" the Apprentice apologized.

"Yes...that was King Arawn's Royal Vizier and he has been mixing science with alchemy and sorcery. It's created some very dangerous things he is able to use against magic wielders," Persephone explained.

"I am sorry, Goddess...but I'm afraid he found and took the hat," he explained regrettably.

"How?! Even if he subdued you...it should have been hidden where no one could find it!" Hades cried, as his wife gave him another look, though she herself was close to panicking as well.

"He had a needle and injected me with some sort of serum. He said it was a scientific concoction he had made to force people to tell the truth. And to my horror...he was correct," the Apprentice revealed.

"Okay...Frollo is one customer I'd like to see in the Underworld. I know I gave up the whole torture thing, but he is very deserving of a session. I just can't decide between fingernail pulling or target practice with flaming arrows," Hades quipped.

"Hades…" Persephone scolded.

"You're right...both are wildly messy. I think I'll go with letting Cerberus play fetch with his body parts after he's torn him apart, of course," he replied.

"No," she said sternly and looked disappointed.

"Like you don't want to take a hammer to him for the way he looked at Snow," he retorted.

"Maybe...but he's still alive for now and we have to stop him. We'll deal with his afterlife later," she reasoned.

"He must be headed for bald mountain...the hat will show him the way. The entire realm will be doomed if he releases the Chernabog," the Apprentice said, as he used the black god's real name.

"Of course the entire realm will be doomed! That's why we locked it away and burned all the maps! I can't believe I missed one," Hades lamented.

"Unless you didn't," Persephone responded. He turned to her.

"What do you mean?" he questioned.

"You did destroy all the maps in the realm...except for the one in the Underworld," she reminded.

"But we're the only ones with access to that one. No other Gods except…" he started to say, but then paused and she nodded.

"Hermes...that little gutter worm," he hissed and then shook his head.

"But why? What does Hermes have to gain by releasing the black god?" he questioned.

"We know that Hermes will side with whoever is the most powerful. We know that Arawn would love nothing more than to possess that power, but what if he is only a pawn for someone even more powerful?" she questioned and his eyes widened in realization.

"Deimos…" he realized and they joined hands.

"Will you be all right?" she asked the Apprentice. He nodded.

"Go...stop Frollo from unleashing doom on us all," he pleaded. They nodded and disappeared again in twin puffs of smoke...